Undrafted, still an All-Star

My wife wanted to do something special for Remembrance Day, so she went to the family history center and looked up any military information about our ancestors. She came back with HV's Draft Registration card. The US entered the war on HV's 17th birthday. By the time he reached 18 Allied forces were just beginning their first successful offensive of the war. The war only lasted until November, though, and he never left the country. Recently I was privileged to read a copy of "Life Begins at Eighty." He lived an interesting life and raised two stalwart boys. His legacy continues with us. Although never drafted, Henry Vernon Hall was definitely an all-star.

HG Returns - Mission Completed

I met with a young man to release him from his mission a little while ago. He had served in the Raleigh N. Carolina Mission, so I asked him if he'd ever made it to a little town called Ash, because my father had served there on his mission. He said yes, only Ash isn't really a small town, it's a big city now. I told him my Dad was asked to build a chapel in that town, and though I knew it was no longer used as a chapel, I think it is still there, being used as some kind of storage facility.

His eyes got big and he smiled and said: I know that building! I was there just a few weeks ago. An elderly woman, a local member, lives there now. Your Dad built that?

I assured him that others assisted, but that he was in charge of the project (the general contractor for lack of a better title), and showed him the photos below. He said, yep that's the place. It's actually on what is now a major road and everyone sees it coming and going.

So I've added some pictures from HG's mission journal, and a couple of pertinent letters. Who knows how our paths will cross, and with whom - but one thing is for sure - its a small world in the Church.

                          

                         

In 1988 Dad and Mom took a trip back through the South to some places where they had lived and where he had served on his mission. One of their stops was the old chapel he'd built in Ash. Below is a photo from that trip.

And finally, some letters from his mission president regarding the assignment to build, and the dedication of the building, which took place just two  months to the day after he left the mission field and returned home.

Ralph Ashton Richards

Born: 28 February 1903, Salt Lake City Died: 18 October 1993, age 90 years 9 months (what’s 10 days over that span?)
Ralph was born to the third of his father’s wives, as each of the first two had died shortly after the births of a couple of his older siblings. In fact, some of his older brothers and sisters had already left home by the time Ralph was born.
The family moved to Oakley when Ralph was about one and a half. He was essentially a pioneer there, clearing sagebrush and planting trees with his father and brothers as he grew. He is said to have been a dead shot with a flipper and sling and small varmints avoided him. Larger varmints, coyotes for instance, were scared off by the scarecrows he and his brothers made and stationed around the property.
Ralph played on the South Summit High School basketball team all four years. As a senior the team took their division and went to the state tournament. He was also the student body president in 1921-22 and sang bass in quartets and choruses.
He was called to and served in the Southern States Mission, mostly in the Alabama Conference. He gave his oldest son the middle name of Sterling, because one of his companions was Sterling W. Sill.
When he returned, he married Ida Naoma Laney, a high school classmate who had waited for him, on 4 September 1925.
Back in Oakley, Ralph made $2.50 a day as a foreman on Rob Young’s Ranch, and it wasn’t your eight-hour a day, five days a week job. In June of 1929 (Ralph was 26), he was ordained the Bishop of the Oakley ward. He served there for five years (age 31), until they split the stake and he was called as the second counselor in the new  South Summit Stake Presidency. He was set apart in this calling by his former mission president, who was then an apostle. He became the first counselor to a new Stake President in 1938, set apart by Joseph Fielding Smith. He continued as first counselor to another president in 1942, set apart by President George Albert Smith. Then in February 1954 Ralph became the President of the South Summit Stake, serving until 1971 (for a total of 37 years in the Stake Presidency). He offered one of the prayers at the afternoon session of General Conference in April 1964. He was later made a patriarch and served in that calling until his health would no longer allow it.
In addition to his family and church duties, Ralph served on the school board, helped organize the Kamas Valley Livestock Show, served as the Lion’s Club President and as Director of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District. He received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America on February 12, 1968. His son Sterling and son-in-law Howard Hall also earned the Silver Beaver.
Ralph was not easily provoked and was always a calm and cool-headed influence. I recall him always calling me (and the other grandchildren) “pal” and when he said it, you really felt like you were his pal.
I stolen most of this from a more complete biography written by Florence Saxton (a sister). There is also a recording of him talking about his life that he gave at a fireside in Orem.

Raona Richards

June 30, 1930 Oakley, Summit, Utah
Still with us
Born in the house at Young’s ranch and grew up with two older brothers and four younger sisters in the cozy little house on the Weber River near the South end of Oakley. Delivered papers on horseback.

Convinced HG that he better go on a mission. Worked at Church offices in Salt Lake City in the late forties.

Married Howard Gallatin Hall October 30, 1950.

I don’t really have a good grasp of the details on this story, but when she was young-ish (10-12), she was run over by a loaded hay wagon. Medical practitioners indicated she would not have children due to that. Bore seven children and raised eight: Michael, Joseph, Richard, Peter, Jacqueline, Steve, Wesley, and Suzanne. So what do doctors know, they’re just practicing.
Served multiple times in just about any calling you can think of in the Stake and Ward Primary and Relief Society. Sang in the choir. Also did extractions, Stake Histories, served in elections and at the county historical society.
Holds the family record for keeping journals and maintaining correspondence. A position she is not easily going to be unseated from.
Currently she has outlived her oldest brother and one younger sister as well as her husband.
Raona Quotes: “MICHAEL DEAN HALL!“ “Straighten up or I’ll boot you into the middle of next week.”

Triple-Chocolate Cookie Balls

I don't make candy. I tried. I even bought a candy thermometer. However, I just couldn't make myself do it. I am sure you have all heard of cake balls, and they are delicious, but these are easier and extremely tasty. Here is how you do it.

Triple-Chocolate Cookie Balls

1/2 cup cold milk

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)

1-1/2 (8 squares each) BAKER'S semi-sweet chocolate (12 squares) melted

1 square BAKER's white chocolate melted

1. Stir milk and pudding mix in medium bowl with large spoon just moistened. Immediately stir in cookie crumbs; mix well.
2. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip in semi-sweet chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
3. Refrigerate 20 min. or until firm. Drizzle with white chocolate refrigerate 10 min. or until firm.

That is all it took I did get it from this http://www.kraftbrands.com/Jello/recipe.aspx?ID=129221 website. There is a short video there. They were to easy. You should try them.