Ted and Kath Murray History

Ted Murray

Born: Salmon Arm, BC

28 Oct 1951

Sidney Ward

Baptized 24 Nov 1976 in Salmon Arm Branch

Not first member. Sister Mary was first (aged 15) 1968, mother Peggy second (1971), me third (1976), younger brother Hugh (1986), older brother Art (still a friend of the church)

25 years old when baptized, 26 when I went on a mission, 29 when married

Came to Sidney Ward in summers of 1985 and 1986 to work on my UBC Masters Degree Thesis project and moved here permanently in 1988. Have lived in the same house now for 36 years.

Callings:

Executive Secretary Salmon Arm Branch, Missionary – California Anaheim Mission, Branch President – Lillooet, Stake Mission President (twice – Vernon & Vancouver Stakes, 1st Counselor to Stake Mission President (Victoria Stake), 1st counselor in Sidney Ward Bishopric with Bishop Isfeld, YM president, Scout leader, Bishop of Sidney Ward 2001 – 2007, Ward Mission Leader, High Councillor, BCTG Food Drive - Sidney co-ordinator, YM Advisor, Stake Just Serve Co-ordinator, 1st Counsellor YSA Branch Presidency with Pres Randy Keyes, currently 1st counsellor in Stake Presidency with Pres. Gary Anderson.

Enjoyed each one I was in at the time, but prefer my role as husband, father, and grandfather.

Conversion: https://youtu.be/Xu7TYNE7sKs?si=rbhub8HCWRBaf3U6&t=2018

Katherine (Kath) Lees Murray

Born: Vancouver, BC, March 7 1957

Currently live in Sidney Ward, Victoria Stake, BC

History

I was raised in West Vancouver, but graduated from Cowichan High in Duncan, went to UBC for Nursing in 1975. I was hit by a car, riding my bike home from university on June 21 1976, which led to a number of things happening, including me deciding to take a year out of nursing.

Sept 14 1976 I traveled on the BC Ferries from Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert, and then on the Alaska ferry to Skagway Alaska. I met two Mormon missionaries on route. They were moving to Whitehorse. We were on the same train, The White Pass train going from Skagway to Whitehorse.

When I got to Whitehorse, I checked into the YWCA and then walked into town. I passed a construction site, and figured that I would ask if a friend of mine was working there. He was not. But the guy asked if I wanted a job. I said, “Sure”. It turned out that his boss did not like women on the job, and he did not like his boss, so he hired me right away.

Over the next few days we poured concrete. My job was to vibrate the concrete to get rid of the air bubbles , and a fellow named Larry LeCheminant – his job was to finish and smooth the concrete. While the other guys were pouring the concrete, Larry showed me photos of his kids – his many kids and told me stories. Larry was a big Idaho Farm Boy – he was born and raised in the LDS faith, and he was currently serving as the Whitehorse branch president.

I went further north to Dawson City, but came back to help pour concrete a week or so later. I then stayed with Larry and his family, shared a room with RaeLynne, and met with the missionaries. On October 23rd, down the hill closer to the Yukon River, I prayed about the gospel, and received an answer to my prayers. I was baptized on October 30th 1976 at 0630 in Tequini HotSprings. And that started a new journey in my life.

I returned home to Vancouver and Duncan to see my family for Christmas. They were not pleased – at all. And, it was sad and lonely for me, that they did not approve of, or support my decision. Having said that, I was not estranged from the family. They did try, and they continue to try, to understand… some of them with more success than others. This January, in a very very sweet and sacred time, I finally felt the forgiveness from the one family member whose forgiveness/acceptance I had desired for years. Her acknowledgement of my value, and of my life, was so important to me. It took just about fifty years for that to happen. Her message meant so much to me. In life, we try to find meaning in suffering – and I decided that the gift in that struggle was that I had to choose and make my own decisions, and could not make my most important life decisions based on what someone else wanted for me.  In many ways, my sacrifice was bigger, and my commitment is stronger, because of this sacrifice.

The Duncan ward welcomed me to church when I was home with my aunt and uncle (my parents). Sonja and Ted Baker from Salt Spring Island were part of the branch, and over the years have become wonderful and dear friends.

I went to BYU for one semester of school in January 1977. Within days of being there, I was called to teach Spiritual Living for the RS. That experience caused me to reach deeper than I had before, and led to some particularly incredible, deep, strong, experiences. I knew that I was forgiven of evertying that had happened in my life prior to baptism. I knew of the truthfulness of the gospel in a deeper way. One particular experience gave me the strength to receive a most difficult letter from my dear aunt, that arrived the following week, expressing her disappointment in me and grave concern about my membership in the church. Because of the experience I had just had, I was able to cope with this letter and move forward.

I returned to Vancouver/ UBC to nursing in April. Over the next three years I studied nursing, savored the Institute lessons by Dennis Wright, and enjoyed the young adults. On occasion we would meet the YSA in Victoria, including Ginny Lepite, and Pat Nash, and Linda Redd,…. They were a great group, and seemed to have more strength and unity than the Vancouver YSA who lived further apart from one another.

In 1980 I met and then married my dear Ted Murray. We moved to Salmon Arm, then Lillooet, then UBC for another few degrees for Ted. Upon completion of that, Ted landed a job in Victoria!!

And, here we are!

Miracles

Earl Smith showed me our home, and we wrote up an offer, and purchased the house –

We arrived April 21 1988?

We have lived in Sidney Ward since that time.

We have been privileged to know many of the pioneers, Bishop and Vera Isfeld, Dorothea Evans, Vera Lee,.. 

Ted served as a counsellor, and later as a bishop in the Sidney Ward.