It was a lot of fun doing this live-stream video broadcast. Thanks to all those who joined in. 2018 has been a great year! As I wrapped it up with some amazing experiences, I began to hear a message for 2019. What's that message? Watch to find out!
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Mosiah 18:9 - Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as a witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life
Showing posts with label Pioneers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pioneers. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2018
Monday, April 2, 2018
My Ancestor & Ancient Book of Mormon Finds in Utah
Wow! Last weekend's LDS General Conference was amazing! My most favorite, the most memorable, as well as historical. I am so excited to share my thoughts in this coming week's video message. Until then, as promised, here is the post as mentioned in last week's video message that I have been working on about some little known Utah history, Book of Mormon artifacts, and my Great, Great, Great Uncle who never married and left behind no posterity. As he has no descendants to tell his story, I happily take on the honor of doing so.
It was interesting to search the web for articles in connection to my ancestor George Keller. I found many online forums that shared their findings and several other versions of his story. Many articles, and passed down verbal accounts had several errors that simply were not true about me ancestor and our family. So while clearing up the facts, I'd like to present the story of My Great Great Great Uncle George Keller and his initial discovery of the cave at Temple Hill.
Recently In the News
My Dad called me the other night and encouraged me to check out the recent news articles in connection to George Keller. So, when I had a minute of free time, I did as he suggested and here is a news article I found in the Sanpete Messenger.
MANTI—Artifacts discovered in a cave behind the Manti LDS Temple may have been left there by an ancient people that figure significantly in the history of the American continent as believed by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, woman asserts, despite academic non-consensus about the origins of the items.
Utahna Jessop, a field researcher and teacher with the Ancient Historical Research Association, presented her ideas at a presentation delivered at Manti City Hall on Sept. 20. Jessop said believed that a cave full of Indigenous American artifacts found by John Brewer in 1955 was actually a repository and tomb for ancient Jaredites, a people mentioned in the Book of Mormon, a piece of scripture for Latter-day Saints.
Despite the lack of certain items purportedly left in the cave , and despite conflicting conclusions by scholars, which include a charge of possible forgery, Jessup says she hopes parts of the story may still be shown to be true.
“I’m a born skeptic myself, so I approach this whole thing with an attitude of ‘Oh, I’m not too sure about that,’” Jessop said. “But the more I studied, the more I saw that, ‘How can you refute it now, when we have actual scientific testing done, what can you say?’ Now, granted, it would help a lot if we could find the cave, if we could find the bodies, and then we’ll know for positive sure. What to say to the skeptics? ‘Do your research.’”
According to the Book of Mormon, when God scattered the people and confounded their languages at the Tower of Babel, a certain prophet and his family were commanded to build submarine-like boats (i.e., “barges”) and travel to the new world.
There, they grew into a mighty civilization that Mormon historian Hugh Nibley said was comparable to that of the Mongols. They flourished from the time they arrived in the Americas until their annihilation, through civil war, in 550 B.C. According to the book, they numbered over two million people before their destruction.
Jessop claims that the annihilation described in the Book of Ether does not require that every last Jaredite was killed, proposing that there could have been many individuals far away from the battlefield. She cited Brigham Young as having said that there had been Nephite and Lamanite (other Book of Mormon peoples), and Jaredite presences in the Sanpete Valley over the years.
She relayed the story of John Brewer, a Central Utah man who claimed that an Native American tomb he had found contained tools, pottery, brass bells, ancient records and mummies of people measuring over 8 feet tall.
The records, Brewer said, were carved on metal plates bound together by rings, similar to Joseph Smith’s description of his “golden plates.” Brewer hypothesized that the records were classified according to their importance, with the most important records on gold, then in decreasingly valuable metals, then stone and finally clay.
He described the mummies as large, one male and one female, the man with red hair and a beard, the woman with blonde hair and a golden breastplate. Many of the Brewer plates, as they have come to be called, are in museum collections in Utah.
Jessop discussed the academic response to the Brewer artifacts, namely that of three professors at BYU and the University of Utah who had considered the case, two had decided it was a complete fraud. The third believed there was a possibility that the cave and the plates were what John Brewer claimed they were.
One “gold” plate from the cave had been tested to reveal its age and metallurgy, and was found to be a very recent creation made of brass similar in chemical composition to the metal found in bullet casings. However, in the testing of pieces of bark used to wrap a stone box with metal plates inside, the bark was found to be of the fourth century B.C.
Jessop cited a meeting between Brewer and LDS general authorities, including Apostle Mark E. Peterson, from which Jessop reported they verified Brewer’s claims and started plans to have the cave excavated by archaeologists working for BYU.
Brewer’s cave is behind the Manti Temple, in an area that Brigham Young proclaimed to have been visited by the Book of Mormon figure Moroni, who dedicated the hill to have a temple on it.
http://sanpetemessenger.com/2017/10/04/historian-hopes-there-is-truth-to-story-of-book-of-mormon-era-artifacts-found-in-manti-cave/
Sometime in the late 1870’s a Swedish convert and her daughter immigrated to America. Upon reaching New York her funds being low she secured employment in a hotel. While there she met another convert a Mr. Anderson, they married and together they came to Utah settling in Manti. About 7 months after her marriage to Mr. Anderson in 1879 she gave birth to a mulatto boy whom she named Joseph Anderson born the 25th of January 1880. Naturally her husband was infuriated. A few months later he went to Emery County to take up a fare and his wife remained in Manti with her daughter, then about 9 years of age, and her little son. All kinds of rumors were afloat about them mostly to the effect that he had written and told her she could come to him but that she could not bring the boy, she must dispose of him. Nobody wanted the boy and the town was waiting to see what would happen.
In winter of 1949 he had the misfortune of having his hands frozen which necessitated the amputation of his fingers. In spite of this handicap he continued to be self supporting at the age of 70. This was a pathetic incident in his life.
Here is the account of Mr. John Brewer who later re-discovered the caves as shown to him by my ancestor George Keller. These are excerpts from John Brewer's journal.
MARCH 30, 1955
Who Was John Brewer?
"Brewer lived with his wife in the small town of Moroni, Utah, where he did odd jobs for farmers in the area. For recreation, he collected Indian arrow-heads, and eventually assembled an impressive collection. In early spring, 1955, his numerous artifacts were displayed at the Sanpete County fair, held annually at Manti. While discussing his finds with friends at a local cafe, he was approached by a now elderly negro, George Keller, who told Brewer about a secret cave where many more arrowheads were to be found.
"As Brewer recorded in his personal journal for May 10, "I went and looked for the place but I couldn't find it so I went and asked him (Keller) again where it was but all that I could get was a laugh from him. I thought that he was pulling a fast one on me so I let it go at that." Nine days later, "I went out to the Keller place and offered him some wine with the promise that he would show me the place he had told me about a while back. He said that he would not only show me the place but that we would go in! "No wonder I couldn't find it; I was on the wrong hill. I went into the cave and found 30 arrowheads right off. I went back to the truck and thanked the man. I then asked how he came to know of the cave and he said that he and an Indian boy played there as an old hideaway."
"Nearly twenty years later, I was personally introduced to John Brewer, and he told me about his discovery of the Manti cave in an area behind Temple Hill. We met at Provo, Utah, in the company of Dr. Paul R. Cheesman, head of Book of Mormon Studies in the Department of Religion at Brigham Young University. Brewer impressed me as a soft spoken, kindly man, but without much worldly experience. He told us about his encounter with old George Keller and the difficulties he experienced while locating the secluded cave. In his search for more arrowheads at the site, he was surprised to find a set of stone steps carved into the cave floor. Clearing away some debris, he claimed the steps led to an entrance of a "tomb." Entering this chamber, he saw ten stone boxes. He opened five of them; they all contained small, metal plates inscribed with an unknown script. Nearby lay two large stone coffins. Opening them both, he found they contained mummified human remains. One body allegedly had red hair with skin still attached to its bones, while the other was blond."
http://www.artbulla.com/zion/batcreek.html
Here are drawings by John Brewer of the mummies known as the "Manti Mummies" that he discovered.
This excerpt from the book, Treasures of the Ancients by Stephen B. Shaffer (p. 31-32, Cedar Fort inc. 1996) details the account of the discovery.
Dr. Heinerman followed Brewer into a tunnel that had been dug on a downward track, barely
squeezing and squirming like a worm through the narrow passageway. After a short distance he
came to an opening, and reaching down felt the edge of a set of stairs that led into a chamber. The chamber was about twenty feet long and fourteen feet wide. The air was stifling and breathing was very labored. Several inches of fine dust covered everything, and puffed up with each step
that they took. About twenty-five stone boxes were stacked against one wall and another twenty against the other wall. Most were wrapped with a cover of juniper bark with pine pitch smeared all over them to make them waterproof.
In a smaller chamber were two mummies of large stature. Dr. Heinerman describes the mummies: “The texture of their skin was soft, almost moist, like tanned leather. In the cave I saw an abundance of weapons, swords, tools, copper and metal plates of various sizes, all of which were very curious. Some of the copper, plates were of a strange composition, shattering like glass into fibrous pieces, not unlike the windshield of a car, if dropped. I believe that this chamber houses at least two different ages of antiquities.”
http://greaterancestors.com/man-of-manti-utah/
The Location of Brewer Cave
The hill known as "Temple Hill" was built on a rattlesnake infested stone quarry. According to folklore, a Native American chief pointed to the temple hill, saying the place was the site of an ancient temple and altar but warned people not to explore the dangerous caves beneath the hill. Other versions of this legend state a tunnel under the hill was dug by a pioneer convinced he'd see chambers from ancient inhabitants. After a dream warned him to stop digging or he'd meet a terrible fate, he ignored the warning and was later found dead in the tunnel, supposedly killed by a heart attack.
When the pioneers first arrived in Manti in November 1849, they arrived to three feet of snow and very little protection. The Saints dug into a hillside, living out of caves and grottos that protected them from the ravaging winter winds and cold.
However, when spring came, the Saints quickly discovered they had tunneled into a massive rattlesnake nest, with hundreds of snakes suddenly swarming their camps. Miraculously, though, no one was injured or bitten by the snakes.
The hill that once saved the Saints physically soon became the site for a temple where Saints could obtain spiritual salvation.
http://www.ldsliving.com/Random-Interesting-Fact-The-Only-Temple-You-Could-Go-Through-Without-a-Recommend/s/83133
Here are photos taken of the area near the cave which includes a large alter-like stone, as well as cave entrance. The owner of these photos has stated,
"I read that Temple Hill was sacred to the Indians, & was one of the main reasons for Isaac Morley wanting to settle there as he was deeply interested in it. It's definitely a special place & there is probably a lot we don't know about it. The stories of the Brewer Cave, Noah's Ark launching place, Moroni's Spring, Eagle Mountain, etc. just add to the mystery of Sanpete Valley & I'd love to find out if there is any truth to any of these claims."
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thetreasuresofutah/temple-hill-cave-in-manti-t1176.html
A sacred site indeed, according to this fact site, The morning of the site dedication of the Manti Utah Temple, Brigham Young took Warren S. Snow aside and said, "Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can't move it from this spot."
Lastly, here is a video made of a presentation given by Utahna Jessop, the researcher mentioned in the beginning of this post. If you have any information to add to this post, please share!
It was interesting to search the web for articles in connection to my ancestor George Keller. I found many online forums that shared their findings and several other versions of his story. Many articles, and passed down verbal accounts had several errors that simply were not true about me ancestor and our family. So while clearing up the facts, I'd like to present the story of My Great Great Great Uncle George Keller and his initial discovery of the cave at Temple Hill.
Recently In the News
My Dad called me the other night and encouraged me to check out the recent news articles in connection to George Keller. So, when I had a minute of free time, I did as he suggested and here is a news article I found in the Sanpete Messenger.
MANTI—Artifacts discovered in a cave behind the Manti LDS Temple may have been left there by an ancient people that figure significantly in the history of the American continent as believed by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, woman asserts, despite academic non-consensus about the origins of the items.
Utahna Jessop, a field researcher and teacher with the Ancient Historical Research Association, presented her ideas at a presentation delivered at Manti City Hall on Sept. 20. Jessop said believed that a cave full of Indigenous American artifacts found by John Brewer in 1955 was actually a repository and tomb for ancient Jaredites, a people mentioned in the Book of Mormon, a piece of scripture for Latter-day Saints.
Despite the lack of certain items purportedly left in the cave , and despite conflicting conclusions by scholars, which include a charge of possible forgery, Jessup says she hopes parts of the story may still be shown to be true.
“I’m a born skeptic myself, so I approach this whole thing with an attitude of ‘Oh, I’m not too sure about that,’” Jessop said. “But the more I studied, the more I saw that, ‘How can you refute it now, when we have actual scientific testing done, what can you say?’ Now, granted, it would help a lot if we could find the cave, if we could find the bodies, and then we’ll know for positive sure. What to say to the skeptics? ‘Do your research.’”
According to the Book of Mormon, when God scattered the people and confounded their languages at the Tower of Babel, a certain prophet and his family were commanded to build submarine-like boats (i.e., “barges”) and travel to the new world.
There, they grew into a mighty civilization that Mormon historian Hugh Nibley said was comparable to that of the Mongols. They flourished from the time they arrived in the Americas until their annihilation, through civil war, in 550 B.C. According to the book, they numbered over two million people before their destruction.
Jessop claims that the annihilation described in the Book of Ether does not require that every last Jaredite was killed, proposing that there could have been many individuals far away from the battlefield. She cited Brigham Young as having said that there had been Nephite and Lamanite (other Book of Mormon peoples), and Jaredite presences in the Sanpete Valley over the years.
She relayed the story of John Brewer, a Central Utah man who claimed that an Native American tomb he had found contained tools, pottery, brass bells, ancient records and mummies of people measuring over 8 feet tall.
 |
| Picture of Brewer's plates taken by a witness, shared at this link: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thetreasuresofutah/temple-hill-cave-in-manti-t1176.html |
He described the mummies as large, one male and one female, the man with red hair and a beard, the woman with blonde hair and a golden breastplate. Many of the Brewer plates, as they have come to be called, are in museum collections in Utah.
Jessop discussed the academic response to the Brewer artifacts, namely that of three professors at BYU and the University of Utah who had considered the case, two had decided it was a complete fraud. The third believed there was a possibility that the cave and the plates were what John Brewer claimed they were.
One “gold” plate from the cave had been tested to reveal its age and metallurgy, and was found to be a very recent creation made of brass similar in chemical composition to the metal found in bullet casings. However, in the testing of pieces of bark used to wrap a stone box with metal plates inside, the bark was found to be of the fourth century B.C.
Jessop cited a meeting between Brewer and LDS general authorities, including Apostle Mark E. Peterson, from which Jessop reported they verified Brewer’s claims and started plans to have the cave excavated by archaeologists working for BYU.
Brewer’s cave is behind the Manti Temple, in an area that Brigham Young proclaimed to have been visited by the Book of Mormon figure Moroni, who dedicated the hill to have a temple on it.
http://sanpetemessenger.com/2017/10/04/historian-hopes-there-is-truth-to-story-of-book-of-mormon-era-artifacts-found-in-manti-cave/
Who Was George Keller?
 |
| George Keller |
Several years ago, when my oldest was just a baby, I traveled one summer afternoon with my family down to visit my Grandma Cavner (My Dad's Mother) who lives in Manti, Utah.
While visiting with her in her home, we learned of some family history books she had in her home. I asked if I could see them. She was surprised that I had never seen them before. I happened to have my video camera with me (this was before smart phones and just around the time of digital cameras). As I saw that this book was filled with stories, personal accounts, and photos of ancestors I knew little about, I became so excited that I turned on my camera and filmed every page. I then went home and transcribed all the images into text and then took still shots of the images in my videos.
While going through this book, I saw this image of George Keller. At first glance it looked like my dad. I wanted to know who this ancestor was, and why I had never heard of him. I showed the picture to my dad and said, "Dad, he looks just like you!" My dad replied, "Oh that's George Keller. He was actually adopted. He was the son of a Swedish immigrant and a freed black slave. Our family adopted him."
This was all new to me. Why had I never heard about George? Though we were not blood related, I had a black American ancestor who was sealed into our family (and looked like my dad). I wanted to learn more.
I learned that because of the stigma at the time, growing up in a small town of mostly all caucasian people, George never married. He never had children to carry on his story. Because he witnessed his father's death and was was unable to prevent it, I believe he carried around that guilt. He also never had the priesthood because of the era and his race. He must have felt like an outsider at times. My heart ached for this ancestor who I had never heard of until now.
My Dad has faint yet fond memories of George. He remembers visiting him as a boy, and George (an elderly man then) cooking up dinner in a frying pan. He remembers George being a very kind man. Many of the stories online about George Keller speak of him as belonging to a family of freed black slaves who settled in Sanpete County. This is not true. Here is a true account of George's bio that I transcribed from my Grandma's family history book about her Great Uncle.
While visiting with her in her home, we learned of some family history books she had in her home. I asked if I could see them. She was surprised that I had never seen them before. I happened to have my video camera with me (this was before smart phones and just around the time of digital cameras). As I saw that this book was filled with stories, personal accounts, and photos of ancestors I knew little about, I became so excited that I turned on my camera and filmed every page. I then went home and transcribed all the images into text and then took still shots of the images in my videos.
 |
| My Dad |
This was all new to me. Why had I never heard about George? Though we were not blood related, I had a black American ancestor who was sealed into our family (and looked like my dad). I wanted to learn more.
I learned that because of the stigma at the time, growing up in a small town of mostly all caucasian people, George never married. He never had children to carry on his story. Because he witnessed his father's death and was was unable to prevent it, I believe he carried around that guilt. He also never had the priesthood because of the era and his race. He must have felt like an outsider at times. My heart ached for this ancestor who I had never heard of until now.
My Dad has faint yet fond memories of George. He remembers visiting him as a boy, and George (an elderly man then) cooking up dinner in a frying pan. He remembers George being a very kind man. Many of the stories online about George Keller speak of him as belonging to a family of freed black slaves who settled in Sanpete County. This is not true. Here is a true account of George's bio that I transcribed from my Grandma's family history book about her Great Uncle.
Sometime in the late 1870’s a Swedish convert and her daughter immigrated to America. Upon reaching New York her funds being low she secured employment in a hotel. While there she met another convert a Mr. Anderson, they married and together they came to Utah settling in Manti. About 7 months after her marriage to Mr. Anderson in 1879 she gave birth to a mulatto boy whom she named Joseph Anderson born the 25th of January 1880. Naturally her husband was infuriated. A few months later he went to Emery County to take up a fare and his wife remained in Manti with her daughter, then about 9 years of age, and her little son. All kinds of rumors were afloat about them mostly to the effect that he had written and told her she could come to him but that she could not bring the boy, she must dispose of him. Nobody wanted the boy and the town was waiting to see what would happen.
One day Annie (my Great, Great, Grandmother) asked her if she would not be willing to take him. She was in poor health but she told Annie that if she would be willing to give him the care a child of his age would require she might go and ask for him. Annie then 14 years of age gladly consented to care for him and left immediately for the Anderson home. Millie, Eliza and Louise, the three youngest children ages 4,6, and 8 respectively were in raptures over the prospect of having a baby in the home and told their brother Jacob where Annie had gone. “We’ll have no n***** baby in our house” he said and hastily got on a horse and went after Annie forcing her to return home without completing her errand. Jacob was 12 years old and being the only boy among five girls was accustomed to having his own way. Annie came back and warned us to keep quite as she would try again the next day. You may be sure that we said nothing of her plans to our brother.
The next day when he was away from home Annie went to Mrs. Anderson and asked for the child. The mother gladly consented and Annie brought him home that afternoon. His sister accompanied him to keep him from becoming frightened. She took him home that first night and brought him back the next morning and left him. He was 15 months old and just learning to walk. He was attractive, quick and an intelligent child and we all loved him. When our brother saw him he too was immediately won over whereby his name was changed to George Keller. He became a member of the family and was always treated as our very own. He never saw his mother again until one day when he was 6 years old she came to our house on some pretext. She took him on her lap, loved, kissed him, and wept. When she was gone he asked “Why did that woman hold me and cry?” Soon after that she left Manti and I think she never returned.
The boy experienced a normal childhood but as he grew older he often seemed troubled and it was not until after Jacob Keller’s death in 1892 that he was told who his mother was. He was quiet and reserved. He lived with Jacob Keller Jr. on the farm in the summertime but lived at home and went to school in the winter. He loved animals and always had a fine riding horse.
It was known that he went to see his own mother in later years who lived in Emery county Utah. She had experienced extreme poverty and he helped her.
Those who are to him as brother and sisters entertain the kindest of feelings and deepest sympathy for him. When he reached maturity he went to Southern Utah where he was given positions of trust and responsibility as sheep and cattle foreman by men who had known him from boyhood. They knew him to be honest, honorable and highly respected in the community where he was raised.
In winter of 1949 he had the misfortune of having his hands frozen which necessitated the amputation of his fingers. In spite of this handicap he continued to be self supporting at the age of 70. This was a pathetic incident in his life.
I, Ellen Munk Crawford can truly say that my grandmother Keller loved George very much for I well remember seeing him put his arms around her and of her telling him what a good fine boy he was. Her sympathy for him and his gratitude towards her formed a bond of love that is hard to describe. She has been heard to say that George had never spoken a cross or unkind word to her. He now resides on the Keller farm where he hopes he will make his home as long as he lives.
Jacob Keller met with many serious accidents any one of which might had cost him his life and appeared much more serious at the time than the one which did prove fatal. He had not been feeling well for some time and when he felt himself slipping from a small load of hay he did not have the strength to hold on. George the adopted boy was driving and Jacob called him to stop. But the boy could not stop the horses soon enough and father fell to the ground striking his head on the handle of a pitchfork. Dr. H. S. Allen stayed at his bedside all night long but there was nothing to be done he did not regain consciousness. The next day the bishop requested Anna Keller to bathe the feet of her husband as a sacred right as Martha did the feet of Jesus. The bishop then pronounced a blessing upon him commanding his spirit to God. During the sacred service in which his family and bishop encircled about his bed he slipped peacefully away on October 5th 1892 at the age of 55 years and 4 months.
George Keller Observes 86
The Ephraim Enterprise
Friday Feb, 4 1966
January 25th was the 86th birthday of George Keller. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson. “George” as he was known was legally adopted by Jacob Keller Sr. and his wife Anna R. Keller of Manti. At the age of 8 years he was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this was in 1900.
We who knew and loved George knew of his early experiences. Some of these were not so pleasant because he was a mulatto (black and white mix) but nevertheless he was taught to work as a youngster living on the Keller farm in the summer and in the winter time living in town so that he could attend school. He was a normal child in every respect, very attractive, intelligent and quick to respond to those in association. Not once did he hesitate to use his natural musical talent. He played the organ, harmonica and guitar. He also possessed a wonderful sense of humor which was enjoyable to his friends and relatives. Even now he loves to talk, laugh and joke with all his associates.
George completed his elementary grades. Some of his teachers were a Mr. Noyes of Ephraim, William Anderson, Millie Keller, and Leonard Billings of Manti. He loves the church and although he was not permitted to hold the priesthood George graduated from seminary after attending for three years regularly. An outstanding quality which this man has always possessed is that of honesty. In his entire life he has never been in jail or has he ever been dismissed from a job. Paul Smith of Manti has said many times “George could be trusted with any amount of money” and he has been at various times. Even though time is constantly passing by and age making it more difficult for George to see clearly he still maintains a kind and considerate attitude toward everyone.
I recently visited at the home where George resides. He has repeatedly expressed deep appreciation for the people in his life other than family members. Some of these were Rastus Madson of Mount Pleasant, Parley Madsen of Manti, Cameron Brinkerhoff and Leo Bowns of Provo, Emery King known as the King Bros. Teasdale.
When he was 22 years old his real mother Mrs. Anderson came to Torrey from Emery about 5 miles to ask forgiveness for giving him away. Although his hurt was extremely deep, and her apparent guilt a gnawing agony he calmly told her that there was nothing to talk about and that he was grown now and expressed the love he had for those who took him in and cared for him up to this time.
While working in the Henry Mountains he rode his spirited saddle horse within a half mile of his mother’s house every two weeks following the pass to Camp Boulder constantly reminded of what might have been. George was working for the King Brothers living in the Henry Mountains when he got his hands frozen. He visited at Paulsen’s Café very often. It was on one of these visits to Richfield when because of a terrific storm he fell dazed from the winter cold into the deep snow drift barrow pit. Because he was on his way back to the Henry Mountains he was all alone in the dark of the night. He said, “I will always be grateful to the girl who worked in Pace’s Clothing Store in Richfield. She was on her way to work the next morning when she noticed him nearly frozen to death and summoned help. Officers came to his aid, took him to the Richfield hospital where his serious condition necessitated immediate amputation of all fingers to the middle joint. This old man at 86 has not forgotten the bitter agony of this accident. He said, “I was in the Richfield Hospital for 53 days and all the hospital attendants were so nice to me". Jess Keller was the one who picked George up at the hospital. He stayed with him for a few days then he went to Provo for medical help. He told Jess and Halbert Keller they would reject him when they saw him but the hospital attendants were very kind and considerate. This was in 1951 and he stayed one month because he had the flu and it developed into pneumonia.
He went back to the Keller farm for a while then returned to work for the King Brothers now able only to do little kid jobs like tending the rams etc. He received $100 a month for this. George did not have a home after the Keller’s died and he missed them and the kindness they gave him. After his mother and step father left Emery they went to Price and that is where they died. George would like to know his real mother’s name and also where she is buried. Anyone knowing anything about this he would appreciate if this information could be relayed to him. Neil Nielsen Manti/Sterling resident had often told him that he was born in the room next to where he lived. How sad it was the Neil could not have told George more before he passed away at his home in Sterling.
It was most pleasant to visit with George to have him relate various incidents in his life. I hope that sometime soon you can take time out to visit with him. To those who may have any facts concerning Mr. Keller, I would appreciate hearing from you.
George's Discovery
I could not find any mentioning of Brewer Cave in our family history. According to sources shared online,
"Sometime after the turn of the last century, young George Keller and a lad named Lone Eagle were playing among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains above the farm owned by George's father near Manti, Utah... Coming to a massive overhang, the Indian boy pointed to a hole in the mountain side and explained, "This is a special place, the Cave of the Great Spirit. My father says it is the holy place of a people who are dead, and that a Great Chief protects those who are buried there. My father was shown this place by his father when he was a kid. You are the only person other than our people who knows about this place. You must promise not to tell anyone of our secret! Follow me and I will show you inside." The friends explored the site together, and from the cave floor George picked up a few flint heads to play with in his room back home. Over the years, he kept his promise and never told anyone about the chamber guarded by the spirit of a great Indian chief. Lone Eagle eventually moved away, and George worked on the Keller farm. He lived in a hillside shed above the farm, not far from the cave of his boyhood experience, to the east. But he rarely visited the site again and took no further interest in it, until he met John Brewer, many years later."
http://www.artbulla.com/zion/batcreek.html
I could not find any mentioning of Brewer Cave in our family history. According to sources shared online,
"Sometime after the turn of the last century, young George Keller and a lad named Lone Eagle were playing among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains above the farm owned by George's father near Manti, Utah... Coming to a massive overhang, the Indian boy pointed to a hole in the mountain side and explained, "This is a special place, the Cave of the Great Spirit. My father says it is the holy place of a people who are dead, and that a Great Chief protects those who are buried there. My father was shown this place by his father when he was a kid. You are the only person other than our people who knows about this place. You must promise not to tell anyone of our secret! Follow me and I will show you inside." The friends explored the site together, and from the cave floor George picked up a few flint heads to play with in his room back home. Over the years, he kept his promise and never told anyone about the chamber guarded by the spirit of a great Indian chief. Lone Eagle eventually moved away, and George worked on the Keller farm. He lived in a hillside shed above the farm, not far from the cave of his boyhood experience, to the east. But he rarely visited the site again and took no further interest in it, until he met John Brewer, many years later."
http://www.artbulla.com/zion/batcreek.html
Here is the account of Mr. John Brewer who later re-discovered the caves as shown to him by my ancestor George Keller. These are excerpts from John Brewer's journal.
MARCH 30, 1955
Went to work for Mr. Jack Shand, in Manti. While out in the field he came and ask me to go to the Keller Ranch to get some equipment. I met a Mr. George Keller and we got to talking about the fair. I mentioned that I was going to try and set up an arrowhead collection to put on display. He then told me about a cave back of the temple hill. He told me there were lots of arrowheads there.
MAY 10, 1955
I went and looked for the place but I couldn't find it so I went and ask[ed] him again where it was but all that I could get was a laugh from him. I thought that he was pulling a fast one on me so I let it go at that. I told Jack about it and he said to offer him some wine and I might get him to tell me then.
MAY 19, 1955
I went out to the Keller place and offered him some wine with the promise that he would show me the place he had told me about a while back. He said that he would not only show me the place but he would show me the spot himself if I would get him another bottle. I got the bottle and he showed me the place. No wonder I couldn't find it, I was on the wrong hill. It wasn't on the temple hill at all but the one in back of it. I went into the cave and found 30 arrowheads right off. I went back to the truck and thanked the old man. I then ask how he came to know of the cave and he said that he and an Indian boy played there as an old hideaway. He said he had a lot of fun there.
Who Was John Brewer?
 |
| John Brewer and wife 1955 |
"As Brewer recorded in his personal journal for May 10, "I went and looked for the place but I couldn't find it so I went and asked him (Keller) again where it was but all that I could get was a laugh from him. I thought that he was pulling a fast one on me so I let it go at that." Nine days later, "I went out to the Keller place and offered him some wine with the promise that he would show me the place he had told me about a while back. He said that he would not only show me the place but that we would go in! "No wonder I couldn't find it; I was on the wrong hill. I went into the cave and found 30 arrowheads right off. I went back to the truck and thanked the man. I then asked how he came to know of the cave and he said that he and an Indian boy played there as an old hideaway."
"Nearly twenty years later, I was personally introduced to John Brewer, and he told me about his discovery of the Manti cave in an area behind Temple Hill. We met at Provo, Utah, in the company of Dr. Paul R. Cheesman, head of Book of Mormon Studies in the Department of Religion at Brigham Young University. Brewer impressed me as a soft spoken, kindly man, but without much worldly experience. He told us about his encounter with old George Keller and the difficulties he experienced while locating the secluded cave. In his search for more arrowheads at the site, he was surprised to find a set of stone steps carved into the cave floor. Clearing away some debris, he claimed the steps led to an entrance of a "tomb." Entering this chamber, he saw ten stone boxes. He opened five of them; they all contained small, metal plates inscribed with an unknown script. Nearby lay two large stone coffins. Opening them both, he found they contained mummified human remains. One body allegedly had red hair with skin still attached to its bones, while the other was blond."
http://www.artbulla.com/zion/batcreek.html
Here are drawings by John Brewer of the mummies known as the "Manti Mummies" that he discovered.
 |
| Male mummy (red hair) |
 |
| Female mummy (blond) |
Dr. Heinerman followed Brewer into a tunnel that had been dug on a downward track, barely
squeezing and squirming like a worm through the narrow passageway. After a short distance he
came to an opening, and reaching down felt the edge of a set of stairs that led into a chamber. The chamber was about twenty feet long and fourteen feet wide. The air was stifling and breathing was very labored. Several inches of fine dust covered everything, and puffed up with each step
that they took. About twenty-five stone boxes were stacked against one wall and another twenty against the other wall. Most were wrapped with a cover of juniper bark with pine pitch smeared all over them to make them waterproof.
In a smaller chamber were two mummies of large stature. Dr. Heinerman describes the mummies: “The texture of their skin was soft, almost moist, like tanned leather. In the cave I saw an abundance of weapons, swords, tools, copper and metal plates of various sizes, all of which were very curious. Some of the copper, plates were of a strange composition, shattering like glass into fibrous pieces, not unlike the windshield of a car, if dropped. I believe that this chamber houses at least two different ages of antiquities.”
http://greaterancestors.com/man-of-manti-utah/
The Location of Brewer Cave
When the pioneers first arrived in Manti in November 1849, they arrived to three feet of snow and very little protection. The Saints dug into a hillside, living out of caves and grottos that protected them from the ravaging winter winds and cold.
However, when spring came, the Saints quickly discovered they had tunneled into a massive rattlesnake nest, with hundreds of snakes suddenly swarming their camps. Miraculously, though, no one was injured or bitten by the snakes.
The hill that once saved the Saints physically soon became the site for a temple where Saints could obtain spiritual salvation.
http://www.ldsliving.com/Random-Interesting-Fact-The-Only-Temple-You-Could-Go-Through-Without-a-Recommend/s/83133
Here are photos taken of the area near the cave which includes a large alter-like stone, as well as cave entrance. The owner of these photos has stated,
"I read that Temple Hill was sacred to the Indians, & was one of the main reasons for Isaac Morley wanting to settle there as he was deeply interested in it. It's definitely a special place & there is probably a lot we don't know about it. The stories of the Brewer Cave, Noah's Ark launching place, Moroni's Spring, Eagle Mountain, etc. just add to the mystery of Sanpete Valley & I'd love to find out if there is any truth to any of these claims."
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thetreasuresofutah/temple-hill-cave-in-manti-t1176.html
A sacred site indeed, according to this fact site, The morning of the site dedication of the Manti Utah Temple, Brigham Young took Warren S. Snow aside and said, "Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can't move it from this spot."
Lastly, here is a video made of a presentation given by Utahna Jessop, the researcher mentioned in the beginning of this post. If you have any information to add to this post, please share!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Doctrine and Covenants
I have been reading in
Doctrine and Covenants for the last few months and it has really been a
blessing. Many times a question would arise during the day about an issue in
the news or a family matter and the page that I would read that night in the
Doctrine and Covenants just happened to be speaking directly to me and had my
answers.
I truly can attest this was given
to us as a source to guide us through these last days. It's amazing how often
the second coming of the Lord is mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants as well as
the signs to watch for.
The first paragraph in the
introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants reads as follows:
The
Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of divine revelations and inspired
declarations given for the establishment and regulation of the kingdom of God
on the earth in the last days. Although most of the sections are directed to
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the messages,
warnings, and exhortations are for the benefit of all mankind and contain an
invitation to all people everywhere to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ,
speaking to them for their temporal well-being and their everlasting salvation.
I testify that this is true!
I came
across this message from President Henry B. Eyring in the January 2013 Liahona.
He shares an amazing experience from an ancestor and explains how the Doctrine
and Covenants can help us in these last days. It's very much worth the read!
The Voice of the Lord
In our
prayers we seek to know what God would have us do, what we should do to
find peace and happiness in this life and the next, and what lies ahead
of us. The Doctrine and Covenants is filled with answers to such
questions asked by ordinary people and by prophets in humble prayer. It
can be a precious guide to teach us how to receive answers to questions
about our temporal well-being and eternal salvation.
Humility and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are key. Oliver Cowdery received an answer from the Lord regarding his desire to help in the translation of the Book of Mormon:
“Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in
faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought
not” (D&C 8:10).
Over and over
in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord requires faith and humility
before He gives His help. One reason for this is that His answers may
not come in the way we expect. Neither will they always be easy to
accept.
Church
history and the experiences of our ancestors illustrate this reality. My
great-grandfather Henry Eyring prayed fervently to know what he should
do when he heard the restored gospel taught in 1855. The answer came in a
dream.
He
dreamed that he was seated at a table with Elder Erastus Snow of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and with an elder named William Brown.
Elder Snow taught the principles of the gospel for what seemed to be an
hour. Then Elder Snow said, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you
to be baptized and this man [Elder Brown] … shall baptize you.”1 My family
is grateful that Henry Eyring had the faith and humility to be baptized
at 7:30 in the morning in a pool of rainwater in St. Louis, Missouri,
USA, by Elder Brown.
The
answer to his prayer did not come in an audible voice from the Lord. It
came in a vision and dream in the night, as it did with Lehi (see 1 Nephi 8:2).
And He
encouraged Oliver this way: “Did I not speak peace to your mind
concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?”
(D&C 6:23).
The Doctrine and Covenants, Church history, and the history kept by Henry Eyring on his mission just after his baptism have taught me that answers can be felt as warnings as well as peace.
In April
1857, Elder Parley P. Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
attended a conference in what is now Oklahoma, USA. Henry Eyring
recorded that Elder Pratt’s “mind was filled with gloomy forebodings … ,
not being able to discern the future or any way of escape.”
Henry recorded the sad news immediately thereafter of the martyrdom of
the Apostle. Elder Pratt had gone forward on his journey despite
feelings of danger, just as the Prophet Joseph had done in going to
Carthage.
It is my
testimony that the Lord always answers the humble prayer of faith. The
Doctrine and Covenants and our personal experience teach us how to
recognize those answers and accept them in faith, whether they be
direction, confirmation of truth, or a warning. I pray that we always
will listen for and recognize the loving voice of the Lord.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
An Amazing Woman - One of My Heros!
In my recent post about my great, great, great grandmother Anna Regina Keller I had written about her humbling experience when inquiring the Lord about the blessing of food. There is so much more to share about this amazing woman. The stories I have about her are quite lengthy so I decided to extract my favorite tidbits and share with you below.
She really had an impact on the town of Manti and reflected the principals and values that I try to emulate in my own life. I am honored to share my favorite of her personal experiences below:
Anna R. Keller had a thrilling experience a little more than a year after they moved into their own home. One day when the first child was but a few months old and while father was away at work, three big Indian bucks unceremoniously entered the cellar. It had been the custom of the Indians to camp on the adjoining lot where every night they held war dances and contests around a great camp fire purposely kindling the spirit of hate for the white man who had come into their territory. After carefully looking everything over they asked for a pair of father’s boots and for a blanket. Mother shook her head saying “No” they then pretended to want the baby. Again inwardly frozen with terror she calmly shook her head and with a prayer in her heart waited motionless while they sat on the floor and held a consultation occasionally pointing with arrows at her indicating that they might use them. After some minutes of fear and suspense they rose and walked out without a word. They never molested her again although they continued to hold their war like ceremonies only a block away.
Anna R Keller also served her Relief Society as secretary for 12 years. During these years she made every effort to change the routine testimony meetings, they were never anything else. She advocated the preparation of a subject to be presented by someone in order to add interest to the meetings. And to prove her point she would prepare subjects and confine herself to them when speaking instead of merely giving her testimony as was customary. She lived to see her ideals fulfilled in the splendid outlines of study now in use.
Anna R Keller was peculiarly gifted in the case of the sick and was usually called by neighbors and friends when there was sickness in their homes. Many a sick child was restored to health under her wise ministrations.
She was a woman of great sympathy and charity especially for the poor and obscure and to make them feel welcome and at ease. This characteristic is best exemplified by the fact that although she had a large family of her own, she took into her home and cared for two poor older persons whose death had left them friendless and alone as well as a 15 month old abandoned negro child, George, who was reared as her own. In these acts of kindness and sympathy she had the whole hearted cooperation of her husband and children. One of her favorite expressions was “In as much as ye do it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me.”
Mother in her religious zeal frequently begged father to embrace and practice the doctrine of polygamy. He quietly told her that he would not be able to endure it and that he was willing to take the consequences for the omission. Once when the ward teacher called and began to discuss polygamy, telling him he was falling in his duty as he was well able to afford it. One of his daughters took them on in a debate. He listened with a merry twinkle in his eye as she defended his position but he did not participate in the discussion.
When the Manti temple was dedicated in May 1888, Anna R Keller was called as a missionary with the first company of workers to officiate in the Manti temple ordinances. For 26 years thereafter she gladly gave her services to the church she loved and was an untiring, devout temple worker. At the time of the dedication of the Manti temple she bears testimony that it was her wonderful experience to hear heavenly music, a privilege not granted to many.
On December 15, 1897 when five of the temple sisters or ordinance workers were conversing upon spiritual and temporal blessings, one of the ladies arose and addressed Anna R Keller in tongues. Of course she could not understand the words. But another sister arose and gave the interpretation which was that her work and integrity were accepted by the Lord and that her departed husband was watching her with great interest as well as pleased with her and that all her affairs should turn to her spiritual and temporal welfare.
These were indeed uplifting words to her. This manifestation certainly came to pass. For although she spent a great deal of money to obtain her genealogy, her farm produced well and her sheep brought her a nice income so that she lived on the interest of her holdings.
During 1914 when failing health forced her to retire from her temple work she often remarked that since there was nothing more that she could do here she was anxious to pass on to a new experience and to new activities and to join her loved ones who had gone before.
About this time she became blind and remained so very for several months. However it was her firm belief that she would again see. Through faith, prayer, and the administrations by the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints she again received her sight and was able to read and write until the time of her death on May 17th at the age of 79 and was laid to rest in the Manti cemetery.
Her great, granddaughter (my grandmother) also became blind toward the end of her life. When discovering this story about Anna Regina Keller I pointed it out to my grandmother and asked her if she had ever asked for a priesthood blessing in regards to her blindness. She told me no and said she just figured that the Lord probably wanted her to be blind for a reason and there was no point in asking Him about it. She also said she didn't have the faith required for a blessing of healing.
I was amazed at her response. I think sometimes we forget that the amazing experiences and miracles that our ancestors had were bestowed by the same priesthood we have today. We are every bit as deserving - but has our faith decreased? Now is the time to increase our faith because we will rely on many miracles in the near future.
I testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
She really had an impact on the town of Manti and reflected the principals and values that I try to emulate in my own life. I am honored to share my favorite of her personal experiences below:
 |
| (Anna's adobe house on Main St. in Manti - since has been remodeled) |
Anna R. Keller had a thrilling experience a little more than a year after they moved into their own home. One day when the first child was but a few months old and while father was away at work, three big Indian bucks unceremoniously entered the cellar. It had been the custom of the Indians to camp on the adjoining lot where every night they held war dances and contests around a great camp fire purposely kindling the spirit of hate for the white man who had come into their territory. After carefully looking everything over they asked for a pair of father’s boots and for a blanket. Mother shook her head saying “No” they then pretended to want the baby. Again inwardly frozen with terror she calmly shook her head and with a prayer in her heart waited motionless while they sat on the floor and held a consultation occasionally pointing with arrows at her indicating that they might use them. After some minutes of fear and suspense they rose and walked out without a word. They never molested her again although they continued to hold their war like ceremonies only a block away.
Anna R Keller also served her Relief Society as secretary for 12 years. During these years she made every effort to change the routine testimony meetings, they were never anything else. She advocated the preparation of a subject to be presented by someone in order to add interest to the meetings. And to prove her point she would prepare subjects and confine herself to them when speaking instead of merely giving her testimony as was customary. She lived to see her ideals fulfilled in the splendid outlines of study now in use.
Anna R Keller was peculiarly gifted in the case of the sick and was usually called by neighbors and friends when there was sickness in their homes. Many a sick child was restored to health under her wise ministrations.
She was a woman of great sympathy and charity especially for the poor and obscure and to make them feel welcome and at ease. This characteristic is best exemplified by the fact that although she had a large family of her own, she took into her home and cared for two poor older persons whose death had left them friendless and alone as well as a 15 month old abandoned negro child, George, who was reared as her own. In these acts of kindness and sympathy she had the whole hearted cooperation of her husband and children. One of her favorite expressions was “In as much as ye do it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me.”
Mother in her religious zeal frequently begged father to embrace and practice the doctrine of polygamy. He quietly told her that he would not be able to endure it and that he was willing to take the consequences for the omission. Once when the ward teacher called and began to discuss polygamy, telling him he was falling in his duty as he was well able to afford it. One of his daughters took them on in a debate. He listened with a merry twinkle in his eye as she defended his position but he did not participate in the discussion.
When the Manti temple was dedicated in May 1888, Anna R Keller was called as a missionary with the first company of workers to officiate in the Manti temple ordinances. For 26 years thereafter she gladly gave her services to the church she loved and was an untiring, devout temple worker. At the time of the dedication of the Manti temple she bears testimony that it was her wonderful experience to hear heavenly music, a privilege not granted to many.
On December 15, 1897 when five of the temple sisters or ordinance workers were conversing upon spiritual and temporal blessings, one of the ladies arose and addressed Anna R Keller in tongues. Of course she could not understand the words. But another sister arose and gave the interpretation which was that her work and integrity were accepted by the Lord and that her departed husband was watching her with great interest as well as pleased with her and that all her affairs should turn to her spiritual and temporal welfare.
These were indeed uplifting words to her. This manifestation certainly came to pass. For although she spent a great deal of money to obtain her genealogy, her farm produced well and her sheep brought her a nice income so that she lived on the interest of her holdings.
During 1914 when failing health forced her to retire from her temple work she often remarked that since there was nothing more that she could do here she was anxious to pass on to a new experience and to new activities and to join her loved ones who had gone before.
About this time she became blind and remained so very for several months. However it was her firm belief that she would again see. Through faith, prayer, and the administrations by the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints she again received her sight and was able to read and write until the time of her death on May 17th at the age of 79 and was laid to rest in the Manti cemetery.
Her great, granddaughter (my grandmother) also became blind toward the end of her life. When discovering this story about Anna Regina Keller I pointed it out to my grandmother and asked her if she had ever asked for a priesthood blessing in regards to her blindness. She told me no and said she just figured that the Lord probably wanted her to be blind for a reason and there was no point in asking Him about it. She also said she didn't have the faith required for a blessing of healing.
I was amazed at her response. I think sometimes we forget that the amazing experiences and miracles that our ancestors had were bestowed by the same priesthood we have today. We are every bit as deserving - but has our faith decreased? Now is the time to increase our faith because we will rely on many miracles in the near future.
I testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Why Do We Bless Our Food?
I've had the feeling over the past couple of weeks to share some of the amazing experiences and miracles that my ancestors experienced during the early history of the church. I love reading about their lives and when I do it solidifies my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. Knowing that they sacrificed so much, some their very lives to be able to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints - is a strong witness to me that this gospel is true. When you know something is true, you will sacrifice all you have for it.
Their journeys were long and challenging, but they did it for something they believed in. They did it so that their children could have freedom to live the gospel, safety and promised eternal blessings. I feel so blessed that they paved the way so that I could also have the gospel in my life 160 years later. I could never take something so precious for granted and make their sacrifices and sufferings in vain. To show my gratitude and love for their legacies, I have decided to share with you some very precious miracles they experienced along their journeys. Each week I'll post a story and relate it to our lives today.
This first experience I would like to share is about my great, great, great grandmother Anna Regina Hemman Keller, an immigrant from Switzerland. She was baptized at age 16 on April 21 1859. My husband is German and before he was baptized he never blessed his food, prayed for that matter or even attended church. In fact for most Europeans, daily personal prayer is a foreign concept all together.
I'll never forget the first year we visited his family and how awkward it was to initiate blessings on every meal. His family would gather around the table and watch us with their eyes open (some already eating) while we would bow our heads, fold our arms and pray in English. Most of the time my husband would ask me to say the prayer because I think he felt more awkward than I did.
When I first read this story about my great, great, great grandmother it was an experience I was familiar with and I felt so happy to hear her perspective on the matter as well as her concern, her questioning and what happened as a result.
At church one day, she heard the elders talk about blessing the food at the table
before eating but she did not quite understand what they meant. She decided to go out into the yard under cover of darkness and although she had
never prayed except from the prayer book she felt an urge to inquire of
the Lord just what the elders wanted her to know. At first she seemed
overcome by the power of darkness but soon she seemed carried away into a
lighted room where a table was laid with bread for repast. A
beautiful heavenly personage with soft blue eyes, wavy chestnut hair
which fell to his shoulders picked up a loaf of bread from the table
broke it in two and raising his eyes to heaven blessed it and then gave
it those at the table to eat. The vision closed and she found herself
prone on the ground again struggling against the powers of darkness but
her prayer had been answered and from that day to her death she gave
thanks to her maker for good before eating.
I love that she inquired of the Lord and he answered quickly and in a powerful manner. To me, this shows that the blessing of food is very important to the Lord. He wanted to convey that to her in a way that she could not deny or question. I find it interesting that Satan tried to intervene as he did with Joseph Smith in the sacred grove. Even Satan knew this was an important issue or he would not have bothered.
To bless something means to consecrate or sanctify it. Our bodies are sacred tabernacles or temples, so it would make sense that we would sanctify something that was entering our temple. I found a comment in a chat forum that I thought explained this well:
When we pray for God to bless this meal, we are not asking him to convert matter or sanitize the food against germs and spoilage, we are asking for him to consecrate it, make it holy; make it spiritually clean. For what purpose? Is it important at all?
Under Mosaic Law, several foods were prohibited as being unclean. Belief was not that these foods would somehow kill you or were not nutritious; it was given upon the idea that eating unclean foods would make your body unclean. We are talking once again about a spiritual un-cleanliness, not a physical un-cleanliness. We are told that our bodies are to be temples; that is, clean vessels for the Spirit to dwell within. We are no longer commanded to observe the Law of Moses, but we are commanded to be clean. We have been given a Word of Wisdom – not a “Word of Knowledge”. We do not follow the WOW in order to be physically healthy; we follow it to be spiritually clean. The health is returned to us as part of the covenant. We promise to follow the WOW and God promises to bless us with strength and health.
Some of the things that the Lord commands us to do, we may never understand but we do it because He asks us to. I know that if we pray to understand things, the Lord can bless us with that understanding.
This story is a testimony to me of the importance and power of prayer. When you ask, God will answer. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Their journeys were long and challenging, but they did it for something they believed in. They did it so that their children could have freedom to live the gospel, safety and promised eternal blessings. I feel so blessed that they paved the way so that I could also have the gospel in my life 160 years later. I could never take something so precious for granted and make their sacrifices and sufferings in vain. To show my gratitude and love for their legacies, I have decided to share with you some very precious miracles they experienced along their journeys. Each week I'll post a story and relate it to our lives today.
This first experience I would like to share is about my great, great, great grandmother Anna Regina Hemman Keller, an immigrant from Switzerland. She was baptized at age 16 on April 21 1859. My husband is German and before he was baptized he never blessed his food, prayed for that matter or even attended church. In fact for most Europeans, daily personal prayer is a foreign concept all together. I'll never forget the first year we visited his family and how awkward it was to initiate blessings on every meal. His family would gather around the table and watch us with their eyes open (some already eating) while we would bow our heads, fold our arms and pray in English. Most of the time my husband would ask me to say the prayer because I think he felt more awkward than I did.
When I first read this story about my great, great, great grandmother it was an experience I was familiar with and I felt so happy to hear her perspective on the matter as well as her concern, her questioning and what happened as a result.
I love that she inquired of the Lord and he answered quickly and in a powerful manner. To me, this shows that the blessing of food is very important to the Lord. He wanted to convey that to her in a way that she could not deny or question. I find it interesting that Satan tried to intervene as he did with Joseph Smith in the sacred grove. Even Satan knew this was an important issue or he would not have bothered.
To bless something means to consecrate or sanctify it. Our bodies are sacred tabernacles or temples, so it would make sense that we would sanctify something that was entering our temple. I found a comment in a chat forum that I thought explained this well:
When we pray for God to bless this meal, we are not asking him to convert matter or sanitize the food against germs and spoilage, we are asking for him to consecrate it, make it holy; make it spiritually clean. For what purpose? Is it important at all?
Under Mosaic Law, several foods were prohibited as being unclean. Belief was not that these foods would somehow kill you or were not nutritious; it was given upon the idea that eating unclean foods would make your body unclean. We are talking once again about a spiritual un-cleanliness, not a physical un-cleanliness. We are told that our bodies are to be temples; that is, clean vessels for the Spirit to dwell within. We are no longer commanded to observe the Law of Moses, but we are commanded to be clean. We have been given a Word of Wisdom – not a “Word of Knowledge”. We do not follow the WOW in order to be physically healthy; we follow it to be spiritually clean. The health is returned to us as part of the covenant. We promise to follow the WOW and God promises to bless us with strength and health.
Some of the things that the Lord commands us to do, we may never understand but we do it because He asks us to. I know that if we pray to understand things, the Lord can bless us with that understanding.
This story is a testimony to me of the importance and power of prayer. When you ask, God will answer. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Pioneer Day Tribute
Today I gave the sharing time lesson in Primary and it was on the sacrifices that the pioneers made for the temples. The lessons are only 15 minutes but it seemed longer and turned out better than I imagined.I want to share with you some of the special thoughts and messages that I shared with the beautiful primary children today in tribute of Pioneer Day next week!
A millennia ago, the prophet Micah predicted the following:
Micah 4:1-2
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto 
it.
“And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
Micah saw the Salt Lake temple and temple square - the place where saints from all over the world gather twice a year. It is also a temple that visitors from all over the world come to see all year long.
When the prophet
Joseph Smith was commanded to build a temple, he had never seen one before and did not know how it should look. There were no temples in his time. The Lord needed a place where his sacred ordinances could be carried out just as in the days of Moses and Solomon, Joseph wanted it to be pleasing unto the Lord. He and the first presidency prayed together and they were shown a vision of the Kirtland temple and how it should be built.
Prior to the temple's dedication the prophet Joseph Smith, his counselors and many other witnesses experienced marvelous visions inside the temple. One vision in particular, when Joseph received revelation about those who die before hearing about the gospel is as follows:
After all the men had been anointed, Joseph Smith testified that “the heavens were opened upon us” and he “beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof”( D&C 137:1-10) He saw “the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son.” He “saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold.” He saw “Fathers Adam and Abraham” and others who were then living, including his father (who was with him in the room), his mother (who was home in Kirtland), and his deceased brother, Alvin. He saw the twelve Apostles, who had been called the year before, and he saw Jesus standing in their midst. He also saw in the celestial kingdom all of the presidency and many others. Upon asking the Lord how Alvin, who had died before the Church was restored, could inherit the celestial kingdom, he received the remarkable assurance that “All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God
According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, during this vis
ion angels not only ministered to him but to others who had received their anointings. “The power of the Highest rested upon us,” he said, and “the house was filled with the glory of God.” His scribe, Warren Parrish, recorded his own experience at the Prophet’s dictation: “My scribe … saw in a vision the armies of heaven protecting the Saints in their return to Zion, and many [of the same] things which I [Joseph Smith] saw.”
Following this ordinance, says the Prophet Joseph Smith, “The visions of heaven were opened to them also. Some of them saw the face of the Savior, and others were ministered unto by holy angels.” He further testified that “we all communed with the heavenly host. … The spirit of prophecy and revelation,” he added, “was poured out in mighty power.”
The early saints (pioneers) had such a powerful testimony of temples that after the mobs drove them out of Kirtland, Ohio, to abandon the temple (that all their sacrifice of blood, sweat and tears went into), they would go on to Nauvoo, Illinois where they would again sacrifice 
to build a House of the Lord. The prophet Joseph Smith was martyred half way through the construction of the Nauvoo temple. Shortly after the temple was dedicated the mobs came and drove the saints out of Nauvoo and destroyed the temple. The pioneers watched their hard work and sacrifice burn to the ground. You would think that most people would say, "Hey, I've had enough. I give up - this just isn't worth it." No, not the pioneers. They made the long trek across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, many giving their very lives for the sake of what they held so dear. It was there they again sacrificed blood, sweat and tears to build the Salt Lake temple.
The Salt Lake temple is my favorite temple. It was where I was married and sealed for time and all eternity to my husband. Whenever I visit, I feel the testimony of those early pioneers. From the gold Angel Moroni mounted on top to the "Holiness to the Lord" engraved on the east side. They all are a visible testimony of those early saints.
The prophet Brigham Young had a vision of the Salt Lake temple years before it was built. Though he never lived to see it completed he was in attendance that day. On the morning of 6 April 1893, the prophet Wilford Woodruff entered the Salt Lake Temple through 
the southwest doors and proceeded to the fourth floor. At 10:00 A.M., with twenty-five hundred people in attendance, the first of a series of forty-one dedication services began. The dedication was the final step in a forty-year saga of sacrifice and labor surrounding the construction of the Salt Lake Temple.
back to Heaven and dwell with him, forever. Did I tell you that my father was a professional tin-smith and that he made and mounted the hoofs, horns and bars of the oxen in the basement of the temple, that held up the baptismal fonts? I wasn't old enough then when the temple was finished to be baptized in it, but I remember that glorious building and how hard everyone worked and skimped and saved, to get it finished. It never was completely finished. My parents were permitted to go through it for their own endowments and sealing, December 13, 1845. It was opened only one day for living sealings, when the city was mobbed and that glorious Temple was destroyed by them. It was burned to the ground and as foretold in prophecy, 'not one stone was left on top of another'. This was after the martyrdom. " Account of the Salt Lake Temple "I remember when the Salt Lake Temple was finished and decorated. They opened it up and let everyone, outsiders and all, who wanted to go through it and see it for one whole week before they dedicated it. Oh, it was the most beautiful building west of the Mississippi." My great, great, great grandmother made great sacrifices. When traveling across the plains she was kidnapped by Indians. Her father later risked his life to go save her. I have other great, great grandparents who helped build the Manti, Utah temple. They too sacrificed much for the work. Many of the pioneers sold all they had to earn money to build the temples. They risked their lives, sold their belongings, and endured great trials to come to Utah. Here in Utah, would be a permanent refuge for the saints, where they could live in peace. "We are here! Thank the Almighty God of Israel!” exclaimed Brigham Young. The exodus to the west was very similar to that of Moses and the children of Israel. Instead of crossing the parted sea and wandering in the desert for 40 years, the saints crossed the plains and made their home in the desert of what is now Utah. I will forever be grat
eful for what my pioneer ancestors gave and sacrificed for they believed. It is because of them that I enjoy this beautiful valley, the gospel and the blessings of the temple. I strive each day of my life to live a legacy that would be pleasing to my pioneer ancestors and the Lord. I don't want their sacrifices to have been in vein. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know that temples are a House of the Lord and allow families to be together forever. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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