Saturday, April 30, 2011
Grandma Myrtle Wangemann's Conversion Story
By Myrtle Wangemann
“March 1986”
In the summer of 1959 some Stake Missionaries came to our home at 2021 South 73 Street in West Allis, Wisconsin, and asked for the man of the house. I told them he wasn’t home and he was expected back later. They came back in several days and talked to him. The next time I talked to them I had given birth to a son, John and was very busy taking care of seven children and also having leg surgery. Roger was baptized in December and the family started to attend the Mormon Church. The Missionaries continued to visit us and also some members of the Ward. This fellowshipping led to Barbara, George and myself being baptized. I was very unsure as I was pregnant at the time and felt uncomfortable about it. April 30, 1960 came and Barbara, age 9, George, age 8 and I were baptized and confirmed. Robert Sperle baptized and confirmed me. We were baptized in the Milwaukee Ward Building of the Chicago Stake. We were to attend the West Allis Ward Building on 81st Street. It took a while for me to understand the teachings of Joseph Smith as they were very different from Presbyterian teachings. The Word of Wisdom did not affect me as it did Roger but he overcame it fast and has never turned back. In September I gave birth to our youngest daughter and Roger and I and baby Jean were chosen to be Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus for the Christmas program. This seemed to touch me and I knew I always wanted my family to be together forever.
Some of the people who helped to strengthen our testimonies of the gospel were Bob and Nancy Sperle, Philip Medlyn, Walter and Viola Becker, Harold and Shirley Hause, Earl and Hertha Radtke, Lillian and William Cleman, DeWitt and Alice Smith, Robert and Frances White, Charles and Marcia Monk, and Dee and Willadean Olsen.
After our baptisms Doug, Nancy, Thomas, Paul and John were blessed on June 12, 1960. Later on November 6, 1960, Jean was blessed.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Easter Scripture Cookies

This is one of our favorite Easter traditions!
Easter Scripture Cookies
1 cup pecan halves wooden spoon wax paper
1 tsp vinegar ziploc baggy cookie sheet
3 egg whites mixing bowl tape
1 tsp salt Bible
1 cup sugar
*Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (this is important to do first so the oven is completely preheated)
*Place pecans in baggy and let the children beat them with a spoon to break them into small pieces. After Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by Roman soilders. Read John 19:1-3.
*Let the children smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp of vinegar into the mixing bowl. When Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
*Add the egg whites to the vinegar. The eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life for our lives. Read John 10:10-11.
*Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand, let them taste it. Add a dash of salt. The salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
*So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. The sweetest part of this story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and follow Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
*Beat with a mixer on high speed for 11-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. The color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
*Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matt. 27:65-66.
*Put the cookie sheet in the oven. TURN OFF THE OVEN. Close the oven door. Give each child a piece of tape to seal the oven door. Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
*Go to Bed.
*You may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
*On resurrection morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! One the first resurrection day, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.






