Memories of our Uncle

Uncle Richard and his son Eli at grandma's putu.
(Jan . 2008)




Uncle Richard at grandma's burial. Jan. '08

Uncle Richard and Grandma

We love you uncle Richard-Families Are Forever

WOLFGRAMM, RICHARD 55, of Orlando, passed away Sunday, December 14, 2008. He was born December 10, 1953 in Haa' Lau Fuli, Va'Vau, Tonga. Richard immigrated to the US in 1965, from Tonga and moved to Salt Lake City. He served a mission for the LDS Church in 1973, at the 4-Corners, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. He moved to Florida in 1976, where he met and married Pamela Keggins November 15, 1978. Richard was a kind and giving husband, father, grandfather and friend. His generosity knew no boundaries and his love for his fellow man shone through in everything he did. Many were blessed that knew and were touched by Richard's goodness and will never forget his love and compassion. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Pamela; son, Zechariah and wife Kristen; son, Nasur and wife Anna; son, Buddha and wife Erin; daughter, Leilani and husband Chris Clifton; son, Eli; granddaughters, Kalani, Irie, Emma and Kaya. 15 brothers and sisters also survive him. He is preceded in death by his parents, lohani' and Salote' Wolfgramm. The family will receive friends from 6-10PM Friday, December 19th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Stake Center, 3001 S. Apopka- Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 34786. Funeral Services will be held 10AM Saturday, December 20th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 4020 S. Bumby, Orlando, FL. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando. Arrangements are being handled by BALDWIN FAIRCHILD FUNERAL HOME, PlNE CASTLE CHAPEL, 5800 Hansel Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809, 407-855-5800. View and sign the family guestbook at www.baldwinfairchild.com or http://www.legacy.com/GB2/ListViewPage.aspx?bookId=652956510690

Wolfgramm Origins- with photos

Here is a bit of information from another Wolfgramm blog, the site can be found HERE.

"My paternal ancestry that I know about is Prussian and Jewish. Prussia is the V-shaped region comprising states in Germany's north-east that spread into what is now the Polish south-west. Prussians invented Germany in the 19th century, thanks to Bismarck. Other great Prussians predating Bismarck include Catherine the Great (the princess who became Czarina of Russia), and Frederick II of Prussia - better known as Frederick 'the Great'. Jews were typically oppressed by Germans of all kinds starting from the time of the Crusades and Prussian Jews were no exception, but by the early 19th century, Napoleon found reason to grant them theoretical citizenship and legal equality. Some of the beneficiaries of this improvement were Jews in the southern Prussian county of Pommern.

Wolfgramms - also variously spelled as Wulfgram, Wolfram and often with two 'ff's as well as two 'mm's - may have been among them. The name means ‘does not fear wolves’. In the 1850s, the German writer, Victor von Scheffel, commended the prose of Wolfgram to his readers. In the early 13^th century, Wolfram von Eschenbach – a Bavarian - commends his readers to the finest writer of German prose, Wulfgram. According to Germanic legends, a 5^th century (Roman Empire) Wulfgram was a protégé of Theodoric I, King of the Goths (ie. Visigoths) from 418 to 451CE. Theodoric was an ally of Gundicar (or Gunther or Gunnar), first King of the Burgundians. These two were engaged in war against Attila, King of the Hun from 434 to 453CE. Gundicar was killed by Attila’s forces in 437CE. According to this tradition, Wulfgram died a heroic death in a subsequent stoush with Attila and his palace guard. He and four others from Theodric’s court lost their lives defending Gundicar’s widow, Hildiko, from the Hun.

My ancestors (great-grandfather Wolfgramm) came from the Prussian town of Pyritz (in Pommern county) as it was then, Pyrzyce as it is now (as it is within Poland's borders). Pyrzyce is a town in a region of beautiful lakes and forests and known for its sizeable Jewish community. Many of the Wolfgramms are listed in the Pommern telephone directory of 1939 and are found among the lists of (Polish-Prussian) Jews of the region. Other Wolfgramms turn up from time to time – one was a co-founder of the KPD, the German Communist Party, after the First World War. Some are listed among the 359 from Pyritz/Pyrzyce who died in the First (Great) World War. My father's family were interned in New Zealand during part of the Second World War - that's what I was told, but no one seems to know where, under what circumstances or for how long. Uncle Bill Wolfgramm was a pioneer in putting South Sea hawaiian-style popular music on vinyl records straight after WW2. More recently, Paea Wolfgramm won a silver medallion for heavy weight division boxing at the Atlanta Olympics (1996). Greg Wolfgramm played rugby league for ‘Canberra Raiders’ in the Australian NRL competition during the early ‘90s. More Wolfgramms were and are pop singers and some are grid-iron players in America."

These photos below were taken in Pyritz, Pommern, Prussia

by Caroline Wolfgramm Irwin

I copied them from the Wolfgramm/Sanft family group on Bebo.

Hammermuhle where the 1st Wolfgramm Blacksmith lived in the 1500s. Now in Poland.

St. Mauritien church - Emil Otto Friedrich Wolfgramm & his siblings were blessed in this church.

The ruins of the Leine Chapel where Wolfgramms worshipped.

This is the home of August Ludwig WOLFGRAMM pictured below, he lived on Bahnhoff StraBe, Pyritz

We miss you Grandma!

Salote Lasini Mele Tuipulotu Fakatou-Wolfgramm 6/27/1915 ~ 1/26/2008 Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great- grandmother Salote Lasini Fakatou-Wolfgramm returned to ourHeavenly Father at the age of 92. She was born in Kolonga Tongatapu, Tonga, daughter of Penisoni Kaufusi Fakatou'io and Seluvaia Mafi. Salote and the late 'Iohani Otto Wolfgramm were married July 2nd, 1933, later sealed at the Salt Lake City Temple in November 1965. Together they had 19 children, 115 grandchildren, 220 great-grand-children, and four great-great- grandchildren- all of whom were born in Salote's lifetime. Among her many accomplishments were her dedication to her family, commitment to magnify her callings, genealogy work in the Church, and endless service to her fellow beings. Salote and 'Iohani served eight full time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her undying love and wonderful example will live on in our hearts and lives for many generations. Salote we love you and will miss you greatly. "God be with you 'till we meet again." 'Ofa lahi atu fau! Funeral services will be as follows: Family Viewing, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, 7-10:30 p.m., Taylorsville 6th Ward, 5450 S. 600 W., Taylorsville, UT. Public Viewing, Fri. Feb. 1, 2008, 7-10:30 p.m. Funeral Service, Sat. Feb. 2, 2008, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Services Friday and Saturday will be held at the Salt Lake South Tongan Stake Center, 4660 W. 5015 S. Kearns, UT. Burial will be at Redwood Memorial Cemetery, 6500 S. Redwood Road. Online condolences at www.serenicare.com
Create a lasting online memorial with a biography, photos, videos and more

Uncle Ualeta Wolfgramm (Grandpa's brother)

Our wonderful uncle returned to our Heavenly Father on Sunday, he was 87.
The funeral will be this weekend in San Diego, CA.

"LDS Members asked to Support Proposition 8"

In the midst of a new political race to decide who will be our next President of the United States,the First Presidency has urged all members to actively participate and excercise our freedom in voting for a President that we feel will represent our morals and beliefs....In addition they have asked members to do whatever they can to SUPPORT PROPOSITION 8...I've copied the statement that was released by the First Presidency regarding this message as well as other thoughts on how we as members need to support this PROP 8 that will preserve the "Traditional Sanctity of Marriage"..may we all listen to a Prophet's voice which will always lead us in the way of the Lord.

The Divine Institution of Marriage
Marriage is sacred, ordained of God from before the foundation of the world. After creating Adam and Eve, the Lord God pronounced them husband and wife, of which Adam said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” [1] Jesus Christ cited Adam’s declaration when he affirmed the divine origins of the marriage covenant: “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.” [2]
In 1995, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” declared the following unchanging truths regarding marriage:
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children . . . The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.
The Proclamation also teaches, “Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.” The account in Genesis of Adam and Eve being created and placed on earth emphasizes the creation of two distinct genders: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” [3]
Marriage between a man and a woman is central to the plan of salvation. The sacred nature of marriage is closely linked to the power of procreation. Only a man and a woman together have the natural biological capacity to conceive children. This power of procreation – to create life and bring God’s spirit children into the world – is sacred and precious. Misuse of this power undermines the institution of the family and thereby weakens the social fabric. [4] Strong families serve as the fundamental institution for transmitting to future generations the moral strengths, traditions, and values that sustain civilization. As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms, “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society.” [5]
Marriage is not primarily a contract between individuals to ratify their affections and provide for mutual obligations. Rather, marriage and family are vital instruments for rearing children and teaching them to become responsible adults. While governments did not invent marriage, throughout the ages governments of all types have recognized and affirmed marriage as an essential institution in preserving social stability and perpetuating life itself. Hence, regardless of whether marriages were performed as a religious rite or a civil ceremony, married couples in almost every culture have been granted special benefits aimed primarily at sustaining their relationship and promoting the environment in which children are reared. A husband and a wife do not receive these benefits to elevate them above any other two people who may share a residence or social tie, but rather in order to preserve, protect, and defend the all-important institutions of marriage and family.
It is true that some couples who marry will not have children, either by choice or because of infertility, but the special status of marriage is nonetheless closely linked to the inherent powers and responsibilities of procreation, and to the inherent differences between the genders. Co-habitation under any guise or title is not a sufficient reason for defining new forms of marriage.
High rates of divorce and out-of-wedlock births have resulted in an exceptionally large number of single parents in American society. Many of these single parents have raised exemplary children; nevertheless, extensive studies have shown that in general a husband and wife united in a loving, committed marriage provide the optimal environment for children to be protected, nurtured, and raised. [6] This is not only because of the substantial personal resources that two parents can bring to bear on raising a child, but because of the differing strengths that a father and a mother, by virtue of their gender, bring to the task. As the prominent sociologist David Popenoe has said:
The burden of social science evidence supports the idea that gender differentiated parenting is important for human development and that the contribution of fathers to childrearing is unique and irreplaceable. [7]
Popenoe explained that:
. . . The complementarity of male and female parenting styles is striking and of enormous importance to a child’s overall development. It is sometimes said that fathers express more concern for the child’s longer-term development, while mothers focus on the child’s immediate well-being (which, of course, in its own way has everything to do with a child’s long-term well-being). What is clear is that children have dual needs that must be met: one for independence and the other for relatedness, one for challenge and the other for support. [8]
Social historian David Blankenhorn makes a similar argument in his book Fatherless America. [9] In an ideal society, every child would be raised by both a father and a mother.
Challenges to Marriage and Family
Our modern era has seen traditional marriage and family – defined as a husband and wife with children in an intact marriage – come increasingly under assault. Sexual morality has declined and infidelity has increased. Since 1960, the proportion of children born out of wedlock has soared from 5.3 percent to 38.5 percent (2006). [10] Divorce has become much more common and accepted, with the United States having one of the highest divorce rates in the world. Since 1973, abortion has taken the lives of over 45 million innocents. [11] At the same time, entertainment standards continue to plummet, and pornography has become a scourge afflicting and addicting many victims. Gender differences increasingly are dismissed as trivial, irrelevant, or transient, thus undermining God’s purpose in creating both men and women.
In recent years in the United States and other countries, a movement has emerged to promote same-sex marriage as an inherent or constitutional right. This is not a small step, but a radical change: instead of society tolerating or accepting private, consensual sexual behavior between adults, advocates of same-sex marriage seek its official endorsement and recognition.
Court decisions in Massachusetts (2004) and California (2008) have allowed same-sex marriages. This trend constitutes a serious threat to marriage and family. The institution of marriage will be weakened, resulting in negative consequences for both adults and children.
In November 2008, California voters will decide whether to amend their state constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has joined in a broad coalition of other denominations, organizations, and individuals to encourage voter approval of this amendment.
The people of the United States – acting either directly or through their elected representatives – have recognized the crucial role that traditional marriage has played and must continue to play in American society if children and families are to be protected and moral values propagated.
Forty-four states have passed legislation making clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. More than half of those states, twenty-seven in all, have done so by constitutional amendments like the ones pending in California, Arizona, and Florida. [12]
In contrast, those who would impose same-sex marriage on American society have chosen a different course. Advocates have taken their case to the state courts, asking judges to remake the institution of marriage that society has accepted and depended upon for millennia. Yet, even in this context, a broad majority of courts – six out of eight state supreme courts – have upheld traditional marriage laws. Only two, Massachusetts and now California, have gone in the other direction, and then, only by the slimmest of margins – 4 to 3 in both cases.
In sum, there is very strong agreement across America on what marriage is. As the people of California themselves recognized when they voted on this issue just eight years ago, traditional marriage is essential to society as a whole, and especially to its children. Because this question strikes at the very heart of the family, because it is one of the great moral issues of our time, and because it has the potential for great impact upon the family, the Church is speaking out on this issue, and asking members to get involved.
Tolerance, Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom
Those who favor homosexual marriage contend that “tolerance” demands that they be given the same right to marry as heterosexual couples. But this appeal for “tolerance” advocates a very different meaning and outcome than that word has meant throughout most of American history and a different meaning than is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Savior taught a much higher concept, that of love. “Love thy neighbor,” He admonished. [13] Jesus loved the sinner even while decrying the sin, as evidenced in the case of the woman taken in adultery: treating her kindly, but exhorting her to “sin no more.” [14] Tolerance as a gospel principle means love and forgiveness of one another, not “tolerating” transgression.
In today’s secular world, the idea of tolerance has come to mean something entirely different. Instead of love, it has come to mean condone – acceptance of wrongful behavior as the price of friendship. Jesus taught that we love and care for one another without condoning transgression. But today’s politically palatable definition insists that unless one accepts the sin he does not tolerate the sinner.
As Elder Dallin H. Oaks has explained,
Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another’s differences. But tolerance does not require abandoning one’s standards or one’s opinions on political or public policy choices. Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination. [15]
The Church does not condone abusive treatment of others and encourages its members to treat all people with respect. However, speaking out against practices with which the Church disagrees on moral grounds – including same-sex marriage – does not constitute abuse or the frequently misused term “hate speech.” We can express genuine love and friendship for the homosexual family member or friend without accepting the practice of homosexuality or any re-definition of marriage.
Legalizing same-sex marriage will affect a wide spectrum of government activities and policies. Once a state government declares that same-sex unions are a civil right, those governments almost certainly will enforce a wide variety of other policies intended to ensure that there is no discrimination against same-sex couples. This may well place “church and state on a collision course.” [16]
The prospect of same-sex marriage has already spawned legal collisions with the rights of free speech and of action based on religious beliefs. For example, advocates and government officials in certain states already are challenging the long-held right of religious adoption agencies to follow their religious beliefs and only place children in homes with both a mother and a father. As a result, Catholic Charities in Boston has stopped offering adoption services.
Other advocates of same-sex marriage are suggesting that tax exemptions and benefits be withdrawn from any religious organization that does not embrace same-sex unions. [17] Public accommodation laws are already being used as leverage in an attempt to force religious organizations to allow marriage celebrations or receptions in religious facilities that are otherwise open to the public. Accrediting organizations in some instances are asserting pressure on religious schools and universities to provide married housing for same-sex couples. Student religious organizations are being told by some universities that they may lose their campus recognition and benefits if they exclude same-sex couples from club membership. [18]
Many of these examples have already become the legal reality in several nations of the European Union, and the European Parliament has recommended that laws guaranteeing and protecting the rights of same-sex couples be made uniform across the EU. [19] Thus, if same-sex marriage becomes a recognized civil right, there will be substantial conflicts with religious freedom. And in some important areas, religious freedom may be diminished.
How Would Same-Sex Marriage Affect Society?
Possible restrictions on religious freedom are not the only societal implications of legalizing same-sex marriage. Perhaps the most common argument that proponents of same-sex marriage make is that it is essentially harmless and will not affect the institution of traditional heterosexual marriage in any way. “It won’t affect you, so why should you care?’ is the common refrain. While it may be true that allowing single-sex unions will not immediately and directly affect all existing marriages, the real question is how it will affect society as a whole over time, including the rising generation and future generations. The experience of the few European countries that already have legalized same-sex marriage suggests that any dilution of the traditional definition of marriage will further erode the already weakened stability of marriages and family generally. Adopting same-sex marriage compromises the traditional concept of marriage, with harmful consequences for society.
Aside from the very serious consequence of undermining and diluting the sacred nature of marriage between a man and a woman, there are many practical implications in the sphere of public policy that will be of deep concern to parents and society as a whole. These are critical to understanding the seriousness of the overall issue of same-sex marriage.
When a man and a woman marry with the intention of forming a new family, their success in that endeavor depends on their willingness to renounce the single-minded pursuit of self-fulfillment and to sacrifice their time and means to the nurturing and rearing of their children. Marriage is fundamentally an unselfish act: legally protected because only a male and female together can create new life, and because the rearing of children requires a life-long commitment, which marriage is intended to provide. Societal recognition of same-sex marriage cannot be justified simply on the grounds that it provides self-fulfillment to its partners, for it is not the purpose of government to provide legal protection to every possible way in which individuals may pursue fulfillment. By definition, all same-sex unions are infertile, and two individuals of the same gender, whatever their affections, can never form a marriage devoted to raising their own mutual offspring.
It is true that some same-sex couples will obtain guardianship over children –through prior heterosexual relationships, through adoption in the states where this is permitted, or by artificial insemination. Despite that, the all-important question of public policy must be: what environment is best for the child and for the rising generation? Traditional marriage provides a solid and well-established social identity to children. It increases the likelihood that they will be able to form a clear gender identity, with sexuality closely linked to both love and procreation. By contrast, the legalization of same-sex marriage likely will erode the social identity, gender development, and moral character of children. Is it really wise for society to pursue such a radical experiment without taking into account its long-term consequences for children?
As just one example of how children will be adversely affected, the establishment of same-sex marriage as a civil right will inevitably require mandatory changes in school curricula. When the state says that same-sex unions are equivalent to heterosexual marriages, the curriculum of public schools will have to support this claim. Beginning with elementary school, children will be taught that marriage can be defined as a relation between any two adults and that consensual sexual relations are morally neutral. Classroom instruction on sex education in secondary schools can be expected to equate homosexual intimacy with heterosexual relations. These developments will create serious clashes between the agenda of the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children traditional standards of morality.
Finally, throughout history the family has served as an essential bulwark of individual liberty. The walls of a home provide a defense against detrimental social influences and the sometimes overreaching powers of government. In the absence of abuse or neglect, government does not have the right to intervene in the rearing and moral education of children in the home. Strong families are thus vital for political freedom. But when governments presume to redefine the nature of marriage, issuing regulations to ensure public acceptance of non-traditional unions, they have moved a step closer to intervening in the sacred sphere of domestic life. The consequences of crossing this line are many and unpredictable, but likely would include an increase in the power and reach of the state toward whatever ends it seeks to pursue.
The Sanctity of Marriage
Strong, stable families, headed by a father and mother, are the anchor of civilized society. When marriage is undermined by gender confusion and by distortions of its God-given meaning, the rising generation of children and youth will find it increasingly difficult to develop their natural identity as a man or a woman. Some will find it more difficult to engage in wholesome courtships, form stable marriages, and raise yet another generation imbued with moral strength and purpose.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has chosen to become involved, along with many other churches, organizations, and individuals, in defending the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman because it is a compelling moral issue of profound importance to our religion and to the future of our society.
The final line in the Proclamation on the Family is an admonition to the world from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve: “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.” This is the course charted by Church leaders, and it is the only course of safety for the Church and for the nation.

Genealogy Are We Doing It?

We all know that grandpa and grandma's passion was genealogy and temple work. What better tribute could we give them and our ancestors than to do our genealogy. So with this in mind our wonderful Aunty Malina has asked each of us to write down our genealogy, birth dates etc. so that she can compile a revised family genealogy book for our family, there have been a few new additions to the family since grandma has passed on. She asked for each of us to do our families individually then our parents and their parents names and any other names of our grandparents on both sides if possible. If you would like to compile them and then maybe email them to Esca it would be very helpful not only for the family genealogy book but for your own families and children to know who their ancestors are. This is a great goal and challenge for each of us to try to accomplish! I hope everyone is doing well and I also hope to hear from those who are contributors or even the family who might be reading this.

**If you still don't know how to leave a comment, click on "comments" just below this post and a new window will open for comments. You don't have to have an account to leave a comment, just leave us your name so we know who you are. Thanks and sorry for a huge delay in posting. Remember to get started on food storage, little by little, if you haven't already done so with the way the economy is we would be foolish not to do something. Tila and Tony are great at this and can offer some great tips.
Have a wonderful week!**

Ofa Atu!

A bit late, but congratulations to the Epenisa Family!

The Epenisa Family ('Isi and Vise)
and their boys Tau and Fonua
were sealed as a family in May 2008
in the Salt Lake City Temple.

“If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear”

My mom and dad are into town for a baptism on my dad's side. Mom talked to me while we were cleaning the kitchen and reminded me about Grandpa and Grandma's wise counsel that they had given us for years.
To prepare ourselves. We are so blessed to have come from the most wonderful Grandparents who have loved, taught and nurtured us in so many ways. I have been thinking about what they have told us time and time again, to prepare ourselves, to repent, to have food storage for our families and to live righteously.
I have to admit if anything were to happen to our little family and there was some type of disaster we would not be fully prepared for an emergency. I have set in my heart and mind goals for our family in many different aspects, but mostly spiritually and with food storage. I am sure that grandpa and grandma know what lies ahead for us and now the time is drawing nearer to our Saviors return, and we see it all around us just watching the news and all of the crazy things that happen in the world. At times I get distracted by my life and I don't see clearly what is most important for my families future. And that is- preparing ourselves with spiritual and temporal nourishment and provisions
to protect and preserve our families lives. I hope that we will take time to ponder
the many things we have all been taught by our Grandparents and our church leaders so that we will be prepared to withstand all that we might face in the years to come.

Excerpts from Elder L. Tom Perry
“ ‘If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear’,”
Ensign, Nov 1995, 35

....On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters; variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants:

“If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).

Just as it is important to prepare ourselves spiritually, we must also prepare ourselves for our temporal needs. Each of us needs to take the time to ask ourselves, What preparation should I make to care for my needs and the needs of my family?

First, gain an adequate education.

Second, live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day.

Third, avoid excessive debt.

“Live within your means. Get out of debt. Keep out of debt. Lay by for a rainy day which has always come and will come again. Practice and increase your habits of thrift, industry, economy, and frugality” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1937, p. 107). We should have displayed in a prominent place President Clark’s description of interest:

Fourth, acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. Obtain clothing and build a savings account on a sensible, well-planned basis that can serve well in times of emergency. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.

.....Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future.

President Lee, in commenting on Lehi’s great vision, said this:

“If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an ‘iron rod’ as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life, amidst the strange and devious roadways that would eventually lead to destruction and to the ruin of all that is ‘virtuous, lovely, or of good report’ ” (Ensign, June 1971, p. 7).

Unfortunately there are too many of us that are like the scoffers in Lehi’s vision. They stand aloof and are inclined to hold in derision the faithful who have chosen to accept Church authorities as God’s special witnesses of the gospel and his agents in directing the affairs of the Church. My sincere counsel to you today is to remember the good basic principles we have been taught from the very beginning—principles of thrift, industry, and integrity that have served mankind in every period of time. Avoid the great and spacious building that is the pride of the world, for it will fall, and great will be the fall thereof.

May God bless us with the wisdom to follow the counsel we have received as we prepare spiritually and temporally for the strength and security of our family units, is my humble prayer, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Family Missionaries Around the World

(Grandma and Grandpa returning home from LDS mission 1980's)



Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day blasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.
D&C- 6:3

Our Family Missionaries

Welcome Home!!
Vanessa Tauteoli-
Chris and David Tauteoli's daughter(Tisina and Roy Gerber's granddaughter)
recently returned home from her mission to Spain.
Thank you Vanessa for your wonderful example of service, missionary work
and dedication to the Lord! Ofa Atu!


Please remember our current missionaries in your prayers!

Steven Henderson

is currently serving in Cambodia

Stephanie Pikula

is currently serving in Dominican Republic

* Please feel free to comment on this post
if it needs to be updated. Thanks!*

May We So Live

First Presidency Message- August 2008
By President Thomas S. Monson

Suddenly and without warning, on a bright day in September almost seven years ago, two airliners crashed into the twin towers of New York City’s World Trade Center, leaving devastating destruction and death. In Washington, D.C., and in Pennsylvania, two other airliners came down, also as a result of a terrorist plot. These tragedies snuffed out the lives of thousands of men, women, and children. Evaporated were well-laid plans for pleasant futures. Instead, there were tears....

Read the entire article by clicking HERE.

An old blog I posted on my page...memorial day!

Dont be fooled by this 'little' woman(about 4 11')...we use to call her our little 'troll' cuz by the end of the day she'd have some major hair fly aways and looked just like one,...like my grandpa,..she is the most AMAZING woman I probably will EVER know. Mother of 18 children,...and not ONE stretch mark on her belly...she was sweet,..but one tough, devoted mother and grandma. Her daily routine for many many years consisted of waking up early in the morning,.read her scriptures,.off to the temple..back home for a snack..read again her scriptures,..back to the temple,... home for another snack...and again off to the temple...and back home for dinner....she went 3 to 4 times a day,..everyday...unless she was with one of her grandchildren (she has over 100) or with one of her great-grandchildren (she has over 200)....my dream is to be like her!
SALOTE(Charlotte) WOLFGRAMM 1915-2007 (Buried the same day as Gordon B. Hinckley)


Now this is thee most AMAZING man I EVER have known...just thinking of him alot lately and appropriate for memorial day! He served missions thru out his life in the most trying ways..,had the gift of miracles...his faith was tremendous, his love for everyone,.unconditional..., everytime I visited, he would say 'Are you happy?'.. and look me in the eye, squeeze my hand and just smile..he told me how to be happy thru his smile and embrace..and with every visit a different lecture so to say,.just thru his smile....I have totally felt the loss of this most inspirational, awe inspiring soul who has ever lived....one of the unknown heroes of our day! I see him in my dreams often:)
IOHANI OTTO WOLFGRAMM R.I.P. 1911-1997

Personal Thoughts...

Well I've been taking forever to post something cuz I've been waiting til I had some free time to look for and scan photo's that I have of grandma and grandpa....but I just haven't gotten to it.
So I figure it wouldn't hurt to mention my thoughts of them in the mean time..and post some pics of THINGS that remind me of them.....HATS always remind me of gramps










.....and these cute little trolls always remind me of gramma!




I'm actually very happy that this site is up cuz everytime I blog on my own page...I see THIS one..and it really helps keep them in mind on a DAILY basis.

I'm one of the cousins whose guilty of not really spending time with them when they were here with us....buttt...I can't tell you how much they MEANT to me..and STILL mean to me.

You would think the testimony I have of the gospel came from my parents...and in many ways,.yeah of course..but I can personally say that the STRONGEST feelings I have towards the gospel came from the teachings and testimonies of grandma and grandpa..I remember the feeling I got when I heard them speak,..especially the STRONG way in which grandpa spoke softened by the GENTLE and simpleness of the way grandma talked...it truly did wonders to my SOUL!!
Although I didn't see them all the time...I do have some personal one on one memories with them that I will cherish for the rest of my life!

And for all my cousins who visit this page..please know that I love each of you very much.
I'm not really a social person,..and I blame my parents for having us live so far away,..we didn't get the chance to really get to know everyone...but oh well...life I guess.

I hope to live MY life the way they would want me to live,..and hope I'll be where I KNOW they are at this time...

Kudos,
Jen (Jennifer Wolfgramm Tupuola > Maikeli and Vake)

Grandma's Online Guestbook is still up!

We wanted to let everyone know that they can still add their LOVE/comments to
Grandma's obituary "Guestbook" our wonderful cousin Anya extended it
and it will be maintained online until February 28, 2009 & after 1 year anyone can purchase a copy of the book for about $80.00, or we can extend longer--Anyone can enter their comments/pictures/etc. There are several already from Friends, but only a few from Family, it should be FULL!!



JUST CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OBITUARY


and CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GUESTBOOK

Support KJ and Malia Palauni

If you want to show your support for our talented family members
here is a posting of KJ and Malia's ( A Cassandra Utterance) upcoming show:
(KJ and Malia are Bill Brown's (Palauni's) kids.)






Here is his posting from Myspace:

Hey friends we have a big show coming up July 25th with the secret handshake I hope you can all make it out we will be playing three new songs and have three new members!!! If you can't make it to that show we have one the next day at blue star coffee shop and also one on August 8th at the Avalon.
Hope to see you all at one of the shows!!!

Let us know if you need a ticket.

Much love,

kiliona/ACU

For more concert info see their website:

http://www.myspace.com/acassandrautterance

Remembering Our Soldiers

Our cousin Sale is currently serving our country in Iraq.
Please remember him and his family in your prayers and maybe we could
all help send him things he might need or send something nice to his kids.
Please ask uncle Walter and auntie Sepa or
Malina and Ella Wolfgramm to see what he might need.
Thank You Sale we love you, we are grateful for your sacrifice for all of us and we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers!


Patricia (Gerber) Samples also has a son in Iraq, I think it's DJ..I will edit this later when I have more info.

Congratulations to all 2008 Graduates!

Congratulations to all of our 2008 Graduates!!

MALINA & ELLA WOLFGRAMM- Mills College, Oakland, CA
MALINA w/ MASTERs in EDUCATION & Ella w/ MASTERs in BUSINESS & FINANCE
(Walter & Sepa Wolfgramm's daughter's)





TIARE PALAUNI- Taylorsville High School


(grand-daughter of Taiana and Nite Brown
and daughter of John and Cris)

**If I left out anyone, please let me know so I can add them!**

First Presidency Message-July 2008

To read The First Presidency Message for July 2008, click on the link below:

Heeding the Voice of the Prophets

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
2nd Counselor in the First Presidency

Happy Birthday Grandma Salote!

These are the hands that raised, bathed, fed, nurtured
and comforted and quilted, crotched and did temple work and genealogy for each of us...
May we each dedicate our lives in making our hands
like those of Grandma Salote's hands......

....continually dedicated to serving our Heavenly Father and others.


We hope to become more like you Grandma!

Happy 93rd birthday !!
Ofa Lahi Atu!!

Salote Lasini Mele Tuipulotu Fakatou-Wolfgramm
6/27/1915 ~ 1/26/2008

For those of you in Utah, take time to visit her grave for all of us who are out of state.
We look forward to seeing photos of your families visiting grandma's and grandpa's grave site.
I am sure it would be a great family memory to cherish!

Love to you all!

Hey everyone!

This seems to be a busy time of year for everyone, just wanted to know if anyone had any questions about how to use this site. If you accepted to be an author you can write a post or even add pictures to this site. We would love to see photos of your families! Leave a comment and I will try my best to answer anything you have asked. You can also email me:

kenzkween at hotmail dot com

Hope to read some posts from all of you soon! Love you all and have a wonderful weekend!

First Presidency Message- June 2008

Safety in Counsel

By President Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency

The Savior has always been the protector of those who would accept His protection. He has said more than once, “How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not” (3 Nephi 10:5; see also, for example, Matthew 23:37; D&C 29:2).

The Lord expressed the same lament in our own dispensation after describing the many ways in which He calls us to safety: “How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!” (D&C 43:25).

There seems to be no end to the Savior’s desire to lead us to safety, and there is constancy in the way He shows us the path. He calls by more than one means so that it will reach those willing to accept it. Those means always include sending the message by the mouths of His prophets whenever people have qualified to have the prophets of God among them. Those authorized servants are always charged with warning the people, telling them the way to safety.
A Prophet’s Warning

When tensions ran high in northern Missouri in the fall of 1838, the Prophet Joseph Smith called for all the Latter-day Saints to gather to Far West for protection. Many were on isolated farms or in scattered settlements. He specifically counseled Jacob Haun, founder of a small settlement called Haun’s Mill. A record of that time includes this: “Brother Joseph had sent word by Haun, who owned the mill, to inform the brethren who were living there to leave and come to Far West, but Mr. Haun did not deliver the message.”1 Later, the Prophet Joseph recorded in his history: “Up to this day God had given me wisdom to save the people who took counsel. None had ever been killed who abode by my counsel.”2 Then the Prophet recorded the sad truth that innocent lives could have been saved at Haun’s Mill had his counsel been received and followed.

In our own time we have been warned with counsel on where to find safety from sin and from sorrow. One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is that they are repeated. For instance, more than once in general conferences, you have heard our prophet say that he would quote a preceding prophet and would therefore be a second witness and sometimes even a third. Each of us old enough to listen heard President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) give counsel on the importance of a mother in the home and then heard President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) quote him, and we have heard President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) quote them both.3

The Apostle Paul wrote, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). One of the ways we may know that the warning is from the Lord is that the law of witnesses, authorized witnesses, has been invoked. When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention and fill our hearts with gratitude to live in such a blessed time.

Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith. When a prophet speaks, those with little faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. Then if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want to do, they take it. If it does not, they either consider it faulty advice or they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception to the counsel. Those without faith may think that they hear only men seeking to exert influence for some selfish motive. They may mock and deride, as did a man named Korihor, with these words recorded in the Book of Mormon: “And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges” (Alma 30:27).

Korihor was arguing, as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence. But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel that comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence. We choose another influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love. In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred. We have moral agency as a gift of God. Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose.
Standing on Safe Ground

Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. That ground becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late.

Every time in my life when I have chosen to delay following inspired counsel or decided that I was an exception, I came to know that I had put myself in harm’s way. Every time that I have listened to the counsel of prophets, felt it confirmed in prayer, and then followed it, I have found that I moved toward safety. Along the path, I have found that the way had been prepared for me and the rough places made smooth. God led me to safety along a path that was prepared with loving care, sometimes prepared long before.

The account at the beginning of the Book of Mormon is of a prophet of God, Lehi. He was also the leader of a family. He was warned by God to take those he loved to safety. Lehi’s experience is a type of what happens as God gives counsel through His servants. Of Lehi’s family, only those who had faith and who themselves received confirming revelation saw both the danger and the way to safety. For those without faith, the move into the wilderness seemed not only foolish but dangerous. Like all prophets, Lehi, to his dying day, tried to show his family where safety would lie for them.

He knew that the Savior holds responsible those to whom He delegates priesthood keys. With those keys comes the power to give counsel that will show us the way to safety. Those with keys are responsible to warn even when their counsel might not be followed.

Keys are delegated down a line that passes from the prophet through those responsible for ever-smaller groups of members, closer and closer to families and to individuals. That is one of the ways by which the Lord makes a stake a place of safety. For instance, I have sat with my wife in a meeting of parents called by our bishop so that he could warn us of spiritual dangers faced by our children. I heard more than the voice of my wise friend. I heard a servant of Jesus Christ, with keys, meeting his responsibility to warn and passing to us, the parents, the responsibility to act. When we honor the keys of that priesthood channel by listening and giving heed, we tie ourselves to a lifeline that will not fail us in any storm.

Our Heavenly Father loves us. He sent His Only Begotten Son to be our Savior. He knew that in mortality we would be in grave danger, the worst of it from the temptations of a terrible adversary. That is one of the reasons the Savior has provided priesthood keys, so that those with ears to hear and faith to obey could go to places of safety.
Having Listening Ears

Having listening ears requires humility. You remember the Lord’s warning to Thomas B. Marsh. He was then the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Lord knew that President Marsh and his Brethren of the Twelve would be tested. He gave counsel about taking counsel. The Lord said, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers” (D&C 112:10).

The Lord added a warning that is applicable to any who follow a living prophet: “Exalt not yourselves; rebel not against my servant Joseph; for verily I say unto you, I am with him, and my hand shall be over him; and the keys which I have given unto him, and also to youward, shall not be taken from him till I come” (D&C 112:15).

God offers us counsel not just for our own safety but for the safety of His other children, whom we should love. There are few comforts so sweet as to know that we have been an instrument in the hands of God in leading someone else to safety. That blessing generally requires the faith to follow counsel when it is hard to do.

An example from Church history is that of Reddick Newton Allred. He was one of the rescue party sent out by President Brigham Young (1801–77) to bring in the Willie and Martin handcart companies. At the Sweetwater River near South Pass, Captain George Grant asked Reddick Allred to remain there with a few men and wagons and be ready to help when the rescuers returned with the handcart pioneers.

The rescuers found the Willie company mired in the snow, freezing, starving, and dying. Some of the rescuers continued to search for the Martin company, while the others helped the Willie company make that heartrending pull up and over Rocky Ridge. Soon after they made camp, Reddick Allred and his men came to deliver essential assistance and supplies.

Allred then waited for Captain Grant to return with the Martin company. Week after week passed with no sign of them. As blizzards howled and the weather became life threatening, two of the men decided it was foolish to stay. They thought the Martin company had either wintered over somewhere or perished. They decided to return to the Salt Lake Valley and tried to persuade everyone else to do the same. Allred refused to budge. President Young had sent them out, and Captain Grant, Reddick Allred’s priesthood leader, had told him to wait there.

Those who returned took several wagons, filled with needed supplies, and started back to the Salt Lake Valley. Even more tragic, they turned back 77 wagons that were coming from the valley to help. Some of these wagons returned all the way to Big Mountain before messengers sent by President Young met them and turned them back around.

Finally, more than three weeks after Reddick Allred had assisted the Willie company, Captain Grant arrived with the Martin company. These pioneers were even more destitute and had suffered dozens of deaths. Captain Grant’s rescue team was small and low on provisions—and still more than 200 miles (320 km) from the Salt Lake Valley. Once again, because Reddick Allred had stayed true to his assignment, even in the most trying circumstances, he was able to provide life-sustaining assistance and supplies.4
Reaching Out to Others

You will hear and read inspired counsel from prophets of God to reach out to new members of the Church. Those with the faith of Reddick Newton Allred will keep offering friendship even when it seems not to be needed or to have no effect. They will persist. When some new member reaches the point of spiritual exhaustion, members of faith will be there offering kind words and fellowship. They will then feel the same divine approval Brother Allred felt when he saw those handcart pioneers struggling toward him, knowing he could offer them safety because he had followed counsel when it was hard to do.

While the record does not prove it, I am confident that Brother Allred prayed while he waited. I am confident that his prayers were answered. He then knew that the counsel to stand fast was from God. We must pray to know that. I promise you such prayers of faith will be answered.

Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close. If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently. Every time I have done that with counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear, and I have been grateful.

We are blessed to live in a time when the priesthood keys are on the earth. We are blessed to know where to look and how to listen for the voice that will fulfill the promise of the Lord that He will gather us to safety. I pray that we will have humble hearts, that we will listen, that we will pray, and that we will wait for the deliverance of the Lord that is sure to come as we are faithful.

Links about Grandpa and Grandma Wolfgramm

Family History Library Catalog

Gospel Link

Ensign Miracles-
By Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles


LDS Cops


LDS Freedom Forum


LDS.net

LDS.net

New Baby Announcements!

Sarah and Haini Wolfgramm are expecting
#10, it's a boy due in early November!! Congrats!!







Moana and Junior Feinga are expecting their
4th, it's a boy due on Oct 31st. Congrats!!

Kathy and Eli Wilson are expecting a baby
boy, #3 due in July.
Congrats!!

Misi and Sarina Brown
are going to have another baby boy due
in early October, this will be their 4th boy!
Congrats!!




Peter and Jane Brown are going to have their
first child, a baby girl due in November.
Congrats!!

Ane and Ken Tupea are going to have
their 3rd girl due October 24th!