Anita and I transcribed, for over an hour last night, a letter from Papa Jim’s grandmother Hoopes to him in 1961. Two years after this letter she sold her home to Ricks College, it is where the Snow Building is now. Of her seven children, one died at age 7.
She does not mention her oldest daughter, Pap Jim’s mother Laverne, at all in the letter. It makes me wonder. I wonder if she was disappointed in Laverne. Laverne married Arthur who was over 10 years older than her, never a member of the church, and they, it seems, did not raise their children teaching them the gospel. It seems she is pleased that her grandson “Jimmie” is active in the church; and it seems that “Jimmie” loved her too, with a special connection. We still have this letter today so it must have been important enough to not throw out.
Read on to see if you think I’m right.
By the way, I posted this letter on her record in Familysearch.com. I couldn’t find out who John and Ivy are.
Letter from Bertha Mary Nelson to James Arthur Gayle 1961
Posted Jan 13, 1961
From: Bertha Mary Nelson to James Arthur Gayle "Jimmie"
222 S. Center St., Rexburg Idaho
To: 4837 Indianola Way La Cañada Flintridge California (this house by the way is very nice)
Rexburg Jan 11th 1961
Dear Jimmie,
Phyllis, Bobby, and Jan,
Thanks so much for the lovely Christmas card. I was so glad to hear from you. The children are surely growing up. I can hardly believe Bobby is old enough to hold the Priesthood. I was so happy to hear you could perform the ordination. It will mean so much to them in later life, to have recorded in their books of remembrance “ordained and confirmed by my father”.
I am so happy to hear you have such a beautiful home and doing so well, but Jimmie I have had some things on my mind for a long time that I wanted to write you about, now I am getting old I feel I should not procrastinate long. It is wonderful to be able to have comforts, and luxuries in this life and I know our heavenly Father is [illegible] and wants us to have these things, but we should keep in mind there is a life beyond this one and he has given us a plan whereby we can have luxuries and joy in the world hereafter this. His plan is that we come to this earth, take on a body of flesh and bones, then he gave us certain commandments to keep and promises us if we keep these commandments certain blessings.
One of those commandments were to give one tenth of our earnings to be used for upholding his church here on earth. A small thing to ask for all he has given us. Also, we will be permitted to go to the temple to have our family sealed to us for time and eternity so we can mingle with them and enjoy their association in that better world. You know what you family means to you here in this life, they are your pride and joy. Your feelings for them will not be changed in the hereafter. If you have neglected having this done while here on earth you can imagine your sorrow and regret. Bobbie is getting older, in a few years he will want to make a life for himself. He may marry out of the church and not be able to go with you to the temple. Think of Uncle Joe [Gustave Joseph Lund] and Aunt Bertha [Bertha Alleen Hoopes], they neglected having this done so when they got ready to have it done only two of their four children were able to go. They are suffering regrets and sorrow now in their indifference. I can hear you say Oh Grandma in getting old and childish. True I am getting old, but I know these things to be true, you can’t get this knowledge by someone telling you they know it, you have to get it in and of yourself. The Bible tells us such and you shall find.
Talk these things over with your bishop and the missionaries and priesthood leaders. Humble yourself get down on your knees, as our latest prophet Joseph Smith did and ask for guidance. I know if you do this humbly and sincerely, the Lord will open the way so you will see and understand the importance of these things. Besides securing your own family, you have a great responsibility to your ancestors. You are the oldest one of your grandfather Gayle’s family that holds the priesthood. You are the heir. And the responsibility of making [illegible] and doing temple work for them rests on your shoulders. Your grandfather Gayle was a refined, cultured, gentleman [James David Shipley 2020: it is true, he was a successful Idaho businessman, raised in KY]. His people were not members of our church. He likely knew nothing about it, but I know the gospel is being preached on the other side. Else why did Jesus say when hanging on the cross, I go now to preach to the spirits in prison. If your Grandfather Gayle and Grandmother Gayle, and a lot of their ancestors should accept the gospel their hands are tied and can’t progress and so to speak in prison they will know you are the heir and it is your responsibility to open the gate and let them out. You can imagine the joy and satisfaction you will feel if you have done your part.
Oh there are so many things to consider when you stop to think of our eternal life, the things we accumulate in this life isn’t of much consequence. Your grandpa [Charles Wylie Hoopes] and I in our early marriage neglected to impress on our children the importance of [illegible]. We had a large family and had such a struggle providing the necessities. We like many today felt we could not afford to pay a full tithing and provide for our family but I can see now if we had faith enough the lord would have blessed us so we would have been able to do both when I see my little grandchildren that live here go to their tithing box Sunday morning and get their dimes and nickels and be so thrilled to take it to their bishop and pay their tithing I think oh why didn’t I do this when my children were small. Regrets that I can’t erase. There is only one way to be a full tithe payer that is when you get your paycheck. Say to yourself one tenth of this is going to the Lord. I have no right to spend it. Take it to your bishop. If you will all do this I am sure we will find that the other nine tenths will be sufficient for our needs until we get another paycheck. Oh we may have to sacrifice some of the things we had our hearts set on, but doesn’t the Lord tell us sacrifice Brings forth the blessings of heaven. The blessing we are promised to have our family through the eternities will mean more than anything money can buy. The principle of tithing should be instilled in the minds of children from their very youth if they are taught to do this in childhood if they are taught to give ten cents out of the first dollar they receive that we owe to the lord for all the things he does for us it will become an easy matter to give the Lord his share.
The blessings we enjoy every day would be hard to count and if the lord so desired they could all be snatched form you in the twinkling of an eye.
Jimmie, I did not mean to preach a sermon. I just wanted to remind you of your obligations. I don’t want to meet you in the net world and have you say grandma you knew the importance of these things. Why didn’t you talk to me about it and try and show me how important it was for me to do these things while I was on earth and could do it also you are the only one of you boys that is active in the church.
Anyway I knew you are a wonderful boy, I’m so proud to be your grandmother. You should be a missionary to [your brothers] Stan and Don and just set the example and then encourage them all you can so they too can see the necessity of keeping all these commandments. Well Jimmie I hope you won’t get bored reading this long epistle. But think about what I have written and always keep in mind there is a life beyond this one. And our joy and happiness there depends on what we do here in this life.
The lord has been merciful to me and I have received many blessings. Among them seven children [she had a child daughter die at age 7.], twenty one grandchildren, and twenty one great grandchildren. I have love them all and my only desire is for their welfare and that someday we can all be together in a better world.
Thanks for the wish you expressed that I could visit you this winter but the years have taken their toll and I am afraid I will have to content myself at home and look forward to a visit from all of you sometime. I sure wish I was able to spend part of the winter in sunny California and see you all and your new home. John and Ivy left this morning for Mesa Arizona. It made [illegible] real homesick for trip myself but I must not dwell on those thoughts. But be thankful I have a good warm home and able to live in it. We are all pretty well here at present. We have had some real cold weather but the last few days have been real mild. I do hope you can all keep well. My thoughts and prayers are with you always. If you can find time to write me a line I would surely love to hear from you. Oceans of love and best wishes to all.
Grandmother
Jamie, Jan, Papa Jim, Hazel Hoopes, her mom:
Bertha Mary Nelson
23 July 1876 – 9 July 1971
Now for the remarkable effect all this had on me. I was clicking away at work reading this document and about the 2nd paragraph in, an overwhelming feeling of the spirit engulfed me. I openly wept as I read and finished the letter. It was as if Moroni was "crying from the dead, Yeah, even as one crying from the dust". Papa Jim and Phyllis (Nana) were married in 1946 in a civil marriage. Papa Jim really had no church support growing up. His father was a non-member and his mother was less than committed to the gospel. Jan and brother Bob came along and were born out of the covenant. Now for the remarkable 'coincidence'. Note the date of this letter, 11 January 1961. Papa Jim and Phyllis went to the Los Angeles Temple on 16 November 1961 and received their initiatory, endowment and sealing ordinances. Then 14 year old Bob and 10 year old Jan were sealed to them! Coincidence? I don't think so. This heavenly and devoted grandmother obviously had a great impact on Papa Jim and I have no doubt provided the impetus and strength for him to pursue the covenant path. How blessed I have been because of that sweet and beautiful testimony and how blessed has been my dear wife!! She remembers little about the event but the spirit of the day burned bright and helped her develop a testimony of the eternity of things. Add one little more tidbit to this great story and you will understand even further why the overwhelming feelings. When the email was received, I was listening to the Youtube Tabernacle choir channel and they were singing Mac Wilberg's arrangement of 'If The Way Be Full Of Trial, Weary Not'. I sang that glorious old hymn at Papa Jim's and Nana's funeral services in Salinas!!!! It was simply a sublime moment of spiritual light and confirmation that the Plan of Salvation is real and so meaningful. Certainly it was another example of the Lord's tender mercies, for which I am truly grateful.
Here is Jan's email response to Jamie.
Moving on, here is an interesting picture with a story. Our missionary Granddaughter spent some of her MTC virtual training time at our house while I was back home 3 weeks ago. I came in from a 'cycling' class workout on a Thursday early evening just in time for my Ohio High Council Telemeeting. (Yes, I was called to the High Council in the Columbus Ohio East Stake in August of 2017). We have been doing the virtual meeting since Covid-19 shut everything down in March. I wanted to not look like I had just gotten in from the workout so I went to my closet, sweaty and all, donned a white shirt and tie, then aimed the computer camera at my upper torso and, well, now the picture taken by Sister Shipley on her way home tells the rest of the story! Pretty interesting I must say. I had just lost the 20 pounds mentioned in another post, so...
And to close this post, I spent the week working and playing Pickleball and Racquetball. I am in pretty good shape now so that is a blessing. Work is going well and I am settling into the routine that allows me to maximixe my time and effort. I ate early Linner (lunch and dinner) with some good friends the Hawkins today. Juanetti (pronounced Juanetta) lives with them also. Juanetti is the wonderful helper who worked with me finishing my last project for the Muskingum County Common Pleas. She basically took Jan's place and kept the document preparation machine well oiled. In addition, she spent 8 hours a day preparing the documents so that I would always have plenty to do. Actually, there were many who helped and I will recount the whole story in another catch up post at a later date (but not too much later).
I call Jan at least twice a day and we stay in touch that way. It is working, but of course I wish she would come be with me and work by my side. Perhaps it will happen at some point in the future once again. So, onto the new week. What surprises await? ....
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