Letter to a Missionary

Last Christmas I sent a letter to Savannah, my granddaughter who is serving a mission in the Toronto Canada Mandarin speaking Mission. Just thought I would share it.

Larry Elton <larryelton@gmail.com>	12/24/16
to Savannah

Dear Savannah,

Thank you so much for the postcard you sent.  I am so pleased that you have good memories of our walks and talks.  I love sharing things with you and always love it when you share your thoughts with me.  I always felt that we talked with each other and not to each other.  I have great memories of you sitting in the wicker chair in my little office while I was sitting at the desk and you and I just talking about so many things.

At this Christmas time I would like to share a little part of me with you.  It's something that happened to me when I was a young boy, and I don't think I have ever told anyone about this.  You are very special to me and I feel a closeness with you, and having been a missionary myself I can relate to what you are doing and feel a bond with you that missionaries feel towards each other.

So here is my Christmas thought just for you.

When I was nine years old I attended an YMCA Summer Camp and spent several weeks at camp up in the mountains just outside of Los Angeles.  I was having a wonderful time participating in all the activities and making lots of new christian friends.  While at camp I received a letter from my mom telling me that my aunt Ada had passed away.  Ada was my dad's older sister.  I really hadn't been around her much, but even though, her death hit me very hard.  It was the first time in my young life that death hit close to me and in my own family, and I felt terrible.  To this day I don't know why this had hit me so hard but it did and everyone around me could tell something was wrong.

One of the camp counselors had heard what had happened and came to me and asked if we could talk. I remember him and I going to one of the empty cabins and pulling two chains together so that they were facing each other. He asked me a little about myself and we talked.  Then this good Christian man look at me and asked me a piercing question.  "Larry" he said, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?"  I was only nine years old.  No one had ever asked me that so directly before and I was forced to think hard about it.  Did I believe in Jesus Christ. Then, I remember, a warm comforting feeling came over me and I looked into his eyes and said, "Yes I do."  He smiled at me and said, "Then you know where your aunt is, and you know that everything is going to be alright."

Many a time in my life when I was facing a difficult time with something, or was sad, or troubled, I would think of a good Christian man asking a question, and I ask myself, "Larry, do you believe in Jesus Christ?"  "Yes I do, and I know everything is going to be alright."

Christ brought a message of peace to the world.  But let's not ever forget that believing in Christ brings a wonderful peace that lives inside of us and enriches our lives.

So a little Christmas message from a nine year old boy who grew up to have a very special and wonderful granddaughter.  I love you Savannah.  Merry Christmas.

Grandpa