Everyday Holds a Possibility of a Miracle

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandpa (Wes) and Grandma (Mary) Carter were still on their mission although they had been relocated to the Southern States. Their call was for three years but they could only obtain British visas for two years hence the new assignment. But funds were still short and it seemed impossible for Marilyn to return to BYU. Meanwhile, Marilyn and LeAnn decided it was time to get their drivers' licenses. So, on a whim, they talked Grandma into taking them to the other side of Atlanta to be tested. They read the handbook on the way.

Somehow, they were both able to pass the written test and headed outdoors to take the driving part. An obstacle course had been set up in a large parking lot. They stood waiting and watching while one woman ahead of them drove through the obstacles. Her driving was pretty pathetic but she certainly had more experience than either of them had. She failed the test.

Now it was their turn. Marilyn went first. The examiner gave her all kinds of hints such as, "Let's see a little sunshine on that arm." Parallel parking wasn't even close.

Then it was LeAnn's turn. Grandma, Marilyn, and Billy all stood biting their nails as LeAnn gingerly made her way through the course. When she and the examiner got back to the starting point, however, she sat and talked to the man for a few minutes, let out a yelp, and threw her arms around his neck. Both girls had passed. That had to be the miracle of the summer. Grandpa was amazed.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Connecting to the Southland

Hello Dear Reader,
When May rolled around the Houtz family, who Marilyn had lived with while she attended BYU for the year, drove to Atlanta so Marilyn could be with her family after eight months of homesickness. It was wonderful to be reunited again.

LeAnn graduated from high school shortly before so we were free as a family to travel with Grandpa as he made his rounds to the twenty-two buildings that were under construction in the Southeast Area. One trip we took was to Miami Beach. It was the first time the family had been to a warm and sandy ocean beach. We basked in the sun--so much so that we all suffered terrible sunburns. Even the bottoms of our feet got burned. It was painful to walk for about a week. We were all sick to our stomachs for several days as well. It was as if we were so burned we became dehydrated.

But that didn't deter us from going with Grandpa every chance we got. The beauty of the South touched us immensely. We had no idea that future genealogical research would reveal that some of the places we visited were places our ancestors had lived. No wonder we felt a special connection to the Southland.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Washington DC to Louisiana

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandpa (Wes) Carter's area encompassed all of the southern states from Washington DC to Louisiana. He was over 64 building missionaries along with 16 supervisors and their families. In addition he had four other men on the office staff (their families were missionaries too just as our family had been in England, and still was, for that matter) and five girls who were also called as "building missionaries." (They obviously didn't build chapels but served secretarial, clerk, and accounting functions in the office.)

Grandpa and Grandma became close friends to some of the supervisors and their families. They had the satisfaction of seeing some beautiful chapels built and witnessed the boys develop, shape up, and learn trades to last them throughout their lives.

The family attended the Atlanta 1st Ward on Ponce de Leon close to downtown Atlanta. The natives pronounced the name of the street, "Ponce de Lyn." Can you imagine that with a Southern accent?
Love,
Aunt Genni

Building Missionaries

Hello Dear Reader,
The project supervisors and their families all stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Carter before they were assigned to a building somewhere in the South. The boys who were to work with the project supervisors also stayed with them until they were assigned to a project. As these people trickled into the new area it was a very busy time for everyone, probably most especially Grandma. It probably felt to her as if she were running a hotel, not just a bed and breakfast. Full meals were provided.

Some of these "Building Missionaries," had never held a hammer before let alone built a building. Grandpa felt the full weight of training them, supervising them, loving them, correcting them, and encouraging them in the Gospel. He said, "In spite of all the trials and tribulations there was some joy and satisfaction in what we were trying to do."
Love,
Aunt Genni

DeKalb County

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandma (Mary) Carter said, "We were then called to go to the Southern states to open up the Church Building Missionary Program there. Kent went home and went into the service. My husband had an office at Decatur [DeKalb County], Georgia, and we lived not too far away at Stone Mountain, Georgia. Again we got to see new and beautiful sights as we traveled around the Southland.

"LeAnn was a senior in high school and graduated there. Billy enjoyed it more as he was accepted as a true blue "Reb," [having been] born in North Carolina. I worked for a while with the boys in Primary and then was called to be a counselor in the Atlanta Stake Relief Socieity presidency."

Shortly after Grandpa set up his new office in Decatur, project superintendents and their families started arriving. Marvelous experiences were in store for everyone involved in the Building Missionary program--and now the program had come to the Southern states.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Stone Mountain

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandpa (Wesley) Carter was able to find living accomodations and buy furniture rather quickly once he was on the ground in Georgia. Within a few days he flew back to Provo to gather up Grandma (Mary), LeAnn, and Billy and take them to their new home in Stone Mountain. That was the beginning of many, many flights into and out of the Atlanta airport, the hub of the South.


Of course there are always a few glitches to make life interesting and the first glitch the family experienced was lost luggage. That too, would become old hat as the family began to be more experienced travelers. They rented a car, drove to Stone Mountain (the town, that the mountain is located in), and started to settle in to the house Grandpa had rented. Their new furniture had been delivered and it wasn't long until their luggage was delivered too. Neighbors began to call with their charming accents and Southern hospitality. This place held many new and exciting possibilities. The family was in for a wonderful adventure and they would be there for the next three years.
Love,
Aunt Genni

The South Will Rise Again

Hello Dear Reader,
After returning to Utah for a short visit, Grandpa (Wesley C.) Carter flew to Atlanta, Georgia to begin setting up the Church Building Program in the Southeast United States. He took a limosine from the airport to a hotel, all the time wondering how to go about finding living accomodations and setting up an office.

He just got settled in his room when the telephone rang. It was Jack Joiner, president of the North Carolina Stake. President Joiner had been to Salt Lake for October Conference and had been informed that Grandpa would arrive in the South on that date. The two men met, went to dinner together, and began a lifelong friendship that Grandpa looked upon with great fondness.

Grandpa said, "It seems to me that the Lord always takes care of those who serve Him."
I couldn't agree more!
Love,
Aunt Genni

PS Although I didn't take a lot of classes this year the ones I took were very labor intensive. I have many clues about George Bradford who Grandma (Caroline) Hall searched for for many, many years. This past semester I did my project on the families (polygamist) of Leven Simmons.
Yesterday I received my grade and this evening I posted my research paper on Leven Simmons' page of the Family Thicket (as an attachment). I hope you enjoy it. It's not perfect but little is in the busy life of a student.