Son of Moroni Lazenby and Rosa May Stewart

Married Lucinda Curtis, 22 Nov 1922, Manti Temple, Manti, Sanpete, Utah

Married Reba Lou Maynard, 23 March 1956, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

MY STORY BY LELAND MORONI LAZENBY
Written November 1959

Moroni Lazenby was born in Minersville, Beaver County, Utah. His father was John Thomas Lazenby born in England in 1836, his mother was Annie Tether born in England in 1845.

Moroni married Rosa May Stewart 14 Oct. 1898. Her father was Urban Van Stewart born in Tennessee in 1817. Her mother was Ellen Adams born in 1848.

In 1899, July 27, Leland Moroni Lazenby was born at Grover, Wayne County, Wayne Stake. On July 4, 1901 my brother Wallace was born, and I received my patriarchal blessing from Patriarch Brown. My sister May was born September 9, 1903. I enjoyed my early childhood in company with Father, Mother, and my brother and sister. Grover was a small town, the same building serving as school and church. That is where I started my school days. My first teacher was a good man by the name of Chris Pectol. He lived up the creek above us about a mile and a half, and he came on his horse, out of his way to take me to school. He gave me my first horse, a little colt, but the heavy snows that winter caved in the roof of the shed where the colt was. The roof fell on the colt, killing it before it had a chance to grow up.

We lived on a farm and enjoyed the free and happy life of a farm. We also enjoyed my grandmother who lived about a quarter of a mile from us. Then we moved to Loa, Wayne County, Wayne Stake, where Father was engaged in making cheese and butter. Later he went into the sheep business which changed my summer life. As soon as school let out in the spring I went away to the mountains with the sheep and stayed until fall. I was at that time eight years old. I nearly always got into town for the 4th of July.

My companions in the mountains were not young people but older men of all kinds with many bad habits. Thanks to my parents' teachings I was able to leave them alone.

When my brother Wallace and I started to herd sheep for Father and my Uncle John, our wages were 25 cents a day. However, feeling that this wasn't enough, I told Wallace to ask for a raise. Wallace went to Uncle John and told him we wanted more money. Uncle John jokingly said, "Well, how would 26 cents be?" So we worked the next year for 26 cents a day.

On July 27, 1907 I was eight years old. A small creek was damned up about a mile south of Loa and Father baptized me. I was confirmed by my father the same day. I attended church and school in the winter but being bashful and very backward I had many moments that were very unpleasant. I took part whenever I was asked to do so, although it was very hard to do so. The first time I had a part in a play was in Primary. I came on the stage with a girl at my side and a pasteboard wheelbarrow on my back. I got the thing mixed up and said, "Here I come with my wife on my back and my wheelbarrow at my side." I was councilor in the Deacon's quorum presidency, having been ordained a deacon July 27, 1911.

My brother, Wallace, and I took the contract to carry drinking water to the working men who were digging the trench with pick and shovel to bring the water into the town of Loa. We also took a contract to dig the trench to take the water into the Wayne Stake Tabernacle.

We had our horses, guns, dogs, and other things of those days which we enjoyed, and had a lot of fun. One Spring while being on the trail with sheep, because of a misunderstanding between my brother, the camp tender and me, we couldn't find camp at night, so Wallace and I built a fire and remained with the sheep. During the night while we were sleeping the wind blew the fire into Wallace's back. I took my knife and cut off his clothes but he was burned so badly he had to stay in bed all summer.

On January 11, 1922, I was ordained a Teacher. We then bought a farm out in the Indian reservation where Father, Wallace and I spent a while one summer. I graduated from the 8th grade at Loa then went to Bicknell one year to High School where I played on the basketball team. [Note from Susie: Daddy forgot to put this incident in, I thought it was cute--while on the reservation one morning grandfather was a little hurried and upset while they were breaking camp--Wallace wanted to know what to do with the new water bucket, and grandfather told him, "Oh, go throw it in the river!" That night when they were setting up camp grandfather was looking for the water bucket and asked Wallace where it was. Wallace replied that he had thrown it in the river.] My brother, Earl, was born and died in Loa, my brother, Leslie, and sister, Koa, were born there too. Then father bought a farm in Sevier County, between Sigurd and Aurora. We moved to Aurora.

In 1918 I went to Provo to enlist in the Army [was turned down because he was color blind] but came back and went to school at Snow College in Ephraim, but didn't get to stay all year because the flu was so bad school shut down. I was ordained a Priest by N. Noise while at Snow College. In 1919, I was ordained an Elder.

In 1920, I left Aurora on Feb. 2 and Salt Lake City on Feb. 4 to fill a mission in Eastern Canada. After being in Toronto I was told by the mission president that he had no senior companion for me so I became senior companion, although my companion came out with me, I being 20 years old and he 27 years old. I enjoyed my mission, the hard things along with the good.

I returned home at Christmas time in 1921. Again I took part in a play, this time an M.I.A. production. I was the villain. I had to sit on the edge of a well, be shot, and fall into the well. The hero took so long getting his gun out that I fell in before the shot was fired.

At this time I met a fine girl, Lucinda Curtis. We were married Nov. 22, 1922 in the Manti Temple. To us were born seven children. Our firstborn died the day he was born, Nov. 15, 1923. Amy was born Sept. 7, 1924. Vivian Max on Feb. 25, 1927, died the next day. Leland Demoss May 4, 1928, died soon after. Ray Don was born March 22, 1932; Ferrell Curtis was born Jan. 17, 1935; Norman Kay born Nov. 21, 1937, died Nov. 26, 1937. Lawrence was adopted in 1928. He was one year old at the time.

During this time I worked with Father on the farm and enjoyed his close companionship very much. I also held many jobs in the church, both Stake and Ward. I was councilor in the Stake M.I.A., also Sunday School, ward teacher, teacher in Priesthood quorum, M.I.A., and Genealogy. Was ordained a seventy by B.H. Roberts August 15, 1928, then served as Stake and home missionary. I was councilor in the Aurora Ward Sunday School for nine years then chosen as Bishop of the Aurora Ward in 1934, also elected a town councilman at the same time.

Then I moved from town a mile south down on the farm where I enjoyed my wife and children very much and got a lot out of life. While Bishop the new church was finished, the welfare work started; also the budget and other things too many to mention.

While serving as Bishop I was called to spend 2 1/2 years as an ordinance worker at the Manti Temple. My wife and family surely helped me in all of these things and by their help I was able to do my small part. After serving eight years as Bishop I was released in 1942 and in a short time chosen to take my place in the Stake Presidency. Being released from there I was called to the High Council, became chairman of the Stake Gen. committee, chairman of the Melchizedek priesthood quorum, then Lucinda and I were called to fill a mission of 2 1/2 years as ordinance workers at the Manti Temple. We enjoyed our work together.

Lucinda was in poor health for some time. She passed away January 31, 1953 and my family were all away from home. It made things and home very lonesome for me. Father and Mother lived at Manti and came down often to help and cheer me along, then Father died June 6, 1953, leaving Mother very lonely, so I tried to help her.

About the latter part of Feb., 1954 I received a call to fill a mission in the Southwestern Indian Mission, so I left March 11 for Gallup, New Mexico, the headquarters of the mission. I worked among the Navajo and Hopi people. We had fair success with the Navajos but the Hopis, while friendly, were slow to accept the gospel. At the time I left for my mission I was senior High Councilman, it being 10 years since I started. I was also chairman of the Stake welfare farm.

It seems that while in the mission and having had a little experience, I answered the part of a trouble shooter. At one time I was sent about 200 miles farther out in the wilds to open up Kayenta District which had been closed down 4 years because the Indians were going to hang the Elders.

While I was at Tuba City, I received word to go over in the ledges, stay among the Hopi and act as District President. My district was about 200 miles long with 20 missionaries to take charge of. I had many new experiences there. While among the Hopi I met Reba Hahn who was employed as cook at the Mission Home in Gallup. We wrote to each other and I enjoyed hearing from her very much. She helped me when I received word the last of November, 1955 that my mother had passed away, then again of my sister May's death at Christmas time.

When I was released I went to Gallup, picked up Reba and went down to the Mesa Temple to Arizona, then back to Gallup. I left for Texas to visit Ray Don, also went into Old Mexico. After a few days I returned to Gallup, then Reba and Susie, her youngest daughter and I came back to Utah and home. The next day we went to Salt Lake City where on March 23, 1956 we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Reba's daughters, Patricia and Susie, were sealed to us.

On my return home I again acted as ward teacher, a teacher in the Sunday School, Era director in M.I.A.. Then in 1956 I was chosen Patriarch of the North Sevier Stake, a job my father and grandfather had before me, one that is different from all others I have held. At first it looked like I had too much, but through prayer, effort, and the help of Reba I am finding much joy and pleasure in my work.

I am proud to say I have a good, healthy, happy and understanding family; a good wife who puts forth a lot of effort trying to help me and is doing so much more than she will ever know.

May me and mine ever and always realize that time is gently pushing us to the winding up scene of our sojourn here in mortality. May we use that time right and pleasing. I am glad my children are trying to do as they have been taught because life without a knowledge of the restored gospel and obeying it is empty with no purpose or meaning.

LELAND MORONI LAZENBY A LIVING SERMON
Poem written by Ray Don Lazenby, Saudia Arabia, Oct 1, 1972

Our Father wrote a poem of time
Explaining how fast it passes.
And providing guidance to his kin,
So they need not follow the worldly masses.

His burning desire is to see his family
Move wisely through mortal strife.
To help them find the narrow path
That leads the way to eternal life.

Now words of advice can have an effect
On the eager listening ear.
But the spoken word no matter how strong,
Is too often dulled by actions I fear.

This, however, is far from the case,
For along with his loving advice which is ample,
Our father leads the way,
By carefully being a good example.

He has so boldly tackled on life's road,
Those hurdles which cause the common soul,
To give up the fight to stay on the path
And move with the mass without eternal goal.

With the ease of a mighty athlete,
He has cleared the hurdles without sway.
To set the example for us to follow,
As we stumble along the way.

Now there was never a soul so fast to go,
To the aid of his fallen brother.
He was the sincere joy and pride,
Of his own dear, sweet mother.

For he followed a famous father well,
Who was known for his sermons and blessings.
But he never gave any advice,
That he had not already proven by testing.

He chose as life's mate a hard working wife,
Who walked strongly by his side.
Until she had nobly earned,
Her eternal ride.

But he did not give up the fight,
To carry forth God's word.
For he knows that this short life will pass,
And he will gain his reward.

He then added to his eternal family,
Another kind and loving mate.
To assist him in the remaining time,
To complete his mortal work, before it was too late.

Now this wise and faithful patriarch
Is a living sermon.
Of the way his children are to live,
To prove they are worthy Mormons.

The following was found on the day of his funeral, 17 Jan. 1978, among Dad's thing on a small piece of paper in his own handwriting. It was given to Carma for her soon to be born baby by Reba.

When God sends forth a tiny soul
to learn the way of earth,
a mother's love is waiting here.
When God calls home a tired soul
and stills the fleeting breath,
a Father's love is waiting here.
This too is birth, not death.

[Leland and Reba filled a mission among the Indian people in Nebraska and Wisconsin. Leland was ill with cancer and diabetes for many years and was lovingly cared for by his wife, Reba. He died 17 Jan 1978 and is buried in Aurora, Utah. Reba continued the family tradition of missionary service and completed a mission in Ohio and West Virginia]