Comments on: A Latter-day Saint in a German POW Camp

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:09:02 +0000

The Way to Perfection: Short Discourses on Gospel Themes (1931) was written by Joseph Fielding Smith, and is still in print from Deseret Book or is easily found (because it has been reprinted so often) in older editions from the usual online book dealers and auction sites; it's on the GospeLink CD too. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism calls it one of JFS, Jr.s "classic expositions of the doctrines of salvation for the dead."

By: Eric Boysen

Eric Boysen — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:42:42 +0000

Any have any info on Way to Perfection?”

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:00:49 +0000

You made my afternoon, Martin Willey!

By: Martin willey

Martin willey — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:36:07 +0000

I just discovered Keepapitchinin, and am very excited. I have been a fan of Ardis’ stories of little-known saints for a long time. This blog is going to be great!

By: Will Bagley

Will Bagley — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:55:54 +0000

Frank Don Bailey is my uncle: he also tells a great story about investigating Salt Lake’s opium dens and houses of ill repute with his fellow journalism student and best high-school pal, Jack Anderson.

Don retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant-Colonel after a long career in the strategic air command. I’m so glad he made it back, unlike the uncle I’m named after.

Will Bagley

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:41:30 +0000

It’s also interesting to see how Sunday School seems to come to the fore in these pieces. It stands to reason, of course, since The Instructor was the official magazine of the Sunday School.

Still, I don’t think you’d find any young man or woman, back from the 21st century wars, praising the Sunday School for the strength it gave him to overcome. Maybe Seminary, maybe Girls Camp. Maybe even EFY. But not Sunday School.

Re: Dave’s #4–my dad was asked the question by an elderly Viennese woman–complete stranger–sometime in September 1945, his first Sunday after arriving, as he was looking for the building where the Vienna Branch met. (They were still meeting there in summer 1970 when our family visited Vienna–one gold star to anybody who can tell me where it was!)

By: Kevin Barney

Kevin Barney — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:49:27 +0000

Thanks for this. I’m fascinated by all things WWII, and it is very interesting to see how this SS played out.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:58:15 +0000

Nice post, Ardis. “Are you a Mormon?” can pop up in the most unlikely of places.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:29:24 +0000

I remember your post, John! Didn’t realize when I saw Frank Bailey’s talk that it was the same camp, though. Thanks for the link.

“Triumphs during times of war” — in the ’70s I was lucky enough to hear first-hand the talks of a number of POWs newly returned from Vietnam, and I have collected their written memoirs. Far more than any excitement over their adventures, the facet of their stories that moves me the most is the survival and growth — triumphs, really — of their humanity and faith and all their best characteristics under the most horrific conditions.

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:28:52 +0000

Thanks, Ardis. This is beautiful.

Some of my favorite stories deal with people’s triumphs during times of war. Corrie Ten Boom’s “The Hiding Place” still is one of my all-time favorites.