To the familia de Morris

Dear Melanie, Emma and Lizzie,

    

I love you guys so much. I’m sooo deeply sorry about the passing of Chad. I heard about it on Friday. My President called me and let me know that he had passed away.

I just want to let you guys know how much I love you guys and how truly grateful I am for Chad Morris. I can honestly say that Chad is and forever will be one of my heros. He played such an important role in my life and had such a huge impact on my life. I’m eternally grateful for his example of love and charity. I can honestly say if it wasn’t for him I don’t know if I would be out here on the Mission. I love him so much and will never forget the kind of man he was. When I heard that he died I began to think about all the memories that I had had with him and there are so many that I wouldn’t have time to write them all. He was like my second dad. He was always there for me, he always believed in me, he gave me work and he took care of me and our whole house. It’s an endless list of sacrifices that he made for me and my family.

I’ll never forget the time I ran into his brand new truck when I was riding on the 4 wheeler and dented it pretty good. I’ll never forget how he reacted. I thought he was going to be really mad but instead he just told me "Don’t worry about it, it’s just a car." He taught me an important lesson that worldly things don’t matter and that the things that really matter are our family and the gospel. That is just one of many different things that Chad taught me.

It was amazing how the Lord prepared me to receive the hard news because that same Friday before I found out I had read Alma 12 in my studies where it talks about the resurrection and how thanks to Jesus Christ and His atonement we will all one day be resurrected. That morning I felt the spirit sooo strongly as I read that part, which was interesting because it was something I already knew, but the spirit gave me a confirmation and prepared me to receive the news. Also that night I was able to teach a family that I really love and who have struggled and suffered for years over the loss of a cousin. In that lesson I was able to share my testimony about what God plans for us and what he has in store for us after this life. I felt the spirit so strongly as I shared my knowledge and testimony with this family and I know Chad was there with me. He had to have been because it was exactly what that family needed to hear to be able to overcome the loss of their cousin.

Before I left on my mission I remember that last night when I went over to your house and said goodbye. After 2 years I don’t remember anything from that night except one thing... that after I said goodbye I got into the car and said, "wow, I love that family and I love that guy. I KNOW THAT I WILL SEE HIM AGAIN." In that moment when I said that I thought it meant after my mission, but now I know what it truly meant when I said those words and I stick by them. I know I will see him again one day and you guys will too.

Know that I have been praying for you guys and I love you guys and I know that I’m far away from you guys, but I hope you know that I love you guys a lot. It’s interesting because I was originally planning on being home on the 20th of July and I would’ve been there but after a lot of prayer and fasting I decided to stay and finish my 2 years. I wasn’t quite sure why God needed me out here still, but now I know.

I know God has plan for all of us. I know Christ overcame death when he was resurrected. I know that God loves us and so he gives us trials so that we can grow and draw nearer to him. I’m grateful for the hard times that I have had in my life, not because they are easy or desirable, but because they have allowed me to get to know my savior a little more and love him.

I love you guys and I share this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.