MY FATHER KARL HELM by Martha Helm Salway
In 1965 my cousin Fred Helm and his wife were house cleaning and accidentally knocked down the picture of his father and mother. The frame and glass were broken and under their picture was a picture of my father. My father Karl Helm died in April 1909 and I was born in August 1909, as I had never seen my father or a picture of him I was pleased when Fred sent me the picture.
In 1969 I went to my Cousin Fred’s funeral in Medicine Hat, Alberta. We all bowed our heads as the Reverend gave the opening prayer. I looked up towards Fred’s coffin and there was my father standing in front of the coffin looking at me.
In 1971 I went to another Helm funeral and there my father was in front of the coffin looking at me. I wondered by his appearance if he was trying to tell me something.
Like, He was glad that I finally went by the Helm name, or if it was a warning of some kind.
When I told Millie she said that “We needed to do the Temple work for my father.” The next time I went to a Helm funeral my father was not there. I told Millie and she said that his work had been done in the Temple and that I probably wouldn’t see him again. He let me know that he has always been close to me all these years and is watching over me. I think he is glad that I am a Helm.