Funeral Talk Excerpts by Joshua's Mom

Funeral Talk Excerpts (Selma) ---

“The symbolism of Joshua passing away from an enlarged heart has touched us deeply. 

Because his heart was truly larger than life.”

I’m Joshua’s Mom.  Better known as “Where’s Selma”.  Thank you for the love that I feel here, and the support and the strength, because he loved every one of you.

I brought a hymnbook but I won’t throw it.  But I just want to stand today in gratitude to my Heavenly Father, although my heart is so sad, for the gift that we received as a family.  The symbolism of Joshua passing away from an enlarged heart has touched us deeply.  Because his heart was truly larger than life.

I feel he’s been my missionary companion for almost 23 years.  And I wondered how new missionaries adjust when they return home.  Because I can’t imagine, right now, the adjustment.

I’m thankful for brothers and sisters who loved him with all their heart.  Jeremy loved taking him cruising and meeting cute girls.  I think he wanted as many hugs as Joshua got though.  Jamie loved taking Joshua on horseback, double.  It took a lot to hold on to him.  Jacob & Janson loved helping him with T-Ball and the two-seater bike with their friends.  Also, all the kids helped with seizures, baths, diapers and were patient with his aggressiveness.  And Michael and all the kids were so good at making him laugh.

I’m thankful for pure charity and love that was given to us for so many years, but it didn’t seem enough years.  He made me as a Mom feel special and completely loved.

I’m thankful for those of you who knew him and understood him and loved him.  The blessing that is can’t be expressed.  I wish I could say individually, but we would be here a really long time, each of your names.

I’m thankful for the scriptures that were given in this life to help us understand and I want to share a few that have lifted me, and you’ll understand.  In Mosiah when the Nephites were feel burdened, they were told, “Lift up your heads and be of good comfort for I know of the covenant which you have made unto me, and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.  And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders that even you cannot  feel them upon your backs.”  That’s why I could hold him on my back.  And I loved doing it.  (Mosiah 24:14-15.)

In 3^rd Nephi 17, when the Savior loves the little children.  I read that many times knowing that He loved Joshua.  And when He healed the little children, Joshua has now been healed with angels surrounding him. (3 Nephi 17:7-25.)

In Moroni 7, this is on his missionary plaque, because this scripture is all about who he is.  “But charity is the pure love of Christ and it endureth forever.  And whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.”  And we know that Joshua was possessed of it at the last day.  (Moroni 7:47.)

We are thankful for the support and love that we received and will never be able to express how much it has meant.

On Monday evening, I received a letter from Joshua’s youth counselor last year, Jonathan Case.  I read it Monday night.  There was a letter to me, and a letter to Joshua.  And Tuesday morning I read this to Joshua, not knowing what lay in store.

“Dear Joshua,  I don’t know if this letter will ever reach you in this life, and if it did I’m not sure the words would make sense to you – but, I know that it must be written.  I know that you have a greater understanding than any of us and this is one message that MUST be written.  I know that you were put here on earth, at this time, for many reasons, one being for my well being.  Through the power and inspiration of God, I found you (or you, me) and you taught me so much.  I learned love towards all men, even if I don’t always practice it, I know that you do.  I learned the importance of free-will as one of God’s greatest gifts.  Finally, I saw first hand how to live a Christ like life.  You will forever be my big brother and I love you so much.  Thank you for your example and love.  Your friend for eternity, Jonathan Case.”

Then with the events of Tuesday afternoon, as we surrounded him later, after he’d passed away, we read that letter, those letters, as family and close friends. 

And I want to give you my testimony of what I know that Joshua understood.  He would want each one of you to know how much he loved you, always.  And how thankful he is that you were part of his life.

He would tell you that he would want you to do your best to return to Heavenly Father so that we can all rejoice together someday.

And he would want you to know that every day he tried to be like Jesus.  And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Aunt Vickie

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Aunt Vickie ---

"I pondered, and have pondered, again, how someone like Joshua could understand the importance of praying to God"

It's an honor to be here and speak at the funeral of Joshua...  Joshua was truly a blessing.  It’s hard to pick a moment, or a time, or a story, to tell about Joshua.  But there is a couple that I would like to share.  When I was going on my mission, the one person I was afraid to leave was Joshua.  He’s closer in age to me than most of my siblings, and I feel like we grew up together.  And one of the funnest things about Joshua when he was younger, was that he just kind of stayed little.  He was 14 when I left and he still weighed 60 pounds.  And I could carry him everywhere.  But I knew that he wouldn’t stay 60 pounds forever and that a lot of changes would probably happen while I was gone.  Selma knew without me even telling her that this was going to be very hard for me.  And so the night before I was suppose to go into the MTC, she let me put him to bed.  And so we sang our song and we prayed and I was just laying there in bed with him and I was crying, because I didn’t want to leave my Joshua.  And then in, what I call those spirit moments, when it was almost like God let him break through his body, Joshua just started gently rubbing my arm, and I knew that he knew how much I loved him.

All of us in our family are grateful for the greetings – the big  loud scream of our name, and the hug, and I remember when Selma brought him to the airport before I left for California.  I walked to the gate and I looked I saw him, and almost before I saw him, I heard my name and there he was running, arms outstretched to give me one last hug before I left.  Those are two of my most favorite memories.

Some mention has been made about Joshua’s phrases, and when Selma and Michael lived in Sandy, I visited them so often they stopped introducing me in their ward.  One time someone felt bad and said you didn’t introduce the visitor, and they said she’s not a visitor.  And so I felt like I got to have a lot of wonderful memories with Joshua.  And we would go down to the park a lot.  And I don’t know how we managed to get him the toddler bike thing, when I look back it, that he use to ride behind the bike, but we would go down to the park.  And one time we were at the park and it was when he learned the phrase “one more time.”  We were, Selma was trying to get everyone to go, and telling him we had to leave, and he had just gotten down the slide and he said “one more time.”  And we said “okay.”  And he went down the slide again.  And he realized that that phrase really worked for him.  And he said it, and I don’t  know how long we stayed, maybe a half-hour or hour longer, and he kept saying “one more time.”

I asked Jacob and Janson what they would want to say if they were up here.  Jacob said that he knows that Joshua didn’t die, that he just started a new life in heaven.  And Janson said if he wasn’t in our family, we wouldn’t have learned about special needs and how to help people. 

I think the one thing that my family, and many of you are grateful for, is how Joshua taught us to be a better people.  I can almost imagine Joshua up there before he came down, talking to our Heavenly Father saying “I have a family, and they’re a good family, but they need someone to help them be better, and they need someone to teach them how to love unconditionally.  They need someone to teach them to look at the simple things in life.  And there is a woman, named Selma, who is going to love you.  With all of her heart.  And you are going to love her so much that every time she leaves your side, you are going to ask where she is.”

There’s a scripture in 3^rd Nephi 17 that I would like to modify for a little bit.  Because one of the things that was important to Selma was teaching Joshua how to pray, and she did accomplish that.  To preface this, when I was 18, Joshua was 9, Jeremy was 7 and Jamie was 3, Selma and Michael went on a one week vacation and I was chosen to watch these rascals.  And it about did me in.  It’s probably the reason I’m still not married.  And, oh man, it was hard.  And I learned the amount of patience that it took, and love it took to care of a special needs child 24 hours a day.  But the first night I learned a very important lesson.  It was important to Selma that Joshua learned how to pray, and every night before he would go to bed, she would kneel with him by his side, and Michael too, and they would say a prayer.  And he would bless everyone and everything.  Well the first night Selma was gone, it was really hard for Josh.  And he kept waking up, and coming into the room, and looking at me and not being very satisfied with what he saw.  And I’d get him a little calmed down, and take him back to his bed and he wouldn’t let me put him in his bed until we prayed.  We said five additional prayers that night.

And it’s something that I pondered, and have pondered, again, how someone like Joshua could understand the importance of praying to God, and someone like me, at that point, didn’t.  Joshua’s prayers were very special because he blessed those who he loved the most.

I would like to end with 3^rd Nephi, chapter 17, verse 17.  “And no tongue can speak, and neither can there be written by any man, neither the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Joshua speak and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.”

And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Uncle Mark

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Uncle Mark ---

“Without Joshua, no explanation was possible. And with Joshua, no explanation was necessary.”

I’m Joshua’s Uncle Mark.  And every once in a while I would hear Selma say something out of the blue something like “how did the cordless phone get into the toilet?”  And usually within a few moments, she would realize the absurdity of that question.  There was a little phrase that Selma and I liked to say, “Without Joshua, no explanation was possible.  And with Joshua, no explanation was necessary.”

Joshua and I had a lot of good times together.  Selma would bring him to my track meets.  And as I would walk to the starting line I would hear him yell out “Mark.”  And I would line up, and as previously demonstrated by Glenn and I up here, he would immediately look at me and go like that.  But in front of a lot of people, heading to a starting line, I didn’t want to fall all the way down, but I would hit my eye at least, and then I would look up in the stands, and his head would rear back in laughter.  And I have no idea if there was anybody that was at the meet that saw me walking, look up at him, smack my head back and then laugh a little bit and then continue on.  And also, Joshua really a lot of times would want to find me after a track meet.  And there is an awful lot of tall, skinny, brown-haired guys at the track meets.  And Joshua, at the end of a race, you get into a jumble, and you’re all around, everybody’s all over the place and it’s hard to find somebody.  And Selma would take Joshua to come and try to find me.  And he would stop every tall, brown-haired guy and turn them around, and say “Mark, Mark, Mark” and he would just go from person to person to person to person until he’d finally found me. 

I know Jacob and Janson like this one.  Jamie was there too, that you all know that sometimes he had a hard time starting his phrases.  And one time, Selma and family sitting there at Sacrament Meeting, I wasn’t there, but apparently I’ve been told I re-create it fairly well, but Joshua all of the sudden, out of the blue, said “mahewmishamedafeewatameheeremashoisemetahee whatime is it.”  Sometimes, for whatever reason, he just had a hard time starting what he wanted to say.

One time I was playing with Lydia, Lisa and John, Joshua’s oldest cousins.  We had a little game called court.  And it must have just been fun because we were young, but we would sit there and make up charges against each other, and sentence each other to funny things like hang upside down in the closet, and we were just sitting there playing court one day, and Joshua came running through the living room – he was pretty young at this time – buck naked.  And with that face, that you can’t describe, but if you’ve seen it you know what I’m talking about, that face, just funny.  Happy as can be, naked as the day he was born, through the living room and up the stairs, and two seconds later after that, Selma, phew, trying to find him as well.

...

I remember as each young Eisenstat was growing up, it took them a while to learn how to absorb the blows.  And they all were able to do that.  And it was just amazing to me, the example that those young Eisenstats set in loving their brother.  Also, one of Joshua’s friends, Brett, when he came over [Wednesday] night, said something really funny that I wanted to repeat.  He said “You know you’ve been in the neighborhood a long time when Joshua smacks you and you just say, oh hey Josh.” 

Articles of Faith.  Article of Faith 13, I wanted to read and talk a little bit about Joshua.  It’s starts out by saying “We believe in being honest.”  Joshua wasn’t honest.  He would drop a plate, break it, and if you saw him, he would say “Wha hapn” with a look of innocence that he really didn’t know and he wanted you to tell him.  Also one time I went to visit him at Pleasant Grove High School.  I would do that when I was in college (in Ogden) and whenever I needed to be in Provo during the day, I would try to squeeze in a trip to Pleasant Grove High School and go see Joshua, or later Provo High School.  And I went to see him, and while I was in his class, he told the teacher “wa bathroom, wa bathroom.”  He needed to go to the bathroom.  And the teacher said okay.  And we went to the bathroom and we walked over, and he went into the boys bathroom – I guess I’m going to demonstrate this.  He went into the bathroom and this is the exact timing and sequence of what happened.  [Mark walks out to the hall, gets locked out and ends up knocking on the door to be let in.  President Sosa lets him in.]  We have to try that again.  Don’t let the door shut.

“I’m back.”  The door hadn’t even shut and he opened it up and said “I’m back.”  I asked the teacher what that was about.  And he said well, just like any high school boy, when Joshua wanted a break, he faked having to go to the bathroom, but he wasn’t very good at it.  Because they would take him, and they would go in and as soon as the door shut, he opened it back up and acted like he had gone to the bathroom.  So I don’t know that Joshua was very honest.

True, chaste, he was true, he was chaste.  He was benevolent.  He was virtuous.  And he did good to all men.  I also remember that a bishop gave a talk about Joshua and how there were certain commandments that he was exempt from and honest was one of those, and he was exempt.  But all of these other ones he lived to a spectacular degree.

And in Corinthians, we’ve talked a little bit about charity.  And it says “charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies they shall fail, whether there be tongues they shall case, but whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away, and charity never fails, and that’s why our friendship, each of us that had friendships with Joshua, they never, ever failed.

We all had, I’ve just been thinking about this the last few days, how central that little boy was to our family.  The Joshua boy.  We all say with affection our Joshua names.  As Glenn mentioned earlier, we have a name that everybody else calls us by, and then we have a name that Joshua calls us by.  And it’s “Daddy”  “Selma.”  “Jamie.”  “Jatob.”  “Janson.”  And then “Jermy.”  And one that I miss, that he matured, he use to say my name and it would last almost sometimes up to 10 seconds long, he would say “Maaaaaaaaarrk.”  Every once in a while he would say it really, really long, and as he got older, he just started calling me “Mark.”  And I liked that.  I miss the old one.

I’m grateful that my tears were already all used up so that I could talk about the fun stuff.  And I was thinking also about Joshua, spoke at my farewell, and I was thinking earlier this week, that I’m speaking at his farewell.  And I’m going to close my talk with Joshua’s talk that he gave at my farewell ... I love you Joshua.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Funeral Talk by Jeremy - Joshua's Brother

Funeral Talk by
Jeremy - Joshua's Brother

My heart hurts because of the loss of my special brother, but I also rejoice in the fact that he is free. He is normal. He is no longer tied down to his disabled mortal body. He no longer has to endure the pain of his seizures which were unbearable to watch. He is happy and he is watching out for all of us. He touched literally thousands of lives. 

When Joshua passed away, Jeremy was serving his mission in the New Zealand Wellington Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This was one of the hardest phone call we ever had to make. Through much prayer, Jeremy felt the best place for him to be was on his mission and so he stayed in New Zealand.  During this heart-wrenching time, Jeremy wrote this talk and asked that it be read at Joshua's funeral by his dad. Jeremy's inspired words give a wonderful depiction of the relationship he and Joshua shared.  His love, humor and tenderness have always touched my heart.  I love you Jeremy and Joshua!!

Funeral Talk by Jeremy

Joshua is my special brother. He always has been and he always will be. His passing away was very sudden and unexpected. It was difficult for me to hear the news as it was for everyone. I really wish I could be there, but I'm needed here. [Serving in the New Zealand Wellington Mission.] 

I want to say some things about Joshua that I have been thinking about. He was and is the best big brother that anyone could ever ask for. For 19 years we slept in the same room, we grew up together, we played together and I've heard stories about when were really young and we somehow caused a little bit of trouble together. I'll always have the memories of him laughing and smiling and saying his little funny phrases that everyone loves to imitate. I loved watching him hit rocks with hockey sticks, except when he got ahold of one of my nice $200 sticks and smacked it on the street. I loved watching him tear his shoes apart while riding down neighbors' driveways on skateboards. I loved watching him play sports. I've never ever seen someone as skinny as he was, hit a ball so hard off a tee, and then throw the metal bat to first base, and then not want to go to first base. I loved when he would take a drink, and mix it with another drink, and then drink it and look at us waiting for us to make him laugh while drinking it and spilling whatever the drink was all over the floor. I'll miss giving him hugs and high fives. We often told a little joke about how he has been acting his whole life just as an excuse to hug and kiss every young lady that he sees. Not many people can do that and get away with it. Maybe someday I can be as smooth as Joshua. I've never seen anyone work a VCR like Joshua did. He loved his movies and tapes. If it weren't for Joshua I probably wouldn't be the only 20 year old guy in the world who knows every Barney song by heart. I think my most memorable memory of Joshua was when me and Uncle Doug were giving him a bath. We stood Joshua up to wash his legs and Doug was holding onto him while I bent down to wash his knees, and all of the sudden, I felt something wet trickling on my head!! As you can guess, my big brother pee'd on me. I threw my shirt of and stuck my head under the shower while Joshua and Doug were just cracking up. It was funny. These are memories to last a lifetime. I wouldn't be surprised if, at the end of my life when I meet up with Joshua again he will say, with his arms out, "Wa Hapn?" My heart hurts because of the loss of my special brother, but I also rejoice in the fact that he is free. He is normal. He is no longer tied down to his disabled mortal body. He no longer has to endure the pain of his seizures which were unbearable to watch. He is happy and he is watching out for all of us. He touched literally thousands of lives. I know he is where he needs to be. I know that I will be able to be with him again...forever! This is made possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that Joshua has been taken home to God where he belongs. How comforting it is to know that. Joshua is in Paradise. He is gone from this challenging and confusing world. I have felt the Savior's love very strongly as I've prayed and also pondered about Joshua boy. He is special and always will be. I love him and miss him. He is a best friend to me. I want to thank everyone who has helped Joshua, or who has even just given him a high five. I'm so thankful for the love that everyone has for this special boy. The Gospel is real and I know we will all see him again. I love you Joshua. In the name of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Uncle Glenn

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Uncle Glenn (Bwren) ---

"And Joshua proceeded to high five every girl on the opposing team's bench."

I've never cried during that Barney song before.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm just Joshua's Uncle Glenn, or as he would say in his own language, “Bwren.”  We think that's spelled B W R E N.  We're going to have to ask him later.

Although our lives were sometimes more complicated, to Joshua Boy, life was very simple:  family & friends, Barney, family & friends, Wheel of Fortune, family & friends.

Although we are saddened at his passing, remembering the good times will help us to heal with a smile on our faces.  This afternoon I am wearing my blue shirt and my basketball tie in honor of Joshua because he loved to come to my games at Pleasant Grove High School.  There are two games in particular which I remember with a smile on my face.

You've heard in many of, Julie mentioned it, Mike mentioned it, I think Selma mentioned it, I think everybody's talked about how Joshua loved to give high fives.  Well, in the middle of a game, Selma was late bringing Joshua.  I was standing up – I can't sit down during a game.  And I look over at the entrance, and I see Selma and Joshua walk in.  And Joshua proceeded to high five every girl on the opposing team's bench.

During another game, I don't know, maybe it was the same one – you've heard how Joshua liked to throw things.  I was standing up again, because I can't sit down during a game and I see something fly over my head onto the floor.  And my first reaction is, Selma said the look on my face was sheer horror, I thought some fan was upset with an official's call and threw something on the floor.  I looked at it, and it was a tape, a video tape.  I just went out, picked it up, handed it to Selma and the game never stopped.

As I mentioned, I teach at Pleasant Grove High School, and for five years Joshua attended Pleasant Grove High School and I loved seeing him and giving him high fives in the hallway or lunchroom, wherever.  It was always fun to watch the reaction on a girl's face when he tried to hug them.  Some girls knew that Joshua was special, and it took others a little longer to figure it out.  But it was always fun to watch the girl's reaction when Joshua, put out his arms.  Well, one day an office worker came into the classroom, and usually that means they want a student.  Well, this time they wanted the teacher.  They said, "we can't get Joshua off the bus, and we're going to watch your class so you can go do it."  Mark, will you come up here (visual demonstration).

I don't remember the year we started doing this, but we had a game we played with Joshua and maybe it's because that we figured out that if we threw imaginary things, less stuff would get broken.  But we played this game with him, and we'd say, "Joshua, throw a pillow at me."  And he would take both hands, and just put it back on his shoulder and he would throw it (Glenn threw the pillow and Mark fell down) and we would act like we got hit.  And he would just laugh, and then he would say, "again."  So I got on the bus.  He was just sitting in the aisle, wouldn't get up.  And I said "Joshua, throw a pillow at me."  So he got up, threw a pillow at me, I fell down, and he walked off the bus.  I don't know if that's what he wanted, but that's what he got.  That was not the only time that they came and watched my class so I could come and get Joshua to do something.

I don't know if any of you noticed, out in this foyer, there's a Rubbermaid container with a bunch of dirty, broken toys, and another container holding a bunch of dirty, broken toys.  And in the rubber maid container, the front has been cut out.  Let me explain that.  We have a playhouse in our backyard, and there's a slide.  And Joshua would come over and he'd throw all the toys down the slide, and it fascinated him, I don't know why.  Well, simple mind.  It fascinated him and he would just throw them over and over again, but when he was done, they were all over the yard.  So I got a cardboard box to catch them.  Well, that didn't last very long, so I went to Wal-Mart, got a container, cut out the front, and it made it a lot easier to pick up his toys and give them back to him.  I think his record was like 4 hours straight once, just throwing those toys down the slide, into the Rubbermaid container until he got hungry or something. 

Well, as you've heard in some of the talks, Joshua wore a diaper, which meant that sometimes it was what Doug got, or was it Jeremy, what Jeremy got, and sometimes it was the other one, okay.  And if you changed him in the house you needed some pretty strong spray so that you could stay in the house.  Well, I learned that if I changed him in the playhouse it freshened up a lot quicker, because there was a lot more air outside than in the house.  So one day I was changing his diaper, and while I was changing his diaper, I noticed a wasp nest about 2 or 3 feet from his head, that had been being formed without our knowledge and I didn't see it until I was changing that diaper.  Well, the worst thing I could have done was look at it, because Joshua notices a lot of things you don't think he's going to notice, but I just kept looking at it, and right when I got his button buttoned, finishing the diaper change, Joshua grabbed that wasp nest – it had about 20 wasps on it at least – and he just held it and looked at it.  Of course my face was about a foot away from that wasp nest, and now the wasps are crawling all over his hand, and I freaked out, he didn't.  And I grabbed his hand and hit the wasp nest out, and now the wasps are flying all over the place.  So I grabbed him, I pushed him down the slide, and I followed him down that slide.  And when we got to the bottom, he said "ow."  And I thought, "oh, he got bit by a wasp."  And I checked him, and I checked him, and I couldn't find any bites.  And I didn't have any either.  So I e-mailed that story to our whole family.  And I think it was Vickie that said, "the wasps knew that he was no danger to them."  Somehow they knew.  Because I guarantee if I had picked up that wasp net, I would have had bites all over me. 

Last story I'm going to tell you.  On Sunday, 6 days ago, when Selma called me to help her get Joshua into the van, to take him to Orem Community Hospital, I walked in and he was just laying on the floor.  He didn't have very much energy.  I picked him up, and started walking toward the garage, and he pointed at the VCR, and he said "tape."  He had to have his Barney tape.  So we would put it in his bag and we took him to the hospital.

I'm just going to repeat what I said earlier.  Although our lives were sometimes more complicated, to Joshua Boy, life was very simple:  family & friends, Barney, family & friends, Wheel of Fortune, family & friends.

We Love You Joshua Boy!

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Uncle Doug

Funeral Talk Excerpts by Uncle Doug ---

"We always joked that Joshua would be the perfect Wal-Mart greeter. But he was so much more than a greeter, he radiated the spirit of Christ in his life."

My name is Doug Larson.  I'm another one of Joshua's Uncles.  Two and a half years ago I got married, and before that, when I was dating my wife, right at the beginning of our courtship, the first family party that Rochelle came to, we were just sitting actually on different couches, and Joshua walked up, grabbed Rochelle's hand and put it on my knee.  I guess that was his way of saying that he approved.

Four and a half months ago, Rochelle and I found out that we were having another boy, and we chose the name "Hunter Joshua Larson."  Hunter is after Howard W. Hunter, who most of you know.  And Joshua is after "Joshua Michael Eisenstat."  Someday Hunter, who is not born yet, but could be any minute at this point.  Someday he is going to ask why he is named after these two great men.  And we can tell him that Howard W. Hunter had a love for music, and he gave up his music career in favor of a stable family life.  He was the 14^th president of the church and encouraged all members of the church to be worthy to enter the temple.  Joshua Michael Eisenstat was lacking somewhat in musical talent, and did all he could to create a hectic family life.

That may be what someone who never got to know Joshua might have thought.  The Joshua I knew would better be described as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  A disciple is defined as a pupil or learner, a name used to denote all followers of Jesus Christ, one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of the gospel.  In Matthew 18, verses 1 through 5, I changed "child or children" to "Joshua."  And it says:  "At the same time came the disciples came to Jesus saying, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And Jesus called Joshua unto him and set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Verily I say unto you, except you be converted and become as Joshua, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as Joshua, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoso shall receive Joshua in my name receiveth me."  Does that fit?  Is that the Joshua that you know?  How many of you were ever randomly hugged by Joshua?  Or given a high five?  How many of you did Joshua smile and say "hi"?  Or even several hi's in a row just to get your attention.  Did he brighten up your day?  We always joked that Joshua would be the perfect Wal-Mart greeter.  But he was so much more than a greeter, he radiated the spirit of Christ in his life.

Two years ago on Mother's Day, my wife and I spoke in Sacrament Meeting, so we invited Selma and her kids.  Bishop Gurr was conducting the meeting and started out by saying, and he didn't know Selma, he didn't know Joshua, he'd never seen them before.  He just started out by saying that 25 years ago our ward had a special visitor.  Boyd K. Packer visited our ward to bless his baby granddaughter.  Then he talked about how special it was to have a general authority come and that this was the last time a general authority had come to this ward.  He then told the ward that they had another very special visitor.  And I remember looking around who it was, and starting to get nervous because I was speaking that day.  Bishop Gurr said that he was sitting in the back with his family and that he was a special needs visitor, and that he was just as special of a visitor to this ward as Boyd K. Packer was 25 years ago.  How was I suppose to talk after that.  I could see Selma sitting at the back of the chapel with tears in her eyes.  It was the most touching thing she could have heard on Mother's Day, but it was so true.  Even though Joshua had a seizure, and had given a few Deacons high fives while they were passing the sacrament, the worth of his soul was recognized by our bishop.  All of you are here today because you know the worth of his soul.  Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.  And how great is Joshua's soul.

We can honor his life by emulating his life.  By reaching out to strangers who need to feel love.  By looking people in the eye and saying "hi."  By loving your family.  Joshua taught us that.  It's the small and simple things in life that are really important. 

So in a few years when our son Hunter asks why he is named after Joshua, we can tell him that he was just like Jesus Christ.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Joshua's Best Friend

Mark Gudmundson -

“My Best Friend”

“So next came the kissing sound.  His mother asked, ‘do you love Joshua?’

‘Oh Ya!’ he responded.”

(Mark Gudmundson)

We met Mark Gudmundson, and his mother Martha, in our first week at church in our new home in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Mark was six  years old at the time and his handsome face and huge smile radiated such light from his severely disabled body, which was confined to a wheelchair.  Martha warmly greeted us and introduced her and Mark.  Right at that first moment of introduction, Joshua, already tall and skinny at age 12, leaned right over Mark and gave him a big kiss right on the top of his head.  Mark immediately giggled with excitement, and both boys were immediately bonded and from that moment on became best friends.

Mark and Joshua loved to watch some of their favorite shows together, Barney the Dinosaur, and The Price is Right.   It was always a heartwarming moment to see these two handsome boys, with two very different disabilities, communicating through smiles and laughter as they thoroughly enjoyed being together.

Mark and Joshua loved to watch videos together.  We always found it very interesting that they had such similar tastes in their videos.  However, when Mark was laying on the floor watching his favorite programs, Martha and I would often have to closely watch Joshua.  Joshua would get so excited at a prize won on The Price is Right or a favorite moment on a Barney video, that he would clap, laugh and jump up and down, often very, very close to Mark’s body.  I remember Martha laughingly and lovingly shielding Mark, who was also laughing, from the excitement being expressed from Joshua’s out-of-control body.

I can also remember vividly a particular visit at the Gudmundson’s when Mark and Joshua were both sitting on the couch.  Suddenly Joshua leaned over to Mark, pulled him over in a great big bear hug, and completely covering his face with his long body.  We didn’t let the hug last too long so that Mark wouldn’t be completely smothered by the love Joshua was sharing with him.

Mark and Joshua shared some very special experiences.  The memories of t-ball, with these two special young men, bring many smiles and giggles.  They loved being on the same team.  Mark always had too many helpers ready to hold his hands and help him hit the ball, and push his wheelchair while running around the bases.  And Joshua had his unique rambling run, and always gave high fives to teammates and spectators.  With their very different disabilities, the same ability was the same, happiness and love emanating through their bright smiles and laughter.  One always felt better after being with Mark or Joshua.

            Our family also sat right in front of Mark’s family for many years during church.  We found that Joshua was not as disruptive at church if he sat on the very same row week after week.  We chose the row right in front of the Gudmundson family.  I know that Joshua and Mark entertained each other through their smiles and giggles we could hear throughout the meeting.  We especially loved the sweet memory of Mark turning 12 years old, and passing the bread and water to our rows.  Although Joshua couldn’t express this, I knew he was very excited and happy for Mark for this great privilege and honor he performed so beautifully every week.  These were special times, and I will always miss sitting in front of the Gudmundson family during church.

            One birthday, Martha gave Joshua a quilt made out of squares from The Price is Right.  She had made one for Mark, and one for Joshua.  This was a wonderful gift, and one Joshua enjoyed and loved so much.  What a perfect quilt – for it had a picture of Mark right in the middle, surrounded by pictures of Bob Barker!

            One Christmas, Mark gave Joshua a homemade book, with a picture of Mark and his family, along with favorite pictures of The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune and Barney.  Joshua loved to “read” his new book.

One day after Joshua’s death, Mark had a very special experience with his best friend, Joshua.  Here is what Martha shared with Bishop Brent Palmer, who shared this at Joshua's funeral.

“A Visit From My Best Friend”

by Mark Gudmundson

 It was the evening of Wednesday, October 5^th 2005.  One day after the passing of Mark’s best friend Joshua Eisenstat.  Mark was sitting next to his mother on the side of the bed and turned his head strongly behind him to look into the hallway.

His mother asked him if someone was there?  He said, “oh ya”.  This was not an unusual question to ask because Mark’s grandparents passed away this very same week several years before and heavenly visitors we know are always close by him.

“Is it Grandma?”  He shook his head no.

“Is it Grandpa?” He shook his head no again.

“Is it Joshua?”  “ya”

“Well, tell him ‘hello’ “, his mother said.  Mark responded with a “hi” which was what Joshua would always say.  He laughed as if Joshua was saying something funny to him.  Mark  has limited speech and [kissing sounds] is how he communicates the words I love you.  So next came the kissing sound.  His mother asked, “do you love Joshua?”  “Oh Ya!” he responded.

Mark, Martha, Gordon and Chad have been our inspiration and close friends.  I cannot express the blessing and joy that have come from such wonderful and special friends.  I know that as I am able to see Mark through the years, the sweetness of his friendship with Joshua, and our friendship with the entire family, will always bring peace and joy.

            I have a beautiful basket of autumn flowers, with a ribbon woven through it with the words “My Best Friend.”  These flowers were delivered shortly after Joshua passed away, from Mark, and serve as a very special reminder of the love and friendship between two wonderful young men, Mark Gudmundson and Joshua Eisenstat.

Cousins!

Cousins always made Joshua happy!!