Brothers honor former Primary teacher
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For about a month in 1967, brothers Mike, Bob and Joe Wren — ages 9, 8 and 6, respectively — attended Church for the first time in their lives in Montana. During those few short weeks, the kindness of Leslie Barker, a Primary teacher in the Anaconda Ward of the Butte Montana Stake, left an indelible impression on the Wren boys.
"In the midst of my deep confusion and despair, the sweetest, kindest lady I remember came to me with a big smile and hug and asked me who I was," Joe Wren recalls. "Her name was Sister Barker. I couldn't imagine someone being so nice to a stranger like me — someone no doubt dressed shabbily and likely bearing little resemblance to her other Primary class members!
"The great gift of joy and love that Sister Barker offered my brothers and me would have a great impact on each of our lives. Independently, each of us would wind up converting to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
Bob Wren said: "Sister Barker in particular helped me understand there are people out there who care about you. She did that, and it got to where all of us now have the opportunity to be an eternal family."
The brothers Wren all had an opportunity to hug, thank and visit with Sister Barker, now 83 years old and still living in Montana, at an Anaconda Ward reunion July 31 and Aug. 1. The reunion, held in Taylorsville, Utah, was attended by a little more than 100 people, including five who still live in Anaconda. Mike Wren drove to Montana to give Sister Barker a ride to Utah.
For Bob it marked the first time in 28 years he'd seen Sister Barker.
"In 1981 I left Anaconda," he said, "and didn't go back until 2006 [when] we went to Church there and it was fast and testimony meeting. An 18-year-old was playing the piano, and afterwards she bore her testimony and started crying and said, 'I wish Sister Barker could've been here to see this.'
"I thought [Sister Barker] had just passed away and got all choked up. I went up and asked the bishop what happened. 'Oh, she's out of town this weekend. This was [the pianist's] first chance to play at a sacrament meeting.'
"I was thinking that I waited 25 years to go back, and when I finally did go back I went on a week she wasn't there. So it was really good to see her [at the reunion]."
With a twinkle in her eye, Sister Barker fondly recalled the three boys whose lives she profoundly affected so many years ago.
"They were all such great kids that I really wasn't surprised to find out they had joined the Church," she said. "They all had such beautiful manners. I love them. They were my three little Wrens."
