A letter to my brother Jerry in Boise, Idaho, written in the mission office in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, June 30, 1969.
Dear Jerry,
“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. A sunset, a mountain bathed in moonlight, the ocean in calm and in storm—we see these, love their beauty, hold the vision in our hearts. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Thanks for that beautiful message from Helen Keller, which you sent on the occasion of your birthday. I am most appreciative.
This week also brought a letter you sent over a month ago. It is the one in which you mentioned the flower you sent to Karen for me on May 19—having heard nothing from either of you I was beginning to wonder what had happened. You also made reference to a letter that would be in the mail in a few days explaining your newfound happiness—that has never arrived. But just from your letters I can tell you are happy and I am glad for it. One of the few things that would make me even happier would be to read that you would be getting married. Anyway, I am glad to know you are busy and truly happy and dreaming the dreams of the future.
History was made in Rio de Janeiro last Thursday afternoon when the gospel was preached for the first time openly in the streets of this city. In one of the praças (public squares) we held a street meeting. Eight elders participated. One elder would tell the Book of Mormon story and the history of the Restoration in English (to attract attention) while another elder would translate into Portuguese. The rest of us would mingle in the crowds answering questions, explaining more about the Church, and trying to sell the Book of Mormon. In just over an hour we sold eleven copies of the Book of Mormon. We also had some stands up with giant posters explaining the Restoration and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. These helped attract interest also. We were in a poor praça, but we felt it was a success. At the end we were rained out. This marks a beginning of a new era of preaching the gospel here in this nation.
Thanks for all your support and interests in every way. Know of my love and respect for you. May the blessings of heaven continue with you.
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Volume 2 of the Family History Book, a book of remembrance of the Dean B and Claudia Cleverly family
Introduction
I have been a letter writer pretty much all my life. The earliest known reference to my letter writing comes from my mother's diary entry for Wednesday, January 1, 1958, when I was eight years old. She wrote, "I got books up & helped Dean write to Mother." We were on vacation at the time visiting my oldest brother, who lived in Sacramento, California. My grandparents were serving a mission in New England for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
From the time I left home in 1967 to attend Brigham Young University and in 1968 to serve a mission in Brazil, I began to write a lot of letters. Unfortunately, I did not keep copies of many of the letters I wrote as a student and as a missionary, during what proved to be a very formative time of my life. But I have kept copies of most (but not all) letters and notes I have written since my marriage to Claudia in 1973, coming to recognize finally their intrinsic value to our family history.
This volume is as complete a collection as I can assemble of letters I have written, that Claudia has written, as well as a smattering of letters from other people that seem to have an obvious place in our family's history, including some very early letters from or about our ancestors.
From the time I left home in 1967 to attend Brigham Young University and in 1968 to serve a mission in Brazil, I began to write a lot of letters. Unfortunately, I did not keep copies of many of the letters I wrote as a student and as a missionary, during what proved to be a very formative time of my life. But I have kept copies of most (but not all) letters and notes I have written since my marriage to Claudia in 1973, coming to recognize finally their intrinsic value to our family history.
This volume is as complete a collection as I can assemble of letters I have written, that Claudia has written, as well as a smattering of letters from other people that seem to have an obvious place in our family's history, including some very early letters from or about our ancestors.
Other volumes of our family history
Letters in this volume
- College letter (17)
- Europe letter (12)
- From Adelia Ann Schaerrer Dixon [1875-1959] (1)
- From Agnes Cross Douglas [1818-1906] (1)
- From Barbara Lange (1)
- From Bob Russell (1)
- From Charles Dixon [1730-1817] (1)
- From Cheryl Cleverly (1)
- From Claudia Lange (15)
- From Dana Blackham (3)
- From David LeSueur (1)
- From Dean Cleverly (29)
- From Evan Ballard (1)
- From Franklin S. Harris (1)
- From Gene Cleverly (1)
- From J. Marvin Lange (1)
- From Jeff Boswell (1)
- From Jim Dallas (1)
- From Junius M. Jackson (1)
- From President Davd O. McKay (1)
- From President Hal R. Johnson (4)
- From Steve Hill (1)
- From Utah State Agricultural College (1)
- Jubilee message (2)
- Missionary letter (41)
- To Berenice Peterson Lange (1)
- To Bob Russell (1)
- To Charles Dixon [1766-1854] (1)
- To Claudia Cleverly (1)
- To Claudia's parents (15)
- To Dean Cleverly (15)
- To Evan Ballard (1)
- To Hal and Virginia Johnson (1)
- To Jeff Boswell (2)
- To Jerry Cleverly (6)
- To my family (13)
- To my parents (6)
- To Steve Hill (1)
- To the family of Charles Batt [1861-1949] (1)
- Written in 1880 (1)
- Written in 1931 (1)
- Written in 1948 (1)
- Written in 1949 (1)
- Written in 1959 (1)
- Written in 1968 (11)
- Written in 1969 (12)
- Written in 1970 (25)
- Written in 1971 (12)
Blog Archive
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2008
(66)
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April
(65)
- 65. Claudia's Final Letter from Salzburg
- 64. Mother's Day Card
- 63. A General Letter from Salzburg
- 62. Claudia from Yugoslavia
- 61. Claudia from Greece
- 60. Claudia from Rome
- 59. Claudia from Venice
- 58. A General Letter from Salzburg
- 57. Claudia from Salzburg
- 56. Claudia from Salzburg
- 55. Claudia from Salzburg
- 54. Claudia from Paris
- 53. To President and Sister Johnson
- 52. From Jeff Boswell
- 51. From Elder Dana Blackham
- 50. From Elder Dana Blackham
- 49. From Claudia to Her Parents
- 48. From President Hal R. Johnson
- 47. From Claudia to Her Parents
- 46. From Elder Dana Blackham
- 45. To My Parents
- 44. From President Hal R. Johnson
- 43. To My Parents
- 42. To My Family
- 41. To My Parents
- 40. From President Hal R. Johnson
- 39. To My Parents
- 38. To My Family
- 37. To My Family
- 36. To Jerry
- 35. To Three Dear Friends
- 34. To Jerry
- 33. From President Hal R. Johnson
- 32. To My Family
- 31. To My Parents
- 30. To My Parents
- 29. To My Family
- 28. From Claudia to Her Parents
- 27. To My Family
- 26. To My Family
- 25. To My Family
- 24. From Elder Jim Dallas
- 23. To My Family
- 22. To Jerry
- 21. From Elder Dave LeSueur
- 20. To My Family
- 19. To My Family
- 18. To Jerry
- 17. From Elder Steve Hill
- 16. To Jerry
- 15. To My Family at Christmastime
- 14. To My Family at Thanksgiving
- 13. To Jerry
- 12. Missionary Call Letter
- 11. From Bob Russell
- 10. From Evan Ballard
- 9. Earliest Letters to Claudia
- 8. To Bob Russell
- 7. From Gene and Cheryl
- 6. To Jerry
- 5. A Tribute to Grandpa Batt
- 4. To the Family of Charles Batt
- 3. From Adelia Schaerrer Dixon
- 2. From Agnes Cross Douglass
- 1. From Charles Dixon
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April
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About Me
- Deano
- I love the Lord Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my heritage as an American and a Latter-day Saint. I have lived with my wife, my best and dearest friend, for over 40 years. We have shared the adventure of 8 children and 28 grandchildren. In addition to time with my family, I love reading, writing, and taking a good road trip.
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