Who is Chris Priddis? That is my father. I didn’t intend to write about him today, but circumstances seemed to lead to it. I’ll get back to him in a minute.
I had a business trip to Denver, Colorado today. Trips are always hard on my family. My wife doesn’t like me traveling and feels our teen boys act out when I am not in the home. There may be some truth to that. Either way, every trip I go on ends up being very difficult for a myriad of reasons. As I was driving to the airport this morning, I was listening to the Visions of Glory book. I like it because I don’t need to listen to much before I find a real gem in the book.
As I listened today, there is a spot where Spencer talks about seeing a vision of his friend, one of the prophets, shortly before his death. He sees the prophet praying for him (Spencer). Then Spencer becomes aware that the prophet was praying that he (the Prophet) could bare his own suffering well. There was an awareness that Spencer gained that suffering sanctified and brought one closer to Christ. It is through suffering that mortals learn compassion and endurance. There also has to be a willingness to suffer. Some people even chose before this life to go through certain types of suffering.
As I drove myself to the airport, I reflected upon my life, the difficulties of that morning, and my own mental and physical suffering. I have felt my suffering at times is great. I have often prayed for relief, or some intervention from the Lord. As I thought, I reached a point where I stopped the book and began to pray to God while driving to the airport. I guess I was attempting to place my burdens before the Lord.
As I prayed, I found myself shifting from focusing on my personal trials, burdens and suffering, to reflecting on this words that were said by Spencer about the suffering of the prophet. More specifically choosing your suffering and no one knowing you are suffering. Then I reflected on other people who have suffered. How many people are trapped in a life and circumstances they didn’t expect? Think about some of these things?
- Your child is born with a physical or mental disability
- You develop a disease, cancer, or some other heath condition
- Your child goes astray
- Your spouse changes
- Abuse, violence both verbal and physical
- Poverty
- No friends or family
- Divorce
- Death
- There are a million things
As I reflected, I realized most people pass through life with some sort of suffering. The most faithful, remail strong and steadfast through the storms of life, realizing the blessings of the gospel far outweigh the pain of suffering. And then there are those people who exhaust their days serving others, with love and acts of kindness, while suffering in silence. As I pondered this, I knew I could do much better. Overcoming the flesh through the atonement of Jesus Christ is possible.
So back to my father Chris Priddis. By the time I was writing this, I was sitting in my hotel room in Denver, CO and I received an email written by an old friend of my father to my mother. It has been about 5 years since my father died. This man felt he should write this message to my mother about the impact my father had on him. Here is the email (Shared without his permission)
I just felt a very strong impression from the Spirit to write to you and share some thoughts about Chris.
I’m in the midst of reading Elder Randall K. Bennett’s talk from last April’s General Conference titled “Your Patriarchal Blessing — Inspired Direction from Heavenly Father”. As he’s relating the experience of receiving his own blessing I thought back to when I was in high school but not yet a member of the Church. I had a firm and loving spiritual upbringing from my parents, and even though deep down inside I knew something was missing, I still somehow felt “comforted” that what was missing would “soon” come into my life. This is when the thought came to me just now that even though Chris and I didn’t do a lot of things together (we were in a few classes together each year, and would see each other in passing in the halls and many times ate lunch together) we were still really good friends. Chris was the kind of friend who I always knew I could count on for anything, and he had the greatest “spirit” about him! I later came to understand that that was the Light of Christ.
Then, another thought came to me through the Spirit! “I put Chris in your life to be a positive influence to keep you close to the Spirit until it was time for you to receive, understand, and accept the Gospel in its fullness.”
As Elder Bennett talked about how his Patriarchal Blessing made it clear to him that he now knew that Heavenly Father knew him personally, that inspiration through the Spirit a few moments ago reminded me that my Heavenly Father knew ME personally “way back when”, and was watching over me, and guiding me through His chosen individuals He placed in my life along the way that ultimately lead me to the Church, to eagerly ask to be taught the Gospel by the Missionaries (they were THRILLED!!!), and to joyously be baptized!
It’s now been just over 48 years since I was baptized and I’m SO grateful every day for Chris and those few others that came after high school who were my “guiding lights” to keep me on the straight and narrow path until the Lord knew it was time for me to hear the Truth. And it’s been a glorious journey ever since!
Take care, Kristin!
Jace
My father came down with Parkinson’s Disease in his mid 20’s. His Parkinson’s was one of his defining characteristics that I knew my entire life growing up. My earlies memories of him were of a twitch he had in his arm. He would say that he had a frog in his arm. Although I know he and my mother tried to find a remedy or cure, I don’t believe I ever hear him complain about his condition. Instead, he served others.
The other thing I remember about him from an early age was serving others. He was a ward seventy. He would visit all the people in a trailer park that was in our ward boundaries. He would share the gospel with them. He would serve them. He would love them. All the while his health was declining. His ability to physically serve was declining. He didn’t live a life of worldly praise, acclaim or wealth. Infact we were so poor at one time that we went bankrupt. He was never a bishop or stake president. But he was incredibly faithful to the Lord, even though his suffering. I don’t recall my father at any time ever expressing his frustration. Infact his language was cleaner than any one I have ever known.
If you read my blog posts, you will eventually come across my conversion. I expressed a belief about my conversion and the angel or spirit that spoke to me that day. That experience would never have happened had it not been for the prayers of faith by my parents. I have no doubt my father prayed unceasingly for me. As I write this, I have no doubt that the Lord loved my father because of his faithfulness. He is a far better man than I will ever be.
As I read the letter from Jace, I could see the same goodness (memories of my father) mirrored in my mind. His quite determination to follow the Lord and be Worthy of Zion. I know he was worth.