What we do on a Monday Night

We have really enjoyed going to the Canyon Park with our Home Teachers and their families. There is always good food. And a lesson and fun times running around in the park. I am sad that the weather is turning because has been a very fun thing to do in the summer time.

Ellen Pucell

I found this from a new article written on aug 4 1991 in the Desert News. A man in our ward shared her story and I thought it would be great to talk to the kids about it. They were so glad to see this great woman

Ellen Pucell was born in England in 1846, and at age 9, began the trek to Utah with her parents and a sister as part of the ill-fated Edwin Martin Handcart Company. The company began the trek across the plains late in the season in 1856, and became snowbound before it reached the Salt Lake Valley.

Some 135 to 150 of the party's members, including the girl's parents, died of starvation and exposure before rescuers from Salt Lake City reached them.

When they reached the Salt Lake Valley, both of the young girl's frozen legs had to be amputated just below the knee - an operation that had to be performed with a butcher knife, carpenter's saw and no anesthetic. She hobbled about painfully on the stubs of her legs for the rest of her life.

At age 24, she moved to Cedar City to become the plural wife of William Unthank. She gave birth to six children.

Living in poverty in a one room log house with a dirt floor, Unthank took in washing and knitted socks to help make ends meet. The local bishop and Relief Society brought her food, and once a year, Unthank and her children returned the kindness by cleaning the meetinghouse. She died in Cedar City at age 69.

Family Home Evening Joys

Drew reading some scriptures.

We love to sing.

Jumping for Joy. I saw on someone blog to show you jumping.

I thought this would be fun to try. But my camera is to slow.

Before it even started.

We went Stk Conference and they really suggested that we do a better job at having Family Home Eve. My kids love FHE and if we have it on a different night they ask all week we we are going to have it. The kids love to conduct and pick the song. When they were little we used to play ring around the rosie and London Bridges. Tonight they went outside and played ball and Emma and I made shakes.