My brother was born in 1948. That year there was an epidemic of polio and my brother contracted a particularly serious kind before he was even a year old. While struggling through this, my parents looked up the ward leaders in the area where they lived and soon my brother was administered to. It was one of those special miracles. He was healed.

  My mother took the lessons and joined the Church and their lives of activity and participation together in the Church began. They have each served faithfully in many callings of leadership I can say that the Gospel has been at the center of our lives and our home. 

  My father is an artist. He was trained as a graphic artist and was hired by a commercial artist in Hollywood and Vine Streets in Hollywood, Southern California; where his work included projects for Walt Disney. Then later he was hired by the personal staff of Howard Hughes. He remained on his staff until he retired at the age of sixty-five, but in a much less glamorous and lucrative position, I think. We were not wealthy, but we always had what we wanted and needed– and we had our dad.

   We were fortunate to have had our mother at home with us–we were her life and we knew it. There were the three of us, myself, Kim, Kenny. Eight years after Kenny was born, two more boys came into the family, Kris, and Kelly. Mom managed the home, disciplined and taught us and made sure we ate well, dressed nicely and had every opportunity to take classes and participate in sports– to do and be all we could be.  Finally, when the youngest children were at school all day, she went back to school. It took many years of taking classes here and there, but she finally graduated from college with her BA the same year I received mine. She taught in jr. high , high school, and even in college through the years. She was my inspiration as a gifted teacher and I knew I wanted to be just like her.

  After the children were grown and gone, my parents served a mission in Colombia. This was hard for them at their age, but they learned the Spanish language, lived in difficult conditions, and again served faithfully. It was a great experience for them and for us as we benefitted from their strong letters. 

   My father had magnified his priesthood. My mother and father have remained true to the covenants they made in the Temple. Through their example and teachings all the children in this family have obtained college degrees, the sons have all fulfilled missions, we have all been married in the Temple and are doing our best to raise righteous families. They have 30 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren with the potential for many more. These are the trophies in their case, the jewels in their crowns, for a lifetime of giving.    –Pamela Lundeen Larsen October 1997