Sad News About Steve Hermanson

I hate to be the bearer of sad news, but I am. Dad wants you all to know that Claire Hermanson (Aunt Marie and Uncle Ed Bench's daughter) has suffered a shocking and sad loss. Her husband, Steve, shot himself in the head. He is brain-dead but is being kept on life support because he wanted to be an organ donor. I am not certain when the funeral will be. It depends on how long it takes for all of this to be done. Because he was alone at the time of death, there will also need to be an autopsy. Auntie Helen, who has been staying at the hospital with Claire, was not certain how that was to be accomplished.

The organ harvesting team have already determined that his heart cannot be used. Claire was surprised to find he had advanced heart disease and would likely have died of a massive heart attack in two years. He had severe blockage on one side of the heart and clogged arteries on the other. He had passed his physicals and was a runner. It makes me wonder if he would have continued to pass those exams needed to be a fireman and would then have just suddenly died.

Steve had been in a mental hospital for a short time because he was suffering from severe depression. He was released a day or two before he shot himself. He was to start back at work the next day. Claire was at work and came home to find him barely alive. She called the paramedics and they transported him to the hospital. Auntie said that the EMTs arrived very quickly. While Claire was at the hospital, Hazmat came in and cleaned her home so that she would not have that horror facing her.

Claire does not want flowers for the funeral. She would prefer money donations. Because Steve took his own life, insurance will not cover the expenses. He was a Salt Lake City Fireman and Paramedic. Hopefully, his fireman buddies will raise money for his hospital and funeral expenses. I know that they do things like that.

Who and Why?

Just concerned,  Thought to write that earlier in hopes to scare off rather than alarm.  Hope all is well.  Its a gloomy winter day,  but the weather is actually warmer than it has been.  Wally did well on his testing and we were just in Utah for 42 hours.  That included the Dr. appointments, a stay over and dinners at Markays, a visit with cousin Stu who lives in Farr West and road time to and from Boise and SLC.  An unusual storm for Utah, coming from the south hastened our time to return.  The roads were not good and only about 30 miles of all the travel were dry.   Enjoyed the music and messages you sent out on Face Book.  Like to share, feel free, I will not make exposure again.  This world is filled with the weird and to contain such is perhaps a reason to expose?  Do you remember Ardith Thygerson?  She lives in Provo and went to school with Wally.  Class of 61 was sent a post card in regarding a summer reunion in Price, but nothing since last Oct has been undated. Think she organized their last one. Stuart Wallace, Wally's cousin graduated in "61 as well.  Feel worried about Jay and Alice Hall in Australia and his homeland is New Zealand.  Plaxo seems less unless you pay more, do you?  Hope to hear from them.  Laurel and Tom have the tiny girl, they are so thrilled.  Any babies yet at your place?  Take to Care.  Love and Hugs,  Charlotte

Another Week in the LIFE

Yet another crazy week has gone by in the week of the dear Elder B. This week was rather eventful compared to the past few weeks. I was going to baptize a family this month, yet we had to put the date for the 5th of March. Sad but good at the same time. Highlight reel of the week: met Korihor/Jack Sparrow/Professor Trelawny, met a Catholic woman that wants to be with her husband forever but will not get baptized and knows that our church is the church of Jesus Christ, decided what I'm going to study/not going to be in the future, started making reports of my area and district and other fun things, and I had some fun traveling to a little community and working with some of the members of my district.

This week I went to a community in this province, Leon, called Momotombo. It's tiny and the people are very simple, a lot like the people from Puerto. I went out there with one of the Zone Leaders so that we could do divisions and do interviews with some of the investigators of the Momotombo Elders. The first "investigator" was a crazy man that tried to teach us a lot of interesting doctrine that he could not back up nor explain very well. For instance, Satan killed God (in his PHYSICAL BODY) before this life and in doing so gained the name of Father and earned half of the inheritance of heaven; so when we pray to the Father or baptize in the name of the Father we are really doing it in the name of Satan. I was getting very frustrated. This "meeting" was one of the few moments that I have almost lost my cool on my entire mission. The man was insane. Poor guy. He tried to condemn me for testifying that I knew that what he was teaching was false because God revealed to him in various ways. Fishy.... Okay the crazy woman was after that. We went to go speak to a woman who is married to a member but has never gotten baptized. We spoke to her for a while about her family and her husband (who is also rather odd). Her husband is inactive and we thought maybe visiting his wife would be a good idea, but she doesn't really want anything to do with the church. She has read the Book of Mormon and knows that it is true as well as recognizes the need to have a prophet on the earth. She wants to be with her husband and family forever. Perfect investigator, right? Well one thing, she doesn't believe that she should be "Mormon". She was born Catholic and wants to die Catholic, like her mother. She also does not need to repent. She has no sins. All in all, that was a very productive two days in the middle of nowhere.

My companion and I started studying Spanish together this week and we ended up discussing how we do not to be NOTHINGS in our lives, how we don't want to be like some of the people here in this country who "work so hard" every day walking around selling fruit or ice cream for 4 hours. I think, "Wow. I walk around offering eternal life for free every day for about 10 hours and get hot and sweaty but keep working. Yet, you get too hot and tired in 3 hours in your own country, of selling to earn somehting that will keep you alive for just another week." I still have to pray about the decision, but once approved I shall inform you all.

Got another short haircut. Yay for the heat of Leon! Seriously sometimes I am so hot that I cannot even think properly.

I am having fun, working hard and really excited for whatever the Lord is preparing for me not only in my time here on my mission, but in my life. I used to fear some of the "blessings" that the Lord has laid us in store for me according to my faithfulness and hard work; however, right now I am learning to accept and look forward to such blessings. The things that I am learning here are going to help me so much in the rest of my life and I know that I can be a more effective tool in the hands of the Lord thanks to all that I am learning, applying, and become here in the mission. I am happy. I love all that I am learning and doing. I want you all to know that.

I still need to send letters to like a million people. Problem #1: Time (regard Post Office scheduling, as they close whenever they want). #2: Money...a dollar to secure a letter to the states, in other words, if I want to be sure that the letter gets to the place I send it to, i have to pay 50 cents more. Lame.

I am excited for this week and the baptism that we're going to have. You shall have photos next p day...when I turn 20 YEARS OLD. WIERD. I am making plans to go out with this family in my area and see some cool things in the city. I am going to take them out to eat, I think. They don't have very much money, but they work so hard for the church here in this part of the vineyard. I want to reward some very humble people for their faithfulness. Also, if any of you want perfume or cologne...it's super cheap here. $80 for a bottle of 200 mL Givenchy, Elizabeth Arden, Paris Hilton, etc. Also, shipping is approximately $2 or $5. Just because I love you all.

Hasta ver!
Elder B

RE: Who and Why?‏

Myrna wrote to Charlotte: It has been an eventful week for us. Two of our friends in Nephi died. Then one of our friends at the temple died of a sudden stroke. The final death occurred when my cousin, Eva Jane Smith, died. We went to Springville to the funeral. She was a quiet, capable and sweet woman. She was 16 years my senior. Eva Jane treated me, kindly and with gentleness. In addition, she and her husband, Leon, came to every wedding of my children. She had a beautiful singing voice, like most of the Smiths and, in the last year, as her mind was slipping, the one thing she could still do was sing hymns. She was on tune and remembered every word. Her father, Tom Smith, sang with the Mormon Tab for many years. For that reason, music was always very important to her.

I guess you heard the news that Kirsten is expecting again. Her baby will be born in September right around our 50th wedding anniversary (Sept. 9). So we will have quite a nice present, right? Julie's little son, Jens Luke Jones, is to be born on May 10. That means we will have 33 grandchildren by the end of the year. We are quite excited! We also have two high school graduations this year. One is in Ohio and one in Mass.