Last weekend, I was in Pine Valley, Utah—a little mountainside hamlet about 35 miles north of St. George, Utah. Two of my children and their spouses joined me as I dedicated a preserved and freshly refurbished pioneer-era home.
Built by my great-great-grandfather Robert Gardner Jr., this lovely little place has both personal and historical significance. Robert, who ran a prosperous mill in the Salt Lake Valley and had a picture-perfect farm in the beautiful cotton area of the new city, was called to leave everything behind and come down to this area to harvest pinewood for the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
According to family tradition, when he first heard of his call to Pine Valley, he took his hat off, thought for a minute, and then decided that since the work he would do was for the Lord, he would accept the assignment and make his way south—whatever the hardship. He ended up serving as a bishop in Pine Valley for 40 years (a calling that included serving three other far-flung congregations)—and as mayor of St. George all at the same time. He also played a critical role in the building of the St. George Temple.
The story of his determination and many sacrifices, and those of his wife, my great-great grandmother Leanora Cannon Gardner, still inspires me and my children today. We hope in our day to be as willing to “go and do” as were these beloved ancestors.
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dyejo
