Gregory Allen Venema

Gregory Allen Venema is the first child of Jo Lynn Jennings and Douglas C. Veneman born on October 28, 1969 in Edmonds, Washington.

​Name: Gregory Allen Venema
Birth: October 28, 1969. Edmonds, Washington USA
Death:
Buried:

Father: Douglas C Venema
Mother: Jo Lynn Jennings

Other:
Married: December 29, 1992. Portland, Oregon

Spouse: Bonnie Christine Wilson
Birth:
Death:
Buried:
 
Father: James Craig Wilson
Mother: Eileen Jewell Thomas

Other:

Children: Alexis Jewell Venema (1994 -    ); Amanda Lynn Venema (             )

GREGORY ALLEN VENEMA
I was born in Edmonds, Washington in 1969 to my parents, Doug and Jo Lynn Venema.  At that time my father wasn’t a member of the Church, but because of the example of my mother and her family he embraced the Gospel and was baptized a year later.  The three of us were sealed together in the Provo Temple shortly thereafter.
            When I was two years old my family moved to Eugene, Oregon, where I grew up, and where my parents still live today.  It was there that my two sisters, Laina (now 20) and Stephanie (almost 17) were born.  The fact that Laina and I are six years apart didn’t do much to contribute to harmony in our home – especially when I tried teaching her to box.
            I have very fond memories of my childhood, which I credit to having great friends.  Because I lived in the same ward my entire life, I blessed the sacrament with the same boys I met in the nursery.  We were all very active in scouting, and three of us were awarded Eagle Scout on the same day.  Aside from my parents, it was their influence that had the most impact on my life in helping me to make good decisions.
            In 1988 I graduated from Creswell High School and completed my fourth full year of early morning seminary.  In my own narrow view, high school had been the greatest experience of my entire life.  I did well in school, played on the basketball team, and even I had a girlfriend.  I just didn’t think life could get any better.  Lucky for me, I was wrong.
            After a year at Ricks College in Idaho and a few classes at a community college near my home, I received my call to serve in the Japan, Okayama Mission.  It was there that I began to learn humility as I struggled to speak the Japanese language.  After a few months of often embarrassing mispronunciations and several errant trips to the ladies’ room, I began to feel more comfortable with my new surroundings and to realize the tremendous responsibility that was mine.  I was literally working for the Lord.
            I think the single greatest blessing I received as a missionary was knowledge of the Gospel.  It wasn’t until I began to teach other people and see how their lives were blessed by the simple truths that I had taken for granted, that I realized what a priceless possession the Gospel is.  I wanted to know as much as I could, so in the next year and half I read through the entire standard works once, and the Book of Mormon ten times.  It was on my mission that I fist immersed myself in the scriptures and began to understand why President Benson had challenged us to “Flood the earth with the Book of Mormon.”
            An experience that I consider second only to my mission is the opportunity I had to study for a semester at B.Y.U. Jerusalem Center.  One of my instructors there told us that after being in the Holy Land, and actually walking where Jesus walked, we would never look at the scriptures the same way again.  I have found that to be true.  My testimony of the reality of the Savior increased tremendously in the four short months I spent in Israel.
            On December 29, 1992, only ten days after I returned from Jerusalem, I married Bonnie Christine Wilson in the Portland Oregon temple.  We had met for the first time at Ricks Collge just a few weeks after I got home from my mission and dated for about six months before we were engaged. (Four out of the six months of our engagement we spent in different countries – something I highly recommend.). We married with the expectation of much happiness, as well as many trials.  We haven’t been disappointed in either respect.  I can really see how marriage has had a polishing effect in my life.  My wife seems to excel in the areas that I often stumble and has helped me to knock off some of the rough edges I couldn’t handle on my own.
(From Powers Family Book compiled by Georgia Powers Jennings)