Slow Week and Reporting

 We had a slower week this week with the exception of two very well received lessons one from the Gospel Principle's manual on repentance to our less active member; plus we also had a follow-up lesson for our investigator Bob Peterson on the importance of baptism taken from 2 Nephi 32-33. We did watch Elder Aubrey, Elder Smith's new companion as he greeted the other members of the district at Tuesday's district meeting. It is amazing how these young people quickly bond. He has slipped right into the work along side Elder Smith. From my perspective I really see the wisdom of the 12 week training program and especially having a new trainee become the next trainer. It strengthens every aspect of the mission/missionary.
 We are being used (abused?) by the branch. Sister Johnson helped plan and prepare a very successful R.S. event held on last saturday to which 2 of the less active members we have been visiting came. On Sunday she played the piano for sacrament meeting and then taught her regular sunday school class. I taught the Gospel Principles class and have been called as an Elder's quorum teacher which class I have taught each of the last two weeks. A week ago we met with the membership clerk and helped him clean up some of the branch records which we have been working on since we arrived. I'm just kidding of course, we love being able to help out any way we can.
 I think there is increased interest/curiosity about the church generated by the upcoming election. The Elders stopped at a convenience store for some hot chocolate (64 oz for a dollar). One of the attendants asked, "could you give us some none preachy information about the Mormon Church?" They ended up teaching for close to half an hour. Maybe we should get magnetic signs for the car announcing who we are and we are available for Mormon "lessons." Now for the sign of the day:

 After thinking about it, it looks like we might have had a busier more productive week than I realized. So, that is one reason we are asked to do reports. It gives us honest feedback so we can "repent" of self defeating activities. Everybody should report. We have an obligation to those to whom we are required to report plus an obligation to ourselves and finally a serious obligation to the Lord.

Keep on reporting.

Elder and Sister Johnson

Reflections on Service

In reading the local paper (Online edition) I noticed an article about the sentencing of a woman for a home invasion robbery. She had broken into several homes looking for drugs. It is sad to think that a 37 year old mother of four would find herself in such desperate circumstances. She pled guilty to the charges and since this is her first offense the judge did not send her to prison rather he assigned her to the local county jail where she can get help for her addiction. I was attracted to this article by the woman's name. It seemed like a name I recognized from the branch list. Sure enough. It is a member we know little about having not yet been to her home for a visit.

It occurred to me that this good sister needs some help, love and support. These are the people the Savior was referencing when he said, "they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." We are the workers on whom the Lord depends for that care..."and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort... Mosiah 18: 9-10. So, are we willing?

Sister Johnson and I brought up this woman's predicament to the branch council. To their credit they have begun the process to see her and to discover how we may be of service to her and her family. The young missionaries were already set to visit an investigator at the jail so they will try and see her this week. Look around you. Be sensitive to others needs. Be a blessing to all. Become as the Savior is.

We have had a new missionary come to us this week, Elder Aubrey from American Fork, Utah. He is the fifth of a family with ten children. He will serve with Elder Smith who will be his trainer. Elder Church who was transferred to Chilton, WI as a senior companion, was an excellent elder. He overcame a less than totally engaged first companion to set an example for a strong work ethic and rule keeping. We will miss him.

Last week was pasty making week. This is a great but painful experience for us each month. We do a lot of lifting, pushing, reaching, standing, etc. but we are very much appreciated for the help we give the Senior Center. If I remember, next month I will shoot and post a video of each step of the process.

It has been another good week,

Elder and Sister Johnson

Ski Jumping and Prison...again

Here is an "old-timey" post card showing the Pine Mountain event.

 Today is the final day of the FIS Continental Cup Ski Jumping Tournament at Giant Pine Mountain. We dropped by on Friday to see what the venue was like. Turns out it was tailgating time even though the temperature was hovering around zero and the wind was such that the jumpers couldn't practice. People were building little ply-wood shelters to protect themselves from the elements. At least it was easy to keep the beer cold. It is the 73rd year the tournament has been here in Iron Mountain. That means it started here even before I was born. The local Kiwanis ski club  www.kiwanisskiclub.com is the main sponsor. Our branch president is the current Kiwanis president. One of his responsibilities is to help with the parking for the event so yesterday, he and the Elders were standing outside in the single digits and 20+ mph wind. He called late Saturday night after being outdoors all day asking me to teach the combined RS and Priesthood meeting on Sunday. His claim was, "he isn't as young as he once was". Who is? It was fine and turned out to be a good class.

 Bob Peters has been reading the B of M as he said he would and had some good questions to show for it. It is a truism that when we do things without focus or "intent" we don't pay the same attention as when it the result/payoff is personally meaningful to us. He was in church again today. We have high hopes for him.

 On Saturday we made the 2.5 hour drive to Iron River followed by Watersmeet and then on to the prison facility in Marenisco. We left a DVD about Jesus Christ in the door of the sister in Iron River who is the quilter that we met with last week. In Watersmeet we once again met the sister we have been reacquainting with the gospel after 30 years of no fellowshipping. She made us some very tasty lasagna for a quick lunch before I left to go to the prison facility. Sister Johnson then had a great time answering some of her questions and sharing some more of the gospel with her. She wanted to know about life after death...not, is there one; but, tell me all about it! Sister J. shared with her a video about Relief Society. Sister Anys was quite interested, it is a very nice video. She is sharing the DVDs we are leaving with a friend. She is also getting some push back about the Mormons from a local minister. It is good for us to be there often. (When you live 90 miles away often seems to be once a month) Sis J. also took the opportunity to practice the talk she gave in church today. It went well...both times.

 So if you have never been to prison and you need to go, this is the only way.  Show up with a minister's credential and you won't have to fill out all of the regular visitor paperwork. You will still have to go through the metal detector, be patted down and have the insides of your shoes examined. A small price to play to be able to visit the member I found in this very out of the way place. He has served 7 years of a 9.5 year sentence. He enjoys full membership in the church, whatever he did, (He will send me a letter explaining his mis-deed) was not serious enough for him to lose his membership. He is about half way through earning an Independent Studies degree from BYU. He really appreciated my visit. The last time someone had visited him was about 2 years ago. When he was 13 he sent for a free B of M advertised on TV. He read it and put it aside. Years later when he and his wife were going through a "rough patch" part of the decision they made was to see if they could find a new church they could both feel comfortable with. He found and gave the B of M, which he kept all these years, to his wife. His instructions were, "read this and see if this is anything we would be interested in". She came back 3 days later saying, "you've got to read this".  He did, for the second time, and then they called Salt Lake and had them send missionaries. Some sister missionaries came and as the say, "the rest is history".

 Speaking of missionaries, this is transfer week and we are losing Elder Church who came out the same time we did and Sister Brady up in Marquette. We will get some great new ones, that is they way of the mission.

Could life be any better,

Elder and Sister J

 

Prison, A Quilter and Beagles

 We enjoyed a very good week. On Tuesday we received a response from a letter we sent to a 30 year old Elder who is incarcerated in a minimum security facility way out west in Marenisco, MI. Pres. Berry wanted us to contact him and see about his situation. He is a tithe payer and his letter indicated a strong interest in contact with other church members. We will combine our visit to him with one to the member living in Watersmeet which is along the way. On Saturday we visited with two less active families we hadn't been able to see before. These families live in Iron River about 60 miles from here. (See documentary film of the trip below, warning...a full screen viewing will make you sick) One is a young husband with a 2 year old and a non-member wife. He indicated a willingness to receive us for future visits. The other is an older sister; who was excited to see us and, as it turns out, is accommodating an LDS friend while she is going through a separation. Sister Johnson was able to establish a great relationship with this new sister because she is a "professional" quilter. Her position in the Relief Society allows her to know about activities and other events we can encourage these sisters to attend.

 We are still teaching a less active family and a less active single man each week. The brother has attended church each of the last two weeks. The family we teach is more challenging. Church attendance is our goal but distance from church and the father's Sunday job are serious barriers. Our most exciting news, however, is the committing of our investigator Bob Peters, whose entire family are members but him, to read the B of M. At our last District meeting we visited with the sisters about their success with Br. Syria (he was baptized) who's wife and family have been members for the last 30 years. The sisters' insights were most helpful and then we, as a District, were committed to follow up more frequently with our investigators which we have done with Bob. He has 25 years of inertia to overcome so once he is rolling we need to be there to keep him rolling. I was impressed to encourage him to keep a journal with the B of M so that as he reads he can record not only questions but impressions that will come to him. I assured him that this journal will become one of his most valuable possessions. I believe he will be blessed and touched. I reminded him that prayer before scripture reading is always a good idea as well.
 We met another less active member on Wednesday. He moved up here from Milwaukee and built a nice house overlooking a forest area. His backyard is a veritable local zoo. He gets visits from all types of local fauna including bobcats looking to lunch on his beagles. His beagles are used to hunt rabbits. The hunters use automatic pistols which gives the rabbits more than just a fighting chance.

It's been a fun week.
Elder Grandpa and Sister Grandma