Nauvoo and Branson: A Perfect Destination

Monday 12: Left for Phoenix at 7:30 AM, and stayed with Quentin=s family two nights.  Bought new walking shoes and a new sewing machine on the way into Phoenix (What every traveler should have?!  Actually, my machine broke, and I want to make a quilt for the upcoming wedding.)  Quincy, 1  yrs. seemed glad to see us.  She is such a smart little girl and knows so many words.  Stayed up late correcting EHS work. I have several students trying to finish up credits needed to graduate.

Tuesday 13: We took Quincy for a trip while Bev went to the Dr. Walked along a big canal near their home, and through their subdivision.  It=s easy to get lost in Phoenix, as all the homes look the same, but we made it back.   Bev & I went shopping for cloth, while Quincy and Steve took naps.  She is recovering an old dresser with different kinds of fabric.  It was like picking out patterns for a quilt, but we did actually get 4 of the drawers covered.  Went to Bev=s book group with her. She led the discussion on a parenting book by Gene Cook.  Stayed up correcting EHS assignments until about 1 AM.  Anna (my mission companion) got twin grandkids yesterday.  This is her 2^nd set.  (Son Jared, who Autumn knows.)

Wed. 14: Left about 6:15 with Quent, who took us to the airport.  Our plane was about 40 min. late, but we made up some of the time.  I have been very nervous about all the tornadoes that came through the Midwest last week; over 380 tornados.  When we arrived Dan Hansen, assistant tour guide was waiting for us, and one other lady from Yuma.  Brian Judd was our guide, and knew tons about the area, and especially Hannibal and Nauvoo.  He is from New Zealand.

!        In St. Louis, we visited the only Roman Catholic Basilica in the US, where the Pope officiated in 1999 There were over 70,000 mosaic scenes in the basilica.  It was beautiful and gigantic.

!        There are 27 people on our tour; most of them older than us, but a few in their 20's, and some our age. All 27 on the tour are LDS, so we had a great comradery in the group throughout the tour.  There was one grandma with her two 20 something granddaughters, but most of the rest were older than us.

!        Drove past Busch stadium and visited the Jefferson Nat=l Memorial and the St. Louis Arch.  It is a stainless steel memorial; whose designer was the winner of a contest.  Enjoyed learning a lot about the Lewis & Clark expedition, and Louisiana purchase. Stopped to take pictures at the St. Louis temple.

!        Went across the Mississippi River to St. Charles, which is where lots of the pioneers left from.  Ate dinner in an old fashioned diner, Mother-in-Laws House.  Stayed at the Hampton Inn.  Stayed up checking EHS assignments until 1 AM.  Hubwest had a free line there but the connection was really slow.  My friend Anne Bown and husband got a mission call to Singapore yesterday!

Thursday 15: It rained last night, so the day felt clean and crisp, but not too cold.  It was quite grey in the sky.  Visited Mark Twain Country; saw his home, levees around Hannibal, museum, etc. 

!        Took pix at Lovers Leap, Carthage, Mississippi River crossing, tornado damage at Lima, Warsaw & Nauvoo.  We were in the actual area where the miracle of the quails occurred and there is a plaque erected there.  The river is twice as wide now as it was in 1846, because of dams that have been built.

!        Visiting Carthage was very impressive and tender, and our guide told the story very well of the martyrdom.  There were many bullet holes and indentations in the door, as well as outside the window where the prophet fell.

!        The temple at Nauvoo is beautiful, much  more impressive than the photos.

Friday 16^th We attended the 9:00 temple session.  The paintings were beautiful, and we saw 4 different rooms.  The lone and dreary world had 4 seasons in the murals, each of them showing a different scene from Church history: It started with early spring in New York, then spring at the sacred grove, then to Kirtland, then Missouri, then Nauvoo, ending up with winter in the Salt Lake Valley.  It was a wonderful opportunity, and all the furnishings were authentic to that era.

After changing and having lunch, we visited a few antique shops then went down to the old Nauvoo restoration buildings.  Visited the Heber Kimball house, and the first person we met was Della's Aunt (Erickson). She also knew Barbara Groom.  Heber C. Kimball was in the process of building this house, most of the 6 years they were there, but kept getting called on missions.  His wife actually finished the home while he was gone.
!        Visited the Brickyard, and Elder Stoddard, a good friend of the Grovers was working there.  Also visited the Browning gun works.  I didn't realize he was a member of the Church and moved to Ogden area with the saints.

!        Found the Reynolds at the family living center, where Bufaye was doing candle making demo, and Lee demonstrated how to make barrels as a coopersmith.  They sound like they are really keeping busy.  After the visit, we went to the old Nauvoo Inn for a huge buffet, which was pretty good.  Then went back to the low lands for the Nauvoo rendezvous program.  It was wonderful, very entertaining with good music. All of the older missionaries also help with the programs, so they work early and late.

!        Finished reading Grisham's King of Torts.  It was good inside look at class action law suits. 

Sat. 17 Spent most of the day visiting sites at Old Nauvoo.  Went to the RLDS visitors Center and a very nice man took us on a tour of the Smith home, Mansion home, Smith mercantile and family cemetery. Walked down the Trail of Hope, that the pioneers used in the Nauvoo exodus.  Quotes from diaries lined the walk, and were very touching.  One woman, helped deliver 9 babies in one night after the saints left.

The cemetery and reburial of Hyrum and Joseph were the first activities which brought the RLDS and our church together.  The bodies were first buried in the mansion house, and then taken to the outdoor well shed where they were buried 8 feet deep.  There was fear that the mobs would mutilate the bodies.  They weren't found until in the 1900's when a team of archaeologists found the bodies, and reburied them in the current cemetery in 1939.  This was the first time the two churches came together to successfully work on a project.

Emma stayed in Nauvoo where 4 of her children, Joseph, Hyrum, and her in-laws were to be buried in the family plot.  Her 2^nd husband helped to locate family relics, though his character seems in question. Bidamon was his name.  Visited the Relief Society commemorate statue displays which were wonderful.  A church member, William Wood, was a key person in starting to accumulate property in Old Nauvoo.  The H.C. Kimball family was the first to restore one of the old homes. There were doing it to use as a summer home, but so many people stopped to visit it, that he had a hard time finishing the work, much less using it for a private home.  There are now 24 restored sites, that can be visited.  Kimball kept one of the rooms in its original state, unfinished, as he had promised the prior owner he would.  Visited the last original drainage canal, and original bridge built by the Saints.  Visited the Joseph Smith farm, where he had a manager working.  Stopped on Parley Street, where the road to Carthage intersected.  This is where the prophet traveled on his last journey, past his farm.  It is on the east side of Nauvoo.

Took a very interesting carriage ride; saw King Follett's home, and the well where he died, after property owners forced him to relocate the well.  He was inside working on the new well, when a rope broke sending rocks on top of him.  Joseph came to speak at his funeral, traveling back from far away, giving a 2  hr. sermon B hence the name, the King Follet sermons. Stayed at the Nauvoo Family Inn, a gigantic lodge run by Kay Walker from Idaho Falls.  Talked to him tonight, and they have moved here. Evidently the lodge has expanded and improved since first started. Used the in-house computer for 1 hr. at $5 per  hr.  Learned from e-mail that Nathan will be stationed in Alaska for the next assignment, and it rained in Blanding last Thursday.

  Sunday 18:   Traveled down to Branson, in ultra green landscape.  Slept a lot, but also watched film on the Nauvoo temple.  One of the sisters fell & hurt her back and was hospitalized the rest of the trip.  Perhaps it would be wise to have tour insurance for this reason, though we have never done it before. Could not get my computer to hook up to the outside line.  I think it is the remote computers fault.  Will call Wayne early in the morning.  (Found out later that it was the obsolete phone lines in the hotel.)

Passed by a yellow & white frame home called West Point, where Robert E. Lee lived while in Missouri, prior to appointment as general in charge of southern troops.

Monday 19:

Took a bus tour around Branson, a loop around the town, to the scenic overlook, and lake.  It is beautiful and green.  Did some shopping in old Branson, bought 5 quilts and paid to have them mailed to Blanding.  They were not high quality, but looked good.  Got a wedding ring in purples for Amy & Andrew. Ate lunch at a cute tea room: cold raspberry soup made with sour cream; sourdough bread, & salad and fresh greens.  They had wonderful antique blue and white china, I would have loved to get for Nancy, but they do not ship, and I do not trust my luggage to get it home safely.  Went to the afternoon program of Shoji Tabuchi.  It was spectacular, with special effects, and wonderful music.  He was a wonderful violinist, and had flashy dancers, good singers.

 Ate at Grand Country buffet.  It was a little nicer than the others we have been to, and I was more careful about what I ate.  Afterwards we went to the Baldknobbers program.  The salute to veterans at the end, and the rock & roll numbers were great, but I did not really like their bathroom humor jokes;  though looking through the family album was funny.  

Tuesday May 20

Chris called while we were gone, and Pam had Daniel on the 19^th about 2 PM.  They were worried about the low heart beat and decided to do an emergency C-section.  But by the time Chris got the kids picked up and to her moms, she was already in labor, and the delivery came quickly.  She didn't even have any anesthesia. There was no apparent health problems in the throat area.  We are so thankful that everything went well.  Steve & I walked down to Staples, with my laptop, but they did not have a rental computer to use but they let me use one on the copier desk, so I worked about 45 minutes, and then the bus picked us up there, on the way to the Hughes Bros. Concert at 10 AM.  

The Hughes did a wonderful performance, emphasizing country, family, gospel. They are LDS family from Taylorsville.  There are two other LDS family shows in Branson: The Lowes and Duttons.  When we came back to the motel, the driver dropped some off then, and then dropped me at an internet place and I worked for 2 hrs. on the web site.  They picked me up prior to going to the Ozark campground for barbeque. 

Saw Glen Campbell and Andy Williams concert.  Andy had a wonderful collection of antique Navajo rugs, and kimonos, and art.  It felt more like a gallery.  Both of them still sing strong, but not quite the same quality as 20 years ago.  Andy looks like he should be a temple worked, dressed in a white suit, with snowy white hair.

Wed. 21 Left early for Silver Dollar City, which was a really a fun place to visit.  Saw a great musical about a battle fought in that area.  Wonderful singers everywhere we go. Steve & I visited the Marvel Cave tour, which was about 700 steps, down into a drippy limestone cave. It was very moist and slippery in places.   It was big enough to put the Statue of Liberty inside.  At one time they launched 5 hot air balloons at a celebration in side the big chamber.  The young man who was our guide was wonderful, as have been most of the young people who have helped us.  I am impressed with the strong Christian traditions they seem to all have.

They mined guano for years from the cave, as it is a home for thousands of little bats.  It is used in fertilizer, makeup, etc.  Luckily, we didn't have to walk up hill very far, as they had a tram to take us most of the way back. Ate cream cheese filled pretzels, skillet potatoes, cinnamon roll, and cheese bread at the park for snacks.  Most all of the food we've seen is very high calorie, and not many veggies.  After we finished we drove to Table Rock reservoir, which has an 1800 mile shoreline.  At its deepest is 920 ft. deep, and is self cleaning, and a very clean man-made lake.  

We had a group picture before loading on the showboat. We had one of the best meals of the trip on board: tender beef, chicken in a pastry, fresh vegetables, herb mashed potatoes, whole wheat roles, and frozen peach ice cream w/ pound cake.  I was too full to enjoy the last part of the meal.  After walking the decks for about 40 min. we went back in for a wonderful program: good singers, dancers, adagio dancing, and ventriloquist w/ dogs.  It was really entertaining and high quality.  They ended on a patriotic note, as did all of the other programs, which also had the military veterans stand and be recognized.  We had 4 vets on our trip, and they also participated in a flag ceremony at Silver Dollar City.

It has been an absolutely wonderful trip, one we=d highly recommend.

Thursday, left at 8:00 AM for the airport.  Stopped for an hour at the Liberty jail, where the prophet received three of his revelations.  Saw quite a bit more tornado damage in the blocks right around the visitor center.

Our flight was about 1 hr. late, so Quentin had to wait a while for us.  Bev had a good lasagna fixed when we got home.  I stayed up til 2 AM trying to catch up with my classes.  I had 148 e-mail messages, since leaving Nauvoo on Sunday!  Got most of them answered.

Steve and Quent played golf early Friday morningB18 holes, and we left for home about 11 AM.  We picked up the sewing machine at Sears and headed out, really missing the beautiful green vistas of Missouri.  It was a wonderful trip, one we'd  highly recommend.  We really felt that we got our money=s worth in every way.  The cost was $1200, which included flights in and out of Mo. two meals each day (including the gratuity), and all motels costs for 9 days, plus 6 shows at Branson and guided tours to dozens of interesting places we did not even know existed. It was a perfect time of the year to go, not too hot and not too cold B just right says Mama Bear!   The Brian Judd tours also do a tour in the fall, plus lots of other destinations.  Many of those on the tour had been with Brian before.  He was a delightful guide, had great sense of humor, and really knew church history B even if he did talk funny! (Australian twang.)

Visit to Ancestral Homelands: Wales and Scotland 2001

Day 1 June 6, flight to Glasgow

 Flew out at 3:15 from SLC.  The first people we met were Bill, Bonnie, and Karen Evans.  Karen was to be Lelia's roommate.  We tried to determine an Evans connection with Jonah Evans, our ancestor, but couldn't, but I was to later find out that his ancestor, Abel Evans was an energetic missionary in the early days in the church, and in fact, was the one to baptize Edward Giles Roberts my Great Great grandfather.  Abel Evans often worked with Captain Dan Jones.  So the lives of our ancestors had crossed many times.  Later in the trip we were to visit Abel Evan's grave and take pictures of all of the descendants of people he had baptized.

  Foreshadowing of great meals to come.  Two delicious meals served on our flight over. Changed planes in Chicago  on flight out and In.  Flew American.  Wonderful service.  We lost 7 hours in transit and arrived in the morning in Glasgow, ready to run.  Watched Miss Congeniality on board.

June 7 
First tourist attraction: Robbie Burn's home and burial site of his parents.  We were to see many equally antiquated picturesque churches throughout the trip.  Gigantic large headstones, which I was later to learn were Slate slabs.  Maggie was our tour guide, complete with a Scottish burr.  She had a wonderful Scottish lilt, sense of humor, and singing voice, and shared many things with us about the area, especially about Burns.  

My mother often talked about her father William Henderson reading Robbie Burn's poetry as he drove his cheese wagon between Malad and Perry, Utah.  Glasgow is where the Hendersons were from.  Hugh Henderson was a constable.  His son Robert was the first to join the church in our line. 

Robert the Bruce with 4000 men fought against 12,000 British on 23-24 June  1314.  Templars were trained Scotch armies, and took Stirling castle.   The Hendersons always claimed to be related to Robert the Bruce.  The Song of Loch Lomond is one my mother sang and  is about, a Jacobite soldier who was put to death by the English in 1746.  The Scottish believed that the low road was a symbol of death, a faster road.  The soldier sings the song to his comrade, saying " I'll take the low road, and be in Scotland afore ye" knowing he will die ere soon. We grew up knowing the words to many Scottish songs.  I wish we had been able to take her on a trip to this beautiful country before she died.
Day 8 Wednesday.
Day 9  June 14       Carmarthen is the oldest town in Wales.  It was where the crossroads of commerce met, a great trading center.  Also the scene of the Rebecca Riots 1843.

Carmarthen is where Jonah Evans our GG grandfather (on my Dad's line) went to work at age 8 in a soap factory, earning 2 shillings a week.  He obtained employment on a farm called y fforest in Pontantwn, a few miles to the west of Carmarthen.

Thursday, June 21

At the Burn's center, we watched a great multi-media presentation of Tam-o-Shanter and got a feel for Burns' colloquial use of the language, which definitely needed a translator for us Yankees. Our 1^st Scotch meal was crusty rolls and soup.  That night settled in at an old Victorian Hotel, Quality Hotel Central, which was the site of the first TV broadcast. The Scottish claim that a Baird invented TV, while we Idaho yankees give credit to Milo Farnsworth -- one of Ashley's relatives.  Rooms were large, but old fashioned.  It was located next to the train station and close to shopping areas.  We learned that when we eat at a "cutlery" it is the same as a smorgasbord.  We drove through the beautiful farmlands of Ayer on the coast.  Elder Tye Shumway is working there, but the LDS church wasn't listed in the phone directory, so we never found him.

Edinburgh Friday June 8      Visited Edinburgh, the "Athens of the North". A high wall was built around the city about 1513.  It was locked at night.  Many nobles were killed defending it. The Royal Mile goes from the castle down to Holyrood the palace where the royal family lived.  This castle is the birthplace of James I, who authorized the King James Version of the Bible which we still use today.

  The Castle contains the Scottish "Honors" their most valued treasures.  The trunk was opened in 1707, and had been locked for 111 years.  Contained the Scepter, Sword, and Crown. Mom's Meg is the huge cannon at the castle.  St. Margaret's chapel is the oldest building in town and is located on the castle grounds and has been in use for 900 years!

Witch drownings were common in Scotland.  They tied their fingers and toes together and tossed them in the water to see if they’d float.  If they did, they were witches and were hung. (This was much like the witch hunts in Puritan America, i.e. The Crucible)  A Loch was below the castle, but is now drained is like a deep wide ravine.

 Scottish tartans, were woven from wool.  Colors obtained originally from Moss, and plants in the glen, soaked in urine to set the colors.  Soldiers had about a 3 yard roll of tartan for their kilts.  The would lie on the ground on the fabric, which they had pleated, then roll in around them, and tie it, and throw one end of their shoulder to carry their pack.  Queen Victoria loved Scotland and the Tartans, and wore them as well.  James Paraffin (a Scotsman), found a use for the residue in oil.

    
Early Edinburgh city official, Deacon Brodie (Tavern named after him) had the keys to the city because of his trusted position, but would steal from businesses at night.  He is considered to be the prototype of Jekyll and Hyde character later written about. Giles High Church, named after a hermit in Europe in the 9^th century at the time of pilgrimages.  Center of old Edinburgh, Proclamations given from the back of Giles High church crossing.  The home of Presbyterianism and leader John Knox was buried near the castle, (now in the parking lot!)   Plague victims were boarded up in buildings and left to die.

  

Saturday: Took a morning tour of more places in Glasgow, as well as ancestral homes of some of the participants.   

Stirling Castle My favorite castle! Built in 1503, visited the chapel, the great hall.  It is situated in the middle of a beautiful green valley, with wonderful country panorama on every side.  Grandma Keeler's Fisher relatives are from Stirling. Seven major battles were fought here, was originally a very marshy land. In 1297 Wallace defeated English.  He fired on it from Holyrood Chapel across the valley.  

Bannock Burn:  Robert de Bruce Victory in 1314, destroyed the castle so the British couldn't use it.  It was rebuilt in 1400's.  The Royal Stuarts used the castle.  It is a French Renaissance castle rebuilt by James IV.  James VI was educated at Stirling. Prince Charlie fired on it, and filled in the old kitchens to shore up the batteries.  Later these were uncovered in the 1920's and on display today. Jacobite reinforcements built it up again in 1700's.  It was originally trimmed in Red and gold colors, and lime washed, which showed up well from long distances.

   Rig-a-ma-roll term comes from "Ragman's Roll" when the Scottish were asked to sign a pledge giving the English support.  William Wallace  refused to sign the roll.  Was eventually killed for his role in leading the Scotch against the English.  The Upper square of the castle was used by royalty only.  James IV used the original old castle.  The royal chapel was built by Mary Queen of Scotts when her son James VI was born.  We visited all these parts of the castle, and enjoyed the beautiful view from every side. Countryside normally would have heather blooming in late summer, fall.  The Gorse bush was all over the hills and blooms yellow.  It is a very prickly bush.

     That evening we were hosted by the Hamilton Ward with a dinner and program  We were met at the door with a bagpipe and missionaries in full regalia, who piped until we were all in and seated.  Brother Wright also piped at the program after dinner.   We were served a wonderful banquet of coldcuts, rolls, salads, desserts.  Among the foods served were lox (smoked salmon & cream cheese) quiche, haggis, cootie dumplings.  It was beautifully decorated, and each table had 3-4 members of the ward who sat with us. They had a wonderful program they then presented with bagpipes, poetry, violin, dancers, and a non-member choir.

Final tour of Glasgow, then on to England for Church June 10

   Lots of large red sandstone block buildings built in 1890's, the cream colored stone was of an earlier era 1788.  In the heart of the city are 12 statues in St. George square, but there are none of George III, as he lost the war of Independence 1776   Glasgow University is 550 years old.  Great Hall built in 1400's.  Crossed the River Clyde, which has a 10 ft. tide.  There are 13 bridges over the rover.  At one time there were 40 shipyards at its peak, but only 3 operate more.  There are lots of coal mines and iron ore and foundries near Glasgow.   It is the 2^nd most important city in the United Kingdom, saw Cathedral Square, Glasgow chapel.  In 1200's the Catholic Church built the cathedral.  800 cathedrals were built in Europe during the 1200's.  Oldest chapel was where Cardinal Beacon presided, then he fled to Europe with all the treasures of the kingdom.  This is where my Henderson relatives came from.

   Though we made it to church in Carlisle on time, everyone was gone.  It must have been stake conference, so we were dressed up with no where to go.  Traveled through the countryside to visit ancestral homes.  Saw many remnants of Hadrian's wall the 70 mile fortifications built by the Romans marking their northern most borders. The also built a fort every 5 miles.  It was begun in 112 AD and abandoned in 400 AD. The land was quarantined because of “Mad Cow Disease” so we couldn't walk up to the fortifications, but they were very evident all through the countryside as we traveled to York. We passed by Lockerby where the plane crashed killing over 200 people about 10 years ago.  Stayed in York that night.  Visited a gigantic cathedral, and had our first Yorkshire pudding, made from egg batter.  It is a lot like pop overs.

Day 6 Monday:

     Traveled to the Preston England temple. Steve and I were asked to be the witness couple.  Visited the MTC across the parking lot.  It was beautifully landscaped, and just a fine mist was coming down. Met several missionaries, and Elder Vinas who knew Brad Thornton in Spain.  This city has the longest continuous LDS congregation in the church.

Saw the house (Wilber Street Lodgings) where Heber C. Kimball had the vision of the forces of evil, waging against the missionary efforts.  This happened just before the first baptisms took place in England at the River Ribble.  Went to open market & bought red plaid dress for Laurie, our first granddaughter,  then walked down to the gorgeous Avenham Park and read the commemorative plaque erected and describing the 1^st LDS baptism in the River Ribble.  It was erected in 1937 recognizing 100 years of the church's presence.  Walked down to the river as well. Stayed overnight at a nice remodeled Victorian manor-hotel in Chester.

Day 7 Tuesday

Traveled to Holywell and St. Winnifred's Church which is supposed to have holy water, where people came to be cured.  We all drank some.  It is the oldest continuous Catholic shrine in the British Isles.  We started to learn a bit about how to pronounce these crazy Welsh names.  Stopped at the Bull Inn in Abergele which is now a Pub, where the church used to have meetings.  Brother Dennis put up a plaque in 1990 commemorating the Church's activities there.

  Traveled to Llandudno and had time to shop a bit. This town is right on the coast line and has beautiful Victorian homes. My Great Uncle Geraint Bowen and Zonia his wife, came to the hotel and had dinner with us.  I also was able to get a short interview recorded about family history.  He is an adamant defender of the Welsh language, and got after our waitress because she didn=t understand Welsh.  He gave me two more publications he has written in Welsh about the Mormon Immigrants, and the legend of the Welsh speaking Indians.  I was so thrilled he was still in such good health at 86.  We will meet them again tomorrow.

      Went to a wonderful concert of a Men's choir, just 3 blocks down the hill from our quaint hotel.  We brought our American flags so when they sang our National Anthem we could wave them. Stopped at a town with the longest recorded name in the world.  I refuse to type it.  It had 59 letters, including four sets of ll's in a row!!  It is on the Isle of Angelsey.  I got my pass port stamped with the town's name!    Many Welsh names start with Llan  which means church.  Toured Caernarfon Castle with the Bowens.  Even though they live only 1  miles away, they had never taken the tour.  It was wonderful to have such Welsh experts with us! The castle was built between 1285 and 1327.  It is a massive fortification, complete with a moat, which the guide assured us, had a horrendous smell in the summer, as all their waste was dumped into it.  It was built purely for defense; no niceties like Sterling Castle.

      After the tour we left with Geraint and Zonia, and had lunch with them, and discussed more family genealogy.  We also got the spelling of some place names corrected.  In the later afternoon their two daughters, and 4 of their grandchildren came over and we so enjoyed visiting with all of them. They are a well-educated and wonderful family. They are all solid Welsh speakers, and Zonia and Geraint have been active for years researching and giving presentations on the Welsh history.  They are going to Patagonia this fall to present.  He was given the prestigious "Arch Druid" Award in 1939 for his poetry, and has a carved chair in his hall that was given to him.  We felt very welcomed and comfortable in their beautiful home.  I am so glad we were able to finally meet them.

       Took an amazing trip down into a slate Mine at Llechwedd Slate Caverns.  The tour was very good, but of greater impact was the horrific desecration of the beautiful valley the mine is in.  Every inch of the great valley is buried in grey slate chips.  I could hardly stand looking at miles and miles of gray, where green should have been.  If anyone can figure out a use of slate chips, they will have an instantaneous source.  Later in the trip we did see some paintings and coasters made from slate. Took a trip on a narrow gauge railroad as well, then traveled to Aberystwyth, also on the coast.  Though our accommodations we're so terrific here (above a pub) we did have some enjoyable walks through the town, as well as along the sea coast.  Ate two nights at the Kings Hall carvery.

Day 10  Aberystwyth June 15

      We visited the National Archives and Library in this city, which is where Brother Dennis worked on his Welsh research.  They archivist had prepared a special exhibit of Mormon Welsh published church pamphlets and books.  They had Ron Dennis=s books there, as well as Geraint=s and many early Dan Jones pamphlets.

  Visited Machnylleth where Robert and Edward Roberts lived, (Jane Giles).  A distant relative Carolyn Roberts had e-mailed me just before we left with the exact address, as well as the names of the people currently living there. Carolyn teaches at Ricks, and is descended through Edward's brother David.   Loen boeth means "hot lane" and the cottages had been once part of the garrison's headquarters, and had been burned by Oliver Cromwell because they supposedly had armaments stored there.  We had a wonderful short visit with Cyril and Myfawny Smith who currently live in #3 (of 8 cottages).  The house is over 200 yrs old. The Smith family has lived there 73 years, so I got some interior shots of the family home. They had their 50^th anniversary in 1997.  (Though a merchant in the area said they though #1 was the original Roberts' home.)

     Took pictures also of Mawddwy at the oldest church which was built in 1641.  It was set back off the road a bit, the others weren't old enough to have been there when Edward Roberts and Jane Lewis were married.  This the same Roberts that was baptized by Abel Evans. That evening we got to go lawn bowling which was very fun, even though it kept trying to rain on us.

Day 11 Trip to Tenby and then to Carmarthen
        Had some free time to wander around the old part to Tenby, which is inside the city walls. Bought another carryon bag, as my suitcases are plum full.  Then traveled to an castle at Laughrne, and visited Dylan Thomas's home.  By mid-afternoon we were on our way to Carmarthen, central to many smaller towns where my relatives lived, died, and were married. Took the taxi to three little towns on the outskirts of Carmarthen hoping to discover where he might have worked.

    Visited the parish church at Llanwydd which sounds somewhat like Thamwedd which shows up on our genealogy chart as Thanwell.   The name means  New church. The double LL is pronounced like an aspirated Ath.  Both of Jonah's parents John and Ester Williams died here. 

    Also went to Llanllawddog, where Hannah William came from which is just a few miles away.  The name of their farm was Pwll, meaning pool.  This is another farm we probably could have found.  (Next time!!)  She is on my mother's line, married to Daniel Thomas.  It is interesting that these Welsh families from both my Father' and Mother's lines lived very near each other at the same time period.    

Went to Ffynnon Ddrain where Jonah Evans was born in 1838.  Took pictures of all three locations, all were beautiful farming areas. The one place we didn't get to was Llanfilhangel-arth meaning church of  ? by the river.  Three generations of Thomases lived near there at a farm called Gelli Gron or "round grove".  Had I known that the farms were named, and we'd brought a bit more money, we would have tracked down the actual farm.  The Thomases immigrated to Malad, Idaho eventually. (This farm area was actually discovered on our 2016 trip.)

One thing I wish I had been able to find was a local history of the Carmarthen area, and county map, as we have so many family sites in this area. Stayed at a very nice Hotel: Ivy Bush and walked around the city market area.   Many shops were shut down as the rural areas in Wales were economically depressed: livestock killed (mad cow disease), mines closed, and tourism off.

Sunday June 17: Church at New Castle

Found out about the two elders that were killed in the tragic car accident on Tuesday.  The whole ward was mourning their loss.  Elder Gleason was from Pleasant Grove, and had been one of Elder Kartchner=s companions.  The other older was new in the mission, and an only child of a branch president in Romania.

Sat by a sister in Relief Society who just got baptized the night before.  She and her husband and two children were confirmed and will be wonderful members.  Brother and Sister Griffiths told us of their conversion.  He was probably the oldest member in the ward, and a humble sweet man.  He told of working as a coal miner, and was surrounded by rough, tough coarse people.  He felt strongly that the provocative pictures the men had hanging on their walls, affected their behavior, and he had the courage to speak to them, and they took down the offending pictures.  Sister Griffith took Lelia and the Hurst family to the Trehorn family farm, where they saw a "standing stone" which were ice-age markers, which are illegal to move.  Visited a coracle maker, which is a one man woven basket boat used for Salmon fishing.

Monday June 18 Pembrey

Pembrey is where Francis Bowen, my GGgrandmother, was born.  Took some grass and flowers from the cemetery to press.  Most dates from the 1500's.  Three bells at the Pembry Parish church date from 1552.  Josephine Bonaparte's niece was buried there, following a shipwreck.

Llanelli had the first Welsh LDS chapel, build in 1847, the first purposeful building erected in the church, second only to the Nauvoo temple.  Now the site is part of a car park area/shopping center.  Due to the zealous efforts of early Welsh missionaries, members were coming into the church at 10 times the rate of the rest of the United Kingdom.  Most of these were to emigrate using the resources from the perpetual immigration fund.

Many were baptized at the Whistleboon Bridge.  They had to do baptisms at night as the formerly warring churches combined to fight the LDS church, using "rent a mob" to come heckle the baptism services.  Over 15,000 Welsh members left from here to go to Zion. Our relative, Edward Roberts was one of the last to leave, and kept a very good record of the comings and goings of their branch, where he was a clerk. Ron Dennis got us a copy of his history which had been translated from Welsh to English.  I had never known about it before we met Ron.

Welsh are thought to be of the house of Israel and have a matriarchal society.    Tradition says they came down from the North countries through Ireland.  "The Irish who could swim, came to Wales".

Visited Llanelli, where the first LDS chapel was built in 1849 in Wales.  It was the second oldest building in the church.  Traveled to Cardiff the capitol for the last 3 days of the trip.  Visited the ornately decorated castle, which resulted from fortunes made by a coal baron.  The Castle "keep" was built by the Normans, so parts of the castle are very ancient.

Tuesday June 19

Visited the Big Pit where coal was mined.  My ancestor Jonah Evans was a pitman in a coal mine near Port Talbot.  As a pitman he was responsible for making sure the shaft was safe to take the miners down.  He checked the ropes, pulleys, and went down first alone to make sure everything was safe, and then took the miners back and forth out the the pit. This experience had a great impact on all of us.  We wore battery powered lights, but at one point we turned them all off so we could see what it would have been for the small children who tended the air doors in the tunnel.  This mine had about 50 stables for the mining ponies.  The horses were treated better than the men.  Even though wages were poor, Jonah would have earned more than working on a farm.  The miner tour guide said the areas he worked in were about 18 inches high.  Luckily, most Welshmen are very small.  (When Gerald Lund wrote Undaunted some years after this trip, I very much enjoyed reading his chapters about the coal miners, as it reminded me so much of the stories I’d read and heard about our Welsh ancestors.)

Next visited Merthyr Tydfil, the center of Mormonism during the mid 1800's in Wales. The church is very well respected there today, and there is a resurgence of the church in the area. President David O'McKay’s mother was born near here.  Visited the grave of Abel Evans, who was the missionary who converted our Robert's ancestors (Robert and Edward Giles).  The Cefncoedycymmer Cemetery is huge, but we did find Abel’s grave, down from the hill where the Jews were buried, nearly at the end of the road.  Had supper with the Stake Patriarch's family.  His son is the stake president, and a grandson serve part of his mission in Mancos and Grand Junction, Colorado. 
That night they put on a wonderful talent program for us, along with about 100 non-members.  Also got to talk to Elder Kartchner from Blanding.

Wednesday June 20 our last day

Went to St. Fagan's folk life museum, which recreated early life in Wales.  Visited the quilting display, the castle, farm, cottages, and miners’ cottages.  They had disinfectant for us to walk through at several places. The girls who had been locked out of their room, sang a song to Ken Baldridge and Steve about being knighted for rescuing the damsel's key above the pub.  Very clever, sung to the Ash Tree melody.  Had time to shop, and revisit the castle in the afternoon.   Our waiters all three days were wonderful, but couldn’t understand why no one drank coffee or tea.

Had a wonderful flight home on American.  They fed us well and had individual screens for movies, TV and music.  This was a most wonderful trip, and we felt like we received our money’s worth and more.  Each day had its special surprises and charm.  There was absolutely no bad, dull day on the whole trip.  We highly, highly recommend it.

Mastering Persuasion, a Revolutionary Idea

THE MASTERS OF PERSUASION--A MODEL FOR MODERN PROBLEMS

Published in English Journal

                                                   

Bringing relevancy to issues and understanding the persuasive techniques used by effective writers and orators is easily accomplished by dovetailing Revolutionary War literature with persuasive writing units in the 11th grade curriculum.  The two readily compliment each other and the masters of oratory provide wonderful models which contain powerful techniques which can be used in student written persuasive letters.

When Patrick Henry used metaphors of slavery and chains to illustrate the dilemma of pre-Revolutionary War Americans, their plight is made more vivid in the readers’ mind.  We "see" what he means.  When Henry employs parallel construction and repetition to pound in his argument, we are convinced. When Thomas Paine uses aphorisms to emphasize the need to fight NOW, it becomes engraved in our mind.  When he illustrates that idea with a personal experience, we believe him.  These are just a few of the techniques used by those who want to persuade others.   

In teaching these units, I first clarify what the final outcome will be: students will write or orally present a persuasive argument to a real audience. This audience can be the student council, principal, school board, city council, daily newspaper, governor, or even the President. They will go "public" with their presentation. Because of this, it is very apparent that not just any writing will do.  They will want to make a this one of their best efforts.  They will have 1-2 weeks to decide on a topic while the class explores models of persuasive writing.

  First I introduce the techniques which are used in persuasive writing and then ask students to find examples of them in magazines, editorials, or opinion pages.  Many students even bring in examples of letters their parents have written.  These are shared in class and also posted on the bulletin board. As a class we read selections written by Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson.  The techniques of persuasion which can readily be identified:

Personal experience     ***    Metaphors/ figurative language     ***    Allegory   ***    
Refutation     ****     Rebuttal     ****     Refutation     ****    Rhetorical questions  ***

Aphorisms    ****    Parallelism    ****    Facts     ****     Quotes     **** 
Slanted words    ****     Allusions    **** Repetition

Once these terms are understood, easily identified, and the reading selections digested, students are then ready to write their own persuasive letters.  A brainstorm page is first prepared.  Students  list 3-6 controversial issues, for which they have a strong opinion.  They can use ideas posted on the bulletin board or ask friends and adults what needs fixing in society.  They next narrow down the topic and determine exactly what their position is.  Next they list all the facts they know about the issue.  Then they determine the arguments others have against their position.  Next they consider what rebuttals can be used.  These are all pre-writing activities, but essential ones, because it helps to clarify the real issues.

 Students next make an outline, or cluster similar ideas.  They are asked to use at least three or more of the techniques used by Paine and Henry. In student-team groups they brainstorm possible metaphors, analogies, or allusions which related to their topics.  Examples of arguments included: a comparison between the team's lack of an adequate weight training room, to the U.S. Army fighting with wagons and spears.  Another student questioned the city council's decision to keep liquor out of the community while at the same time allowing "R" rated movies and gambling.

Students are asked to find expert opinions or quotes to support their ideas.  I usually require only 1 outside source since persuasive letters are more effective if kept to 1 page.  The busy people receiving the letters,  don't have time to read a research paper!

Once all of the pre-writing is done, they are ready to put together their first draft, following their organizational chart and predetermined ideas.  Next, I present the idea of fallacies and how they weaken arguments and how they can be identified.  One of the most entertaining and effective pieces of literature for doing this is the short story, "Love is a Fallacy" by Max Shulman.  After reading the story and defining the fallacies,  teams are asked to create fallacies of their own and see if their classmates can identify them.  Team tournaments can also be used to pound in the terminology of ad hoc fallacy, poisoning the well, generalizing, etc.  

Once these ideas are solidified, students are ready to respond to their classmate's persuasive arguments.  This again is done in small teams, where immediate feedback can be given, suggestions made, and fallacies pointed out.  Here is where Thomas Jefferson's response group becomes the model.  Our literature book (Adventures in Literature, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1985) contains the draft of the Declaration of Independence that Jefferson presented to the Continental Congress.  We examine the kinds of suggestions they made to Jefferson:  deletion of words, phrases, and in some cases whole paragraphs; changing and inserting of words for clarity.  We talk about why the changes were made and compare the original with the final version.  The students see that critiques and editing helped Thomas Jefferson, the foremost mind of the Revolution, and perhaps it will help them also.

            Students then write their second draft, utilizing their classmates suggestions as well as the computer lab. Here they have access to spell check, thesaurus, and Gramatik check.  How can they fail?  I usually require the second draft to be edited by someone older than the students: a brother or sister, parent, or other teacher.  A form is provided where the editor can write their suggestions and comments.

After the final corrections are made, the letters are turned in ready to mail in unsealed envelopes.  I grade the assignments, making comments on another sheet.  If I feel there are too many problems, I will turn it back for one more revision.  Most letters, however, are ready to mail.  The most interesting part of the persuasive writing assignment are the responses we get.  Students are asked to share with the class letters or comments they receive from their letters or presentations.  Some students have even been able to change school and district policies through their efforts. Another one helped get new band uniforms, and another got gravel on the road to their home. I feel it is important to share these real life experiences and show them how persuasion can make changes, if they are willing to pay the price.  I feel this is one of the most relevant and valuable units I teach in the 11th grade English curriculum.

[Post script November 2016:  Though I have written lots of editorials, and persuasive letters over the years, it wasn't until I became involved in the fight against a national monument in San Juan County that I realized how important these skills are.  I've referred to these techniques many time in the process of defending state's rights, and fighting government overreach. Many of my former students have been some of the best verbal fighters in this war of words: Devin and Jami Bayles, Jennifer Smith, Deniane Gutke, Nicole Ivins, Nan Barton and others.