Pioneer Days

Pioneer Day is a big deal in St. Anthony.  They have a parade, a community play and a rodeo over a three day period.  Layne's uncle Merrill (Mutt) was the mayor in St. Anthony for sixteen years.  He was known for yelling from the side lines, "Throw...more...candy!"   It was so fun to watch him, watch the parade.  Sadly, he died on April 30th.  He was made an honorary Grand Marshall for the parade this year.  His family rode on this float and threw out 150 pounds of candy.  It brought a tear to many eyes as they drove by.  

The 24th of July Parade is definitely a double edged sword in our community.  We love to go and watch the parade, but we dread being in charge of the float.  One Sunday in June, Layne got a call from the Elders Quorum president asking to meet.  So Layne got on his shirt and tie expecting he was getting a new calling.  He came home with a frown on his face, "They want me to help with the float..." 

The week after the parade one of our high counselors gave our fifth Sunday lesson and he spoke of how we moan and groan about putting on the festivities for the 24th, from doing the float to parking cars for the rodeo or doing concessions.  Each ward is given a different assignment each year.  And yet, we just keep doing it every year and we are glad we have done it once it is done.  Because it is just what we do.  

This reminded me of a talk a new member gave in our ward.  They moved here from Pennsylvania a year ago.  They met a senior missionary couple out there who offered to tutor their daughter in math.  They offered to pay the couple and they told them, "No, this is just what we do."  They couldn't understand it, but since moving out here and becoming members they can't get over the community we live in.  She refers to it as "living in the book of Acts"  because of all the service that everyone does without even thinking of it.  

This sister was my visiting teacher last year and she shared an experience she had with my family in a talk she gave.  I had actually just been taken off her beat when I got a call from her asking if she could bring us dinner.  I couldn't imagine why she would bring us dinner.  She wasn't even my visiting teacher anymore.   We don't need dinner.  We take dinner to other people in need.  I told her that it was actually our anniversary that week and so Layne was taking me out to dinner.  She told me she actually already had it made and asked if she could just drop it off for us to eat later.  I told her that would be fine.  When I got home and found it sitting on the counter we couldn't resist eating the delicious homemade chili served over rice, which we had never eaten that way before.   I later found out that since Layne worked with her husband he had mentioned that my Dad had been in the hospital and I had stayed overnight with him.   So she wanted to do something nice for us.  I learned the rest of the story when she gave her talk.   After she dropped the meal off her husband told her she was just glowing.  She said, "I am a Mormon, it is just what we do!"  

So even though we grumble and groan about helping with the float or taking meals, or serving in a calling we don't really like, the fact is we do it any way.  Because is is just what we do, and I am glad.

The theme of the parade this year was  "They The Builder's of the Nation"  Tanner got called on at the last minute to ride the float since his friend had to play in a baseball tournament.  Luckily we was able to use Zak's tool belt and  hard hat from work.

Our float depicted all the different builders of the nations from the pioneers, doctors, missionaries, military service men, business men and carpenters.  The front had a silhouette of a church and the back of the capital building.  The middle had the scriptures and the Declaration of Independence. 

Karlee and her friend Brilee got to carry one of the banner's.

We are lucky that Layne's Aunt Veda Mae lives right on the parade route.  So we get to watch from her front yard.  Then afterwards we have a pot luck picnic.  Layne was having fun with Ranel's daughter, Addie, by blowing on her back to make her smile.

Shay's first year of many to come with our family at the parade.