пи<html><body bgcolor="white"> <h4>HEBER & DELECTA BURTON REUNION PROGRAM</h4> WELCOME: BETH; announces that following the program there will be a Family History Meeting for those who are interested and activities outside before dinner for the rest. PRAYER: SHAUNA OLD FOLKS, YOUNG FOLKS : MARY JEANNE leads audience. (Start with Old Folks, Young Folks & Sing Chorus-1st Verse. Between each verse will be 1 minute for a quick tribute for each member of Heber s and Delecta s family &then on to the next verse. Ending with Chorus) VISITS FROM THE ANCESTORS: ALICE AND CAST GRANNY: Welcome, welcome!! It is so nice to have so many come to see your old Grandmother. My name is Ann Bannerman Ballantyne. Richard is my son who started Sunday schools. My daughters Jane and Annie became wives of John Taylor. Now do you remember us? GRANNY: Look at the walls &see the families! Is your family up there? And the pedigree charts!! All these names are real live people, but some of us are waiting for you in the world of spirits. We had some happy times; we had some struggles. Everybody s story is a little bit different, but in a way the same. Our family has always had a special type of strength &.strength that seems to have come through in blood lines &generation after generation. I know, I have been watching you and making a record of our family s strengths. I made a list somewhere & (Looks at book) (Athlete comes out on stage and does a posing routine to music. Old Folks, Young Folks ) GRANNY: (Sees athlete...gets up and peers at him. He looks at her as she says: I know you. You are __________ &__________ s son and the Grandson of __________. My, what a fine specimen! You have a very strong body. (to the audience) Many of our family have been blessed with good health and strong bodies. I ll add that to my list. (Writes in book.) (To Ryan) I am glad you showed up. Thanks &that was a strength I hadn t thought about. ( Strong Bodies stone put in place) (Anne to have children put up stones.) (Athlete exits. Granny continues in book) GRANNY: I heard you sing the song about your parents and grandparents. What fun stories. Do you know who their father is? Here on the pedigree sheet: (Points him out.) Heber Fielding Burton. I invited him to show up today &Heber, are you back there? Come out here and meet these fine people. (Heber makes his entrance) HEBER FIELDING BURTON: (Quinn Biesinger) Hello there! I m Heber Fielding Burton. I understand you all belong to me. That is pretty incredible. Delecta and I really started something! GRANNY: They know your name &tell them about yourself. HEBER: I was born in Salt Lake City March 6, 1868. We lived there until my father had to take his wives and flee for safety because polygamy had been outlawed & and the Marshalls were coming. The Wyoming governor invited us to come there because Mormon s make good settlers and Wyoming needed something besides cowboys! High in the mountains of Wyoming is a place called Star Valley. It was so beautiful . . . but was hard to get to when I was a boy. That was a blessing for our family; the marshals didn t follow us. It was a large group to move and do it secretly &but we were successful. If not, my father could have been thrown into prison; leaving our family with no support Father had three wives, all sisters! Some of the older children were ready to go to high school, so the decision was made to leave aunt Rachel in Ogden for the school year and just move my mother, Ellen s, and Aunt Sarah Ann s families to Wyoming. We loved star valley and having so many cousins! Papa had 30 children all together. When we were ready for high school we d go to Ogden and in the summer everyone would come to star valley to help with summer chores, like haying and milking cows and feeding baby calves and lambs. It was here I met your grandmother, Mary Delecta Ballantyne. (Mary Biesinger enters and stands next to Heber. He puts his arm around her.) Her family had also had to flee the marshals. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple in December of 1898 and settled down in Afton, Wyoming, there in Star Valley. A little over a year later we had our first child, Esther. Others followed every two years until our brood totaled eight &three sons and five daughters. They were good years. DELECTA: Yes, they were good. Your grandfather was a hard worker and very good provider. I would say one of our strengths was the ability to work hard. (Post stone saying Work ). He farmed, raised sheep, & silver foxes for cash crops. At home we had chickens and all the farm animals. We grew our own vegetables; had cows for milk and butter; raised cattle and sheep for meat. We tried to be self-sufficient. We made our own bread and sewed our own clothes. Our children all had responsibilities and learned not only to work, but to love to work. HEBER: Every Saturday, the farmers would gather and check on the widows. They would take a load of hay, chopped wood and whatever meat, vegetables and flour the sisters would need for the next week. I believe another strength was kindness. (Put Kindness stone in place.) I DELECTA: Our home was always open. We had a family by the name of Dutson living in the house next door to our farm. I remember one year at Thanksgiving time &.Brother Dutson developed pneumonia. It happened like this & (They go back to the kitchen area. Their children join them. A knock comes at the door.) CHILD: Brother Burton, my father is very ill. Can you come and give him a blessing? HEBER: Yes, of course. (Leaves with the child. The family prepares for their evening meal. Soon Heber returns with five children) HEBER: (To Delecta) Brother Dutson is in very serious condition. Sister Dutson is on the very of collapse from his care. Can we keep the children until things get better there? DELECTA: (To Children) Come in children. We were just getting ready to eat. After dinner I will show you where you will sleep. Mary Ellen, get some more plates. Come and join us and we will say a prayer for your father and mother. (They all sit down at the table &bow heads for prayer) The DUTSON family was with us until after their father died. Then since they had no money for rent, your grandfather Heber built the family a home next to their grandparents in a Grover in another part of Star Valley. I believe you could say Service and hospitality were other family strengths. ( Service and Hospitality stones put in place.) (Children exit- Delecta and Heber come forward.) HEBER: Life was good to us. We had plenty. DELECTA: Heber was fascinated by the invention of the automobile. HEBER: Come see my Model T. It is a fantastic machine &I will show you. (Heber goes off stage and with Delecta s help they push on a cardboard cutout of car.) DELECTA: ( To audience) He just had to have one, but it terrified me. I never did trust it. HEBER: Come children, let s go for a ride. (Eight children come out pushing chairs which they line up right behind car. They are cheering & let s go , etc.) (Heber cranks engine and makes noises as though the car is running. Pretends to drive it as children bump and jerk and giggle as if on a country road.) DELECTA: Oh, Heber, this hill is too steep. We ll never make it. HEBER: Of course, we will &just watch. DELECTA: (Closes eyes as though praying and starts saying loudly) I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN!!! HEBER: Delecta you can open your eyes, we are at the top of the hill. DELECTA: (Eyes still shut) I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could!! (Both laugh and get out of car. Kids put off chairs and remove car.) HEBER: I think your grandmother prayed more for that car than anything else. And I could always use her positive thinking & I think I can/I thought I could. I guess you could say she had a strength called Positive Thinking. But she had more that that, she had Faith . (Post Faith Stone) DELECTA: Evenings were always spent together. We would pop popcorn, recite poetry, tell stories and gather around the piano and sing. It was almost like a family home evening every evening. Come children &join us. Let s sing something these folks might know. (Heber and Delecta sing introduction - as sung by Tab choir on the Peace Like a River CD) to A Child s Prayer Girls & Delecta sing first part. Boys and Heber sing second part. Delecta invites audience to join them when song is combined. Music will be on song sheets.) HEBER: I would say another family strength is in their love of good music. (Post Music stone. DELECTA: We all loved those evenings and grew very close. You might say family unity is another strength. (Post Family Unity ) (A knock is heard. William Walton Burton Mark Buchanan - enters) CHILDREN: (Run to him) Grandpa, Grandpa! (He greets them with hugs and pats on the head.) DELECTA: Say good night to your Grandfather Burton. It is past your bed time. CHILDREN: Good night, Grandpa! (Exit with Delecta) HEBER: Father, these are some folks you will want to meet. (Motions to audience) This is a part of your posterity. WILLIAM: Greetings! My name is William Walton Burton. Yes, the polygamist who married three sisters! (To Granny) Thank you for suggesting that I come, Grandmother Ballantyne. These all are mine? GRANNY: Yes, and as you can see, this was an opportunity too good to miss. We are telling these folks about our family and the strengths that seem to run in our family and which they have within themselves if they will look for them. Can you introduce yourself and let them get to know you and perhaps some of your strengths? WILLIAM: I was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, in March of 1833. I had very little schooling &but I did learn to read. We were very poor and I had to go to work with my father when I was seven or eight. In a short time I had almost forgotten how to read. I heard my father talk about the ignorant men &the ones who could not read. They had very poor jobs and struggled to survive. I decided I did not want to be like them. I still had to work, but would spend my evenings reading everything I could find. When I would find someone who had a special skill I would ask them to teach me. My cousins took a mathematics course. I could not afford the course, but they were good enough to teach me. I would say one of my strengths was a desire for a good education. ( Education stone is posted.) WILLIAM: (continues) Missionaries came to our town and taught the truths of the Gospel. I felt it was true and was baptized. Immediately I began to share the truths I had learned. The scriptures became my study volume to improve my reading. I went on several visits to relatives and shared the Gospel with them. But then my father died and I hurried home broken-hearted. I needed to help support my family. Shortly afterward I was called on mission there in England. I did not see how I could possibly go; but my mother assured me the Lord would provide . It wasn t easy for her, but God did provide! I had many wonderful experiences on my mission, but many times I went hungry, slept in haystacks, and was persecuted. It was not an easy time. However, there were many who accepted the Gospel truths and were baptized. I felt blessed to be able to serve the Lord in this way. Didn t I see a chart as I was coming in that listed missions served by many of you? I believe we have a family strength of Missionary Work . (Places Missionary Work stone) WILLIAM: After my mission I boarded a ship to go to Zion &or in other words &Utah. It was a rough voyage. We survived a hurricane; a small pox epidemic; poor food; and limited water. Many people died. But we kept on going! We landed in New Orleans and headed up the Mississippi River to Independence, Missouri. From there I joined a wagon train and worked my way across the plains to Salt Lake City. It was a hard thing to do without any family. I never thought of myself as a brave man, but as I met each challenge, I guess I found I had a sort of Courage . As I watch you, I see you doing the same so I think we could say that courage is one of the strengths we were blessed with. (Posts Courage stone) When I arrived in Utah, I was met by my brother. He had immigrated a few years earlier and I worked with him for about two years. He was afraid I was inclined to be a bachelor and told me I needed to find a wife. Here my courage failed me. I could teach, preach and baptize &but don t ask me to have a personal relationship with a woman. I did not know where to start. When I was helping with some of my brother s business I saw Rachel Fielding. I had a very strong impression that she would become my wife. Later I learned she had had some premonitions also &even a dream encouraging her toward me. If only I had known, it would have been so much easier. & (William walks off stage) GRANNY: He decided he needed to go to South Millcreek (Draper Area) to get better acquainted with Rachel. He lived in Ogden. He had no horse & had to walk. He first went to Salt Lake. Here he spent the night with a Bishop s family. The next morning he continued his trip. He was very nervous as he walked up the lane to the Fielding home. (Joseph Fielding, Rachel, Ellen, & Sarah enter and sit at the table) (William knocks [off stage sound effect]. Rachel answers the door. ) RACHEL: (Very nervous) May I help you? WILLIAM: Uh. Uh &.May I have a drink of water? RACHEL: (Passing him the water) Here you go!! Is there anything else I can do for you? WILLIAM: (Drinks water and stammers nervously) &No thank you. (Walks OFF STAGE. FAMILY FREEZES) GRANNY: I don t think he felt very courageous. He was very disappointed in himself and as he walked the 30 miles home again, made a plan to insure his success. A few weeks later he made the trip again this time arriving on Saturday evening so the family would have to ask him to spend the Sabbath! WILLIAM: (Enters and resolutely knocks at the door and is invited in. Goes through motions of greeting people. Does not talk to Rachel directly.) GRANNY: He spent the rest of the day and was invited to spend the Sabbath. The next morning Rachel s Father, Joseph Fielding, and William went alone to priesthood meeting ahead of the women. (Men sit in wagon) JOSEPH FIELDING: You re very quiet this morning, Brother Burton. Do you have something on your mind? WILLIAM: Yes, sir. I would like your permission to marry Rachel. JOSEPH FIELDING: What does my daughter think of the idea? WILLIAM: I haven t asked her yet. I was hoping you would do it for me! JOSEPH FIELDING: (Taking pity on the shy suitor) Come back next weekend and we will discuss it. I will mention it to her &however, some things a man must do for himself. WILLIAM: I will be back! GRANNY: And he was! (Knocks at door; Rachel answers.) RACHEL: Won t you come in. WILLIAM: Perhaps you could come out and we could talk. (They walk for a minute in silence. William is definitely nervous, but finally speaks) Did your father talk to you? RACHEL: He did. WILLIAM: Well . . . RACHEL: My parents think you would make a good husband so on the advice of my parents, I consent . . . on one condition. WILLIAM: What is that? RACHEL: If I marry you &will you also marry my sister, Ellen? We have made a pact never to be separated, even in marriage. WILLIAM: (Stunned Silence) . . . I will &but may I take you one at a time? GRANNY: And so they were married. Their lives were a struggle those first few years. (William and Rachel kneel together they get hoes and pretend to hoe a garden. Perhaps could brush off and stamp on grass hoppers. William will need to bring in some bunches of dandelions when Granny talks about living off roots and weeds.) William knew little of farming &but rented a farm, made some crude furniture and the two worked energetically to build their future. There were drought and plagues of grasshoppers. Often they lived off weeds and bulbs. Several years passed. The struggle continued. Finally Rachel came to William. RACHEL: Willie, I have been praying, and I believe if you will marry my sister we will began to prosper. GRANNY: And he did! (Ellen comes out and joins them. They sit at the table.) After that, they things went much better for them. GRANNY: A few years later. Grandpa Fielding, paid them a visit and asked to talk to William. (Joseph knocks at door. William opens it. Pantomime greeting daughters and shaking hands of William) JOSEPH: The settlements are very short of worthy men. You have made such a fine husband for my daughters. Would you consider taking the last one also? WILLIAM: (Laughing) She is a lovely girl. If my wives approve I would be honored to marry, Sarah Ann. RACHEL & ELLEN: (Nod and murmur their approval) Sarah enters and joins other wives who greet her with a hug; music starts and they begin to sing: Sisters then exit. WILLIAM: Being married to three women was not my desire or my design. But many men had been killed in the mob violence in Missouri and Illinois. Women did need husbands and families. When the prophet revealed that Plural Marriage was the will of the Lord; we did as we were asked and blessings followed. We did have a family motto: The commandments were made to be kept. One of our strengths in our family was the strength of obedience. ( Obedience stone posted.) (William exits.) GRANNY: For many years their family prospered. Then the United States government outlawed polygamy. It was a difficult time for the family. When the marshals would arrive in an area telegrams would be sent warning the men in the area in code to get out or get caught. Many were imprisoned. The families in the Salt Lake Valley had to work together for the protection of the men practicing plural marriage. One of the Ballantyne families tells this story: (Sister Ballantyne enters with a crop of children. A man comes running through the audience. He comes up on the stage. ) MAN: Sister Ballantyne &the marshals are after me, can you hide me? SISTER BALLANTYNE: Of course! Come children watch for the marshals while I find a place to hide this good man! (Kids peer out into audience while the two of them try to find a spot to hide him.) (Marshals enter at the back and start searching the audience-under chairs, etc. They are shouting things like Alright where is he? ) KIDS: I see the marshals! They are coming s coming, Mama! SISTER BALLANTYNE: Kneel down on all fours. MAN: But & SISTER BALLANTYNE: Just kneel. (He kneels &she sits down on his back and picks up the afghan she is knitting and makes sure his feet are covered.) MARSHAL: (Knocks on door and walks in. Kids hide behind mother.) SISTER BALLANTYNE: Good day, Marshal. What can I do for you? MARSHAL: You know what you can do!! Where is he? I saw him come this way! SISTER BALLANTYNE: Who are you looking for? MARSHAL: One of those rotten polygamists. SISTER B: You have my permission to search the entire house. (Marshals loudly search find nothing.) MARSHAL: I can t believe he isn t here. But he can t be far. He ll be sorry when we catch up with him. (Storms out of the door.) (Sister Ballantyne waits for a few minutes until they are gone.) SISTER BALLANTYNE: You can get up now; they are gone. Are you all right? (Helps him up & rather tentatively rubs his back). Would you like some supper? (Group exits) GRANNY: Our family has some real creativity in it, and has had for generations! (Put up Creative stone.) GRANNY: The Ballantynes are unusual people. I should know I was married to one &David Ballantyne. I met him just after his wife had died. His children were all married and he was so lonely. I was acquainted with lots of younger men &but David captured my heart. He towered over six feet and was so vigorous! He was 60 years old and I was only 19, but I loved him dearly. He shocked the whole village when he announced at age 74 that his wife had just given birth to a fine son &their fifth child. That was one of your great grandfathers &Richard Ballantyne. What can I tell you about Richard!? I am so proud of him. Let me see & (Richard comes out and taps her on the shoulder.) RICHARD: Would you like me to tell my own story? GRANNY: Why, Richard you did come! Yes, please tell them about yourself. RICHARD: Let me finish telling you about this grandmother of yours. (Puts his hand on her shoulder) When they got married, my father, through his careful management and hard work, was a man of property, but shortly after I was born he lost it all because he put it up as security for one of his friends and the friend couldn t pay his debt. Everything Father had was put up for auction. After that my family had a pretty rough time. Father hired out as a laborer even though he was past 75 years old! Mother gave birth to two more little girls, and then, when I was eleven---my father died. We were very poor, but this Scottish lassie believed in being self-sufficient. We took care of our own. Peter, my oldest brother, left home to work on a farm. He worked terribly long hours until the strain became too much, and Peter had to be hospitalized, a permanent invalid. But Mother managed. Jane hired out as a domestic servant and to pay the rent on our cottage, Mother spent a month a year at harvest. She did not want anyone, including her children, to think of us as poor. Even when we went to church we looked like little princes because of her patching and remodeling efforts. I believe one of our family strengths is being independent. (Post Independent stone). RICHARD: (Continues) Because of my father s financial problems I started work at a very young age, herding cattle when I was 7, gardening for a neighbor, and then when was 10 years old, working 10 hours a day as a farm laborer. Do you know how much I was paid? Ten cents a day! When I was 14, I was apprenticed to a baker and within five years had my own bakery. Finally I had some money in my pocket and could care for my family! We had always been very religious. My father couldn t even take a drink of water without thanking the Lord, first! However, none of the churches seemed to agree with the Bible. None convinced me they had an answer to the burning within me. I had to know the truth? I joined the Presbyterian Church and became Ruling Elder in the parish so I could devote myself to God. I discovered that the principals of Christ were not well known in the parish, and the children were growing up without the benefit of a Christian education. I was so concerned I got permission to organize a Sunday school in a nearby village where the children were particularly wild and increased my study and prayers as I was not well educated myself. When I heard rumors about a new prophet in America, I basically ignored them until I met elder Orson Pratt of this new faith. For one whole year I studied and prayed until I knew I had found the truth and was baptized along with my mother, brothers and sisters. We suddenly were very unpopular in our community, but the lord opened the way and we were able to sell all we owned, including the bakery, we had enough to immigrate to America, even taking Peter. It was an adventure! We boarded a boat and crossed the Atlantic Ocean, docking at New Orleans in the mouth of the Mississippi River. From there we took a river boat up to Nauvoo. It was a beautiful and very organized city. One of the first people I met, as we got off the boat, was the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was a glowing and powerful man &truly a prophet! After a failed business attempt when I didn t listen carefully, I followed the prophet s advice and began to work in a Coach and Carriage company. For a time Nauvoo prospered, but soon the mobs came and we began building wagons and handcarts so we could leave as soon as our Temple was finished. Then the Prophet Joseph Smith was shot along with his brother Hyrum. It was a terrifying time. In the midst of the confusion that followed their deaths, as I was going for a load of flour with two other church members, we were accosted by the mob. GRANNY: Yes, it was a terrifying time. He simply disappeared. We were certain he had been killed. (Richard walks to the center of the stage as mobbers enter and grab him. They tie his hands and taunt him. Pointing and poking him with their guns.) MOBBERS: Mor-mon---mormon- ANOTHER MOBBER (enters): The Mormons are coming. 2nd MOBBER: Let s get out of here. (They drag Richard out and force him at gun-point off the stage, out through the audience and back around to the stage.) GRANNY: Two weeks passed with Richard and his friends being driven, beaten and hidden. Finally the leaders of the mobs decided it was time to kill their prisoners. (Pantomime some movement and rough treatment on the floor in front of stage.) MOBBER: All right you Mormon &will you deny Old Joe Smith s claims? Deny that he saw the angel and that there was a Golden Bible or you will die! RICHARD: I will not. It is truth and I will never deny the truth! (Richard closes his eyes and folds his arms in prayer. MOBBER: Then prepare to die! (Mobber aims rifle at Richard) MOBBER 2: The Mormons are coming. We gotta get out of here! (They poke Richard in the back and are on the run again. They exit reenter and collapse in front of the stage.) MOBBER: Have the others stand guard. We need some rest. (Two others take over guard duty and the head mobbers exit.) GRANNY: The new guards were not as violent as the others. RICHARD: (As the head mobbers leave) I have had enough. I am tired of all of this and am going home. Shoot if you must...I am leaving! (Guards shrug and follow Richard off stage.) GRANNY: The guards were also sick of the whole business &they arranged for a wagon and later a boat to take him home. We were so thrilled when he came up the path to the house. We knew we had to leave Nauvoo and we needed him desperately. Richard was a changed man. Persecution either exposes cowards or cements allegiance to a cause. For Richard it would add fuel to his already burning faith. I believe here we could determination to our list of strengths. ( Determination stone put in place.) He also could never deny what he knew was true. (Add Integrity stone to the monument.) Two months later business had been settled and we packed all the household goods we could carry and crossed the Mississippi. Looking back on Nauvoo and our beautiful temple, we knew it was a dead city. GRANNY: And so began our trek to the Salt Lake Valley. We joined a wagon train headed for Winter Quarters and Richard was given camp responsibilities. One evening as he walked through the camp he noticed a slender dark haired girl. Her name was Huldah Meriah Clark. It didn t take him long to get acquainted and chase off the others seeking her attention. She informed the girls in the company that she was going to marry him. After their arrival in Winter Quarters, the two were married in February 1847. By the time they left for the trek west in the spring of 1848, Huldah was very pregnant and in June she had her first son in a covered wagon. But all was not well. The infant struggled to survive for many days in the heat and prairie dust. (Richard enters with Huldah and infant; takes child from Huldah comes forward on stage and kneels as narration is read.) Finally Richard headed for the privacy of some nearby woods, cradling the infant in his arms, and gave his son a blessing, promising the Lord he would dedicate his son to the service of God if he could just be healed. His prayer was answered and the baby, Richard Alando Ballantyne, lived to fulfill that promise and become one of your great grandfathers. ( Richard gives Huldah the baby and they sit at the table) The wagon train reached the valley and Richard built a rough cabin. Crops were planted but did not do well. The Ballantynes were hungry for the first four years, surviving on weeds and roots. They were going to have to fight to make a home in this desert. In the midst of the struggle for survival an idea was brewing in Richard s head. RICHARD: (Richard and Huldah are sitting at the table. She is holding a baby. Richard Alando(age 4) is playing nearby. Richard stands up) Huldah, I keep remembering the children in Scotland. They loved coming to Sunday School. I see the children here; their parents are having such a hard time, the children are being neglected. They are just as needy for the teachings of Jesus Christ as were those children back home. I want to do something about it. HULDAH: How is it possible to add this to our struggle for survival? (Stands up and comes to talk to him.) RICHARD: I want to build a new home for us that will be big enough for the school. I m sure the Lord will bless us. Will you help me? HULDAH: I will do all I can. You will need to get it cleared by the Bishop. (Richard leaves and Huldah moves the tables and chairs out of the way.) GRANNY: Not only the bishop, but also the General Authorities were in favor of the idea of a Sunday School for the children. Richard and Huldah built their home, brought trees from the canyon for landscaping, and invited the children to come to Sunday School. RICHARD: Would all the children come forward and be part of the first Sunday School? (Children can come forward and will sit on the floor of the stage. Facing the children, Richard and Huldah begin to teach.) RICHARD: I want to welcome you to Sunday School. While we are here we will be learning about Jesus. Huldah, will you help me start with a song? (Richard and Huldah sing Jesus Once Was a Little Child ) Can you sing the last part with us? (Repeat chorus) Once upon a time in the little town of Bethlehem, a baby was born . . . (strains of Away in a Manger are heard as scene briefly freezes.) RICHARD: Before you go back to your parents, would you sing me one of the songs you sing today? What song do you know? CHILD: Could we sing I am a Child of God? We all know that. (Children stand and sing. Huldah and Richard listen; then motion for the audience to join on the third verse.) Children are invited to return to audience. Richard and Huldah re-set tables and chairs and freeze at the table. GRANNY: Richard would leave shortly to go on a difficult mission to India. Then back home to a life of living the gospel, supporting his family and especially continuing to teach children. How he loved the children AND he did have a sense of humor. He loved to play pranks &especially on April Fools day. (Huldah gets up and leaves the room. Richard stands and stretches.) RICHARD: I do believe it is the 1st day of April. One of my favorite days &April Fool s day. Let me see what prank can I play on Huldah? (Looks around for a minute.) RICHARD: I know. (Picks up sugar bowl &bowl with sugar written on it. Dumps it in another bowl. Picks up carton of salt and fills the bowl. Then proceeds to pretend to read.) (Huldah enters &pretends to get a bowl of oatmeal. Puts on the sugar and takes a taste.) HULDAH: (Gags and chokes.) Oh my goodness! That tastes awful! (Puts finger in bowl to taste the sugar &discovers the salt.) Richard!! Is it Aprils Fools Day? RICHARD: (Breaks out laughing) Yes, my dear, it is!! Did you enjoy your cereal?(Huldah shakes her finger at him) (They both laugh) (Hug) GRANNY: A good laugh seemed to help them survive the struggles of pioneer living. Laughter is such a healing balm. A sense of humor is a very important strength. (Put Sense of Humor stone in place.) Richard was not the only strong one in the family. Huldah had strengths of her own! (Young girl &Tiffani Reilly &enters dusting the room. She sees a snake on the table and starts to scream!!) TIFFANI: (Screaming) Mama, mama &help...a snake!! (Backs against side of stage.) HULDAH: (Comes in running) Oh my goodness!! (Runs to side of the stage and grabs a shovel.) (Sweeps snake off table and beats it to death. Picks it up with shovel and tosses it off the stage into audience.) HULDAH: (Hugs Tiffani) It s okay, daughter, you just have to let it know who is the boss!! (They exit.) GRANNY: As we have seen, life continued to be a challenge, even after coming to the Salt Lake Valley. Sickness took many of the Saints. The Ballantynes were not to be passed over. One day Richard and Huldah s son, David Henry, became very ill. (Huldah bustles in and David Henry drags behind her.) DAVID HENRY: Mama, I don t feel good. HULDAH: (Feels forehead) You are burning up! Come lie down and let me help you. (Lays him down on a quilt and covers him. She gets a glass of water and damp cloth to wipe his face.) RICHARD: (Enters seeing David) David? What seems to be the problem? HULDAH: He is running a high fever. Oh Richard, help us. Please give him a blessing. (Richard lays his hands on his head and pretends to bless him.) HULDAH: Could you please go for a doctor? He seems to be getting weaker. RICHARD: My horse is still saddled. Please, God, let him get well. (exits) GRANNY: Richard went for the doctor and he did all he could but David was not to be spared. After all they could do, he went back to live with Heavenly Father.. (Richard returns and feels his son. Checks him out and covers his head with a blanket &signifying that he had died. Huldah breaks down and Richard holds her.) GRANNY: Huldah was heartbroken. Years later as she would be alone; Richard would find her weeping for her son. (Huldah kneels to pray and again breaks down. Richard enters &puts his arm around her shoulders and helps her off stage.) GRANNY: Any one who has lost someone dear to them & particularly a spouse or a child can relate to the pain the Huldah was feeling. However, perhaps this too is a strength. Within our family we have a deep ability to love. If we did not, parting would not be so difficult. I do believe the ability to love is the greatest strength of all. (The stone of Love is put in place.) Over the years I have loved to peak in and listen when one of my posterity is receiving a Patriarchal blessing. I remember once when two granddaughters were receiving blessings. Both were told they were cherished as a child . To be cherished &that is a wonderful blessing --- even greater than just being loved. I would like you to think about the grandparents that have been introduced to you today. (Cast gradually begins to drift out on the stage). We are real people who lived many years ago . . . normal every day people. We laughed; we cried; we made mistakes and we repented; we had hurt feelings and we learned to forgive. These strengths are our legacy to you. Now we are watching to see what you are adding to that legacy. We are so proud of you as we watch you learning the lessons on your journey through life. New lines grow on the family tree as you marry and begin new families and new strengths are added for your posterity to build on. You have your own challenges and difficulties that we are glad we didn t have to face. Your world is much different and in many ways harder, but we see you facing your challenges and developing strengths just as we did. Our blessing for you, our children, is that you cherish each other. Help each other. Love and forgive each other. Will you do that for us? MARY JEANNE FROM AUDIENCE: Can we do that? (Pause and looks around the audience) I think we can. Remember what Jesus taught? ( Piano begins: Love One Another ; granny motions to cast and audience to sing) After the song, David Workman comes to the front and offers the closing prayer) (