When my family and I heard there was a film being made about Willard and Rebecca Bean we were excited!
No. Excited is an understatement. We were beyond thrilled!
Back in March of 2008 Joseph and I took a trip to visit Palmyra, NY. Joseph had never been but he loved church history. I surprised him with a week long getaway. While there we picked up the book, “A Lion and a Lamb” by Rand Packer. It was about his grandparents, Willard and Rebecca Bean and their experiences.
The Beans were called to be missionaries in 1915. Their assignment? Serve in Palmyra, NY where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been established in 1830. The mission was hard. Willard and Rebecca has to smooth relations with people opposed to “Mormons” coming back to Palmyra. While initially called to serve for 5 years they served for 24. Willard was also a former prizefighter and had a temperament to go with it. Rebecca was kind and sweet, serving others for countless hours. Their unique mix was the perfect combination for the task at hand.
We read the book on our plane ride home. We shared it with family and friends, giving away many as gifts. We’ve shared some of their story in talks and lessons at church. Their story is one that needs to be told! I even shared a special experience recorded in the book that Rebecca Bean had. If you are a mother you need to read it here.
And now, many, many more will get to see and hear the Beans story through film.
Watch the trailer below! The movie is set to be released in theaters July 24th.
Message from the Director, T.C. Christensen:
“There are all kinds of reasons why I wanted to make this film: It’s a great story from Church history that is hardly known, with terrific conflict and resolve but at the heart of it all, I mainly wanted to make The Fighting Preacher because Willard and Rebecca Bean are wonderful, stalwart examples that throughout their story are funny and entertaining. Just what a movie should be!”
Hi Montserrat, this is Ron in Wylde Green Ward, where we met Marie towards the end of her mission. I have just looked up Willard Washington Bean and he is my 10th Cousin 2x removed! Going back to Margaret Isabella Campbell Baroness Boyd 1550-1597 LYTN-SOF.
Small world, yet I seem to be related to half of the US population!
Kind regards, lovely weather hopefully for Conference Weekend!
Rand Packer and his family are dear friends and great people. I’m so excited for them that this wonderful story is going to be shared as a movie.