I, James Alton Mower was born 14 January 1899 in Fairview, Utah, the son of Jordan H. Mower and Mary Elizabeth Peterson Mower.

I attended the grade school of Fairview and grew up as most boys do in a small country town. When it came to high school the nearest one was at Mt. Pleasant.

After graduating from the Mt. Pleasant High School (1918) I served on a mission to the Southern States for the L.D.S. Church. On my return after a little over two years, I attended the B.Y.U. at Provo. Here I met my future wife, Etta Christina Ogden. She, also, was a B.Y.U. student.

I went to the L.D.S. Business College for a year, Etta and I were married 27 June 1924.

My first work after attending the Business College, was to operate a filling station. I obtained a lease and operated it for four years. our two sons, James Patrick and Richard Ogden were born 17 March 1926 and 14 June 1926.

When Richard was two years old, we moved to Berkeley, California. Here I secured work with the Standard Oil Company.

But in 1933, I went to work for Bruener Furniture Company in Oakland, as an appliance and furniture salesman, and that has been my work ever since. I like it better than anything I have ever done. I have worked at various other stores in the interim but at present I am back at Bruener Furniture Company.

When I started work at Bruener's we moved to Oakland to be nearer to my work.

1940 our ward was divided. Up to this time I had had little responsibility in the church. But now I was asked to teach the deacons and to do block teaching.

In 1943 I was ordained a Seventy by George Albert Smith and in 1944 I was called to fill a Stake Mission. After two years I was appointed to the office of District President.

Upon being released, I was given charge of the Adult Aaronic Priesthood, in the Maxwell Park Ward, which office I still hold, along with teaching the Seventies class and the M Men in M.I.A.

I have had many faith promoting experiences during my life, but the one that I remember more than any other, happened while I was in the mission field. While my companion and I were on a train going to meet some other missionaries for the week end, I was suddenly stricken with malaria fever.

I was unconscious All that night. My companion Administered to me and prayed for me all during the night.

The next morning, I was able to walk to the doctor, which was absolutely unheard of in the case of malaria. I know that this came about because of the prayers that were offered in my behalf.

We are happy in the thought that we have a Temple in Oakland. This affords us the great privilege of doing temple work.