My Grandpa

My Grandpa is my dearest friend.  

Happy 84th Birthday Grandpa Maw.

My Grandpa Maw. I just love him, and shake my head because I don't know how to say any of what I feel for him. An incredible man. A giant. I am so endeared to him. 

I felt like he was at my side during my mission because he loved me so and wrote me letters as if he was serving at my side. My mission was a special time for me and my Grandpa, a highlight of my life and our eternity as family. Something I cannot put into words, nor will I try. Something we hold in our hearts.

I am so glad we will be family for eternity cause I have lots of plans for our future.

Thank you Grandpa for daily visits to Farr's Ice Cream, for setting up the microphone downstairs so I could practice my game show hosting and Lawrence Welk appearances for hours on end each day we visited. Thank you for making your home a welcoming place, and a place to feel the Spirit. Thank you for teaching me how to play dominoes, and for setting up the Mormon Bridge game so Grandma would bet seven wins. (I am smiling thinking of all the memories.) Thank you for serving a mission with Grandma even when you had to leave us, your grandchildren. Thank you for supporting your family, gaining an education, and raising my amazing mother. Thank you for always being worthy of your priesthood and for keeping the Spirit with you wherever you go. Thank you for serving honorably in World War II, and for being diligent about writing your personal history and memoirs. Thank you for studying the Book of Mormon and words of the prophets even now.

Thank you for saying "Good Honk" when things weren't working out. Thank you for always being spirited and upbeat. Thank you for buying bridge mix every time we came to visit. Thank you for making me laugh without fail. Thank you for hiding candy bars in the china closet. Thank you for telling me the words that I could use my "Q" and "J" with in Scrabble.

Thank you for enduring physical trials while still wearing a smile every single day.

Thank you for loving the Lord, always.

From you I have learned by example about patience, optimism, trust and faith, diligence, enduring to the end, determination, and kind and gentle love.

And more. So much more.

We're best friends aren't we.

Grandpa. I love you so much. I am so thankful I can call you mine.

I love you.

-Candita