Hankow, China
June 7th, 1901
Dearest Mother and Father,
It is with my greatest pleasure that I send you a lovely, hand made, embroidered tapestry for your 35th anniversary. This tapestry depicts a scene from a traditional Chinese wedding and it reminded me of the blessings you have witnessed during your wedding and marriage. I had this made for you two especially, because it has been ages since we’ve last seen or even heard from each other, and I miss you all so very much. It saddens me greatly that I was not able to visit, and I wish I could personally share my stories with you all. Living in China is very time-consuming as I set up my new life over here. Becoming a Bishop with my dearest husband Logan has opened my eyes to new experiences and to a wide variety of wonderful people. Meeting and teaching these wonderful souls have made me realize how homesick I’ve become. Being able tonly write letters and send gifts to each other has made me feel disconnected from my dear family. At times, I think back to my childhood and I feel very blessed and thankful to have had such wonderful memories with my amazing siblings and of course my wonderful parents. In Chinese culture, red is commonly used to symbolize good luck, celebration, happiness and is a traditional bridal color. This reminded me very much of your marriage and I wish you two the most luck and happiness during the rest of your lives. I send you this tapestry as a symbol of my gratitude, and I hope you appreciate it as much as I appreciate you.
Much Love, Eliza L. McCook Roots (Mippie)
P.S Hopefully, I will be able to come home and see you in a few years.
