Missionary Journal November 1970

Lummi Art: Salmon

 

November 24, 1970

Slowly I am beginning to feel accepted by the Indian people.  It takes a long time.  This last weekend was an eventful one.  It began with the funeral of M. C.  She was an old Swinomish, 92 years old, and one of the last of her race.  Her last few years were hampered by crippling injuries.  She was sort of an invalid. Elder W. and I had been getting firewood for her for a few weeks.  Another accident put her in the hospital—there she died. 

Friday evening her funeral dinner was held at the community center.  Elder W. and I got there at 4:00 and helped prepare the tables.  We also helped serve food; and cleaned up afterwards.  We set the table for the banquet for the next day.  That evening we met I. O. wife of P. O.  They were the stake missionaries that opened up the Lummi (Reservation) over 15 years ago.  (Percy is deceased now).  She expressed her love for the Lamanite people.  The L. family from Lummi was also present. 

The next morning we attended the funeral in the Catholic Church and the graveside service.  Afterwards we went to the farewell dinner.  It was a tremendous feast.  Many of the elders of the tribe stood and expressed themselves.  They were eloquent.  R. P. spoke of the universal quality of Christian compassion.  He said the Indians had had compassion long before the white man came.  The men spoke of how love and family (tribal) unity was part of their ancient heritage.  T. W. gave a beautiful speech on the nobility of Indian “religion” and its antiquity. (The Catholic priest and sister were conspicuous in their absence at this stage.) M. D. Also spoke about tribal linage.  There are very few full- blooded Swinomish remaining.  The tribal council head D. M. conducted.  He is a good, strong leader. 

I then learned an old Indian tradition.  All of the heads of families who were related to M. sat around a table and paid the people who had helped with the funeral.  First the gravediggers, then the pall bearers, etc., right on down to the boys who’d run errands for the cooks.  Finally, everyone in attendance was given a small gift or a piece of M.’s remaining household goods.  I received a few dollars for helping with the meals and was also given a towel.  I did not know how to accept the gifts…I was embarrassed, but I tried to be gracious. 

Afterwards I got to talk to T. about the things he’d said.  I suggested that possibly God had watched over the Indian people with a special protecting hand.  He agreed.  I mentioned that the Christian ethics of the Indian were certainly special; they must have had divine origin.  I found out he believes the Bible is the word of God and that Christ is our Savior.  He invited me to visit him at work to discuss these things.  I chatted with M. and D. also.  They said that because we’d accepted their gifts, we were now one of them! I could not control the motion that swelled within me.

These people are so very choice.  They know and accept so many of the gospel principles, yet they don’t know where they’ve gotten them from.  As (IF) I could only explain to them how truly special their heritage is.  As (IF) they only knew they were indeed the house of Israel! 

House of Tears Carving

Tribal Eagle Art

Sterling W. Sill

Sterling W. Sill's Leadership books

Elder W. and I attended stake priesthood that evening. It was on the military- the same film I saw in Lewiston that was shown.  Elder Sterling W. Sill* was the visiting general authority.  He is a magnificent orator.  He spoke of life as a training grounds and a place to grow.  He explained how athletes are conditioned and said the same principles apply to our eternal progression.  “The mind becomes what it feeds upon”.  “A clean engine produces more power.”  He called us to repentance.  He said one of the most important missions of the Church is to declare the restoration of the gospel.  It is important for us to commit our selves and take positive steps. We are not pre-destined.  We cannot blame Satan for our failures.  We are the ones who nurture desire, or temptations.  We can be tempted to do good or to do evil.  It is our choice. “Satan always votes against us; God always votes for us; we vote to break the tie”!

That morning President A. was the first to address us at Stake Conference.  He talked about conditioning our spiritual reflexes.  (Maybe he’s the one that talked about athletes and not Elder Sill, I don’t recall)  

He related the story of Elijah in the Book of Kings where great manifestations were made to him, yet revelation came through that “still small voice.”  (I Kings 19:11-13) Finally President A. bore his testimony to the reality of revelation.  President J. spoke on the importance of wives.  He cited references in Genesis and Proverbs.  The wife must sustain the husband in his calling.  Elder Stapley* asked about the wives of the men that were considered for stake positions when he reorganized a stake.  It is important that the family be unified. 

Elder Sill addressed us again.  “Everyone has a superior trait." (Emerson); We should learn from others and share with them; Gravitation works in many ways; the upward pull to be like our leaders, our God./ Next he spoke on the power of negative motivation.  We have a desire to keep what we have; it’s hard to lose it; we’ll fight harder to retain it than we did to get it in the first place./ Hell is truth seen to late/ Faith without works does die.  We can’t expect to put our faith in a drawer for five years and hope to find it intact and ready to go again. That which holds our attention directs our action (James).  As you lose something it becomes more precious; stories of Man without a Country and etc. The intent of his remarks was to try to get us to imagine we were without faith, or families, or spiritual guidance, so that we’d hold onto them and not lose them.  Hopefully, his heart rending stories, a vicarious experience, would save us from the awful loss of our most precious eternal promises.

At the dedication of the Mount Vernon chapel President J. said that “where your heart is your treasure is also.” //Buildings are spiritual- they recall great events.  Bishop P. really plugged the missionary program and challenged them to create a Mount Vernon II Ward.

He related the story of Elijah in the Book of Kings where great manifestations were made to him, yet revelation came through that “still small voice.”  (I Kings 19:11-13) Finally President A. bore his testimony to the reality of revelation.  President J. spoke on the importance of wives.  He cited references in Genesis and Proverbs.  The wife must sustain the husband in his calling.  Elder Stapley* asked about the wives of the men that were considered for stake positions when he reorganized a stake.  It is important that the family be unified. 

Delbert Stapley

It is amazing how much stamina men like him have.  He carries such great responsibility, yet everyone burdens him with their cares too.  President W. is the same way.

Before I forget, T. W. spoke to me about what makes a great man in an Indian Community; it is his generosity and love.  Power means little.  The ability to shut down opposition is of little value. That is a white man’s trait.  An Indian rises to tribal leadership because he loves and is loved.

Brother S. relays this to me.  Elder Sill spoke to a non-member in the foyer.  After a short chat, Sill said that if that man hadn’t been baptized soon, he’d come and do it himself!  So positive…gosh!

After the dedication and before Sacrament meeting T. and I had a good chat.  I certainly enjoy that man. We spoke of goals- baptism and leadership.  He was meant to be a leader, he’s a good one.  We discussed mission rules.  He is not converted to all of the rules.  He cannot live some,  and will not live others. Yet he’s totally dedicated to missionary work.  He works hard and desires to share his testimony. l  I think he’s a good missionary.  He has a great love for the Lamanite people, but does not feel he could stay with that program….  Elder H. and I got to talk Sunday morning. … He is another great elder.  He was “missionary of the month” not too long ago.  I didn’t even know that! President W. had a long chat with Elder W. and I Sunday. (Transfers are coming Friday.)

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Lummi Flag

Lummi Reservation: https://americanindian.si.edu/environment/lummi/People.csh

bellinghamfieldjournal.blogspot.c...

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potlatch:A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States,^[1] ).

A potlatch involves giving away or destroying wealth or valuable items in order to demonstrate a leader's wealth and power. Potlatches are also focused on the reaffirmation of family, clan, and international connections, and the human connection with the supernatural world. Legal proceedings may include namings, business negotiations and transactions, marriages, divorces, deaths, end of mourning, transfers of physical and especially intellectual property, adoptions, initiations, treaty proceedings, monument commemorations, and honoring of the ancestors. Potlatch also serves as a strict resource management regime, where coastal peoples discuss, negotiate, and affirm rights to and uses of specific territories and resources.^[6][7][8] Potlatches often involve music, dancing, singing, storytelling, making speeches, and often joking and games. The honoring of the supernatural and the recitation of oral histories are a central part of many potlatches.

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Sterling W. Sill: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_W._Sill:

Sterling Welling Sill (March 31, 1903 – May 25, 1994) was a general authority in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1954 to 1976 and was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1976 to 1978. In 1978, he received general authority emeritus status.^[1][2]

Born in Layton, Utah, Sill was a Mormon missionary in the southern United States from 1924 to 1926.Sill studied at the University of Utah and Utah State University. He later served as a member of the University of Utah Board of Regents for many years including several years as the chairman of that board.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delbert_L._Stapley:

(December 11, 1896 – August 19, 1978) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1950 to 1978.

Stapley had been stake president for three years before receiving a call to the apostleship on October 5, 1950. Stapley was also sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on October 5, 1950, at the church's October general conference, filling the vacancy caused by the death of George F. Richards. Stapley was notified of his new calling by church president George Albert Smith in the elevator bank of the Hotel Utah. Stapley organized the original Miami Stake in 1961.^[3] In 1969 he received the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.^[4]

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