On Richard, the Index Cards and His Mother

Yesterday I was reading about Enos being influenced by his father and it triggered something in my memory. I went to the Biblebox that contained all of the condolence messages to Richard's mother Vida after her husband Merlin died. In there were the index cards of a talk Richard had written about the messages in the box. I had not thought about them since James found them when he was preparing a talk for his own Dad's funeral. Richard was only 11 when his father died so it was his mother who was to be the great influence in his life.

It was over 11 years ago that James found the cards and used them in his funeral talk. Since then I have prepared a 3 inch Memory Book on Richard's life and sent messages about him to the children periodically over the years. Why had I never thought to get those index cards out and recreate the talk he gave? I have no explanation. I do not know.

It was actually a very good talk expressing his feelings on finding the box of all these messages to his mother. He was obviously assigned to give an Easter talk on the resurrection in church, probably in 1987, as I was able to deduct from his memos. He had very tender feelings thinking about actually having a reunion with his father and all these other relatives and friends at the time of all their resurrection.

It is really a testimony of Richard's belief in Jesus Christ and the atonement, and his understanding of the gift of the resurrection and eternal life. He talks about the free agency that Heavenly Father has given us and the choices we all must make and the need to continually seek our Father's guidance and keep going in the right direction until that final day of resurrection when we will all be together again.

I am glad I was able to finally share this testimony with his children and grandchildren. It is important for them all to have it in writing.

As I was looking for something in a journal of letters Richard wrote to his mother (and she so faithfully saved from college and navy days) it was obvious of the influence she had in his life. She wanted Richard to serve a mission and as he went from high school and then to college and then to the Korean war and then back to college it was obvious she never let him forget the importance of a mission. He did finally serve that mission but not at 19, he was 24 years old! And I know he loved his mission and it was a great blessing in his life. It took Richard 10 years from the time he entered college to when he graduated. But he did it all, college, mission and service to his country.

Richard's mother was very patient with him but she never let him forget his roots and his destiny. It was she who carried on in place of Richard's father, she was the influence his father couldn't be. I pay tribute to Vida, a great mother.