Reverence is not just a moment of feeling reverent but it is a state of mind and a way of life. We are not especially reverent if we just walk softly or act reverent without feeling awe and respect, or reverence. When I was a little boy, which was really not so long ago it seems. I don't remember what began my love respect, and reverence for my mother and father. It may have been when we knelt in prayer and I herd their prayers of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for their children, for the Gospel, for their home, and for lives of peace and love.
It may have been when I felt their reverence and saw the reverence and love of my brothers and sisters for our parents and our Heavenly Father. In my prayers, guided by mother or by my older sister, I would feel oh, so grateful and thankful for home and family and the church and the gospel and the leaders of the church. It seems that my prayers have been mostly expressions of gratitude and finally asking for protection and guidance.
I was taught reverence and respect for womanhood and to show it by opening the door for any girl or woman and always "Ladies first in every thing". In primary we were taught how to treat a girl and how to ask for a dance. Yes we had junior dances for the primary kids and we were taught to ask a girl politely for the dance and then take her arm in arm to her seat and see that she had a seat and thank her before leaving. We were taught the correct dance position and were taught how to dance and to not step on the girls toes. We were taught how to treat a girl on a date and to respect her in every way by being polite and treating her like she was very special. We Should dance with all of the girls and never two sets with the same girl one after the other. We were taught responsibility for helping all of the girls to have a good time and a good experience. How were they to have a good time or dance if we the boys didn't ask them. In School or play we were never to hit or hurt a girl now matter what because she was a girl and must be respected.
Before I was ordained a deacon I was taught a great respect And reverence for the Priesthood, and as a Deacon I felt great reverence and responsibility for passing the Sacrament and helping in the temporal things of the church. Gathering Fast Offerings I saw people give of their flour and beans and food sometimes, taking almost all they had to help the poor. Then, going with our Deacons advisor to take those Fast Offerings to the poor and aged members who received the food with tears of gratitude. I learned respect and love for those people and to obey the Lords commandments to care for the poor. Our Bishop was A. B. Call and his counselors were Joseph Memmott and Jesse Cardon. I loved them and learned the Gospel by living it and having spiritual experiences.
When I was a deacon we had an excursion to the Mesa Temple to do baptisms for the dead. All of the Dublan Aaronic Priesthood went in brother Oscar Bluth's truck and His son Mac was the driver. We were nearing Mesa and going along a narrow black top highway through the cotton fields when a 90 degree turn suddenly appeared. I guess the brakes weren't too good because when we turned the corner, the truck laid over on its side and we were spilled into the cotton field unhurt. I remember laughing about it and feeling that the lord thwarted Satan's try to keep us from the Temple.
When we got to the Temple we entered into the Chapel to have a chapel service. I was sitting by my dear friend LaSelle Taylor. I remember how great my feeling of reverence was "This was the Lord's house the Temple of God." I looked at La Selle and the tears were coming and he was Crying softly. I whispered and asked him what was the matter. He answered that he could hear his mother singing with the Angels that were singing in the Temple. I learned reverence for the Temple and for spiritual things. I remember the joy I felt when I was baptized for 25 men.
When I was ordained a teacher I was assigned to teach Brother Leon Pratt. I didn't know it at the time but the Bishop assigned me on purpose but I knew that it was a calling from the Lord. My companion Dan Taylor and I went and knocked on the door and were admitted into the Pratt front room. I remember brother Pratt was sitting in front of the fire place reading. He said, "who is it", without looking up. We came into the light and he looked us over and said "You are a Bowman. You can come ward teaching but tell the bishop not to send anyone else." "I pitched baseball for your Grandfather and he was a good coach and a good man." Then he had us sit down and told us to give him the lesson. By that time the surprised family came in and we gave the lesson and had prayer and we left our blessing in their home. After that we couldn't miss a month and we became good friends with all of the family. I learned to love and respect brother Pratt he gave us good advice and he taught us many things. He had the only Jersey cow herd in the whole country.
I was taught reverence for the earth and the creations of our Heavenly Father. Every spring and summer we planted a big garden and I was given a little spot to plant and take care of and marveled at how things could grow and produce out of the earth. I had to thin the lettuce and the radishes and give them to the neighbors because we couldn't possibly use them all. We had to constantly hoe weeds and cultivate the garden not only my little patch but the whole lot. I liked to see things grow and learned why the Lord said that man should eat his bread by the sweat of his brow.
When My father would take me to the mountains with him I loved the beauty of the mountains and the trees and wonders of nature I still feel great reverence for the creations of Heavenly Father and the concern He had for his children to make such a beautiful world for us to live in. I feel a great reverence for the variety of the Lord's creations.