Personal History (1982) - Page 21

I graduated from high school in 1977 with a diploma, high honors, and a sweet girlfriend who cried to see me leave. High school was a fun time for Susan and I, and we grew to love each other very much. We had been creative and share many experiences and trials. She had become my best friend and the only friend with whom I could share my most personal thoughts and feelings. Susan was always making me some homemade note or gift that I would find at work or school. I tried to reciprocate as best I could but she was always doing something to make my day or build my confidence and it didn't seem that I would ever do enough in return. We got to the point where we wanted to be with each other all the time. We took our leaders counsel very seriously and we're very careful when we were alone but our loving parents couldn't help but worry. I remember being so embarrassed when my mother would call the Barrus' to see if I would be home. Mom would wait up for me or sleep on the couch until I came [home] to show her concern. They finally took the big step and arranged with Susan's parents to limit us to 3 days a week. Of course we weren't upset and felt as if we had been treated unfairly; we would still see each other at school, walk together to Susan's work at the animal medical clinic, and call each other on those days that we weren't together. Susan was still too proper to call me when she wanted to talk so she created this code. She would call and ring once, when I heard that no one was on the line, I knew Susan needed to talk. It didn't take long for either family to break our code and even today Susan is suspected whenever the phone rings once.

Susan was a good influence for me and [on] more than one occasion and encouraged me to do what's right. When I was struggling to prepare to receive a patriarchal blessing, Susan was there to give me encouragement and strength. I always worried that the patriarch would see a bleak future for me and counsel me to give up the fight. It may seem outrageous but it was a real concern. I took that blessing seriously and I never was happy enough with myself to have my blessing pronounced. After one date to the queen theater she made me use their pay phone to call and make an appointment to have it done. It proved to be a wonderful experience, went together with my family I was given a blessing by Russell H. Sheffield. He didn't feel it was appropriate to invite Susan, but she was blessed with a calm and sweet Spirit the day it took place.

The first summer out of high school I was employed by Peter Lasig and worked for ground services at the Church Office Building and Temple Square. My friend David Hill was responsible for getting me the job and together we would catch the Main Street bus at 6:00 AM to be at work by 7:00 AM. I was assigned to work the largest area that included all of the church office building and the quad in the center of the block. Jerry was my supervisor and together I learned a great deal. From working in our yard I knew how to pull weeds but nothing else; the first day I had to stand around until someone graciously showed me what to do. Little by little we became quite a team and our areas would always win the yearly inspections made by the grounds crew. My favorite work was cultivating the grounds [soil] to make the yards look fresh and neat. At first, I was a little clumsy with the cultivator and I would often pull up more than one newly planted petunia or marigold. We worked hard but were blessed with many questioning visitors to break the monotony. I remember once while weeding an area that before I came... Next Page