My Dad

June 7, 2009

My father, Asahel LaDue Scovill, he goes by LaDue. LaDue grew up in the very small town of Orangeville, Utah. He lived on a farm outside of town. When he was a young lad, his family was inactive, but his dad, who made the boys clean out the chicken coop on Sundays, was willing to wave this chore if Dad went to church. So my father decided to walk the couple of miles to church each Sunday to get out of cleaning the coop. He found he liked going. As he got older and would come home later at night, he began to stop at the bridge that spanned the creek to pray; in the dark, under the stars, he grew to know God.

My father started liking my mother when they were about 12. They were steady dating all through high school, but Dad wanted to serve a mission. So he did. Mom waited for him. They got married upon his return and started a family. Dad got a job with UP&L and started working his way up the promotion ladder. He also started serving in the church. He committed early in his life to serve Jesus Christ, and he has always made that his first priority in life.

My dad loves people. He loves serving the Lord. He has been a bishop, a counselor in the Stake Presidency, and in the Temple Presidency of the Provo Temple. Dad and Mom served a mission to Montreal Canada after they retired. My Dad taught me the gospel from the earliest time I can remember. I loved going to church with my dad. He is the kindest, most loving and patient person I know.

I choose to go on a mission, in part, to comfort my Dad. He had three sons, three potential missionaries for the Lord. None of them chose that path at 19 years old. He was so sad about that. I went, for me, but also for him. He loved being a missionary. That was part of his legacy to us and part of the strength of who he became. I never thought that the opportunity would be mine, because I thought Gary would be going at the time I went. Gary didn’t go, so that opened the door for me to do so. I am so glad I went. It has been a strength to me every day of my life since then and a place where I learned so much about myself and faith and courage and perseverance.