Meeting Schedule

Hello Dear Reader,
When Grandpa (Wesley) Carter was put in the Sunday School superintendency the meeting schedule was different than it is now. We went to church in the morning on Sunday, usually about 10 o'clock and were there for 1-1/2 hours. The meeting consisted of opening exercises with a sacrament hymn, sacrament, and 2-1/2 minute talks. There was also singing practice and other business, then about an hour in class. After that we went home for dinner and returned in the evening for another 2 hour service where we partook of the sacrament again and listened to two speakers.

All of the auxiliary meetings were during the week. Primary was usually on Tuesday or Wednesday after school. Relief Society was held one morning each week and Mutual was held one evening each week. Priesthood meeting was on Sunday morning before Sunday School. I think I like it better the way it is now.
Love,
Aunt Genni

End of the Semester

Hello Dear Reader,
The semester is over. The papers are in. The finals are taken. Even the Christmas cards are written. It's been a hard semester for me--possibly because I missed Mom, possibly because it's just hard to get this old brain working and unthinking bad habits picked up over the years. I would like to say that I'll do better about blogging next semester--and that is a possible New Year's resolution--but I'll just have to see. I have 2 days to organize, pack, and leave for Florida for Christmas.

It will be wonderful to see my girls and grandchildren. I think I look forward to seeing my sons-in-law too (just kidding Patrick and David; I'm anxious to see you as well).

My "Historian's Craft" class was hard but I learned a lot about researching and a lot about New Portage, Ohio and the events that took place there. That's where Eliza Darrow Fifield Bates McNeill lived with at least 2 of her husbands. My paper ended up being 11 pages + bibliography. If anyone is interested in reading it let me know.

I'll try to post a couple more times before I leave for Christmas break.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Apology

Hello Dear Reader,
I have to apologize. I still have a lot more to write about Grandpa (Wesley Carol) and Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter. I have lots of pictures to post and more events I hope you will find interesting. Getting started in a new semester has been difficult for me. I find myself spinning my wheels a lot but since I already have a grade for this blog it is not top on my list of priorities right now.

I'm hoping things will settle down this week. Sometimes I can post a lot at one time and then just have the posts appear on schedule. Don't give up on me yet. I will see what I can do. If it becomes too difficult I will take a hiatus for a while. But I think it will be ok.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Growth in the Church

Hello Dear Reader,
As Grandpa (Wes) Carter became more at ease in his position as a teacher he was asked to pray and even gave a two-and-a- half minute talk—which he said he did very poorly. After about seven or eight months of teaching Sunday school the second counselor in the SS superintendency, Brother Thurgood, moved away.

Bishop Dunford asked Wes to his office along with Earl Johnson and Claude Billings who was Sunday school superintendent. The bishop asked Wes to be 2nd counselor in the superintendency. He gladly accepted. He had grown a lot during that short period of time.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Becoming a Teacher

Hello Dear Reader,
The bishopric eventually, after visiting with Grandpa (Wes), asked him to teach a Sunday school class—the twelve year olds. Wes’s first reaction was a firm, “No.” “But,” he said, “After a few minutes of friendly persuasion, I consented—with reservations.” He told them if they ever asked him to pray or talk in church he would never go back.

Wes managed to get through the first Sunday but didn’t go the next week. That evening Bishop Dunford showed up at the Carter home and asked Wes why he hadn’t been at Sunday school that day. He replied that he wasn’t a teacher and he couldn’t stand the noise of the bratty kids.

The bishop told Wes some in the class liked him and he hoped Wes would return. Wes decided to try. He taught the class several months and learned to love those children very much. He remembered all of his first students the rest of his life.
Love,
Aunt Genni

A Little Kindness

Hello Dear Reader,
It’s been a while since I posted here. New semesters are always stressful but this one has seemed particularly so. I apologize for the lack and will try to do better.

After Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter returned from Las Vegas to Provo with her four children the family settled into a routine. It wasn’t long until Bishop Dunford along with his counselors, Leo Taylor and Andy Terry, arrived at the Carter household. Grandpa (Wes) answered their knock and gruffly asked, “What do you want?” They must have appeared kind and unflappable as they replied that they had come to visit. Wes relented in his attitude, invited them in, and asked them to sit down. Wes always said, “A little kindness goes a long way.”
Love,
Aunt Genni

In Las Vegas, Then Back to Provo

Hello Dear Reader,
Here are a couple of photos taken in Las Vegas while Mary and the children were there the summer of 1946.

While we were away Wes used his free time to remodel and make an addition to the house in Provo. He could hardly wait for his family to return to see what he had done. Also, I’m sure he missed us very much because he was devoted to his family.
Love,
Aunt Genni