hearts of our fathers

Last week greg got an email from his dad explaining that one of their relatives was going to be honored with a sculpture. I think i got more excited about it than greg did. I always ask greg what some of his ancestors names are and he responds with something like i don't know all the genealogy is done though. So when i had a name to look at it just got so exciting for me. I quickly ran to the computer to google the name...

Robert Gardner Jr.
I found so much information and stories about him. I found a journal entry that he wrote that had a great deal of his life achievements in it. He immigrated with his family from Scotland to Canada. From Canada he converted to the gospel and crossed the plains with the first wagon train to enter the Salt Lake Valley. With his family he helped to settle the valley. He was later called on a mission to Canada and then to settle the St George area. The sculpture was placed in St George. Greg's dad and some of his uncles and aunts went down to see the unveiling. From the newspaper article it seems like there was quite the turn out.

What a great feeling knowing history about your family. Robert Gardner Jr would have been greg's great great grandfather. His son (from his second wife) is greg's great grandfather that was named Royal Joseph Gardner which is where the Royal name began ...i think. If i could say thank you to Mr Robert Gardner Jr i would. He must have been a strong man to not only cross the plains with his family but to join the church and give up so much for the testimony that he had of our Savior.