The Family History One

March 16, 2015

Hey Folks! Hope you've all had a stellar week! 

Things here in Argentina are great. I don’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve written. Sorry. I am still here in Cipolletti. Our area is doing alright. We are looking for new investigators and doing all that we can to make the work progress. It’s hard but I am loving it and know that the Lord will bless us for our efforts.

This week, I wanted to share an experience about Family History work. My family history work is basically all done until the... I don’t know, but really far back. Due to that, I never took much interest in knowing about my ancestors. I was crazy. I invite you all to go and look and learn a little more about your ancestors. It’s cool stuff. Want to know what I learned this week?? I learned that my family (on both sides) joined the church VERY early and their conversion stories are incredible. 

On the Clifford side, I learned that my great-great-great-great grandfather, John Price Clifford was living in Kentucky. One of his sons had a dream in which a personage appeared to him and ask him if he had ever heard a Mormon Elder preach. He said, "No." He then asked John if he would like to hear one and John said, "Yes."   This personage told John that he would have the privilege of hearing the true gospel of Jesus Christ preached by a Mormon Elder on the 14th of February and promised John Price Clifford that all who believed would have the privilege of being baptized. John asked, "If I believe when can I be baptized?" and the personage said, "On the 16th day of February." Ya know what?? A "Preacher" came to town later and called them asking for a school to preach in. Turns out he was a Mormon missionary. The family offered their home for him to preach in and they were all baptized the 16th of February, two days later. They moved to Nauvoo and 3 of them joined the Mormon Battalion and they all made it to Utah except one who died.

On the Garlick side of my family, nearly the same. My great-great-great-great grandmother had a dream in which she saw two preachers. She heard a voice say "these are true messengers of God. Hear them and obey." One week later the Elders show up in Providence, Penn. where they were living. Elders William Boisley and John Fleming Wakefield taught them and they were baptized on the 5th August 1837. After converting, they were forced to move due to persecutions and had to leave with nothing basically. They went to Nauvoo where Joseph Gaston Garlick was offered a job by Hyrum Smith. He got to know the Prophet Joseph Smith and Hyrum very well. As it turns out, my great-great-great grandfather Joseph Gaston Garlick, was at Carthage Jail when Hyrum and Joseph Smith were killed. He was a personal witness. He watched Joseph fall from the window.

I can't explain how amazing it is to know the history of my family. And it was right there just waiting for me to open it up. I invite you all to do the same. The Spirit of Elijah is real. As we learn about of family histories, we can find peace in what we're doing. We can be sure that our lives, really aren’t that hard. I am so grateful for those that suffered so much before me. For their faith to continue so that today I can experience the joys of this gospel. I know it’s true. It can't not be.

I love you all so much. I’m grateful for your examples.

Elder Clifford