Jonas

by

Mom’s Letter, Oct 09

10-27-09

Paul,

Talking about the Andra reunion and Lava, did you know Uncle Otto  as we called him used to have a little cafe there.  I was just little + I do not remember Jackie being around so it was before 1960.  Why did the Andra side perish in the camps in Germany?  Were they Jews?

On the Jonas side I only know probably 1st cousins + then not very well on the older ones.  On the Andra side I know very few.  Well off do not associate with the black sheep + snubbed cause of religion.  Pretty petty when the hypocrites snub the jacks.

I did not know LaRita even had a boy named Dennis but I remember the others names.  I could not tell you what they even look like.  Most of the time you can tell who they belong to though.  Except for a few Jonas reunions + fewer Andra reunions I have not had much to do with relatives since ’68.  During the marriage I had to deal with the green-eyed monster I was married to so I did not even get to associate with my relatives when I did go to the reunions.  Do not you say one damn thing cause you do not know what went on in the marriage.  I tried to keep everything out of sight so you + Sis would not know.  Only thing Sis is smarter than you + she does not have blinders on like you do.  Habitual liars do not know how to tell the truth even if it would save their lives.  DO NOT say anything about the subject.  Let it go.

Sounds like you got quite a plate full with your schooling + other activities + working on your house.  There is no way better to learn than 1st hand + doing it yourself.  Glad to hear they got the ones who broke into your house.

As for Dan + his partner whether it be male or female it does not matter cause it was Dan’s business but you know what Paul you just do not give it up.  If you are you are and if you are not you are not.  It is no one’s business but Dan’s + that goes for your cult too.  If you remember Larry’s boy got messed up by one on his mission.  It is a way of life for some but a dirty nasty game for others.  The dirty nasty ones ruin it for the legit ones.  Your cult cannot change that.  I do not care what you say.  Your cult does not care about anything but making their membership list grow.  Whether worthy or not of their requirements makes no difference to them.  Remember I spent 39 years on the membership list before the BS come to a head and Duffin or Duff or whatever his name was help me free myself from the cult.  DO NOT say anything here either.  I have just as much right as you of an opinion.  I caint help it if mine is opposite of yours.  We will never see eye to eye on the subject.  You do not condemn me cause I do have a quarter century more knowledge than you on life.

In school, I never cared much for history but I read some biographys that really opened my eyes about the so called great american political figures and the corruption that has gone on in the US of A.  How a cold blooded murder can hold the positions of governors and presidents.  Pretty spooky.  I also read an autobiography of an anarchist who also opened my eyes to the corruption in the country.  Look what has happened in the last couple of years of an asinin ripping of a lot of people off for millions + billions of dollars.  I have seen how state govt rips the fed govt off.  An in the end all the pain + suffering of the unsuspecting humans.

I do not think competitive enters into it anymore Paul.  I think it is all selfish + greed.  you remember back when there was the big doings about buy american made products to keep the money circulating in our own nation.  I have only seen things made in other countries like Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Afganastan, Mexico + in South America, etc, or things made in other countries then repackaged in the US.  Why?  Cause of the cheapness of labor.  The american thinks he worth so much.  Americans + their double standards.  Stupid people who live beyond their means.  the ones who live wanting instead of living with their needs.  There is a different in buying what you need + buying what you want.  Night + day, black + white.  A lot of people buy buy buy + do not worry about where the $ is going to come from to pay on all the spending.  I know I never go you kids things you wanted but then I did not have to cause someone else bought your love by getting it for you.  But then I guess love never ment that much to me if I had to it unlike some others I know.

I am glad you two do not want a large house.  Working up int he Sun Valley area I seen all those great big houses + could never figure out why the people wanted them except to out do the neighbor.  The prices were ridiculous.  But then when I took Gunther back to Connecticut the prices were ridiculous back there then too.  Why have space you do not use?  Do you know how they build the buildings in England or maybe I should say Europe.  It looked like similar architect in the countries.  Americans are not as smart as they might think.  The old countries are a lot smarter in the general things.  I myself have always wanted a small log cabin.  Did you ever see the log cabin Aslett’s had in Mackay?  That was a cute one but I want a build-in fire place instead of a stove.  Maybe some day.

What is between Oklahoma + Arizona where one has high humidity + one does not?  Is there a high mountain range?  I do not remember New Mexico having high humidity there.  So if you leave Oklahoma will your allergy stay there or go with you?  You did not get your allergies from my side of the family, you got it from the other side that is sick.  How come the shot only lasts a week?  Do not they have them that lasts longer than that?  Just exactly are you allergic to?  Is it mostly pollens and such or do animals enter in too?

Paul, it is not Idaho I do not like it is the self-righteous hypocrits I do not like.  I love mother nature + all her glory she makes.  There is beautiful land, plants, wildlife.  It is the human species of animal I do not like.  But you are wrong on the govt part.  Idaho is corrupt as hell.  The 1st Amendment, separation between state + church, does not exist.  The state is run by a cult.  Idaho is 1 of 2 or 3 out of 50 that took away good time.  It was taken away Feb ’87 when the Unified Sentencing Act went into affect.  Then you got the asinines in the senate or legislature  who have been in there a while (Darrington – Declo) who says over my dead body will good time be brought back.  Darrington was a history teacher at Burley High when I went there.  A good upstanding mormon prick.  Greed is a corrosive in the fine upstanding govt of Idaho.  But I will not go on.  Politicians are vermin.

Sorry about the picture in 4th grade.  Where did it come from?  Who?  It was not Doug or Jackie’s writing.  Apparently someone stupid.  Now tell me if you looked at the picture that you would of known who I was.  Is there no common sense any more?

Paul, if Dad + Colleen were married in ’46 + I was born in ’54 how do you expect me to answer what they did?  It seems very difficult if I did not exist.  I have no idea when the house on State St was built.  I know Dad worked for Sego all the time I was alive.  I have no idea what Colleen did + do not care.  I remember a lot of Richmond being I lived there the 1st 14 yrs of my life + then back again after high school for a while.  no one came to visit except relation.  Evan + Spence used to come up to fish.  Evan the most in High Crick.  At bird season the front yard looked like camper city.  A lot of Jonas + Coleys, pheasant, duck, geese.  Joe’s boys, Lee + Earl.  I do not ever remember Ellis coming up.  He was too good.  We used to have the Jonas reunion down on the park ever year, by the highway where the elementary school was.  I understand it is torn down now but do not know if they built another one there or not.  There was always Black + White Days + baseball games behind LD’s.  The 4th of July they used to role a car off the NC mountain.  It was right behind the house pretty much.  There was the Group that Dad + Colleen belonged to.  Different holidays they met at someones place + had a party.  New Years was at our house.  Dad bagged the geese + Colleen cooked them + then the people brought pot luck.  We had a regulation pool table + the guys pretty much was downstairs playing pool + I do not know what the women did.  I pretty much stayed downstairs.  Colleen belonged to a bridge club.  I think it was with the women in the group but caint be sure.  Dad belonged to the Lion’s Club so there were outings + things that they put on.  There was a place in High Crick where they had suppers and breakfasts.  There were 2 wards, North and South.  The earthquake ’62 took North ward out.  It took the house on the corner, the one across the road + Sal’s house out.  I am sure a lot others too through out Richmond.  Cherry Crick Peak was loosened + said it would fall if we had another quake or some bad tremors.  Face rock shifted + turned into a frog.  How’s that for a few things.

Tell Amanda not to worry about writing.  We are strangers + she would not know what to write to me anyway.  Also tell her I do not care if she had judged me even though it is not her business to judge me.  How can you judge people start wit?  People you have never met?  She must of forgot where I have to live.  I am not allowed things like electric toothbrushes + I caint afford Sensodyne paste @ 7.50 – 4 oz.  She must not of read my letter very well cause I told her I had reconstruction where the gums were worn away but that some had come off.

You would think in this day + age they could figure out how to make + replace teeth + dentures.  Does she know anything about the ones that screw into the jaw?  I understand they are almost like real teeth + they keep the jaw in shape like natural teeth do.  But I hear it is expensive.  About a grand per tooth.  I heard a top plate you have to get over the gag reflex.  There is no way I would go without teeth.  I have seen it a lot here.  Seen a lot of snaggle toot people too.  I just do not see how people can go around with a mouth full of rotten teeth either.

I guess it is getting time to close.  I got 2 other letters to write, Gunther + Sal.  I finally got correspondence back with Gunther after 6 months.  I hope she keeps her nose clean cause I sure could not handle worrying about her being here.  The AG’s brief is due tomorrow so I guess I will be hearing from my atty soon too.

You 2 take care + good luck with your lives.  Hope no more robbers come your way.  You need an attack animal.  Were you home when they broke in?  Let me know how your small claim turns out against them.  So Long for now.

Love You,
Mom

Did you get the little card for your birthday?
I forgot to put both you kids names on them.
I remember after I mailed them.

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June 09 is here

A quick update for the week.  Cousin Dan Ellis Jonas passed away on the 30th of May.  His service in Denver was on the 5th.  His funeral and burial took place on Saturday in Smithfield, Utah.  He was the son of Ellis and Geri Jonas of Smithfield.  He had liver problems that required a transplant and when the liver didn’t come, he knew it was a matter of time.  He was only 50 years old so I took quite a few of the family by surprise really.  I hope all are doing well.

The attorney I work for decided to take Thursday and Friday off.  Meaning, I ran the office myself on those days.  It was an education to muddle through without him after only a week of really doing any of the work.  I think I did okay though.  Good thing we didn’t have anything serious!

This coming weekend I fly out to Idaho for the Andra Reunion in Lava Hot Springs.  I fly in to SLC on Friday and drive to Richmond that night for a graduation party for some high schoolers.  A good portion of Saturday will be at the Andra Reunion.  Afterward I run to Kaysville to go to the Bountiful Temple with Amanda’s brother, Derek.  I am looking forward to a busy weekend.  Then I fly out Sunday morning back for the craze here in OKC.  It will be a quickly weekend.  Sadly, my skipping the reunion last year means a number have died I didn’t get to see for quite a while.  Hopefully we have a good while before any more go.

Amanda’s birthday was yesterday.  The big 23.  I spoiled her with a 8 gig iPod.  I thought I was buying her a present that I could also reap some gain from.  However, as she uploaded her music and I looked at mine, I found out I have over 10 gig of music on my computer alone.  I guess I will have to get my own since Amanda has over 4 gig of her own.  It is all hers now.  Perhaps she will let me listen on a road trip.  I threw a little party for her on Saturday night with my law buddies.  Holt and Lindy made home made ice cream.  How is that for a party?  We played a number of games, chatted, ate Amanda’s birthday cake, and relaxed away some perfectly good hours.  Today we had dinner with the Curtis family, who also came to the birthday party.  They spoiled us with dinner including lasagna, minestrone soup, and more.  We played a game called Ticket to Ride.  It was actually quite a bit of fun and we enjoyed ourselves.  I recommend it to others.  Ticket to Ride and Axis and Allies are both two games that we will have to purchase at some point in the future.

Time to turn off and go to bed.  On the safari hunts each night killing cockroaches, I have to boast an all time high of 137 in one night.  I may have boasted of this fact in the past.  I am also happy to report the numbers have been quite a bit lesser since.  Tonight was a whopping 38.  Tonight also included a camel cricket, 4 slugs, 1 regular cricket, and 2 spiders.  The number of cockroaches seem to be falling each night.  I hope it continues.  There are less getting into the garage and getting stuck on the sticky bug traps.  May it continue.

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Great Uncle and Aunts

Who would believe the 25th of February is almost here?  I cannot believe how fast the months fly when you have your head in books.  The odd part is that I don’t feel like I am doing a very good job of keeping up with the reading.  I cannot tell you how excited I am for the next semester where they add one more substantive class and remove the writing class.  What will I do with life then?  I need to start working on being more diligent and proactive.

In visiting with a couple of the 2L’s I feel somewhat comforted with the notion of what is called mental fatigue.  I think my eyes finally just accepted the fact they are going to be tired and quit twitching.  Who knows. the twitch probably just moved to my neck or shoulder with a slight noise from the mouth when I do it.  At any rate, this is not a new phenomenon.  I thought perhaps I was going prematurely old or something wrong with the synapses in my brain where I would think one thing and completely say another.  Just today in visiting, rather than saying doctor, I said dentist.  To correct myself, I went to say doctor but somehow defendant come out.  After a short pause, doctor finally came out.  I laughed, Andrew laughed, and the conversation went on.

This weekend was a delightsome weekend.  My Great Uncle Donald and Aunt Lolane Andra came to visit.  They arrived on Friday and left this morning.  They finished their mission around the 6th of February and have been working their way through the country back home.  They stopped for a week in Nauvoo, then a week in Branson, and a weekend in Oklahoma City.  They are next headed to Tucson.  They will spend a few days there and up to St. George for a month or so before up to Chubbuck/Pocatello.  Don and Lolane are sure a lot of fun.  We went to the Western Heritage Museum here in Oklahoma City.  I enjoyed it.  Like most museums though, my feet and knees grew tired of the walking around endless hours on hard floors.  I will need to go back to truly appreciate much of what was there.  We went out to Pops Soda Shop in Arcadia and enjoyed a meal.  Don and Lolane particularly enjoyed it.  We all did.

Sunday we ventured to church.  They thought the ward was very open and friendly.  I am pleased the ward was so open and friendly to them.  It wasn’t quite so much when we got here.  But it certainly has improved.  Afterward we ran out to the Oklahoma City Temple and walked around the grounds and took some pictures.  After serving in the Washington DC Temple for the past 18 months they were quick to notice how tiny the temple is here.  That most certainly is true!  I assured them it was well used and loved.

We wandered off to the Oklahoma City Memorial.  The weather turned out to be beautiful.  It could have been a little warmer, but it was sure a nice day.  They really enjoyed that as well.  It really is a well-done memorial.  We returned to our little home to enjoy a full meal and many hours of games.  We filled much of our time on Saturday with games as well.  We sang some old songs together, chatted about old times, visited about family, and genuinely had fun.

On a sad note, I also received news that my Great Aunt Lillian Jonas Talbot passed away on Friday.  She was born in 1930 and lived in Layton, Utah.  She was the sister of my Grandpa I knew the least growing up.  She was the one who let me borrow my Great Grandma’s journals to type them up which are available here on the blog.  She was also the one who had my Great Grandma’s photo albums and let me borrow them to pick out the photos and scan them.  So I came to know her considerably more in the past 10 years.  Apparently she had been to the temple on Friday and she came home and sat down in the chair in the living room and was playing with the dog a little.  When my cousin came back from a run to Walmart, she thought she was taking a nap.  But when she came in, she was gone.  How is that for peaceful and quick?  I hope I am as fortunate.  The funeral will be on Wednesday.  I wish I could go but the cost and time from school are too much for the moment.  I wish the family all the best.

Amanda will surely post some photos from the weekend on our joint blog.  It was an eventful and productive weekend.  Now time to start making up what studying I did not get done!

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MTC anniversary

The 28th was the 10 year anniversary of when I was supposed to enter the MTC.  Time has certainly flown!  Who would ever have thought then I would be in law school 10 years later.  I wonder how many people even thought I would attend law school.  Who knows what they thought I was going to end up doing.  I was glad to be able to go on a mission.  The first eggnog of the season found its way into our refrigerator.  Boy does it bring back memories of may Christmas’ from long ago.  I know, we haven’t even hit Thanksgiving yet.  I guess the eggnog is just early.  I had a happy tummy for a day or two, regardless of the season.

One of my school buddies is looking at the home next door.  Wouldn’t that be great to have neighbors who I went to school with?  We could work on our homes together, we could have parties.  I could ride to school with Andrew and Amanda could sleep in for another hour.  She would be happy about that.  We will have to wait and see.  Since they probably cannot get into the home by themselves, we are taking about signing with them.  The great thing is the house is owned by a trust.  Both of the parents have died and the family really just wants to sell it, even for about 2/3rds of its value.  So we worked it out that in signing with them, they would share a portion of what they make on the house when they sell it in a couple of years.  All the more incentive for me to help when they are fixing it up!

Last night was the last of my classes.  I did not mind it was on Halloween.  I never cared much for the holiday.  Besides, what better way to remember the dead on Halloween than teaching a class on family history and new FamilySearch?  There was wonderful attendance all 4 classes.  I am relieved it is completed.  On that note, the temple work continues forward at a wonderful pace.  I received over 75 completed cards in the mail this week.

It has been a quick, but dragging week.  I have felt somewhat oppressed in soul.  Nothing I can attribute it to other than just weariness and exhaustion.  A good number nights of sleep have helped me recover.  However, I fear I will not completely recover from Contracts.  I really like Torts and Civil Procedure.  I could do with more understanding in Contracts and perhaps I would enjoy it more.  I started outlining it today.  We got about 1.5 chapters completed.  I got a headache by that point so we called it for the day.  I am not sure if it was Contracts or the salty pretzels.

We watched The Kite Runner last night.  I really enjoy shows like that where I get to see some insight into other cultures.  I enjoyed it.  The insight into Afghanistan and Pakistan were very interesting.  I would really like to learn that language and travel those nations.  A whole world to learn.

I finished Deuteronomy this week.  I enjoyed it.  The end reminds me much of a General Conference talk.

Here are a couple more of updates on stories about the family.  Here are some more stories I received about the family from two individuals.  Most of them are about my Grandparents, but I also included the one about an experience with the church.  I am so completely disappointed in those who did this.  This is not at all what the church teaches.

“[Colleen] loved dancing.  She taught me how to be a better follower.  [My husband] put an extra step in his 2 step, I would stumble every time.  When I watched her and [my husband] dance, it was always smooth.  She taught me how to relax and follow his lead.  I am sure that she had much pride watching you grow into a man.  Dancing with all the “old ladies.”  Can you imagine how special and young they felt to be dancing with you.  That is a very special thing you gave to them.”

“Once we moved to [a small town in Idaho], [my son] was old enough and began his religious education at our small mission church in town.  I was very involved with “taking care of my church.”  It was during this time that I met and interacted with “practicing” mormons.  People were not afraid to tell me that I was wrong.  Of course, everyone knew [my husband] was LDS.  The church rolls tracked every one and missionaries, relief society, and elders would stop by before I could finish unpacking.  I had some disagreeable things said to me.  Especially about how awful I was to cheat my son of a greater life.  I felt I was treated meanly by many.  At cub scout functions, no one wanted to sit near us.  Sometimes, we were even told the wrong times for things so we would be very late.  Every one would stop and stare, whisper.  I felt so bad.

“Our ward president’s wife had no difficulty telling me I was an awful mother, but that “scouting” could be for everyone.  Blah, blah, blah…  In order to survive I asked for permission to attend Seminary.  Which I attended at Soda Springs High School.  I had my mother find me out of print books in San Francisco.  I began to read everything I could.  Pro and Con.  I was asked to not return to seminary, it was because I asked too many questions.  I was disruptive to the education of the young people I was told. My father’s youngest sister converted to Mormonism.  She lives in Clearfield, I think.  I don’t have much contact due to the way she treats my father.  She and I had a relationship back then.  She is still very active in the church and assisted in my education.  She wanted me to convert.”

“Colleen had said something about being disappointed in the “church” in Preston.  That Grandma and Grandpa Andra had given land to the “church.”  That the trade-off (my word) was that they would be “taken care of” by the church.  Some one else will have to fill in these blanks.  Something to do with the church wanting the rest of their property.  She spoke harshly at this time and used the term “church” in general.  Not a specific Ward.  Sandy was very upset about the Temple marriage to Evan because she did not like him and the “celestial kingdom.”  Her family would never be together again.  She would yell at Grandma about this, they both yelled.  I really do not remember anyone in the family attending church at all.  [My husband] always welcomed the missionaries, he would have conversations at length.

It was not really a topic of discussion between Colleen and I.  She never openly criticized me or anyone regarding religion.  She did express regrets about her children and Norwood. I don’t remember her expressing regrets about herself.  I felt sometimes that lack of religion in the household was used as an excuse for the way things were.  An excuse for the choices made.  It seemed to always be in a negative reference.  I did find it interesting the times that the “church’ was brought up.  When a person did not want to assume responsibility for a choice made.  It was blamed on the “church.”

“I know that Norwood was always pretty mean to Colleen.  He scared me a lot, but I was pretty little.  I did hear my parents talking about how he did hurt your grandmother and they were not impressed.  I will talk to [my sister] and ask if she remembered more than me.  He was awful when he had been drinking, I did see that myself when we stayed at Colleen’s for a week.”

“[Doug and Linda’s wedding reception] took place in the basement of the library in Richmond.  [Colleen] had made all the arraignments.  She did the decorations.  I remember the spiral staircase with the gifts displayed.  It was very nice.  I had met most of the family that was there at Norwood’s funeral.  [Doug] wore the Tux that his folks had bought him in High School.  I remember how handsome he looked.  We stayed at Sandy’s.  I think she was living on Main St in Logan. I just don’t remember the fine details.  For a Jonas gathering, you might say it was uneventful.”

“The initial call from the police came to [Colleen’s, about your mother’s wreck].  Colleen was not there.  I asked about you, the police said there was no baby.  I had seen you with her prior to her drinking.  Sandy was not above leaving you in the car when she would drink.  So the police began the search.  By the time [we] arrived at the wreck, they had found the dog, I think he was under the jeep.  It was dark, I remember the field, the tumbleweeds.  The shadows cast.  The jeep upside down.  Sandy was at the ER.  The baby carrier that she used had been found, but no Paul. I remember hearing someone say, if you were out there, you were dead.  The smell of the blackberry brandy all over the carrier, the inside of the jeep. (I am crying right now.  This is hurting my stomach a little.) Okay…  I remember [your Uncle Doug] yelling, “I’m going to kill her.”  Typical of the family, he rambled about every single thing she had done wrong in the past.  Making himself madder and madder. I was freezing, terrified, my stomach hurt so bad.  One of the deputies radioed and we were told that Colleen was at home and that you were with her.  [Doug] was so angry by the time we got to you.  He fought with his mom about Sandy.  All I could do was hold you and cry.  Grandma was concerned about Sandy and Doug did not want her to go to the hospital.  Colleen had been spared the emotion that Doug and I had just gone thru.  I think Colleen had run into Sandy and had taken you so she would not leave you in the car while she drank.  Probably because it was cold.  I am curious about Doug’s memory of this.  Your mom would probably not remember, she was drunk.  I don’t remember anyone but the police and Doug and I looking for you.  I believe we looked for a little over an hour before the call.  Thing is, you were never missing.  No one else really lived the terror, so this would not be a story connected with the rollover.  There would/should be in the police report, we did search for you.”

by

25th of October

It has been quite the week.  We have replaced the sewer side of our plumbing, moving on to the feed side next week.  We had our ward Halloween Party last night with Trunk-or-Treat, Chili Cook-off, and Costume Contest.  We were there long enough to eat chili but not really do the costume part, even though we did dress up.  I had to walk across the hall and teach my 1.5 hour class on part two of the new FamilySearch website.  The fun part it was completely in my Fitzwilliam Darcy costume.  The class seemed to enjoy it.
Tonight we are having ourselves a Halloween Party at our house.  We have invited over 30 but only about 20 RSVP’d.  It should be fun.  It is for the most part buddies from school.  The interesting fact is that it falls on the 10th anniversary of the murder.  A couple joked they were going to come as an Idaho inmate, but have changed their mind as it was a little tasteless.  I am sure Amanda will post some of the pictures online on our joint blog of the occasion.
I took a mock exam this morning and feel I did fairly well considering only half way through the semester.  I know which areas I need to work on rounding out more of my knowledge and understanding of the specific torts and the elements of each.
This week I have been in contact with some old family friends who were kind enough to share some recollections about the Jonas side of the family.  Here are some excerpts from those communications.
“I woke up in the middle of the night when [Norwood] came home. Yelling, noises, thumping, screaming. I was scared, I had not met him yet. When I heard [voices], I peeked out the door. [Doug] was trying to pull his mother off his dad who was trying to stop [Norwood] from beating Jackie. She was 11 or 12. He was drunk and yelling that Jackie was not his child. Can you imagine the poor child. I had never been exposed to anything remotely like this. TV was not so graphic then. Wow. The next day no one said anything. Pretend it did not happen. I remember Doug suggesting hiding or removing the booze. [Colleen] said that would make him mean so she would not do that. I did not sleep well the entire time I was there. Norwood was cordial to me, even smiled and teased me. He was fine when not drinking.”
“Sandy was drinking and taking Motrin, she told me it was a “good high.” Motrin was prescription at the time and she took it for her constant pain. She had had severe head trauma and reconstructive surgery from the car accident where she totaled Doug”s Opel Cadet 2 1/2 years earlier. She showed me the pictures. Wow. You have probably seen them.”
“[Colleen] said she could not take Norwood’s drinking any longer and was filing for a divorce. Sandy was very upset. She said that if she divorced him they would never be together as a family in the Celestial Kingdom.”
“I must admit that Sandy’s remarks about the divorce struck everyone as being foreign due to her dislike of the church.  But remember it is how you are raised.  She knew nothing else.  I believe that she reverted to a child when faced with the divorce of her parents.  And that child believed in the Celestial Kingdom.  She can not be an atheist, that is just a defense mechanism.  She radically changed her memories of her father after he died.  She embodied him and fought hard with her Mom.”
“[Doug] was very stressed over the fact of his parents divorcing but supported his mother’s decision. In the following months Sandy moved back to Cache Valley. [Doug] used to get late night calls from her. She was usually drunk, unhappy, hated being a Jonas. Hated her mother. She took to wearing her fathers clothes. Right down to his boxer shorts. I don’t know how many times she was in jail for disorderly conduct, drunk in public, open container, drunk driving. The laws were not so strict then. She finally had to leave Logan. The law was not going to tolerate her behavior any longer.”
[Doug and Linda’s] wedding was planned for April 12, 1975. [They] mailed the invitations out on March 12th. Doug’s dad was no longer living at home. On March 14th, he was crossing the street and was hit by a 17 year old boy with his younger sister in the car. There are many versions of the story, no one really knows for sure. All I know for sure is…the day [the] wedding announcements arrived everyone was learning that Norwood was dead. It was a very tough time for Doug. He never had the adult relationship with his father that he always wanted, he grieved that loss for many, many years.”

“After the wedding and [the] open house in Richmond, Sandy [went] back to CA. Doug needed his sister and she needed him. She was very depressed and drinking an awful lot.”
“Colleen definitely softened in her memories of [Norwood] after he died.  Occasionally she referred to him as “a son of a bitch.”  With such a tone uncharacteristic of her.  I remember the yelling in the Jonas household.  It was almost like if [the family] did not yell you could not hear them.  I never experienced [Colleen’s] wrath, she always spoke calmly to me.  At least that is what I am remembering today.”
“I found her to be a very loving woman.  People seemed to flock to her because of that twinkle in her eye when she smiled.  She was up at 3 am to put every hair in place.  Men started arriving around 6 or so for coffee.  A man she called “big brother”, 2 or 3 others, I do not remember their names.  I remember I always got dressed before coming down because you never knew who would be there.  It was always fun to watch her laugh.  She could light up a room.”
“When I met her she hugged me and kissed and treated me like I was her friend.  She shared herself with me as if we were close girlfriends.  I wore rings on every finger, she loved my jewelry, I gave her a very special fish ring.  It was silver and kinda wrapped around the finger.  Needless to say she created her signature look beginning then.”

“I really am surprised you had not seen the pictures of your mom after the accident.  She had reconstructive surgery.  They show the rebuilding of her nose and cheek bones.  I was told that her cheeks were plastic.  There was orbital damage.  It truly changed her overall appearance when you look at before accident and after pictures.  I wonder where these pictures are.  They were Colleen’s.  They were pretty gruesome I remember them pretty vividly.”

“I still cannot smell blackberry brandy without fully remembering when [Sandy] rolled the jeep and we were searching the field, in the dark looking for you, terrified.  You were with Grandma and we did not know.  The jeep had the blackberry brandy all over in it because she was drinking from it when she rolled.  She could not remember where you were, she was hurt pretty bad and I think her dog was killed.  No cell phones at the time or we would have found you quicker.  You were an infant, maybe Oct or Nov.  [We] were living in Paul at the time.  We all worked for Circle A, we called it Circle J.”
Anyhow, some interesting insights from an outsider!
by

What Temple Work Means to Me by Rosa (Nelson) Jonas Andersen

(I have maintained punctuation and spelling)

I was asked to talk a few minutes on what temple work means to me.  This I shall do to the best of my ability.  First I shall talk about the book called ADDED UPON.  No doubt most of you have read this book.  If you haven’t it would be well worth your time to do so.  We all know we existed spiritually before we came to this earth.  Two people, a man and a women, were chosen to come to this earth to fulfill a mission here and take up a body.

They came, the woman was born in Denmark.  The man was born on a farm in America.  The woman, named Ensign emegrated to America.  When she got here she got work on a farm doing house work.  One afternoon while working, a man came to the door and asked if he might have something to eat.  While he was eatin they began to chat, she found out that his name was Rupert and that he was looking for work, that he prefered doing farm work.  Later when the farmer came into the house Ensign told him about Rupert.  Rupert was immediately hired as the farmer needed help badly.  The young couple became friendly, fell in love and after a summer of courtship they were married in the temple.  Rupert had some land of his own, left to him by his father.  They made a home on this land and raised a nice family.  During the winter Rupert did work in the mines in order to get extra money.  They lived happily together for some time.  Finally one winter day Rupert was killed in the mines leaving Ensign alone on this earth to finish raising her family.  The children grew up one by one.  They married leaving Ensign alone, after a few years called home.

Rupert was there to met Ensign, they knew each other, they could remember before they came down to earth, how at that time they wondered if they would be to gether on this earth.  They had been, they smiled at each other and were content.

This story causes me to think of my parents life, being like unto it.  My mothers parents emigrated from Sweeden.  Mother was one of the first baby girls born in Logan Utah.  When she was nine years of age her mother died.  Later grandfather remarried, marrying a woman with a large family.  After a time mother was forced to earn her own living wherever she could get work.

She found employment in Pocatello Idaho.  There she worked at a boarding house waiting on tables.  Here she met Joseph S Jonas, like Rupert and Ensign one summer of courtship and they were married.  Father being a Rail Road man they moved from one place to another.  They too raised a family of seven children, four girls and three boys.  Along about the spring of 1910 we were living at Thorp Kittitas Co. Washington.

One night after a terrible storm a flood came causing much damage.  Trapping many people in their homes.  Being R. R. man father was called upon to help rescue these people, and through the wet and exposure he suffered in helping these people he became very sick and was in the hospital for six months, with rhumitisum and pneumonia.  He was so sick he had to be turned on sheets.  He was a staunch catholic and did not believe in mormonism.

While father was in the hospital mother took us little ones and went to visit her brother August Nelson who lived in Salt Lake City.  Through the worey for father and we little ones mother became very nervous, her heart became affected and she became very ill.  One night she passed away from a heart attack, if it had been now days I do believe she could of been helped, by the wonderful medicines we now have to work with.  But we children didn’t know what to do.  We were left alone in the care of her older brother with no mother, and father so desperately sick.

We feared father was too sick to receive bad news and were afraid a shock like this would prove fatal to him.  So we told him nothing about mothers death.  After the funeral I went to visit my father at the hospital who was still in Washington.  Father a catholic and mother a L. D. S.

At heart like Rupert and Ensign they were meant for each other, for mother’s spirit did not loose any time singling her mate out.  For when I entered the room father said “well she is gone isn’t she?”  I said what do you mean?”  Father said “your mother she came to my bed side at 15 min. to ten on the night of Dec. 23, I know all about it.  This is proof to me that they were meant for each other.  So I am having my mother sealed to my father for all time and eternity, as my father since that time has pass away to be with my mother.  I know they met in the hereafter recognised each other, and will be happy when I get their temple work done.

It was while we children were staying at mothers br4others home in Salt Lake City that we were babtized into the mormong church.  The Lord works in a natural way, he braught us back to where mother left off as a girl.  There most of us lived untill we were fully grown, married in the temple and went on missions.  But father would not accept.

My baby brother Joseph when he grew older went back to his father and tried to convert him to the mormon religion, but to no avail.

Years went by and father became ill again.  I sent for him to come to my home.  He lay desperatly ill for days.  The night before hr died he was so very ill, he called me to come saying “Rose offer a word of prayer for me” I knew then the hard shell about father had soffened, as even that much to his mormon daughter was a great deal for dad.  I prayed for him, but he passed away the next night.

I am thankful to my heavenly father there is a plan whereby we children who were left, were able to have these two people united in eternal marriage with their children sealed to them.  I feel with in my self they are happy and satisfied.  May I ever be worthey of entering into their presence when it is my turn to answer Gods call, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

by

A sketch in the life of William Jonas

(Written by Mabel Andersen Cazier.  This is about William Nelson Jonas 1889-1972  I have maintained spelling and punctuation)

I remember one time, long, long ago, during World War I.  My Uncle Will (Mother’s brother) was called to the services to help win the war against the Germans.

“I wouldn’t mind,” he said to my mother “if I didn’t have to fight and kill.  Oh, how I would hate to take a life, for I know how dear life is to me.”

“Fear not,” said his sis, “maybe the Lord will fix it so a life you can save instead.”

So on that unforgetable day, sun shining brightly outside, he bade all goodby and with tears in his eyes he marched away to serve his country and God.  Time passed, the mail didn’t move fast in those days but we finally received a letter from Uncle Will, the man we prayed for each day.  He stated his thankfulness that he had been assigned to the hospital department where he could spare lives instead of take.  He worked diligently from dawn until night, comforting the goys who were dying.  One time he was a mother to his dying comrad, comforting him as best he could, another he’d be a father pronouncing the blessings on his dying son, or prehaps a wife promising she would always be true and faithful the rest of her life.  Maybe he would be a daughter, maybe a son.  Administering medicine, pills and morphine; moistening the lips of some mother’s dying son.  For four long years this task he did perform.  Then one cold November day the armistice was signed and home came the boys, glad to get home.  Oh, to see Mother and Father and wife who had loved them so dearly and had pled for their life.  Finally he’d see sis, brothers John and Joe.  On the ship he became very ill, desperatly so, and the finger of death was laid down on his head.

“Dear Lord,” he did beg on his knees by his bed, “if my life you will spare I will do anything you say.  I don’t want to die, if you would only spare my life I’d be happy.  Dear Lord have mercy on me.”

The Lord did hear and his life he did spare.  The ship moved on and finally she docked on the shores of the great New England states.  Down the gang plant they hurried as fast as they could.

“God bless America,” they shouted, “may she live forever.”

Oh, to be home once again, happy and free.  No more war no more killing — happy day for them.

The mail!  Ah yes, maybe a letter from home.  Telegrams?  Yes, one for Will, which he opened with fingers that trembled.  “BROTHER JOHN DIED DEC 19. 1918.”

“Oh, dear God, what have I done, I begged for my life and you took my brother’s instead.  Brother John!  Dear John!  How I loved him!  He cheered and comforted me the day I left.  His wife Nellie and two sons so fair, and now little Armina left all alone.  How fitting and proper if I had gone on.  Now I know I never should have asked God to spare me.  I was needed and I was the one to have gone.”

Time went on and years passed, twenty or more.  To Uncle Will six sons were born by his good wife Mary.  Then one day came World War II.  Away marched four of his sons — two in the Navy, one in the Army and one in the Marines.  He knew that this must be.  He waited and as time went on he listened for the knock on the door which would bring him the telegram telling of the death of one of his sons.  One day it came, “I have bad news for you, Will.”

“Yes,” he said, “it’s Gayland.”

And the reply was, “yes.”

For days he walked about in a daze.  “Oh dear God, why?”  Then he remembered his promise to God on the ship more than twenty years before, “anything dear Lord if you will only spare my life.”  This he must bare.  Oh, how he did mourn, he grew pale and thin and his life was feared for.  But alas, one night as he lay awake in his bed, the room because bright and there by his bed stood his son Gayland.

“Father,” he said, “I grieve to see you morn so.  All is well, do not feel bad.  Soon I will come for you too and then we will be happy together.”

As he gazed upon his son a great peace settled over him and he knew that all was well.

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Mom’s letter to Grandpa

Here is a letter we have my mother wrote to her father.  It is very tender and sweet.  In fact, it is heartbreaking.  This shows the soft side of Mom so many do not get to see anymore.  Honestly, this is the Mom I miss.

June 14, 1984

Dear Dad,

Remember when I was 3 yrs old and got my finger cut off.  I can still picture how scared and afraid you were.  I think it hurt you worse than it did me.  Then to hear all the guilt in your voice when you said “How many times have I told you to stay away from the lawn mower”?  How you kept saying “I should have shut it off.”  I know when I lost it again 5 yrs later you were having flashbacks.  But it wasn’t your fault I just wanted to see the blade go around.  I guess I just got started in life on the wrong foot.

Do you remember the pictures that mom took of me cutting your toe nails.  I used to cut your toe nails and calluses off all the time.  You never got mad at me when I’d get too deep.  I was still cutting them even after we moved up to Idaho.

I used to love it when you and I went hunting and fishing.  I still have to grin when I think of the time when that fish slapped my face.  Or when we were up Ox Killer and you had got your deer.  I was watching you gut it.  I picked up this thing and was looking at it.  When I asked what it was and you told me they were its BBD’s.  I got so embarrassed.  You grinned and laughed.  You know I don’t ever remember you laughing out loud.  You always laughed on the inside.  I wish I knew why you did this.

I loved it when Uncle Spence used to call me Little Nor.  It made me feel so proud.  I loved you so much and looked up to you as my idol.  You were the perfect Dad and I wanted to be just like you.  You know I’m more like you than you ever knew.  All the times when you wouldn’t fix my car but made me fix it myself with you looking over my shoulder made sure I did it right.  I thank you for it.

It seemed every time I got hurt you would chew me out.  When I was in that wreck and got my face ripped up you told me I should have been home where I belonged.  When I got my hand hurt there wasn’t much you said but I knew you blamed yourself.  I knew you better than you think or thought.  Your face told the story.  I know why you never would come and see me in the hospital too.  It hurt you so much to see me in pain.  You just couldn’t handle it.  Mom told me that was one weakness you had.  That’s OK, I understand or understood.  I still loved you anyway.

I’m sorry when I moved back to Utah that I didn’t keep in touch with you as much as I should of.  I wished someone would have told me that you and mom separated a little sooner.  It used to kill me when I would come up and talk to you at work.  You totally blew me away the 1st time.  I had never seen you cry before.  We cried on each other’s shoulders.  I would always feel so sad because you always felt so sad.  You know Dad if I would of come up that weekend and seen you maybe you would still be alive today.  I’ve often wondered about that.

When you were killed I wouldn’t and couldn’t believe it until I seen for myself.  Once I walked into Payne’s I knew but I prayed.  I stood over you for hours staring, touching, holding and feeling you.  I wanted to open your eyes.  When I was holding your hand I wanted you to squeeze mine.  When I kissed you I wanted for you to kiss me back.  But you never did.  After a long period of time I started to hallucinate.  I seen you move.  But each time I seen you move I would reach down and touch your hand and it was cold and hard.  I knew that I was just seeing things.  Only in my mind you were moving.  I still didn’t want to believe you were dead.  At the viewing in Webb’s I knew you were trying to talk to me because your mouth had started opening.  I waited and waited hoping you would say something.  But you never did.  At your funeral I gave up, lost hope.  I knew you wasn’t going to get up that’s why I couldn’t stand by your coffin with the family.  I couldn’t except you as being dead.  I still can’t but I know you are.  I was scared when Mom, Doug and Jackie were saying Good-Bye for the last time.  They were in such a big hurry to close the coffin that I didn’t get a chance to get over and say Good-Bye.  But then I think to, that maybe I didn’t want to say Good-Bye either.  It haunts me now because I feel so bad that I didn’t.  Sometimes I wish I had of so that you would let me go.  I will always love you Dad.  I will never ever forget you.

Dad when I met Milo he reminded me of you in so many ways.  Jackie and Mom think so too.  So don’t ever think that you aren’t on my mind.  I named my little boy after you and his dad.  Doesn’t that tell you something.  I’d give anything if you could be here to play with Paul and Sissy.  I know they would love you so very much.  I know you would be proud of them too.  I know you’d like Milo, too.  The two of you would of got along fine.  I sure wish you could of met him.  Milo would have loved you.

Well Dad, I guess I’ve told you everything I had to tell you.  Everything I can think of right now anyway.  I just want to tell you again that I love you and always will.  I won’t ever forget you.  I just wish you were still alive.

Love Always, Sandy