Elder Paolacci's Grandfather John Paolacci passed away on Thursday May 3, 2012
Well my
dear family, I am not gonna lie,
last night was a pretty rough night for me. After me and my companion had
finished planning I was in the process of changing when I received a call from
President Ardila. I was actually super nervous because I thought I had an
emergency transfer. He started talking to me in a way I have never heard him
and I instantly knew why he was calling. I don’t know why or how, but I knew.
We talked for about a minute or two when he broke me the news. I love my
mission president so much. As he was about to tell me he started to cry. He
told me about how his father had passed away and it really helped me out.
After the phone conversation I immediately got on my knees
and prayed. It was hard. I haven’t cried like that for a while, but I had the
strongest impression that Grandpa Paolacci and Grandpa Harper were right there
next to me. I hadn’t had that feeling since the time Grandpa Harper had passed
away and in one of my baseball games when I was walking to the mound I felt like
he was right there with me.
Last night was one of the most powerful experiences of my
life. I asked Elder Janco for a blessing and as he put his hands on my head I
felt as though there were two more pairs of hands
upon my head. It was an amazing blessing and afterwards I felt so much
better. Before I went to bed I read the chapter in Jesus the Christ on the
Atonement and also his Resurrection. I didn’t go to bed till very late but it
helped me a ton.
When I woke up this morning I looked through the pictures I had of
Grandpa Paolacci. I cried again, but felt the impression to read a scripture
that I had read when I started the misión.
When I read it at the start of my mission I put my name in the place of
Joseph and sidney. I was having alot of
troubles with homesickness and this scripture changed
everything:
D&C 100:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friend Dylan, your
family is well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in
me there is all power.
This time as I read
it I thought of this in a way that I have never thought. I was thinking of my
grandpas looking down on us and that they could also be feeling the same things
we are feeling in these moments. This time
I replaced Joseph and Sidney, for John and
Kent.
D&C 100:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends John and Kent, your
families are well; they are in mine
hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all
power.
I know as a fact that Grandpa is in a good
place,
as it says in verse 4 of section 100 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this
place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation
of souls.
Our father does everything in this life with a wise
purpose. We may not know what it is but
his plan is perfect. If we live according to the gospel in these times we may come to know the reason of the things he does in his life. But we
cannot expect to know exactly why he does all the things he does other than the fact that its for the
salvation of souls.
6 Therefore we are always
confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from
the Lord:
8 We are confident,
I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the
Lord.
Grandpa was a great and literal example that we walk by faith and not
sight. And as it says in verse 7, even though we are here to have joy in our
lives, being in the presence of the Lord is uncomparable. And as you all know,
he is much happier now, as you say mom, I know he is looking down upon all of
us. On Logan playing baseball, on Coleton doing his plays and turning into an incredible young man, on
Karleigh being the most enduring person I know, on Morgan being the best young
mother and wife that exists, on Marissa with her creativity and always amazing
attitude and love for others, and I know
he is looking upon me as a missionary.
Last night as I was laying in my bed I started thinking
about how close I was to being able to see him, and I started reflecting and
thinking on maybe why our Heavenly Father chose now to bring him home. And I
feel like I know why now.
One John may have left my life at this brief moment we call
earth life, but God has put another in my path as a missionary that is having a
serious impact on my life. Yesterday Johnathan showed up to church (like 15
minutes early) with a completely different look on his face. Your prayers are
working family. He is changing so much and is extremely excited for his baptism
on the 19th. Every time I see him I have the strongest impression that I was put
here in Jauja to help the Lord change his
life. If possible my desire to help him now is even more than it was before, and
I know grandpa is going to support him in this change he is making in his
life.
I know this is and will be a very hard time for the family. And I am sure it will be
very difficult for me too. But we “are in good hands”. We need to search for
what the Lord wants us to do now, and do it.
I love all of you
so much and I will be praying for all of you. If there is a Preach My Góspel or
a pamphlet of lesson 2 in the house, I ask that you all study the plan of
salvation as a family tonight for Family Home Evening, I will be doing it as
well.
Gods plan is perfect, don't forget it. And because Christ
lives, we will all live again.
I Love You all so very much,
Elder Dylan Thomas
Paolacci
I look forward to meeting you when you return. I am Jon's mom, Rosemary Ghirardi and Christina's mom-in-law. It has been a privilege to know your Grandpa and I am coming to know the person he was before I met him. I have been embraced by your family and it is a wonderful thing. I am a Catholic but we share the same love of God and family. All praise and glory to God. See you in July.
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