Man of God OR Speed Demon

Happiness and peace will come to earth only as the light of love and human compassion enter the souls of men. – David O. McKay

Karen’s quotes from David O. McKay reminded of a story that my dad recently told me. My dad grew up in Huntsville, Utah where David O. McKay lived. In fact, Dad’s grandparents lived across the street from David O. David O. McKay was a General Authority in the LDS Church for many years and was the Prophet and Church President in his later years.

When my dad was attending college at Weber State College in Ogden, he encountered David O. McKay at a stoplight near the mouth of Ogden Canyon. They looked at each other and smiled, recognizing that they both were heading home through the canyon to Huntsville. David O. always drove a big black car with plenty of horsepower. While they were waiting for the light to turn green, David O. revved his motor and looked at my dad with a smile that clearly said, “Want to race?” When the light turned green, David O.’s car took off like a rocket. My dad couldn’t keep up. He didn’t dare drive up the narrow winding canyon road at high speed.

Once my dad got home, he went to his part-time job at the only gas station in Huntsville. The big black car pulled up and David O. rolled down his window and said, “You’re Georgie’s grandson, aren’t you? Is there something wrong with your car, young man?”

For many years, the police in Ogden and Huntsville knew to turn a blind eye to the big black speeding car with the stately white-haired man inside.