Personal History X--My Young Mission

My Young Mission

    During my sophomore year of college I made a determination to serve a mission.  I began to have a feeling of being indebted to the Lord for the blessings I had received by being in the Church, and that I should try to share these blessings by serving a mission.  Being able to be baptized into the Church at age 17 and then to attend BYU and learn so much more about our religion and the joys I had felt from this fulfillment and greater direction in my life, gave me a feeling of needing to give back something to the Lord.
    At some point, I also had a spiritual restoration of an earlier insight about serving a mission.  In about 1946 or 1947, we had missionaries visit us at our home in Glenwood.  I think they were stationed in White Salmon.  We saw them several times.  They visited with us and at one point played ball with me.  One of the Elders was Elder Stephen Sedley Sanford.  After returning home, in 1950 he married Marjorie Mortensen.  They had a large family of mostly boys.  As a happy coincidence, one of their sons, Roland Bruce Stanford, became the husband of our daughter Angela and father of five of our wonderful grandchildren.
    At some point during a visit of Elder Stanford and his companion, I had a message impressed upon my mind, “If you join the Church, you will also serve a mission.”  Some years later, I was reminded of this message, that I had known in my heart from a young age that serving a mission was a part of my obligation and destiny.
    Young men were being called at age 20 then.  My parents had very little extra money and I didn’t think my dad should or would want to provide support.  But I worked up a plan.  From my talks with other young men who had calls, I figured that I would need about $2000 in the bank to pay for the mission. (Notice how inflation since 1957 has increased that amount 5 times or so.)  I had the promise of returning to a job for J. Neils in the logging industry at home, and living at home I could save at least $300 each month, so I calculated that by the first of 1958 I would have enough money.
    When I came home for Christmas vacation in 1956,  I sought out Pres. Burles and discussed my feelings and desires.  I said that I thought with my summer job, I could stay and work about 6 months and have enough savings to support myself.  He said that they had never sent a missionary out before but promised he would find out all that was needed to do that.  And he did.
    My plan began to work out as I returned home from school.  I was working in the woods for J. Neils and saving on schedule.  In early August the Branch President, Moz Burles, pulled me aside and said he thought it was time we got started on the call.  He (and the branch) had never sent a missionary out before and he wanted to make we got it right. He had read in the Church News (I guess he had a subscription that came in the mail each week, the same as we had in North Carolina) that an apostle, Elder Adam S. Bennion, was going to be at a stake conference in Portland in the next week or so.  He had obtained a copy of the mission application forms, which he would fill out.  Then on that Saturday, I first would need to drive to The Dalles and get the District President’s signature and then to Portland to the stakehouse to find Elder Bennion. (In those days, a prospective missionary needed an interview with a General Authority as the final step in submitting the papers.)
    So, I left Glenwood early on Saturday morning and drove to Lyle, Washington, where President Burles lived, and picked up the papers. Then I drove to The Dalles and found the District President (I don’t remember whether I had an appointment), got his signature, and then set out for Portland.  It was a long drive before the freeway system was completed.  It was late afternoon when I found the Stakehouse in Sellwood (a Portland suburb).  I went there without an appointment or any notice, just trusting in the direction of President Burles to go to the Stake building and try to find Elder Bennion.  The building was open, apparently for leadership meetings later in the evening, but only a custodian was present putting the finishing touches on his cleaning.  I went back to my car and waited.  After some time, a big, black Cadillac pulled into the parking lot near me, and I recognized Elder Bennion in the passenger seat.  (He was quite distinguished looking with full head of silver hair and I had seen him in pictures and at a BYU devotional.)  I walked over to the car and he rolled down the window and asked how he could help me.  I replied that I wanted to go on a mission.  He seemed to start with an explanation of all the steps that a person would need to go through, when I showed him the envelope and told him I had all the application papers, but needed an interview with a general authority.  He said, “OK, let’s do it now,” and shooed the Stake President out of the car, slid over under the wheel, and invited me to sit in the seat where he had been.
    I don’t recall much about the interview except that when he asked me how I would be supported, I went through my plan to have enough money saved to support myself by the end of the year.  He said, “Would you be willing to start sooner, if when I get back to Salt Lake, I can find some ways to help?”  I agreed, and so he kept the papers, I went back to my car and headed home to Glenwood, where I got home late in the evening.
    In about a week and half here came the letter calling me to the North Central States Mission, and to report at the Mission Home in Salt Lake (MTC predecessor, located on State Street just north of the Beehive House) in a few short weeks. 

My First Temple Experience
    I had my “Sacred Grove” experience in connection with the Logan Temple.  All my life it has been foundational to my faith.
    As I traveled to Utah, I made plans after leaving my home in Glenwood, Washington, for a brief visit with my sister Dorothy who was at Ricks College and also with my Uncle Franklin and Aunt Ellen in Provo, before reporting to the Mission Home.  I also wanted to experience another temple in addition to Salt Lake, so made plans to take out my endowments at Logan, as I traveled from Rexburg to Provo.  I recall thinking that this temple might have some special meaning being the temple in which my grandparents, Frank Davenport and Kate Lufkin, had been married and in which my great-grandmother, Martha Ann Lufkin, had labored diligently for our ancestors.
    I left Rexburg on the middle of the day on October 2, 1957, traveling by Trailways bus.  We arrived at the bus station on the south end of Main Street in Logan about 5 pm.  I got off and walked about three blocks north to a hotel where I made arrangements for a room, planning to take out my endowments at the Logan temple in the morning.  However, I had not thought to oversee the removal of my baggage from the bus, and when I returned to the bus station, I was disconcerted to find that my bags had stayed on the bus for Salt Lake City.  I remember the sportshirt I was wearing, with blue and silver stripes.  My suits, white shirts and ties, shaving equipment, personal gear, and worst of all, my temple recommend, were in the bags on their way south.
    I went to my hotel room and pondered my situation.  I was especially concerned about not having the temple recommend and being frustrated in my plan to receive my endowments in the Logan temple the next morning.  I began to wonder if this was some kind of sign to me that God did not want me to serve a mission, or that I wasn’t worthy to serve.
    I knelt beside the hotel room bed and started to pray.  I prayed out loud, probably the first personal vocal prayer I had ever said.  I expressed my frustrations.  I listed my sins and asked forgiveness.  I think this prayer went on for a long time.  Finally I asked what to do now.  A voice came, not in my ears, but in my feelings I believe, but I knew exactly the words: “Everything is going to be alright.  Go to bed and get a good rest.  In the morning, get up early and go up to the temple.  Everything is going to be alright.”
    I was comforted but surprised.  I had no idea that God or His Spirit spoke in actual words.  Then I began to wonder at this experience.  Was this real?  Did I just make it up?
    I began to pray again, and offered the same prayer I had just completed, identical to the first, my frustrations, my sins.  Finally I asked again what to do.  I was blessed to hear or feel the same words of assurance and direction:  “Everything is going to be alright.  Go to bed and get a good rest.  In the morning, get up early and go up to the temple.  Everything is going to be alright.”
    I thought that I had tested the Lord enough and better do what He said, so I called the front desk for an early wake-up call, and went to bed.  I slept well enough, and when the call came in the early morning at perhaps about 5:30 a.m., I got up, cleaned up as best I could, and headed for the temple.
    It was a clear fall morning in Logan, a little before sunrise.  I could see the towers of the temple off and on, so walked up the streets toward the temple.  The sun was just starting to shine between the trees.   At first I did not see any signs of human life around the temple.  I passed by the south end of the temple and circled around to the east.  I had had no experience with temples and did not quite know what to do next.  I noticed some people with small suitcases going into a door on the east side of a small annex on the north part of the temple.  I stood watching for several minutes.  I began to again have some questioning thoughts.  “You don’t know what you are doing.  They won’t let you come in.”  I told myself, “You heard the instruction and the promises.”  I gritted my teeth, walked to the door, I pushed it open.  Immediately inside there was a man at a desk.  I stammered something about getting my endowments but not having my recommend.  He said I could talk to the Temple President and immediately called for him and I was ushered into the Temple President’s office.
    I shared the entire story with the Temple President.  He pulled a book out and asked me a couple of questions about my home branch and the name of the Branch President.  That seemed to be consistent with the information in the book.  Then he said, “I will let you get your endowments this morning on one condition–that you tell your story to a group of persons who will be meeting in the chapel before the session.”
    So that is how I got my endowments on October 3, 1957 in the Logan temple, without a recommend, without shaving or brushing my teeth, and wearing a sportshirt with blue and silver stripes to the temple.  I also learned some significant things that have helped me throughout my life, about how the Spirit works and how kind and patient is our Father.

Travel to the Mission and Mission Support
    I reported, as requested, to the Mission Home in Salt Lake early in October, still wondering what arrangements Elder Bennion had made for the rest of my support.  I had been able to bank about half of the amount needed.  When I had some free moments, I walked over to the Church Administration Building which was around the corner on the same block, to try to find Elder Bennion.  I was informed that he was touring the European mission this month.  When I explained my dilemma, I was referred to the missionary department and interviewed by the young head of that department, Gordon B. Hinckley.  He was very kind.  He said he knew nothing of what Elder Bennion had arranged, but instructed me to meet with my mission president shortly before my own funds were exhausted who would make whatever arrangements that were needed for my continuing support.
    So off I went to Minnesota the following week.  There were six Elders in our party and we traveled by train to Minneapolis to the mission headquarters. 
    Along in the Spring of 1958, I had the chance to visit with President Paul Child about the matter of finances. We looked together at the mission application, and, unknown to me, President Burles had completed the section on finances, saying that support would come from the missionary and his family. We then supposed that Elder Bennion and the missionary committee, upon seeing this, had not worried more about my support.
    President Child was able to make arrangements for the money I needed.  (We were expected to live on $70 a month, which included rent and all other expenses, even purchasing Book of Mormons to give away.) He started by having me sent from the mission a $25 check each month from an anonymous donor. (I always suspected that the donor was President Child himself, but never knew for sure.) A little later, he also made arrangements for the Elders Quorum in the Mid-Columbia District at home to send $45 a month. Most of the strength of the quorum was in The Dalles branch. I learned later that my Uncle Rodney was the quorum secretary at the time and was responsible for collecting the money.
    While I appreciated the generosity of whoever was helping provide money for my mission over the last year or so, I always felt a little embarrassed and even maybe a little cheated that I was not able to fully implement my plan to entirely support myself.  I resolved in my mind to repay this “debt” by providing support for other missionaries.

Providing Missionary Support
    When Michael passed away, we had accumulated some savings in his name, looking forward for a time when he would need money for a mission or college.  We determined to dedicate these monies to the support of other missionaries and as a way to repay a part of the "debt" for my mission support, we have been privileged to provided monies for six children to serve missions, sent money each month in support of each grandchild who has served as a missionary, and have also donated money to a number of outgoing missionaries.  This is a letter JoAnn and I used for many years when we give some money to an outgoing missionary:

MICHAEL R. LEWIS MEMORIAL FUND
(February 20, 1975-August 24, 1988)
    When Michael Lewis was born, doctors gave little hope for his survival because of a serious heart defect.  However, as a small baby he was blessed by the priesthood to "live to fulfill the purposes of his creation," and he did survive heart surgery at two weeks of age, numerous bouts with pneumonia during his first two years, and several other major surgeries and illnesses as he grew older.
    Michael loved life!  He built a life for himself within the bounds his physical limitations set which was happy and fulfilling for him.  He never felt sorry for himself or complained about his health, but accepted each new problem with courage and a maturity beyond his years.
    From the time he was four years old he had a great love for scouting, which continued through Cubs and the Boy Scout program.  When he became a scout he set a goal to become an Eagle at twelve years of age.  If he had a hospital stay coming up, he made sure his requirements were done ahead so he could advance in the least amount of time.  He achieved the rank of Eagle in February 1988, just a few days after his 13th birthday, and six month before he passed away.  At his Eagle Court of Honor, a friend, a scout leader, a school teacher, and his cardiologist all paid tribute to him for his courage, determination, patience, and persistence.
    Michael served in his Deacon's Presidency and as Senior Patrol Leader for Troop 791.  As Senior Patrol Leader, he was responsible to conduct Boards of Review for other scouts as they advanced in rank. [This was an old procedure that was later discontinued by BSA--REL.  Most recently only adults could serve on these Boards.]  He would ask each scout the direct question, "Are you planning to go on a mission?" [He had heard from his leaders that most boys who serve missions make that commitment early in their teen years--REL]  When the scout answered affirmatively, Michael would compliment him on having made that decision.  He encouraged the other scouts to commit to serving missions. Michael felt that for an LDS scout to be doing his "duty to God" he should be planning and preparing to be a missionary.
    When Michael submitted his application for the Eagle award to the Boy Scouts of America, he stated his own determination to serve a mission for the Church.
    Michael was very conscientious in his school work and was on the Honor Roll at Eisenhower Junior High School.  One of his favorite classes was Spanish.  He wondered whether he would be called on a mission where Spanish was spoken, and was excited about developing skills in that language.
    At an early age, Michael learned the usefulness of having money.  He always found a way to be earning some.  Before he was six years of age, he began selling greeting cards and later had several jobs mowing lawns.
    In keeping with a practice we began with Michael's older brothers and sisters, we started a savings account for Michael when he was born.  This account was for a mission or perhaps for college expenses.  We put a small amount of money into the account each payday; Michael also contributed money to this account from his own earnings.  Because of Michael's commitment to missionary work and because of his own contributions to this account, we have consecrated this money as a missionary fund, in his honor, to be used to help others take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world as Michael had hoped to do.  Please accept this contribution toward your mission expenses in the name of Michael R. Lewis.
    May the Lord's blessings be with you as you go about your missionary labors.
            Robert and JoAnn Lewis and Family
Blog, Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Mission Home
    The starting place for missions in the days I served my young mission was called the Mission Home.  I believe it was a home originally occupied by part of Brigham Young’s families, and was on the west side of Salt Lake city’s Main street just north of South Temple.  It was either just north of the Beehive House or else the north part of that house that exists today. I spent seven days there being oriented to missionary work.  I mentioned earlier that I had the opportunity to walk around the corner to the Church Office Building, and visited with Elder Hinckley of the missionary committee. 
    The day before we were to leave the Mission Home, we went back over to the Church Office Building to be set apart as missionaries.  It was October 16, 1957.  We went as small groups to various general authorities who were available that day to provide these blessings.  My little group were directed to the office of Milton R. Hunter of the Presidency of the Seventy.  There were seven or eight of us, going to various missions.  I was one of the last to be set apart.  I took note of the words Elder Hunter spoke to each of us.  There seemed to be quite a lot of variation, I supposed, according to the inspiration given to Elder Hunter for the specific needs of each missionary.  Then it was my turn. 
    My blessing seemed to center around this scripture: “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one asoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”  (D&C 18:15)
    These questions came to my mind, “What kind of a mission am I going to?  Did Elder Hunter know that it was not a very productive mission for convert baptisms?  Is he trying to help me to not have high expectations or to avoid discouragement?”
    As it turned out, this was good preparation.
    When the week was up, I was with a small group of  missionaries bound for the North Central States Mission.  We boarded a train and began our journey to the mission headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

G. Eugene England, My First Mission President
    My first mission President was G. Eugene England, a Salt Lake businessman.  He was released shortly after I arrived.  In the short time that I knew him, I remember him as being quite dynamic and inspirational.  Here is part of his obituary:
OBITUARY FOR G. EUGENE ENGLAND, Sr.
Deseret News  4/25/1996
George Eugene England, 92, passed away April 21, 1996, in Logan, Utah.
    He was bom March 12, 1904 in Moreland, Idaho to George William and Martha Jane Hatch England.  He married Dora Rose Hartvigsen October 5, 1932 in the Logan LDS Temple.  As a young man, he served a mission to the Southem States and later serfved stake mission.  During a full life of church service, he was Sunday School superintendent, counselor in the Downey, Idaho Ward bishopric, Salt Lake City Hillside Stake High Councilor, President of the North Central States Mission (1954-1957), counselor in the Salt Late Temple presidency and president of the London Temple (1964-1966).  He served on the church genealogical committee and was a sealer in the Sa1t Lake Temple for 23 years.  White serving as a guide at the Salt Lake Temple Visitors Center in the early 1970's he he1ped develop, with William Bradshaw, the Family to Family Book of Mormon project by which LDS Church members sent millions of copies with personal testimonies included, to be given by missionaries to people around the world. 
    He attended school in Moreland and graduated from Armino High School.   He was a graduate of USU with honors in Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Zeta.  He taught school in Downey, Idaho, where he was also the seminary principal.
    From early in his life, he felt a special responsibility to help the gospel be preached to native peoples of North and South America and Polynesia.  To this end he and his wife, Dora gave generously of their resources throughout their lives together.  He was a farmer, a teacher, a fisherman, a golfer and a businessman.
    He is survived by one son, G. Eugene England, Jr. (wife, Charlotte), Provo, Utah; and one daughter, Ann Christine Barker (husband, Duane), Smithfield. Utah, in whose loving care be spent the last four and a half years of his life.
    His son, G. Eugene England, Jr., was a much admired scholar, author, historian, originator of the journal, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, and also the Association for Mormon Letters.

First Area--Minneapolis,  and Companion, Elder McClellan
    My first area of assignment was in Minneapolis itself, in the very south end of the city proper.  It was a quiet middle class residential area.  There were a lot of Lutherans and Catholics and some Jewish families.  This was in the days of one-income households, so generally the mother was home.  It was not too uncommon to find an elder woman with a distinct Scandinavian accent, “I not interested.  Ima Lu-tairian.”
    Our assigned area included one of our church buildings, which housed the Minneapolis First branch.  This was one of two buildings and branches existing in the city.  It was a red brick older building that had all the facilities of chapels in Utah.  At one point a few weeks later, I and my companion were amused to meet a lady while tracting who invited us in, recognizing that we were from the same church as Richard L. Evans, telling us that she listened or watched his broadcast with the Tabernacle Choir every week and wished he had a church in Minneapolis.  We tried to explain, without effect, that our church was only a block away from her house.
    My first companion was Elder Grant McClellan from Idaho Falls, Idaho.  As I corresponded with Dorothy, I learned that she had was acquainted at Ricks College with his younger brother, Wayne.  Here are some records for Elder McClellan:
     1940 United States Federal Census of Blackfoot, Bingham, Idaho
Dean McClellan             Head M W age 30 Md
Fern McClellan              Wife F W age 28 Md
Grant Clark McClellan   Son M Wage 4
Wayne R McClellan       Son M W age 2
Jeanette McClellan         Dau F W age 5/12
      Idaho, Marriage Records, 1863-1967
Name: Grant C. McClellan
Marriage Date: 22 Aug 1958
Marriage Place: Bonneville, Idaho, USA
Spouse: Jeanne Gubler
Certificate Number: 05278
     U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
Name: Grant McClellan
Gender: Male
Residence Year: 1959
Street address: 21 E 15th
Residence Place: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Occupation: Laborer
Spouse: Jeanne McClellan
Publication Title: Idaho Falls, Idaho, City Directory, 1959
     U.S. Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002
Name: Grant McClellan
Residence Years: 1993-2002
Address: 4398 E 360 N
Residence Place: Rigby, Idaho, USA
     White pages search (13 Jun 2020)
Name: Grant Clark McClellan
Age 84
Lives in Idaho Falls, ID
Used to live in Lebanon, NH
Related to: Aaron Clark Mcclellan, Aaron Michael Mcclellan, Andrew James Mcclellan, Grant A Mcclellan, Jason Tell Mcclellan, Jeanne G Mcclellan, Jonathan Paul Mcclellan, Jorelle Susanne Mcclellan, Peter William Mcclellan, Rachel C Mcclellan, Rebecca A Mcclellan, Rebecca Ann Mcclellan, Sherry J Mcclellan, Steven Dean Mcclellan
    The North Central States Mission was a tracting mission.  Our leaders wanted us to be out on the streets knocking on doors by 9 am.  What I recall about my two months with Elder McClellan was learning this process.  Elder McClellan was an experienced missionary about ready to go home.  The first day he took several doors and then asked me if I were ready to try.  He was patient with me but seemed to expect that I could do it.  I didn’t feel very confident but went ahead, “We’re missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we have a message for you.”  By the time I had been with Elder McClellan for a few weeks, I was relatively comfortable with everything I was being asked to do as a missionary.

Second Companion, Elder Rockhill
    After two months, in mid-December 1957, Elder McClellan was released to return home and Elder Allen Rockhill became my second senior companion.  He was short and humble but fearless and strong in defending the Church.  He gave me a very unusual missionary experience.  One afternoon we were tracting down one of Minneapolis’s streets, knocked on a door and introduced ourselves as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The respondent replied, “And I’m a man who deals with cults like you.”  He and Elder Rockhill had some kind of brief and unpleasant exchange, and then we left.  Elder Rockhill was troubled with the position this man took.  The more we talked, the more he seemed to feel that we needed to take some action.  He seemed to feel that this man was deserving to be sealed up to damnation or something similar.  Shortly after he consulted with the mission president about this.  Elder Rockhill was still wondering if this man had had sufficient opportunity to really understand what he was fighting against.  The answer seemed to devolve around whether he had read the Book of Mormon or not.
    From our brief confrontation with the man, we were not sure.  So, a few days after our initial visit with the man we went back.  We knocked on the door, Elder Rockhill asked the question, “Have you read the Book of Mormon?”  The man answered in the affirmative, so we said “Thank you,” and left. 
    After dark that evening we went back to his place, and kicked our shoes against the sidewalk in front of his house, shaking off the dust of our feet so to speak in the ancient way (Matthew 10:14; also D&C 75:20-22).
    I recall celebrating my first Christmas in the mission field, by going with Elder Rockhill to Wold-Chamberlain airport and touring the control tower.  I am not sure how we got permission to do this.  The main Minneapolis airfield was just south of our assigned area.
    There was another missionary area immediately south of us in the suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, with a celebrity missionary serving there.  His name was Bob Engemann, who was one of the original members of the popular singing group, The Lettermen.
    Here is another experience I had with Elder Rockhill that was important to me:   
    On 07-15-2019, Elder Jamison Chandler, serving in the Bakersfield CA, mission, wrote this: “So this week was our first Zone Conference with President Sandberg and Sister Sandberg. To be honest it was a really cool and powerful Zone Conference. President Sandberg shared a story of his great grandfather who was living in the middle of nowhere in North Dakota all alone. He checked out the Book of Mormon from a library one time and started reading it. Even though he had read many books on the church that were anti he couldn't deny the power and truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. After a couple of years he packed up his stuff to go to Utah so he could be baptized. After getting baptized he moved back to North Dakota, started a family, and raised all his kids in the Gospel. It was a phenomenal story and President Sandberg referred to his great grandfather as a "Book of Mormon convert".
    As a grand coincidence, I believe I met President Sandberg, while I was young missionary in the North Central States Mission, serving in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Late in the evening, on a night in the early weeks of my mission in 1957, as my second missionary companion, Elder Allen Rockhill and I approached the door of our apartment, we saw a man knocking on our door.  As he turned to us, I was immediately flooded with a strong spiritual impression that this was special and good man.  Elder Rockhill greeted him and introduced him to me as President Sandberg of the Gettysburg, South Dakota branch.  He was visiting in Minneapolis and had decided to see this elder who had very recently served in his area.
    Elder Rockhill told me later of President Sandberg’s remarkable conversion story.  Here is how I remember it.  It probably occurred in the 1920s or 1930s.  Two Sandberg brothers, like many in the area had migrated from Norway or Sweden recently and were by tradition Lutheran.  The Sandbergs had a farm in the vicinity of Gettysburg, and helped each other with the work of the farm.  The brother who later became the Gettysburg Branch President, had become disillusioned by the Lutheran Church.  But wanting more religious understanding, he investigated other Christian sects but seemed to also find them wanting.  He then decided that he would try to learn more about oriental religions.  One day the family experienced some kind of farm equipment breakdown, and the other brother made plans to go into town to get it repaired.  Brother Sandberg asked him for a favor when he was in Gettysburg, that
he go into the little county library and check out some books for him to study on the “isms.”  The brother did this as asked and when he  made the request of the librarian, she said that she only had two books on the “isms.”  They happened to both be about Mormonism.  It turned out that one of the books was a Book of Mormon, probably donated by an earlier missionary traveling in the area.  The other book was an exposé of Brigham Young and his plural wives.  The brother checked these books out and brought them home.
    Brother Sandberg saw that the Book of Mormon seem rather complex, with unusual names, etc., so decided that the Brigham Young book might be an better introduction to his study.  However, in just a few pages he determined that the author was contentious and full of antagonism, and decided therefore, that the book was not trustworthy.  He read the entire book but dismissed it.  Then he turned to the study of the Book of Mormon, and soon became convinced that it was true.
    I have repeated this story on a number of occasions, to make the point that persons who present arguments with a contentious spirit can probably not be trusted, as one searches for truth.
    The story continues, as told by Elder Rockhill.  Brother Sandberg had never met a member of the Church that believed in the Book of Mormon and may not even have known where they existed, but somehow identified that they were headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Wanting further information and contact, he addressed a letter to the leader of the Church, in Salt Lake City.  That mail found its way to someone in a leadership position in the church, and Brother Sandberg received a reply which began a correspondence.  Other literature was provided to him which he studied carefully and continued to be attracted to what he was learning.  Wanting to have contact with people of the Church, he made plans to travel to Utah.
    The next fall, after the harvest on the farm had been completed, Brother Sandberg began a drive to Salt Lake City.  He was anxious to finally meet a Latter-day Saint for the first time, and as he crossed over the state line, he stopped for gasoline in Coalville.  Anxiously, he asked the gas station attendant if he were Mormon, and the man threw down his cigarette and answered in the affirmative.  Brother Sandberg continued on, arriving at Temple Square.  He joined a tour group where at the conclusion, the guide asked his guests if they had questions.  Brother Sandberg raised his hand and asked how he could be baptized.  He was soon introduced to other church members and officials in the vicinity of Temple Square, attended meetings on Sunday where he bore a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and in a few days, left for his home in South Dakota, having been baptized a member of the Church and ordained an elder.
    When he got back home, he baptized his girl friend and married her and began to raise a family in the Gospel, and served faithfully and well for many years as President of a branch of the church in his home area of Gettysburg, South Dakota.
    This is the story as I remember it, as recited by my companion, Elder Allen Rockhill, of Kamas, Utah.
Robert Lewis blog, July 31, 2019 (with a few minor corrections)
    Here is some more information about Elder Rockhill’s life, per his obituary:
    Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT)  |  27 January 2002
    South Ogden, Ut.- Allen Edwin Rockhill, 65 of South Ogden, Utah passed away January 24, 2002 at Ogden Regional Hospital.
    He was born March 23, 1936 in Marion, Utah to Edwin and Hazel Dowdle Rockhill. He married Verna Rae Turnbow on January 30, 1959 in the Salt Lake Temple.
    He served 3 years in the US Army. And was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served a mission to the North Central States, and remained a man of faith and prayer throughout his life.
    He drove truck for 30 years. And was later employed by Utility Trailer.
    He was a loving and respected Husband, Father and Grandfather.
    He loved his wife and family. He enjoyed making new friends and shootin" the breeze.
    He is survived by His wife, Verna Rae of South Ogden. Sons; Bart F. Rockhill, Ogden, Utah, Brett S. Rockhill, Ogden, Utah. Daughters; Pennie Rae Davis, Clearfield, Utah, LeAnn (Barry) Phelps, Fruit Heights, Utah, Rachelle (Darren) Struchen, Roy, Utah. 16 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. Sister; Blanche Garrard, Salt Lake City, Utah.
    He was preceded in death by his parents and son Steven Allen Rockhill.
    Funeral Services will be held on Monday January 28, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. in the South Ogden 7th Ward Chapel 720 Nancy Drive, where friends may call on Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Church and 1 hour prior to the service on Monday. Interment will follow in the Marion Utah Cemetery. Crandall Funeral Home of Kamas is handling arrangements.
    Copyright (c) 2002, Standard-Examiner
    I served with Elder Rockhill, until about late March 1958.

New Mission President, Paul C. Child
    Within a month of my arrival in Minnesota, President England was released and the new President was Paul C. Child.  I have written about our relationship and his influence in the chapter about persons of influence in my life.
Obituary
Paul C. Child, retired businessman, dies at 87
    Paul C. Child, 87, retired Salt Lake businessman and a member of the LDS Church General Welfare Committee, died Feb. 19, 1980, in Salt lake City.
    Mr. Child was associated with American Express Co. And earlier affiliates of the company for more than 48 years and served as a district manager in the Salt Lake offices from 1922 until he retired in August 1957.
    He was bishop of the Poplar Grove Ward of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 11 years, then became counselor to the late President Harold B. Lee in the Pioneer Stake.  After serving as counselor for seven years, he became presideint of the stake, serving in that capacity for nine years.
    As a member of the General Welfare Committee, he helped establish the church welfare program in its present form.  He also was president of the North Central States Mission with headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn., for three years.
    During World War II, Mr. Child was a Civil Defense warden.  He served as chairman of the Westside Improvement League and was affiliated with Rotary Club.
    He was born march 31, 1892, I Ogden, son of Lester Aaron and Emma Goodale Child.  He married Diane H. Fallentine, June 11, 1913.
    Survivors include his widow and sons and daughters, Paul F., Carl B., Cleve S., Mrs. Thoman (Diana) Martin, Mrs. Clarence (Emma) Sollis, and Mrs. Daniel (Loretta) Locke, all of Salt Lake City; a sister, Mrs. Lawrence (Edith) Pyle, Berkeley, Calif.; 21 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren.
    Funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Poplar Grove Ward, 1401 W. Seventh South... Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
(From FamilySearch Memories)

Third Companion, Elder Turley(?)
    My memory and lack of any records to fall back on make this hazy.  I believe I had a companion named Kent Turley, from California, for a brief three week period.  I remember he was about to be released and was ready to move on with his life.  Also I cannot recall for sure whether this was at the end of the six months I spent in Minneapolis or the start of my service in Selkirk, Manitoba Canada. My notes say Minneapolis, but I am not sure.  I was in my first area, a residential area in the south part of Minneapolis, for six months.

New Area–Selkirk, Manitoba, and Fourth Companion, Elder Wilson
    I recall the all-day long bus ride from Minneapolis to Winnipeg, Manitoba.  We went first to Fargo, North Dakota and then followed along a river, the Red River of the North, the remainder of the way.  The land was very flat.  Selkirk was about 30 miles north of Winnipeg near to the place where the Red River empties into Lake Winnipeg.  Selkirk was a fairly small town, maybe a population of 5,000 or so.  It originally had been a settlement for immigrants from Scotland and was named after Thomas Douglas, the Fifth Earl of Selkirk.  He was noteworthy as a Scottish philanthropist who sponsored immigration of low-income Scottish persons to the Red River Colony in Canada. 
    I do not remember our having a church or even a Sunday School in Selkirk.
    My fourth companion was Elder Al Wilson, from Payson, Utah.  He had been out about a month longer than I, and I was his first junior companion.  He had been a student at Utah State University.  I recall one amusing story he told me about his high school time.  With some of this friends at Payson High School, they had heard that Timpanogas was just a few feet taller than Nebo, and they had resolved to fix that.  So one day they climbed to the very top of Nebo and gathered Rocks into a pile that was 15 feet higher that the regular peak.  Later they were surprised to learn that all of their efforts had been in vain because their figures were off and Nebo was actually almost 200 feet taller without their aid.
    Elder Wilson had been in a fraternity at USU and had some interesting stories to tell about overcoming pressures to break the word of wisdom in that setting.
    In our tracting in Selkirk we met a young man who seemed somewhat interested in our message and willing to maintain contact with us.  We discovered that he liked to golf and was very positive about the Selkirk golf course, which might have been part of the Scottish heritage of that town.  This course was set in the bottoms of the Red River as it flowed through the edge of town.  The waters of the Red River in that location may have been about 50 or so feet below the level of the flat plains that exist there, and there were areas of bottoms land that were just above river level immediately by the river.  This golf course was on the town side of the river all along the east side of the town, and was very pretty.
    Elder Wilson and I decided that it might further our relations with our new contact if we became acquainted with this golf course and on the next preparation day, got to the clubhouse at the course early in the morning, like 7 a.m.  We most had the course to ourselves.  We rented some clubs and started to play.  This was a nine hole course and by 8:30 or so we finished the round.  It was still early so we decided to play another round.  When we finished, we were having so much fun, we decided to go again. 
    As we finished our 27th  hole, it was getting close to lunch time, so we turned in our clubs and headed back for our apartment.  The sun had been out, we were without hats and were feeling the start of some sunburn.  We were hot and tired.  We had a bite of lunch, then lay on our bed to get a little rest.  We slept and didn’t awaken until late afternoon.  We both felt super guilty that we were not tracting by 1 p.m. that afternoon.  I for one avoided golf for a number of years.
    With Elder Wilson, I learned some things about working cooperatively with a partner and how to support him as senior companion.  In the end, I liked him a lot and felt close to him. He was bright and thoughtful and committed.  I feel some sorrow that I was not able to maintain contact with him after our missions.  All I know about him is that he continued his studies at USU after finishing his mission.

Third Area–Dauphin, Manitoba,  Fifth Companion, Elder Hampton
    I was transferred to the town of Dauphin, Manitoba in July of 1958.  We were the farthest north missionaries in entire mission.  Dauphin was a town with a population of perhaps seven to eight thousand.  It was the largest town and commercial center in a largely agricultural area, mostly grain-growing, and not far from the lakes and wilderness of northern Canada.   It housed a regional office of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).  While the officers we saw were not on horses, it was fun to see them in their uniforms, red coats and tall black fur hats.
    There also was a hilly wooded area a few miles to the south called Riding Mountain which included a ski resort.  The major railroad across Canada, the Canadian National Railway (CNR), went through Dauphin on it way west to Regina, Edmonton and Vancouver.
    The missionaries sponsored and conducted a Sunday School, under the direction of a Branch of the Church in the town of Brandon, which was 150 miles or so to the south on the far side of the Riding Mountains.  We met in a meeting hall belonging to some Canadian fraternal organization.  The only members of the church in Dauphin were sister Bos who lived on a farm outside the town and Brother and Sister Parker and their two little kids.  Until recently an investigator family had been attending, but they had been turned off and quit coming. The dad was an educated man, a Dentist, and had asked the prior Elders about the beliefs of our Church about evolution.  One of the Elders had sent home for more information and his family had sent a back a book by Joseph Fielding Smith that took a strong and rigid anti-evolution position and the family decided to not investigate the gospel further. They were a wonderful family, but I didn’t know enough to help them.  When I returned, to BYU, I discovered that there were persons who took a variety of positions on the validity of evolutionary concepts and still maintained their testimonies.  I wished that I had known of that when I was in Dauphin.
    There was also a Fulbrook family, living nearby, who had studied with previous missionaries but had not taken the steps to live the Word of wisdom, but they had daughters who were interested and sometimes were saw them in our services.
    The Parkers were good-hearted people and fairly recent converts.  Sister Parker, in a humble way, told us of a learning experience she had as a new convert.  She had a dream.  In that dream, she saw the Savior and her was speaking to her.  The only problem was she couldn’t hear what he was saying. 
    Next Sunday, the Brandon Branch President made one of his periodic visits to their Sunday School in Dauphin.  She shared her dream with him, both as a spiritual experience but also wondering about the hearing problem.  He listened intently to her story, then looked her in the eye and asked, “Sister Parker, are you still drinking your tea.” 
    She thought this was a great lesson that convinced her to fully keep the Word of Wisdom.
    My new companion was Elder Hampton, from Shelley Idaho.  (I do not recall his first name.)  I was the senior.  I had been out for eight months and he less.  Generally we got along, but I thought that sometimes he lacked judgement and was too argumentative.  Once in our tracting we were invited into the home of a minister and I had a hard time getting us away because Elder Hampton wanted to argue with the man using Bible scriptures.  Later after we both had moved to different assignments, President Child used in a missionary conference an experience of Elder Hampton’s as an illustration of what not to do in missionary teaching.  He and his companion had been teaching the missionary discussions to a family.  But at one appointment, their minister showed up.  The Elder proceeded to use all of his preparation of Biblical proof texts to demolish the minister’s arguments.  However, the family would no longer let the Elders teach them about the Church.  President Child said that this was a good family–good enough to recognize who had the spirit of contention.
    One day as Elder Hampton and I were tracting, we were invited into the home of fairly young man, who taught me something about our latter-day scriptures.  He was a radio announcer  and also had interest in acting and writing.  He said that he had been acquainted with our missionaries at an earlier time and was impressed with the literary value of some of the written works of our Church.  He asked if we had a copy of Joseph Smith’s story, which we did, and he read a page or so in his expressive and articulate manner and voice.  I was impressed for the first time with the beauty of the Joseph’s wording of his testimony, and I discovered later through reading in the works of latter-day saint scholars Dilworth Rust and Marilyn Arnold much more about the poetic nature and magnificent literary quality of our modern day scriptures. 
    We were living in the basement of a home belonging to a kind man with a Ukrainian ancestry, Mr. Yerama.  In fact, the prior elders had helped him construct this area for a living place.  Just around the corner, we started to get acquainted with a family name Symes, George and Margaret and their two children ages about ten and twelve.
    The Symes, especially the mother, began to really connect to our doctrine.  We were in their home often and taught them the discussions.  They began to attend our Sunday School and decided to be baptized.  The Winnipeg chapel had a baptismal font, so the whole bunch of us traveled on the CNR to conduct these services.  It probably helped that Brother Symes was employed by the Railway, so could travel for free.  We went down on Friday evening, and the four were baptized on 6 Dec 1958, then stayed over to Sunday Services where they were confirmed members on 7 Dec 1958.
    Two years later they came to Salt Lake and I was able to attend a sealing session with them in the Salt Lake temple on the 15 Dec 1960.
    Unhappily something went wrong a few years later with relationships in the little group of members in Dauphin, contention or conflict, and according to some third hand information I received, they left the Church.   I found a record for Brother Syme in FamilySearch, who died in 2008, but no records for a wife and a prohibition against seeing his marriage sealing record and the name of his wife.

Sixth Companion, Elder Rock
    Shortly after these baptisms, Elder Hampton was transferred and replaced by Elder Ronnie Boyd Rock, of Boise, Idaho.  President Child said that he left me with Elder Hampton for so long, because he wanted us to be able experience the success of baptizing this family.  We were together for six months, a full one-fourth of my mission.
    Elder Rock and were together during the two coldest months of 1959, January and February.  The city did not plow the road, they used a drag to smooth out the snow.  I supposed that if you made any kind of indentation, the wind would just fill the space with snow again.  So by Springtime the road would still have snow or ice or slush when the rest of the snow was gone.  The same with sidewalks.  The snow just kept getting higher and higher.  When we walked on the sidewalks toward the end of winter we kept bumping our hats on tree branches.
    At this point we determined that we had tracted Dauphin out, and needed a new place to work, so we select a little town, Gilbert Plains, 30 miles west on the highway to Saskatchewan.  For tranportation there, we thought we would try hitchhiking.  It was a clear, sunny morning, but with a fairly stiff breeze coming from the northwest.  We stood at the edge of the highway for a short time.  No cars were out this morning at all.
    Then I took a close look at Elder Rock, and commented, “You have a white spot on your chin.”  He looked at me and said, “You have a white spot where your ear is sticking our from under your cap.”  We decided that it wasn’t a good day to hitchhike.  When we checked the weather, it was 30 degrees below zero with a 20 MPH wind.  We each covered the white spots with a bare wrist and got safely back to our apartment.  Thankfully the white spots went away with no damage. 
    The next day was a Saturday and Brother Syme volunteered to drive us out to Gilbert Plains.  The car would not run very well, the engine bucked and sputtered, until he put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator.  Then it ran fine.  We got to Gilbert Plains, found a place where we could room, and during the next week, started our tracting there.  We came back to Dauphin to help with Sunday School on the weekends.
    I was impressed with how careful the residents of Dauphin were to protect themselves against the winter.  They had weather that could kill and tried to avoid travel for any distances.  The CNR was the best way to travel in the winter months.
    Elder Rock was intelligent, humble and faithful.   I loved having him as a companion.  And he lived a wonderful productive life in Boise, Idaho.  I kept some track of him because his uncle Gordon Rock, lived in our Taylorsville ward and neighborhood.

Obituary
    Ronnie Boyd Rock passed away peacefully on December 24, 2019. He was 81 years old. He is survived by his wife and eternal companion, Jean Ashliman Rock, children Douglas Rock (Christina Glassmeyer Rock), David Rock (Jennifer Blankenbiller Rock), Kathy Rock Affleck (Adam Affleck), Lahni Rock Castellano (Patrick Castellano), Brian Rock (Wendy Voyles Rock), and 20 wonderful grandchildren.
    Ron was born on June 27, 1938, the second of four children, to Farrell and Ethel Sommer Rock. He spent his childhood years helping on the family farm in Hibbard, Idaho, and excelling with his studies and schoolwork. He and his sister, Joan, performed public readings and competed nationally in debate competitions.
    Ron graduated from Ricks College and then obtained his Bachelor and Juris Doctorate degrees with honors from The University of Idaho.
    While attending college, Ron began dating Jean Ashliman and the two were married for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple.
    Ron began his legal career as a trial lawyer with the Boise law firm of Moffatt, Thomas, Barrett & Blanton and stayed with Moffatt Thomas for his entire professional career.
    A devout Christian and a man dedicated to service, Ron served for two years as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in northern Minnesota and south-central Canada. Ron would later serve the church as Bishop, Stake President, and Stake Patriarch.  After retiring from his profession, Ron and Jean served together as missionaries for a year and a half in Birmingham, England. Ron was an Eagle Scout and served for many years on the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America.   
    Ron loved attending his children's and grandchildren's musical performances and sporting events and also spending time traveling and enjoying life with his Sweetheart.
    A viewing will take place at Relyea Funeral Chapel, 318 N. Latah St., Boise, on Friday, December 27, 2019, from 6:00-8:00pm. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 28, 2019, at the LDS meetinghouse on 12040 West Amity Rd., Boise, with a viewing at 10:00 am and the service to begin at 11:00 am. Interment to be held after the service at Dry Creek Cemetery, Boise. All are welcome to attend.  (Idaho Statesman, Friday, December 27, 2019)

Fourth Area–Winnipeg, Manitoba, Seventh Companion, Elder Jensen

    I transferred down to Winnipeg in March 1959, and my new companion was Elder Ed Clark Jensen, from Coalville, Utah.   He had been out for about three months when we were assigned together.
    As I mentioned above, The North Central States Mission seemed to a tracting mission.  It was so focused upon tracting that missionary reporting and accountability processes seemed to give emphasis to tracting.  I recall visits by the traveling elders, in which they looked very exactingly at our statistics, that in our reporting how many first visits (these were homes that we were able to enter and give a introductory presentation on the Bookof Mormon or Josephs Smith’s first vision each month) to did we have in comparison to follow-up visits.  We got high marks for first visits, also the ratio of later visits to first visits of course.  In the monthly reports we saw and were able to make comparisons with every companionship’s visit statisitics. 
    There were four sets of Elders in Winnipeg which we divided into four districts.  Elder Jensen and I had the northeast quadrant.  The major transportation resource was the trolley, buses that were powered by electricity from overhead lines.  I recall several occasions as we were walking to or from the area in which we were knocking on doors in our district, to see a bus go by carrying Elder Newland and Elder Nelson.  In our area!!  What were they doing traveling in our area?  We arrived at a sense that they weren’t very obedient to mission rules.  Interestingly, of our four companionships, they were the only pair that were baptizing. 
    A couple of years later, while attending the Salt Lake Temple, I looked across the room and recognized Elder Newland.  My first thought was, “I’m surprised to see a person like you, who stretched mission rules, in the temple.”  I dropped that thought and was able to have a friendly visit with him after the session, and over time have grown to appreciate his wisdom.  He said that at a certain point in his mission, he had an interesting insight, that Church members in the branches he were working with, might be able to steer us to friends or acquaintances that would be interested learning about in the Gospel.  They began to spend a substantial amount of their time in seeking out member referrals and this led to several baptisms.
    I asked him about the visit statistics and he said that the traveling elders had given he and his companion a lot of flak about their poor showing regarding numbers of first visits and visit ratios.
    Elder Jensen had been a football player at USU, a fullback.  I understood from him that the coach was quite displeased with him about his decision to serve a mission.  He had a football injury that became the subject of one of my most memorable and spiritual mission experiences:
A Healing while a Missionary
     Recently as I scanned through the Deseret News, on the obituary page I saw the name of one of my missionary companions, Ed Clark Jensen.  I lost track of him after I left the mission field, unfortunately, and this was the first time I had heard of him since we had been missionaries.  He was a new elder assigned to me as we served in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the Spring of 1959, as a I recall.  He was humble and motivated and I liked him a lot.  While together, we shared a very tender experience, one that taught me much and that I might call foundational to my spiritual life.
     Elder Clark was from Coalville, Utah, had been a football player in High School, a fullback, and had a football scholarship to play for Utah State, but with the strong disapproval of his coach, had determined to serve a mission.  As we worked together in a mission that emphasized tracting door to door, he had increasing pain in an ankle, and had difficulty walking.  We eventually consulted with President Child about this who had us visit a medical doctor, who took x-rays, and determined that Elder Clark was suffering from the results of a football injury, perhaps a series of an ankle sprains, and had calcium deposits in his ankle joint causing the pain when he walked.  The doctor recommended surgery to clean out the joint.  President Child consulted with Elder Clark’s family back in Utah and they made arrangements for the operation, to be performed by a Winnipeg surgeon. 
     On the morning of the surgery, we rode the city bus, as usual, to the hospital.  There was quite a lot of concern for Elder Clark on the part of all of the missionaries in our district, he was popular with the other elders, and the Winnipeg area companionships all gathered at his bedside.  It had been determined that we would administer to him that morning, so when all of the elders had arrived, we proceeded with the ordinance.  One of the elders was selected to anoint, than I was to seal the anointing.  I do not recall the words, but as I spoke to him I had the sensation of a literal flowing of some element from my hands through my fingertips into his body.  I felt light-headed as if I would faint, and quickly closed the blessing and staggered backward into a chair.  It seemed to me that the other Elders did not even notice my absence and continued to crowd around him, offering encouragement and support.
     After a short time I recovered enough to excuse myself and I caught the bus back to our apartment.  I went to our room and still feeling exhausted, lay down on the bed and went to sleep.  I was awakened a couple of hours later by Elder Clark coming into the room.  He reported that the doctors had decided to take one more set of x-rays prior to operating and that the x-rays had not shown the presence of any deposits or problems in his ankle.  He was entirely without pain, and, to my knowledge, was not bothered with these problems the remainder of our time together and through the remainder of his mission.
     I thought about this experience a great deal and wondered at the flowing sensation and how it seemed to take my strength away.  This was new and unusual to me.  I found some commonality later as I read of the woman who touched the hem of the Savior’s garment and was healed, in Mark 5 and Luke 8.  Jesus asked who touched him and said, “Somebody hath touched me; for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me” (Luke 8:46).
     This was a once in a lifetime experience for me, and I have sometimes wished it could have been replicated as I have administered to others, particularly loved ones who were suffering.  But still, there was something tangible and substantial about this happening that I cannot interpret in any other way than that God had this one time made me instrument in His purposes, to enable a fine young elder to continue in his missionary service.
     Robert E. Lewis blog, January 2019

    Tracting wasn’t all bad.  While tracting, we met a lady, Mrs. Mauch (pronouced Moke), who was friendly and wanted to see us.  We learned her history, that in her youth her family had been converts of a Reorganized Church missionary.  Bu she had lost contact with that church many years before.  She believed in the Book of Mormon.  We visited with her and taught her.  I understand that she was baptized a few months after I had left he area.
    One day we knocked on a door in our area and the young mother invited us in a very friendly manner.  She then told us that she and he husband had joined the Church as converts several years before, but that they had just gotten out of the habit of attending.  We made friends with this couple and they responded willingly to our encouragement to start back to church.
    They also had a son who was eight years old but unbaptized.  We began to work with him to get him ready for baptism.  And he was soon baptized, but before that happened, I was transferred to Austin, Minnesota.
    Here is more information about Elder Jensen’s life, from his obituary and FamilySearch memories:
    Ed Clark Jensen, 1938-2018, passed through the veil into the welcoming arms of his family on December 22, 2018 in Draper, Utah while his daughter was holding him.  Ed was born April 3, 1938 to the cozy home of Edmond C. Jensen and Jane LaRue Clark Jensen.  Literally, Ed was born at home where he resided until he left for college, it was a loving home with a rich heritage behind the structure and still stands at 70 South Main Street in Coalville, Utah.  He attended school at North Summit Elementary and graduated in 1956 from North Summit High School, a school system where both of his parents were decorated and appreciated teachers.  Surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, a lot of cousins and a community of hard working, fun loving folks, Ed’s life was filled with good neighbors and family love.  From a very young age Ed enjoyed collecting coins, riding the bike he shared with his sister, playing king of the mountain on the back porch with his dad, watching the trains go through the valley with hobos on them, fishing, playing with frogs and snakes, dragging main street when he could because his dad thought it was a waste of gas money when a date would be a preferable way of socializing, playing cowboy and Indians in the Coalville Ledges, and searching for arrow heads and any artifacts left by the native Indians who had inhabited the area.  Along with his good friend Don Wright they had a pet owl that used to ride around on their shoulder for an entire summer.  Ed adored his Grandma Lizzy and took her on a camping trip when he was 16 and she was in her late 70s… he zipped her up in a sleeping bag and helped her put her hair up in curlers when she was going blind.  He loved the meals she fixed him and teasing her and hearing her laugh.  He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was a fabulous teacher at a young age and earned many perfect attendance awards.  FFA (Future Farmers of America) taught Ed many of the skills he later used owning and operating his family ranch and farm in Redmond, Utah.  He earned many ribbons for the livestock he raised at the FFA competitions.  Ed recollecting his family’s trip to Chicago to watch the White Sox play the New York Yankees is filled with the fearless yet simple spirit the family embodied.  Karma was only 16 and drove them some of the time.  They cheered for Minnie Minosa, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle.  They ate Wisconsin Cheese and saw a big man carrying a large # 3 tub hollering out across the crowd and selling his goods.  It was quite a fabulous journey for the crew from Coalville.  Unbeknown to them some years later Ed would serve his mission in America’s heartland.  They also traveled through San Francisco into the Redwood Forest.  The most remarkable event Ed recalled from that adventure was the police officer who hopped on the front of their big bumper and negotiated Big Ed through the traffic and onto the Oakland Bridge.  The officer had spied an out of state license plate and helped out the weary travelers.  Ed cherished his father, Big Ed, who was one of his football and basketball coaches.  Together they, along with a lot of other fine young men in the community, made quite a team, and Ed was awarded Most Valuable Football Player in the State of Utah for his athletic accomplishments in 1955.  The sports editor from the Deseret News, Jim Grebe, wrote this of Ed, “ A Bull dozing back who was a wondrous weapon for the Braves all season.  He had great power and excellent breakaway speed on offense.  On defense he ruled as an outside linebacker.”  Ed graduated and after receiving many scholarship offers he chose to attend Utah State University on a Football scholarship, the same place his father had an incredibly successful career in football during the 1920s  and earned the right to play in Hawaii at the East West Shriners Game.
    Little Ed played as full back in college until during his Sophomore year his football dreams were ended during the Iowa State vs. Utah State game when he sustained a back injury.  When he turned 21 Ed served his mission and met some of the coolest people ever in the North Central States mission (Minnesota, Wisconsin and Winnipeg, Canada were mainly the areas he served in) from January 1959- January 1961.  Ed served as a Branch President during his mission, which was a unique opportunity for him, he learned to completely serve his branch members and enjoy his close relationship with his mission president.  These leadership skills were used the rest of his life as he served in numerous bishoprics and as a member of the planning and zoning commission.  Shortly upon returning from his mission Ed served in the US Army as a medic and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas at the Brooks Army General Hospital.  In San Antonio he was attending church, which is where he met Treba Irvin and married her that same year.  Treba brought two beautiful children, Darla Kay (9 years old) and Daryl Keith Essey (8 years old) into their marriage. They married on December 27, 1961 and soon moved to Coalville, Utah.  They welcomed another child into their family on January 26th 1963, Pamela Faye.  Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple that same year in October.  Ed liked exploring nature and traveling when possible.  By the time Pamela graduated from High School she had been to 25 states, Mexico and Canada.  Ed & Treba always had a garden ( even this year!) and they shared fresh produce and irrigated the land until this very autumn season.
    They were an incredibly industrious couple.  Treba working for the Department of Transportation the majority of her work years and they continue to be landlords their entire lives together!  Ed retired at age 56 from a 30-year career as a heavy machine operator and machinist at Kennecott Copper he was always considered a valued employee.  He was a frugal man and saved to purchase rental properties and farm land.  One of his favorite sayings was “they aren’t making any more land so get what you can while you can” a month after he retired he moved to his beloved ranch in Redmond and ran his ranch/ farm for 20 years.
    Family reunions were a highlight for Ed and he would travel from Canada to other remote areas to be with family.  Grandchildren were the grandest part of Ed’s life.  He adored each one from Elliot, who made him a grandpa at age 35 to the arrival of Andrik 10 years ago.  Each child was dear to him and he spent hours understanding them and their lives and their views of the world.  Ed was capable of genuinely loving many people. Ed loved the lord and was a dedicated member of many bishoprics, presidencies and was the best writer and supporter of missionaries as he wrote weekly to many missionaries.  He adored his sister and had a happy and fun loving relationship with Karma Jane and her amazing family.
     Ed is survived by his dedicated loving wife and caregiver to the very end; Treba Irvin Jensen.  Yesterday they celebrated 57 years together;  his daughter, Pamela Faye Jensen Bingham with his son-in-law Dr. Tab Bingham and their four children ; Austin Jensen Bingham (Christina) , Jessica Faye Bingham Kehl ( Bryan), Vance Clark Moose Bingham (Kiersten) , Mitchell Bartlett Bingham, and four precious great grandchildren Jayda Faye Kehl, Cruz Bingham Kehl, Isabella Wynn Bingham, and Jersey Faye Kehl. Ed is survived by his adored step son Daryl Keith Essey, who still lives at the Ranch in Redmond working as a mental health therapist, and Daryl’s three sons Elliot Essey, Kien Essey, & Andrik Essey;  Grandchildren from Darla Essey Dickerson : Justin Brandt Dickerson ( Courtney) and their children Mia and Josh, Brandon Kyle Dickerson ( Erika) and their children Stellen and Lane Robert, and Kyla Faye Dickerson.  Ed is survived by his cherished older sister and life long friend Karma Jane Jensen Larsen and dear brother-in-law Lawrence Ray Larsen as well as Ed’s many dear nieces and nephews.
    Ed was preceded in death by his grandparents Elizabeth Bagnell Clark, Joseph Clark, Elvina Matilda Jorgensen Jensen, and Charles Jensen; his parents Edmond C. Jensen, Jane LaRue Clark Jensen; nephew Burke Ray Larsen; step daughter Darla Kay Dickerson;  and dear cousins Joe Blonquist, Johnny Clark, Alf Blonquist, Linda Clark Lewis, Gweneth Crane, Rueleen Shepherd, Bonnie Veater , Douglas Black, Venilu Hall, Robert Black, and Debbie Jensen.
    In celebration of Ed’s life and Grandma Treba being married with him for 57 years yesterday these services will be followed by a lovely luncheon where you may share your favorite happy memory with Ed and Treba… so be thinking and while we are eating we will share some fun memories.
    Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Friday, December 28, 2018 at the Coalville Stake Center, 40 North Main St. in Coalville, UT, where a viewing will be held Friday 10-10:45 a.m. Graveside service will be Friday 2:30 p.m. at the Coalville Cemetery.
    Elder Jensen served with me four months, from April 1959 through July 1959.

Fifth area–Austin, Minnesota, eighth companion, Elder Anthon
    At the end of July 1959, I was transferred to what was about the farthest south district in the mission, less than 10 miles from the Iowa border.  Austin was home to Hormel's corporate headquarters, a factory that makes most of North America's SPAM tinned meat, and the Spam Museum (“You can tell by the smell it’s Hormel”).  People living there would joke about the Hormel company’s advertising slogan in those days, when the wind shifted and the processing plant aroma was very noticeable.
    My junior companion was Elder Robert Anthon, for Springville, Utah.  One of his accomplishments was having worked for one of the first pizza places in Provo, and having acquired the skill to finish preparation of pizza dough by flipping and rotating it in the air with his hands.
    He was confident and out going.  One coincidence that was interesting was that before his mission he had dated a girl at BYU who had previously dated another missionary who was currently serving in the North Central States Mission.  He said that she told him that she was a major influence on getting this other brother to serve a mission.  She told the elder that she wouldn’t marry him unless he served a mission, but her major motive behind this was to get him out of her life.  It turned out that this other missionary was my old long-term companion in Dauphin. 
    Here is Elder Anthon’s obituary:
    Robert Edward Anthon, 53, passed away Wednesday Dec. 9th, 1992 in Salt Lake City, UT.  He was born Jan. 20th, 1939 in Provo, UT.  Son of Neils Foster Anthon and Eliza Donetta Hair. Married Gail Pickering June 19th, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple.
    Robert was an active LDS Church member, and held numerous positions in the church during his life.  He served a full-time LDS mission to the North Central States Mission.  He was a very well known insurance agent both in Bountiful and Salt Lake area.
    Robert was a loving, generous and devoted husband and father who met life's challenges with tremendous purpose, enthusiasm and energy.
    He is survived by his wife Gail Pickering Anthon, his sister Rhea Mae Anthon Slick, son Clark Edward Anthon, daughter Cherise Anthon Armstrong, and husband Bryant Lee Armstrong, and granddaughter, Robyn Ashley Armstrong.
    Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 12th at 1 p.m. at the Lakeview LDS Ward, 435 S 1200 E.  Friends may call Friday evening 7-9 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 N Main, Bountiful or at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the church.  Interment, Lakeview Cemetery.

    I was released from my mission on October Conference Friday and flew back to Salt Lake.  Dorothy was at BYU and was staying with a roommate who was from Kearns.  They picked me up at the Salt Lake airport late Friday night.  We went back to Provo the next day.  School at BYU had already started but I was able to late-register on Monday and was in classes the next day.

Final Note
    Reconstructing the record of my young mission has been difficult, mostly from the perspective and memory of over 60 years.  I always found journaling difficult and stopped that after a couple of months.  I have never in my life be able to dash off a quickly written piece– I always have had to think through and compose and then revise my words multiple times to get a product that communicates and that I feel good about.  I wrote home weekly but these letter have been lost, maybe in moves of my mother, but possibly that she gave them to me and I lost them.
    As I review what I have written in this chapter, I am disappointed that spiritual elements of my missionary service do not shine through more strongly.  The mission was, as suggested by Elder Hunter in his blessing, difficult in terms of teaching success.  For the most part, I now believe that I was successful in living the mission rules, although it took me some time to come to that conclusion and feel OK about there being times when I could not quite arise as six and be ready to knock on doors at nine.  I received considerable growth in my relationship skills and may have bumped off a rough corner or two as I lived with these eight companions.
    I solidified my knowledge of the gospel, I learned to love the scriptures and be competent in my understanding and their use. 
    Certainly I grew in confidence in many ways, such as teaching the gospel, meeting people, in travel.  I felt equal in my Church background to young men who had been members all of their lives.  I left the mission field feeling confidence that I could move forward in school and career and life with success.
    Perhaps most important, there were foundational spiritual experiences, revelations, healings, directions, that I have been able to call to remembrance as needed throughout my lifetime.
    I am grate to my Heavenly Father for helping me to be able to serve and supporting me through this wonderful period of my life.