Our Heritage- Anson Call

I need  to preface this blog by saying that there are many stories about Anson Call, his life, his family, his service, his travels and his wives and much more. I have had this book pictured here for several years.

It is a wonderful collection of stories of Mormon pioneers including a story of Anson Call in the last section of the book titled Rescuers 1856 (I think this book has been published by a different publisher now) see link. http://www.tellmystorytoo.com/book_tellmystory.php click on Rescuers - to see Anson's name on that list.
Then click on the Willie Handcart Company to see Emma Summer's name on that list.


**See side bar for other links on Anson Call


Now to the reason I am writing this; This summer our Stake Youth went on a trek. They had an assignment to "adopt" a pioneer ancestor and learn about them so that they would be able to put themselves in their place for a day, be that person. I was asked to visit with the youth on a "5th" Sunday while they all met together to tell them about researching their ancestors and give stories about my own ancestors. 


While looking for information to use- which, it isn't hard to find information - the hard part is choosing which story to use!!! I came across what Lucina Call Perkins said at the end of Anson's story in this book. I am sure I had read it before but knowing who my audience was to be, it meant all the more to me this time.


Lucina Call Perkins is the daughter of Anson and Emma Summers Call. She writes the following;
      "I thought my parents were wonderful people ..... I never remember trouble in our life, no big rackets..... His wives thought he was about the grandest man alive.... He would talk to all of us, children and parents. His girls and boys. Virtue? He really instilled in our minds that it would be better to die than to be un-virtuous... We thought he was a wonderful man. Whatever he said it was that way and there was no other way. It was the right way. I don't think his child would call him on anything. I never heard his children ever say a thing against him."


I had thought to title this blog Our Proud Heritage. Proud is not the word I wanted to use in speaking of Anson Call and his family. In this story it tells how Anson came to join the Mormon Church. 


Anson's father, Cyril, joined in 1831 and desired Anson to also join. But he was not interested. He said that the preaching of the missionaries was a "constant annoyance... I became dissatisfied with all denominations and myself. In the elders' passing through our country, they frequently stopped at my house, and in discussing with them the principles of the gospel they would cuff me about like an old pair of boots"


Anson struggled with fear and described himself as "proud and haughty." ... for the next six months he studied the Bible and Book of Mormon and tried desperately to over come his pride. He wrote:

    
     "When I finished the two books I became a firm believer in the Book of Mormon. I was then taught by the spirit obey the principles of the gospel.... I was proud and haughty and to obey the gospel was worse than death. I labored under those feelings for three months, becoming at times almost insane... To be called a Mormon, I thought was more than I could endure... I at last covenanted before the Lord that if He would give me confidence to face the world in Mormonism, I would be baptized for the remission of my sins; before I arose from my knees the horrors of my mind were cleared; I feared no man, no set of men."


So you see I could not use the word "Proud" in the title. Neither we- you and I, his posterity should be proud in our thoughts or deeds. Anson was and is a great example to us. It would be good for us to follow in his Christ like ways, be converted and live to be worthy of the Call name.

Anson Call is buried in the Bountiful UT,http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11054484&CRid=77161&df=all& 

I will add some of Emma Summers Call's story some another time.