Gene Raymond Cook

Elder and Sister Cook came to our mission home in Santiago, Chile. I was blessed to attend two mission conferences that he led. On the road to one of them in our old Chevrolet Caprice wagon, he challenged us to try and stump him in the scriptures. He asked us to read any verse and he would tell us book, chapter and verse. He then told us the page number and where it sat on the page.
His Spanish was impeccable. He would often translate back into English to ensure all present heard his words and understood. He could speak for hours with no notes. Absolutely spellbinding with the association of the Holy Ghost.

On another occasion he came to my room and asked to borrow my shoe shine kit. I objected and told him I would shine his shoes. He repeated that he just wanted to do it, not wanting to inconvenience me. I did not want to admit I did not have a "kit". He relented and brought me the shoes and I took maybe 5-7 minutes. When I returned them, he had settled down in a chair in his room and was using that time to.....study the scriptures.

He had to take various medications prior to eating and followed those guidelines to a T. Very remarkable man, obviously magnified in my eyes by a loving Savior.

I am serving alone as a senior in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh mission, my wife Sally passed away last summer. I brought her missionary journal with me to read while I´m here-she served in Venezuela from 1976 to 1978. I just now read a portion of the journal where she spoke of Gene R. Cook who had led a conference with the area missionaries there in 1977. She mentioned Elder Cook to explain how "incredible" the talk was and how he inspired all the missionaries, how she was so enthusiastic about the work after he spoke. Sally clearly was motivated by him. May God bless your family. Perhaps my wife and he are reacquainted again. What a beautiful thought that is! - Elder Anton Tielemans

Elder Cook spoke at a Stake Conference in Mesa years ago and encouraged us to ask something "impossible" from God, and promised us that it would happen if we prayed sincerely and did out part. It took several years, but the impossible promise was fulfilled in my like. May God bless you, Gene.

His talks on tape were powerful for me. Thank you for a life well lived.

Sending love to his family.

Thank you for sharing him with us. We have talks and experiences of his deeply embedded in our minds and hearts from listening to his CDs and his talks that are on YouTube so many times.
More than once, stuff I had learned from him has popped up in my mind in a difficult situation --and following his lead or advice has brought clarity, answers and a fix to the problem often right in that moment.

He is surely one who can arrive in the next stage of his journey with complete confidence.

How we loved dear Elder Cook and will never forget him or his talks and teachings.

Muchas gracias, por su amor, ejemplo y sus enseñanzas. Que el Señor siga bendiciendo a toda su familia. Con amor Familia Acosta, Rep. Dom.

Soy el hermano Santiago RIOS CANTTI, y serví bajo la dirección de Elder Cook, in the Mision Uruguay-Paraguay, he was a great President. We love!

We love the this family so much and have some of the best memories growing up by them. Gene was an amazing man who raised a wonderful family. We love you guys!

Dearest Gene (Elder Cook), Janelle and family, How our family has loved you for many years since we were neighbors in Bountiful. There was no one like your family who displayed such love, devotion to each other and so dedicated to gospel practices. You welcomed my children to play and learn of your wonderful ways. I watched you all garden together planting seeds reaping with abundant fruits and vegetables symbolic of the spiritual seeds you were always spreading.
Elder Cook you would take the time to talk to me as I took care of my children with David and worked as well. You gave me a blessing. My boys continue to mention you as you inspired them with scriptural messages. My girls thought you were the best family. Thank you for the memories and being a bright light for my children to follow. There was no one better than you with such passion, and love for the scriptures and testimony. Your blessings live on forever in our hearts. Love, Susan Tomlinson (Jon, Jennifer, Jesse, Josie, deceased David)

Such a wonderful man. I mourn with his family but also celebrate a life lived in such a Christ-like way. I love you, Elder Cook and Family

Our hearts are saddened by the loss of Gene. He was an amazing human and we will always remember him as an active part of bringing our Johnson Family full circle to The Church!
With great love,
Randy and Alli Johnson

My condolences to the Cook family. Janelle, you probably don't remember me but I loved working with your husband and the other Brethren in the Europe West Area Presidency and enjoyed being in your ward for a while. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers! Love, Karin Cronin

I always enjoyed and was lifted up by his messages of faith and instruction. Had the great blessing of seeing and visiting with him in person. The Lord certainly has a respected and faithful man to continue the work on the other side of the veil.

Gene R Cook gave some very memorable addresses to our mission Arizona Tucson mission 1995 to 1997... I can still remember some of it and I definitely remember his smile and countenance he definitely had a very deep impression on the Missionaries.

My heart swells with gratitude and love and overflows out my eyes and down my cheeks. Similar to what I´ve witness in him many times.
Mine is just one of countless other lives forever impacted by his.
In 1993-95, I was serving in the Great Texas San Antonio Mission. I was determined and demanded to go home after being convinced I could do more good there than in the Mission.
Elder Cook was visiting our Mission and invited me to meet with him. Through a lengthy interview/negotiation he struck a deal with me: "give it one month... you can have any area and companion you want. If you put your all into it, relying on the Lord, I promise, you won´t want to go home."
He then invited my Mission President to give me a blessing and then he laid his hands on my head and gave me another blessing. He promised the blessing of heaven, that I would see great success and many miracles equal to those we read of in the scriptures. That blessing proved prophetic. It was not limited to the duration of my mission but has continued to yield its fruit throughout the entirety of my life. I know he would not take the credit but he was the vessel through which the Lord worked! I will be eternally grateful for this man, so full of love and in tune with the Spirit.

Elder Cook was my mission president in the Uruguay/Paraguay Mission and was able to serve with him in the mission offices. During this time, my companion and I had scripture study with him and sometimes with his entire family. I have never met a man who knew the scriptures better than he did. He would challenge us to open our Standard Works to any random page, and then he would give a lesson out of whatever verse he picked. It was from him that I first developed my love for the scriptures that continues to this day. He was also a man that was always full of the Spirit of the Lord. I remember to this day a zone conference we had with him that lasted several hours. The Spirit was so strong that I never wanted it to end and afterward, I felt I could convert the whole country by myself! During the times in my life when I have experienced struggles, I have always been able to remember that experience which has helped me to get through. He has truly been one of the greatest positive influences in my life. I don't really have the words to express my love and admiration for him.

Siempre estará en mi corazón mi amado Presidente Cook. Roberto F Patrone-Uruguay

Heartfelt condolences to Elder Cook's family. And heartfelt gratitude for Elder Cook and his impact on so many--such an amazing person, friend, and servant of the Lord. The world was so blessed to have him here. The Spirit World is so blessed to have him now.

I served under President Cook's leadership for the last few months of my mission in the Uruguay-Paraguay Mission in 1976. To this day, I remember the first zone conference we had with him. In that conference he spoke on faith. I learned more about faith in a few minutes than at any other time. I also remember that there were a lot of missionaries at that conference, yet he memorized everyone's name before he got up to speak. (There were two names that he "mixed up" but that was because the two missionaries changed seats. ;-) He is a remarkable man and someone I will never forget. My sincerest condolences and prayers to his family.

I wish to express my sincere condolences to Janelle, his children and his siblings.

My father, Charlie Pierson, appreciated Gene reaching out to him every time he came to Calgary, as he cherished having contact with his mother´s dear sister and her family.

Although I returned home from the mission a couple of weeks prior to Gene and your family starting your time there I was privileged to have received Gene´s counsel and love at many mission reunions.

Once, when he spoke at a BYU devotional, he invited me to attend the President´s reception prior to the devotional. I overheard a couple of the children complaining about not being able to watch a particular TV show. His children were blessed by a father who provided good boundaries.