From Eva

My Dear Myrna,

 I am so sorry for your loss.  I can only imagine the pain you surely feel.  My only experience with losing a sibling doesn't really count.  I have always felt a loss at never having known my oldest brother, one day in the not too distant future, I will finally get to be with Jimmy. You know your brother. I still have the pleasure of knowing what mine looks like ahead of me; like Dick, Tim or maybe my uncle Neldon who I also never knew except from his 14 year old picture we always had on our wall  May God bless you with comfort and peace.  I love you,  Eva

From Toni

Toni wrote: I'm so sorry for your loss Myrna.  It sounds like you had a wonderful childhood full of fun & laughter with your 'brothers'.  I envy that. Focus on all the good memories...... Love you, Toni

Thanks for Letting Me Know from Raymond Smith

Raymond and Karen Smith wrote: Thank You For letting me know!

I can only remember meeting my cousins Garth and brothers, once. That is the only time I can remember meeting Renee and her husband.

I have a son and his family who have live in Western Colorado for about six years. For seven years they lived in Wichita Kansas with about four years between in Florida. We have gone through Price many times to visit them in Colorado and a few times when they were in Kansas.
I think I still have family in the area but I don't know for sure and I don't their names. I often think about them and think about you growing up in that area and wonder where you lived.
You came to visit is many times but we never went here to visit you. That I remember.
My son is being transferred to Denver so I wont be going that direction very much any more.

I worked with a man that moved here from Price. Lowell Hansen, who said his best friends in Price were my cousins. He know them better than I did.
                                 Ray Smith

Myrna wrote: You did come to visit us a few times. Your folks came when we needed them for priesthood blessings and other important family matters. Garth and Alyce Childs lived in Huntington. They have a son in St. George, a son in Washington state, a daughter in Arizona and a daughter in Huntington. She (Kate) and her husband, David Bird live just through the block from Garth and Alyce. Cousin Richard is buried in Ferron Cemetery. His wife is remarried. They have a son in Price and one in Cedar City and a daughter in Ferron. Cousin David lives in Washington State and is married but only has step-children.

Yes, Lowell would know them. He knew my father as well.

We have a daughter, Kirsten Waite, who lives in Colorado Springs.

We are sorry

Dearest Myrna,   We are so sorry about Garth.  I knew he has had some issues with the cancer for sometime.  I had assumed he had some success with his treatment!  Dad told me of his illness sometime ago and that his wife had breast cancer as well.   Where does his wife and family live at this time?  If you have further details of where  I can send flowers or a card please let me know.  You are so close I see this now.  Know that we send our sincere sympathy to you at this time.  Often wondered if David continued living in their home in Emery County?   We would stop at their place sometimes when going camping or fishing and visit.   I remember Garth to be older and Richard my age.  Remember Dad always close to Renee and Max, even after Max was in the nursing home he would still go visit him.  What is David doing by now?  Tell me of their families.  Your loving sister,   Charlotte and Wally

Running out of Creativity

I'm running out of creative juices! I cannot think of any interesting title to put for this particular email. Bah.

The weeks just keep flying by. I am amazed by time in general here on my mission. Days pass by like hours, weeks like days, and months like weeks. Argh! Everything is always so fast and so wild, but I guess that life is just that way in general. I guess that I better just get used to it now so that when real life smacks me in the face after my mission, I can handle it. Take it standing. Keep calm. Carry on. :)

This week my companion and I learned some amazing lessons together and when we were working on divisions with our District Leader. We were working really hard this week in order to get to our goal of getting at least 5 families with 1 time at church, a baptismal date, and the message of the Restoration and we were able to see a change in how we were working and how our investigators were progressing. We both recognized that our success was going to be hindered if we did not start trying to get people progressing as our mission standards dictate. I was so happy to see that we were finding different kinds of families and that we were able to have quite marvellous experiences in our lessons. I also noticed that my companion and I have been growing closer together, that we have been teaching in unison more and that we have been happier in general.

We also did divisions this week and I was able to go out with Elder Silva, my district leader's companion. He and I get along really well and we have a lot of fun/work hard together. He is from Costa Rica, and I have some strange affinity for Costa Ricans. Love them. Anyway, he and I went around teaching so many people in his area. We were literally running all over the place looking for some families, trying to find out where others had disappeared to, etc. Finally at night we went and taught this really cool couple that he and his companion had contacted the previous morning. We got there and taught an amazing lesson about the Restoration! It was one of the most amazing lessons I have taught on my mission. The flow was near perfect, the people were listening, they wanted to know the truth, they asked questions and understood the answers. I was just so excited. It meets the journal entry requirements. Haha. 

The work here is progressing, like the families that I am teaching. ;) I am impressed by the minor, but significant, successes that I am having. There is always opposition, so not all of these things were not met without trials, but I would much rather have a few measly problems that pass by and witness miracles than not. Right?

Side note, I am now teaching SO much better in Miskitu (or Miskito to a non-Miskitu tongue). People understand me better and I am able to understand them better than I was before. Blessings. Wow. I remembered this week that when my mission call was on its way I prayed that I would be able to go to a place where I would be forced to learn a language and be humbled. It took me sooo long to realize that was fulfilled! The Lord knows what we want, our real desires, and helps to fulfill them according to our faithfulness and the real necessity of such a desire.

I love you all so much and I love my opportunity to serve here in this place at this time. LOVE IT.

Love,
Elder B

Help with the news

I may need some help getting the news this week. I am not certain, as yet, when the viewing and funeral will be. I am thinking that I may be in Price for Wednesday, for certain, and maybe on Tuesday. I just don't know.

Sympathy from Friends

EllaDean wrote: Myrna
I am so sorry to hear your sad news.  Siblings are so hard to lose, especially when you are so close, even if it one who is a sibling as your Garth was to you.  I lost my sister who I was very close to, in June of 2007.  She had a stroke, and because of that, I tried to do all I could for her.  Her children didn't live close, and Ispent mny hours with at the nursing home, and took her so many places she would like to go.
You have my heart felt sympathy.
Love
"Sister" Hunter

Merilyn wrote: Myrna—so very sorry for your loss.  I never feel badly for the one who gets to go, but it’s a sad, empty feeling for those left behind.

Love you,   Merilyn

Marti Wright wrote: Am so very sorry Myrna. But, you know he is in a much better place than the rest of us. It took me a long time to figure that one out after my son Beau died. You will see him again someday. He'll be forever in your heart and memories.

Hugs to you and yours.
Marti


Maxine Gordon wrote: It is very hard to part with loved ones no matter how sick they are. Please accept my deepest Sympathy.  I am glad you shared this with me.  I found it very interesting.  Thank you.

Charlotte Freeman wrote: Sending deepest condolences.  Thank you for the little glimpse into your personal history...it makes for good reading...Charlotte



Colleen Bender wrote: Dear Myrna,
It is difficult to lose someone so close whom you love so much.  Thank you for sharing a part of your heart with us.  “I cannot cry too much because it was time.”  I feel as you do.  We accept the will of the Lord and know that someday we will all be together as “family” again.  That is the comfort the gospel brings.   We love you.    Colleen


Kaylene Armstrong wrote: So sorry to hear about your loss. You were indeed blessed to have such a wonderful family to care for you. I don't need to tell you about him being in a better place and the other comforting platitudes people spout at a time like this. You know all that. But I do personally know what it is like to lose someone you love so much. Even though we know we will be together again one day, the staying behind just hurts like crazy. And I know it was time to let him go, but we are never ready to lose people we love. That's just the way it is.
Hugs.
-k-

Tyrone Powell wrote: I’m happy and I’m sad for you. May the Lords blessing of conform be with you and David.


Ruth Ann George wrote: Dear Myrna,
So sorry to hear of your loss,  but I know that you have a very strong testimony and know that you will be able to "boss"  them around again sometime,  I hope not  too soon.   You are in my prayers  and you have my deepest sypathy.   You are such a nice person to know.   Ruth Ann

V. B. Saunders wrote: Sorry to hear about-my best wishes-Bill


Myrna,

Joyce Staley wrote: I am soooooo sorry to hear about Garth.  Everyone in my office knew and loved him.  He came into my office last Nov or Dec and we had a great talk.  He was a very wonderful man.

Thanks for keeping me updated on this.  He will be missed!

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Love,
Joyce

Words from Gordon and Roberta Smith

Dear Myrna and family,

We wish to extend our sincere sympathy to you in Garth’s passing.  What a wonderful opportunity to have been such a close loving family.  Not all circumstances would have been such a positive experience as yours was.  We appreciate your letting us know about Garth.

Also, congratulations on the new arrival.  As you said, comings and goings.  Our lives are full of changes, daily.

Again, our sympathy, and do hope you and Leonard are doing well.
Love, Gordon and Roberta

Brother is Gone Ahead.

My beloved cousin/brother died this morning. I call him brother because, as children, we were together as one family. After my mother's death, when I was 11-months old, I went to stay with my grandmother, a full-time elementary school teacher. My Aunt Renee, my mother Elaine's only sibling, and her husband shared their two-bedroom apartment with us. Therefore, we lived as a family. Garth was born when I was three--my birthday in December and his in March. My great-grandmother was going to be my caregiver while my grandmother was teaching, however, she fell and broke her hip. My grandmother was the principal of the Wattis school at the time of my mother's death but gave up that position to teach in Price. Aunt Renee and Uncle Max lived in Price. World War II had started. My father went to war. 

Aunt Renee was the one who potty-trained me and provided daytime care. Garth was born when I was three and I thought he was the best thing since the creation of the world. I held him and patted him and, probably, drove Aunt Renee crazy. He was always my prince. After a time, my great grandmother came back to be with us. There was no room in a three-bedroom house for all of us. We moved to a small rented house nearby and Garth, later David, and when I was age 11, Richard, continued to spend countless hours together. I was "Big Sister" to all of them and I took my responsibility seriously. I bossed them around and they, mostly, complied. We played like brothers and sister and, we thought, we were. How I love those boys (now men) who have always been there for me. 

I cannot help but be sad that they are leaving and I am the one left--the oldest. Just David and I remain because cancer has claimed Richard and, now Garth. I cannot cry too much because it was time. Daily pain is a terrible thing.

Grandpa trained here.

On December 28, 1941,  Rear Admiral Ben Moreell, Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks (BUDOCKS), requested specific authority to activate, organize, and man a unique, very special organization that would support the Navy and Marines in remote locations and defend themselves if attacked — the Naval Construction Battalions. On January 5, 1942,  he was given that authority and the original Battalions were formed at a new Naval base in Davisville, Rhode Island. (Grandpa Pitts trained here.)

The first naval construction unit to actually deploy from the United States left Davisville, Rhode Island, less than two weeks later on January 17, 1942. It was designated the First Construction Detachment. The 296 men arrived at Bora Bora on February 17, 1942. 

On March 5, all Construction Battalion personnel were officially named Seabees by the Navy Department. Admiral Moreell personally furnished them with their motto Construmus Batumius, or We Build, We Fight. A logo, the Fighting Bee, was created by a Rhode Islander at Davisville.

The Davisville Advanced Base depot became operational in June, 1942. Camp Thomas, a personnel receiving station on the base, was established in October of that year. It eventually contained 500 Quonset huts for personnel. On August 11, 1942, the Naval Construction Training Center, known as Camp Endicott, was commissioned at Davisville. The Camp trained over 100,000 Seabees during the Second World War.

The Navy built their Battalions with experienced, highly skilled craftsmen … electricians, carpenters, plumbers, equipment operators — virtually any construction or building trade was welcome in the Seabees. Seabee units were quickly engaged in construction and combat. By July 1942, the first Naval Construction Battalion landed on Midway Island to begin work on the new airstrip on Sand Island and to start the massive clean up of damage caused by the Japanese bombing.