Elder CJ Eaton Hospital Stay

As all of you know C.J. had surgery on September 26 to remove a very large cyst from his tailbone. C.J. was to spent the night in the hospital and ended up spending 3 days. The following are pictures that Elder Tanner, C.J.'s 1st companion and trainer, took and then after the pictures is a copy of the letter he sent to us. The captions under the pictures are just the same as what Elder Tanner put on the back of the pictures.

Elder Eaton on his mission to spread world peace.

Elder Eaton and Elder Tanner

Elder Eaton's wonderful smile.

September 29, 2008

Brother and Sister Eaton,

I wanted to write you and give you an update on how your son is doing. He had surgery this past weekend and the surgery went well. He had a little bit of complications coming out of the anesthesia, but now he is doing wonderful. He was having troubles standing up without getting dizzy and he was a bit nauseous, so they kept him in the hospital a few extra days just to make sure that everything was okay. He was able to leave the hospital today to return back to his missionary apartment. I visited him last night with my companions and some of the office staff and he looked strong and healthy.

The mission president gave him a blessing before he went into surgery, and when I visited on Sunday, I was asked to give him another blessing. It was a spiritual experience and was a wonderful blessing. The blessing assured him that he would be okay and that there were people praying for his behalf throughout the mission and also back at home. The blessing said that there are members and investigators here in the Eugene and Springfield area that he has been sent to influence and bless. I know that all will be well with Elder Eaton. He is a strong missionary and we are just as anxious as you are to get him back healthy. We need him to help us do this great and marvelous work here in the Oregon Eugene Mission. The Lord is watching over and protecting him.

Thank you so much for raising such a wonderful son. It was such a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to serve around him for the first 3 months of his mission. It was so easy to train him, because he was so well qualified and prepared before he came out here. He is a great missionary and has blessed the lives and strengthened the testimonies of many members, non-members, and missionaries. He was a great blessing and benefit to me as we served together in Florence. I have never met a missionary that bears such a pure testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Elder Eaton was meant to come here to Oregon to help with this great and marvelous work. Thank you for your sacrifices so that we could have him out here. He is one of our finest missionaries.

I know that Jesus is the Christ. He is the chosen Messiah and the Savior of the World. He bled for my behalf in the Garden of Gethsemane and also on the Cross at Calvary. He is my advocate with my Father in Heaven. Jesus Christ brought a pure and perfect gospel. The gospel was taken and changed by men and the priesthood was lost, but because of God's love for us, He Prepared and called another prophet. The gospel has been restored. It is perfect and pure.

Your son has changed my life and has been a constant example to me. You may not have seen the miracles that Elder Eaton has performed, but I have and I am so thankful for his courage and strength.

Elder Tanner