Are you okay?‏

Melanie wrote:

Mom,

Dad called yesterday to talk. He left a message. I tried calling you all afternoon and into the evening. I kept getting a busy signal. Were you without power?

I might try to call back this afternoon. Braden gets his braces off this morning, so I will be gone all morning. Remember how we used to go to Provo for our medical and orthodontist services? Well, we go to Mansfield, about the same commute as going to Provo.

Hopefully things are well with you.

Mel

Article About Michael

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/johnstown/stories/2009/03/28/0329jieaglescout_ln.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=104

Eagle Scout project will benefit the area's hungry
Saturday,  March 28, 2009 6:54 PM
By KIM GAREE
ThisWeek Contributor
Some Johnstown residents will find a grocery sack on their front porch Thursday.
Placing canned goods or non-perishable items in the bag and leaving it on the doorstep will both help feed area residents and help Johnstown-Monroe High School sophomore Michael Trauntvein become an Eagle Scout.
Trauntvein will go back around the community on Saturday morning, April 4, to gather the bags. He won't be knocking on residents' doors.
He hopes to collect a thousand pounds of food in a three-pronged drive to help the Food Pantry Network (FPN) of Licking County and the Johnstown Northridge Food Pantry stock their shelves. Phase One is the door-to-door bag drop in Johnstown, predominantly in the areas of Leafy Dell, Kyber Run and Concord Crossing.
The second phase will happen at JMHS, where Trauntvein will place boxes in each classroom and encourage students to bring in canned food. He has worked with Principal Kim Jakeway to offer a pizza party incentive, as well, for the class that brings in the most food.
A third phase will happen at his family's church in Granville, which is donating $500 worth of strawberry jam for FPN.
"It turns out they get a lot of peanut butter, but not a lot of jam to go with it," Trauntvein explained. "There will be about 18 of us from church taking the jam over, and we'll stay and stock shelves, clean the pantry, whatever they need us to do and then take a tour."
FPN of Licking County is affiliated with the Croton Church of Christ, which serves the Johnstown area on their behalf. In 2007, FPN served 700,000 individual meals to those in need.
"We rely on initiatives like this by groups, organizations and businesses in our community 100 percent," said FPN director Charles Moore.
Half of the donations collected in Johnstown will go to the Johnstown Food Pantry, Trauntvein said, and half to FPN.
"I figured they'd need help because of our nation's economic situation and the high unemployment rate," said Trauntvein. He started planning his project in October. He estimates he will log 90 to 100 hours by the time his project is complete.
Becoming an Eagle Scout is a natural progression for Trauntvein, who says the lessons he has learned in scouting will help him the rest of his life.
"It teaches you so many things, from physical training to a love of the outdoors," he said. "Mostly, it teaches you to be self-sufficient and self-motivated."
Trauntvein, the son of Todd and Amy Trauntvein, started in Cub Scouts at age 8. His family moved to Johnstown four years ago from Utah. He has served as Patrol Leader of his troop, Boy Scout Troop 4051 in Granville, and been to camp four times. Over his years of scouting, Trauntvein has earned 22 merit badges and was named to the prestigious Order of the Arrow two years ago.
Becoming an Eagle Scout requires not just the meeting of various scouting criteria but also a large-scale project like the one Trauntvein is doing for the food pantries and the people of Licking County.
"It will be great when it's over to see how many shelves we've filled at the storehouse, to see how we've been able to help," Trauntvein said.
"Michael's project is great because it gets kids involved, too, and helps build characteristics in them that we want our young people to have," Moore said. "We appreciate that hungry people in Licking County will be fed because of his project."
His parents say Michael has gained a sense of leadership and self-sufficiency, not just from scouting but from the Eagle project specifically.
"I think that's the thing about the Eagle project," Todd Trauntvein said. "It asks you, 'Okay, you've done all this stuff É now what have you really learned?'"
Trauntvein, who is in the honors program at JMHS, has other interests that include band, track and playing the piano, as well as video games and church activities. He hopes to attend Brigham Young University in Utah after graduation and possibly pursue a career in writing.
Trauntvein said he is grateful to everyone in the community who has already offered assistance and especially to Giant Eagle of New Albany for providing the grocery bags.

We Made It

Kirsten wrote: We got in around midnight, including a milk stop (so we could have breakfast this morning).

Loved seeing both of you, missed staying the night with you, though!

love,
kirsten

Myrna wrote: Judging from the storm we have been having today, it is a good thing you left when you did. The wind has been blowing and it has been snowing. I feel like there should be some poetic addition to that last sentence. I am glad you all got home safe and sound. I also enjoyed seeing all of you. The best laid plans of mice and men. . .



Love, M

Profs can put names to computer faces‏

Myrna wrote: Guess what I read? I thought this was really interesting. I am only sending the first couple of paragraphs but you can check the rest of the article out if you like.

Yale Daily News
Published: Friday, March 30, 2001
Profs can put names to computer faces
By Anahad O'Connor
YDN Staff Reporter

The next time you fall asleep or make a comment in a big lecture course, be warned: You may not be just another face in the crowd to your professor.

Starting next semester, Yale professors will be able to access identification photographs of students enrolled in their courses. The student identification photos used in online and print facebooks will be made  available to Yale faculty in the fall of 2001 in customized databases available only to professors.


Siovhan wrote: BYU professors already get photo directories they can access at any time. It made falling asleep in class a dangerous game.

Siovhan


Ann  Olsen wrote: Amazing!  So interesting to read about!

    Ann

To Raymond and Karen Smith

Myrna wrote:

I received a note and an obituary from Gordon concerning the death of your beautiful and young daughter, Melissa. I wanted to offer the sympathy of Leonard and I. We will keep you and your family in our prayers.

I noted in the obituary that she still had a very young son. As grandparents ourselves, I know that you have a concern for your grandson. I am certain that he will need your love and support for many years to come. I am also certain that you will be guided in your decision-making.

What great people you are. I am so thankful that you provided such a good home for Melissa and were such loving parents to her. I am ever thankful for my grandmother who did the same for me.

May our Father in Heaven's blessings be with you.

Love, Myrna and Leonard

Gordon, this is what I sent. Did you send flowers?‏


Gordon wrote: We didn't send flowers, but we went to the funeral.

I'm sure they appreciated your email.  That was very nice.

Thank You,

Gordon and Roberta

Helen--Hi, again!

Helen wrote:

Sorry to send you to responses to your e-mail- I sent the first one and it didn't send, according to the screen, so rewrote. When I sent the 2nd one and it was into the sent page the first one was also there. Oh Well, repetition brings conviction. Right??? of course right from Fiddler on the Roof. Love Helen

Myrna wrote:

At least we know you care! I have this happen to me quite frequently so i know just what you mean. Love, M

Hey Grandma!

Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:08:25 -0600
From Brigitta Rae

Hey I have a blog post you should read. It is a movie review I have pasted it below...tada

If any of you have seen the film "The Boy In Stripped Pajamas", you recognized the upfront characterization lacking depth and motive, the slightly shaky feel during the running scene and the long, tedious building-up-to-the-point. I was ready to write the film off as "A last minute heart throb" until my someone brought something to my attention.

"You know, that's not all that different than what we went through...the pioneers."

And now the movie has become a testament to me of the simple view we should all take of the world. Mind if I endarken you? I feel a rant coming on... Oh heck, it's my blog! I can do as I will.

This is what drives me away from churches, schools, congregations and even countries. The whole, "Well, we're not so different" act. It's not about Jews, Mormons, Germans or even Governments, it's about people. These are humans, just as you and I (I'm sorry we can't include you in this bob...whatever you are.).  I don't care what this movie was meant to say, what point they were trying to get across, but it shone to me as a penlight in fog.

This point is an everlasting struggle between religions, especially the Mormons and the Jews. I have nothing against the following quotes, for it is in fact my religion, but I just have an opposed opinion when it comes to this war; the stupid war over the persecuted church. It says in the bible that the church will be persecuted like none other. Well, the Jews seem to uphold that they are that most persecuted. (And seriously, who could blame them.) So, the Mormons feels a need to come back and say, "Look at our pioneers!". Even in the most recent of LDS church announcements, one speaker can be quoted saying "...ask the Mormons..." in reference to a Jewish Rabbi asking an acclaimed archaeologist about the temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. WHY THIS WAR!? Why can't you accept that these are all Gods people? That it makes no difference who they are or what they belong to! Why are the first words to come out of your mouth, "Look at us"? I don't understand how anyone could be that heartless and so without understanding. The point is not to haggle about beliefs, it's to show what has happened to us, why it happened to us...THE POINT IS TO UNDERSTAND that this shouldn't happen again, that this is all mans sin, we were all persecuted in the Holocaust and we were all persecuters! Every group and individual should be coming to the conclusion that at anytime someone could decide you weren't fit to live. This is no badge of honor, even for the people who lived through it. It is a showing of mans iniquity, not Adams, yours. Even in saying this I feel hypocritical. I know there is so much more I could be doing to help those around me. To prove my love for all man, no matter what sect. But the cowardliness of my own heart drives me into the background to mingle with the other foreshadowed values of my person and I am ashamed.

This movie shows the innocence of a boy and the understanding of the pure. All men were created equal and man only cared if he was, not that all should. This film is the song of my faith and my testimony of peace. I only wish that either others can see as I or that in my wrong I can be enlightened.

-Brigitta Rae

--
The definition of an editor is a person who knows a great deal about very
little and who goes on learning more and more about less and less, until
finally he or she knows practically everything about nothing.

To: Brigitta Rae from Myrna Rae

I enjoyed reading your comments. Grandpa called me and told me that you had watched the DVD and how moved he was. I guess I need to check it out. I am impressed with your writing. You do a good job of getting your thoughts across and making people stop and consider your viewpoint. Love, Grammy

About Waite Break

Myrna wrote: Kirsten, I think Dad had your vacation time wrong in his head. He is up at Shawn's this week until Wednesday. He and Dane and Brigitta drove up this a.m. That means that we will be home all next week so we could enjoy your company. He actually thought that you were coming last Friday and was surprised when we got home from the temple and you were not here. It was then that I figured out that he did not have it right so we can spend all of the week with you when you have Spring Break. I hope you haven't made other plans.

Love, M

Kirsten wrote: No, it is this week.  But when he told me about the schedule for this week, we decided to make a trip up to see Anna (in ID) for the first part of the week, then come down to Nephi next weekend when you guys would be around.  So, that's where we are.  We used Friday to play catchup at our house and left late Saturday night.  We'll be here until Frid am.  We'll drive to Am's and stay there for the night and go to the baptism.  We were thinking of taking the kids bowling on campus after the baptism then heading down to Nephi.  If you don't mind, we'd love to stay the night and probably hit sacrament meeting with you then head back for home (so we don't get back too late).  We'll be out again in the summer, so I wasn't too stressed about Dad helping out in Layton this week.  Plus, you still have the great pleasure of taking our kids off our hands for two weeks in May.  ;)

So, sorry for the miscommunication, but we'll see you this weekend.  

Love, 
Kirsten

A Big Thank You!!

Dearest Hon and Sster:It is raining heavy at this night hour and the cloudys are lowering over Mt. Olympus-  by morn there will be snow to be sure.

Hope you folks enjoyed the Sabbath and the opportunity to attend the Draper Temple Dedication. I think it is marvelous and probably completely exhausting for President Monson to preside over 12 such services in 3 days.

Want to let you know and thank you again for your thoughtfulness in bringing me a handky from the Denmark Temple Dedication. I have about 4-5 handkies I considered using ( all white)  the one I used is the one you folks gave me .
It seemed very appropriate to me.

Have a good week. Love Helen


Myrna wrote: You are such a sweetheart! We love you.

Today the sky is gray, the clouds are heavy and it is snowing. We ended up meeting as two stakes together last night for the televised dedication. We were having such heavy winds here and our stake's satellite was moving so much that the signal could not be maintained. We all moved up to the North Stake Center. Of course, with more than 2,500 people, it was very crowded but we did have the spirit there and it was great.

Love, M

Raymond and Karen's Daughter Death‏

Raymond is Pearle and Fred Smith's youngest child and the brother of Gordon Smith.

Gordon  Smith wrote: Dear Family,
We are sending you the obituary for Raymond & Karen's daughter, Melissa, and Raymond's email address, if you desire to send a note of condolence to them.  The obit. was in the Daily News of Blackfoot, Idaho,
today.  Her service is Monday.  We are going up to support them.
Love ya, dad and mom.

RymndKar@aol.com

BLACKFOOT — Melissa Dene Gallegos, 37, the daughter of Raymond and Karen Smith of Blackfoot, died peacefully in her sleep on March 18, 2009 in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Melissa Dene
Gallegos, 37
BLACKFOOT — Melissa Dene Gallegos, 37, the daughter of Raymond and Karen Smith of Blackfoot, died peacefully in her sleep on March 18, 2009 in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Melissa was born May 24, 1971 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Darla Dene Jensen and Gordon Walter Snow.  She moved to Blackfoot when she was 9 months old to live with her aunt and uncle, Raymond and Karen Smith, who raised her to adulthood.  Melissa attended school in Blackfoot, graduating from Blackfoot High School in 1989.  She made friends easily and was a loyal and loving friend to many.
Melissa married Michael Gallegos in 1987.  They were later divorced but have remained good friends.
Melissa worked for many years as a waitress at Martha’s Café in Blackfoot and later at Oakridge Convenience Store.  She lived for a short period of time in Pocatello and Montpelier but later returned to live in Blackfoot.  Melissa was a good worker and always gave full measure to her employers.
Melissa’s crowning glory was her three sons, Tason, Adrian and Logan.  She loved them fiercely and they were her life.
Melissa is survived by her parents, Raymond & Karen Smith of Blackfoot; her father, Gordon Snow of LaVerkin, UT; her children, Tason Gallegos, 21, of Salt Lake City, UT; Adrian Jimenez, 18,  and Logan Smith, 12, both of Blackfoot; her brothers, Wade Smith of Lake City, FL, Bryant Smith of Gypsum, CO; sisters Susan (Layne) Anderson and Stacy Smith, both of Blackfoot; brothers, Gordon Snow and Frank Woolsey, both of Salt Lake City, UT; brother, Jerry Diat and sister, Holly Diat; brothers Darren, Eric and Jon Hardman, all of Springville, UT and sister, Leslie Nielsen of Spanish Fork, UT.  Also surviving are many aunts, uncles, cousins, and numerous nieces and nephews.  She will be dearly missed by her entire family.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Darla, an infant daughter, Angela Karen Jimenez, and her grandparents.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, March 23, 2009, at Hawker Funeral Home. The family will meet with friends and relatives from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 22, 2009 at the funeral home and again for one hour prior to service. Interment will be in the Grove City Cemetery.


Myrna wrote: Thanks for keeping me in the loop. She was so young. Did she have cancer? That is the worry we all have that our youngsters will die before we do. She certainly was a beautiful woman. What will become of the youngest--the 12 year old? Will Raymond and Karen give him a home? Love, M


Hi Myrna, Melissa had health problems for a long time.  All that is known is that she died in her sleep.

The services were very nice, with a great attendance and support.  It was good to see Karen & Raymond's family, they are so scattered we never see them, just hear about their activities.  Bryan conducted the services, he is or has been a Branch President, and he did very well.  The services were
family oriented and family participants.  Monte and Wynette drove up there from Ioka (Roosevelt).  It was so good to see them too.  Wynette said she saw you at Suzanne Farrer's mothers services in Nephi.  That was a pleasant surprise for her.  As for the boys, the oldest is living in Salt Lake and attending the Community college there, Adrien will graduate this year from high school and will have to decide what he
desires to do, and Logan, the 12 year old has been invited to live with his father and his family, so that is where it stands.  Raymond and Karen's door is open to give them love and support, a place to live, or whatever their needs are.  They have given the boys great support in a myriad of ways up to this point.  They have been given a good foundation, now their agency will have to step in.  Worries and concerns never end.    

Hope all is well at your home, we enjoy your emails.  Gordon tells me about them, and sometimes I get to read them.  My computer skills are terrible, as you can see.  Love, Gordon & Roberta

Hi, Again from Helen

Sorry to send you to responses to your e-mail- I sent the first one and it didn't send, according to the screen, so rewrote. When I sent the 2nd one and it was into the sent page the first one was also there. Oh Well, repetition brings conviction. Right??? of course right from Fiddler on the Roof. Love Helen

Shawn Trauntvein Kid's Schedule

Kimberly wrote: Here is the kid's schedule. I forgot to send this with Grandpa, could you give it to him?

Monday:

Brigitta work @ 3pm-5:30pm

1st day of 4th term, Tuesday:

Brigitta school, A-Day, 8am to 2:30pm

Dane school 8:05am to 2:55pm

Take garbage out.

Feed fish and cat and crabs.

Brigitta work @ 3pm-5:30pm


Wednesday:

Brigitta school, B-Day, 8am to 2:30pm

Dane school 8:05am to 2:55pm

Pull in garbage cans.

Feed fish and cat and crabs.

Brigitta work @ 3pm-5:30pm

Dane/Brigitta Mutual 7-9pm


Thursday:

Brigitta school, B-Day, 8am to 2:30pm

Dane school 8:05am to 2:55pm

Feed fish and cat and crabs.

Brigitta-no work.

Brigitta and Dane be respectful of each other, and of Grandpa.  Clean up after yourselves.  Homework and chores before computer time.


Myrna wrote: I hope you can think of something great to do on the way home! Maybe Sorina will sleep because she is tired out. We were so happy that the older two were with us. Dane helped put the swing set together on Saturday. He even found a screw to replace the one Mary buried in the garden. Then, of course, we went to the temple dedication on Sunday.

About Bree's Health

The doctors think that Bree has pseudoseizures. According to the medical dictionary, psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), or pseudoseizures are paroxysmal episodes that resemble and are often misdiagnosed as epileptic seizures. Paroxysmal nonepileptic episodes can be either organic or psychogenic. Syncope, migraine, and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are examples of organic, nonepileptic paroxysmal symptoms. The seizures are very real and involuntary. They may be harder to control because they do not respond to the usual non-seizure medications. There are treatments but, as of tonight, David had not learned from the doctors what those might be. They do have an around-the-clock nurse stationed in the room now and her observations may be helpful to the medical staff. David had been doing a lot of the care himself and was having a difficult time getting a stat crew into her room. He said they told him that it just seemed like a long time to him but he said it was a long time. Sometimes stress can be a trigger but the seizure response is much like a migraine, there are many different triggers and, I am supposing (but am not certain), it will take a bit of time for the doctors to find the stressors. This is an involuntary illness and the seizures cannot be controlled by strength of will. Given my choice of response, and I am certain Bree feels the same way, I would take migraines over this. LHT had experience with a friend who had seizures and he said it is obvious to him that Bree's are very much like his childhood friend's. He had epileptic seizures.

About Bree

I takes about 3 1/2 hours to get to Grand Junction, CO, from Nephi. Dad went down and spent the afternoon. While he was there, Bree had another seizure. When he got home tonight, he tried to call David but the phone was off. He said they both were tired, and since David was staying the night, perhaps they were both napping, but I think the hospital still may have been doing tests. Dad just called David's cell phone and not the room.

Just before Dad left, at 5 p.m., they were getting Bree ready to take her to have an MRI. They told them it would take about and hour before they would do the test. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses the magnetic properties of body tissues to create a detailed image of the brain. It takes about 45 minutes. When it is used for people with seizures, a certain protocol is followed, to be sure that there is a clear image of the areas of the brain where seizures are most likely to begin. 

Earlier they gave her an Electroencephalogram (EEG) to measures electricity in the brain (or brain waves). Electrodes are used to see if there are any seizures and/or any abnormalities that might lead to seizures. The doctors did not find anything wrong when they did that test. But, after that test she had another seizure.

Dad says the first seizure happened when everyone was asleep. Bree was up with Caydin and felt her arm go numb. She went to her mom's room and woke her before the seizure happened. The doctors at the nearby hospital were unable to stop or control the seizures so they sent her via air to St. Mary's hospital in Grand Junction. Dad says they have been keeping her quieted with medicine trying to keep things under control.

So she is in room 318 (or was, the nurse said they might move her) at St. Mary's in Grand Junction, CO.

I know you all love Bree, as I do, and are praying for her. I just worry that this might be some sort of flare up of the cancer she had as a child. I also pray that that is not the cause and that it is something simple. I have a friend at the temple, one of the 60 women I work with, who gets seizures whenever she gets a fever--even a low grade fever. I hope it is just something like that. The women has had this problem since she was a child and is 70 now. It is scary for her family but she just works to keep all fevers controlled.

Enough rambling. I love you all, M

New England Marriages Prior to 1700

Posted By: Barb McGee

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Date Posted: Mar 19, 2009

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Description: This is an excerpt from New England Marriages Prior to 1700.
You will need to enlarge the photo to read the print!!

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Date Taken: 7-23/2008

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Place Taken: FHC-Houston

More About Bree

The doctors think that Bree has pseudoseizures. According to the medical dictionary, psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), or pseudoseizures are paroxysmal episodes that resemble and are often misdiagnosed as epileptic seizures. Paroxysmal nonepileptic episodes can be either organic or psychogenic. Syncope, migraine, and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are examples of organic, nonepileptic paroxysmal symptoms. The seizures are very real and involuntary. They may be harder to control because they do not respond to the usual non-seizure medications. There are treatments but, as of tonight, David had not learned from the doctors what those might be. They do have an around-the-clock nurse stationed in the room now and her observations may be helpful to the medical staff. David had been doing a lot of the care himself and was having a difficult time getting a stat crew into her room. He said they told him that it just seemed like a long time to him but he said it was a long time. Sometimes stress can be a trigger but the seizure response is much like a migraine, there are many different triggers and, I am supposing (but am not certain), it will take a bit of time for the doctors to find the stressors. This is an involuntary illness and the seizures cannot be controlled by strength of will. Given my choice of response, and I am certain Bree feels the same way, I would take migraines over this. LHT had experience with a friend who had seizures and he said it is obvious to him that Bree's are very much like his childhood friend's. He had epileptic seizures.

Helen wrote: Dearest family: thank you for the update. David's and Bree's names are on the prayer rolls of the 3 valley temples. On Monday I put them on the Draper Temple prayer roll. I did read in the paper that the Draper Temple is open for patrons starting Monday. You may have read in last weeks Church News- the Salt Lake Temple will be open on Mondays from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. starting the 6th of April. Enjoy the dedication tomorrow.

Thank you for keeping me informed. I am keeping Nanci informed by sending a copy of your e-mail to her. Please know David's, and Bree's names are on the prayer rolls of the 3 valley temples, on Monday I will put them on the Draper Temple also- I read an article in the paper that it will be open on Monday for patrons. You may have seen the article in the Church News Saturday last about the Salt Lake Temple will be open on Mondays from 7.a.m.-11 a.m. starting on Monday 6th April. Enjoy the dedication tomorrow. Love to each of you. Love Helen

Please Pray!

David called this a.m. about 8:30 a.m. He was heading to Grand Junction to the big regional hospital there. Bree had seizures last night and the doctors were unable to stop the seizures so they airlifted her to the hospital. Dad left right away, after getting the call, to go to be with David. We debated whether I should go or not but he didn't want to wait for Julie to get here to help with Rachel. He took his cell phone and promised he would call to let me know what the prognosis is.

ABOUT THE FLU PANDEMIC FROM HELEN

Helen wrote: Folks: the e-mail below is from a very good friend- am sending it on. Love Helen

John Gifford wrote: I received this from a colleague of mine who worked at the USH Forensic Unit. 

 

I wasn't going to forward this on till I looked at the attachment.  Then I thought to myself, "what if something like this happened and someone in my family could have benefited from this information."  Then it instantly became a no brainer to forward on.

ABOUT THE FLU PANDEMIC I found this to be quite interesting. Do with it as you will. "About a month ago a seminar was put on by Dr. Susan Puls, who is a cardiologist appointed by the First Presidency of the Church as the head of the church's pandemic committee. She said she was not an expert on pandemics as this was not her speciality, but in the two years she's been in her position, is fast becoming one. She now works for the church on a full-time basis working on planning for the pandemic and trying to get the word out to as many church members as possible. There were about 1400 people at the Saturday all-day seminar. In her capacity, she works with the governor's pandemic committee and the federal pandemic planning agency. She also said a pandemic is coming - not 'maybe' but is DEFINITELY coming. She says the pandemic is expected within the next two years but she personally believes it will be 'sooner rather than later...' The various groups (CDC, WHO, etc...) do not know what the pandemic will be but 'first among their list of suspects is the avian bird flu. It's only one mutation away from being easily transmitted from birds to humans and from human to human.' She said the World Health Organization expects 40% of the world population to become sick. Of those who become sick, they expect 50% will die. If you do the math - there are over 6 billion people on the earth today - that puts the death rate at over 1.4 billion people - and she says these deaths will happen over only a 3 to 4 month period of time. Dr. Puls related that when the pandemic hits the US , mandatory quarantine's of all infected and NON-INFECTED peoples will occur within the first 48 hours. Only emergency personnel (Dr's, nurses, firemen, police, national guardsmen, etc...) will be allowed to leave their homes - not even to go to the store, etc... This quarantine will last during the duration of the 'pandemic cycle' which will last approximately three months. Her main point was that everyone will need a *MINIMUM of 3 months supply of food at home* as the governments of the world will be overwhelmed within the first week and cannot be counted on to provide food, medical help, etc... She only briefly spoke on the 'social disruption' that will occur and did not go into any detail about what plans may, or may not exist, to deal with this. However - think about this - if your neighbors (both those you know and strangers) run out of food and are starving how might they react? Then think of all the individuals who already live outside of the law and are only 'controlled' by our current legal system. How might they react when law enforcement becomes ineffectual due to illness among the ranks and those who abandon their jobs to stay home and protect their own families. Ditto for the national guard and our own military. This isn't to scare anyone - just to provide a 'heads up' as 'to be forewarned is to be forearmed.' That's the end of the e mail. I try and check the authenticity of emails such as this so I Googled Dr. Puls and was eventually linked to the Church's Provident Living website and was surprised to find that they have a section on Pandemic Planning under Home and Family Preparedness. http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8041-1-4414-1,00.html The government also had a website: http://www.pandemicflugov/plan/tab3.html I found it very interesting that in the Church's new pamphlets on food storage, they recommend building your supply up to a three months supply. As you can see in the article, Dr. Puls states that everyone will need a minimum of three months supply of food at home. I think this quote from Elder Perry's Conference Talk (Oct 2008) has application here: *Thoreau's final necessity was fuel.* We have been hearing a lot about fuel and energy-about their high cost and limited supply, our unsafe and unpredictable dependence on their suppliers, and the need for new and sustainable sources of energy. I leave the discussion of these complicated issues to leaders of government and industry. The fuel I want to discuss is spiritual fuel. The Lord has given us a beautiful plan about how we can return to Him, but the completion of our mortal journey requires spiritual fuel. We want to emulate the five wise virgins, who had stored sufficient fuel to accompany the bridegroom when he came (see Matthew 25:6-10 http://scriptures.lds.org/matt/25/6-10#6). What is required to maintain a sufficient store of spiritual fuel? We must acquire knowledge of God's eternal plan and our role in it, and then by living righteously, surrendering our will to the will of the Lord, we receive the promised blessings. As Elder William R. Bradford taught at this pulpit: "In righteousness there is great simplicity. In every case that confronts us in life there is either a right way or a wrong way to proceed. If we choose the right way, we are sustained in our actions by the principles of righteousness, in the which there is power from the heavens. If we choose the wrong way and act on that choice, there is no such heavenly promise or power, and we are alone and are destined to fail" ("Righteousness,"/Liahona,/Jan. 2000, 103;/Ensign,/Nov...1999, 85).

Bree Is Ill

Myrna wrote: David called this a.m. about 8:30 a.m. He was heading to Grand Junction to the big regional hospital there. Bree had seizures last night and the doctors were unable to stop the seizures so they airlifted her to the hospital. Dad left right away, after getting the call, to go to be with David. We debated whether I should go or not but he didn't want to wait for Julie to get here to help with Rachel. He took his cell phone and promised he would call to let me know what the prognosis is.

Melanie wrote: Please call when you get any information.
Mel


Myrna wrote: I takes about 3 1/2 hours to get to Grand Junction, CO, from Nephi. Dad went down and spent the afternoon. While he was there, Bree had another seizure. When he got home tonight, he tried to call David but the phone was off. He said they both were tired, and since David was staying the night, perhaps they were both napping, but I think the hospital still may have been doing tests. Dad just called David's cell phone and not the room.


Just before Dad left, at 5 p.m., they were getting Bree ready to take her to have an MRI. They told them it would take about and hour before they would do the test. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses the magnetic properties of body tissues to create a detailed image of the brain. It takes about 45 minutes. When it is used for people with seizures, a certain protocol is followed, to be sure that there is a clear image of the areas of the brain where seizures are most likely to begin. 


Earlier they gave her an Electroencephalogram (EEG) to measures electricity in the brain (or brain waves). Electrodes are used to see if there are any seizures and/or any abnormalities that might lead to seizures. The doctors did not find anything wrong when they did that test. But, after that test she had another seizure.


Dad says the first seizure happened when everyone was asleep. Bree was up with Caydin and felt her arm go numb. She went to her mom's room and woke her before the seizure happened. The doctors at the nearby hospital were unable to stop or control the seizures so they sent her via air to St. Mary's hospital in Grand Junction. Dad says they have been keeping her quieted with medicine trying to keep things under control.


So she is in room 318 (or was, the nurse said they might move her) at St. Mary's in Grand Junction, CO.


I know you all love Bree, as I do, and are praying for her. I just worry that this might be some sort of flare up of the cancer she had as a child. I also pray that that is not the cause and that it is something simple. I have a friend at the temple, one of the 60 women I work with, who gets seizures whenever she gets a fever--even a low grade fever. I hope it is just something like that. The women has had this problem since she was a child and is 70 now. It is scary for her family but she just works to keep all fevers controlled.
Enough rambling. I love you all, M

Aunt Helen's Christmas in July won't happen.

Don't plan on Aunt Helen's Christmas in July. It won't happen this year or ever again. 

She has decided that all the original siblings are getting too old and have too many problems so she is dropping it. She will have Uncle Don, Aunt Thelma, Aunt Eva and Dad and I get together one Monday in April. But as for the rest of you, it is all over. Sorry about that. I think some of you really enjoyed it.

We also do not get our time off from the temple in January and July anymore. We will have our time off in April and in October. The temple committee has determined that is the cleaning schedule we need to be on and so, while they are having the temple cleaned, we are having time off. Kind of weird times, right? They coincide with conference but do not include conference.

The Irish Mormon prophet

By Michael De GrooteMormon Times

When people think of St. Patrick's Day and famous Irishmen they probably don't think about Joseph Smith Jr.

But they should.

As reported in the Deseret News and on MormonTimes.com last August, Ugo Perego, director of operations at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation discovered a rare DNA marker in descendants of Joseph Smith. This marker establishes that the Smith family line came from Ireland.

Genealogists had been able to trace the Smiths to a Robert Smith who arrived in the United States in 1638 from England. Some assumptions were made about where he came from and guesses were made, but no hard evidence existed that enabled reliable tracing to go any further.

Enter DNA.

Perego thought it would be an easy task to match the well-established DNA signature of the Joseph Smith family with other Smiths in England.

It wasn't.

The Smith's DNA was not like any Smith in England that Perego could find.

Perego began DNA detective work -- trying to find a close match. After narrowing his search he discovered that the Smith family DNA matched very closely with the many descendants of "Niall of the Nine Hostages," a fifth-century Irish warlord who was the ancestor of the kings of Ireland up to the 10th century. Joseph Smith's ancestors along his paternal line were not just Irish, but probably related to Irish royalty.

Perego speculated that the Smiths had to be relatively new to England when Robert Smith came to America, otherwise there should have been DNA matches in England. He thinks that Robert's family came from Ireland and changed their last name to fit in and avoid anti-Irish sentiments. They chose the most common of English names.

If the family had not changed their name, it is possible that the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could have been named "Joseph O'Malley" or "Joseph Flannigan."

Perego's study only applies to the Smith line -- the descent from father to son and so forth. Joseph Smith, of course, had many ancestors who were not along the Smith line (his mother for instance).

So how are Joseph's descendants receiving this news?

Michael Kennedy, the President of the Joseph Smith Jr. Family Organization and of the Joseph Smith Jr. and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society, said that most members of the family probably don't know about the study yet, but they will announce it at the next reunion. "I thought we were Scottish," he said.

Read the article about the discovery from August, 2008.

E-mail: mdegroote@desnews.com

MormonTimes.com is produced by the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah.
It is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Copyright © 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company


From Ann: That's so interesting!  Someday when we meet all of our ancestors it will be a great day of enlightenment!  I'm looking forward to it!

 

      Best, Ann

The Irish Mormon Prophet and Comments from Ann Olsen

The Irish Mormon prophet
By Michael De Groote
Mormon Times

When people think of St. Patrick's Day and famous Irishmen they probably don't think about Joseph Smith Jr.

But they should.

As reported in the Deseret News and on MormonTimes.com last August, Ugo Perego, director of operations at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation discovered a rare DNA marker in descendants of Joseph Smith. This marker establishes that the Smith family line came from Ireland.

Genealogists had been able to trace the Smiths to a Robert Smith who arrived in the United States in 1638 from England. Some assumptions were made about where he came from and guesses were made, but no hard evidence existed that enabled reliable tracing to go any further.

Enter DNA.

 Perego thought it would be an easy task to match the well-established DNA signature of the Joseph Smith family with other Smiths in England.

It wasn't.

The Smith's DNA was not like any Smith in England that Perego could find.

Perego began DNA detective work -- trying to find a close match. After narrowing his search he discovered that the Smith family DNA matched very closely with the many descendants of "Niall of the Nine Hostages," a fifth-century Irish warlord who was the ancestor of the kings of Ireland up to the 10th century. Joseph Smith's ancestors along his paternal line were not just Irish, but probably related to Irish royalty.

Perego speculated that the Smiths had to be relatively new to England when Robert Smith came to America, otherwise there should have been DNA matches in England. He thinks that Robert's family came from Ireland and changed their last name to fit in and avoid anti-Irish sentiments. They chose the most common of English names.

If the family had not changed their name, it is possible that the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could have been named "Joseph O'Malley" or "Joseph Flannigan."

 Perego's study only applies to the Smith line -- the descent from father to son and so forth. Joseph Smith, of course, had many ancestors who were not along the Smith line (his mother for instance).

So how are Joseph's descendants receiving this news?

 Michael Kennedy, the President of the Joseph Smith Jr. Family Organization and of the Joseph Smith Jr. and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society, said that most members of the family probably don't know about the study yet, but they will announce it at the next reunion. "I thought we were Scottish," he said.

E-mail: mdegroote@desnews.com

MormonTimes.com is produced by the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Copyright © 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company


 Ann Olsen wrote: That's so interesting! Someday when we meet all of our ancestors it will be a great day of enlightenment! I'm looking forward to it!
 Best,
Ann


Myrna wrote: Well, I am looking forward to it but not too SOON! Of course, if they want to appear to me while I am still alive that will be OK. I just am excited about this life still and want to see how it turns out at the end. However, I think that it may be like a soap opera, it has no end, just the next chapter or, in the case of TV, the next episode. M


Ann Olsen wrote: I agree -- I'm not looking forward to it right away because living with our precious families on this beautiful earth, walking the Pathway of Happiness with the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and being led by the prophets of God brings so much joy to our hearts.  We live in the best of times for us.  Our ward families are loving, kind, and compassionate.  I feel the same love and unity whenever I visit my children's wards.  There is an increase in spirituality in our ward families.

Unfortunately, -- everyday my heart aches because there are so many sad, disheartening, and horrible decisions being made by our elected leaders.  Our tax dollars will now be used throughout the United States, Mexico, and other countries to abort and kill innocent babies!  Life support is being withheld from babies who have survived botched abortions.  Where is the integrity, character, respect for life of such leaders?  Long ago I promised myself that I would never vote for any candidate who was for abortion on demand.

 I never thought I would see the day in this great land of liberty when a simple vote by our senators and congressmen or a stroke of a pen would take our freedoms away one by one.  Families of faith are being threatened and persecuted.  In public schools, our young children and grandchildren are being taught to "embrace diversity, to accept and respect alternative lifestyles" as normal.  A governor and an attorney general are urging judges to overturn the vote of the people regarding the Marriage Propositions that were passed.  Our senators & congressmen approve bills that they have not even read!  Now we and our children and grandchildren are saddled with tremendous debt. Our taxation will most assuredly be greatly increased.  And on and on it goes.

However, I know that the work of the Lord is going forth throughout the world.  The Savior is our Perfect Example.  The prophets of God "waded through their afflictions" yet were true and faithful.  A great legacy of faith has been passed to us by our pioneer ancestors.  We are being blessed so abundantly day by day.  I

I believe we can and will stand immovable in doing the right and good things we know are so important to do.  We are gathering our children and grandchildren around us and teaching them not to be afraid.  We are working day by day to strengthen our faith, our families, our wards and stakes.  I believe we can and will faithfully endure each trial and challenge that comes.

What a great blessing it is to have dear, faithful friends who strengthen us, love us, comfort us, and stand strong with us!  We are all in this together!  We have the Right plan, the great Plan of Happiness!

     Much love to you and yours,

               Ann
   

Meanderings

Just so you all know, if you look at any of the photo CDs we sent to you, you will find photos of the family--all of those who have sent photos will find them on the CDs. In addition, there are photos of the new people in the family this first year of life. I hope you all have the CDs by now.

Next, I hope you all get your St. Patrick's Day packages. Remember, you all have the luck of the Irish (which can be either a good or bad thing in and of itself) by birthright. Both LHT and MT have Irish ancestors. So enjoy. This month, I sent all of the letters to each of the kids and each of you adults in one big package. That means you will all get them or none of you will depending on the mail delivery. I have, quite frankly, given up. We keep getting letters back. The mailman delivers the mail according to the return address and not to the send address. Dad keeps complaining to the post office but it doesn't do any good. It is not only snail mail but computer mail that fails me. My e-mail servers both send out multiple e-mails when I just planned on sending one. I get multiple e-mails from the same sender. In addition, I keep getting the ones I send to Todd, Melanie and Kirsten back as undeliverable. Go figure.

Those with birthdays and the one anniversary couple this month, should all be getting or have gotten cards in the mail.

I feel like the old cliche: "The check is in the mail." It really is but who ever believes that when it never shows up?

By the way, one of the people will get $2. I got new bills and they kept sticking together. When I finished I had one dollar left and I should have had two (out of $50). But it is not my fault, I inherited "bug eyes" as one of my friends (?) told me on Saturday. My eyes bulge outward, like bug eyes, she said. I'd worry about it but I have other things troubling me. I am getting ready to blow away. I have now been diagnosed with dry eye, dry skin and dry mouth. When I die, I will not need a casket. Dad can just put me out on the porch on a windy day and I will blow away. That "from dust to dust" statement must really apply.

I love you all. Have a great week. M

Meanderings‏

Myrna wrote: Just so you all know, if you look at any of the photo CDs we sent to you, you will find photos of the family--all of those who have sent photos will find them on the CDs. In addition, there are photos of the new people in the family this first year of life. I hope you all have the CDs by now.

Next, I hope you all get your St. Patrick's Day packages. Remember, you all have the luck of the Irish (which can be either a good or bad thing in and of itself) by birthright. Both LHT and MT have Irish ancestors. So enjoy. This month, I sent all of the letters to each of the kids and each of you adults in one big package. That means you will all get them or none of you will depending on the mail delivery. I have, quite frankly, given up. We keep getting letters back. The mailman delivers the mail according to the return address and not to the send address. Dad keeps complaining to the post office but it doesn't do any good. It is not only snail mail but computer mail that fails me. My e-mail servers both send out multiple e-mails when I just planned on sending one. I get multiple e-mails from the same sender. In addition, I keep getting the ones I send to Todd, Melanie and Kirsten back as undeliverable. Go figure.

Those with birthdays and the one anniversary couple this month, should all be getting or have gotten cards in the mail.

I feel like the old cliche: "The check is in the mail." It really is but who ever believes that when it never shows up?

By the way, one of the people will get $2. I got new bills and they kept sticking together. When I finished I had one dollar left and I should have had two (out of $50). But it is not my fault, I inherited "bug eyes" as one of my friends (?) told me on Saturday. My eyes bulge outward, like bug eyes, she said. I'd worry about it but I have other things troubling me. I am getting ready to blow away. I have now been diagnosed with dry eye, dry skin and dry mouth. When I die, I will not need a casket. Dad can just put me out on the porch on a windy day and I will blow away. That "from dust to dust" statement must really apply.

I love you all. Have a great week. M


Melanie wrote: I got our package today! Just in time to help with my Family Home Evening assignment. I will also use my button tomorrow at the Rehabilitation/Nursing Home as there are a ton of old Irish and Italian/Irish Immigrants that reside there. They love this holiday. Massachusetts celebrates it as big as New York does.

Here's an Irish blessing that I fell in love with:

May those who love us, love us,
and for those who don't love us,
may God turn their hearts.
And if He can't turn their hearts,
may He turn their ankles
so that we will know them by their limping.

Or this one:
 As you slide down the banister of life,
may the splinters never point the wrong direction.

Love you!

Mel

Todd wrote: How about, Where does lint come from and would you like to go there on vacation?


Kirsten wrote: Or maybe, "Some days you're the dog, other days the hydrant."  OR as Jared's favorite t-shirt says, "Irish you would kiss me!"  --get it, Irish (i wish)...  hahaha

Thanks for the package, mom!!!  We used it for family night tonight also!  The kids loved the buttons and the dollar!  BTW, I know who you love best (you know that secret person holding the $2)...

:)

Kirsten

Happy Irish Day!


David wrote: "May the forces of evil become lost and confused on the way to your house."


Kimberly wrote: Ok, that’s my favorite, David.  I was thinking I liked Mel’s ankle twist one, but I like this one best.

Kimberly


Happy St. Patties Day

Myrna wrote: Who is the holder of the $2?

Never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don't want to press your luck.


Kirsten wrote: One last one, "May the bird of paradise fly up your nose!"

Okay, so i cheated and stole that one from Little Jimmy Dickens


Todd wrote:
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.


Amy G wrote: Myrna,

Thank you for the St. Patrick's Day package!  As always, the kids were very excited to get it and we played the games as part of our FHE.  Thanks for the treat dollars, the kids enjoy going to get something compliments of Grandma and Grandpa!

Love,

Amy