Family History

Sharing & Preserving Love Stories — Yours and Theirs

By Alyson Johnson

“M awwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togethew today. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam. And wove, twue wove, wiww fowwow you fowevah and evah.” My youngest son spoke these words from The Princess Bride as he began the wedding ceremony for my oldest son in December 2020.

Two of my kids met their spouses through Facebook—you know there are good stories there!

I met my husband playing volleyball at our BYU ward opening social in 1989. When he found out I was trying out for the women’s softball team, he made me a pan of brownies to wish me good luck. I made the team and we ended up married!

I know you too have memorable dating, courtship and wedding experiences. Do you know how your parents and grandparents met, courted, and married?

My parents also met at BYU, where my mom was asked to help direct a male chorus for the 1955 Homecoming celebration. My dad joined the chorus and eventually asked her out, taking her to a dance for their first date. She was dreading it because he’d told her he wasn’t a good dancer, so she was stunned when he turned out to be an Arthur Murray on the dance floor.

Later, as their wedding date approached, my parents wrote to Hugh B. Brown, then an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, asking for special permission to be married civilly then go immediately to the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed. My dad joined the church at BYU, and his parents were driving from Pennsylvania for the wedding celebration. He was concerned about their feelings were they not to be

Photo by Don Busath Newlyweds John and Karin Gunner outside the Salt Lake Temple after being sealed.

allowed to witness their oldest son’s marriage.

Here is part of Elder Brown’s reply: “Immediately upon receipt of your letter…I referred the matter to the First Presidency. They will reply to you direct…I feel quite sure it will be quite satisfactory to you and those concerned. Greetings and best wishes.”

Permission was given and my parents were married in the Relief Society room of the Wasatch 2nd Ward building, then went straight to the Salt Lake Temple for their sealing.

My maternal grandfather married my grandmother after losing his first wife during surgery. My paternal grandmother was engaged to another man when my grandpa swept her off her feet.

Your family’s love stories are waiting to be shared and preserved. Use the Memories app this spring to capture these precious memories before they’re forgotten and lost. (Android users can converse on the phone on speaker while recording the conversation as an audio memory in the Memories app. Apple phones will not do that, so use one phone to put the talker on speaker and hold it close to a second phone that is recording in Memories.)