Pudsey, Yorkshire, England

Lots of construction work has been done on the sidewalks on Temple Square. They are putting heating elements under the cement so the snow will melt and the sidewalks will never have to be shoveled. It will be safer and save money for those who have to clear the walks.

They began putting Christmas lights on the trees in August. The trees that are lit are alternated from year to year so that they won't be damaged. Cranes are used to reach the high places.

Our hearts have been in Pudsey, Yorkshire, England, this past week where Grandma Lillian Stead Rogers was born. John has been able to trace and document Joseph Rayner with his parents John and Mary Rayner through the 1841, 1851, 1861, and 1871 British Census. Now the problem is how to get Joseph Rayner with his correct birth family in new FamilySearch.

We are reading the new historical novel The Undaunted by Gerald N. Lund about the Hole in the Rock pioneers. The first section is set in Yorkshire, England, in the 1860’s. The descriptions are vivid and my thoughts went to Grandma Lillian Stead. She was born in the town of Pudsey, Yorkshire, England. She was so grateful that her family came to America when they did when she was in the eighth grade. If they hadn’t, she would have had to start working in the weaving mills and never had the opportunity of attending high school. The Steads came when they did because the last grandparent died in the almshouse (poor house) and so they sold all their furniture (they were renting) and immigrated to California via Canada. When John and I were in Pendleton, Oregon, we had the chance to tour a mill. The noise of even the few machines was deafening and the air was filled with lint. I don’t know how many decades Lillian’s family worked in the mills but they came to America for a new life and were always grateful for that opportunity. Grandpa Vic Rogers completed high school but never had the opportunity for college. He became a self-educated man, especially about the church because of the many books he studied. He always felt bad that he didn’t get to go to college though his experiences of nearly freezing and starving at Beaver Academy were difficult . No wonder they wanted their posterity to have the opportunities for learning and choices for where they would work.

We are thrilled that Shane and Meredith DuPaix Jacobs were able to adopt a beautiful newborn baby girl--Mollie Makala Jacobs. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri. We loved the pictures of Kevin and Candace Smith's beautiful twin girls. What a miracle they are!

Robert J. Matthews, the expert on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, died this week. He was president of the Mount Timpanogos Temple from 1996-1996. He lived in Lindon Third Ward with Grant and Mildred Rasband for decades and their lives intertwined. Mom taught his children in first grade. He attended Dad's viewing. (They were members of the same High Priest Quorum.) My parents loved his Gospel Doctrine class! It was tender that Elder Boyd K. Packer spoke at his funeral because they worked together for years producing the new scriptures with footnotes and references from the JST. Our family has great love and respect for Bro. Matthews.

Pres. Beardall: "Genealogy includes names and dates. Family History is the story behind the facts. We desire to know both."

May you cherish the your legacy and continue to keep our family names untarnished, but brighter because of your lives and righteous families.

Love, Mom and Dad