Day 19

Dear Melynda,

I have been having a great day. Now I am in tears. That is just life right now. I have been given a special little present and I want to share it. When you were in the hospital a friend of yours left this message on facebook that contained a letter to him that you had written a year ago. You both had chronic health issues and he had sent you a message and this was your reply. I never saw it until tonight. It was like hearing your voice again! Something I have longed to do. Thank you for that and "thank you" to your wonderful friend, Tommy, for sharing it with us. I sure it was inspired for him to put that there so on a night like tonight it could be there for me...and others, I am sure. There are tender mercies everywhere.

Tommy
Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm so sorry you have crohn's My older brother Chad has it it's a terrible disease. It's funny reading your message . How different challenges can be yet similar. How hardship can change you to your soul and when it is all said and done, We hope that we deal with it as Heavenly Father would have us deal with it. I tell people all the time it has been the hardest , best 2 years of my life. I would not wish it on anyone.But I wouldn't wish it away either, if I had to send my testimony and the knowledge I've learned with it. Do you ever wonder some times though, what we were thinking when they handed out trails. Did we really volunteer for these? or was it more of all the good trails are taken so these were left overs? How's that for a contradiction GOOD TRIALS?!? I have 3 daughters and I have seen more compassion from them and service through this, then I could have ever tried to teach them with a unbroken body. And through each step it's been a testimony of Heavenly Fathers grace and divine power.
I have had to find my new normal, and the blessings of this new normal, and laugh my way through it. Life is good, but I think I've gotten all my trails out of the way right?!? God can't send any more my way .STROKE-check CRUSHED MY SPINE- check, LOST MY SPEECH-check, RIGHT SIDE PARALYSIS-Check. I'm all done with mine..
Oh how I wish that were true. Thanks for the prayers and the encouragement, It means a lot to me.
Thanks again
Melynda Thomas

This is a testimony I often heard you bare and share with many. I am glad you may "rest from your labors" for awhile. And in case you don't already know your girls are wonderful, incredible little people who you have taught to be so strong and good. I know you are proud of who they are and who they are becoming.

This letter reminds me of when I came for the second time to Utah after your stroke and stayed with you. You were discouraged. After one particularly hard night, when you couldn't even finish your sentences because it was so hard to talk, I was incredibly worried about. It was all so difficult to understand why you were going through all this. The most incredible day came when I came back a while later and you basically laid it all out. You were so grateful for all that you had been through. Grateful for the testimony you had gained, the knowledge of your Savior you had obtained, and other special spiritual gifts you had obtained that come from no other way but practice.

That was a beautiful day. Not only to see you so happy but to be able to know for sure and gain my own testimony that God knows what he is doing. I know now that that small moment of testimony from you has been part of a foundation that I am now solely relying on . I am trusting in your words and what I already know about Jesus Christ and His promises to get through this.

I have a strong feeling someday, in the next life, we will look back and see the big picture and we will REJOICE in all of this. I anticipate that day with great excitement. I miss you. I love you!

Love, Larin