Girls’ Camp
Summer is here and Girl’s Camp has arrived! This is Alayna’s most favorite time of year! She LOVES nature, camping, hiking…all the things! This is her happy place. And where faith, testimony, and relationship with her Father in Heaven is strengthened in ways only this setting provides. She looks forward to it every year!!
This year a few of the girls were asked to find an ancestor/pioneer in their family they could share with everyone. Alayna chose her 4th great-grandmother on her maternal line. I’ll share what she wrote:
My name is Margaret Ann Taylor Goodman. I was born June 20, 1841, in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England. My parents were George Edward Grove and Ann Wicks Taylor.
When I was seven years old, two missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to our city and held gatherings where they spoke of the Lord’s teachings. My family believed what we were taught and were soon baptized, becoming devout members of the church.
My older brother traveled to the United States, obtaining employment and building a mortuary in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was able to help my family with our passage to the States. We immigrated to Utah in September of 1863. We walked the plains, a long and treacherous journey, but found our new home to be worth the struggles we faced.
I kept myself busy with agricultural work, spinning, weaving, and knitting, and was quite the seamstress. It was February 27, 1864, when I married my darling William Nicholas Goodman whom I had known from England.
He was a carpenter by trade and assisted with the work done on the Logan and Salt Lake Temples. I had the honor of mothering eleven children, six girls and five boys. We moved to Minersville, Utah around the year 1875 where William was called to work on many different temples. He was also given the task of guarding President Brigham Young at one time, he served in the Black Hawk War and went on a mission to Great Britain for about a year all while I looked after the family.
I had a personal relationship with Brigham Young, having danced with him in quadrilles and I hosted many social events to entertain friends and family.
During our time in Minersville, I was sustained as a counselor in the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association and later I became the president.
However, in 1881, we decided to sell our home in Minersville, settling in, at first, Mesa, Arizona, and then St. David due to William’s declining health. Here, we found one of my sisters, Maria, living in a two-room house which she allowed us to share.
William, being a carpenter, soon had two large rooms built. He hired some help for the boys to make adobes. Early 1885, William had a stroke and after another he died on March 8, 1885. I was in poor health and had to sell our only cow to afford funeral expenses.
I had five dollars to my name and with that, I bought a few bars of soap and small articles which I sold in one of my rooms. From then on, I would add a little more and finally bought Mr. Beebe’s store which led into my life as a mercantile for thirty years under the name of “Grandma Goodman’s.”
One of my most memorable customers was none other than the notorious Apache Chief “Geronimo”, a daunting presence of violence toward American settlers. He came in to buy tobacco but there was none to be had. Days later, he came back, once again in want of some tobacco and candy, then started walking out without paying. He was braced with a pistol in my hand. He then put some money on the counter and I took what was needed, giving the rest back. It was later said that Geronimo feared no one but the Little Old Lady with the pistol.
I held many different positions in the L.D.S. Church: President of the Primary, President of the Relief Society, and teacher of Sunday School.
After my husband died, I did not worry about financial burdens. All I needed was family prayer. This kept my family together and I know I was greatly blessed unto the Lord.
I passed on March 29, 1926 after a weeks’ illness of pneumonia. I was 84 years old, a widow for 31 of them and a mother for 60. All of my children were at my bedside where I gave them encouragement and advice, urging them to live the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Latter Day Saints. I was buried in St. David beside my dear husband, William.
Margaret Ann Taylor Goodman is my 4th great grandma. She was a pioneer, a trailblazer and she believed greatly in the teachings of the church. She was kind and taught everyone around her how to be kind. Her courage and strength was unmatched and countless people have testified how much of a light she was in their lives. I try imagine what life would be like without a husband and with so many children to look after. Her unwavering faith and dedication is inspiring and I know that if I even had an ounce of what she had, my testimony would never falter. She has greatly impacted my testimony. Learning more about where I come from and the adversities my family had to face for me to be where I am today makes me feel so blessed and grateful. I know that my grandma would not have been able to do what she did if she did not have a solid foundation in Christ. I know His church is true and I know that He paves a way for us despite our challenges and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
She was quite the lady!!
The young women and young men got to do some of their activities together this year. They built boats, practiced shooting bows and arrows, went on hikes, swam, they had a blast!
And of course someone has to feed all these hungry teenagers. Sister Wilson is a master pro and a wonderful cook. You definitely want her on your team when you’re in charge of camp!
The final evening they typically do a devotional and a faith walk. This years was out of this world faith fortifying. Every single young woman who came back could not stop talking about how powerful and galvanizing it was for them. Their faith grew and their personal relationship with their Savior and Father in Heaven felt more tangible and real. It gave them a deeper sense of security, assurance, reliance, and confidence that They will always be there for them…no matter what.
Their testimonies buoyed my testimony. What an incredible experience for these young women!
They said there wasn’t a dry eye in the house that night! That’s how you really know the Spirit is there and witnessing to their hearts. 😉
So thankful for all the leaders who planned, prepared, and sacrificed of their time to make camp a huge success!
