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The Sunday Blessings Podcast is hosted by Jay Hildebrandt and features stories of faith, hope, and inspiration. You'll hear extended interviews, musician & artist spotlights, and more. Sunday Blessings can be heard weekly on Sundays from 5am-5pm mountain standard time on Classy 97, Sunny 97, and Classy 97 Lite.
Sharing stories of faith, hope, and inspiration. This is the Sunday Blessings podcast. Welcome to the Sunday Blessings podcast. I'm Jay Hildebrandt, and today I'm joined by David Marlowe. You may recognize his name.
We feature his messages often on the Sunday Blessings radio program. David has written some 20 short books focusing on inspirational topics, things he's learned in his long life and as a Seminary Institute of Religion teacher for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. We note this podcast is being recorded on October 31, 2024, and unfortunately David at this time is suffering from a terminal illness which has given him a special perspective on life and death. We've asked him to share those feelings with us today along with lessons he's learned over his 81 years. David, how are you feeling today?
Well, I I think I'm feeling the effects of non dialysis. Mhmm. And they said it would be a slow kind of a slow process. And I'd feel tired, which I do. And and one of the first signs is with not having kidney dialysis.
So and I'm starting to feel that where I'm a little more tired and I love to sleep. Yeah. And and that's taking effect. Yeah. Yeah.
So because I know the end is near. Well, we appreciate you taking the time and You bet. Using your energy to talk with us. This is, October 31, 2024, by the way. So happy Halloween.
Well, thank you. I have my Halloween mask on. Yes. Had an oxygen mask. Yes.
Yeah. So we we wanna talk a little bit more about some of the these deeper topics a little bit later in our discussion. But first, we wanna get to know you a little bit better. And tell us about maybe your your younger days, a little bit of your life history in a in a nutshell. Well, very briefly, I was born in Wapelo.
Nobody's probably heard of that too much, but, actually I made it famous when, our little Waltie went to the all church tournament. Because he used to play soft ball there. And Yeah. And I had quite a I considered a really joyful experience pitching for our team that went to Salt Lake. And I think about that same year, our team went to the state championship and I pitched in Portland.
Wow. So in the, Northwest tournament. So and that was really a pleasure. Now you're quite the athlete back then. Tell me about your your family, your parents, brothers and sisters, what you did.
Of course mom and dad and then dad would have been married before and had 4 children. And then his wife passed away. And so then he met and married my mom and had 5 more. So I always say I came from the 2nd litter. Oh.
So Yeah. So that was a good life on the farm with all the kids. Yeah. Your memories of growing up on the farm, anything stand out in particular? No.
Not particularly other than it was a lot of hard work and, and that's fine because it taught me that value of of work and production and responsibility. Because my dad hated our milk cows and if they didn't get, if I didn't milk them, they didn't get milk. Oh boy. And it was kinda interesting because when I left on my mission the next week, he sold the cows. Oh, and maybe have them just to teach you responsibility.
Yeah. And I think, he was teaching me a little a little to save money. Yeah. And maybe he didn't wanna milk him after you left. So I think that was the bottom line.
Yeah. And you you kind of learned learned about faith and and religion in those early years too from your family. Yeah. My family is always active in the LDS Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. And it is said that my mom held about every position in the church so the woman could hold.
Both stake and the Lord. And I remember one day when my dad was called by the stake presidency to be the ward clerk, And bless his heart, he was out trying to get some grain harvested. And here's 2 men in suits standing out there with my dad in a grain field. Pretty soon, dad come rushing in the house. I got to get to church because they're gonna call me to be a lord clerk.
Oh, so so you learned early about, devotion and That's right. And being valiant. Yeah. So then, after that you, you said you went on a mission. And then I did.
Tell me about that a little bit. Well, it was very interesting. It was called the Northern California Mission, north of Fresno. And so we had everything there and and in that area. And our mission president actually, part of Utah was in that mission.
And he tells a story that he request of the first presidency to go into Utah and then sent me there with a couple other elder a few other elders while he was waiting for for permission. And they said no but we were already there. So he was a he was a pusher and it was a very successful mission. We had a lot of baptisms. California was growing then and had quite a few baptisms.
And and I had the opportunity to meet some of the general authorities, Hugh B. Brown and Boyd K. Packer and Gordon B. Hinckley. Those names are probably familiar with a lot of people.
So it was a good mission. Yes. And then tell me after did you go to to school, got a job, got married? Tell me about the next steps in your life. The next step was I came home and then wanted to be a court stenographer, a court reporter.
And so I took off for Denver. Didn't know a soul there. And he just threw everything in the back of my car and my missionary experience taught me to be independent Yes. And self sustaining. So then anyway I've met this cute little girl in school.
And I love to tell this story because in that ward I was called to be a Sunday school class teacher for high school students. And she was a little younger. So she fit right in and I kinda twisted the lessons a little bit to include some missionary lessons. Because I had just gotten home not too long ago. And one day driving home from church my this lady then said to me You're not gonna marry me unless I join the church are you?
I said, No. She says, Okay I'm ready. So I baptized her a couple weeks later. So And that was your dear wife? And that was my dear wife and we've been married now over 50 years.
So she made the right choice. And so did you. And so did I. Yeah. So how many children did you have?
Just that we have 2 children. Yeah. They didn't come easy to our home and we had to adopt. And that was fine. We got 2 girls that are total opposites.
Oh. One of them was such a problem child. Oh. She really strained our relationship. And the other girl, she loves seminary and loved going to church and just total ends of the the spectrum.
That's the way it is when you have children. You love them all. Yeah. You love them all. Yeah.
Even though one time I was they had an adoption day in Rigby and they asked me to speak. And and after it was over my daughter said, You did what? And I said, well, I spoke of this the joy of adoption. And she said, you should let me speak then nobody would have wanted me to adopt. So she was a handful.
But I tell you, she's sure a good mom now. Oh. She really watches after her kids. All turns out for the best. It did.
Yeah. She's a wonderful person. So tell me about your your career and the the other things that that you did after that. Well, after we, finished, reporting school, they're specialized schools that's not taught in university because you have to know how to run that little machine because it's just a code. And, my wife, Nancy, started to work in Boulder while I finished school.
And then, I got a job with the Industrial Commission in Boise. So we moved to Boise and lived there a few years and actually about 15 years. And then, come here to Idaho Falls and I worked for 3 wonderful judges. They were really fine men. And, Judge Grant Young and Judge Brent Moss and then Justice Greg Moore, he's on the supreme court now and doing a very good job there.
I understand. Yeah. So then you, in addition to your court career, you you also, taught Seminary and Institute. How was that? Yes.
I had a very Heavenly Father really blessed me because at one time I was I was teaching a substitute teaching in seminaries. So I went all over the valley, from Rexburg to Shelley teaching. And then at the same time I was teaching institute and the stakes ended there by the temple. I wanted to ask you too, David, about, several years ago, you since we were friends, you started sending me some little booklets of motivational and inspirational messages. Yeah.
And over the years, you you wrote 20 of those, different you know, on various topics that that inspired people. You know, with, with your life at that time, why did you decide that was something you wanted to take the time to do? It takes a lot of effort to write those books. Well, it really did. But I had a lot better help and I could photocopy and buy them, print them, send them out.
And at one time I was sending out over 50 copies a month. I call them my little book of the month club. Yeah. And, I I I'd lay in bed and these ideas and thoughts had come on my mind, into my mind. And I thought, you know, I've taught the institute, Sunday school, steak, and stuff.
And I just couldn't stop the flood of of ideas and emotions. Morning. Yeah. And so after I wrote 10 books I was gonna quit and I called it the last word. But then I laid in bed on the 11th book and kept going up to 20.
Oh, wow. So I sent out and it's been a real blessing. As I've laid there in wonderful comforting church doctrine. And I couldn't stop the flood of of, thoughts. And so, Heavenly Father bless me with this knowledge from the teaching experience.
They were wonderful young people. Teaching experience. They were wonderful young people and they kept me alert, kept my, horsing round abilities in tech. Yeah. Check with, some of these people.
They were just it was quite an experience. And it felt like that I had to put it down. Yeah. So you've you know, in 81 years, that's a that's a good life. What are some of the, maybe, pearls of wisdom that, that you've learned over those 81 years that that kind of are at the top of your list of important lessons?
I'll tell you one thing that taught me a valuable lesson when I was teaching at Bonneville High. When the students started to come in, there was a young man with long hair, head cut off t shirt, cut off Levi's and flip flops. And when he came in the room I thought, uh-oh, here's trouble. Because he just had that look about him. And which very seldom happened when you were teaching is I ran out of material.
And rather than just do stupid things, I asked him. I said, well we got just a few minutes. What do you wanna do now? And one of the girls popped up and said, I used to be the accompanist in primary. Let's sing primary song.
Oh. And so we started to sing primary songs. And this young man that I thought would be trouble saying the loudest. He swayed back and forth with music. And I thought I was so wrong.
Don't be judging people by the way they look. You know, when he was, I thought here he is in high school and still remembers primary songs. And that taught me a valuable lesson about people and how they can be so different. Yeah. So that was a I had a lot they taught me a lot of lessons.
Yeah. So it was a wonderful, wonderful experience. So I wanna ask you, David. You know, at this point in your life, do you have any fear of dying? No.
In fact, one of the books I wrote was on what happens when we die. And, of course, I have a little trepidation. That's just normal. But, I'm anxious to see my mom and dad and and they say you can even see some of your pets. So I can still see our little dog running toward me, leading the group of dogs.
So because I have grown up on the farm. We had a lot of pets and Mhmm. A lot of dogs that were just fun. May maybe they'll be reunited with them as well. Yeah.
I I kinda hope so. Yeah. So when you learned, recently that there really was no cure for you, that, you know, that the end of life was near, did it change your outlook? And how did you feel when you found that out? Well, I was on kidney dialysis up the street here on Sunnyside at the kidney clinic for over 5 years.
And so I saw a lot of people come there and go. And I always said to myself and the folks there, nobody graduates from that class. So I knew it was terminal but, just planned. And this last bout when I was in the hospital for for 2 weeks with some serious problems. They said it wouldn't wouldn't heal.
It'd just get worse. So then I said, okay. Let's, my wife and I sit down and have a had a real serious talk about the end of the life. Mhmm. And because she's in good health, my gosh, she still mows the lawn.
She has been such a strength. And to give you an idea of our family, the faith our family has, we got the family together and we informed them that it was the end of life and that it would be coming. We don't know when. Sometimes it drags out for a while with this. And so we terminated any, dialysis.
And it was kind of a tearful process with the family all together. But the next night we had a pizza party. Oh. So we all came over and had pizza. Celebrate and party with you Yeah.
As much as they can while you're still Yeah. Still around here. Yeah. Oh, it's a it's a good family. Very supportive.
Mhmm. They come over. And my one daughter, she lives local and the other daughter lives in Arizona. And so my one daughter who lives local has been bringing me over supper. She's feeding me too much.
Oh. Yeah. She's a good mom. Yeah. She she was upsetting when she was younger in the teenage years.
But she's sure a good mom. So we're ready. Yeah. So I even got my funeral program listed and of which brother Jay or one of the speakers. Oh, I'm honored.
We go back a long time. Yeah. We sure do. So So is there something about being at home in your, you know, in the in the final months or weeks or whatever it is rather than being in a hospital? Yeah.
This is really a blessing because some of the doctors have said, you know, you just get more tired and more sleepy. And Mhmm. One night you go to sleep and you don't wake up. Yeah. So sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night, I say, now that's not supposed to happen.
Yeah. So, what message would you give to your posterity and all the rest of us as as as your kind of some of your your dying messages? Well, I'd say live life to the fullest. You know, heavenly father bless us with a beautiful part of the country. We're very fortunate to live in around here and and everything.
And and this. We had a young girl one time that she said something to me that that I had a lot of friends when I was in teaching seminary and just student stuff. And and she was kind of a trouble girl. And I came home and found her sitting on my doorstep one day because she didn't have a place to live. And I haven't heard from her for all these years.
My daughter, her her friends. And she told me the other day my daughter told me she said, I texted this lady and told her that you've got some end of life procedures. And she texted back with a picture when I was had warm around her when she was getting ready to go to the high school dance or something. And in the text, she said, tell your dad that he loved me when nobody else would. And I thought that was kinda special after all these years because she went through some trouble times doing some things that aren't quite right.
Any other experiences, faith promoting experiences that that stand out that you would wanna share? Well, other than just don't judge anybody. Absolutely. Be kind to people and and it'll it'll return. The the love will return.
And one thing I'm kind of excited about is I learned through my through my publication of Life After Death that somebody said, well, the first thing you'll realize when you step across the veil is how you treated your wife and family. You'll come to that realization. So I really hope that I can, as time goes on, that I don't get nasty or honorary or demanding, then I just still be my pleasant self. And, just woke up won't wake up one morning. Yeah.
And, be thankful for that. Yeah. Do you wanna wanna share your feelings about about your your testimony about Jesus Christ and and heavenly father and and, the the plan of happiness. Yeah. That's an interesting question.
And one meet one time I still have a state calling by the way. And one time when I went to that state leadership meeting, our stake president looked at me and said before we start the meeting, I wanna hear your testimony brother Marlow. Which was a shock, but it was a pleasant experience with all the stake leadership to tell them how I love the savior. And his goodness, you know, he watches over us and this little phrase about I'm a child of God is really true. We are children of our heavenly father and he's got a real stake in our demeanor if we just listen to him.
And, an act and I love the hymns. And in fact, that's I'm gonna have one of the hymns sung at my funeral because, I love that hymn of Oh, My Father. Oh, My Father? Yeah. So, because he is our father in heaven.
And, to think of all of the people that are on earth and have lived and everything for those who can accept the fact that He's our father are lots better off. Yeah. So that's Yeah. So you're kind of looking forward to to making that that trip across the veil. Yes.
In fact, you know, one more quick story. Yeah. I was speaking at my mom's, missionary farewell. Because she and her husband at that time, my dad had passed away. And it was a ward up in Blackfoot.
And when I got done speaking, a little elder, a lady came up to me. She held my hand. She says, oh, brother Marlowe, you sound just like grandpa Ford. Well grandpa Ford has passed away several years ago and I was looking through a book and I saw found an old picture of him. I thought that looks like me.
So I often wondered if grandpa Ford didn't help me with some of these thoughts, ideas, and presentations. Mhmm. So Yeah. Don't know. I'll have to ask him.
That's right. And it sounds like you have no doubts at all that Oh, no. That, there is life after death. Yes. Yeah.
And I'm not I have no problem with that. Yeah. And we'll spend some time in the spirit world and then comes judgement day. And now I'm a little worried about that. But, I don't think you need to be.
I think that, I hope I've done enough good works that heavenly old father will say, you were a little stinker, but you turned out okay. Yeah. Well, you still have your sense of humor. That's for sure. Yeah.
I want I never will lose that. And finally, David, how would you like to be remembered? Just that, I wrote books of inspiration and that motivated some people. And some as they read those books, they thought, what a good idea. Once on, they had some folks of another religion tracked into my home.
And after we talked for quite a while, the lady said, you treated me with kindness and with, you respected my views. Even though we didn't get we didn't agree with everything, you were still very respectful of what I did. So that's a good way to be remembered. Well, thank you very much. David Marlowe, we've been talking with today on Sunday Blessings.
I'm Jay Hildebrand. Thanks for listening to the Sunday Blessings podcast. If you enjoy the show, please share, subscribe, and rate the podcast. Sunday Blessings is hosted by Jay Hildebrand and is a production of Riverbend Media Group. For more information or to contact the show, visit riverbendmediagroup.com.