December 18, 2024 • 24 mins
Join us for Episode 17 of Dear Daughters of God: "Divine Interventions: How Faith Shaped His Life and Others". In this heartfelt conversation, Stephanie Eccles sits down with her uncle, Billy Webb, to explore the profound ways faith and divine guidance have influenced his life, his family, and his service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From miraculous healings to transformative acts of faith, Uncle Billy shares inspiring stories of hope, resilience, and the enduring power of prayer.
Discover how his unwavering belief in God not only shaped his path but also uplifted those around him. Don't miss this touching journey through family memories, miracles, and testimonies.
Thanks for listening! I'm on Instagram as deardaughtersofgod. Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=1iyjqx0cq4kbk&utm_content=qr66nqv
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stephanie (00:00):
I'm Stephanie Eccles.
This is Dear Daughters of God..
This is Episode 17, DivineInterventions, How Faith Shaped
His Life and Others.
Microphone (Samson Q2U Micro (00:10):
My name is Stephanie Eccles.
I'm a school administrator,natural storyteller, and I am a
daughter of God.
I tell the stories of our livesfrom the perspective of the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
Welcome, Dear Daughters of God.
I address you that way becausethat's what you are to Him.
To our Heavenly Father, you aredear.
Stephanie (00:30):
Welcome.
We have a guest today.
He is so dear to me.
His name is Billy Webb and he ismy uncle.
Billy, welcome to Dear Daughtersof God.
We're so glad to have you today.
Thank
Billy (00:45):
you it's
Stephanie (00:45):
good
Billy (00:46):
to be here.
Stephanie (00:47):
And I am in West Virginia.
With Billy, it is so special tobe in West Virginia.
I hope that you'll tune into ourYouTube channel, Dear Daughters
of God, so you can meet Billy inperson and see all the pictures
that we've added to helpillustrate Billy's stories.
What I remember about Uncle Billy is I used to love
(01:09):
playing with his two oldestkids.
They were my age, Clifford andCurtis.
Billy had All the neat thingslike the motorcycle, which my
dad didn't want us to, to ride.
I remember your house anddriving up this hill to your
house, and this beautifullandscape.
It was such a joy being withUncle Billy and his family,
(01:30):
coming to West Virginia.
here we are together again.
Uncle Billy, are you the fourth?
Out of the 12 children, is thatright?
Billy (01:39):
Yes.
This is a picture of Billy withhis siblings as adults, along
with their mother, Lola Webb.
Their father, Lolan, had passedaway.
They're standing in birth order.
My mother, Joy, is right behindher mother, and then Uncle
Billy.
Now Aunt Jenny is missing fromthis picture, but you'll notice
there are not 12 siblings there,and that's because nine of them
(02:04):
made it to adulthood.
The story of how one of thethree children that died is in
one of the previous episodescalled Poverty and Polio.
I'll put the link to thatepisode in the show notes and in
the comment section on YouTube.
Now I'm going to flash toanother family picture.
This picture was arranged for byAunt Nancy right there in the
(02:25):
top center.
My mother Joy was serving amission at the time and really
wanted a family picture.
Notice how times have changed injust 15 years.
Stephanie (02:37):
Okay, which year were you
Billy (02:40):
born in, Uncle
Stephanie (02:41):
1938.
And were you born in WhiteSulphur Springs area?
Billy (02:46):
Yes, in fact I was born right out, rock throwing
distance of where we are rightnow.
Stephanie (02:54):
Okay, and you went to school right here in town?
Billy (02:57):
Yes.
Stephanie (02:57):
And how did you meet Gladys?
Billy (03:00):
Met her in a movie.
Stephanie (03:02):
In a movie?
Billy (03:04):
There was a movie.
About a boxcar.
It was all fixed up fancy, andthey made a movie about it, and
I had gone to the movie.
A lot of times I go by myself,and she was there with a couple
of her girlfriends, and we justgot to talking.
Stephanie (03:25):
Ah.
Billy (03:26):
Oh, that's sweet.
She was a farm girl.
We went from there.
Stephanie (03:33):
Ah.
I understand you served in themilitary.
Is that right?
Billy (03:37):
Yes,
Stephanie (03:37):
tell us about that.
Were you married at the time youwere in the military?
Billy (03:43):
I hadn't been married too long.
I went to the Army on the 4th.
Stephanie (03:49):
I got
Billy (03:50):
married on the 2nd.
Stephanie (03:51):
That must have been difficult to part ways right
after getting married.
Billy (03:56):
Well, it was.
She had some family down prettyclose to Fort Jackson and she'd
come down there.
On some weekends, we could get aday off I'd go up there and see
her,
Stephanie (04:11):
After your military service, you came back to White
Sulfur Springs area?
Billy (04:15):
Yes, and found a job at Westlake Covington.
Stephanie (04:20):
And how many children did you and Gladys have?
Billy (04:22):
We had, four boys and one girl.
Stephanie (04:24):
So four boys and one girl.
Billy, there was an experiencein your life that involved a
woman named Sister Samson, wouldyou like to tell me about that
experience?
Billy (04:36):
Well, Sister Samson, had gone to the doctor, And they
diagnosed her with cancer.
They scheduled her for surgeryto try to take the cancer out.
She was a very humble, faithfulmember of the church.
(04:59):
She wanted a blessing and we,Met her down there at the church
I thank her son in law, Richard,for that.
Helped me give her a blessing.
I can't remember what was saidin that blessing.
But it was pretty strong,something that I wouldn't have
(05:21):
had nerve enough to say withoutthe guidance of the Spirit.
She went to the hospital thenext day, and they took x rays.
And the doctor come back in andsays, Mrs.
Samson, we can't find anyevidence that you've ever had
cancer.
And sent her back home.
(05:43):
She lived for several yearsafter that.
when she passed away it wasn'tcancer.
So that was pretty special.
Stephanie (05:53):
That is amazing.
Billy (05:55):
And her son in law was a very faithful priesthood holder.
Stephanie (06:03):
He was the one that was part of that blessing.
How wonderful to be a part ofthat miracle.
Billy (06:10):
The power of the priesthood and faith in the Lord
is what did it.
Stephanie (06:16):
It was, interesting how there are times where the
Lord will act and heal becauseit is right for that person and
then there are other times whereit is not right for that person
to be healed it's not somethingwe can always understand, but
it's amazing to be a part ofsuch a miracle.
Billy (06:38):
I think it's things like that that's kept me going to the
church for all these years.
Stephanie (06:45):
For all these years, How long were you bishop, Uncle
Billy?
Billy (06:49):
I was a branch president.
In the early 70s, was releasedand called as a bishop.
I served as branch president forsix years, I was released.
We outgrew the little chapeldown there in town.
They called me to be a bishopand I served.
(07:11):
Five or six years and, I wasreleased, Terry Van Netter was
called to be a bishop, and hecalled me to serve as one of his
counselors, He was released, andthey called me to be bishop
Stephanie (07:28):
again.
Billy (07:30):
I Two times as a bishop.
And one time as a branchpresident.
Stephanie (07:35):
I see.
Billy (07:36):
that was, we moved in that new building in December.
of 1985, I think it was, onChristmas Day when we had the
first meeting in there.
Stephanie (07:47):
That's an exciting time to have a new building.
Billy (07:50):
there was things that happened in those years that,
that has really meant a lot tome.
Stephanie (07:58):
Yes.
What about your recent hospitalstay?
Would you like to tell us aboutthat?
Billy (08:05):
I got sick early in the fall of last year I was losing
weight and getting weaker everyday.
I went to the VA hospital.
There was a doctor there thatI'd never seen before.
That doctor prescribed, adiabetic medicine to lower my
(08:26):
blood sugar.
I'd never been diabetic, butthinking that she knew what she
was doing, I took the medicine.
I passed out and fell at thehouse and hit my head on the
wall.
As it turned out, my head wastougher than the wall, I didn't
go to the doctor when thathappened, when I went back for
(08:47):
my regular visit at the VA, afew days later, they asked if
I'd fallen recently, and I saidyes.
They rushed me down to theemergency room the doctor took a
CAT scan and found a spot on mybrain.
I tried to convince him thatthat was my brain, but they
wouldn't believe me.
(09:09):
They took me in an ambulance andtook me to Roanoke, to the
Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
And, that, Neurologist downthere took the same cat scans,
and he come back and he said Mr.
Webb, he said that spot has beenthere probably since you were
(09:30):
born.
He said it's nothing to worryabout.
I'll send him a letter to thateffect.
When I was losing weight, Icouldn't see.
Anything to do with my head.
I come back home.
I stayed over there for about aweek, I had to use a walking
(09:50):
stick to walk.
I went back to the VA clinic.
I told the girls that I had thediarrhea that I was losing
weight at a rate of a pound aday.
Stephanie (10:02):
Oh my goodness.
Billy (10:02):
As weak as a cat and I couldn't.
And, they said, well, I have youfallen recently?
Well, that was a mistake.
I said, yes.
A few weeks ago, we were goingto put that kid in the ER.
They sent me down to the ER.
That same guy took a picture,put me in a helicopter, and flew
(10:23):
me to Roanoke.
Stephanie (10:24):
Again?
Billy (10:24):
Again.
When I got down there, thatneurologist, I took the same CAT
scans and he'd come in my room.
He was like, look, he's mad.
He said, Mr.
Webb, why are they keep sendingyou down here?
I said, I sent them a letter andtold them at that spot there's
nothing to worry about.
(10:44):
I told him I didn't know whythey did it.
They went through a whole seriesof stuff pertaining to my head
and damage there.
And there was this little girlwith him.
I called her a little girl.
I don't know, she was probably27, 28 years old.
(11:05):
When they left, she came back inthe room.
Stephanie (11:08):
Huh.
And,
Billy (11:10):
She just had that special feeling, when she'd come in the
room.
Stephanie (11:15):
I see.
Billy (11:17):
And she just looked at me and said, Mr.
Webb, what is one thing that Ican do for you today that will
make you feel better?
I said, if you'll sit down therein that chair and listen to me
for five minutes.
She said, I can do that.
She sat down there and I toldher this story up to where we
(11:39):
are now.
She said, okay I'll be back in alittle bit.
She came back with about threeor four other people and they
took stool samples urine samplesand blood samples and everything
that you can take.
About three hours she came backand said, Mr.
Webb, you had a very serious andvery dangerous intestinal virus,
(12:05):
she said.
She said, it's highly contagioushard to get rid of and it can
kill you.
said, I'll be back in a littlebit.
She come back and startedtreating me, started me on some
medicine.
I was over there a week.
And I've never seen that girlagain.
Stephanie (12:30):
Really?
And,
Billy (12:32):
I feel bad about that because, at least there were a
thank you.
the medicine that she gave mestarted turning things around.
And, and, at this point, I'mGained weight back.
I got down to 151 pounds andgained weight back.
I'm getting stronger each day.
(12:53):
my doctor that I go to here thatlooks after my heart, told me,
she calls me Billy.
She said, Billy, We're just onestep from the grave when you
were in here the last time.
she said, I'm glad, so glad tosee you.
so that turned that around, andif it hadn't been for that
(13:14):
little girl, we wouldn't beholding this interview today, or
I wouldn't be here.
And I know, as sure as I'm sethere, that Heavenly Father had a
hand in that girl.
And I feel so bad about nevergetting to thank her for what
(13:36):
she does.
Stephanie (13:40):
Oh, she certainly did.
She was guided to your room andto have taken the time to just
ask you, What can I do to helpyou today?
And then just taking the time tolisten.
That's exactly what you neededto tell your five minute story
(14:00):
of what had happened to yourbody.
Thank In the last few months,oh, and she turned it around in
just few short hours.
Oh, that's, that's incredible.
I'm sure that you started to getbetter.
(14:22):
Thank you.
Billy (14:24):
I know she probably knows that because she would have had
to follow up on the treatment
Stephanie (14:31):
yes.
Oh, that is a beautiful story ofanother miracle.
So grateful.
Heavenly Father blessed you withan angel on earth.
An angel on earth to come andlisten and help you.
And guide you to healing.
Thank you.
Billy (14:51):
heard a lot of people say the Heavenly Father is just
something that hangs around upthere and, they don't realize
how close he is to them.
Stephanie (15:03):
How closely involved he is.
Billy (15:06):
There I was, Went to the hospital, praying for something
to happen that would fix me, andhere comes this girl again, and,
he wasn't far away when I wassaying those prayers.
Stephanie (15:22):
He wasn't,
Billy surprises me after heshares his testimony, and I have
it on tape.
Uncle Billy, would you like to end with sharing
your testimony with us?
Billy (15:34):
I'm a firm believer in prayer and I know God is our
Father, Jesus Christ is ourSavior, and we're guided each
day if we let the rightdirection.
I know that the scriptures wehave in the church are true and
(15:58):
divine instruments in bringingabout God's plan.
I believe that the family is adivine organization, to keep us
together.
Give us an opportunity to loveand understand and deal with the
problems of life.
(16:19):
It's a great opportunity to behere on this earth and partake
of his gospel and blessings.
I leave that with you in thename of Jesus Christ.
Stephanie (16:31):
Thank you, Uncle Billy.
Billy (16:32):
You're not recording now, are you?
Stephanie (16:35):
I am, but I'll cut it out.
Billy (16:38):
No, you don't have to.
Stephanie (16:40):
Okay.
Billy (16:42):
There was a guy moved into the ward and we searched
this place over and we couldn'tfind him.
Didn't have any electricity, anyphone, any anything in his name.
Stephanie (16:57):
He was a new guy in your ward?
Billy (16:59):
We knew he was here, but we just couldn't find him.
One evening, the phone rang.
It was this boy.
And he was all upset.
He called me.
He wanted me to meet him at thechurch.
I went down to the church.
He come in and he startedexplaining to me all of this.
(17:19):
And the reason for anything, hisname, and he was living with his
dad.
He had always followed his dadaround.
His dad had, separated from hiswife and moved down here to
farm.
He brought the boy with him tohelp on the farm.
This boy had left his wife andtwo young children up there.
(17:43):
And his mother didn't.
Get a divorce.
He just left them there and comedown here.
They'd been here for, three orfour years.
I listened to him for a goodwhile.
He, was almost begging me totell him that what he'd done was
right.
I said, well, I got a few wordsof advice for you.
(18:06):
One is You leave your fathertomorrow morning and go to
Pennsylvania get your wife andkids and get your family back
together.
I said, you start going tochurch.
He said he dropped out of churchbecause he heard two women
(18:27):
talking about him.
I said, what you did is right atthat point you let those two
women take Your life over I saidyou should be ashamed of
yourself for that I figured Ijust made him mad and the next
morning he called me and he saidBishop I'm packing my car going
(18:50):
to Pennsylvania.
Well, the next year just aboutChristmas time I got a letter
from him, it was three pageswritten on both sides of these
long yellow legal papers.
And he went on about, you know,his wife was a Catholic.
Stephanie (19:07):
Okay.
Billy (19:07):
And she wouldn't go to church with him.
Stephanie (19:09):
Oh.
And
Billy (19:11):
he went on about she had started going to church with him
one week and go to her churchthe other week.
Stephanie (19:18):
I see.
Billy (19:19):
He asked me, Well, how would I make a living?
I said, What do you do beforeyou come down here?
He said, I work for a publishingcompany.
I said, Go back to thepublishing company and ask them
for a job.
And he said, I got my old jobback.
And he said, we're really doinggood.
(19:41):
The next year I got a letterfrom him.
It said, Dear Bishop, I'm theworld mission leader.
And my wife is attending churchevery Sunday.
Thank you.
And then the third year, I got aletter from him, and he said,
Dear Bishop, My wife joined thechurch right after I wrote you
(20:05):
last year.
We're going to the temple, to besealed in the temple.
And he said, I'm so thankful forthe meeting I had with you.
And I said, Mark, it's all aboutthat.
If that had just been MillerWebb talking, I wouldn't have
been able to talk to that man,that direct.
(20:28):
I never got another letter fromhim,
Stephanie (20:30):
That was the end.
What an experience that he comesafter all that effort to find
him and he just calls you out ofnowhere and you tell him go back
to your family just like thatand he does.
What a blessing it is to be inthat position as a bishop and to
(20:53):
be a part of the Lord's work andto see these changes in people's
lives as they gain a testimonyin their Savior Jesus Christ and
start living as he would likethem to live.
Billy (21:06):
that has been my life since I got out of the service.
working for Floor Daniels,building a paper mill right
outside of Savannah, Georgia.
They handed me a clipping of acontractor in Roanoke looking
for a job superintendent.
(21:27):
I sent them a resume.
They called me to come in for aninterview.
They told me, we'll give you acall next week, but I'm pretty
sure we're going to hire you.
They did, but I had to go towork for them for half of what I
was making.
(21:47):
It was a struggle for us.
I went to work with them withthe understanding that I'd work
a year.
the end of that year, they'dadjust my pay to make it
somewhat what I should bemaking.
I never did get back to what Iwas making.
Stephanie (22:08):
Really?
Billy (22:09):
But, Mr.
Whittle, I told him, I'm actingin the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter day Saints.
And I said, I'm involved in, Ihave to take off sometimes to
take care of a funeral or someother church business.
(22:30):
He said, Billy, as long asyou've got your job together and
going as it should, you go takecare of your church business and
your family.
In fact, the Fort Howard PaperCompany that we were building
the paper mill for in Georgia,called me several times for me
to come and oversee work thatthey were having done.
Stephanie (22:54):
Really?
Billy (22:55):
Way more money than I was making.
But I stayed where I was becauseI could be.
I had to get involved in mychurch work, and it paid off.
Not too long before Gladys died,we were sitting talking, we said
(23:17):
how fortunate we'd been, andwe'd both worked together.
You know, there hadn't been atime that we didn't have shelter
and food.
you know, we weren't the richestpeople on the block, but we had
what Heavenly Father thought weneeded.
That was all that mattered.
Yes,
Stephanie (23:37):
Oh, I'm glad you added those stories, Uncle
Billy.
It's been such a delight.
Thank you for sharing thesestories where you've seen the
hand of your Father in Heaven inyour life and in your family's
lives and in your communitymembers lives, your
congregation's members lives.
They've been so beautiful tohear these miracles.
(23:58):
Thank you.
It has been a delight for me.
For now we will say farewelluntil we meet again.
Okay?
I'm Stephanie Eccles.
This is Dear Daughters of God..
This is Episode 17, DivineInterventions, How Faith Shaped
His Life and Others.
Microphone (Samson Q2U Micro (00:10):
My name is Stephanie Eccles.
I'm a school administrator,natural storyteller, and I am a
daughter of God.
I tell the stories of our livesfrom the perspective of the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
Welcome, Dear Daughters of God.
I address you that way becausethat's what you are to Him.
To our Heavenly Father, you aredear.
Stephanie (00:30):
Welcome.
We have a guest today.
He is so dear to me.
His name is Billy Webb and he ismy uncle.
Billy, welcome to Dear Daughtersof God.
We're so glad to have you today.
Thank
Billy (00:45):
you it's
Stephanie (00:45):
good
Billy (00:46):
to be here.
Stephanie (00:47):
And I am in West Virginia.
With Billy, it is so special tobe in West Virginia.
I hope that you'll tune into ourYouTube channel, Dear Daughters
of God, so you can meet Billy inperson and see all the pictures
that we've added to helpillustrate Billy's stories.
What I remember about Uncle Billy is I used to love
(01:09):
playing with his two oldestkids.
They were my age, Clifford andCurtis.
Billy had All the neat thingslike the motorcycle, which my
dad didn't want us to, to ride.
I remember your house anddriving up this hill to your
house, and this beautifullandscape.
It was such a joy being withUncle Billy and his family,
(01:30):
coming to West Virginia.
here we are together again.
Uncle Billy, are you the fourth?
Out of the 12 children, is thatright?
Billy (01:39):
Yes.
This is a picture of Billy withhis siblings as adults, along
with their mother, Lola Webb.
Their father, Lolan, had passedaway.
They're standing in birth order.
My mother, Joy, is right behindher mother, and then Uncle
Billy.
Now Aunt Jenny is missing fromthis picture, but you'll notice
there are not 12 siblings there,and that's because nine of them
(02:04):
made it to adulthood.
The story of how one of thethree children that died is in
one of the previous episodescalled Poverty and Polio.
I'll put the link to thatepisode in the show notes and in
the comment section on YouTube.
Now I'm going to flash toanother family picture.
This picture was arranged for byAunt Nancy right there in the
(02:25):
top center.
My mother Joy was serving amission at the time and really
wanted a family picture.
Notice how times have changed injust 15 years.
Stephanie (02:37):
Okay, which year were you
Billy (02:40):
born in, Uncle
Stephanie (02:41):
1938.
And were you born in WhiteSulphur Springs area?
Billy (02:46):
Yes, in fact I was born right out, rock throwing
distance of where we are rightnow.
Stephanie (02:54):
Okay, and you went to school right here in town?
Billy (02:57):
Yes.
Stephanie (02:57):
And how did you meet Gladys?
Billy (03:00):
Met her in a movie.
Stephanie (03:02):
In a movie?
Billy (03:04):
There was a movie.
About a boxcar.
It was all fixed up fancy, andthey made a movie about it, and
I had gone to the movie.
A lot of times I go by myself,and she was there with a couple
of her girlfriends, and we justgot to talking.
Stephanie (03:25):
Ah.
Billy (03:26):
Oh, that's sweet.
She was a farm girl.
We went from there.
Stephanie (03:33):
Ah.
I understand you served in themilitary.
Is that right?
Billy (03:37):
Yes,
Stephanie (03:37):
tell us about that.
Were you married at the time youwere in the military?
Billy (03:43):
I hadn't been married too long.
I went to the Army on the 4th.
Stephanie (03:49):
I got
Billy (03:50):
married on the 2nd.
Stephanie (03:51):
That must have been difficult to part ways right
after getting married.
Billy (03:56):
Well, it was.
She had some family down prettyclose to Fort Jackson and she'd
come down there.
On some weekends, we could get aday off I'd go up there and see
her,
Stephanie (04:11):
After your military service, you came back to White
Sulfur Springs area?
Billy (04:15):
Yes, and found a job at Westlake Covington.
Stephanie (04:20):
And how many children did you and Gladys have?
Billy (04:22):
We had, four boys and one girl.
Stephanie (04:24):
So four boys and one girl.
Billy, there was an experiencein your life that involved a
woman named Sister Samson, wouldyou like to tell me about that
experience?
Billy (04:36):
Well, Sister Samson, had gone to the doctor, And they
diagnosed her with cancer.
They scheduled her for surgeryto try to take the cancer out.
She was a very humble, faithfulmember of the church.
(04:59):
She wanted a blessing and we,Met her down there at the church
I thank her son in law, Richard,for that.
Helped me give her a blessing.
I can't remember what was saidin that blessing.
But it was pretty strong,something that I wouldn't have
(05:21):
had nerve enough to say withoutthe guidance of the Spirit.
She went to the hospital thenext day, and they took x rays.
And the doctor come back in andsays, Mrs.
Samson, we can't find anyevidence that you've ever had
cancer.
And sent her back home.
(05:43):
She lived for several yearsafter that.
when she passed away it wasn'tcancer.
So that was pretty special.
Stephanie (05:53):
That is amazing.
Billy (05:55):
And her son in law was a very faithful priesthood holder.
Stephanie (06:03):
He was the one that was part of that blessing.
How wonderful to be a part ofthat miracle.
Billy (06:10):
The power of the priesthood and faith in the Lord
is what did it.
Stephanie (06:16):
It was, interesting how there are times where the
Lord will act and heal becauseit is right for that person and
then there are other times whereit is not right for that person
to be healed it's not somethingwe can always understand, but
it's amazing to be a part ofsuch a miracle.
Billy (06:38):
I think it's things like that that's kept me going to the
church for all these years.
Stephanie (06:45):
For all these years, How long were you bishop, Uncle
Billy?
Billy (06:49):
I was a branch president.
In the early 70s, was releasedand called as a bishop.
I served as branch president forsix years, I was released.
We outgrew the little chapeldown there in town.
They called me to be a bishopand I served.
(07:11):
Five or six years and, I wasreleased, Terry Van Netter was
called to be a bishop, and hecalled me to serve as one of his
counselors, He was released, andthey called me to be bishop
Stephanie (07:28):
again.
Billy (07:30):
I Two times as a bishop.
And one time as a branchpresident.
Stephanie (07:35):
I see.
Billy (07:36):
that was, we moved in that new building in December.
of 1985, I think it was, onChristmas Day when we had the
first meeting in there.
Stephanie (07:47):
That's an exciting time to have a new building.
Billy (07:50):
there was things that happened in those years that,
that has really meant a lot tome.
Stephanie (07:58):
Yes.
What about your recent hospitalstay?
Would you like to tell us aboutthat?
Billy (08:05):
I got sick early in the fall of last year I was losing
weight and getting weaker everyday.
I went to the VA hospital.
There was a doctor there thatI'd never seen before.
That doctor prescribed, adiabetic medicine to lower my
(08:26):
blood sugar.
I'd never been diabetic, butthinking that she knew what she
was doing, I took the medicine.
I passed out and fell at thehouse and hit my head on the
wall.
As it turned out, my head wastougher than the wall, I didn't
go to the doctor when thathappened, when I went back for
(08:47):
my regular visit at the VA, afew days later, they asked if
I'd fallen recently, and I saidyes.
They rushed me down to theemergency room the doctor took a
CAT scan and found a spot on mybrain.
I tried to convince him thatthat was my brain, but they
wouldn't believe me.
(09:09):
They took me in an ambulance andtook me to Roanoke, to the
Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
And, that, Neurologist downthere took the same cat scans,
and he come back and he said Mr.
Webb, he said that spot has beenthere probably since you were
(09:30):
born.
He said it's nothing to worryabout.
I'll send him a letter to thateffect.
When I was losing weight, Icouldn't see.
Anything to do with my head.
I come back home.
I stayed over there for about aweek, I had to use a walking
(09:50):
stick to walk.
I went back to the VA clinic.
I told the girls that I had thediarrhea that I was losing
weight at a rate of a pound aday.
Stephanie (10:02):
Oh my goodness.
Billy (10:02):
As weak as a cat and I couldn't.
And, they said, well, I have youfallen recently?
Well, that was a mistake.
I said, yes.
A few weeks ago, we were goingto put that kid in the ER.
They sent me down to the ER.
That same guy took a picture,put me in a helicopter, and flew
(10:23):
me to Roanoke.
Stephanie (10:24):
Again?
Billy (10:24):
Again.
When I got down there, thatneurologist, I took the same CAT
scans and he'd come in my room.
He was like, look, he's mad.
He said, Mr.
Webb, why are they keep sendingyou down here?
I said, I sent them a letter andtold them at that spot there's
nothing to worry about.
(10:44):
I told him I didn't know whythey did it.
They went through a whole seriesof stuff pertaining to my head
and damage there.
And there was this little girlwith him.
I called her a little girl.
I don't know, she was probably27, 28 years old.
(11:05):
When they left, she came back inthe room.
Stephanie (11:08):
Huh.
And,
Billy (11:10):
She just had that special feeling, when she'd come in the
room.
Stephanie (11:15):
I see.
Billy (11:17):
And she just looked at me and said, Mr.
Webb, what is one thing that Ican do for you today that will
make you feel better?
I said, if you'll sit down therein that chair and listen to me
for five minutes.
She said, I can do that.
She sat down there and I toldher this story up to where we
(11:39):
are now.
She said, okay I'll be back in alittle bit.
She came back with about threeor four other people and they
took stool samples urine samplesand blood samples and everything
that you can take.
About three hours she came backand said, Mr.
Webb, you had a very serious andvery dangerous intestinal virus,
(12:05):
she said.
She said, it's highly contagioushard to get rid of and it can
kill you.
said, I'll be back in a littlebit.
She come back and startedtreating me, started me on some
medicine.
I was over there a week.
And I've never seen that girlagain.
Stephanie (12:30):
Really?
And,
Billy (12:32):
I feel bad about that because, at least there were a
thank you.
the medicine that she gave mestarted turning things around.
And, and, at this point, I'mGained weight back.
I got down to 151 pounds andgained weight back.
I'm getting stronger each day.
(12:53):
my doctor that I go to here thatlooks after my heart, told me,
she calls me Billy.
She said, Billy, We're just onestep from the grave when you
were in here the last time.
she said, I'm glad, so glad tosee you.
so that turned that around, andif it hadn't been for that
(13:14):
little girl, we wouldn't beholding this interview today, or
I wouldn't be here.
And I know, as sure as I'm sethere, that Heavenly Father had a
hand in that girl.
And I feel so bad about nevergetting to thank her for what
(13:36):
she does.
Stephanie (13:40):
Oh, she certainly did.
She was guided to your room andto have taken the time to just
ask you, What can I do to helpyou today?
And then just taking the time tolisten.
That's exactly what you neededto tell your five minute story
(14:00):
of what had happened to yourbody.
Thank In the last few months,oh, and she turned it around in
just few short hours.
Oh, that's, that's incredible.
I'm sure that you started to getbetter.
(14:22):
Thank you.
Billy (14:24):
I know she probably knows that because she would have had
to follow up on the treatment
Stephanie (14:31):
yes.
Oh, that is a beautiful story ofanother miracle.
So grateful.
Heavenly Father blessed you withan angel on earth.
An angel on earth to come andlisten and help you.
And guide you to healing.
Thank you.
Billy (14:51):
heard a lot of people say the Heavenly Father is just
something that hangs around upthere and, they don't realize
how close he is to them.
Stephanie (15:03):
How closely involved he is.
Billy (15:06):
There I was, Went to the hospital, praying for something
to happen that would fix me, andhere comes this girl again, and,
he wasn't far away when I wassaying those prayers.
Stephanie (15:22):
He wasn't,
Billy surprises me after heshares his testimony, and I have
it on tape.
Uncle Billy, would you like to end with sharing
your testimony with us?
Billy (15:34):
I'm a firm believer in prayer and I know God is our
Father, Jesus Christ is ourSavior, and we're guided each
day if we let the rightdirection.
I know that the scriptures wehave in the church are true and
(15:58):
divine instruments in bringingabout God's plan.
I believe that the family is adivine organization, to keep us
together.
Give us an opportunity to loveand understand and deal with the
problems of life.
(16:19):
It's a great opportunity to behere on this earth and partake
of his gospel and blessings.
I leave that with you in thename of Jesus Christ.
Stephanie (16:31):
Thank you, Uncle Billy.
Billy (16:32):
You're not recording now, are you?
Stephanie (16:35):
I am, but I'll cut it out.
Billy (16:38):
No, you don't have to.
Stephanie (16:40):
Okay.
Billy (16:42):
There was a guy moved into the ward and we searched
this place over and we couldn'tfind him.
Didn't have any electricity, anyphone, any anything in his name.
Stephanie (16:57):
He was a new guy in your ward?
Billy (16:59):
We knew he was here, but we just couldn't find him.
One evening, the phone rang.
It was this boy.
And he was all upset.
He called me.
He wanted me to meet him at thechurch.
I went down to the church.
He come in and he startedexplaining to me all of this.
(17:19):
And the reason for anything, hisname, and he was living with his
dad.
He had always followed his dadaround.
His dad had, separated from hiswife and moved down here to
farm.
He brought the boy with him tohelp on the farm.
This boy had left his wife andtwo young children up there.
(17:43):
And his mother didn't.
Get a divorce.
He just left them there and comedown here.
They'd been here for, three orfour years.
I listened to him for a goodwhile.
He, was almost begging me totell him that what he'd done was
right.
I said, well, I got a few wordsof advice for you.
(18:06):
One is You leave your fathertomorrow morning and go to
Pennsylvania get your wife andkids and get your family back
together.
I said, you start going tochurch.
He said he dropped out of churchbecause he heard two women
(18:27):
talking about him.
I said, what you did is right atthat point you let those two
women take Your life over I saidyou should be ashamed of
yourself for that I figured Ijust made him mad and the next
morning he called me and he saidBishop I'm packing my car going
(18:50):
to Pennsylvania.
Well, the next year just aboutChristmas time I got a letter
from him, it was three pageswritten on both sides of these
long yellow legal papers.
And he went on about, you know,his wife was a Catholic.
Stephanie (19:07):
Okay.
Billy (19:07):
And she wouldn't go to church with him.
Stephanie (19:09):
Oh.
And
Billy (19:11):
he went on about she had started going to church with him
one week and go to her churchthe other week.
Stephanie (19:18):
I see.
Billy (19:19):
He asked me, Well, how would I make a living?
I said, What do you do beforeyou come down here?
He said, I work for a publishingcompany.
I said, Go back to thepublishing company and ask them
for a job.
And he said, I got my old jobback.
And he said, we're really doinggood.
(19:41):
The next year I got a letterfrom him.
It said, Dear Bishop, I'm theworld mission leader.
And my wife is attending churchevery Sunday.
Thank you.
And then the third year, I got aletter from him, and he said,
Dear Bishop, My wife joined thechurch right after I wrote you
(20:05):
last year.
We're going to the temple, to besealed in the temple.
And he said, I'm so thankful forthe meeting I had with you.
And I said, Mark, it's all aboutthat.
If that had just been MillerWebb talking, I wouldn't have
been able to talk to that man,that direct.
(20:28):
I never got another letter fromhim,
Stephanie (20:30):
That was the end.
What an experience that he comesafter all that effort to find
him and he just calls you out ofnowhere and you tell him go back
to your family just like thatand he does.
What a blessing it is to be inthat position as a bishop and to
(20:53):
be a part of the Lord's work andto see these changes in people's
lives as they gain a testimonyin their Savior Jesus Christ and
start living as he would likethem to live.
Billy (21:06):
that has been my life since I got out of the service.
working for Floor Daniels,building a paper mill right
outside of Savannah, Georgia.
They handed me a clipping of acontractor in Roanoke looking
for a job superintendent.
(21:27):
I sent them a resume.
They called me to come in for aninterview.
They told me, we'll give you acall next week, but I'm pretty
sure we're going to hire you.
They did, but I had to go towork for them for half of what I
was making.
(21:47):
It was a struggle for us.
I went to work with them withthe understanding that I'd work
a year.
the end of that year, they'dadjust my pay to make it
somewhat what I should bemaking.
I never did get back to what Iwas making.
Stephanie (22:08):
Really?
Billy (22:09):
But, Mr.
Whittle, I told him, I'm actingin the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter day Saints.
And I said, I'm involved in, Ihave to take off sometimes to
take care of a funeral or someother church business.
(22:30):
He said, Billy, as long asyou've got your job together and
going as it should, you go takecare of your church business and
your family.
In fact, the Fort Howard PaperCompany that we were building
the paper mill for in Georgia,called me several times for me
to come and oversee work thatthey were having done.
Stephanie (22:54):
Really?
Billy (22:55):
Way more money than I was making.
But I stayed where I was becauseI could be.
I had to get involved in mychurch work, and it paid off.
Not too long before Gladys died,we were sitting talking, we said
(23:17):
how fortunate we'd been, andwe'd both worked together.
You know, there hadn't been atime that we didn't have shelter
and food.
you know, we weren't the richestpeople on the block, but we had
what Heavenly Father thought weneeded.
That was all that mattered.
Yes,
Stephanie (23:37):
Oh, I'm glad you added those stories, Uncle
Billy.
It's been such a delight.
Thank you for sharing thesestories where you've seen the
hand of your Father in Heaven inyour life and in your family's
lives and in your communitymembers lives, your
congregation's members lives.
They've been so beautiful tohear these miracles.
(23:58):
Thank you.
It has been a delight for me.
For now we will say farewelluntil we meet again.
Okay?
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