Graphic by LeAnn@Living Waters and Photo by Barb's Blog
It's been a challenge to be somewhat grounded at home during the COVID 19. We thought about some things that we could accomplish during this downtime. Our thoughts turned to our ancestors. We started to look up stories about some of them. It has been a remarkable adventure. Reading their stories have given us courage during this particular time of struggles. Our next thought was since we can't go to our precious Temple and do temple work for our ancestors, we would take a day a week and make a day trip. This adventure was to visit in different communities the gravesites of our ancestors, and then go to the park or other safe places for a picnic. This has been such a great experience. 
We had a fun trip to Lehi Cemetary. I didn't have a clue there were relatives buried there. I found the headstones for my Great Great Great Grandfather and Grandmother; John Brown Sr. and Mary Brown. The other marker is of my Great Great Great Uncle John Brown Jr. and Juliet. Our picnic today was in Riverton Park.
We had a lot of fun trying to find these grave markers in Payson Cemetary. It was fun to locate them. Mathew H. Daley and Mary E. Wightman are my Great Great Grandparents. Then William Daley and Mary Ann Graham are my Great Great Great Grandparents. Then we discovered that Charles and Elizabeth Dixon are buried there, and they are my 4th Great Grandparents. We are finding wonderful pioneer stories from these discoveries. Then we went to a small park in Payson for our picnic. It was a beautiful one.
This was a trip back in time for me. I did come to the Murray Cemetary many years ago with my parents to visit the McMillan side of my family. This was extra sweet on this day. I found the Head Stones of my Great Grandparents John B. and May I Daley McMillan. The story of my sweet, great Grandmother May is a one to share. She passed away when I was two years old. My Great Grandparents had 4 children, the oldest Michael, lived to be 8 years old. Maggie, my Grandmother, died at the age of 23. She had two children; the oldest Matthew, died at age 2. and then my Dad, Millan was born. Maggie's husband, my Grandfather, died in the 1st World War a year and a half after my Grandmother died. Thus my Dad was raised by this Grandmother. Then when my Dad was 6 years old, my Great Grandpa died. I find that heartbreaking.
We have also had some treasured family moments. We have felt comfortable being around the family if we social distance and then, of course, wear masks as needed. I have to hug them, so covers are a must right now. We are in that high-risk age group, so we love all those who are kind and willing to wear masks during this time. It makes it so we can do a few things. 
We were in Brigham City Cemetary for this one. We found the grave markers for Roger's Great Great Grandfather Lewis N. Booth and Great Great Grandmother Mary Jane Rees. Along with some other relatives, too. The sprinklers were turned on, and Roger got in the way. We had a nice lunch in Brigham City Park.
Then I found my Great Great Grandparents, Michael McMillan Sr. and Mary Brown McMillan.
This was another somber find for my husband. We went to Springville Cemetary to find the Head Stone of Roger's Great Great Great Grandfather, Enoch. He is buried all alone without any family around him. My dear husband became a bit teary of that one. Enoch's story is Sorrowful. He was married to Elizabeth Pride in England. They joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had 14 children. Only three children, George, Martha, and Eliza, lived to adulthood. Nathaniel died at age 2, Charles, age 5, George, age 2, and Eliza, age 8 years. They had three sets of twins that died shortly after birth; Alex and Peter, Sarah and Amelia, and Anne and Thomas. Another son, Hyrum, died at 14 years of age. Enoch traveled to the Salt Lake Valley with his three children. His wife didn't come, and we don't know why. Although I think she had to be heartbroken through all the losses of children.
Our next adventure was to go to the Bountiful Cemetary and locate the Headstones for my dear husband's well-known pioneer ancestor, Anson Call. He was called by Brigham Young to Colonize 6 different communities, and Bountiful is one of them. Anson Call and Mary Ann Flint, his first wife, is Roger's Great Great Grandparents. Also, his Great Grandparents, Chester Rufus, and Mary Angelina Packer Call, are buried there. There is a book on Anson Call and other excellent resources on his settling areas of Utah. It's been fun to read his history, which is part of the Restoration of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was a close friend to the Prophet Joseph Smith and gave him money for one of the editions of The Book of Mormon.
I had an extra fun time with our Stake Relief Society Presidency. We have served together for 3 years, and We have become very close friends. During the COVID restrictions, we have had a few Zoom meetings. Recently, we decide that if we wore masks and did physical distancing, we could meet on a backyard patio. We celebrated Sister Kordsiemon, 1st. Counselor's retirement from her work with Delta Airlines. My Second Counselor is Wendy Pilcher, and the Secretary is Nancy Oliverson. We had a great lunch and discussion. I love these dearest sisters, and we enjoy serving together.
We have had a couple of getting together's with my daughter, Jenni, Michael, and their children Alyssa, Emma, and Ben. They lived with us a while back, and it's been hard through this COVID not to have them over. Again, we wear masks if we can not physically distance.
Our daughter, Tiffani, Dave, and their children came down from Spokane, WA. to bring their oldest son Michael to BYU and then have a family vacation. They came and spent most of a Sunday with us. We had a Sacrament meeting at our home with them, which was very special. They are a great family. In the family photo below is Kaitlyn, Michael, Tiffani, Dave, Sarah, and William. They had us take some family photos of them in our backyard.
We also celebrated Michael's 21st Birthday. We haven't seen Michael for over 2 years. He served a mission and then came home when missionaries were brought home due to COVID 19. He served in the Texas, Lubbock Mission, Spanish Speaking. It was a marvelous moment to hug him.
After the birthday celebration, we went out on our patio, and Michael shared with us some of his missionary experiences. It was the best ever. Our Granddaughter Sariah in the 1st photo is here with her boyfriend, Alex. Sariah has been living with us and just left this weekend to attend USU. We will miss her.
Here are some photos of our Grandson Austin and his beautiful bride, Shamra. He is a return missionary that came home in February. She waited for him while he served a mission. They got engaged August, but decided, due to COVID temple restrictions, to get married last Friday, August 28th. They will then be sealed in the Temple when they can in December. We were not able to attend this due to a COVID. We felt sad to miss this but will enjoy the video they took of it.
In all of the areas we have visited, we looked up some of the oldest homes still standing in the various cities. Here is just a sample of a few of them. I have always loved the architecture of the older homes.
The top photo is our family; Ethan, he is going on a mission at the end of September to Los Angelos, Ryley, Kason, Karli, Shamra and Haven, Austin and Layton, Amanda, Travis, and Justice.
Well, that's about it for our last couple of months. If you ever want to look up and see if there are any stories about your ancestors, here is the link. You can use this site for free, just go in and sign up and then do a search for your ancestors. The site is called Family Search. I am sure you will find some. We are all brothers and sisters and connected and a lot of research is being done on family lines.
Sending loving thoughts and hugs to all!
1 comment:
you used this time wisely...there is not better place to be then in a cemetery during a pandemic. even though it stirred up some sober movements, i think these times will be remember with some happiness as well, you will be glad you spent the time this way!!
i have not visited with friends or family and have stayed pretty much to myself. i miss everyone, especially my boys who are not able to travel, they both recently had birthdays, in fact scotts is today!!
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