We have had to change the date of our reunion because of a change in venue that will be more accessible. The date will be  Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 2:30 p,m.at the LDS Chapel located at 396 North 1100 East in American Fork, Utah.

2016 Burgoyne Family Reunion Date and Location

The 2016 Burgoyne Family Reunion will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2016 in American Fork at the LDS Chapel located at 396 North 1100 East (also known as North County Blvd.).  The chapel is not far from the Mount Timpanogos Temple.

Registration for the reunion will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the church.  Activities will commence at 3:00 p.m. with activities for all ages.  This will also be a time for cousins to sit, visit, and get reacquainted with one another.  A catered meal, workshops and program will follow.

The purpose of the reunion is two fold:  "Remember our heritage," and "Let us Build long lasting relationships."  We intend to bring you and your families meaningful experiences, so save the date!  . 

Enter your starting address:

Mary Lou Simmons Burgoyne

Thoughts and Blessings of Serving a Mission:

1.  My mission taught me a lot more about life than I expected. I learned that there are so many more genuinely good people out there than I ever imagined. I discovered that how I react to people says more about me than it does about them. I realized that the more I learn about the gospel, the better I can utilize the Spirit in everyday life, and that the Spirit talks to me a lot more than I had formerly believed. I experienced God's powerful love for individuals, especially one day when he asked us to drive 30 minutes out of our way to let a lonely sister know He was aware of her.
Now, I feel like I can love those around me better, I find myself more motivated to take responsibility for my own spiritual growth, and I feel much more confident in God's love for me.
I wouldn't give up my mission for anything. The things I've learned and the wonderful people I've met have made that experience invaluable. 

2.  My Mission was probably the single most important decision of my life. It was because of my decision to serve that I was blessed with my wonderful wife and children. I was taught so much in such a short period of time, I cannot even begin to explain my gratitude in such a short writing.

Within days of my arrival to the mission field,  I was taught of the importance of recognizing the Lord's timeline. We have our agency to do what we wish, but the Lord knows what is best for us, and knows where and how we will best succeed in this life.

I learned how the Spirit speaks to me and how my prayers are answered. The Spirit speaks to each of us differently because we are all different. I may need different guidance than my spouse, siblings or companion and It took some learning, seeking and prayer to figure it out. And to this day, I am often forced to relearn as I seek after my goals and ambitions. This is just a more technical way of saying that we need to forever work on our relationships with the Holy Ghost, with our Savior and our Father in Heaven.

I learned of the importance of patience and love in this life. No conflict is ever truly resolved when there is contention, anger or any type of hard feelings. Patience and empathy for someone who disagrees with you is the only way that a conflict can truly be resolved amicably. Those who are quick to anger will struggle in all aspects of life. 

I learned that patience and the Lord's timeline go hand in hand. I often, to this day, become so focused on a goal or a challenge before me that patience begins to give way to despair and I lose sight of the Lord's timeline. I often am required to take a step back, regain my patience and move forward with the Lord's timeline. The great thing about this Gospel is that we get as many "do overs" as we need.

I learned that an essential part of patience, is the ability to enjoy the ride. I often get caught up in achieving my goals and I forget to enjoy the journey. Life often gets hard, but we, as imperfect beings, tend to focus on our hardships as a defense mechanism. We (I) often forget that if we focus on our blessings, our hardships tend to lessen. We are uplifted by the blessings in our lives if we will simply recognize them and give thanks for them.  

I learned many things on my mission but overall, I learned that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us and wants us to be happy. I learned that this life is a test, but it also is for us to experience joy, and I strive to seek joy in all aspects of life.

Paul Christiansen Burgoyne Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, Paul Christiansen Burgoyne, passed away peacefully Saturday, March 21, 2015, in, Provo, Utah, surrounded by family at the Utah Valley Specialty Hospital after a two month struggle to recover from complications due to an aortic dissection. He was born in Salt Lake City on March 23, 1933, at the Holy Cross Hospital to Alma and Katherine Burgoyne. His schooling included a BS from the U of U, an MS in Natural Sciences from the U of SD, and a PhD in Zoology from BYU. He served in many ways. He was a member of the Cedar City Board of Adjustments and on the Library Board. He was also on the Board of Directors for the Zion Natural History Association. From 1956-1962, he was in the US Army, including sixteen months in Germany. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Paul served in many callings including as bishop and a counselor in many bishoprics. Paul was a missionary in Denmark from 1952-1956 and served a temple mission with his spouse in Sweden from 1996-1997. While there, he was called by then Elder Thomas S. Monson to be a counselor in the temple presidency. Paul and Marilyn had been called to the Nauvoo Illinois Temple Mission and were scheduled to report in April. Paul loved the outdoors and spending time in nature. He worked as a Park Ranger Naturalist during summers at Zion National Park and Navajo National Monument. He taught thousands of people about nature and the human body at SUU. Always a devoted and talented teacher, Paul found opportunities to share his great knowledge wherever he was, at school, at church, in the home, in the temple, and as a guide in Southern Utah. Visiting friends and relatives, especially foreign visitors, enjoyed his tours. Knowing that it was everybody's responsibility to make this great nation run, he was politically active. His passions were reading, airplanes, motorcycles, skiing, watching birds, and catching lizards. He could even tell you what a coyote had eaten from its scat. Paul had the resources to act rather than simply be acted upon as he went through life. He was always thinking of others first, always! He was a kind and helpful person. We will miss our Dad. Marilyn will be missing her very best friend. Paul is survived by his spouse, Marilyn, daughter Paula Burgoyne Jenson of Cedar City, Utah (Steve), son James Howard Burgoyne of Davenport, Florida (Rita), son Christian Burgoyne of Arvada, Colorado (Jen), adopted son Mvemba of Washington, D.C. (Kunda), twelve grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and sister, Mary Kay Mickelson. He was preceded in death by his brother John, brother in-law Mark, Nephew Dix, and his parents, Alma and Katherine.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 11:00 am at the Cedar Stake Center, 155 East 400 South, Cedar City, Utah, with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 am prior to the service. Visitation will be held Friday, March 27, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Southern Utah Mortuary, 190 North 300 West. Interment will be in the Cedar City Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary.