Vision of My Future Family

I had a very clear vision of my future wife and children.

Valentine's Dance 1970
In September 1969 a lovely and beautiful young lady named Ruth McOmber sang in our sacrament meeting. She was the cousin of Mary Jane South who lived in the LDS Grant Third Ward as I did. Ruth had just moved to Salt Lake City that month to begin teaching fourth grade and the John C. Fremont School.

She had a crystal clear, professionally trained soprano voice which brought the Holy Spirit as she sang "Oh Divine Redeemer". I felt like standing and applauding when she finished. I felt a strong impression that I should introduce myself to her after the meeting, so I did.

That week I asked her for a date and for three months we went on several dates. Our very first date was one that would turn away almost any girl, but I chanced it anyway. We went to a lecture at the U. of Utah by Edward Teller, the "Father of the Hydrogen Bomb". To my surprise, she continued to go out with me!

Dining table seen in vision (Easter, 1994).
(Click to enlarge.)
When Christmas came I asked her to spend the holidays with my parents and me, as I still lived at their home at 982 Jasper Circle. She declined, saying that she always spends it with her parents. To me that was a deal-breaker! It was clear that we liked each other but were not really in love, so I decided to stop dating her because I was looking for a wife.

Then came the evening of Sun 18 Jan 1970. I remember the date because it was the night that Pres. David O. McKay passed away. He had been the President of the LDS Church since I was five years old. His passing ended a wonderful era for all of us baby boomer Church members!

14 Aug 1970 Wedding.
(Click to enlarge.)
That night in my bedtime prayers I did something very unusual. I felt to offer a deep and sincere prayer for my best friend since junior high school, Brent Briggs. He was thinking seriously of marrying Adela Vicas from San José, Costa Rica, whom he had met on his mission. For various reasons I had serious doubts about whether or not she was right for him, so I prayed earnestly to know if I should say anything to him or not about my concerns.

I had barely commenced my prayer for him when for the first time in my life a brilliant vision burst forth in my mind's eye. It was like a photograph and it burned into my memory so clearly that I can still see it. From my vantage point at the end of a large dining table, Ruth stood at the other end bringing a large platter with a large turkey prepared for our Thanksgiving meal. Six children were seated at the table, three on each side. She was my wife and those were our children!

Married 14 Aug 1970.
(Click to enlarge.)
Instantly I was totally in love with her! Whereas before I had had trouble remembering what she looked like because I always thought of Viola Allen instead whom I had been previously dating, now I saw her face on every page of my physics books! I did not tell her of the vision until after we were married, but I just phoned her and said I'd like to start dating again, including less formal situations so that we could get to know each other better. On Valentine's Day 1970 I took her to a Valentine's Dance at the Rotunda of the Utah State Capitol, wrote her a sonnet, brought roses and a big Valentine Heart of Cummings Chocolates (world's best in my opinion). That was the day I declared my love for her!

We were married that August by her father in the Idaho Falls Temple, which is another story, and we had six children, but the last one died by miscarriage. The vision was indeed fulfilled in having a wonderful family! Moreover, when we moved to our home at 186 S. 10th East in Orem, it came with a dining table which I immediately recognized as the very table from my vision!