Category Archives: Family History

Family History Friday: Journals Are Amazing!

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I wish I had always been good at writing in my journal. It seems that when I am struggling the most in my life, that’s when I don’t write very much. It’s usually a good time to write in a journal. One reason is that others can see how, or in what way things were hard, and how you worked, or made it through the struggle. Of course, some things we go through in life are much harder than others. And some people go through unbelievable difficulties and hardship, even life or death experiences. If you had an ancestor who went through something so difficult in their life that it changed them forever, that it changed the whole world forever, wouldn’t it be amazing if they wrote it down. I think so.

Here is neat thing I found at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s website, at the Curator’s Corner. This video will tell you about it.

How wonderful and amazing that these people wrote their experience down. Now we all can hear about it. Journals really are amazing!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: A Sad Story

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-Grandpa Bill-

Both of my Grandpa’s were alcoholics. My Grandpa Bill’s dad was an alcoholic too.

They say it is in the genes. When my Grandpa Bill was just a young dad, his father, John was kicked out of the house by his mother. She must have been frustrated with him. It was winter and cold. My Grandpa was called by the county hospital and told that his dad was in the hospital, he had pneumonia and it was very serious. She said that if he wanted to see him, he needed to get to the hospital. My Great-Grandpa John was a hard man. He wasn’t always kind when he disciplined his son, but Grandpa loved him. Grandpa got to the hospital, and as he was getting on the elevator, he passed an orderly bringing a deceased person down to the morgue. As he got to his father’s room, they told him he was too late, his father had passed away and they had already taken him. It was his father who was being taken off the elevator when he got on. It was Grandpa’s daddy’s 50th birthday. Grandpa cried and cried. He didn’t get to say good-bye to his father.

That story has always been hard for me to hear. Even when things don’t go just right in a family, they’re still our family. My Grandpa Bill still loved his dad. I’m sure they have had a chance to get know each other, and love each other better in the next life. Families are forever. If I learned anything from this story it is this, love each other, work hard on relationships, spend time with each other, never let an opportunity to say “I love you” pass by. If your relationship with your family wasn’t quite the best, and someone you love is gone, forgive yourself, and do better from now on. I believe my Grandpa’s heart was broken many times because of his family. I feel sad about how things were for Grandpa Bill, but because of him I will never have those same sad experiences, because of what I’ve learned from him. On the positive side, Grandpa married the sweetest Grandma alive and became the daddy to my mom and my aunt, and had a vey wonderful life with his little family. He was a very generous and loving man, and was always trying to do better. I love you Grandpa!

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: Charles Elmer White

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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

Family History Friday: Love Letters!

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I recently wrote a post on writing a letter and leaving it for your descendants.

I really do think it’s a great idea.

What about a history containing all of the wonderful stories that made us who we are. Maybe after that, you could write a history of a family member. Feeling energetic? What about writing the history of your family.

Ezra Taft Bensen said,

“We call upon you to pursue vigorously the gathering and writing of personal and family histories. In so many instances, you alone have within you the history, the memory of loved ones, the dates and events . . . In few ways will your heritage be better preserved than by your collecting and writing your histories” ( Ensign, November, 1989).

What a wonderful way to show your family that you value their lives.

At the same time leaving a gift for your descendants.

In an article written by Darla Isackson she writes,

“We want our pedigree charts and family history sheets as complete as possible. But books containing the spiritual legacy of our families are surely important too! My sister compiled stories of answers to prayers in their family and gave it to each family member for Christmas. I’ve started a compilation called, “Our Family’s Heritage of Heavenly Help” with the same purpose in mind.”

How neat would it be to have such a history.

Darla wrote a great article about writing a family history. You can read it here!

Let’s all make it a priority to write our history, and then, our family’s history.

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: Collectables #7 Navajo Treasures!

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This is a rug my darlin bought in Arizona when he was a missionary there. It hangs in our bedroom. Along with these beautiful Wedding Baskets. We have kind of an eclectic decor in our room, Navajo treasures, a quilt on the bed, grandma’s hopechest, etc. But I love it! I am surrounded in my room with things that are precious to me.

The Navajo’s have a tradition with their rugs. They purposely put a mistake or flaw in each of the rugs. They say it is because only God is perfect, and if they make a perfect rug, they will offend God. I have personally used that same reasoning when I make stuff. 😉

The Wedding Baskets are given to the the couple to hang in their home. The opening points downward on purpose, it is to let the evil spirits out of their home. I think it’s a great tradition. I haven’t felt any evil spirits in our home.

The main thing to me is that my sweetie brought them home from his mission and he loves the Navajo people. They are beautiful and remind me of wonderful stories and traditions. All people have stories and traditions. I love hearing them all.

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy

 

Family History Friday: Write a Letter!

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To whom it may concern…

I love it when someone writes about their life,

and then leaves it for others to read after they are gone.

It is wonderful to read how they felt, and how they worked through struggles and challenges. I think one of the most important things I’m glad to know is if they loved God, if their belief in God helped them in their life. I think that everyone should at least write one letter.

I found a great blog that gives some good examples of writing a letter to your descendants. It’s called Faith Sisters! You can find it here!

Write a letter to your descendants…what a great idea!

Happy Family History Friday!! Love, Joy

Family History Friday: Collectables #6 Grandma Ruth

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It’s probably safe to say that Grandma Ruth lost her marbles.

OK, so that’s not a very funny thing to say. I’m just kidding.

But seriously, we inherited from my darlin’s Grandma Ruth, a container of marbles that is pretty nifty. I’m sure some of them are pretty old. When I see them I think of her.

What a great lady.

When my sweetie and I used to go visit her. The kids would play with her little bucket of unusual toys, Alex one time commented to me how much he loved the old toys that they played with when visiting. We would play Dominoes with her, which I don’t think I’ve played with anyone else. It was always fun.

It was always a fun time when we went to visit Grandma Ruth, and I love her marbles.

 Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy