Article #298 Find Your Roots

Why search for your roots? Alex Haley’s famous quote explains why this popular hobby of GENEALOGY or FAMILY HISTORY is pursued so passionately by many individuals throughout the world: In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage-to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.

Could this quote explain the reasons that many individuals seem lost in today’s world, wandering through life without purpose or roots, not knowing who they are or where they came from? Find out more about your ancestry than just facts: what they did for a living, what was important to them, what trials and struggles they overcame, what they were like as individuals, how you are different or similar to them, what skills, attitudes and values they have passed on perhaps unknowingly to you. Share what you learn about your ancestors with your descendants.

Begin by contacting members of your family who may have genealogical information: old photos, letters, clippings, certificates or memorabilia that can give you clues about your parents or grandparents’ names, dates and places. A trip to our local Family History Center at 162 North 400 East in St. George can help you in the search for your roots. Don’t feel you have to be an expert at genealogy to begin. There are also marvelous resources and volunteers available for discovering and sharing your family roots online at www.familysearch.org. Their new FAMILY TREE program is available free to the public to share family history complete with photos and stories on the Internet.

You could meet some new extended family cousins out there with information to share on a common ancestor. Try doing a google search for your ancestor you want to know more about by typing in their name, birthplace and date: “John Lemmon” North Carolina 1780. Click on any links that look promising after your search. You’ll be amazed at what you will find from Internet cousins who are sharing photos and histories of an ancestor they have in common with you. Look at my webpage  www.famhistory1867.com/ with my family histories and photos of my ancestors that I have collected for over 50 years. Others are doing the same perhaps for your very ancestors. 

NEXT TIME: Discover Your Past. Send me stories about your parents. How did they contribute to your life? What qualities of theirs do you admire? 

Finding BALANCE

Each day has its gifts if we are looking for them.

A quiet walk in the silence of a cool morning.

listening as bird's happy songs fill the air.

Being grateful for new challenges and opportunities.

Seeing another month continue its march forward,

knowing that the seasons will follow one another

as summer heat returns and with it a longing for

winter's coolness and respite from discomfort.

Looking for the win/win parts of any situation,

meeting disruptions with calmness and peace.

Understanding how each bump in the road brings

new learning and opportunities to help others.

Early BIRDS

It's only in the early morning hours in the desert

that one finds coolness and relief from the heat.

These birds are enjoying an early breakfast of seeds

from last year's blooms to feast on as they greet the day.

Morning is a perfect time to consider the day's challenges,

asking in prayer for strength and insight to do better today. 

It's important to feed body and soul or you will lack energy

to meet the trials that come to us all in our daily walk.

Don't forget to look around for the beauty that surrounds you

wherever you live in this wondrous world provided by God.

Life's Trials...

MORTAL PAIN

Mortality is full of unbearable

pain to endure it seems.

Not having the power to stop

breathing, there is no way out

but through intense discomfort.

I have survived my hours

of torture at the dentist office

with multiple shots in my mouth

to numb away pain––discomfort

during my oral laser treatments.

Hopefully, it will improve

the health of my aging mouth

full of teeth with crowns

that capture what is left of molars

that fell apart long ago.

Maybe one day I will earn

a crown to wear proudly

on my head announcing to all

that I survived life with its

many trials and painful tests.

Article #297 Value of Citizenship

            Some individuals and families have immigrated to the United States of America, then left only to return later to fulfill their desires for personal freedom, educational opportunities, and to live the American dream. Maureen Selman Gadeski of St. George tells the story of her return journey to US citizenship for her family in Canada: It's been 22 years ago since my husband Bill, our son Gary, and I crossed the border (legally) coming to America. I held a US passport since both my parents were born in the USA before immigrating to Canada with their parents as children. My father’s family was living in Utah and were asked by the LDS church to help settle towns in Alberta, Canada.

 It was the influence of our two children that brought us back to America.  Our daughter applied for her US green card right after graduating from nursing.  She and another nurse answered an ad for nurses at a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Our son was influenced in coming to the USA by the American LDS missionaries he served with when on his mission in South Africa.  He applied for his green card soon after he got home, along with his dad.  Our daughter had left Texas for Provo, Utah and was working at the hospital there.  It was during this time she met the young man she would marry.  It was the thought of our children leaving us behind in Canada without them that brought us to the United States.

It was very hard to leave extended family, friends and neighbors behind in Canada.  Many who leave home, family and country never have the opportunity to return, but we continue to travel north at least once a year to visit family and friends.  They in turn have traveled down to visit us, something we really enjoy.  We had lived in our home in Calgary, Alberta for seventeen years. Looking back, we have no regrets in coming to America.  We had the opportunity of buying and selling homes, owning and managing rental property, and seeing our children prosper despite the downturn in the economy. Both our children lost homes, but not their jobs. Their families are still intact and things are improving. What a blessing!  We have eight grandchildren, all born in the USA.  Our family feels privileged and so blessed to be living in this country. NEXT TIME: Find Your Roots. 

Busy times

Caryn and I window shopping in the air conditioned mall

Caryn adding to her collection of scarves although it's too hot to wear them now.

We found this colorful shop with evening wear for youth and decorations

I never had girls to go shopping for prom dresses, etc.

Dinner out with visiting family Emilee and her mom Tina

Summer is HERE!

Our palm tree is sending forth fronds and it lives!

Anniversary time for us and the sage is blooming outside

Tomato plant with blooms but no tomatoes yet...

Twenty-one years of marriage under our belts now...

Time to celebrate at Red Lobster on June 12, 2014

Caryn's still in town for the rest of this month before returning to No. Utah

Article #296 Becoming an American

Did you become an American because of an ancestor’s decisions to come to this land? Carolyn Doughty of St. George relates the story of her family’s early immigration to America. My paternal grandfather left the family a hand written book of his genealogy. My father continued his father’s love of genealogy by continuing the search for our family’s roots. I was fortunate enough to have inherited both my father and grandfather’s notebooks. One of our ancestors Robert Cushman was the first of his family to immigrate to American in the early 17^th century. He, along with others, came from England to Holland in search of religious freedom, and joined those brave souls on the Mayflower who made their way to a new land.

These early ancestors of mine were determined to have the right to worship as they wished, free from the control of King George. With the aid of Deacon John Carver, they raised money for the ships to take these Separatists as they called themselves to America. With great difficulty, they finally obtained a charter from the Virginia Company. They were blown off course and landed at Cape Cod now know as Provincetown. Where were they? What part of North America was this stretch of land? The Mayflower captain told them it was a great arm off the coast known as Cape Cod. The territory granted to them by the Virginia Company did not extent this far north. The Mayflower passengers were people who believed in the personal guidance of God, and so began the Plymouth Colony and helped settle this great land of America. Carolyn continues with her thoughts…I feel a great debt to my ancestors who were part of opening this land to all who wished to find freedom from oppression. I pray that it will always remain a country that was envisioned by those who went before us.

            Do you know the stories of how your ancestors came to live in the United States of America? Would love to have you share your ancestral backgrounds. Maybe you don’t know what motivated your family to come here? Perhaps it’s time you asked some of the older members of your family about it. If you are one of the older ones and don’t know of your family’s heritage, get busy. You could be the missing link in telling your descendents about their beginnings. NEXT TIME: Value of Citizenship 

Happy Father's DAY

To my sons who are fathers, my husband who has supported his own family and mine after our marriage, my own father who died when I was five, my grandfather that tried to take my dad's place, my stepfather who supported me and my mom for over 40 years, my uncle and cousins, and the many men who have been my religious leaders throughout my life, I appreciate you all.

Pool PARTY TIME

Perfect pool weather for fun in the backyard on a summer afternoon...

The grandkids are growing up: Rory is 4.5 and Eddie is now 2 years old 

Older brother Nathan almost 12 and a professional lawn mower helper

The twins Heather and Emilee are now 16 with their dad and brother James

James BAPTISMAL DAY

The Hatch family: Tina, Daniel and James

In our Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) when children are 8 years old they are considered accountable and old enough to understand the consequences of their behavior, so they are baptized. It's a fun time for family and friends to join together for this special occasion. James wrote the following talk with help from Grandma Lin, he gave it in Primary.

Priesthood Ordinances and Temples TALK by James Hatch

Yesterday I was baptized by my dad. First we went into the primary room, then my uncle Jeff gave a talk on baptism. After my mom gave a talk about the Holy Ghost and how you know when you feel the Holy Ghost helping you. He’s your special friend, he comforts you and helps you to repent of sins you do.

Next we went to the baptismal font, we wore white clothes and no shoes. My Dad baptized me and said “James Samuel Hatch, having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.” Then he put me under the water and brought me back up. My sins were all washed away.

After we changed our wet clothes, we came back to the meeting room and I sat in a seat in front of all the people. My uncles and cousins who held the Melchizedek priesthood laid their hands upon my head, and my dad confirmed me a member of the Church gave me the gift of the Holy Ghost and a blessing.

Temple work has blest my family because all four of us are adopted and were sealed to our parents in the temple becoming an eternal family.

James and his older brother Nathan-age 11 on Sunday morning

Family time and Temples

Flying north to SLC for a weekend with family

Fun sculptures at St. George airport….

The propellors on this airplane model even work!

Delta Air Lines to SLC from St. George takes an hour compared to 5 hrs by car

Here I am in SLC airport, now I need a ride to Daniel's home

Off to the Mt. Timpanogos temple with family to do temple work.

l-r Rachel, youngest son Jeff and me the happy mom

Daniel, son #2 , me and his wife Tina, we are having a family reunion

Beautiful flowers at the temple...

Closeups-love the colors!

Happy Birthday Katherine

Happy Birthday to Katherine…who is now a mother of three…time passes!

Katherine my step daughter and her dad, my hubby Allen

DIXIE POETS PARTY

Our annual summer party had 18 poets attending with some spouses.

Gary on left is a retired lawyer, Shane with back to camera is a graphics artist.

Marilyn, Marie, Candy and Karma talk during dinner to LaVerna-bk to camera.

Bill in the center is principal at Tuacahn performing arts High School.
In turquoise is Markay-president of Redrock Writers Poets.

Joy on left listens as her hubby Alma our Dixie Poets president discusses
poetry + life with Bus our resident romantic poet. Everyone is full of talent.

Marilyn, another retired modern dance teacher has turned to poetry too.

The reason we came to eat and socialize & read poems.

Time for Pres. Alma's magic tricks then we all read a poem or two.