Stake Conference & Todd's 11th Birthday

Two of our handsome and wonderful sons-in-law, DJ & Brad

Little Jack-Jack ready for Conference

Katey Bug heading to the kitchen!

Todd with his completed Erector set project!
Our budding engineer who wants to attend MIT

Our beautiful Cindy with little Porter

Jordy finished her dinner! Gotta love that smile!

Regan and Todd sat with their folks and Elder and Sister Clark

Fun-loving Morgan with Jack!

Kaleb and Grampie!

The babies loved Todd's BD balloons! (Oh, and suckers!)

Todd blowing out his candles before cake and ice cream

Todd opening all his cards and enjoying every one!

He was absolutely thrilled with his State Quarter coin collection we gave him as part of his birthday.

Todd opening his IHome
(poor DJ crashed in mid-stream!)

Regan looking at her State Quarters Collection with Gramps!
LOVE THE HAT!

Kami lovin' on Uncle Brad!

Give each other loves! Ohhhhhhh!

Mom with Lori and Cindy

Our boys busy constructing with Legos.

Stake Conference is always as special for me as General Conference. It seems that we receive wonderful teaching from our Prophet, Apostles and Seventy at General Conference and then at our Stake Conferences following we receive very specific instructions regarding those principles. I am so thankful for the wonderful doctrine taught in this conference and for the privilege of having Elder and Sister Kim B. Clark stay with us in our home (our visiting authority and his wife). Sister Clark and I had several hours together here at the house Saturday afternoon while our husbands were in meetings. We yacked about our kids, their spouses, our grandkids and our husbands and felt we were kindred spirits. We are at the same point in our lives, about the same age, close to the same number of grandchildren about the same age as ours, empty-nesters, and last but not least, we both have bad knees! It was so fun to hear a little about their lives living and raising a family in Boston before moving out here to take the position of President of BYUI. They have certainly had their family challenges just like all the rest of us but their faith in Jesus Christ has seen them through just as it has for all of us who will allow Him into our lives .

Anyway, Lori and Brad and our little Todd, Kate, and Jack arrived late that afternoon earlier than expected which was a great surprise! Again, more time to visit and play with the kids before our Saturday night session. Todd tended the kids so Lori and Brad could attend the 7:00 pm meeting with us. Elder Clark made it an interactive meeting, using a white board and a mike and having portable mikes passed to members of the congregation for their responses to his questions. He taught from the Family Proclamation on what it means to preside, provide, protect and nurture and what things get in the way of our doing that well. All I can say is WOW! It was not the same old, same old! We laughed and cried together and were taught from on high! We all came home afterward and visited for about another hour before heading to bed. Our little Wilson kids are so fun to have around and thoroughly charmed the Clarks! Todd was building a crane or something with his erector set, Jack was sending cars speeding down Grandma's race track set, and Kate was just being the cute little girl she is. She even did a few moves from her Hansel and Gretal ballet. They were happy to have a bowl of popcorn and watch a movie while we were gone.

Sunday morning we had breakfast prior to the 8:00am youth session. Lori and I then cleaned up and set the tables for dinner so we would be ready to eat in a timely manner after the 10:00am general session. I prepared the food the day before so we were just able to enjoy the day and not fuss over dinner. My mom arrived and we headed to the church at 9:00am to get good seats. There were over 90 more people in attendance this conference which was so gratifying. Again, it was a great session. Jessica Loveland, a beautiful young woman from our ward and our this year's Homecoming queen spoke and did a beautiful job. Greg spoke and the spirit bore witness. He spoke on the use of our leisure time, that some of our activities are taken to an extreme and take priority over the things of an eternal nature; that as Pres. Monson said: "We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we're doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the "thick of thin things." In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes." We put recreation, television, internet use and entertainment, etc. ahead of those spiritual commandments that truly have eternal consequences. Also that some of what we watch and participate in we do at the peril of our salvation and that of our families not realizing that we have left the "high ground" and are being "poisoned by degrees". I am totally paraphrasing here but you get the idea. I spoke to one sister this morning who told me they went home after conference and had a family counsel and discussed together what things they were doing in their home that were offensive to the spirit and what they could do to alleviate them. She said the kids were actively involved and on board and it was exciting!

Elder Clark called on Lori to speak on the spot. She was unruffled and bore a powerful testimony which increased the spirit at our meeting even further. She is a sweetheart. How we love her and Brad and their kids and treasure our relationship with them.

Elder Clark spoke on three patterns of Zion:

1. Be good! Live your life so the Holy Ghost can be with you at all times! Do not do, say, or listen to anything that will drive the spirit away!
2. Serve the Lord by serving each other.
3. When adversity comes, look into the mirror of Christ and not the mirror of fear! Through the mirror of Christ you can see yourself on a journey, in the mirror of fear you see the adversary speaking discouragement to you. Turn to Christ ALWAYS because He knows exactly what we need.

I am not doing any of this justice, but I want to record it so I can refer back to it often. Just a wonderful conference...such a good spirit there with our members. Our hearts are full!

Brad and Lori and kids, and Sister Clark and I headed home while Elder Clark and Greg met with the bishops and high council for a "wrap up" session. Cindy and DJ and the kids arrived soon after for dinner and time to visit with the Clarks before they headed home. We missed Julie and Stanton and kids so much but Julie as their new ward choir director was directing their choir's number in Sacrament meeting. The time schedule just didn't mesh and we completely understood. There will be other times. It is always these times when we get together as family that we also miss Matt and Sara and the kids even more than usual! But December is coming quickly and we are so excited for their arrival!

When Elder Clark saw DJ he made the connection that he was an employee at the college and was so pleased to know he was our son-in-law. He is doing a great work for BYUI and its students and we are proud of him. I was so happy that the girls, their husbands, and my Mom had some time to visit with the Clarks before, during, and after dinner.

Now, another very fun thing as can be seen from the pictures is that we were able to celebrate Todd's 11th birthday here this weekend. I think it was pretty special for him...a special occasion for a special young man! Happy Birthday, Todd! We love you and know that Heavenly Father has great things ahead for you as you keep his commandments! Hope you enjoy all your fun books, legos, etc. as well as your state quarter collection!

Before Elder and Sister Clark left, Brad, DJ and he gave Greg a priesthood blessing. We are so grateful for the power of the priesthood and appreciate that special moment with so many of our grandchildren there to feel the Spirit that is present on occasions such as this.

(PS. A humorous little addition to this post. Can I say that I am grateful every two years to have conference visitors stay with us because it insures I will DEEP CLEAN my guest bathroom and bedroom at least that often! Oh, no, what happens after Greg is released?)

Groucho Marx! (Is that dating me?)

We stopped to visit with Mom on our way home from Cindy's. She couldn't wait to show us what she had dug out of the closet during one of her cleaning frenzies --- yes, these glasses with nose and mustache as well! I went in the bedroom with her and just burst out laughing when she put them on so she came out to "show off" for Greg! He too got a good laugh! Is she not the cutest lady ever? We really had to laugh because she forgot for a minute where she put them and was worried she couldn't find them and get them on before having to open the door for the trick or treaters. She was especially excited for Cindy and the kids to come out so she could greet them at the door with her surprise! I love my mom so much! And Groucho Marx has nothing over on her!

Happy 85th Birthday, Mom!

Isn't she beautiful?

My Aunt Gloria and Mom the day before Mom's 85th birthday.
Aunt Gloria is a year older than mom and a pistol! See a previous post where I talked about Aunt Gloria and Aunt Marilyn and how much fun they have when the three sisters get together!

I went up and spent the day with Mom the day before her birthday as we were heading to General Conference the day of her birthday. Aunt Gloria, Mom and I all went to lunch at Jaker's and laughed until we were sick! Aunt Gloria and Mom couldn't be more different as far as personality, activity in the church, and interests are concerned but they get along famously. Gloria lives across the street from Mom and they have lunch once a week together and see each other in between. I enjoyed listening to them reminisce about their childhood. Mom and I spent the rest of the afternoon just visiting and looking at pictures and memories from Dad's first mission. The Church History Department had contacted her asking for any information she might have about the church in Brazil during Dad's time there. They are interviewing as many of those missionaries and/or their wives as possible to put together an accurate history of the church in that country. I knew the Church was heavy into history gathering, but we really have no idea! Anyway, it was a great day for me! We hope to keep Mom here for a good long time though she says she is ready to go anytime. She misses Dad so much as do the rest of us, but selfishly, I hope she stays with us for many years. She is such a blessing to my kids and grandkids. I love her for her humility, her example of service to others, her always sweet and even temperament, her unselfishness, her unwillingness to give into self-pity, her testimony of the gospel, and her unconditional love of each one of her family. She does not judge, she just sets the perfect example and loves each one. I am grateful to live so close to her and be able to spend precious time together making wonderful memories. She is the perfect mother for me! I thank Heavenly Father every day for allowing me to be born to such valiant parents. I have been and continue to be very blessed!

My Mom and Dad's Forever Friends!

My Dad, Hal Roscoe Johnson, was one of the first missionaries called to serve in Brazil. Of course, it was all one mission at that time and he served there from April of 1940 through November of 1942. He became friends with many of the elders who served during the same time and they and their wives have remained good friends all these many years. They dubbed themselves "the Brazilian Mafia" and have met for lunch 3 or 4 times a year in Salt Lake for many, many years. Quite a number of them have passed away now, including my dad, Finn and Sara Paulson, Ray Duckworth, Norton Nixon,and James and Ruth Faust. My dad would have turned 90 this year so it is certainly no wonder that so many have passed on. My beautiful mom is one of the healthiest and most active of all of them that are still attending these gatherings. Last Monday I took Mom to meet the group at Marie Callendar's in Salt Lake. It was so much fun to meet these wonderful people that I have heard so much about all of my life. As you can see from the picture below, there are more women than men...simply because many of them who attend are widows of these first pioneer missionaries in the country of Brazil. Some of them are even 2nd wife widows but they continue to meet and enjoy one another's company. I have great admiration for those missionaries who open new countries for the preaching of the gospel. My husband was one of the first missionaries in Italy. There were no MTCs (Mission Training Centers) to learn the language before going. You just went with a love of the Lord, a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and, of course, a Portuguese, Italian, etc. dictionary! Dad loved his mission so much and was fortunate enough to go back there as a mission president in Rio and a temple president in Sao Paulo. I was so proud of my Mom for learning the Portuguese language when she went with Dad as mission mother in Rio. She was in her 40's and I'm sure it was hard, but then mom has always been so strong and faithful and willing to do whatever Heavenly Father asked her to do. I've always admired how outgoing and friendly she is. She is my mentor and "heroine"! I want to be just like her when I grow up!

The whole group-those who remain, that is!

My beautiful mom, Virginia

Geri and Grant Bangerter (Julie B. Beck's parents)
He was a mission president in Portugal and she started the Boy Scouts of America in that country.
She is an amazing lady!

Lynn & Edith Sorenson
Lynn was my brother Craig's mission president for a few months.

A fellow from the Church History department and Dorothy Duckworth. (Ray Duckworth's widow)
Dorothy is the one who has been in charge of scheduling, keeping track of everyone and being sure the group continues to get together. Such a lovely lady. My mom loves her so much.

Glenn and Dorothy Erickson
He went back to Brazil as a temple missionary in Sao Paulo when Dad was there.

Lloyd Hicken whose wife is on a feeding tube and therefore, unable to attend.
Greg roomed at BYU with Hicken's sons, Dave and Steve, who have both since passed away.
He is a wonderful man and they have been great friends of Mom and Dad. He was a mission president in Brazil about the same time as Dad.

Eve Shirts (widow of Max Shirts)
Max was a mission president in Rio several years after Dad.

Julia Nixon (widow of Norton Nixon)
They were church service missionaries in Brazil at the time Mom and Dad were serving in the temple.

Stoddard & Valene Judd, new to the group get-together, but
he was also a pioneer missionary in Brazil.