Phoenix trip to John

Hi family,

We went to John's for the New Years celebration in Phoenix. We had a great time with John, Allison, Alan and Hyrum.

While there, they took us to an archealogical dig of the indian ruins that lived in Phoenix many years ago. We were surprised at all the archealogical sites that were in the Phoenix area. Some of them were at the end of the airport runway. They were surprisingly advanced in their irrigation system which they used to water their crops.

We also enjoyed going to the temple with John and Allison. Since Michael let his temple recommend expire, he stayed home to babysit Alan and Hyrum.

On Sunday, January 4, we celebrated Carol's birthday. Allison took a picture of Carol blowing out candles on her birthday cake and posted it on their blog.

Thank you John and Allison for a great time.

CSM

For the last few months I have been volunteering at the Family History Mission M-F 8am - 12 noon (20 hrs). The missionaries keep talking about the New Family Search program and John wants me to use his account. So, I asked the Zone Leader if I could get access to the New Family Search Program. He said, "Sure, just become a missionary. We will give you access to the program and give you a week of training".

So, I decided to become a Church Service Missionary. I would be doing the same thing that I was doing as a volunteer. I could work the same hours. I will continue to live in Murray. I will still have my callings in the Murray Hilcrest ward. I can work at a job and make money(if I want to). I can go on vacations whenever. I can am not limited to travel within 100 miles of Salt Lake City.

I have had the interview with my Bishop and my Stake President. I hand-carried the paperwork to our Mission President. It then goes to the Missionary Committee. The Missionary Committee contacts my Stake President. My Stake President contacts my Bishop to set me apart as a Church Service Missionary in the Family History Mission.

Unfortunately, my Stake President went on vacation for a couple of weeks to Japan. So, it will be a few weeks before I am officially a CSM (Church Service Missionary).

It is exciting to be involved in the greatest work on the earth. I am a Ward missionary helping to find those that Lord has prepared to listen the discussions and be baptized. And, I am involved in work that is keeping the temples going in the Family History Mission.

I am so thankful to be living in this time. The Church is here on the earth in its majesty and glory. We have a living prophet. We have the 12 apostles. We have so much knowledge about the gospel through all the scriptures. There is so much work to be done. It is exciting and worthwhile work. I love being a member of this church.

Michael's Move

Family,

We just finished moving Michael in with Karalee and Derrick yesterday. It took the whole day. Michael did rent a U-haul truck, which was nice. He got a great deal on the truck. He reserved a 14’ truck Friday, Aug for $19.95 and they said he would need to confirm it this Friday. They also said that because it was so busy (BYU students start school next Tuesday), a 14’ truck may not be available. In that case, he would have to rent a 17’ truck.

Michael was working on Friday, so he asked if I would confirm the reservation for him. So, I called Friday morning from the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (I do volunteer work M-F from 8am to noon) around 9 am. A U-Haul worker answered the phone and said immediately, “Can you hold?” and he put me on hold. Five minutes later, he hung the phone up. I called back and the guy said “We are very busy. Can I take your number and call you back?” I really couldn’t do that because it was phone in the lounge and they did not like us to take calls there.

So, I decided to go down there and reserve it face to face. Carol and I went down to Provo. They weren’t that busy. The U-Haul rep looked at Michael’s reservation sheet. He said they didn’t have any 14’ trucks but they would rent him the 17’ truck for the same priced as the 14’ truck. GREAT!

Yesterday we went down and rented the truck at 9 am. We were to return the truck by 1 pm. We finished loading and unloading the truck by 12 noon. We took the truck back and the rest of the day was spent cleaning the apartment so that Michael could get his cleaning deposit back.

Do you have their address? It is:

Karalee, Derrick and/or Michael
357 N. 1080 E.
Provo, Utah 84606

Karalee and Derrick's Anniversary

Friday night, we took Karalee and Derrick to the Red Lion Inn in Salt Lake City to celebrate their wedding anniversary since they don't have a car.

On Saturday, they went to the temple and did some sight-seeing in SLC.

Since Karalee's car accident, which broke her pelvis in 2 places, Karalee has not been able to sleep on a flat bed at their apartment. And it turns out she could'nt sleep on the bed at the Red Lion Inn. They were planning on staying at the hotel Saturday night, but the thought of no sleep another night prompted them to stay with us Saturday night. She and Derrick can sleep fine on our couches at our apartment.

They stayed with us on Sunday, and on Monday, we all went to see the Joseph Smith movie in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Then we went to see the Utah State Capitol building. They finally completed the earthquake protections to the building this year.

Then we took them home on Monday.

Rebecca will be moving to Murrieta

Rebecca found a house to rent in Murrieta, California. She was about to give up but on Friday things miraculously opened up. They will be living right in the area that they want to live and the house is 3600 sq. ft. Rebecca does not know the address right now.

They will be moving next weekend.

Also, next weekend, Karalee and Derrick will be celebrating their anniversary. They will stay in the Red Lion Hotel in SLC on Friday night. On Saturday they will go through a session at the Salt Lake Temple and then go see the new Joseph Smith Movie at the Joseph Smith Building.

This week I have been summoned for jury duty. I have to call in every day after 5 pm to see if I have to go in for jury duty the next day. On Friday night I called and they said I do not have to go in on Monday. But I have to call in Monday night to see if I have to go in on Tuesday.
FUN!

Genealogy Blog for Robin R Davis

I have created a blog for the genealogy of Robin Roy Davis. It is like an index of genealogy blogs. It will list blogs for each of my ancestors. In each blog, I will have life sketches and pictures (where they exist).

Click on the blog listed below to get to this index blog:

http://robinrdavisgenealogy.blogspot.com

Meeting with Kierstin

Today we met with Kierstin at the City Creek Park. She came up with the Huntington Beach Stake Young Men and Young Women. There were three busloads of them. They have been visiting Salt Lake City for the past few days. This morning they had a tour of the Conference Center.

At about 11:40 am they arrived at the City Creek Park for lunch and we joined them there. We met with her stake president and her bishop first. Kierstin showed up in the third or fourth group of young people to come into the park.

We gave Kierstin a Salt Lake Temple book marker and an autobiographical sketch of Kierstin's 5th great grandmother, Talitha Cumi Garlick. I explained to Kierstin that the name Talitha Cumi comes from the New Testament in Mark where Jesus raises a woman from the dead. Jesus said, "Talitha cumi" which means, "Woman, come forth".

Talitha Cumi Garlick lived at the time of Joseph Smith. When she was living with her family in Pennsylvania, her mother, Elizabeth Garlick, had a dream where she saw two missionaries come up the path to their house.

The next day, two missionaries came up the path to their door. They were the same two missionaries Elizabeth saw in her dream. One of the missionaries was John Fleming Wakefield. After his mission, he went back to Pennsylvania and married Talitha Cumi's sister, Susannah Garlick. John Fleming Wakefield died before the Saints left for the Salt Lake valley. Susannah and her 7 children crossed the plains to Springville, Utah. In Springville, she married Rees William Davis (Kierstin's 4th Great Grandfather).

Talitha Cumi said she would not be baptized until she heard the prophet Joseph Smith preach. She was true to her word. They moved to Nauvoo where she heard Joseph Smith preach the gosepl and then Joseph Smith baptized her.

After the death of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon called a meeting of the Saints. In that meeting he said he should be the guardian (leader) of the Church. Brigham Young showed up at that meeting and said that Joseph had given the keys to Brigham. Talitha said that at that time, Brigham Young looked and sounded just like Joseph Smith.

Talitha married William Howard Avery and they had one child together. Before they could move to the Salt lake Valley, William died. Talitha (age 29) and her son William (age 7), crossed the plains with a handcart company to Springville, Utah. In Springville, Talitha married Elam Cheney.

Kierstin was pleased with the gifts. After lunch, the youth were going to Raging Waters in Salt Lake City.

On Thursday, they are going to do baptisms for the dead in the Salt Lake Temple and several other things. They will be leaving for Huntington Beach Thursday night.

We were so very happy to have this meeting with Kierstin.