In Kenneth’s own words, Part 4

(1941) Left on Mission

I had my farewell on the Sunday before I left on my mission and I entered the Mission Home December 7, 1941, the day war was declared, the day of Pearl Harbor. Reed Crystal, a friend of mine, got called at the same time so we went down, (we didn’t have a temple in Idaho Falls at the time, we had to go to Salt Lake) we caught the train and rode down to Salt Lake. On Sunday evening we arrived there and they met us and took us to the mission home. At that time, you went in on Sunday night, entered the Mission Home, on Monday you had classes, Tuesday you went through the Temple and received your Endowments also you were set apart to go on your mission. I was set apart by Joseph Fielding Smith. On Wednesday you went back through the temple again, had a few classes, Thursday morning you left for the mission field. Monday morning we had a testimony meeting, I remember and all the missionaries were supposed to bear their testimony. I had only borne my testimony once and I didn’t have a solid testimony. I knew I wanted to go on a mission but I didn’t really have a solid testimony of the gospel. So I waited my turn and bore my testimony. But I remember we had a missionary from Freedom Arizona. The poor kid came from a very poor family but he wanted to go on a mission so bad that he’d worked at anything he could. He’d rode bareback at the rodeos and earned enough money to put him through. He had an old straw suitcase, I remember, and he wore Levi’s and a work shirt when he came to the mission home and we all kind of looked at him like he was different. But at that testimony meeting he bore the most fervent, wonderful testimony that I had ever heard! He knew the gospel was true!

(1942) Chicago, IL

We rode in a train to Chicago and as I was assigned to the Northern States Mission, the headquarters was in Chicago at that time. There were six states in that mission, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. We got to Chicago Friday night and they met us and took us to the mission home which was out at 2253 North Sawyer Avenue, in Lincoln Park in Chicago. We spent two or three days there until they decided where we were going to be assigned on our mission. I was sent to labor in the town of Battle Creek Michigan. I had an interesting experience on the way to Battle Creek. It was about the 18^th of December and Moody bible institute had let out for the holidays. I got on the bus and it was just full of these Moody Bible Institute students. Some were Baptists, some were Lutherans, some were Methodists some were (I don’t think there were any Catholics) but there were Seventh Day Adventists, all different sectarian religions and I got by fine until a girl sat by me and wanted to know what I was doing out there and I told her that I was on a mission for my church. She says, “Oh, what church is that”. I said “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”. She didn’t know what that was, so I said, “Commonly called Mormon”, and then the whole bus erupted, because they all knew about that. We had a really lively time clear to Battle Creek Michigan. I would bring up something and the Baptists would take my side and I’d bring up something else and the Methodists would agree with me and so on. We had quite a discussion. When I got off at the bus station in Battle Creek Michigan they were all arguing among themselves. I probably set the Moody Bible Institute back a whole year.