1977 was pretty much a lost cause as I was sick most of the year and I’ve already talked about that. Sometime between then and about 1980, the church decided that we had grown enough that we could build a new church building. So, the powers that be bought the lot right across from Mayo High School and the Rochester First Ward was born. This was in the days when the members helped do the actual work on building a building. They don’t do that anymore. I have memories (not fond ones) of going to the chapel and doing what help I could. I think I painted and moved stuff around. I’m about as handy as a guy with two left hands, so I wasn’t a lot of help. And of course, I was complaining most of the time. I told them I would rather contribute my money than do this work. As it turned out, that’s what the church does now, so maybe I was inspired. (or just lazy, not sure which).
We got the chapel done and I remember the Stake Conference when we moved in. It was a cool meeting. I was thinking Elder LeGrande Richards, an apostle, had come to dedicate the building, but I guess he visited the old ward building that we eventually sold. I had read all his books and he was kind of a hero to me. I know we had a General Authority come to Rochester to dedicate the new building, but neither Karen nor I can remember who it was. We eventually sold our old building to the Jewish congregation in Rochester and they turned into a synagogue. I think it still was when we left Rochester many years later.
Tomorrow: Little Katy joins our family
Dad
I didn’t know you helped build the ward building in Rochester! How cool Dad!