Fifty-six years after they served as companions in the Eastern States Mission, Jeanetta Tueller and Minnie Frank enjoyed a happy reunion through the caring awareness of Sister Frank's daughter, Joyce Welch, and through a Relief Society booklet.
It all began when the Boise Idaho North Stake Relief Society held a women's conference at which a specially compiled booklet of faith-promoting experiences was distributed to those attending. Articles for the booklet were submitted by sisters from within the stake.An article by Sister Tueller of the 33rd Ward related an experience from her mission days in 1935 when the Hill Cumorah Monument near Palmyra, N.Y., was dedicated. Sister Welch took special notice of the account because her mother, Sister Frank, had served in the same mission at the same time.
Sister Welch called her mother, who was living in Phoenix, Ariz., and then paid a visit to Sister Tueller to see if they might have known each other in the mission field. Sister Welch found out that the two not only knew each other, but were also companions during the time when the monument was dedicated. Sister Welch arranged for the two former companions to meet in Meridian, Idaho, during a time when Sister Frank was in Boise to attend a grandson's high school graduation.
After the reunion in June 1991, Sister Frank said, "It's a shame we never kept in touch after our releases, but what a joy to find each other after all these years."
Sister Tueller (then Jeanetta McDonald) and Sister Frank (then Minnie Bollschweiler) received their mission calls from President Heber J. Grant. For Sister McDonald, it was her second mission. She had previously served in the Northern States Mission.
They were serving in different areas at the time they were given special assignments to proselyte in the Cumorah District from May 1 to July 24, 1935, the time surrounding the monument dedication. They made living arrangements with 16 other missionaries in Canandaigua, N.Y., rooming together and subsequently becoming companions.
Sister Tueller was grateful that Sister Welch recognized the connection between the two women. After renewing her acquaintance with Sister Frank, Sister Tueller said: "This has been such a wonderful and choice experience, seeing each other again and remembering so many of the choice experiences we shared at that special time. I'm so glad we could meet again."
