The winter Tom was born we decided to go into the chicken business. Eggs were sixty cents a dozen, which was high and wheat was cheap. Jess figured on paper, that with normal results, he would be able to take flying lessons with the profit. At this stage of life he didn’t dream he could ever afford to buy an airplane. He just wanted to learn to fly one.
We hired Ellis Rice to lay the cinder blocks for our three storied building. It was huge for the day. The first time my sister Marva saw it she said, “I didn’t think you were going to build a church in your back yard.” Jess and I were Ellis’s helper. We carried the blocks to him and mixed the mortar. Since Tom was just a baby, Jess would get everything ready for Ellis, before he left in the morning and I would help in the afternoon. It worked great.
Ellis was a hard worker and had the know how to do a good job. I cooked for him and that was a hardship, but he appreciated it.
Ellis started working the first part of January, 1954. It was the day after I had been sustained as a counselor to Lila Moore in the Stake Primary Presidency. We were meeting at nine and we were going to select the officers and teachers. I thought surely I would be back at noon. Just in case I put some beans on the slow burner and left. I didn’t get home until late in the afternoon. Lila Moore, Lucille Ricks and Cleo Johnson and I covered the list of every Primary board in the stake, and after much prayer we made the final decision. I felt the spirit telling us whom to choose. I know the Lord cooked dinner that day. When I got home, late that afternoon I rushed out to see what the men had eaten for lunch. Ellis said that was the best beans he had ever eaten. All of my boys know what Jess cooked to go along with the beans, he scrambled some eggs.
Tom learned to walk at seven months because, while I helped Ellis, Tom was in a walker bouncing around on his feet and he was good natured, with Garth helping to entertain him. Lee and Steve were in school.
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