Elder Stapley

Elder Stapley was a member of the Quorum of the 12 from October 1950 till his death in 1978. He was called to the quorum of the 12 by George Albert Smith while in the elevator at the Hotel Utah. He filled the vacancy left by George F. Richards. The vacancy left when he died was filled by Elder James E. Faust. I remember when he came to preside over our stake conference in Grand Junction one time when I was a young kid, and my Dad took me up to meet him after one of the sessions. The following is a letter he wrote to my Grandmother responding to a question she had about genealogy. This is a link to a short biographical sketch which gives the story of his call.

The Aussies

 

Our Stapley ancestors came to Utah via Australia.  They emigrated from the area around Rolvenden, Kent, England to Australia in search of better opportunities.  While there, they were converted through the efforts of William Hyde and other missionaries and eventually emigrated to southern Utah through southern California.  Members of the family married into both the Lawrence and Bringhurst families.  Mary Janet Stapley was the wife of William Augustus Bringhurst and they are the parents of my grandmother Wilkinson.  These top two pictures are of  Charles Stapley Jr. and Sarah Parkinson, parents of Mary Janet Stapley and the bottom two are of Charles Stapley Sr. and Sarah Bryant, parents of Charles Stapley Jr.   One of their descendents, Delbert L. Stapley,  was a member of the Quorum of the 12 in the 50s when I was growing up.  

Blue Norther

For those of you wondering what a blue norther is, it's a Texas term. This link is to the weather notebook with a definition. Maybe this one didn't fully qualify technically but it was close.

White Christmas?

This is about as close as we're likely to get.
Since Suzanne won't get her own blog started or post on mine, I am posting these on her behalf. These pictures were taken in front of the Distribution Center at about noon today. We had a record high for the date yesterday and then a "blue norther" blew in over night and brought snow to the Hill Country and sleet to far north San Antonio. We got thunderstorms at our house.

Children of SRW & Veda Wilkinson

  

These are the children of S.R. and Veda Wilkinson as young adults.  Top Wells and Sibyl; Bottom Willard and Winifred

Goodbye glasses

After nearly 54 years its time to say goodbye to glasses and contacts. It seems rather strange not to be wearing them. Yesterday I had the lens in my right eye replaced with a "restore" lens that is supposed to allow me to focus at all distances without external corrective lenses like the left eye that was done in August. 18 hours later the doctor pronounced it good. The lens is properly positioned and my vision is good for that soon after surgery. Now 2 or 3 weeks of regular eye drops and a week of wearing the shield at night and it will be done. So far the vision at long distances is good but still lacking somewhat at intermediate and short distances. That will improve over time according to their experience with these lenses.

Pioneer ancestors

Following is a poem written by Eliza R. Snow to Mrs. Eleanor Bietler Bringhurst, wife of Samuel Bringhurst. The poem was recorded in a pioneer diary of Eliza R. Snow Sunday, March 19, 1848.

My heart is full of friendship -- but for thee
It has a holier feeling than that name
Identifies. The recollection of
Thy countenance from the first time
My eyes beheld thee -- whispers something to
My thought and feeling which I never can
Describe. 'Tis undefinable so long
As mind or understanding shall remain
As circumscribed as now. But when I think
Of thee, a thrill of near affinity
O'er spreads my senses and I truly feel
Within my bosom a strong kindred tie
As tho' we'd been associated in
Existence, ere we condescended to
Our present state of being. Lady, yes,
When our small understandings shall expand
And with the recollection of the past
Some knowledge of the future be inspired
We'll find a thousand kindred ties that form
Amalgamation's wreath, and which are twined
And intertwined, combining and combined
Connecting noble spirits here and there
And still extending on from world to world
Unto creation's undefined extent.

Thus let our hearts expand and let our minds
And acts approximate towards the point
Of true perfection, that we may attain
To an association glorified
On planets more exalted and refined --
Among intelligences long since dear,
And let us cultivate the sacred ties
Of love and friendship here that will abide
Time's rugged changes and eternally
Endure.