Weddings, Birthdays, Baptisms and Oklahoma

It's Official -- Nicole is engaged.  

After Conference sessi ons on Sunday, Jeff and Nicole made it official. They are looking to a wedding date in May.We think Jeff and Nicole are ideally matched and we thank Brother and Sister Bullock for raising such a fine young man for Nicole.

More Wedding Bells
Ashley now has her engagement ring on her finger, her wedding dress (chosen in August) hangs ready in her room on Spring House Court, the engagement pictures were taken on Saturday, and Wendy has found a caterer. All is on schedule for December 27.

Meanwhile in Minneapolis, Sara and Ian are proceeding with their plans for a February 24 wedding in San  Juan, Puerto Rico. Sara has chosen the site for the reception and gotten the invitations printed.

Reed's Baptism
What a wonderful day! Reed celebrated his birthday by entering the waters of baptism. Reed's 

dad performed the baptism, his grandmother Olsen offered the prayer for the service, with his mom giving the talk on baptism, and Nana giving the talk on the Holy Ghost. Reed was then confirmed by his dad with both his Grandpa Olsen and Grandpa Johnson in the circle laying their hands on his head. The presence of both Grandpa and Grandma Olsen as well as many dear teachers, leaders, and friends added to the happiness of the evening.

More Birthday Celebrations
We have enjoyed a happy birthday season with Sadie's, Hannah's, Michael's, and Reed's birthdays bunched together these past two weeks. On Monday we gathered at the Olsen house for a family party to celebrate with dinner, cake, and presents. Holly topped off the chicken lasagna and Caesar salad with choices of chocolate birthday cake and cheesecake. Yum! Nana is pleased to have Reed as another chocolate lover in the 

family.

Another Triathlon and a Big Bike Ride for Brett
Brett has been busy in September with another triathlon and then a bike ride starting in Camarillo, CA to raise money for multiple sclerosis. We applaud his discipline in preparing for and completing these strenuous and worthy accomplishments.

We leave for Oklahoma
On Wednesday, October 15, Dad and Mom leave for Oklahoma to visit Lisa, Brian, Lindsay, Hannah, Ava, Sam, and Maggie. Dad is pretty excited to see the Gladwell family. We plan to drive from Lawton to Dallas on Thursday to see the BYU-TCU football game (and hope the Cougars don't let us down). Dad would enjoy seeing the buffalo in the preserve in Oklahoma and the artillery at Fort Sill but he will be totally content just to be with the five Gladwell grandchildren.

Fall in the Air
Barely a month has passed since our Labor Day picnic at Holly's house when the kids (including Christopher who made some great belly flops) were playing in the sprinkler and the wading pool. This morning, our outside temperature registered at 39 degrees and the mornings and evenings are crisp. The yellow finches are absent from our bird feeder and we choose to believe that they have migrated south rather deserting us for a more attractive or generous feeder elsewhere. Mom made a trip to Baugher's in Westminster for apples and pumpkins and has pulled up the summer annuals to make room for pansies and johnny-jump-ups.

Feeding the missionaries
Last April, Dad made an offer to President Moody to feed the missionaries between sessions of General Conference when October came around. Accordingly, Mom slow roasted ten pounds of beef barbecue, bought rolls and chips, made a big Tex-Mex salad, assembled an oversize fruit tray, and baked brownies. Additionally, Dad (who thought Mom had overdone it on the quantity of food prepared) brought home a box of some of Brother Blasco's cookies to add to the menu. On Saturday, two of our sweet senior sister missionaries offered to contribute to the meal. Mom assured them that we had plenty but these good women went back to their apartment and made two big pots of chicken chili. How much food was left after feeding 14 missionaries, three visitors, President Moody, Mom, and Dad? Not a crumb! What a great priviledge it is to be in the presence of these missionaries.

The Last Word From Dad/Grandpa
Happiness is highly prized and desirable but sometimes elusive. Here I mean more than mere momentary and fleeting pleasure, I mean deep and lasting happiness and joy. There is a big difference between pleasure and happiness.

Many people find momentary pleasure by doing such things a playing a video game, watching a TV program or taking a thrill ride. Happiness is not found in the movie theater or in the gym although pleasure my be found there. True happiness and joy will not, no it cannot be found in these kinds of activities.

For many years I have known a person who often expressed unhappiness with life and was treated for deep depression was an unrelenting part of life. This person seemed to walk around under a cloud of gloom and doom. Nothing went well. Everything and everyone else stood in the way of happiness.

Then one day, this person came to see me and I quickly noticed a new joy I had never seen before. I remarked about how happy the person seemed to be and was told something profound. This person said, "I came to really believe the words of Jesus when he said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light' and I finally decided to live the Gospel and now for the first time in over 20 years I am very happy and life is just wonderful." Once a decision was made to turn to the Gospel, the doom and gloom lifted and instead of a countenance of sadness, there is now a glow of joy and look of sheer happiness. For several years a life which once been miserable, had been transformed into one of unimaginable happiness.

A Book of Mormon prophet said, "Men are, that they might have joy". On the other hand, another said, "Wickedness never was happiness." Joseph Smith said, "Happiness is the object and design of our existence and will be the end thereof if we pursue the path that leads to it, and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, and holiness and keeping all the commandments of God."

Real happiness and joy comes in and through living the Gospel, and in forgetting oneself and by serving our fellowmen and women. I have observed many times that when we really turn to Christ and do these things, our lives are filled with joy. We become truly happy.

In Utah

Visiting Grandma Johnson in St. George

Following graduation, on Saturday morning, after assuring Nicole that we would not take the Cove Fort tour again (she asserts she has memorized the script), we headed south on I-15 toward St. George. We were pleased to see Grandma feeling perky and in good spirits. On Sunday we attended the branch sacrament meeting at her residence facility (an easy commute -- down the hall and around the corner) and enjoyed a home-cooked Sunday dinner prepared in Uncle Don's and RoseMery's kitchen and transported to the private dining room at the residence.

Grandma does not let her 92 years or her infirmities stop her from sharing the gospel. When she learned that another resident was from Santa Rosa, California (where Grandma served as a senior missionary) and was a member of the Church but not attending meetings, she invited her to come to sacrament meeting. When Grandma saw the lady was not present five minutes before the meeting started, she wheeled her chair down the hall, knocked on the lady's door, and persuaded her to come. Would that we all will endure as faithfully as Grandma!

Wedding Bells

It's official! Ashley has accepted Ryan Smith's proposal of marriage and they have set the date for 27 December 2008 in the Washington, D.C. temple. When Ashley arrived with her parents at the Salt Lake City airport thinking that she would meet Ryan in Provo, she heard her name paged with a request to go to the Southwest ticket counter. There Ryan appeared and spirited her off to a romantic dinner, a drive to the foothills, and a traditional bended-knee proposal. An eight-dollar WalMart ring (soon to be replaced) sealed the engagement.

Sara and her fiance Ian are also firming up their plans. They are looking to a destination wedding in Puerto Rico on February 24, 2009.

Education Week -- Our August Tradition

Along with Wendy, Steve, and Ashley, Mom, Dad, and Nicole had another stimulating vacation at BYU Education Week. After learning that a two-bedroom suite at the Residence Inn costs only a few dollars more than a one bedroom, we had the pleasure of being together more while lowering our vacation costs.

Happily, we found Aunt Jane and Uncle Jay among the 20,000 or so in attendance and were pleased to share some classes with them and to enjoy enchiladas together with them at Los Hermanos.

After Education Week, Wendy and Steve returned to Maryland. We checked out of the Residence Inn and moved up to the Spring Hill Suites at Thanksgiving Point where Ashley and Nicole were thrilled to share a real bed rather than share the living room sofabed. On Saturday, while Nicole was at her former roommate Janelle's wedding reception in Bountiful, Mom and Dad paid their respects at Grandpa Johnson's and Aunt Marilyn's gravesites in the cemetery there. We drove to South Jordan to visit Aunt Maurine, walked through Temple Square, and had a inspiring hour watching the Joseph Smith film.

On Sunday we went to Church with Dan and Nadine Olsen who are Holly's in-laws. We were delighted to see them and even more pleased to see how well Dan is doing. Then we had a nice dinner and visit with Maurine and her family.

Home Sweet Home Again

Holly (who seems to have become our official airport transporter) picked us at BWI on Monday evening. Ken Bowler, our stake patriarch, was also on the flight and accepted our offer of a ride home. We had the sweet surprise to find Sadie snoozing in car seat in the back. Our tired little girl managed a sleepy smile before drifting off again.

Except for the wild party that the deer had in our yard and garden reveling in the green beans, peppers, and hosta, we found all well at home and are happy to be back refreshed and assuming our familiar routines.

A Story of Love and Service

Levi Savage possessed great love. When the Willie and Martin handcart companies were discussing whether to leave for the Salt Lake Valley late in the year of 1856 or wait until the next year, Elder Savage tried to persuade these anxious saints to wait because he feared that bad weather would be encountered. He said, "What I have said I know to be true; but seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you; will help all I can; will work with you, will rest with you, will suffer with you and if necessary will die with you.

May God in his mercy bless and preserve us."

The Graduate

Nana is now a BYU graduate.

She was interviewed as a part of the graduation and then we participated in a luncheon. Nana had several still pictures taken and then was interviewed for about 15 minutes in a video shoot. The results will be used for spotlights to advertise the BGS program on BYU-TV and for BYU magazine. The Bachelor of General Studies program is still young and has a small enough number of graduates (about 70 or so for August graduation) that they can put on a celebration for graduates and family. We enjoyed a nice lunch, souvenir photographs, and lots of congratulations. Later that afternoon Nana joined the other graduates in the academic procession and the commencement exercise in the Marriott Center and heard a fine address by Elder Richard G. Scott.

Uncle Don's son Brad was also graduating and we celebrated that evening at Macaroni Grill with Brad and his wife Kim along with Don and RoseMery.

The next day we met and received congratulations from President and Sister Samuelson. Later than afternoon, Nana had the thrill of having her name called as she received her diploma in the College of Humanities convocation. Frederick G. Williams, Distinguished Professor of Luso-Brazilian Studies and a descendant of the original Frederick G. Williams (a counselor to Joseph Smith) delivered an excellent address on the family and the things of real importance in life.

Congratulations to Dana for her hard work and diligence. Her dedication was a joy to see and her hard work has been rewarded. We are very proud of her.

We were glad to have Brett join us and we really appreciate his sacrifice of rising at 3:30 am to make his plane in LA so he could be here with us.

Grandpa's Testimony

Children and grandchildren, I want you to know that I have had many wonderful experiences in life and as a member of the Church. I have come to know, not merely believe, that God lives and he is literally our Father, he is the Father of our spirits. I know that Jesus is his Only Begotten Son in the flesh and is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that he restored his Church through Joseph Smith, the prophet.

Regarding these truths, I know them to be true and can say that these words of Alma are also my words when he speaks of what he knows to be true saying, "Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit..."

I also know these things to be true because "the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit."

Off to Utah

A New Visitor at the Pond

There is a park with pond across the street. We go there often to exercise in the mornings. We often see a few kinds of wild life there such as deer, this week we saw two fawns just lying down in the area. There are numerous turtles some of which are enormous, probably measuring 18 or 20 inches across. There are lots of birds, mostly doves, red wing black birds, Canadian geese, wild ducks and an occasional blue heron. This last week we a new visitor, a white heron.

Utah Here We Come

We leave in Wednesday, August 13 to go to Utah. We will accompany Nicole back to school, participate in Dana's graduation festivities, visit with Grandma Johnson, and other relatives and attend Campus Education Week at BYU. It will be a whirlwind of activity.

Each year when we do this, we leave just as the garden is producing at its peak. We hope that Holly will enjoy the produce while we are gone.

Other Family Doings

Mom and Nicole are happy to see Dad so enthusiastic about his birdfeeders. We know it will keep him out of trouble until the BYU football season engages his full attention.

Yum-yum, cheesecake! And sweet friends Mary Finnigan, Ninon McGinn, and Ann Bowler. Mary Finnigan arranged a celebration lunch for Mom at the close of her BYU classwork at the Cheesecake Factory. Even more honorifics came as the wait staff sang "Happy Birthday" (not having "Happy Graduation" in their repetoire) and presented a sweet morsel of fudge sundae. The whole afternoon was a wonderful treat. Two weeks later, BYU posted an "A" for Mom's final grade for her last course -- a very satisfactory closure for her academic career.

Our Michael noted that Nana's graduation will yield him some personal benefits. A request for a Friday night sleepover had to be denied because of the pressure to complete a research paper. He said, "Now that Nana is graduating, we can come over for sleepovers more." Then he added, "And when Grandpa gets released from stake president, we can come over even more."

Nicole had her last day of work on Friday. Steve Koncurat in our ward has been so kind as to give her employment at his office for the past two summers also gave her a generous gift card. Thanks to Nicole's earnings, she now has a healthy bank account to get her through this last year of school. On Saturday, she dragged the suitcases up from the basement, spread them out in the spare bedroom, and started sorting and packing. On Monday, we will take a quick trip to the outlets in Leesburg to pick up wardrobe essentials. Another summer has flown by all too quickly.

Nearly every Saturday Dad has been helping Steve finish their basement. Putting up sheetrock has been especially grueling but they have felt pressured to complete the work in time for Wendy to teach early morning seminary there by the last week in August. Last week Wendy called a sheetrock professional just to finish up the ceiling but he offered such a reasonable price to complete the whole job and worked so fast that he has put Dad and Steve out of business. Dad will miss his Saturdays working with Steve but we are sure we can find plenty of Saturday activities to keep him occupied.

Our blackberry vines are full of big juicy berries and Mom gathers a couple quarts every other day or so. Last summer a garden snake poked his his little green head out of the vines to say hello as she was reaching for a nice cluster of berries. Snakes must like berries, too, or perhaps they like the shade and the stalks to slither around in. Fortunately, Mr. Snake has not been seen this summer. Having all these fresh-picked berries inspired Mom to bake a blackberry pie that turned out heavenly and disappeared within hours.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie's Last Testimony

Elder McConkie had been suffering from cancer and as the end approached, so did General Conference. He was determined to speak one last time. Thirteen days before he did he spoke at conference about the life and atonement of Christ and he closed with this powerful testimony. "And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God-I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.
I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.”

Success at Last

Finally the birds have come to to bird feeder.

I was nearly convinced that my bird feeder effort was futile. Finally, after 17 days of nothing, birds began to come and feed and they have been coming in bunches. It is nice to watch them.

One of the other things I did was to change the bird food. I started out with a mixture of wild bird food consisting of various seeds. Then, I put sunflower pieces in the feeder. It is clear that the finches prefer the sunflower pieces to the wild bird food mixture. The finches also love thistle seed.

I am convinced that, first, it takes time for the birds to develop an interest or awareness of the bird feeder and second, the change of food was also important in attracting them.

So far we have had house finches, yellow finches (the middle photo) and cardinals come to eat at the bird feeder. The the male house finch (the top photo) has a little red around his head and neck. The female is entirely gray. The male cardinal (the bottom photo) is a bright red and the female is more the color of the wings of the male, much more gray in color.

Here is what each of our visitors look like.

Another Milestone

Happy birthday Grandma Johnson. Today my mother is 92 years old. She has spent many years here in mortality doing much good in that time. It is an honor to have such a fine lady as my mother and I am grateful to her for all she has done to bless my life and the bless the lives of those I love. (Mom is also grateful to be blessed with Grandma Johnson as a mother-in-law who has always treated her as lovingly as she would her own daughter. Whenever we talk to Grandma, she always apologizes for not being able to visit or write and she instructs us to tell everyone how much she loves them.) Happy Birthday Mother.

The Birdfeeder

We have enjoyed watching the birds feed at Wendy's birdfeeder. We are hoping to have the same enjoyment at our home as the birds visit and feed. So, this last week we got a birdfeeder and so far, I don't think a single bird has visited the feeder. I guess I may need to grab a bird and take him by the beak over to the feeder and formally introduce them to each other.

Our birdfeeder experience is not unlike the gospel invitation. An abundant life-sustaining feast of exactly the nutritious food a bird needs awaits free for the taking and all a bird needs to do is fly to the perch and partake. As Nephi urged of Christ's invitation, "Behold, hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free to all men" (2 Nephi 26:27).

Mom's Accomplishment

This week Mom brought a consuming long-term quest to closure with the completion of her final portfolio of her BYU course work. After spending her days at studying, writing, and reading in a race to finish her academic work while neglecting some other areas of her life, Mom is eager to get back to genealogy, garden, and home projects. She has a list of books she wants to read and future classes to take (in time). The family can also look forward to more homemade bread and other treats from the oven.

The Rest of the Story

This week Ashley's boyfriend Ryan Smith has been visiting from California. Ryan is an impressive young man studying finance at BYU. While Wendy and Steve took Ashley and Ryan to an Orioles game Friday night, Dad and Mom stayed with Amie and watched the season premier of our favorite TV program, Monk. On Saturday, we were at the Johnston's again for a cook out with yummy kabobs, burgers, corn, summer fruit, tex-mex dip and chips. All and all, a very pleasant weekend for us.

Nicole and her friend Julene Pierce went to see Batman Friday evening. Nicole declared the movie a winner.

Holly, Dave and Family

Holly and Dave and family have been in Utah visiting Dave's parents this week. Michael flew out a few days earlier as "an unaccompanied minor." Fortunately, the airline prevented any "Home Alone 2" incidents with excellent safeguards in place. They required Holly to remain at the gate until the plane was in the air and provided Grandma Olsen with a pass to go through security and meet Michael at the gate in Salt Lake City. Hoping that Michael had been seated next to someone kind and helpful on the plane, Holly questioned Michael about who he sat next to. Michael replied, "Nobody I know!"

A Thought from CS Lewis

No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later.

That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means - the only complete realist. (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 126)

A Visitor and Independence Day

A Visitor


We had a visitor for a few days this week. Jeff Bullock, a young man from Colorado came to see Nicole and spent the holiday weekend in our home. Jeff is very, very nice and we like him a lot. Even Dad who is not easily impressed was won over by him and came away very favorably struck by what he observed and heard.

Independence Day

Despite the rain and humidity so thick you could bottle it, we had a great July 4th celebration at Wendy's house. The rain diminished enough for Dad to cook the hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken outside on the grill. Besides the corn on the cob, chips, fruit salad, and potato salad, Wendy baked two pies from the cherries and blueberries she and Ashley picked in their yard. We also loved the homemade vanilla ice cream to go with the pies. It was truly a day to forget diets.

For entertainment, Ryan and his friend Ben Holt set off some great rockets. After dark, Michael and Dave presented our fireworks spectacular and we ended the day with the last of the sparklers. After many patient tries, Holly was to capture a fine photo of Michael writing his name in the air with a sparkler.

The Rest of the Story

Speaking of Michael, our boy wonder's latest interest is reading the business section of the Washington Post each day. How many ten-year-olds do that?

This past week we had the driveway repaved and our cracked and crumbling drive is now covered with pristine asphalt. Fortunately Mom was able to do her bi-weekly Costco shopping trip and carry the groceries and supplies into the house before the crews arrived and we had to park the car across the street.

Dad put in another productive Saturday with outside maintenance and yard work. With some help from Steve, he has fixed the loose gutters. Nicole has been keeping the flower beds tidy.

We were happy to wish Brett a happy birthday this week. We wish we could have had cake and ice cream together but Brett had some fine plans for the day -- out to lunch and the new Pixar movie after work. One of Brett's recent adventures has been a 300 mile bike trip up the California coast.

Here is a good financial post and at the bottom, President J. Reuben Clark is quoted and BYU is mentioned. I thought you might find it interesting.

Here is a thought from President Benson: “The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment."

June Ends and Half Way Through the Year

Nicole reminded us that her summer vacation passes the halfway point this week and we note that 2008 is at the midpoint as well. One of Mom's favorite writers, C. S. Lewis, has a thoughtful perspective on the wonder we feel at the swift passage of time: he says,

"If you are really a product of a material universe, how it is you don't feel at home there? Do fish complain of the sea for being wet? Or, if they did, would that fact itself not strongly suggest that they had not always been, or would not always be, purely aquatic creatures? Notice how we are perpetually surprised at Time. ('How time flies! Fancy John being grown-up and married! I can hardly believe it!') In heaven's name, why? Unless, indeed, there is something in us which is not temporal?"

So when you feel the amazement of how time flies, consider that an affirmation that we are really eternal spirits feeling somewhat like fish out of water as we experience Time during our mortal sojourn.

June has brought the usual garden chores and delights. The peonies have come and gone but the dahlia roots Mom planted are starting to bloom and Dad's tomato patch holds the promise of fruit shortly. Dad has been busy each Saturday with maintenance chores -- Mom was startled to hear footsteps on the roof while she was upstairs. It was Dad checking the gutters (which need work) and the satellite dish (either it or the maple blocking its signal needs to be moved). Dad's walking along the edge and the peak of the roof makes Mom very nervous and she thinks it's time to call in the professionals for these jobs.

Nicole has been busy at church filling in for all the vacationing music people. She has played the organ in sacrament meeting and the piano in Relief Society and Primary. Her BYU and piano performance friend Mandy, who has been doing an internship at the Capitol, stayed with us for a couple of nights. Mandy, Ashley, and Nicole spent an afternoon tubing down the river at Harper's Ferry. The only imperfection of the day was when the car wouldn't start when it was time to come home. Dad did a quick rescue trip and thereafter installed a needed new starter in the car.

Wendy's piano students had their recital earlier in the month and Reed was one of the performers. He looked very handsome in his blue blazer and we were proud of how well he played his pieces.

With everyone else in the family, we are praying for Grandma Johnson's well-being. Since her fall a little over a week ago, she has been in the hospice area of her residential care facility. Fortunately, she is still alert and enjoys calls from the family. On July 20, she will be 92. We are grateful for her faithful example and testimony and the love she always expresses for all of us. She often says, "You tell [fill in the blank -- Wendy or Brett or Holly or Lisa or Sara or Nicole] that I love them."

Mom was invited to speak in sacrament meeting this month. This is a rare opportunity in our ward -- and since most of you missed it, her talk outline is attached.

Introduction:

• Gaining a testimony is one of the individual responsibilities bear to merit eternal life.
• Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "A personal testimony is fundamental to our faith. Consequently, the things we must do to acquire, strengthen, and retain a testimoney are vital to our spiritual life."
• Having a testimony is necessary for salvation: D&C 76:51 tells us that after we have received the ordinances of the Gospel, the requirement we must all fulfill to have eternal life is to have a testimony. "They are thy who received the testimony of Jesus...."

What is a Testimony?

C.S. Lewis tells us what a testimony is not. "A vague religion - all about feeling God in nature, and so - is so attractive. It is all thrills and no work; like watching waves from the beach. But you will not get to Newfoundland by studying the Atlantic, and you will not get eternal life simply by feeling the Presence of God in flowers or music."

"A testimony of the gospel is a personal witness borne to our souls by the Holy Ghost that certain facts of eternal significance are true and that we know them to be true. Such facts include the nature of the Godhead and our relationship to its three members, the effectiveness of the Atonement and the reality of the Restoration." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks. Ensign, May 2008, 26).

Obtaining and Retaining a Testimony

• We don’t gain so much as recover and remember what we all knew in the Pre-existence.
• Desire is key – need to want it.
• “The necessary procedure is: study, think, pray, and do” (Pres. Kimball 72).
• Elder Oaks: “Desire, sincere prayer. Not a passive thing but a process where we are expected to do something.” [We all pay the same price for our testimonies – no discounts, sales, or bargains].
• “A testimony is a fragile thing . .. you have to hold on to it by study, and by faith, and by prayer. That which you possess today will not be yours tomorrow unless you do something about it. Your testimony is either going to increase or it is going to diminish, depending on you” (President Lee 43)
  

My Testimony:

I know that our Heavenly Father lives and we can trust in Him.

I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He atoned for our sins and made possible His Plan of Happiness. I know He is ready, willing and anxious to help us in our needs and troubles.

I know that Joseph Smith was God's prophet of the Restoration. I know President Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today.

Interested in a Family Vacation?

We have been having some discussion around the dinner table about having a Johnson family vacation with Mom and Dad, children and spouses, and those very special people we never see enough of -- grandchildren.

We would like your input of what would be fun and doable for you and yours. If Mom is counting correctly, there are 24 of us now whose needs and preferences should be considered.

Among the ideas that have been put forth are to have a family vacation/reunion in 2009 in some location such as a beach house, Disney World, Disney Cruise, Nauvoo, Aspen Grove. If you have another suggestion, please make it in the comments. Please use the accompanying poll to indicate your interest.

Celebrations and Stake Conference

Nicole spent Memorial Day weekend (and her birthday) in Colorado visiting with her friend Jeff Bullock and his family. We appreciate the kindness of the Bullock family in providing the birthday cake and celebration for her. A weekend of water skiing and boating at the family cabin was anticipated but since snowflakes were in the air, these activities were somewhat curtailed.

While Nicole was in the mountains, Ashley was visiting her friend Ryan Smith in California. Ryan's little brother Scott, age 10, was not quite sure how to deal with being displaced in his older brother's attention by this pretty new interloper. If Ryan put his arm around Ashley, David would disengage his arm. When Ryan and Ashley were in the car driving to the grandparent's house, Scott (in the back seat with his fifteen-year-old sister) pointedly declared to Ashley, "In our Church, we don't kiss until we get married." The teen aged sister rejoined, "Well, I know for a fact that [naming the brother on a mission] kissed a girl before he went on his mission!" Scott held his ground until a cell phone call to his mother settled the question. Solomon-like, Sister Smith assured Scott that "You are allowed to kiss once before you get married."

Mom and Dad dropped by Wendy's to deliver birthday wishes to her before going to the airport to pick up Nicole. One of Wendy's friends had made her favorite birthday cake for her -- chocolate with seven-minute frosting. Dad, who doesn't care for chocolate, declined the cake but Mom savored her piece and did not resist a second helping.

Our Amie celebrated her birthday on June 5th. We remember how smitten we were with our first little grandchild and how every morning it seemed like Christmas and to wake up and hurry to Wendy's and Steve's apartment in Laurel to "help Wendy" but really to cuddle and admire beautiful little Amie.

This week Mom and two other dear friends, Maria Bailey and Ann Bowler, went out to lunch at Bella Luna to honor her friend Carolyn Brammer on her birthday. All these women were in our ward when we moved here nearly twenty-nine years ago. We had a wonderful time reminiscing and sharing funny stories. Maria, who travels frequently to her home country of Peru, told of a time she had boarded her flight in Lima and as the plane started to taxi down the runway discovered she was missing her purse containing her passport, documents, credit cards, and money. In a panic, she alerted the flight attendant and expressed her distress so vehemently that the pilot turned the plane back to the gate. Her purse had become lodged on the security belt and bomb squad was there ready to dismantle her purse!

Our "birthday season" with Brian, Dad, Molly, Grandma Morris, Nicole, and Wendy in May and Amie, Brett, and Steve in June (not to mention Mother's Day and Father's Day) is nearly over. We love the cake and ice cream and getting together.

This evening we have a tired Dad recuperating after the last session of stake conference this weekend. After weeks of planning, a full day at the temple on Friday, Saturday meetings, and two sessions on Sunday, he is ready for a rest. Dad gave some fine talks and all the talks were inspiring and motivating. For the Saturday evening meeting, Nicole and Harmony White, an accomplished cellist, played a beautiful piano-cello arrangement of "I Need Thee Every Hour."

Kurt and Jennifer sent us a delightful family newsletter. We love the pictures of Kayla and Hailey who are so cute they should be stars on the Disney channel.

Holly flew to Utah to take advantage of an opportunity to take a special photography class over the weekend. Dave did a good job of getting the kids to church although Sadie's hair seemed to lack a mother's touch.

21 Years Ago

Nicole's Birthday

Twenty one years ago today, Nicole was born. Oh, how our lives have changed as a result. Oh, what joy came into your lives. These twenty one years have flown by.

Wendy's Birthday

It is birthday season. Not only our youngest celebrates her birthday, in two more days Wendy will celebrate her 44th birthday. What a great daughter. We have truly been blessed.

Sadie the Dancer
Sadie has been enrolled in a class for three-year old budding ballerinas. On Monday, she participated in her first recital to an audience of discerning critics (moms, dads, aunts, and grandparents) who gave the performance rave reviews. Here we see Sadie with her friend Daryl Freeman. Wendy commented on how the pink tutus accentuate what cute tummies our graceful dancers have.

Ryan the Graduate
Talk about the swift passage of time -- Ryan has sped through school in what seems like the blink of an eye. Nana remembers marveling at this beautiful days-old baby boy when new mother Holly deposited him in her arms at the Salt Lake City airport. Was it really eighteen years ago? We have loved watching Ryan grow up and applauding his achievements along the way. We are so glad we were able to take him to Education Week with us those two summers. It was wonderful to have him with us on both occasions. Now he stands on the brink of adulthood and we continue to be so proud of him.

Graduation took place at Meriwether Post pavilion on Thursday, May 22 and Ryan was commended on the program for his good grades. Just so you know, he is the handsome tall one dressed in green.

Ava the Graduate

Our family abounds with academic milestones -- our Ava Gladwell deserves recognition for her achievement in graduating from kindergarten from Cache Elementary School.















Memorial Day

Tomorrow we will celebrate Memorial Day with Wendy and Holly with their families. In gratitude we honor our military troops from years past and today. We thank them for their service to our country and to each of us.

As we enjoy our traditional family picnic on Monday, we will miss Nicole and Ashley. Both girls are spending the weekend visiting with their respective friends' families. Ashley is in California meeting Ryan Smith's family and Nicole is in Colorado visiting her friend Jeff Bullock and his family.

When we arrived at Holly's house, Reed came out and approached us with a super soaker. Sadie then placed her self in front of Grandpa in a wide stance with her arms spread out and said to Reed, "Don't squirt my grandpa." She was so cute.

Mother's Day Week

Last Sunday Mom had her day with cards, presents, and pampering on Mother's Day. We loved having Wendy and Steve and Amie, Holly and Dave, Ryan, Molly, Michael, Reed, and Sadie come join us for dinner. Dad made pork tenderloin and roasted potatoes and Nicole helped make crepes for dessert. We wished Brett, Lisa, and Sara could have been here, too but they each called and we were happy to hear their voices, if not their presence.

The week ended with Dad's birthday who was kind of hard to pamper since he insisted his birthday should be "just like any other day" and worked hard cleaning the garage and in the yard mowing, trimming, weeding, running over to Home Depot, and then over at Wendy's and Steve's helping finish their basement. Dad declined the offer of a GPS system for now and said the only gift he wanted a bucket hat for working outside. We ended the day with a nice dinner -- steaks and buffalo burger from the grill, potato salad, and green salad and then relaxed in the evening and watched the "Nancy Drew" DVD. On Sunday we celebrated Dad and Molly's birthday together with the classic pineapple birthday cake and ice cream with Wendy's and Holly's families.

During the week we hosted two of members of BYU's chamber orchestra. We had two very nice violinists -- Kaitlin from Tuscon, AZ and Julie from Fairbanks, Alaska. Julie was the fantastic violinist in the BYU Concerto concert that Ashley and Nicole played in in March. On Friday night we saw the orchestra perform with Jenny Oaks Baker at the visitor's center by the temple.

The week ahead promises some very exciting things -- Sadie's first ballet recital and Ryan's high school graduation. Nicole will be flying out to Denver to visit Jeff for Memorial Day weekend.

Grandpa is 69 Years Old and Still Just a Kid

Another birthday. If the truth be known, I am only 44 years old, I will admit that I look slightly older than that.

I have been kept young by you children as I have tried to keep up with you. Playing with you is like drinking from the fountain of youth. Now I have grandchildren to keep my young and they are doing their job.

Actually, birthdays are not that big of a deal to me, after all, I've had 69 of them. And I plan to have many more of them. I plan to play with the grandchildren for a good long time.

Today, Sadie gave me a wonderful birthday present. I had just given Reed and Sadie some candy and I asked for my customary hug. Reed said, "we'll give you a group hug," to which Sadie said, "No, I want my hug." It doesn't get much better than that.

This Week's News from the Old Homestead

These are the headlines from this past week in Johnsonville:

Nicole and Mom got new phones.
Believe it or not, dad is cleaning the garage.
We got our Education Week tickets.

Yes, Dad is cleaning the garage. He asked Mom what she wanted for Mother's Day and Mom said, "A clean garage." It's an idea whose time has come, don't you think?

This week Mom has been fighting writer's block as she drafts her penultimate research paper of her undergraduate career. She is trying to muster something worthwhile to say about "The Dead" by James Joyce and then she will tackle producing some brilliant research about George Eliot. That August deadline for graduation looms threateningly in the near distance.

We had a stake Relief Society service day on Saturday. Among the projects to choose from were gardening and beautifying the city of Sykesville, visiting residents of Harmony House (an assisted care facility), or making quilts for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed. Mom spent a couple of pleasurable and peaceful hours (a lovely break from studying) piecing a flag quilt top and then a morning stitching (and chatting) with other women as we quilted them.

Dad has been busy tending to his tomato plants and trying to outsmart the deer. The repellent du jour is Dial soap -- a bar hangs suspended from each tomato cage.

Nicole started work for Brother Koncurat this week. She and Dad are able to drive to work together and would be able to come together if Dad didn't have to work longer hours. It's nice to have more life in the house as well as an enthusiastic leftovers eater.

Nicole and Mom are very excited about their new phones. Nicole traded up from her first phone -- a graduation present from three years ago. Mom has had hers for maybe eight years (and it was the cheapest one available when she bought it). She asked the salesperson at Verizon to please not laugh when she saw Mom's dinosaur phone. The women responded that no, she wouldn't -- she'd seen many old, old phones in her job. When Mom handed over the old phone the salesperson started laughing and then apologized, saying, "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

And now, a word about Mother's Day from Mom:
I think the best thing I did for each of you was to marry your Dad. You could not have a finer Dad or one who loves you more.
Dad and I love talking about how sweet, how cute, how funny, how smart each of you were as children. Those were wonderful years for us to be together as a growing family and we are sorry that time in our lives went by so quickly. We could not have loved any of you more and we continue to be very proud of you. We pray for you and those perfect grandchildren each day.
More than anything, I hope we will be a family forever -- that there will be no empty chairs around our table in eternity.

To My Children and Grandchildren

As I was thinking about Mother’s Day, and how grateful I am to my mother and to Nana, my thoughts turned and I began to think about what began as Nana and I were married and about what a wonderful privilege it is to be a husband, father and grandfather.

I expect that no one enjoys his or her family more than I do mine. I expect that no one loves his or her family more than I do mine. I expect that no one gets more joy out of the accomplishments of children and grandchildren than I do. I doubt that any father has enjoyed being with and playing with his children and grandchildren more than I have with mine and I plan to have many more of these wonderful experiences with you children and grandchildren. I treasure those moments. They are very important to me. To have you around and to be in your presence is a great joy.

I want each of you to know that I love you very much.

I want each of you to know that I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it is true. I know from my own experience that God is our Father, that he lives and that he answers prayers. I know that families can be together forever. I desire with all my heart to be with each one of you for eternity. My love for you is eternal.

Grandchildren overnight

We had Holly's three youngest children overnight. They are Michael age 10, Reed age 7 and Sadie age 3.

We did our best to spoil them by getting them whatever they wanted. They wanted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, crunchy Cheetos (not baked), raspberry sherbet, Tootsie Rolls, Peanut Butter Cups, and 3 Musketeers. Sounds nutritious and yummy doesn't it?

We watched "The Little Mermaid" and played ping pong, "monkey in the middle" and dressed the dolly about a dozen times.

Then at 10:30 we settled down to watch Harry Potter.

They stayed up half the night. This is great fun for all but it is certainly exhausting, at least for those over 12.

Here is the evidence. You can see Sadie on the right, Reed in the red sleeping bag, mostly under the chair and Michael next to Reed.

The children slept late, the old folks were unable to enjoy that luxury.

Then there were the usual pancakes for breakfast, shaped as pandas, children's initials, etc. Next was more "monkey in the middle."

They truly are grand children.

It is wonderful to be grandparents.

Nicole is home

Nicole arrived home April 30. We are delighted to have her home for the summer. She is great company and now we get to hear her play the piano.

Sara is engaged

Sara called to let us know that she has accepted a proposal to be married. The young man's name is Ian.

Don't they look nice together?