Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Go to this link - you can touch B W's beard. LOL :
http://mlbalwaysepic.mlb.com/alwaysepic/brianwilson/#/?fbid=mU6hkqeQRY_
http://mlbalwaysepic.mlb.com/alwaysepic/brianwilson/#/?fbid=mU6hkqeQRY_
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Raymond Earl Monson
Raymond Earl Monson
(Sixth child to Mons Monson and Lydia S. Broberg)
(From a talk given by his son Richard Monson at a Family reunion on July 27, 1974)
Ray Earl Monson was the sixth child in the Mons Monson family. I am one of the twins born into Ray Earl Monson family. Raymond Earl Monson, known to most people as Ray, was born in Pleasant Grove, April 16, 1896 to Mons Monson and Lydia S. Broberg. He said as Nephi did, “I was born of goodly parents.”
The Mons Monson family numbered eleven. Ten were raised to maturity. Ray with the rest of the boys would spend the summers working on Mon’s farm. When they had completed the harvest in the fall, they would begin school. This was often near Thanksgiving time. Chores were done in the morning and often Ray was running to school late with Alvin on his coattails. Summers were especially hard for Ray and his brothers. They would work the dry farm all summer long using teams of horses. The entire crew of brothers would stay out on the dry farm all summer, only coming in on Sunday for Church. They would work from dawn to dark and this is where Ray learned to work. All his life he was a good hard worker.
All of Ray’s schooling was obtained in Pleasant Grove High School. One of the most distinctive things that Ray learned was a beautiful pen hand. Even during his last few months, Ray took pride in his writing. Ray’s feeling of patriotism for his country began at an early age. He served in World War I, excelling there through hard work and honest as always.
His mission call in the twenties, took him to the Northern States Mission. He served there as conference president. He often told the story of tracting without purse or scrip. On one occasion, he and his companion had gone several days without food. They prayed to the Lord for help. The next morning they saw a farm, and a young boy asked them to come in. “Your breakfast is ready” he said, “We have been expecting you.”
Following his mission he went to California to do some carpentry work. While there he planned to be engaged to a young lady. However the face of Sarah Smith came to him twice while on his way to visit this young lady. He later returned to Utah, courted Sarah and married her a few months later in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with six lovely children, five sons and a daughter. His grandchildren now number eighteen and his great grandchildren number eight. His family was his pride and joy. He would work hard and long to provide well for them.
Ray’s job experiences were bad. In all cases he worked hard and gave his all to his employer. One of his jobs required him to walk miles to work and mile home. The pay at this time was three dollars a day. He peddled fruit to Salt Lake City which required an all night trip by horse and wagon. There he met Maurice Warshaw. It was during this time when Mr. Warshaw was using a push cart to sell his goods. Later, when Mr. Warshaw opened his first Grand Central store, he met him again. He remembered Ray over all these years. Railroad, truck, buses, these were some of the jobs associated with Ray’s life. Each contributed to his strength of character. He also helped build Geneva Steel. After its completion, he hired on and after twenty years working at Geneva Steel he retired there from.
During his years at Geneva, Ray and Sarah served a stake mission and were influential in bringing many people into the church. Ray accepted and fulfilled honorably every position requested of him. His influence over other people was tremendous. In all cases his life was a model to others.
Ray’s hobbies were church, family, reading and television. There was never any request made by his family that he refused. When his family gave him a card, he loved to read the verses over and over with tears in his eyes. Ray was considered a gentlemen. He was extremely well read, devouring all good books as the Lord suggested. He could talk on any subject to any person. Age was no barrier. The life of my Father Ray Monson could be a guide to all of us. The ingredients of his success were honestly, sincerity, hard work, dedication and love. Those qualities were paramount in his life. Ray died on December 3, 1972.
Raymond Earl Monson and Sarah Melissa Smith were married December 17, 1924 in the Salt Lake Temple. After Ray’s death, Sarah continued to live in their home in the Manila first Ward, a part of Pleasant Grove. Sarah died March 3, 1991 and is buried by her husband in the cemetery in American Fork Utah.
(Sixth child to Mons Monson and Lydia S. Broberg)
(From a talk given by his son Richard Monson at a Family reunion on July 27, 1974)
Ray Earl Monson was the sixth child in the Mons Monson family. I am one of the twins born into Ray Earl Monson family. Raymond Earl Monson, known to most people as Ray, was born in Pleasant Grove, April 16, 1896 to Mons Monson and Lydia S. Broberg. He said as Nephi did, “I was born of goodly parents.”
The Mons Monson family numbered eleven. Ten were raised to maturity. Ray with the rest of the boys would spend the summers working on Mon’s farm. When they had completed the harvest in the fall, they would begin school. This was often near Thanksgiving time. Chores were done in the morning and often Ray was running to school late with Alvin on his coattails. Summers were especially hard for Ray and his brothers. They would work the dry farm all summer long using teams of horses. The entire crew of brothers would stay out on the dry farm all summer, only coming in on Sunday for Church. They would work from dawn to dark and this is where Ray learned to work. All his life he was a good hard worker.
All of Ray’s schooling was obtained in Pleasant Grove High School. One of the most distinctive things that Ray learned was a beautiful pen hand. Even during his last few months, Ray took pride in his writing. Ray’s feeling of patriotism for his country began at an early age. He served in World War I, excelling there through hard work and honest as always.
His mission call in the twenties, took him to the Northern States Mission. He served there as conference president. He often told the story of tracting without purse or scrip. On one occasion, he and his companion had gone several days without food. They prayed to the Lord for help. The next morning they saw a farm, and a young boy asked them to come in. “Your breakfast is ready” he said, “We have been expecting you.”
Following his mission he went to California to do some carpentry work. While there he planned to be engaged to a young lady. However the face of Sarah Smith came to him twice while on his way to visit this young lady. He later returned to Utah, courted Sarah and married her a few months later in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with six lovely children, five sons and a daughter. His grandchildren now number eighteen and his great grandchildren number eight. His family was his pride and joy. He would work hard and long to provide well for them.
Ray’s job experiences were bad. In all cases he worked hard and gave his all to his employer. One of his jobs required him to walk miles to work and mile home. The pay at this time was three dollars a day. He peddled fruit to Salt Lake City which required an all night trip by horse and wagon. There he met Maurice Warshaw. It was during this time when Mr. Warshaw was using a push cart to sell his goods. Later, when Mr. Warshaw opened his first Grand Central store, he met him again. He remembered Ray over all these years. Railroad, truck, buses, these were some of the jobs associated with Ray’s life. Each contributed to his strength of character. He also helped build Geneva Steel. After its completion, he hired on and after twenty years working at Geneva Steel he retired there from.
During his years at Geneva, Ray and Sarah served a stake mission and were influential in bringing many people into the church. Ray accepted and fulfilled honorably every position requested of him. His influence over other people was tremendous. In all cases his life was a model to others.
Ray’s hobbies were church, family, reading and television. There was never any request made by his family that he refused. When his family gave him a card, he loved to read the verses over and over with tears in his eyes. Ray was considered a gentlemen. He was extremely well read, devouring all good books as the Lord suggested. He could talk on any subject to any person. Age was no barrier. The life of my Father Ray Monson could be a guide to all of us. The ingredients of his success were honestly, sincerity, hard work, dedication and love. Those qualities were paramount in his life. Ray died on December 3, 1972.
Raymond Earl Monson and Sarah Melissa Smith were married December 17, 1924 in the Salt Lake Temple. After Ray’s death, Sarah continued to live in their home in the Manila first Ward, a part of Pleasant Grove. Sarah died March 3, 1991 and is buried by her husband in the cemetery in American Fork Utah.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Health Notes
Spinach - Health benefits of spinach include good eyesight, blood pressure, strengthens muscles, prevention of age-related macula degeneration (AMD), cataract, atherosclerosis and heart attack, neurological benefits, bone mineralization, anti-ulcerative, anti-cancerous property, skin protection, foetus development, protein rich for infant’s proper growth etc. Spinach is a green vegetable that is cheap and affordable by all. It is a rich source of minerals, vitamins, pigments and phytonutrients. All these together make spinach very beneficial to a number of vital processes especially for our eyes, nervous system, cardiovascular disorders, skin, bones, anti-cancerous, foetus and infants. Keeping in view the vast range of benefits from the vegetable, it is advisable to consume spinach regularly.
Kale - Kale absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The "Icing on the Kale" are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits.
The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion. Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation.
Banana –
Reducing Depression
Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood
Anemia
Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function
Constipation and Diarrhea
Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.
Eyesight Protection
Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
Healthy Bones
Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body's ability to absorb calcium.
In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently
Healthy Kidney
About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.
Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney health. The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years), women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, while cabbage is rich in sulfur, necessary for effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.
Blood Pressure
Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Heartburn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Ulcers
This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid). Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.
Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function
Stress Relief
Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the body's water balance. During periods of high stress, our body's potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs
Stroke Risk
According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%
• Apple –
Digestion: Apples being rich in fiber help in digestion. Regular consumption of apples ensures smooth bowel movements and helps in preventing consitipation and stomach disorders.
Anaemia: Apples are useful in treting anaemia as it is rich in apples. Anaemia is the deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood which can increased with the intake of iron rich diet such as apples.
Weakness: Apples are known to remove weakness and add vigour and vitality of weak people. It is, therefore, often given to patients to help them recover fast from their illness. If you want to gain weight, apple should be a part of your diet daily. It also helps in detoxifying the body and improve the overall health.
Dental Care: Eating apples helps in cleaning teeth and gum. It reduces the incidence of cavities in teeth. When you eat apples, the fiber in it cleanses the teeth, while the antiviral properties of the fruit keep bacteria and virus away.
Heart Disease: Apple lowers the level of cholesterol and hence it is beneficial for the heart.
Rheumatism: Patients who are suffering from rheumatism find apples very useful as it aids in the healing process.
Eye Disorders: Apples are believed to make the eyes strong and improve eye-sight. It also helps in treating night blindness.
Skin Care: Pastes of apple and honey, and apple and milk when applied on the skin increase it shine and glow.
Apples also help in treating gout, and dysentry. Recent research has also revealed that apples have chemicals such as flavanoids and polyphenols which can help fight cancers. It is therefore, rightly, said - An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Green Tea –
Benefits: The health benefits from Green Tea are primarily due to its anti oxidizing properties which come from its Caffeine, Catechin Polyphenols and Theonine. These health benefits can be listed as under;
Anti Ageing: The free radicals created in body are responsible for corroding the body, i.e. for ageing and the related symptoms. The main job of anti oxidants is to neutralize the oxidants or free radicals present in the body and green tea is very rich in anti oxidants. The Catechin Polyphenols present in green tea are mainly responsible for the anti oxidizing effects, the most powerful among them being the Epigallocatechin Gallate. Thus, regular consumption of green tea can effectively delay symptoms of ageing.
Stimulating: The main reason behind acceptance of any kind of tea, be it green, black or Wwwhe, by human civilizations and its popularity, is its stimulating effect. This effect, again, is due to the Caffeine and Tannins present in it. Caffeine & Tannins, despite their adverse effects on health in the long run, are very good as stimulants. That is why; a cup of tea makes you feel fresh and highly energized. Tea is ideal to counter fatigue, laziness, sleepiness and lack of energy and to improve blood circulation. No doubt it is so popular with any kind of professionals, housewives and students.
Immunity Boosting: Researches show that people who regularly drink green tea do not fall prey to common bacterial and viral infections easily, and even if they do, it is far less frequently than those not consuming it. The message is clear. Green Tea boosts immunity. The Catechins present in green tea prevent bacterial and virus from attaching themselves to cell walls and thus infecting them. These Catechins also counter the toxins released by microbes. This anti microbial property also protects from bad breathe, dysentery, diarrhoea, tooth decay, indigestion, flu, cough & cold, colitis etc. which are caused by microbial & fungal action.
Astringency: This is yet another benefit from green tea. It triggers contraction in muscles and tissues and tones up muscles and skin. Even if you do not wish to drink green tea, a mere mouthwash with this daily will cause sufficient contraction in gums to keep them firm and tight on teeth and thus prevent loosening and falling of teeth for long. Wash your hair with it and see them grow stronger each day.
Anti Carcinogenic: Apart from ageing, free radicals are also responsible for causing certain types of cancer. The Catechins present in green tea neutralize these free radicals, prevent formation of carcinogens like nitrosamines and reduce the chances of cancer. Green tea is now being clinically used in prevention of cancer, particularly those pertaining to colon, rectum, pancreas and intestines.
Reducing Cholesterol: Green tea has been seen effective in reducing cholesterol level to some extent, probably due to its alkaline nature.
Cardiac & Arterial Health: Certain components in green tea prevents thickening of blood, thereby reducing chances of Arterial Sclerosis, Thrombosis, Cardiac and Cerebral Strokes etc.
Anti Diabetic: If not taken with sugar, the alkaline nature of green tea helps reduce the blood glucose level. Moreover, the anti oxidizing and astringent nature of its constituents ensure good health and better functioning of pancreas and thereby better secretion of insulin and resultant better decomposing and absorption of sugar. This helps keep diabetes away.
Weight Loss: You believe it or not, but green tea also helps lose weight by enhancing rate of metabolism and thereby faster consumption of fat storage of the body. Recently green tea has replaced other beverages in the webstern world as its helps in weight loss. Drink a cup full of green tea in the morning and you are sure to lose a few pounds of excess weight.
Stamina & Endurance Booster: You can prove this yourself. Just have a cup of hot green tea after rigorous exercise and within no time you will be ready for a few more sets. Further, it effectively counters muscular pain due to over exercise of muscles. Haven’t seen any athlete taking this? You must visit Japan & China then, where it is a popular drink among practitioners of Martial Arts.
De intoxicating: Green tea is the best cure to get rid of hangovers and fatigue caused by consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of sleep due to late night parties. A big glass of green tea with lemon, and lo, feels as if there was no hangover at all. Green tea with Lemon juice is a very good and popular remedy to cut effect of alcohols effect instantly.
Agave Nectar – Natural sweetener with a low glycemic index
Trace Mineral Supplement – Contains, but is not limited to:
Calcium: Essential for developing and maintaining healthy bones and teeth Assists in blood clotting. muscle contraction, nerve transmission, oxygen transport. cellular secretion of fluids and enzyme activity Optimal intake helps reduce risk of osteoporosis.
Chromium: Aids in glucose metabolism and helps regulate blood sugar by potentiating insulin and serving as a component of glucose tolerance factor.
Colbalt: Promotes the formulation of red blood cells and and serves as a component of the vitamin B-12.
Copper: Essential to normal red blood cell formation and connective tissue formation. Acts as a catalyst to store and release iron to help form hemoglobin. Contributes to central nervous system function.
lodine: Needed by the thyroid hormone to support metabolism.
Iron: Necessary for red blood cell formation and Required for transport of oxygen throughout the body. Important for brain function. Amount needed is higher in women of childbearing age.
Magnesium: Activates over 100 enzymes and helps nerves and muscles function. Helps maintain the integrity of cell membranes and stabilizes the cell electrically Critical for proper heart function.
Manganese: Key component of enzyme systems, including oxygen-handling enzymes Supports brain function and reproduction Required for blood sugar regulation Part of bone structure.
Molybdenum: Contributes to normal growth and development Key component in many enzyme systems including enzymes involved in detoxification.
Phosphorous: Works with calcium to develop and maintain strong bones and teeth. Enhances use of other nutrients Key role in cell membrane integrity and intercellular communication Critical for proper energy processing in the body
Potassium: Regulates heartbeat, maintains fluid balance and helps muscles contract.
Selenium: Essential component of a key antioxidant enzyme, necessary for normal growth and development Role in detoxification of heavy metals. such as mercury. Role in production of antibodies by the immune system. Component of teeth.
Sulfur: Needed for structure of most protein, including muscles and hair. Critical role in liver detoxification. Important functions in antioxidant nutrients and oxygen handling Role in growth.
Zinc: Essential part of more than 200 enzymes involved in digestion, metabolism, reproduction and wound healing Critical role in immune response Important antioxidant
Kale - Kale absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The "Icing on the Kale" are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits.
The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion. Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation.
Banana –
Reducing Depression
Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood
Anemia
Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function
Constipation and Diarrhea
Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.
Eyesight Protection
Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
Healthy Bones
Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body's ability to absorb calcium.
In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently
Healthy Kidney
About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.
Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney health. The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years), women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, while cabbage is rich in sulfur, necessary for effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.
Blood Pressure
Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Heartburn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Ulcers
This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid). Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.
Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function
Stress Relief
Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the body's water balance. During periods of high stress, our body's potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs
Stroke Risk
According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%
• Apple –
Digestion: Apples being rich in fiber help in digestion. Regular consumption of apples ensures smooth bowel movements and helps in preventing consitipation and stomach disorders.
Anaemia: Apples are useful in treting anaemia as it is rich in apples. Anaemia is the deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood which can increased with the intake of iron rich diet such as apples.
Weakness: Apples are known to remove weakness and add vigour and vitality of weak people. It is, therefore, often given to patients to help them recover fast from their illness. If you want to gain weight, apple should be a part of your diet daily. It also helps in detoxifying the body and improve the overall health.
Dental Care: Eating apples helps in cleaning teeth and gum. It reduces the incidence of cavities in teeth. When you eat apples, the fiber in it cleanses the teeth, while the antiviral properties of the fruit keep bacteria and virus away.
Heart Disease: Apple lowers the level of cholesterol and hence it is beneficial for the heart.
Rheumatism: Patients who are suffering from rheumatism find apples very useful as it aids in the healing process.
Eye Disorders: Apples are believed to make the eyes strong and improve eye-sight. It also helps in treating night blindness.
Skin Care: Pastes of apple and honey, and apple and milk when applied on the skin increase it shine and glow.
Apples also help in treating gout, and dysentry. Recent research has also revealed that apples have chemicals such as flavanoids and polyphenols which can help fight cancers. It is therefore, rightly, said - An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Green Tea –
Benefits: The health benefits from Green Tea are primarily due to its anti oxidizing properties which come from its Caffeine, Catechin Polyphenols and Theonine. These health benefits can be listed as under;
Anti Ageing: The free radicals created in body are responsible for corroding the body, i.e. for ageing and the related symptoms. The main job of anti oxidants is to neutralize the oxidants or free radicals present in the body and green tea is very rich in anti oxidants. The Catechin Polyphenols present in green tea are mainly responsible for the anti oxidizing effects, the most powerful among them being the Epigallocatechin Gallate. Thus, regular consumption of green tea can effectively delay symptoms of ageing.
Stimulating: The main reason behind acceptance of any kind of tea, be it green, black or Wwwhe, by human civilizations and its popularity, is its stimulating effect. This effect, again, is due to the Caffeine and Tannins present in it. Caffeine & Tannins, despite their adverse effects on health in the long run, are very good as stimulants. That is why; a cup of tea makes you feel fresh and highly energized. Tea is ideal to counter fatigue, laziness, sleepiness and lack of energy and to improve blood circulation. No doubt it is so popular with any kind of professionals, housewives and students.
Immunity Boosting: Researches show that people who regularly drink green tea do not fall prey to common bacterial and viral infections easily, and even if they do, it is far less frequently than those not consuming it. The message is clear. Green Tea boosts immunity. The Catechins present in green tea prevent bacterial and virus from attaching themselves to cell walls and thus infecting them. These Catechins also counter the toxins released by microbes. This anti microbial property also protects from bad breathe, dysentery, diarrhoea, tooth decay, indigestion, flu, cough & cold, colitis etc. which are caused by microbial & fungal action.
Astringency: This is yet another benefit from green tea. It triggers contraction in muscles and tissues and tones up muscles and skin. Even if you do not wish to drink green tea, a mere mouthwash with this daily will cause sufficient contraction in gums to keep them firm and tight on teeth and thus prevent loosening and falling of teeth for long. Wash your hair with it and see them grow stronger each day.
Anti Carcinogenic: Apart from ageing, free radicals are also responsible for causing certain types of cancer. The Catechins present in green tea neutralize these free radicals, prevent formation of carcinogens like nitrosamines and reduce the chances of cancer. Green tea is now being clinically used in prevention of cancer, particularly those pertaining to colon, rectum, pancreas and intestines.
Reducing Cholesterol: Green tea has been seen effective in reducing cholesterol level to some extent, probably due to its alkaline nature.
Cardiac & Arterial Health: Certain components in green tea prevents thickening of blood, thereby reducing chances of Arterial Sclerosis, Thrombosis, Cardiac and Cerebral Strokes etc.
Anti Diabetic: If not taken with sugar, the alkaline nature of green tea helps reduce the blood glucose level. Moreover, the anti oxidizing and astringent nature of its constituents ensure good health and better functioning of pancreas and thereby better secretion of insulin and resultant better decomposing and absorption of sugar. This helps keep diabetes away.
Weight Loss: You believe it or not, but green tea also helps lose weight by enhancing rate of metabolism and thereby faster consumption of fat storage of the body. Recently green tea has replaced other beverages in the webstern world as its helps in weight loss. Drink a cup full of green tea in the morning and you are sure to lose a few pounds of excess weight.
Stamina & Endurance Booster: You can prove this yourself. Just have a cup of hot green tea after rigorous exercise and within no time you will be ready for a few more sets. Further, it effectively counters muscular pain due to over exercise of muscles. Haven’t seen any athlete taking this? You must visit Japan & China then, where it is a popular drink among practitioners of Martial Arts.
De intoxicating: Green tea is the best cure to get rid of hangovers and fatigue caused by consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of sleep due to late night parties. A big glass of green tea with lemon, and lo, feels as if there was no hangover at all. Green tea with Lemon juice is a very good and popular remedy to cut effect of alcohols effect instantly.
Agave Nectar – Natural sweetener with a low glycemic index
Trace Mineral Supplement – Contains, but is not limited to:
Calcium: Essential for developing and maintaining healthy bones and teeth Assists in blood clotting. muscle contraction, nerve transmission, oxygen transport. cellular secretion of fluids and enzyme activity Optimal intake helps reduce risk of osteoporosis.
Chromium: Aids in glucose metabolism and helps regulate blood sugar by potentiating insulin and serving as a component of glucose tolerance factor.
Colbalt: Promotes the formulation of red blood cells and and serves as a component of the vitamin B-12.
Copper: Essential to normal red blood cell formation and connective tissue formation. Acts as a catalyst to store and release iron to help form hemoglobin. Contributes to central nervous system function.
lodine: Needed by the thyroid hormone to support metabolism.
Iron: Necessary for red blood cell formation and Required for transport of oxygen throughout the body. Important for brain function. Amount needed is higher in women of childbearing age.
Magnesium: Activates over 100 enzymes and helps nerves and muscles function. Helps maintain the integrity of cell membranes and stabilizes the cell electrically Critical for proper heart function.
Manganese: Key component of enzyme systems, including oxygen-handling enzymes Supports brain function and reproduction Required for blood sugar regulation Part of bone structure.
Molybdenum: Contributes to normal growth and development Key component in many enzyme systems including enzymes involved in detoxification.
Phosphorous: Works with calcium to develop and maintain strong bones and teeth. Enhances use of other nutrients Key role in cell membrane integrity and intercellular communication Critical for proper energy processing in the body
Potassium: Regulates heartbeat, maintains fluid balance and helps muscles contract.
Selenium: Essential component of a key antioxidant enzyme, necessary for normal growth and development Role in detoxification of heavy metals. such as mercury. Role in production of antibodies by the immune system. Component of teeth.
Sulfur: Needed for structure of most protein, including muscles and hair. Critical role in liver detoxification. Important functions in antioxidant nutrients and oxygen handling Role in growth.
Zinc: Essential part of more than 200 enzymes involved in digestion, metabolism, reproduction and wound healing Critical role in immune response Important antioxidant
One Viking Daughter
The life story of Bothilda Larsson Lundgren
Mother of Mons Monson
The family of Mons (Mans) Jonsson and Bothilda Larsson Lundgren
He was born July 5 1811 in Lyngsjo, Krisyianstadlan, Sweden, the son of Jons Mansson and Ingar Bengtson. He married Bothilda Larsson Lundgren on December 30, 1852 at Ahys, Kristianstad, Sweden. He died December 26 1861 at Olserod, Kristianstad, Sweden. Bothilda was born April 5 1829 at Becklunda, Kristianstad, Sweden, the daughter of Lars Hansson Lundgren and Maria Norgren. She died March 2 1914 at Pleasant Grove Utah.
Children
Jens (Jons) Monson Born Oct 30 1850 Lyngsjo, Krist. Sweden
Nils Monson Born May 9 1855 Lynsgjo, Krist. Sweden
Died 1864
Olaf Monson Born April 6 1857 Olserod, Krist. Sweden
Swen (Sven) Monson Born Jan 14 1860 Olserod, Krist. Sweden
Mons (Mans) Monson (twin) Born July 22 1862 Olserod, Krist. Sweden
Peter (Par) Monson (twin) Born July 22 1862 Olserod, Krist. Sweden
Nils Monson (twin) Born Feb 12 1867 Vittskovle, Krist. Sweden
Johanna Maria Monson (twin) Born Feb 12 1867 Vittskovle, Krist. Sweden
One Viking Daughter
The Story of Grandma Bothilda Monson, by Casse L. Monson
Foreword
It has been a thrill to write a story for Grandma Bothilda. To have lived to intimately with her for these past weeks, has been a rewarding experience. She has come to be someone special, with courage, faith and high standards. In spite of her mistakes, she was honest and true, even in unethical situations.
The lack of documented accounts has made it necessary to assume her problems and use of honestly as possible, the answers that came with assumption.
Her humility, her true devotion to the Gospel and the Lord’s attention to her prayers, is great evidence that her imperfections were forgiven her.
She needs no apology. Her life of service to her loved ones, her willingness to suffer for them, stands as bright testimony of the kind of Viking stuff our Grandma Bothilda was made of.
Casse L. Monson
A Viking Daughter
The long long winter nights were past; everywhere songs of delight rang over the land, as a sun hungry people swarmed into the joy of returning sunlight, for it was planting time. Leaf buds and bright new grass of early April, made the fertile plains of the Skane province, seem like a fairyland after the long dark winter months.
For Lars and Maria Lundgren, the winter had been doubly dark, and nor even the returning sunshine could dry away the tears that still came so easily. It had been little more than three months since their only son, little Karl, age two had closed his eyes for the last time and the cries of illness were still. The happiness of Christmas just four days past was suddenly shut away in awful gloom.
In this awkward, tender way, Lars looked at his quiet little son and felt the helpless heartache a father must feel at the loss of his pride and joy. Maria only cuddled the little one in her arms and wept, the sweet relief of tears easing the soreness of her heart. The small sisters, Kirsti going on seven and Johannah, almost five, wept because Mama wept, but mostly they watched with solemn eyes as their little brother was carried away. Nor could they understand the throng of silent or weeping relatives, who had laughed and sung lusty songs at Christmas, that seemed just yesterday.
But now April was here! Spring had really come. Kirsti and Johannah ran in the sunshine, shouting their joy. It was past time for their supper before their father called to them. They came immediately at the urgency of his voice, but stopped in wonder when they found mother Maria in bed and Lars, their father, in an unhappy struggle to prepare their supper. Maria beckoned them quietly and they ran to the bed. Gently she moved the cover to show them a new baby cuddled at her breast. At first the little girls were speechless, only gasping their surprise, but then their tongues found wings and flew in a chorus of laughter and questions, where did it come from who brought it, was it a boy or a girl, and what would be its name? A gruff “Hush” from their father reminded them that he was in no mood to hear their chatter. They stood silently, unable to understand his lack of rejoicing with them. At last Maria whispered, “Be good children and eat quietly. Papa wanted the little one to be a boy,” “Oh,” Kirsti sighed, “Is it then a girl?” Maria nodded and the little girls went softly to the table.
There is no document that says so, but who could blame Lars for his disappointment? Still shaken by the loss of his little son, he looked helplessly now at his four female family and felt greatly outnumbered and a little forsaken.
And so on this fifth day of April 1829, when all of nature dons gay attire for new beginnings, life began for a tiny girl of Viking decent, whose path would carry her through sorrow and poverty, into a foreign country and the joy and peace of a new way of life. They called her Bothilda.
Lars grumpiness could not long endure when this new woman child began to smile at him and when she was twenty-seven months old, Maria bore him another son. He promptly named the little one Karl and strutted around with a happy swagger. Oh but the swagger was short lived. Little Karl lived only eighteen days and died, having scarcely begun to be. The young parents and their daughters mourned the loss, but to Lars, summer suddenly lost its beauty and the harvest its joy. He felt only half a man.
Two winters came and went with their good and bad places and little Bothilda was five when Lars began to hope for another boy. But when the little one came on the 2nd of August 1824, it was tiny Catherine would live only six days and the unhappy family began to wonder if they would ever be able to keep a little one.
Bothilda was going on ten, when deep in the November winter of 1838; a son was born at last to the Lundgren’s on the 19th. They named him Hans after Lars father. Perhaps Lars was afraid to swagger, but who could believe he was not overjoyed to have at last a son in this family of females. A son is a son!
By this time Kirsti was seventeen and no doubt had eyes and thoughts toward her own home. Johannah was thirteen and Bothilda was no longer the baby of the family. It was nearing Christmas season and the Lundgrens were, according to tradition, caught up in its joyful preparation. Maria would be well enough to join in the festive gatherings and all of the family savored the pride Lars felt in having a son to celebrate this most happy Christmas.
For nearly ten years Bothilda was the baby of the family and ordinarily we might believe her to have been spoiled and pampered, as is so often the case. It is sad that no document or journal is available to give us more detail. However we do know that up to this time, there was no one to help Lars with his task of keeping the family warm and fed, but his four women folk. This task was not an easy one. Lars was a farmer and his living was wrested from the soil, mostly from the strength of his back and hands. That the Lundgren women were pressed into service in the fields, garden and pasture is almost certain since their equipment was both primitive and meager. Their hay was cut by hand, using a scythe and draped over poles or fences to dry before it was gathered and piled for use. Lucky was the farmer who owned a horse and cart, otherwise his back did the hauling.
Our records tell us that Bothilda was born in Lyngsjo that her parents were married in Ahus and most of our records speak of our people coming from Kristianstad, which is the name of a county in the province of Skane in the south end of Sweden. Here the country is low and rolling, sloping gently away from the Baltic Sea. The warm breezes of the Gulf Stream temper the climate of this beautiful place, making it a Garden of Eden in the far north. The farms are surrounded by picturesque forests of beachwood and pine. Lakes and streams invite grass and flowers. In easy walking distance, is the sea with its pleasant beaches and the song of the waves, to say nothing of the ships, fishing vessels and small boats sailing there in the harbor. Fascinating as these are, they are only a part of the charm of this land of Skane where Bothilda was born and grew. All over the land, among the farms, on the sea shore, in the forest and by the lakes, are the ancient medieval castles of the Lords and Barons of early times. Most of them are occupied by the descendants of the old families who built them. Some of them are complete with motes and watch towers. Those who live there are generally well off, but still do work on their land. Many writers have spoken of the Skane country as one of the most delightful places on earth. Mark Twain lived there for some years and wrote of it as paradise.
Surely in this charming land, little Bothilda would have found time to explore some of those intriguing, mysterious places. Did she sometimes sit by the sea shore and watch the boats sail past as she listened to the roar of the waves? Sometimes did she hear the song of the forests as she walked there in its cool shade to gather abundant mushrooms? Did she stare in awe at the castles nearest herm or perhaps, did she know the people?
Nevertheless, it stands to reason that she did work and work hard. It is not difficult to think that Lars, her father, may have extracted extra labor from her, since she came to them instead of the boy he sorely wanted. Nor is it to be imagined that she was excused from the kitchen and doing her full share there to make and serve the pickled herring, the lutofisk, limpa bread, sweet soup and other dishes common to those hard working people. We must also assume that she also learned to knit and sew, for what self respecting man would rear a daughter without adequate preparation to be a wife?
Charles XIV John was King when Bothilda was born. At last Sweden had a King to establish and hold peace for his country. Long long years before him had been distraught with devastating wars. The country is dotted with the tombs of those Viking giants who took what they wanted and trod with a harsh foot over their enemies. Some of the Swedish people were disappointed when the King announced his intention to keep his country at peace, but it has prospered ever since and has adhered solidly to his no war policy.
Just two years before his death, King Charles made education compulsory and Sweden began to become a literate nation. At this time Bothilda was thirteen years old and according to custom might have been considered of marriageable age. Up to his time any education she may have had, was given her by her parents or by someone with whom they had made arrangements. They were permitted to leave school at the age of fourteen, so it is doubtful that she ever attended a public school, but somehow among her full days, she did learn to read and write. Later she taught her own children to read before they were seven and it is possible that she herself was taught in her very early years.
Bothilda was sixteen when the whole country celebrated a new law, made by their new King Oscar, which in that year of 1845 gave women equal property rights with men. Up to this time women themselves had been considered something the same as property.
With her even features, wide blue eyes and dark hair, together with robust health and ability to work, Bothilda would have been an attractive young woman, but if our assumption is correct that her father did really need her help, we may assume further that he discouraged any suitors she may have had in order to take advantage of her continuing help. Especially would this be true if his other daughters had married. Kirsti would now be twenty three years old and Johannah twenty one and in a country of early marriages, they most surely would have taken their own mates. The little Hans, only six could be but small help and the girl Bothilda would have been the main stay for both father and mother.
What loneliness was hers, what longings filled her heart, we can only surmise and we find that she could not entirely submit herself to her father’s wishes. Living nearby was one Mons Johnson, not wealthy but well fixed and highly respected in their community. He was a very religious man and staunch Lutheran. He was sober, honest, and clean of speech and habit. It is possible that his very high ideals had kept him single. He was eighteen years older than Bothilda, but even so a man of such worthy standing that any girl would have been proud of his attentions. He had watched the lonely Bothilda as she worked in the fields. It is possible that in being kind to her, he had not taken into account the depth of her loneliness, at any rate; he was not prepared when she came tearfully to whisper a secret that he must share with her. At one time, he may have aspired to love her, but now as he looked at her and listened to what she had to say, his feelings were not even akin to love and he sent her away.
But alas, Bothilda could not so easily dismiss a hard situation and neither could she look for sympathy and understanding. How sad that most of us are prone to believe that we must sit in cold judgment on those among us who make mistakes. With a heavy heart Bothilda carried on alone and October 1850, became the mother of a little boy. Wed or unwed, she treasured that little fellow and hated to leave him when she must go to the tasks that were hers.
If her father had been hard on her before, we must assume that he made her life most uncomfortable now and it was none the easier for him that this daughter of his should be given a son, when he would so much love to have that son for his own.
For almost three years, Mons Johnson watched Bothilda as she continued to work in the fields, carrying the little boy on her back or having him toddle at her side and at last he realized that the only way he could keep the honesty he had prided himself on having for his own, was to marry this God fearing young woman who was the mother of his son. It is possible that during this time he satisfied himself that she had been untrue to him. They were married on December 30, 1852. Even for her wedding, Bothilda must wait until after the crops and harvests were all in and Christmas over so that her service might be spared.
It is unthinkable that being reared after the standards of her day that she would have been anything but a good and loyal wife, doing all in her power to help. The life of a farm wife was not easy even if she took on no more duties than her kitchen and family, but it she helped in the fields, there was very little time she could call her own. Bothilda worked willingly doing her full share and always giving thanks to the Great Giver of all blessings. Her husband though not wealthy, stood to inherit a goodly farm and it would seem to be a good marriage. That he was a good man, there is no doubt, that she loved him or he her, we can only wonder about.
It was five years and seven months before she was blessed with another son. Nils was born May 9, 1855 when fields and gardens were at planting time and all the earth beautiful. Even so it must have been difficult to work in the fields up to the time her little one came and go out again almost as soon as he was properly diapered and fed. It is very likely that it never entered her mind to complain as the years rolled along bringing her ever more responsibility. Olof came on April 6, 1857 when Jens was six and could watch his little brother Nils, while Bothilda tied the new babe on her back and continued her work in the fields.
Olof was two and a half when Swen was born January 14, 1860 and Bothilda had four little sons, which must have been the envy of their Grandpa Lundgren since he had only one son.
With a good husband, four sons and the farm, it looked as if Bothilda might soon be relieved of some of her hard work, but alas her happy dream was shattered and her security swept away and she found herself alone with those four little fellows, the oldest only nine the baby just a year and another one soon to come, when they day after Christmas her husband passed away on December 26, 1861. Did her parents come to comfort her; did her minister cone to visit her? Did she have friends to help and lean upon? It is not written. Nor does it say anywhere how they tramped wearily through the snow for the funeral and burial, nor how, when at last her boys were tucked into bed, the full impact of what had happened, swept over her, bringing her to her knees in tears of deep humility to plead for strength and courage.
There is no record describing a tender love between Bothilda and her husband, neither is there any to the contrary. We can only suppose that, even though he was a good man, her life with him had been hard. That she had accepted her lot without complaint and had given her best to their mutual home and well being cannot be questioned. Had he lived, she most certainly would have continued in unfailing devotion to that duty, home and family. But now after only eleven short years of marriage, she stood alone between the wants and needs of her family and an unfriendly world of hunger and cold.
According to their father’s desire, she had her boys confirmed members to the Lutheran faith as they became old enough. She taught them the bible and she taught them to pray. She sent them to church and no matter how weary she may be she saw to it that she taught them to read before they were seven so that they could make a good account of themselves when they would attend school. The blood of Bothilda’s Viking ancestors was not wasted in her veins. They had taken what they wanted, she would take what she must have, and calling on all the strength her God could give her. She lifted her head, squared her shoulders and resolutely faced the future.
God does move in mysterious way, and he answers our prayers according to the way it will do us the most good. As Bothilda knelt there in the darkness after the funeral, tears streaming down her comely face, she could not in her wildest moments, have imagined the wonderful blessings God had in store for her.
According to the Bible, god truly loved the women he blessed with sons. If this is any indication, he did love and approve of his handmaiden Bothilda, for after she and Jens had done the best they could at planting a garden and the summer was spreading loveliness everywhere, God once more sent her, not one but two sons. They came July 22, 1862 and Bothilda named the oldest one Mons after his father and the other boy Peter.
It is doubtful that any mother feels completely fulfilled without one little daughter to be her special little flower of joy. Bothilda thanked the Lord that her twins were well and perfectly formed, but in her secret heart, did she perhaps weep that one of them was not the little girl she had dreamed of?
Mons Monson Story
Mons Monson
(Another account of his life)
Mons Monson
Another account written by Kenneth L Monson
The kingdom of Sweden is the largest of the Nordic countries in area, 173,732 square miles and it also leads in population (over eight million) and industrial strength. With extensive iron ore deposits, the greatest forest in Scandinavia and swift rivers for hydroelectric power, Sweden has had one of the world’s highest standard of living. Its territorial zenith was reached in the 17th century, when it dominated the Baltic Sea. The kingdom fought its last battle in 1813 and since then has adopted a policy of armed neutrality.
Sweden’s mineral resources occur most abundantly in the north. Arable land as well as nine tenths of the population and also the largest industrial centers are found in the more hospitable central and southern regions.
It was on a farm in the beautiful southern part of Sweden, in Olserod, near Ahus, in Kirstianstadlan, that twin boys were born July 5, 1862 to Bothilda Larsson Lundgren whose husband Mons Jonsson, had died six months before. The death of her husband also resulted in severe economic hardship.
The widow Bothilda now had six sons, and Jens, the oldest, was eleven years old. None was old enough to care for the farm. The older boys were hired out to land owners who exacted long hours of toil from them. Insufficient income made it necessary to sell the farm. With the small sum she received for selling the farm, Bothilda somehow kept them in school until they graduated at fifteen years of age. She was a very good mother and she taught them the Bible, how to pray and to read. But it was a struggle to survive.
In 1863, Bothilda and Jens, her oldest son, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and instantly became outcasts, very unpopular in the community. Even her friends deserted her in a society where most of the people were Lutherans, the state religion. Jens became a carpenter and also served for two years as a missionary for the Church in Sweden. His fare was then paid to America in 1875. He promised to earn money and help the family comr to Utah.
Olaf, who had learned brick laying and plastering trade, followed Jens to Utah in 1876, after also joining the Church. Mons graduated from the public school in 1877 and became the next to leave for America. He was baptized in the Baltic Sea in the evening of September 12, 1877.The next morning he went to Malmo about seventy miles from home, and then by ferry to Copenhagen, Denmark. Mons sailed from Copenhagen at 5 o’clock that afternoon of September 13, 1877 on the steamer Argo. During a severe storm on the North Sea which lasted four days, he was almost washed overboard, but fortunately he reached Hull, England on Monday the 17th. He traveled across England by train and left Liverpool September 19 1877 on the steamer Wisconsin, arriving in New York September 30, 1877. After a long train ride, he arrived in Salt Lake City on Saturday evening October 6, 1877 and was met by Jens and his wife and Olaf. They attended Conference in the Tabernacle. After the green beauty of his homeland which he had left behind, the Salt Lake Valley looked very dry and desolate. No doubt, he suffered a bit from homesickness.
Mons worked at whatever he could find. He was handicapped until he could learn English, but odd jobs, such as chopping wood, brought him some income. In the summer of 1879, his brother Olaf persuaded him to work for those who were extending the railroad into southern Utah. This paid about 2 dollars per day. In the winter of 1880 he attended school at the Brigham Young Academy in Provo. His instructors were Dr. Karl G. Maeser, James E Talmage, J.M. Tanner and Milton Hardy.
Bothilda Lundgren’s family all arrived in Utah after five separate sailings, the last ones arriving in 1880. After five long years they were now reunited, and they owed no one any money for their fare. Having known nothing but poverty, this speaks well for the faith of the family, their perseverance and industry. They have always been anxious to give full credit to the Lord.
Railroad building was going on in Colorado. Olaf was there and asked Mons to come. He and Swen went to Salt Lake and tried to get a pass on the railroad to Colorado but were disappointed. While waiting for the train back home in Pleasant Grove, Superintendent John Sharp came along. He recognized Mons and because of his previous good work, gave them a pass and a letter of recommendation. He wanted them to work on the Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad, so they took the train to Ogden, Cheyenne and then Denver. From there they travelled up to Alpine Pass in Chaffee, Colorado. During the six months he worked there, he had several narrow escapes from death.
Usually after each payday while working in Colorado, the boys sent money home to their Mother. In October 1881, when they returned home, something over $1,000 of their money had been accumulated and each received his share from their Mother. In the spring of 1882, Mons purchased a piece of real estate being sold at public auction. He used the money he had earned in Colorado. On this property was a small adobe house of three rooms. About four years later, in consonance with a promise he had made to his Mother, he built another adobe house on the east end of that property. This was his Mother’s home until she died.
In the summer of 1882 he began work on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad which was being brought tough Utah and Salt Lake Counties. He was on the first train that entered Salt Lake City over that road. During the two years of railroad building, he was also improving his home and land, planting fruit trees and berries. After quitting the railroad, he bought a team and wagon and sixteen acres of land on Battle Creek. From that time on, he worked for no other employer but himself.
In 1882 Mons attended the October conference of the Church in Salt Lake City and met a friend, Andrew F. Sundberg, who invited him to his home. As they were approaching the home, a neighbor, Miss Lydia Seraphia Broberg, was at the sidewalk with her Mother bidding goodbye to some of their conference visitors. Lydia asked her Mother if she knew the young man who was approaching with Mr. Sundberg. They were introduced. This was the first meeting of Lydia and Mons and four years later, November 11, 1886, they were married in the Temple at Logan, Utah.
The day after their marriage, Lydia told Mons something about that first meeting and their marriage later that he liked to recall. When she first saw Mons in 1882, Lydia said she recognized him as someone she had seen before but did not remember where or when. Previously, during that summer, she had become well acquainted with a young man in Salt Lake. Her older brother, David, heard about this young man’s interest in his sister and sent her a letter. He told her that since their dear Father was dead, he felt impressed to give her some advice which he hoped she would accept. He then warned her against having anything to do with that particular young man.
In the afternoon of the same day that she received the warning from her brother, the young man came to see her and tried to present her with an engagement ring. She refused the ring and the man left, quite disappointed at her refusal. She, too, felt bad because that man had always treated her very nicely and she thought well of him. She had no reason to reject him except her brother’s admonition in his letter. That same night her Father appeared to her in a dream. He seemed to be pleased with the course she had taken. She said that he looked as natural as life and was in a beautiful room, nicely furnished. With him in the room was a young man she had never seen before. Now, four years later as she and Mons were going through the Logan Temple, she came into an upper room there which she recognized as the very place where she had seen her Father in the dream. The young man with her Father in the dream was Mons, now her husband by her side, to whom she was sealed for time and eternity. When she saw him for the first time in 1882 on the sidewalk near her home, she knew she had seen him before but did not remember that it was in the dream.
Mons and Lydia came home to Pleasant Grove and began making a home. They lived in the adobe house until their growing family required more commodious accommodations. No architects being available, they designed a home themselves. They had no money but they worked hard and did all the excavating. They gathered all the building materials necessary, a little at a time, and built a large, beautiful brick home on the northwest corner of their land. Eventually, the house was erected and closed in and paid for as it was erected. Brother John G. Johnson, a plaster and mason, had come to Utah as an emigrant from Denmark. He asked Mons if he could get a job plastering the house and was told to look it over and make an estimate. He was given the job, the first one he had in Utah, and the house was finished and ready for occupancy. I believe they completed the home and moved into it in 1895.
On several occasions Grandpa Monson purchased more land for growing fruit, grain, alfalfa and other crops. This helped to meet the needs of his increasing family and also provided for his livestock, principally horses for farm work, and cows for milking. He also thought he recognized a good source of income and went to Salt Lake and traded his heavy wagon for a smaller one. He was then equipped for hauling fruit and vegetables and became the first person in town to make a business of hauling fruit to eh Salt Lake market. With more land, he was able to establish a splendid business with the grocers and food brokers in Salt Lake. In later years, as automobiles became more common, he was able to purchase a truck, and this made easier the task of transporting his fruit and produce to market. He worked early and late and took good care of his property. He endeavored never to waste anything,
In the early years of his marriage, Mons had a serious accident which kept him from working for many months. This was in July 1888, a few months after his first child, Lawrence was born. Mons and J.L. Harvey were working together in American Fork canyon cutting trees for railroad ties. On Monday the 9th, Mr. Harvey could not go with him and he foolishly decided to go alone. As he was trimming a tree he had cut down, something caught the axe and sent it through the instep of his foot. He lost a lot of blood but managed to get to the team and wagon. He lost consciousness several times during the day but did get the team hitched to the wagon and, by the time it was dark, he had started down the canyon. He was so weak he passed out again. Later that night, Andrew Thompson and Henry West of Pleasant Grove found the team going down the canyon with the lines dragging. They investigated and found Mons unconscious, revived him and took him down to the sawmill where Thomas Jensen and George West were working. They took him and the wagon home. The next day Dr. R.M. Rogers removed about a third of the bone in his instep and sewed up the wound. Later, when severe inflammation and other complications almost cost him his life, the doctor wanted to amputate the foot but Mons would not permit it. The foot gradually began to heal.
Some debt was incurred because of the injury and for months Mons and Lydia worried about their finances but neighbors and friends were helpful, and they were able to get by. Mons and Lydia were finally able to clear their debt and made a decision never again to become indebted to anyone.
Mons and Lydia raised a large family and tried diligently to keep them together as a united family, working together for the good of all. As the boys grew older, he secured more land and furnished work for them so that there was no time for idleness.
Being a successful farmer and fruit grower did not keep him from worthy service. He took an active part in civic and church affairs, and helped in building up the community. He helped to build churches. He served as justice of the peace for five years. He was ward clerk for seventeen years and he served as secretary of the 44th Quorum of the Seventy for many years. He believed in the value of service.
On October 2, 1928, Lydia died and Mons lost his wonderful, hardworking, longsuffering companion. About a year later he married Jennie Smith, a woman from Salt Lake City with two children. Shortly thereafter he left to serve a six month mission in California for the church. He trusted his new wife to care for all he had. When he returned, he found his considerable bank balance depleted and his stored what all hauled away. He soon ended the marriage.
On February 11, 1936 he married Lydia’s sister, Josephine Broberg Gerstner, much to the surprise of the family. They were separated about eight years later. On September 2, 1948 Mons passed away after a short illness. He was buried beside his wife Lydia in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
During his entire life, Mons constantly tried to improve himself. As soon as possible after his arrival in the United States, he mastered the English language and both he and Lydia spoke without any trace of a foreign accent. Further, he spoke the language of a well mannered and intelligent person. Not only did he use excellent English, he always refrained from the use of slang or profanity or any inappropriate language. Although his formal schooling was limited, he worked hard a self education and was very well educated. He was a great student, always reading good books and anxious to engage in discussions on a wide variety of subjects with any and all who were willing and capable of such discussion.
Even to the time of his death at the age of 86 years, he could read without glasses, and he was mentally alert and active. His Mother, sister and all of his brothers preceded him in death. He left a living posterity of nine of his eleven children, and 56 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren.
(Written by Kenneth Monson, son of Lawrence Monson, who was Mons oldest child)
Lydia Seraphia Broberg
Lydia Serphia Broberg Monson
(Wife of Mons Monson)
Lydia Seraphia Broberg was born July 4 1864 in the city of Norrkoping, Ostergotland, Sweden, the sixth child and fourth daughter in a family of eight girls and two boys. Her parents were Isak Broberg and Johannah Caroline Brink. Four of the girls died in Sweden in their early childhood. The last child, a girl, was born in Utah.
Lydia’s father was a tailor and employed about thirty people. He and his wife heard the missionaries teach the gospel, and they embraced it and became member of the Church in 1866. Shortly afterward, Brother Broberg was ordained an Elder and set apart as President of the branch of the Church which was organized in Norrkoping. He had a good home and some wealthy relatives who considered it a terrible disgrace that he should become affiliated with the unpopular “Mormons”. They tried in every way to get Brother Broberg to renounce his religion, but they failed. One, Mr. Edenholm, a very wealthy brother-in-law and a millionaire, offered Brother Broberg one-half of his wealth if he would renounce his religion and remain in Sweden. But Brother Broberg said he would not sell his religion for any amount of money.
The Broberg family emigrated from Sweden and arrived in Salt Lake City in 1871. Their greatest desire was to come to Utah and be sealed in the Temple. Shortly after this was done, Brother Broberg’s health failed him and he died on June 22 1872. Lydia was seven years old at that time and her youngest sister Josephine was not born until three months later.
Grandpa Mons Monson, in speaking of his wife’s mother, Johannah Caroline Brink Broberg, said, “although she had left a fine home in her native land with servants to work for her, she now was without a home of her own and was forced to go out and work for others. She passed through many sad experiences, yet she never complained. She was one of the most noble women I have ever had the privilege to become acquainted with. She died in Salt Lake City February 11 1895. Loved and respected by all who knew her.”
There were no welfare or social security checks then. All of the family helped their widowed mother as best they could. As soon as possible, Lydia helped by doing housework for some of the prominent Salt Lake families. When some of them travelled, they took her with them, so she had some pleasant experiences as she visited New York City and other eastern cities. When she was eighteen years old, she met her future husband. Four years later, she and Mons Monson were married in the Logan Temple.
Grandma’s first home after her marriage was the three room adobe house on the lot that Grandpa had purchased years before. The house was about 10 feet back from the street which is now Fourth East, with First North running along the north side of the lot. Their first five children, Lawrence, Horace, Mabel, Clifford and Lillie were born in this house. In 1895 they moved into their new, large brick home which they had been working on for several years to complete. In the new house, the last six children were born, Raymond, Byron, Alice, Joseph, Elmer and Alvin. Only a midwife attended Lydia, except in an extreme emergency such as occurred when Elmer was born. On that occasion, she hovered between life and death for many weeks before she recovered.
The whole family worked hard, each child being taught early the precious principles of industry and thrift. Grandma Monson was a superb cook and homemaker. Even with her heavy workload inside the house, she was always willing to help her husband with his work outside the house. She spent many long hours picking berries and sorting and packing fruit as it was prepared for market.
This wonderful mother and grandmother, neighbor and friend, was kind, gentle and considerate, always exemplary, very faithful and loving. She was completely devoted to her family and to the principles of truth and righteousness. All of us who knew her, loved her very deeply. What a great privilege it was to go and visit Grandma! All of us mounded when she left us for a better world. She died October 2 1928 at the age of 64. This was the anniversary of my own father’s birth and he followed his mother in death only five years later.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
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