April & Karen

Aside from building amplifiers and working on electronic equipment, I was also a loyal listener to "Top-40" (pop) music radio and learned to play the guitar a little. I would sing and accompany popular songs on my guitar as a hobby.

I became very attracted to a girl named April whom I met at the Long Beach Stake Dance, but she wasn't very interested in me. As an expression of my infatuation, I wrote a song called "April," which was musically influenced by the current popular song "Walking in the Rain" by the Ronettes. When I later realized that my interest in April had ended, I changed the name of the song to "Angel."

Later, I met another young woman named Karen who helped me prepare to serve a 2 year mission. From my childhood, in spite of my radio escapades outside of the law, I was a religious boy and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since Karen and I were both 21 at the time, we considered marriage after I returned; she even considered serving a mission herself while I was away, but it didn't happen.

Called To Serve

I was formally called to serve as a missionary to the West Central States Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints beginning on March 14, 1966. En-route to the mission area, I spent two weeks at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Salt Lake City, Utah. In those days the apostles were responsible for setting new missionaries apart, and I was set-apart by a rather young (newly called) apostle of three years by the name of Thomas S. Monson. I did not even consider then what Elder Monson would become in another 50 years — the president of the church; a prophet, seer, and revelator.

Just prior to departing to the mission field, we missionaries were given the opportunity to perform before the entire MTC. I was scheduled to perform "Angel." But since "Angel" was simply a love song, I quickly wrote two more verses making it a 'missionary love song,' and performed it.

The Mission Field

My first area as a new missionary was in Fortine-Eureka, Montana near the Canadian border.

Two months later, I was transferred to Columbia Falls, Montana, near Glacier Park. While there, I and two of our investigators, Janet and Marge Thurston (sisters), performed "Angel" as a trio at the Columbia Falls "Progress Days" summer outdoor singing festival. On Sunday, August 28, 1966, I baptized Janet. The next day I was transferred to Livingston, Montana. That Christmas, I sent their family a large illustrated Book of Mormon. Their mother read it, and was converted. The following year Marge and 'Mom' were baptized after they were contacted by my cousin Sister Joyce Coulson who was serving as a missionary in nearby Kalispel. Their father was baptized 16 years later, and the entire Thurston family (4) was sealed in the Cardston, Alberta, Canada Temple.

My Tape Recorder

Before my mission, I was a big electronics audio nerd. I bought a Voice of Music Tape Recorder from the White Front Department Store in Los Angeles with my paper route money when I was 10. It was on wholesale for $134.75, but I only had $90. So my mom chipped in the rest. That tape recorder consumed my spare time thereafter. I was also a big pop music radio fan. So I recorded my favorite songs from KRLA-1110.

At the age of 21, my Bishop Louis J. Heine felt I was finally mature enough to serve a mission. But he made me promise not to bring my tape recorder on my mission. So, I began my mission on March 14, 1966 - without my beloved tape recorder. That was tough for me, but I made that sacrifice for my love of the Lord.

Then after being trained in Fortine-Eureka, Montana, and after baptizing Janet in Columbia Falls, I was transferred to Livingston, Montana. I then learned that my mission president's counselor owned an appliance store in Billings that stocked Sony tape recorders. So I couldn't resist! When we visited Billings, I visited his store and with a little saved money, I bought a Sony 350-C tape recorder that I would use to play our investigators Church talks.

But in my spare time, I also found another purpose for my tape recorder. With my clothes closet doubling as a recording studio, I recorded "Angel." The many clothes filling the closet deadened the sound, and my cheap Calrad microphone was suspended by a wire clothes hanger. Using the "Sound-on-Sound" feature, I recorded the rhythm and lead guitar parts one night with a borrowed Silvertone acoustic guitar from a local member, Sister Betty Knight. Early the next morning I recorded the two vocal tracks. It turned out pretty well, given my limited equipment and other resources.

Dear John

Meanwhile back in California, Karen met Fred and then sent me a "Dear John." So using another tape recorder, I dubbed a copy of "Angel" and sent it to her, but it was in vain - she married Fred anyway. However, in a way I was relieved. When I began my mission in Fortine, my trainer Elder James Mortensen told me, "You either lose your hair or your girl." He was just finishing his mission and went home to marry his girl, but his hairline was definitely receding. I was very happy to keep all my hair.

Our mission president, Wallace E. Broberg, eventually heard about my recording adventures, and he knew of the concern my bishop in California had about me being near a tape recorder. So he asked me to let him store my tape recorder for a while so it wasn't a distraction to my missionary work. I complied and was then transferred to Lewistown, Montana.

The Second Year

At my one-year mark, March 14, 1967, I was transferred to Blackfoot, Idaho. On a Diversion-Day (Preparation-Day), I borrowed an electric bass guitar from a local music store and a couple of tape recorders from some fellow missionaries. I then added the bass part to "Angel." On a weekly visit to local KBLI, where I recorded Sunday morning religious programs, I dubbed them a copy of "Angel." But I worried that the last two missionary verses might be scorned by some less-religious listeners, so I edited them out. The DJs liked the shortened version so much that they included it in their regular pop music programs.

Five months later, in September 1967, I celebrated my birthday and was then transferred to Mandan and Bismarck, North Dakota. But my new mission president Joseph J. Jenkins told me that he wanted me to stop into the mission home in Billings en route and pick up that annoying tape recorder sitting in the hallway. He felt I had matured to the point where it would no longer be a distraction to me, and that I would use it responsibly for good missionary purposes.

Returning With Honor

I finished my mission on March 11, 1968 in Bozeman, Montana. I had some wonderful experiences serving the Lord, which I will always remember. I am still in contact with Janet and her sister Marge. Marge later served a mission, and both girls have been a blessing to many people. Janet and Chris Fuller were married April 29, 1969, and they had 12 children. Her conversion alone made my entire two years worthwhile. But it was even more worthwhile when I think of Marge and their mother and father who later joined and were sealed, and the other fine people I had the privilege to teach and to baptize. I am forever grateful to our Father in Heaven for the privilege I had to be His servant at that time, in those places, and to those precious people!