Memorial Day Weekend 2016

This year we continued our tradition of spending Memorial day weekend in Ephraim/Manti. This tradition is extremely important to Alison. She has spent every Memorial day of her life in Ephraim. This year we camped at the Temple Hill Resort in Manti with Alison's parents. This is the third year we have stayed there. It is a nice enough campground that we keep coming back. We love that it is located in the shadow of the Manti temple.

Debbie said let's lean forward, we won't fall she says, of course, they did fall

We got off work early on Friday and drove to Manti with Blake, Debbie, and Bret. After we arrived and got camp set up we went into town to get some dinner. We went to Fred's grill. It is an old-fashion drive-in type place. It is starting to become a tradition since we went there last year on Friday we arrived. 

We went back to camp and enjoyed a campfire while we waited for Kristin and Dan to arrive. They waited to come until later in the evening to try and avoid traffic. We helped them set up camp. By the time we were all settled in it was pretty late. It was such a clear night that I wanted to go and take some star pictures. I was able to talk Debbie and Blake into going with me. Alison was tired so she headed to bed. We drove out to the gate of the farm and took pictures for about an hour. While we took pictures Blake shared stories about his days growing up working on the farm. 

We slept in on Saturday. For breakfast, Blake made some pancakes and bacon. It was delicious. We always have the best breakfasts while we camp. Saturday turned into a cemetery day. We had nearly 40 flowers we wanted to put on for Memorial day so we decided we needed to get started early. We headed over to the Manti cemetery first. We were putting down our usual flowers, and a few for Blake's aunt Julie. We took lots of pictures so that we could text them to her. 

Our next stop was the Ephraim cemetery. On our way over Blake called his brother Charlie and found out he was 5 minutes behind us and that his son Mark was 5 minutes behind him. We planned to meet up at the cemetery. As we pulled in we saw another of Blake's brothers, Kim, who was visiting graves with most of his family. We stopped and visited for quite a while. It was great to visit. We also got to hear Kim and Charlie share memories about some of their loved ones in the cemetery. Kim shared some memories about Grandpa Joe. When Kim was young, Joe wasn't too healthy, but they would pick him up and take him to the farm. Joe would putter around the farmhouse and he would roll some paper and use his Prince Albert to make a smoke. Joe loved the grandkids and he would tell them little stories and how to do things around the farm. 

At Vail and Coleen's grave, the brothers were all laughing about how Vail would always skip the third gear. It seems everyone remembered how much he hated third gear. We love that there is a little plastic bull that is on Vail's grave. It came from one of the bouquets the family received at his funeral and it has stayed there for 8 years. It is pretty amazing. Skylee wanted to play with it and when Kristin told her it was Grandpa Vail's bull she kindly replied that she would share. It was pretty cute. Debbie got Charlie, Kim, and Blake to line up behind the grave to take a picture and they all broke into song. They started laughing about how much Vail and Colleen would have loved the song. Vail and Colleen were some pretty darn good folks and they raised some pretty darn good kids. 

We take time this weekend to remember the love and joy they brought into our lives

Charlie told us about how Alton was in charge of the AA meetings in Ephraim. Alton helped a lot of people in town. Alton was like the grandpa Blake and Charlie didn't have. Charlie also told us he learned about aebleskivers from Erma. We also talked about when Ethel's child, Joe, was run over by his grandpa Joe. Julie was playing with Joe at the time and they didn't really know if it was Joe or Julie that was run over when they ran out of the house. Joe was never the same after the accident. 

Charlie talked about how AC was a Dane and he came to Zion. Brother Brigham asked him to come to Ephraim so he did. He had two wives. We couldn't remember who was his favorite. Then someone remember it was Mary K. Ellen couldn't have children so she unhooked the horse when Mary was having a baby so they couldn't get the midwife. It seems like we tell that story every year. 

We also visited some of Debbie's family's graves in the Ephraim cemetery. One of the graves was for Ramah Mortensen who wrote a book called "Leave the Light on for Kent." It was for her son Kent who had severe disabilities and is also in the cemetery. Ramah was married to Clark Mortensen who is one of Kent Alder's first cousins. Debbie's grandmother always told her to be kind to Ramah because of what Ramah was going through (she had many health issues and a handicapped son who took most of her energy.)

After the cemeteries, we went to the Scandinavian festival. This has also started to become a tradition, although Blake is always a little hesitant since his dad didn't really like the festival. This year it seemed bigger than it has been in years past. We arrived and looked for the turkey. You couldn't miss it because it had a huge line. I jumped in line immediately while everyone else walked around to check out the other booths. It took a half-hour, but I got my turkey and piccadillys. They were so good. We found out this might be the last year they serve these at the festival - if so we are so glad we got to get them for one more year. As soon as we got our food it started to rain. We found a spot to eat and we were listening to a band. The band started to play Abba music, much to Debbie and Kristin's delight. We were discussing Abba's origins when it was pointed out they were Scandinavian. This blew Kristin's mind. At that point, they played Mama Mia. Kristin, Debbie, and Skylee ran across the street to dance as the band played. It was a lot of fun. 

Right then Kent and Aleene were pulling into the Ephraim cemetery. We went back to help them with their flowers. We ran into a few more people we knew at the cemetery. Blake knows all the locals in Ephraim and gets to catch up with many of them over the Memorial day weekend. 

We went back to camp and Alison was tired so she talked Skylee into taking a nap on the bounce house (Skylee's name for the air mattress we sleep on in the trailer.) We were all skeptical that Skylee would actually sleep, but Alison got her to fall asleep. Blake and I decided to head down to the farm to do some fishing. I really enjoy spending some time on the farm. Blake was on fire. He caught around 6 fish. We had a fantastic time listening to the sounds of the cattle and the marsh. I have learned a lot about the farm while I have fished with Blake. 

We went back to the trailer and cooked up some steak and potatoes. It is a classic Nielson meal and really hit the spot. I built another fire and we all enjoyed a beautiful Manti night. 

On Sunday we woke up and got ready to go to church. Kristin is the primary president in her ward and she decided to be responsible. She, Dan, and Skylee got up early and headed back to Salt Lake. We went to church with Alison's cousin, Kerry. After church Mitch and Melanie invited us over for lunch. We enjoyed lunch and a spirited game of corn hole. Mitch and Meg won an impromptu tournament. It was so much fun. 

Our next stop was a visit to Rick and Linda. They are heading out next month. Rick will be the mission president of the Gilbert Arizona Mission. They are getting all geared up to go. It was nice to visit them for what may be the last time we see them before they leave.

We headed back to the trailer and got the dutch ovens going. For dinner, on Sunday we had brisket, mac and cheese, baked beans, and a peach cobbler. It was delicious. Kerry brought his family and Richard also stopped by. While we were eating I built another campfire. We sat around the campfire visiting until all the wood was gone.

On Monday morning we work up and Alison and I made french toast. We broke camp and dropped the trailer off in Ephraim to make the drive home a little easier. We stopped by the Fairview cemetery on our way out of town. Anna and George Jensen are in this cemetery. George worked for a sheepherder in Fairview and later worked for the state driving a snowplow. Coleen said that Clair and Kim look like George. It was a terrible shock when George died. Anna was really never the same. There were a lot of Tuckers (Anna's side of the family) and they were really close. They stayed close to Anna. The Tucker reunion used to be a big deal. The best way to describe Anna is that she was a gentle soul. She was kind as she could be and very humble. Blake and Debbie used to pick her up and take her to Ephraim for family parties. Nancy Joy is also in this cemetery and while Colleen was alive she did a lot of work tracing Nancy Joy's line. Coleen and Vail restored Nancy Joy's stone in the cemetery and every year we leave a flower. Debbie mapped out how Blake and Alison are related to Nancy Joy because it is can easily become a little confusing. Nancy Joy married James Tucker. They had a son named George Tucker. George Tucker married Emma Jane Hurst. They had a son named Byron Egbert Tucker who married Anna Geneva Ecklund. They had a daughter named Anna Pearl Tucker. She married George Jensen. They had a daughter named Anna Colleen Jensen (This is Alison's grandma.) Anna Colleen Jensen married Vail Howard. Blake Nielson is their son and is Alison's dad. That is how she is directly related to Nancy Joy.

We stopped by the Fairview museum before we left. I didn't expect it to be much of a museum, but it was actually really interesting. They have a wooly mammoth that was found 20 miles outside of Fairview. They also Avard Tennyson Fairbanks. We may have to go back when we have a little more time to explore this museum. I know Alison would have liked to spend more time there.

We hit terrible traffic coming through Spanish Fork canyon so we decided we would have to skip Payson this Memorial day. We did make one final stop in Springville to visit my Grandma Pat's grave. I really loved my Grandma Pat and I am grateful we stop and visit her grave every year. I always leave a purple flower because she loved the color purple. This year will mark 20 years since she passed away. Even though I was a young child when she died she has had a profound influence on my life. Before she died she left a letter she wrote to me with my mom. My mom gave me this letter when I turned 8. I treasure the letter and have often reread it. Included in the letter was her simple and sweet testimony:

The Savior has "Unconditional Love" for each one of us. As I have diligently read, pondered, and prayed about the truths of the Book of Mormon I have felt the love He has for me personally, despite my weaknesses. As I have tried to apply the teachings of the Book of Mormon in my life love and sweet peace have come, that which only our Savior can give. I would like to bear my testimony, that I know without a shadow of a doubt, that the Book of Mormon is true. You may also gain that Knowledge and feel the Love and Peace that can come; if you diligently study and pray about the truths found in the Book of Mormon. 

Patricia Johnson Troff

I am grateful for Memorial day and the opportunity we have to remember our loved ones. Each year we visit the cemeteries and tell these stories. In a way, they live on in our memories through the stories that we tell. It is our way of showing how much we love them. What a blessing it is to know that we will get to see them again through the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.