family history

A couple of Sundays ago, our bishop talked about his family tradition on Memorial Day to go and visit the graves of their ancestors. Since we have moved up to the area, I have learned from my Grandpa that a lot of my ancestors from his line were from Roy and Hooper area. I was surprised because I haven’t even heard of any other Arave’s in my lifetime thus far.

So for memorial day, we packed the girls up and drove not even five miles to the Hooper Cemetery to see some of my ancestors’ graves. The night previous, we got online and printed out my family tree and checked to see who was actually buried there.

Was I ever FLOORED when the majority of the headstones were Araves!!! It just boggled my mind. With sheet, camera, and girls in tow, we scoured the cemetery looking for the graves… I am sure there was an easier way to do this, but we have never done anything like this before. It was a first for both Dan and I.

I was feeling amazed at all the Arave’s, but that is where the emotions ended… until Dan called me over to a specific headstone. Eliza Hardy Wadsworth. My Great Great Great Great grandma. My direct line. As I stood at her grave, my heart swelled inside me and the spirit instantly bore testimony to me – of the great plan of happiness, that I knew her and she knows me, that the work the church is doing in its temples is glorious, that families can be forever, that the choices we make really do effect generations to come, that I have ties to the area I didn’t even know existed until we started looking for homes, that there is so much I don’t understand, and most importantly, that I have yet so much to teach my girls.

As Abi and Brookie touched, slimed, and pounced on the gravestone, I was overcome with such emotion. I am so grateful for this experience and I can’t wait to learn more about her and also to find other gravestones that are my direct relatives.

I have to give some more credit to such a dear friend of mine, Sidreis, for fulfilling her calling when we lived in Orem, to get our ward working on their family history. I didn’t have any interest in it until she started sharing stories and bearing testimony in RS every Sunday on Family History… then out of guilt and curiosity, we went into the Family History Center at our building and set up my account with her help. Already, with this experience, I am grateful for her perseverance and testimony. It has started me to at least have a small understanding of family history… so here’s to you Sidreis.

And Grandpa!

Oh AND Eliza has the same birthday as me