GRANDPA'S HANDS -

Grandpa’s Hands
by Misty Dawn - Granddaughter of my brother Mac

jAs I held my grandpa’s hands tonight and kissed them as he lay still,
I thought of all the purpose that those big hands had to fulfill:
As a boy, I know he dirtied them, ‘cause I know Grandpa played,
In the creeks and on the ball field, his hands surely led the way.

In the service of his country, Grandpa’s hands must have been strong;
He was never afraid of hard work and those days must have been long.
He had to be a tough guy, because those pictures couldn’t lie;
I can see my grandpa’s patriotism in that young man’s eye.


Grandpa’s hands are filled with so many of the lessons that he taught;
Of those were commitment and fortitude, you had to work for what you got.
His hands were often calloused and his nails were black with grease,
Because they served as tools to provide for all the needs he had to meet.


Grandpa’s hands were good at high-fives as he cheered us on as we’d compete;
He never sunk low in the bleachers; Grandpa was always on his feet.
You’d hear him shout encouragement as you took your turn at bat,
And even when the third strike was called, Grandpa’s hands would pat your back.


Grandpa’s hands were filled with love, it was never difficult to see
The way he held our grandma’s hands or bounced a grandchild on his knee.
Grandpa’s hands were also filled with giggles as he’d surely find the place
To tickle us even as grown adults to see a smile cross our face.


His hands were conduits to bless us, to baptize us, and to help us heal.
He taught us by his example as he would gather us before a meal.
Grandpa’s hands were filled with spirit, as he’d fold his arms to pray,
He choked back tears quite often as we listened to what he’d say...
His words were sweet and gentle with more faith than I have ever known;
It was in those tear-filled moments that Grandpa brought us home,
Home to a foundation that my Grandfather’s hands have built for us with love,
To a family who we’ll spend forever with, when we meet Grandpa up above.

-Misty Dawn

A Celebration Of Our Pioneer Heritage -

The 24th of July celebration is alway a wonderful opportunity to remember our pioneer ancestors and reflect upon their lives. They sacrificed much for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In their darkest hours they remain true to the faith of what they believed in. 

The history of my Great Grandparents Eskild and Sena Peterson. 

Front Row Left Sena and Eskild -
 Note their Black Hawk Indian War Medals

Back Row Right My Grandfather Ernest

        Hans Peter Christensen with his wife and three children lived at Fouting, Denmark. He was on the Police Force for many years. It was here his son Eskild Christian was born, January 18, 1840.

          Missionaries from the Mormon Church were in Denmark teaching the gospel. When the Christensen’s were told of the gospel and the wonderful Zion in the mountains of Utah in America; Mrs. Christensen was converted, and was ready to go to America.   In 1861, she took her two children and started for America. (Her oldest child Christian Karl died when he was 7 months old.) The father remained in Denmark uninterested in their new found religion. He came to America later but we don’t know for sure when. We do know that it was sometime after 1882. He was buried in the old Richfield Cemetery up by the old Richfield High School.

          When they came to America Mrs. Christensen bought an Ox team and wagon with which to travel across the plains. In the winter of 1861, they reached Salt Lake City and settled in Mill Creek for awhile and then went on to Mt. Pleasant, Utah.  In the long trip across the country, they endured many hardships common to pioneers. Fuel was scarce and they were compelled to gather up anything that would burn to cook their food.

          When they reached Mt. Pleasant, Mrs. Christensen gave her Ox team to Eskild and this he used to haul logs for their cabins. He built a home for his mother and one for himself. We do not have a record of when he changed his name to Peterson, which was a Danish custom. The name Peterson was because he was the son of Peter Christensen.

          In the same year the Hans Peter Christensen family left Foutin, Denmark, the family of Niels Christian Christensen left Aalborg, Denmark. They were on the same ship called the Monarch of the Sea. They came to America with six children, among them was their daughter Andesine Margarethe (Sena) Christensen. Her family settled in Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah. Eskild and Sena met on the ship while coming to America. They were married in Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah on May 16, 1863.

          In the fall of 1863-64, a party of ten men under the leadership of Albert Lewis, came from Sanpete and arrived in what is now Richfield. The season was very cold and traveling conditions were slow. Upon arrival they were bone tired but not discouraged. After cooking their meager supper and tending to their weary oxen and horses, they made their crude beds for the night. The only sounds were the wail of coyotes and the occasional rustle of the underbrush. Weak men might have been appalled by the desolation and sheer loneliness of the country, but not the sturdy pioneers. These men were Albert Lewis, Robert Wilson Glenn, Christian Olsen, C.O. Hansen and his brother Hands Olsen Hansen, Nelson Higgins, August Nelson, George Ogilvie, Jorgen Smith and Eskild c. Peterson. There is a monument in the Richfield City Park with all these names on it.

          They made for a dwelling place for all the men what would later be called “The Hole in the Ground.” They carefully covered this hole with brush, willows and other materials and made a chimney of rocks. This was built to resemble an Indian Wick up. This strange abode was located about where McKinley’s Garage was standing on Main Street in Richfield. Here these sturdy men spent the remainder of the winter, planning and preparing for the time they could bring their families to the land of promise.

          In 1864 President Orson Hyde called by letter a meeting of about 30 families from Mt. Pleasant to go to Richfield and join with those already there. The first dwelling places were dugouts, with willow and dirt roofs. They then built houses of adobe because clay dirt was available as a building material; logs and lumber weren’t. Because of Indian troubles settlers were prevented from long trips into the mountains. Consequently, there were few log or lumber houses in early Richfield.  They tried several times to get their families moved here but the Indians kept forcing them back to Sanpete.

          In 1866, Eskild served in Captain George Tucker’s Calvary Company. He went to Thistle Valley, a distance of 18 miles from his home in Mt. Pleasant. He served under Colonel John L. Ivie. When they arrived they relieved a company under the command of a Lt. Dewey. This company had been attacked by Indians on the morning of June 24^th. They fought them all day and the Indians killed one man and wounded another. They then wounded or killed all the horses. He served under Captain Tucker all summer.

          During the summer of 1867, he served under Colonel John L. Ivie; they were under the command of Captain Orange Seely’s Cavalry Company. He was with this company June 1, when the Fountain Green Cow herd was taken by the Indians. They helped recover the Stock, but the Indians got away with 40 head of horses. He was also in the skirmish at Spring City, August 13, 1867 when the Indians made a raid on their cow herd, killing several men. He was a minute man for three years during the Black Hawk Indian War. 
 The following information is taken from his Obituary in the Richfield Reaper April 1923.

           When E. C. Peterson lived in Mt. Pleasant before Richfield was settle, he and another young man by the name of Peter Christensen journeyed to the place where now Richfield stands. They brought an Ox team, and spent a large part of the winter hunting deer which were plentiful in the western foothills. The deer were brought to Mt. Pleasant and traded for wheat. At this time Indians were very hostile to the “pale faces” and one traveling in those days through the valley never knew what minute he would be pierced by arrows or shot from ambush. But Eskild never hesitated to risk his life in prosecuting Indian bands when they had made a raid on white settlements, and took part in many skirmishes. One time he went by Ox team to Fairview, and then called North bend, to gather some hops which grew abundantly along the creek and was used for making Danish beer. Leaving camp to get some fresh water a band of thirty Indians on horseback swooped down on him. He was all alone, but luck would have it that he was well armed with a six shooter and a rifle. Luckily his position was such that the Indians could approach him from one side only. This they did demanding that he give up his arms which he refused to do. Then the Indians asked him to bring them some water, and unafraid he complied with the requests until all the Indians had had their share, but always carrying the bucket in one hand and the gun in the other. The red men, realizing that he would shoot at their first suspicious movement; they did not attack him and retired in a southerly direction towards Mt. Pleasant.  Peterson waited until dark, then put on the front seat of the wagon a pole, hanging hat and coat thereon like he would sit there, and followed the wagon homeward bound, a gun in each hand, expecting every minute to be attacked by the band. He reached his home, however, without being molested. But next morning he heard that the same Indians had killed and scalped a sheep herder near the place where Peterson had met them the day before.

          Later on the Indians made a raid on Salina and drove off nearly all the cattle up Salina, canyon. Peterson and a company of men from Salina followed the Indians up the canyon. They were following a trail on a side hill through thick cedars when suddenly the Indians, entrenched in the cliffs above, opened fire on them and they were forced to retreat to Salina. The Indians killed two men beating along the creek on their way out with cattle. The next day the settlers were reinforced and set out again to overtake the Indians. They recovered most of the cattle and horses, followed the Indians as far east as Green River, where they again had to give up the chase. On their way back they lost their trail and almost lost their lives for want of water and food. When at the point of giving up all hopes of finding their way back they ran onto a little spring and being nearly exhausted from starvation they decided to kill a horse for food, when suddenly some men appeared at a distance. They thought they were Indians, but as luck would have it, it was a company with supplies, and again he was spared and the entire posse returned to Salina.These are only a few of the many narrow escapes Eskild C. Peterson had when Sanpete and Sevier counties were first settled.
 He moved his family to Richfield and built a one room adobe house with willows and a red dirt roof. They lived in this until the Indians became so hostile; they had to move back to Mt. Pleasant.

          In 1871 he, with many other people returned to Richfield eager to make a new beginning. Eskild C. Peterson was a most capable and useful man, a true pioneer who knew how to adjust himself to his new environment.

          According to Peter Peterson, son of E.C. Peterson, the old cabin which is the Richfield DUP Relic Hall, North of the Library was built about 1878 on the Peterson lot on First South and First East Streets in Richfield, Utah. The logs to build it were hauled from Cove Mountain by Peter and his father. He was but a small boy of ten, but he rode a horse, dragging the logs to the wagon. When they returned home with the logs, the boy sat on them to steady them while his father hewed and shaped them with an ax. After the cabin was finished, a year or two later, it was used for a granary.

          He helped dig the first canal in Richfield, this was done with spades, later he was a director of this canal. He was in a partnership with James M. Peterson in the first Workingmen’s Co-op store and was Superintendent of that store for eight years. He was manager of the Right-of-way when the train first came to Richfield. He was County Treasurer from 1876-78. He was a City Councilman for three different terms. He was a director of the Otter Creek Reservoir and Superintendent for several years.

          He freighted hides and grain and wool to various points in Nevada and Utah. Some of the trips would take him more than two weeks.

          He worked hard and long when the train first came to Richfield. His partner Niels Poulson was drowned in a flood in one of the creeks south of Richfield. Niels had all the papers with him when he went down the stream, so Eskild had to pay many of the working men from his own money. Also pay for much of the material that was used to build the railroad track. This caused him much worry and anxiety.

          According to Eudora Miller’s history of her mother, she said “The women were wondering and worrying how and where they could get something they could prepare for food for their families. She would stand in line with other women waiting her turn to grind a little barley in a coffee mill owned by E.C. Peterson, for mush or bread and then cooking what little food she obtained at the fireplace that had no grate.”

          While he was a young man he had the misfortune of having one of his eyes put out while hunting deer. The cartridge exploded and left a piece of copper in his eye. He lay for many months at deaths door, however his good wife dug wild flag roots and pounded them until they became soft and moist. She put this on his eye to draw the infection out. When he was well enough to ride to Salt Lake City, he was taken to the doctor and the doctor removed the piece of copper. However, he lost the sight of his eye and wore a glass eye.

          They were the parents of nine children, Christine Marie (Stena Erickson, Peter Christian, Andrea Sean, Laura, Clara (Clara Devine), Charley, Ernest and Flossie, (Floss Kirkman).

          Grandma Sena Peterson died February 21, 1922 in Richfield, Utah. Our father Ernest Lewis Peterson died April 5, 1922 and Grandpa Eskild Peterson died April 19, 1923. 

My Grandfather Ernest was one of their children.

       

THE LIFE QUESTION OF WHY! -

I guess the question is why?  My brother Mac Millan Gledhill passed away early Saturday morning July 10th after a valiant fight to stay with us. He was surrounded by his loving family. Mac had gone to his physician for a check up and it was discovered that he had 4 aneurysms in his abdomen and legs. If untreated they could burst and he would die immediately. Surgery was the only option for him. That one fact gave me hope because I thought perhaps since the aneurysms had been found that was a positive blessing and he would be alright.

My last conversation with him ended with him saying; I will be fine. I know the word fine is relative now.

My brother quit smoking several years ago; but had developed emphysema in his lungs. We all knew this could be a big obstacle in his recovery. Using a modern day method the aneurysms were reached through small incisions.

He had two surgeries on two different days for over 5 hours each. After the 2nd surgery he was unable get enough oxygen by using a mask so he was intubated and put on the ventilator. A few days later he pulled out his own endotracheal tube and was placed on Oxygen per mask again; but didn't do well again. After several hours the endotracheal tube was reinserted. His kidneys had shut down and he was having dialysis. One moment he had pneumonia and also fluid in the lungs which were treated.

He remained in critical condition for over a month. Observing his sweet family and how attentive they were was heartbreaking. I began to realize that he may not make it through all of the complications. 

Why??
 It became obvious to me that the Lord's plan was to assist his family in drawing together which they did. All of his children took turns sitting with him in the late hours of the evening.  His children helped each other deal with the days and weeks that went on. They were very concerned and caring with their dear mother; it was so sweet to observe this great family.  There were blessings given to the children and more than once to their father by his sons and also by my husband. Each time there was hope given and peace came; although not a known answer to their prayers. His sweet wife a couple of days before his passing told him that it was OK for him to go and that she would be alright. At that moment I knew that the Lord's will would be done with her permission. A release blessing was given by my dear brother John which was very difficult for him; because they had truly been life long friends and forever brothers. My dear brother passed away in the presence of his family and my husband Roger, myself, my brother John and his dear wife Gloria. There was a sweet spirit in the room at that time and a family prayer was given by his son.
I witnessed true love, peace, comfort and acceptance of the Lord's will.
I knew that this family will remain strong and have a desire to live there lives in such away that they will be united together as a family.
In tribute to my brother I will share a few treasured memories of him.

My brother was born on February 24th, 1937. He was 9 years older than me; and he always took the position of protector. He was a tease; but worse than him was my brother John who was 6 years older than me. Mac would rescue me from my main tormentor.
I remember that he loved scouting and enjoyed attending scouting jamborees. He also loved to play baseball, basketball, and football. He was good in all of these. I remember that after every game my Dad, who was sometimes his coach would discuss every game, every play and who did well and who did not.

I loved it when he came home for a visit when he was in the Navy. I remember well that he brought me from Japan two Geisha dolls and a pair of Japanese Pajamas. These treasures were for Christmas and he had hidden them away in a drawer in his room. I snuck into the drawer and then realized I had spoiled his surprise. I determined that I wouldn't let on. I was nine at the time and since that moment I have never snooped into any gift.
In time I would help care for his two children Kathy, age 3 and Johnny Mac, age 18 months. He was divorced but was given custody of the children. I flew down to San Diego for a month with him to care for his children until he could find a more permanent arrangement. I loved caring for those two little ones. I was 18 years old at the time. I felt sad when I had to go home and leave him. I was so proud of him that he would take these children on his own. When talking to Amparo his wife recently, she had become one of his babysitters and they fell in love and were married. She said that the way he tenderly cared for his children was what made her fall in love with him.
Amparo has been the joy of his life. He loves her so much. They were married on April 1, 1967 and later sealed in the temple in 1991.

He has 4 children one daughter Kathleen (Terry) Elder; three sons, John (Corinna) Gledhill, Gabriel (Laurie) Gledhill, Agosto (Viviana) Gledhill and a very dear niece Mirna (Mark ) Orchard; 19 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
I remember as a child that I would go with my parents and brothers to hunt pheasant and duck. I ended up being the dog that went a head to scare the pheasant. Both brothers were always protective of me during those hunts. He was always so sweet with me while I was growing up.
After we had our families; Mac would always call us at around 4:30 am on Christmas morning to wish us a Merry Christmas. We used to be frustrated because we had trained our children not to get up until later. Of course, it became a funny memory to us. Now, of course I wish he could call again. 

Another sweet memory is the fishing and hunting trips that Roger, my husband and I would take with my family. We had so much fun. I especially remember the deer hunting trips. We had so much fun playing cards at night in the cabin or trailer.

We had an awesome family trip to Big Rock Candy Mountain. It was so fun to stay in the cabins or trailers and just enjoy all of our families together.

I loved the 50th Wedding Anniversary of my parents that was held in Monroe at my Aunt Alene's house. We hadn't seen each other for a while and it was a great party and visit.

                  

We also had a family reunion party for my parents 60th Wedding Anniversary in Fish Lake. All of our families were able to be there and we had a program and laughed until we couldn't anymore. Our memories of each other and our parents were portrayed in very humorous ways.

                

Both of my brothers were inactive in the church for many years. Mac took his family to the temple when he was 54 years old. Later on my brother John also took his family to the temple to be sealed. That day was such a joy because we were finally a forever family.

I will treasure forever the visit that was made to our home in Spokane when I turned 55 years old. My dearest husband flew my parents and both of my brothers and their wives up to Spokane. It was a surprise and I was very shocked. My husband left for a while and when he came back he beckoned for me to come out of the bedroom and there they all were standing in the hallway. I was overcome with joy. We had such a good visit and were able to go to the temple together and none of us could stop talking for the whole time they were with us.
When my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's my brothers helped my mother moved to Las Vegas where she stayed with my brother until my father passed a way. His family was so good to them and helped ease the burden of my mother at this time. After my father passed away, my mother decided to live with Mac and Amparo. She loved living with them; partly because she loved having all of his family around to see and visit with. Amparo was such a blessing to her and they both helped her in every way possible. I would come down for visits and in the summer my mother would come up with me; so that they had a break from caring for her. Through those years my brother and I became even closer friends.
Since the passing of our parents we have been very close and it has been so awesome to have him call me frequently. The funniest thing about my brother was that he didn't like to leave messages on the phone so he would say just a couple of words for instance; I called! We shared all of our family events and struggles. He helped me so much whenever I had a difficult situation I could discuss it with him. He was such a good friend.
My brother Mac was a very good man who loved each of his family members with all of his heart and soul. He cared for them all and was always there for them when in need. He took many extended family members and friends into his home and they would stay with Mac and Amparo sometimes for a long time. He helped Amparo's family and assisted them in getting jobs and staying in the US. Many of them gained US citizenship. I read a thank you note from his bishop which said that he was grateful for the funds that Mac gave to help another family in the ward have a good Christmas. This was my brother. He was a true christian and was always helping someone. He lived what he believed and he had a true testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints.

Mac and Amparo the love of his life

Mac and Amparo and their precious grandchildren

They will be together forever!

Goodbye my dear brother. You will be greatly missed by us all. The only comfort is knowing that you are with our parents and will wait for us all to return to be a forever family with our Heavenly Father.

The Fourth of July Celebration for our Promised Land

  Each year we have the opportunity on the 4th of July to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy due to courageous men and woman who have fought for our liberty and our pursuit of happiness. We are so blessed to live in this country and we should never take it for granted.

In the Book of Mormon the people of that day were blessed to come to the Americas.The Lord covenanted with them that if they would be a righteous nation they  would have this promised land forever. Eventually, this blessed people became so wicked that they were destroyed an only a remnant of those people remained.

 2 Nephi 2:5-7

5. But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenant with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

6. Wherefore, I, Lehi prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

7. Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring.

 And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.
This is our promise land today. However, as in the time of the Nephites our nation is dwindling in unbelief.
As found in the Book of Mormon in Helaman 11:24 A certain number of the dissenters from the people of Nephi who had some years before gone over unto the Lamanites, and taken upon themselves the name of the Lamanites and also a certain number who were real descendants of the Lamanites, being stirred up to anger by them, or by those dissenters, therefore they commenced a war with their brethren.
26. And thus in time, yea, even in the space of not many years, they became an exceedingly great band of robbers; and they did search out all the secret plans of Gadianton; and thus they became robbers of Gadianton.
27. Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea, even great destruction among the people of Nephi, and also among the people of the Lamanites.
The Gadianton robbers of today with their secret combinations are the gangs, mafia, and perhaps even those secret combinations are found within our present day financial, government, and political arenas. Our nation is no longer a God fearing nation. Many do not profess to believe in a God thus Evil abounds and Satan  reigns.
We need a Moroni of today. In their day in Alma 43:45 Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their  rites of worship and their church.

In Moroni's day as stated in Alma 46:12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it- In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children - and he fastened it upon the end of pole.
13. And he fastened it onto his head plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor  about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the Title of Liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should be band of Christians remain to possess the land.
16. And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
17. And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south - a chosen land, and the land of liberty.
19. And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written up on the rent part, and crying with a loud voice saying: 20. Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.

We have a Title of Liberty in our American Flag today may it fly always over a free land.The last verse in our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner as follows-
Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that has made and preserved us as a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust";
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

We should all pray for this great land to be the home of the free and the home of the brave. "In God We Trust."

The following flag is modern rendition of Moroni's Title of Liberty!

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

I wish I could say we are on a vacation. If it was I don't think this would be the place of choice. We actually lived in LasVegas for 7 years and I recall that basically it was just to hot to enjoy any outside moments in the summer. I am a mountain and lake kind of person; so this was not one of my favorite places to live.

We are here to be with my brother who has been ill. He remains in the ICU; but seems to be slowly getting better. We feel blessed that he is doing somewhat better. We are enjoying being with his sweet wife and children. We are so grateful for the many prayers offered in his behalf and continue to ask for you to keep him in your prayers.