Ryan’s Page |
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Here is the text from Ryan’ s letter that was read at the funeral by Bishop Eric Jeppson. “Dear
Brothers and Sisters, Family and Friends; “Behold,
I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not…” I
don’t know quite how to explain my feelings for this type of thing has never
happened to me before. I would first like to thank all and everyone for
the love that you have shown my family. The Church is amazing and
extremely unified. I am thankful for those men who gave blessings to my
family at the scene of the accident. I am thankful for Brother Caldwell
and his service in making sure my family is safe and sound. I would
like to thank the priesthood leaders and how they have shown strength and
love for my family. And I am thankful for the members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I can feel your love even
when I am all the way on the other side of the world. At
this time my Mother and her three children need the most support and
love. Please honor them and my Dad by showing forth your love and
unity. Please also honor the wishes of my Mother for they are humble
and just and righteous. To
my sisters and brother: please be good, listen to your Mother, pray always,
read your scriptures and always choose the right. Dad will be with us
every step of the way. I can truly promise you that from the bottom of
my heart. Now
to the Congregation: thank you so much for coming here today to show support
for my family. All of you are a true witness of God’s love. I am
thankful also to be here in Madagascar and to serve God’s children. I
don’t really know where to begin, my Father is so great to me and is such a
shining beacon to me and my family. My father is a man of integrity—he
will always choose the right. He is a very serious man and yet he is a
huge child stuck in a big body. My little sister Ashlynn described him
as a “Pooh tummy.” I will explain. One day my Dad was sitting on
the couch and my little sister approached him in a very serious, sweet way
and said, pointing at his tummy, “Pooh tummy.” My Dad, being a little
confused, asked why she said that. My little sister ran off and shortly
came back with a Pooh Bear in her hands. She then explained and made
the connection that his tummy looked like Pooh Bear’s. My Dad
gracefully took the nickname of Pooh Tummy and so it has been ever
since. In fact I think that he actually liked such a sweet nickname. My
Dad can always find the good in everything and he has always been a standing
pillar in our family. He has a love for his children. I can
always see the love that he has because of his big hugs. He has a love
and passion for the temple. He could talk to me all day about those
sacred buildings. I am thankful that I had a chance to attend a couple
of temples in Utah before I went into the MTC. Those two days before
entering into the MTC were precious to me. He said many times that it
was an honor escorting a missionary of the Lord. I
love how he tried to fix all things even though he was never really good at
it. Whenever he starts to put up mini-blinds in our home Mom, the kids
and I would get out of the house because there was bound to be something
broken. Bless his heart, he even tried to fix my car. It usually
turned into a whole day project because he would fix one thing but break
another thing in the process. I just love, though, how he does try to
fix everything. Some things he is better at such as our spiritual
well-being in our home. He holds Father-child interviews with us every
month to see personally how we are doing. He had a way with making us
feel special—individual yet unified at the same time. One
of the things that I will miss most of all is his words of wisdom and
advice. There is so much that I want to share with him about life,
about my mission, about raising a family, and yet he is not here. But
in actuality he is. Ever since I was a little boy I have been afraid of
my Father dying, and I don’t know why. I would pray every night for his
safety as he would commute horrendous hours to and from work in that San
Francisco traffic. Part of the reason is I did not think I would know
what to do if he was gone. Life will not be the same without him.
My Father and I, along with my family, have grown very close. I feel like
he is even closer to me now than ever before. My Dad was also a great
leader—if I understand correctly he was called into the Young Men
Presidency. I think that was one of the greatest callings he had ever
had. I could tell in his letters to me that he loved those boys and he
looked upon them like they were his own sons. You boys and young men
that he taught, I encourage you to always remember Brother Martz and the
things that he has shown and taught you. Please be true to the faith
and know that you can get through anything with the help of our Heavenly
Father and his Son Jesus Christ. I know that my Dad will be there with
you all working side by side with our Savior. My Dad obviously taught
you all he could with as much strength as he could, because now our Father in
Heaven has called him to serve in a different calling. I
love my Dad dearly and I am eternally thankful for the example he has set for
me, and the legacy he has left us. I know that my father lives. I
know that he is there right by my side. I had a great experience that I
hole very sacred to me and I would like to share that with you. It was
the day that I received the news about my Father’s death from my Mission
President and his wife. As soon as he said that my Father was dead I
immediately burst into tears. It hardly seemed real to me. I
could not believe that my worst fear had come to pass. After President
and Sister Harmon left I went upstairs and prayed in an open empty room all
by myself. I couldn’t stop crying and soon there was a small puddle of
tears upon the wood floor. I still continued to pray. As I did so
I listened and then I could hear my Father’s voice saying, “I love you,
son.” I knew that what had happened was true and that my father had returned
to his home with his Heavenly Father. I am a witness that I know that
my Father lives. I have heard his voice just as clear as day. He
has been called there for a reason and I know what he is doing. I know
without a shadow of a doubt that I will see him again. All of us, both
old and young, both male and female, will be reunited again, both the spirit
and the body in its perfect paradisiacal form and not so much as even a hair
on our heads shall be lost. I love the words of Job 19:25-26, which tells
of the Resurrection:
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth: And…yet in my flesh shall I see God.” I
know that I will see my Father again and I know that he is a righteous man
who has been taken home to that God which gave him life. I also know
that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored here on this earth today
through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and in that restoration was the authority
and power of the Holy Priesthood. This Holy Priesthood, known as the
Melchizedek Priesthood, has the power that whatsoever is bound on earth shall
be bound in heaven. This makes it possible to be married for all
eternity and to have an eternal family.
“The same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there,
only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.”
--Doctrine and Covenants 130:2 I
know that families can be together according to God’s great merciful plan of
happiness. I also know that our Savior Jesus Christ can ease my pain
and the pain of others. I received a letter from my Grandparents,
Grandma and Grandpa Martz, and within that letter there was a little piece of
paper with a couple of scriptures written on it. One is from
Revelations 21:4:
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain.” Yes,
I know that my pain and my family’s pain is great but with time, and faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ, he can wipe away our tears and we can receive that
Great Comforter which brings peace unto our souls and give us that
reassurance that everything will turn out for the best, for I know that God
is with us every step of the way. Our families are here to bear us up
and throw their loving arms around us. How great it is to have families
here on earth and that then can continue beyond the grave. I love my
father, Don Carl Martz, with all my heart, might, mind and strength.
May we all be better people because of his example and may we all think of
our own families and what we could do to improve them and show love for one
another. I
know that my Redeemer liveth, In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” |
