Missionary Service

Part 15 Missionary Service
Leland and Clara (fall, 1928) agree to accept a challenge given by a General Authority to have Leland serve a short term mission to Texas, even though their family now number 5 (2 girls and one boy) and it will mean someone else will be looking after the fledgling dairy herd and associated chores for six months. But both feel this is something that this is the right thing to do.
That fall Leland works extra long hours to have everything in readiness for his time away. This includes harvesting all the crops and getting in enough wood to last through the winter. This is no small task, since wood is used for both cooking and heating. One day, while cutting logs in Black Pine and with his wagon almost loaded with logs, Leland decides to make one more climb up a steep incline for just a few more logs to top off the load. As he is returning, ax in one hand, rope slung over his shoulder dragging the logs behind, he loses his balance and slips and slides –feet first –into the wagon wheel. His leg, the ax and the iron rim of the wheel making contact simultaneously. It stuns Lee for a moment, but he quickly recovers and looks around to assess the damage. The snow is already turning red and his leg feels sticky wet. He gingerly pulls up the pant leg and what he sees is not good. A long red gash goes starts just above his ankle and snakes upward toward his knee and blood is flowing. He quickly grabs his ever present bandana (handkerchief) and ties off the worst of the bleeding. Then, since he is alone, he determines he must get back to Snowville and a doctor ASAP. But, and if you knew Leland this makes sense, he takes time to load (injured leg and all) the rest of the logs before climbing on the wagon seat and heading to town.
The doctor tells Leland the cut is not too deep, but does need stitches. It should heal without any trouble. Two weeks later Leland leaves for the mission home in SLC. The leg is still bothering him and, in fact, is quite swollen. As soon as he reaches his destination those in charge take one look at the leg and send Lee directly to a hospital where he spends the rest of his Mission Home “experience.”
However, when it is time for his group to leave for the El Paso Texas Mission, Lee is ready. Clara even travels from Stone (thanks again to Uncle Sam and that Studebaker), with 3 month old Leland under her arm, to see him off. After a tearful goodbye, Leland is on his way! On the train, that leg starts to act up again and upon arrival Lee once again finds himself in the hospital. Lee is discouraged! He is trying to do what is right; he wants to serve the Lord – why is this happening to him? A few days later a visitor appears by his bedside, none other than Elder Melvin J. Ballard a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. He is in town for a district conference and the Mission President tells him about Leland so he decides to make a visit. The first words spoken by Elder Ballard are, “Elder Cottle, I have a blessing for you.”
To which Lee replies, “I’ll sure be glad, I getting tired of hospitals.” Elder Ballard then administers to Leland and, in Lee words, “I felt the healing spirit and felt the infection begin to leave my body immediately.” He feels so good, that by the next day he is out tracting (that’s right, even in the 20’s missionary knocked on a lot of doors). He continues to work hard and fill an honorable mission. Of that time, Bea (the oldest daughter) remembers that every time a letter came from Dad it was a red letter day and the whole family gathered around as Mom read the letter out loud.
In the spring Leland returns and picks up right where he left off. The farm is in good shape, thanks to Clara, who, in best sense of word, is a true “Farmer’s wife.” First Leland is called to the Curlew Stake High Council and then three months later – at age 28 – as the bishop of the Stone Ward. It is a good summer. The forecast is for good commodity prices in the fall and there is plenty of rain and the crops look good. Things look so good that Leland purchases a new 1929 green Ford Sedan. To top it off, Mr. Canon (remember that land Leland wanted) shows up at the house one day and tells Lee he has saved the land for him and it is his if he wants it. Lee snaps it up. It looks like things are going so well that Leland can finally realize his sustainable farm ownership dream. After all, what could go wrong now? Tune in next week to find out