I, Joseph Oscar Burgess, son of Charles Henry Burgess and Sarah Lena Hansen, was born 16 Nov. 1899 in American Fork, Utah.

The earliest date I can remember was when I was two years old. I was bit by the neighbor's dog. The side of my face was torn open so my teeth could be seen through my cheek. I can remember my uncle carrying me to the house. I carry the scars of that bite to this day.

When I was about 4 years old, my mother, my sister Althea and I were returning home from my grandfather's home. We had to follow along a walkway on a path on the ditch bank. It was running full of water and we had to cross a headgate where the water could be turned to another field. The walk was boarded over this headgate so it could be walked over. I ran on ahead and when I got to the headgate I thought I would reach down and feel how cold the water was. The headgate was held in place by the force of the water. I leaned on the board and as I did it gave way and I took a high dive into the water and came up bubbling and spitting and bawling. My mother and sister got a big laugh at me and pulled me out of the ditch soaking wet.

On another occasion, Althea and I were going down town in American Fork to some of the stores. We had to cross the railroad tracks and I was poking along behind. I could see the train coming down the tracks about a quarter of a mile away. Althea crossed the tracks and asked me to hurry up. I waited and waited. Finally I got courage and ran across just before the train got there. I made it but my sister was sure scared and that engine looked awfully big to me.

We went on a block or two into town. Althea was in head of me and I was sauntering along behind. She looked back just in time to see an Indian pick me up and take me into the store. She was really frightened. The Indian bought me some candy and took me back to the sidewalk and just put me down.

I was nearly 5 years old when my dad moved the family to Idaho in 1904. We went on a freight train that went as far as Minidoka. At that time we had to cross the Snake River on a ferry and then go on to Albion Idaho. I can remember at that time 5 saloons running wide open.

We lived in several places in Albion. One place was in the southwest part of Albion. My dad was working for Ralph Howell. We lived in a tent my dad fixed up. It was boarded up on the outside about 4 feet high and it was located in a grove of trees and willows. It was a cool summer place with a nice stream of water close by. While living there I got pneumonia and was very sick. I asked my mother to send for the Elders to come and administer to me. Thomas Loveland and Ralph Howell administered to me and I got up out of bed instantly healed. It was a wonderful experience. I know that the Lord can heal the sick through faith and authority of His servants.

There was a big hotel in Albion called the Cosman Hotel. As I went to school I crossed the porch of the hotel. One time the porch was lined with people staying there. As I crossed the porch a man pulled me to his side and gave me some money. He said, "Now you go to that guy over there and he will give you some money." He gave me some money and sent me to the next guy and so on down the line. They all gave me money. I received enough to buy all my books I needed for school. I don't know why I took so well unless it was my good looks, ha! ha!

Later on we moved down the Albion grade to the flat as we called it. You could see a large valley covered with sage brush as far as the eye could see and the old Oregon Trail went across the valley. My dad and others homesteaded in part of this valley. My dad and uncle Oscar Hansen, mother's brother, built a log house and both families lived in it for a while. When the final survey was made, the log house was on uncle Oscar's place about a hundred feet from where dad's project line was. Later on dad moved a house from Albion down there. The sage brush had to be cleared off the land and that was a big job.

For a long time this settlement was called Burgessville. Eight families of Burgesses lived there. Later the name was changed to View because of the mountains near by that made a wonderful view. It still carries that name.

Farming wasn't much of a success until after the canals were built and water could be supplied to the land. My dad and others contracted to build sections of the canal that was to furnish water for the project. It was the job of my brother Leslie and myself to haul water for the stock while the men built the canals. We had to haul water from Lunch Creek, as it was called, about two and one half miles away.

One time when we were coming back with a load of water, I ran up the road ahead and found a nice sandy spot where I could use my little tin slip and build a little lateral. On one side of the road it was lined with tall sage brush. When I thought Leslie was getting close I raised up to see and as I did a coyote stepped into the road. I let out a yell. My hair raised my hat up and it scared the coyote as bad as it did me. He took off through the brush but looked back to see what it was all about.

When the project was settled more, We had to haul wood from the near by hills to use to cook with. I was in my teens, about 17, as near as I can remember. My younger brother Theodore and I took the team and wagon to get the wood. It was in the late summer and the June grass was about 8 inches tall and very thick all through the hills. As we were going up the hill Theodore took a match, struck it on his pants leg and threw it in the grass. When I noticed it, it had got a pretty good start. We had a shovel and a sack in the wagon. We grabbed them and tried to put the fire out, but of no use. It started up the hill with a little breeze and it formed a V shape as it went up the hill very fast. I knew what would happen if it went up over the hill. On the Albion side there were hundreds of acres of grain ripe and ready to harvest. I knew if it got into that wheat it would destroy hundreds of acres. The only thing I could think of was to get down on our knees and pray that the fire would stop before it got to the wheat fields. The fire went up the hill through the cedars to the top of the hill. We noticed smoke up the hill at the top. We went up there and discovered to our happy surprise that the fire had stopped, a real answer to our prayers. After that whenever I looked at the hill and saw the V shape I remembered it was our prayer and the Lord that saved the grain crop over the hill.

My uncle Joseph C. Burgess run the first store in View. It was here also, in View, I continued my school days until I graduated from the eighth grade. Here also I met my wife. We went through grade school together. Little did she think then she would become Mrs. Oscar Burgess. We were both born in American Fork, Utah and was blessed by the same man, John McNeal. Myrl is the daughter of Alexander Wrigley and Olive Rebecca Bingham.

At one time Myrl's dad saved my life. I was probably 18 years old and was helping him haul posts in southern Idaho. On our way home we were caught in a terrible blizzard. I was on one wagon and Alex on another. It was so terribly cold and I kept wanting to go to sleep. It made me feel so warm and comfortable. Myrl's dad knew I would freeze to death if I stayed on the wagon, so he made me get off and walk so I would stay awake. The last part of the way the blizzard was so bad we both walked behind the wagons, just giving the horses the reins, so we could be somewhat protected from the fierce winds and snow. I was sick for a week after that but Alex was alright.

In the year 1920 I was called on a mission to the Canadian Mission in eastern Canada. Myrl and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple five days before leaving for my mission. Our friends Roy Bailey and Edith Larsen were married the same day, 12 Nov. 1920. Roy and I left for the same mission on the 17 Nov. 1920 leaving our wives, who were cousins, to go back home to Idaho together.

Our mission president was Nephi Jensen. He was a fine man and a powerful speaker.

About a month after arriving in the mission field Elder Bailey was sent to Port Arthur and he labored in that area throughout his mission. I labored in Toronto, Hamilton, Branford, and New Toronto.

I had many faith promoting experiences on my mission. I had been very ill before leaving home for my mission. We didn't know for a while if I was going to live or die. I got up from my sick bed and went on this mission. After being in the field for a time I kept being troubled with not being able to swallow my food. I decided to go see a doctor. Several doctors examined me and decided that I should have my throat operated on. I was to let them know when I could have it done. On returning home I felt concern and began to ask myself, "What am I here for? I am here to do the Lord's work and surely He will help me and bless me so I can do it." I had the Elders give me a blessing and I was able to fill my mission without the operation. I have had very little trouble with my throat since that time.

At one time the Elders were called upon to go country tracting, without purse or scrip, to be gone a month. My companion and I were the only ones to stay out the full month. We had to ask for every meal and for places to stay at night. We slept in vacant barns and vacant houses, in haystacks and then in other places we were treated very well. It was a wonderful experience.

Later my companion and I were sent to New Brunswick. That was a beautiful trip down the St. Lawrence River to Montreal. We rode on top of the ship. It was evening. The ripples on the water was a beautiful sight. We took the train to New Brunswick from Montreal. In Moncton, New Brunswick eight of us missionaries rented a big 4 bedroom furnished house. The price was $60.00 per month. We worked the country from there. Teaching was much better there than around Toronto. There were a lot of German people. We never had to ask for a meal or a place to stay at night. We held cottage meetings in homes, school houses and churches. People were wonderful to us. In Moncton we went to the Baptist church and got acquainted with the minister. We had a wonderful talk with him and gave him our literature. He told his congregation that he wished there were more young men in Moncton like the Mormon missionaries. He told us that he knew we had the truth but he couldn't preach it because being a minister was all he had ever done in his life.

The later part of my mission I was the conference president over the New Brunswick conference. When I was released to come home Elder Wilbur Peacock was made conference president. He felt pretty humble about taking this responsibility. I told him that we had sowed the seeds and now he would begin to reap. I said, "You will get 15 or 20 baptisms while you are conference president." After arriving home and some time later I received a letter from him in which he said, "Elder Burgess it looks like your prophecy is coming true. We have already baptized 15."

At St. Johns, New Brunswick I was released to go home. On my way home I stopped at Boston and went to Bunker Hill Monument, where I climbed to the top and had a good look at the city. From there I went to the shipyards and saw Old Ironsides and went through all of it. It was anchored in the Boston Harbor. From there I traveled to New York City. I called the mission home and was directed how to get there. I took the subway train under the Hudson River to Brooklyn. I stayed at the mission home one day and two nights. One of the Elders took me on a tour of New York City. We went over the Hudson River on the Brooklyn Bridge, went to Time Square and to the top of the Woolworth Building, the highest building in the world at that time. At night we went to a show. Time Square was a beautiful sight with all the bright lights.

After my visit in New York I went to Palmyra and to Joseph Smith's home. Bro. Bean the caretaker took me on a tour of the home. I saw the room where the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and also where the plates were hid from the mob. I went out to the Sacred Grove near the place where Joseph had the vision. After that I went to the Hill Cumorah, as near to the place as was known where the plates were hid. It was a thrill to look over the country and think of the many things that had transpired there in that area of Book of Mormon times.

On my way home from New York, I stopped in Chicago over Sunday and visited the Elders. Arriving in Salt Lake City, I met my wife and her brother, Wilford. I reported my mission at church headquarters. Then visited with relatives for a few days before returning to Idaho and home. It was a nice reunion with our family and friends.

After I bear my testimony, I am going to have my wife write her history up to the time of our marriage; then we will continue our history together as the Oscar Burgess Family History.

I have a testimony of the gospel I would like to express to my family and friends if they can read it. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints is the only church upon the earth that is the true church. I know this through the power of the Priesthood, which no other church has. Without that Priesthood they do not have the full knowledge of God The Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ; so they have been teaching all manner of traditions and all manner of man made philosophy. One of the prayer books of another church reads something like this. "There is but one living and true God everlasting without body, parts or passion, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness, the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are of one substance." To me this is a big example of nothing.

I am grateful to my family that they are active in the church. They all mean a great deal to me. And especially am I grateful to my dear wife. I love her with all my heart. She is mine for all eternity. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple, 12 Nov. 1920, which I am very grateful for.

I know that we belong to the only true church upon the earth today. There are many good people upon the earth that are misled by false teachers. May God bless us all, I pray, that we may be faithful in keeping the commandments of God and Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

POSITIONS OSCAR HAS HELD IN THE CHURCH

* Missionary for L.D.S. Church Toronto, Canada 17 Nov. 1920- Nov. 1922

* Second Asst. to Sunday School Superintendent, View Ward, Idaho

* First Asst. to Sunday School Superintendent, View Ward 1923 - 2 Feb 1924

* Second Counselor Sunday School, Burley, Idaho 26 March 1924

* Head Ward Teacher, Sawtelle Branch first part of 1925

* Sunday School Teacher, Sawtelle Branch, California 1926

* Chairman Genealogical Society, Alhambra, California 27 Sept. 1926

Moved back to Idaho in 1927

* Second Assistant Sunday School, View Ward 1928

* Teacher Priesthood class 1929

* First Assistant Sunday School, View Ward 5 Apr 1931 - 12 July 1936

Moved to California Nov. 1936

* Assistant Genealogy Chairman, Santa Monica Ward 1941

* Chairman Genealogy, Brentwood Ward 8 May 1949

* Second Counselor Bishopric, Brentwood Ward 29 Jan. 1950 Set apart for this calling 12 Mar. 1950 by Stephen L. Richards of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. Released 17 May 1953

* Chairman Genealogical Society, Brentwood Ward 18 Oct. 1953

* Taught Senior Aaronic Class, Brentwood Ward.

Out of this class came 3 Bishops, 1 Stake Pres., 1 Stake M.I.A. Pres., 3 High Counselors, 1 doctor. Others were activated and we went to temple with them to receive their endowments and sealings. They were: Herbert Murray, Reldon Pinney, Mark Smith and Arden Roney.

* Stake Missionary, Santa Monica Stake 7 July 1954 - 5 June 1956

* Ordinance Worker, Los Angeles Temple 19 Feb 1956 - 25 Oct 1972

I was an ordinance worker for 16 1/2 years. I suffered a bad coronary in April 1971 and was in the hospital 5 weeks. Since then I have been wearing a Pacemaker to help my heart. The doctor advised me not to do ordinance work, so I was given an honorable release. Since then I have gone to the Temple to do endowments and to witness baptisms and to do sealings.

* In June 1976 I was sustained as High Priest Group Leader in Brentwood Ward, Santa Monica Stake.

Throughout my life I have been a Ward Teacher and later Home Teacher and have always tried to get it done the fore part of the month.

Before the Los Angeles Temple was built my wife and I took several trips to the Mesa Arizona Temple to do endowment work and sealings. We also went to the St. George Temple.