She blessed my life so much when she volunteered to do that for me, so that the beautiful messages would not be lost to the world or to my posterity. And from some of those poems she wrote some 80 beautiful songs which she so often received almost before she had finished reading the poem. And then she started writing her own poetry and music to share, and spent her days and nights doing what she could to preserve and to share them with others while she was still here on earth, just as I have tried to do, with her encouragement.

I could never have done it without her help. She spent over five years, working night and day, to type into her computer all the poems I had written in my spiral notebooks from 1956 to 1990, and she loved every one of them, and rejoiced for the opportunity of being able to help me, and was always willing to share my heart thoughts with the sisters in her Ward, and others as well, and loved to sing the beautiful songs which she had written through the years.

She had never written a song before she started putting music to my poems, and at first, I thought that it would spoil the Spirit of my poems to put them to music, but she proved otherwise, and I loved each and every one of them, and so very much appreciated her taking the moments of her life to help me to share the messages of my heart.

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart thoughts with you, and thank you for being willing to share them with your friends and family as well. It truly has blessed my life.

In addition to all her work in helping me with my project, when I started sharing the messages of my heart with you, she began copying my heart thoughts into 100 page volumes which she put together and sent me, and now I have some 20 volumes of my messages which I sent out to you by e-mail, right here in my file cabinet. They are beautiful, and she sent me a note after the 20th volume was completed, that she would no longer be doing that, as she wanted to spend her time publishing her songs which she had written so she could share them with the world.

Alas, her life ended last fall when she and her husband were traveling around visiting their children and grandchildren when their new car was struck by a semi truck, and she suffered injuries which took her life. But the things which she did while here on earth shall not only bless her life beyond the veil of tears, but many others as well, as I’m very sure she will continue sharing her beautiful voice and songs with all those who love her music on the other side of the veil. Because that is what she loved to do while here.

She was like our mother, always busy doing things to bless the lives of others, and literally wearing her life out in the service of others, and she never did anything halfway. It was all or nothing. How I miss her, and loved her, and am so appreciative of her willingness to help me share the messages of my heart.

She told me one day, that she was sitting at the piano working on a song, and her daughter was sitting nearby, listening to what she was doing, when suddenly she realized that there was something she needed to do, like the dishes, and started getting up to do that, when her sweet daughter said to her, “Mom, I can go and do that. What you are doing is much more important, as you never know whose life it will bless,” or something like that, and it really touched me, that her daughter would have that insight, and understand the importance of what Jennie was involved in doing.

Well, we will be leaving shortly to go and visit our son, his wife and our grandchildren and great-grandchildren for a few days, so I had better dry my tears and get with it, but I just wanted you to know that you are dearly loved, and I so appreciate having had the opportunity of sharing my heart thoughts with you through the years. Have a beautiful day.

Your friend and brother. Jim

Too Heavy to Bear

10/12/90

Have you ever felt the burden

That weighs upon your soul

Because of sin and error,

Which keeps you from your goal?

It doesn’t weigh a penny

But is heavy as can be,

It’s like a shroud of darkness

That causes misery.

The pain to heart and spirit

Is very hard to bear,

Especially when you’re all alone,

With no one else to share

The burden you are bearing,

And pain you’re feeling, too,

That is, until you realize

That Jesus died for you.

And with that understanding,

You come to realize

That you are really not alone,

For someone much more wise,

More caring and sufficient,

Is watching over you,

Who’s made the supreme sacrifice

To help you see it through.

So, let the Savior help you

To rid yourself of pain,

By thus repenting here and now,

And breaking that old chain

That’s tied your soul to Satan,

So many, many years,

And filled your heart with grieving,

And filled your eyes with tears.

He’ll lift the burden from you,

And wipe away your tears,

And heal the pain and sorrow

You’ve borne for many years.

Let not your heart be troubled,

Repent and you’ll be free

To see it make a difference

In what you want to be.

God bless you as you journey

Toward that distant goal,

That you may have the Savior’s love

To make your spirit whole.

Your friend and brother

Jim

Heart_thoughtsbyjim@q.com