Francine Dunkley Oliverson
Smithfield - Francine Dunkley Oliverson, 88, died peacefully at her home, surrounded by her loving children on June 12, 2014. She was born in Whitney, Idaho April 15, 1926, the youngest child of Lester LeRoy and Rosella Lowe Dunkley. She married Glen Harold Oliverson August 14, 1946 in the Salt lake Temple.
She was born in the old rock family home in Whitney. She loved her childhood days of working on the farm next to her father and siblings. After a day of labor she and her siblings would often hike to Little Mountain with a picnic to collect arrowheads and explore the caves. She considered herself a tomboy and loved riding horses and climbing trees. However, the cultural side of Francine became evident when her parents purchased her a piano. She began taking lessons and excelled. She became a very accomplished pianist leading to many years of service accompanying many individuals and groups. She studied with teachers in Salt Lake and Provo and performed as a concert pianist.
She was a devoted and beloved wife of Glen who passed away just this past January. Their time apart was very short.
Glen and Francine made their home in Preston, Idaho after graduation from BYU. There they raised five children. Francine loved being a wife and mother, and her home was a peaceful place filled with love. She was a beautiful homemaker and was busy morning to night keeping the home fires burning.
The family moved to Smithfield, Utah in 1963 as Glen took a job with North Cache High. Mom loved people, and her social graces and sense of humor gave her the ability to make many dear friends in Smithfield and Preston.
She loved her Savior and spent many hours in His service. She served as Relief Society President and in other callings which involved her musical talent. Together mom and dad served faithfully in the Adelaide Australian and Independence Missouri missions.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and siblings: Mack (Katie) Dunkley, Zelda Taylor, Eunice (Dee Ralph) Perry, Blaine (Beth) Dunkley and grandson Smith Nyman.
She is survived by her children Micheal (Kris) Oliverson, Marcene (Ron) Karren, Kim (Nancy) Oliverson, Nancy (Curtis) Brough, David (Kate) Oliverson, brother-in-law Ross Jay Taylor. She is the grandmother of 23 grandchildren and 52 great grandchildren.
The family would like to extend thanks to the staff at Legacy House in Logan and also the Sunshine Hospice staff for their caring and concern.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 16, at the Smithfield 18th Ward chapel, 625 E. 600 South, Smithfield. A viewing will be from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, June 15 at the Nelson Funeral Home 85 S. Main Smithfield, and at the church prior to the service on Monday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at the Smithfield City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com.
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hjnews/obituary.aspx?n=francine-dunkley-oliverson&pid=171347798&fhid=4511#sthash.74mUbRkz.dpuf

Leaving Togo -Back in Benin

Bonjour!                                                                                                             06/14/2014

This past week has been pretty good! I knew that I would be coming to Benin at the end of the week, so I did my best to make sure Elder Gnenenon knew the secteur well enough. The week started out well though, we had the assistants stay at our apartment Monday night, and the next morning we left early to the leadership council. It was a special one as it was Presidents last one that he will be doing with us. Those meetings are some of the best no doubt! The spirit was there and we all definitely learned a lot from the meeting. Later that day as the assistants stayed over, Elder Ritchie came to work with us in our secteur for the afternoon, which was awesome as well. He’s always been one of the missionaries I looked up to so it was nice to get that time with him before he finishes his mission soon. So that was a good day for sure, and with the meetings, we ate very well. The work has actually picked up a lot this past week as well, as we’ve gotten many new Amis. I was a little sad we got them all right before I left, but I’m hoping that I''ll see their baptismal fiches getting sent to us pretty soon! I could see though that the Lord really did here our prayers, as we were pretty desperate to find new Amis, and helped us do that. For example a guy stopped us on the road and said that he had talked to the missionaries before, but as he moved, they lost contact. Its been about a year, but he once again found us and wants to follow the teachings again. So that was one new Ami, but when we went to see him, his friend was there as well, then after the lesson, another friend came in, and then we found out that the other friend lives in that same house as well, and has a huge Ivorian family that lives there as well, so Elder Gnenenon was pretty excited for that. But yeah, no doubt it was nice picking up a lot of new investigators this past week. This past week we had our last interviews with President Weed as well, which was pretty sad. On the brightside though Nevada isn’t that far from Utah, so it’s not the last time well see him, Ha-ha but yeah it will be excited with the arrival of the new president on the first of next month! We'll all for sure miss President Weed though. He taught us a ton especially in examples of charity. Even in the smallest things, for example with the interviews, after we finish Sister Weed usually gives us all candy. That’s just how it works, but when they left our apartment, they hadn’t given us any, I was pretty crushed, but didn’t want to say anything, and be the guy always asking for candy, ha-ha, so they left. A couple hours later though they called us and said they were on there way back, and that they had forgotten something. Sure enough they came all the way back to the apartment to bring us our candy. They could have easily just let it go, or given it to us later, but it taught me a lot the things they did for us. On Friday Togo had the last goodbye conference for President as well which was mainly just a big testimony meeting, but that was really awesome as well. Afterwards I went to eat with the assistants and we started the long drive back to Benin. I'll miss Togo a ton, but hey there is still a chance I could finish there! But yeah we left Togo around 4ish and started the long drive. About half way the roads got super bad, as it’s been pretty rainy lately, the roads were pretty messed up and chaotic. In the end we didn’t end up getting into Cotonou till around 10 o’clock. As the traffic was terrible due to the roads, and once we got there we had to drop all the missionaries off. And sure enough on the way back to the apartment we find another truck stuck in a big hole, so we got them pulled out. Finally after 11 o’clock pm we made it into Cocotomey with the assistants. The part that I had forgotten about was that Elder Desvergez was the Zone Leader that was living with the assistants, and had been waiting hours for my arrival. And oh how good it was to see him after 8 months!! Ha-ha it was seriously the best thing ever, but yeah I’m happy to be back here with him and the other elders I haven’t seen in a while. We were exhausted though after that day, and ended up having to sleep on the floor in the apartment. Ha-ha. Once again though, like my first night in Anfame, the mosquitos were going crazy, and along with that, there are some weird bugs that come out at night, and make you really itchy. I didn’t have a blanket as it was all packed up, so in other words I laid most of the night itching myself and not sleeping. Ha-ha, and today we had to take some Elders around on a transfer, so you could say that I’m pretty tired right now! But yeah, I’m still trying to adjust back to Benin. Everything seems so much nicer and bigger here now, as its much more developed than Togo. Along with that I’m trying to get adjusted to the new lifestyle I have now. Ha-ha, it will come though, but yeah things are all going well here. One problem with the work now though is that the world cup just started. I’m sure back in America you barely know that, but every man, woman and child here is going crazy right now over the world cup.... even though Togo isn’t in it. Ha-ha, so hopefully the missionary work will be able to continue well. 

 Thanks for everything, and for all the love and support!  

Elder Oliverson

Stake Conference

Bonjour!                                                                                                                   06/09/2014

 This past week has been pretty well. I got the surprising call as well finding that I will be going back to Benin to serve! Along with that I'll actually be working with the Elders that are in the bureau in helping the transition with the new mission president coming in, in just a few weeks. It will be nice going back to Benin to see the old converts, and all the missionaries there that I miss dearly! I will surely miss Togo a ton though, and am hoping to come back here again before the end of my mission. On the brightside I'll get to be with President Weed a lot at the end of his mission, and I will get to know the new mission president really well. But yeah this past week went pretty well! The secteur is still having a bit of difficulty due to the incident with one of the leaders, but we’ve found some good new Amis this past week. One that I’m sad about leaving for is a super old grandma named Katherine, I don’t even know how old she is, and most likely as she is Togolese she doesn’t even know her age. Ha-ha, but she was actually a contact from her son who is a leader in the ward of Tokoin. Thanks to the example and encouragement of her son, she'll be getting baptized in two weeks! 

This past week we had Stake Conference as well, which was awesome to be at. Last conference with the dedication it was pretty packed, and I assumed that it was because it was the dedication, and there was a member of the Seventy's that was there. So I didn’t think that it would be as filled this time around, but I was very wrong. We got there really early, and watched as the whole entire chapel was filled, all the way into the back part, along with the primary room where they had a TV playing it as well, and one of the big hallways. We ended up sitting outside not getting to really see or hear any of the conference. It was kind of a bummer, but at the same time I guess that it’s a really good thing! Ha-ha, the church will be really strong here one day no doubt. It was nice seeing all the members from the old secteurs, and the other missionaries as well. Along with that we found out that two of the families that we were teaching in Anfame, and a few other couples that we were teaching there are getting baptized next week. Another unfortunate reason that I’m leaving this Friday, ha-ha but I’m super excited for them no doubt! The zone is doing as well, and the work seems to be picking up in all of the secteurs so that is good to see! This past week we’ve been doing a lot of work with the new members, in strengthening them, and also in hopes of getting contacts. My companion wanted to teach about tithing with all of them, even though we knew pretty well that they all paid their tithing already. I can see that he was inspired in doing it as well too. The members were all really happy to talk about it, and the testimonies they have already gained even in just this short time of paying the tithing. It really made me think a lot about that commandment, as its one that we usually keep, but don’t talk much about it, and leave it to the side. But its one of the greatest commandments, and one of the best ways to grow in faith really. We shared a lot the scripture in Malachi talking about the promises the Lord makes to us, and that tithing is really a question of faith rather than money. It’s whether we love the Lord, and also if we have the trust that he will keep the great promises he has made for those who keep this commandment. So that was a really nice reminder for me as well. Today our apartment went to the beach with some of the Elders from Souza and had a good time there as well! I'll send those pictures! But yeah, all is going well here, thanks for all of the love and support!

Elder Oliverson

Stake conference this past week.

left to right.. Elder Baker American, Elder Mary French, Elder Barton American, Me, Elder Florion Tahitian, Elder Lynch Scottish, Elder Destribois French, Togolese member, Elder Gnenenon Ivorian, Elder Mou-tham Tahitian...

Me, Elder Mou-tham & Elder Barton

Me & my companion Elder Gnenenon

Atonement

Bonjour!                                                                                                                  06/02/2014

This past week has been much better. It was nice being able to get to work without the sickness, and feeling normal again! That was probably the most frustrating part last week was not being able to go out to work. But yeah the week started off a little tough because of the rain... and with the rain we got, it was clear its now the rainy season. We were on our way to go to district meeting, and we have to go to the church in Anfame, as we have the sisters in our district now. And about halfway there, the rain arrives. We took cover under a little boutique thing, and started waiting a bit. We looked up at the clouds, and realized the rain wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. The problem getting stranded out in the rain here, is that it rains so much, and so quickly the roads flood and some turn into little mini rivers. Ha-ha, we didn’t play it smart, thinking if we waited longer, the rain would stop, but it didn’t, and we ended up running back to our house in nothing but water. I have to give it too my shoes, they’ve seen better days. 

But yeah the work is getting a little better in the secteur day by day. We have some really strong new members, that have a lot of passion for the church, but aren’t quite sure how to use it, so we’ve put a lot of work into helping the members as well. In our ward, as its an older ward, we have multiple members that are working at the stake lever, for example in the Stake Presidency, High Council, etc. So as a result we have newer members as leaders in certain spots, and don’t have a ton of priesthood holders there on Sundays. As I’ve been in Be Kpota before, and so it’s been a while now, it’s been cool to see the progression of some of the members. There was a member in particular that has taught me a lot. When I first got here in the secteur, he was already started in the repentance process for some serious things that he had done a while ago. As the members are mostly new here, that can be pretty tough on them. We don’t get to visit this member often, but just seeing his each Sunday, and the change that happens week to week has been awesome. There is really a physical difference in his appearance, and a light and a big happiness that wasn’t there before. Honestly every time I see him now; he is smiling, and looks like the happiest person ever. It really helped me strengthen my testimony on the power of the Atonement, and how repentance can change our lives. The best part as well was this past Sunday he was able to use his Priesthood to bless his new baby that wasn’t born long ago. So things are going pretty well in the secteur, we were a little busy this past week though doing a lot of baptismal interviews for the zone, which I guess is actually a good thing, seeing that the zone is picking up a lot, and visiting some elders in the apartments as well. But yeah, not much is new other than that! This next week we will be having Stake Conference, which is exciting as it is the first since the last one when the stake was dedicated.

       I hope things are going well there, thanks a ton for the prayers and the support! I love and miss you all a ton!!

Elder Oliverson

Beobab tree

Malaria

Bonjour!                                                                                                             05/26/2014

This past week has been a little rough, and not too much has happened. I remember last week how I was mentioning that I wasn’t feeling good with the backaches and headaches. So that kept going on while we were here at the cyber. After the cyber a huge rainstorm hit, making us stay here a little longer. All of the roads got flooded so we had to walk home in the water. But even worse than that was when we did get home our house was flooded. Ha-ha, so we spent the entire evening trying to get the water out of our house and letting things dry out. I still was feeling pretty sick and thought it was just because I was tired. Anyways it continued and as we are worried here about Malaria, I finally called the couple about it, and they decided to get me to the hospital to get the testing’s done. Its always weird going to the doctors here though. Ha-ha, at first he just asked me questions, and as I’m not super strong in French anatomy and medical terms, I really didn’t have an idea of most the stuff he was saying. Afterwards he inspected me and told me I had a nice body; I would have sued him if that were back in the states. Ha-ha He checked my blood pressure and pulse afterwards and such, and was stunned at what an athlete I am with my pulse at 47 beats per minute. Ha-ha, I had no idea that was still doing good. I’ve been lucky so far, but it finally got me. It was seriously the worst thing ever, ha-ha. I’ve never been that sick before. The medication does well though, it takes a big toll on the body though, and has a lot of side effects, but it’s either that, or you keep the malaria. They took good care of it though, and by now I’m feeling really good, just super tired. I was surprised that I was able to even go out and work this week, before they found out that I had malaria we had gone out and worked and even done some splits yeah we took some blood tests and others, and the next day we found out that I had Malaria. Oh and it is what everyone talks it up to be. It’s seriously the worst. So they got me on the Coartem, taking the pills every 12 hours for a few days, and by now I’m feeling really well!! I’m pretty exhausted but hey I’m not feeling too bad! The medication really knocks it out, but at the same time knocks out the body, so I spent much of this week sleeping, and sleeping more, then going to the hospital again, but hey now its all pretty good.One part that wasnt too bad with staying in bed all day, was I got to study a ton.. there is nothing better than studying the scriptures! Im thankful that I have had the mission to help teach me that.I had a bad fever and most of the other symptoms but they think that because I have been taking my Doxy, that the Malaria didn’t get as bad as for others sometimes which was a blessing as well! Along with that the couple that we have here in Togo is awesome so they were a big help as well, and took good care of me! 

But yeah along with that the work has slowed down a bit in the secteur due to some problems with the leadership. It is still there though, and while having malaria we were still able to go out and do a split with the missionaries from Souza, which was pretty good as well. On Tuesday we had our zone meeting, which went pretty good, and were hoping that helped the zone a bit. But yeah the elders we have are doing really good as well. We have some great members here like I say every time as well. Along with that I was really happy this past week, as two of our ward missionaries have got their mission calls! One of them will be going to Cote DIvoire, and the other will be serving in this mission (so he will be serving his whole mission in Benin), but yeah it was cool to see them get their calls after having worked with them! Other than that not much is new as most of the week was spent in my bed, in the couples car, and the hospital. So yeah! But all is going well now.

      Thanks a ton for all of the love and support! I’m doing a lot better now; I hope that all is great there also!

                             Elder Oliverson

Pearl

Bonjour!                                                                                                            05/19/20104

Things have been pretty good this past week. It’s been really strange being back in Be Kpota again, but it’s been good. We have a ton of new converts, but now are looking for Amis, so this past week has been really just getting that more established. The work has been going well though, even though we haven’t been able to do a ton of work in the secteur! On Wednesday night the zone leaders had a little meeting with the Stake Presidency. I have to give them a lot of credit though, as they are trying their best to get things going more in the stake member and missionary wise. They have a really strong desire of following what the prophet said in hastening the work and having the members and missionaries become united. A lot of good ideas came out, and they have a nice little program they are hoping to get going. Yes the church is super young here, but its clear that with the desire they have to advance the work here, in just a couple years the church will be incredible here. But yeah the meeting went really well! We don’t have a ton of Amis right now, but are trying to work with the members in getting some. 

As we were talking with a member the other day, he told us an awesome story and testimony. He and his wife just barely had a baby. And he was explaining that when the baby came they had to do a c-section on his wife. I’m not quite sure how that all works here, but after having the surgery done, she was with all of the other women in the recovery room. He was saying the doctor came in to give them their next orders, and told them that they couldn’t eat anything for a little while, but instead of eating they could drink Lipton tea. The doctors recommended that that would be the best thing for all of them. He explained to the doctor that she wouldn’t drink tea, because of the word of wisdom, but found a drink mix called Milo, that could give her energy instead. The doctor and everyone there got really mad, and were asking him why he thinks he is smarter than the doctor, and that tea is the best thing for her to drink. He explained that he had more trust in God, than in the doctors, so his wife didn’t drink tea, but another drink instead. The doctors kept insisting on it, but she stayed strong. He explained that after a little while, of all the women there that had gotten the surgery done, she was the one who healed the fastest out of all of them, and is in the best condition. It was really cool hearing his testimony of the work of wisdom, and seeing his trust in the Lord. It would have been easy for them to just give in a little, in this situation only, but they stayed strong, and great blessings came. It was really cool seeing how big of an impact that experience had on them as well.

 Things are going well in the zone also. We're getting ready for a zone meeting tomorrow. My companion is giving the lesson, and he was telling me about a story that he will be using, and one that Elder Vinson had shared with him. It’s about these people that had a super precious, and expensive pearl. One of the most precious in the whole world, and was gorgeous, and so they were going to put it on display. So to do so, they got a really nice table and decorations to present the pearl, and then they invited people to come see. He explained that they were stunned, because when people came, they kept talking about how nice the table was, and were so intrigued by that, that they barely even noticed the pearl. He compared that to us as missionaries, as we have the most precious message in the world, but, often people get distracted by us as missionaries, and how nice we are, or how much they like us personally, which takes their attention off of the message. This in result leads to not really converted people, and people that are converted to the missionaries rather than the gospel. It was a story that I liked a lot, and I think it is huge for this mission, as people are so nice, and often love the missionaries. So our goal needs to be not to have the attention on us, but on the message instead. So hopefully that will go well! But yeah, not too much is new here, its supposed to be the rainy season, and cooling down, but it seems to just be getting hotter... All is going well with the work, I love my companion he’s the best. We have a good apartment as well with a Tahitian and a Scottish. Ha-ha I feel like I’m always in a movie or something with his accent. But yeah, things are going great here! I love and miss you all a ton!

 Thanks for everything!  Elder Oliverson

Back to Be Kpota

Bonjour!                                                                                                            05/12/2014

          This past week has been pretty good. Me and my companion had an idea that we would be moved as zone leaders to another apartment, because they decided to bring sister missionaries into our apartment in Anfame. We were thinking they would move us to maybe Baguida, or Souza. But then the call came, and we’re going to Be Kpota! They are taking one of the companionships out of the apartment, and putting the zone leaders in. So I’ll once again be working in the same secteur I did before in Be Kpota. I can see that it is probably the best thing though, rather than just going into a completely new secteur, we are going to one that I know really well, so that will help out a lot! 

        Most of this past week, me and my companion spent getting the secteur ready for the sister missionaries. It will be pretty tough for them, as they know no one, and nowhere, so we planned a lot with the members as to how they can help with that. They now have a cool little system with the members, which will help them find each Ami. But yeah, I only got to spend 3 weeks in Anfame, but it was good for sure! Its weird I didn’t spend that long there, but I already miss those people I met there. The best part was all of the families they had there. Along with that we had many families that were progressing, and weren’t too far off from baptism. Luckily were not that far off, and they are still in our zone, so we’ll be there from time to time! But yeah, we’ve been pretty busy this past week! On Saturday we had our last baptism in Anfame, which was nice as well, and went really good. After the baptism we headed directly to Be Kpota. The problem was that the other companionship hadn’t left yet, so we were stuck sleeping on the floor. Ha-ha, the problem was its really hot in the apartment, so my companion and me went to sleep on the roof. It was just great till halfway through the night it started raining. Sending us back on the bottom. The problem with the rain is it gets even more humid, so even hotter. Which just made the inside of the apartment even hotter. Ha-ha, so in other words we really got no sleep those last couple nights, but finally we have our beds! This past week has been a pretty rough one as well with the rain, the rainy season is very much here as it rained pretty bad three days in a row. The thing with the rain is that we can tough it out and go teach, but for some reason, which I don’t understand still, the people here hate the rain. Ha-ha, and seriously everything shuts down when it rains, and then people can’t talk either. So that had a little influence on the work, but things are still going forward! Along with that it was nice calling home this past Sunday! Its weird to think that the next and last time I will be calling home is for Christmas, and then I will only have a few months till I’ll becoming home after that. The time is flying by, so I’m just trying to make the most of it all! I love and miss you all a ton!

Elder Oliverson

The super tall guy plays on the Togo national basketball team.