Going to Church was what we always did. When we first moved to Caldwell, there was a small branch of faithful Saints that met in the upstairs rooms of the Odd Fellows Hall. We always went early so Dad and Mom could help sweep up the cigarette butts and booze bottles and set up chairs. They had many fund raisers and also donations until, after a few years, they had enough to build a chapel. They bought land across from the High School. Dad and other brethren provided much of the labor so it went slow. Finally they finished and dedicated the chapel. It had a full sized gym, stage and two stories of class rooms. We were made a ward in the Nampa, Id Stake. We quickly grew and, within 5 years, were divided into the Caldwell 1st and 2nd Wards.
Tommy and I used to walk about a mile from our house to Primary, held during the week. One time we stopped to play, went to Call’s market a little store by the Jr High on the way and then hurried off to Primary. I forgot that I had taken off my shirt while we were playing. When I went in, dear Sister Cook knelt down and kindly said welcome but next week remember to wear a shirt. Years later I realized thankfully how well she handled the situation. Our primary and Sunday School teachers were wonderful, patient Saints that taught us and prepared us for Baptism. At 8 years old, my family and I went to a chapel in Nampa where they had a Baptismal fount. Gary Walker was baptized the same day and later became a best friend. We loved going to Stake dances together and dancing with all the cute girls. I had a problem remembering names and would tell Gary and he would remember them for me. We actually traveled by train together to Salt Lake City to start our missions. That night there was only one set of adult whites that would fit either my Dad or Lamar Walker and so Lamar baptized me. I do not remember much of the event but do remember the good feeling of peace I experienced.
I was then a Cub Scout like Tommy and Mom was by Den Mother some of the time. I loved it and became a Webelo Scout. Dad was Scout Master for years so I got to go with him when he took the Scouts to Scout Camp from the time I was nine years old. We went to Camp Billy Rice at Warm Lake, Idaho. By the time I was 10, I became very proficient in most of the skills and was a Knot tying tutor for the greenies and even some of the much older scouts. Many of the knot skills I learned there were great tools the rest of my life. The one handed bowline around the waist probably saved my life when I had to use it when I was stranded on the side of a cliff.
On my first trip to Camp Billy Rice, we were driving up the winding gravel road from Cascade to Warm Lake and Camp Billy Rice. Dad was taking us in a two ton truck he borrowed from JR Simplot Co. Simplot used it for hauling fresh corn for canning so it had high wood side boards. We were a troop of about 50 boys aged 12 to 16. In those days they divided scouts into two age groups, 12-16 and Explorers age 16 to 18. There were even a few older than 16 in the group. As we came around a corner in the narrow road, Dad was forced to drive off the road into a turn out that was fortunately available to avoid a Buick sedan careening down hill. The driver of the Buick made a sliding 180 degree stop with the car left facing uphill at an angle. The car had 6 very drunk guys in it. Dad got out to see if they were OK and asked them to slow down before they killed someone. The driver said it was Dad’s fault and said “he knew where Dad’s “bosses” at the scout camp were and he was going to report him.” Dad then pick up a beer can that had flew out of the driver’s hand onto the road as he was trying to control the car. Dad asked, “Are you also going to show them your beer can.” At that, all of the guys in the car piled out to beat Dad up. We saved them from the best boxer in the Marines. About 40 Boy Scouts jumped out of that truck, hatchets in hand to even the playing field and the guys jumped back into their car and sped off. I loved it, at age 9. The scouts were all feeling pretty tough.
Dad usually had to take the boys without any adult assistants. He had the only troop in Caldwell so he had many boys that were not members of the Church. He taught many gospel principles to all of the boys. Years later, he heard from many of the boys, announcing that they had joined the church and thanking him for his teachings, leadership and example. He told of one that joined the military and called him from his station in Australia and told Dad that he and his family were being baptized and thanking Dad. What a good guy plus a good Mom that supported him in his mighty scouting efforts. Truly a good and exemplary father.