Final Semester and Family History

There are probably literally hundreds, maybe even a thousand or two, pictures of the last several months that I am dying to blog about.  It's a monumental task.  I will do it slowly, but for now I am actually going to put it off a little bit longer (one semester's worth longer) so that I can use my blog to share about my last semester of college! 

(...for at least the next ten years.  Who knows?  A master's degree??  The door is not completely closed...)

I loved my last two semesters.  I took a Middle Child Development class last semester that I talked about all the time.  I even keep my textbook from the class next to my bed for some light evening reading!  I feel so passionately about this subject and that feeling is such a good one.  The semester before I took a class called Family Stress and Coping which gave some amazing insights and tools into families as systems, the value of unexpected resources, and how to analyze and help them deal with crises.  There were other classes I had to take alongside these ones as well.  I have found such fulfillment in this learning I've been doing and using.  

This semester is shaping up to be the best one yet.  I have three classes:

Children's Literature

Family History

Eternal Family

All things I just adore.

As I said my last two semesters were so satisfying in how much I feel like I increased as a person.  But it was A LOT of work.  Splitting myself between school and family is not something I have taken lightly and we have all been coping with it because we knew it wouldn't be for very long.  Those classes, though amazing, were time consuming and not easy in the slightest.  

Now this semester, though.  These classes are going to be pure enjoyment for me!  I'm so excited that I can complete some of my assignments just by doing my favorite daily task- reading to my kid!.  I think they will appreciate this semester as much as I will.  One of my first assignments is to make a list of my top ten favorite children's books.  They are each going to make their own lists as well!  And that is just the beginning of the happiness I'm looking forward to for the next four months.  I'm very excited and I tried very hard in that last paragraph not to end every sentence with an exclamation point.  

I'm going to try to post a little bit about my classes periodically throughout the semester.  Simply because I want all of the writing that I will do and insights I gain to go somewhere out into the little part of the world that I have contact with.  

To start here are some family history quotes from my studying today:

“You will be tempted to stop and leave the hard work of finding to  others who are more expert or to another time in your life. But you will  also feel a tug on your heart to go on in the work, hard as it will be.    “As you decide, remember that the names which will be so difficult to  find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and  whom you will meet again in the spirit world. When you were baptized,  your ancestors looked down on you with hope. Perhaps after centuries,  they rejoiced to see one of their descendants make a covenant to find  them and to offer them freedom. In your reunion, you will see in their  eyes either gratitude or terrible disappointment. Their hearts are bound  to you. Their hope is in your hands. You will have more than your own  strength as you choose to labor on to find them.”    —Elder Henry B. Eyring. “Hearts Bound Together.” The Ensign May 2005, 77

“We should understand that in the work of redeeming the dead  there are many tasks to be performed, and that all members  should participate by prayerfully selecting those ways that fit  their personal circumstances at a particular time...Our effort is not  to compel everyone to do everything, but to encourage everyone  to do something”  

(Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, June 1989).

“Shortly after the death of Sister LeGrand Richards, I was assigned to  be Elder Richards’ junior companion to assist him in creating the  Atlanta Georgia Stake. As we were flying toward his beloved Southern  States Mission, he said to me, “Brother Ballard, I am not afraid to die;  the only thing I worry about is, will I be able to find Mommy over  there.”    I was impressed to say to Elder Richards that in his case that could be  a real problem.    Immediately, I had his full attention. He looked me directly in the  eye and said, “What do you mean by that?”    With my emotions near the surface, I answered this great missionary,  “Elder Richards, when you die, so many people there will be anxious  to greet you because you introduced the gospel to them that you might have difficulty 
finding Mommy in the crowd.” His response was, “Oh, you don’t mean that.” 
We all might ask ourselves the question,
 Who will be there to greet us?”

(Elder M. Russell Ballard)

That last one is one that touches my heart.  When I read it I thought of what my own experience will be.  Who will greet me?  I know that Grandpa Chandler will.  I think we all in my family know that surely in our hearts.  And I knew and loved my great Grandpa Stowell and will plan on seeing him.  But now with recent family history we've learned about, I also think maybe Chang Akana my great-great grandfather on my Dad's side could be there.  Apolonio.  Mada.  Jessie Silva.  Rhoda.  I feel like I know them now.  And I want to know more.  

I recently found out that my great-great grandmother Rhoda's half brother Oliver Henry Bybee served a mission in the Hawaiian islands in 1904!  Here is what was written and posted to FamilySearch.com by someone named Jana Steed, a relative of Oliver's mission companion:

"Elder O.H. Bybee was my grandfather's first missionary companion in the Hawaiian Islands in 1904. My grandfather, Orren Cloyd Jones, arrived in Maui in July of that year. He did not speak Hawaiian and was struggling to make himself understood and had to wait several days for his companion to arrive. On Thursday July 21, 1904 he wrote, "Elder Bybee, my long (seemingly) looked for companion arrived and we had a glorious conversation in English until a late hour. He told me much about the beautiful parts of the country I was to travel in and also gave me a lesson in native. We are to leave in the morning for Honopou, a place about fifteen miles distant." On Monday August 1, 1904 Elder Jones wrote about a trip he, Elder Bybee, Sister Sarah Lunt and a native traveling companion of Sister Lunt took to Haleakala volcano. They also traveled to Eau Valley on August 9, a site of an historic battle. On August 9, Elder Jones wrote, "During the last two weeks I have had the happiest time of my life. Am learning to think the world of Elder Bybee. We get along just fine and I never was with a man I liked more than I do him. He believes in not having all work and no play and we frequently indulge in some lively jokes and stories. Am now able to speak a little native..." On March 24, 1907 he wrote, "I learned that Elder Bybee, my first companion and one of my very best friends had been honorably released to return home." Orren Cloyd Jones had a Kodak camera and took quite a few pictures of his mission. There are some there are several that could be of Elder Bybee but he did not label his photos. He also kept a journal. Both his mission pictures and his journal can be found on his memory page. His ID # is KNHY-48G.

https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/83009925

This brings me such joy!  

I don't even know why.  

I just grew so much in love for this distant relative. 

I hope I can meet him someday- someone on my mom's side who spoke more Hawaiian than any of us every have!  

I do love family history.  This is why.  

And also...this is why:

For them.  

Which is also why I went back to school in the first place.