WOLFGRAMM FAMILY: 2009

Born: January 20, 1911

Returned with honor: September 16, 1997
Grandpas Obituary:

Iohani Otto Melila Wolfgramm, a spiritual church pioneer for his country and people, age 86, died peacefully at home in the arms of his loving companion and wife, Salote Fakatou, his immediate family and loved ones in Salt Lake City, Utah. He passed away on September 16, 1997 of cancer.

He was born January 20, 1911 in Haalauful, Vavaii, Tonga, son of Charles Fredrick Wolfgramm and Salome Fouu Afu. He married Salote Lasini Fakatou of Felemea on July 19, 1933 at Neiafu Vabau, Tonga, later sealed at the LDS Salt Lake Temple on November 10, 1965. Iohani was a high priest, Liberty 3rd Ward, Tongan Stake, Salt Lake City, Utah. Former ward member of the Kenwood Ward, Wilford Stake. Iohani and Salote Wolfgramm have lived and served faithfully in the church in Tonga Tapu, Haapai, Vavau, Eua, and in the U.S. They are temple goers with a deep love for the dead and temple service. They have filled several proselyting missions and numerous building assignments for the church in Tonga for about 30 years. Proselyting for 17 years labor missionaries, they filled seven missions for the church. Spent six years building Liahona High School and other chapels throughout the island. The Lord has blessed our family tremendously. The windows of Heaven were opened to us. We have experienced what we consider many miracles in the courses of our missions.Survived by Salote Lasini Fakatou Wolfgramm; children, Anna Malina (Joseph) Henderson, CA; Salesi (Fononga) Wolfgramm, Salt Lake; Taiana (Kalanite) Brown, Salt Lake; Tisina (Roy) Gerber, Salt Lake; Samuela (Manu) Wolfgramm, Salt Lake; Maikeli (Vake) Wolfgramm, CA; Leilani (Aaron) Watene, CA; Fololeni (Clinton) Borg, Lehi; Walter (Pasepa) Wolfgramm, Calif.; Norma (Vaikoula) Mee, AK; Elsie (Sione Veili) Ahokovi, West Valley; Richard (Pamela) Wolfgramm, FL; Tila (Tony) Brown, Taylorsville; Uni Wolfgramm, Kearns; Lose (Hosea) Fitita, Salt Lake; Semisi (Lora), West Jordan; 172 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including the singing group "The Jets" and "The Polynesian Pearls"; brothers, Osika (Lavinia) Wolfgramm, Salt Lake; Koloti Wolfgramm, Salt Lake; Makanesi Wolfgramm; Walter (Lavender) Wolfgramm, San Diego; sister, Maata Mele Isileli Fiefia, Salt Lake. Preceded in death by daughters, Ofa Moana, Ana Sillito; and son, Napoleone.

Funeral service will be Thursday, 6-9 p.m. for family only. Friday, 6-9 p.m. for the public and Sat., 10 a.m. at Taylorsville Stake, 4951 S. 1950 W. Interment, Redwood Memorial Estates

A story about Grandpa....

IOHANI SOUGHT FROM A DREAM

It was the first Sunday of November 1979 and I was getting ready for an 8:00 a.m. priesthood meeting. I heard a knock at the door so came to answer it and found a woman at the door that I had never before met. She said, "I'm looking for 'Iohani Wolfgramm who is living at this address." I noticed she had been crying.

I said, "I'm Brother Wolfgramm, what can I do for you?" "I've come because my brother, Mr. Smith, died at the Cottonwood hospital last Friday and we have asked the doctor if he would bear with us and just leave him there in the room because we have a feeling that his life will return. This Sunday morning his wife went home to Bountiful to feed the children and get them ready for Church, while his sister and other family members are at his room, keeping their eyes on Brother Smith. The reason I came: In a dream my husband saw Brother Smith come to him and ask if he would look for a man by the name of 'Iohani Wolfgramm and gave him this address, and said, 'Go and ask Brother Wolfgramm to come and call my spirit so it can enter my body again.' That's why I came this moming. Will you come and give him a priesthood blessing?"

I said, "I would like to help you but I can't. My bishop and stake president won't allow me out of the jurisdiction of my stake or ward to exercise my priesthood." The woman said, "May I please go and see your bishop and give him the information that my husband received?" So she went and spoke to the bishop. After she told the bishop the story, she was sent to the stake president. After the stake president heard the story, he gave his permission and said, "If this brother needs his help, he may go."
So the woman returned to my house and took me in her car to the hospital. When we entered the room I noticed all the family sitting around. His sister told me her brother had died on Friday. I met the brother-in-law who had the dream and asked if he would assist me in the administration. The brother-in-law told me to anoint the oil and he would give the blessing. I said, "Thank you." and we went ahead and gave Brother Smith his blessing. After we said 'amen' everyone sat down. They waited for about 15 minutes, nothing happened. They waited for another 30 minutes, nothing happened.

This went for an hour and still nothing. The sister began to cry again and called me aside and said, "My husband doesn't have enough faith when he prays, that's why my brother came in that dream and wanted you to give him the blessing because of the faith that you have. Would it be too much if we could all unite in faith and prayer and ask the Lord to bless my brother, and through your faith you can raise him from the dead?"

The brother-in-law returned only this time 1 offered the prayer. In my prayer I said, "Our Father in Heaven, we are here together with the rest of Brother Smith's family to offer a special prayer on his behalf. We know that he has been dead since Friday, but his spirit has come and asked if I could give him a blessing and call for his spirit to return to his body. We pray for his health to return to normal. We pray that his heart will start to function, his lungs and circulation start to work and each and every one of his veins and arteries will begin to function. Through the power of the priesthood and in the name of the holy Savior Jesus Christ, I command you, Brother Smith, for your spirit to now enter your body. And when you revive from your death bed you will know that it was through the power of Christ that your spirit has returned to your body. And you will stand as a witness to God that this is His gospel and this is one of the miracles that He performed among the people before His second coming. I pray for you that everything will function normally as we come to the end of our blessing and say this to you in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of the holy Melchizedek priesthood which we bear."

Right after Brother Smith heard my voice, he slowly got up. When his sister saw her brother get up she started to cry loudly and ran up to him, and the rest of the family came running and hugged and kissed him. At that moment the phone rang and it was his wife. She asked her sister-in-law how her husband was doing. She asked if she would like to talk to him and handed Brother Smith the phone. They sat there and talked on the phone as if nothing had happened. They gave me a big hug and I was finally brought home.

Brother Smith knew he had to come back to finish his work on earth, and it was only through the priesthood blessing that this,could be accomplished. He told the family that for three days he had been there wanting to return to his body, but didn't know how. He saw his body laying there but no one could hear what he was saying. That's why his spirit went to his brother-in-law to find someone that had great faith and was given Iohani's name and address.

I received a call from the Stake President after I returned home wanting to know what happened to the man. I told him the Lord had heard my prayer and his life was revived. The Stake President told me that he would take away my restrictions, and I would be free to go anywhere that the Lord wanted me to go to bless the people.

OFA LAHI ATU GRANDPA!!!
....FAMILIES ARE FOREVER...