Below is a story that my mom (Pearl Tenney Romney) used to tell me about when she was growing up in Prescott, Arizona with her 9 brothers and sisters. It's not only an entertaining story, but one that has taught me a principle I will never forget. I thought I'd share her story with you today.
"It was a very hot Sunday afternoon in the month of July.. The boys had been to their early morning Priesthood Meeting before Sunday School and Sunday School was over for all of us. We were altogether with time on our hands until Sacrament Meeting. It was Fast Sunday and Sacrament was not held until eight o'clock in the evening. Some one suggested that we all go out to Granite Dell's and go swimming so that we could cool off a bit. There were no fans at Church to help keep us cool.... BUT IT WAS SUNDAY!!! Everyone rationalized that our parents would be understanding and would give their permission for us to go because it was so HOT and we all were FASTING and it was such a LONG TIME until Sacrament Meeting. Lyman, Eudora, Edythe and Pearl (the 4 youngest kids) were not so sure of that thinking. We knew what the rules were and knew that we were expected to live by them!!
It was decided that if we got the consent of everyones parents, then surely Bro. and Sister Tenney would give their consent for their kids to go too. Two of the boys had their parents cars that day and we ALL pilled in and started at Jimmie Harris's home. (Jimmie is a girl) Sister Harris said that Jimmie could go......then we were on to the next house. I do remember going to Val, La Vetta, & Verona Despain's home, (Laura and Wendell Despain are the big brother and sister-in-law). Sister Despain was told that ALL OF THE OTHER KIDS PARENTS ARE LETTING THEM GO SWIMMING AND PLEASE COULD THEY GO TOO?! The answer was YES, if all of the other kids could go. I can't remember who elses home except Nelo and Elda Scott's that we went to. I do know that we got everybody's consent before we went up to the Ranch to talk to our folks. We felt that PEER-PRESSURE would be to our advantage.
All the kids stayed outside and all the Tenney kids went in to do the talking. I don't know where Dad was, but Mom listened to our story and pleadings and was very calm, cool and collected. We finished our presentation with "EVERYONE OF THE KIDS PARENTS HAVE GIVEN THEIR CONSENT FOR THEIR KIDS TO GO AND WE WANT TO GO TOO!!! "
Mother looked at us right in the eye, everyone of us. Then she said, "You have been taught the correct principles of keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. There comes a time that you must make your own decisions as to how you are going to keep this commandment. Today is one of those times. I am going to leave it up to you as to what you will do about it!" Now the "PEER-PRESSURE" had been turned on US.....outside were all of those kids waiting to know our answer. We four kids got into a huddle and came up with the decision that WE WOULD GO SWIMMING!! We told Mother and she said if that was our decision that we could go. WE WERE SOOO HAPPY TO HAVE HER CONSENT!!!! (??)
We were having the time of our life swimming there at the Dell's. It was such a big beautiful cool place to be with all of our friends. This was TRUE HAPPINESS FOR US!!.......All of a sudden it started to THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AND SPRINKLE. The Lifeguard ordered everybody out of the pool. (Remember the pool was BIG WITH AN ISLAND AT ONE END AND A COVE IN ANOTHER AREA OF IT.) It was no easy thing to get all of the swimmers to hear and come in. I do remember that I had just had my turn to swing on the rope and drop or dive off into the deep water when the call came for us to get out of the pool. So I swam towards the side that was the closest to me.
Nelo Scott was just behind me when I got near the metal steps and just then another BOLT OF LIGHTNING HIT THE WATER WITH A VERY LOUD CRACK!!!! I thought that I had been HIT BY THAT LIGHTENING, but how could I, I was STILL ALIVE!! When I got out of the water, I found a big RED STREAK RUNNING FROM MY EAR CLEAR DOWN TO MY ANKLE AND FOOT!! Nelo Scott, who was close by had some marks on his body too. I don't remember any others having been hit.
Our whole group learned a lesson that day because of the two of us being hit by lightning...... "NEVER GO SWIMMING ON SUNDAY! KEEP THE SABBATH DAY HOLY!!!" This has been a good object lesson for our kids and our grand kids and I hope our little great grand kids will hear the story as they get older and learn from it too. I HAVE NEVER GONE SWIMMING ON SUNDAY SINCE THAT DAY!!!I think our mother had a direct line to Heavenly Father that day!! All of this is true!!!"
(Written from the hand of Grandma Pearl Tenney Romney)
One of my favorite Grandma Romney stories growing up! And it still is! My kids will always remember to not go swimming on Sunday "or you'll get struck by LIGHTNING!" just like I do! :)
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