Day 117: Kelly's Limerick

Kelly Maudsley, one of dad's favorite mission companions and friends over the years thoughtfully sent this limerick:

A beautiful girl named RuthAnn
Fell in love with a wonderful man
His name was Neil
They sealed the deal
Then proceeded to make a whole clan
_ _ der t_e c_ _ v _ rs

He was born on the last day of May
All his family and friends said Hooray!
He’s a bit older now
Survived eight kids somehow
And, he dashingly handsome in grey!

Happy Birthday Neil!

Surprisingly, I could only find one picture of Kelly over the years, from one of the many mission reunions dad held at our home. He's the handsome devil on the far left.

Day 115: The Great Elder LeBaron

Evelyn Marshall sent over a couple of excerpts from President Marshall's (dad's mission president) journal:

RJM Australian Journal December 4, 1972

Mon., Dec. 4 --- I stayed up late working over a ‘roo skin for Elder LeBaron. He has now been with us, sans the five weeks spent in Whyalla with Matthew, since our arrival 16 months ago. He is just great, and mere words cannot express the affection we feel for such outstanding elders.

RJM Australian Journal March 16, 1972

FAITH PROMOTING STORY: I have been distressed at locating and calling another assistant to go with Elder Nordfors for the next months. I thought of Elder _______ as an interim choice. He goes home in May. He’s not as strong as others; but I couldn’t decide on them; I’d have a more sure feeling by May. However Elder Maxfield tells me that earlier on his mission he wasted much time. Can’t a man repent? Yes, but we looked to others: Wilkey, Lambert, Carlile. Back and forth we toyed with these names. I threw in others, LeBaron, Geo. Jackson, Penfold, Grover, et al., but we ended up with the above three, shifting about their names as preference dictated, but holding to these three each time we cast a written ballot. Then I started saying to myself, yes, but Elder Nordfors, strong as he is, is weak in English and writing . . . and so are the three finalists. Where is the man with the erudition to help carry off the many written programs we’ll be using on our new Xerox press? I started looking at the files, going over the letters written me by the finalists. They were weak. And then I thought of Michael Larsen, the new financial secretary. He’s going for a PhD in physics. I opened his file and picked out three letters. Two were handwritten and showed ability and skill. But the third, typewritten, was a perfect delight! It showed a wide range of things: excellent structure, vocabulary, depth, spirituality coupled with a pleasant humor. Eureka! I’ve found my man. Then I came to the last page and looked at the signature: NBL. In filing someone had misplaced in Elder Larson file a letter belonging next door, to Neil B. LeBaron. But I had my man. We will call him back from Whyalla, and I thank the Lord for his great persistence with me.

Day 49: We do not doubt our mother knew it

Family at the Brighton cabin- November 2002

Back in late fall of 2002, I was preparing to serve a mission in Frankfurt, Germany. Mary had already been serving in the Rome,Italy mission for about 9 months. Tom had just opened a mission call to serve in Leipzig, Germany (later combined with the Berlin mission), and was set to leave just two months after I did. There was a lot going on. Mom and Dad were battling monstrous monthly payments with 3 missionaries, regular life expenses, and also waiting for the Brighton cabin to sell.

Mom and Dad with me at the MTC

I had been working for months. I had been saving more than I had ever saved but didn’t have enough to pay for my mission. I remember coming to Mom one day in tears. I told her that I didn’t have to go on a mission. I was met with encouragement and reassurance. I asked my mom about the brutal reality of financing this important experience. “How will you afford to have three missionaries and pay for everything else?” Mom looked at me and told me that I just had to have faith and that with trust in Heavenly Father it would all work out. I knew that she believed and trusted and knew that I could too.

Bob, Mary, Mom, Dad, Maggie, Sister Cassens- Heidelberg

My brothers and sisters and I were raised in a household of faith. This experience is probably closest to my heart, but I’m sure that we could all share dozens of experiences. I never heard Mom complain about any of her own church callings or Dad’s. They just served, exercised faith and were relentlessly charitable. I was the fifth of seven children to serve a mission and I am grateful that my parents sacrificed so many times to send their children to serve the Lord.