We all should have listened better.

Justin (Childs), I suppose that you read the info on Facebook from Uncle David about your Great-Uncle Aldo Childs being the person that your father was referring to. I knew him as a great man but I did not know that he could heal anyone over the telephone. That is amazing. I hope that Vernon answers David's request soon because I would really like to hear more about him. 

I think that I remember a lot from my youth but I do not always have all the facts down. As I try to recall some of the stories I heard from our beloved ones who have gone ahead, I find that I am missing pieces and important bits. For example, I knew that my father built a lot of bridges in Zion's Park after the war. I don't remember which ones and neither does anyone else.

My Great-Grandfather John Pritchett was also known for his ability to heal but he did it with his own drugs and herbal concoctions. You know, of course, that he moved to Huntington from Provo and to Provo from Mt. Pleasant. He received his training in pharmacy from his wife's family. The Ericksen's owned a drug store in Mt. Pleasant and he learned from them. The store they built is still there. One of Great-Grandma's aunts married a Mabin who owned a pharmacy in Provo. He moved there and worked for them while Vivian and Jessie went to BYU Academy. He then moved his family to Huntington and built a pharmacy/drug store (they sold all sorts of things, including fountain drinks) there. He was a pharmacist in the days when that meant that the doctor prescribed a medicine and the pharmacist made it from scratch. If a doctor was not availabe, he could make medications to assist the ill on his own. He made some medications of his own formula that were so excellent that I wish I could get my hands on some of them today. Your Grandmother Renee had one tin of salve that he made that would cure an infected sore in just a couple of applications. Even though his son, Frank Pritchett, became a pharmacist, he did not have his father's formulas. He was a pharmacist in the years when the drugs needed came from pharmaceutical companies. So those formulas died with Great-Grandpa. People used to come to him for salves and other medications that he formulated and he had a knack of knowing just what was needed. A pharmacist, in those days, could formulate medications and dispense them legally. He saved many lives and helped heal many people with his knowledge of herbs and formulations. That was not quite the same thing as what your Uncle Aldo was able to do. 

Actually, Uncle Frank gave up his own pharmacy. He sold it for a tidy profit (it was located in Salt Lake City) and moved to California. He opened a chain of camera shops and invented lots of ways to make cameras work better. He shot underwater film for Disney. One of the inventions of his is still used by Kodak today and the many millions of dollars he made from his inventions have gone to help charities that benefited ill children (like Shiner's Hospital) so that, while he did not have the gift of healing that his father had, he did save lives by donating money to help ill children.

My Great-Great Grandmother, Mary Ann Fulcher Pritchett, was a midwife/nurse/Relief Society president in Fairview, Utah, in pioneer times. She had the gift of healing. On June 14, 1868,  the Relief Society was first organized in Fairview, and she was chosen president, and held that position up to the day of her death, which occurred March 5, 1901. She is legend in Sanpete County. She was noted for performing deeds of service. She was ever at the bedside of the sick as nurse and caregiver and was midwife to the women. She was known to heal and help. She was trained as a midwife when Brigham Young became concerned about the conditions pioneer women suffered when they gave birth. He had training for the women who would act as midwives. But she also served as a nurse to anyone who was ill. Whenever anyone was ill, they sent for her. In addition, she could be counted on for wise counsel as well as practical help. The needy were never refused her assistance. 

Justin wrote: Wow thanks lot of stuff I never knew! I have something to share. When Carrie first moved in with me, my youngest son was severely allergic to cats and they would throw him into asthma attacks. I would lay with him and rub his back and talk to him and he hasn't had an attack in 7 years and can stand to be around cats.

Myrna wrote: Yes, I would say that you have the gift. Thanks for sharing. Do you have other experiences like this one?  

Ben Horrock's Farewell

Mary Christensen Horrocks invited you to Benjamin Horrocks's event:
Ben's Mission Farewell
Sunday, March 17 at 1:00 pm at Nephi 2nd Ward Church


Benjamin Horrocks invited you to his event:
Ben's Mission Farewell
Sunday, March 17 at 1:00pm at Nephi 2nd Ward Church

Fruit-Filled Danish Pastries (These are SO good!)

Fruit-Filled Danish Pastries

The smell and taste of these seemingly rich pastries will warm the coldest winter afternoon or dreariest morning, or provide a lovely touch of sweetness following your evening meal. They are really good and I highly recommend them.

Yield 12 pastries

Dough

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 tablespoon dry yeast

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup almond flour

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

Filling #1

1 cup dried apricots cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

Filling #2

1 cup chopped apples

2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate

Filling #3

I cup dried plums cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

Prior to mixing the dough, stir the juice and fruit of choice together into a mixing bowl. Refrigerate and let sit while the dough is mixed and while it rises.

Add yeast to the warm water and let sit. Mix flours, salt and orange zest in a separate bowl. Mix juice and eggs beating eggs slightly in another bowl. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Knead until well-mixed and until the dough is spongy. (The dough is soft.) Cover, put in a warm place and let rise. Knead again. Let rise again. (The person who printed the original recipe only let it rise once but that always worries me because I know bread needs air to rise and that takes time to develop.) Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. On a floured board with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares. Place equal portions of the filling of choice in the center of each square. Pull up the points of two opposite corners over the fruit and press together. Pinch the other pair of corners to make a square package enclosing the filling. Place the Danish pastries two-inches apart on two lightly oiled baking sheets. Cover loosely and place in the refrigerator. Let rise overnight or for at least three or four hours. (I let mine raise while I was at church and then baked them when I got home.) Remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place in heated oven and bake until golden brown about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm. The pastries are also good cold.

Where We Are

We are here in Colorado Springs for the second week. We will need to be here for week three. Kirsten, our youngest daughter, had surgery on her jaw and had it broken in four places so that her joints would work as they should. She has been in constant pain with them and the spacers the orthodontist had her wearing for the last four years did not work. The surgery was extremely painful and I am certain that it would have killed me. (Especially since I cannot take most pain relievers.) She had the surgery on Wednesday, and then came home to pain and drugs. That was when the trouble started. She had two ambulance rides in two days. Monday, either the oxycodone, hydrocodone, or Keflex caused her to have a severe allergic reaction. She swelled, got hives and had great difficulty breathing. At the ER, they were unable to determine what caused the problem for certain. Although the Dr. there thought that it was most likely that it was both the narcotics. They took her off of everything at the hospital, except for Tylenol. (I do not have time to look any of this spelling up.) They kept her overnight and, in the morning, they put her on a morphine-type drug and sent her home at noon. We got back about 1 p.m. but had to go to Walgreens and get the new drugs. Guess what? She took the first dose and started to swell again. She was not as bad the second time and did not need to stay the night even though her breathing was labored. It is difficult when your tongue and your breathing passage swells shut and your jaw is wired closed. The medics were afraid that they would have to do a tracheostomy but they were able to get her to respond with oxygen and epinephrine.

The next day, on a Wednesday, one week after the surgery, we were headed to the surgeon, who is located in Denver, also where the surgery was done, when she started to swell again. We ended up back at the ER at Memorial in the Colorado Springs area where they treated her and sent us on to the surgeon. It took the three times before they finally figured out which medication was making her stop breathing. Apparently she cannot take any narcotics. It is a good thing that she never took up drugs. ;) They also had to take away the steriods which were supposed to keep her from swelling because they gave her panic attacks. They did not restart the antibiotics either. At any rate, she is weak and worn-out and cannot drive. We are needed for one more week to assist her and take care of her five children under the age of 12 (one is 16-months).

I am certainly happy that I never had the same surgery. At one point, one orthodontist said it might be a good thing to do to cure my TMJ but I found a different specalist who just made all my teeth fit together. The orthodontist who took over Dr. Kitchen's practice, who was practicing in Provo, after he died in the airplane accident was the one who told us that Kirsten did not need braces and that her mouth looked just great. HAH! Can I sue at this late date. I know, I know, he did the best he could at the time. She was just 12 at the time but he continued to say that her teeth were lining up well. Her jaw hinges were so deteriorated from the constant misalignment that they had to be replaced with artificial ones. I am too old for all of this fear of dying. Just be healthy, strong and do NOT have surgery or accidents. :)

My tooth was removed, the bone graft done, and, next October, I will get an implant. I have a new cap on the tooth that was decaying under the old cap. I am in good shape. Leonard also has a new cap and the same molar that I had removed had to be extracted on him. We are twins in that we are both missing the rear lower molar. He will also need an implant but that will not be until Fall for either of us. I hope Kirsten soon will be. I think she is very brave and has had so much pain, in addition to the allergies. Hopefully we can schedule that for our break from the temple.

To Our Beloved Missionary Grandsons

Gramps and I read your letters with great interest. We are thankful that Heavenly Father blesses you with many tender mercies and that he is helping you both to be successful and to be happy in your work. We pray daily, and usually, more often than once a day, that you will be blessed. You are in our thoughts continually and we are proud of you young men who are serving our Father in Heaven and our Savior.

We are here in Colorado Springs for the second week. Kirsten had surgery on her jaw and had it broken in four places so that her joints would work as they should. She has been in constant pain with them and the spacers the orthodontist had her wearing for the last four years did not work. The surgery was extremely painful and I am certain that it would have killed me. (Especially since I cannot take many pain relievers.) She had the surgery on Wednesday, and then came home to pain and drugs. That was when the trouble started. She had two ambulance rides in two days. Monday, either the oxycodone, hydrocodone, or Keflex caused her to have a severe allergic reaction. She swelled, got hives and had great difficulty breathing. At the ER, they were unable to determine what caused the problem for certain. Although the Dr. there thought that it was most likely that it was both the narcotics. They took her off of everything at the hospital, except for Tylenol. (I do not have time to look any of this spelling up.) They kept her overnight and, in the morning, they put her on a morphine-type drug and sent her home at noon. We got back about 1 p.m. but had to go to Walgreens and get the new drugs. Guess what? She took the first dose and started to swell again. She was not as bad the second time and did not need to stay the night. The next day, on a Wednesday, one week after the surgery, we were headed to the surgeon when she started to swell again. We ended up back at the ER where they treated her and sent us on to the surgeon. It took the three times before they finally figured out which medication was making her stop breathing. Apparently she cannot take any narcotics. It is a good thing that she never took up drugs. ;) They also had to take away the steriods which were supposed to keep her from swelling because they gave her panic attacks.

I am certainly happy that I never had the same surgery. At one point, one orthodontist said it might be a good thing to do to cure my TMJ but I found a different specalist who just made all my teeth fit together. The orthodontist who took over Dr. Kitchen's practice after he died in the airplane accident was the one who told us that Kirsten did not need braces and that her mouth looked just great. HAH! Can I sue at this late date. I know, I know, he did the best he could at the time. She was just 12 or 13. I am too old for all of this fear of dying. Could you guys all knock it off, OK? Just be healthy, strong and do NOT have surgery or accidents. :)

My tooth was removed, the bone graft done, and, in six months, I will get an implant. I have a new cap on the tooth that was decaying under the old cap. I am in good shape. I hope Kirsten soon will be. I think she is very brave and has had so much pain, in addition to the allergies.

Well, Gramps and I wanted you both to know that you were loved and remembered. Take care, keep safe, and remember, no accidents or surgeries. I am too old for the trauma.

Lots of love, Grammy and Gramps