Don Lind, astronaut in my ward, Broadway II Houston

When I was in high school in Houston we were in the Broadway II Ward. I was in the 9th and 10th grades in South Houston High School [class of 69.] The ward included all of NASA and the surrounding areas. We had great families . Their parents worked for the space agency and space support groups. Also there was one astronaut then who was LDS- Don Lind. The Linds had adult kids and a little 5 year old girl. Brother Lind was almost too old to go into space and we were always praying for him because his flights were always being canceled and rescheduled. Then we we're all sad- he became to old to fly and then there was another LDS astronaut who actually beat him into space. Brother Lind would speak to us at church about reverence in space or just how in the world do you pray to our heavenly father while in space . He told of thinking how he would pray while in this sleeping bag. The bags were just hooked on the wall and would float around some. The first LDS in space went during the week and not on sunday. That was Br. Lind's problem. The sacrament in space. How do you bless the sacrament? Bending your knees caused an action in space-and you would just roll around. Now that was not reverent, was it??? To strap himself down and to be reverent he would need special permisson from NASA. There would need to be a written procedure and precedent for future flights. So Br. Lind worked with the church and NASA so we as a people would always have the right to partake of the sacrament in space. He could have just taken blessed bread and water into space and been private and taken the sacrament in private. No . All of the space ship was under cameras 24, 7... And his purpose was to be public about the whole religion motive. He was not afraid to be seen in space praying. What is the measure of a man, who walks in space the ultimate space cowboy and is still ashamed to be seen [all over the world maybe] praying? He wanted, -his goal had always been for the entire world to know, the faith of us as a people. He needed to know what was reverent in space. We all chuckled when he said that he was sure praying bottom up in space was just plain not reverent!!! Do you face the sun or the earth? Do you pass the sacrament in the first passes around the sun or later in the day? Do you need the regular trays and tiny cups? These questions were answered and many, many more. All by thinking of unknown answers and unknown questions. Some said that it was just for attention and the fact that he was too old for space that he asked "his questions." After all would he just face up to the fact - he had become too old and leave these matters to a younger generation. Let me ask you another question, while I have your attention. Ready-the question. How did we learn that the brother of Jared was the younger brother?? When the Book of Mormon was being translated for the Taiwanese people this question was asked. Who was the brother of Jared? Not his name, but was he the older brother? younger brother? twin brother? only brother? half brother? adopted brother? You see in the chinese language there were multiple words for brother and the translator needed to know the exact type of brother he was.... These thoughts had never, NEVER, been asked before. Why?? Because we as americans or north americans or old european immigrants really have never cared a damn about where you were in the birth order in a family. We cared about what you can do and who you are and where you could go. Never about were you the favored first born!!! But the Lord knew that in the rest of the world this is the most important fact about a man. Was he the oldest and there for the most treasured of all of the children? Just to say that is just plain- not an american idea, is it? So the question was asked "just who was the brother of Jared? Remember we were told his name in a child's blessing of his name by the Prophet Joseph Smith to Reynolds Cahoon's little baby boy grandchild - . The birth order of the brother of Jared was that he was the younger brother. And thus the idea of birth order being so important that the Lord used a younger son as a prophet is shown to be null and void. This question to these oriental peoples was so important that the Lord used the great prophet ,the brother of Jared ,as his example to illustrate the truth that the Lord is no respecter of persons. He used whom ever was worthy. This is a testimony also about the line of authority of the prophets of the latter days. Prophets are chosen by the Lord not in family lines only. This is one reason why Joseph Smith's only son was not to led the church into the wilderness of the american west.


Back to Br. Lind. In the end, NASA changed its mind and allowed older men and women in space. Because he understood that man has a place in space and therefore so does the gospel, but a way had to be prepared. He was a pioneer in space. His wagon train was a space shuttle. And he was just a wagon master who had a few simple questions for the Lord, about the sabbath. He came to BYU and our picture was on the first page of the Daily Universe.


I want you to know the value of asking questions. The prophet Joseph was pondering about the Brother of Jared's name. Pondering means to think on or about something. To question. And the Lord answered the question the next time Joseph asked about a name. The name of the new born baby boy of Andrew Cahoon(Reynolds Cahoon's son) is Mahonri Moriancumr. They called him Honnie for short.
There are those who would rather have kids and really anyone , to not ask questions. They say you will destroy your testimonies-they are wrong. We have the fulliness of the gospel because a boy just had to ask -GOD- a few questions.
Bulla Vinaka, love MUM

Fourth Of July

well the 4th was a blast! Claude and i had her family here along with jackie and Ed, while jane and max made they're way up for the fireworks. swimming, hot dogs, and a little catch phase took up the brunt of the day, while the fireworks took over the night. (although it seems that the subdivision doesn't allow fireworks...whoops...sorry dad). our little family is doing really well. emma is growing up fast, but the lazy fart still will not walk! its actually a good thing that she is taking her time because it seems that she will need to wear glasses when she does start running around. they will protect her good eye from any falls or spills on her part. my new job is coming along nicely and i enjoy my free time putting together the fort out back (which is almost complete!). claudia is as beautiful as ever and happy to have me around more. thats really all i have to say because my brain cant think anymore.

HOPE AT THE TIME OF DEATH Karmila Devi Ratnam & Venkat Ratnam [Samabula IIward]

We had our RS lesson on the prophet Joseph Smith and how he gained knowledge about the afterlife through the deaths of his 6 children and 4 family members during a ten year period. Chapter 14 in Teachings of Teachings of the Presidents. In my group were 2 women [Hindi] who were looking at the church for the first time. A woman from Tonga whos family had been members since the gospel was taken to the islands of Tonga [1940's] my self convert at 12, and this this sweet sister- Karmila Devi a new member of 2 months. Just a footnote on indian women they keep their maiden names and use their husbands sometimes when abroad. The class lesson was on death and how we as members use the gospel to help in times of death and sadness. The prophet Joseph Smith said " there are seasons of happiness and seasons of other." In ambers RS I learned that quote. Seasons of other seems to fit many different times in all of our lives,"doesn't it?" What I wanted to address here was the diversity of women in our little group. The woman from Tonga was in her late 60's and had a generational testimony-one passed down from one woman to another through each generation. One woman explaining the gospel in real everday terms that save your very souls. You see life and death do meet in our families, regularly and often and when we are not prepared [most aren't] our families suffer even more. She spoke of a grandmother tending the heart of a young mother and then dying herself. Knowing that she was going to the same place in death as her youngest great grandchild. And welcoming the joy of loving the littlest of our Gods angels while the rest of the family went on with life, here on earth. The women asked what if the gods were getting even and finally someone in that family was receiving justice? Soft;y the woman from Tonga stated our loving and father God doesn't get even with any of His children-never. I said little ones are perfect. Adam has his own life to be judged for-not a child. They were amazed. Getting even is a major part of their gods motives. Then little sister Ratnam spoke. She said that her father in law had just died and they had been denied access to the family home while the offical morning period was being observed. They also have others in the family who are now Christians and they too were excluded. She told of her testimony of the next life and where her childrens pappa was. Her children knew, knew just where pappa was and what he was doing. He was being taught about about Jesus and the true gospel. I was so proud to set at such a table with these women . So remarkable. The gospel of our Savior is so true and is through out these islands changing lives and cultures. As President Bhan has said the gospel of Christ brings us out of the culture of the village [island, people, belief system] and into the culture of the church and then the culture of the Temple will bring us into life with our Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ. This last week Sr. Wells said this." We always want to hear more about our Heavenly Father but, will we take the time out of our busy lives to spend 1 hour and 30 min. listening to both the Father and His Son together in the Temple in our language, in comfort and in quiet? Like I said " being in the same room with such women was enough of a testimony for me last week and I just wanted you to all know my friend, Sr. Karmila Devi Ratnam, of Suva , Fiji.

Love MUM

How to fish in Fiji

I wanted to tell you a true fish story. We had gone out to eat [all couple missionaries] and had this great deep fried fish. I knew that the kids would just love these fish teeth. How would you like to have dinner with all of these fried fish eyes [4eyes= 2 fish] looking at you all of the time?? We had a great meal and took the left overs to President Buhn and his wife. They are in the temple presidency. Sr. Buhn is Fijian and just could hardly wait to eat the fish-heads -eyes and all, brains , too] Br. Buhn is indie and he just loved the tails-even the fins!!
The sea creature below is a mud crab=and he is fighting mad. That is why his giant claws are both tied up. He can pinch your fingers off and then he will try to munch on the them for lunch!!
We have a favorite place for fish and chips [french fries] and they also sell all kinds of fresh fish. These are called parrot fish. Aren't they beauttifuall??

Now I have a sad true fish story from Taveuni island that happened while we were there on our little vacation while the temple was closed for cleaning. As our boat approached the tiny dock on the island, which is just alarge block of concreate, we saw a woman fishing. The tide was out and people will walk on the exposed ocean floor and find crabs, clams and mussles with heir feet and will put them in string bags and take them home to cook for dinner. The crabs they must catch carefully and always tie up their giant claws to keep their fingers!!! But this woman was in the deep water now up to her waist. We had a taxi driver [who is LDS] and we asked him just what was she doing, since she was in such deep water. He said she was fishing. OH, we said and then we went on to play golf-not me though. That was the end of the story we thought. Not so it seems. Now the terrible part. Are you ready? Don't eat dinner before I tell you this gross true story, OK? OK? We went to the island to play golf one week and another set of temple missionaries went the next week. So now the Howards told me more of the story. The taxi driver told them to tell us that the woman had not been seen since we had seen her fishing when our boat had docked. They fill she is dead and was eatten by the sharks that are in the waters allaround the island. Then another friend askeed me this queation. Do you know how they fish in Fiji? No I said. Well they tie a string around their waists and then tie small screen bags to the rope on their waist. The fish come in schools = very large schools of fish all the same size. They were eggs too at the same time, so they are growing all at the same time, too. After they catch the fish in a small net they just bite off the fishes head and put the body in a little bag and just lets the head sink into the water. Yes you heard right=bite off the heads.!! Into each bag they will stuff ans many little fish as they can. Then they just fill up another bag and start over again. Now all around them are fish heads and fish blood. All around them. Do you know the word greed? It means you want too much or something that is not yours. So here is what people think happened. The old lady stayed to late out in the deep water and the tide started to come back in and she was trapped. The smell of the blood was just too great and the water started to get deeper so fast that maybe she fell and the weight of the fish around her waist was too much and she just died-right there. Or the smell of blood brought more fish and finally the sharks. Or the sharks came and ate at her knees and she died. So her body was never found. Just go back to the pics of my fish dinner and think of those fish as sharks and how big their teeth really are. Greed. We just don't know what really happened, but the body was never found and skin divers come from all over the world to see these great big sharks. Greed. Greed. All our love. We are having fish for dinner. How about you? LOVE NONNIE

Fiji struck again

Aren't we cute? At the Out Rigger resort [5star]. May 2008 Baptism Sigatoka
Wheelers, Stags, Bohmans lunch Crowes Nest
These sisters are my last islanders Vanauatu. Their clothes are called Mother Hubbard dresses and cost them 10.00. They were given some cash to purchase a dress and sandles for the trip.
This is my sneeky pic. None can leave the temple in their temple clothes- no pictures. Not for me I just hold the door open and so they can take their pic and I am all ok by your Dad!!

- Well Fiji has struck again!!!! More questions for the prophet. We had a small group come this week from Kiribati. Just two families with two minor problems. 1. a eight year old girl unbaptized 2. a father not a member for one year until July 1, 2008. We can baptize her in a ward font [not like last time when we had to get the ok from President Monson to baptize a 8 year old in our font since she was to be sealed the next day]. Here they just send families on and just have faith that all can be worked out on this end at the temple. You would think they really check their records carefully, but they don't......they just send them on. When you think about it you can sorta understand. This is their only time to go to the temple and things were mostly done....right? It gives me a lot of hope, that the Lord is far more merciful that folks think. But knowing me I should not think of that loop hole tooooo long. Just speaking for myself, folks. So within an hour of arriving at the temple President Wells was speaking with the prophet again on Fiji and our unique situations. He said " yes ,an exception can be made for this father and they can be sealed on friday for time and all eternity, and wished them well." The most common mistake people make in the temple is that they come on the date of their baptism to be endowed not on the confirmation date and they must come back on another date. We had a couple in our ward from the last temple presidency in the Houston Temple and she said this was the hardest thing in the universe [not world as you may think] to not let them in the temple and help them keep the spirit within whist [English word for while, I can spell and am a master of grammar -lie,lie, and more ...] they could not come in. Here it is a once in a life time event and the Lord is kind and understanding, elsewhere not so...there church rules and they are quite firm. We had a couple’s conference here and both Byron and I wanted to be ill and skip it. BYRON IS ALWAYS A QUESTIONABLE EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW. We had a great time and ate 4 times.=1 pound fiji fat. Somehow we are the only couple in the mission who are losing [?] weight. Let’s be clear, poor Br. Wettstein has made a deal with the devil AK myself. The details can not be made known , threats were made= 8 pounds lost from Br. sucker and ready for this ..?.. 15 for myself, Miss devilish. Honey I have not weighed 155 for 15 years. NO great secret. No oven in my flat and we can swim when the weather is mush warmer. mush, mush warmer. I have been telling my landlord [we are surprised that we don't have to call him , Lord Landlord] These folks just take this british crap of pompishnish to ====far. So I'm on his Lordlyness, ak, Sr.Darth, bad side. I have complained about the following, mice, no oven, termites, no oven, mice, no oven, oh yes and termites and of course a my washer is dying. I will get a another washer when mine dies. Then I get one from the Australian embassy down the street. It seem that their contract reads the following, washers must be perfect working order and can not have one dab, touch,or a spot of rust on them. Folks Aussies are smarter than mormons. My machine is covered with rust and has a broken lid and I still have mice. I stuffed a door mat under my front door. THe space under the door is huge and Byron has seen a mouse, SEEN A MOUSE SCURRY FROM UNDER OUR FRONT DOOR AND WALK BOLD A BRASS INTO MY KITCHEN AND OPEN THE FRIG AND DRINK A DIET COKE.!!!!!!!!!! Really, Byron has seen this. Back to my door mat. The little kritters started eating through my door mat to get in to the candy store. They love candy poison and don't eat big boy poison. Soon they will be on a diet to get under my Willy Wonka Wonderful Candy Shoppe [British, folks] darn door. I feel so much better. Byron has gone to sign up for his driving test. Before I take that test ....I will open my own door for the furry little creatures. We went to another lovo this past weekend and still aren't hungry. That was sat. and it is now thursday. We have a lovo bug. The food always tastes the same=cooking food in a huge hole in the ground tastes the same=blauga,and more blauga. Give me some cajin blackened anything and I will be happy. I have decided to have our own texas lovo for all of our friends when we leave. I am planning the menu now. Red beans and rice and chicken. Everyone who come to see us will bring 20 pkgs if Zatarians red beans and rice mix. I am already starved. Enough on food.
Sister Wells says it is rather common for them to receive call at 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning with names to be put on the temple roll here=from the states!!!!!!!!!!!! Why????????????? Because they say the Fijians have the greatest faith and their help and prayers are what is needed. Can you believe that????
Before I close I must tell you of the following event that happened to me last saturday June 14, 2008. It is raining is so wonderful and cool. I can sit here and type and look down the hall and out the back door and see the water falling in the pool. This is not a brag, as my family [not my kids] feel my life is just too colorful and then judge me by their life's lack of colorfullinesses, and then to not feel sad about the conditions of color or lack there of in their lives, they then feel that my life just can not be so colorful and then they doubt my life and all there in it. We are blessed to be here in Fiji and know it. We were leaving the temple a little early to go to the bug lovo, and I came behind the Matron. She had a three year old little girl all in white and bare foot. The matron was carrying her socks. Behind a family friend was carrying a one year old, all in white with a vest and bow tie=sound asleep on her shoulder. He was the size of a 15# sack of potatoes and around here that is valuable folks. So I just walked behind to watch. All entered the sealing room and I peaked in=our president does break some rules regularly. He seals islanders as families with other families watching =not alone. This way they have a collective memory of the sealing. So looking in I saw so many families all in white and waiting for these little brown angels=barefooted, too, and I was filled with the peace inside that is given to those who work in the temple and to those who attended. A sweet warmth of the soul that even a smile can not do justice too. I reached out to quietly close the door with my right hand and in doing so felt a warm burning in my right shoulder and felt my shoulder being healed. Three times now I have felt this healing sensation. The second time I was at the hospital doing blood work and then went to my doctor and she was speechless= I had been totally healed. [ 3 large fissures on my bum-child birth left overs] . I had fought Byron for an early blessing on the monday before and by wednesday I was totally healed. Not one angry purple or red scar either. Blessings are just that, aren't they? Those gifts of the spirit include the gift of being healed, because of your faith. This I have now had in my life three times now. These are the numbers to keep track of- not weight.
The mouse is dead . We are leaving on our temple closing vacation and will send you more pictures. Just thought you would like to see our communications tower and how we really do get to the internet on a good and sunny day. Love to all Sr. Wettstein

News from Fiji

Out to dinner with the Stag's. This is a floating restaurant-boat. We'll take you there for dinner.
Our first baptism in Singatoka. [Br. Bohman] in the pacific. Such a wonderful moment in time.
Missionary couples. Stag, Wheeler, Wettstein [short hair and sorta blond] Bohman, mom&girls.
Harry Potter is here in Fiji. Head boy, head girl and prefect. For sale in a store window. whoohoo. Your dad stoped me from buying one of each!!!! I really do need them-home movies.

Mom with our antenna for the internet system. Not a fun way to have to set up everything. See my hair yellowish blond but, the roots on the top are silver & the back still is dark!!!

Sophie Gray Wettstein

OK..so I finally got my act together and here are the pics of our sweet little Sophie Gray. We are completely in love with our baby. The kids can't get enough of her....and neither can mom and dad. Ava kept going back or forth on whether she wanted baby Sophie or a dog. She is now pretty much sold on baby Sophie. And Max claims that he wouldn't sell her for all the money in the world. Jane of course is my right hand gal and loves to just sit in my room and hold the baby. Now if we could all just get some things done around the house we would be doing great. Well, enjoy the pics. I think I finally have a daughter who looks like me. What do you think? Much love,

Russ Mich and the kids

Elephantitis and Sr. Tuitonga

We are back from our much needed holiday but before I tell of our little vacation I must tell you our little Sister Tuitonga [ two e tonga ]. I just met her 5 weeks before our winter closing of the temple [remember it is our winter season]. I was working in initiatory when Sr. Wells came and stopped us so we could meet this extraordinary woman, Sr. Tuitonga. She has had elephantitis since 1982. To travel in the pacific and in many countries you must have a certificate of health. Our little sister [about 4 ft. 8in.] was preparing to go to the Tonga Temple to be sealed in 1982 and started the paperwork with her checkup and there she found out about her left leg. Sister Wells had made her a white covering for her leg like you see in the temples to cover a walking foot cast. I must tell you that you cannot be prepared to see such a thing and not gasp. Her tiny foot was now the size of an 8 inch dinner plate. Now I know you may think I am wrong but, sadly I am not. The skin stretches as much as possible and then turns a purple color just like maternity marks and then continues this process up and down and then sideways, too. Her foot was small like a childs on the right side but, the entire foot and toenails too, had grown to look just like an elephant's foot and leg up to her mid thigh. The leg weighed maybe up to 50 - 70 pounds Sr. Wells said. To really see this you must take a paper plate and tape your foot to it. And then cut an opening in the same size paper plate and put your upper leg in it too. I know it is shocking. We spoke for a few minutes and all went on their different ways. However this sweet sister came back 2 weeks later and I was free and had to ask her some questions. All I said was please tell me your story and all of this just flowed out. She said " the Lord knew that my leg would be sick and He chose this instead of diabetes." Why I said? I knew what I had when I we went to the Tonga Temple and was able to be sealed, had I not had a health certificate we would not have been sealed. With diabetes my leg would have been amputated and I would have died rather quickly. Here neighbors call the hospital and they come and take you to the hospital and off goes the leg, the government has that much control over your life. My neighbors [ well intentioned ] called the hospital and they came were going to transport me right then. But, I had the letters from my doctor who stated my illness and that it would not spread any more - the letter saved my life. Here amputation is a common word for death; especially 24 years ago. We have no drugs here for the common man and had none 24 years ago=death. There are no fake legs anywhere for the poor. I would have died and not seen my own children grow up. I could have never lived to see the Fiji Temple open. I am an old woman. I have held my grandchildren and more. You see the LORD KNEW THAT MY LEG WOULD BE SICK AND HE CHOSE FOR ME TO LIVE. I can barely type this with my tears running down my face and think of my Jaclyn and all of her struggles and her exceptional faith. She has told me that she has always had faith that the Lord loves her and that He was not teaching her a lesson or that she had bad or anything like that. I now how to express her great testimony ... " YOU SEE THE LORD KNEW THAT I WOULD BE SICK AND HE CHOSE FOR ME TO LIVE.. TO MARRY .. TO BE A MOM.. AND TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN."
All of my love goes out to this little and happy Fijian saint. She has alone given us the insightful testimonies of our dear Lord's love and concern for each and every one of us. A testimony choosen and nurtured through great pain and struggles. Testimony remembered and given freely when asked." can you tell me your story?"

love from FIJI MOM