Dad came home from his mission to Austria in 1967, so it's been 41 years since he served as an assistant to President Arthur Watkins. Obviously President Watkins was quite a guy. After serving as a Mission President in Austria, he went on to serve as a Mission President in Italy. He was a professor of languages at BYU and as I recall is fluent in German, Italian, French, etc, etc, etc. We got a phone call last week telling us that as President Watkins is now 92 years old, they were having a reunion with him for one last time. We wanted to be there. We headed to Lindon for the event. There were eight of Pres. Watkins
missionaries and their spouses that came, including Larry Wright from Arizona. Jon Dibble (to Dad's right) and Larry (back row center) both returned from their missions and went to law school at Stanford. There were some VERY outstanding missionaries in Austria at that time.
missionaries and their spouses that came, including Larry Wright from Arizona. Jon Dibble (to Dad's right) and Larry (back row center) both returned from their missions and went to law school at Stanford. There were some VERY outstanding missionaries in Austria at that time. President Watkins had trouble hearing but his eyes are twinkling and his mind is very, very sharp. He lost his beloved wife eight years ago. Of course all the guys wanted a picture with the President. I thought the girls should have the same opportunity. It was so sweet to be a part of this coming together to reminisce. The last time I visited with President Watkins, I was at his home and he showed me his anti-gravity machine. It was a flat board that he would strap himself to, then it would rotate and he would spend some time inverted with his head down on the board and his feet in the air. It kept the blood flowing to his brain, he said. It must work! I should get one of those.
