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Show old boy. They had had an American uniform tailor made for him, and at the same time, immediately advanced him to the rank of 1st Sergeant. He was the guest of honor at a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and it was hard to tell who received the most joy from this, the boy or the soldiers.33 The Year 1944 The 144th and 145th stake conferences were held in February and May, withjoseph F. Smith and Harold B. Lee presiding at the first conference and John H. Taylor presiding at the second. Elders Smith and Lee gave excellent doctrinal addresses on the priesthood and the reality of a God who has body, parts, and passions.34 At the May conference, Elder Taylor talked of the importance of a mother's place in the home and her influence on her children. Instructions were given at this conference that for the duration of the war no member of the Church under age thirty-eight, would be sustained as a bishop or bishop's counselor,35 Following the instructions of Elder Lee, of the Council of the Twelve, the high council members were assigned a ward for the year to make contacts for the stake presidency on all matters with special assignments on ward teaching, welfare, and priesthood activities.36 Forde Dickson, a new member of the high council, was given a special assignment. He was set apart as a stake missionary with Fernando Jensen as mission president. In his history, Brother Dickson says he pleaded with the Lord for inspiration and motivation to fulfill the calling, and within a short time, they had missionaries in every ward in the stake. They held cottage meetings, taught the gospel to nonmembers, visited the inactive and bore testimony to all they came in contact with. Brother Dickson said that he enjoyed this labor as much as he did being a full time missionary in the Northern States.37 Celebrations The Morgan Stake Primary presented a program on Sunday evening, 15 May. The theme was "Keys of the Kingdom," and the music and talks were all presented by children of the Morgan Stake.38 On 30 June, there was an Independence Day celebration at the tabernacle. It was titled, "A Prayer for Peace and Victory Celebration." All citizens of the County were invited to attend.39 A special program honoring the pioneers of Morgan County was presented by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers at the monthly meeting of the stake officers on 23 July. A few original pioneers from the county were invited as honored guests.40 Other activities sponsored by the stake that summer were the annual Old Folks Party and the stake presidency social for all high council members, bishoprics, auxiliary heads and their wives. This party was held at the fairgrounds, and after supper a large bonfire was lighted and all gathered there for an interesting program.41 154 |