Two New Words to Toss Out At Council Meeting

op·pro·bri·ous  (-prbr-s)

adj.

1. Expressing contemptuous reproach; scornful or abusive: opprobrious epithets.

2. Bringing disgrace; shameful or infamous: opprobrious conduct.

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op·probri·ous·ly adv.

His comments were ignorant, morally opprobrious, and categorically bigoted, and while obviously acceptable and not out of character for him, they were profoundly unacceptable to the majority of Americans.

im·mis·er·a·tion noun \(ˌ)i(m)-ˌmi-zə-ˈrā-shən\
Definition of IMMISERATION

: the act of making miserable; especially : impoverishment<the immiseration of the working class — C. R. Morris>
Origin of IMMISERATION

2in- + miserable + -ation
First Known Use: 1948

Friend of Kirsten's

Mrs. Trauntvien

It was so good to see you tonight at the temple. Its exciting to hear how Kirsten is doing. Can you send me her phone number? Thank you so much!!! Have a great night!!!

Jennifer Fowkes Francis

Myrna wrote: Kirsten, here is the e-mail address of your friend. If you two would like, you could e-mail and not wait for me. I will send the phone number tomorrow evening. It is late and I am going to bed. Love to all. M


Kirsten wrote: Mom, Thanks for the info.  I haven't seen her in years.  Will be good to catch up. Love you! Kirsten

Greetings from Nephi (at least, two Nephites) ;)‏

We had a spiritual day at church, as always, beginning in Sacrament meeting and moving on through our other meetings of the day. Bro. Paul Sutorius spoke about the great gift the Savior gave each of us: the atonement. He spoke of the wise men (we really don’t know how many there were) and how they were “seeking” of the Savior when the star appeared. They knew it for what it was, because they were prepared to recognize it when they saw it. They went to Herod who had, apparently, either not seen the star or had not attributed it to anything of import. However, the wise men did understand its significance and did follow it seeking the Christ. 

Bro. Sutorius spoke of the many stars each of us have to guide us, chief among those the scriptures, our families, our teachers, the prophets and others who love and serve us. Those are stars we may follow in our own seeking of the Savior. First of all, we must seek the Christ and then He will grant us the stars we need to lead us to him. Our stars, in addition to the scriptures, are usually people.

We have a young woman in our ward who was injured in a terrible car accident a couple of months ago. For awhile, it was not certain whether she would live or, if she did, if she would walk again. She is now on crutches and is our ward miracle girl. At any rate, Bro. Sutorius asked her to hop to the podium and asked he a few question. He then asked her what she saw when she looked out at the congregation and she replied, “Stars.” She did so a bit tearfully and many of us shared her tears.

His main message? We must remember that the Savior can only be found if we are looking. 

He was also our instructor in Sunday School. We discussed charity and its meaning. We learned from the Book of Mormon that the word atonement can be substituted for charity. Because charity is the love of Christ for us, expressed by his willingness to atone for our individual sins and for our pain and suffering. We must accept the gift he bestowed upon each of us and each day of our lives we should try to emulate our Savior in our daily living. If we seek Him, we must try to be like Him.

We also learned great lessons about charity in our Relief Society lesson.

We are enjoying your letters and we know that you are serving others as you serve our Savior. Certainly, you are having experiences that will help you all of your life. We are also enjoying your letters and that we are grateful that you include us in your circle of loved ones. 

Judging from the many young women coming to the temple to be endowed prior to their going on missions, many of them coming in your direction, you will soon have an army of young women there to assist you in your efforts to bring the gospel to the Latinos in California.

Take care and know that you are loved and that we pray for you often each day. We love you!

To You Who Give Two Gifts

Todd tells me that all of you (all ya'all) are paying $40 each for us to have the security system. None of you should be buying us any other gifts. He just sends us a little sweet little reminder card and that is what you should be doing. All of you. I think I need to call the company and take over the payments. It doesn't seem fair that you are double-gifted. Thank you for this year but, perhaps, you should rethink?

Bolton's Christmas

Myrna wrote: I sent Braden's package to you because I thought he had left for Texas. Ams said she didn't think he had. The packages I send to the away kids differ a bit from the ones I send to the at home kids. I hope that is not a problem.

Were the ornaments OK or were they broken. The guy at the Provo post office was so certain that he knew what he was doing that Dad and I did not question it until we left. Then we wondered and I have worried. If they were, please let me know. How about the round package? Is it also OK?


Melanie wrote: Thank you!
He is here in Texas.

We received the packages and they are under the tree. The ornaments are on the tree, and they are perfect...no damage. I will try and take a picture of our tree and get it sent out. I still need to put the ribbon on and to put the star on the top.

I sent your birthday present last week. It is in a box from the postal service. You can open it, it is in a birthday package.

I am sending Dad's Christmas present tomorrow. I sent your Christmas package from Amazon. It will be gift wrapped, so you can put it under the tree.

Ben is getting socks from us and from some other people, so later will be better, that way he will have back ups.

I love you!
Melanie

About Program

I'm sorry that I invited you to the Christmas Relief Society program held in our stake. 

I could tell, by their sobbing, that some of the sisters found the program very touching. Judging from their crying throughout, I thought that they were active participants emotionally, sitting there in the dark with hands on laps turned upward so that we each could feel as items, such as the coarse linen, were placed in our hands. Our ears could hear the sounds from the music and narration but I really am a visual learner and it was not as appealing to me as it could have been had my eyes been allowed to see.

I noted that none of us cried. I know that neither of you like the "touchy-feely" sort of program any more than I do. In addition to that, there were some parts that bothered me, like wearing a blindfold for 75 minutes and having babies cry because of the dark and having to have their feet touched. I know that we were to touch the small baby feet and think of the birth of our Savior as though we were at the stable but I did not think the point was worth having a baby be the representative.

I also do not know if Satan tempted Jesus in the period of time that Heavenly Father left him alone on the cross so I did not like the song that was sung during that period. I do not think that music from "Jesus Christ, Superstar" was as appropriate as words from a more sacred work might have been. For example, I think I may have liked something from the "Messiah" much better.

I value the Savior, His life and His sacrifice, but I prefer more visual programs than the one we attended. 

I just wanted you both to know that I was not as sold on the program, after seeing it, as Annette Lovell was, prior to the program, when she was telling us that it would change us for the better. At any rate, I wanted you to know what I thought. 

You have such busy lives and made time to go to the program with me simply because I am your mother and I invited you. We went early, another sacrifice for each of you on a busy day during December, so that we could gain entrance and would not be turned away since there were a set number of seats available. That took even more of your precious time.

Dad said I should probably appreciate the work someone had put into the program but I found it a bit maudlin (effusively or insincerely emotional). Perhaps you both loved it and were glad I invited you. If so, just ignore this.

Kirsten's Friend

From: jkfrancis30@netzero.net Mrs. Trauntvien It was so good to see you tonight at the temple. Its exciting to hear how Kirsten is doing. Can you send me her phone number? Thank you so much!!! Have a great night!!! Jennifer Fowkes Francis Myrna wrote: Kirsten, here is the e-mail address of your friend. If you two would like, you could e-mail and not wait for me. I will send the phone number tomorrow evening. It is late and I am going to bed. Love to all. M Kirsten wrote: Thanks Mom. It will be good to get in touch with her.

About Richard and a Request

Eva Dixon wrote: Can you rell me what is wrong? Thanks.

I got David's Christmas card back for wrong number.  

I have 194 West 200 So, Hurricane 84737

Myrna wrote: It is 6194 W. 200 S., Hurricane, UT  84737

It looks like you just missed the "6" at the beginning.

Eva Dixon wrote: Thank you. My crazy left  eye so often does not see the first number on on a line.  Unfortunately, I have this problem to often.  

Richard was released after 9 days in the hospital. The lymphoma has returned in his thigh between the muscles. He will meet with his Dr. next week to talk about what they will do next.  So disappointing.  He was coming home on the 36th for four days.  The best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray.

Cassie and Kim Pitts' Addresses

Myrna wrote: I need mailing addresses for you and for your mom. Thanks, M

Cassie Pitts wrote: 

My moms address is 2479 S Highway 10 

Price, Utah.

Mine is 1220 E 800 N Appt 1D 

Price, Ut 84501

I work at TKJ. It is a group home for adults with mental disabilities

Myrna wrote: My e-mail address is: mandlht@msn.com.

Thanks!

Blessed are the peacemakers

Dear Sister Jorgensen, the scriptures you shared during prayer meeting on Saturday were most helpful. I have pondered what it really means to be a peacemaker since then. Thanks.

You were there, Friday evening, to see that I tried to turn away hurtful words that one person said by making light of them, or turning them into a joke. I should not have done that and it was not proper. I must have conveyed my hurt a bit, however. Things did not seem as smooth after I told her that I was just a noisy creature who was trying to do the business at hand as quietly as possible. I had cut back from a roar to a meow. I said: "Sister, I am certain that I came here to be as noisy as possible--lol." I did not add, but could have, that my behavior, apparently, did not meet her standard but that her standard was extremely high. I must have overreacted to the criticism because the critical one went out of her way to be friendly on Saturday. In fact, she told me that she hoped we were still friends and hoped that I had not become angry with her on Friday. So much for trying to smile through her criticism. Blessed are the peacemakers. . .




Sometimes I am not among them.


The one problem that is making it difficult for me to be as objective as I might be, is that, since I am in a leadership position, I have had several sisters, all excellent workers like you, come to me and ask what they should do because that particular sister has offended them. Your scriptural consel was to always choose to be an affable person who loves others as the Savior loves us. 

Merilyn Jorgensen wrote: And sometimes the stress of the time doesn’t help us in handling little things that otherwise wouldn’t bother us.  “Peace” is a state of mind—though it comes only from the Prince of Peace, we have to embrace—and ask for it—with open hearts.  Circumstances always have many ‘sides’, interpreted many different ways.  I have a difficult time remembering that when I ‘react’ quickly, without thinking (which I usually do L )

Thanx for being my friend, I  Luv ya.  Merilyn