Friday, November 30, 2012

BLUTH CHILD LOST AT SEA - THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTITY

IDENTITY - Do you know who you are - who you really are?  We are more than we can even imagine - and we are connected more than we can imagine!  Our genes are mortal and our genes are spiritual.  Our lives carry forth decisions that were made by those who came before us ... how they ate affects the body that we receive ... how they lived and thought affects our emotions and the life that we get.  What they learned, the intelligence they gained, afffects our ability to learn and our opportunities on earth.

The body we get for our mortal life (even if we are born with no arms and no legs) is perfect for the experience that we need on earth ... and that is orchestrated by a loving Father in Heaven.  So, we live in gratitude for our family, for our body, for what we got, because it is perfect for our needs and for the Plan of Happiness that was made before the earth was created.

IDENTITY - The reason for this Bluth blog, the Bluth reunion, the upcoming Bluth book is identity.  If we and our children know who we are, we will be more able to fulfill our life missions, not weaken, and stay close as an eternal family.  We will see the good in one another and we will have a desire to help one another to return to God and receive His highest blessings, and there will not be a weak link in our family line.


THE STORY OF THE LITTLE BLUTH BOY
WHO WAS FOUND AT SEA -
WITH HIS NAME WRITTEN ON HIS CLOTHING

Melchior Ludvig Bluth, Christened in Straslund, Prussia on 18 May 1698 (married to Helena Sophia Wettergren) had a son who was born in Sweden who he also named Melchior Ludvig Bluth (born 18 November 1732).  See letter below:
                                                     Straslund, Prussia
Letter from our great grandfather, August Christian Fredrick Bluth (55 years old), to his brother John Melker Ludvig Bluth, written from Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico on 17 October 1897:

Dear Brother Ludvig,
     I was happy to hear from you and many thanks for the news that we received.  We were glad to hear that you are all getting along as well as you do.  All tha come here say that it is terrible in Utah and all other places, and all that went to Jubli(?) from here said they didn't want o live there again, but were glad they had a home back in mexico to go to again.  Our brother Farr is in Ogden.  He has been there soon a year, and come back here again until he has made enough money to pay for the trip.  He works in Tanner (?) Mill.  Maybe you can travel home and talk with him.
     We all have good health and feel good and we have much to do and we wish you the same, as you know and hope you are all well. 
     You stated our father was born in Lidingon (John Christian Fredrick Bluth).  You must not have understood me.  He was born July 23, 1788 and died in Lidingon, Stockholm, Sweden the 5th of June 1842.  But where he was born, I couldn't find out.  I heard something like you said, but not quite that way.  Rather it was father or grandfather, that I cannot remember.  But I heard it and it was from Sister Fredrika.  His parents were on a voyage and the ship went down.  They bound (tied) him on a plank and he came to land in Sweden, but from his parents he has heard nothing.  The one that found him, found his name marked on his clothing.  He would have been 3 or four years old.
     I shoud have answered your letter a long time ago, but I have been so busy that I have put it off time after time, but hope it won't be any more.
     We have a railroad right in the city.  The train comes in every other day and emigrants come to this placce (Nuevoa Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico) from Oklahoma and people come from just about every place.
     Matilda Ossmen Johnson's man came here 3 weeks ago.  He is working at the sawmill for $56 a month and food.  They are building a Stake Academy and it will soon be ready.  The money is there and two of the Jackson vbrothers are here and work with bricks and it looks like Mexico will be up with other places, but it will take a lot of work. 
     I wonder if you have been sealed to your father and mother, and I hope that I will live and be able to go and be sealed to them next year, if possible.
     Everyone sends their heartiest greetings, but first and last of me, your brother.
                                           ACF Bluth (Alexander Christian Fredrick) Pioneer

Do we "write our names" upon our children, that they may know "from whence they come"?  More importantly, is our name written in their hearts?

In the Book of Mormon (Mormon 7:5,9-10) Moroni, the son of Mormon writes:
"Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God.... For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe ... this also ... ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them."

President Boyd K. Packer said, "You are a child of God.  He is the father of your spirit.  Spiritually you are of noble birth, the offspring of the King of Heaven.  Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it.  However many generations in your mortal ancestry, no matter what race or people you represent, the pedigree of your spirit can be written on a single line.  You are a child of God!"

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Bluth Family Forever! Reunion 2012

 An OSCAR EMMANUEL and
LUCY LAVINIA MACDONALD BLUTH 
gathering was held in
Queen Creek, Arizona November 23, 2012.
The 3 living children are:
 Flossie (Faudie) Bluth Robinson, 96 years old
Oscar Emmanuel Jr (turning 90 years old in 10 days)
Gayle (Chato) 87 years old
and spouses
 WW (Bill) Bunker (90 years old yesterday) (Lucy) 
Ora Lunt Bluth (Gayle's wife) 87 years
LaRee Lunt Bluth (Lynden's wife) 85 years

In attendance were 150 people who were able to be in Arizona after Thanksgiving day.  Our last reunion was in 2005 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico.
This reunion was planned in an effort to teach the children of their magnificent heritage!
      

OscarEmmanuel Bluth and Lucy Lavinia Macdonald
 
 
 
 THREE OF THEIR LIVING CHILDREN AND 3 SPOUSES
from left to right: LaRee Lunt Bluth (Lynden's wife), Oscar E Bluth Jr, Ora Lunt Bluth, Gayle (Chato) Bluth, Flossie Bluth Robinson, W.W. (Bill) Bunker (Lucy's husband).The reunion started in the foyer of the chapel, where we signed-in, lots of hugs and delight to see one another, large posters with pictures and history of:
August Christian Fredrick Bluth
Alexander Finlay Macdonald
Oscar Emmanual Bluth and Lucy Lavinia Macdonald
their 9 Children:
Lothaire (Bud)
Fannie V
LaPrele
Flossie
Mac
Lucy
Oscar Emmanuel Jr.
Gayle (Chato)
Lynden (Lyndy)
 
 Elizabeth Hatch Miller (who is currently in the Missionary Training Center, preparing to serve with her husband in the Mexico City South Mission) and her daughter Kiffany Miller Javier prepared a Genealogy Power Point with a poem which was presented by Jacque Bluth Gurney.  The script and power point will be shared to all family members by email, if you contact Jacque at: jacquegurney@gmail.com
The power point is helpful to point out missing information that our family needs to search for in order to provide temple ordinances for our ancestors, as well as to give interesting information about many ancestors.
 
Gordon Bluth and his wife Mariann prepared a hand-out with a timeline of August Christian Fredrick Bluth's life (1842-1930).  He had a hard life, his father dying 2 months prior to his birth and 9 of his immediate family members (wives and children) dying - - yet he was a faithful man, a true pioneer - the first member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Bluth Family.
 
August, the father of Oscar Emmanuel Bluth, received a copy of "A Voice of Warning", the "Book of Mormon" and other LDS literature from the Mormon missionaries in 1876, and when he read it and prayed about its truthfulness, found it to be true.  He shared the literature with his sister, Fredricka Wilhelmina, who was living with their brother (John ML Bluth) after her husband's death.  John had seen the Mormon literature and threatened to burn it, but Fredrika hid the book from him and kept reading it.  John found the book, and read it - and he also joined the church and was baptized.  Through August's testimony 6 members of his Bluth family were baptized and followed August to America to settle in Utah.  August's family lived in Grantsville, Utah (where the man who baptized him sponsored him), then in Brigham City, and then Ogden.  Our grandfather, Oscar, was born in Ogden.  August saw 7 of his children die (he made their coffins) and 3 of his wives.  His life was extremely hard, and Oscar always had tears stream down his face when he recalled his childhood, saying, "I hardly know how we survived those days".  The Bluths were thed 3rd family to settle in Colonia Dublan,Chihuahua, Mexico (as political exiles due to their obedience to God).
 
Alexander Findlay Macdonald, the father of Lucy Lavinia Macdonald, came home to Scotland from working on the sea at the age of 17 years, with a Book of Mormon in his coat pocket.  When his father saw the book fall from his jacket, he beat him and kicked him out of the house.  Alexander was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was a powerful leader, pioneer, explorer, negotiator, surveyor, Stake President and member of the church for his entire life.  When Alexander and his wife immigrated to America, his mother had died and he brought his father with him. 
President Brigham Young called him to assist in the construction of the St. George Temple, to survey Springville and many southern Utah towns, then to explore and survey in Mesa, Arizona.  The road BASELINE is his baseline surveying measurement.  His home was on the southeast corner of Main and Macdonald.  He was the first Stake President of Springville, Utah, and the first Stake President of Mesa (Maricopa Stake) - as well as the Mayor of both cities.  He later was called to explore and find land for church members to flee to Mexico (forming 7 Colonies), and Alexander settled his family in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico (as political exiles - due to their obedience to God).
We played a JEOPARDY game, led by Gordon Bluth, where the family was divided into 2 teams, and competed with questions about their family history.  The apparent winner was Mary Louise Marsh - who couldn't resist the answers that others just did not seem to know!!!  Way to go Mary-girl!  We love you! 
 
The kids of the great-grandchildren were so happy to get out of the chapel and play!
and great-grandsons' wives were good sports to play games (Brielle and Ashlee shaking ping pong balls out of tissue boxes "Junk-in-your-Trunk") game.
 
 
Andre Bluth (Chato's son) and John Hatch (Fannie's son)

...and the first OSCAR in the "great-great grandchildren" (see nametag on baby)!  His dad is Shaun (in black is Andre's son,  pictured with his brother (far left) Dustin, his wife Heather, Tono (Gordon's son) and Shane Armstrong (Chelsea Bluth's husband), Lothaire's daughter.
Mary Louise Bunker Marsh (Lucy's daughter), Gordon Bluth (this sacred spot where we held the reunion was donated by Gordon to the LDS church for a Stake center and ballfields) - Lynden's son, Michelle Bunker Jones (Lucy's daughter) and Scott Robinson (Flossie's grandson by Jerry).
Lunch was potluck - with favorites by Gary Bluth (Chicken Mole and Rice), and Renee Bowman Hatch (Chile Verde) and beans by several!  During lunch the Mike Montandon family (Antoinette Bluth's) entertained us with a rap "The Bluth Twins of Prussia" and a "Turkey Waddle Game".
And a special surprise ... Joe Brown, Netta's oldest son, came!  So here are our 2 JOES!  Thanks to Joe Wagner, who called me and asked me a couple months ago to plan a reunion!  It was my gift to  Joe, to Aunt Flossie, to Uncle Oscar, to Uncle Chato. to my mother, LaRee - and to Netta Hatch Brown - a very special cousin in my life, who took me in when I most needed her love - and taught me how the Savior loves.  Indeed, Families are Forever!
Thanks to all of you who were able to come!
We missed all of you who were not able to come!
 
...a note from Jacque:  This blog is open to any and all of your pictures, stories and family history research.  I have many more pictures of the reunion, but am out of time for tonight, so tonight ... I just want to say how grateful I am for the privilege of being born through these great people!  I appreciate their sacrifices, their endurance, their testimonies and their teachings - and hope that we can leave this same kind of heritage for those who come after us!
Love to all!  Besos y abrazos para todos!