Journal of Mary Phyllis Fisher - Thomas Davies

Lynn had living quarters in part of our big house. I was afraid I’d start to cry like I did when
Dan returned. It was so good to have him home again. He gave such a wonderful talk on
Sunday. He had been grateful that he had been able to baptize some 75 people into the church.
That he had been called to go to such a fruitful field of labor.
It was so lonesome for him during the winter after he returned from his mission. In the spring
and summer he worked hard in the field. Father’s back was bad and Frank had to do most of
the lifting. Frank planned to go to Provo for another year at University but the crop was not in
and father couldn’t do the work alone. Frank went to Calgary to see if he could get into the
School of Technology, but they were filled up and he couldn’t get the subjects he wanted. When
he came back he brought Fay with him and announced that they were engaged.
Fay was teaching school in Lethbridge. We knew that he had met her at the stake dances in
Lethbridge and had gone out with her a few times, before he went to Provo and that he had been
to see her during the summer but the wedding plans came as quite a shock to us. Frank was able
to get a job through Glen Steed with the government in the Irrigation Experimental Department.
We had made it a matter of prayer and fasting and the Lord has certainly blessed him in getting a
good job. Our neighbor John Egan had offered to sell father his farm for $30,000. But after
going over it carefully, Frank decided they couldn‘t make enough to live on and pay the
payments. So he decided to get a job and together they would save enough to go to school.
They wanted to get married in December, which they did and about a year later had a lovely
baby boy. But the Doctor told Fay she must not have any more children because of her back so
when Frank was transferred to Edmonton Fay went back to school and got her degree and now
they are in Provo. Frank is taking his third year of University, majoring in agronomy and Fay
teaches school to help support them. The Lord has surely blessed them. They have so much
faith and courage. We are so proud of them.
It has been nearly a month since I wrote in this book and I was going to write once a week.
Each week so many things happen that bring one joy; and happiness, so many important things I
want to remember. Like today, when Ellen’s family came to dinner after Stake conference.
Jerry and Ken and Clay sang in the boy’s chorus under the direction of Luela Smith. They
furnished the music for the entire conference. Brother Sacklie recited the story of the Prophet
Joseph Smith’s first vision as told by the Prophet up to the part where the Father and Son
appeared. Then the boys in their white shirts sang “Oh How lovely was the Morning”. It was
beautiful. So many wonderful talks were given.
We had such a lovely Christmas this year. Each Christmas is such a special one. Sara and her
family came to see us and had dinner with us. Then on the 26th we went to Lethbridge and had
our family Christmas party in their recreation hall. There were only 32 out of the 49. Ellen’s
little Indian girl Miriam who is staying with them [in the replacement program of the church]
made up the thirty-second.
Neither Tom nor Anne came from Edmonton and Frank and Lloyd were in Provo. The weather
has been the coldest that we have had for many years. The snow was pilled on top of the houses
two feet deep in places and the fur trees at the temple were weighed down with snow that did not
blow off until the second week in February. This past week the weather is warmer with
Chinook winds coming over the Mountains. Lloyd and Jane phoned on Christmas Day.
Barbara and Lore came to see us New Years as did Ellen and her family .We finished up the big
Turkey Father had bought for Christmas.
This year the children all sent lovely cards and letters on my birthday. I stood them up on the
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