A Field of Choice, Marriageable Non-Members

In an earlier post I introduced  Mariellen Stallard,  a mature and single graduate student with a 22-year old, disabled son. She met John Staley in class and shared the gospel and her testimony. Then John, who turned out to be a Catholic Priest, Benedictine Monk, and post-doctoral fellow in sociology, investigated the Church, attended the Philadelphia Ward, was baptized, married Sister Stallard, and eventually became a Professor of Sociology at Brigham Young University (teaching from 1969 to 1985.) I had just returned to the University of Pennsylvania from my mission in Guatemala in 1967 and met John Staley, heard his ringing testimony of the Restored Gospel, and witnessed his adoration for his wife.  

Hartman and Connie Rector published John Staley’s conversion story in “A Catholic Monk Finds Gospel Brotherhood,” No More Strangers, Vol. 1 p.19).  I showcased Mariellen because she is typical of many quiet, remarkable Mormon women who otherwise might be overlooked.  She found love and marriage later in a very full life.  And like three of our own children, she married a wonderful person who joined the Church after they met.

special, valiant spirits

The Lord prompted Mariellen to reach out to a non-member man and date. We could reasonably include John among the many choice men and women, some of them single, that the Lord has placed among specific non-member families of the world. In the words of Elder Eldred G. Smith, Presiding Patriarch of the Church,

“The teaching in the spirit world has continued since the crucifixion of Christ. This means many are accepting the teachings all the time. Their descendants are found in all the nations of the earth. To assist those who have accepted the gospel in the spirit world . . . the Lord has reserved special, valiant spirits who in the pre-existence were so strong that the Lord knew they would accept the gospel when they heard it . . .with a special mission to be a saving power to their ancestors . . . responsible for all their family research.” (See “Our Responsibility to Our Dead,” Eldred G. Smith, Conference Report, April 1962, pp. 65-67) Emphasis added.

a side note on hartman and connie rector

Hartman and Connie Rector were converts, and he became a General Authority - one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventy. In the 50's and 60's I experienced among some established Mormon families a view that their children needed to marry those who were born into the Church, but never converts.

In 1971 the Hartmans began publishing powerful accounts of baptized adults and their conversion stories in what became 4 volumes of the No More Strangers series. I always felt that these accounts were intended in part to facilitate full acceptance of new converts into the Church. 

Mormon demographics suggest that many more LDS women would face a diminished pool of marriageable men if converts were excluded and they weren't permitted to find mates among non-members. See The Disappearing Mormon Bachelor, NYTIMES.COM