Like many others, we took the opportunity to attend the Manti Temple Open House. We scheduled it during the kids’ Spring Break from School. The last time we were in Manti was for Zach and Alyssa Smart’s wedding in 2018 (I posted it about it at the time). We took this picture as a family then.
Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at Manti Temple in 2018
We decided to recreate the 2018 photo. Here is what we were able to do with the exhausted and cold kids.
Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at Manti Temple in 2024
We all are 6 years older! I don’t think my hair line has receded anymore since then, although it still might be thinner. All are taller.
We waited for more than 2 hours to get into the temple for the tour. It was brisk and chilly, but the kids seemed to take it well. They even rolled down the temple hill a few times. We snapped this photo near the beginning of the line at the bottom of the hill. Grandma Jill Hemsley joined us for the occasion too!
Amanda, Paul, Hiram, James, Lillie, and Aliza Ross with Jill Hemsley at the Manti Utah Temple
It was a long line.
We finally made it inside. I think we moved through faster than I would have preferred. However, it was fun to be in parts of the temple I had never before seen. The Assembly Room was amazing. I enjoyed the novelty of the stairwells. The new screens in the Terrestrial Room, although necessary for the video presentation, are very disruptive of the room. I really appreciated and felt some of the paintings.
We also recreated another photo from 2018. Some of the landscaping was redone…
Aliza and Lillian Ross attempting to recreate a 2018 photo at the Manti Temple
Here is the photo they were recreating. Aliza and Hiram were waiting for a hummingbird to land on them. Unfortunately, with the new water conserving landscaping, I am sure there will be many fewer hummingbirds. Too bad the grounds didn’t just do away with the grass. The flowers were so amazing.
Hiram and Aliza Ross waiting for a hummingbird in 2018
If you look closely, you can see the keystone of the door in the 2018 photo. Too bad the bench is also gone.
Amanda and I were married in the Logan Temple on 20 December 2005. Anyone who knows me knows I have an affinity for the temple. Poor Amanda married to that affinity. Before we moved back to Virginia in 2006, we (mostly me) set a goal to attend all 11 temples in Utah. This is somehow humorous now that there are many more dedicated, announced, or under construction in Utah.
Manti, St. George, and Salt Lake are currently being updated, Ogden was rebuilt, Monticello expanded, and Jordan River updated. Provo is slated for a rebuild. Logan isn’t probably far behind for a full update (hopefully a restoration that is far past due).
So, in 2006, there were 11 temples in Utah; Bountiful, Jordan River, Logan, Manti, Monticello, Mt Timpanogas, Ogden, Provo, St George, Salt Lake, Vernal.
Logan Utah Temple, 17 December 2005, the day Amanda received her endowment.
Manti Utah Temple, 18 March 2006. This day I sealed my Great Uncle Harold Ross to his first wife, Colleen Hancock.
Salt Lake City Utah Temple, 22 March 2006.
Provo Utah Temple, 27 April 2006.
Mt Timpanogas Utah Temple, American Fork, 27 April 2006.
Bountiful Utah Temple, 6 May 2006.
St George Utah Temple, 12 May 2006.
Jordan River Utah Temple, South Jordan, 30 May 2006.
Monticello Utah Temple, 10 June 2006.
Vernal Utah Temple, 10 June 2006.
Ogden Utah Temple, 24 June 2006.
We hit all 11 in 2005 and 2006. As of my writing this, 7 May 2023, there are 28 temples now in Utah, announced, under construction, in renovation, or dedicated.
In 2006, we also hit the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri.
Independence Missouri Temple of Community of Christ, 1 July 2006.
Wilford Woodruff’s vision of the Founding Fathers requesting Temple Ordinances
We are moving soon, but the Burley 11th Ward gave me another chance to address them. Since I received a number of requests for a copy of the talk, which is really just a collage of various items I could find online, the Journal of Discourses, the Saints second and third volumes, and other various histories. Here is the text of the talk I wrote, that does not mean it is the talk I gave…
I first addressed the freedoms we have as contrasted in the Saints third volume related to Germany. I said the word Jew and Israel from the stand and did not fear reprisal. I listen to free radio anytime I want and even seek out British radio from time to time and there is nothing illegal. Lastly, we could congregate without the worry of those in our midst about what was said or in the actual act of meeting.
Then to the following:
Declaration of Independence – We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
George Washington: “The success, which has hitherto attended our united efforts, we owe to the gracious interposition of Heaven, and to that interposition let us gratefully ascribe the praise of victory, and the blessings of peace.”
Alexander Hamilton: “The Sacred Rights of mankind are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written . . . by the Hand of Divinity itself.” “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests.”
Thomas Jefferson: “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.”
John Adams: “As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation.”
Benjamin Franklin: “The longer I live the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth. That God Governs in the Affairs of Men!—And if a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?—We have been assured, . . . in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labour in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this;—and I also believe that without his concurring Aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than Builders of Babel.”
James Madison: “It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution.”
Samuel Adams: “Revelation assures us that ‘Righteousness exalteth a Nation’—Communities are dealt with in this World by the wise and just Ruler of the Universe. He rewards or punishes them according to their general Character.”
Charles Pinckney: “When the great work was done and published, I was . . . struck with amazement. Nothing less than that superintending hand of Providence, that so miraculously carried us through the war, . . . could have brought it about so complete, upon the whole.”
On May 4, 1842, he called to his side nine of the most faithful of his brethren—Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Newell K. Whitney, and others—and later their wives came with them to the upper floor of the Red Brick Store in Nauvoo.
Joseph was seeking to fulfill the promise from D&C 124, given in 1841, which the Lord would reveal to Joseph “all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built.”
He had started, “If it should be the will of God that I might live.” Then he corrected and said, “It is not the will of the Lord that I should live, and I must give you, here in this upper room, all those glorious plans and principles whereby men are entitled to the fulness of the priesthood.” He proceeded in an improvised and makeshift way to do so.
We have from Brigham Young that after they had received these blessings the Prophet said: “Brother Brigham, this is not arranged right. But we have done the best we could under the circumstances in which we are placed, and I wish you to take this matter in hand and organize and systematize all these ceremonies.”
Brigham Young later said, “I did so. And each time I got something more, so that when we went through the temple at Nauvoo I understood and knew how to place them there. We had our ceremonies pretty correct.”
While the Nauvoo Temple was started in 1841, the first endowments were performed in the winter of 1845 and into 1846. Baptisms had started in the Mississippi River prior to the temple and moved into the temple baptistery soon after it was completed and dedicated, well before the rest of the temple was done. Brigham, leading the church, was personally overseeing the organization and perfection of the endowment and other ordinances that started in Nauvoo.
After arriving in Salt Lake City, the church used the top floor of the Council House, starting in 1852 until the Endowment House was completed in 1855. It was in this building that endowments, prayer circles, some missionary training, and some setting aparts were conducted. The use of the Endowment House ended in 1877 with the completion of the St George Temple. That building stood until Wilford Woodruff heard that unauthorized sealings were occurring there and ordered it razed in 1889.
The St George Temple was the only one completed during Brigham Young’s 30 year tenure as President. It was dedicated on 1 January 1877 in three dedicatory prayers under the direction of Brigham. The baptistery by Wilford Woodruff, the main floor by Erastus Snow, and the sealing room by Brigham Young Jr. Wilford Woodruff served as St George Temple President from 1877 to 1884. Brigham had to be carried up the stairs, but he stood and spoke in the Assembly Room.
“When I think upon this subject, I want the tongues of seven thunders to wake up the people,” he declared. “Can the fathers be saved without us? No. Can we be saved without them? No. And if we do not wake up and cease to long after the things of this earth, we will find that we as individuals will go down to hell.”
Brigham lamented that many Saints were pursuing worldly things. “Supposing we were awake to this thing, namely the salvation of the human family,” he said, “this house would be crowded, as we hope it will be, from Monday morning until Saturday night.”
On 9 January 1877, the first baptisms for the dead were performed in the St George Temple. The first endowment for the dead was performed on 11 January 1877. Brigham and Wilford personally oversaw the ordinances being performed. Wilford began wearing a white suit, starting the trend that continues to this day.
All endowments to this point had been done and passed by word of mouth. It was in St George, far from Salt Lake City, that the ordinances were first written down. Brigham also wanted to make sure the record was preserved and that they were standardized. They were read to Brigham time and time again who would then approve or continue to revise the ordinances. Brigham went home to Salt Lake City in April 1877. He stopped and dedicated the spot for the Manti Temple on the way home.
Wilford Woodruff then wrote in his journal on Sunday 19 August 1877, “I spent the evening in preparing a list of the noted men of the 17 century and 18th, including the signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, for baptism on Tuesday the 21 Aug 1877.”
His journal entry for August 21 reads, “I, Wilford Woodruff, went to the temple of the Lord this morning and was baptized for 100 persons who were dead, including the signers of the Declaration of Independence. … I was baptized for the following names.” He then listed the names of one hundred men.
Elder Woodruff continued his journal entry: “When [John Daniel Thompson] McAllister had baptized me for the 100 names, I baptized him for 21, including Gen. Washington and his forefathers and all the presidents of the United States that were not on my list except Buchanan, Van Buren, and Grant.” (The work for these presidents has since been done.)
“It was a very interesting day,” Elder Woodruff continued. “I felt thankful that we had the privilege and the power to administer for the worthy dead, especially for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, that inasmuch as they had laid the foundation of our Government, that we could do as much for them as they had done for us.
“Sister Lucy Bigelow Young went forth into the font and was baptized for Martha Washington and her family, and seventy of the eminent women of the world. I called upon the brethren and sisters who were present to assist in getting endowments for those that we had been baptized for today.” (Wilford Woodruff’s journal, typescript, vol. 7, Church History Library; spelling and punctuation modernized.)
The first public mention of these events was made nearly a month after the baptisms were performed. In an address in the Tabernacle on Temple Square on 16 September 1877, Elder Woodruff first told publicly of the visitation of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
“You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God. (Conference Report, April 10, 1898; Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 160-61)
During the 68th Annual General Conference of the Church which was held in April 1898, President Woodruff recounted the sacred experience:
I am going to bear my testimony to this assembly, if I never do it again in my life, that those men who laid the foundation of this American government and signed the Declaration of Independence were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits, not wicked men. General Washington and all the men that labored for the purpose were inspired of the Lord.
Another thing I am going to say here, because I have a right to say it. Every one of those men that signed the Declaration of Independence, with General Washington, called upon me, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple at St. George, two consecutive nights, and demanded at my hands that I should go forth and attend to the ordinances of the House of God for them. Men are here, I believe, that know of this, Brother John D. T. McAllister, David H. Cannon and James S. Bleak. Brother McAllister baptized me for all those men, and then I told these brethren that it was their duty to go into the Temple and labor until they had got endowments for all of them. They did it. Would those spirits have called up on me, as an Elder in Israel to perform that work if they had not been noble spirits before God? They would not. (Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, April 1989, pp. 89-90.)
“They waited on me for two days and two nights,” he said,
“I thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been done, and yet nothing had been done for them.” (Journal of Discourses, 19:229.)
I was also present in the St. George Temple and witnessed the appearance of the Spirits of the Signers….the spirits of the Presidents….and also others, such as Martin Luther and John Wesley….Who came to Wilford Woodruff and demanded that their baptism and endowments be done. Wilford Woodruff was baptized for all of them. While I and Brothers J.D.T. McAllister and David H Cannon (who were witnesses to the request) were endowed for them. These men… laid the foundation of this American Gov., and signed the Declaration of Independence and were the best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth to perform this work. Martin Luther and John Wesley helped to release the people from religious bondage that held them during the dark ages. They also prepared the people’s hearts so they would be ready to receive the restored gospel when the Lord sent it again to men on the earth.” (Personal journal of James Godson Bleak – Chief Recorder of the St. George Temple.)
In 1986, some of the staff of the Family History Library’s LDS Reference Unit were assigned to compile and computerize all the existing genealogical data on the founding fathers, to identify their families, and to document completed temple ordinances for each. For purposes of the project, a founding father was identified as one who had signed one or more of the following documents: the Articles of Association (1774), the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Articles of Confederation (1778), or the Constitution (1787).
The library study of 1986 revealed that there were no sealings of children to parents performed at the time the baptisms and endowments were performed. As a note, the ongoing revelation related to sealings to parents was not revealed until 1894. It was then that the Law of Adoption, or sealing to prominent church leaders, was discontinued and we were encouraged to do genealogical work to compile the pedigree of the entire human family. It was then that the Utah Genealogical Society was founded that has snowballed into the fantastic work of FamilySearch and all its appendages.
He also recorded that George Washington, John Wesley, Benjamin Franklin, and Christopher Columbus were ordained High Priests at the time.
Temple work was performed on behalf of the following well-known and respected men and women in the St. George Utah Temple in August 1877.
Founding Fathers: William Hooper (NC), Joseph Hewes (NC), John Penn (NC), Button Gwinnett (GA), Lyman Hall (GA), George Walton (GA), Edward Rutledge (SC), Thomas Heyward Jr. (SC), Thomas Lynch (SC), Arthur Middleton (SC), Samuel Chase (MD), William Paca (MD), Thomas Stone (MD), Charles Carroll (MD), George Wythe (VA), Richard Henty Lee (VA), Thomas Jefferson (VA), Benjamin Harrison (VA), Thomas Nelson Jr. (VA), Francis Lightfoot Lee (VA), Carter Braxton (VA), Robert Morris (PA), Benjamin Rush (PA), Benjamin Franklin (PA), John Morton (PA), George Clymer (PA), James Smith (PA), George Taylor (PA), James Wilson (PA), George Ross (PA), Caeser Rodney (DE), George Read (DE), Thomas McKean (DE), Philip Livingston (NY), Francis Lewis (NY), Lewis Morris (NY), Richard Stockton (NJ), John Witherspoon (NJ), Francis Hopkinson (NJ), John Hart (NJ), Abraham Clark (NJ), Josiah Bartlett (NH), William Whipple (NH), Matthew Thornton (NH), Samuel Adams (MA), John Adams (MA), Robert Treat Paine (MA), Elbridge Gerry (MA), Stephen Hopkins (RI), William Ellery (RI), Roger Sherman (CN), Samuel Huntington (CN), William Williams (CN), and Oliver Wolcott (CN).
Note: Temple work was not done for John Hancock or William Floyd as it had already been completed previously.
Presidents of the United States: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James Knox Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson. Temple work was not done for James Buchanan, Martin Van Buren, or Ulysses S. Grant.
Other eminent men baptized by Wilford Woodruff in the St. George Utah Temple in August 1877 include: Sir Edward Gibbon, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Oliver Goldsmith, Henry Grattan, Humboldt, Alexander von Irving, Washington Jackson, Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Johnson, Samuel Juarez, Benito Pablo Kemble, John Philip Liebig, Baron Justus von Livingstone, David Macaulay, Thomas Babington Nelson, Lord Horatio O’Connell, Daniel Peabody, George Powers, Hiram Reynolds, Sir Joshua Schiller, Johann Christoph Friedrich von Scott, Sir Walter Seward, William Henry Stephenson, George Thackeray, William Makepeace, Vespucci, Amerigo Webster, Daniel Wesley, John Wordsworth, William Parepa, Count Dimitrius, Martha Washington and her family, John Washington (Great Grandfather of George Washington), Sir Henry Washington, Lawrence Washington (Brother of George Washington), Augustine Washington (Father of George Washington), Lawrence Washington (Father of Augustine), Lawrence Washington, Daniel Park Custis, John Park Custis (Son of Daniel and Martha Parke Custis), and Martin Luther.
Eminent Women baptized include: Jean Armour (1767—1834) of Scotland, Jean Armour Burns (Wife of Robert Burns) (1759—1796), Jane Austen (1775—1817) of England, novelist, Mary Ball (1708—1789) of America, Mary Ball Washington (Mother of George Washington) (1732—1799), Sarah Bernard (1800—1879) of England, Sarah Barnard Faraday (wife of Michael Faraday (1791—1867), Charlotte Bronte (1816—1855) of England, novelist, Felicia Dorothea Browne (1793—1835) of England, Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806—1861) of England, poet, (wife of Robert Browning) (1812—18?), Martha Caldwell Calhoun (d. 1802) of America (mother of John Caldwell Calhoun) (1782—1850), Martha Parke Custis (1755—1773) of America (Daughter of Martha Washington) (1732—1802), Martha Dandridge Washington (1732—1802) of America (wife of George Washington) (1732—1799), Rachel Donelson Jackson (1767—1828) of America (wife of Andrew Jackson (1767—1845), and Abigail Eastman Webster (1737—1816) of America (mother of Daniel Webster (1782—1852), to name but a few. Temple work was performed for a total of 70 eminent women.
During most of our national history Columbus and the Founders were considered heroes with determination and foresight. Cities, rivers, and many other places were named after them. More recently there has been a wide spread effort, designed especially to indoctrinate young people, which slanders Columbus, the Founders and their accomplishments. Columbus is held personally responsible for centuries of mistreatment of Native Americans. The Founders are portrayed as being greedy and motivated by selfish interests. All of this is as astonishing as it is misleading.
From the Lord’s perspective among the most important events of the history of the world was the discovery and founding of America. 1 Ne 11-14. Nephi was referring to Columbus when he wrote: “I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land” 1 Ne 13:12. By the Founders “the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation…even on the face of this land.” 1 Ne 22:7.
Go on to life and history of George Ross of Pennsylvania, signer of Declaration of Independence.
After the church announced that 2019 would be the last year of the Manti Pageant, at least sponsored by the church generally, we decided we wanted to make sure we made it down with the kids.
I have written about my previous experience with the Manti Pageant and the unfortunate crossing paths with roadkill on the trek home to Logan that night. While I enjoyed the pageant in 2004, some of the parts were not well done and became distracting. But the overall spirit of the Pageant was one that I wanted my children to experience.
We went down and attended on Thursday 13 June 2019. I am glad we went down on a Thursday, we hoped the crowds would be a little less, and they were. We arrived plenty in advance, got seats, as you can see above, about half way back in the seating. It was a great location, we got to know our neighbors for the show and I made three trips back to the van to change dirty diapers before the show started. A good bus driver from Salt Lake City took this photo of us while we waited for the festivities.
The show went on and I was impressed with Aliza and Hiram, they paid particular attention through the entire show. Most of it is a great review of church history, the restoration, and particular moments the writer thought important to include. Even afterward Hiram said to me he felt drawn to the pageant and learned some things. I hope they will never forget we attended the Mormon Miracle Pageant.
One part of the show that struck me was the interaction between Brigham Young and James Allen and the recruiting process. The Saints were fleeing the country that refused to protect them. There had even been some suggestions that the Saints would side with a nation willing to defend them. But President Polk became convinced to try and use some of the Saints to build relationships between the Saints and the United States. Young quickly jumped on board and sought a battalion to defend the United States and help preserve the moving church. It proved to be very inspired, not only in the basic enlistment, but in all Young’s promises to the battalion.
As I sat there watching that scene, I was again reminded of our duty to not only build the church and the kingdom, but also of supporting and sustaining the United States. As I drove home, I once again evaluated whether I could enlist and serve my nation yet. I am not sure I am in a position to do so, but I am certainly happy to encourage my own children to serve their nation as well as their church. I am also reminded of James’ baby blessing where he was given certain promises that would seem to include military service.
I am sad the Mormon Miracle Pageant will not occur at least every couple of years. Even more sad that The Man Who Knew is already gone and that my children will not get to experience the powerful Clarkston Pageant telling the story of Martin Harris. Even now I get chills when the Spirit confirms to me my witness of the Restoration.
The other powerful part of the Manti Pageant is the testimony of the temple watching over the pageant and the audience in attendance. The two seem to go well together. Just like Clarkston is powerful for Martin’s grave nearby, or Hill Cumorah Pageant for the location.
I snapped this photo as we were leaving. Future visits to Manti will likely be confined to temple attendance for special events. I wonder how Manti will do losing a major event each year. Like most towns, they will revamp, revisit, and move forward. I wonder how I can find other ways as powerful as this to help my children gain testimonies of the Restoration, Revelation, and the beautiful world and plan in which we live.
Last weekend was Amanda’s sister’s wedding in Manti, Sanpete, Utah. We went down to attend the wedding for Zachary & Alyssa Smart. It was a wonderful trip, time to get away, celebrate the wedding and reception, and enjoy ourselves.
Paul, Amanda, Aliza, Hiram, Lillian, and James Ross at Manti Temple
I have done enough family history that I knew my 4th Great Grandmother is buried in Spring City. Like other locations, if I am in Sanpete County, I make an effort to stop and visit her grave. I think the last time I was able to stop was about 2003, so it had been about 15 years.
Paul, Aliza, Hiram, and Lillian Ross at the grave of Johanna Johannsson Benson (Bengtsson)
His mother was Annetta Josephine Nelson (she went by Annie) (1864 – 1907).
Her mother was Agnetta Benson (she went by Annie) (anglicized from Bengtsson) (1832 – 1873).
Her mother was Johanna Johansdotter (which shows up on the tombstone as Johansson) (1813 – 1897), who was married to Nils Benson (anglicized from Bengtsson).
I really don’t know tons about Johanna. Nels August Nelson makes only passing reference to his grandmother. I have been unable to find when she immigrated to the United States.
Hiram and Aliza Ross waiting for a hummingbird to land on them
Johanna Johansdotter was born 15 February 1813 in Öringe, Veinge, Halland, Sweden. She met and married Nils Bengtsson on 4 July 1830 in Veinge, Halland, Sweden. Nils was born 1 August 1802 in Brunskog, Tönnersjö, Halland, Sweden. Together they had 8 children together.
Agnetta Nilsdotter born 9 Dec 1832.
Lars Nilsson born 11 May 1835.
Ingjard Nilsdotter born 17 February 1839.
Christina Nilsdotter born 21 June 1841.
Bengta Nilsdotter born 19 March 1843.
Nils (Nels) Nilsson born 23 August 1846.
Borta Nilsdotter born 6 April 1849.
Johan Petter Nilsson born 31 August 1855.
Nils passed away 12 March 1859.
Johanna was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 11 May 1861. Agnetta was baptized 10 November 1863, Lars 5 May 1860, Ingjard 5 May 1861, Christina 4 February 1866, and Nils Jr 5 May 1860. Johann joined 7 September 1893 after immigration to Utah. The other two were after their deaths. Bengta and Borta did not join or immigrate to Utah.
Johanna’s daughter Agnetta (Annie) traveled with her husband Johan Nilsson from Halmstadt, Sweden through Liverpool, England docking in New York City, New York on 3 June 1864. I cannot tell that Johanna traveled with Johan and Agnetta.
Most of the children upon traveling to the United States were given the last name of Benson instead of Nilsson.
The children spread. Agnetta went with her husband to Logan, Utah. Lars went with his family to what is now Sandy, Utah. Ingjard to what is now Sandy. Christina to Vernon, Utah. Nils to Spring City, Utah. John also to Sandy. For whatever reason Johanna went with Nils to Spring City and remained there the rest of her days. She passed away May 1897, we do not have an exact date. Nils served a mission from 1892 to 1894 back to the Scandinavia mission.
Manti Temple 2018
An interesting tidbit about our trip to Manti. We stayed in a restored home of James Marks Works. He was the brother-in-law to Brigham Young. It was an early home with various additions, modifications, and ultimate restoration. James Marks Works and Phebe Jones had a daughter named Mary Ann Angel Works. Mary Ann is the second wife to Nils Benson and they had 9 children together. The home in Manti we stayed may very well have been visited by my 3rd Great Grand Uncle and his 9 children, all of which were grandchildren of James Marks Works. James Marks Works died in 1889 and the first of the 9 children were born in 1892, but James’ son James Marks Works (Jr) kept the home and continued working the sawmill behind the home.
Here is a picture of the Manti Temple from James Marks Works’ home.
Manti Temple from James Marks Works’ home
Another interesting side note that I remembered from the last time I walked around the Spring City Cemetery. Orson Hyde is also buried there. I walked the kids over to Elder Hyde’s grave and we snapped a picture there as well. I explained his role as an Apostle, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Dedication of Palestine for the return of the Jews, clerk to Joseph Smith, lawyer, Justice on Utah Supreme Court. The kids didn’t seem to care much…
Hiram, Lillian, and Aliza Ross at the grave of Orson Hyde
Here is Orson’s short biography from the Joseph Smith papers.
8 Jan. 1805 – 28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1819. Joined Methodist church, ca. 1827. Later affiliated with reformed Baptists (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellites). Baptized into LDS church by Sidney Rigdon and ordained an elder by JS and Sidney Rigdon, Oct. 1831, at Kirtland. Ordained a high priest by Oliver Cowdery, 26 Oct. 1831. Appointed to serve mission to Ohio, Nov. 1831, in Orange, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Baptized many during proselytizing mission with Samuel H. Smith to eastern U.S., 1832. Attended organizational meeting of School of the Prophets, 22–23 Jan. 1833, in Kirtland. Appointed clerk to church presidency, 1833. Appointed to serve mission to Jackson Co., Missouri, summer 1833. Served mission to Pennsylvania and New York, winter and spring 1834. Member of Kirtland high council, 1834. Participated in Camp of Israel expedition to Missouri, 1834. Married to Marinda Nancy Johnson by Sidney Rigdon, 4 Sept. 1834, at Kirtland. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve by Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, 15 Feb. 1835, in Kirtland. Served mission to western New York and Upper Canada, 1836. Served mission to England with Heber C. Kimball, 1837–1838. Moved to Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, summer 1838. Sided with dissenters against JS, 1838. Lived in Missouri, winter 1838–1839. Removed from Quorum of the Twelve, 4 May 1839. Restored to Quorum of the Twelve, 27 June 1839, at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois. Served mission to Palestine to dedicate land for gathering of the Jews, 1840–1842. Member of Nauvoo Masonic Lodge, 1842. Member of Nauvoo City Council, 1843–1845. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 13 Mar. 1844. Presented petition from JS to U.S. Congress, 1844. Participated in plural marriage during JS’s lifetime. Departed Nauvoo during exodus to the West, mid-May 1846. Served mission to Great Britain, 1846–1847. Presided over Latter-day Saints in Iowa before migrating to Utah Territory. Appointed president of Quorum of the Twelve, 1847. Published Frontier Guardian at Kanesville (later Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, 1849–1852. Appointed to preside over church east of Rocky Mountains, 20 Apr. 1851, at Kanesville. Migrated to Utah Territory, 1852. Appointed associate judge of U.S. Supreme Court for Utah Territory, 1852. Elected to Utah territorial legislature, 27 Nov. 1852, 1858. Presided over church in Carson Co., Utah Territory (later the Nevada Territory), 1855–1856. Served colonizing mission to Sanpete Co., Utah Territory, by 1860; presided as ecclesiastical authority there, beginning 1860. Died at Spring City, Sanpete Co.
Amanda and I are struggling to keep up with visiting the new Utah Temples. In 2006 we had a goal to visit all then eleven Utah Temples. We ended up hitting Bountiful, Jordan River, Logan, Manti, Monticello, Mt. Timpanogos, Ogden (before rebuilt), Provo, St George, Salt Lake, and Vernal.
In the intervening years and miles for us, Brigham City, Draper, Oquirrh, and Ogden have been dedicated (or rededicated).
Since we arrived back in the Intermountain West, we have struggled to get to these new temples. Now with a family and two work schedules, taking the time to hit the new Utah Temples has taken a little more time and effort. Here is a picture of our visit to the Draper Temple in 2013.
Draper Utah Temple
We had better hurry to catch up some because Cedar City, Payson, and Provo City are all in the works.
Today I thought I would share a humorous story about the late-night escapades of a car loaded with Utah State University students venturing down to see the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, Sanpete, Utah. Brad Hales, Mark Morris, Emily Sarà, Seth Warburton, and I made the trip in my 1998 Toyota Camry in what I believe was the spring of 2004.
The story starts with the rather unexciting drive from Logan, Utah to Manti. We took the normal route off I-15 at Nephi to drive to Manti. We conveniently located a parking spot only blocks away because we were plenty early. We met our friends who drove down separately and staked out our territory with quilts on the grassy green expanse you can see in the photo above. It is on that very same hill that the Mormon Miracle Pageant takes place. Here is a nice photo I stole from the Deseret News to give some idea of the stage and what is going on.
The pageant ended and the four of us found our way to my little Camry to head out. We were told by myriad friends that if we truly wanted to get back to I-15 from Manti in a speedy fashion that we should take the old highway out of Manti to the south via Gunnison and Levan. We started to wend our way through the darkness.
We had a great, great time leaving Manti. I do not mean to knock the pageant in any way, but we were certainly making light of it. We hold no ill feelings towards the doctrines or ideas presented, but maybe it was just that year, but the whole thing came off as pretty hokey. We decided only the local drill team was allowed to be the angels on the hill with their coordinated flag signals that only someone trained in shipping would have understood. We drove the darkness really making fun and laughing ourselves silly about how poorly some parts of the pageant were done.
The conversation turned as we continued through the dark roads. We sang along with a song and the conversation turned to Levan, Juab, Utah. I do not know how true this is, but lore goes that Levan was named Levan because that is “navel” in reverse. The area was named Levan because it is the very center of the state, about where a navel would be. I do not think this is really true since I am sure the town was founded before the final boundaries of Utah were defined, but it sure made great fodder for laughing and conversation that night. (Apparently there is a Levan, Illinois too)
Well, we made our final approach into Levan with the lights of the municipality drawing closer and closer. Some of the members of the car were preparing the cameras so we could make a very quick stop and everyone could disembark for a photo with the Levan city sign. We were laughing about getting a picture with Utah’s navel and then it happened.
Do you know that feeling when you see something and suddenly you do not know quite what to do because it is coming upon you so quickly? As I drove 70 miles an hour down this road and with the blinding of the lights just as you emerge. I suddenly had a car behind me with his lights on and that was also partly blinding me. I made out the faint outline of something laying in the middle of my lane. Just as I could see that, I had a car also coming my direction so I knew I could not really just dodge whatever it was in my lane so I prepared to straddle it. I could not slam on my breaks because of the car so close behind me, the shoulder on the right, and the car approaching on the left. I could see it was too big to straddle just as I was too close and too fast to stop. I clenched my teeth, gripped hard on the steering wheel, and yelled over the conversation for everyone to hold on.
That is when we heard it. This massive animal went under the car and we heard and felt him rolling under the car and at one point a serious thump right under the feet of the people in the back seat. The sickening smell of scalded hair filled the car. Cries rang out, “What was that?” I watched for the car behind to dodge whatever it was I hit but he didn’t even flinch. The individuals in the back of my car were trying to see if they could tell what we hit. I could see no sign of the roadkill in any of my mirrors (beyond the headlight glare from the car behind). I continued to let the car coast and finally started to breath realizing that massive thing went under the car and did not appear to do any damage at all. I continued to coast down the now four lane highway until I hit city limits cruising speed. I think I should point out at this point that this creature was already laying in my lane. Although because it was so large and lumped, I assume it was a fresh hit and I was just fortunate enough to be the next person to hit it.
Nobody seemed quite as chipper anymore. Nobody wanted to stop at the Levan city sign. It was just silence as we drove through town. As we left town somebody asked if it was a body we hit. I told them I did not know what we hit but that it looked like a really big dog. I thought he was a fresh kill and fortunately he rolled right under the car without relatively little incident. The way he was clumped up in the road though, I was sure the car would jump or he would be lodged there. The rolling of the thing under the car was clear so no need to get out and take a look underneath. The others in the car were sure that I killed the dog. Then more silence; dead silence.
After another 10 or 15 minutes or so with just the faint strains of the radio in the background, conversation started to pick up again. We named the poor beast “Navel” after Levan. I did not know what he was, but we were laughing again and having fun conversation again.
We climbed on I-15 and started heading north at full freeway speeds. I seem to remember that Seth was sitting behind me and he commented on the fact that cars driving by us were looking at us. Sure enough, we could not figure out why in the world everybody was looking at us. It surely could not be some coordinated effort to stare us down. It became a game of sorts to make faces back at the people as they drove by. This elicited some hilarious expressions back at us. One lady looked at us in complete and total disgust. I was the one driving and could see expressions of the individuals.
Finally after probably 20 minutes of this, a car pulled beside us on the freeway and rolled down his window and motioned for me to do the same. He then yelled, “Hey, you’re dragging a coyote!” In that split second to conjure and give a response, I yelled back, “It’s okay, we picked him up in Levan!” The total disgust in his face was quickly manifest and they sped off. All the occupants of my car erupted into laughter at my complete nonsense reply. Even now I realize how disconnected it must have sounded motoring down the freeway at 80 miles per hour. It took me a minute or two to realize what I just said and even I was laughing so hard I was in tears.
Then the thought came, “Now what?” I am not going to just pull to the side of the freeway in the middle of the dark. We all decided we would get off at the next exit and see what damage was done. We had just passed the Nephi exit, so we had at least another 10-20 miles to go before the next exit. In that meantime driving down the freeway, let me assure you we thoroughly enjoyed those who passed us by. I deliberately slowed down a little bit to maybe not cause as much damage to Navel.
Here is the question; how do you via some form of charades inform those in other cars that you know you have a coyote dragging behind you? A thumb up and a big smile just never gets the impression across the 3-4 feet to the passenger in the other vehicle. They would insist on pointing to the rear portion of the car. We just smiled bigger and give them two thumbs up. Of course, we were laughing so hard I don’t know how we stayed on the road. Every person trying to convey the message must have thought we were a group of sick, psycho individuals who could only laugh. They must have assumed we did not know, which means they tried all the harder. As we attempted to confirm we knew, we would all break down in heavier laughter. I cannot tell you how hilarious this was!
The Santaquin exit fortunately arrived and we left the interstate. Navel was probably pretty excited about the ending of his trip. We pulled to the end of the off-ramp and into the gravel of the road. We all piled out to see our first view of Navel. This is what we saw!
I know this will be a bit gruesome for some of the viewers out there. I need to describe this a bit more to you though. This dog is half worn away by this point! I think you can tell that half of his head is also ground away. If you click on the picture and get closer, you can see tiny chunks of hamburger all over the back of my car (Which we did not discover until the next morning because it was so dark. The picture is only lit from the camera flash). I cannot tell you the smell that was present, but my expression and covering my nose should give you some hint. It was flat-out disgusting. Also, I point out to you that Navel’s leg was jammed between the body of the car and part of my undercarriage right in the middle of the car near the axle. That means Navel is at this point stretched out probably 5 feet in length from the axle to the end of his leg you can see in the picture. He was mangled, stretched, and partly disintegrated.
Now the issue became, how to get him out from under the car? We tried backing up hoping he would become unattached. We tried poking at him with a tire iron. Brad even had the idea to stand on him when I drove off, but we then became afraid of Navel coming apart. You know how you should avoid injured dogs? None of us really wanted to lay down next this stinky dog, slide under the car in the dark, and try to get him unattached. What options are left? We decided to drive to a gas station for assistance.
We hopped back on I-15 and began another episode of being stared down by every car passing us. It was not quite as funny anymore. Levity did finally arrive as we would deliberately not look at the cars trying to get our attention and then we would break down laughing to the horror of those trying to inform of us our dire situation. The 10 miles or so to the next exit with a gas station went exceedingly slow.
Now we were parked on the sanitary and clean concrete of the Payson Maverik. We all stood around the car again trying to figure out what we were going to do. At least now we had sufficient lighting to really tell what was going on. We stood around talking and figuring a plan of attack. Emily and Seth figured out they would not have to do the dirty deed so they went in the store and returned passing out donuts! Emily remembers that I made some comment like, “What do you think this is, some sort of Relief Society meeting?” The comments from individuals as they came up to our circle and realized what we were all standing around looking at, WHILE eating donuts. I remember one lady was very disgusted.
I tried climbing under the car but it was so low to the ground that I could not reach the spot where Navel had his leg lodged. Nobody wanted to have to get out a jack so we could climb under the car. I walked into the Maverik and asked for ideas or thoughts. The attendant suggested I go grab a rod for turning valves down in the ground (about 3 feet long with a “T” at the top) and try using it to get him dislodged. We poked and prodded at him for a while. The broken leg and all the tissue just wasn’t helping me pull out his leg. I cannot emphasize how terribly disgusting of a sight that Navel was. This is roadkill that we had to deal with in an intimate fashion.
Finally our hero arrived with a couple of rednecks in a red Dodge minivan. The dad walked up and asked us what the problem was. Upon seeing Navel and then looking at my Missouri license plate he asked, “You from Mississippi?” I responded, “No, Missouri” and he walked back to his minivan and his son quickly appeared with a plastic bag in his hand. That little 7 or 8 year old climbed under my car without any fear and with his plastic covered hand pulled Navel’s limb out of its wedged location. (I warned him of the hot exhaust which he still hit with his little arm!) The kid then and went and hopped back in the little van (and did not go inside to wash!).
I walked in and told the attendant I wanted to buy that red minivan’s fuel. He let me do it. The man was appreciative, and so was I!
Now, what to do with the remains of Navel? The Maverik attendant suggested we just throw him in the dumpster at the side of the building. No small task for a bag of bones that must have still weighed 50 pounds. Nobody wanted to touch him so we used the valve rod to pick him up and walked him to the dumpster. We could not get the rod up over the top of that dumpster without Navel sliding down the rod. It clearly was not working. I finally had to reach out and touch Navel to hold him in place and keep him from sliding down the rod while Seth and I put him in the dumpster.
We returned the bloody rod to its location and later, unfortunate user. We both washed our hands multiple times in the bathroom before heading to the attendant to let him know we were leaving. He gave us both a Mt. Dew for the road! We thanked him and headed on our way. We arrived in Logan, Utah about 1:00 or so in the morning and all collapsed into our beds. But whenever I hear of Manti, Levan, or the Mormon Miracle Pageant; I now think of Navel the dog from Levan. May he forgive me for dragging him over 40 miles! May he forgive us for the endless laughs that night and many since then at his expense. I feel bad about his owners who wondered where their dog ran off to, I guess at least they did not see his terrible state.
Boy, am I glad June is here! My wife has joined me after our long separation from job and school. What a relief. I don’t have to worry about her stressing herself out or being picked up by a much more dashing, intelligent, catch of a man.
We leave this week for what may be the trip of a lifetime. How many times in a lifetime, if ever, does one get to go to Europe for 6 weeks? We will be starting with friends in Belgium, working our way to Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Germany, The Netherlands, England, Wales, Scotland, and who knows where else we may stumble. We really cannot afford it, but why not live with some reckless abandon for a little while? There are so many friends who do so every day of their life and seem to make it through their whole lives. Granted, their quality may be diminished some. But what is lost by worry seems it might be made up by the large home and toys that the self-proclaimed responsible typically don’t get to enjoy. We leave on the 4th to return on the 16th of July.
We signed a purchase contract for a home this month. Somewhere around the 22nd of June we will be closing on a humble home in Oklahoma City. Who would ever have thought my first home purchase would be in Oklahoma City? Did I ever think I would move or live in Oklahoma City. Most certainly not.
Amanda and I just hit all three of the Idaho temples this past week. Amanda had never been to any of them. We have now hit all three Idaho and 11 Utah temples. Before year end, we will have three more in that geography alone to hit to make it complete once again. I am very sad I will be in Oklahoma City when the dedication of the Twin Falls Temple takes place. Being so close to home, and wanting a temple closer for so long, now we get one and I cannot attend. Amanda and I will be helping with the open house in July. I guess that is some solace for missing the dedication. I believe Idaho Falls and Manti are still my favorite temples. The Rexburg Temple has so many gorgeous rooms. However, for some reason I still prefer the sessions that are split up into all their sections. Manti and Idaho Falls Temples both have you moving between all the rooms. Manti has the pioneer value and beauty with a live session, but the simplicity of Idaho Falls with its rooms and movement make it a favorite. Salt Lake certainly has the beauty but the place seems more like a zoo than a temple, especially in the summer with all the sealings.
This past week Amanda spent a day with me at work doing bench testing. It was a beautiful day and we spent nearly all of it in Minidoka. The Minidoka Longhorn Cafe and Whitesides Dairy was enjoyable for me. The wastewater we play with is less than beautiful but it is part of life. Whether we like it or not, we all have waste and somebody has to deal with it. I thought Amanda was going to throw up at one point when we were doing some filteration. She kept it down, luckily. The day turned out well. Except for the fact Amanda picked up a tick somewhere. Not only did she pick him up, the tick dug in and started to sup near the middle of her calf. She was not a happy camper when she discovered him. A little polish remover and she backed right out. Hope she got plenty to eat for the long stay in the septic tank.
For the first time in what must be at least 8 years since Grandma Ross passed away, all my siblings were back together. Becky was coming through Southern Idaho so Scott organized a BBQ. All five of us where there. It was really quite a bit of fun and I enjoyed myself. Even though we were never really close, I am glad we are still cordial and can enjoy ourselves when we get together. Vicki, Dad’s first wife, was even there. Dad and Jan were there as well. Andra brought Brian and Daniel and little Daniel was certainly a favorite.
I know I have not been writing as much. Despite more people reading the blog than ever before, I just don’t feel like I have much to write. A couple of people want me to write more relevant things that would pertain to them, but how does one write interesting things for everyone? Then, how does anyone write for someone else and keep their voice and soul into it?
Sagacity 