I, Leo Dean Weight, the son of George Albert Weight and Hannah Lenora Childs, born in a red brick house on the East bench, 578 Canyon Drive, Springville, Utah, 2^nd of September 1900, the 4^th child of ten children.

     We were taught the gospel and many times saw the power of the Priesthood, Faith, and prayer manifest in our home.

     I grew up in the farm and on our Wanhroads ranch learning to work and to do my daily tasks such as milking two cows at eight years of age.

     I had all the known communicable diseases with the exception of typhoid fever. During my infancy I had simultaneously scarlet fever, which left scar tissue in my left ear; diphtheria, and measles. I also had bronchial pneumonia. Father was clearing ground some distance from home and Mother was alone with the children. I turned purple and she though death was surely coming. She fell to her knees and asked God for help. At that very moment Will Ostler came up the road with his horse and buggy and went past the gate and all at once he said, "whoa" and ran to the door. Without stopping to knock he came in and said, "What's the matter?" Mother told him and where Father was. He ran to his buggy to go get Father and before he reached it Father came through the fields to the house. They administered to me and I got well. I recall the fumigation process which followed disease in our home. We burned a pan of sulfur in the house to kill all germs.

     My first day of school was at the Lincoln where we went for two weeks until the Grant was completed. Lola B. White was my teacher at the Grant.

     I graduated from the 8^th grade in 1916. The graduation exercises were held at Santaquin where we had a track meet and field day in which I participated. I ran the 100 yard dash down Main Street. I shall never forget how beautifully decorated the banquet tables were that day. It was all red and green with radishes, onions, and lettuce.

     When I was a freshman in 1917 I played basketball on the second team and 1^st team in 1918.

     I attended 1^st, 3rd and 3 ^rd grades at the Grant School; 4^th and 5^th grades at the Jefferson School; the Washington School, Springville High, and Brigham Young University.

     On 5 April 1916 I saw Salt Lake City for the first time. My father and Uncle Alfred took me on the Orem train to General Conference where I saw President Joseph F. Smith. We went on the electric street car to Fort Douglas that day where we saw the soldiers and had a good view of the city. It was this day when the U.S. declared war against Germany and entered the World War I.

     In the spring of 1916 Wilfred Williams suggested that we try "stepping" Josephine and her cousin Lola. After a conjoint meeting in the Opera House one Sunday evening we followed them. We horned in on some fellows from Spanish Fork (they said they were mighty glad to have someone they knew come along because these fellows were strangers to them) and asked to walk them home. We walked clear to Mapleton and it was dark when I got home. This was the beginning of my courting days which lasted until February 6, 1924.

     I was asked to be assistant Sunday School teacher with Floss Simpkins Phillips in 1916. For three years we taught 14 and 15 year olds "What It Means to Be a Mormon" and "What Jesus Taught." This experience more than anything else encouraged me and helped me in my religious life. I was also asked to serve as Sunday School Chorister. Lola was organist.

     We had our chores to do at home. When I was 8 years old it was my responsibility to milk two cows night and morning and to pull weeds to feed the pigs.

     I loved to play marbles and often was late getting home from school. Three night straight I was late and my father warned me that if I came home late again he would tie me with the barn rope and make me sleep in the barn. The fourth night I was late and he kept his word. I was about 10 years old and attending the Jefferson School at that time. I bawled and howled so much there in the barn in the hay with the quilt Father had given me that I was removed to the granary where I continued to bawl and yell. I was convinced that Father meant what he said. And at about 10:00 p.m. after crying and howling for a good while in the granary I was brought to my bed in the house having learned my lesson well.

     We wore knee pants and long stocking with high button shoes , shirts and an odd coat. We got to wear long trousers at about 15 of 16 years of age. We wore bib overalls to school. We were always taught in our home to step to one side on the sidewalk to our elders and to speak to them first. We were taught politeness and respect of other people and their property .

     Everyone in the house was down with the flu in February, 1918. The schools were closed and there were many deaths. One Sunday Wilfred Williams, Ardel Fullmer, Lola Brown and I had dinner at the home of Wilfred's parents and that week we all went to bed with the flu. Lola did not have it so bad and she came to see me when I was very ill. After I had been in bed for two weeks I felt better and got up. The Montgomery Ward catalog came in the mail that day and as an 18 year old would I looked at it from cover to cover. The next morning I was spotting blood and everyone thought I was done for. For three days I laid on the bed and rolled my eyes at the ceiling. Old "Doc" De Armand came to my rescue. He gave me Epsom salts and enemas and alcohol rubs which I am certain helped save my life. After about 10 days I was well enough to go out and help others, administering the same remedy which had been used on me. I remember helping Willis Weight and Bliss Childs especially. One day Wilfred Williams and I went in the City Drug store where there were three other fellows and one of them was surprised to see me and told me that he had heard I was "up to the cemetery." There were so many deaths that public funeral services were not held. There was only a home service and apparently the word was spread that one of these home funerals was held for me. The flu left me in a weakened condition and made me subject to fainting spells which I did not overcome for five years.

In 1920 we went to Lola's Junior Prom. Five days later I felt very ill and there were three red pimples on my wrist. The doctor was called in and I was told I had small pox. All the other members of the family were vaccinated as were Lola's family. I was completely covered with the pox. They were on the bottoms of my feet, in eyes, everywhere. Mother would shake my sheets and the scales would be put in the coal shovel and burned in the stove. I was the first one in town to break out although the whole town was exposed at the Prom. For three weeks after I was out of quarantine people shunned me because the marks were still visible. Only Bishop Oliver B. Huntington shook my hand and welcomed me and I remember him saying, "They say a boil is worth $5 you must be a millionaire."      My wife Lola Brown, daughter of Isaac S. & Emma Metcalf Brown grew up in the same ward, but we were well into our teens when we became aware of each other, and I began walking her home from choir practice and church. We were married 6th February 1924 in the Salt Lake Temple and have three children: Eldean B, Norma and Glen Alvin Weight. All are married in the Temple.

     I have witnessed World War I & II, Korea, the rise of Communism, Vietnam, and many changes of Nations and their governments. Also epidemics such as the Flu 1918, small pox 1920 & 21, The Depression of 1923 on to inflation and false prosperity of today. Our government officials talk in terms of Billions, Taxes and balancing the U.S. Budget.

     My wife and I are enjoying our family and grandchildren and our new home after living in eight rented homes in Springville. We built our own home and moved there August 31, 1959. We have stood the test of married life thirty-three years, February 6^th 1963, and hope to prove steadfast to the end with all its experiences and joys.

     My wife Lola took ill January 3^rd 1965. She entered the Utah Valley Hospital 1^st February and was operated on the 4^th of February and found cancer. She came home for one month and had to re-enter the hospital 13 of March and passed away 24^th March 1965, one day before her birthday, 25 March.

     You never know what it is to be without your loved one! until you experience the loss of them, emptiness, loneliness, the association gone. Time is a healer, but not a forgetter. You face a new life. I was thankful for my custodial church job. I had association and work, which is always good for any one. I would visit my children, and go fishing every opportunity I had.

     I never thought of going to any entertainment for the first two years, and then I went down to the Senior Citizens hall and, Charles and Olive Porter wanted me to come to their dances. They kept asking me for some six weeks so finally I went. They had their dances Friday nights. They had me a dance partner and I went to three dance with her, Mrs. Sanbloom. She got another date; I went along to several dances. There was always some one to choose for a dance partner. There were some unmarried couples going to the Church Socials in Orem. They wanted me to come over and meet the ladies. I went to a viewing at Berg Mortuary on Tuesday night in Provo, so I went from there to Orem Dance. Virginia Jacobson introduced six ladies to me that night, one was Maxcine Pickett McPhie. I danced with them all and some others. They danced several mixer dances so you could meet each other.

     Some two weeks later I called Maxcine and dated her. We started going to dances. We kept company some three years. Maxcine is a choice, beautiful, lovely woman, and wife. We were married for Time in the Manti Temple November 7, 1970. On opening day of the Pheasant Hunt. We have a lovely home and are happy enjoying our families and friends and Church activities.

     My Vocations: Laborer, Canning Factory worker, Pea viner foreman, Sugar Factory, Lime Kiln foreman, cutter, knife file, knife setter, Columbia Steel, Ironton plant, lineman, crane pigmachine, and Geneva plants, I was deputy water master , Springville district Number 3 under my Uncle Dimmick Childs 1931 & 32. I was also Deputy Assessor for Springville 1941 & 42. I helped build the Springville Stake House the summer of 1950 and was custodian Springville Stake House for 22 years from May 1, 1951 to February 7, 1973, when I retired.

     Travel : Canada, Mexico and the following states: Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, most of the Utah scenic spots.

     Church positions: Sunday school teacher; president Deacons Quorum; First Counselor Elders quorum; Seventies President; High Priest group secretary, 5^th Ward; High Priest instructor, 5^th and 7^th wards; YMMIA presidency; Genealogical Committee Chairman; Temple goer.

     Church Leaders I have Met: President Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, Richard L. Evans, Rugus K Hardy, Anthon R. Ivans, S. Dilworth Young.

     I leave you my testimony that God is our father and Jesus Christ the only begotten son of the Father and our Redeemer and His church is restored and His gospel will fill and govern our earth, restored though Joseph Smith the prophet and we have a prophet today—President Spencer W. Kimball. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

     (Leo Dean Weight died on February 4^th 1986 in Provo, Utah and burried on February 8^th next to his wife, Lola, in the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville, Utah.)