Dad's Blog

MOVING ON

2012-01-23T22:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Family,

President Monsoon was in our neighborhood last week and visited Eldred G. Smith, Patriarch to the Church Emeritus. The occasion was a half-hour visit celebrating Eldred's 105th birthday. This is a picture that was in the Deseret News.

Elder Smith lives in our ward and comes to Church each Sunday, driving himself and his wife a few blocks to church. He got up last Sunday and gave his testimony; what a great example he has been.. I sit next to him in our Quorum meetings and he will turn and ask if I would ride up with him in this little elevator they have in our building. Operated by a key and a little hooky, but it gets to the upper floor. I have been riding with him for several years. He has given over 20,000 Patriarchal Blessings but he told me he released himself from giving them now. He has been in our home a couple of times giving a fireside on the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. He has the clothes they were wearing at the time of the martyrdom and are still blood stained.

We have an older ward full of former mission presidents and Temple presidents and families who have lived in the same house for over 40 - 50 years. Last Sunday I took a cane I bought in England when we lived near London. It was slippery outside and I did not want to fall going through the muck. When I sat in Sunday School, a man sat down beside me and announced he was 93 and he had a cane. He looked at mine and after a few minutes said, "Do you want to duel with our canes?" "Whaaaat" was my reply. "Let's have a duel with our canes!" I turned a little ring in my black carved cane and began to pull out the 4 foot steel sword that was in the cane and when he saw about 6 inches of it he said, "I do not want to have anything to do with you!" I guess old guys still like to fool around. Finally had a good use for that sword cane.

Here is something you don't see everyday. Since my cardiac incident, I have been trying to go to Cardiac Rehab. It is a slick place with modern exercise equipment, pretty nurses and monitoring equipment. They put on the EKG leads and monitor, EKG, oxygen levels, blood pressure and hear rate. Better than Baley's! I drive them a little nuts always inquiring about the quality of the "T" waves on the EKG. I have been slowly working up the time and pace and feel pretty good today and did the longest time so far without any problems. Doug came down from his hospital rounds and took this pic. Maybe I will be in pretty good shape for Busch Gardens and the kids in Tampa FL this week.

Al is waiting of the arrival of their eight baby that is any minute but one of her Ewes beat her to it. They went out to the barn and noticed that one of their three sheep had dropped a new lamb. She called for a "new lamb consult" Al and Paul and kids are really getting into it on their farm in Michigan.

We are trying to plan the reunion for this summer and with this large family, it is getting challenging. Mom will send an email around asking for some preferences.

Next week sunny Florida, Busch Gardens, a little wild hog hunting stint on the Church ranch down there, some good old Gulf seafood, and fooling with the kids.

Love, Dad and Mom

FAMILY HOMNE EVENING IN DEER VALLEY AS JOHNNY GETS ENGAGED

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

I started writing Blogs a few years ago and one of my first was a report on how Johnny H. received his Eagle Scout award complete with a large live Eagle for the ceremony. Then there was his mission farewell, then his homecoming and now his engagement.

Cheryl and Paul invited everyone to the Deer Valley lodge for a dinner and overnight stay as it was a holiday the next day. Mike, Emily and Doug and all the kids came up and there was lots of room.

We celebrated Johnny's engagement to Jeanne Wylie who comes from West Virginia and both are students in the same year at BYU. There will be a May wedding in the Salt Lake Temple.

We had a nice dinner and it was very relaxing. Hats off to Paul who is one of the most patient person I know who invites this gang there and then invites us again.

Well we sat around and this is what we call "blarbing" in style. Don't look up the word in the dictionary as it is a family invention. There were these great soft couches into which we all sank and it is relaxation to the nth degree.

Here we are gathered for a Family Home Evening. It was Sunday evening and just perfect. In the far corner is the Opa with Jonathan. The other little kids sat on the fireplace and were pretty good for most of the program.

The main part of the program was hearing from Johnny and Jeanne on the details of the engagement. How did you meet? What were your first impressions? What about dating? When did you know for sure? Maybe those are personal but the stories are always fascinating how people come together.

We knew Johnny was a goner this last summer as he stayed in our house while he did an internship at the Huntsman Cancer Center. He told us about a young lady he was dating and seemed not impressed that we also tried to line him up in the Singles Ward. Jeanne was away on a study assignment in India and when she came back it was pretty much a done deal. She is a charming young lady who is majoring in neuro science and hopes to become an medical PA. We look forward to May!

The kids are already calling Emily, "Grandma M" but that is a little premature.

We will travel to Florida and see how the old ticker does down there for a few days. We plan to take Kaley and the two boys to Busch Gardens a lot. This will be a good year!

May Heaven bless you all, Mom and Dad

GREAT HOLIDAYS

2012-01-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

We had a wonderful holiday season . We had the Christmas Eve Celebration with our traditional Nativity reenactment. Here is a picture of the nativity players. Johnny was the camel and brought in all three wise men on his back. Doug, Emily, Mike and their families and Madeline B. all came. I read fro the scriptures on my iPad.and also commented of gift giving. Everyone did a good job,

We had a dinner of standing rib roast and all brought the side dishes and it was great.

Emily wanted to play the "White Elephant" game that we used to do. We used wrap up outrageous gifts that were neatly wrapped and we took turns choosing a gift from a great pile in the center if the room. This time Mom wrapped up things from the lost and found collection. Here everyone is laughing as Nate choose a high heel shoe. The most coveted gift was a large jar of Maple Syrup from the Franklin Cider Mills that Doug brought,

It was a lot of fun. On Christmas after church we drove around to visit the families. All were in pajamas even after church! Here is Doug and their Nerf Gun Xmas. They even had a Nerf bazooka gun I think would knock over bowling pins. We went down to Mapleton and saw Emily and Mike and their families later in the afternoon. still all were in pajamas. Everyone had a great Xmas.

Meanwhile in Michigan. Al's kids gathered around in fancy pajamas. Thought they all looked so great. Al is expecting their eight child at the end of the month and they do not know whether it is a boy or a girl.

We also had visits from former missionaries. Here is Jake Gertson
who brought a very nice young lady by. I advised him, "Er sollte weiter machen!" She is a peach. He has a graduate degree in hospital administration and works in New York City. He was one of our great missionaries who served in the office and in Austria.

Shalayne Davis dropped by with her parents. Shalayne was one of our great sister missionaries in Germany, She has a Masters degree and is currently in Virginia in law school. I was I'm;ressed that she absolutely loved studying law. She had also taught at the MTC and worked in the Provo Temple when she was there. We had such outstanding Missionaries.

Mary Cox came by with her father after a day of skiing. We keep meeting Mary everywhere we go; we saw her in Berlin and in Boston. She is getting her Phd in German economic history at Oxford university in England. This year she is actually teaching a course at Oxford and that is super impressive. We never tire of seeing our special missionaries.

Well this post is an accomplishment of sorts. This is the first post on my new Mac pro laptop. I have used a PC for over 30 years and finally made the break. I gave a stake fireside in the Grantsville Stake on Sunday. It was packed back into the cultural hall and I used the new Mac bool. I could not believe how easy it was to hook up to the projector which it immediately recognized. The power point program on the Mac showed me the current slide, the notes to the slide, the nest slide and how long I had been talking. Mom gave a talks well and it was a wonderful evening.

This brings us up to date and we love you all and wish you the best in the New Year. May go to Florida if I feel better.

Love, Dad and Mom

TEMPLE SQUARE

2011-12-23T01:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

We had another day of great visits. Brett Miller, wife and two children came up to say hello. He was one of our great missionaries in Nirenberg and is currently completing vetnary school in Wisconsin. It was grea to meet his wife and his children.

Mike, Rayanne and all their kids came up as well. It was another wonderful visit. Mike and Rayanne helped Mom with the Christmas card list, some of the kids spent time in Oma's craft room.

Mike took us all down to Crown Burger for dinner. Salt Lake is packed at Christmas time; there is so much going on. Traffic is heavy and there is no parking. We found a spot right in front of the Temple Gates and went into the Square. It was jam packed!

Above you see a picture that Rachel took of the Salt Lake Temple at night. It was cold and slightly snowing. The lights were everywhere and beautiful. Here is a picture of the group, Oma and Opa, Mike, Rayanne and Family. It was a great pre Christmas night! I was bundled up with my Austrian hat, coat and German scarf just like on our mission.

There is a ton of activity on Temple Square. The Church does such a wonderful job of providing seasonal spirit. There was a huge nativity scen with lights and music. There were meetings and musical events in almost every building including the Tabernacle. While the gals went on an extended walk checking out the lights, Mike and I slipped into the nearest Visitors Center to get warm. There was this great presentation going on by the Bountiful Bells, a group that has been entertaining for 20 years playing Christmas carols with their bells. The place was packed with families and there was good cheer in the air.

We went back to the car, back home where we warmed up with hot chocolate. It was such a wonderful visit with Mike and his family.

Christmas Eve celebration at our home in two nights with the Nativity and traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Clara wondered if I would wear my Lederhose.

Love and Cheer, Opa and Oma

CATHY AND PETE HAVE A NEW LITTLE GUY

2011-12-21T07:37:00.001-07:00

Dear Family,

Cathy delivered her new baby yesterday and here you see Mom and little guy dressed in Xmas cheer not long after the delivery. Cathy did well and the boy, Henrie Mc Entire O. is healthy and strong and Cathy beaming with this great Xmas gift.

This is Cathy's fourth child. We saw all the others in the hospital and they are excited! It is our 75th grandchild! and we are thrilled as well.

Here is little guy. Lots of comments who he looks like, it is early but one can't help but notice the nose and the hint of a furrowed brow. We are so thrilled for this new addition and feel so blessed as a family.

The Xmas season is full upon us. We still had visitors this last week. Roy and three boys drove down from Colorado. They stayed at Doug s and by reports, there was not a lot of sleeping going on there as all romped and played. Roy came over and fixed some equipment and helped Mom with her Mac computer as she was trying to get the Xmas card organized. Doug, Roy and I had some great time together as we pursued hobbies.

Roy, Emily, John and family, Cheryl, Paul and kids, Mike, Rayanne and family, Cathy. Pete and kids all came up last Sunday for the blessing of Doug and Christina's baby, Elena Stephanie. We all gathered in church and after the Blessing, Doug gave a Christmas talk in Church. We went to Doug's after and had one of those great mini get togethers. Christina had a great buffet with everyone bringing their specialty treat.

Mom and I headed to a Single Adult Ward where we gave our Xmas talks. It was a full Sunday! I am up more and in better shape than last week although I have not started in the Temple yet.

Next big family event is on Saturday night with our Xmas Eve gathering, Nativity and dinner. Santa may make a surprise early visit.

We are so grateful for our blessing at this time of the year, for life, new life and the love we have in the family.

Alles Gute und eine frohe Weihnachtzeit wuenschen Oma und Opa!

ITS LOOKING A LOT MORE LIKE XMAS

2011-12-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

We have been busy so I have delayed in writing. Well the Xmas tree is up and our Salzburg Creche is in the front hall and it looks like Xmas is coming. We have yet to try and get out the cards.

Our Christmas is ongoing much like the German variety. Something is going on daily and there is joy in the air. We get Christmas presents constantly, early and it is great. Jeff sent down six fresh Maine Lobsters and we had lobster rolls, lobster salads, and steamed lobsters and it was great.

Cheryl gave us an early Xmas ;present with two tickets on the second row to the West Ballet performance of the Nutcracker. It is a professional ballet company but uses students as well in their performances. We had four granddaughters in that performance. Cheryl had Annabelle, Mary Clare, Lauren, and Olivia performing. Here is a Ballet West photo showing two of them. Olivia was the youngest child and she is such a dynamic performer, smiling dancing, cocking her head and just enjoying herself. She and Lauren were onstage for almost the entire first act. Mary Clare was the red mouse and the first child out under the skirt and Annabelle was one of the servants bringing in the cake. It was a great performance.

We had visits from Michigan. Bryan came back to visit clients of his business and Becca came up (who is his comptroller) and Sandpointe Consulting had a business meeting in the dining room.

Paul F. works for a Salt Lake firm but lives in central Michigan. He came back for end of year end meetings and they all stayed over. Here is a picture of all of us with Mom and Dad wearing their new Michigan vests. It is so great to have these ongoing reunions.

We started out the month celebrating John's 30th birthday. It hardly seems like 30 years have gone by since Mom came home from the hospital with the twins, John and Julie That was such a great event and I thought of my sitting in the waiting oom at Beaumont Hospital. They did not let fathers in the OR in those days and I walked the room getting concerned over how long it was taking and hoped there was not a problem.. Mom got very large during that pregnancy but the obstetrician assured me he only heard one heart sound and he did not believe in ultrasound. So the nurse came in breathless and said, "Follow me!" and we hurried to the newborn nursery and she said, "Here is your new daughter and turning to a second bassinet, and here is your new son!". It is hard to believe nowadays that twins were not expected.; So we wish John a happy birthday and remember that great day.

I was also tied up over the weekend. I was having a bit of chest discomfort and went into the emergency ward on Friday. Doug paved the way and had some of his office there as well to make things a bit easier.and lined up the cardiologist. The EKG showed changes so on Saturday, I was whisked up to the cath lab and had a coronary cauterization. Three of the five bypasses that were put in ten years ago were open but one was stenotic so they placed a stent to open the narrowing. So I got out of giving the Priesthood lesson on Sunday, got better and they let me go home the next day. I am home taking it a bit easy. I guess the best Xmas gift I could get is a continuance of life and for that we are grateful. Will be back in the swing of things by the weekend as we speak in a Single Adult Ward on Sunday.

Next big event will be the traditional Christmas Eve gathering/dinner and celebration.

Love you all at this special season.

Mom and Dad

THANKSGIVING AND ROB AND EVA'S VISIT

2011-12-01T13:11:00.001-07:00

Dear Family,

We had a riotous Thanksgiving Holiday. Rob, Eva with family, Anna, Julia, Luke and new baby Elena came down from Spokane for a weekend visit and it was really fun to have them here. Here is Rob with Anna, Julia and Luke stocking up on canned fizzy drinks. They had the downstairs apartment.

They came in late Wednesday night. Thursday morning Rob and I got up;and stuffed the turkey with our signature oyster dressing. It was a two man job and licking the fingers was great. It was a good oyster dressing this year. We had three turkeys for dinner; we did a 25 pound turkey with oyster dressing baked in a turkey bag, Doug brought over two deep fried Emeril's Cajun flavored turkeys and there was only a little form one of the deep friend turkeys left after the wave of eaters cleaned up the works. We had 32 for dinner; Doug and his family, Mike and his family, Emily and her gang were there and Cathy and all her family came down from Bountiful. Paul and Cheryl and kids came for dessert upping the total to 42.

Everyone brought there favorite side dishes and it was a joyous feast. There were yams of all varities, mashed potatoes, great gravy, vegetables of all kids, Raspberry jello salad which did not last long, dozens of rolls and two varieties of stuffing. It was great and we thank all those who contributed.

I gave thanks for Family, Faith and the blessing we all enjoy. We had to set up a long line for the food. See the video. This year we had the Moms go through first and the Dad's helped the little one fill their plates. We used to time how long it took to put away and three day planned and prepared dinner, but this year everyone tool their time and we had an enjoyable time at the table.

There were great desserts with pies of all kinds some made by the grand kids and they were good. There was lots of Oberschlag, Rob and Eva brought apple pies from Washington, famous for their apples.

Following the great meal, they guys went to the park for the yearly football game. It was the Dad's, Uncles, one returned missionaries against all the kids. Even with generousness bending of the rules (cheating) those fast little guys whooped the older Uncles. There were the competitive board games and then a great and totally fun. Thanks to Mom, all the Moms and all those who brought great treats. Doug has the deep fried turkey down pat.

Friday, Rob and I got up early and took Luke and Johnny to Cabelas for the Black Friday sales. It was packed. The kids like going to Cabelas and we restrained ourselves from any big purchase. We hurried back and I took Rob to the UoU Colorado football game. We spoke with Elder Oaks who was in the next box. Utah did terrible and lost. We hurried home and Mom, Rob, Eva, the girls drove up to Ogden to see Cheryl's kids, Annabelle, Maryclair, Loren and Olivia performed in a professional ballet, The Nutcracker. They did very well and it goes on for a couple of weeks.

Saturday morning, Cheryl made a big reservation down at the Grand American Hotel for their Xmas breakfast. It was great. We did not stay for the photo shoot but here is a picture of Cheryl with here family and Herr and Frau Klaus

We hurried home to watch the Michigan Ohio State football game which is the game of the year for Mightn't fans. The word fan comes from fanatic and that describes those Michigan supporters. Doug and Douglas and the guys came over and we watched the game on the large downstairs TV. It was an exciting game and I managed to catch the guys blarbing on the couch. This is at the point of a Michigan score that was taken back. Rob went a little nuts. Michigan won for the first time in a few years and there were some happy campers.

Following the game, we headed for the pistol range and had a great shooting time with the 45's. Spence had a 22 and did well. Wall to wall fun,

Sunday we went to Doug's ward as he was giving a talk. He was the last speaker and was left 5 minutes. We went to Cheryl's for a brunch that was tasty. We took Rob, Eva and the kids to the Airport late in the evening. This was a great Thanksgiving Holiday and it is so fun to be with the family. This is only a part of having "joy and rejoicing in your posterity". There is a deeper and more eternal meaning but what we have here is awfully good!

Love, Dad and Mom

VISIT TO WARRENTON, VIRGINIGA

2011-11-28T16:05:00.001-07:00

Dear Family,

We went to Virginia just before Thanksgiving Holiday to see our friends, the Manwarings. They have this beautiful property that reminds me so much of New England and also southern Germany with open fields and rolling hills. Larry is an avid upland bird hunter. He has wonderfully trained Brittany Spaniels who hunt as a team. We hunted in the long grass and you can see the dogs ahead of us. Here is a shot of the Dad taking a bead on a pheasant flying through the trees. Believe we got that one.

Here we are at the end of the hunt with the dogs , the hunters, and the birds. That's Larry on the left Me with my Austrian Drilling. I took my Drilling that was made in Salzburg, (purchased after the mission in the USA) and it was perfect for this hunting. It is a 16 by 16 gauge doable side by side with a 8x57 JR Mauser rifle barrel underneath. It is also scoped for deer hunting.

The rifle barrel was used when we deer hunted but I never did get a shot off. The great hunting vehicle is a Kybota four seater and it took us over hill and dale.

In the morning we got up early and I sat in a deer blind and Larry was up in a tree in an area that was up until opening day, crawling with deer. I did not see anything but Larry saw one down in the woods partially hidden in the bush. That one got away unscathed.

We decided to ride up the hilt one evening after the pheasant hunt. Mom and Madeline met us and we drove through the woods to the top of this hill where you could see the Blue Ridge Mountains. We ran into no deer which was unusual. We did run into two large Tom Turkeys but the season ended the day before. I so wanted to bag a deer to complete a perfect New England Thanksgiving dinner. The only place where we saw deer every day and night was in their back yard. We did not go out one morning because of the threat of rain but I was awakened with , "Get up, there are four deer in the backyard!" but by the time I got there, the dogs had run them off.

So the next morning we turned the garage into a gourmet shooting blind. We tested the windows; Larry took one window and I took the one by the ornamental pear trees where there was more sign than anywhere in the woods but alas they read our minds and did not show. They did show up every day after we left.

On Sunday, we went to church, did not hunt, (even though there were deer in the neighborliness yard) and in the afternoon, we drove up to the Washington Temple to attend the Christmas Devotional. We took our white suits and clothes. Larry and Madeline are Temple workers there and invited us as family. It was a great meeting with great Spirit. We saw two of our friends from the Salt Lake Temple who were there on Temple missions. Also saw one of our former sister missionaries, Annie Baliff, who works for the "Department of Defense".

We hunted all day Monday, went to dinner in the evening and said goodbye on Tuesday. Here are the Manwarings (taken with Mom's Ipad. It was great to be back there and it could be so habit forming. Larry is also a great cook and showed us how to make whole wheat bread made from fresh ground whole wheat with Chia seeds added.

It was a great time and I am still unpacking. We brought a bit of the pheasant and chucker goodies home.

More on Thanksgiving

Love, Dad

VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11. 2011

2011-11-11T16:21:00.001-07:00

Dear Family,

Today on 11/11/2011 we celebrate Veteran's Day which date was selected to remember the end of the First World War on November 11th and to remember all veterans and their service.. Here is a photo of the Dad in his dress Navy Blue officers uniform showing the rank of Lieutenant in the Medical Corp.

I only thought about it again today because we were invited to Cheryl's kids performance at their Cardon School. Each of her five girls either had a signing or reading part in a performance remembering past and current veterans of conflicts.

It was quite a nice program which opened with a prayer, pledge of allegiance, salute to the flag, the choral singing of the National Anthem and readings from each conflict going back to the First World War.

It was very nice and I was moved. They had each veteran stand and say in which service he served, during what conflict and what branch of the service. I stood up and said, "US Navy, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Medical Corp during the Vietnam conflict". They had two men there who were Navy who had fought in the WWII in New Guinea, a few from Vietnam and several from the current conflicts.

I have never talked much about this in the family so this is a short note. They had a doctor draft during the Vietnam war and you had to serve two years either in the Peace Corp or in the armed services. Instead of being drafted, I volunteered in the Navy and a friend got me into the School of Aviation Medicine, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida where we served from 1964-1966. Pensacola was a training command so they were strict about uniforms, saluting, and inspections. I had to wear a sword with my dress whites during an inspection.

I did not see conflict. I saw more conflict and gun shot wounds in Boston and Detroit. The school of Aviation Medicine trained Navy flight surgeons and did a lot of basic research related to the space program.. I was in a pulmonary lab where we measured oxygen consumption and pulmonary functions on the Mercury Astronauts and I met several of them. The computation of oxygen consumption involved a series of calculations so I wrote a program in Fortan to solve this, the data was punched on IBM sort cards and run through one of the real old huge computers we had in the school.

We did basic research on vestibular function in hypobaric conditions, (altitude). This was for the space program where there were problems with vertigo. I set up a lab where we studied coronary artery flow in awake greyhound dogs at altitude and wrote a a couple of papers. I also had to stand watch in the base medical dispensary at night and you could not leave that watch. I had to stand watch the day Bryan was born; we had our neighbor who was the Naval Obstetrician pick Mom up when she started labor, deliver Bryan and then he called me on my watch.

The base trained Naval Aviators and the Enterprise was the carrier that they qualified on. I had such respect for these men and for what they gave. It is so appropriate that we remember those who have served, those who have fallen and those who have returned to guarantee our freedom and safety.

Love, Dad

CREPES ON SUNDAY

2011-11-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Sunday was very busy. Paul invited me over to his ward to give his Priest class the lesson on Patriarchal Blessings. So we drove over to Holiday and when I got there, they had assembled the Priests, Teachers, Laurels and MIA Maids for the lesson. there were about 30 - 40 kids,

They were sharp and knew a lot about the House of Israel and the concept of birthright. I gave a half hour lesson and Mom said it was good. (Some adult leaders were taking notes.}

After church, Paul took us up to his parents for brunch in his new huge van. Many of his family were there and it was quite a sight with Karen constantly cooking and providing for all the grand kids as they came. I had a chance to visit with Paul's Dad. It was a very good time.

I had a Patriarchal Blessing that evening and after felt kinda tired. .We got a call from Paul Jr. that Cheryl and Paul were having a special Family Night and could we come. Also we think you should make some crepes.

Well we had spent the afternoon with them but OK, we will gladly come over for Family Night and bring my crepe recipe and special pan. It could be that the kids were behind this request. After a Family Night, they all pitched in and wanted to help with the crepes. Someone broke the eggs, others measured the milk, another measured the flour, another the water. Mary Clare melted the butter, I added a little vanilla flavored Kefir milk for zest and we turned on the blender and viola, perfect crepe batter.

I cooked crepes one at a time for at least a half an hour and they kept coming back for ,more. Finally after the second batch of batter, they were full and wandered off to bed.

The next night I get a call from Loren, "Grandpa, we are having scriptures now, can you come over for that and make some more crepes?" I guess they figured out that I am a sucker for Family Home Evening and scripture reading and can easily be talked into making crepes. " I can't come now because it is too late and we are in the Temple Tuesday and Wednesday night but how about Thursday night?" "Cool Grandpa!" So we have a date for Thursday night.

I guess I like doing sweet things.

Love, Opa

FAMILY FUN AT HALLOWEEN

2011-11-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

We had a busy weekend with Rick and Gemina's visit and many get togethers, Saturday, Doug and I went to Farmington to watch Rebecca in her La Cross game. She did well and scored the first goal and her team won. Did not quite understand the game as it was the first one I had seen but there were a bunch of little gitsl with sticks raised high and screaming at each other. But it was fun!

After that, Doug and I made our way to the Bountiful Lyons Club shooting range and sighted in a couple of hunting rifles. Then it was home.. Mom dropped me off at the University of Utah football game and picked up Rick and Gemina. Rick joined me in the box and watched the game. They stayed at Cheryl's so we went there, stayed late, watched a movie.

Sunday was church and then a get together at Paul and Cheryls. Gemina and Cheryl prepared a healthy meal. Gemina prepared a hearty soup in California, froze it and brought it up on the plane in addition to a salad. Mike and Rayanne, Emily and John, Doug and Kristina, and Cathy and Pete and all the kids came for a great visit. Here is Cathy, Rayanne, Emily and Cheryl enjoying the goodies.

Once fed, all the cousins break up into age groups, the little kids get into the toy room, the teen age boys shoot a few hoops in the basement and the teenage girls get into Madeline's bed and just talk. Here is Madeline B., Natalie H. and Madeline H.

The trick of climbing into bed was not limited to the teenagers. With the main TV screen out, we had to go to Cheryl's bedroom to watch a movie.

Here is Mom, Gemina, little Johnny, Rick on the Droid smartphone and Paul Jr. watching Midway. Cheryl kicked everyone out at 10 PM. Well it was really fun and Mom says her bed is comfortable.

The next night was Halloween and the family everywhere had a great time.

The next night was Halloween. I do not have pictures ow what all the family was doing but here is a sampler. Here is Al and her kids. They went to Bloomfield Hills and hit our old neighborhood on Kingsgateway. The Breer's emptied all their candy into the kids bags! All used to start at the Breer's and then work their way to the end of the block, then put on sheets and work their way back up the street. It was most effecient and they always got the most.

Here is Becca but no matter what she puts on, she will never look like a witch.

Here is Libby, Mary Claire, Madeline and Loren as a

Popcorn box. Here they are in front of the house.

Here is Cheryl's gang in front of the house. It was a ;lot of fun.

Mom and I met the kids at the door as ourselves and that was scary enough

Alles Gute und alles Liebe,

Dad and Mom

HUNTSMAN EXPANSION DEDICATION

2011-11-01T09:30:00.002-07:00

Dear Family,

We had a busy weekend with many get togethers. We are always finding the smallest excise to assemble and visit.

This weekend, we were invited to the dedication of the Huntsman Cancer Center Expansion, John, Karen, family and staff built this gorgeous expansion of the Huntsman Cancer Center. They added 50 more inpatient beds and expanded the outpatient treatment center. There is also a new OR with MRS capability during surgery. It allows the Neurosurgeons to check the margins of cranial tumor resections. They can tell during surgery by wheeling in an overhead MRS imaging device if they got all the tumor. Fantastic!

They built a most beautiful outpatient facility with the comfort and needs of the patient uppermost in mind. Paul took us around the new infusion outpatient ward where patients receive outpatient chemotherapy. There are individual cubicles outfitted with TV, computer access and comfortable chairs and beds. It was fantastic! It has a full floor to ceiling glass view of the valley and this is stunning.

He showed us where He and Cheryl plan to dedicate a nurses station to the memory Julie . It will have her name aboe the nurses station for outpatient chemotherapy. If anyone wants to contribute, contact Cheryl.

The dedication was impressive. The picture shows John and Karen giving their remarks. There were four members of the Quorum of the Twelve, the Governor of Utah, Senator Orin Hatch and many dignitaries from the University of Utah. John Huntsman Jr. who still is running for the [presidency in 2012, gave the keynote address and did a very nice job. It is such an outsanding accomplishment ot have built that unit with its research facility here in Utah. I was impressed out of my mind.

Later that night, Rick and Gemina came for a visit. We went to the Football game and
Rick came in the box. We went over to Cheryl and Pauls after and "hung out". So much fun there.

Well that is about all for now. Love you all.. Dad

STAKE CONFERENCE, STYLE 2011

2011-10-23T16:15:00.002-07:00

Dear Family.

We had Stake Conference this weekend. One of the things about my calling is that I do not have to go to any meetings such as High Council or Stake PEC. This is always nice in one way but we are a little out of the loop.

I got a call about Thursday from our Stake President informing me of the Stake conference coming this weekend. I had seen it on the Stake calender and put it on my calender but did not know where the various meetings were to be held..

The "Evening Adult Meeting" was held last night in the Jordan River Institute building which has this huge hall. Mom and I finally found the place (it was on a street that did not exist on any of my GPS devices). We went to the Jordan River Temple and asked for directions. The place was packed with hundreds of Single Adult members. President Plumb always asked for me and Mom to sit on the stand in front. I looked at the program and it was outlined the same way they did it in Germany. There was the list of participants and the exact time allotted each one. I did not have an assignment and we sat back to enjoy the meeting. At the end, just before President Plumb was to speak, he turns to me and says, "You have two to three minutes!"

Well I have always had the rule that a good five minute talk in the church had three essentials; one scripture, one story and one main point. In a two minute, you can still get in one scripture and make a short point but have to leave out the story. The councilor in the Stake Presidency talked about his Patriarchal Blessing and I tied it in with that.

The next morning, our leadership meeting was held in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, pictured above. Mom and I sat up front in those big comfortable chairs and we did not have to speak. At 9:30 AM, we hurried across Temple Square to the Conference center. This was a regional meeting and 120 Stakes participated in this session. 21 Stakes were invited to meet int he Conference Center and it was packed. Elder Bednar was the main speaker and it was great. It was televised to the other 100 Stakes in the South Salt Lake Area

When I was growing up Stake Conference was a little more complicated;, there was always a Saturday night Leadership meeting. Then on Sunday, it was two two hour sessions, one in the morning from ten to noon and then another one in the afternoon from two to four PM. The afternoon session was always a bit more sparsely attended. They are getting this down pretty well.

Lots of visiting in the family this past weekend. Roy went back to Detroit to talk to people at GM and spent some great fun time with Bryan at the farm fooling around with Bry's new Kabuto ATV. Then Rob was down in Orlando visiting an ophthalmology meeting and got together with John. We are starting to think about Thanksgiving when Rob and Eva and crew and even maybe John and Kaley + kids will visit.

We love you all, Mom and Dad

MINI MISSIONARY GET TOGETHER

2011-10-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

We are back in full swing.

We had a little get together last evening with a few of our missionaries. Dario and Trisha Dzierzon and their kids were in town. Trisha's parents have moved to Utah so maybe we will see them a little more often

They flew in from Freiberg, Germany, the city in which the East German Temple was built. They came with their four children including the red headed twins.

It was great to see them again. They wanted to visit with some of their old companions so we had an informal get together. This is almost like a family picture now complete with the kids. Front row: Heidi, Mom with one of the boys who speaks fluent German and American English.. Behind is Kristi, Trisha and Dario with the Buben. Back is Dianne, Daniel T., the pilot in the Air Force), Tommy M., Jordan B. and Elizabeth with hubby. It is wonderful to see all moving ahead with their lives.

It is school vacation time in Utah so people have taken off. Cheryl and Paul and their gang drove down to San Francisco. I took three of Doug's boys down to Cabelas that was packed with families and their children. I did not buy anything.

Thanksgiving should be fun with Rob and Eva coming and the gang here in Utah.

All is well, Love, Dad

OCTOBER FUN

2011-10-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

I have been getting over a nasty flu and have been grounded for a couple of weeks so there has not been too much going on up at Sherwood Drive. We did get out on Sunday night to visit old friends from Vienna. Here we are with the Husz's. They have been called to preside over the Freiberg Temple in East Germany. He was my Austrian counselor on our mission to Germany and Austria. They are great members and his wife is an absolute miracle. While we were over there, she had an abdominal cancer with spread, had a huge surgery and was sent home to die but her recovery is something that I have never seen before. They will be great in their Temple service. As we left, I started to sing, "Sag beim Abschied leise Servus", an Austrian song of parting, and at the end we broke out into a duet. Great friends, great time.

We attended a solemn assembly in the Salt Lake Temple. There are about 5000 who are serving one way or another in the temple and they have these meetings once a year. They had two sessions, the first had about 3000 present. We went to the 11 AM session and there must have been at least 2000 there. President Eyring gave the address and the whole experience was wonderful.

In the meantime there was plenty going on in the family especially in Michigan. Rick went back to Michigan. We have all visited Rick's tree farm in the Sierras and helped with the wood cutting. This time he came to work with Bryan and Paul in cutting wood. Here is the doctor of the chain saw, Rick with Paul on their farm getting a winter supply of wood. He also spent a couple of days with Bryan clearing wood from the additional property that Bry added to our old farm.

Here are the two wood cutters getting a bite to eat in that hole in the wall place in South Lyon called Chinese Food. So there is Bryan in his Carhart bib overalls, President of a successful business computer company and there is Rick in his wood cutting outfit, Rick a partner in a Beverly Hills Law firm returning to the earth and. So great

So while the guys were in the Chinese restaurant in South Lyon, MI, Dr. Doug was actually over in China, eating real Chinese food. He was there for two weeks on his yearly excursion to better the results of the surgical operation, carotid endarterectomy. He did not operate on this occasion but gave many talks in many places including Beijing and Shanghai. We may go back with him next year if I am feeling pretty good.

Here is something that went on at Al's farm. She went out and bought three Marino sheep who will lamb in December. Paul put them in the back of their van and hauled them to their farm. Al wanted this particular sheep for the wool which she will use. There farm goes as far back as you can see in the photo.

Here is Rick and Bryan's daughter, Sarah, going to church in our Bloomfield Hills ward with the Detroit Temple in the background

Then the entire Family clan got together for dinner at Al and Paul's farm in Munci, MI. There was Al, Paul and kids, Mary and Mark with their kids Bryan and Kristina and their kids with visiting guest woodsman, Rick.

I wish we could have been there also.

I will start back in the temple this week. We have a little get together this weekend with our friends, the Dzierzons who are visiting from Saxony, Germany.

We go to Virginia in November to see our good friends the Manwarings and do a little project in his woods but it won't be wood cutting, ()could be however) . Rick and Gemina come for Halloween and Rob and Eva and their kids will come for Thanksgiving.

Love to all, Dad

AUTUMN, VISITS, EAGLES AND CONFRENCE

2011-10-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

Dear family,

I have been getting over the flu so I have not kept up as well. Autumn has arrived and the mountains are beautiful. The west has such a charm and this little picture was taken on top of immigration canyon.

We had a visit from John, Kaley adn the boys, Grant (I call him Grantli) and Garrett. Kaley's brother was married in the Salt Lake Temple. Her uncle by marriage, Elder Andersen, performed the ceremony. There was a dinner the night before at the Joseph Smith building and here is a picture of John leading a chorus of the William's grandchildren There is Grant front and center singing with enthusiasm.

I always have fun with the grandsons. Grant played with me almost non stop when he was at home. Here he is in the Basement. He calls me Poopa instead of Opa. He said, "Look, I built a Temple!" He builds temples instead of forts with the big blocks. It was good to see them even if briefly.

Then there was the Eagle court of honor for Mike's son, Joseph. This was a great court of honor as Joseph completed his Eagle award just before his 16th birthday. We are proud of his accomplishment. We have a growing Eagles Nest in the family with all eight sons having earned their Eagle awards in addition to now, Aaron, Johnny, Josh and Douglas. Others are in the loop. Here we are with Mike, Rayanne, Joseph the star, Oma and Opa.

We had a great General Conference of the Church.. We watched at home. The Counsel and direction was on the point and very uplifting. All the guys came up for Priesthood meeting that was broadcast in our stake house. They came from Mapleton and Cottonwood Heights. There were twelve of us on a row. This is a tradition that goes to my youth as well. I al;ways went with my father for as long as I can remember. After the meeting, we gathered at our house for the semi annual steak barbecue and a great time was enjoyed by all. Part of the deal is that I quiz the boys on each talk given in the meeting and they did pay attention..

Then we made grape juice! My friend, VL Kesler, is a master horticulturist, and has this great vineyard in Holliday. He had a bumper crop of grapes and invited us over to pick. I got sick and could not go but Mom went over one moring and came back with a load of grapes. We had purchased a Victoria Steamer in high hopes of our three vines doing something but alas that will be in the future. You fill the top container with grapes, start the steam and the juice comes out the plastic tubing. It is ready to be sealed in a Mason jar. You get about 5 quarts from one filling. We ended up with 35 quarts of the best grape juice. Interesting that now Al and Cathy are doing it also. Cathy says that canning grape juice "is easy, Pete does it!" I did the first batch and totally trashed the kitchen, We figured out a better wat to avoid a lot of mess. It is one of those,"Sweet is the work"

Well that is about all for now Alles Gute, Opa u. Oma

DE JA VU, FRIDAY NIGHT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

2011-10-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Had a bit of De Ja Vu recently when we went to watch Highland High School play Brigham High School. We went to watch Madeline cheer lead. We were up in the bleachers again as we were 20-30 or more years ago watching our kids play various roles in Andover High School football games.

There were the guys who played football. There was Bryan, Doug, Jeff, Rob and John ( whose team went to State). We were the obnoxious parents cheering our sons as if they were the only players on the team. Bryan was great and could catch a pass if it came withing six feet of him but he got permanently injured when he was hit from the side. I was the team Doctor having to bench Bry when he injured his knee. He has since had several operations on that knee. All played their hearts out.

Rob played tough football and he was big and strong from doing some work at the farm. John played almost every position and it was so great to watch our sons play.

But we also went to watch Andover cheerleaders as several of our daughters were Cheer leaders. There was Emily, Cheryl, Mary, Al and for a short while, Julie. Al was going out with her future husband, Paul, in High School and she used to cheer for him.

And now this has shifted a generation. Here is Madeline, Cheryl's daughter who is cheer leading for Highland High School. She is into ballet and is very graceful. It was so much fun watching her with the others. They have to be athletic for all the tricks they do now. Way to go Madeline.

Our other daughters did a sport each term of school. They were all runners and still are. Mary and Cheryl are going to the Boston Marathon next year. Becca and Suz are still doing marathons.

Life is a marathon as well and we have such good runners in the family.

Love you all, Dad

BYU - UTAH GAME; A CONFLICT OF INTEREST

2011-09-19T15:34:00.002-07:00

Well they are not smiling so much now!

With the knock out victory of the Utah Utes over the BYU Cougars by forty, count them, points, things are kinda quiet down there today.

We have been conflicted over whom to root for.. well anyway Mom is. We had 15 of our 16 living children go to the "Y" and they picked up 18 degrees there including 15 Bachelors, two Masters and a PhD. I will forever be grateful for what the "Y" has done for my family, However, I cannot bring myself to root for their football team! All our kids root for them. Here is a picture of Rebecca, Paul and all the kids faithfully wearing the colors on the day of the big rival game. Even the little guy not yet one year old is being indoctrinated!

Paul is one of those rabid BYU fans. Even though he graduated from the "U", his loyalty to the BYU football team knows no bounds. He even sat in the "Must", the section of Utah students at the U stadium, waving a big BYU banner and got a little pommeled couple of years ago.. That did not dampen his enthusiasm fpr the "Y". He and Becca came up from St. George for the game.

Mike and Joseph were there as well including Doug, Douglas, Spence and Nate. Doug paid BIG BUCKS to get tickets but they all had a good time until the game started and it was downhill with a vengeance for the BYU football team.

You got to remember that Mom and I received our Bachelor degrees at the "U". In addition, my Dad played football for the "U" in the late '20's. I grew up seeing him wear his red letter sweater everywhere including deer hunting in New York. Elder Wirthlin, when he was a teenager, used to go up to the "U" to watch my dad play football. Elder Wirthlin also payed football for the "U" and became one of their best fans. So I do not think I will root for the "Y".

I guess I will have to repent a little for all the great Schadenfreude I felt. BYU has beaten the "U" several times by only a point or two in the last minute and this drubbing was a joy to watch. Sorry all you BYU fans in the family.

We had a busy Sunday; I gave the lesson in Priesthood on the Gathering of Israel. Mom and I gave talks in the singles ward and then there was a blessing in the evening. That work has been busy this last week.

Love, Dad and Mon

SURGICAL REUNION MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL

2011-09-16T15:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

One purpose of the trip was to attend a surgical reunion at the MGH. I had never been there before and it was time to visit old friends. We flew back on Friday night and took a cab to the hotel. The cabby took the long way around and through traffic in the middle of Boston and yes it was like old times.

We stayed at the "Liberty Hotel" which was the old Charles Street Jail built in the early 1800's. Here is a picture of Mom in front of the Jail Hotel. It was strange because it was still a jail when I was there. We used to send drunks over there from the MGH ER.

The reception was there on Friday evening. We went to register and this gray haired lady comes up and gives me a big hug, "Dr. Wirthlin, we are so glad you came; you are a legend!" It was apparently one of the nurses I had worked with years ago. It felt so good to be back among friends and men whom I had also trained, who have since all become pretty big names in American surgery..

Here is a picture of me and Hardy Hendren, who is still a legend there. He was professor of pediatric surgery and one of my great teachers. He took me to Africa with his scrub nurse when I was his resident. We went to Malawi and did surgery for about six weeks and that was the adventure of a lifetime. We chatted about our experience there recalling some of the more difficult surgeries. I reminded him of time he tried to shoot a 'dik dik' with a 30-06 rifle with a shortened stock. He really cut his eyebrow down to the bone and I helped stitch him up. In a recent talk to the Brookline Country Club, he talked about the African experience and showed a picture of our last Xmas card at the 50th reunion and it brought a gasp from the audience.

Here is part of the surgical intern group of '62. There is George May with home I used to go pheasant hunting. There is Mike Margolies who married one of the nurses and is still married to her. It was fun to talk with them both. Mike was a big hard bench biochemistry esearcher at the MGH. We saw so many friends including John Wesley who ecame Professor of Pediatric surgery. He is a direct descendant of John Wesley the Reformer. His son met a returned sister missionary, joined or church and was married in the temple. John visit them and goes to church with them. John was very helpful in getting Doug mitted to University of Michigan medical school. Just a great friend!

I was standing in the lunch line and over heard the person behind me ask his neighbor the date of his marriage and he wondered, "Which one?". There were a lot of marriage casualties to academic surgery in that group. We ran into one of the successful ones in Mel and Jodie Platt. He was chief of the East when I was chief of the West surgical services at the MGH. We chatted and chatted and went to Legal Seafood for a great Boston seafood meal. Mel is still operating in Dallas.

We had a day of meetings on Saturday and they even quoted something funny I had said years ago. The presentations were interesting. We ditched the meetings and took the MTA over to Harvard Square. Everything was so different. There was a clambake in the evening and we got our fill of lobsters and steamed clams.

It was so great to see old friends and colleagues after so many years and relive the days of the surgical trenches and battles at the best Hospital

Alles Gute, Dr. Opa amd Oma

WE GO TO CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE

2011-09-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

On Sunday, Becky Christensen, our former great sister missionary who works in Newton Center, picked us up at our hotel and brought us to church. She did a lot for us while we were in Boston. I called her before our trip and mentioned we wold be in Boston and she started calling around and even arranged for me to give a Fireside in the Cambridge Stake. She did so much for us.

What surprised uswaswho would get out of the car to greet us at the hotel. There was Mary Cox, another one of our great sister missionaries who happened to be in Boston. She is getting a phd in German economic history at Oxford University in England. She was giving a paper at a convention in Boston. And then there was Jake Geertsen who rode a bus up from New York City to come and visit us. Jake was with us in the mission home. and now has a degree in hospital administration and works in NYC. So great to see them all and such a surprise. Here we all are in front of the Longfellow Park chapel that was rebuilt after it had totally burned down.

This was the exact site of that great picture of Mom (seen below), age 22, Relief Society President of the Cambridge Ward standing on the steps in front of the chapel on her first Mother's Day, 1961, hooding her carnation and our new little guy, Roy. (who just turned 50). That was a blast of memory!

We went to our Priesthood meeting and it was so well done, I was impressed. Then we went to another Singles Ward where Kristin Green, our former Sister Missionary in Vienna, who was teaching the lesson. It was an invasion of her class but it was so great to be there. There are four singles wards that meet in that building. The building has a great cry room that our kids still remember. Cry room in a singles ward?

After church we all went over to Becky's cool apartment in Cambridge. It was three flights up and I made it to the top. Kristin rode her bike over there.

It was fun to visit with Mary Cox again and then she had to leave. All the time Becky was a picture of whirlwind of energy and activity. She took people everywhere and started a great Italian soup all the while charging about.

Then a second group entered! And to my complete surprise, there was Dani Sorensen Tew with husband and two cute children. Then I saw Yannick Adler and his wife and child. He was my German AP who was such a help in the mission home. He had been informed by his Sister, Carolin, who is teaching in a German school for German nationals in Boston. It was almost overload of surprise and joy. They had driven down from Albany and it was so great to see them.

We had a great dinner with a gourmet soup that Becky had prepared with such skill.. It was great and we had such a good visit. It was the best Sunday and was not over yet! So here we all are; back row: Becky, Jake, Yanick with wife and little girl. Dani's husband with little guy (who played with my Ipad non stop), front row: Kristin, Mom, Me, Dani and another little guy.

Most of that group left and then Becky took us to the new Stake House in Cambridge near MIT where
I gave that Joseph Smith, Nathan Smith fireside. There we met more old friends; Gail and Laurel Ulrich, Gordon Williams, Kent Bowen, the Elliots, Betty Mandarino and others. It was so great!!!! The fireside went well but they could not get the computer to project the power point presentation and there in the shadows of MIT. Mom thought it was alright.

We attended Elder Oaks broadcast fireside. We visited and talked to everyone and then Becky took us back to the hotel. It was one of the best Sundays!

Love, Dad and Mom

BOSTON; WHERE WE LIVED

2011-09-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

We got back from or trip to Boston and I will tell the details in a couple of posts. I thought it would be interesting to the family to show photos of where we lived in and around Boston.

We met our Sister Missionary, Becky Christensen, who took us to church and drove us around on the day we were leaving to see all the old sites. Becky got her Masters degree in Social work at Simmons and is working in Newton Center. She was a terrific help.

The first picture above is of Holden Green, part of Harvard Housing where we lived from 1960 through 1964. We started with the apartment on the first floor next to the door. That's where we were with Roy. The rent was $70.00 and my income for a couple of ears was $0.00. When Rick came, we moved to a slightly larger apartment and my salary as a surgical intern in the Massachusetts General Hospital was $77.00 a month because we had children. We had Roy, Rick and Doug when we lived at Holden Green. This is where Mom assigned me to baby sit Roy when she had to go on one of her Relief Society visits. I was always dead tired so I put Roy on my tummy and passed out to the deeper stages of sleep induced anesthesia. I locked the door so Roy could not get out. Mom did not have a key and I was insensate when she knocked so she had to call the fire department to get into the apartment. Holden Green was great and there were several LDS couples living there as well.

When we got back from our two year stint in the US Navy at Pensacola, FL, we rented that old home in Arlington. It was behind the apartment house on Pleasant Street. The Bushman's lived over the fence around the corner and the elementary school was through the fence and all kids were chronically late for school. We lived there for four years. The house was knocked down when we left but thee is the site.

When I got on the Surgical Staff at the MGH, we bought our first home on Dedham Street from Gail and Laurel Ulrich. This is where we had seven more kids and where we kept our two bee hives in the 1/2 acre backyard and was the place of many memories and great fun. We ,moved from there to Michigan in 1977. Current owner have added a circular driveway in the front. Murley's field across the street where the kids played is full of trees.

I thought you might be interested in the Boston Temple which is in Belmont just off Rte 2. There is Becky standing in front. She is also an ordinance worker here. There was much "todo" about the steeple, its height and construction. They have a New England type steeple. The grounds are beautiful. When we lived there, we had to make the long trip to Washington to attend a Temple.

I am doing this backwards; this was the last morning of the trip. It brought back so many memories from portions of my brain that have not been used for many years. It was so great to see this and we are so grateful that Becky took us around. More about the trip later.

Love, Dad and Mom

BEAR LAKE, THE GAME AND OTHER STUFF

2011-09-08T10:36:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

Labor Day weekend brought us back to St. Charles, ID. Mike and his family came up Friday night and we had such a good time with them. Saturday morning was the Bear Lake breakfast on the large griddle. Here is a picture of The entire gang with hash browns, eggs, pancakes, bacon, fruit and all the extras. That usually lasts for the entire day.

Mike was a whirlwind of activity. He got one of the ATV's going, got the boat ready and did a huge branch cleanup project. Those cottonwood trees shed branches like dandruff. There was of course th shooting chore. Little Michael, who is eight years old, is a crack shot and had a lot of fun. Thye went to the beach and had a great time. Rayanne prepared the best dinner which included the best bean salad I
have ever had. .

Sunday, we piled the kids in the old '75 Toyota FJ40 land cruiser and went up to church. There were two sessions of about 1000 in each meeting. It has a very rural church flair. We saw a lot of friends and other Temple workers from Salt Lake up there as well. We had a great Sunday dinner together and settled in for a great Bear Lake nap. That evening, I gave a fireside at the Tidwells who have a beautiful place up in the hills just below Fishaven. They had a lot of extended family there and it was neat.

There was a knock on the door and we were so surprised to see Keith and Jannine D. They are are good friends from Bloomfield Hills and are not retired living in Virginia. Jannine read in our blog that we would be there this weekend and stopped by. (So glad someone is reading the blog). She brought her 94 year old mother who lives not far away in Liberty, ID (a left turn in Ovid, ID). She is a Pugmire and knew our little farm there. When she was a kid, she used to pick apples in our back field. It was so great to see her.

Mike, Rayanne, all the kids and Mom worked hard to winterize the place and store everything. We still had time for a little plinking. We blew up some tannerite. We placed them over large stumps of logs and that split the logs rather well as the tannerite exploded. The idea is to shoot the tannerite with a high velocity round. It is not an explosive by itself but does it blow up when shot. There is always the deep horse laugh when it goes off! Mike and Joseph could not help but laugh when they made the shot.

Before we went to Bear Lake, we went to the U of U starting football game against Montana. Here is Opa with his U of U tie and Mary. She totally surprised us by showing up in the box. She came out to run a marathon with Cheryl and Paul. I love these surprise visits from the kids.

Pres. Uchtdorf was in the neighboring box and came over to say hello. He seems to know who I am because he always speaks German with me. The U won!

We went down to Mapleton and I ordained John a High Priest. This was a sweet moment for Emily, John and family. He is executive secretary in his ward and we are proud of him and Emily.

We go to Boston tomorrow. There is a surgical reunion at the Massachusetts General Hospital and I have not been back there for many years and it will be fun to visit old colleagues. One of our sister Missionaries, Becky C., is back there and we will be going to church with her in the rebuilt chapel in Longfellow park. She also organized a stake fireside for me to do in the Cambridge stake. We will see te Ulrichs as well. More later..

Love, Dad

SUMMER GARDENS, A SMALL VINEYARD

2011-08-29T10:55:00.007-07:00

Dear Family,

Mom came rushing in with the news, "You have two bunches of grapes on the grapevines!" This was news indeed, not quite as startling as a new grandchild but close.

I was a bit jealous of all our kids grape vines, Cathy has established vines in their Bountiful house. When Al and Paul and family recently bought a little farm in Munis, MI they had an established vineyard. The previous owner was from California and brought in some California wine grapes and they have the best little vineyard. Those grapes also make great grape juice.

So this spring, we went to a nursery and bought three starts, two Concord grapes vines and an eating grapes vine. We dug out an old hedge, worked the soil and got someone to build a very stout support (with visions of hundreds of pounds of grapes growing).

I would check the progress almost daily and it was slow. I gave up on grapes this year as it takes a while to establish the vines. A friend who has a vineyard said to pluck any grapes off this year but it was so great to see some production, I can't bring myself to do it until ripe.

Everyone talks about a "farm gene" in our family. I must say, I did not particularly like the little farm my Dad bought when we moved to Utah because the chores interfered with my studies but it must have had a deep impression because we bought a little farm in Michigan and we had horses, sheep, pigs, a little steer, ducks and chickens until the foxes got them and a huge garden. We never got to the canning phase of things back then but we ate awfully good food in August and September.

The kids all disliked the garden work but now almost each has their own garden, even Cheryl who has these gourmet raised boxes with automatic sprinklers and has a lush garden. Rick bought a little tree farm in the Sierras, Bry bought the farm in Michigan and Al has on her own little farm

Our space in Salt Lake is limited but Mom gets in a garden anyway. The bushes in the front lawn hide squash and eggplants and she has this little 4' x 4' box loaded with tomatoes. Here is a shot of Mom's petite garden. There is a great joy in turning soil, planting seeds or starts and watching things grow. We are following Church counsel as well when we have our gardens.

There has been all sorts of summer fun in the family. I got this picture off Al's blog. Rob and Eva and Jeff and Tammy were back in Michigan to celebrate school reunions and visit family there. There was a summer 'Sound of Music Festival' .

Here is a picture of Eva wearing her mother's Dirndle ( she is from the Voralberg region of Austria) and with the dis in their outifts. There is Peter in his Lederhose and the girls in their Dirndles. They went onstage and she looked like Maria with all the kids. So fun!

We have been busy in our church assignments. Went to a YSA ward conference yesterday and managed to slip up to hear Doug's High Council talk and it was very good. There have been blessing appointments as well so we keep busy.

Bear Lake next week with Mike and his family for the Labor Day Holiday.

Love, Dad

ADAM IS BAPTIZED

2011-08-23T12:09:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

We traveled to Denver to be part of Adam's baptism. This has been rescheduled a few times due to various activities but we were finally able to go over to Denver. I like visiting Roy and his family in Denver, we always seem to have a lot to do and have a really nice time.

The baptism was special. Adam picked Roy and I to do the talks. "Don't you want anyone else to speak?" "No only you and Grandpa" I spoke on Baptism and Roy spoke on the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Bishop was caught in traffic and never showed up but talked to someone on the phone and told us to go ahead. Roy baptized and I confirmed and it was very special.

there were some non member there and there was clapping after the baptism which you do not see often. Adam was very ready. He is a really bright boy and was looking forward to this.

There is celebration afterwards. This has escalated over the years. When our kids got baptized and we were watching our pennies, the big treat was to go to Mc Donald's for a plain hamburger and the one baptized could have his own shake. We seem to do a lot more now which of course is not part of the ordinance but nevertheless there is joy all around. We drove Adam to that Crispy Creme Donuts place and he picked out a dozen for the family.

We took him to the shooting range afterward and later that evening went out to dinner. Here is a picture of Alissa with her daughters, Hanna and Lexie. Hard to tell the Mom from the daughters.

Roy and Alissa live in this great subdivision designed by pilots. All have their own airplanes and there is a runway up the middle of the subdivision. There are many hangers attached to big homes. Here is a picture of a plane parked in the backyard. Roy never assembled his hanger. His friend, Jim Pack, landed his plane once on the runway.

We had a great time with Roy and his family and we are proud of Adam.

While we were in Denver, there was action in Michigan. Jeff and his family went back for a visit and Jeff sent this picture from the farm. They had a big barbecue at the farm and this wil look familiar and remind us of the weekly barbecue we used to have almost year round after a day of work on the farm. Here is Sarah, Heidi, Kristina, Mark in the background with his hunting dog,"Gunner der Jaeger". There is Julius off to the side. Boy does that bring home memories.

We are firming up our plans to go to Boston in September. I will do a fireside in the Cambridge Stake.

Love to all, Mom and Dad

IZZIE GETS A SISTER

2011-08-23T11:34:00.006-07:00

Dear Family,

While we were out of town, Doug and Kristina had a new baby. We drove up last night to see the new arrival and met Izzie in the driveway. She is their fully charged three year old.

"We have a new sister!", she hollered, "It's a girl!" This is their eighth child and there is a good mix of four boys and four girls. We think this is our 74th grandchild but the official tally is not in yet.

The baby will be named Ellen Stephanie. She was pretty much on time and weighed 8 pounds. Everyone thinks she looks like her sister Becky but I see other family resemblances as well. Everyone is doing very well and there is joy in that home. Here is a picture of Izzie and little Ellen. I am not sure Izzie is jealous yet but she certainly is a little more demonstrative of what she wants. She loves her little sister.

We had a Family Home Evening there last night and Doug was getting warmed up on his High Council speaking assignment. They were assigned the subject of the Church's Family Proclamation and this was like a laboratory on the subject. Doug did a good job and all the kids sang and participated.

I think that the new little baby will get a lot of attention with the older sisters and brothers. Here is a picture of Becky holding the new little one with Nate looking on during Family Night.

I had to remark what a great help our kids were to their younger brothers and sisters as they were growing up in the East. Without their help with the little ones, we could not have made it through 17 children. It is so great to observe how they continue to care for each other and stand by and support each other with their own families. Doug went up to Heber to pick up the bassinet from Rebecca and was reminded that it belonged to Cheryl originally. The hymn is so correct, "There is beauty all around when there's love at home"

School has started here in Utah, Good luck all, we love y ou,

Dad and Mom

MISSIONARY VISITS

2011-08-23T10:15:00.004-07:00

Dear Family,

It has been a very busy week with all the family events. Along the way we had several great visits from our former missionaries in Germany and Austria. It is always such a thrill to see them and chat about what they are currently doing and of course about old times in the mission.

Camille and Erich T. dropped by from their Education Week activities in Provo. They live in Indiana and come out for Education week and both take course. It was great to see them.

Camille got set up with Erich by her former companion, Kelsey and her husband Dave. They knew this great guy in Indiana and got them talking on the phone and when they finally met, it was very quick to serious talks and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. And now Camille and Erich live in the same ward in Indiana as Kelsey and Dave and they attend Education Week together. Such a great story and that is how companions take care of each other even after a mission. It was so great to hear about the missionary activities in Indiana.

So after Education Week, Kelsey and Dave came by as well. You may get released from your mission as mission president but you do not get released from how you feel about the missionaries. I was impressed with a little story that Kelsey told. When she would stay over at the mission home following a conference, she would set her alarm for 5 AM so she could catch Mom doing things in the kitchen ND so they could chat. ( Mom is still an early morning night crawler). It is hard not to love these young people. It was great to hear about their activities, their ups and downs, dreams, and successes.

Then Tom M. came by and introduced his fiance. She was the first girl he dated when he returned from his mission and after six or seven years, it happened. They will get married early next year. Tom is getting an MBA at at University of Virginia and has a job in an investment banking firm in Calgary. Canada's economy is booming with all the oil and gas exploration. Tom has been a stalwart in our missionary groups reunions. So great to see them.

We also had a visit from the former Heidi H. and Heather T. who stopped by on the way to the zoo and they brought their little kids. The kids discovered the basement full of toys and stuff our grand-kids play with and were quiet for a long time. Heather is about to have a second child. We chatted for the longest time. We never tire of seeing these young men and women with whom we have shared a great experience.

We may go back to Boston in September. There is a surgical reunion at the Mass General and we have not been back there in many years.

Love, Dad and Mom

BIG CATCH AT CABELA'S

2011-08-12T09:27:00.004-07:00

Dear Family,

The summer is slipping by so fast. We have had a very busy July with family events. We have had all sorts of visits and sleepover by families underway.

James and William are here from Michigan. They came on a train with their other grandparents who are touring southern Utah. It is so fun to have them here again. They have grown taller and are just as bright. I guess moving to that little farm in Michigan has been a good thing for them. James is still pondering whether he likes it or not. They recently posted a picture of a fish they caught in their pong on the farm.

Well, I had to take them to Cabela's again. I like taking the grand kids there and it turns out it is one of the most visited places in Utah, at one time second only to the visits on Temple Square. We drive down to the Point of the Mountain and take the first exit off I15 and we are there.

Cabelas has tons of cool stuff; all the mounts, the full mount diaramas, cool hunting and fishing equipment, a well stocked aquarium and a laser shooting gallery. James and William did well there and had fun. We topped it off with a Bison Bratwurst.

On the way out, I saw this huge fish pillow which reminded me of the fish the boys were catching back in Michigan and bought it for the girls on the farm. Nice catch guys!

We go to Colorado next week to visit Roy and his family and attend Adam's baptism, I love going over there and this will be a great moment.

We had another great moment in the Salt Lake Temple last week. Mom and I were in a session and as I stood up in front, I saw several of the family who came. Mike came from Mapleton, Mary was there, Doug, Cheryl and Paul and Cathy as well. We were all together and it was one of those really sweet moments in the family.

We plan to be at Bear Lake over the Labor Day Holiday.

Love you all, Mom and Dad

MEXICAN INTERLUDE

2011-07-31T20:02:00.009-07:00

Dear Family,

It started out pretty innocent: we were going to take Suz and her kids down to the Church History Museum to show the the exhibits on Pioneer Day. We walked through it and viewed all the pioneer exhibits and then went upstairs to the children s section where we found Mexican costumes that the kids could pu on and dance to Mariachi music . They donned the dresses and danced in front of mirrors with projected life sized Mariachi dancers on a screen demonstrating the steps. Well that went on for two hours and I patiently sat there not understanding a word anyone was saying but watching the kids have a ball.

Suz and her family lived in Mexico City for a year and she was back in time just enjoying the dancing and the music.

Then Suz said, "let's get a Taco!" so we drove down to 8th South and Main where there were about six Mexican Taco stands. Here is Suz,with pure delight, ordering a bunch of $1.oo Tacos and Mexican soft drinks. Apparently the missionaries down there are told to eat this and wash it down with a coke! It was yummy for a while. We fed 7 people till they were full for $14.00.

Here is the one I had which is a pork rind beef taco which was tasty going down but had a certain deleterious effect on the old GI tract.

We looked for tamales but each stand said, "Sorry, we have no Tamales today!" I think those words are in a song somewhere. Then Suz announced she could make Tamales. A mother of one of her Mexican cooks showed her how to do it.

I got on the smart phone and barked, "Find Mexican Market Salt Lake City, Utah"and sure enough one was found and the smart phone directed us there step by step. It was the Rancho Market on 33rd South.

That was a cultural experience. We were in Mexico for all intents and purposes. Suz with her fluent Mexican Spanish found all the ingredients, tamale dough (masa), the meat, the corn husks, the spices, the salsa and sauces, Mexican whole beans, spices and Mexican treats for the kids.

Here is Suz making a tamale which involves seasoning the dough, making a pocket on a moist corn husk and filling it with a meat that I prepared and further seasoned. We made a bunch of these and of course trashed the kitchen. We steamed the tamales for two hours and when we tried them, they were the best ones I ever had!

So Suz went out whole hog as they say and made, from scratch, re fried beans, Mexican rice, we had my beef tamales, special hot sauce and salsa. Here is a shot of the Mexican dinner Suz prepared from raw ingredients.

We had Mark and Mary over and also Doug and his boys devoured the Tamales. They have a taste for hot stuff. I guess when they were little, punishment for being really bad was a drop of tobasco sauce on the tongue and instead of any disciplining, they developed a real liking for hot foods. Well anyway, this was a lot of fun but the tamales were so much work and preparation, I do not think I will do that again for a while or at least until Suz gets here again.

It was a little Mexican experience here in Salt Lake,

Love, Mom and Dad

MORE BEAR LAKE, 24TH JULY

2011-07-31T19:40:00.006-07:00

Dear Family,

I can't remember a busier July for all the families. There is girl's camp, scout camp, high adventure trips for the Explorer scouts and of course the Pioneer Trek re-enactment all over the church everywhere. Lot's of trek adventures here and also in Michigan.

So Mom and I went up to Bear lake alone on the 24th of July celebration as everyone else was tied up with teen age activities.

We had a nice time and it was so pretty. Here is a photo of the house from the field behind the garage. The field has not been cut yet and the hay is high.

We did a lot of work getting the place ready for the family visits this summer. Mom has a hard time just resting but in the evening it was very quiet; no TV, no noise and Mom and I watched Sound of Music for the first time in a very long time. We were delighted to recognize all the places in Salzburg and Tirol. It was even a bit romantic.

Emily has been up there since, now Suz and Becca with Mary and Mark coming up this week. Roy and his gang will be there the following week. The water is very high in the lake and it is just perfect there. I love it there with its peacefull rural atmosphere.

I love the front room with its rural Idaho ambiance. We talk about building a bigger place yet I feel we should preserve this bit of Idaho farm charm.

Mom and I are back to our schedule in the Temple on Tuesday and Wednesday evening. It has been very busy as the Ogden and Bountiful temples are closed and the sessions have been large. The session I was in the other day had 207 which is almost max.

We have also been busy speaking in the Young Single Adult wards in our new Stake. Those new wards are doing very well, well attended and the activity is high. Love my calling.

Love to all, Mom and Dad

FOURTH OF JULY ST. CHARLES, ID

2011-07-12T20:00:00.010-07:00

We drove up on Saturday and found the grass was about 2 - 3 feet high. There is plenty of moisture around because of the heavy snows of winter and there has also been much rain.

The lake is very high and I have not seen it so high ever. It is unusually green.

We went to church in the St. Charles ward and half of Salt Lake must have been there also. There were two full sets of meetings with at least 1000 in each service. There was wall to wall patriotism here as all celebrated the Fourth of July. We sang the Star Spangled Banner in Sacrament meeting and America the Beautiful in Priesthood, there were talks about the unusual nature of our country and it felt so good. It was an America that I grew up in. We saw many friends there up from Salt Lake.

Sunday evening, Doug and his boys and Roy and some of his boys along with Scotty who flew out from Michigan They gathered here before going off on a backpack trip in Wyoming.

On Monday, the fourth, we cut the grass; Roy and Doug did a great job and the place looked great.

we erected a flagpole. Roy, Doug and the gang dug the hole and made sure it was perpendicular. We added a solar lighting so when lit, the flag may stay up. There were flags everywhere in this valley. Christina drove up for a day and you can see little Izzie checking out the flag.

We had a great 4th breakfast with pancakes, bacon, eggs, hash browns, pork chops and juice much like the breakfast that is served in the Paris community on the 4th. We took the little kids on rides around the field. They explored all the old buildings and had a great time

One of the afternoon activities of course was a shooting gallery off the deck at targets, water filled pop cans, reactive targets that bounce around when hit. There were contests and it went on for seven hours and was a blast. I did not have my little cannon but we managed to make a lot of noise particularly with the Tannerite.

Here you see the range complete with spotters. That is Roy in the prone position taking out clementines at 185 yards. We had fireworks in the evening and the little kids up the road layed on their lawns and watched the show.

After a great barbecue, the boys settled down to watch Mr. Bean videos. We had such a good time. Mom, Emily, Rayanne and the girls did crafts. We had a little Family Home evening as well.

We felt good about our country and its history and pray for the future. One nice thing about our little farm house in St. Charles is that there is no active TV and we did not have to listen to the news. It is very peaceful here and I love it.

More Later, Love Dad and Mom

WHOOPS AND OH DEAR!

2011-06-26T20:03:00.006-07:00

Dear Family,

Well this is one of the adventures of last week. Mom said it was OK to post the insurance pictures and write about this.

We had been tending Paul and Cheryl's kids for a couple of days as they went back to NYC to be at Jon H's announcement of his presidential run. Things went pretty well; I g0t up one morning and cooked Crepes non stop. Mom had just come home from driving the kids all over the map. I heard a thunk from my office, Mom rang the doorbell and announced that she drove the Van into the garage smashing the door. I asked"Why?". Well she hit the accelerator instead of the brake and pounded pretty hard on the brake sending the van through the garage door. Damage to the front of the van and she could not open the driver's door. Here is a picture before the door people came to take off the entire door, motor and track.

Here is what we found when we took off the garage door.. my FJ Cruiser was pinned in the corner and we had to get a wrecker in to lift it up so we could drive it out. Van is in the garage and the Toyota is next. Notice that the refrigerator got totally banged up as well.

Mom was pretty shook up but she is ok and the airbag did not deploy. Hopefully the insurance will help with all the repairs. This is the western equivalent of the Wirthlin Demolition Driveway that we knew so well in Michigan. Our several cars were always in the driveway as the garage had food storage and motorcycles. My little Porsche was backed into several times. There was not a car we owned that did not get whacked in that driveway. One time the Insurance adjuster came to check out some car damage and one of Mike's friends who was over backed into the insurance adjuster cars denting it. Oh well, we are happy no one was injured.

Mom and I spoke is a Young Single Adult ward in Riverton today. Mom spoke on gratitude and a lot of kids came up and thanked her for her talk. I spoke on what I call "Spiritual Navigational Aids" See if you can come up with a list. Patriarchal Blessings was on the list and I spoke of that.

I banged my knee falling in the back hall so have been limping around here. We go to Bear Lake next week during our two week Temple holiday. We will be up there for the 4th of July celebration. Roy and some boys, Doug and several of his boys will be there and use it as a staging center for a backpacking trip in Wyoming.

We love you all, Mom and Dad

FATHER'S DAY

2011-06-19T13:31:00.006-07:00

Dear Family,

On Father's Day we remember and honor our Fathers and I thought of mine. It is not a question of remembering Fathers because mine is in front of my eyes always and it seems I think of him daily.

I tried to scan this old photo of my Father, your grandfather and it did not turn out so well but you can see him pretty well. He had graduated from Harvard Medical School and finished his surgical training at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. There he is with his first car, an old Model T sedan with his Doctor's bag ready to make a house call. He was a surgeon but als made house calls to those who cold not make it to his office in New York of to his office in our home. We used to ride with him on his house calls and waited in the car. However the car I remember was a 1939 Dodge seven passenger and after that year they did not make so many cars.

Most of you never met my father.. some of the older boys met him and remember him. He was a great man and had an interesting and productive life. As a college student at the U of U, he was a track star as a sprinter and played varsity football for a couple of seasons. He was on the first U of U football team that ever won a conference championship. I saw this on an old football in the union building; it had on it "Roy Wirthlin, End". He went to med school at the U and then transferred to Harvard med school and graduated in class of 1928. Some of my teachers at the Massachusetts General Hospital were his classmates. He trained in surgery under a German surgical tradition at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City where he remained on the staff until we moved to Utah. He was a great surgeon. He married Mom when they were both a little older and had four children.

He was above all, a stalwart in the church and had a vibrant testimony of our beliefs. He was the first Patriarch of the New York Stake and served in that calling in Utah as well. He did a lot of volunteer work for the Church and was simply a good man through and through. His integrity, ethics and honesty in his profession set a great example to me. I think of him every day.

We had a great father's day celebration in our home. Doug, Emily, Mike, Cheryl, Cathy and their kids were there. It was so much fun. Everyone brought food and I smoked several slabs of ribs slowly and did a beef roast. I thought it was a more appropriate menu for Father's Day as opposed to a Vegan approach. It was great to be together; I got hugs from the grandkids and all away called.

The various age groups hung out in all parts of the house. Here are four of our great grand daughters from four families, Madeline, Rachel, Madeline and Natalie. We had family night during which Rachel played a medley of Primary songs about Fathers. We had a member of each family get up and and say something nice about their Dad. The Dad got to choose who would speak to keep it safe. I said a few words about fathers, we knelt and had our family prayer and it was a sweet moment. We simply are having joy in our posterity.

Thanks for all the calls and well wishes,

Love, Dad

WIDE OPEN SPACES OF WYOMING

2011-06-19T12:46:00.003-07:00

Dear Family,

Well guys have to have fun too! This last Friday I was invited by the leadership of one of our Single Adult Wards to go on a level playing field maintenance expedition in Wyoming.

One of the group had interest in a large ranch in Wyoming, east of Fort Bridger. They have about 600 acres under hay and get about 2000 tons of hay each year. There are lots of groundhogs there and they can ruin a field so we tried to ease the problem. You remember how the woodchucks in Michigan used to dig up our hay field and once I lost a tire from the baler when it jammed onto a woodchuck hole.

We had this Discovery Land Rover like the one I had but this one is built! As you can see, there is a platform on top and a shooting bench attached securely. This is the Wyoming equivalent to the Florida Swamp Buggy hunting vehicles. One guy sat up there and we drove around the edges of the field and he would have us stop and then there was a lot of action. These men had vision and the eyes of eagles and could spot the little critters with naked eyes in the grass. I had a hard time seeing some of them but if they were fat and sitting on top of their mounds, I could see them. I did my shooting from a stick as it would have taken a crane to get me up there.

These were the wide open spaces of Wyoming. And as the song goes, "Where the deer and the antelope play".. There were deer everywhere and there were antelope all around. There were a lot of small antelope that could hide in 3 inches of grass. It was great to see all that wildlife.

After a successful varmit control effort, we made it back in time so I could take Mom to a dinner and Theater with our old missionary friends as a Friday night date.

The activity in the Single Adult Stake and wards is picking up. We gave our first talk last week. The Stake Presidency had made 129 new callings to get the stake off the ground. We spoke at a Riverton ward that was packed. I have been busy this month with Patriarchal Blessing to this group. It is wonderful.

Big Father's Day dinner Sunday and all are coming that live close. Ribs and roast which I
though would be appropriate for Father's Day. Love you all

Dad

PHOENIX AZ AND ALEXANDRA'S BAPTISEM

2011-06-09T16:23:00.009-07:00

June 8, 2911

Dear Family,

The third back to back trip was to Phoenix or more properly, Glendale AZ to visit Suz and Scott and the kids and be there for Alexandra's baptism.

We had a nice flight down there and Suz and the kids picked us up. It was a little late at night and we stopped at a Mc Donalds near the airport and that was some experience. No one was sick.

We went to Suz's house and you can see this in the picture below. It is a very nice place with this big pineapple palm tree in the front.

I thought it was hot but she said it was a cool wave but it was plenty warm. Her house is great and spacious and they gave us the great room.
All the homes seem the same for miles. If one got disoriented at night, I am not sure how you would find your way home. We drove past the other house they rent out that has fruit trees in the back and Mom got a fresh lemon. We had a good time and the next day we drove over to the local Cabela's to take the kids there and do the laser shooting gallery.

Here are the kids on the hammock in the store. There is Matilda, Alexandra, Julieanna and the little guy Timmy. They were into everything in this store but we had fun and they liked seeing all the animals.

We spent the evening watching Mr. Bean videos through Netflix on my Ipad with all the kids gathered around my shoulders.

It was Alexandra's 8th birthday. She got this dress for h er birthday which matched the dress on her American Girl doll.

Her baptism was on Saturday, part of a stake baptism and you see the picutre of family just before the baptism. Matilda is clasping onto my Ipad on which I had my notes for the talk on the Holy Ghost.

We celebrated at a frozen yogurt shop and ate outside and it was hot. Suz kept saying that it was cooler weather but i learned on Sunday it was 105F. We saw Laura Nuttal there and it was great to see old friends from Michigan. Suz did a roast on Sunday and the kids acted like they never saw such a thing before. They are truly kids of the Southwest and Mexico. They spent so much time in Mexico that they are more comfortable with Mexican cuisine. We went to a Mexican market on the way to the airport and that was a cultural experience. I bought a bunch of special Tahine seasoning which goes well with watermelon.

Then there was this little Timmy who dashed around the house as spider man. the kids are all growing up and it is such a joy to watch them develop. We had a great time with Suz and Scott and they were great hosts.

Here is an interesting link to Mike (Professor Michael Wirthlin of the Electrical engineering department at BYU).

Well we are here to stay for the summer. The Single Adult stake is getting organized and I have 3 Patriarchal Blessings lined up. During the Temple Break, we plan to spend a couple of weeks at Bear Lake. We give talks in Church in a Single Adult Ward on Sunday.

Love, Dad and Mom

CALIFORNIA, RICK AND GEMINA AND SCOTT GRADUATES FROM DENTAL SCHOOL

2011-06-06T20:50:00.007-07:00

Dear Family,

We got off the plane from Michigan only to get back on it the next day to visit Rick and Gemina in California and to visit Bina and Scott as he graduates from Dental school.

We had a couple of days with Rick and Gemina. We had a good time first visiting the Baby Blue Barbecue for a great lunch. It was spectacular. We managed to go there a second time as well. We went to Rick's and we split up. Mom went shopping with Gemina and Rick and I visited a couple of stores. Everyone loves to shop with Gemina especially Cheryl's girls. Gemina was a fashion consultant to Hollywood stars and would travel with them to New York to outfit them. She used to get some of them ready for the Oscars and fashion there is a very big deal.

Mom bought a new purse. Rick and I went to Harbor Freight where he picked up some tools for his farm. We did successful shopping at another one of my favorite places.

We visited Geminina's parents on Memorial day. Here is a picture of Gemina's Mom and Mom. They were almost kindred spirits and just chatted away.

Gemina's Dad was there also and it was interesting talking to him. He has part of a huge family business in the Philippines which operates 20% of the electrical power there. The family was originally Basque and moved to the Philippines from Spain. and started a large shipping industry. He was in the resistance during the second world war and has been through a lot. It was great to talk to them.

We had breakfast on the beach around the corner from Rick and Gemina's home. That was interesting watching all the people going by on various kinds of bikes, skate boards, roller skates and of course zu Fuss strutting there stuff and fashion. It was a gorgeous morning and here is a shot of Mom with her Mom hat.

On Sunday we went to Church in a ward close to Rick's. Rick then drove us up to Loma Linda to see Bina, Scott and the little ones. It was about an hours drive.

Rick has a Honda pickup that he usually drives but this time he took the Prius, the Toyota hybrid and at times we were getting 69 miles to the gallon going 70 mph. However when I tried to run my Ipad navigation program when hooked up to his battery, the program crashed as the main battery that starts the engine is about the size of a motorcycle battery.

We got to Loma Linda which is a Seventh Day Adventist city. They have a great dental school, noted hospital and training programs. It is a hard dental school to get into and Scott graduated in the top five of his class. Here is a picture of Scott in his gown with the little Bina clone, Alison and Bina new baby Ashley.

We went to In and Out Hamburger, visited with Scott and Bina and left for the graduation. Notice Scott's Beanie which is an unusual graduation motif. The graduation was outdoors and it was really cold. We did not get there in time to sit under the tents. It took 45 minutes for the faculty and graduating class to march and take their seats. That was 45 minutes of Guadeamus Igator. There was an interesting opening prayer. I said to Bina, "They pray like we do". She said, "Yes because that Professor was LDS". Well I had to bale during the firs talk... I felt a little like that scene from Mr. Bean going to church.

Scott graduated with high honors and several awards. He is looking at a position in California.

Bina and the kids were great and it was good to see them in their student house. We are proud of Scott and his accomplishments at one of the top Dental Schools int he country.

Rick took us to the airport the next day. It was a great short trip to California

Alles Gute und Alles Liebe, Dad and Mom

MORE MICHIGAN FARM PICTURES

2011-06-06T19:03:00.012-07:00

Dear Family,

I thought I would add a few more pictures of the farm it was so stunningly pretty. It was so green and lush and just beautiful.

Here is a shot of the house. We stayed there and it was great. The farm has new status in the stake. I was sitting in a church meeting in Bloomfield Hills and one of the young men got up and announced an Eagle Project at the Wirthlin farm. I was sitting next To Br. Mayo and he mentioned the farm was popular in the stake. I guess Bryan lined p the scouts for a major fix up party. I sat there and thought, "Why didn't I ever think of that scheme?" This is a fund raiser and Bryan pays the scouts to come out and do labor. Then they get to do paint ball wars in the woods.

The Walled Lake Ward wanted to use the place for a Halloween party and Bryan said OK but first you have to come and pt in a good days work. Bry is pretty smart.

Here is a picture of the big barn. Those were our favorite hammock trees.

We rode on the path to the back woods and it was like going through a tunnel of vegetation. Not sure I could clear some places if I were on horseback.

The path is lined with hickory, cherry and apple trees.

We got around to the pond in the back and it was high. It is still full of goldfish from the seven goldfish that Doug dumped in the pong about 15 tears ago. The deer use this trail.

Then there is the great Oak tree in the back. I call this the haunted tree because it looks so much like the trees in Grimm's fairly tales with its great outstretched arms. Spooky at night.

Al and her kids came over a couple of times and we had great campfires and huge marshmellows sticky all over. James, William and Peter were good at starting fires with we wood. Here we all are on the old swing that is still going strong.

And here is a good shot of a queen of the farm, Bryan's daughter,Sarah, who will be a senior in high school next year.

It was so great to see everyone again and one never tires of Michigan.

Love, Mom and Dad

DAVID'S AND NICHOLAS'S BAPTISM, WE GO TO MICHIGAN

2011-06-02T09:31:00.010-07:00

Dear Family,

The main reason for our trip to Michigan was to attend a double baptism of David and Nicko in the Bloomfield Hills ward. Both were born under unusual conditions and both wered born while we were away in Germany. Both are fine young men.

Mark and Mary,(David's parents) and Bryan and Kristina (Nicko's parents) all invited friends sand neighbors. The chapel was packed and there were also many friends from our day in that ward. The Breer's were there and many others. It was one of the bigger ward baptisms that I have attended. Al came over with her kids from Ann Arbor and our row was almost filled again.

The Dads did the baptizing and the granddads did the confirming; I confirmed Nicko. I also gave a. talk. There were treats afterward in the cultural hall. One of Mary's neighbors bought David a red fish to remind him of the day he was baptized by immersion. Here is a picture of Bryan, Nicholas,Opa, David and Mark.

We went to Ann Arbor to meet Al and her family. They are under contract to buy a little farm east of Jackson. It was built in the 1890's and completely refurbished, house barns and all. There is a large barn with stables, goat pens and a huge hay loft. There are several other buildings in good shape and the kitchen was re-done. There is an established vineyard and a fenced in garden with a hydrant. There is a ton of grass to cut. There is a small pond stocked with perch and bass. It is far out but really a cute little farm.. This has been a dream for Al. Get out the work gloves!

We stayed at our old farm in South Lyon. It was lush and green with all the rain and most beautiful. Bryan has done a great job fixing the place up. He has removed much brush, made trails , cleaned up the woods, graded and re built the stables, removed old fences and vines and it looks better than a park.

Here is a view from the field. I cut the field to keep it rich in hay. Rich Williams, Bry's friend from High School, came and mowed much lawn with the Dixie Chopper.

There were all sorts of wildlife; there was a wild turkey running in the field as I cut and we jumped three deer when I took the kids for a ride on the John Deere Green Machine. Bry installed a trail cam in the back woods and there were deer and coyotes walking the trails.

We spent time in the barn opening packing boxes from our move ten years ago. Mom found her jewelry box in a box labelled "kitchen supplies" , it was like Xmas. We shipped seven boxes home.

We celebrated Mom's birthday at Leos. It was ; like old times again. It was so great to see the gang in Michigan and see some old friends.

We also went to the Andover High School Seniors Award Night to give the Julie Wirthlin Memorial Scholarship Award. We organized that award after Julie died and it has been going on for 11 years. It was an impressive graduation with so many National Merit Scholars, Phi Beta Kappas and Summa Cum Laude graduates. I mentioned that the purpose of the scholarship was to remember Julie and the recipient was to be an athlete, scholar, one with grit, resolve and focus. The faculty picked a very nice young lady and Mom gave the certificate and the check for $1000.00. The parents came up and thanked us. I also mentioned that all of our 17 children graduated from that high school.

Here is a great shot of the old home which is looking great. This trip was a major trip down memory lane. More family related trips to report.

Love, Dad and Mom

Ps check out the Dad on the tractor.

CHERYL'S SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY

2011-05-18T09:54:00.010-07:00

Dear Family,

I guess we are now into a patten of surprise birthday parties which are also secret underground mini-reunions. They did it for my 70th (in Munich). We surprised Mom on her 70th when most of the family showed up in Salt Lake. We just surprised Roy on his 50th and now this.

Here is a picture that Cathy took the minute Cheryl and Paul walked into the Restruant where family and friends were gathered to surprise Cheryl.

Paul did a great job of keeping this one quiet. Cheryl was mooping around grumbling that probably no one would remember the birthday or even plan something.

I found out about it the day before when Gemina called and said she was coming. On Friday, I answered the door and could not see anyone through the peep hole, opened th door and there was Mary who squeaked in her "little Mary" voice, "Hi Dad".

A hard balance between secrecy and advance notice to plan is difficult to achieve. I learned that Rick was flying up that aternoon, Suzanne was maybe driving up from Phoenix picking up Becca in St. George on the way. We were not sure if Jeff cold come down.

Gemina decorated the flowers and hung the garlands, Mary helped as well and Paul organized a large private room in a great Italian Restaurant down town.

We missed the grand surprise because we were at the Huntsman Education Award night but left early. Here is Cheryl and Dad.

The best picture that Cathy took was this shot of Mary greeting Cheryl at the moment of surprise. There were tears of joy at this reunion.

Our daughters are so connected and we all simply love to be together. They are constantly in touch, trade clothes and are almost connected at the hip.

Here is a picture of Mom with Cheryl Becca and Suz who drove all the way from Phoenix. As we visited, Jeff showed up from Spokane.

Mike and Rayanne, Emily an John came up from Mapleton and all participated.

Here are the brothers who came; Rick, Jeff, Doug and Mike. All had nice memories of growing up with Cheryl.

Paul organized this great program where everyone talked about a certain phase of Cheryl's life as a young girl, teenager, college student etc. Paul talked about their courtship in Jerusalem during a study abroad program. Actually there it was not a formal courtship but just "hanging out".

There were many there from Paul's family as well, many of Cheryl's friends and there was such a good spirit there. It was a grand happy occasion. Oh Paul put on a five course dinner for everyone and that was scrumptious.

It was one of those moments when we experienced joy and rejoicing in our posterity in fulfillment of scripture. Happy birthday Cheryl and we will not forget that one!

Love, Mom and Dad

REORGANIZATION OF SINGLE STAKES, I THINK I STILL HAVE A CALLING

2011-05-11T11:31:00.003-07:00

Dear Family,

There has been a monumental reorganization in the church for young single adults. It has affected 90,000 LDS single adults in Davis and Salt Lake County and has been in the works for two years.

I attended a meeting in the Tabernacle for all leaders in the valley and it was packed. All University stakes were dissolved (also at BYU) and all current leaders were released.

The creation of twelve new stakes in Davis and Salt Lake County was announced withe the boundaries projected on a screen. Here is a shot of Elder Ballard giving a talk at the tabernacle. There were three such meetings in the Tabernacle to accommodate all the leaders in various areas.

There were then meetings announced for each stake and two weeks ago 12 stakes were organized simultaneously in Davis and Salt Lake Counties. There were General Authorities running all over the place.

I went to a meeting for the new Riverton Stake where the President I worked with was sustained as the new stake president. It was held in the institute building in West Jordan and I'll bet there were about two thousand young adults there. There were no seats and standing room only in the chapel and in the halls.

The new stake was created by flashing the boundaries on a screen and voted on. The new stake presidency was sustained. Then there were 11 wards created. The boundaries for one ward was splashed on the screen and then those who lived within those boundaries stood and met and sustained their new Bishop. This went on and on. There is even a Tongan single adult ward with a Tongan Bishop created. The new Stake Presidency spoke and that was it. So now there has been a great scrambling to staff and make leadership calls of all kinds to flesh out the wards and stakes.

I was wondering what would happen to my call as the University Stake was dissolved and we were all released. Pres. Plumb said I would go with him to the new stake and I have not heard anything since until last night when we were invited to speak in one of the new Singles wards, the Riverton first ward as the Stake Patriarch. So Mom and I will be going there in June when we get back from Arizona where Alexandra will be baptized.

This re-organisation will be a good thing for all those singles, the point of which is that they have opportunity to meet a potential spouse So great. I guess we will still be in business.

Love, Dad and Mom

OPENING BEAR LAKE, SECURITY TRIP

2011-05-09T09:37:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

Doug and his boys, Nate, Spence, Tom Tom and little 2 year old Izzzy, Mom and I drove up to St. Charles, ID to open our little farm next to Bear Lake for the coming season.When we arrived, the gate was open, (we never locked it) and as we drove into the driveway at 11:PM Doug said, "Hey the trailer is gone!"

Someone recently drove in there and stole our 16 foot covered trailer that had been sitting there for 10 years. It was full of recreational stuff that we stored there; the beach toys, boat accessories, Doug's chain saws etc. I suppose I should have secured it better but after all this is St. Charles Idaho where things are pretty safe. We called the police in Paris Idaho and they came down. They said with this economic turn down, they are experiencing more such activity up and down Highway 89 and around.

We got our "rock climbing mudder", the built 1975 Toyota FJ40 out of the garage and secured it to a stout tree with chains. Doug dug a hole in the front and we installed a huge post and a lock and chain for the front gate and changed the locks on the garage. See the picture of Spence and Nate in the tree with the chained down "Induna" vehicle.

Here is the spot where the trailer stood but I must say we have a better view of the beach.

There was a lot of fixing; the Propane people came and checked out the tank and made sure it was filled. We hung some trophy heads in the house, Mom never stopped cleaning (I guess we did not do such a great job when we closed last fall). We had a loud screeching apparatus which was successful in keeping the mice at bay during the winter.

We of course managed to have a blast with the kids and the ATV's. The back gates were open and we rode down to the edge of Bear Lake. The water was low, the beach sandy and solid and we scooted up and down the lake on the ATV's without any interference and of course it was too cold for Mosquitoes. Here is Doug, Izzy with the large helmet and Tom Tom at the beach.

We of course had the shooting chore at the end and set up targets for the kids and 22 rifles. Doug broke in my new muzzle loader and we indeed had a blast. It was fun to be there, sad that the place was violated but we had a great time and it is more secure. We hope as many of you will be able to enjoy the place this summer. We hope to plant some raspberry bushes along the north fence the next time up.

Love, Dad

OLIVIA'S BAPTISM

2011-05-08T13:18:00.006-07:00

Dear Family,

We are currently having a lot of baptisms with the grand children and it was Olivia's turn last week. Here is a picture of Opa and Oma, Paul, Cheryl and little Olivia.

Can't believe she is eight already. When I was assigned to the Student Wards in Church, my assignment was the ward that Paul was the Bishop and we used to sit in the front and i could always watch Cheryl with her eight kids down in the first row. One time Olivia, then about three, coes arching up to the front, stood in front of me and said, "I be good in Church". She has been a doll all the time.

They had a Ward baptism in the Holladay ward on a Sunday. There were about five other kids and their families but each event was limited to the family and friends of the person being baptized. Paul's family with his Mom and Dad and many of his siblings with their children were there. Then there was our group with Paul H and kids, Emily and John and their kids. Rayanne and kids came up and there was Doug and his family. When they accounced it was Olivia's turn, most of the chapel got up and went to the baptistry.

Paul did the baptism, his Dad the confirmation and Mom and I said a few words. I commented that Olivia had over 120 first cousins and many were there. It was a sweet event and after we all went over to Cheryl and Paul where Chryl put on a good spread, It was a great get together.

Well I think that Spring has finally arrived. It stopped snowing last week. The very heavy snow in the mountains is beginning to melt and [people are afraid of flooding.

This is a view from our doorstep looking west. We are starting to plant things; we planted three grape vines where we had a bush and put up the support for the for when they grow.

Here is a view to the east fro our doorstep looking into the Wasatch range just up the street. It will be nice and green for a while. I can look up there in the evening and watch the deer feed. Some reflexes do not die. It is a gorgeous time of the year.

We go back to Michigan for a week for David's and Niko's baptism. So great!

We love you all...Mom and Dad

EASTER SUNDAY

2011-04-27T11:31:00.002-07:00

Dear Family,

Our busy week was capped by Easter Sunday Family Dinner. All went to their own wards, Roy and Alissa went home after church to Colorado. Later in the afternoon, we had a good showing of the family over for an Easter Dinner. Doug and his family, Emily and her family came up from Mapleton, Cathy and crew down from Bountiful, Becca and gang came from Heber, Bina and girls was there from California, Cheryl and her family from Holliday. Pretty good group with about 40 in attendance.

We had a dinner of lamb for the adults and chicken nuggets for the smaller bunch and the chicken nuggets were snarfed. It was a happy time visiting, chatting, sharing family stories and just enjoying our time together.

Here is a picture of Natalie and Madeline (two prom queens by the way) helping with the babysitting and keeping the little ones happy.

After we got the families together for another Family Night. Mom gave each family baskets with eggs that had a object inside to remind us of the last three days of the Saviors ministry on earth. There were scriptures that the kids read and we discussed Easter and its importance. I spoke on the Resurrection and we sang 'Love At Home"

Mom passed out the Kindereier (German Chocolate eggs) treat that we bought in Germany last fall and explained that these were not imported anymore but she had one for each child whereupon Andrew exclaimed, "Oma is awesome!" Very true!

We were about to close when Cheryl reminded us it was her daughter Olivia's birthday. We sang happy birthday to her. Then all who had a birthday in April mentioned they had had a birthday also and we sang 'Happy Birthday' at least ten times to the others. We ended on that happy note.

By the way Olivia will be baptized this next Sunday in Cheryl's ward at 6:00 PM this coming Sunday that I hope many can attend. We go to Michigan in May to attend David's and Niko's baptism in May. So great to see these grandchildren grow up and be baptized.

We love you all, Mom and Dad

MIKE AND RAYANNE'S EASTER EGG HUNT

2011-04-26T11:27:00.009-07:00

Dear Family,

Saturday Mike and Rayanne hosted their Easter Egg Hunt at their Mapleton home which has been a yearly tradition. Rayanne has tons of plastic colored eggs and fills them with small candies. They hide them in their large backyard. There are rules: the toddlers get the lawn, little kids back a bit further in the ard and the older kids get the thorns and weeds of last years garden.

They pour out of the house at once and it is a conquering horde. The video clip shows these kids about to get a sugar high and out they run.

After a while their baskets are full. Here is Andrew, Anthony and Phillip with tons of eggs. Then they sit around and fill their baskets with the candies. Almost as much fun as Halloween.

In addition to preparing the Easter Eggs, Rayanne prepares a huge brunch. She made dozens of yummy bagels (sometime I will publish the recipe) There was tons of food for this brunch and it was so fun to see all the family there. Roy was there also with his family, Doug, Cathy, Becca, Emily and her family, Bina and her two as well and it was wall to wall family fun.

On the way home, I took two of Doug's kids and we managed to meet Roy and three of his boys met at Cabelas which is one of my favorite stores anywhere. Roy cashed in a gift certificate, the boys went wild at the laser shooting gallery. There wasn't a tent, hunting blind, cot, chair they did not try out. Here they are after I found them in a large tent taking it easy. Really fun.

It was a great Saturday. That night we had a dinner at our house for Doug and his family.

Slept well that night, Love, Dad and Mom

LEXIE GRADUATES FROM BYU

2011-04-25T08:58:00.009-07:00

Dear Family,

We have had such a busy week last week! First, Roy and his family came down from Boulder CO to attend Lexie's graduation from BYU with a Bachelors degree in Microbiology. Lexie is Roy's oldest and has been living in our Condos with her sister Hannah in the Chatham apartments attending BYU. She earned her degree in microbiological and laboratory technician sciences .

Here she is in a spontaneous shout for joy with that accomplishment She is doing an internship as a laboratory technician and then it will be on the prowl for employment.

She did well and is the first grandchild to graduate from college and we are proud of her.

The graduation was long and a bit tedious. there were probably a couple of thousand graduating from that school. It was interesting as all walked to receive their diplomas that probablhy one out of seven or more walked across the podium with their spouse. Those study groups must have been pretty good!

BYU does such a great job. We have 18 degrees from BYU just in our immediate family; 15 Bachelor degrees, two Masters and one Phd. That does not include the spouses so even though Mom and I graduated from the University of Utah, we have a warm feeling for BYU.

Her is Mom Allisa, sister Hannah and our graduate, Lexie. There was a get together of the family at Cafe Rio.

Mike was there in his robes from his own department graduation. Mike is a tenured professor int he department of Electrical Engineering . He sponsored one student for a Phd and a couple of student who received Master degrees.

Here is Oma, Opa and Mike outside of the Marriot Center.

It was a great time. I was sitting there in the Marriot Center and had a flashback to the day Lexie was born. She was born in Providence Hospital when Roy and Alissa lived in Michigan. IO was making my surgical rounds in Providence and dropped by the Labor room. Roy and Alissa had participated in the Lemans birthing procedure training. I entered the room and there was Roy with his feet up on the bed, checking his watch and saying,"I think it is time for a contraction" and then there was the contraction and then after a couple of minutes he announced the approach of another.

I just laughed at the scene. "Roy are you trying to tell Alissa how to have a baby?" Alissa yelled, "Don't make me laugh!" Well the delivery went well and they had little Lexie who has been a doll all her life.

Way to go Lexie and congratulations!

Love, Mom and Dad

JOSH HAS HIS MISSIONARY FAREWELL

2011-04-20T11:17:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

Josh received his mission call to the Houston East Mission and goes into the MTC this week. Josh is our second grandchild to go on a mission and is Emily's second son that she and John have sent on a mission.

Josh has been at BYU, Idaho this last year and has done well.

We are proud that he has qualified himself to go on his mission.

The whole family who were in Utah, drove down to Mapleton for his farewell. We took up a good bit of the chapel. Josh gave a great talk on Priesthood Leadership which was his assigned topic. I am proud of Emily and John for having their second son leave on a mission. Johnny as you know got back from his Mission to Greece and is studying bio-engineering at the Y. He will be doing an internship at the Huntsman Cancer Center this summer and will be staying with us.

Emily and John had a geat brunch for Josh, The Wirthlins and the Hickeys were all there, there were two Grandpas there as well as all the other cousins. Here is a picture of some missionary cookies that Cheryl delivered for the brunch. Everyone brought food. There were about 70 people there and Emily did such a good job.

After it was a bit quiet, I had Josh and his brother, returned missionary John, give us a First Discussion before he goes to the MTC. He had the essentials down pretty good and it felt so good to hear that discussion again. In the picture you see mom Emily, Dad John and John and Josh as "missionary comp0anions". He will do a great job.

That Sunday later in the afternoon. I attended a special meeting in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. It was a meeting of Stake Presidents and Bishops in Davis and Salt Lake Counties where the creation of single adults stakes was presented. The Stake I am associated with will be dissolved. They are apparently keeping the current Bishops in their assignments; there will have to be several Stake Presidents called and am not sure what they are doing about the Patriarchs. There will be another meeting this Sunday in the Conference center for all the Single Adults in the valley so they can learn where they will go to church.
Exciting times and this is a good move.

Lots of action this week; Bina comes, Roy and his family will come to Lexie's graduation from BYU, our first college graduate among the grandkids.

Proud of you all, love, Mom and Dad

APRIL BIRTHDAYS, TRIP TO COLORADO

2011-04-20T10:22:00.007-07:00

Dear Family,

We have about 19 birthdays in April and we try to remember them all. We had a big celebration of Roy's birthday in Boulder, Colorado a couple weeks ago.

On the left is one of my favorite pictures. I snapped a picture of Mom on her first Mother's Day fifty years ago outside of the Cambridge ward chapel in Boston. I was a third year Medical Student, we had no income, but we were thrilled with the arrival of our first child, "Little Roy".

It was Roy's fiftieth birthday and Doug thought we should go up to Boulder and surprise him for this landmark birthday.

Here is a picture of Roy and his family 50 years after the picture above. There is son Aaron, wife Alissa, oldest daughter Lexie, Adam and Sam and daughter Hannah. Just missing son Ben.

Well Doug and three boys and Jim Pack, Roy's great friend, drove up in Doug's van. Mom and I fly up there and Lexie and Hannah were on the plane with us. Bryan flew in from Michigan. They were first to meet Roy and they totally surprised him! Alissa picked us up and drove us to their home and Roy was totally surprised and busted. We had such a good time, presented gifts, recalled milestones and just reveled in the moment. I am not sure who was most troubled, Roy for turning 50 or me realizing that I was 50 years older as well.

Well the Boys just had to have fun. Here is a picture of Jim Pack, Roy, Bryan and Doug in front of the Spyderco Knife factory.
I was getting woozy in the store, maybe because of medication, got into the van, drank a lot of water, ate pretzels but the thing that brought up my blood pressure was a spirited discussion of our current President of the USA. You should remember that this is a better vasopressor than even a shot of adrenaline and can be useful when you are feeling woozy and the blood pressure may be a little low.

We went to Roy's gourmet shooting range and had a literal blast. We did not have enough time there. Jim brought a computer monitor that we used as a target.

We dashed off to a special dinner that Alissa organized with family, friends and work associates and it was non stop fun. That night we blarbed watching an action movie.

The next day we all went to church and someone snapped this picture of us all sitting in the overflow area. We then went to Roy's house and left riding down with Doug, Nate, Spence, Tom Tom, Lexie and Hannah. It was an eight hour drive, sometimes in a blizzard as we drove over the passes. It was a fun filled trip and we totally surprised Roy. I am proud of him and what he has accomplished since that first picture was taken 50 years ago.

With Love, Dad and Mom

LDS CONFERENCE WEEKEND

2011-04-07T12:01:00.019-07:00

Dear Family,

We had a busy week during LDS General Conference. It is a great time of instruction, counsel and reunion. I love General Conference and each year appears to be better.

The first thing we had was a meeting of Collegium Aescalapian which is a society of LDS physicians. We went to the dinner Thursday night during which President Uchtodorf talked about the Church's extensive humanitarian program. On Friday there was a papers presentation and the best thing I have ever heard there was a talk by a Sister Brunner from South Africa. She was born on a ranch in the Transkei in South Africa, and had two Xhosa nannies. She learned to speak Xhosa which is a clicking language. She joined the church and went on a mission. Since she spoke Xhosa fluently she was sent to those people who number eight million. She began translating church material in Xhosa.

This is what is said about the language. Xhosa is a tonal language that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said with a rising or falling or high or low intonation. One of the most distinctive features of the language is the prominence of click consonants. Xhosa is written using a Latin alphabet-based system. Three letters are used to indicate the basic clicks: c for dental clicks, x for lateral clicks, and q for palatal clicks Tones are not indicated in the written form’. She was asked to translate the Book of Mormon in Xhosa and did so. One of the best talks I have ever heard!

Friday night we had our Munich-Austrian Missionary reunion. The numbers have decreased over the last three years as many have married, finished school and followed careers elsewhere but it was great to see those who are still in the area and could come. It was great to see everyone. Each spoke for a minute on what they were currently doing. President and Sister Lutz Sommer was there. He is President of the Munich Stake and reported on what was going on there now. So great to see them also. We had about 40 - 50 thee including little kids.

Conference started on Saturday and Saturday evening was Priesthood Meeting and the tradition is that as many sons and son in laws and grandsons come to the meeting in our ward and after we have a steak barbecure. We always did this and in Boston, the treat was a trip to Mc Donalds and Doug remembers that it was Roy who got the Big Mac because he was a Deacon and all the others got the plain hamburger. We continued this in Michigan and went to Big Boy or Beau Jacques. When we moved to Utah we found that everyone in the valley had the same idea and we had these celebrations at home. We cooked 12 New York Strip steaks, smoked ribs and Mom made her traditional ice cream cake. I asked everyone to summarize the talks and they did well.

Mary and Mark were in town babysitting Cheryl's kids while they were in China. They brought the kids over for conference. Mom made conference paketes for everyone which included a notepad, conference bingo, conference quizes. word searches and plain paper to take notes. They did a good job in the beginning and there were prizes for those who had legible notes.

Roy has a good plan which he has used for years. He gives his kids $1.00 for good notes on each and every conference talk. On Monday, they go over the notes, discuss conference and get the rewards. Maybe there should be other incentives but this seems to work in his gang. A few years ago when asked what the Prophet said a reply from the youngest was, "Be nice, don't fight, don't bite" Now however he was able to note that Pres. Packer loves the scriptures and discussed his talk. Anyway, conference was great!

After conference, we had a visit from Sister Muench who came over from East Germany to visit her daughter Katje and husband Dan and the grandchildren. She came out for conference.

It was great to see her. I gave my fireside in her Cottbus ward when we were in Germany in October and she drove us down to Freyberg for Steffi's wedding. Small world in the church.

We had to dash over to Doug's. Doug was called to the High Council; I ordained him a High Priest and he was set apart on Sunday night. Here we are with Doug.

Well we were pretty bushed by the end of the week. It is April now and we have 19 birthdays in April! Roy turns 50 this month and it is unbelievable what has happened to time. Lexie graduates from BYU and will be our first grandchild to graduate from college.

More later.. love,

Mom and Dad

VISIT TO SPOKANE, "ZANDER'S" BAPTISM

2011-04-04T10:28:00.014-07:00

Dear Family,

It has been a busy two weeks. Mom and I went to Spokane last week to visit Jeff and Tammy, Rob and Eva and their families. They know how to throw out the red carpet!

Jeff picked us at the airport and drove us to Rob's eye clinic where I had a thorough exam of my eyes and got fitted with a great pair of sunglasses.

We drove to Rob's other office and met him for a terrific lunch. Bina's husband Scott was there ins Spokane looking at a dental position. That afternoon they all went out and played golf. Scott is a scratch golfer.

Here is a picture of Opa getting swarmed when I pulled out the Ipad with games. That is little Luke climbing on with Leo coming up as well. Luke reminds me a lot of what Rob was like as a little guy, very strong and strong willed. All the kids were cute as could be.

While they were out Tammy put some ribs in the smoker for the evening feast. Jeff went overboard again and had some live Maine Lobsters flown in and Tammy and I steamed them over kelp.

Scott came over and we had such a good time. All the kids were there and they got their fill of lobster and smoked ribs.

Eva brought over their new little daughter, Elena. What a cute little girl with sharply defined features. She was good as gold and
Eva looked so happy. This is our 73rd grandchild.

On Friday, we celebrated Anna's eighth birthday with a party at a roller skating rink. All put on shoes and had a ball skating around. Mom and I sat this one out, hard enough to keep upright without wheels on your feet. There was pop and pizza and it was such a happy time. Rob took a gigantic spill when he first put on the shoes but got his sea legs and skated with the girls.
Saturday was Zander's baptism and we were able to have that individually. There was a very nice program: his older brother, Julius, gave a great talk on baptism. We had the Family Farm Singers sing "Nearer My God To Thee" in four part harmony. That was Rob, Eva, Jeff and Tammy. The original group included Al and Paul. All had lived on our farm in Michigan at one time. They sounded great!

I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and Jeff did the confirmation. It was a very sweet moment.

Forgot to mention that Rob brought over 3lbs of Elk Steak and we ecided to make jerky. We went to Cabelas a second time and we bought a great dehydrator and made the best Elk jerky. It did not last long as the kids ate it with moe delight than candy. I had a few pieces as well.

that night, Zander wanted to go to a restaurant to celebrate so Julius, Anna, Zanderand the grown ups went to a Hunters restaurant where they serve game meats like elk etc. Since i still have about a 100 lbs of Elk meat int he freezer, I ordered something else. It was another great celebration.

Sunday we all went to Jeff's ward, Jeff taught a lesson and Tammy did as well and Eva went in and made good comments. Rob brought over the best Elk Chili that I have ever eaten for supper. It is so hard to lose weight with a steady diet of family celebrations. We had such a marvelous time and we thank Jeff and Tammy, Rob and Eva for their great hospitality. We always have a grea time in Spokane and we are proud of our grandchildren there.

Love, Mom and Dad

SAYING GOOD BYE; RICHARD WIRTHLIN PASSES AWAY

2011-03-21T14:45:00.004-07:00

Dear Family,

My first Cousin, Richard Wirthlin , passed away last week after a lingering illness. I have included a link to a New York Times article about his life that was good but did not cover all that he had accomplished in life.

I looked up to him as I was growing up as he was outstanding in his youth as well. My Dad had given him his Patriarchal Blessing when he was 16. Dad was always telling me what Richard was up to.

Richard had done many things and will be remembered by many for being in President Regan's inner circle of advisors. Richard had been his pollster when Regan was Governor of California and continued with him through his campaign for the Presidency of the United States. Richard was probably the pioneer of political polling and made few mistakes.

When the Republicans had their convention in Detroit and gave Regan the party's nomination to run, Richard invited us and we were there. After all the Hoopla was over, we were standing there talking to Richard when George Bush Senior walks in. They had decided to put him on the ticket as the VP the night before. As he approached us, Richard introduced us to him, I shook his hand, and then Richard takes out a thick note book, shoves it toward Bush and says, "This is the campaign strategy, Study it!" It was one of those great moments in life.

Richard became a General Authority in the second Quorum of Seventy and served until he was 70 years old. He was a missionary in the Swiss Austrian Mission and served in many callings.

We went to the viewing. My cousin Gwen (whose name Al has as a middle name), David and other members of the extended family were there. We ran into Elder Perry who was our Area President when we served in Germany. It was neat to chat with him.

The funeral was very moving. There was a great tribute by his son, Richard. He also read a note sent from Nancy Regan expressing their families appreciation of the work Richard had done for them. Elder Ballard spoke about Richard's contribution to the Church. President Packer spoke to the young members of his family. President Monson spoke of Richard and Joseph, of his and my cousin David's parents and how all the members of the Wirthlin family that he knew had honored their family name. It was such a fitting tribute to a great person who had accomplished so much. Richard was a great example to us all and will be missed.

Love, Dad

DOUG'S FAMILY DOES MUSIC MAN

2011-03-21T14:16:00.004-07:00

Dear Family,

Doug's Stake, the Butler Stake, has a tradition of putting on a significant musical periodically. This time they chose Music Man.

Doug and the kids decided to be a part of it and tryouts and practices began in November of last year. Nate and Spence had to give up their fall wrestling at school for the musical practices. Douglas had one of the leading roles as the bad boy Tommy. Doug himself was one of the head stage managers.

Well he bought us tickets to this on Friday night and that was our "Date Night". We went to Sigfrieds for a quick Scnitzel mit Kartofelsalat und Strudel and then off to the theater with a supply of Rittersport Chokolade for intermission. The Stake put this Musical on in the theater located in the Church's Conference center. There were four nights and some matinees and the place looked like it was sold out. We went with Doug and Kristina; there were at least a 100 in the production and we all hooted a little as we spotted Spence, Nate, Douglas, Catherine and Becky in their costumes prancing and dancing on stage.

It was a very professional performance. The leads, Marion the Librarian and Professor Hill had been Young Ambassadors at BYU in their younger days but had trained voices and stage presence. The High Council of the Stake were the traveling salesman in the opening scene.

Douglas did a great job and looked so cool in his Drum Major outfit. It was totally delightful and successful. Spence was pretty intense in his dancing. Becky and Catherine looked so cute with their long curls. We were proud of them all. We have so many potential actors and actresses in our family. (They seem to be acting and emoting all the time anyway).

We go Spokane this weekend to see Zander's Baptism.

Alles Gute, Oma u. Opa

VISITS FROM CALIFORNIA AND BOSTON

2011-03-16T11:57:00.011-07:00

Dear Family,

People sometimes ask me what we do all week and it never seems like enough or anything too significant but we seem to keep busy with our church assignments and ongoing family activity.

Last week we had a wonderful time with visits and family events. Rick and Gemina came up from California for a few days visit. We picked them up at the airport on Thursday and drove to Provo. Gemina wanted to see the Karl Bloch art exhibit. BYU has this great exhibit of several Bloch's large paintings of the Savior. Mike, a tenured professor at BYU, could not get tickets on short notice but Gemina was able to get four tickets and we traveled down to the exhibit. It was great and very moving and all should see this if they can.

Rick went off a little to see Mike in his office. We went to a little noodle restaurant. They stayed over and on Friday Rick had business and Gemina went shopping with Cheryl's kids. They always love to go with Gemina who had been a clothing advisor to the Hollywood stars. Saturday, Rick went cross country skiing with Doug.

On Saturday we drove back down to Provo to attend the Provo Temple as Josh went through prior to his Mission to Houston TX. That was great and it so good to be in the Temple with Emily, John , Johnny and Josh. We had Josh's birthday celebration at JF Chang. We had to get a fire extinguisher to cool down Johnny as he chewed on one of those little dried red peppers.

Here is a picture of the gang at the Provo Temple.

That night we had a visit from Becca Christensen who was one of our great sister missionaries in Graz and Vienna.

She has a degree from Simmons in Social Work and is now a social worker in Boston helping immigrant children from all over, especially from Asia. She was a super missionary and we were tickled to see her again. She stayed overnight and went to church with us on Sunday. Here is a picture of Becca and Mom. I gave the lesson in our distinguished quorum.

After Church. Rick, Gemina and Madeline came over for a quick lunch. They had been hanging out at Cheryl's. On Friday night, Rick and Gemina babysat all of Cheryl's kids so they could have a moment of peace. Rick took them all out to Hires where we all had burgers and shakes. It was quite a scene. I kept the little kids busy with games on my Ipad until the food came, which they did not eat completely. Kinda reminded me of the reasons we rarely took the kids out to eat.

It was a great weekend and we love spending time with family and friends. I guess we kept busy.

Alles Gute, Oma u. Opa

BINA HAS A BABY GIRL!

2011-03-14T16:51:00.005-07:00

"I'm here" cries the newborn

Here is the message I got from Scott:

"Ashley Marie Arceneaux was born at 9:46 a.m. (Pacific time). Bina only pushed about 5 minutes before she was done and Ashley was born! She was 8 lbs 2 oz, 19 inches long. She has passed all of her clinical exams with flying colors—she is a happy and healthy Baby! Bina is up and walking around—she couldn’t be better, except that she could use some sleep!"

Here is Scott, Bina and the new little Ashley. She is really cute. Is this another one that looks like Bina?

I think this is grandchild # 73 and we are tickled pink.

Good luck Scott and Bina!

Love, Mom and Dad

MICHAELS BAPTISM AND LOTS OF SNOW

2011-03-09T11:03:00.007-07:00

Dear Family,

While we were on our mission in Germany from 2002 - 2005, we had 22 new grandchildren and 2003 was a great year for grandchildren. I believe we had eight or nine.

Now eight years later, they are ready for baptism and we are planning to attend as many as we can. We will go to Spokane in the end of the month for Zander's baptism and in May we go to Michigan for David and Nikko's baptism. Olivia's comes up in April, Adam's in Colorado in June and also Alexandra's in Phoenix plus others that we have not yet put on the calender yet.

But Saturday was Michael's baptism in Mapleton. Paul and Cheryl and part of their gang came; Becca drove over the mountain from Heber, Emily was right there with her family and many from Rayanne's family were there as well.

Here is a picture of the group at Mikes for the post Baptism brunch. This was a stake baptism which is the way they do it in Utah Valley; multiple wards with lots of kids who take turns at the baptismal font. I spoke at Natalie's baptism in Mapleton eight years ago and it was like a stake conference with huge attendance. 9 Now Natalie is 16, drives a car and drives the boys crazy)

Each ward takes turns and goes to the Font. There is a picture of Mike and Michael. All the little kids gathered up close to see what it will be like. It was a sweet meeting. Mike did a good job with the confirmation and Joseph gave a great talk on the Holy Ghost. There was a great Spirit there.

Here it is the middle of March and we got dumped on with snow. We had about eight to twelve inches of new snow and it was heavy and thick. It is beautiful but a pain to clear off the walks.

I got out the 800cc Polaris with the plow and made quick work of the driveway. It melted quickly and it is wonderful to get so much rain and snow in such a dry area. We do not ski but most of the family has enjoyed all the great snow in the Utah mountains this season.

Have been busy with my calling as well and that has been a rich experience. Mom is doing family genealogy and record extraction and that has been interesting. Our Mission reunion comes up the first week in April as does General Conference. Rick and Gemina come in for a quick visit this weekend.. non stop fun and activity.

Love, Dad

2011-02-26T20:04:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

No big get togethers this week; there was a secret unscheduled one mentioned below but there is great news! Eva had her baby girl and Rob and Eva are now the parents of three girls and one boy. Eva had the C section a bit early and the Baby weighed just under 7 1/2 Ponds.

She is one of their smaller babies at birth; Luke who is a chunk weighed 10 pounds. I heard the little girl over the phone when Rob called and she has very husky lungs. Baby and Mom are doing fine. Eva had to spend quite a bit of time on bed rest before the delivery. We are grateful that all are OK. Eva comes out of the Hospital tomorrow. Eva's Mom is there and helping out in the home. We are so blessed with these wonderful grand Kids. Mary who keeps the Family Stats reports that little Elena Louise is # 72. (I thought we had 72 but maybe that was thinking ahead). She certainly looks like a member of the Wirthlin family.

Bina is due in March. Kristina is due in August, so the family continues to grow and we are so grateful for all these great Kids.

Mom and I spoke in a Singles Ward last Sunday. It was packed with about 500 Young Adults. I love speaking in these Wards; they are so alive and full of energy. They do not fall asleep during your talk either.

I brought and showed the six inch knife I surgically removed from the right chest of a young man in Boston some 40 years ago. He was of their same age and somehow lost his way in life, getting on hallucinogenic drugs while in College in the 60's. The Singles paid a lot of attention when I described how the knife was buried in the chest up to the hilt and moving back and forth with each heart beat.

Talked about getting lost, losing ones direction in general and we talked about navigational devices. I then talked about Spiritual Navigational Devices and listed a few; you can make your own list but then I discussed Patriarchal Blessings which was the subject. They did not fall asleep!

We had Becca and Paul and their kids here over President's Holiday. The kitchen was turned into the Iron Chef Stadium again. Becca showed us how to make our own Tortillas with the Mom's Valentine present and they were yummy. And then I noticed how cheap they are in the super marke. Then Becca brought a turkey that she had brined and we smoked it in the smoker and had Doug and his kids over for dinner, giving Kristina a rest. So much fun! (Notice in the picture that Mom is not too impressed with her Valentines present)

Back in our schedule again. We love you all and pray for you daily.

Mit Liebe, Opa u. Oma

OMA'S VALENTINE PARTY

2011-02-15T09:13:00.012-07:00

Dear Family,

Mom had her yearly Valentines party. I was reminded that we did not do much on Valentines with the older boy s but when the girls came, we always had a little valentine party. Now it is a big party and I think there were about 50 present. Everyone in Utah came. Mom prepared for this for a long time making valentines, decorating the house, arranging gifts for the little kids and turning our house into one great heart. Here is a picture of the gang after dinner and after our FHE.

We had a dinner for everyone. All brought wonderful side dishes and desserts. Opa did the roast which was a 12 pounder perfectly cooked. Here is Opa at a speciall carving station. That roast was almost completely eaten. That large carving fork I bought at a street sale in Vienna near our apartment.

It was special that everyone came on schedule. We had such a good time, We settled everyone down and had a family night. Mike gave a lesson on "Love One Another" and I spoke on doing that in the home which is the laboratory where we develop our personal skills. I commented on The Savior's admonition to "love one another even as I have loved you" and tired to point out how that added to all previous commandments to love one another.

We also had a special birthday celebration for Madeleine B. birthday which falls on the day before Valentines. Here is

Madeleinee with her cousins. There is Natalie H. , Madeleine B., Madeline H., Rachel W., Catherine W., and Victoria W. .(Victoria is my brother Ralph's granddaughter and is staying with us this semester as she attends the UofU). Victoria played the flute.

I am not so good at Valentines presents; roses wilt, chocolates get eaten, so I bought Mom a Tortilla press so she can make tortillas . Also got her a large fruit steamer - juicer for grape juice.

OTHER NEWS: Rick and Gemina were in New York for business and after went out to Flushing and visited the house where I grew up on 33-01 159th Street, I was tickled to see pictures of this house again. The neighborhood was like Birmingham but Flushing has become very Asian. Rick said they had an outstanding Chinese dinner there.

And the deer are back. It has not snowed that much this year but the does do come back to snooze under our great Spruce tree in the backyard. We got to Michigan in May for two baptisms and to California for Scott's graduation. There will be a trip to Spokane in between for another baptism. Hard to keep u p with all the events but it is wonderful.

We love you all and are grateful for what you are doing in your families. Oma u. Opa

MORE XMAS CARD FOLLOW UP

2011-02-08T16:10:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

I am sitting here in my study looking at the wall full of pictures from the past with memories of past events, mementos of adventure and accomplishment. There are pictures of my Dad, my great teacher and mentor, Dr. Robert Linton with whom I was associated with for several years. You see the two of us together during surgery. There is a picture of my Dad in his first Model T Ford making house calls. There is a small picture of me as a missionary in Austria standing in front of the old Linz Gemeinde in 1957. There is a picture of Dr. Nathan Smith, founder of Dartmouth and Yale Medical schools and the surgeon who operated on Joseph Smith's leg as a seven year old boy.

Well with memories swirling lately, I get a call from Dr. Hardy Hendren who was a great and famous surgeon at the MGH and Professor of Surgery and the Boston Children's Hospital. When I was a Resident in General Surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital on the Pediatric surgical service, Hardy Hendren (his knick name among the house staff was "Hardly Human", mine was "Big Daddy") invited me to accompany him and his scrub n nurse, to operate in Malawi, Africa and we were done there for a month and those adventures were unbelievable. He was a great surgeon and I learned a lot from him.

Well he called and mentioned that he was invited to give a talk at the prestigious Brookline Country Club in Boston and he decided to present a power point slide show of our surgical safari to Africa in 1966. He flashed a picture of the three of us, pointed to my pictured and said, "This was my Chief Resident, Roy Wirthlin. He is a devout Mormon and has led a productive life." He then flashed the next slide which was a picture of our 2010 family Christmas card that I wrote about previously. There was a gasp and stunned silence. He said the group was impressed. He told me about a MGH surgical reunion in Boston in September that I believe we will try to attend. They still remember us there.

The next big Family event is a Family Home Evening with the entire Utah gang on Sunday. There will be dinner, a lesson and just a good old time.

Mit Liebe, Dad and Opa

AUDIO CLIP OF MY INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH SMITH PAPERS TV SERIES

2011-02-03T20:08:00.002-07:00

Dear Family,

One of the workers in the Temple was telling me that he was skiing one day and listened to me on a Ipod as he was skiing down a hill. It was about 3 below 0 and he was at altitude with all his weather protection on as as he was skiing downhill, he said he listened to my interview with the Joseph Smith Papers TV documentary. I was glad he did not hit a tree.

As you know I did an interview with the TV documentary about four years ago. They play that interview rather frequently on BYU TV. You can buy the first year series on a DVD and see the episode.

I did not know it was available on an MP3 file. Here is the link to the audio files. It is Episode #2 and when you click on it, you can move the audio cursor to about 16:35 minutes to hear my part.

Thought you might be interested. I have been giving that fireside less as they broadcast this episode several times a year.

Love, Dad

FLORIDA VACATION, JOHN, KALEY, THE KIDS AND BUSCH GARDEN

2011-02-03T10:47:00.012-07:00

Dear Family,

Mom and I had our break in temple service at the end of January. The Salt Lake Temple shuts down for two weeks for maintenance and everyone takes off to warmer places.

We went down to Tampa Florida to vis John and Kaley and their two boys. John has started in a prestigious law firm in Tampa so was working the long hours required of an associate in the law firm. We saw him in the evening and on weekends.

Here is a shot of John, Kaley, Grant and Garret on their couch in their nice home in Land O Lakes. We went out to dinner in the evenings and just had a good time. They live on a string of small lakes. There are gators thee and one morning, John and Kaley spotted two huge Bobcats on the opposite side of the pond. They put in a fence in the backyard which keeps the gators out.

They live about ten minutes away from Busch Gardens.
We used to visit this place when we lived in Michigan but the park has been expanded with rides and roller coasters. The Southern Belles that sat in the beautiful garden (I had Bryan sit next to them for a photo then) were not to be found.

Mom and I bought a pass and went with Kaley and the kids three times and once with John. The weather was 65 - 72 degrees and was most pleasant.
We took the kids on the train and rode around the Park. Here is a shot of the train and John and Grant having a good time. You could tell the people from Florida.. they were wearing sweat shirts with hoods and the tourists were there in shorts.

The kids loved the little monkey statue. They were like monkeys anyway. Here is Kal;ey, Grant and Garret with the monkeys. There were animals everywhere and it was such fun. The shot at the top shows me getting close and friendly with the Giraffes.

When we went there on Saturday with John, Kaley took a little break by crawling in the stroller and John pushed her around. A kid yelled out, "Look there is a Mom isn a Stroller!" It was a good break for Kaley after pushing the kids around. We feel we got our moneys worth by frequent visits there and the kids had a ball and we wore them out.

On Friday, John took off a day and we travelled to Kissamee to meet Kaley's uncle, Randy L. I wrote about him before when we visited John and hunted on the Church ranch in the middle of Florida. Randy took us to his hunting concession of the K6 section of the ranch. There were cows with new calves is some fields but we hunted in a very primitive portion of the ranch which was native uncleared Florida. We were after wild hogs. Randy took us there in a swamp jeep. We built a ground blind for myself (like in Africa) on a game trail. John went up a palm tree with a climbing deer stand over a game trail. He heard a lot of action but the brush was so thick, he did not get a shot. I heard a lot of rustlng in the brush, leaves crunching, rooting around and it was getting closer, pulse rate went up, got the safety off and there was a huge armadillo rooting around. Randy was not even hunting but stumbled on a large wild hog and shot it so we did bring home some bacon for John. So fun.

We off course looked around for some good sea food. We went to a place that served fresh stone crab which is almost as good as fresh Maine Lobster. It was so good. We then found a sea food shot that sold them and had them at home. Kaley cooked some great meals and it was so much fun!

On Sunday, we gave our Joseph Smith fireside in their ward and it went over well. Monday we left 72 degrees and arrive in Utah to 0 degrees and I managed to come down with the flu but we had such a great time each and every day in Florida. Could be habit forming.

Next family event include several baptisms away from home, we are entertaining a group of Chinese surgeons tomorrow night and there is the family Valentine Family Home Evening soon

Love to all, Mom and Dad

AT THE OPERA ..HAENSEL UND GRETEL

2011-01-16T17:05:00.007-07:00

Dear Family,

Mom and I had two dates this weekend and it was fun. Friday night we went to the Hale Theater and saw "Born Yesterday" which was about New Yorkers trying to pull off a deal in Washington DC. The actress played a ditsi Blond who spoke in a great New York twang that I recognized. I told our friends that this was New York in the 1940's because that is how people talked to each other.

After the play we met the actors and the actress and I told her she reminded me of my childhood. "Did I get it right?" "You nailed it" I replied. It was a fun evening.

Saturday night we went to the Opera and saw Haemsel and Gretel. The Capital Theater is right next to Sigfrieds which is a pretty good imitation German Bistro and had Schnitzel and Sauerkraut.

I love this opera which is a very popular children's opera in Europe. It is about two little German kids who get lost in the woods and run into a Witch who likes to turn little children into gingerbread kids. She lives in a great ginger bread frosted house. It is really one of those German fables put to beautiful music.

A tender scene occurs when the two children get lost in the woods and have to sleep in the dark forest. The Sandman comes, sprinkles dust in their eyes and they settle to go to sleep but before they do that, they face the audience, kneel in prayer and sing the Abendgebet or Evening prayer and it is a beautiful duet. Here is the Abendgebet sung so well in German. Here is the song sung in English

The first verse goes like this:

When at night I go to sleep
Fourteen angels watch do keep;
Two my head are guarding,
Two my feet are guiding;
Two are on my right hand,
Two are on my left hand,
Two who warmly cover
Two who o'er me hover,
Two to whom 'tis given
To guide my steps to heaven

Then as they go to sleep, fourteen Angels come on stage. This is the Angel Ballet and they gracefully surround the two little kids and watch over them as they sleep.

I used to think about this song and played it at home especially when Julie was in the ICU during her treatments. I used to visit her early in the morning before my hospital rounds and I often wondered whether these Intensive Care Units might also be sacred places where unseen angels might be providing protection as some of the miracles I have seen over the years could not be explained simply by good care. As Doctors or surgeons, we are not always in total control of outcomes.

Well we do not talk about Guardian Angels much but I think our family has employed legions of them along the way.

We had a great weekend... Love, Dad

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AT CHURCH

2011-01-09T14:54:00.009-07:00

Dear Family,

I took this picture today at church with my Droid X of Eldred G. Smith and his wife, Hortense.

Today was his 104th Birthday!!!

We went to our class this morning and his birthday was announced. We all sang him happy birthday. To top that off, the group leader wheeled in a cake with 104 burning candles. When they wheeled it in he grumped,"Not supposed to eat in our meeting" but then broke into a big smile. It took four men to blow out the candles. They cut it up and we had a piece of his church birthday cake and it was yummy.

The class lesson was on "Fasting"!

He is the oldest General Authority (now Emeritus) living and the oldest General Authority ever. He was Patriarch to the church until that office was retired by President Kimble.

As you know that was a hereditary office starting with Joseph Smith senior and Br. Smith is a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith through Hyrum's oldest son John.

As the church grew and there were Patriarchs in all the stakes, it was considered that there was not a need for one to the whole church. In the past, the Patriarch to the church would give blessings to those in the mission field who came to Utah. My mother had hers from the Patriarch to the Church in the 1920's. Eldred G. Smith has given over 20,00 blessings in his lifetime. I see him each Sunday and ride up with him in a small elevator they have in our Church building. He says he retired himself and does not give blessings now but does have an office in church Headquarters

After I took this snapshot, he got into his little red Cadillac and drove his wife home from Church.

He is still very sharp and a great example to all of us.

Alles Gute, Dad

A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON

2011-01-08T11:13:00.021-07:00

Dear Family, Now that the holiday is over and everything is put away, I believe I can report on a truly great celebration and time of reflection and Thanksgiving.

It has been a cold season and we have had snow. Becca and Paul who live on Grandpa's farm in Heber had a lot of snow, couple feet, and had to warm up the chicken coop for their chickens. We had snow and then a melt to start off the Holiday.

The day before Xmas Eve, a refrigerated box arrived as Jeff sent down a half dozen lobsters flown in from New England. (lobsterguy.com) and they looked alive. I had to drop everything and boil them so they would not spoil and that great treat lasted through the holidays. Way to go Jeff and Tammy!

We gathered on Christmas Eve which is called "Heiliger Abend" in Germany or Holy Night. Mom and I usually get into our Bavarian outfits for the Nativity play. Rick, Gemina and Madeline were there; Doug and Christina and their family, Emily and John and their kids, Mike and Rayanne and all their kids and Becca and Paul with their gang too. All were so well behaved and we had such a good time sitting around and chatting.

We had a big Christmas Eve dinner and served a standing rib roast and all brought their favorite side dishes and desserts. There was less confusion with such a smaller group and it helps to have the adults go through the line first. But here are some of the grand kids sitting at a long table in the living room. Don't they look great? Pete Olsen gave me a license plate holder that says, "My grand kids look better than yours! He put that on the FJ Cruiser. But is is kinda true.

Becca dressed her kids in the

Lederhosen and Dirndl she picked up when they visited us in Munich so here we all are getting ready for the Nativity Play.

We have always done this as a little tradition. I read from Luke 2 in the Bible and the kids dress up and play the parts. We usually have a parent act as the director signaling which group would arrive on the scene. We read about the birth of he Savior and think on this great event

Here are three Shepards, "sore afraid". In the backgrounder is Opa .. usually reading out of the old Family Bible but this year I read out of my new Xmas Ipad with the Churches Scripture AP. (We have to work on the Shepards not slugging each other with their staffs).

And here they all are including the star that guided the Wise Men. We always have a baby and plenty of players. We did this earlier this year so that all could return home and get ready for Christmas Morning.

On Christmas Morning, Rick, Gemina and Madeline joined us. There is a picture of Rick getting a couple of knives for his farm near the Sierras. Mom got a new wedding band for Xmas and for the 50th anniversary. The stones are embedded in the mount so she will not lose them. It was a fun morning and then we jumped in the car and traveled to Heber, and then over the mountain to Mapleton for our Christmas morning rounds. We got back late and then Rick and Gemina went back to Los Angeles the next day.

New Years Eve we went over to Cheryl and Paul and had Fondue and I cooked crepes for all the kids. We stayed up to watch the ball drop and it was 2011 already. On New Years day which was Sunday, we went over to Doug and Christina's for FHE and dinner. For the FHE, Doug read the churches Proclamation to the Family and I wondered where he was going with that. Then he made an announcement; Christinia is expecting a baby by the end of summer!

The kids went nuts; Tom-Tom and Spencer ran around the house hooting in delight, Catherine smiled from ear to ear. What a great way to start the New Year I thought, we celebrate a future birth and growth of the family.

We wish you all the blessings of Heaven in this new year.

Mom and Dad

A GREAT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL STORY

2010-12-28T12:30:00.012-07:00

Dear Family,

Before I write about Christmas, I will share this tory I received from one of my Classmates at Harvard Med School concerning an incident from my days at the Massachusetts General Hospital years ago. This was a note sent out by the MGH to its present and former staffers.

It i s long but I think you will enjoy reading it if you can stick it out.

From Broadcast MGH

sent 12/24/2010 subject Holiday Message from Peter L. Slavin M.D.

"At the dawn of the 200th anniversary of the founding of our Hospital, I thought it fitting to share with you a letter I received recently that shows the powerful and abiding impact the MGH can have on the lives of patients and families who pass through our doors. This note came from the wife of a gentleman whose life was saved more than 40 years ago by the swift action of a doctor, a nurse and a dedicated and skilled team of MGH caregivers. With the letter was a copy of a newspaper article from 1969 which I have condensed and included."

"Dear Sir,

Enclosed is an article that was printed in the Boston Record American newspaper some 40 years ago about my Husband, Edward, and I just wanted to thank the staff for all they did to keep him alive, and out of interest let you know he is now father to four and grandpa to 8.

If your staff had not been so dedicated I would not have my wonderful husband who has praised your hospital and had told me of his accident and about the care he was given many times. But I only just found the article while looking through his papers for our passport, and wanted to write and thank you. I know it was 40 years ago, but that only shows the dedication and care, as there wasn't the equipment and resources that are now available. Thank you one and all

Pat and Edward Blake"

(Excerpts from the Boston Record American, Oct. 25, 1969)

Mass General Has its Liviest Corpse, Patient who Perished in Car Crash in Miracle Comeback

The incredible story of the liveliest - and luckiest "dead man" in Boston was disclosed Friday at the Mass General Hospital. His name is Edward Blake,24, an English Engineer who "died" ten days ago when the car he was driving hit the corner of a building on Pinkney Street. But he is alive now and itching to get our of the hospital. only because he had the good fortune to have a doctor and a nurse happen by an instant after the accident and because they ad the tremendous amount of help from the emergency room personnel at the Mass General.

Blake's story began at 2:30 AM, Oct. 14 when he was pinned in the car after smashing into the Building. Dr. Robert Figman, 27, a former surgical resident at the MAss. General saw the crash and ran to Blake's aid. Tricia Curran, a nurse who lives int he neighborhood, was driving by in her car and stopped to help. Blake was unconscious. Neither a heart beat, breath or pulse could be detected. He was placed on the street and while Figman gave cardiac massage, Miss Curran used mouth to mouth respiration and after a while they seceded in getting a slight pulse and breathing from him.

Dr. Le Roy Wirthlin and a team of six doctors and nurses took up where Dr. Figman and Miss Curran left off, and the discovered that the blood supply to Blake's brain was choked off by the pressure from the rib cage in the heart area. Once the pressure was relieved, the blood began to flow freely again , but the fear was that he had suffered irreparable brain damage.

But three days later, Blake began to stir from the coma, and finally he came out of it entirely and made an amazing progress toward recovery. Doctors could detect no brain damage whatever, and so remarkable was his case considered that he was introduced to all the staff and student doctors.

" I feel great and I'll be forever thankful to Dr. Figman, Miss Curran, Dr. Wirthlin and all the others who helped save me. I know I'm lucky to be around."

The relentless drive to do whatever it takes to help those in need has long defined Mass. General. For two centuries, the men and women who created, shaped, nurtured and advanced this hospital infused it with a spirit that is felt throughout the hospital- from the original Bullfinch Building to the forthcoming Lunder Building. I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every member of the MGH family for the inspiring work you do every day and for the lasting impact you have on our patients and families. Have a Happy and healthy holiday season. i look forward to celebrating our bicentennial with you in 2011. Peter L. Slavin, M.D. "

For the rest of the story, Dr. Figman was walking his dog on Beacn Hill when this all happened and the nurse happened to be an ICU nurse. When they brought him in, they woke me up and I ran down there. As Chief Resident, i used to sleep in the hosital on the days we covered the rather busy emergency ward. I thing we figured out he had a tension pneumothorax (and that was without a CAT scan) and I put is a chest tube. Those were exciting days.

Love, Dad

GETTING OUT THE CHRISTMAS CARD

2010-12-19T17:47:00.010-07:00

Well we did it! We sent out our Christmas card this year before Christmas. We took the family reunion picture from the 50th wedding celebration as the inside picture. We had everyone there except for Madeline B. who was in Kenya with a high school service group. We Photoshopped her in, see if you can find her in the picture!

Bryan came up with another great family Cartoon for the cover. He does such a great job almost every year.

This is the production of the year! We still send out 1000 cards! When I was in active surgical practice it used to be 1800. Nobody ever gets off our list by intention even if they pass away!

I used to keep the list and then Mom started to keep a list and the two databases did not jibe. It is so hard to keep track of friends and it has been impossible to keep track of our over 400 missionaries who have scattered all over the globe. It is a bit like trying to herd cats.

Cathy our official IT expert and Becca our CPA got together to try and merge our two lists, deleted all the duplicates and came out with a working list. We then printed all the labels. Then when we had the list, the design and the photograph we got Paul Hatch an d his printing group to do the final printing of the envelopes, printing and folding the cards. It was a big job.

I took care of sending out the European cards and then Mom organized the stamping stuffing, licking the envelopes and stacking chores. Emily came up with some of her kids, there were some of Mike's and Cheryl's
Here are Caroline, Camille, Emily in the back, Annabelle, Natalie, Madeline B. and Emma. We even had Emily Eva 5, lick and carefully put on the stamps. It was such a great and organized effort.

Finally Mom and two of the girls drove to the post office where there were long lines. Some lady said, "Please tell me that all these cards are from a business or charity!" Earlier Mom took the European cards over and there were long lines. A random postal workers whom we do not know saw mom and shouted, "This lady has the best card!" Somehow she must have seen one somewhere. Mom had to stop and open a card to show all the other [postal workers who "Ohhed and Aaahed" while plenty of others were waiting.

When they got back, I cooked 30 perfect Crepes and the Nutella, bananas and whip cream came out till all were very happy. We appreciate the family effort that went into getting out card in the mail.

Mom also got out all the German figures we bought at Kaethi Wohlfart and in Bertchesgaden. The Rauechermaechen are ready so Santa.. look out.

Can't wait for Christmas.. it is such a great time of the year.

Love, Mom and Dad

SUNDAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2010-12-19T17:04:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

This has been a great season and we are getting ready for Christmas.

The wards here seem to have a little leeway as they schedule interesting things.

Last Sunday we heard the the neighboring Stake was having a special stake conference with Elder Oaks in attendance. It is very unusual to have conference now with a visiting Apostle. The rumors were running rife that that stake was picked for a special test project. Boy that is something I wanted to hear.

Since our back yard is the ssouthern boundary of that stake, we decided to go with my cousin, Dave Wirthlin and his wife Anne. It was held in or meeting house down the street. We left a half hour early to get a seat.

Turns out it was a regular conference without the Saturday meetings. The place was packed. There was no mention of new programs (the rumors really spread in Salt Lake). It was a great conference and Elder Oaks inspired everyone. The entire meeting was super.

That afternoon we went over to Cheryl's for her early Christmas dinner as they were leaving town. We had been over there the night before for her annual Fondue party and that was yummy. Here is a picture of Paul, Annabelle, Olivia, Emily, Paul Jr. and Loren digging in the Fondue.
On Sunday they did their turkey dinner and I brined a natural turkey in an Apple brine and smoked it for the occasion. Cheryl did a turkey as well. Lots of really good food then and it was great to be with them.

Following the dinner, Cheryl and Paul did their nativity celebration with Opa reading out of Luke chapter 2.

Here are the players and it went pretty well. This is a tradition still in our home on Christmas eve. In the past it got to be quite a production with music, costumes and off course all our many players.

There used to be some disagreement about the costumes. Once the angles got into a fight and Douglas as a young boy bent the halo another angel was wearing. We always had lots of sheep and Shepards and there was always a live baby!

After this, Mom and I hurried down to our Singles Stake as they were putting on a special musical evening. The Taylorsville Institute choir did a terrific job. There was a speaker who talked about the details of Handel's Messiah and the choir sang some of the pieces and we all joined in for the Hallelujah Chorus. It was such a great Sunday.

Today was also great. Elder Ballard who used to live in or ward comes each Christmas and does the program. There were three wards there and it was packed. I'll bet there were 2000 there with the entire rec hall filled. Cheryl and her kids came with us and we took a row.

Elder Ballard does sch a great job. He gave remarks interspersed with musical numbers that he organized. His remarks about the Savior were stirring and we are always uplifted. We took Cheryl to the airport. The past two Sundays were just wonderful!

Next Family Deal will be Christmas Eve with our dinner at our house and Nativity presentation. Almost all here in Utah will come and Rick, Gemina and Madeline will be there also. Rick, Gemina and Madeline will be with us Christmas morning and maybe we will go around and visit all the families afterward.

Bis Dann, Oma and Opa

HOLLIDAY MONTH IS HERE

2010-12-05T16:45:00.016-07:00

Dear Family,

December is here, the Xmas trees are going up and all seem to be in a Holiday mode well ind advance of Christmas Day. Mom created an unusual Advent Calender for all the families; hope you got yours.

Cheryl and Paul gave us an early Xmas present by sending us two tickets to the Valley West Ballet Company's performance of the Nutcracker Ballet. The seats were the best ever, second row in front of the orchestra pit and so close to everything.

This is a yearly tradition as four of Cheryl's daughters are in the ballet performance. Madeline was one of the servants who brought in the cake, bright smiling and graceful. Annabelle was one of the soldiers and was beating a drum. Mary Clare and Loren were part of the Buffoon kids who come out under the big skirt and they did perfect cartwheels across the stage. They were smiling and happy and so energetic. I have never enjoyed the performance as much as I did this year. The Ballerinas were great but I am never sure about the guys jumping around in tights.

Here are Oma and Opa and the Performers in front of the giant Nutcracker.

Before the Ballet, we usually get a little dinner at Sigfrieds next door; with Schnitzel und Gurkensalat or a Wurst or two mit Kartofelsalat. While we were there, this young man comes up to me and starts speaking in German. It was the son of my Counselor, Lutz Herber from Augsburg, Germany. His son is here on an internship at Franklin Covy. It is such a small world in th Church and we had a rowsing good chat before we ran to the Capital Theater.

Our Tree is up, the family presents have been sent and we are trying to get our Xmas card out. We went to Cathy and Pete's house after Thanksgiving. Here is a picture of their tree in the front room. They are extremely festive and have at least eight Christmas trees decorated in their home and a ton more decorated outside. Macy's window in New York City has nothing on Cathy and Pete!

They have their outside trees decorated with many strands of varied color lights and the whole thing is organized with a computer to go on and off to syncopated Christmas music sent out through a radio transmitter from their home. It is really something.

Alles Gute,
Oma and Opa

GREAT THANKSGIVING

2010-11-30T12:12:00.008-07:00

Dear Family,

As you know, I had a surgical procedure in my foot and have been grounded for the last four weeks so have not written much.

However, the stitches are out and I was able to celebrate one of the best Thanksgivings we have had.

We had five of our eight daughters and their families here and it was great. Present for Thanksgiving was Cheryl and Paul, Suz and Scott, Cathy and Pete, Becca and Paul and Bina and Scott with all their kids for Thanksgiving dinner. Becca, Suz and Bina and their gang stayed in our home and it rocked.

On Tuesday night, we had a secret reunion; Doug slept over to get to the airport early the next morning and Rob and Eva and their kids were stranded in Salt Lake on their way to California because of the blizzard. Here is a picture of all. It was great to see tham all; we stayed up until one in the morning visiting. Mom took them to the airport early the next morning. Eva is due in February and is doing well.

Well on Wednesday, our home turned into Iron Chef Stadium. Becca was in charge of the cooking assignments. Suz planned the 22 lb Butterball turkey. Becca made rolls and deserts. Bina made the chocolate pudding pie. I was in charge of the oyster dressing and brining and smoking a smaller turkey.

The oyster dressing is somewhat of a tradition in the Wirthlin family; it is at least 135 years old. It was quite an experience for my father who prepared the dressing the night before. I did the same and modified the recipe. Here I am putting the finishing touches on the oyster dressing. It is so good but the number of people who really like it are diminishing.

Becca made pies, rolls, sweet potatoes. Bina did the mashed potatoes. On Thursday morning, the sweet smells of a classic dinner filled the air. Everyone worked hard. Mom made pretty table decorations. For the first time, everything was prepared on time, all the sides were orchestrated to be ready with the two turkeys, the gravy was made in advance, and everything was set.

There was excitement and a lot of noise. I tried to invite people to sit down but nothing happened until I called in a firm voice, "Alle bitte Platz nehmen!" There was instant silence; Cheryl muttered, "That worked!" and we gathered for the prayer.

With family and a close friend who joined us I tried to say the Thanksgiving prayer and was so overcome with such a feeling of deep gratitude for Faith, Family and Friends, I choked but finally managed to voice of prayer of Thanksgiving.

It took 36 hours to do the smoked turkey and with three days or prparation, the meal was consumed in minutes. Here are Cheryl and daughter Madeline looking good and comfy after the dinner.

The boys took the kids to a Walt Disney movie and we gathered again in the evening for dessert. I made a New England Indian Pudding. There were pies of all kinds. Cheesecakes and goodies galore. It was a great time!

Well when it was all over, the left overs were organized, everything was cleaned up and it was the most organzed Thanksgiving dinner and We were so happy.

The next morning, the gals were off at 5:00 AM to hit the early sales and get a start on Xmas shopping. The guys and I went to a Cabelas early morning door opener and had a good time and went to a second one the next day.

Then it was time for all to beat the next blizzard and drive home. What a great Thanksgiving and how grateful we are for the blessings of Heaven.

We love you all, Mom and Dad

FULL WEEK, BACK IN THE SADDLE

2010-10-25T12:36:00.010-07:00

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Dear Family,

Well we are back io our schedule. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are full with Church activities in the Missionary Department on Monday and the in the Temple Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thursday,went with Rebecca and her kids and met Cathy and her kids and had an outing at Sam's Club where they stocked up on food items. We then went to Gygi's and the gals picked up more cooking supplies. In the afternoon, Cathy came over to fix Mom's computer. Here is a shot of Cathy at the computer with daughter Lilly and we wonder why her email address contains the word "Wackycathy". She is a whiz on that computer.

Friday, we watched Becca's kids when she went for her followup ultrasound

and everything was OK. We went to Red Robin for lunch. That evening we had our dinner and theater date. We went with our group to the Hale Theater to see The Drowsy Chaperone which was a rousing musical set in the '20s. Her is her picture.

Saturday was the game at the U of U. They played Colorado State and beat them 58-10. It was raining and cold and we appreciated the warm box on the 50 Yard line. President Uchtdorf and his wife came into the box, said hello to Paul and turned and said hello to us. He seems to know who we are. He spoke German to us and I told him about Steffi's wedding in Freiberg. The U of U is eighth in the AP poll...not bad.

We left the game early to go to Stake Conference for our University Singles Stake. I did not have to speak but they had us stand up and review our family stats for the group. They had a good meeting. Sunday we went down for a Stake Leadership meeting from 8:30 to 9:30. At 10:00 there was a televised regional meeting with 71 stakes in attendance and it was translated into 15 languages. Elder Nelson and President Uchtdorf spoke and it was great. They made an appeal to have more missionaries serving young and old and even invited the sisters to serve if they wish.

Had two Blessings in the afternoon and in the evening, we went over to Cheryl and Paul's for their Scripture reading with the kids. They are on their best behavior during this time. Cheryl has her house all decked out for Halloween.

It is great to see family. Next event will be the baptims of Becca's Abigail and Emily's Joseph. Some of us will gather in our home for Thansksgiving and we are starting to plan.

Love you all...Dad

WE GO TO GERMANY FOR STEFFI'S WEDDING

2010-10-14T08:28:00.023-07:00

Dear Family,

We had the best short trip to Germany. Steffi Meyne one of our sister Missionaries (from Prussia) sent me a note on Face Book that she had a wedding date in October and I thought that is the best reason to take our frequent flyer miles and go back to Germany for the first time in five years.

Stefffi was one of our great sister missionaries who was a very hard worker, disciplined, effective, great trainer and a love of the Gospel that ran very deep. She reminded a bit of my Mom who also joined the church as a young lady in Zurich Switzerland and who gave up home, country and tradition to come to the states to pursue her gemology work. Her conversion was total body and she loved the church with all her heart and spoke of it daily. We kept in touch with Steffi and were thrilled with the news.

The trip over to Berlin was easy even back in economy. When we got to the airport, there was Steffi who came to pick us up two nights before her wedding. We visited and she drove us to the hotel. There is a picture of Steffie loading us up. So great to see her again!

When Katje's mother, Marita Muench heard that we were coming, she invited us to come to Cottbus on Friday to give a Fireside on Joseph Smiths boyhood operation (the first story we have of Joseph Smith) in her ward and of course in German. I was very worried about this since it has been five years since I spoke any leg nth in German. We drove down to Cottbus on Friday in a neat little Ford four door with a peppy diesel engine and six gears ahead. I brought my Garmin GPS with an Alpine SD map card with me and it took us to the door. We had lunch with Her and the Seidels. She took us through the Spreewald where there were armies of people out gathering wild mushrooms.

Here is a picture of Mom and Marita who took us all around Cottbus, The fireside went OK. I had my fireside talk already translated in German and got someone to read off the legnthier slides. It went for about 45 minutes and I was able to answer questions.

We then drove to Hoyerswerda and stayed over night in Marita's apartment where Katje also grew up. We went to a Baeckerei for breakfast and the first bite of a Brotchen with dried meats and cheese brought back a flood of memories. Marita drove us to Dresden. She has a rather heavy foot on the accelerator and at time we were doing 110 mph.
She knew each blitzer on the way to Dresden but it was great help to have her drive.
We met with our AP Attila Heller, his wife, three kids and his father at the Frauenkirche. Dresden was leveled during the war but the Frauenkirche was built up again. It was so good to see the Hellers. We used to call him Schneller Heller; he would wait till I dozed off in the car and then pick up speed on the Autobahn. We worked together several months driving and having meetings all over the mission. Here is a picture of Papa Heller, Attila, his wife and three kids. We visited for two hours, did a horse carriage ride around the Altstadt of Dresden, went into the Frauenkirche to see its renovations. Visited, talked and just enjoyed to be with them again.

We then drove to Freiberg to meet Dario, Patricia Dzierzon and their four kids.. all boys..twins with red hair. We had one of Dario's famous Topfs and visited again. Both Dario and Patricia were our missionaries and Dario was my AP for a long time as well. They have a spacious apartment in a home owned by their family for many years. The house was built in the 1600's. Here is a picture of their street. Quick lunch and then it was over to the Temple in Freiberg; this was the first temple behind the iron curtain.

We got there for the 2:30 PM wedding and there was Steffi and her fiance, Robert Hammer. He is from a German family who have been members of the church for several generations and he once had filled a mission in California. Here is a picture of Mom, Mary Cox (also one of our missionaries who is getting a PhD at Oxford and writing her thesis in Berlin), Robert and Steffi and me in front of the temple.

The temple is of medium size, bigger than the one in Detroit. They had friends and family and I counted 26 in the room. The men stood but I had a special seat as Steffi asked me to be a witness and that was a great honor. There was a great spirit there and the Temple President, Pres. Apel performed the ceremony and it was great. Lots of pictures and then it was time to drive back to Berlin (two hours) for the wedding reception at the Tiergarten ward. Dario and Patricia rode with us back to Berlin with Dario at the wheel.

Here is a picture of Steffi and Robert doing the traditional wedding waltz. There were tons of great German finger food and a huge cake.
I visited with the Bishop of the ward and all were so very happy for Steffi and Robert. Then we got back in the car and drove two hours back to Freiberg with Mom spelling off Dario at the end. We stayed at Dario's parents home in Freiberg and got back 1 AM.

The next day was Sunday and we went to the Freiberg ward. It is a great ward and Mom and I both recognized that the members liked each other and there was such a great spirit there. It is also a strong ward with the Stake President, stake Patriarch, Temple President and Temple missionaries are members. They had the largest High Priest Quorum that I have ever seen there. Many were distinguished in their own right. The meeting were great; it was Fast Day and I got up towards the end and by then mhy German was pretty good. We loved it there.

We spent the day with Dario and Patricia and it was great. Here is a picture of them with three of their four boys. On the day this was taken, the oldest was in Vorschule. The next morning, we took a little trip to a little town near the Erzgebirge where they make all those fabulous Christmas decorations. They had the smoking men, Pyramids and nutcrackers that were life size. Cheryl would have gone nuts there.

Here is a picture of the full size nutcrackers guarding the way in. I had to control myself a lot. There was this fat little Raeuchermann with a great beard that was a Forester but they wanted 280 Euro and that cooled the enthusiasm. It was so neat to be there and it was like being in the Mother Lode of all Christmas stuff. We saw how they painstakingly put everything together.

After a super lunch there, we drove back to Berlin. We left early the next morning; the airport in Berlin was socked in so our flight to London was delayed and we missed the connection to the states. British Air was kind and put us on a flight to Chicago going Business class that was very good. We made it home and got our bags a couple days later.

It was such a great short trip and we met dear friends again and were part of Steffi's wedding which was the highlight of the trip. Going over there could be habit forming.

Alles Gute und Alles Liebe, Mom and Dad