Thanksgiving Again and "You've Gotta Have Heart"

 We had been invited to spend Thanksgiving with Steve and Jan Lewis the branch mission leaders; however he became ill and was in the hospital. We took the opportunity to invite a single less active brother to a wonderful dinner that Sister Johnson made. 

2012 Thanksgiving Dinner created by chef Dawnine

(The dinner was great but all the extra effort and time on her feet gave her another reason, besides tryptophan, to take the traditional Thanksgiving Day nap.)  He is a fine man who was baptized a couple of years ago and whose young but not too responsible, family (non-members) gives him fits. I think Satan is whispering in his ear that since he joined the church, and his problems have been compounding, that the church must be the problem. It’s a common mis-perception and we all deal with it, “Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled? I command and men obey not; I revoke and they receive not the blessing. Then they say in their hearts: This is not the work of the Lord, for his promises are not fulfilled” (D&C 58:31–33). We had the opportunity to talk with him about faith, patience and enduring. We would hate to lose him for the Lord’s sake, his sake and ours.

 Sadly, all of the other appointments we set last week were cut short or cancelled because of illness. At least our less-actives know we care about them and I am not just referencing the plate of cookies and pecan tarts that Sister Johnson also made and we took around. We have also had productive correlation meetings with the young elders. Since we have been here in Iron Mountain for a long (but happy) time we remember investigators previous sets of missionaries dropped. One of those investigators is talking about baptism. Yet another reason for Senior Missionary couples.

 Things are coming together well for our Mormons Next Door presentation next Saturday. We held a run-through after church yesterday and the participating members and others who watched it are all excited. We are getting reports of interest from friends and acquaintances of members. Like it usually happens it is the most recent members who seem to follow through the best. We took an invitation to a local judge and his wife who we met through our service at the senior center. They are very outgoing and open-minded. She said she would be there. (Her husband Ray, broke his foot while golfing and it is still healing but that is another story.)

 Now, to the report of our visit to the cardiologist for consultation about my suspected heart problem. The good news is there is probably not a problem and if there is, it is minor enough that no action needs to be taken at this time. They were worried about a dark spot on the “picture” of my heart that might indicate the muscle is not getting enough blood because of a blockage. Three things reduced his concern; first I have no real symptoms, second the dark spot could be the result of some other test variable and not actually there and third going in to look would be way more problematic, at this point in time, than just waiting and watching. For the most part he was happy with the medications I’ve been prescribed, some of which I’ve been on for 30+ years. The statins, in fact, may have gone a long way to prevent the heart problems that have plagued my brothers.

Not my heart even though there is a dark spot at the tip not unlike the one on my own heart.

With all our "heart(s)"... love, Elder and Sister Johnson

 Here is a photo from last week's Senior Missionary Training. The Ekins from Delta, UT and the McCalls from SC, left early before the picture was taken.

From left to right President and Sister Jones from Monroe, UT; The Johnsons from West Valley, UT;
The Heinzs from Gresham, WI: The Smarts from Clifton, ID; The Fackrells from Santa Clara, UT;
The Woods from No. Ogden, UT; The Shumways from Las Vegas, NV
 and the Rileys from Orem, UT.