We just ended a marvelous week. Brittney Stevens was baptized on Saturday by her husband. Sister Johnson, who could see Brittney's face from the piano bench where she sat, just couldn't get over the glow on her face. Brittney had that smile that just won't go away. Steve Lewis, the branch mission leader, literally got up from his hospital bed and conducted the service. Br. Lewis had known Will Stevens when they lived in Marquette. Br. Lewis did a great job. It was the 20th baptism he has been a part of since he was called to that position. The missionaries were excited, gave the prayers and acted as witnesses. It was good for them to have this success. Her confirmation has been postponed for one week to allow her husband Will to be ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood.
Later that day we met in Crystal Falls at what apparently was the first annual Iron Mountain Elder's Quorum party. The party came together very well. Sixteen active and less active brethren were in attendance. It was only the 2nd time I had seen one of the less active brothers since we have been here. Br. Klingman was the perfect host and we ate brats, burgers, venison Sloppy Joes and even had some coleslaw so we could say we had a more or less healthy food choice in case anyone asked, they didn't. (No one remembered napkins, but then it was a man's party so...who cares.) I took our long term investigator with me and two of the less active brothers with whom we are working also attended. The Elder's Quorum President said a few words of thanks to the assembled group and I, at his request, gave two minutes of encouragement using Sec 84, the Oath and Covenant of the priesthood. It was well received. This party was called the "first annual" because its success has prompted the leadership to hold one every year in various locations around the branch.
Sunday was another great day. Sister Johnson played the piano which she is enjoying more and more as she is able to practice and get more comfortable with the Branch's grand piano. Imagine having a beautiful piano to play on our mission. That went way beyond her expectation. I had a new member, a less active member and a non member in my Gospel Principles class. It was great to have everyone there. The topic was repentance. I reminded the class that repentance isn't about where you were but where you are going and where you ultimately want to be. As proof they were growing (repenting) I had them look around the room and realize that, here they were in church on a Sunday participating in a Gospel discussion. It is important for all of us to look back often and take stock of the growth and improvement in our lives and to identify those weak areas which we need to improve. Our combined Priesthood and Relief Society class was taught by the Branch President. He introduced to us a Power Point presentation that was titled "The Mormon Next Door". It was authorized by the Seventy to take advantage of the current "Mormon Moment". It was not a doctrinal explanation but rather focused on how our religion improves our lives and the lives of those we serve. It used information from the recent extensive Pew survey/research about the Mormons. It is something we will need to borrow and use. After our potluck lunch (Sister Johnson made lime Jello with cottage cheese and pineapple, only three people had any Sister Johnson, me and one other adventurous soul) we held a Fireside for those 15 people who stayed. We shared with them the movie "17 Miracles" a great production. They loved it. The Jello was our tribute to the pioneers. A grand accomplishment of their posterity and a wiggly gift to the world.
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| Not that Jello, but close. |
One of the less actives in attendance at the EQ party was Richard Matson the son of our 1st counselor. It is great to see him coming along. The Spirit is speaking loudly to him these days. During our meeting with him last week, we used instruction/role-play from our last district meeting to ask Richard if he remembered a time when he felt the Spirit, he did and said that memory was giving him goose bumps at that very moment. Our lesson was taken from Elder Hallstrom's conference talk "Converted to His Gospel, Through His Church". This talk re-emphasized the importance of the Church together with the Gospel. We are working to get Richard back to Church, ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood and to the temple. BTW we keep telling these people we are teaching that we intend to be with them in the temple when they go. So, unless we can get them all to go on the same day, we will hopefully be asking for permission for more than one additional temple visit before we have to leave for home.
The Lord is working miracles on our behalf and on the behalf of those we are teaching, consider: Richard's cancer has left him, he has been able to give up his medicines and is getting stronger by the day. He reported to the young missionaries that Elder and Sister Johnson seem to bring to him exactly those things he needs to hear. Will, who had been unable to find a job for three years, re-connects with the church, introduces his wife to the church and finds a job just 10 miles from where he lives with no Sunday work and great benefits. Dennis, who has attended church now three consecutive Sundays, was just awarded a large sum of back pay that he was not expecting and an increase in his monthly living allowance. The Lord blesses those who follow Him, learn His precepts and keep His commandments.
That is our testimony. That is the truth.
Elder and Sister Johnson
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