Welcome to "the engines of my love," a regular review
of why I love you, Martha Ellyn Sharp Nelson, and no
other woman.
I love you because you were a silent participant in Rob and my
attendance at the Richfield 4th Ward. I had got quite tired by
the time we reached Richfield, about 10:00 PM Saturday evening, and
after filling up with gas and checking the mileage to Moab, decided
to find a motel to stay at. We stayed at a Day's Inn. We checked
out at 8:45 and got directions to a Stake Center. Rob was stuffing
his mouth with candy bars and said he left his medicine with Sara
in Cedar as we walked in to church. I made some sarcastic comment
and he slept on the couch in the foyer rather than join with me
in Sacrament Meeting.
It was High Council Sunday and the speaker talked about how he
refused to buy his kids cars until they served a mission, changed
his mind for his youngest, and how this son totaled that car. His
genuine struggle and open description of this struggle was refreshing.
I thought of you. Sunday School was about the Law of Consecration.
Part of the discussion included gardens, and a comment by the teacher
that `I never have been able to get anything to grow, but I know the
prophet told us to plant a garden, so I plant one, I just don't weed
it and get any results.' This resulted in an interesting discussion
about `the letter of the law' and `the spirit of the law.' I thought
about me and you. Rob was very concerned I was going to introduce
us to everyone in Priesthood opening exercises as being from Houston,
and he would have to face the resulting mocking by `Jazz' fans. They
did not ask where we were from. Probably because it was Memorial Day
weekend and there were a lot of visitors. Priesthood Meeting was
Lesson 18: Church Disciplinary Councils. The teacher started with a
quote: `The hour was very late; the room was quiet except for the
audible sobs of a young man who had just received the verdict of a
Church disciplinary council. . . . After several minutes, a weary
face looked up, and the young man's voice broke the silence as he said,
`I have just lost the most precious thing in my life, and nothing will
stand in my way until I have regained it.'' I cried. I thought of
what I have lost and his words became mine. It was an absolutely
wonderful lesson on the methodology, power, purpose, and love of
Church Disciplinary Councils. I was very, very, very touched by the message.
As we left, Rob reported they did not ask him where he is from.
He was very pleased. He turned to me and said: `Well Dad, did you get
anything from church? You say you always get something. Did you?'
I tried to express the feelings of the previous three hours, but he did
not hear me. We went to the car, drove to Arby's, changed in the car, ate,
and drove to Moab taking outcrop photographs all the way. There were really
bad thunderstorms on the way and I started to worry about how my big
family vacation trip was going to go for everyone. I shouldn't have
worried, as I summarized in Thoughtlet #97.22,
Colorado River Trip. Thanks for being a silent participant in my day,
even if everything you are doing says you want nothing to do with me.
Thanks because I love you.
I'm interested in sharing why I love you. I know how important
the written word is to you, and if you ever feel neglected,
ignored, or unloved, and would like an up-to-date bound copy of
these lovelets or any subset of these lovelets for any purpose
you might have come to mind, please tell me or e-mail your request
to rnelson@walden3d.com with the request 'lovelet update.'
With all my love,
Roice