It is MY Turn!

I have long believed that a significant part of a missionary's work is in their communications to home, strengthening and building testimonies of their family and friends. That is my purpose in sharing this sacred experience here.


When I was 19 years old and attending BYU, a friend invited me to join her in a cross-country bus trip which turned out to have a great impact on my life! I didn't really know what it was all about, but I was always interested in learning and having new experiences. Susie Woods and I joined several hundred other girls of similar ages on six buses which left from BYU headed for New York to participate in the Hill Cumorah Pageant! Once we arrived, we were joined by many of the missionaries of the Eastern States Mission to provide the other half of the cast. Interesting to note: Ken Matheson was one of these missionaries but it wasn't yet time for us to meet.

During the two weeks of July1964 that we were in Palmyra, we rehearsed for our parts in the production, but more significantly, we studied the scriptural accounts of the scenes that would be portrayed, we participated in many hours of testimony meetings held at that time in the Sacred Grove itself, we each acted as guides in one of the local historical sights. My assignment was being a guide in the Sacred Grove (later discontinued), and I took groups of visitors through the Grove, pointing out the trees that had been alive at the time of Joseph Smith, and telling the story of events that took place there. It took some courage to meet people and bear testimony of this sacred story, but I was able to do it in spite of my fear.

Even though I had been raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had never before experienced the overwhelming influence of the Holy Spirit, especially so continually for so great a period of time. It was powerful! My testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ grew by leaps and bounds! I decided at that time that I wanted to go on a mission!

My friend, Susie, did, too, and, upon returning to BYU and almost being the required age of 21, she immediately turned in her application for a mission. She received a call to serve in England. I went to Las Vegas with her for her Farewell and even spoke in the meeting, because no one in her family were members. All of this just increased my desire to go! I made an appointment to meet with my Stake President, Ben E. Lewis, and met with him during February. He said no, there wasn't any way I could leave prior to the designated age, and asked if there were any young men in my life. No, I replied, and left his office feeling quite alone and discouraged.

Just two weeks later I met Ken Matheson. The director of the BYU Concert Band, Ralph Laycock stopped the band during a rehearsal, saying that we could forgive the new saxophone player his wrong note because he'd just gotten off of a mission. This was good news to me because all of the male members of the band were much older than me or married.

Well, Ken didn't waste any time and every time I turned around at school, there he was.  We were engaged 5 1/2 weeks later, and began planning for an August wedding. This didn't destroy my desire to serve a mission at all. I experienced a lot of conflicting feelings and remember feeling sad that I was giving up my dream as I sewed my wedding dress.

During our engagement, Ken and I went to SLC to see a new movie, "The Sound of Music." I was surprised to have an overwhelming spiritual experience as I listened to the song, "Climb Every Mountain." I knew it must have been meant that I was headed for a demanding job as a wife and mother which would require all the love I could give. Over the next many years, this song has had a special place in my heart.

Fast forward a few years, to Sunday, February 8, 2015, the day before we were to board the airplane that would take us to our mission in Germany.  I was listening to the Music and the Spoken Word Broadcast while I was getting ready for Church, and immediately perked up as I heard the Choir beginning to sing, "Climb Every Mountain." As I sat down to give my full attention to the enjoyment of that beautiful song, the Spirit bore witness to me again. I knew then that the first time I'd heard the song, it was right for me to get married and raise a family, but that NOW was time for me to serve a mission.

It took exactly 50 years for me to receive a full understanding!

"Climb every Mountain, search high and low,
Follow every byway, every path you know.

Climb every Mountain, ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream.

A dream that will need all the love you can give,
Every day of your life for as long as you live."

Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream."


AND NOW IT IS MY TURN!