the value of work

In a previous post "Summer Fun in Salmon" (click here to view), I talked about some of the fun things that Jonah, Micah, and Kanyon have done this summer. But I didn't mention Ammon once in it...did you notice when you read it and wonder why? Well, it's because this was the first summer that Ammon really wasn't here a lot. He went to 2 scout camps--one with my dad's scout troop from Utah in the middle of June, and one with his own scout troop from Salmon the last week of July. Both camps were in Idaho: the first was at Aspen Ridge (near Preston) and the second was at Camp Bradley (near Stanley). He also went to a 4-day Aaronic Priesthood Encampment in Shelley with thousands of other boys from eastern Idaho at the end of June. In addition to the time spent at scout camps, he was also gone several days in July to compete in golf tournaments around eastern Idaho.

When he was home in Salmon, he wasn't really AT our home a lot because he worked a TON this summer. He mowed lawns with Josh every Thursday, Friday, several Saturdays, and a few Tuesdays. He picked up some more of his own clients, and he helped his dad with the lawns that Josh mows, too. He also refereed youth soccer games the whole month of June, and was paid for it (and he did a great job at it, too!). He also worked every day that he was here for his Grandpa T. on the ranch. He changed pipe a LOT this summer--since none of his uncles were here to help. When the hay fields were tall enough to cut, then he didn't have to move the sprinkler pipe on them anymore. Instead, he had to move the hay bales (after the hay was cut and baled) to different areas on the ranch to store them. Grandpa T. even taught Ammon how to drive the hay-hauling truck which has a manual transmission. Ammon really enjoyed learning to drive stick-shift, driving the big truck, and doing the mature job of hay-hauling. Grandpa's payment to Ammon for all the work he did for him was this:

He has loved his motorbike, and has gone on several rides with it. All summer long, he kept saying it was "Totally worth it" working for Grandpa in exchange for the motorbike. But just this week, after going to school, then running at cross country practice for a couple hours, then coming home only to eat dinner before having to leave to go haul hay bales until it was dark, he was extremely exhausted and I heard him say on the way to the shower that he "wasn't so sure it was worth it anymore"!

He has really learned the value of hard work this summer, and we've hardly heard him complain at all about the workload he's taken on. We are very proud of him for his perseverance and the help that he's been around the house and also to his dad and grandpa. He's following in the ways of his hardworking dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa. I'm grateful that he has the opportunity to work outdoors and alongside the great examples of his dad and grandpa.

I've always loved this quote, and used to have it framed on a wall in our home: "Teaching our children the value of work is a treasure that will last a lifetime". The lessons he's learning about how to work now will be valuable to him for the rest of his life, which I feel is a rare trait that youth possess in today's world.