Friend to Friend

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Elder Robert L. Simpson

“Some of my earliest childhood memories,” recalls Elder Robert L. Simpson, “are of Utah state fairs. I was born and raised right across the street from the fairgrounds and used to tend automobiles in our yard for five cents apiece while people went to enjoy the fair. My family also had an arrangement to provide lunch in our home for the cowboys and Indians from the wild West shows. To a five-year-old boy, it was heaven to be eating lunch with cowboys and Indians every day.

“I was lucky in another way. My Grandfather Latham had what I thought was the most important job in the whole world, other than that of being president of the United States. He was a railroad engineer. To hear a train whistle and wonder if it was Grandpa’s—now that was exciting!

“My earliest recollection of my mother is of her teaching me to pray. She always made sure I got to church on time, and she started me off in life with good habits. I remember a precious teaching moment between the two of us. A neighbor lady had passed away. She had been a very dear friend of mine, even though I was but a little boy. I could not understand why Heavenly Father had taken my friend away. I was peering out through the curtains as the mortician placed her body in his big car. My mother took me on her knee and talked to me about the Resurrection and life eternal, things I needed to know right then. Even though I was only five years old, the message really got through because it was a teaching moment that satisfied my need.

“Also when I was five years old, my family moved to southern California, where my great love became the Pacific Ocean. I used to enjoy going down to the beach almost every day to go surfing. When I was about seven years old, a decision was made to build a new chapel. It was for the Santa Monica Ward, and it is still being used today. I remember well the day of the ground-breaking. Mother had explained to me that men with shovels would turn the earth over for the ground-breaking ceremony. I remember taking my little sand shovel so that I could help break ground with the men. It gave me a feeling of pride in that building that has never left me. I felt that I was truly a part of it.

“When I was about ten or eleven years old, I was involved with Primary. My teacher, Sister Zundell, was a very special person. She always taught us so effectively about the Savior. Many times while she was teaching, a little tear would trickle down her cheek, and it always impressed me that she had such tender emotions about the Savior. She taught us about His life and His teachings, which had a profound effect upon me. I can’t tell you the words or the stories that she told us; but just the way she did it, with the tears that would come, had a great effect upon me and the others in the class.

“When I was in sixth grade, I was elected student body president, which they called ‘mayor’ in those days. I was mayor of the school and used to wear my mayor’s badge. It was an honor that I’ve always appreciated. About this time, also, I was a member of an organization called the Western Rangers. This was before there was a Cub Scout program. We went on camping trips to the nearby mountains, and we had some exciting times doing the things that Scouts do.

“I always had in the back of my mind the thought that one day I would be a missionary. When I was old enough to serve on a mission, there was a terrible depression, and Dad was out of work. I did all kinds of odd jobs to earn and save enough money for a mission. I still remember the day I received my call: My boss, who was not a Mormon, called me in and told me he was very proud that one of his boys had been called to be a missionary. He gave me a check for fifty dollars, which in those days kept a missionary going for three months. I was called to New Zealand, and I served there for three full years. When I arrived there, I remember thinking that I was going to help those people become good, solid Christians. But after three years, I realized that they had taught me as much about being a good Christian as I had taught them—lessons of patience, kindness, gentleness, and compassion. Their Polynesian life-style was different from anything I had ever seen, and it was beautiful to see. That mission experience really changed my life and gave it new direction.

“The Maoris are often referred to as a nation of children. This is in no way a derogatory term; it is used because these people have such total faith and sincerity. If they make mistakes, they quickly repent. I was fortunate to be able to spend nine years of my life in New Zealand. The first three were as a young missionary, the second three as mission president, and the last three as executive administrator for all the Pacific Islands, with headquarters in New Zealand. I am grateful for the temples being built in Tahiti, Samoa, and Tonga, as well as for those already in use in New Zealand and Hawaii. A large percentage of temples are built for the Polynesians because of their faithfulness and their interest in genealogy.

“The greatest advice that I can give to the children of the world is for them to learn obedience and loyalty. I’m thinking, first of all, of being obedient and loyal to their parents and not showing disrespect of any kind to them. This carries over to obedience and loyalty to the prophet.

“I would like to add just one word about soft-speaking. Our home was a ‘soft-spoken’ home, and now my children won’t have it any other way in their homes. If we are going to invite the Savior to be a part of our family circle, we need kindness and gentleness in our homes.”