Deseret Santa Monica, Cal.
P.O. Box 523- Feb 23d 1918

Alvin Fielding Smith,
My beloved Son Alvin.

Our last news from you, was that you had a severe cold, Toncilitis or something of that nature. We are very anxious to hear from you. We think, of course, if you should be seriously ill some one would surely let us know. So we take courage to hope you are all right, or at least much better or we would certainly have heard from you. Mamma has been feeling pretty well here altho she took a cold on the way down, or soon after arriving and has not got rid of it yet.

Today she is wondering how you are; The terrible Shock of Hyrum’s sudden, unlooked for death, still weighs heavily upon her mind and heart, and makes her most sensative of danger when she hears bad news from you.

God bless my Son. The one only left us here on earth out of five, of the most lovely, and most beloved Sons that ever crowned the happiness of—parents, to a fullness of Joy. God call’d my Son Hyrum to the exalted position of an Apostle. No man did it. And the Lord magnified him, and made him great, in many ways Superior, and in every other way Second to no one! O! he was so fitted for his glorious work! he was so necessary to the up-building of the Cause of Zion, We needed him more than we can tell. And why, under such conditions he had to go; Seems inexplicable! The Lord, whose genuine Servant he was, surely knows; but I do not know, altho I can console myself in the thought that he has gone to a larger sphere of action, and, there, is doing more good than he could do here. Hyrum always was possessed of clear vision, wise Judgement and Sound reason. Again God bless you my Son. He has blessed you so far. And there is much for you to do.

With love to you and Millie and all my lovely “chicks,” I am affectionately your Father,

Joseph F. Smith