Sister Rosoer

One day the Branch President, Richard Thomas, received a letter from President George Albert Smith who was then presiding over the European mission, asking him to go or send someone to a place called Merthyr Tydfill to see if they could find a Sister Rosoer who had once lived there. (Some of the records got lost during the war years). So Brother Thomas asked Ellen and me if we would like to go.
Early the next morning we started from Ellen's home about 5:30 A.M. and walked over the hills a couple of miles to the railway station at Blaenavon, arriving there about 7:30 or 8:00 A.M. at Merthyr Tydfill. We asked the station master the way to the little town and we walked another two miles. I remember what a beautiful morning it was. The sun was shining, the birds singing, and we sang and talked as we walked along. We were wondering, too, how we were going to find Sister Rosoer. We did not know how old she was, what she looked like, or where she lived. We started up a hill, thinking we would stop at a cottage further on and make inquiries. Suddenly I looked up and saw the quaintest little old lady coming over the brow of the hill.

She crossed over and walked toward us. She looked a typical old fashioned Welsh woman, dressed in a long dark dress with a white lace collar and a spotless frilly white apron. She offered outstretched hands and a smiling face as she came towards us. We looked at her in astonishment as she said, "Good morning, my dears. I am Sister Rosoer. Are you coming to visit me?" We were speechless for a moment, then Ellen said as she took her hand, "Sister Rosoer, how did you know we were coming?" She replied, "Aye, that’s a long story. I’ll tell ye while we eat and visit." When we arrived at her quaint and beautiful little thatched cottage with a profusion of flowers in the little garden and red and white

A Thatched Cottage

geraniums in the windows, we noticed as we entered the cottage that the table was set for three people on a snowy white cloth. After a brief wash we sat down to boiled eggs and toast with jam, milk and welsh scones (they call them scons). When we finished eating, Sister Rosoer told us her life story. I will tell here only the part that pertains to our visit.

She was converted to the Church as a young girl. She married her childhood sweetheart. He never did join the Church but he never opposed it and was very good to her and never interfered with her church activities. One day the missionaries paid her an unexpected call, President Woodruff and three others. She was quite embarrassed because she had to excuse herself and go to the village store to purchase food for their dinner. After they had eaten and rested for a while they were about to leave when Sister Rosoer again apologized for not being prepared. President Woodruff said, "Sister Rosser, we appreciate your hospitality and would like to leave you with our blessing. Then he put both hands upon her head and among many other things he said, "Dear Sister, if you will live the gospel and remember your morning and evening prayers you will never again be taken by surprise by a visit from the Priesthood or those whom they send". She never was. That morning when we arrived she said that when she arose from saying her morning prayers she had received a distinct impression that someone was coming to visit her today so she decided to meet the early morning train. What wonderful things she told us that morning. It was a visit to be remembered. We saw her twice within the following year. Our third visit was to her funeral.

Friends In The Church

The Bryant family became quite active members of the Church. Nellie Wintle, a younger member of that family, was my special friend. The night of the reorganization of the branch, President [James Gunn]McKay and one of the Elders administered to Nellie. She had been ill for some time and the doctors diagnosed it as TB and advised sending her to a sanatorium for patients with that disease. In the administration, President McKay blessed her that she would be made well and become a mother in Israel. But he also gave them a warning that on no account were they to let her go to that sanatorium. If they did, she would die. Edith Bryant had already made arrangements for her to go and she was afraid that if she withdrew her application the doctor and others who had helped with the arrangements would be offended so they let her go. I visited her there several times and I could see what President McKay was warning her about. Even in winter the windows were always wide open and rain was beating in. There were several patients in Nellie's room in the last stages of the disease who died while Nellie was there. They had her brought home in three months and she died soon after. It surely pays to heed the counsel of the Lord's servants.

There was another family I might mention--the Day family--in Cardiff Wales. Wales at that time was included in the Bristol District or Conference and during the war young Fred who was barely 18 years old became President of the District. It was amazing how this young man took on the stature of a spiritual giant. His father, my father, and all older people as well as the young ones, listened to his counsel. After the war we used to hold our conferences at Cardiff. The Days had a large, three story house. In ordinary times they took in boarders but this first conference after the war their house was empty except for the family so many of us were invited to stay there. President and Sister David O. McKay also stayed there. How thrilled we were to sleep in the same house as an Apostle.

I had another special friend who belonged to the Church. Her name was Ellen Forward. She lived in a small mining town called Varteg, near Pontypool in Wales. When conference time came we always made arrangements to stay at the same place. I used to spend some of my yearly vacations at her home. There were five houses built of stone, the back going into the hill. They were in a row. All of the people living in this row were Mormons so the townspeople nicknamed it the Five Houses, or Mormon Row. The Forwards, the Biggs' the Thomas's, the Bendall's and the Griffiths'.

Gorse

We had wonderful times roaming those beautiful Welsh hills together. They were green all the year around. One would come upon waterfalls and small streams in the most unexpected places and wild flowers were everywhere. The yellow bracken or gorse in the spring covered the wild places and the purple heather in the Fall was beautiful.

Heather

Ellen's father was not a member of the church. At one time he was very opposed to it. He used to enjoy taking us for walks and showing us places and things we had not seen before. Sometimes when no one else was around he would ask me questions about the church. The Varteg branch had no regular meeting house so the Saints met in different houses. I think they used to go to the Jones house because it was central and a little larger than most. To get there we had to walk over the hills about 6 miles so we took a lunch and ate it between Sunday School and Sacrament meeting. Those were very delightful days. On the way to and fro we would sing the songs of Zion together or discuss some of the gospel principles.

An Angel

      How happy we were when finally the war was over. I remember the day the Armistice was signed. We were all given the day off and it seemed like everyone in town met at the center of town where the Mayor was to speak. There were thousands of people as far as the eye could see, jamming the streets that led out from the center itself. The Lord Mayor stood on a large platform with a megaphone in his hand, using it to speak. He called for three minutes of silence in honor of those who had given their lives. The hush went out from him and gradually went like a wave through the crowd. That was the most impressive silence I have ever experienced. It seemed like an hour. Finally the silence was broken by sobs from people who had lost loved ones and the buglers playing "Taps".

I was still teaching the adult class in Sunday School although I knew so very little of the doctrines of the Church. In looking back over my life I can see how the Lord has molded me to His Gospel pattern, guiding me, keeping me from yielding to temptations which sometimes were almost overwhelming. I was a very lonely girl, eager for love and companionship, and could easily have become attached to the wrong kind of person but I know that the Lord was watching over me.

My father's sight being very poor, I used to read to him from the Standard Works which helped me a lot in my teaching assignment and in explaining the Gospel to others. When I wasn't there he used a large magnifying glass which had been given to him by his nephew, Jim Capel.

My bedroom was upstairs at the back of the house. The small windows opened out like doors and on summer nights I often knelt by the open window looking out over the chimney tops and up at the sky and the stars, wondering what was in store for me. Like every young girl, I wanted to be married and have a home of my own but I could see no prospects in sight for that. There were no young men belonging to the Church in Bristol. Oh, there was Jim Thatcher in Bath, he was quite a dear friend, and there was Walter Smith in Stroud (I didn't care too much for him). As I knelt by my window I used to pray to the Lord to help me change my life, or be content with what I had. Sometimes a sweet peace would envelope me and I seemed to hear the Lord say, "In my good time, my daughter, have patience".

Well, the war was over and very slowly things began to return to normal. The missionaries started to come back into the mission field again. President David O. McKay became President of the European Mission with headquarters in Liverpool and his cousin, James Gunn McKay was President of the British Mission with head­quarters in London.

 I had been home from work for about three weeks recovering from an illness. It was in July or August and the weather was warm and delightful. I was dreading the thoughts of going back to work. One day father received a telegram from President David O McKay, stating that President James Gunn McKay and two missionaries would be arriving in Bristol at 1:00 PM and would someone meet them. So it was natural that I should be assigned to the delightful task since I was perfectly free to do so. When I arrived at Temple Meads Station the next day, the place was thronged with hundreds of people, either disembarking or waiting to embark on the dozens of trains coming and going. I never saw such confusion. Many of these people were American tourists visiting England and Europe after the war.

I stood on top of the steps leading to the overpass and looked down upon that milling throng and wondered how in the world I would be able to find or identify three Mormon missionaries. I leaned against the railings and offered up silent prayer for help. Once more I looked over the hundreds of heads going to and fro or just standing, then I saw them, three of them standing at the foot of the stairs. The tallest and oldest of the three looked up and waved. It seemed we recognized each other at once. They seemed to be set apart from the rest of the people, like angels I thought. I went down to meet them. President McKay came toward me with extended hand saying, "Are you Sister Neal?".

 Later President McKay told me that when he saw those crowds of people at the station and not knowing who would be there to meet them, he too offered a silent prayer that the Lord would guide them. Then he said to the two elders, "Let us go over there by the steps of the overpass and wait." As soon as they arrived at the foot of the stairs, President McKay said, "As I looked up and there you were, like an angel, I thought that must be Brother Neal's daughter". And so the Lord guides and answers, especially when we ask Him.

         President McKay and the two Elder Hanson's (not related) stayed in Bristol a week. They called on all members active and inactive and invited them to a special meeting for the purpose of reorganizing the Branch. That was one of the most spiritual meetings I have ever attended. My father was again set apart as Branch President. When I was being set apart I was given a very special blessing for the recovery of my health after my recent illness; also that the Lord would fulfill all the righteous desires of my heart. I became very close to President and Sister McKay while they were in England, accompanying them on their many visits to places around Bristol.

Meeting Paul

Redcliffe Street Building

Going back to my work at the factory, some days were spent pleasantly with the girls I liked, but some were not so good. The newspapers were always full of stories about the Mormons and they made unfavorable impressions upon the minds of the people. Often when I went to work these stories of the Mormons taking girls to Salt Lake City for immoral purposes were stuck all over the machine where I worked. I had quite a time defending the Church and myself but I know that the Lord was with me and I was able to answer the questions and accusations that were put to me. These experiences helped me to gain spiritual strength for other battles ahead.

One day the news came that the Redcliffe St branch of the factory was to be closed down. It had been condemned because being built on the banks of the river, the rats seemed to have become too numerous. So we were being transferred to either Bedminster or Long Ashton. I had to say goodbye to my first and very dear friends. I remember Beatrice Bush, Myra Potter, Gladys Welsh, Amanda (Minnie) Saunders and many others I had grown quite fond of. They were very special people. Without them it would have been harder to endure the persecution from the rest.

Bedminster Factory

I was transferred to the Bedminster factory. It was about one mile and a half further on. It was the center or main branch. There were about 3,000 people working there. The room to which I was assigned had about 500-600 workers. It was called the stripping room. Here, the tobacco leaves were piled on tables in front of us and we had to strip the stems from the tobacco leaves. The leaves were anywhere from 8 to 12 inches long. The stems went into one basket at our sides and leaves into another. Our baskets held about a hundred pounds and when full were weighed and credited to our names. The more work we did the more we were paid. The leaves were crushed and made into cigarettes and the stems into snuff.

Inside Bedminster

I was put to work on a table with about 20 middle-aged women. They were rough and filthy talkers and it didn't take them long to find out I was a Mormon. I was very unhappy there. These women did everything they could to cause me trouble. They hid my tools, they took the best leaves and left me the dry, skinny ones that weighed the least. They swore continually, taking the Lord's name in vain and told filthy stories. I used to cry myself to sleep at night. I prayed to the Lord for help and for strength to endure these things.

In the factory every person was given a number. This was stamped on their time cards, their seats and tools, so with about 3,000 people to keep track of, they very seldom changed us around as it caused too much work at the main offices. I therefore didn't think there was any way out of this miserable situation, but I had forgotten than nothing is impossible with the Lord. After about three weeks I arrived at work one morning and was about to take my place at the table when the foreman sent word for me to come to his office. This man's name was Joe Coggins. He had been at the Redcliffe factory and knew me quite well. He said, "Hester, I have been watching you for some time. I know you are not happy working with those older women so I'm going to move you to the other end of the room." I was amazed and I almost burst into tears. I was instructed to get my tools and follow him. When those women I had been working with saw that I was being moved, they shouted abusive words at me. I was taken to the other end of the room where people of my own age were working. There were four or five empty seats on one table and I was told to choose where I would like to sit and the number on that seat would be mine as long as I remained in that room. Looking down that long table, I noticed a girl with reddish colored hair seated on the last seat near the window. There was an empty seat next to her and I had a strong impression to choose that one. All the girls on that end of the table smiled at me and made me welcome. We worked in silence for about an hour, then the girl working opposite me looked up and said, "Please don't think me rude, but what is a Mormon? I heard you were one and I'm curious". I told her about the church and why we were called Mormons. We talked off and on most of the day whenever working conditions would permit. The girls were very interested and asked many intelligent questions. The girl next to me hadn't spoken very much but towards evening and near quitting time she whispered to me, "Do you know that you have been sent here in answer to my prayers?"

Lucy Battle, "Paul"

In the days that followed I learned that she was a very unhappy girl. Her home life was almost unbearable and her boy friend to whom she was engaged had jilted her for someone else. The night before, she said she had prayed the Lord would show her why she was here upon the earth and why she had to endure these things. In the days that followed I explained about pre­existence and why we were here and many gospel themes. This girl's name was Lucy Battle, but for some reason she was always called "Paul". The other three girls close by were Laura Clarke, Kitty Smith and Milly Avery. We became very good friends, often going on picnics together or to the theater or picture show. Paul eventually joined the church but I will tell about that later on. We had Saturdays and Sundays off and I helped Mother with the housework on Saturdays. The boys used to call me Lady Diana because I was so fussy about them messing up my clean house.

On Mother and Father

Our Bristol Branch dwindled down to just a faithful few. We gave up the hall and met in homes. Dad used to visit the Saints in Stroud, Cheltenham Bath and Swindon. It was very hard for him with his failing sight and Mother became very unpleasant and uncooperative.

Father was very strict, but very just and kind. He loved the Lord with all his heart and loved the Gospel. Mother did most of the disciplining when we were growing up. Mother was an orphan at the age of 12 and had to earn her own living and help with the brothers and sisters. In the depression days she went to work as a midwife which wasn't very profitable as everyone was poor. She was a good housekeeper. Our house was always clean and well kept and Mother was also a good cook in spite of the fact that some days she had very little to cook with. But Mother was also a very proud woman and after we joined the Church, the persecution was hard for her to take. She lacked the faith and the knowledge to endure it and for a few years became embittered. The devil used her then to test the rest of us and those were hard, frustrating years.

As a Missionary

The next four years are hard to describe--the excitement, the sorrow, suffering and hunger. Food was hard to get. We didn't see a potato for several years and once mother and I took turns standing in line for eight hours for one pound of margarine. I often wondered how the old people fared who couldn't stand as long. My brother who had enlisted in the Grenadier Guards before the war was sent with his regiment to Belgium. The Germans were already invading that country. Our town was full of soldiers from almost every country. Some were billeted in private homes. The girls at work used to go out at night looking for dates. They often asked me to go with them. I did go one night but I didn't enjoy it. I felt so cheap I didn't go again.

At church we had many problems. There were so few of us and some of those few became inactive. All the missionaries had been withdrawn of course. Father was President of the Bristol Branch and supervised the outlying branches. I was almost sixteen when the war started. I was made superintendant of the Sunday School and Sunday School teacher of the adult class. My brother, Walter, and my father were the only members left holding the Priesthood. My brother was a Priest and Father was an Elder. We were also set apart by President Richards, before he left, as proselyting missionaries. Sometimes I went tracting with some of the other sisters and sometimes with my father. I was a very timid, shy person and I never did enjoy tracting and it took all the courage I possessed to go up to a door and knock.

One Sunday afternoon Dad invited me to go with him to do some tracting. When we arrived at the assigned area, Dad took one side of the street and I took the other. The first door I knocked on was opened by a big burly man with a loud, booming voice. A large Great Dane dog was standing by his side (I was afraid of dogs too). He said, "Well, what do you want?" I told him who I was and offered him some pamphlets. Then in his booming voice he told me that if I wasn't out of the gate in five seconds he would set the dog on me. I was scared stiff but I thanked him and turned slowly and walked through the gate and closed it. I walked slowly down the street with all the dignity I could muster. My heart was beating like a sledge hammer and there were tears in my eyes. I kept walking until I reached the last house on the street then I summoned up enough courage to knock on that door. The woman who answered my knock had been crying. I talked with her for awhile and found out that a few days previously she had received word that her son had been killed in action. She had gone to her minister for consolation and help but he had told her that because her son had not been a member of any church his soul had gone to Hell. I talked with her and explained some of the principles of the gospel as taught by our church. I believe I was able to comfort her. A few weeks later I called back to see her but she had moved.

I had lots of experiences as a missionary--some good and some very unpleasant--but this I know, that the Lord truly does hear and answer our prayers. My testimony grew and also my self confidence and my knowledge of the Gospel.