Julia Hills Johnson

After reading mom's family history story I decided to share mine. Julia Hills Johnson is the mother of George Washington Johnson who is the father of Margaret Johnson who is the mother of Brig Young who is the father of Linda Bringhurst....I guess you can all make the connection.
Well, there is a series of books two of Julia's deendants have put in print. They are written in a novel style, but everything is very well noted from their emaculate journals(I know where Grandpa gets is from) and church history. Julia joined the Church in New York along with her older children although her husband Ezekiel did not. They followed the Saints to Kirtland and althoughEzekiel didn't agree with Mormonism he respected Joseph Smith and defended the religion. But eventually Julia and Ezekiel seperated to diminish some of the tension in their home. It was also during this time that Julia and Ezekiel lost 4 of their older children ( 18-30 years old) to consumption (David, Seth, Nancy, and Susan) within 2 years. As conditions in Kirtland deteriorated and some Saints were preparing to leave, the books talk of a time that Julia was in her cellar taking count of the food they had stored for the winter and as she felt so overwhelmed and alone she knelt down the pray. She was then filled with the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the thought came to her mind that she was laying the goundwork for many generations to come and that the Lord was mindful of her and the many lives she would affect through the years.
As I read this, I got goosebumps. How thankful I am for her sacrifices! I have also thought alot lately about the kind of groundwork I am laying for my children and so forth. Is what I am doing today worth the time it takes, am I making time for the things that my decendants will need someday? This is silly, but even as I have been teaching Trevin to tie his shoes, I've thought you know its these little things that matter. So each day I have tried to make sure I have done something that will last longer than just here and now.

Oh the sunshine

Well, today was probably the warmest day we've had this spring. I think we hit 80 degrees. I know that doesn't sound like much to you Texans but thats toasty for this neck of the woods. We worked in Rick's mom's yard this weekend trying to get ready for grass. Rick and his brother got the sprinkling system almost done and Mary and I put up the 'great wall of china' almost. Well, actually we build about a 24 inch high wall with landscaping rocks to terrace her front lawn. It is probably 36 feet long, it was a lot of work, but it felt good to get it done. (except the sunburn I brought home with me, and I put sunblock on 3 times today!) BUT even better than getting things done for JoAnn was the feeling I had when I got home. I have a dear neighbor who knows I wish that my yard looked better, but it doesn't. While we were working in JoAnn's yard she snuck over to our house and killed the dandelions in the lawn, weeded my front flower bed, found two surviving strawberry plants and fertilized my struggling peony. When I called her (I knew it was her because I don't have too many friends that would do that) she said that she has a sister out of state who is really struggling in her personal life and she is too far away to help her so she has been praying that her sister's ward will know of her needs and be there for her. Thats when she decided to help someone in her ward as a way of meeting the Lord halfway. It made me think of all the wonderful neighbors and friends we have all been blessed with and the comfort a person can get knowing that their family members truely have an extended ward family to care for them when we cannot. So give a big thanks to all those friends of yours from me for being there for you when I can't.

Trevin's Tulips

OK , so today has been a weird day for me. Tonight is the Stake Primary Leadership Training I have been working on for about 3 weeks and I'm pretty nervous, scared, etc.... so I've really struggled with having the spirit with me today and not being just plain stressed out (and awnery!). Prayers have definitely helped - I finally got my 10 minute talk-thing ironed out and in complete sentences WHEW! Then Trevin and I were outside watering the flowers and he had a great idea. Our next door neighbor has been very sick for a few months and has been in and out of the hospital. Right now his wife is finishing out the school year (she's a teacher) and going out to SLC to see her husband in the hospital on the weekends. Well, Trevin decided he should pick some tulips and write her a note to leave on her doorstep, so we did. I added a picture for you all to see. What an angel, he (both Trevin and the Lord) knew just what I needed to keep the spirit with me today.