Bible Trivia Game for Family Home Evening

Bible Trivia Questions

1. What kind of man was Boas before he married Ruth? (Ruthless)

2. What do they call pastors in Germany, Jason? (German Shepherds)

3. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible, Jeremy? (Noah. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.)

4. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible, Karenin? (Pharoah's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.)

5. What kind of motor vehicles are there in the Bible, Jamie?

(Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a FUry. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. And do not forget Honda because the apostles were all in one Accord.)

6. Who was the great comedian in the Bible, Joelle? (Samson. He brought the house down.)

7. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden, Justin? (You mother ate us out of house and home.)

8. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible, John? (Moses, he broke all ten commandments at once.)

9. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy, Lisa? (The area around Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.)

10. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible, Jenny? (David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.)

11. Which Bible character had no parents, Jason? (Joshua, son of Nun)

12. Why didn't they place nurst (cards) on the Ark, Joelle? (Because Noah was standing on the deck.)

Bonus question: Did you know it is a sin for a woman to make coffee, Jenny? (It the Bible, it says He-brews.)

Parable of the Pearl

President Packer tells the parable of the pearl in such a way that motivates us to seek after doctrine.
"A collector of precious gems after a lifetime of searching, found the one gem he had looked for all his life. It was a pearl! He valued it above all the jewels in his collection.

It was his treasure. He was certain that nowhere in the world was jewel box worthy of this perfect gem, so he designed a box himself and commissioned the finest craftsmen to carve it. He hovered over their work. when the box was finished and lined with blue velvet, he put his precious pearl on display.

He stood by as people came to see it. He studied them and listened carefully to what they said. Soon he turned away in deep sorrow. It was the box they admired. It was the box that attracted them. To his great disappointment, only a few of them really saw the pearl." (Mission President Seminar, 22 June 1999)

The kingdom of heaven in like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Who, when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matt 13:45-46)

And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand. (D&C 88:77-78)

We hope that as you teach all these family home evening lessons, none of us will come away knowing more about the box and not appreciate the pearl.

Each member of our family must learn the doctrine. We learn the basic doctrines from the revelations and from each other. We must learn about the restoration, authority, covenants and ordinances.

There are really only about 4 or 5 basic doctrines of the Church and around them everything else revolves: the Atonement, the plan of happiness, the Godhead, priesthood and priesthood keys, and continuing revelation from Heavenly Father. These are eternal and unchanging truths. They never change. Doctrine answers the question why.

Principles are doctrinally based guidelines for what we ought to do. They answer the question what. Examples are the first principles and ordinances of the gospel: faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Rules or applications answer the question how. If we teach the doctrine and the principles associated with the doctrine, then our children and everyone else we teach will quickly understand the how.

President Packer also taught us that "true doctrine understood changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the dcotrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior." So let us ask ourselves in teaching our lessons, "what doctrine, if understood would help each child or person we teach not have difficulty following a rule.

So, I would like to challenge you to take any possible rule that your children or students might question. What is so great about asking the question behind the doctrine is not in just getting the answer. Go to the scriptures and look for the questions. Our fundamental role as parents and as teachers is to help those we teach act in accordance with principles. So let's become experts in asking inspired questions.

Joseph Smith taught us that the way he studied the New Testament was to try and identify the question the Savior was answering as he taught a principle.

The Savior was concerned with other elevated rules over doctrine as illustrated in Matthew 23:23 where we read "Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

On one occasion, Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught about Jacob's teachings with respect to looking beyond the mark and applied them to the Jews of Jesus' day. "They took the plain and simple things of pure religion and added to them a host of their own interpretations; they embellished with the added rites and performances; and they took a happy, joyous way of worship and turned it into a restrictive, curtailing, depressive system of rituals and performances. The living spirit of the Lord's law became in their hands the dead letter of Jewish ritualism."

Doctrine answers the question why and principles answer the question what. When we emphasize how to do something without reference to why we do it or what we do, we risk looking beyond the mark. We could fall into the trap described by Paul "for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Cor. 3:6) Those who are committed to seeing that rules are followed without reference to doctrine and principle are susceptible to looking beyond the mark. Our great challenge is to accept the Savior as the Redeemer of the world and avoid the theological blindness that comes when we look beyond the mark. The Savior promised is "Come unto me, ye blessed...there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my father." (Enos 1:27)

Family Home Evening Exercise:

1. Take a rule such as R-rated movies or attending all three meetings on Sunday or not swearing and identify it on the top of the triangle you draw.
2. Next identify the principle - the guidelines for implementing the doctrine....such as 1 Cor. 3:3 for the movie question...your body is a temple...inside and out.
3. Now look at the doctrine associated with the priniciple... the eternal truths that do not change...such as eternal life, the plan of happiness, etc.
4. Now practice teaching the doctrine, the principle and the rule and the see if the rule is more easily understood once it is put into perspective.

Doctrine, Principles, and Rules

The most important words of counsel I have found to assist you in your parenting efforts can be found in understanding the importance of teaching doctrine and principles in order to understand rules. Viritually every question that anyone asks can be answered by discussing the doctrine, the principles and the rules.

Why We Are Taught to Not Watch R-Rated Movies?

Would you eat a slice of bread from the top picture?

Would you eat the pizza that the delivery boy brings you if a rat had been on just one piece?

What about the little boy and his snake? Does this make you want to run out and play with a snake?

How often do we say that the movie is great except for one part? Is this a good way to approach Heavenly Father's commandments. We can look at something we shouldn't except for just one part?

Why are we taught to not watch R-Rated movies?

The For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet states:

"'Our Heavenly Father has counseled us as Latter-day Saints to seek after "anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy" (Articles of Faith 1:13). Whatever you read, listen to, or watch makes an impression on you. Public entertainment and the media can provide you with much positive experience. They can uplift and inspire you, teach you good and moral principles, and bring you closer to the beauty this world offers. But they can also make what is wrong and evil look normal, exciting, and acceptable.

Pornography is especially dangerous and addictive. Curious exploration of pornography can become a controlling habit leading to coarser material and to sexual transgression. If you continue to view pornography your spirit will become desensitized, and your conscience will erode. Much harm comes from reading or viewing pornography. It causes thoughts within you that weaken your self-discipline.

Don't attend or participate in any form of entertainment, including concerts, movies, and videocassettes, that is vulgar, immoral, inappropriate, suggestive, or pornographic in any way. Movie ratings not always accurately reflect offensive content. Don't be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change a radio station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father's standards. And do not read books or magazines or look at pictures that are pornographic or that present immorality as acceptable."

Bottom line: if you have any question about whether a particular movie, book, or other form of entertainment is appropriate, don't see it, don't read it, don't participate."

But have living prophets or past prophets really specifically talked about R-Rated movies as such?

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught:

"Be clean. I cannot emphasize that enough. Be clean. It is very, very important and you at your age are in such temptation all the time. It is thrown at you on television. It is thrown at you in books and magazines and videos. You do not have to rent them. Don't do it. Just don't do it. Don't look at them. If somebody proposes that you sit around all night watching some of that sleazy stuff, you say, (It¹s not for me. Stay away from it." (Denver Colorado, youth meeting, 14 Apr. 1996, Quote by Elder Joe J. Christensen, Ensign Nov. 1996, p. 40)

Elder James E. Faust taught:

"Parental hypocrisy can make children cynical and unbelieving of what they are taught at home. For instance, when parents attend movies they forbid their children to see, parental credibility is diminished. If children are expected to be honest, parents must be honest. If children are expected to be virtuous, parents must be virtuous. If you expect your children to be honorable, you must be honorable." (Ensign Nov. 1990, p. 33)

Remember, President Benson was speaking to the young men of the Church when he said:

"'Again I say, leave it alone. Turn it off, walk away from it, burn it, erase it, destroy it. I know it is hard counsel we give when we say movies that are R-rated, and many with PG-13 ratings, are produced by satanic influences. Our standards should not be dictated by the rating system. I repeat, because of what they really represent, these types of movies, music, tapes, etc. serve the purposes of the author of all darkness.' (H. Burke Peterson, "Touch Not the Evil Gift, nor the Unclean Thing," Ensign, Nov. 1993, 42)

President Benson also taught us the following:

"Consider carefully the words of the prophet Alma to his errant son, Corianton, 'Forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes.' (Alma 39:9.)

"'The lusts of your eyes.' In our day, what does that expression mean?

Answer: "Movies, television programs, and video recordings that are both suggestive and lewd.

Answer: "Magazines and books that are obscene and pornographic.

"We counsel you not to pollute your minds with such degrading matter, for the mind through which this filth passes is never the same afterwards. Don't see R-rated movies or vulgar videos or participate in any entertainment that is immoral, suggestive, or pornographic. Don't listen to music that is degrading" (Ensign, May 1986, p 43).

In my Teachings of the Living Prophets class, I often taught that “when the prophet speaks the debate is over.” If you want to end the internal debate, simply look to what the prophets have said.. They have spoken on the subject many times. One person making a wrong choice doesn't justify wrong choices of another. We are all held responsible for our own choices. Personal accountability is the key here.

To all rated R movie watchers your logic is flawed. I am sorry if you feel you can rationalize watching rated R movies, but by doing so you are breaking a commandment.

The prophet said not to watch rated R movies. (period) He did not say, don't watch rated R movies, unless they get a point across, or unless they show nudity in a tasteful way, or unless you can justify it buy pointing out a PG-13 movie that is worse.

To avoid such temptations, be like Captain Moroni of old; set up “fortifications” to strengthen your places of weakness. Instead of building walls of “timbers and dirt” to protect a vulnerable city, build “fortifications” in the form of personal ground rules to protect your priceless virtue.

Jamie, you are the only one who now dates as a single person. When you’re on a date, plan to be in groups and avoid being alone.

Justin, Jeremy, John, Jason: I know men, young and old, who have simply determined not to turn on the TV or surf the Internet anytime when they are alone. To you fathers, it is wise to keep computers and televisions in the family room or other high-traffic areas in your home—not in children’s bedrooms. I also counsel fathers to wisely choose not to turn on the hotel television (except CNN).

Remember, such “fortifications” are not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, they show strength. The Book of Mormon teaches that Captain Moroni was so strong that if all men would be like him, “the very powers of hell would [be] shaken forever.” Remember Moroni’s “strongholds” were the key to his success.

Creating your own “strongholds” will be the key to yours.

One key fortification you can build is to decide now, before you face a challenge, where to draw the line. Our prophet teaches that if we decide now not to watch inappropriate media but instead to walk away, “the challenge is behind us.”

An emeritus General Authority named Elder Sorensen recently taught about not watching R-Rated movie by sharing a story about his granddaughter:
" Recently my granddaughter Jennifer was invited to go with several of her school friends to a dinner and a movie. The girls all agreed on the movie they were going to see, and Jennifer was comfortable attending. However, the girl who left dinner to buy the movie tickets for the group returned with tickets to a different movie than was planned! She said, “It is a great show, and it’s R-rated.”
Jennifer, caught by surprise, couldn’t believe the situation had changed so quickly. But fortunately she had made up her mind before she ever found herself in this position that she would not watch R-rated movies. She was able to stand firm and say to her friends, “I can’t go see an R-rated movie. My parents would not approve.” To which the girls replied, “Oh, come on! Your parents will never know!” Confronted with this, Jennifer went on to say, “Well, actually it doesn’t matter whether my parents will know. I just don’t go to R-rated movies!”
Her friends were upset and tried to get her to relent. They told her she “was ruining everything.” When she would not give in, they threw the ticket and change in her face and deserted her for the R-rated movie. It wound up being a lonely night full of rejection from her friends. But it was a great moment for Jennifer and our family. She gained confidence, self-worth, and spiritual power. "

Knowingly petting a poisonous spiritual snake is doubly dangerous. Those who do remind me of the little boy who was overheard praying, “Heavenly Father, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time like I am.”

Don’t be like that shortsighted boy. Those who plan to sin, thinking they can repent before they receive the sacred covenants and ordinances of the temple, risk losing their spiritual health. They find it is a painful process to come back to the right path.

For those who suffer from a poisonous snakebite, there is a painful cleansing process. Where the bite was inflicted, a cut with a sharp knife is required. Then, someone must cleanse the infected blood from the wound. Often a stay in the hospital is required. My plea to you is to avoid petting that rattlesnake. (Elder Sorensen)

To Elder Sorensen, past prophets and current prophets, I add my counsel: please follow the example of the prophet Joseph Smith. "I have learned this one valuable lesson, when the Lord speaks, do it!"

He has spoken through his mouthpiece the prophets. Let's heed their counsel.

Why Should We Get Up Early?

In Preach My Gospel, Elder Holland gives this quote: "the first three hours of a mission will either make or break a mission." When we think about our lives, we all have been given the same number of hours. What we do in the morning makes the difference between what we accomplish and what we wish we would have done.

In the scriptures we read:

Abraham rose early to stand before the Lord.
Jacob rose early to worship the Lord.
Moses rose early to meet God at Sinai.
Joshua rose early to lead Israel over the River Jordan.
Sameul rose early to meet Saul.
David rose early to do as his father bade him.
Job rose early to offer sacrifices for his children.
Jesus rose early to go to a solitary place to pray.
The people rose early to go hear him.
The women rose early to go to the sepulcher.
Joseph Smith rose early to ask of God in the Sacred Grove.

Are you like the young man in the picture above? Getting up early makes you ill?

Do you remember Ben Franklin's wise counsel - penned for the second picture above: "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man, healthy, wealthy, and wise."

Do you love to wake up and see the beautiful dawn (see the final two pictures above).

Here are 15 tips on how to get up early:

1. Have a good reason to get up
2. Be Productive in the mornings
3. Get enough sleep
4. Get to bed earlier
5. Sleep more effectively
6. No more another 10 minutes
7. Jump out of bed
8. Use an alarm clock, not just the snooze
9. Establish a stable routine
10. Have something to look forward to
11. Be aware of the consequences
12. Remove the option completely (schedule something)
13. Have a similarly motivated buddy
14. Keep track of your times
15. Review all of the things you have done

Source: Waking Up Early - 15 Tips That Work
June 15th, 2007 by Dave Cheong

Parable of the Boiling Frog

The Boiled Frog

They say that if you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will leap out right away to escape the danger.

But, if you put a frog in a kettle that is filled with water that is cool and pleasant,and then you gradually heat the kettle until it starts boiling, the frog will not become aware of the threat until it is too late.

The frog's survival instincts are geared towards detecting sudden changes.

This is a story that is used to illustrate how people might get themselves into terrible trouble. This parable is often used to illustrate how people have to be careful to watch slowly changing trends in the world around them such as their environment, not just the sudden changes.

Its a warning to keep us paying attention not just to obvious threats but to more slowly developing ones.

An example:Let's say that every year, the local well had an inch less of water in it. A person might realize there's a problem if there's suddenly NO water, but a slowly dropping level might not be an obvious crisis until it's too late!

Can you think of other examples?

When you do something in life that is close to the line, you are "froggin."

What about when you stay up past midnight?

What about when you ride a scooter without a helmet?

What about when you download a movie or a song that is copy-righted?

What about when you do something you should not on Sunday?

What about when you come late to Church or do your home or visiting teaching on the last day of the month?

How about examples for the grandchildren?

What about when you do not clean up your room?

What about when you stay up too late?

What about when you fight with your sister?

What about when you leave a mess in the toyroom?

Our Ancestor Wrote Come All Ye Sons of God

Thomas Davenport - Life Story

Note: Reid A Robison's great-great-great-great grandfather wrote the words to the Hymn: "Come All Ye Sons of God." Thomas Davenport was his grandfather Adams' father's grandfather on his mother's side of the family.

Thomas Davenport was born April 1, 1815, in the parish of Brampton, Derby, England. He was the fifth child born to Robert Davenport and Ann Jarvis.

Thomas married Sarah Burrows on August 28, 1836 at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Sarah was the fourth child of John Burrows and Charlotte Barber and was born on July 24, 1811.

Thomas and Sarah were both converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thomas was baptized April 21, 1847 and Sarah was baptized a few weeks later on June 8, 1847. Shortly after Thomas was baptized he was ordained a teacher and later in the same year, he was ordained a priest (September 26, 1847). On April 27, 1848, he was ordained an elder and appointed to preside over the branch of the church in England. One morning during this time, Thomas was on his way to a priesthood meeting and was inspired to write the words of “Come All Ye Sons of God” which is now found in the LDS hymn book.


Come All Ye Sons of God

Come all ye sons of God, who have received the priesthood.
Go spread the gospel wide, and gather in his people;
The latter day work has begun, to gather scattered Israel in,
And bring them back to Zion to praise the Lamb.

Come all ye scattered sheep, and listen to your Shepherd,
While you the blessing reap, which long have been predicted;
By prophets long it’s been foretold, He’ll gather you into his fold;
And bring you home to Zion to praise the Lamb.

Repent and be baptized, and have your sins remitted,
And get the Spirit’s zeal; O then you’ll be united;
Go cast upon him all your car; He will regard your humble prayer,
And bring you home to Zion to praise the Lamb.

And when your grief is o’er and ended your affliction,
Your spirits then will soar to await the resurrection;
And then his presence you’ll enjoy, in heavenly bliss your time Employ,
A thousand years in Zion to praise the Lamb.

Even though the melody is written by another composer, his son William wrote that the song as written in the hymn book is Thomas’ arrangement. The hymn, “Come All Ye Sons of God,” is a hymn of three fold import: first an appeal to the sons of God to spread the gospel; second, an appeal to the scattered sheep to listen to the voice of the shepherd; and their a promise that all who are faithful shall enjoy heavenly bliss.

Certainly the words of this song express the ferver and zeal that Thomas felt in his heart as he went about his missionary labors. In Thomas’ obituary, it says he was set apart to labor as a traveling Elder to preach the Gospel, November 16, 1847, and he continued to so act until the month of November 1859. He worked six days each week at his trade of potter and traveled and preached on Sunday. During that time, he taught the gospel in quite a number of places in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and founded several branches of the Church, notably one at Bolsover, Derbyshire, over which he presided. He was instrumental in bringing about fifty people into the Church at that place. In performing his mission, Thomas estimated that he traveled on foot eight hundred and forty-nine miles.

Thomas began a journal when he landed in New Orleans after coming to America, so he really did not leave any record of his activities in England except for Church records of baptisms, ordinances, etc. In searching through the branch minute records in the Historical Society, there are some indications of Thomas’ activity there.

The decision to come to America and eventually join the Saints in Utah must have occurred sometime in the fore part of 1849. Thomas presumably sailed from Liverpool, November 10, 1849, and arrive in New Orleans December 24, 1849. The latter date is recorded in Thomas’ journal and corresponds with the arrival date of the 45th Company’s migration on the “Zetland.”

Thomas evidently began keeping a journal following his arrival in New Orleans. In his own hand, we have a record of his trip up the Mississippi to St. Louis, Missouri and subsequently to Pottawottamy County, Iowa.

While residing in Key Creek during the winter of 1851, Thomas and the other Saints were admonished to leave Pottawatomie, Iowa, and emigrate to the Salt Lake Valley. During January 1852, in company with three brethren, (McGuire, Briggs, and Karsons)
Thomas secured timber to construct a wagon. A Brother Elisha Davis loaned him use of a bull to complete his team.

On June 20, 1852, the family left Key Creek for Big Pigeon to join up with the 16th company of Saints led by Captain Uriah Curtis. As recorded in the church emigration records of 1852, Uriah Curtis was in charge of a company of Saints numbering about 365, which had been organized by Elder Jedediah M. Grant and Ezra Taft Benson on June 24, 1852. The company left crossing the Missouri River a few days later. Thomas’ journal records the crossing date as being July 1.

In the Journal of History, December 31, 1852, the following is recorded: “The emigraion of Latter-day Saints across the plains in 1852 was larger than in any preceding years, owing to the fact that the Saints, who had made themselves temporary homes in Pottawatomie County, Iowa had been counseled by President Brigham Young to migrate to the valleys of the mountains. As the majority of the Saints complied with the counsel given all the branches in Pottawatomie County (between thirty and fifty in number) were discontinued and the membership of these branches constituted an important part of the emigration of that year. The emigration from Great Britain was also a large one that season and a number of Saints who had spend a year or more in St. Louis, Missouri, crossed the plains in 1852 making their way to the Valley.

Some of the Saints who for various reasons could not get ready for crossing the plains in 1852, went to the Valley the following year or years, but a few who refused to comply with the counsel of the authorities of the Church made themselves permanent homes in the Pottawattomie County and some of these subsequently became identified with apostate organizations or sidetracked “Mormonism” altogether.

Thomas’ journal entries of the trip across the plains were scant. He mentions losing, through death, the bull loaned by Brother Davis, and trading off some of his possessions at Fort Laramie. A family account written years later said the two milk cows had to be used to pull the heavily loaded wagon. Notwithstanding some trials, Thomas took the trek in good stride. His succinct comment was “had a pleasant trip over the plains.”

He was 37 years old, his wife was 41 and their children were: William, 15; John, 8; Sarah Ann, 6; and James 1. Their belongings consisted of 1 wagon, 4 oxen, and 2 cows. The historical records also show that this was the emigration of 1852, Sixteenth Company, organized by Ezra T. Benson and Jedidiah Grant. It was led by Uriah Curtis, Captain of Fifty and arrived on October 8, 1852.

Thomas and members of the 16th Company were undoubtedly welcomed, as seem to have been the custom, by Saints in the Valley, with music, song, and voice. Records do not show exactly how long he and the family stayed in Salt Lake, but it must have been a very short time because he was counseled to go to Iron County and start a pottery. However, their arrival in Salt Lake was about the time of General Conference. At this particular conference, much was said encouraging the Saints to voluntarily go to Iron County.

It must have taken much faith and dedication for Thomas and his family, after traveling some 1,500 miles across the plains, to continue on another 250 miles from Salt Lake to Parowan. They responded to the call and arrived on November 4, 1852.

The first home occupied by the Davenports following their arrival in Parowan was a house owned by Brother Moss. The family resided their only sixteen days, for on the 19th of November they moved into an adobe house acquired in trade from a Brother Glispy for the tree steers and wagon Thomas had brought across the plains. Later he traded for a log cabin and ten shares of land. The lad he farmed while getting established in his pottery business.

It was in November 1853, when Thomas burned his first kiln of pottery. Brother Brigham had said: “Draw from the native elements the necessities of Life.” This is exactly what Thomas Davenport did. He found a splendid source of clay two miles up Parowan Canyon, built a kiln and hauled his clay in a wheelbarrow to town.

Thomas’ first kiln of pottery was nearly all broken. This must have been very discouraging after all his work of making the jars and pans by hand. In the spring of 1856, Thomas created another kiln of pottery only to find it again nearly all broken. In the spring of 1857, however, Thomas burned yet another kiln which was more successful, as one third of it was good. By 1858, Thomas had learned to burn his pottery with complete success.

Thomas’ pottery came to be called Davenportware. Each piece could be identified as his thumbprint was placed in the workable clay before it was fired. Thomas also did farming along with his pottery business. This was undoubtedly necessary for him to sustain his family. He mentions farming upon his arrival in Parowan. On April 6th, 1857, Thomas moved into a house belonging to E. W. Thompson, where he lived for one year. Here he mentions doing farming along with working at the pottery.

The following story had been handed down in the family about a year when there was a serious drought and only a little food was to be found. Thomas had just enough wheat for his family.

The Threshing Story

It was threshing time and Thomas Davenport was all ready to thresh his wheat. The threshing machine was all ready to start when a band of Indians rode up on their cayuse ponies, each one demanding a sack of grain. Thomas Davenport looked at his little stack of grain and then at all the Indians with their sacks and shook his head. There wouldn’t be enough for his family and them too, as the crops had been very light that season. The grasshoppers had nearly cleaned the fields in Parowan Valley. So he rounded up a bunch of vigilantes in full view of the red men. There was Bob Quarm with his iron peg leg and wooden stump for a foot. He used to strap this around his knee. Then there was Robert Miller with his curly red wig and George A. Smith with his false teeth. At a given signal, Bob Quarm gave a war whoop and unbuckled his peg leg and threw it in the air. Rober Miller, not to be outdone, gave another war whoop and threw his wig in the air, exposing his starry dome. The Indians stood wide-eyed, but when George A. Smith gave a howl and let his false teeth fall, they took to their horses and fled. (Page 91 of Dalton’s Book)

Mabel Jarvis, a descendent of George A. Smith describes the incident in the following poem:

Scare the Indians

In Parowan town, when the Pioneers
Were having great hardships, their sighs and tears,
Were often dispelled by some small event;
That happened just as folks came and went,
And one that made folks laugh, sure enough,
Is this one I am going to tell you of.
It was harvest time, and the Davenports
Were filled with joy, and their happy hearts
Beat high, as they viewed their stack of wheat,
This winter they’d surely have bread to eat.
The threshers were coming the very next day,
So they could put their grain away.
When lo! There came galloping down the street,
Twenty Indians, with sacks and demanding wheat.
We can’t spare any the Davenports said.
If we do, there’ll be none left for our own bread.
So Thomas Davenport went to town,
To see George A. Smith and bring help down.
Brother Smith, Robert Miller and Bob Quarm
Said, “Leave it to us, and there’ll be no harm.”
They went to the stack where the Indians were
And in just a few minutes they made a store.
Robert Miller’s wig was a flaming red,
And George A. Smith had false teeth in his head,
And Robert Quarm had a peg leg too,
Buckled on at the knee, so what did they do?
They bowed their heads almost to the ground,
Then up on the grain stack went Miller’s wig,
And Goerge A. Smith’s teeth; then riggidy jig,
Off came Quarm’s peg leg, and onto the stack;
Where it joined wig and teeth, Alas, and Alack!
The Indians were frightened, and people say
They mounted their horses and rode away.
And Davenports kept their stack of wheat,
And all that winter had bread to eat.

The preceding shows of Thomas’ resourcefulness. It was related in an issue of the Church, Ensign magazine.

In the spring of 1858, Thomas started to build his own home. The property, which was later owned by Thomas D. Adams. It included the house, a two-acre lot with a number of fruit trees, a barn, a chicken coop, and a nice garden. An additional piece of property containing an apple orchard was located across the street. The house was one of the first built in Parowan. It had a large living room, a bedroom, a kitchen, and a porch that ran across the east side and north front. There was a small cellar with a cupboard for fruit and a screen cupboard for milk and other foods. The house was built of hand-molded, sun-dried adobe and was plastered and whitewashed inside and out. There was no inside water, but clear water was available close by. Quite near the home was an English elm tree planted as a seedling by Thomas. It grew to be one of the biggest trees in all of Iron County. Near the tree was Thomas’ kiln, used for many years to supply pottery for all of southern Utah in pioneer times.

Temple ordinance work was important to Thomas and Sarah and in November 1856, they received their endowments at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They took the trip north in late October 1856 and returned home in the spring of 1857,

Family activities centered around gardening, soap making, selling pottery, and music. Thomas was remembered as an excellent gardener, the first to successfully raise celery in Parowan. A generous man, he and his family freely shared his produce with the neighbors. The boys were also involved in helping on the farm as much of their livelihood depended upon farming.

Lye was made using a leach built in the back yard of the home. This was done by pouring water through the ashes obtained from cottonwood trees. The drippings were used for making the actual lye.

Some of the children were undoubtedly involved in making and selling pottery. The son John sold his pottery in Beaver and other communities.

Music was a central part of the lives of the Davenport family. The children learned to love and appreciate good music. In the evenings and on special occasions, they would engage in group and individual singing. Some of the songs sung were of Thomas’ own composing. This exposure to musical and cultural arts affected the lives of the children.

Daughter Sarah Ann was active in both drama and music. At age eleven, she began singing with Thomas Durham’s choir.

Thomas and Sarah Burrows Davenport, as devoted Latter-day Saints had great love and affection for their children. They sought to set the proper example and to encourage them in their lives. The effect they had on the children seemed great. To the end of their lives, the children remained faithful Latter-day Saints.

Thomas set an example of community and church service for his family. He served as a director of the Parowan Branch of the United Order and as alderman, city councilman, and treasurer.

The branch of the United Order was organized in Parowan in April 1873 when President Brigham Young, George A. Smith, and Erastus Snow visited. On April 10, 1874, President Young was again in Parowan on his annual tour of the southern communities and he took occasion to encourage the people to sign up in the united order. On March 9, 1875, the order was organized under territorial law with Thomas Davenport being elected as one of the directors.

The order lasted only one more year, disbanding in 1876, since most of the city residents did not enter into it. The people as a whole did not go into the United Order. Judging from the Official Board of Directors, most of the leading families went into it. Their property was turned into a common fund and each received according to his need.

Thomas’ Church career was spent in doing missionary work, magnifying his priesthood, filling church leadership positions and in doing temple ordinance work for his deceased ancestors. In England, he traveled hundreds of miles on foot preaching the gospel in many sectors of the country. Prior to his immigration to American he served as president of the Bolsover, Derby, England Branch. In Parowan his church service continued to flower and grow.

By magnifying his priesthood, Thomas was ordained a seventy May 18, 1857, and eleven years later a high priest, March 25, 1868. Being a seasoned worker, he was ready for the calls that came to him commencing in 1869. Approximately twenty years were spent in leadership positions, first as a counselor to two ward bishops (1869-1879) and then for the next ten years as a member of the High Council. Concurrent with these positions, he regularly sang in the ward choir, rarely missing a practice or a meeting.

Genealogy and temple work also occupied his time with ordinance work being conducted on behalf of his kindred dead first in Salt Lake at the endowment house and later at the dedicated St. George Temple.

Patriarchal Blessing of Thomas Davenport given on February 23, 1854 by Elisha H. Groves, at Parowan , Iron County, Utah Territory.

Brother Thomas, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth by virtue of the Holy Priesthood in me invested, I place my hands upon thy head to seal upon these a Partriarchal or Father’s blessing which shall rest upon thee, and thou shalt realize the fulfillment thereof in as much as thou wilt be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord they God, yieding to no temptation. Thy life shall be precious in the sight of thy Heavenly Father. Thy days shall be many upon the earth, the holy angels shall be with thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up and deliver thee from the temptations of the evil ones who would seek to overthrow the sons of Adam. Thou art of the seed of Abraham of the loins of Joseph and blood of Mannasseh, a lawful heir to the blessings and fulness of the Holy Priesthood which thou shalt receive in due time that thou mayest be able to officiate in the ordinances of the house of the Lord in behalf of thy progenitors. Thou art a father in Israel, thy posterity shall become numerous upon the earth, thy name shall be perpetuated to the latest generation. Thou shalt receive of the dews of heaven and of the fruits of the earth, and all things needful to render life happy and agreeable.

Thou shalt have wisdom given unto thee that thous mayest fill any mission or station where unto thou mayest be called in as much as thou will seek it with all thy heart doubting not, thou mayest live to behold the winding up scene, the coming of thy Redeemer, the reign of peacee, receive many blessings and privileges in the Temple in Zion, be annointed a King and a Priest unto the most high God, receive thy Crown, Kingdom, Dominion, Power, and Eternal increase.

Be thou therefore faithful, yield to no temptations and these blessings shall be sure unto thee.

I seal them upon they head in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, even so.

Amen.