Special Letter to Dallin From his DAD

Special Letter from Dallin's Dad...Derek Cordon

Dear Dallin,

It is Sunday afternoon and I am home alone.  Tanner came home for the weekend but is attending the singles ward this afternoon and mom is attending Madi Violette's mission farewell.  She said you would know her.  I attended our ward this morning by myself.  Mom was attending other wards with her calling.  I taught High Priest Quorum today.  The topic was Chapter 2 of Teachings of the Living Prophets: Howard W. Hunter.  I loved the topic of Peace.  In this world of commotion and strife the question is often asked, "Where can I find shelter or peace?"  Pres. Hunter does a great job of answering this through the scriptures.  I really liked preparing for this lesson.  We truly live in a mixed up world that only associates peace with the hope of an end to armed clashes and border issues.  We as children of our Father in Heaven wish for so much more.  We need to know where we can find refuge from the world's bombardment of Satan's filth including pornography, same sex marriage, and infidelity.  We need to know where we can rest our weary souls and forget the rollercoaster stock markets, flipped government policies, and financial schemes.  It is only in and through the atonement of Christ we can find that peace.  As Christ met with his apostles at the last supper he promised them "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  Wow, what a gift! Imagine, immediately after that sacred meeting Christ headed to the Garden to take upon himself the pains of a sick world.  What peace could he give to his beloved apostles who after his departure would take the gospel message to the gentiles, suffering persecution and painful deaths? It certainly was not a peace as the world knows it.  He even told them, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  He gave them the peace that only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to his gospel.  I love you for your obedience and steadfastness.  Don't succumb to the world.  Though the world's storms rage around you remember that you can peace in your soul through your Savior.  As President Hunter stated, "Jesus was not spared grief and pain and anguish and buffeting.  No tongue can speak the unutterable burden he carried, nor have we the wisdom to understand the prophet Isaiah's description of him as "a man of sorrows." His ship was tossed most of his life, and, at least to mortal eyes, it crashed fatally on the rocky coast of Calvary.  We are asked not to look on life with mortal eyes; with spiritual vision we know something quite different was happening upon the cross." 

He continued, "Peace was on the lips and in the heart of the Savior no matter how fiercely the tempest was raging.  May it so be with us-in our hearts, in our own homes, in our nations of the world, and even in the buffetings face from time to time by the Church."

You my son have this fleeting opportunity to share this great message of peace with the wonderful people of Portugal.  Christ is the Prince of Peace.  He is the only source of true peace to the souls of man.  Work tirelessly to spread this message.  Don't let the voices in the "great and spacious building" sway you in the least!  Unfortunately sometimes the voices come from fellow missionaries or members.  Press forward with Faith in Him who is the author of this peace.

I love you,

Dad