I refuse to correct letters to the editor.

I really hate to disappoint anyone but I have been thinking over what I have been asked to do. I appreciate that all writers like to get feedback from other writers. I do not think that journalists, aside from those who have that assignment, should help edit the writings of those who want to submit articles that are their opinions. I work a beat and I am really leery of reading and helping with letters-to-the editor.

I had a person, whom I thought of as a friendly school-mate of a couple of my children, who made all sorts of trouble for me a year ago. He brought a letter to me to have me correct (grammar and punctuation). I had him sign the copy I then printed off for him signifying that it was his work and not mine. I dated the copy and he turned it in to the newspaper. It was printed in our local paper. He was taken to court for what the authorities thought was the threatening nature of the letter. I was called to court, under oath, to bear witness as to what had happened with that letter. He tried to claim that I had changed the letter after it was printed. I had not, could not and would not. Luckily the jury considered my long newsprint reputation. He was found guilty and served jail time. I became a lot more concerned about what I help others with. The disclaimer that is printed on every opinion page was saving for the newspaper but Allan and I determined that we would not be so helpful in the future. At our local newspaper, we are mostly interested in local issues and are not interested in national issues or topics that the state papers cover.

There are many others in the community who would be willing to assist with the need for a good critic.  Snow College has many classes of many types that are taught in Nephi via interactive computer instruction at the Juab School District office. Of course, for those there is a fee. I am not willing to do that job. Perhaps an English teacher, for a fee, would consider reading letters-to-the-editor.

In Provo, there are writer's groups that anyone can join. I belonged to one such group for awhile and a chapter was even started here. We Juab County members all became too busy and closed the local chapter.

I hope that makes sense to all but, whether it does or not, I will not do that work ever again. 

More from Myrna's Soapbox

Some children are confused about the Latter-day Saint church because they get conflicting information. They hear little about the church that is really true. They do not attend meetings, except rarely, where they have an opportunity to hear what we really do believe. Some folks send their boys to Scouts thinking that they are receiving some religious training. At Scouts, they talk about scouting. There is some talk of religion and some teaching but not as much as is taught in Sunday meetings. Weekday meetings of Young Women have some teachings but they also have a lot of activities. Sunday meetings are the only ones where they really talk about beliefs. One of these precious children said that at Sunday School with the youth, they have no idea what they are talking about. Why would they? They hear different ideas from different people. Until the teen years, no one is  mature enough to study on their own and really learn doctrine. Even then it is nice to have a Seminary teacher to help explain ideas. 

We don't spend hours of time studying while we are with any children outside of church. When we are at home, no matter who is with us, we do read our scriptures, say evening family prayers and bless the food. 

All of us learn precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. It takes a lifetime of devotion and learning to become an enduring follower of Christ.

One child I was with recently asked about the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The only one of us who knew about it, really, was Leonard because he taught about it in Utah History.

Jim told me that, if a person REALLY wanted to know about a topic that occurred in the past, they should read about it on their own. He said you should, in his opinion, go to the source nearest the actual happening. Historians can be biased but the people who lived the event can best understand it. One  of our ancestors opposed the killings. He tried to get help to prevent them. He testified against the perpetrators. Those writings are available.

Heavenly Father knows the end from the beginning. I just love children and would like to know how to help. I just hope they all know that. I hope.

Grandpa Ray, the storekeeper

Did you know that my (Myrna's) Grandpa Ray Smith was the bookkeeper and the storekeeper at a CCC camp. That happened years after the Mexican/American War. In fact, that was after he had owned his own butcher shop in Huntington. He became ill, they later discovered that he had terminal lung cancer, and decided that he would train as a bookkeeper. He stayed with Fred and Pearle Smith, his brother and sister-in-law, in Springville, for a time and went to school. When he finished, he went to work as the bookkeeper at a CCC camp. He could add, so I was told, a long list of figures by moving his finger down the line arriving at the total, in his mind, when he reached the bottom of the line. He would then move up the line in the same way, checking his accuracy of the first time. He figures always resulted in the same total. 

Response

From: Barbara Anderson
RE: Gramps and His Owie

I am so sorry Myrna.  I hardly ever check my email.  I didn't even know to ask to find out how he was today.  I want you to know the kids love you guys very much.  They are a little confused about church, but David, Bree and I will support them in whatever they decide.  We are not actively discouraging them.  I really want you to know that.  I am honest with Erin about how I feel, but not in what I want her to do.

I also want you to know I consider you my friend.  Im not much of a friend.  My life keeps me in a dither, but I feel like things have calmed down this last couple of years.  I was not taught how to be a friend.  I isolate very well.

But, we love you.  I love you.  You are one of the best people I have ever met.  If you need anything, and this is from the bottom of my heart, just let me know.  I have a car now.  Until I go back to work, Im pretty much open.  Im only going to work 25-30 hours per week.

So, let me know, or just get in touch.

Barbara

I really didn't expect any kind of answer to the information about LHT's injury. It is healing well, from what I can tell from the outside. There is no pain. I think that is a good sign. We are to leave it alone for the full 10 days and then the doctor will look at it again.

I think of you as a friend also. We both want the best for the grandchildren we share in common. What wonderful children they are. 

I am not trying to be humble when I say this. It comes across that way but it is not meant that way. I do not think of myself as a good person. I think of myself as someone who is trying to improve each day. As I told them in Relief Society on Sunday, where Erin was with me, that I keep working on me. I keep trying not to be selfish and not to lose my temper. I work on being a better person every day. Sometimes I do well and sometimes I fail. The lesson was on turning our shortcomings (or failures) into successes.

Erin decided to go to Relief Society with me. It was her choice. I found out that she did not want to be with the Young Women in our ward she said she likes the older women in our ward because they "are kind" and treat her as one of them. 

Unfortunately, I have turned into a person who can shed tears at the drop of a handkerchief and I don't know what to do about it. My goodness, I am going to cry the rest of my life away. I wear my heart on my sleeve all of the time. I told Melanie that I thought it might be due to diabetes and she just laughed. She said that I had always been tearful. She reminded me that I cry during sad television commercials.

I worry about every grandchild of mine. I like them to be at church because, USUALLY, not always, there are good friends there. I like Girl's Camp because I loved it. I was (feel free to giggle) very shy as a girl but I liked being with people who were honest and upright and could still have a good time. Oh, the crafts I made. I believe in Boy Scouts. I think a young man who attains the rank of Eagle, has really done something to be proud of for his entire life. Leonard is not an Eagle. He is Wood Badge trained--a national training for leaders.

I am also frank about my feelings. If you ask me a question, I will not tell you what I think you want to hear. I will tell you what I really think, what I really believe. 

I am in all of this for the long haul. I want my family to be happy. I want them to live as honest, loving people who enrich the lives of those around them. I like the church (an organization of people), aside from the gospel (the doctrine) which I love. Our ward, for example, is filled with loving and compassionate people who do their best to serve others and to make certain that there are no hungry and uncared for among us. The women I work with have watched me cry and are still understanding. You, of course, are that kind of person also. Scratch you and you also bleed. We are not so different after all.

My girls and I, and the boys, all tend to spend more time with family and less time on socializing. That may make us more difficult to know. I sense you feel that way about yourself. I include you as family. You are always welcome in my life.

Leonard has a more compassionate heart than I do. He always thinks of the nice thing to do. Sometimes you actually have to remind me to be thoughtful. You have no idea how many snowy walks he shovels each winter. He is old enough that someone should be shoveling his. :) 

When?

Taken from email and added as a special reminder of great days.

Myrna wrote: When are you to be in Utah?

Amy wrote: Ok here are the dates. We arrive into Utah late Friday night on the 14th of June around 1am (so technically Sat morning). We'll spend the day in lake shore for their annual homecoming  celebration since you are at the temple anyway. I suspect we'll head down to Nephi that evening and stay over with you. We'd like to go to church with you but Todd is flying out for Chicago at 4:30 that day (he has to be there for work on Monday morning). What time is your church? I'm crossing my fingers for and early schedule. :)

Todd then flies back to Utah on July 3rd and we head out on Monday the 8th. Leonard let me know about what's happening on the 6th with everyone coming and also swimming at the pool. That will be fun! Do you know if Nephi is doing the fireworks on the 4th this year? We'd love to come down for that if they are. Much better than the mess in Provo!

Also, Tyler has to fly home for a weekend for his jamboree shakedown that is required for him to attend for the jamboree. He flies out on Thurs June 20th and back on Monday the 24th. Kind of crazy but its what we had to do to be able to come out to Utah.

Let me know if there's anything I left out or if the family's doing anything that I should get on my calendar before it starts filling up with everyone clamoring to get on it, lol! Family gets first dibs. :)

Also, sorry if my typing is awful, Tyler has commandeered the computer and I'm on my phone typing with my thumbs. I'm not as good as the teenagers, haha!

Myrna wrote: Good news and bad news: We are doing fireworks in Nephi on the 4th; our church schedule is late. So sorry.  

Amy wrote: Oh dang! Well, at least we can spend the morning with you before we have to get Todd to the airport by 3. 

Myrna wrote: We meet at 1 p.m. for Sacrament meeting. We are over the assisted living center Sacrament meeting for patrons at 9 a.m. It is only a short meeting, songs, a short talk, prayers, the sacrament.

Todd wrote: We'll have to put some more planning to it. I would have to leave Nephi at 1pm at the latest to make my flight.

Myrna wrote: We could go to an earlier ward. Benders said they would gladly sub for us at the assisted living center, if ever needed. We could ask.

Todd wrote: What time do you get home on Saturday from the temple?

Myrna wrote: We leave there at 5 p.m. The last month we have been doing the Adam and Eve part on the 1:30 p.m. session. That takes lets us finish at 3 p.m. Then we sit on the Celestial Floor for one hour. So we have been finishing at about 4:30 p.m. and leaving for home. Do you need us to find subs?

Todd wrote: No. By the time the Lake Shore homecoming is done, you will be home. Would they care if we went to the Resident Home with you for Sacrament meeting in the morning on Sunday? We would have Hailey, I think that would be the only concern since the other two are youth. Emily could sing a song and Tyler could play a song for the sacrament meeting.

Myrna wrote: That would be wonderful. We will arrange it so that you can take care of the meeting. It will be something, I am certain, that our members will enjoy. Thanks for that.

From Gordon Smith

Hi Myrna,

I was reading your email about eating Jell-O powder.  We did that as children.  It brings back fond memories.  It tasted good!

One part of your email where you described eating permanent wave powder reminded me of a story I read.  A quote from your email is below, and my story is below that.

“After we consumed the Jell-O, we all found out that what we had really eaten was permanent wave powder. My goodness! We all had excited adults at that point.”

The story tells of a man and his wife on a trip.  They accidently hit a rabbit while driving.  They stopped to see if the rabbit was ok.  The rabbit appeared dead.  Just then a lady stopped to see if they needed help.  When they explained what had happened, the lady went to her car and came back with a package.  She opened it and placed some of the contents on the rabbit.  The rabbit jumped up and hopped toward the woods.  After a few feet it turned around and waved at them.  It  would then hop a few feet and turn to  wave again.  It did this all the way to the woods.  They asked the lady what she had used to heal the rabbit.  She handed them the package.  On the package was written, “New shampoo formula.  This new shampoo will bring life back to any hair, and your hair will have a permanent wave.”

Oh well, you and Leonard needed something to laugh about after his “Humpty Dumpty” experience.

Lots of love,

Gordon

Gramps' Owie

Dad/Gramps really opened a wound on his right arm yesterday. I tease him that he still thinks that he is age 16. We took the visiting grandchildren--Erin, Donovin, Caydin, Matthew, and Rachel--to the Nebo View Elementary playground (the one on 100 North) and LHT was going to help the grandkids have fun by going on a "spinner" with them. It is a device that has bent upright bars forming a loose cage-like spot for a person to stand or sit and spin around. He was going to demonstrate and was on the device alone. For some reason, LHT's foot slipped off the base and he fell out opening a 6-inch long 2-inch wide cut on his right arm as he hit some part of the equipment as he fell. 

We brought the grandkids to our house, about three blocks away, and LHT thought that I could pull the skin back in place using a pair of tweezers. I thought otherwise. AnnMarie arrived to pick up her two after a day at court (Matthew and Rachel). I had texted her telling her to com to the playground since she was due to arrive at 3 p.m and we went there at 2:30. So I had had Matthew text her to tell her that we were at the house instead. I had stamped my foot and said, "Leonard, we need to go to the doctor's." She, calmly, as befits her profession said, "Dad, there is too much tissue missing." She had to leave to get to Provo for an appointment. Erin, who is now 13, took over with her younger brothers and we headed to the doctor's office. Unknown to us at the time, was that there had been five ambulance runs come into the connected Central Valley Medical Center hospital, also staffed by the doctors at Central Valley Medical Clinic.

When he saw it, Dr. James M. Besendorfer, M.D., called it a "laceration." (I thought it just looked horrible and Dad/Gramps, as usual, thought that I, Myrna, could just fix it. Honestly.) After I watched the doctor take care of it, I likely could have. However, I lacked the prior knowledge and I am happy that we went to the doctor's office. Luckily, they were seeing patents. This happened at about 3 p.m., so the doctor's office was open. It must have been just another "laceration" for the day because the nurse commented that the doctor had "another" one. 

It is a good thing that the doctor and LHT are old friends who have worked on scouting projects together because he just smiled when he heard what had happened. He also knows that LHT is still just age 16 inside. At any rate, he was able to close the wound by carefully pulling the wounded (and purple-hued) skin back over the gapping area where the flesh had been exposed. He did it with a small pair of surgical tweezers, the type with the fine point, and only a small jag along the edge will be left to create a small scar. He sent over to physical therapy and obtained a foam dressing to use which the nurse applied after cleaning the area with saline solution.

The doctor said that the foam dressing is made from polyurethane. The polyurethane contains variably sized small open cells that pull exudate away from the wound bed. The dressing is absorbent and doesn't lint. It will be left in place for 10 days. The doctor will then remove it and see what it looks like. He said that he liked this way of dealing with lacerations. He had removed these types of bandages and found that they were healed. "It is just remarkable," he said. It was a new way of dealing with lacerations and was very successful.

So there you have it, LHT will keep the site dry and will return to the doctor in 10 days. After all that, his blood pressure was still low. I didn't even want them to check mine, though the nurse offered. I was afraid that all the excitement would have had such an effect on me that they would send LHT home and keep me. (Smile.)

We came home, and the kids and I went to order pizza and rent a movie. We had planned to go swimming or go to a movie last night but we stayed home instead. We are so exciting that it scares me. (Of course, you can see that we are not. I am surprised, as boring as we are, that any of the grandkids will even stay with us. As they get to be teens, they usually get to be too busy and those visits slow or stop.) Usually, we take the David Trauntvein kids places like Provo to go shopping or to Lagoon or camping or SOMETHING. This visit, we are just being boring. We have been to Provo and to Brick Oven. Of course, there is a always the appeal of the four-wheeler, the lawn-mower, and the great-outdoors in Nephi. (Hehehe.) 

Mrs. Richards' Treasured Cookies

Mrs. Richards’ Butter Cookies

*3/4 pound butter (three sticks)

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk (or fruit juice)

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 cups all-purpose flour (or enough to make a stiff dough)

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, milk and

vanilla and beat together. Then add flour and baking powder. Mix well together. THE DOUGH WILL BE SOFT. Let sit for one-half hour. Roll on a lightly floured board to about one-half inch thick. Cut and place on ungreased baking sheet. (I usually cover the baking sheet with parchment paper first.) Bake at 375- to 400-degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks or cloth-covered table-top. Cool slightly. Then frost.

*Three sticks of butter is equal to 1 1/2 cups butter that is not precut. I melt the butter then add the sugar and mix well.

Frosting for Cookies

1 stick butter

1 small package powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Few drops food coloring

Melt the butter and pour over powdered sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add milk, vanilla and food coloring. Beat until smooth. More milk may be needed but be cautious because it doesn’t take much to make it runny. Spread on cookies and decorate as desired. (Candy hearts for Valentine’s Day, etc.)

Story behind the cookies: My Grandmother Vivian Smith, a teacher, and her parents, the owners of a pharmacy and drug store in Huntington, Utah, were kind and generous to the Mrs. Richards who was the possessor of this recipe during a difficult time in her life. The one thing that she treasured was the recipe for these cookies. Everyone loved them when she made them but she did not share the recipe with any. Community legend had it that her family had baked them for the king before they found themselves as converts to the LDS Church and in Utah. One day, Mrs. Richards came to my Grandmother and told her that she had little to treasure but this recipe. She gave a copy to my grandmother who was allowed to share it with her parents. Mrs. Richards told my grandmother that she could share it with family. Since all are dead now, I do not feel a need to keep it as secret and have shared it a bit more. Grandmother did share it with her sisters-in-law and, through Aunt Pearle Smith, Russ Farrer, her grandson, who baked at Brick Oven in Provo, Utah, for awhile, made these cookies for sale while he was employed there. When he left, he kept the recipe.

Myrna Great-Grandmother Mina Ericksen Pritchett, her daughter Vivian Pritchett Smith, my mother, Elaine Smith Pitts and her sister, Renee Smith Childs, and I have all made these cookies and received countless compliments for them. My children have the recipe. It is still treasured.

I began making these cookies as a child with my grandmother who always made them for Christmas and for Valentine’s Day, as well as for most major holidays, and “just because.”

Depression and Diabetes

Dear Living With Type 2 Diabetes Program Member,

Everyone feels down every once in awhile. But feelings of sadness that just won’t go away could be a sign of depression.  People with diabetes are at greater risk for depression.  Having depression can affect how well you manage your blood glucose, but your blood glucose can also affect your mood.  If you think your blood glucose level is affecting your mood, or if you think you have depression, talk with your health care provider.

Symptoms of Depression

Loss of pleasure – You no longer take interest in doing things you used to enjoy.

Change in sleep patterns – You have trouble falling asleep, you wake often during the night, or you want to sleep more than usual, including during the day.

Early to rise – You wake up earlier than usual and cannot to get back to sleep.

Change in appetite – You eat more or less than you used to, resulting in a quick weight gain or weight loss.

Trouble concentrating – You can’t watch a TV program or read an article because other thoughts or feelings get in the way.

Loss of energy – You feel tired all the time.

Nervousness – You always feel so anxious you can’t sit still.

Guilt – You feel you “never do anything right” and worry that you are a burden to others.

Morning sadness – You feel worse in the morning than you do the rest of the day.

Suicidal thoughts – You feel you want to die or are thinking about ways to hurt yourself.

Learn more about depression and diabetes.

There’s a lot to manage when it comes to diabetes and it can be hard to keep track of all your tests, medicines, and exams.  Let Diabetes 24/7 help.  This tool allows you to communicate your health information with your doctor and anyone else you choose.



Keep track of blood glucose, A1C, blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, physical activity and your medicines.  Check out Diabetes 24/7 today.

From Eva About Richard's Visit

Eva wrote: Congratulations, Myrna, that was good news.  

We had a surprise fabulous weekend.  Richard came home for a surprise visit.  We spent Thursday afternoon together and he went with me to pick out a frame and orer my new glasses. Bless his heart; he paid  for them for me.  Friday evening  he, Jim &^ Karma came and got me then we met David, Eulale , Lynda and Michael at the Olive Garden uptown in Salt Lake where I treated them all to dinner; we had a wonerful time and were grateful Michael felt well enough to come;  he had a total shoulder replacement surgery ten days ago. has his arm in a sling and lot s of pain meds.   He has not been able to be with us for two or more years.  Today Richard picked me up and we went to visit Helen  which was nice.  i have not seen her since she was in th4  hospital .  We went with Jim & Karma and Titan up  to enjoy the afternoon in their beautiful cabin 45 mins up Parley's Canyon in one of the side canyons. Then we went to Jim's where Andraia and Blake had cooked Japanese food .  JD, Angie, Gil and Kaitlyn came; also Barry Jana, David, Eulale, Tiffanie and Adelyn also all came. Richard brought me home then went back to his hotel to get some much needed sleep.  His plan leaves at noon tomorrow. They are still considering doing the Stem Cell transplant. If they do, he will be in the hospital for a month then many months recuperating   We all had such a good time together. Have a good Sabbath.  much love, Eva