Gila Valley Temple Open House

We were able to go to the open house of the Gila Valley Temple yesterday. All of us except Tyler that is. He was home sick, sick, sick. There definately must be a bug going around our house with first Ben, then Abby, and now Tyler. It is just spreading slowly.

My mom and Grandma Hall came with us. I told my kids they are very lucky. I only attended one temple open house when I was younger - the San Diego temple - and I was probably 10 or 11 years old when we went to that. Here my kids have been to 2 temple open houses (we went to the Oquirrah Mountain open house last summer in Utah) and there will be 2 new temples opening in Gilbert and Pheonix in the future. Pretty neat! I love how each temple that is built seems to fulfill a prophecy for that area. Pioneers from Salt Lake were sent down to colonize the Gila Valley. They were promised way back then that a temple would be built in the area. Now that prophecy has come true. Also President Kimball is from the Gila Valley. It was about a 3 hour drive for us but worth it. The kids did great. This is the 3rd temple to be built in Arizona.

This picture was taken out of the car window as we drove by Snow in the mountains of Thatcher

Ben blowing bye bye kisses to the temple
picnic at Thatcher park

So messy!

throwing pine cones

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I don’t know if you are aware that Great Grandpa Allen was born in the Gila Valley.  His ancestors were some of those original pioneers that settled the valley. Larry’s ancestors have some of their items in the museum in either Safford or Pima.  Here are a couple of stories about his pioneer ancestor – Orvel Morgan Allen (also spelled Orville and commonly called O.M. Allen).  If you want more info on this family let me know.

 

Orvel Morgan Allen

Orville Morgan Allen was a very colorful, strong man. He was passionate about the gospel and it showed. He was once one of Joseph Smith's bodyguards and he also was a Captain of one of the company's of Saints that left Nauvoo in the Exodus to Salt Lake. He was the Captain over the company of saints that experienced the Miracle of the Quails (this story is a lot like the story of Manna from the Old Testament, very cool!. I am going to post one of his journal entries from their exodus together. You will get a little snippet of his personality from this entry. Enjoy:

Here is the story:
Sunday, 25th (Oct 1846)
Encamped on the west side of Soap Creek. I was superintending the brethren in their several duties all day. About 4 o'clock in the evening, a man was purchasing our goods and would pay in corn; amongst other articles traded away, Sister Savary let Bishop Knight have six plates which he sold to the man for 48 cents. Brother Savary at this time returning from hunting his cattle and finding that the plates were gone, commenced abusing his wife with his tongue. After considerable talk, she told him to "go and get them again then." He went to Bishop Knight and demanded them when the stranger said "if I cannot have the plates, I will , I won 't have anything." and went away. Knight went after him and succeeded in making a trade with him and getting the corn. Knight told me of the circumstances, and I went with him to talk to Savary upon the folly of his conduct when Savary said, " I would not take six bits for my plates; I thought more of those plates than anything I have." Said I, "Savary, then you think more of those plates than you do of your wife." He replied, "I did." I then said, "I will give you a dollar for your wife." He agreed. I then offered him a dollar, he said "Give it to my woman." I did so, she accepted it. I then went for the clerk to make out the necessary writings, when we got to Savcary's wagon, he said, "I will not sign any paper, I consider I am an honorable man and my word is my bond." I asked him if he repented of his bargain, he replied "No." I then went to the wagon and began conversing with Sister Savarfy when he came up and said, "You have no business talking with my woman." I replied, "You have no woman, you have sold her; I bought her and shall claim her in time and eternity." Savary then ordered me away several times and became very abusive in his language to me and to prove the above, call George B. Gardiner, Solomon Wixom, Thomas Bullock, Stephen Perry, and Jesse P. Harmon.

I found this story in his ancestory file while I was in Nauvoo last year. This story makes me giggle.