Happy Birthday Enoch!!

John Enoch Groberg on his way to his mission in Sweden

 John Enoch Groberg was born on April 2, 1976 in Ogden, Weber County, Utah.  The story of his mom and dad's conversion and emigration can be found here.  His father's name was John so he went by Enoch.  He only lived 33 years but packed a lot of life into those short years.  This year on his birthday we will concentrate on his boyhood. Enoch was a very studious boy who became a school teacher before he married.  He had quite a reputation of being a public speaker and giving recitations or reading.  When anything was going on, he would be called on to give stump speeches.  Enoch was about ten when one day his mother gave him a rooster to sell.  Apparently he got to keep the proceeds from the rooster sale and when asked what he was going to do with the money he replied "I think I'll buy me a book."  They worked hard in those days picking berries, caring for the vegetable gardens, plowing, scraping, planting, helping their mother care for the chickens, trading eggs for groceries, topping beets, milking cows, bringing water from the pump to the house, helping prepare meals for the threshers, operating the thresher and riding horses.  Enoch's boyhood bishop told Enoch's son years later that he was a man of great faith, kindness, loyalty and strong character.  Enoch taught school for two years in Weber County.  President David O. McKay's brother Thomas was the superintendent of schools there.   He said of John Enoch "Oh yes, I remember John Enoch well. He was one of the outstanding teachers of Weber County, really outstanding.  He was a debater an orator.  It was his voice that impressed me most, along with the way he could use words.  He had the voice of an orator, and when he stood up to speak you knew he really had something to say, he would really tell you something.  He was clean cut and his remarks were that way too.  He didn't say unnecessary words but had a way of coming right to the point and making it crystal clear.  He was good company.  He was congenial.  He was positive in what he said, not negative.  He was constructive.  He was a builder, not a faultfinder.  I felt at home in his company.

Besides being a great speaker Enoch was artistic and gifted.  He painted and wrote poetry.  Here is one poem

Do the Best You Can

Have you ever in your lifetime had a task you could not do?
If you have, well let me whisper just a few words unto you:
Try and always do your duty, try and carry out your plan,
But if you can by no means do it, do the best you can.

Everybody can be doing something, if they only try,
Therefore you should always try to do some good before you die.
Fulfill all that you have promised, take your part just like a man,
And no matter what your trade is, do the best you can.

Finish all that you have started, never from your duty shrink.
If your will only help you, you can do more than you think.
No matter what you are doing, you will find it is a good plan
To work with a will and always do the bests you can.

If you are young and strong and happy, try and make others happy too
And always think that all you live for is the good that you can do.
Try to do what's right and always do your duty like a man
For God will bless you if you only do the best you can.