Bye Bye Ice Hello Crazy

  Seasons here in the U.P. are rapidly changing. We have had two recent days with the temperatures approaching 80 degrees. As you will see from the following pics everything is getting crazy especially the indecent cow.

Still frozen Lake Antoine just two weeks ago. Today it was clear of ice. One of the locals was
explaining to us that as the ice thaws, the ice gets more watery, and it will all of a
sudden just turn over and sink to the bottom of the lake.

Another result of the warm weather. This is the Menominee River at 13.1 feet above flood stage.
This is the path in the parking lot of a church in Niagara that leads down to a pier that
 is usually on the river. In the past we have posted pictures taken with us standing
out on that pier. The white stuff on the river is not ice but Indian Soap (?)
It's formed when the river crashes over a damn just upstream from here.

We pass this collection of  dubious art each week as we return home from District Meeting.
The Elders wanted pictures so while obliging them we took a few
pictures of our own. This is U.P. humor at its finest.

 Anticipating our release, yesterday the branch leaders called two new assistants one each for Sister Johnson and me. It is of course a good thing to be able to provide training to this couple and yes they are married the same as Sister Johnson and I. Also we are pretty sure we don’t like these long drawn out releases any better than the brief ones we are used to where one Sunday you’re a primary teacher and the next Sunday you are in leadership.  The couple is very active and moved into the branch a just two months ago. Coincidence…I think not. We will have a few weeks to get them prepared for their new secretarial assignments.

 Our teaching pool is changing. We are dropping ones who are now active and adding some less-active people we have encountered. We’ve mentioned the Roche family before. Last week the father said he would like to get his boys (11 and 13) baptized. The baptisms wouldn’t take place for a few more months until the one boy is able to go into the water following his recent surgeries. This family lives in Crystal Falls and is surrounded by good fellowshipping families. We have heard the rumors that there may be some consideration to send a pair of missionaries to Crystal Falls which is some 30 miles from Iron Mountain. There are approximately 12,000 people living in Iron County of which Crystal Falls is the county seat. “When” it happens it will be a big boost to that part of the branch. The missionaries have set two baptismal dates this past week. We have set one to take place in June on my birthday. The branch is responding with more and more missionary awareness and it is great to see. Leaving missionaries in Iron Mountain (Sisters?), opening Crystal Falls and replacing us with new senior missionaries would remind me of my first mission in Germany when the Lord saturated the continent. Like today, those were exciting times.

 Our minds are filled with thoughts of how we can continue to be effective these remaining weeks. We’ve concluded to just keep on doing more of the things that have brought the Lord’s blessings to this branch. That is all He expects. It is all about serving His children, our brothers and sisters.

Happy to serve,

Elder and Sister Johnson