A Mormon Pioneer Ancestor of Sister Breksa

Harriet Atwood Silver Dunn

1818 Vermont -1858 Utah

Before Marriage And Motherhood

-She was one of 10 children – the second child & the oldest daughter.

-In 1842 (she was 24) she, along with three of her friends, were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

-She alone headed to Nauvoo. Her friends sailed on The Brooklyn and later reached Utah.

Marriage & Motherhood

At Winter Quarters she met Simeon Adams Dunn (15 years older), a widower twice over with 4 young children. Simeon also had one married daughter. They were married by Brigham Young on 3 January 1847.

Harriet had 7 children of her own, including 2 sets of twins, in about 8 years.

Sarah Sophia          1849-1923

Simeon Adams      1851-1935

Emeline Silver       1853-1914

Eveline Silver         1853-1919

(Sister Breksa’s great-great-great grandmother)

Charles Oscar         1855-1939

Henry Silver            1857-1858  

Harriet Silver          1857-1858

Beginnings of Pioneer Life

- Had a baby soon after arriving in Salt Lake City

-     Simeon cut down trees and used the trunks for the house and the smaller branches for furniture

-     They had one large room, a fireplace, dirt floor and a roof.

-     Harriet washed the floor until it became like flint

-     Not enough food to eat – Corn cakes and soup

-     Simeon had planted the seeds he brought with him on the journey

-     Gave birth to twins during a rainstorm and the roof leaked…women had to hold pans over her so she wouldn’t get wet

-     Soon the farm was doing well and they could have all they wanted to eat

Harriet’s Talents And Character

-She took the flax left over from Simeon’s broom making, and wove it into dresses, shirts and pants. She dyed them with weeds

-She made sheets and blankets

-When Simeon was called on a 2 year mission to the South Sea Islands – she had to run the farm and she made money by making brooms and weaving chair bottoms with rushes

“She was a loving and kind mother to her own children and to those of her husband.”

“Industrious woman and hardworking.”

-She took in an orphaned boy

Harriet’s Death

In the exodus south to avoid the soldiers, Harriet died giving birth to her second set of twins.  The boy was buried next to her. The girl died farther into the journey. Harriet was 40 years old.

Joseph Smith and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

lds.org

As a young boy in 1820, Joseph Smith wanted to know which church was true. As he searched the Bible for help, he read that he should ask of God. Acting on this counsel, Joseph went into the woods near his home and prayed. Suddenly, a light shone above him and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. When Joseph asked which church he should join, the Savior told him to join none of the churches then in existence because they were teaching incorrect doctrines. Through this experience and many others that followed, the Lord chose Joseph to be His prophet and to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church to the earth.

As Joseph Smith proved his worthiness, he was given a divine mission as a prophet of God. Through him, the Lord accomplished a great and marvelous work that included bringing forth the Book of Mormon, restoring the priesthood, revealing precious gospel truths, organizing the true Church of Jesus Christ, and establishing temple work. On June 27, 1844, Joseph and his brother Hyrum were killed in an attack by an armed mob. They sealed their testimonies with their blood.  

For a testimony of the restored gospel to be complete, it must include a testimony of Joseph Smith's divine mission. The truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rests on the truthfulness of the First Vision and the other revelations the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph. In the Doctrine and Covenants we learn, “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3).

Knowing the truth of Joseph Smith’s testimony requires each earnest seeker of truth to study the record and then exercise sufficient faith in Christ to ask God in sincere, humble prayer whether the record is true. If the seeker asks with the real intent to act upon the answer revealed by the Holy Ghost, the truthfulness of Joseph Smith’s vision will be manifest. In this way, every person can know that Joseph Smith spoke honestly when he declared, “I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.”       Text from mormon.org 

Useful Quote

Japan: Rainy Season and the Teru Teru Bozu

 dollhttp://www.omiyageblogs.ca/2010/10/rain-rain-go-away-teru-teru-bozus-here 

The Rainy Season in Japan lasts from the beginning of June until mid July.

That is a lot of rainy days!

“A small, ghost-like doll that is traditionally used by Japanese people to prevent rain. The name literally means "shiny shiny Buddist monk" and it was originally designed to somewhat look like one - it very vaguely resembles a bald man. Children traditionally hang these in a window frame when they wanted the next day to have good weather.

“They can also can be hung upside down if you want it to rain tomorrow. They date from the Edo period (1603-1868), when they first appeared in urban areas. They are still a fairly common sight in Japan today, especially in the homes of young children. Originally a simple chant of "Fine-weather priest, please let the weather be good tomorrow" has since evolved into a much longer and more elaborate Nursery Rhyme.”

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TeruTeruBozu

The Purpose of Mortality

If he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life. 

Doctrine and Covenants 18:8

The Lord did not send you here to fail. He did not give you life to waste it He bestowed upon you the gift of mortality that you might gain experience -- positive, wonderful, purposeful experience -- that will lead to life eternal [living with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and our families forever].  (Gordon B. Hinckley, Stand a Little Taller, 2001

http://earth-care-day.tripod.com/earth_environmentology.jpg

Letter Home: Dated April 21, 2014

On Friday, coming back from biking south,  I set an appointment for 4 pm Tuesday to meet two high school students.  However, we were also scheduled to help a student pass out flyers by an elementary school at 3:45. If we have too many appointments we can go on splits (each missionary working with another missionary or member – so a companionship of 2 is now two working teams of 2).  So, we did. I went to the 4 pm appointment with a member while the other team went to help pass out the fliers.

We walked from the elementary school to the high school, where our appointment was. The member and I spoke Japanese and I asked my Japanese questions on the way there and as we were waiting for the two girls. We waited about an hour, but they did not come. Oh, well! I made the member laugh often and I learned more about Japanese and such. While studying-reading the Book of Mormon in Japanese I write down my Japanese questions. It was great to get some answers!

We had our first lesson with a sister on Thursday. On Sunday she came to church with her two little boys. She has been coming to our Children’s English.