Feb 10, 2002

Dear Brieanna,

I've been very busy this last month. Melanie chose the name for the baby - Noelle Gunsay. Since the birth of the new baby, I've had to help out Melanie more. I've had to care for the boys and do the cooking. Melanie takes very good care of baby Noelle. Noelle rarely cries because Melanie keeps her by her side at all times, and caters to her every whim. Melanie gets up with the baby, and lets me sleep. Asher and Seth love the new baby, and like to watch her. The baby has put on weight and has been very healthy. We rarely take the baby out of the house, because of flew season, and we wont have her blessed in church until the spring.

The Olympics started this last Friday night. I wonder if you are watching any of the games, and if your heart and mind are turned to Utah. It's a pity that you can't be here during this time. We've been watching the ice skating events, and we can see the Olympic rings on the mountain about downtown Salt Lake, from our house. It's been a great winter for the Olympics because we've gotten so much snow. We had been worried because in past years there has been very little. We've gotten so much this year where we live that at times it's been piled taller than me.

I wish that my life were more exciting so that I would have more to tell you about. However, my life is quite calm and peaceful. I go about my duties and responsibilities quietly. My ambitions are simple, and consist merely of caring for my family as best I can, and being reunited with you someday.

I often wonder how you are doing. You will be a teenager at your next birthday. I often worry about you. I hope that you will have good friends, and be able to find some good adult role models, to emulate.

I recall that as I entered my teenage years, being with my friends was one of the most important things to me. I was lucky to have the church in my life, because it taught me to stay away from alcohol, drugs, and sex. Nearly all of my friends started drinking, doing drugs, smoking and having sex, but I was able to abstain from all of these things. I have always had respect for my body and for my mind. I knew that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes would hurt my mind and my body. I also realized that people who use these things become addicted to them and can't stop. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to lose there freedom of choice by taking these things. I've been blessed with a good mind, and it has taken me far in my life. To do anything to damage it would have been foolish and disrespectful to God. In my later teenage years, my friends would get drunk every weekend, and they accepted the fact that I didn't drink. In fact if we would go someplace and if they saw that I was being offered alcohol, they would tell everyone that I didn't drink. I know that even though they would often make fun of me, that deep down they respected me for it.

As far as sex, I was taught that it was wrong to have sexual relations before marriage. I have always believed this, and held true to this conviction. I have never had intimate relations outside of marriage. I have always been true to my marriage covenant, and faithful. Chastity was the norm 50 years ago, but now it is mocked as being fanatical or outdated. The majority of people believe today, believe that we should give into every urge, as if we were animals, or that we should tryout and experiment with every temptation, just to see if it is for us or not. There are many reasons not to have sex, except in marriage. I hope that you have been taught these things, but if she hasn't then here they are.

Sex before marriage can result in pregnancy. This should be no surprise, since this is how babies come into the world. When teenagers, or even adults experiment with sex they risk bring a life into the world, at a time when they are unqualified to be good parents. I believe that God wants his children to be born into to a good environment. Someone who has sex out of marriage risks bringing one of God's children down to a terrible situation. Make no mistakes in thinking that it wont happen to you. Many girls can get pregnant after just one incident, and there lives are changed forever, not to mention the life they have brought in to the world. Many girls who make this mistake are then choose to make another mistake of abortion. Abortion is simply murder. It is a mother who kills her baby out of convenience. Many unwed girls who get pregnant, have the integrity to at least carry the baby to term and adopt out the baby to a loving family. Unfortunately, in the world we live few people have integrity to do what is right. They chose what appears to be convenient and easy. Brieanna, you can avoid placing yourself in this terrible situation by simply waiting until you are married to have intimate relations. Another risk to those who chose to have sex is that they can catch numerous diseases such as AIDS or herpes. AIDS will kill you slowly. Melanie helped a woman with AIDS on her mission. The woman was slowly and very painfully dying. She was completely alone, because no one wanted to be around her for fear of catching the disease, and because of the way the woman looked. This woman made one foolish choice and it resulted in her painful death. She would have been absolutely protected if she had adhered to the law of chastity. Herpes is also another terrible disease that has no cure. There are literally hundreds of diseases that can only be caught through intimate relations. When you marry you should also marry someone who has waited and remained pure, even as I have, your father. You will know that he will be true to you, and will never cheat on you after marriage, because he has been true before marriage. On my mission I taught a family who found out that her husband was committing adultery. She found out because she was diagnosed with a venereal disease. Since she had been faithful, she knew that it was her husband who had not. This nearly caused their divorce. Those who abstain until marriage have a greater respect and confidence in their partners after marriage. The only way to guarantee that you will be safe is to stay away from sex until you are married. Lastly and most important is that it is forbidden by God. The law is called the Law of Chastity. Those who break this law distance themselves from God. Those who distance themselves from God may perhaps experience temporary pleasure, but they will never have joy, unless they repent.

I tell you these things because it is my duty, and I worry that no one else in your life is teaching you about these things. One more item of advice to you Brieanna. You should not date until after you are sixteen years old. You may laugh at this, but I ask you as your father that you listen to my words, even, though I am thousands of miles away, and haven't been able to see you in 4 years, I ask you that you do not date until after you are 16 years old. I give you this blessing as your father that you will be protected from harm and tragedy if you follow my words and my counsel.

In another letter I will tell you sometime what love is. Let me suffice to say, that love and sex are two separate independent things, and heaven help those who don't learn the difference. You yourself will not know what love is until you are much older. If you are foolish, and think that you are different than all the rest of human kind then you will disregard these pleas and warnings and go ahead and date. Brieanna for the time being enjoy and revel in the fact that you are still a girl and not a woman. Adulthood and all of its responsibilities and sorrow will overtake you soon enough. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit they were cast out of Eden into the lone and dreary world, and could never return to their innocence. Enjoy being a child. Once you are an adult or make decisions that will prematurely make you into an adult, you will never be able to turn back to your innocence.

I tell you these things because I love you, and I want you to have a full and happy life, and because I am your father, and it is my responsibility to teach you the right path.

Love,

Daddy.