It started two Christmas's ago. My aunt Kim prepared this very large family history binder, full of pedigrees, personal histories, photos and conversion stories from our family. I read and learned things from my family tree that I had no idea about it. It really made me appreciate my pioneer heritage and feel more gratitude for the sacrifices my ancestors made and for my many blessings and great life I enjoy today.
For our Stake Pioneer Trek last year, we were asked to find a name to take with us on the trail, and a story to share. I broke out the big blue binder to find my story. Among the story I took, I found the history of Arnold Oscar Harris, my great grandpa who I never met.
He was born in Indiana where the LDS missionaries met his family. An elder from Ammon, ID, Joe Empey, was instrumental in his families conversion. The Harris's had the desire to live by members of the church and attend the temple. Elder Empey encouraged them to come out to Idaho where he would find them a place to live and help them find work. The family sold everything they had except a few pieces of furniture, along with their homestead, pigs, chickens and a team of horses to raise money for the train trip to Idaho. When they arrived they worked for the Empey farm.
That's my side of the story.
Now for Chris's side of the story.
Chris received a Blatter family history book for Christmas this past year. We already knew that his family was from Ammon because they're still there. As we read about his own Great Grandpa, John Blatter there was an odd similarity. In Illinois, bordering Indiana, we read about their own conversion, and the Elders name, Joe Empey. Joe Empey, from Ammon, who encouraged them to move out west to be by the saints.
And so the love story that I thought began in 1998 really dated back 100 years. In 1898 - John Blatter's family made their way to Ammon, ID and began farming. In 1899, Arnold Harris's family made their way to Ammon to do the same. One missionary, changing the lives of two families. I'm not even related to Joe Empey, but I feel a closeness to him. I studied up on him and he was the first missionary to leave from the Ammon area. I'm excited to thank him someday for his service, and to thank his mom who was probably lonely while he was away. I don't know how many families he converted on his mission or if other families also came out to Ammon, ID but I know of two that did, the Harris's and the Blatter's. Because of the selfless service 100 years ago, I'm happily sealed to my very best friend. My own Idaho boy.
Now we are building a posterity of our own. Someday our own descendants will have stories to share of us. I hope they are ones where unselfish service and a commitment to love the lord will be seen as a blessing in their own life.
