Memory of Her Mother and Sister Leone- By Sylvia Vivian Tuttle Howells

      My mother was very beautiful, high cheek bones, long auburn hair beautiful peaches and cream complexion, a lean shape and proud posture, evincing a fine discrimination of moral values.  It was her spirit that made her truly lovely.  She reverenced God and there was no insincerity, indolence or hypocrisy in her.   She was a wonderful cook, so proud of her children, generous to a fault, always mild disposition and loved my father.  My Mother’s sacrifices never once visiting her folds, her care of us when we were sick, and our happiness at meals when were altogether, yet her willingness to let us leave home just when we could have been much a help to her, to make our own way will ever be a constant reminder to me to live well and noble.

     There were 12 children in my Fathers and Mothers family.  Rena Kathleen, Sylvia Vivian, Bertha Lillian, Leone, Harvey Frederick Eugene, Frances Willard ( named after the great Temperance Speaker), Wallace Earl, Lulu bell, Virginia Rose (whom I named being born on my birthday 14 years later) Benjamin Ward, John Morrison, Earl Richard.  Leone was the 1^st to leave.  She was 14 years and 7 months.  She died of pneumonia. In life she was always such a little angel always unselfish and helpful.  She had beautiful brown hair curly and braided that hung down her back.  Her eyes were brown and I can remember how sober she was though never cross.  She like us all had whooping cough one spring, measles the next and the 3^rd spring pneumonia.  The Dr. came and told us she would not live until morning.  I had brought her a tiny bouquet of sweet smelling wild flowers called Hipatias colored a delicate orchid.  She was so weak she could scarcely hold them.  Mother asked me to go to the village and get my sister Bertha who was boarding with a family and going to school. With every step I took I prayed that Leone would live. Then as I hurried on I was impressed it was wrong and left off.  I brought my sister and soon after we arrived we were all standing around her bed when Leone looked at a big picture on the wall of Jesus as he taught the Wise men in the Temple. Mother said, “God will take care of you.” Leone smiled looking from face to face and died. My Mother and I knelt by the lounge in the kitchen and asked God to take care of her. For a long time after we’d set her place at the table and often spoke of her sweet ways. We never cried for Leone, she seemed nearer to us than ever she was before. I did her work in the Temple and hope I will be fine enough to enjoy her companionship in the Spirit world. I never heard of the Gospel as members of the church know it but my prayer had been answered. I knew the prompting of the Holy Ghost and accepted without question the inspiration not to pray for her recovery. To me she had always been like a little angel, a peace maker, always doing for others and so dear. After I had been in the Church several years I told a lie about a person who could have been hurt by what I said. (I believed I had told the truth but the evidence was only circumstantial reinforced by one I highly respected) I was going to the Temple frequently. One night I saw Leone. It was just a fleeting glimpse but it was enough to make me do everything in my power to correct what I had said even though I still believed I had not lied.