Great Uncles and Aunts testimonies of gospel of Jesus Christ

I ran out to get my notebook and was soon feeling like I was going to die in that 8,000 ft elevation and missed Aunt Anita's remarks but asked a few of my aunts and they said she was really brief but here are her highlights and my uncles remarks. I will write them as if they are speaking but know that I am filling in a word or two here and there.

Aunt Anita Gwen
The most important thing to me are my family and my brothers and sisters here and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it is true.

Milton Ray
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is true. I am so grateful for the heritage we have in the church. Paul (his son) recently made it possible for me to go to the Sacred Grove, Pageant (Hill Cumorah Pageant) , the Book of Mormon press (Grandin Bld). I don't know how they made the sacrifices they did. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true; the older I get the more I appreciate the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am grateful to be here. I know the Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith as well as I know ANYTHING. I know Jesus is the Christ.
Families, Church, and to be an American..I don't know how to separate them. When I see people disrespect the flag it hurts me down to my bones. I am proud to be an American. I love my family and not just the ones I live with- you are All my family. I am so grateful for Jackie and Katie ( John and Barbra's daughter and granddaughter--me and mom) who made it possible for me to be here. I testify of the divinity of Christ I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

John Delwin
My Brothers and Sisters I am grateful to be with you here today. I am grateful for Barbara and all she does- to bring 12 children into the world. She is a mother to 65 grandchildren and 65 great grandchildren we have. Several years ago why I said to her," They are gonna call me to be Stake Patriarch." She said, " well John how do you know that?" , I told her ," I just know." Friday night I got the telephone call Brother Sherwood Mark E. Petereson wants to visit with you and he did. I am grateful for opportunity of serving my Father in Heaven. I know God is my Eternal father in heaven that Jesus Christ is His only begotten son that they appeared to Joseph Smith on that Spring Day in April of 18and20. The Angel Moroni appeared and gave him the plates that would be translated into the Book of Mormon-it is TRUE. It testifies that the Bible is true and brings us closer to Father in Heaven than any other book -said the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet as well as the 12 we sustain as prophets seers and revelators. I know if we are obedient to teachings and example of the prophet and the teachings in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and in the Old and New testament we will have joy and happiness and without it we won't have joy and happiness.

Wayne
Many are called and few are frozen (after walking stiffly from his seat where he had been sitting for an hour and a few min. already) I mean chosen. I am happy to be here. I love each and everyone of you. I know this gospel is true it gives us the opportunity to find our way home..if we follow example of Savior. "For behold how long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? (he struggled to get this going from his memory but waited for a minute and said it might be slowing in coming but it must come, so cute) As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints. Behold there are many called but few are chosen.
I am grateful for my mom and dad and brothers and sisters we are quite the gathering of the posterity of Dan and Sophronia Sherwood. I appreciate their great example to me and their teaching me the gospel. I would/could be ready to go on another mission in 10 minutes. Each one of you look forward to a mission. Spread the gospel message through the world. Which side we are on depends on us..then he proceeded to quote these verses pretty good for an 80 something?! Be ye doers of the word and not hearer only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a herere of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgettheth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perect law of liberty, and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart this man's relgion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widow in their affliection, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
May the Lord bless each of us. I know Jesus Christ is the Son of a Living God. I know Joseph Smith restored the gospel to the world. I know this!

Norvall
So grateful to belong to this people. I remember bailing hay-we used to have to do that on Sunday when we did we did Sunday on the next day. We are what we are because of our parents. We didn't have opportunity to go to primary or priesthood we were only taught by our parents. They took the honeymoon trail and were gone 6 weeks to go to the temple. Then he told a story that I missed the details of about how Dan met Sophronia and then they settled in St. Johns. 10 years ago we were called as temple workers. My good wife joined at 10 years old; she went to mutual one night and stayed with a non member friend. I decided to go visit with her and her friend. 67 years ago we got married on a 72 hour pass from the military then I left on a 2 year mission.
Greatest joy of all is working in the temple and to see you (my family) in the temple. It was so nice to have you stop by and say I am so and so's nephew or kid. My 2nd Friday home (after being released) tell Barbra if they need me I'll go back (to the temple).
So grateful for my wife who helped me do those things I needed to be about. Be of service in the church. I was called to serve as an Elder's Quorum President and I was not endowed the person extending the call said guess that is an opportunity for serving and growth. How fortunate we are to be called and to answer those calls. I am grateful for the 3 couples who served. We're proud of you. We now have 3 patriarchs in the family (lds position). Go forth strengthen one another. May the Lord bless us and our children and grandchildren. This Sherwood name is know throughout the world. I am so grateful for gospel in our lives and the lives of our families. May the Lord be with us in our efforts to be about what we need to be about.

Larry
3 older brothers and 3 older sisters and 6 younger bothers and sisters. I am in the middle. You know what that means squeezed in the middle. Above me they achieved in everything below me they were cute and achieved in everything. But I had A first. I was the first one to serve a mission. It was the one time in my life I was first. I think this was a great influence on my younger brothers; they all served missions. And the older ones served with their wives when they were older. In my opinion we are a missionary family. At my missionary homecoming I was visiting with a fellow I knew he asked, "how many did you convert?" I told him "none" he responded " well what did you do then?" I planted seeds and helped them desire to learn. The Spirit converts. We must want to do good before we do good we must desire to grow before we grow. My testimony to you is the gospel properly lived gives us that desire to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Each one of us has a great responsibility to share the gospel. We have set backs and disappointments that gives us strength and makes us go on. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and members of this family go forward and carry out the desire of our parents and grandparents by living and sharing the gospel both spiritually and physically. I say physically because if you don't adhere to the laws of the gospel then bodies won't have the desire and power to do the Lord's work.

Bill
We love our family. It is good to be here. Whether by my own voice or the voice of my servant it is the same. President Hinkley 4yrs ago in general conference spoke about Joseph sold into Egypt and the 7 good years and 7 bad years. I suppose we are in the beginning of those 7 bad years. Savior said there will be tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome tribulation. My counsel to you today is that there will be tribulation but be of good cheer. The one safe path is to follow those called as prophets.
In 1929 we drove about 100 head of cattle in the fall of that year. Dad said sell all but 8 cows to milk CJ and I drove cows to the rail road to McNary. Dad drove the food wagon. We were paid 10 cents a pound for that bunch of cows. We paid off all debt; in October of 29. Then the great Depression happened. The twenties were called the roaring twenties. There were plenty of jobs and money. President Hinkley in his talk was warning us that the time had come when there would be not so many jobs. We needed to prepare just as Joseph of old commanded to prepare to store food. We know Joseph worked his way from slave to manager
Brothers and Sisters I suggest with all my heart we as a family begin to prepare and become a Zion people. That we work together to support and strengthen love one another. I think we will have tough times--Follow the prophet he will lead us through these times if we listen and obey. Our Father has promised he will lead, guide, protect us if we will be obedient. Each of us that are baptised covenanted to always remember Him and keep the commandments which he has given. The Lord told Abraham we will go down and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell and we will prove them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them : And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon ...and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
My testimony is the only sure way through these times is to follow the prophet. The time will come when all you have to eat is what you have stored or can grow. Tighten your belts be valiant in the testimony of Jesus. Do all things we are commanded if we do we are promised we will receive the blessings. If you almost keep the commandments then you almost get the blessings. We don't want almost. Keep the commandments therein lies safety.
I am so grateful for my heritage, for my parents who taught me in 3 ways: Example, Example, and Example. Only time I remember dad talking about the church is when---- I missed where he was or what the circumstance was but Dan said--- he said Bill I have always known Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He taught me the rest(of the gospel) by his life. I knew he believed what he said. I am grateful to you. I love you . I respect you. Remember Remember, the Book of Mormon is full of those two words, Oh my son remember God lives and loves each of us individually. He is bound by law to bless us if we keep His commandments. I leave this testimony with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


I learned so much at reunion about the originals. I didn't realize that 6 of the 14 served in WWII. I didn't know that each of the boys had two names and most went by their middle name until they entered the millitary. Uncle Larry was so humorus telling my cousin Valerie about her husband David he could have done better on his own (finding david). Uncle Bill gets along the best out of all the originals and he is the oldest. He was teasing Larry that he couldn't open up a gatorade bottle because "I shut it tight." The older ones were teasin' the younger ones about who did what work on the farm.


It was so neat to be there and to feel of their love for me and for our family. I think there was a larger gathering on the other side of our great great great grandparents and family wondering how we will turn out and hoping we will be valiant and make good choices that honor them and their sacrifices and honor our Father in Heaven and His Son.