The Grandparent Chronicles

      What Profit a Prophet ?        When I was a young man living In Ogden, Utah, we had a special Aaronic Priesthood commemoration event in Huntsville, Utah. We gathered on a Saturday in May for fun and food.   The highlight of the day was to be a visit from a Huntsville native, David O. McKay, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All activity suddenly stopped as we saw a black limousine drive up and a stately, snow white haired prophet exit the car and come to the podium to speak to us. As this aged, majestic man began to speak, I will never forget how it felt when the Holy Ghost bore powerful witness to my soul that here indeed was a true prophet of the living God! When I was born, George Albert Smith was the prophet. Since then, there have been 10 more prophets and presidents of the church in my lifetime. With the passing of Russel M. Nelson on September 27, 2025, Dallin H. Oaks was soon after se...

               Peaches and People   September is an exciting time of year in Brigham City, Utah.   “Peach Days” is a big celebration and this year marked the 121 st ! (1904-2025) “ It all started in 1855 when William Wrighton took Brigham Young’s advise and purchased 100 peach pits for $1.00- and the decision really paid off! Fruit trees grew especially well in Brigham City’s warm days and cool evenings. Within just 3 years Wrighton had sucessfully grown and harvested peaches- and his success encouraged others.” (Mikee Ferran for Utah Humanities 2024- the Beehive Archive.) The 1 st official Peach Days was held in 1904 and has grown to today’s 40,000 plus visitors event. Peach orchards are now a common sight when traveling on Highway 89 near Brigham City. Every morning, (6 days per week) weather permitting – Annette, her 90 year old mother Naomi, and I walk past large orchards of peaches while getting our morning exerci...

        UNPERCEIVED BLESSINGS When our son Aaron was a teenager, his mother Annette discovered in his room a box of his favorite candy, “Hot Tamales”, which was 2/3rds full.   Annette just happened to have a supply of this delicious candy herself and thought, “I wonder if I add to his box, if he will even notice.” Every few days as Aaron would remove from the box, she would add to it. Some days she would add more, some less for a few weeks going undetected. Finally, she filled the box all the way to the brim, only then did Aaron notice. Annette then confessed that she was the one who had been his generous “hot Tamale” benefactor! Our family enjoys recalling this true story as it reminds us that often we receive small blessings from our Heavenly Father, without even realizing it! Annette’s brother Dale Stone recently shared a true story he heard that relates to the story above. A man driving home from work on a very slick, icy road came to a stop sign and...

TWO PROMINENT PATRIOTS      July seems to be the month in which we honor pioneers and patriots. Our family (like many) has several of both whose lives we honor and whose sacrifice we appreciate. As you view these two portraits of patriots, one will be familiar to most of you, my father, Alfred Byron Wade whose life we paid tribute to in our Grandparent Chronicles August 3, 2018- “Happy Birthday Big Al!” and June 13, 2023-“A Father’s Day Tribute to Dad”. (We commend both to your re-reading.) On August 6, 2025 we will celebrate dad’s 100 th Birthday! He passed in 2013 but his was a life worthy of celebration and remembrance. The other portrait, with obvious family features, is that of his 2 nd cousin 6 times removed. His is a story that you’ve probably never heard, but one worth telling. William Ellery was born on Dec. 22, 1727. He attended Harvard College at the age of 16 and graduated in 1774. He married Ann Remington in 1750. Together they had 7 children. Ann ...

              MORE IMPORTANT   Years ago, when I was a young counselor to a wise Bishop in Wellsville, Utah; two neighboring high priests had an ongoing feud over water rights. They both felt justified in their anger, and it began affecting the ward as sides began to form; a real “Hatfield & McCoy” scenario. Finally, our wise Bishop called them both into his office, asked to see their temple recommends and told them both that it was past time to reconcile their differences. With the Bishop’s help and prayer, neither would leave his office with their recommends until the matter was resolved. I wasn’t in their meeting but somehow, no doubt with the help of the spirit, those two stubborn high priests eventually did come from the bishop’s office, recommends in hand, tears in their eyes with smiles on their faces, having buried the hatchet, embraced each other and realized that people are more important than water. Fast forward 40 years and I...

        IT’S FUN TO STAY AT THE Y.M.C.A.?   The group Village People had a hit song in 1978 that is still popular today. Who isn’t familiar with the music, words and actions to; “It’s Fun to Stay at the Y.M.C.A.”? When I was the Marketing Manager at Tri-Miller Packing co., I was exporting loads of pork backfat into Mexico and planned a trip to visit our customer. My itinerary would have me fly from Utah to San Diego, Ca., catch a bus to Calexico, Ca. where my broker would pick me up and together drive across the border into Mexicali, Mexico. It would require a one-night stay in San Diego. I was on a tight budget, so I looked up the Y.M.C.A. and decided to stay there. “It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.” I thought. When I arrived at San Diego, I took a taxi to the Y.M.C.A. I arrived at night and could feel that it was in a bad part of town. My small room had a single cot sized bed, a metal locker for a closet, wooden floors and a community bathroom down the...