2009 Reunion Narration Program

I know it’s kind of lame and could use lots of revisions. It was thrown together Saturday afternoon, afterall. Could probably use a couple of songs interspersed throughout, too. Whatever its imperfections and flaws, it’s a small attempt to honor the lives of some pretty remarkable and beloved people.

Song: Battle Hymn of the Arnetts
Tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic
Our eyes have seen the growin' of the mighty ARNETT Clan

They are living now in several states spread out across the land.

Our Family Tree has rooted and is making quite a stand

Our tribe is marching on.
Glory, Glory we are Arnetts,

Glory, Glory we are Arnetts,

Glory, Glory we are Arnetts,

Our heritage is strong!

Reader #1: Every family reunion is an opportunity to share and repeat the stories that mean so much to a family. Something deep within us wants to connect with our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and other family members. When we know who they are—their life stories, their triumphs and failures, their strengths and weaknesses—we gain a better sense of who we are. In a sense, their stories become our stories. We not only learn from them, we feel strengthened and inspired by their lives and experiences. We may even find ourselves thinking, “If they could do difficult things, so can I.”

Reader: #2: As a family we stand on the shoulders of those who went before us.
There was a little boy in a small town whose dad carried him on his shoulders into the country store. The woman behind the counter told the little boy, "You sure are tall today!" "Well," the little boy confessed sheepishly, "this isn't all me!" That seems like the right image for celebrating our family heritage, doesn’t it? This isn’t all me. This isn’t all us. We do stand on the shoulders of others, and because of them, we are a little taller and our vision more clear. Everybody here owes Grandpa and Grandma more than we can ever repay. No matter how tall we stand, no matter how high we rise, no matter how much we accomplish, we have to look around and confess, "It isn't all me."

Reader #3: President Hinckley has reminded us: “We are ever bound by our love ties. In some sense we are all a part of one another. That is why remembering and gathering is so important.

So, tonight we remember Grandpa Howard and Grandma Ethel. We remember them with gratitude for we really do stand on their shoulders.

Howard Marshall Arnett was a cowboy. He was shy and in his younger days and lacked self confidence. He was a hard worker, had a dry wit, gentle demeanor and could be somewhat contemplative.

He loved his wife and children. To know him was to love him. He endured adversity, was a rancher, saw his brothers die, experienced financial reversals, endured physical challenges and illness. He endured great loneliness after his wife died. He kept his covenants throughout his life, treated others kindly and by his (and his wife’s) example converted neighbors and friends to the gospel.

Reader #1: Ethel Rose was a woman of substance. Interested and interesting. Beautiful inside and out. Blessed with a lovely singing voice. Supportive of her children. She loved beauty and loved to learn. At 32 she went back to school to finish her degree, and graduated from the University of Arizona. She taught school in Blythe for many years and served faithfully in many church callings. She endured health challenges and endured Blythe. A prayerful and deeply spiritual woman.

Reader #2: Grandpa Howard and Grandma Ethel did not have or leave much as far as worldly goods. They were never rich, nor were their parents before them. But a financial legacy is not all that we leave when we die. Howard and Ethel left their children a rich legacy of memories and life lessons to live by, lessons that continue to help and guide us. They are ancestors we can be proud of. Their stellar examples, faith filled lives and testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ continue to have an impact on the living.

Their legacy includes: hard work, resiliency from adversity, love and humor. Above all they lived lives filled with faith and commitment. Their values and hard won wisdom guide us still.

Shaped by our Family
Reader #4: (excerpt from Life History of Ethel Rose Clifford Arnett)
Grandpa and Grandma Busby had a great influence on my life. I mention these grandparents and others because they helped shape my life. They more or less shaped my character, my way of thinking and what I am. We are the fruits of parents, grandparents, friends and our associations whether we wish this to be or not. This I hope my children will understand early in life. I hope they will seek for only the good and righteous ones for companions and friends.

Grandma Ethel knew that as a family we influence each other more profoundly than we can ever know.

Hard work and Adversity
Reader #5: It was quite a struggle building this ranch. Had to build a canal to get water, took me about 5 months as hard as I could go on the bulldozer, this canal was about 2 3/4 miles long. We cleared about 600 acres.
Things seem to look easier than they really are. When we got into the actual work of this thing, the expense seemed to be more than we could meet and at no time did we ever have enough money to do the thing that we needed to do. This place had no cotton allotment, the government was regulating our crops. I lived to see the government putting their hand into our affairs, taking our free agency from us. This also made it difficult for us. We went into a partnership with this company known as Cibola Land and Cattle Company, trying to strengthen both our positions, by pooling our debt. But this didn't seem to give us much strength. It was a hard and discouraging proposition.

Then on September 17, 1964, I stood on that ranch and watched my brothers die.
(excerpt HMA Life History)

Grandpa’s life lesson for each of us: hard work gives us dignity and there is a resiliency and strength that can come from enduring tragedy and adversity.

Legacy of love
Reader # 1: Mother and Dad loved each other.
Brother Arnett and I have never been very successful. We are not rich, we’re not famous, we’re not especially talented or clever. We are just an ordinary LDS couple who has been occupied with the problems of building a home and rearing a family. But that day in the temple all the struggles, sacrifices, and disappointments in our married life were gone. For a brief moment I seemed to have a glimpse of what it would be like to be a Celestial family. The indescribable joy and wonder of it all filled my heart.

When I was a young and foolish girl, I dreamed that one day I would marry a tall, dark haired, handsome man. He’d be successful in everything he did and we’d have a big, beautiful home on a hill overlooking the valley. Then I met Howard, a cowboy. I fell in love with this cowboy and married him. For 40 years, I have known that my husband loves me. He has obeyed that great commandment found in the D&C Section 42:22: Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart and shalt cleave unto her and none else.”
Knowing of this love and loyalty has been a source of great strength and security. (excerpt Ethel’s talk, Tribute to Howard)


Reader #2: (Excerpt from Arnett Family Newsletter, Message from our Patriarch,June 1987)

This month on June 23, Ethel and I celebrate our 42nd year anniversary. They were good ones for me---I don’t know how she enjoyed it. These were wonderful years in reflection---being married to an angel of her stature. She’s helped me in everything I’ve wanted to do. In many cases taken the lead, urging me to do better than I would normally have done.

She’s been especially kind and understanding the last few years having to cope with my sickness. Probably some of her suffering now is to give me a chance to repay her a little—for the kindness shown to me over the years---the care she’s shown me. I love her very much for all she’s done for me.

She’s been very generous to her family---giving of herself and her means to promote good things to happen to her children and grandchildren…

She’s never been a toe-dabbler (never one to test the water with her toe), she dives in. She’s a doer! It grieves me to know that she has to slow down somewhat now…Ethel, you’ve been the greatest blessing in my life.

Grandpa and Grandma’s own words teach and exemplify: the greatest thing you can do for children is to let them know how much their parents love each other.

Legacy of humor
Reader #3: Howard Marshall Arnett was a funny guy. His subtle, wry wit, was extremely endearing.

I like me, who do you like?

I had a lot of bad dreams last night, I had to cut them all short to fit them in.

Life lesson from Howard: When the challenges of the day become almost too much, humor can soothe and comfort. It’s no small thing to make another smile.

Legacy of Faith and Testimony
Reader #4: (Excerpt from Arnett Family Newsletter, December 1987)
I wish I could express myself more fully---anyway…I’d like to tell my family that I love them.

This great love I have for my family comes from the gospel. We need to understand that truth, love and the good things are of God and the lack of love and evil things of this world are of Satan. Lately, lots of things have been running through my mind, especially at night when I can’t sleep. There are a lot of questions about the universe and God’s handiwork that I wonder about. Someday I hope I can be worthy to know the answers and be in God’s presence.

At the year’s end, I express my gratitude to our Heavenly Father for life, that I could live another year. I’m thankful for my children and that they are teaching my grandchildren truth and righteousness…

I’d like to give counsel to my family... Study the scriptures. This is the only way you can obtain spiritual growth. Live righteous lives so the Holy Ghost can guide you in your daily life.

Our gentle patriarch knew that family, love, and living the gospel---these were the important things and this is the legacy we have all inherited.

Reader #5: Hopefully we will absorb the life lessons taught by Grandpa Howard and Grandma Ethel and, particularly at this reunion time, remember their courage and good lives.

We, as a family, don’t have to start over when it comes to learning how to live. Grandpa and Grandma have shown us the way. May we give thanks for those shoulders on which we stand.