We just heard that Jeremy is working in New York. Things seem to be working out well. Ann is attending University of San Diego for a masters degree in International Relations. Ann loves San Diego. She will be in Bethlehem during the summer to complete an internship. Mark’s garden books are out getting ready for the spring. He has ordered 7 blueberry plants and two grapes. Visitors are welcome. We still have bottled grape juice from last year as an enticement. We want to see you all as often as possible. Mark is working diligently on studying the Greek New Testament. He still practices weekly with a string quartet that plays at weddings and church meetings. Rachel gave us some trees grown from the pits of apricots from the old apricot tree, the last remaining one from Grandpa Young’s orchard. (Who knows but this was from a seeds from Grandpa Hagman---he used to walk as an old man from the avenues to here eating fruit and planting seeds in their orchard.) We have half a dozen little apricot trees. May be one of you wants one?
Here is the text of a letter from our Grandpa--John Hagman. Chana Cummings gave this to me when I expressed the longing to speak with Grandpa Hagman. He died in the 30’s. We never knew him. The misspellings are his own. He was a tailor from Sweden that joined the church and came to Utah. He was grandma Thomas’s grandfather. This letter is addressed to his daughter Marie Hagman Caine (Grandma Young’s sister) and her family. He bears his testimony in this letter. The misspellings are his own. We will first send an edited letter and then a copy of his original spelling below. You can almost hear his Swedish accent as he writes. He bears a powerful testimony. He went to Sweden on several missions and left his young family in Utah. He was poor but very powerful as his words attest. We all need to read this, as difficult as his writing is. His testimony and power shines through. He in fact sounds a lot like Grandma Young:
EDITED LETTER COPY:
“Salt Lake City Marsh 28, 1911
Albien Caine and family
Dear Children,
I certainly wish that I had writhen to you long ago, but you see I am getting old and lazy. So there---- that accounts for it all. Any other excuses I cannot find, except the spelling of the language that bothers me a good deal. If it were not for these short comings, letters would be coming from me thick and fast. But you see, it takes me long time to scribble a letter. So when you get a couple in a year, that is about what can be expected from me. What I fall short in doing, you must not pattern after. Now, I will thank you for my newest Birthday present. And I also will say that I feel very glad--- yes, yes, very, very glad to hear that you are struggling along and helping with God’s great work upon this Earth. Of all things we can do while we exist in this probation, nothing will pay us better, when we have opportunity afforded us. Let not this great blessing slip away from us---- no, never. But stand up as men & women and never fail in doing our very best and be very glad and thankful in our heart for such opportunities and privileges. I can say to you that in all may experience since I came in to this church that I have never seen a moment in my life when I regretted the minutes or the labor or the time that I have spent for God’s Great Work. The Lord will provide for those who love to do right, and keep his commandments. He will not forsake them. He will have his watching eye over them and they shall not lack for bread, but there will be a way open for them. We have the only true religion upon the Earth. May we be grateful for his fatherly kindness towards us. Let us not neglect our devotion and thankfulness unto him neither morning nor evening. May we be obedient under all circumstances and not be moved. If we never leave our God, the more we will have of his Holy Spirit; we cannot live true and faithful very long without it--- I will have to quit and go to bed, for tomorrow we intend to go to the Temple and assist in helping what we can-----the Lord will do the rest.
Kisses and Love to You All
Your Father
J Hagman
Grandfather Caine and also Grandmother Caine are not well—Grandfather Caine have been sick for sometime. We send ours best regard to father and mother Caine and their Children. The whole family is notforgotten”
HERE IS THE LETTER IN OROGOINAL FORM
“Salt Lake City Marsh 28 1911
Albien Caine and family
Dear Children I sertenly hav to have writhen to you long ago bout you see I am getting old and lasey, sau thear, that acount for itt all. Anny othear excusses I can not find exsept the spelling of the language that baders me a good del if itt was nout for this short comings, letters wold bee comming from me thick and fast butt you see it taiks me long time to skrible a lether so when you geat a coppell in a year that is about watt can bee exspeckted from me so what I com short in doing you must not pattron after. now I will thank you for mey neyse Burtday present and I also will sey that I fil werry glad yeas, yeas, werry, werry glad to hear that you are strongling alang and helping along gods great work uppon this Earth. Of all ting wi can do wiel wi exsist in this probession notting will pay us bether, when wi have oppertunity aforded ous. Let not this great bleassing slip away from ous no never. Butt stand upp as men & wemmen and newer feal in doing our werry beast and bee werry gald and thankfull in our heart for sush oppertunetys and preweleg I can say to you that in all may experience sins i came in to this church that I newer seen a moment in me live when I regreated the mins or leber or thim that I haf spent for gods Great work the lord will provid for those that love to to do right, and kipp his commandment. hi will not forsake them he will have his watching eay over them and the shall not lake for bread butt thear will bee a way open for then wi have the only tru religeon upon the Earth. may wi have to be greatfull for hiss fatherly kindness towords ous lett ous not negleckt our dewosion and thankfullnes onto him morning nor---evening butt bee onsjeken onder all sirkumstanses and not bee moved ju never wi leve our god ju more will wi haw of his holy spirratt amd wi can not leve tru and fetfull wery long without itt--- I will have to qwitt and go to bedd for to morro wi intend to go to the Temple and assist in helping what wi can the Lord will do the reast Kisses and love to you all yours Father J Hagman
Grand Father Caine and alsa Grand mother caine ar not well—Grand Father Caine have been sicke for som time wi send ours beast regard to father and mother Caine and ther Children the hole family and non forgotten”
There it is. Chris and I would like to repeat Grandpa Hagman’s sentiment of love and regard for the whole family to be “non forgotten,”
Mark and Chris
Whitney
Life in Indonesia continues to be an adventure, full of blessings and challenges. Jessie is growing up and changing from a baby to toddler way to fast for my taste. She calls everyone mom and loves to make animal sounds. Her favorites are monkey and lion. Morgan just got stitches four days ago after crashing her friend's bike without wearing a helmet! She now reminds everyone to wear their helmet. This is her third time needing stitches. She is proud of her collection of "stitches stories", finger-chin-forehead. She is a wild one, but full of life. Thomas is looking forward to turning eight and being baptized. Plans float back and forth between doing it here in Indonesia in April or waiting until we come to the US in June. Sydney is beautifully and gracefully learning to navigate the choppy waters of "tween-hood". She is a good friend, likes to be the peacemaker and is a good example to others of making good choices. She and Tanner are enjoying working on their "Faith in God" program together. Tanner is working hard at 6th grade math, HARD math! I swear I didn't do geometry and algebra until 9th grade! At any rate, he has passed me up and I can no longer be his study partner. Jeff takes over in the math homework department. He is still reading like crazy, we can't keep enough books in the house to satisfy his voracious appetite. He reads anything he can get his hands on. It was a sweet moment walking in to his room last night to turn out lights and catching him reading his scriptures. He loves reading the Book of Mormon. I can't believe he will be twelve in June and will be a deacon. Where did time go? Jeff is still finding growth and challenge in his job here. Doing business within the context of a very different culture constantly provides him opportunity to stretch, think outside the box, and practice different applications of western business practices. Sufficeth to say, he sometimes comes home shaking his head, but is grateful for learning opportunities. Patience and perseverance are important words here. We are still enjoying many missionary opportunities, chances to service in the community, and seeing how the gospel applies to each of Heavenly Father's children regardless of nationality or temporal circumstances. We hope everyone is well and happy! We miss you all, Jeff, Whitney and kids
Jared Thomas
Sorry I never write back. What's new in life? Let's see, recently divorced so single life again (no wife or kids, big adjustment), moved to Tempe (closer to work). I still work at Classic Party Rentals (in Phoenix), been there 6 yrs.
Brittney Patridge
Well, as you know, our biggest news is that we had our baby on Feb 27th at home! She was 8 lbs 2 oz and 21.5 inches long. She still doesn't have a name yet, but she is just beautiful and already growing like a weed. She also has the best big sister ever in our sweet Alivia. For a two year old, she is making the transition from only child to new sibling quite well and loves to be a helper with her new baby sister.
Right now I'm especially thankful to have Ben as my wonderful husband. He is a great daddy and a huge help to me as I get back into the swing of things post-delivery.
Not much else is going on here at the moment; just adjusting to life with two kids and enjoying (almost) every noisy, adorable, messy, snuggly, sleepless minute of it!
John North
I'm busy finishing my preparations for my deployment to Afghanistan. It has been fun in a way and I've played with many "guy toys" that I wouldn't have otherwise. Let's just say the Army has some fun machines and equipment.
David Thomas family
Our family is doing fine. Jared is still working in Phoenix. He got some football bowl tickets through his company. Lori and Sean flew down, thanks to some buddy passes so generously gifted, and joined Jared for a few days of diversion. Justin is off on his own now in his new condo. He recently was sustained as Sunday School President in his Pleasant Grove ward. Amy and Tobby are having a blast with their two little girls. Tobby is starting to count down when he will be done with school. Zoey, their youngest, turns 1 one Marian’s birthday. We are all waiting for her to take her first steps! Sean’s golf green business starts up again this month. Trevor was just transferred near the University of Maryland and is a new zone leader. Lori and I are still working full time. I particularly enjoy my naps when I get home! We love you all and appreciate all of your prayers in our behalf
Nancy Peterson family
Not much is different at our house, except Brittney and Ben are expecting a new baby any day! We're still heavily involved in violin and bass lessons, and are embarking on a new adventure in karate. Colton is still involved in ballroom dance and he will be competing this weekend up at BYU-Idaho. Alan is doing contract work with BYU-TV while raising funds for his film, "Blitz Kids". Julie is working at Olive Garden, I'm working at home, and Mac, Henry and Lucy working on math, spelling, grammar, Latin, history and science.
Rachel Leavitt family
So we've got the house finally remodeled on the inside and ready to sell. Regardless of when it sells , we'll be moving down to Arizona in June. I just recently quit my job at the hospital and am just doing doula work, which I love. It's a lot more of what I like to do and also is not as much time away from home. This all works out great for me:) Brent is still doing web design and has been doing a lot of work for Novell. He is also finishing up his first short children's film in a series he's been working on for years. We're excited for this and hope to see a second one done soon also. The kids are all doing well in school. And with the exception of one broken leg have been healthy and well. Love to all Rachel
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