Barnwood and Tulips: September 2016

Our Cheer- #pressforward

I remember where I was the day the Cedar City Temple was announced and I remember my reaction quite vividly. I was at a track meet in Delta watching Seleck run and trying to listen to conference at the same time. I remember President and Sister Callister all of the sudden running to their car and so of course I followed suit and ran to mine and clicked the radio on just as President Monson made the announcement. I was completely over joyed! In fact, I remember texting my dad and my closest friends and jumping for hurrah right there in the little town of Delta.

A temple in my very own little town. What a tender mercy.

We had the perfect weather as we walked the little over 5 mile trek from our church meetinghouse to the Cedar City Temple. At every mile mark, Sister Springer had someone there to greet us with a treat and a quote or story about the temple. Our girls were great- no complaints the entire way. They walked cheerfully with focus. I pray they will never lose their focus—That they will always keep their eyes on the temple.

This is the 2nd time this group has taken this walk... and since it was dark when we got there, maybe we will go for a 3rd when it is completed?

I hope they will always remember this walk and reflect in years to come the significance of it. I think of the early members of the Church who built the Nauvoo temple. The temple workers cut the stone by hand, used horses and mules to haul the stone, and they went without food and clothing to do it. Their main focus was building the temple- a temple that in the end they would be forced to leave...

"Every temple that stands today is a vindication of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and a triumph for them and all of our people who suffered the destruction and the beatings, and the murders at the hands of the cruel tyrants in the mobs who drove our people west." President James E. Faust

On September 15th the Angel Moroni was lifted atop the Cedar City Temple. The original Nauvoo Temple was the first temple to have Angel Moroni on top. It differed from present day renditions of Angel Moroni in that this particular Angel Moroni was horizontal and held the Book of Mormon. (See Revelation 14:6 and Exodus 28:40)

A Personal Progress Challenge to the Young Women- find a story of one of your ancestors who helped build a temple or record your journey-- thoughts feelings of the Cedar City Temple

See my family story below

Faces- Ancestral Quest

How I met Henry

It was on my ancestral pilgrimage that I found myself kneeling before Henry's headstone.... I had begun my quest in search of my ancestors who first joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints- and then I met Henry (the maternal father of my paternal great grandfather- hence my great, great, great grandfather).

As the son of Henry Alanson Cleveland and Anna Slade Rogers, Henry was born into the Church of Jesus Christ in its infancy and his. His parents were among the first 150 members of the church of the restoration. Henry was born in Clay County, Missouri on October 8, 1834. His faith brought hardship and persecution-- he grew in the church during perilous times. A time when mobs in search of Mormons ran freely.

At Age 22, Henry crossed the plains. Having been in the valley nearly four years, he joined a number of young men who were sent back to help a group of saints still crossing the plains. It was during this adventure that Henry met the young Scotch girl, Margaret Boyack who was a member of this company of saints. The two were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake upon its completion. Henry and Margaret were the parents of ten children.

Henry was known for his stone cutter skills. He worked on the Salt Lake temple for a $1.25 a day. He would walk from his home in Centerville on Sunday Evening to the temple carrying his food for the upcoming week. He rented a room with a fellow worker in Salt Lake during the week. After working a full 6 days, Henry returned home to Centerville on Saturday evening only to repeat the route the following day.

My parents standing in front of
Henry's handiwork.

It was during his work as a stone mason at the Salt Lake temple that Henry lost his sight t in one of his eyes. Unfortunately, while chiseling away at the hard granite a bit of stone went flying and struck his eye.

The Cedar City Temple will be their temple- it has been built in their youth. They have witnessed it from the ground up. For many of them this is the temple they will go to receive their endowment and/ or to be married.

They are blessed to live in the shadows of this temple, blessed to have its spires reach out to them, and to have Angel Moroni watch over them.

Cedar City Temple Facts

Announced: April 6, 2013 by President Thomas S. Monson

Location: 280 South Cove Drive, Cedar City, Utah

Site: 7.3 acres

Total floor area: 42,657 square feet

Groundbreaking and Site Dedication: August 8, 2015

This will be the 17^th temple in Utah

The Cedar City Utah temple will serve members from 17 stakes located in southern Utah and eastern Nevada. Stakes from the following cities are in the proposed temple district: Beaver, Cedar City, Ely, Enoch, Escalante, Minersville, Panaca, Panguitch, and Parowan.

Sister Watson reminded the girls who they really are....

Princesses, daughter of a Heavenly King

The last mile was all up hill. Sister Heath buoyed our spirits and reminded us of the purpose of our journey. The girls picked up their pace the closer they go to the temple... they pressed forward.
To us their leaders, they are simply remarkable.

We will return again, and again to the temple and the next time we will all be there in the sunlight for photo to forever remind us to turn our houses, our tents, our hearts to the temple.

Where the Elk Wallow

I have never really loved the desert. In fact, I have found it down right ugly. But last November when I had my first successful hunt in the Mormon Mountains in Nevada, I was awestruck by the beauty there. I simply fell in love with the desert.

Picking up Rigby's field cams

Rigby drew the Nevada Elk dream tag in July (he was notified July 7th, the day after we dropped Seleck off at the MTC- #missionaryblessings), he filled the tag the day before the archery hunt ended. It scored over 400- a beauty. We called it Destiny.

Last week returned to pick up field cameras and the four wheeler as well as enjoy a day in the desert together. It was fun to be together. Quite frankly it felt good to just breathe. The desert stole my heart and captivated my soul- the clouds, the rugged terrain, the sea of sage. I love this lonely land.

Few things in life give me as much pleasure as being unplugged in the outdoors with Rigby. We rarely take a designated trail unless it is a deer trail and even more rarely do we ever return to the same place. We like the mystery of the unknown. We crave the adventure.

Rigby's Destiny in the Dessert

I am not lucky, but I lucked out on this day as Rigby helped me find my first set of matching sheds. I was thrilled even if he hinted me along. It was amazing and they were huge.

Pinenut country

Just Breathe

I was unable to be with Rigby the day he put down "Destiny" but it was fun to return to the spot he landed the "big one" and hear the stories over again. Rigby has a way with the woods- love this guy!