Where You're Supposed to Be

On September 24, 2021, I submitted an essay to a university-wide competition. The George H. Brimhall Essay Contest occurs during each Homecoming Week and is open to all full-time students — undergraduates and even graduate students. The competition is designed to encourage high levels of scholarship among students and promote understanding and appreciation of BYU’s mission and legacy and the challenges of its great founders. It requires the author to tie the homecoming theme (for 2021, it was "Make Your Moment"), a BYU founder, and their own life together in a creative, compelling story. On September 29, 2021, I was notified that out of hundreds of submissions, my essay had won one of the three "Honorable Award" prizes. I am deeply honored to have had the chance to learn about Janie from Family History entries, online articles, and even one of her descendants. In August, I reached out to her niece, and she agreed to tell me about Janie's life. We spent two hours together on a worn bench in Kiwanis Park. The sound of children's laughter echoed in the background, and the gentle, fading summer sun illuminated the area in a special light. Janie's niece told me story after story, and even sang some of Janie's songs for me in a quiet but powerful tone. I left feeling deeply, deeply touched. I only wish I could have included more of the songs and stories her niece told me. I don't think this essay even begins to do Janie justice. Nevertheless, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity I had to learn more about her life and impact.

“Oh to be one of the BYU girls who falls in love once, gets married, and lives happily ever after,” I thought, as I dove headfirst into a box of quickly-cooling fried rice.

After scooping a few morsels into my mouth, I slowed. Something had caught my eye —fortune cookies. Glinting with potential and advice, they winked at me from the dinner table.

I put my fork down.

“Let’s give ‘fate’ a chance,” I muttered.

Breaking into the small envelope of egg whites, almond extract, and flour, my eyes gobbled up the words:

“You are exactly where you’re supposed to be.”

I scoffed.

Crumpling the cliché fortune into a ball of cheap paper and tiny red letters, I shoved it into my jean pocket.

Ouch. Didn't the Panda Express fortune cookie gods know that I’d just been dumped? That my moment, my relationship — everything I had been working to create — had just ended?

So no, little fortune cookie, I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. Or rather, I wasn’t where I wanted to be.

And neither was Janie Thompson — or so she thought.

Born to J. Henry Thompson and Lora Harmon in the pea-sized town of Malta, Idaho, Janie Thompson always felt a little out of place.

But Janie, with her Hollywood-sized heart, maximized small-town life. Every Wednesday, Malta had a movie night. And while her family left to enjoy the entertainment, Janie stayed home to spin and sashay for imaginary crowds [6]. They loved her.

Janie’s performances quickly moved from her living room to the community. Due to an accident, Janie’s mother — who used to direct shows — couldn’t instruct the performers [6]. So, little Janie became her feet. And her voice. And her direction. “Mother had the idea,” explained niece Bonnie Lee, “but Janie had the ability”[3].

When she was 13, Janie directed her first show. The cast was full of Malta cowpokes but Janie’s self-taught piano skills and choreography transformed ordinary farmers into Gene Kellys and Judy Garlands [6].

Eventually, Janie overcame her stage fright and became an Army civilian actress technician. Who would’ve thought a little Malta lass would tour Europe, entertain soldiers with clean comedy, and perform with legends Tony Bennett and Ike Carpenter [7]? The adoring audiences Janie had dreamt up in her childhood were finally becoming a reality.

Janie decided to postpone her career to serve the Lord. After spending a year and a half among the Welsh, that itch to perform took over. But when Janie hopped on a train to San Francisco to reconnect with Ike Carpenter, her plans were abruptly changed by an unexpected phone call. BYU president Ernest L. Wilkinson called, asking Janie to return and establish the BYU Arts program.

“I didn’t want to go," Janie recounted. "I cried all the way back to Provo. I couldn’t turn anything down from the Church or BYU — but I thought it was the end”[5].

Janie had stayed optimistic in Malta, slaved away during her undergraduate, served the Lord for 18 months — only to have her soloist career end in 24 hours.

I felt like I’d lost everything I wanted, too. I’d meticulously built my relationship on a strong foundation, and added many “floors” of vulnerability. But then it ended, and I was left with useless brick and loneliness. The moment I’d been creating was gone. Janie’s dreams of being a touring soloist were over.

But Janie hadn’t truly lost her moment. And from the rubble of her life, something fresh emerged.

Janie produced over 2,463 shows [7] during her first four years with the BYU Program Bureau, earning the nickname “The Energizer Janie” [1].

Janie toiled, founding Young Ambassadors and Living Legends and leading students around three continents.

Janie nurtured, drawing skills developed in Malta to include all talents, from glowing hoop dancers to banner-wielding missionaries [3].

Janie inspired — boxes-worth of handwritten thank-you notes to her from Rex E. Lee, LaVell Edwards, chief judge Lloyd D. George, and athletics assistant administrator Ann Valentine occupy the Harold B. Lee Special Collections archive [2].

The secret to her success? Janie Thompson knew that moments are never made by waiting for the ideal.

You can’t find them while moping around the dusty plains of Malta. Moments don’t always fit your well-intentioned plans. And moments aren’t dependant on fate or fortune cookies.

Moments are made when we accept what we have, and learn to wrangle cowpokes into Fred Astaires and Ginger Rogers.

Moments are made when you accept your breakup or a call from Ernest L. Wilkinson. Or when you take on a new calling, join that intramural team, or add a minor to your course load.

Despite my initial anger, I kept that fortune. I released it from my pocket prison. We’re no longer enemies; it has a permanent home on my bulletin board. It’s a proud emblem of where I’ve been and a thoughtful reminder of who I can become.

If you auditioned for one of Janie’s shows, she’d see you for who you are.

Maybe a little heartbroken.

Or crumpled.

But right before you run on stage for your first performance, she’d whisper in your ear:

You are exactly where you’re supposed to be.

If you've gotten this far, here's one last little note from me: this story is ongoing. Janie's legacy continues on through her magnificent descendants, who honor her through Facebook groups, family reunions, and sing-alongs. And while I won't have the same impact as Janie, my story isn't over yet, either. I'm still learning to redevelop my desire to accept the unwanted seasons of life. And I know people who have much more challenging things that they're struggling to accept. If you're in the same uncomfortably frustrating place, I'm sorry. I hope you're buoyed up by little happy moments each day. I hope that you have the strength to continue. But if I've learned anything from Janie's life, it's this: you can't hide behind the curtains of grief or hopelessness and expect an encore. So accept what's been given to you, start stretching, and get ready to run on-stage and perform. If Janie was still here, she would tell you that you're where you're supposed to be. And for what it's worth, I think you are, too.

References

1. Boyd, Tom. “Founder of Living Legends and the Young Ambassadors passes away.” The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University, 7 June 2013, https://universe.byu.edu/2013/06/07/1founder-of-living-legends-and-the-young-ambassadors-passes-away/.

2. Knaupp, Jenna. Secondary research conducted of Janie’s personal belongings in the HBLL Special Collection archive. August 2021.

3. Lee, Bonnie. Interview. By Jenna E. Knaupp. 2 August 2021.

4. Lynn, Uploaded by Carter Jo Lynn. “A Legend in Her Own Right.” FamilySearch, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1 June 2020, www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/107656610?p=39238364&returnLabel=Jane+Thompson+%28KWZW-QXF%29&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FKWZW-QXF.

5. Malan, Jayne B. “Janie Thompson.” Ensign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Mar. 1986, www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1986/03/janie-thompson?lang=eng.

6. Thompson, Uploaded by Bob Thompson. “Janie Thompson's Life Sketch,” page 3. FamilySearch, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 22 Apr. 2018, www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWZW-QXF.

7. Thompson, Uploaded by Bob Thompson. “‘Memory’ drawn from FamilySearch.” FamilySearch, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 13 Oct. 2020, www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/114782589?p=39238364&returnLabel=Jane+Thompson+%28KWZW-QXF%29&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FKWZW-QXF.

8. Winters, Charlene Renberg. “Janie Thompson to Headline at Homecoming '99.” Y Magazine, Brigham Young University, 199AD, https://magazine.byu.edu/article/janie-thompson-to-headline-at-homecoming-99/.