Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Rainbow Light]

I agree, and all the best with this!!!

[Rainbow Light]

It is a shame that Elvis was not able to go to church and share fellowship, enjoy worshipping his God but I understand why he did not: that he felt - rightly so I believe, that those in the congregation would have paid all the attention to him - Elvis wanted the glory given to God not to him and so he stayed away.

However, as far as he was able to, Elvis worshipped the Lord in his own way and helped lead many people to God too through his music and his love, the good qualities he did show to others in his life. No, not perfect but by doing his best to live the Christian life.

[Blue Moon]

Elvis had so many gospel sing-a-longs, including hiring Voice just to have on hand for whenever he wanted to sing gospel, that this was his way of having church.

[Rainbow Light]

That's very true and wouldn't it have been great to be able to have been there to listen to them all singing those great gospel songs!

[Wanda June Hill]

Elvis liked to watch gospel programs on television and his favorite was Rex Humbard's show. Even his mm guys have mentioned that he made them sit down and watch that one and he didn't want conversation during it either. I wrote to Rev. Humbard after Elvis' passing and asked him if he would give me permission to put the things he and his wife MaudeAmie said about meeting Elvis in Las Vegas. He immediately replied, giving me permission and wishing me well with the book. I had included in my letter a few pages from a couple of chapters and he was pleased with them...pleased that it was going to be a good book, not a tell all journal of Elvis' indescretions etc;. He said he had not met any one as honest, pure of heart and sweet of spirit as Elvis Presley and that he and MaudeAmie were proud to be included in our book. I don't think he gave anyone else permission to use their personal encounter with Elvis.
We felt so honored. wjh

[Blue Moon]

I don't think he gave anyone else permission to use their personal encounter with Elvis. We felt so honored. wjh

I think you must be right about that Wanda because of the books I've read on Elvis, I've never come across Elvis' meeting with Rex & Maude Aime in detail. One book mentioned the meeting but just very briefly.

Rex Humbard was interviewed for the DVD "He Touched Me, the Gospel Music of Elvis Presley". He shared some of the meeting he had with Elvis. I got a good first impression of Rex. He has a kind & gentle spirit. Good DVD by the way. I'd recommend it.

[Rainbow Light]

Yes, I'd recommend this DVD also, and Rex and his wife sound truly sweet and kind souls. I'm not surprised they were able to have a better understanding of Elvis, the human being and who he was on a spiritual level.

They also must have recognised and realised Wanda as a true, sincere and honest friend of Elvis which is why they gave their permission.

[Wanda June Hill]

We put their photo in our book also, they didn't know we were going to do that, but I thought it would be nice and I knew Elvis would like that also. He told me about being the "Bell sheep" a couple of times, and about meeting them and how much it meant to him that they would come see him when they were so busy. And he said when talking about how he would like to be buried, etc: including the white cars...white suit, blue shirt, etc: and he said then, he wanted them, if they were still able, to come and speak at the service. A private service-he didn't want a big "ta-do" out of it. It really was a big "ta-do" I can't believe how many people went to Memphis over those three days- it was just amazing to see. And the flowers...I think Floral shops everywhere had a big boon over that! We had to try three in So. California before we found one that would be able to make what we wanted to send-they had so many orders already they were having problems getting flowers-especially roses. We went together and had a spray of baby's breath with a dozen red roses in heart shape laying on a bed of greenery-not a big one-he didn't want us to do that but that we donate the money to some good cause-he'd already made that request weeks before...so we just did a small group thing. I know he knew he was dying...there were just too many things he talked of and joked about. It was like he was "preparing" people...and most likely he did with those around him, but they just didn't see it because he was right there-where as we just listened to him. They watched him, and I know he kept up a strong front for their sake-especially for his dad. He talked to his dad alot he said, trying to find a way to make him understand about life, living and dying and to reach him with the spiritual truths as Elvis called it, so that his father would have something to hold on to...and when he said that, he was talking of his dad being sick and maybe dying from heart failure. But I think he meant, when he was gone, his dad would have something to remember, to know that his son had given him faith and hope before he left him. Okay, that's it for me-I'm going to end up crying-again! Enough of that! wjh

[Rainbow Light]

I'm not going to mention much or I'll start off crying too! But the floral group display you had done up for Elvis sounds so beautiful, Wanda!
There is just such a profound and almost overwhelming (but not in a bad way) feeling of love at Elvis' grave-side; it is sad and emotional in a way but somehow seeing all those beautiful floral displays still there (specially during Elvis Week), daily being put there and changed around from fans all around the globe - knowing so many thousands love him just as much as you do is somewhat comforting and a balm to the spirit if I can put it like that?

Yes, Rex and MaudeAmie came across as such kind, sincere souls. The idea of Elvis being the "Bell Sheep" was such a great one and was sweet of MaudAmie to mention it to Elvis. The prayer session afterward mentioned on He Touched Me sounds like it must have had a deep effect and impact on Elvis from what I recall Rex saying on the DVD?

Wanda, I don't know if it has ever been mentioned or asked on ELC (sorry if it has, there's so much wonderful information all over the Forum! I just can't find it sometimes!): know Elvis memorised so much of the Bible by heart but did he mention any favourite, specific parts, verses - gospels etc to you that he liked specifically?

Again, sorry if you've been asked this before!

Best wishes, Sue

[Wanda June Hill]

He did, quite a few. Of the top of my head I can think of: Psalms because they gave insight into any situation a person might find themselves and ways to get out. He liked Solomon too, said it was God making love to his handiwork, the earth and all of it's living beings. To Elvis there was "sex" and then there was "making love"- the latter being more spiritual and with heart felt love and devotion. The first more "fun and games" and nothing deeply involved of heart, spirit or soul-just the body and it's knee jerk reactions. He could be more explicit he said but-"you get the picture-huh-really?" He also enjoyed Revelations-studying them with others in his "group" of spiriutal minded guys that he knew-not any around him. And he often read Mathew and Daniel too. He didn't have many that he didn't read from-I think he must have read to me passages out of just about all the books, including the old testament. I will get a Bible and go through to look for some things that are marked and that I marked when he'd read from one of his. He had some neat ideas. interperatations, I should say. I came home from Suzy's and Starla had bought a cd player-that looks like a sports car sort of with super speakers and it's going now with the gospel cd Laurie gave me. She also gave me a DVD of outtakes from THWIS-hadn't seen that in ages either.! I had a wonderful birthday! All musical and visiual! And All Elvis!!! Starla also ordered some Tony Joe White CDs a nother voice I like-he's a great guy, a real famliy man too. Haven't seen him in ages or heard his records since the stereo died a few years ago. This little house will be rockin' for days! Yea! Wjh

[Lighthouseseeker]

I'M SO HAPPY YOU ENJOYED YOUR BIRTHDAY AND THE PRESENTS,WISHING YOU A HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY WANDA..HOPE YOU HAVE MORE IN THE FUTURE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AROUND, INCLUDIND OUR SWEET SPIRIT ..HUGS

[Barbara Lea]

IM SO SORRY WANDA THAT I MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAY, SO I HOPE I WON'T FORGET THE NEXTED ONE. SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY WANDA, YOUR NOT GETTING OLDER YOUR JUST GETTING BETTER!! BARB!!

[ALNA]

Wanda,
I sended you a card for your birthday but Belgium, and California is a long distance.
You will receive it one of these days but I want to wish you a happy Birthday here alreaddy in case the card wouldn't make it on time.

Nadine

[Wanda June Hill]

Thanks kids, I get to be 12 all year! Elvis told me that-when he was turning 42-he said that someone told him and he really liked that idea- you add your birthday dates together and that's the age you get to be all year so he was quite happy he could be 6 again if he wanted to-and he said, I do. Just a happy, silly 6 year old again-it was a pretty good year- he got two new shirts, almost new coveralls (hand downs from some relative) and a pair of pants brand new and he said his mom just about wore them out washing them as he didn't want to wear the coveralls, but he added, I did. And said he had them and cursed a blue streak- coveralls. I guess he was ridiculed and teased by some of the other kids. And he said he was bullied in school until he learned how to stand up to them. He never fought in school but he said he had to either run like hell or stand up and fight because sooner or later, they were going to make him. So he picked his own time and though he got "whupped" several times, he learned to land a punch or to and I remember him laughing because his granddad taught him some dirty moves that put the fear in some of the guys after him.
His mom didn't want him to fight, she would rather he run- And his first weeks at school in Memphis he said he got the holy sh... beat out of him a few times because of he was shy and easy target. Then he made a few friends who walked around with him so there were more to worry about. And he wanted to aquit school and just work in the field but his mother refuesed to allow that
though his dad would have let him. He was the first male child to graduate from highschool I guess, on either side of the family-then some of his cousins graduated in later years. He got by "on the skin of his teeth" and they let him graduate because they "felt sorry" for him.
The only B grade he ever got was for history he said,
and he did well in band though he didn't get to be in the band because they couldn't afford the instruments and he was working afte school so he couldn't practice.
He couldn't play football for the same reason-and his mother was afraid he'd be injured and asked him not to play. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Thanks as ever for your insights, Wanda and so pleased you had a great birthday! I know of Tony Joe White but I don't think I've ever heard him so I'm missing out by the sound of it!

As regards my above post about Elvis' favorite Bible passages you mentioned in part that:

[/quote]He didn't have many that he didn't read from-I think he must have read to me passages out of just about all the books, including the old testament. I will get a Bible and go through to look for some things that are marked and that I marked when he'd read from one of his. He had some neat ideas. interperatations, I should say.[quote]

If, as and when you have time and at your convenience I would truly appreciate that as am interested in what he had to say, his interpretations and his thoughts about not only about the Bible but spirituality and life in general and would have loved to have asked him had I had the opportunity to do so. I guess you could either post them here or send me a pm, whichever you'd prefer, would be easier or whatever, for you, and as I mentioned, at your leisure?

Would be most grateful, best wishes, Sue