Heavenly Father, are You Really There?
Meet Diann Wells, a mother, missionary, actress, grandmother and member of the Hurst Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this article she shares insights about her life, her mission, the meaning of eternal families and testifies that God is always there.
Have you ever thought about those gray-haired, senior ladies that come to church? They chat with others, usually their own age, but you know little about them? Or perhaps you attend a funeral and wonder why you did not know all those things about that person?
As a wife, mother, missionary, actress, grandmother and member of the Hurst Texas Stake, Diann Wells’ is one of those ladies—her life has been filled with good things like faith, humor and adventure as well as difficult trials, such as the loss of her husband, a granddaughter and dear friends. Yet, despite it all, Diann’s life lessons remind us to embrace the wonderful, and with the help of the Lord, continue chasing a life well-lived.
A Love Story: “How Thurston and I Met”
“After high school, I moved to San Diego, Calif. and lived with my Aunt Donna and Uncle Bud,” said Diann.
“Donna was partially responsible for the introduction to my husband. I met a guy named Tom from Texas at a church dance. Later, while he was on a ship and in port for a couple of days, he called the house. Donna told him it would be best for him to pick me up at the corner of 4th and Broadway where I would be waiting for a bus after a college class. I was there, and heard my name called in Tom’s familiar accent. He ran across the street and told me he had a friend in a car circling the block.
When the car arrived, I slid across the seat next to the driver, another sailor named Thurston Wells. Later that evening my cousin Jeanne, Thurston, Tom, and I went to a church dance. Tom and Thurston would take turns dancing with me. Thurston asked if Tom and I were a serious couple and when I said no, he asked for my phone number. And so, the courtship began.
After years of marriage people would ask how we met. My husband forever told people, “Oh, I picked her up off the corner of 4th and Broadway in downtown San Diego.”
Thurston Wesley Wells and Diann were married 57 years before his passing in 2018. They have three children, 20 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
A Woman of Many Talents and Interests
In the past 20 years, Diann has been in 17 plays and musicals at the Artisan Theater in Hurst. Her favorite role was Aunt March in “Little Women.” She was also in three musicals in Lubbock in the 1980s.
Diann as Aunt March (left) and as the maid at the Inn (right) from “Little Women.” Diann had dual roles in the play.
During her life she has learned to sew, quilt, grow gardens, can goods, crochet, bake whole wheat bread and more. She cannot tell you how many houses she has painted inside and out, having moved so many times. She bowled in leagues in her 30s and 40s—winning over 200 score awards! She loves to watch golf, baseball and football.
A Lifetime of Dedicated Service
Thurston and Diann served in the Dallas temple for 14 years. They also served two honorable service missions, with each mission lasting two years. Diann’s service over the years have included:
Serving the Cub Scouts for seven years in various wards (congregations)
Road Show Director in two different wards (Road Shows are short musical plays)
Young Women’s Stake Camp Director for seven years
Compassionate Service leader
Sunday School teacher, primary teacher, seminary teacher
Relief Society President (the women’s organization in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Chorister for both Relief Society and Sacrament meetings
Genealogy Ward Representative in most wards that she has attended since the age 26
Sung in various choirs, including five years in the Sing Noel Christmas Choir (click here to learn when Sing Noel is taking place this December 2022)
The Decision to Serve a Mission
In her Patriarchal Blessing in 1966, Diann was told to “continue to be a comfort to thy chosen companion in life that loyal love and true companionship might abide with thee throughout thy life.” After her husband’s passing, she wanted to know what she should do. Through prayer, fasting and once again turning to her blessing she read:
“Accept humbly every opportunity that shall come to thee for service in the organizations of the church.”
She loved the children in her primary class, however, the Holy Ghost was prompting her to serve a mission. She tried to ignore it, but the feelings were strong. Sally and Jim Bennett, workers at the Dallas Temple, had just finished their mission. Diann asked Sally if she was too old to serve a mission and Sally replied: “Are you still breathing?”
So, Diann researched the possibilities and applied to serve. After much prayer and preparation, she was assigned to the Canada Montreal Mission (English speaking) to serve 18 months, from 2019 to 2020.
“Sally Munsell from Oregon, and I were called as Record Preservation Specialists to serve in the Library and Archives of Canada in the nation’s capital city of Ottawa, Ontario,” said Diann. “It was the first-ever international site for book scanning.”
“There were many days of trial and error, frustration, conflicts, tears and soul searching, but my companion and I finally worked out a system—printed forms to help our processes and schedule our time,” she said.
“Prayer was essential. I needed to know God loved me. Sometimes I felt like the words in ‘A Child’s Prayer’ song, ‘Heavenly Father, are you really there?’ He was.”
“I am so happy to have had this missionary experience. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost helped during my trials to ‘press on’ with their constant love, answers to prayer and numerous tender mercies,” said Diann.
Celebrating Life because “Families can be Together Forever”
Diann with her granddaughter, Danae.
The greatest joys in her life, besides Thurston, are their two sons and their daughter. And of course, their grandchildren. One granddaughter will always hold a special place in Diann’s heart: Danae Erica Wells, the daughter of Dan and Monica Wells, who passed away December 23rd, 2021—she was 26 years of age.
“The worst phone call in my entire life was from my distraught and weeping son telling me of Danae’s passing,” said Diann. “I was not prepared to deal with the heartbreak and devastation Danae’s parents, Dan and Monica felt. My children were hurting, and I could not fix it. All that could be done on my part was loving, listening, hugging, and offering many prayers. I knew the path they had to trod and mourning is painful, but necessary to heal. Those salty continual tears cleanse us.”
Danae was a very smart and driven young lady full of love. Everyone who met her instantly fell in love with her bright spirit and infectious smile. Danae faced countless health adversities throughout her life. She faced each new trial with strength, determination and a smile that would always light up a room, even from a young age.
She graduated in 2017 from Brigham Young University, Idaho. With a bachelor’s degree in Education, Danae wanted to be a teacher. Her love for children is what led her to become an amazing and beloved preschool teacher at the Benton, Arkansas Headstart Program.
She was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and family was everything to Danae. Danae always found the good in others and put others needs before her own. And she continued to give to others in the unselfish decision by being an organ donor. Danae had registered on her driver’s license that she wanted to be an organ donor and the family was aware of that. She gave her all to God, her family, her friends, her students, and to countless organ recipients.
Danae’s spirit may have left this earth on December 19th, but because she had chosen organ donation, she was on life support for 4 days until her Walk of Honor took place on December 23rd. (A Walk of Honor is a ceremonial event to commemorate a patient whose organs will be donated.) When her bed, draped with a pink hedgehog “hogs and kisses” blanket, was transported to the operating room, the halls were lined with doctors, nurses and staff holding candles. Such a sad time, but the family was given much support and love from those at St. Vincent Children’s Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The Lord blessed the Wells family through that dark time and eventually their pains subsided as they were administered to by caring family, friends, and especially the Holy Ghost.
“We are allowed to heal, but we never forget,” said Diann. “Neither does God. ”
Diann is a passionate supporter of Donate Life, because Danae served so many through her organ donation.
God is Always There
As Diann reflects on her own life, she says that the fact that God is with us every minute of every day is the “greatest gift” in her life, other than the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
“Jesus prayed to his Father regularly, so if that is an indication of how we should revere God, then that communication is a blessing for us as well,” said Diann. “Communication with God has sustained me through many trials, comforted me in disappointments, and helped me remember, rejoice and be grateful for the good things in my life.”
One of Diann’s favorite songs is “A Child’s Prayer.” In the song, the child asks, “Heavenly Father, are you really there?” and the parents’ answer is “Pray, He is there; Speak, He is listening.”
“Sometimes when frustrations are high, I think of this beautiful Primary Children’s song and rehearse that child and parent conversation within me. I know He is there,” said Diann.
Article by Debby Adair, Images courtesy Diann Wells and Family
Debby Adair serves as a Hurst Stake Website Editor and Reporter. She is a former Financial Compliance Officer / Financial Fraud Examiner. She now spends her days enjoying retirement and enjoys traveling internationally, cooking and interior decorating during her free time.