“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight” -Phyllis Diller

Wilson Legrand Conover finally turned 12! It was his turn to receive the priesthood and administer the sacrament. His older sister, Louis, encouraged Wilson to smile while he passed the sacrament. As he would walk past her, she would put her fingers at the corner of her mouth and push the corners up into a smile, creating a symbol that the two shared, to help Wilson remember to SMILE! This simple encouragement became a life-long habit. When Wilson was in college, he was on the ballroom dance team; before one of his big performances he lost a tooth. Quickly, he wadded up a tissue paper and put it in his mouth replacing the gap where he’d lost his tooth. Little did he know, that the mother of his soon-to-be wife was in the audience. After the performance she asked her son, George, “who was that guy with the beautiful smile?” George told his mother it was Wilson Conover.

Wilson is my father. He has a smile that radiates through the brightest of days and gloomiest nights. He set a standard for all twelve of his children to smile through life. I, for one, have loved the gift of smiling that he passed to me. Five years ago, I realized how much smiling means to children, when I was barking orders at my nieces and nephew at a family reunion, as we were trying to get lunch set up. Two of the girls, who were working with me, reached over and gave me a side hug; “You are our favorite aunt, you are always so nice.” I was rather puzzled at the timing of this compliment, because I was in the middle of what I felt was “not as nice aunt” mode. I couldn’t stop thinking about this and wondering, why? Then it dawned on me, it was because as I asked them to help me, I smiled at them.  Kids don’t mind helping, they just want to be smiled at.

I have passed this gene down to my children as well. The other day my daughter Chelsea came home and told me that at lunch her friend group went around the circle and shared what bothered them about each person. (A friend activity I would not recommend). She was rather confused, because everyone told her that she smiles too much. I was thrilled!!
That’s all they can say about you?? YOU SMILE TOO MUCH!” I gave her a hug and told her not to worry, that is one of the greatest compliments. On the basketball court, she is known to the opposing team as the girl with the smile. What a beautiful characteristic.

Who would have thought that the sweet gesture of an older sister to get her brother to smile while passing the sacrament could lead to generations of smiling?

If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours

-Sherri Jorgensen