Heber Jeddy Grant
submitted by: Kaden Corry
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"Throw the ball here Sissy!", said the starting baseball players. Heber couldn't throw the ball from one base to another. So he promised himself that he would be one of those starting nine players and win a championship for Utah. Let me introduce you to my great, great, grandpa Heber Jeddy Grant, he believed that anyone could do anything they put their mind to. He taught me about the power of persistence and how to show kindness.
Heber wanted to play baseball, but because he didn't have a great arm, he was on the bottom team and didn't make the top starting lineup. Those kids teased him and he wanted to get better. So he worked and shined shoes for his mother who was keeping borders at the time. He did this to earn money to buy a baseball. He used this baseball to practice everyday. He would take his ball to his bishop's farm and would throw against the barn until his arm ached. Eventually he moved up to the middle team and kept working hard. Later, he joined a better club and eventually played in the nine that went on to win the championship for the Territory of Utah.
When Heber was about ten, he went to school and teachers would tell him that his handwriting looked like 'chicken scratch'. After school one day he went home and practiced and practiced his handwriting. A couple months later the teacher stopped commenting on his bad writing and now they complimented him on his good writing. His handwriting became so good that eventually, people would hire him to write for them because his handwriting was very excellent.
When Heber was a little boy, he loved playing in the snow. He really needed a good snow coat though. One day his helpful mother made him a new winter coat. He played and enjoyed his new coat in the snow. One day, when he was out playing, he saw a boy all alone shivering in the cold. He decided right then and there to give that boy his new coat. He thought he might need it more than he did. When he came back, his mom saw him without his coat and was wondering what happened. He told her about giving it up for someone else in need. She was proud of Heber choosing to be kind.
I hope that in my life, I can be like Heber. He chose to practice, never give up, do hard things and be kind. He taught me the power of persistence in life.