Letter to the Santiago and Rodabaugh Families

If you are reading this letter, hopefully you have already read the general apology. This letter is being shared publicly and to a large number of people ... therefore, it cannot state specifics. . If you want a more thorough explanation, you can visit my personal testimony page of this website where I elaborate on many details. If you would like to talk privately about any issues, please contact me.

Problems with Joining a Family History

This is not the place to try and resolve any family disputes ... but to move forward, they must be acknowledged. I do not state the following as an excuse, but as background to real life situations.

As a child and even well into my adulthood, I was quite naive regarding how common grudges and problems between various families (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) can be. It was not until much later in life, that I learned about various problems, "skeletons in the closet", and events that separated so many people. It was not until much later in life that I also experienced some of the same and started to understand the patterns of distance I see in the ancestry and family tree. These events are a tragedy.

My Life

As I had already started my journey as an active believer and I was already a young adult when I got married ... my wife's side of the ancestry and family tree was spared my worse behavior that I exhibited in my youth. I was not as selfish. I was not as invasive. I made an effort to visit and get to know her side of the family.

However, I was still immature as a believer and although I was getting past my introvertedness, I was still poor at relationships. I think I/we came on rather strongly ... and probably offered 'unasked for' advice (as young motivated believers tend to do). My walk of faith challenged many ... and mixed with my immature insensitivity to others created some bitter moments. I am so sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I am not the same person I was 20, or even 10, years ago.

As I grow as a believer ... and as I learn more about our relationship, not Just with with Eternal, but with each other, I have come to value family and friends much more.