Christmas Letters to Tanner

Dear Tanner Merry Christmas!!
     I am honored that your mom has given me this opportunity to send you a special Christmas Letter I hope things are going well for you. I hope that you have been able to learn the language even better than you already did. As I look at the missionary Program in the church, I am confident in the abilities of you young missionaries. And I am staring to see the wisdom of the lord. From even the days of the bible and the book of Mormon, The lord has had missionaries in his gospel. You are sharing missionary work with many of the greatest followers of Christ.
     When I think of missionary work I think of King Benjamin. He spoke to the people and taught amazing doctrine, everything from the plan of happiness to the atonement. And the numbers of people were so many, he had to have them listen to the doctrine and then have them teach others. And at the end of his teaching, he asked them in Mosiah 5:2 if they believed the words that he had spoken- and they said:  2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.
      Even as great of a teacher that he was, I think he realized that it was not him who had converted his people, but it was the spirit of the lord. And that shows how powerful the spirit of the lord. In order to teach with the spirit of the lord, King Benjamin had to have the spirit with him.
     He had to be living his life in a worthy manner so that he could have the spirit with him. I know that you have probably had times in your life when the spirit was not as strong, because of things that may have been going on in your life. I encourage you to strive to make your life better, try to be a better disciple of the lord. Try to live every day more worthily than the last one.
     I believe that as we get closer to the spirit, the desire to do good increases. Satan knows that if he can get us to not be quite as worthy as we should, that he can keep us from feeling the spirit. And in turn he can keep us from being truly converted to the gospel.
     Tanner I know our heavenly father wants us to be happy and he has given us the spirit to bring us back to him, so that we can have true happiness. I also know that he loves you. I know that he knows the challenges that you and your companion face. I know he has placed people that are trying to find the gospel, all along your path, specifically for you. I encourage you to rely more on the spirit. If you have any doubts or questions , Ask the Lord, do as Joseph smith did in the first epistle of James, and ask. I know you will receive and answer.
     Lastly – I want to share my testimony with you. I know that Christ Lives, I know that the gospel that you are teaching and preaching is true. I know that the missionary program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly inspired. And that you are doing the lords work. I know that families are inspired by god, as the fundamental unit of the great plan.
     Best Wishes to you and your companion. You have so many people who love you. We Think about you and pray for you. Please don’t forget about him whose work this is --
 … When you are in the service of the least of these my brethren, ye are only in the service of your God.
Serve God and be great !! Love Always Your Uncle— James Dabb

Dear Tanner,
     I am so proud of your decision and worthiness to go on a mission. It will change your life for the best. You will never regret it. Your tie I gave you represents one of many ties we have to each other. Grandfather to Grand son. Brother to brother in the gospel. We are sons of our Father in heaven. Sons of Father Adam and Mother Eve. You were ordained an elder by your grandfather, Farrell Olsen a high priest. I was ordained a high priest by your uncle Leo Gordon Olsen. Gordon was ordained a high priest by James A Cullimore, a general authority. Gordon did not have his complete line of authority, but it would only be two more generations more to go back to Christ. Another tie along the way. So you see we are eternally tied together. The ultimate we are tied together is through the sealing power of the holy priesthood of God. That sealing cannot be broken. As long as we keep the commandments He is bound. I love you without reservation. I look forward to having an eternal relationship with you and be tied to you throughout the eternities to come.
Your loving Grandfather, Farrell.