From a sermon by Elder Alma E. Sonne, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
given at a missionary conference at Del Norte, Colorado:

     "When I heard the name of Brother Anderson this evening, little did I realize that it
was John Anderson, whom I have known for many years as a friend. I knew his father
and mother very well, and both sides of their families. I could not help but let my
memories return years ago to a man, a noble. God-fearing man, who believed in the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, a man of wisdom, to whom I personally owe a great deal, John H.
Anderson, the grandfather of Dr. Anderson. (ed. - Dr. John Montrose Anderson)

     "A few of you may recall the dark, gloomy days of the 29's and 30's—those depression
years, when the economy of our country was at its lowest ebb. It seemed that the entire
nation would crumble economically. Many banking establishments closed their doors and
mercantile houses were taken into the hands of the creditors. I was dealing in money
more at that time than today, I was managing a bank over which Brother John H.
Anderson was president. It seemed that any day the bank might close its doors and I was
in constant anxiety every moment of every day. John H. Anderson would come into the
bank and we would council together and even in my depressed state he would give me
encouragement and hope for better days. He was a man of great wisdom and vision, as
well as a well-to-do man.

     "One morning he came into the bank and I told him of my anxiety as we sat talking for
some time. I did most of the talking and he the listening, saying very little. Shortly, he
left the bank and I would say that he was gone for about two hours, when he returned and
assured me that I need not worry longer, that our bank would not close its doors and I
should not be concerned longer. I could not understand his philosophy, but he had always
been a man of wisdom that I did not question him. Later, he told me that after he had left
the bank, he had gone to his home and retired to the privacy of his bedroom where he
poured out his heart to the Lord, asking for guidance and strength and help in these
perilous times. He said he had had a vision and in it he saw that the future days held
much promise; that there would be a period of hard times, but that the time would soon
follow in which the banks would again be overflowing with money, and that interest rates
would be lower, and we would have a hard time to even loan money. He assured me that
everything would right itself and that we should continue in the banking business to the
best of our ability.

     "I am here tonight to testify that this man could talk to the Lord and receive answers.
This is the kind of stock Dr. Anderson comes from."

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