Comments on: Hubert Huysecom: “I Did All I Could”

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:09:21 +0000

It’s wonderful to hear that, Francis. I often wonder what happened after the end of a story, and whether the faith was passed on. Thank you.

By: Francis d'Evegnee/Devignez

Francis d'Evegnee/Devignez — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:57:40 +0000

Charles Devignez was my grandfather. I did not know him for he died in 1933 and I was born in 1942, but I’ve heard wonderful comments about his character and his faith. This is just another wonderful bid of information about the grandfather I never knew. He has now four generations of descendants who have shared his conviction of eternal truths.

By: Carine

Carine — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:37:26 +0000

That ’s correct, Ardis. I am a “belgian flemish” blend myself: father from the South (French speaking) and my mother is from the North (Flemish speaking)
Take care!

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:22:15 +0000

Thanks, Carine.

The Belgian-Flemish “blend” is how Hubert described himself. I assumed he meant that his father was born to a French-speaking family and his mother to a Flemish-speaking family.

By: Carine

Carine — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:00:30 +0000

Wonderful story, Ardis. I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. Your research is awesome.
Just one comment, being flemish myself, a flemish mother is also a belgian mother. Flanders is the northern part of Belgium.
Thanks again for your superb work.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:47:03 +0000

I’ve seen a picture of Charles Devignez from his church service after this period. Otherwise, I am not aware of photos. There could potentially be pictures in, say, a missionary’s photo album, or perhaps submitted to the Saturday church page of the Deseret News (forerunner of today’s Church News section), but not where they are catalogued or easily located.

By: Velikiye Kniaz

Velikiye Kniaz — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:29:13 +0000

Ardis,
Are there any pictures in our new Archives building of these brethren and/or the rented meetinghouse where these brethren honored their Priesthood and kept faith with our Saviour? Thank you so very much for finding another example of the unknown noble Saints within the Kingdom. I hope that when the time comes there are some among us who will do as well!

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:27:29 +0000

ellen, you’re so right. Other than commandeering the cow under survival conditions, Hubert Huysecom really did nothing more than is going on constantly in every ward. He just did it without the usual encouragement, at a time when it might have been easy to let commitments slide.

Mark, the major sources, beyond Family Search and googling for details of the war history, came from a 1932 interview with Hubert Huysecom, and the somewhat earlier report of another Liege branch member. (I hope you don’t think I’m being coy by not providing scholarly citations to each source. While I am sometimes willing to post those citations when there is a particular need, I generally hold them very close in order to encourage other historians to contact me directly. Otherwise my research — which I do for a living — tends to end up in other people’s papers without attribution.)

By: Mark Steele

Mark Steele — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:46:56 +0000

Thanks for this inspiring account. What source information did you use to tease out the details about Br. Huysecom?

By: ellen

ellen — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:00:03 +0000

not only what we might be capable of, but what is probably actually happening right under our noses.