Tell Me a Story Challenge :
Choose a person. Then do any or all of the following:
- Make a list of the top ten stories about this person, a word or phrase will do.
- Choose one story and tell a compelling, short version that will interest your family members in one minute or less.
- Tell a more detailed version of that story including photos if you have them.
Note: You can read about my inspiration behind this challenge here. I’ve decided to reverse the order in my post. If you are reading this, you like stories so I’ll start with the full story, then the bite-sized story to hook my family members, then the list of ten stories.
My grandparents met and started dating in High School. My Grandpa graduated at the height of WWII. He knew he would be drafted so he enlisted in the Marine Corps right after graduation. My Grandma wrote to him and waited for him. She finished high school and went on to graduate from college (I think Weber College) with a degree in science. My Grandpa served two years in the Marine Corps and then the war ended. He was home for a time before he left for New Zealand on an LDS mission.
Grandma had been waiting for a long time. She had enjoyed her high school and college days but she had more time to wait before Grandpa would be home. She was 19 years old and she decided she wanted to serve an LDS mission. She met with her local church leader and together they filled out mission paperwork and sent it into Salt Lake.
Her request was denied. It’s totally understandable though. At that time a woman had to be 23 to serve an LDS mission. Well, she didn’t take no for an answer and sent in papers again, once again requesting to serve a mission. And once again her request was denied.
She had just turned 20 years old when my Grandpa’s brother Darrell died. She attended the funeral with her future in-laws. She was invited to ride in the family car to the cemetery. She was in the car when President David O. McKay walked up to it. He greeted my great grandparents who introduced President McKay to my Grandma. He took her hand in both of his and as they shook hands he said, “So this is Margaret… so this is Margaret.”
The very next week my Grandma received a mission call in the mail. She was called to serve an LDS mission with one stipulation – she had to return home early. She had to return home one month before my Grandpa so she could plan their wedding. She was able to serve for about 14 months in the California mission. In the many boxes she kept are photos from her mission and a few other items she saved including a letter from her mission president praising her hard work and love for the people in her mission.
My spunky Grandma was a missionary at a time when few women were serving missions and she did it 3 years younger than was allowed. The more I learn about my Grandma the more in awe I am of her many talents and her great strength.
One Minute Story
My Grandma sent in mission papers twice when she was 19. She was told she had to wait until she was 23 – the current minimum age for sister missionaries. She met President David O. McKay just after her 20th birthday and got a mission call in the mail the next week.
Top Ten Stories List for Grandma
- Cabbage Patch Dolls, Pound Puppies, can stools, quillos, and more!
- The movie file
- Identical feet
- “You missed a B♭.”
- Road map brain – travel map trip
- Our last lunch
- The Last Christmas Party
- “I really need to write these things down…”
- Pouring over her scrapbooks
- Grandpa’s bracelet, grandma’s curls
- “So this is Margaret, so this is Margaret.”
- Two VCRs
Note: My grandparents told me this and a few other stories about their interactions with President McKay several times. I loved hearing them tell me stories. This one has been on my mind because my oldest boy is currently waiting for a mission call. The system says he has been assigned so we are just waiting for that big white envelope to arrive in the mail any day. Don’t worry – he meets all of the criteria so he will not be kindly told to wait until he is older like my Grandma was. 😉