Genevieve Holyoak Johnson-July 12, 1926-November 2, 2011

Mama had a very vague, but pleasant memory of her earthly father who passed away of a heart attack when she was but three years old. She remembered looking out into the night sky with him, observing the stars. She could remember feeling loved and secure with him as they gazed together out at the heavens. It used to bother her that her memory of him was so scarce. She would watch as our father, her husband, would play with us and think, “Surely they couldn’t forget him.” She felt a bit guilty that she had forgotten her own father.

On Wednesday November 2, 2011 she passed on to the other side of the veil. On Saturday November 6, 2011 we will gather at 11 a.m. at the Stake Center in Moab, Utah to celebrate the life that Genevieve Holyoak Johnson lived here in mortality. Though assured that this is a temporary parting, we grieve because for the first time since we have known her, we have no access to her. She was the heart of our home.

My husband Jerry frequently shares a memory of his first visit to my family in Moab, Utah. Many relatives and friends had come to meet the man I was to marry. He remembers the living room filled to overflowing with people. One of my younger sisters came home from school, surveyed the crowd and asked, “Where is everybody?” Jerry was puzzled that she would ask such a question with the room so obviously packed with people. But one very important person was missing, our mother. She was “everybody” to that young child and all her siblings and I’m sure to our father too. On that day, as Mama so frequently did, she had gone to help a person in need.

Recently, I was talking to my Dad. He was calculating how many years he had been married to her. “In all that time I was only aware of one fault she had, he said. “She put everyone before herself.”

So Genevieve, our sweet Genevieve, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and friend, you have finished this earthly part of your existence. You have surely passed this all important test here in mortality. If anyone was ready to meet her maker, it was you. You have gone home to that God who gave you life. You are truly one to whom our Savior can say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” You have no doubt also been welcomed or will be by your earthly father, mother and your so recently deceased younger brother, Dan along with many other loved ones who have been waiting for you on the other side of the veil. And if they have not been restored to you already, your memories of your earthly father, and all other pleasant memories, temporarily dulled, will be bright and shiny.

I know as does Genevieve Holyoak Johnson, that by following our Savior as she did, we will have Eternal life in the realms of glory worlds without end. It is my prayer that her life will inspire us as we go forward, to perfect ourselves and become better disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ.

President and Sister Martin Take a Few P-Days!

I was up much of last night with my little grandson Joshua Carroll. He is so cute. I finally ended up sleeping in the recliner holding him. I must have had more sleep than I thought because I find myself unable to sleep tonight (it's 3:15 a.m.). Yesterday we had Jenae, Brett, Ashlin, and Rachel Boren as well as Camie, Spencer, Benjamin, and Joshua Carroll visiting us. It has been so fun having them. The Boren's came on Tuesday. Camie and the boys came over Tuesday too, but went home that night. On Wednesday night the Borens went down to Orange to visit the Carrolls and go to Disney Land. They stayed there Thursday night after a long, fun day at Disney. Then both families came back up here. They had a fun Saturday planned. They took Adam to the beach with them. Then we had dinner together and the Carrolls headed back to Orange. In between we watched movies, swam at the pool, visited, played with Grandma Gemie's train and played with Princess paperdolls. I took mostly video so will have to wait to get this all posted.

Earlier this month, we had Alyssa, Ryan, Katelyn, and Marin Christensen visiting us. They left to go down to Orange on Tuesday August 11th while the ten outgoing Elders (there were no sisters), came and had lunch, dinner and a testimony meeting at the mission home before leaving the next day. We had an interesting day. An unexpected visitor showed up. A painter working on the side of the mission home discovered a rattlesnake eating a rat. The back end and tail were still hanging out the rattler's mouth. It rattled it's tail nonstop. The painter came to the door and tried to tell me what he had discovered. Because he spoke little English and "yo no ablo Espanol," I called Elder Ibarra (a native Argentine), over to translate. We called Animal control who took their sweet time arriving. They finally came and took the snake out to the wilderness. So we have one less snake and one less rat here at the mission home. We have video, which this technologically challenged author cannot share with you at this time. What really haunts me is that my three-year-old grandson Ben had run through that side yard time and again just the day before we discovered the snake. Luckily Alyssa, Ryan, and Adam had spotted one a few days before when they hiked up to the "Hollywood" sign. Jerry, the girls and I visited the set of a "Bones" TV show at the sight of the "Batman" caves. The Hollywood sign was clearly visable on the back side of caves so Katelyn can also say she saw it. Jerry returned to the set with Ryan and Alyssa while I played at a near-by park with the girls.

So this fun string of P-days have almost come to an end. President Martin has had a lot less time with the families. Adam has started school. Jenae and Brett and girls leave tomorrow (er make that today) after Sacrament meeting. It was fun while it lasted.

I am up working late entering reports into the missionary medical website. It is cold in this office on what has been the hotest day of the year so far. I go to turn the thermostat up so I can be more comfortable. I stare at the thermostat and then remember--it has been replaced. The old one had a lever that I could manually move from left (cooler) to right (warmer) when I wished to change the temperature. It was simple to operate. But it finally gave up the ghost after 25 years and had to be replaced. This new one has been programmed by those who installed it. I have yet to be successful at changing the temperature. There are too many different buttons to push. My husband is already asleep. I am not sure he has mastered it either. I go and get a jacket. And we call this progress?