Sundays at our Home

SPECIAL SECTION: Installment Two – Sundays at our Home – Carolyn’s Perspective

Early in my childhood I knew that Sunday was different. One of my earliest memories is watching Dad walk down the sidewalk on 30th with sons at his side to attend early morning priesthood meeting. My hair was always in braids during the week but on Saturday night Mother put it in curlers so I would have curls on Sunday. The meals were special on Sunday, usually with meat, which was rare during the week, and homemade rolls. Often there was a spiritual discussion around the table and scriptures were looked up, mostly to prove someone’s point. I learned a lot of gospel principles just listening. Sitting by Dad and Mother in Sacrament meeting felt good and Dad would make dolls out of his hanky or he let you write in his little notebooks.

Sacrament meeting was in the evening so after church the meal was simple—hot-milk toast, bread & milk, bottled fruit, or homemade bread. Sunday evening became family night long before the church set aside an evening. We sat together in the living room, sometimes Paul read us a short story, Mother would play the hymns she knew, favorites were “I Need Thee Every Hour” or “Sweet is the Work”, Dad sang Tahitian silly songs, I saw my first ‘Tasmanian Devil’ supplied by Jerry and Shirley. Sunday was truly a wonderful day and in such a nice way we were taught to love church, love family and love the Sabbath day. Probably other siblings have different views but those are mine.

This is Jerry: When I was a Deacon, in the Ogden 9th Ward, the Bishop hired me to deliver the Fast Offering envelops out on Saturday to all the homes in the Ward. The Deacons would pick them up on Fast Sunday. The money I received wasn’t much, but it was my first job. We did not do any work on Sunday. It was truly a day of rest. One Sunday a Sister had an Epileptic fit in Sacrament Meeting and the men of the Ward took her into one of the rooms at the back of the chapel and gave her a blessing. It sure interrupted Sacrament Meeting. Most of the activities at home took place in the front room where the piano.