My Joining the Church

I grew up in Shelbyville, IN. I attended St. Joseph's School (Catholic) 1st thru 4th grade. My parents moved to Santa Ana, CA and I went to St. Anne's the last half of 4th grade. We then moved to Phoenix, AZ, CA wasn't that successful for my folks, and they had some friends in Phoenix that lured them over. St. Theresa's Grade School was at capacity, so I had to go to "public" school for the first time. I attended Tavan (45th St. and Osborn) in 5th thru 8th grade. I then went on to Arcadia HS. My dad never went to church, but he drove mom and I (mom didn't drive). When I was old enough to drive, I drove mom and I each Sunday at 5:30am (or 6:30??). We got out 45 minutes later, and we were done with "church" for the week. While I was in 8th grade, we bought a home at 3610 N. 44th Pl right next to an LDS church (you've all taken the "guided tour"). For the next 5 years we tried to figure out what was going on??? There were HS kids there at 7AM in the mornings, younger kids there in the afternoons at 4PM, HS kids there again in the evenings, sometimes people there on Friday and Saturday evenings, and then lots of people there on Sunday. Then some Sundays, no one showed up?? What the heck!!! (as Rennie would say) I had friends who were members, but not close friends. In 8th grade Darrell Truitt and I became best friends. I spent more time at his house than mine. As we started HS there was a group of us guys and girls that "hung out". We went to football games, Legend City, and school dances. One of the girls was Linda Carroll. We were "paired up" and kind of went together. The "relationship" was short lived, as I "opted" out, I was kind of chicken, and not a "rico suave". Darrell broke up with his girl (Ann Rost??), and then started hanging out with Wanda Rippstein (they were in band together). Darrell and I spent many a night at Wanda's (she had a pool table) and at her girlfriends house (Debbie Grubbs). At Debbie's we played "hearts" for many nights. I am talking 3 to 6 nights a week. The only nights we were not together was when we had homework/test or the nights that the girls parents said we needed to stay away. I wasn't too fond of Debbie, but I hung out because I had no better option. Now, Darrell and I are into our Sophmore year, and Wanda and Debbie are Juniors. We hung out alot!!! The girls got the idea of going to Junior/Senior Prom. I was roped in. But I never committed, and then backed out at the "last" minute (chicken me). I was banned from the Grubb's house, as I think a dress was already in progress. Somehow, Darrell and Wanda "broke up", I think her parents told them they had to. So Darrell and I had time on our hands. We started hanging out with Rob Millsap (four years younger than us), Darrell's neighbor across the street, because when were done playing whiffle ball in the 110 degree heat, he had a swimming pool. Rob was a good ballplayer, he use to pitch an hour everyday with his Dad in the off season. His dad didn't like him playing whiffle ball with us, thought it would ruin his arm, but somehow Rob still played. Darrell's sister, Susan was friends with Rob's sister Ann, and with Debbie Grubb's sister Sandra. All were the same age, just graduating from 8th grade, soon to be frosh. Darrell and I, not wanting to go out of the neighborhood, gained crushes on Ann (Darrell) and Sandra (me). That lasted June and July. And by the way, I was no longer banned at the Grubb's home, but not on good terms with Debbie. The "romance" with the frosh girls was soon to be over. Their parents weren't too keen on boys turning 16 "dating" their daughters (none of us were Church members). Darrell and Wanda got back together one month before school. While I spent months sulking over the loss of my first real girlfriend, at least in my mind, I played the field. I took Darrell's sister to Homecoming, her friend Susan Weber to Christmas formal, and then Sandra to Jr/Sr Prom. All this time trying to get back "together" with Sandra. So while all this HS "romance" is going on, I am in American History sitting next to Linda Carroll. She has had her share of romance troubles too and so we start writing notes back and forth with our troubles. This went on most of the year. Finally, I figured out that Sandra and I didn't have a "chance". So as the summer almost came to a close, I asked Linda to "go steady" (giving her my class ring). So my exposure to the Church began. We would debate religion periodically, and I found out how much I didn't know. Sometimes we argued, so we tried not to discuss religion at all. We went together our senior year, and into my freshman year at ASU. My folks had moved back to IN, so I was on my own at ASU, living with Darrell, and Dave Wood in the Happy Homer Apts. I didn't have a car, or a job. So I was a leach on my parents, and always at the mercy of others for rides. I stopped going to church, after going for years. I spent many weekends at Darrell's house, so he could see Wanda, and then I could see Linda. Linda's mom (Joyce) was to marry Don Organ sometime in January. As Christmas came that year, I was not going back to IN (no money), so I stayed at Darrell's (his parents really liked me or they were just kind). Linda invited me to go to Church with her and the family. THE REST IS HISTORY......
It was Sacrament Meeting Christmas Program. It was at the building at Mesa Dr. and University (Don's ward) and Mignon's old ward, but she had now gone to BYU. I don't remember much, except I had a really good feeling (The Spirit starting to work???). If her and I were to ever hope to get married, it would require me to become a member. So I contiuned to attend church. We went to Phoenix 18th ward, where she still lived. And the same building that was next to my home. I began playing basketball with the senior team. I wasn't that great at B ball, but I could hold my own. But then found out that they also played softball. I had been cut from ASU, and my connections with HS Legion Baseball had faded. So softball began and continued for the next 30+ years. I continued going to church every Sunday. Linda and I became more and more serious about marriage. I believed the Church was true but "afraid" to make a committment. I really became close to the guys on the team. One night in June I decided to join the Church. It was a requirement back then that you had to have taken all the discussions, so I had some that night and the rest the next morning. The Baptism was arranged for the next day (Saturday, June 28th, 1968) and most all the guys were there for the service as well as many other from the ward. My parents had just moved back from IN (too cold), and my mom wasn't too thrilled with me leaving the Catholic Church, but I was pretty much an adult now, so it was my decision. I was given the Priesthood and a calling to assist with teaching the Deacons. One of the men (Bob Kerr) on the softball team owned Kerr Sporting Goods, and offered me a job to work in the store. I gladly accepted, and worked for him the next 14 years. Another, Larry Nelson, helped me buy my first car, a 1962 VW. A year later, Linda and I are married. A year after that, Darrell and Wanda, get married, go on their honeymoon, go thru Salt Lake City, and tour temple square, and put their name in for missionaries to contact them. They join the Church a few months later. Rob Millsap thru another contact joins the Church a year or so later.