I have to tell you two stories from the funeral I attended yesterday. This man was a great man, and the patriarch in our stake. He had grown up in Nebraska, and lived through tough times.
Their meals were very scanty, and he remembers watching his mother eat bread crusts dipped in grease so that her children could have the food that she prepared. His only clothing was one pair of denim overalls. Overalls were what the poor kids wore, so he was embarrassed. Later in life he refused to ever wear denim again. I'm wondering if that is why my own father doesn't own a pair of denim pants.
When he was a boy, he had to share a double bed with two other brothers. You can imagine how crowded that was. But one night he wet the bed. His brothers, not wanting to be wet on again, went and found a bed for him. From then on he had his own bed! lol Sounds like a good plan to me. ;)
For a time, he was the Deacon's Quorum advisor. At that time he was already about 70 years old. He always had a love for candy, and always gave candy to people. My father is the same way! Whenever the deacons came to his house to collect fast offerings, he would give them a sack of candy to take home. His is the coveted fast offering route. :) So when he was working with the deacons, he encouraged them to carry their "For the strength of youth" pamphlet where ever they went. He told them that if he found them carrying it, he would give them a candy bar. And if they ever found him NOT carrying his, he would give them a GIANT candy bar. Our Bishop said that one time he saw this man at the post office, and he was standing in line reading his pamphlet. So he really did practice what he preached.
Our Bishop was telling this story to us, and he told us that his son was one of the deacons in that quorum. He said one night they were passing this man's house, and his son asked him to stop. It was late, and the lights were all off. But the young man just knew he could catch him without his pamphlet. His Dad watched as he went up to the door and rang the door bell. After a minute or so, the lights came on in the house, and pretty soon this man came to the door. The Dad knew the boy was out of luck when he saw that this man was wearing a white shirt. Sure enough, safely tucked in the pocket was his pamphlet. But the boy showed him that he had his card with him, so he was given a smaller candy bar. :)
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3 comments:
Those are wonderful stories. It's a great blessing to have wonderful examples in our lives.
Great stories Delirious. Thank you for sgharing them with us.
I wore denim jeans whenever on off duty time, till I put on my beer belly. Somehow, wearing them with the shape I was in compared to the Marlborough man was unaesthetic. So I stopped and haven't worn them since.
I wonder if that IS why Dad never wore denim. Actually, though, his mother had our crippled aunt to take care of at home, so when Grandpa was sick she had to draw welfare, and they dyed the denim pants green then so everyone would know those were welfare pants, very tough on the kids who had to wear them to school through no fault of their own!
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