So here we are, back from a mostly HOT but none the less satisfying visit to Mesa, AZ.
Getting to see and visit with family...priceless! New baby Claire Dawn was, well...like a newborn but much more charming and beautiful than average. She came with some minor medical issues that will be more of an annoyance than anything. (Annoying to her family but maybe more serious to Claire). None the less she is here and 99.5% in pefect health (We wish we could say that for ourselves) Priesthood blessings were bestowed and the Spirit confirmed that all will be well.
 |
| Claire Dawn Stephan in her grandmother's arms. |
It wasn't all work and no play. You can see by the following photo we took some time to work on a "Little Deuce Coupe" Alex's father-in-law has purchased. What you can't see in this photo is the rumble seat. If you have no idea what that is you will need to talk to someone who was alive in the 1930s or, as a last resort, has silver hair.
 |
| 1932 Ford replica |
 |
| This is what is done in Mesa, AZ when the temps reach triple digits, |
The action around us was pretty much non-stop but our children were very solicitous in allowing their aged parents plenty of time and space for naps etc. The time passed quickly and we mostly relaxed, rejuvenating ourselves and preparing to re-enter the mission. Since the entire nation was languishing under a brutal heat wave we were not surprised to learn that a normally mild U.P. was also sweltering. The day before our return, however, the weather turned mild. On the 4th of July storms rolled through the Valley of the Sun and we were able to be outside as our young grandchildren discharged some obligatory fireworks. It was in the high 70s compared to the 110s that had greeted us just a few days before. What greeted us in Appleton, WI, however, was not at all pleasant. The temperature was 103 the difference being the 70% humidity compared to 12% in Mesa. Sister Johnson and I agreed that A/C must be the best invention the Lord ever prompted man to create. Also proof he knew way in advance about Global Warming.
Saturday we enjoyed the Branch Picnic. It is an annual tradition. It was held, as usual, at Cowboy Lake. Don't ask, I don't know why. There was plenty of food and we we were able to visit with some less active members that we had yet to meet. It is our hope to be able visit with some of these in their homes and through our visit to encourage the Spirit to re-enter their lives. We enjoyed the national U.P. pastime of Cribbage. Many of the younger people went swimming and some fished. The weather was outstanding, maybe the same weather we enjoyed on the 4th in Mesa followed us.
Sunday services were great. We were missed. No, I mean really missed. A cassette player was substituted for Sister Johnson's piano accompaniment. The best thing that happened in our absence was a 20 year old less active member, who recently moved here from Marquette, was pressed into service at the last minute to teach the Gospel Doctrine class. It was reported he did very well and that was substantiated this last Sunday when he taught again. It was a spirited, Spirit filled lesson using great natural teaching techniques. You could literally see his testimony strengthening as he testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. His wife has agreed to be taught by the missionaries with a baptismal date set for the last Saturday of the month. Bless the heart of a very mild mannered Sunday School President, he asked and William responded. And that in a nutshell describes our responsibility to our fellow man...we invite, they decide!
Going along with that theme was the conversion story related by the wife of our High Council speaker. As a young couple they moved frequently. One occasion found them in a condo with a single mother neighbor who was having some financial difficulties. Her landlord drove all the way to Michigan from North Carolina to see what, if anything, could be done. The only thing was to allow her to stay another month so that she could find something and not be put out on the street. To help defray some of the back rent she agreed to paint and clean the condo for the next tenant, he even stayed to help. While painting he noticed some Jehovah's Witness materials and asked her if she was interested in religion. Her response was, "No, my neighbor keeps bringing those pamphlets over". The neighbor was the wife of this young couple who had since made friends with a Jehovah's Witness. She was not interested in the religion, but kept giving the pamphlets to the single mother thinking religion might help her. The landlord excused himself and knocked at the door of the the young wife chatted for a minute and boldly asked if she would mind if he sent a couple of missionaries by. She felt "compelled" to listen. She was immediately drawn to the message of the young missionaries and a year later (It took the husband that long) they were baptized. That was 43 years ago. They became a happy, righteous family; served in many callings and have blessed many lives. The landlord's name was Stanley. The husband never met him.
Go serve and invite,
Elder and Sister Johnson
Bonus Material:
4th Abrahamic Religion (an iTunes comment)
Saturday we enjoyed the Branch Picnic. It is an annual tradition. It was held, as usual, at Cowboy Lake. Don't ask, I don't know why. There was plenty of food and we we were able to visit with some less active members that we had yet to meet. It is our hope to be able visit with some of these in their homes and through our visit to encourage the Spirit to re-enter their lives. We enjoyed the national U.P. pastime of Cribbage. Many of the younger people went swimming and some fished. The weather was outstanding, maybe the same weather we enjoyed on the 4th in Mesa followed us.
 |
| Branch President Myron Berry in the blue shirt. |
Going along with that theme was the conversion story related by the wife of our High Council speaker. As a young couple they moved frequently. One occasion found them in a condo with a single mother neighbor who was having some financial difficulties. Her landlord drove all the way to Michigan from North Carolina to see what, if anything, could be done. The only thing was to allow her to stay another month so that she could find something and not be put out on the street. To help defray some of the back rent she agreed to paint and clean the condo for the next tenant, he even stayed to help. While painting he noticed some Jehovah's Witness materials and asked her if she was interested in religion. Her response was, "No, my neighbor keeps bringing those pamphlets over". The neighbor was the wife of this young couple who had since made friends with a Jehovah's Witness. She was not interested in the religion, but kept giving the pamphlets to the single mother thinking religion might help her. The landlord excused himself and knocked at the door of the the young wife chatted for a minute and boldly asked if she would mind if he sent a couple of missionaries by. She felt "compelled" to listen. She was immediately drawn to the message of the young missionaries and a year later (It took the husband that long) they were baptized. That was 43 years ago. They became a happy, righteous family; served in many callings and have blessed many lives. The landlord's name was Stanley. The husband never met him.
Go serve and invite,
Elder and Sister Johnson
Bonus Material:
4th Abrahamic Religion (an iTunes comment)
by FloydianEngineer - September 28, 2010
"The many who object to the LDS (Mormon) church being classified as Christian, might have a more accurate and fair perspective of this unusual religion if they looked upon it as the '4th Abrahamic religion' rather than a Christian denomination. As a Jew, I find the Book of Mormon to be analogous to Islam's Q'uran, Judaism's Torah (and most of the Old Testament), and Christianity's Bible. Besides, I have read the Book of Mormon, and the tone and language is so obviously Hebraic, that I marvel that Christians would be so quick to reject it. But, shalom all the same. I find Mormons to be a far purer example of people who live the teachings of Jesus, than the myriad mega-churches that are so clearly in the business of making money. There is a part in the Book of Mormon that talks of the 'great and abominable church'. Take a look before you cast stones at Mormons."
No comments:
Post a Comment