What you are about to read is from the journal of my Great great great Uncle, Orin Daniel Allen Sr. who was born March 18, 1854 at Three Mile Creek, Utah.....ENJOY!
"Our son, (1) Orin Daniel Allen Jr. was born November 25, 1878 at Huntsville, Utah. (2) Annie Christine Allen was born May 26, 1880 at Huntsville, Utah. My occupation was farming and working in a stone quarry. That fall I was called to go on a mission to the Hawaiian Islands. (1880). I went to the October conference which was held in Salt Lake City and was set apart. I left Ogden on November 13, 1880 in company with Elder Samuel Gentry of Coalville, Summit County. We both had a sick time in crossing the ocean. We were eight days in crossing. We went to Laie, Oahu, the Church headquarters. We stayed there two weeks.The president sent me out with two native missionaries to learn the language. I was gone about eight weeks. Then I was taken back to headquarters by the president, H. H. Cluff. I worked on the plantation about one month. Then we started to build a new sugar factory. We weren't long in putting the building up. We also put the machinery in. I helped to put all the machinery together. On July 16, 1881, we started the mill to making sugar.... We ran it for about one year and payed off the biggest part of the indebtedness on the mill.... I was put in to look after the cattle until October. At the October conference I was released to come home. I left Honolulu, October 25, 1882 and reached home about the fifth of November, 1882."
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| Orin Daniel Allen Sr |
Miracle #1
I don't know about you, but I think that counts as my first miracle!!!. I was sitting in the Visitor Center during a night shift, and it was incredibly slow. It was the night before fourth of July, and I could sense that the pace would not get any faster. I was sitting there in the Christus room when I had the STRONGEST desire; almost a craving, to go on to familysearch.org. I have been on the site a few times on my mission, mostly having fun to discover all of my nationalities. Well this time, Sister Eaton, who really likes family history said that if I wanted she would go with me to the back to go do some family history! Our companions stayed together as we went to the back. As we were looking at my family tree, Sister Eaton let me know that you can look at photos, journal entries, stories, etc., on your ancestors! I had NO idea, and had no idea how fun family history could be. Well, we were browsing around, clicking on "random" names, when we clicked on Chastina Hadlock (Allen) because it mentioned she had 1 story. We clicked on the story and saw that it was the journal of her son Orin! We read for a while before coming upon this wonderful passage I posted above. I could not believe what I was seeing!!!! Not only was my Great great great Uncle called to the Hawaiian Islands, but he spent all but 8 weeks of his mission in Laie!!!! WHAT?!? How cool is that?? I had NO idea! But wait, it gets better!!!!.... When we are taking the tram tours from the PCC to the Temple, we drive through the community of Laie and explain the history to our guests. We always explain that, "In 1865 the church leaders bought this property as a gathering place for the church members of the Pacific Islands. They experimented with different crops but decided Sugar cane, the hardest crop to grow in Hawaii, would help them be the most successful. SO they built a sugar can mill.Because of the Sugar cane mill Laie was able to thrive into the community it is today".....That sugar can mill was the same mill that my great great great Uncle built and put up.Then to make it even cooler, his wife and daughter's names are Annie, and he was released in October, just as I will be. It was such a neat experience for me to see that I can be a part of the same work that he started here in Laie. We're making history!
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| 4th of July |
Miracle #2
This past week our Visitor Center Training Meeting was about making sure every guest leaves the Visitor Center with something in their hands. I have made that a goal for myself. Well we get a lot of tour buses that come by; rarely do they actually come in. Well, a woman from Mexico rushed in barely giving me enough time to ask where she was from before she dashed to the restroom! I ran behind the front desk and grabbed a Spanish Book of Mormon, Spanish pamphlets, and Spanish pass along cards, and wrote my name and e-mail address on the inside of The Book of Mormon. As she hurried out of the bathroom I presented The Book of Mormon to her! She seemed puzzled, but I told her it was a gift for coming into the Visitor Center. She thanked me graciously, and then headed on her way. A similar experience happened with three separate groups of guests all visiting from the Czech Republic! All three groups accepting a copy of The Book of Mormon with my name and e-mail =) I may never know what will happen to those books or how it might affect their lives, but I do know that a seed has been planted! And there is such joy in that.
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| Na'ili took us out for Sis Bradley's Birthday |
Miracle #3
Our area has been really struggling when it comes to finding new investigators. We have many non-members, but they have been tracted into for over 30 years. It can be a little tough sometimes. Well, Sister Bradley and I, still full of faith and energy, have continued to visit house after house. This week for our ward is ward camp (where the whole ward camps down at the Hukilau beach until Friday, doing different activities and Luau's). We decided to invite as many non-members and less-actives as we could. When knocking on a door, we could hear voices inside saying, "Hey [name]!! Who's at the door??" We hear another response, "I don't know! Some blonde chicks! You gonna answer it??" We then hear and see a window open from above when someone says, "Hello?" We look up and see a girl probably about in her early 20's! We told her we wanted to invite her and her family to come to ward camp! She asked if we were Mormons, and of course we said yes. She then replied by saying she couldn't because she is Catholic. Haha, the first thing that came out of my mouth was, "SO?!....you don't have to be Mormon to come!" She responds, "Oh really? Alright, maybe." Sister Bradley then so boldly asked if we could give her our phone number which she said yes, and to call us so we could have her number. We told her we would call her and let her know all the activities going down! It was SUCH a miracle! We had no idea non-members lived in that house, nonetheless, a girl close to Na'ili's age who she would be able to connect with! It was perfect, and we cannot wait to see what happens!
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| More 4th of July Celebration |
I just love the gospel! This week helped me realize that everything we do every day really can affect future generations. Were it not for my ancestors who so faithfully joined and followed the gospel of Christ's true church on the earth, I would not be here following in my great great great uncle's footsteps serving God's children in Hawaii. Not only can we influence our own family tree, but we can help others to be the pioneers of their families, by learning and accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ restored upon the earth today. Joseph Smith was born at a precise time and country. Were it not for the men who fought for the freedom of our country we would not have the freedoms we do today; namely the freedom of practicing religion, which allowed Joseph to restore God's church about the earth. I am so grateful for those who came before us, and grateful for the opportunity we now have to make history. It is our turn to resolve to do better to share the gospel, so that future generations may flood the earth with the truth of God. I love you all so much, and know you will feel the same love for those around you as you discover the impact you could have.
Sending love with all my heart,
Sister Annie Moyes
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