Our paternal grandfather, affectionately known as "Abuelo" passed away on Monday morning. Lawrence talks a lot about how the news affected him in this week's letter.
Dear Family,
Thank you all for your love, e-mails, prayers, pictures, and support!!! We had our Preparation Day moved to Tuesday since yesterday was Zone Conference. As everyone was moving into the next room for lunch, Hermana Lindahl took me aside and let me know that Abuelo had passed away. I hadn’t received anyone’s e-mails yet about how he had been in a hospital bed at home or about how he was in a worsening condition since I hadn’t had the chance to check my e-mail until today. It came as a bit of a shock really to be honest. I knew he wasn’t in the best of conditions but I didn’t think he was going to pass away so suddenly.
After receiving the news President Lindahl gave me his cell phone and told me to call home. I went right outside the lobby of the chapel and tried to call but the answering machine at home answered with Dad’s voice on it. Just hearing Dad’s voice was pretty hard. It took me a while before I could regain composure. I just had to stand a little while outside with the handkerchief I fortunately had with me. When I got a hold of myself I went back inside to eat lunch with everyone else and give President back his cell phone. Conference ended soon after lunch with just a few more presentations. President gave me his cell phone again to see if someone had returned home but I got the answering machine again. I figured everyone was in Santa Ana with Abuela, taking care of her. Not a moment too soon I saw that I had received three letters in the mail, two from friends who are serving missions as well and one from Sister Campbell. I read the letters that night which helped me considerably.
We took the bus from San Rafael back to General Alvear after Conference and got back around 8:45 PM. A little while after that we made it back over to Alvear Oeste where we live and went into a Locutorio to use a phone there. I had a lot more composure by that point and was able to leave a message with my phone number on it. Unfortunately I accidentally left my phone at the chapel in San Rafael where the conference was held so I won’t have my phone until Wednesday afternoon when the Zone Leaders come down to do divisions with the Elders in Bowen.
Thank you all so much for the e-mails I’ve been reading this morning. I’ve been getting a little emotional here in the Internet Café but fortunately there are dividers so not everyone can see me. I’ll always have wonderful memories of Abuelo. He’s had a bigger impact on my life than I realize at times. Our first computer at home was our good friend the Tandy 1000, a gift from Abuelo. The two main reasons I’ve gotten into computers have been, one, that I thought Dad worked in computers (he always seemed to be on a computer at work :) ) and, two, that Tandy 1000 that we first started to use at the Abuelos’ house. He also gave us our Compaq with Windows 3.1 which was the coolest thing in the world to me. As time went by I just had to know more and more about how computers work. Even in Primary when they would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would say a computer programmer.
Abuelo was always very loving and I even remember when he would take a broom and push me around in that little plastic three-wheeled tricycle thing, sticking the broom in one of the “exhaust pipes.” I knew that he loved every single one of his grandchildren. He had such caring ways of doing everything he did. I miss him but I know that our separation “shall be but a small moment.” God surely has taken him to the spiritual paradise that awaits the righteous. His reunion with his family there must bring sweet joy. I’m just thankful that I got to know my Abuelo for as long as I did. I came upon my Line of Authority today and I was reminded that the Priesthood I hold was passed from him to my father and from my father to me. His righteous influence shall extend far into the future. I love him very much and I can’t wait to see him again some day. I love all of you very much as well and I pray that the Holy Ghost will accompany you and bring you the comfort He has brought me.
Love,
Elder Williams
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