Comments on: Three Musketeers: Servicemen’s Meetings in the Canal Zone, 1942 (corrected date)

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:51:42 +0000

Fantastic addition, Justin. It looks like this serviceman’s group may have gotten going just as the other branch closed. (Total speculation: I wondered how the servicemen happened to have so many hymn books available, and now wonder if perhaps they inherited some supplies from the earlier branch.)

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:18:46 +0000

I located the Church News article about the early church in the canal zone.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:29:19 +0000

At some point in his Army/Air Force career, my uncle was in the Canal Zone. Vague memories suggest that it was during the war, but I could be off a decade. He, alas, is not around any longer to add anything to this story.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:10:49 +0000

bfwebster served his mission in Panama. I keep waiting for him to discover this post, and hope that he will add some general history about the church in Panama.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:36:29 +0000

Wonderful story, Ardis. I remember reading an article in the Church News several years ago about the first branch in Panama (canal zone). I wonder if the Musketeers were aware of it. I think it was formed before Pearl Harbor.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:22:38 +0000

Congratulations, Ardis, and thank you! Keepa has enriched all of our lives.

And thanks for this wonderful story of men in a distant place keeping their faith alive in what must have been difficult conditions.

Let’s hope that someone recognizes a name and can lead us to one of these men or their descendants, so we can hear the rest of the story!

By: Maurine

Maurine — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:00:54 +0000

I thought it was interesting how Captain McBride not only described the meeting, but focused on the personalities of the three young men. I notice similar combining of personalities today in auxiliary and quorum presidencies. Because each one of the presidency has a different background, interest, talent, etc., the group is much stronger than each individual person alone.

Congratulations, Ardis.

By: Tatiana

Tatiana — Wed, 06 May 2009 01:51:47 +0000

The meeting sounds awesome. I love these stories of ordinary saints.

By: Steve C.

Steve C. — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:35:25 +0000

Before or after Pearl Harbor; either way the US was building up its defenses and the Panama Canal was of strategic importance to the United States.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:33:12 +0000

Oh, no! I don’t know how I did it, but I flubbed the date — Researcher’s noticing that this came before Pearl Harbor woke me up.

This all happened in the summer of 1942 — after Pearl Harbor, early in the mobilization phase. So sorry! I’ll correct it.