I never had a chance to meet my maternal Grandfather, he died at the age of 33, when my mother was just six years old. He left a wife and 5 small children, (a sixth on the way). These were trying times for my grandmother as she tells of the deaths of two family members (her husband, and a 2 year old daughter) two fires (her home, and later a garage with a motorcycle and car) , and the births of two children, in two years.

When my grandfather was 21 years old, he was drafted into the Great War, World War I. While he was in basic training, in Washington State, the Spanish Flu was rampant throughout the world and he contracted the virus. Many other soldiers in training with him became infected, some of them died. He was so ill that he never made it to Europe to fight. Instead he spent the next several months in an Army hospital, after which he was sent home, to convalesce. He would eventually recover from the flu, but the illness had taken a toll, leaving him with a weak heart, and less stamina.

While he was living and farming with his father, he met my grandmother, and they married. She was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, but her husband, my grandfather was. During the quiet winter months, he and my grandmother had many religious conversations, she read the Book of Mormon, was converted to the gospel and was baptized.

In December of 1930, my grandfather, grandmother, and their five little children were at church. Grandfather was not feeling well, so he left the building to get some fresh air. After the meeting he was discovered in the snow bank, unconscious. The family took him home and he died a day later.

A few years later, my grandmother married again, gaining three step children and having five more children, with the grandpa I knew growing up.

I am so grateful for the legacy of faith that my Grandfather left behind. I can go to Family Search and read his biography and see photos and records that have been uploaded there. As I read of his life, I feel like I have been able to get to know him though we never met. One of the records I found through Family Search, was a military record of his service during World War I.

I didn’t know much about World War I, and was grateful to find an article at Family Search called: Remembering World War I: Timeline, Photos, and Records. It helped me to understand this war, and the impact it had on the world and on individuals at that time. I also found in interesting article at LDS Living called; How Latter-day-Saints Throughout History Have Coped During Uncertain Times. This article outlined many situations in the history of the church where our worship has been altered, one of which was the worldwide Spanish Flu Epidemic.

We know that we will face times of uncertainty in our own lives. As we learn about the challenges faced by our loved ones living and dead, and how they were able to overcome them, we can have greater faith in our ability, with God’s help, to overcome and grow from the challenges we face in our lives. –Elaine Hardman