Merry Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas to our Dear Family and Friends!

We are again sending our love and thoughts to you from our snowbird home in Arizona.  With temperatures here in the 80's, there's no "dreaming of a white Christmas!"  But, there is still a wonderful Christmas spirit here...with decorated homes, holiday parties, and the special joy of taking friends to see the inspiring programs and famous lighting of the Mesa Temple grounds.  And, we will soon be leaving for a joyous holiday time seeing 11 of our 15 grand kids in Texas and Virginia.  Plans there also include seeing the Washington D. C. sights and Temple lights.

We got so busy last Christmas that we didn't get holiday greeting to you (first time in over 50 years...guess we are finally getting to be old procrastinators after all!)  So, this year we will try to include an update of the Johnson Clan for the past two years.  As usual, preparing it has vividly reminded us once again how truly grateful we should be for God's blessing and grace.

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

Where did all the time go since we were first introduced by Cosmo the Cougar on that blind date at BYU over 50 years ago!  We love each other dearly, continue best friends, and look forward to being together with our family eternally.  It was fun celebrating the milestone event by sailing the turquoise Caribbean waters for 3 weeks of the British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, and Dominica.

3 MISSIONARY GRANDCHILDREN RETURN HOME SAFELY

After faithfully serving the Lord in Singapore (Ryan Johnson), New York (Michelle (Cole) Barta), and Paraguay (Malia Johnson).  We loved their letters which were filled with their great love for the people, exciting experiences, personal challenges and sacrifice, and the joy of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.  And, we are now hearing thoughts of two more grandchildren preparing to serve next year!  We are so proud they are following in the missionary footsteps of their fathers, our daughter, Shelly, all our fine sons-in-law, and, yes, even ourselves.

FIRST GREAT GRAND CHILD

Beautiful little Clara Dawn Anderson was born to Jennie (Cole ) and Justin Anderson.  Although being called Great Grandparents makes us feel kind of old, the joy of it being the start of a 4 generation heritage is wonderful.  "GG" is the name sweet little Clara calls Lawana, which brings tears to our eyes and joy to our hearts.

SECOND GRANDDAUGHTER'S TEMPLE MARRIAGE

Michelle (Sheri and Terry’s daughter), married another fine returned missionary, Andrew Barta, for time and all eternity in the Boise Temple.  They are now continuing their studies at BYU Idaho.

FAMILY REUNION IN WILLIAMSBURG, JAMESTOWN, YORKTOWN, AND BUSCH GARDENS

Our Clan loved reuniting to share memories and new experiences.  It was especially wonderful to walk the paths where our founding fathers, like Washington and Jefferson, fought so hard to create our great country.  At our previous Family Reunion, we had revered our ancestors who were among the early converts to the Church and crossed the Plains in handcarts and covered wagons.  At this Reunion, we learned more amazing things about our ancestors, but this time it was about those who fought for America’s freedom in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.  And, on the fun side, the grand kids were especially impressed that their 75 year old Grandpa rode the fastest and highest roller coasters in the world right along with them at Busch Gardens!

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND “GRAND SLAM”

Dick won state pickleball championships in four states. THEN, after playing only 3 years, he became a NATIONAL CHAMPION and completed a calendar year medaling “GRAND SLAM” by winning 9 medals in the sport’s 4 major national tournaments in 2015…a feat accomplished by few players of any age. Additionally, though his back surgery has prevented him from playing competitive tennis for 25 years, he also dug out the old racket for a few days this summer to win 3 Golds in tennis in the Idaho Senior Olympic Games for the third straight year. Yes, its been pretty tough pressure and physically demanding. But, if he had to retire tomorrow, he feels blessed to have fulfilled such a unique and amazing dream.

ANOTHER EAGLE SCOUT

Justin Cole became an Eagle Scout which continued the tradition of the boys in our Clan becoming Eagles.  So far, Justin makes the 4th straight grandson who has reached Scouting's highest achievement.  We are so proud of these young men and also younger grandsons, like Spencer Johnson and Jadeyn Cottrell, who are working so hard on their scouting projects.

SKYLA'S BAPTISM

Sweet 8 year old Skyla was so beautiful in her white dress as she entered the water to be baptized by her father, Jared.  It is, indeed, a special blessing for a child's father, who bears the priesthood and special authority, to perform this sacred ordinance for his precious daughter.

SPECIAL COLLEGE COUSIN REUNION at Lava Hot Springs:

We have 5 grandchildren in college at BYU-Idaho, Idaho State, and BYU-Provo.  Although all were unable to attend, we were thrilled that Jennie and Michelle and their spouses, Justin and Andrew were able to join us for a week at this beautiful place. We especially treasured getting to know better these two relatively new and fine grandson-in-laws...and, an extra bonus was all of us sharing little Clara's first time in the Rocky Mountain hot springs pools. 

PALMYRA, KIRKLAND, INDEPENDENCE, NAUVOO, and WINTER QUARTERS:

We loved our week living right on the banks of the Mississippi and visiting the many sites where our ancestors lived and suffered together with other new Mormon converts against terrible persecution.  It was there that the Church, in the dead of winter, was driven out of its third state, to finally cross the Plains and Rocky Mountains to Utah.  5,000 died along the way.  Very moving was Carthage Jail and the spectacular Nauvoo and British Pageants.  The new British Pageant was especially meaningful, because the British Isles is where many of our ancestors joined the Church and where our daughter, Shelly, served her mission.

BEAUTIFUL MCCALL

A year has seldom gone by for us without enjoying our place in the beautiful mountains and lakes of McCall.  Our Clan has gotten so busy and spread out across the country that only Sheri and Terry's family could join us this time, but that included Jennie and Justin and little Clara, too!

PALMYRA, KIRKLAND, INDEPENDENCE, NAUVOO, and WINTER QUARTERS:

More spiritual awakenings occurred during our trips to these special places.  The Hill Cumorrah Pageant, with its 800 member cast, was very inspiring and strengthened our testimony of Christ and his Gospel.  It was fun for Dick to show Lawana the spot on the top of the Hill Cumorrah where Dick slept in a sleeping bag on the way home from his first mission over 50  years ago.

 OTHER EDUCATIONAL and FUN TIMES

We’ve continued to try to give special emphasis to sharing our sunset years with our families, even though they are so spread throughout the country.  But, we also reserved some times just for ourselves, too, with trips to Jefferson's Monticello, Lincoln's Library and home, and Appomattox.  They all renewed patriotism in our minds and hearts for our forefathers.   And, pure fun and excitement was had doing volunteer work and dancing again to the music of the Sun Valley Jazz Festival; rooting on the BYU Cougars at the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas; and, hiking the glorious mountains around Bend, Oregon, and Stone Ridge, Washington.

IN CLOSING: 

So, now it is December again...and, here we are in Arizona, reflecting back on the past two years gone quickly by in the sunset of our lives.  As we do that again, it always reminds us of our many blessings and how very grateful we should be.  Of course, our family continues to bring wonderful joy and happiness to our lives.  With 15 grandchildren (and now our first great grand child!), it has become more difficult to keep up with them all.  But, as long as our health allows, we are going to try hard to do that.  We are so very proud of all of them!  We will dearly miss the weekly letters from around the world from our three missionary grandchildren who have returned home.  Their letters were always a wonderful reminder to us of the greatest blessing of our lives...the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Divine Atonement for all mankind.  Our testimony of Him, and his great love and sacrifice for us all, continues to awe and inspire us.  We are also grateful for family and our many dear friends around the world.  And, want you all to know that we think of you often, and miss you who cannot be physically close to us.  

So, it is with wonderful memories and great love, that we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and wonderful Holiday Season...and, may the New Year bring you all much happiness and success.

Dick and Lawana/Dad and Mom/Grandpa and Grandma/ Great Grandpa and GG!