​Worth the journey

Worth the Journey

We have spoken previously about the joy of pruning mint. It gives back with every clip. The area bursts with perfume and is a real pleasure. The fragrance lingers for sometime.

I wish I could share this encounter with you, but it must be experienced.

Yesterday Linda and some in my family drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon and hiked the canyon ​to Cecret Lake up by Snowbird and Alta. The wild flowers were abundant and breathtaking. The soft breeze cooled us as we hiked. Soon the crystal clear water reflected in the distance, but wait too long and the chance is all gone. Focus on other things or fail to take the time to do it now, and the opportunity is lost. I'm glad we did it. That too has a lot in common with family history.

Connecting past, present and future

The keynote speaker at the fourth annual RootsTech spoke about saving memories. This massive gathering of genealogists in Salt Lake City brings so many people together to share, study and learn about family history.

The theme of that year’s conference was connecting the generations — past, present and future.

Aaron Holt, an archivist with the National Archives in Fort Worth, Texas, was quoted as saying that “it only takes three generations to lose a piece of oral family history. … It must be purposely and accurately repeated over and over again through the generations to be preserved for a genealogist today.”

Think about that.

Without a real effort to pass down our family stories purposely and accurately, the richness and depth they add to our family history can be lost in just three generations.

From parent to child to grandchild. That’s just three generations. Things that were absolutely critical in the lives of our own great grandparents — even our own grandparents — could be utterly unknown to us today.

From us to our own children to our own grandchildren; that's all it takes. And even the small trials and treasures of our own daily lives could be lost to our own descendants… in just three generations.

http://www.legalgenealogist.com/2014/02/07/just-three-generations/

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When I consider this possibility, I don't want that to happen to you to me or to our grandchildren. Our posterity has so much to lose if we are careless. Wouldn't that be such a shame to miss something so beautiful just because we were not paying attention or failed to record and save the emotions and details of our lives for our posterity.

Now on the other hand think about the potential for many good, happy occasions when we can learn from our past and relive these choice experiences by rereading them and laughing, crying, and experiencing the emotion of the moment that made them so cherished anyway.

As we follow Jesus Christ in faith, we are hoping and looking for the realization of the promises of eternal life and happiness​ made to his followers. We don't have to wait for some future day, however, before we begin receiving this blessing.
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Just like mint ... ministering in the gospel of Jesus Christ gives back every day as we serve. The fragrance of good works lingers for a time, but we must renew and rejuvenate the principles to see their blessings consistently.

I wish I could share this experience with you, but it must be lived.