TALK GIVEN BY M. E. ANDERSON AT THE FAMILY REUNION -
LOGAN
8/3/73


The poet W. H. Auden at 66 said, "I don't go along with all this talk of a generation
gap.  We're all contemporaries.  There's only a difference in memories, that's all."

When Joseph A. asked me to tell something about John H. Anderson, I thought that
if I told you a few of my personal experiences with him, they might be of interest and give
an insight of his character.

I was always thankful that Mom and Dad had a large family and I always considered
myself very lucky - you see I was number 7. I was born just 2 months after father was
released as Bishop of Mendon.  I don't know whether I arrived before expected, but once
John hinted, "You sure spoiled a good fishing trip we had planned."

The first recollection I have with Father was one Monday when Father was leaving
after lunch to return to the store.  Mother was holding me in her arms on the west porch,
as he walked to the lane and to the sidewalk.  I was howling because be forgot to kiss me
goodbye.  By the time he got down in front of the neighbors place, he turned and retraced
his steps to kiss me goodbye and I was comforted.  He was the kindest man I ever knew. 
He loved his children and made each one feel he or she was someone special.  We kissed
our father whenever leaving or coming home as much as we did our mother - throughout
his life.  When my oldest son left for his mission I kissed him goodbye and it almost
embarrassed him to death.

When we were youngsters Father was so involved in business, banking, politics and
church work that we were happy when he had an evening at home to relax.  He would sit
in his favorite black rocking chair and I would take off his shoes and sox and wipe his feet
and try to make him smile or laugh by tickling them.  Then we would beg for a story.  We
were held spellbound by his stories of when he was a boy going to the canyon to haul
wood with his Father, of his experiences with Indians, etc. and it didn't make any
difference if we had heard them before.  On special occasions we would have a fire in the
parlor and he would read us a Norse Saga from a set of books he had.  Those were happy
experiences.

A happenstance occurred once when I was in the 8th grade, which I remember quite
vividly and which made me appreciate my father so much for his wisdom and
understanding.  I guess I was a pretty good kid in school; at least I wasn't caught in
mischief except this once.  The teacher had left the room to make a telephone call or
something, and soon the kids were throwing paper wads (spit wads).  Sitting in a front
seat I had not participated until finally I was hit behind the ear with a big spit wad.  I
picked it up and was about to throw it back just as the teacher opened the door.  He
sternly said, "All right Anderson - OUT!"

I remember my dejection and humiliation.  It was just after noon and I didn't know
what to do, so I "borrowed" sorneone's bike and rode around a few blocks to get
collected.  What would my Father say or do ? I finally decided to go home, and wouldn't
you know Father was home.  He listened to the whole sordid affair, and then asked,
"Would you like to go down to the river fishing with me ? " Phew I Guess he thought I
had learned a lesson which I had - if you have something to throw, never take a big
windup.

Father and Mother were true Latter Day Saints and lived their religion.  We were
taught to attend church and to keep the Sabbath day holy.  I remember one Sunday
Afternoon, some kids were playing baseball in a vacant lot a couple of blocks from home
and I couldn't resist.  We were having fun when someone brought me a little note to
"come home".  Father sternly told me to cut a branch from the tree behind the cellar and
go up to his room.  The branch I cut wasn't too healthy.  Father let me "stew" in my sins
for what seemed to be a half hour before coming up to his room and just talking to me of
how embarrassing it would be for him to teach keeping the Sabbath Day holy, if his sons
went out and played baseball on Sunday.  I was expecting a whipping and would have felt
better if I had been punished.  My Father never did strike me that I remember throughout
my life.

Many were the wonderful fishing trips we had together, and also as a whole family. 
He so enjoyed the canyons and such outings.  He encouraged my interest in flowers and
nature.  When I went to college I was quite interested in R. O. T. C. and after the second
year was planning to go to summer camp.  Father didn't discourage my military science
plans, but did mention that he had planned taking me up on the Madison River fishing a
couple of times that summer and so I didn't become an Army man.

Father didn't have much of a formal education.  He mentions his schooling as "only
in winter months and not much of that".  The last two winters before his mission he
studied the Swedish language, assisted by his Mother.  He had read the scriptures in
Swedish and could converse quite well.  He went on his mission when he was 18 and a
half years old and spent 2 and 1/4 years in Southern Sweden where many of his relatives
lived.

When he had been back home 3 months, President Merrill called him to work in the
Logan Temple.  Mother told us the President told him to "get married and come and work
in the Temple" and "that was why he asked her".  They were married 3 weeks after his
Temple call and they both worked in the Temple considerably throughout their lives.

I always knew I would go on a mission, but was never asked about it until I
graduated from college.  I probably received my call at this time as I fell in love during the
spring.  At this time Father was also called to be President of the Swedish Mission.  I
accompanied him to Sweden, and spent 2 weeks there before continuing on to my mission
in Germany.  It was wonderful being with him on the trip and in Sweden, seeing him
prepare and start his ministry.  He soon had the love and respect of all the missionaries and
the success of the mission increased rapidly.

An incident happened in 1953 that might be of interest.  Our son Larry was awarded
a traveling scholarship to Scandinavia.  The Silva Company - the World's largest Compass
manufacturers offered scholarships to two outstanding Explorer Scouts in the USA and
their leader a University Professor for 2 weeks in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  They
were in Stockholm on a Sunday and were scheduled to see the Swedish ballet.  Larry
asked to be excused to attend his church.  He was asked to talk in Sacrament Meeting. 
He said he was Larry Anderson and it was a privilege to speak as he represented the 3rd
generation to speak at that pulpit.  That his grandfather John H. Anderson had been
mission president of the Swedish Mission and that his father had spoken there on his way
to the German Mission.  After the services a crowd of older people surrounded him and
said that they remembered President Anderson.

Larry needed a couple of interpreters.

Some of the most memorable occasions in Father's home were the family dinners,
where all the families came home.  Father had a dinner table that extended out so that 15
or more people could be seated.  The wonderful meals, stories and experiences were
enjoyed by all.  Often the final discussion would be about some point of the Gospel, which
Father would clarify and explain.  He had a wonderful store of knowledge, not only of the
Gospel but other facets of life.  We all knew we could come to him for counsel and
advice.

During the last two years of his life he wrote of his experiences and I was privileged
to proof-read or edit his writing.  He would send me 4-6 pages a week.  I typed the
material on loose-leaf paper making carbon copies for my brothers and sisters.  When
completed he had a bank secretary retype and sent a copy to each of his children.  When
LaMar and Jeri were at school in Wisconsin they asked us to send the book of Father's
life.  Jeri retyped and they bound a transcript for us and our married sons.

I have not said much of Father's life and experiences as you can read them yourself. 
Each of his children has a copy.

Father's creed was "Man can do anything he puts his mind and will to".  He was my
ideal in life.  May we all love, honor and respect him.

Arnen.