Recently I had the opportunity to do some research into my family history (thank you Katrina!) and what I found is so inspiring to me that I just have to share it.
First, I found out more about the Knight family. Joseph Knight Sr. was the patriarch of a large and faithful family who were present at every step of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Revelations are given to him and his son Newel in the Doctrine and Covenants. This family followed the prophet Joseph Smith faithfully and this is what Joseph said about Joseph Knight Sr.: "Joseph Knight Sen. . . was among the first to administer to my necessities, while I was laboring in the commenncement of the bringing forth of the work of the Lord, and of laying the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For fifteen years he has been faithful and true, and even-handed and exemplary, and virtuous and kind, never deviating to the right hand or to the left. Behold he is a righteous man, may God lengthen out the old man's days. . ."
Newel Knight married a lady named Lydia. They were the first couple married by Joseph Smith. When they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, Lydia came down with malaria and feared she was at the point of death. She asked Newel to get a handkerchief blessed by the prophet so she could be healed. Newel brought her a handkerchief but she did not improve. When she was sure she was going to die, Newel left and when he came back he said that he hadn't wanted to bother the prophet before so the previous handkerchief was not blessed by the prophet, but this one was. Lydia was fully recovered by the next day. When the saints were forced out of Nauvoo, Newel and Lydia took their seven children (and one on the way) and settled temporarily in Indian territory. Soon after, Newel became sick and died. Lydia stayed in their hut built in front of a cave for three years until she could go west to meet the other saints in Utah. She had sold her wagon and team of oxen so she and her children walked most of the way. When in Utah she taught school to support her family. She married two more times and eventually settled in St. George and worked in the temple almost until she died in 1884.
A bit of geneology: Joseph Knight Sr. begat Newel Knight who begat Samuel, who begat Lenora, who begat Arthur Knight Hafen, who begat Herschel, who begat Lowell, who begat me.
I also learned more about my third great grandfather on my father's side, Charles Lowell Walker, known as Charley. He joined the church in England and after spending some time in St. Louis came to Salt Lake. In 1862 he was called to the Cotton Mission: southern Utah. It was rough trying to tame the dry land of St. George, and there were times of hunger and sickness. But Charley tried to make the best of things. He was known as the Sage of St. George because of his skills as a poet, songwriter, and toastmaster. Charley wrote the dedication hymn for the St. George temple. President Brigham Young was there to dedicate the temple and asked to speak with Charley after hearing the hymn. Charley brought him a copy of the hymn and visited with the prophet. At the end of the visit Brigham Young said, God bless you Charley, and He has, hasn't he? Charley recorded in his journal that "all the blessings I had ever had were laid out before me." Charles Lowell Walker wrote the hymn "Dearest Children, God is Near You" which is in our hymn book today and will always have a special place in my heart.
From Alex's side of the family I learned about Joseph and Matilda Bowler. They joined the church in England where they had directed choirs, one that even performed for the Queen. When they brought their seven children to America they headed to Utah, and despite efforts to get them to stay in Salt Lake and direct a choir there, they remembered a promise that they had made to a missionary that they would go to Hebron, Utah and direct a choir there. Hebron no longer exists, but it was in the vicinity of Enterprise, Utah-another hot, southern Utah town. They went from having a comfortable lifestyle in England to an impoverished lifestyle in Utah. Thirty years after thier arrival from England, Matilda's brother came to Utah, but not wanting him to see her in such dire conditions, refused to meet him. They say she died of a broken heart. On the bright side, Joseph and Matilda's children each had large families of their own and I have discovered third and fourth cousins including my hairdresser(and friend from ninth grade), former bishop, and the girl whose mom used to pick me up for school who is now in my ward.
I don't know if any of these people ever thought ahead 100-150 years in the future and wondered if what they were doing would make any difference to anyone. But learning about them has made a difference to me. I admire them for the sacrifices they made and their dedication to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I honor them by building on the foundation they set.
