Yesterday I wrote of my pioneer ancestors, including my grandfather Don Carlos McBride. Don Carlos was a remarkable man. With his family, he worked a small farm in Pima, Arizona. The Gila Valley was known for gila monsters, cacti, and a constant struggle for water.
When he was a husband and father of two small children, Don Carlos was called to serve a mission to Samoa. Though this cost his family much sacrifice, his wife supported him. He arrived in Samoa with only a few dollars. He subsisted on grubs (a small shrimp like substance he found in the sand) but was determined to teach the Gospel to the people he quickly grew to love. After he returned home, he and his wife had another child when again Don Carlos was called on a mission, once more to Samoa.
Shortly after he returned home for a second time, his wife died, leaving him alone with three small children to care for. Don Carlos didn't give up, though. He met the woman who would later become my grandmother, had six more children, and raised his family in righteousness.
Joy for today: learning faith from those who have gone before.
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