A Striped House and a Presentation

We have enjoyed quite a wonderful and varied week. We took our P-day and traveled to the westernmost part of the mission to visit a branch member, an Elder, who is currently incarcerated in the prison located about six miles south of Marenisco Michigan. This will be the third time we have visited since we have been here. I visit while sister Johnson waits in the car. (She watches a movie on the computer) This young man (he’s 35) has been doing a splendid job with his life in spite of his circumstances. We help him as an e-mail go-between. He is allowed only 15 minutes at a time up to one hour a day on dedicated, e-mail only, kiosks. He will send us an e-mail regarding the college course he is currently taking and asks us to then forward it to his professor, counselor, the bookstore, etc. We then return any responses to him. We were able to discuss his hopes and dreams for after his release sometime in 2014. He makes only $50 a month with his prison job.  After paying his tithing, paying tuition and buying texts is a challenge. He has friends and members who help him with these expenses. When he is released he will almost be in his junior year of college.

One morning this week we were startled by loud banging on the house. It was like the house was being ripped apart. It sorta was. Our landlord had begun the process of removing decorative strips from the house before the installation of new siding. This gave the house a kind of striped effect. 

Our house waiting its new raiment. 

We are excited to see the completed new look. The update should be finished by Friday of this week. We will include pictures with the next post. We are told that the siding will be much lighter. If so, that will completely change the appearance. We have also been told that if the mission decides not to maintain the presence of couple missionaries in Iron Mountain our landlord and his partner may sell the place after we leave.

On Wednesday we arrived at the senior center, as agreed, to make the request that would allow us to present “The Mormon Next Door” slide show. However, they had moved the meeting time up without telling us so we couldn’t make the hoped for request. We did, however, have an alternative idea. I am excited to say we requested the use of a large meeting room at our local library to be able to share the presentation. When they understood we were not holding religious services but that our presentation would be informational they were very willing to grant our request. I have called the Branch President and cleared the idea with him. He was also excited. We are hoping to make the presentation December 1^st.  Unless the branch council decides differently we will involve local members with the presentation. If Romney wins next month it could actually become a big opportunity. President Jones found an unused projector in the mission home and left it with us for our use with our laptop. We will use it with our presentation. After buying and attaching a mini DVI to VGA connector everything worked perfectly. 

It has been extremely satisfying to watch our less active brother return to activity. Yesterday after a wonderful sacrament meeting with talks by the Chicago Temple President and Sister Castleton, Br. Klingman was sustained as the second counselor in the new Elder’s Quorum presidency. After Priesthood meeting he turned to me and humbly commented how blessed he was feeling. Next month when he visits his family, including a child with heart problems; he plans, he said, to take consecrated oil to give her a priesthood blessing. During our visit previous he asked us for a copy of “The Miracle of Forgiveness” which we were able to procure. It is times like this we can easily see where our service as Sr. Missionaries is used by the Lord to bless His children and more precisely the members of His kingdom. We feel blessed and are grateful to just be a part.

In it for the duration,

Elder and Sister Johnson

Bonus picture:

After using my old phone for the last 5 years I finally
broke down and bought a new iPhone 5. Yep it is the
"Bomb" as my daughter is fond of saying.