Veteran's Day

Here are the two veteran's from the family of which I am aware:

Jay Harold Henderson...served in World War II. He is my grandfather.

He and my grandmother were married as I understand when he was home on leave...if anyone knows the whole story...I would love to know it!

I only have this journal entry from my grandmother:

"As World War II was on at this time, Jay was called into the service. Our date was quite special, but I have to admit that marriage had not really entered my head. We had only gone together three months even though it was very often.

Yet, I definitely recall the thing that made this evening very special!!! I said goodbye to Jay and closed the door and started to walk up the stairs to my room. A voice said to me, as clear as could be, 'That is the boy you will marry!' Though I realize now that this message came from the Lord, at the time, I was spiritually immature and I wondered at this coming so strongly into my mind. But a seed was planted in my mind for sure.

All that next 9 months we wrote steadily and he sent me lovely gifts for Christmas. He was returning for a leave at the end of May and I resolved that I would really 'work on him' because 'that was the boy I wanted to marry.' He called me from the airport when he arrived in Salt Lake and I drove out to pick him up. All the way, I thought that these next two weeks I must really be at my best so that he might ask me to marry him.

Imagine my surprise when on the way in to town from the airport he asked me to marry him! The next two weeks were really hectic. I was not only planning for a big wedding, but I was in the process of graduating from the University of Utah....How grateful I am that we were able to marry in the temple--the most peaceful, quiet and beautiful time of the two weeks."

So I guess my grandmother was a "war bride". They were married 12 June 1945. I would love to know how long he was in the service. I do know he was in Okinawa for a while.





















Guy Messiah Keysor...served in the Mexican American War with the Mormon Battalion...click on his name to learn more.

If you know of more veterans in our family let me know!

"Thoughts from Grandma Beth" Family, Friends & Time

January 8, 1984 Sunday

I have decided in this New Year I shall try and write in my journal at least once a week. Hopefully someday I shall find time to write a little every day.

Today Dianne played the organ in sacrament meeting--the prelude and postlude and all the Hymns. She did very well and I was proud of her. There is nothing like good practical experience. All the lessons in the world are not enough. One needs the opportunities to use what talents one has. Our church is so wonderful in this respect that it gives a member a chance to serve and use what talents he has and thus develop them. I will always appreciate the opportunities I had to use my musical ability in the various organizations of the church. Also to teach the gospel has been a real joy for me.

My very dearest friend, Kathryn Kirk has cancer and it breaks my heart. She has always been so healthy. It really makes one wonder what on earth one can do to avoid that awful disease. I feel sure Kathryn ate good healthy food. She had been working very hard on a book that contained the history and story of the lives of all her ancestors. She had been working on it for about two years. I got after her several times, to not spend so much time on it, as she was missing so many other things in her life. She told me several times that she did not know what it was that seemed to give her a sense of urgency to get the book finished. She said she just felt like she had to keep at it and finish it. I feel sure that was the Spirit urging her on.

I know the Lord can easily make her better if her mission here is not finished, but perhaps she is needed on the other side. I shall really miss her. She was a great example to me in many ways. I never heard her swear or tell a dirty joke. She really lived the commandments as far as I could see and put the church first in her life along with her family. I did get a chance to see her when they first brought her home from the hospital. She really wasn't having any visitors, but they did let me in to talk to her for a little while. We did cry together for we both knew how serious her condition was. It was significant to me that she said, "From now on I must get my priorities straight." Coming from one who gave so much time to the church and her family, I was somewhat surprised. She did give much service also to worthwhile community things. I can only guess that perhaps she felt that she tried to do too much at the expense sometimes of the things that matter most.

That is true in my life for sure. I am too busy and I don't do the compassionate service I should be doing. By that I mean, visiting with my sick friends, taking in food. I do some of that but not enough. I know if I knew that I was going to die in a short period of time, I would let all my clubs go and spend that precious time with my family, letting them know I loved them so much. All my clubs are really worthwhile and I learn a lot and develop my talents because of the things I do in the groups, but we still have to choose in life among many good and worthwhile activities. That is the real test, I am convinced, to learn what one must eliminate when there is just so much time. I know my husband often thinks I am too busy to spend time with him. Well, I shall try and do better, before it is too late!!

Beth

Picture taken on a camping trip to Colter Bay that the Henderson & Kirk family went on together. Kathryn Kirk and Beth Henderson standing next to each other in the middle.

Thoughts from Grandma Beth: "Bide Your Time"

Grandma Beth typed the following on March 22, 1978.

Today I decided that I must write in my journal for I heard something today that really touched my heart that I knew to be true, because while Sister Jasmine Edmunds was relating to me the incident, the Holy Ghost witnessed unto me the truthfulness of what she was saying.

I gave the lesson today in Relief Society and part of the lesson was on Adam and Eve. I was stressing that just as it stated in the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, Adam was the first man and the first flesh upon the earth. I quoted from Joseph Fielding Smith, Pres. Joseph F. Smith and an official statement of the First Presidency of the Church that this was the case and that Adam and Eve were born of parents and did not evolve from earlier flesh via the evolutionary route.

After the lesson Sister Edmunds came up and told me of something that happened to her brother, President Marion G. Romney of the First Presidency of the church.

It was at conference and he was slated to be the last speaker in the morning session. He had his talk all prepared, but because time ran out, President McKay said that Brother Romney would be the first speaker in the afternoon session. Brother Romney, between sessions, prayed about his talk that he had prepared and felt strongly that he should not use it and that he should talk on something else.

When he was called on to speak, Brother Romney said that the Lord literally put words in his mouth and that he spoke how Adam was the first man, the first flesh of the earth. (This was in the days before the general authorities had to turn in a copy of their talk ahead of time) He said afterwards that many of his friends that felt that this did not harmonize with the scientific theories of the day called him and said “Did you really mean what you said about Adam being the first man on the earth?”

I have found just in the years that I have lived that man’s theories come and go, but God’s words---whether in the scriptures, or through the mouth of his prophets are truths that will live forever.

I can remember so well that when I attended the University and took quite a number of anthropology classes, that all the books and all the professors stated most definitely that the only way men came to America was by way of the Bering Strait. Since that time there have turned up so many evidences of the Vikings, Phoenicians and other peoples that came to America by ship, that I’m sure there is no scientist today that would dispute this.

Therefore if the theories of men are not in harmony with the revealed truths of God, bide your time, the truths will stand, many theories of men will not. I have found this to be so.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Beth M. Henderson

"Thoughts from Beth Henderson"--October 11, 1980--Forgiving & Priorities

Today my neighbor died who lived across the street. She died of cancer. Unfortunately, she had smoked quite heavily for a good part of her life and so she had cancer of the lung.

The reason I am writing today is that her death has reminded me of two important lessons I have learned in life that were really reinforced in my mind today.

The first one was that years ago I heard Steven Covey give a lecture reminding us to be the first to ask someone’s forgiveness, or to apologize whether we think it was our fault or not. There is a scripture that states something to the effect that before we come to the lord asking for something, to make it right with our brothers if we have had some disagreement etc.

Years ago this particular neighbor would bring her dog over to my grass parking to do his “duty” each day. Actually she would not bring him right to my lawn but just wait while he came over and did it. This really upset me because many times I would have my mother and mother-in-law to dinner and they would park in the front and have to walk across my parking to get into the house. Sometimes it would be dark and they would not see what was on the grass. So I went to the expense of putting in a cement sidewalk across one section so at least they could walk there in safety.

One winter day I happened to look out the window and saw her dog doing his business on the cement walkway as snow was on the lawn. I did not see the neighbor on the other side of the street and I went out the door to shoo the dog away and also threw a snowball at him to get him to move. I missed him by about 20 ft as I did not have my glasses on, but on looking up I did see her across the street. I went back into the house feeling rather foolish and debated what I should do. At the time I did not think they were Mormons. As I mulled the events over in my mind I thought if the missionaries ever came to her house some day, she probably would not let them in because of my bad example (of long suffering). So the next day I went over to her house and apologized to her for throwing the snow ball at her dog and the I told her as nicely as I could about that I did not want my mother and mother-in-law and other guests to step in it and her dog sort of had a habit of coming to my parking area. She was very nice and from then on she took her dog to the field and we became good friends. I shall always be grateful that I took that right step of apologizing first to her.

The second lesson that her death brought to my mind was that I should really put service to others before I do the many things that are pressing on me each day. I am grateful that two weeks before she died I did take her for a couple of rides up the canyon. The fall leaves were breathtakingly beautiful and I think she really appreciated the rides so much. I took her some pine nuts and bought her a bath mat that I heard her say she needed. But oh how I wish that I had done much more and I should have. The week before she died I was terribly busy and also Dianne and I and Grace, David and their children went for a two day trip in the motor home. I can honestly say my every minute on arriving home on Friday afternoon until Sunday morning was taken, but my neighbor died Sunday morning. And so the second lesson I felt was reinforced in my mind is that no matter how busy we are, we still have to set priorities and service to others should be right at the top. Some things just should have to wait, death does not. A chance to help or cheer someone doesn’t always come a second time.

I look at my messy home and I remember that God said, “My house is house of order.” Mine is not always, probably seldom in some areas and practically never in the library. But even among the good things that we could be doing with our time, we still have to set priorities and I honestly feel that God would forgive me my messy house sooner than neglecting someone in need. I hope I might always remember this. Harmon Rector once said, “Keeping your eye single to the glory of God” means doing what you ought to do when you ought to be doing it whether you want to do it or not.

"Thoughts from Beth Henderson"--May 26, 1980--Memorial Day

I didn’t get to my mother’s and little sister’s grave today, but I would like to pass on to my posterity a few things about my wonderful mother, Irene Callister McCullough.

I did look up to her with respect and admiration for her marvelous intellect, for her sense of humor, and her great kindness to her children, grandchildren & friends. And she did have many friends. Her children and grandchildren all loved her dearly.

I remember that three months before she died at the age of 84 she gave a book review to a group to which I was invited. She spoke for about 45-60 minutes not using a note. She had a tremendous memory and a thirst for knowledge of things of worth. She was not interested in reading trivial things.

She was a peacemaker also. My father had many good qualities but he also had a bad temper and would “blow up” often. My mother was never a “doormat” but at the same time she would never lower herself to shout or argue. I admired her for this and I’ve always wished I could be more like her.

I loved to talk to her about the gospel and the scriptures. I know of no women and very few men as well read and versed in the scriptures as she. Many, many people said this about her too. Just the other day (4 years since she died) a friend who lived in her ward told me again what a wonderful teacher she was and yet so humble despite her vast knowledge.

I remember when we were children she would take us to Yellowstone, to Long Beach. She taught us how to swim at old Warm Springs on Beck Street.

Because I lead a very busy life, I don’t often stop and think about her. When I do, I cry for I do miss her. I loved her with all my heart. What a privilege it will be some day to associate once again with my mother.

Within 6 months, two of the dearest people in my life died a painful death (cancer)-my husband and my mother. But I shall always be grateful and realize how blessed I was to have been so close to such outstanding people as they were.

From the Journal of Beth Henderson

Picture of Irene Callister McCullough and her daughter Joan McCullough born 1928