Celebrating my pioneer heritage!

I have a wonderful heritage of pioneers.  I have lines in my father’s family that came to America on the Mayflower. Their descendants and others who immigrated helped to establish and build our country through the revolutionary war.  Some of these ancestors joined the church right here in America.  They were part of the early saints and helped to establish the Church.  Other lines from my father’s family in Ireland, Scotland, England, Switzerland and other European countries came to America after joining the Church.  My mother’s family came to Zion from Denmark and Sweden after joining the Church.  I am richly blessed by my heritage and the sacrifices and courage that my ancestors displayed.

I have numerous stories of courageous, dedicated, hard working, valiant people that I could share from both sides of my family.  I have chosen one to share with you even though every story holds a special place in my heart.  

Hans Ulrich Bryner, my great, great, great grandfather on my father’s side, was born 30 March 1806 in Basserderf, Switzerland.  He married Verena Wintsch in Zurich Switzerland in 26 March 1826.  They had 7 children.  Their home was a home of industry, obedience, prayer and good living.  Hans was a shoemaker.

The story of their lives is interesting and gives me a deep respect and gratitude for their faith and perseverance.  I wish I could add the entire story of their lives in greater detail.  

In 1837, Hans bought a farm.  They called it a large farm then, but years later in America, they found by western standards it wasn’t so large.  There was no mechanical machinery then so all had to be done by hand.  The boys were taught to prune, plow and mow while the two girls were taught to plant and hoe.  They raised cabbage and kohlrabi and such vegetables.  They also raised cattle. 

They were an educated family.  The children went to school.  They were a linguistic people and could speak many languages.  Ulrich, one of the sons, could speak five or six including Russian.

Ulrich was largely the means of bringing the family into the church.  They were staunch Lutherans and would not be easily swayed or turned away from their own religion.

In January of 1843, young Ulrich who was nearly sixteen year old became very sick.  One of his school mates was sick at the same time and died.  This worried Ulrich so he was afraid he should die too.  In this state of unrest he saw a vision.  A man came and led him in darkness half way around the world.  Then, when they reached the other side of the world a bright light descended from Heaven and he saw the city of Zion shining bright.  Through a high wall there were three gates through which the righteous may enter.  Ulrich wanted to enter too but was told that his time wasn’t yet but if he were faithful he could enter some time.  Then he saw the man that was leading him.  He had gray whiskers and peculiar eyes.  This vision impressed him so that he talked about it a lot to his family.  Who could blame them if at first they thought it was his worried and weakened condition that had given him hallucinations.  They were a close knit, honest family and his parents came to believe him just as the parents of Joseph Smith believed him.  

That vision was in his mind day and night; it kept repeating itself.  He didn’t know the meaning of it for ten years.  During that time the family was busy on the farm and doing all kinds of jobs on the side and were very thrifty.  Because of this industry and thrift they were able to come to America when the time came.

In the winter of 1853, Ulrich was struck in the eyes with a meat hook which blinded him.  This was a catastrophe to the whole family as they belied that they would have to care for him the rest of his life.  After four sorrowful painful months, Ulrich had another vision.  He found himself in a great dark room and there were three fires of different sizes.  The same man he had seen before came in.  He had in his hand an open book.  He crossed out Ulrich’s sins and they fell to the floor.  He was told that he’d have to go through the middle fire.  He said he could do that, too.  The walls cracked open and the road to Zion was shown to him.  He, his wife and child would cross the sea and go to America.   His father said he was willing to go if he knew what he was going for.

A year later they heard of two Mormon missionaries from America who were in Bern.  Five members of the family went to hear them.  Ulrich’s wife was with them.  She saw the elders.  One had peculiar eyes so she went up close to him and observed.  He had very crossed eyes and wore heavy thick lensed glasses.  They described this in detail to young Ulrich on their return home and it was the same man he had seen in the dream.

One night after 9:00, a knock came to the door and Verena answered the knock.  She came back and said it was those Mormon elders and she wasn’t sure she should let them in so late at night.  Hans said, “Yes, let them in.   Take them up to my old room on the top floor.”  That room became headquarters for the elders in that area.  This was the first headquarters of Mormon missionaries in Switzerland.  These elders taught them the gospel.  The Bryner family had been readers of the Bible all their lives; they knew its teachings and they found that this new restored gospel was the same as that Jesus taught.  Then twelve of them, Bryner and Mathis families were baptized.  

Neighbors resented the elders being there and threw rocks and broke the window panes of the room where the elders stayed.  The family received the spirit of gathering.  Hans called his family together and they made plans.  Barbara, the elder daughter, and Casper, the only seeing son who had joined the church were to go first and pioneer the way and report.  Then the blind son, his wife and little daughter the next year.  And lastly father, mother, younger daughter and baby grandson were to come the following year.

Barbara and Casper (my great, great grandfather) came in Richard Ballantines’ company.  They were the first Swiss Latter-day Saints to come to Zion.  They traveled through Winterthur and Fraunfeld to Romenshorn.  Then they sailed over Lake Florence to Fredrichshaven, Germany.  From there they traveled to Mannheim on the Thine River and down the Rhine River to Rotterdam, Holland.  From Rotterdam they sailed to Hull, England and from there by rail to Liverpool.  They sailed from Liverpool to Philadelphia, PA and by rail to St. Louis, MO.  Then began their long walk across the Great Plains.

Presumably the others followed the same route.  Hans Ulrich and Verena came in 1857.  They, like most of the other pioneers, came by ox team, and like most of the other pioneers, had never driven ox teams before.  It took money.  Hans had sold out his interest in the butchering business where his sons had worked; he sold his home; he sold his farm and his pure bred cattle, and in fact, he sold everything.  They were only allowed seventeen pounds of baggage on the boat, so every available thing was sold.  He converted it into gold because that was good exchange anywhere.  He carried it in a well-made leather bag suspended over his shoulder and under his arm.  He looked forward to a comfortable home in the west.

He opened his purse and bought his team and wagon.  Around him were many poor saints who had neither wagon nor gold so he opened his heart and bought wagons and teams for many who agreed to return the equivalent when they could procure it in Zion.

It was a long hard journey at best because he and his wife weren’t young.  We know few of the events of that journey except those common to all: up in the early morning to have breakfast; feed and yoke the cattle; walk all day in the sun or rain or snow or wind.  Sometimes all these and more in one day.

They made camp at night wherever night overtook them.  This they did week after week and month after month all the long way.  

One day a dog frightened a team and it ran away.  Then they had a regular stampede.  Hans’s team ran away with his wife and little grandson in the wagon.  In trying to catch and stop them, he was badly hurt and was picked up for dead.  The team was finally stopped and with the help of others he was revived, but his arm was broken and his back was badly hurt.  The arm healed but his back was never right again.  It was with a great deal of difficulty now that he drove his team.  As previously mentioned, neither he nor his wife had ever driven oxen before and it took the efforts of both of them to manage the oxen.

When Hans and Verena arrived in Utah, they first went to Lehi where his son, Casper had taken up land.  There also was their daughter, Barbara and son, Ulrich and his family.  Everyone who had set out from Switzerland had arrived in Utah.

From Lehi, they moved north and lived near the Ogden settlement.  In 1861, Brigham Young called them to go to Dixie and settle.  They were sent to settle and build the city called St. George and prepare the area for a temple to be built there.

To get to Dixie, they traveled through storm, rocks and sand.  It was almost as bad as the trip across the plains.  In Dixie there was no shelter; no house.  They lived in tents.  The red sand could blow in and get into their food and into their beds.  No stores of any kind, no money to pay a bill.  They were on their own.  But their years of industry and thrift in far off Switzerland stood them in good stead.

Hans fashioned and made a spinning wheel.  They raised cotton and they gathered it in and carded it and spun it.  They gathered roots and colored it.  They spun the warp and the woof.  They wove the cloth for clothing.  They cut it out and tailored that clothing.

Their work together was short lived.  Hans fell from a load of hay and struck his already weak and sore back on a ledge.  In a day or so his life here on earth was over.  He died the first of March 1862.  He was the first Latter-day Saint to be buried in St. George.  Verena lived and worked on for 34 long lonely years.  She died 20 August 1896 and was the 1001th buried in St. George.   I share this story written by a cousin and  great granddaughter, Lura Redd.

Hans Ulrich Bryner and Verena Wintsch Bryner were noble servants of God.  They literally gave their all for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all it stands for.  I am blessed and honored to be a descendant of such noble people

In a conference address in April 1997, Finding Faith in Every Footstep, Sister Bonnie D Parkin said:  “A pioneer stands up for what is right, dares to share the gospel in the face of opposition, and testifies of Christ through her actions… 

Perhaps in your enthusiasm for the gospel or maybe in your fear of the unknown, we are all required to make journeys of faith. That is the gospel plan. Our path may not be crossing an ocean or walking alone from an empty train station. But whatever it is, it will demand faith in every footstep. Years from now your grandchildren will tell with amazement stories of your choices which changed their lives. You will be called their pioneers. Have you ever thought that as you step into the unknown, you are showing others the way?”

In her talk, Sister Parkin tells some stories of pioneer youth. You may read that talk here.  

It has been a quiet but steadily busy week.  I’ve accompanied missionaries to doctors’ appointments on 3 days, taken the usual calls, and had transfer day and orientation of new missionaries on Wednesday.

Sister Hunt  at orientation/transfer day

Sister Te’o

Tuesday I took 4 missionaries returning home to Samoa to the doctor.  Samoa requires COVID testing and letters from doctors stating that a person coming into the country is asymptomatic and free of COVID.  They are still required to have a 14 day quarantine upon entering the country but all of the documentation, test results and medical papers are required to have been done within three days of departure and presented to the airline before they can board.

We will have 9 missionaries total leave the mission over the next few weeks and 7 new missionaries arrived.  The number of missionaries in the mission remains at about half the number it was before COVID.

I was able to enjoy dinner with a group of sisters on Friday evening.

Sisters Taulanga, Gabut, and Teweti.

We enjoyed an Indian feast.

I missed one day of walking the beach because of an early appointment but I have enjoyed the other days.

When the tide is out so far, the reflections on the wet sand create masterpieces of beauty!

Saturday evening I joined the senior missionaries from the Pacific Area Office for a celebration of Pioneer Day.  We enjoyed a delicious meal, listened to a few people share stories of pioneer ancestors, and played some games.  Enjoyable evening!

I have a favorite Primary song about pioneers.  Here are the words:

You don’t have to push a handcart,

Leave your fam’ly dear,

Or walk a thousand miles or more

To be a pioneer!

You do need to have great courage,

Faith to conquer fear,

And work with might for a cause that’s right

To be a pioneer!

I pray that you will have a great week.  Remember who you are and what you can do for others as you “pioneer” through your days.

I love my Savior.

I love you my family and friends.

My grandchildren like to ring the doorbell so they can talk to me.  I can see them through
the camera in the doorbell mechanism but they can only talk to me.  What a treat!!!
Isn’t technology a blessing for grandmas who are 7000 miles away.

My dear friends and fellow missionaries, Elder and Sister Mayberry, went to the
South Island.  They know me so well that they brought me a box of delectable chocolates!!

Rainbows are almost a daily occurrence here