I remember my great-grandfather Charles Elmer White. He was alive when I was young. He was a very kind grandpa. I remember being amazed he was my great-grandfather. He was 83, I think, when he died.

One of my favorite stories about Grandpa White was a story about when he was in charge of gathering the cows. This is the story in his words:

 “I grew up in St. Johns and went to school and as I got older I had many chores to do. My folks usually had a bunch of cows and we would turn them out on the hills in the daytime and as I got older it was my chore to go out in the evening, round them up and bring them home. I had a little pony named “Billy”. I’d saddle him up and take off into the rolling hills and hollers, find the cows and bring them home.

I remember well one night I went out and I looked and looked and I rode all over and I could see a bunch of cows here and there and I’d go to them and no cows. We always had a bell on one of them so we could hear it. I just couldn’t find them.

It was getting late and it was almost dark and I was worried and I remembered that I had been taught by my parents, by my Primary and Sunday School teachers to pray to our Heavenly Father when we needed help. So I didn’t know which way to turn, I got off my pony, I knelt down beside it and I prayed to Heavenly Father that He would help me and guide me to the cows. So I got through and got on my pony and was about to leave when all of a sudden I heard the cow bell. I rode over the ridge and down in the holler and there lay the cows. They had bedded down for the night, there was no movement so I didn’t hear the bell. I guess right at that moment the cow with the bell on throwed her head to scare the flies or something and I heard the bell. I was so filled. I got off my pony, knelt down and thanked the Lord for helping me and I went on home happy as could be.”

My favorite part of that story, is when his prayer was answered, he got off his pony and knelt down and thanked the Lord for helping him. What a sweet story. I am so glad we have that story. I am so grateful to Grandpa White for being faithful and full of gratitude.

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy