A Bird and a Fence.

So recently at work I have been taking down a fence around a livestock catchment.

For those of you not range savy that is a large area of ground covered in plastic. It catches the rain that falls and collects it into a very large tank. The tank is connected to troughs where the livestock that grazes in the desert can drink. Normally they are hidden behind a hill so nobody sees them.

Anyway, I was taking down this fence, which was about 9 feet tall. I found out that most of the fencing materials were going to be thrown away (our efficient government at work). So I got permission to take as much as I wanted. I brought it home and I built a fence. With the two dogs a small fenced in area is nice especially because Duke keeps chewing through the rope. Now he can run around and not have to worry. It isn't perfect but with the tools I have it is sufficient. Victoria helped a lot I still need to put in a gate. Right now we have to jump over the railing on the porch.

Also a couple days ago I was playing around with my BB gun I had just re adjusted the sights so

it was actually aiming in the right area. I noticed a couple of doves flying over the house. I didn't see them flying past the house so I expected that they landed I snuck over to the edge of the house to see if I could see them. I saw one sitting on top of the telephone pole by our house. So I did the only thing a young man with a gun and a hunting licence. I aimed at the the bird and shot. My first shot was a little high but the bird did notice so I knew I wasn't too far off. I then hurried and pumped the gun again and took a second shot. This one connected right were I was aiming. The bird dropped and I went and got it. I cleaned it and me and Victoria cooked it and ate it. It was pretty good. Overall a good experience.

Post-Valentines Dance =)

Wednesday night was our Post Valentines Dance as a YM/YW. It was SO much fun. It was weird to be the leader/on-looker. You get a totally different perspective on the whole dance thing. Austin and I were basically the greeters at the door when the youth came in. It was really fun!! =) We even snuck in a dance together in the middle. =) I finally got to dance with my valentine =) =)

I did my hair really cute too =) Well at least I really liked and it was different for me. Although I was wishing I had my sister's long hair at the moment I was doing my hair because it was a look that the longer the hair you have the better =)

At the end of the dance we had banana splits which ended the evening perfectly =) Overall, a great evening =)

3rd Paper down, 3 to go!! =)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These everlasting words were written in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and are just as true today as they were then. What wasn’t written was that the white men thought themselves above those with dark black skin and thought it okay to enslave those that are different. African Americans have a sad history in the United States. This paper will discuss the events that occurred between 1800 and 1880 involving African Americans and slavery. The life and politics of those white Americans changed drastically in those 80 years. But to get a clear picture of how slavery started a brief history of slavery will begin the discussion.

Slavery has been around since the beginning of man. Classical slavery was not based on race but on those that were captured during war. In ancient Greece and Rome they depended heavily on their slaves to be the workforce. As Rome expanded, so did the number of slaves. As harsh as the Romans were on their slaves, it is not surprising there were many slave revolts. Slavery in America is believed to have started in 1619 when a Dutch slave ship brought twenty African Americans to Virginia. The records are a bit unclear on the first African American in America but all records point to those 20 as being the first. In the 1620’s some of these Africans were either still slaves, were free, or were treated as indentured servants, becoming free after a couple years. There was one African in the 1640’s named Anthony Johnson who was free, had been given two names, owned land and even other Africans. But around the 1650’s slaves began to all be sold for life, not as indentured servants. A purchase could even include the slave’s potential offspring. One purchase incorporated the future children of a ten year old girl. This began the change of the definition of slavery; slavery was now lifelong and inheritable, if your parents were slaves you would also be a slave. In the 1660’s slavery was protected by law in Virginia and Maryland and in 1705 Virginia had its first slave code. With the growing industry of cotton in the south, more and more slaves were brought in from Africa. By the year 1800 there was an estimated number of 1,002,037 African Americans in the United States making up about 18.9% of the total U.S. population. Of those an estimated 893,602 were slaves. (U.S. Census 1800)


Slavery is defined as the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune (dictionary.com). African Americans were property and possessions; they were no longer considered to be human beings. A ship would land on Africa’s coast and men would go searching for young healthy boys and girls. Tribes would be attacked; people killed who opposed, and families broken apart to satisfy the labor demands of farmers. Those who were captured were shackled together and forced to march many miles to the coast and different holding areas. There, chained together, they waited for the boat that would carry them to the new world. Many at this point would die due to the ill treatment and psychological trauma but the journey had just begun for those who survived. Once aboard the ship they were packed tighter than sardines into the ships hold for four to six weeks depending on the weather. Unable to move, the sanitation was horrific, disease spread from one to the next, and seasickness was common. Due to the condition of the travel to America only one-half of all those that left Africa became fully productive laborers. Once on land again they were quarantined to ensure no diseases were imported with them and then they were taken to auction like cattle and sold to the highest bidder. Just like at a cattle auction the bidders had the right to examine the merchandise before purchasing. These African’s weren’t humans anymore; they were property, to be sold, traded, worked, and killed if necessary. Slaves were more like cattle to the white Americans rather than human beings. Their convicting crime: a dark complexion. Their punishment: lifelong slavery, pains of hunger, infliction of stripes, brutal servitude, loss of family, and the inability to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Female slaves are not often thought of when slavery is mentioned. Typically the image of men working in the field all day with a slave driver whipping those that aren’t working fast enough is thought of first. But many, in my opinion, don’t picture the women slaves and what they had to endure. Sarah M. Grimke, although born into a wealthy slaveholding family, was deeply involved in the anti-slavery movement in the 1830’s. Sarah gives such a vivid description of the life of female slaves, that my summarizing it would not do it justice. Sarah explains; “Our southern cities are whelmed beneath a tide of pollution; the virtue of female slaves is wholly at the mercy of irresponsible tyrants, and women are bought and sold in slave markets, to gratify the brutal lust of those who bear the name of Christians. In our slave States, if amid all her degradation and ignorance, a woman desires to preserve her virtue unsullied, she is either bribed or whipped into compliance, or if she dares resist her seducer, her life by the laws of some slave States may be, and has actually been sacrificed to the fury of disappointed passion. Where such laws do not exist the power…vested in the master over his property, leaves the defenseless slave entirely at his mercy, and the suffering of some females on this account, both physical and mental, are intense…In Christian America, the slave has no refuge from unbridled cruelty and lust.” (On the Condition of Women in the United States) Quality of life for both male and female slaves alike had been reduced to nothing only to be looked at as property, to be handled and charged about.

African Americans/slaves did not have a say in the political world, that was left to the white man, their master, but he wanted more representation for his southern state so after many compromises on the northern states part they finally settled on the three-fifths compromise. This said that each slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation and direct taxation. The slavery issue had proven to be the most contentious issue that molded the party systems in the last half of the 19th century. This issue caused the initial split of the Whig politicians; the northern Whig politicians that supported an abolition of slavery and the southern Whig politicians who wanted to ensure slavery’s survival. Thus we see the start of the republicans and the democrats, respectively. In the end slavery caused the division of the republicans and democrats not only in ideology but geography as well. The Republican Party clustered more in the north and west with strong urban support, while the Democratic Party gathered in the south and other rural enclaves. African American’s didn’t have rights till post civil war and still after then it took years and years for white Americans to see blacks as their equals and not inferiors.

The struggle over slavery had been escalating for decades and the North had gained strength while the self-image of the South was being tainted. Abraham Lincoln was the republican vote for president and in March of 1861 he was sworn into office. In his first inaugural address President Lincoln spoke directly to those worried that slavery would end. He said, “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so…” Unfortunately by the time President Lincoln was sworn into office and gave this address, seven states had already seceded from the union and in April began this nation’s bloodiest war to date. Northerners and Southerners both thought that the Civil War would be over within in a year, no one could have guessed that it would last a whole four years and claim the lives of so many men. In 1863 President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in the Southern territory controlled by the Union. This enraged the Southern supporters (one being John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln) but the South was already in retreat from the North and the war ended in April of 1865.

Reconstruction of the nation was not an easy task for the congressional Republicans. They brought about the 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution but the southern states would not ratify the 14th Amendment which granted due process and equal protection of the laws to freedmen. These states were disbanded and would only be re-admitted to the Union if they accepted the 14th and 15th Amendments. The 15th Amendment would grant black men the right to vote. Black enfranchisement was gaining success in the social and economic world but the South was fighting it and came up with the “Redemption.” By the 1870’s, the Democratic Party had finally regained control of most of the southern states which caused them to begin again restricting the political rights of the African Americans. In 1866, under the leadership of former Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Ku Klux Klan aka the KKK was organized. The KKK was strongest in rural areas and consisted of members mostly from elite Southern society. Because of the Klan and other voter intimidation, blacks began to lose the political ground they had only just acquired. The spread of freedom was further cut short by economic programs such as the crop-lien/sharecropping system. This system was designed to keep/force the blacks and poor whites in a state of constant, long-term dependency on the rich white man. This “Redemption” proved to be a success at ensuring social control in the post-Reconstruction South and sealed the fate of the African American citizens for almost a century.

African Americans had to endure many hardships while on the road to freedom, all of which were cruel and wicked in the sight of God, but through it, our country has bettered itself and become a nation of freedom. America has been changed forever. Lives changed. Politics changed. The United States is united and will be a place of “forever freedom” for those seeking life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. May the grace of God be upon this nation forever and let us never forget that it is only through Him, the Creator, that we have those certain unalienable rights. Men were created equal, both black and white. Let us learn from the past so as to never repeat in the future and remain “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”(Pledge of Allegiance, 1954)

The dogs =)

Above: Becca enjoying playing with the rabbit skin!!

Below: Becca snuggled up in a blanket on a cold morning =)

Above: I was on the couch minding my own business when becca jumped up to snuggle up with me. then there came duke to join in on the snuggling. Poor becca ended up on the bottom of the pile. She didn't seem to mind though, she stayed warm. =)

Below: Becca making sure there was no more food at the bottom of the bag. Its always better to double check then waste some yummy food =) Duke had to inspect the situation =)

Above: Both dogs snuggled up in a blanket on a cold afternoon and enjoying the movie with me =)

Exciting news!!!

Austin found out on wednesday the 15th that
1. He gets a raise!! Both he and the other range management intern get a raise!! So exciting!! =)
2. His internship was extended to the end of the year!!! How neat is that?!

That's pretty neat!! =)

So we are excited about that and really made the mid-week blues go away =) =)

At least we know now that he has a job till the end of december =) Yay!!

Talk for Sunday February 19, 2012

The Power of Kindness

Good morning brothers and sisters. Before I begin my talk I’d like to take a moment to introduce me and my husband. We have been married for about a year and nine months which here is considered newlyweds while in Provo we had been married for a long time. We met while working together in a field crew for BYU measuring and recording plant data. But we really hit it off once we started having cow pie fights. I got one in the neck and he got one in the neck. Those were the good old days. Austin graduated from BYU with his bachelor’s in Wildlife Management and I am close to being done with the same major as soon as I finish my generals which luckily I only have 3 left. Since being married we have been in five wards. That’s quite a few! We have two dogs, a corn snake and an African spur tortoise. We love being in the outdoors; everything from camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, and birding. Austin served his mission in Thailand and while there began his love of thai food. Which lucky for him, I also enjoy thai food and it has now become a staple in our weekly dinners. Austin was born and raised in the Salt Lake area while I on the other hand am a born and raised Washintonian. Living in Utah and now southern Utah has been a struggle. I miss my evergreens towering over us on I-5 and the constant smell of rain in the air and the overcast days, but I am trying to see the beauty here with its brownness and junipers. Its still a work in progress =) We have lived here now for 5 months and have enjoyed it greatly. You all have been so welcoming and we are happy to be here =)

Since we were given no topic to speak on we were free to choose whatever we wanted to talk on. We’ll see if brother Larsen lets us do that again once he hears me speak…=) I have chosen to speak on the power of kindness. I will be using Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s talk The Virtue of Kindness given in the 2005 April General Conference.

Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. But then why is it that we struggle to be kind all the time to everyone? People can be rude and mean, judgmental and unkind but we must rise above our natural man response of getting even. There are many people that we can look to as examples of great kindness.

Joseph Smith was one of those great examples of kindness. He showed kindness to everyone, old and young. One child said this of the Prophets kindness; “My older brother and I were going to school, near to the building which was known as Joseph’s brick store. It had been raining the previous day, causing the ground to be very muddy, especially along that street. My brother Wallace and I both got our feet wet in the mud, and could not get out, and of course, child-like; we began to cry, for we thought we would have to stay there. But looking up, I beheld the loving friend of children, the Prophet Joseph, coming to us. He soon had us on higher and drier ground. Then he stooped down and cleaned the mud from our little, heavy-laden shoes, took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped our tear stained faces. He spoke kind and cheering words to us, and sent us on our way to school rejoicing.”

What a great example of kindness. Taking the time to help someone in need, lifting another’s spirit when it is low, saying a kind word or even sharing a simple smile. These simple acts of kindness can change a person’s day from bad to good, from terrible to great. By being kind and patient we can soften hearts and encourage others to live righteously.

The greatest example of kindness was Christ. Jesus was the epitome of kindness and compassion. He healed the sick. He spent much of his time ministering to the one or many. He spoke compassionately to the Samaritan woman who was looked down upon by many. He instructed His disciples to allow the little children to come unto him. He was kind to all who had sinned, condemning ONLY the sin, NOT the sinner. He kindly allowed thousands of nephites to come forward and feel the nail prints in His hands and feet. Yet his greatest act of kindness was found in his atoning sacrifice, thus freeing all from the effects of death, and all from the effects of sin, on conditions of repentance.

When we are filled with kindness, we are not judgmental. The savior taught in luke 6:37, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive and ye shall be forgiven.” He also taught in Matthew 7:2 that “with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judges: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

But you may ask…

What if people are rude? The answer: Be kind and love them.

If they are obnoxious? Be kind and love them

But what if they offend? Surely I must do something then? Be kind and love them.

What if they are off the straight path? The same answer; be kind and love them.

Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes. One kind word lifts our spirit in the moment but can linger with us over the years.

I remember back when I was a freshmen in college at BYU I was one timid and scared freshmen. I had heard awful stories of the “BYU Testing Center”. The windows were so high that there was no comforting glance outside at freedom, a simple sneeze or cough might be considered some secret code for cheating, you had to sit in really uncomfortable desks, you had to get permission to use the bathroom, AND they would even take your test away if they caught you looking any other direction but down. Needless to say, I was scared of my first test in the testing center. It didn’t help though that my first test was a Chem test and chemistry wasn’t my favorite subject. I received my test and then entered the feared room. It was horrible. Dead silence except for the scratching of pencil on paper. What an awful place. I was sure that this building 1. Was the Worst building on campus and not a place God would want to be and 2. Was the place with the most faith because so many people would whisper prayers to themselves before they started their test and prayers didn’t help those who weren’t prepared? As I walked in and sat down at a desk my hands were shaking, my heart pounding and my mind racing. How could anyone take a test in this environment?! I quietly said a prayer to help me take this test and do well. And then…I began. I had finished 1 question (which took about 10 minutes) and had moved to the second when an older boy passed me and left a note on my desk. I was terrified that they would think I was cheating, they would take away my test!! Oh how I would cry if they did that. I quickly snatched the note and hid it under my hand for about a minute just in case someone walked by eyeing me suspiciously. Once I saw I was clear I read the note. It had been ripped off a piece of graphing paper and had these simple words written on it, “You can do it, Good luck! =)” All I could do was smile. It made me feel so much better that he could see that I was so nervous and took the time to write a couple kind words of encouragement. After that I was able to calm down, think clearly, and finish my test.

I never found out who that boy was but he made a difference in my life that day. I simple note of encouragement changed the outcome of my test. I did much better on that test then I would have done if he wouldn’t have encouraged me. Such a simple act of kindness can make a difference.

The Church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, or have perfect thoughts, or have perfect feelings. The Church is a place where imperfect people gather to provide encouragement, support, and service to each other as we press on in our journey to return to our heavenly father.

We are all children of our heavenly father. And we are here with the same purpose: to learn to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

I’d like to bear my testimony that through kindness we can make a difference and help those around us. I know that a kind attitude towards everyone not only affects those around us but can make us happy as well. Do not underestimate the power of kindness.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

indexing

okay so I have a new addiction. Although, I was talking with austin yesterday about my addiction and he said that it wasn't a bad addiction of all the addictions that one could have. My addiction is indexing. haha Indexing is when you enter information from back in the day death certificates or draft registration cards, etc online so that there is a digital copy safely stored online. well, we set up an account for me on monday night and by wednesday night I have done 251 names. and have over 300 points. I never realized how easy indexing could be. =) Its quite fun and i feel like I am contributing to help those that have past away. Also the LDS church really encourages us to do indexing. I am not so good at doing family research just because I can't seem to find much information or my dad doesn't have much info on his parents. But indexing is very fulfilling. and its a good addiction because I am helping out. =) If anyone were to be, oh i don't know, sitting at home with a broken ankle and needed something to do they should do some indexing because it makes the time go by really fast! =) haha I love you mom! =)