Sunday, August 7, 2011

Activities & Ancestors

This has been a pretty epic week! Basically, it was amazing!!! Here are some of the highlights.

- My good friends Andrea and Robert got married on Tuesday and I was able to attend the sealing and the picnic afterwards. It was such a neat experience and they are so perfect for each other. :D

- I tried Huckleberry Pie for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it!

- Went to a board meeting for the Literacy Center.

- Celebrated National Chocolate Chip Day, with lots of amazing chocolate chip treats.

- Got a free sample of a new flavor of product at work and it is FABULOUS!! (I don't do the production, I work the office end of the spectrum).

- Made mint brownies

- Went to dinner with two good friends.

- The temple is opened again, so I got to go back to work there. It was sooooo good to be back! :D

- Got shaved ice from a little Mexican place that was super good!

- Went for a walk on the River Trail.

- Received a calling as the Literacy Specialist in my ward.

- Had a potluck with some good friends!

Tons of Fun!!!

On a more serious note, yesterday I was encouraged to learn more about my heritage. This is something that I know little bits about but never taken the time to learn. Today, I spent some time reading some of the histories that I had been given. It was really neat. One of my relatives was the first mayor of Logan. Another relative crossed the plains in a group with very little water and took it to the Lord. With his help, she was able to find the needed water. Some of my relatives traveled with the Willard Richards Handcart Company and traveled through Martin's Cove. I remember hearing of my dad and grandpa going up there but it never really hit me to study their story.

After reading through the papers I had, I felt a special feeling for one ancestor. Her name is Mary Jane Barnes. Her pioneer journey started when she was four days old. She traveled with the Martin Company in one of the companies that suffered the greatest losses. Her parents assisted in building the St. George Temple. I am not sure why I felt this connection to her, but I did. After her death, her children were looking over her personal things and found wrapped and labeled presents for each one of them, that were ready for Christmas.

What an inspirational woman and what an example of being prepared and thinking and putting others first.

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