Latest MND and Baby in a Blue Cap

 We experienced another great week. On Saturday we once again held the Mormons Next Door presentation, this time in the little Crystal Falls library about 30 miles north west of here. It was well attended by active and less active members plus we had three non-members attend. This part of the branch, although somewhat remote, supplies about a third of the active membership of the branch. The script readers were all local members including a less active sister who lives an additional 15 miles from Crystal Falls. Our branch president who, if you recall, lives near Green Bay and has been assigned to serve as the branch president until another person is selected, was also there. The little family with the nine year old we are teaching came as well as two less actives sisters who rarely/never attend. Now is the time for follow up. Because of the distance we are trying to figure about the best way of involving the non-members in a teaching situation. We will involve the sister who invited two of the non-members but since she lives an additional 15 miles further into the forest we think the best approach is to invite them to be taught in a members home in Crystal Falls. We will provide transportation for the young missionaries or we will teach them ourselves.

 We are convinced that this Mormons Next Door approach to introduce the Gospel dramatically lessens the fear that is often involved with the invitation to learn more; and, when members see how easy it is they become more and more willing to make invitations to friends and acquaintances. Since we have given members this option, the level of branch interest in missionary work has risen dramatically. Having learned from the previous presentation last December we have now involved the members with much more of the promotion. Another benefit is the availability of an easy venue that can be used by the young missionaries to which they can invite current and past investigators. They are in fact excited for our repeat Mormons Next Door presentation scheduled this coming Saturday here in Iron Mountain. Also, Elder and Sister Riley, another senior couple serving in Escanaba about 50 miles from here, have expressed an interest in seeing how it all works and they will also be in attendance on Saturday.

 We think these will be the last presentations we will schedule for this branch before we leave for home. We will suggest the branch schedule another presentation in the fall, this time at the local Junior College. They have the rooms and hopefully the willingness to let it happen.

 Again, we are grateful for this presentation, which was put together by the Seventy, and we hope it is being used successfully in other parts of the country. 

 In other news Alex and Amy blessed us with our 25th grandchild who arrived safe and sound this past Saturday. He was named Boyd Alexander Johnson after his grandfather (me) and his father.

The fluffy white brimmed blue cap was knitted by his grandmother
Sister Dawnine Johnson. She knits a variety each week and
donates them to the local hospital for the newborns. 

With love and the beginnings of a little “release anxiety”,

Elder and Sister Johnson

Here's a little video of more snow just in case you are not yet tired of the stuff.