Marjorie Pay Hinckley, wife of President Gordon B. Hinckley, once said, “The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache.” 1
Bringing humor into situations and life puts others at ease, relieves tension, and is therapeutic. The old maxim “Laughter is the best medicine” has much truth to it. The following are glimpses into the humor of several former general auxiliary presidents.
Bathsheba W. Smith, the fourth general Relief Society president (1901-1910), was married to Elder George A. Smith, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Smiths lost both their sons — John, in infancy, and George, Jr., killed as a young man by Indians. Bathsheba was devoted to their only daughter, named after her. This daughter later married and provided ten grandchildren, who brought great joy to their grandmother’s life.
As a young wife, Bathsheba endeavored to beautify her various pioneer homes, which ranged from a smoky cabin in Nauvoo to a covered wagon for the trek west. Bathsheba’s wagon was no ordinary one as she described in her journal:
On this journey my wagon was provided with projections, of about eight inches wide, on each side of the top of the box. The cover, which was high enough for us to stand erect, was widened by these projections. A frame was laid across the back part of our wagon, and was corded as a bedstead; this made our sleeping very comfortable. Under our beds we stowed our heaviest articles. We had a door in one side of the wagon cover, and on the opposite side a window. A step-ladder was used to ascend to our door, which was between the wheels …
I had, hanging up on the inside a looking-glass, candlestick, pincushion, etc. In the center or our wagon we had room for four chairs, in which we and our two children sat and rode when we chose. The floor of our traveling house was carpeted, and we made ourselves as comfortable as we could under the circumstances.
Once, while fording a stream, Bathsheba’s awkward, unwieldy wagon threatened to wash downstream. Unruffled, she yelled, “Behold, Noah’s Ark!” 2
Seventh general Relief Society president Louise Y. Robison’s service spanned the Depression years (1928-1939). Louise understood well the economic challenges of the era as she herself had experienced financial hard times. Yet her children claimed they never noticed a lack of material goods and grew up in a happy home, especially because of Louise’s cheerful approach to life.
As president, Louise initiated Mormon Handicraft to provide a place for Latter-day Saint women to earn income by selling handmade items, yet to stay at home with their families. She also suggested the name Singing Mothers for the Relief Society choruses because she felt that “a singing mother makes a happy home.”
Though shy and self-effacing, Louise nevertheless, extended her warmth and wit to those around her. She commented, “I enjoyed every minute that we spent in visiting the different wards and stakes, and going with the president to visit at conferences. We had many contraptions to travel in, such as a Ford without any brakes. That made President [Clarissa S.] Williams very nervous.” 3
Just as Louise reprimanded her children gently, when the Relief Society sisters needed a little nudging, she did so with good humor and gentleness. Although General Authorities suggested that women remove their fashionably large hats during meetings, many women kept them on rather than disturb their hair or appearance.
At the beginning of one Relief Society conference, Louise announced to the congregation, “Sisters, we are going to remain seated while we sing our first song. I’m sure you have books and papers and your hats on your laps, and I’m afraid it would be hard for you to hold all of them if you stand.” There were smiles and surprises in the congregations as the embarrassed ladies quickly removed their hats. 4
The three decades that Belle S. Spafford served as the ninth Relief Society general president, from 1945 to 1974, saw sweeping changes in the world and in the status of women. During her administration, the Relief Society grew from a largely English-speaking organization of 100,000 members to a worldwide organization of nearly a million women in 65 countries. Belle not only served the women of the Church, but she also served women throughout the world as the president of the National Council of Women and as a delegate to the International Council of Women.
Belle’s sense of humor not only brightened her family life but also helped her to cope with the many demands placed upon her and helped to put others at ease. Often when she received a compliment for something she accomplished, she jokingly replied, “I’ve done pretty well for a little girl who lived on the wrong side of the railroad tracks.” Once at a women’s club luncheon as she began to speak, loud music issued from the intercom. When the music stopped, she started her speech again, but almost on cue, the music sounded out again, and no one knew how to turn it off. When her talk was interrupted for the third time, she said, “Don’t let this trouble you. I’m used to giving musical readings; many people prefer them, so I will just go on.” 5
Belle enjoyed telling humorous stories, and she and her son, Earl Spafford, particularly liked exchanging jokes. One of her grandsons commented, “Grandma is the only person I know that could tell the same old joke over and over again and get a laugh every time.” 6 She even got the last laugh by attaching a humorous poem to her will.
Elaine A. Cannon’s effective relationships with people developed from her approach of “let’s have fun” and let’s talk.” Her longtime friend, Winnifred Jardine, said of her in 1991: “She loves life and makes it fun for everybody around her. Her charisma intrigues and fascinates everyone. All eyes are drawn to her in any kind of a group. Yet she never comes to anything empty handed; she always contributes to a good time.” 7
When Elaine planned a party for the Cannon’s adult friends, the children willingly helped prepare, for they knew that the next night was their turn for a party with the same decorations and good food. Holiday traditions and vacations at the family cabin near Yellowstone National Park were fun experiences for the Cannon family. As grandchildren came along, her relationship was built with them in the same “let’s have fun” and “let’s talk” style.
Though Elaine experienced many physical hardships, from constant stomach aches as a child to a rare arterial disease, a cracked vertebra in her neck, surgeries, and heart problems, she continued to laugh, inspire friends, work hard, lead, and comfort others.
A prolific writer, Elaine served as associate editor of the “Era of Youth” section in the Improvement Era and then helped establish the youth magazine launched in 1971, the New Era. She wrote newspaper columns for years, free-lanced as a reporter for several national magazines, published several dozen books, and had her own weekly television show.
She served in ward and stake YWMIA presidencies, on the general board and also on several writing committees as well as on the Church’s correlation and instructional development committees. Elaine was called as the eighth general president of the Young Women in 1978 and served for six years.
Elaine L. Jack began her service as the general Relief Society president in April 1990, following three years as a counselor in the Young Women general presidency and twelve years on the Relief Society general board. During her administration, the Relief Society celebrated its sesquicentennial and initiated the Gospel Literacy program. President Gordon B. Hinckley introduced “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” at the general Relief Society meeting in September 1995.
Elaine’s warmth and good humor were evident in the first address she gave as Relief Society president at general conference: “I feel the love and the great strength that come from my four sons and their families. I appreciate their candor and good humor. In fact, I can hear them now, on both coasts, watching this broadcast and saying, “My mother? Oh, sure!” Yesterday, I was telling our oldest son that President [Thomas S.] Monson had said that I might be called on for a few remarks today. President Monson had said, “We don’t want you to preach a sermon.” Dave replied, “Mom, that’s what we’ve been telling you for years!” 8
“My mother was always a good sport,” said Elaine’s eldest son, Dave. “Sometimes, when we were hiking, we would hide rocks in her backpack. She would discover them after we got to the bottom and laugh right along with us.” Her sons like to joke about having a mother who wore army boots when they went hiking. 9
Throughout Elaine’s years of service, she described how her husband, Joe, with “his steadiness, his sense of humor, good judgment, and righteous hands,” wholeheartedly supported her — although she said he didn’t “do dinner.” Speaking in the April 1997 general conference at the time of her release, she commented, “I took it as the ultimate compliment when one of [her sons] said,” in typical Jack good humor, “We’ve been training Mom to be a Relief Society president for a long time, and she finally got it right!” 10
According to her sons, Matt and Jeff, Bonnie D. Parkin has “a quick wit” and “a wonderful sense of humor, though we tested her limits.” 11 David Parkin noted, “My mom loves a good laugh. She loves to interact and have a good time.” 12 Bonnie even made breakfast fun by cooking green pancakes and green scrambled eggs on occasion. Her quips, called “Bonnie-isms” by her family, included such remarks as, “Fair is where you go to see the pigs,” and “The Holy Ghost goes to bed at midnight.”
Bonnie’s outgoing personality and quick wit endeared her to the missionaries in the England London South Mission, where she served with her husband, and to Church members worldwide. Bonnie served as the fourteenth general Relief Society president from 2002 to 2007. She particularly focused on the young single adult sisters, to help them feel an important part of Relief Society, and prayed that all sisters would feel the love of the Lord in their lives daily.
Earlier, Bonnie also had served as a counselor in the Young Women general presidency and on the Relief Society general board. An excerpt from one of her addresses to the Young Women, “Fat-Free Feasting,” reveals her humorous approach to life: “Sisters, I want to tell you a secret. I love to eat. Don’t you? When food has the perfect herbs, when it’s cooked just right, when it’s served like a work of sculpture, I’m in heaven. I can gain weight just reading a menu. And did you know that the Lord doesn’t expect us to diet? Trust me!” 13
Information for this article has been drawn from personal interviews and books co-authored by Janet Peterson and LaRene Gaunt: Keepers of the Flame: Presidents of Young Women and the updated Relief Society presidents’ book, Faith, Hope, and Charity: Inspiration from the Lives of General Relief Society Presidents. Quotes from Church resources courtesy of the Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1 Glimpses into the Life of Marjorie Pay Hinckley, edited by Virginia H. Pearce, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1999, p. 107.
2 Mary Isabella Horne, “Migration and Settlement of the Latter-day Saints,” dictated memoir, microfilm of holograph, LDS Church Archives; original in the Bancroft Library, University of California.
3 Family Scrapbook compiled by Gladys Robison Winter, LDS Church Archives.
5 Joann Woodruff Blair, “Belle Spafford: A Sketch,” Dialogue, Summer 1971, p. 72.
6 Family Scrapbook in possession of Janet S. Wilson.
7 Interview conducted by LaRene Gaunt with Winnifred Jardine, January 28, 1991.
8 Elaine L. Jack, “I Will Go and Do,” Ensign, May 1990, p. 78.
9 Interview with David Jack by LaRene Gaunt, May 1990.
10 Elaine L. Jack, “A Small Stone,” Ensign, May 1997, p. 74.
11 Telephone interview with Matthew J. Parkin, October 8, 2006, and Jeffrey L. Parkin, September 27, 2006, by Janet Peterson.
12 Telephone interview with David S. Parkin, November 30, 2006.
13 Bonnie D. Parkin, “Fat-Free Feasting,” Ensign, May 1995, p. 90.
