200. My mother Ruth Allen Miles in the First Extraction Mission, and Family Search Indexing today.
I first posted the blog below on December 9, 2013, and it was blog # 30. My mother, Ruth Allen Miles, was in the very first extraction mission, in March 1977, which was the beginning of what is now Family Search Indexing. It began right here in St. George, to help provide names for the Temple. Just last Sunday, a worldwide record was set. The information is here:
(by Pal --Tonight, I'm going to write about some things that are very special and sacred to me. So you may read them if you will think of them in the same way. My mother was an elementary teacher 40 years, and very influential in many student's lives.)
The first part of today's story is a dream my mother, Ruth had. She was a very spiritual woman, and had several very significant dreams.
My father, Pratt, was quite ill for 2 or 3 years before he passed away. Mother had a dream of him. This must have been in late February, or March of 1977. He had passed away on Dec. 14, 1975.
This is how she wrote her memory of it:
" It took a long time after Pratt died for me to remember him any way besides the way he was the last 2 or 3 years -- miserable and forlorn. I just couldn't quite remember how he looked or how he acted, way back when things were how they ought to be.
Then I dreamed there was a long truck close to our ditch. I was walking along side it trying to keep from sliding into the muddy ditch. It was dark and stormy. When I did reach the back of the truck, Pratt was leaning on it.He seemed younger and had the most radiant smile I've ever seen. It seemed as if his whole face radiated extreme joy and happiness. I rushed to him with my arms outstretched waiting for him to hold me close. Instead he gently held me at arms length, and looked tenderly into my eyes saying, "Darling, it's so good to see you. I love you so much, but this has just got to wait. I am so very busy now, and there's important work you need to be doing." Then he was there no more.
The next week I was called to the first Extraction Mission the world has ever known, as far as we have record of. I was there the first shift of the first day. What is Pratt doing? I know for sure he's happy and "very busy". I was released from my first term on October, 1978, and recalled at the same time.
Extraction Mission: The first time I ever heard it hinted there might be a pilot extraction mission tried in St. George to see if it would be feasible for the Church -- The feeling came over me, "You'll be called to this," even though they went on to say those asked would have to take a 5 hour aptitude test and no doubt many would be eliminated -- that many are not adapted for this sort of thing -- etc. etc. -- still I felt deep within me I would be asked.
I worried about it, for up till now I had gone to my daughter Mavis's each summer to stay with her boys at least for a month or two. It was now early March. Well, I began to hear of people being called -- but no call for me. Vina Ruth came down a weekend and I told her about how I felt -- The next week came and went -- More were called, but not me. Then Mavis came, and I confessed to her that perhaps this time my "feeling" wasn't going to materialize. She said something to this affect: "Mom, if you are called, don't turn it down on account of us. We'll manage some how -- I don't know just how, but we will." She went up town with the boys and while she was gone the phone rang.
It was Brother Thompson, the Stake Director of Research. He knew somewhat of my situation. He asked, "Do you want to take the aptitude test, and if so and you pass, how do you feel about a call for 18 months to 2 years?" I wanted to, but I don't know just how I would have replied if Mavis had not been there and told me so bravely, "We'll get along -- don't, please don't turn it down on our account." Although I was then, and still am now, a firm believer that "family comes first," somehow I had a calm peaceful feeling that everything would work out well. But with the boys staying with me part of the summer and staying a while with their dad, it has worked out pretty well. When I asked about getting 2 weeks off to come up to S.L.C. to be with them my answer was --, "Surely go, we expect everyone to take a 2 week 'paid vacation'. If you need longer than that we'll just tack it on to the end of your mission."
Surely the Lord is mindful of each one of us and our needs. This mission for me has worked out far better than a proselyting mission, which would have taken all my financial resources. This way, I've stayed at home, been able to help financially Wayne M. on his mission, have had the blessing of having Wayne M., Brad, and Kurt live in my home with me, and I'm looking forward to having Anita, Allen, and all others that want to come, and at the same time I've kept up my full mission hours, and more, as well as substitute teaching occasionally. Yes, the Lord knows where and what is best for each of us.
The first year and a half of my first mission, we were asked to put in 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. We often did more. During that time I extracted between 27,000 and 28,000 names. As of Jan. 1st, 1979, over 100,000 names have been received at the St. George Temple from our mission. (These were all copied by hand onto specially made cards.)
At the end of the first mission term it was decided that perhaps this was too much of an eye strain as well as being otherwise exhausting so we were told 4 hours a day 3 days a week would be our quota. I have exceeded this some but never got back to the full strain of 20-25 hours a week. I now have one year to go if I'm released at the end of another 18 month period. I know my eyes have deteriorated. I have faith I'll be able to finish out this term and maybe more.
Some of the finest people I've ever known are in or have been in this program. A large percent of them are converts of the last 6-8 years. Our English Instructor is Jean Cruickshank, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the army, a former physical therapist in an army hospital. She seems to have been born with a knowledge of Old English. It is my firm belief God led her to St. George and to the Church for this very program, and not to Bloomington Golf Course as she expected. I remember distinctly a long conversation I had (at the Temple Bureau) with a teacher from California who inquired about the L.D.S. Youth program and said that within 2 weeks time she felt she could pick out every L.D.S. child in her school.
Another Army Colonel, Dick Wildrick and his lovely wife Ruth, converts of 2 years are quick to tell their story and bear their testimony, that they know he was stationed in Germany several years, asked to teach German culture as well as the language at West-Point, all in preparation to help in the German extraction. Those who called him knew nothing of his background, yet he was asked to "try German". They have now been called to the Swiss Temple as ordinance workers, and to start the extraction program there.
Another delightful couple are full blooded Jews, converts of only a few years. I could go on to describe several others, but this will show you, what is so plain to me. The Lord knew several years ago that this program was to start and St. George, where the first Temple was completed was the place for it to start. He knew who was needed here to help it get started, who would have courage to see it through; He guided them here--many of them--to be ready to participate in this glorious work which has been proclaimed the biggest break-through since the Prophet Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and gave him the "Keys of turning the hearts of the children to their Fathers."
This photo is one of the last Mother (Ruth) had taken before she retired, probably 2 or 3 years before she started in the extraction program.
(continuing her quote) I am so humbly grateful to be a part of this. I was there on the first shift of the first day. Then we had one room, 4 machines, and 12 missionaries. That included the instructor. We were doing only Old English at that time--now just 2 years later we occupy 5 rooms, 26 machines, and have about 70 workers there. It is open 5 days a week from 5:30 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. It has been adopted by the Church as a permanent Church project.
Ninety three stakes (maybe more now) have been okayed to go ahead. Many of them are now going full swing, others are in the process of training and the Church has a large number of stakes with applications for the program, waiting to be accepted. They are scattered from Japan -- throughout Europe, South America, Africa, to Alaska. As soon as we start getting names more than the existing Temples can handle more Temples will be built. (This has now developed into the Family Indexing Program, all over the world, now done on computers, and made available on the internet for everyone.)
This work parallels with the world missionary system, for aren't the people who have lived on the earth just as choice to our Heavenly Father as those now living? Of course! He has said, "I'm no respecter of persons." On the surface the job of searching out and doing work for approximately 69 billion who have lived seems an impossibility, but God has said, "I'll give no commandment unto the children of men save I'll prepare a way for them to accomplish it." This is not the exact quote but the promise will stand. It will probably take all the Millennium but we'll accomplish what God has asked us to do." (The preceding written around 1980, when she was around 72.)
(by Pal -- I hope you felt the spirit of my wonderful Mother, and the First Extraction Mission in the Church -- the forerunner of Indexing.
First of all was this notice sent out early in July, 2014:
On July 2, 2012, a total of 49,025 FamilySearch indexers and arbitrators joined together to set the all-time record for the most indexing participants in a single day. That lofty record is about to be broken—by you!
Join volunteers from around the world on July 20 and 21 for an international history-making event! The goal? For 50,000 indexers and arbitrators to submit at least one batch in a 24-hour period!
Then, on July 23, 2014, this notice was sent out:
FamilySearch volunteers are amazing! On July 20th and 21st, FamilySearch indexers and arbitrators from around the world joined together to set an international record for the greatest number of indexing participants in a single day! We hoped to have an unprecedented 50,000 contributors in a 24 hour period. FamilySearch volunteers excelled, surpassing that goal by 16,511! That’s right—66,511 participants in one day! Incredible! We are grateful for the patience and persistence of many volunteers who faced technical difficulties due to an overwhelming response.
This is the original blog, written Dec. 9, 2013: I haven't taken time to highlight parts of it. (by Pal --Tonight, I'm going to write about some things that are very special and sacred to me. So you may read them if you will think of them in the same way. My mother was an elementary teacher 40 years, and very influential in many student's lives.)
The first part of today's story is a dream my mother, Ruth had. She was a very spiritual woman, and had several very significant dreams.
My father, Pratt, was quite ill for 2 or 3 years before he passed away. Mother had a dream of him. This must have been in late February, or March of 1977. He had passed away on Dec. 14, 1975.
This is how she wrote her memory of it:
" It took a long time after Pratt died for me to remember him any way besides the way he was the last 2 or 3 years -- miserable and forlorn. I just couldn't quite remember how he looked or how he acted, way back when things were how they ought to be.
Then I dreamed there was a long truck close to our ditch. I was walking along side it trying to keep from sliding into the muddy ditch. It was dark and stormy. When I did reach the back of the truck, Pratt was leaning on it.He seemed younger and had the most radiant smile I've ever seen. It seemed as if his whole face radiated extreme joy and happiness. I rushed to him with my arms outstretched waiting for him to hold me close. Instead he gently held me at arms length, and looked tenderly into my eyes saying, "Darling, it's so good to see you. I love you so much, but this has just got to wait. I am so very busy now, and there's important work you need to be doing." Then he was there no more.
The next week I was called to the first Extraction Mission the world has ever known, as far as we have record of. I was there the first shift of the first day. What is Pratt doing? I know for sure he's happy and "very busy". I was released from my first term on October, 1978, and recalled at the same time.
Extraction Mission: The first time I ever heard it hinted there might be a pilot extraction mission tried in St. George to see if it would be feasible for the Church -- The feeling came over me, "You'll be called to this," even though they went on to say those asked would have to take a 5 hour aptitude test and no doubt many would be eliminated -- that many are not adapted for this sort of thing -- etc. etc. -- still I felt deep within me I would be asked.
I worried about it, for up till now I had gone to my daughter Mavis's each summer to stay with her boys at least for a month or two. It was now early March. Well, I began to hear of people being called -- but no call for me. Vina Ruth came down a weekend and I told her about how I felt -- The next week came and went -- More were called, but not me. Then Mavis came, and I confessed to her that perhaps this time my "feeling" wasn't going to materialize. She said something to this affect: "Mom, if you are called, don't turn it down on account of us. We'll manage some how -- I don't know just how, but we will." She went up town with the boys and while she was gone the phone rang.
It was Brother Thompson, the Stake Director of Research. He knew somewhat of my situation. He asked, "Do you want to take the aptitude test, and if so and you pass, how do you feel about a call for 18 months to 2 years?" I wanted to, but I don't know just how I would have replied if Mavis had not been there and told me so bravely, "We'll get along -- don't, please don't turn it down on our account." Although I was then, and still am now, a firm believer that "family comes first," somehow I had a calm peaceful feeling that everything would work out well. But with the boys staying with me part of the summer and staying a while with their dad, it has worked out pretty well. When I asked about getting 2 weeks off to come up to S.L.C. to be with them my answer was --, "Surely go, we expect everyone to take a 2 week 'paid vacation'. If you need longer than that we'll just tack it on to the end of your mission."
Surely the Lord is mindful of each one of us and our needs. This mission for me has worked out far better than a proselyting mission, which would have taken all my financial resources. This way, I've stayed at home, been able to help financially Wayne M. on his mission, have had the blessing of having Wayne M., Brad, and Kurt live in my home with me, and I'm looking forward to having Anita, Allen, and all others that want to come, and at the same time I've kept up my full mission hours, and more, as well as substitute teaching occasionally. Yes, the Lord knows where and what is best for each of us.
The first year and a half of my first mission, we were asked to put in 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. We often did more. During that time I extracted between 27,000 and 28,000 names. As of Jan. 1st, 1979, over 100,000 names have been received at the St. George Temple from our mission. (These were all copied by hand onto specially made cards.)
At the end of the first mission term it was decided that perhaps this was too much of an eye strain as well as being otherwise exhausting so we were told 4 hours a day 3 days a week would be our quota. I have exceeded this some but never got back to the full strain of 20-25 hours a week. I now have one year to go if I'm released at the end of another 18 month period. I know my eyes have deteriorated. I have faith I'll be able to finish out this term and maybe more.
Some of the finest people I've ever known are in or have been in this program. A large percent of them are converts of the last 6-8 years. Our English Instructor is Jean Cruickshank, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the army, a former physical therapist in an army hospital. She seems to have been born with a knowledge of Old English. It is my firm belief God led her to St. George and to the Church for this very program, and not to Bloomington Golf Course as she expected. I remember distinctly a long conversation I had (at the Temple Bureau) with a teacher from California who inquired about the L.D.S. Youth program and said that within 2 weeks time she felt she could pick out every L.D.S. child in her school.
Another Army Colonel, Dick Wildrick and his lovely wife Ruth, converts of 2 years are quick to tell their story and bear their testimony, that they know he was stationed in Germany several years, asked to teach German culture as well as the language at West-Point, all in preparation to help in the German extraction. Those who called him knew nothing of his background, yet he was asked to "try German". They have now been called to the Swiss Temple as ordinance workers, and to start the extraction program there.
Another delightful couple are full blooded Jews, converts of only a few years. I could go on to describe several others, but this will show you, what is so plain to me. The Lord knew several years ago that this program was to start and St. George, where the first Temple was completed was the place for it to start. He knew who was needed here to help it get started, who would have courage to see it through; He guided them here--many of them--to be ready to participate in this glorious work which has been proclaimed the biggest break-through since the Prophet Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and gave him the "Keys of turning the hearts of the children to their Fathers."
This photo is one of the last Mother (Ruth) had taken before she retired, probably 2 or 3 years before she started in the extraction program.
(continuing her quote) I am so humbly grateful to be a part of this. I was there on the first shift of the first day. Then we had one room, 4 machines, and 12 missionaries. That included the instructor. We were doing only Old English at that time--now just 2 years later we occupy 5 rooms, 26 machines, and have about 70 workers there. It is open 5 days a week from 5:30 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. It has been adopted by the Church as a permanent Church project.
Ninety three stakes (maybe more now) have been okayed to go ahead. Many of them are now going full swing, others are in the process of training and the Church has a large number of stakes with applications for the program, waiting to be accepted. They are scattered from Japan -- throughout Europe, South America, Africa, to Alaska. As soon as we start getting names more than the existing Temples can handle more Temples will be built. (This has now developed into the Family Indexing Program, all over the world, now done on computers, and made available on the internet for everyone.)
This work parallels with the world missionary system, for aren't the people who have lived on the earth just as choice to our Heavenly Father as those now living? Of course! He has said, "I'm no respecter of persons." On the surface the job of searching out and doing work for approximately 69 billion who have lived seems an impossibility, but God has said, "I'll give no commandment unto the children of men save I'll prepare a way for them to accomplish it." This is not the exact quote but the promise will stand. It will probably take all the Millennium but we'll accomplish what God has asked us to do." (The preceding written around 1980, when she was around 72.)
(by Pal -- I hope you felt the spirit of my wonderful Mother, and the First Extraction Mission in the Church -- the forerunner of Indexing.
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