One Year Anniversary Celebration

One year ago this week Sister Johnson and I entered the Missionary Training Center. What a marvelous adventure this first year has been. Because of the inspired direction we have received from the Lord, President Jones and the young mission leaders in the mission, we continually feel better able to help the members and non-members with whom we have been called to serve. As we celebrated in the MTC, this week we again celebrated a wedding anniversary, this year it is our 46^th. (Twenty-four grandchildren with one on the way and counting. Inquiring minds want to know!)

Overlooking Fisher Lake from the enclosed porch at Maxsells in Florence, WI.

Attractive Senior Missionary with whom I shared a lunch of fish tacos and
fruit skewers followed by desserts of strawberry rhubarb and turtle cheesecake.

We marvel at the blessings which have come to us; and, that makes us all the more determined to do all that we can to be a blessing to those around us. The blessings continue to be seen in the lives of our family members as well. Recently our daughter Camille, who is serving as the Young Women’s President and who is occupying our home in our absence, was instrumental in teaching and fellowshipping a non-member young woman in her ward. This young woman was baptized yesterday with the full support of her family and the ward. It seems our house is on its own mission as the missionary lessons were taught in our home.

We continue to strive with the Less Actives and non-members in this area. Visiting with them always brings positive results.  Dennis Klingman continues to increase his level of activity and commitment. Our non-member brother still welcomes us even though the Spirit keeps instructing us to block the avenues of retreat he has come to rely on. Now that he has felt the Spirit and we know he has, and he knows he has, he has no viable retreat available. We are ever hopeful.

Forty-six years down and only Twenty-nine more to go before we make the "Milestones of Togetherness" column in the Church News.

Together...together,

Elder and Sister Johnson


Bonus Material:

Here is a Pic of the wall where we have displayed pictures of family. If you can't see yours, you are free to send us an update.

Helping to Bring the Church out of Obscurity

 We are into fair season here in our little part of the U.P. Last Friday and Saturday Sister Johnson and I took our turns manning a booth in the Iron County Fair. 

Our booth in the Iron County Fair. Who knows from which video is the scene on the TV?

The fair is held in the town of Iron River about 45 miles from home. The most interested couple we had the opportunity to visit with was there from Chicago attending a youth convention for their church. They had some tiny misconceptions about the LDS church, which we were able to clear up, they also asked some very good questions. We ended up giving them a copy of the B of M and “The Restoration” and  “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlets. In hindsight we probably should have gotten their home address and had a B of M delivered by the missionaries there. On the other hand I was able to put a testimony into the Book and mark the important statements in the Introduction. I suspect there is no “wrong” way to handle something like that!

Looking down the aisle through the far doorway where the animal judging
and pedal tractor pulls took place.

 This is a small county with maybe 12,000 residents. It was somehow very satisfying to see the home canning, chickens, flower arrangements, baking, painting (finger and oil), antique tractors, etc. entered in the various displays. These "small town" folk are very happy with almost every aspect of their lives. Yes, many do not have Internet connections. To them Angry Birds are two male Robins fighting for the same nesting material. And to us that is more than OK, it seems somehow just as things should be. Take the pedal tractor pull. Parents were encouraging their 5-12 years olds with shouts of, "you can do it" and "pedal harder". Delightful. (The local members were disappointed the young Missionaries weren't coming this year because of mileage restrictions. It seems a couple of years ago the missionaries were in the finals of the pedal tractor pull which gave the locals a lot of opportunities for conversations about the church.)

 The most exciting event of last week was, what we feel, a breakthrough with our long-term investigator. We were ending one of our usually very serious discussions, this one on the signs of the true church. We were testifying at the end of our discussion and it became evident that the Spirit was testifying to him. For the first time we were able to tell him that the experience he was having, right then, was the impression he said he was waiting for as a confirmation to be baptized. The Spirit whispered to me to invite him to be baptized. We did. He said, “I will let you know”. What he didn’t say is important. He has always said something to the effect, “I will be baptized when the Spirit witnesses to me”. He can’t say that anymore. He was in church on Sunday. We are looking forward to our next lesson.

It is wonderful to be in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Elder and Sister Johnson

Short, but still a Post

It was an interesting and somewhat strange week. We had four very good lessons with our less actives and investigator. They felt the Spirit. We committed them to come to church. We thought there was a chance all of them may be at church on the same Sunday, some for the first time. No one came. Even the member who is without a car and who asked me to pick him up didn’t come to the door when I knocked. Interestingly two different investigators did come; one we thought was gone for good and another new investigator who showed up with a member. These two with their member hosts, the missionaries and our recent convert attended my Gospel Principles class (Sister Johnson teaches a youth Sunday School class) where we had a great lesson on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We will follow through and see what happened to those who “committed” to come. In the mean time we were introduced to some new investigators the missionaries and/or us will add to our teaching pool.

As I blog about the events of last week I am getting the impression our Less Active members need to be reading the Book of Mormon and studying between our visits. The Holy Ghost needs for them to have some knowledge and information He can testify to. They need to be strengthening their own testimonies and not be relying so much on ours, which is what I feel might be happening.

We are preparing for two county fairs. One is this coming weekend 45 miles from here and the other is two weeks later. We will be at the one furtherest away and we have asked the young missionaries to focus on the closer one. We are hopeful we can find some more of God’s elect who are seeking for the truth. Realizing that every major/important thing in life, and beyond, is scheduled to come about in the Lord's time, helps us keep perspective when patience is required.

Stay tuned, more to come next week.

Elder and Sister Johnson

Mines, A Camaro and An Appeal

Monday, on P-day after mopping, vacuuming, swabbing the toilet, and doing laundry, we elected to take a trip up North to the town of Negaunee. Our long time friend Bill Slater's ancestors spent some time in this part of the U. P.. We wanted to give him any leads we could find to help him trace their movements. We were looking for names or lacking that, any helps we could come across. His ancestor, like many others in the late 1800's was drawn to the mining activity in this area. It is probably also the reason they ended up in UT where I think they first encountered the church. We did not locate any ancestors but we did find the e-mail address for the local genealogist who the cemetery sexton confirms knows everything and everyone in and about the area. After visiting the cemetery we visited an excellent mining museum that was close by. What follows are pics of a monument to the miners from that period and a map of the U.P. which shows the major iron ore deposits.

The stone on the monument is from the iron bearing ore.

The Menominee range of deposits, where we live, is the one in the lower right center.

We got a call on Thursday that Dennis would be home on Friday after all, and not just home but there with his newly purchased 2011 Red Camaro SS/RS convertible. After his settlement we could tell he was getting excited to do some thing he had rarely done in his life...have a little fun. During our previous visit he shared with us that he had found the item on which he was willing to splurge. When we arrived, there it was on the lawn behind his pull-through garage, the new Camaro. Between me and his Mustang loving friend we were able to answer his questions and explain some of the features on the car...which are many.

Please, no one send this to our Mission President!

I would like to be able to say that I just sat in the Camaro and that was all, but that would not be exactly the truth. Let's just say the drive we did take was very quick, do you think that made the experience less problematic. I know it was no problem for me. Oh well another Senior Missionary perk but you need to find your own less active member to encourage...I mean it! Go find a less active member and, with the Lord's help, bring them back into activity.

Some flowers by the gazebo in Dennis' back yard.

We had two more great mission experiences this week. One individual we were teaching wanted to know more about Patriarchal Blessings. We shared with him a talk given by the then 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency Thomas S. Monson. It is a great talk. Go find it if you are looking for help with that subject. This individual didn't realize that this was the same Thomas Monson who is the Prophet.

Will Stevens was ordained an Elder by President Compton before church on Sunday and then Will confirmed his wife in Fast and Testimony Meeting. it was a wonderful meeting with a strong Spirit present. We invited Will and Brittney to dinner after the meeting and had an engaging chat with them. We will be visiting with them almost weekly before we go home next year. We want to be a part of their integration into the Branch. We also have one other young male member with a non-member wife living about 15 miles away that we want to introduce them to. There is also a young non-member couple we met when we first arrived that we want the Stevens to meet in the hopes they can establish a connection. This couple has been through several sets of missionaries mostly in New Mexico where they lived before moving here to the U.P. We did detect a strong interest, mostly on the part of the wife.

It has been some time since we have mentioned Erik Baker our member who is currently incarcerated at a "nearby" facility. We communicate with him via e-mail almost weekly. We were recently the "go between" between him and one of his BYU professors where we supplied some needed information. Erik recently requested that I hand out a letter soliciting funds to help him with his college tuition expenses. We did pass out copies to Branch members in Branch Council. What follows is a photo copy of the letter with information on where to send any donations. Do so only if you can and/or feel you want to. If there any questions please call or email us.

Another week down just 50, I think, to go,

Elder and Sister J


In last week's blog we referenced a Power Point presentation the Stake Presidency made available to the wards and branches in the stake. We came across most of the presentation in Elder Perry's talk at the Seminar for newly called Mission Presidents. (As reported in the LDS Church News)

"The Mormon Next Door" (The title we are using for the presentation in our Stake)

Latter-day Saint missionaries hope that families and individuals will invite them into their homes, said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve. "Then, in turn, we may invite them into our home."

Speaking to new mission presidents and missionaries during the 2012 New Mission Presidents Seminar, Elder Perry explained that as a Church "we invite because we love."

"We know that if children of God accept our invitation to enter our home, which is the house of the Lord, the gospel will bring them salvation and exaltation. As missionaries this will be your primary and most important effort.

"But it is also important for you missionaries to know that those who you invite to be converted and join our Church-home will enjoy increased happiness, health, joy and opportunities for meaningful service during their mortal sojourn here on earth. Our Church-home is a home we can feel pleased and eager to invite others to enter — after all it is the Lord's home."

During his address, Elder Perry shared some recent independent data prepared by the Church's Public Affairs Department in conjunction with Elder Larry Y. Wilson of the Seventy, which outlines the statistically measurable benefits associated with dwelling in a Church-home.

Photo by Sarah Jane Weaver

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve says those who are invited to join our "Church-home" will enjoy increased happiness.

"I present these statistics not in a spirit of boasting, but in a sincere effort to help us all better understand how the gospel of Christ improves the lives of its members both in the eternities and the here and now."

Health

Elder Perry said Dr. James Enstrom at the UCLA School of Public Health studied Mormon populations that have been practicing the faith for an extended period. The 25-year study focused on members on the Church in California and concluded that these members — particularly those who were married, had never smoked, attended Church weekly and had a least 12 years of education — had total death rates that are among the lowest ever reported for a group followed for 25 years.

Photo by Sarah Jane Weaver

2012 Seminar for New Mission Presidents at the MTC in Provo, Utah

"Latter-day Saint sisters have a life expectancy of just over 86 years — five and a half years longer than that of comparable females," Elder Perry said. "Latter-day Saint brethren have a life expectancy of over 84 years — almost ten years longer than that of comparable males."

Life satisfaction

Early in 2012, the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religious Life released a broad study titled "Mormons in America." This comprehensive look at Latter-day Saints showed that the overwhelming majority of members are satisfied in their lives and content with their communities. "Nearly nine out of ten reported satisfaction with their lives," said Elder Perry. "That is well above the public generally, which is 75 percent."

In addition, 92 percent of Church members age 40 or younger are satisfied with their lives.

Elder Perry also said that seven in ten Latter-day Saints show high levels of religious commitment — higher than any other religious group surveyed and more than double the general public.

Family life

Elder Perry noted that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Utah — which has the highest concentration of Latter-day Saints in the United States — has the highest percentage of households headed by married couples in the country and the highest percentage of homes with children.

Photo by Sarah Jane Weaver

2012 Seminar for New Mission Presidents at the MTC in Provo, Utah

"According to Pew, more than 80 percent of Church members say being a good parent is one of their most important goals in life. Just half of the general public says that. And nearly three out of four Latter-day Saints believe that having a successful marriage is one of the most important things in life, compared with just one third of the general public."

Education

Elder Perry said various studies have confirmed that the more education a Latter-day Saint has, the more likely he or she is to be actively involved in his or her church. "In most churches, it is the opposite. But the Pew Center's survey found that members who have graduated from college attend church more often than those with less education."

He added, "The Church's multifaceted program of religious education begins in the home and is bolstered through Church programs that support the individual and family's learning."

Scripture knowledge

According to one recent survey, Latter-day Saints were the most knowledgeable about Christianity and the Bible and were third only to Jewish survey participants and, oddly, atheists in knowledge about various world religions, Elder Perry said.

"We welcome truth from whatever source, and take the pragmatic view that where religion and science seem to clash, it is simply because there is insufficient data to reconcile the two."

Elder Perry said the Pew Center's survey also reported that 80 percent of those who served missions said it was a very valuable time in preparing them for job or career success, and 92 percent said it helped them grow in their own faith.

Volunteering

A recent University of Pennsylvania study by the School of Social Policy and Practice concluded that the average Church-attending Latter-day Saint spends approximately 430 hours per year volunteering — nearly nine times more than the general public.

"This pattern is repeated for charitable giving," he said. "According to a study by the University of Indiana, the average annual rate of giving by practicing Latter-day Saints far exceeds that of other citizens; this holds true even if one does not count the biblical tithe that the Lord asks of us."

Photo by Sarah Jane Weaver

2012 Seminar for New Mission Presidents at the MTC in Provo, Utah

Elder Perry said the statistics say something significant. "They are a glimpse of how Latter-day Saints make their faith a way of life," he said.

Near the conclusion of this address, Elder Perry said that Latter-day Saints, as with members of any other faith, have their problems. However, he added, "The information compiled from the surveys shows that we are good neighbors in the communities in which we live."

Excitement, Lime Jello and More Miracles

We just ended a marvelous week. Brittney Stevens was baptized on Saturday by her husband. Sister Johnson, who could see Brittney's face from the piano bench where she sat, just couldn't get over the glow on her face. Brittney had that smile that just won't go away. Steve Lewis, the branch mission leader, literally got up from his hospital bed and conducted the service. Br. Lewis had known Will Stevens when they lived in Marquette. Br. Lewis did a great job. It was the 20th baptism he has been a part of since he was called to that position. The missionaries were excited, gave the prayers and acted as witnesses. It was good for them to have this success. Her confirmation has been postponed for one week to allow her husband Will to be ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood.

Later that day we met in Crystal Falls at what apparently was the first annual Iron Mountain Elder's Quorum party. The party came together very well. Sixteen active and less active brethren were in attendance. It was only the 2nd time I had seen one of the less active brothers since we have been here. Br. Klingman was the perfect host and we ate brats, burgers, venison Sloppy Joes and even had some coleslaw so we could say we had a more or less healthy food choice in case anyone asked, they didn't.  (No one remembered napkins, but then it was a man's party so...who cares.) I took our long term investigator with me and two of the less active brothers with whom we are working also attended. The Elder's Quorum President said a few words of thanks to the assembled group and I, at his request, gave two minutes of encouragement using Sec 84, the Oath and Covenant of the priesthood. It was well received. This party was called the "first annual" because its success has prompted the leadership to hold one every year in various locations around the branch.

Sunday was another great day. Sister Johnson played the piano which she is enjoying more and more as she is able to practice and get more comfortable with the Branch's grand piano. Imagine having a beautiful piano to play on our mission. That went way beyond her expectation. I had a new member, a less active member and a non member in my Gospel Principles class. It was great to have everyone there. The topic was repentance. I reminded the class that repentance isn't about where you were but where you are going and where you ultimately want to be. As proof they were growing (repenting) I had them look around the room and realize that, here they were in church on a Sunday participating in a Gospel discussion. It is important for all of us to look back often and take stock of the growth and improvement in our lives and to identify those weak areas which we need to improve. Our combined Priesthood and Relief Society class was taught by the Branch President. He introduced to us a Power Point presentation that was titled "The Mormon Next Door". It was authorized by the Seventy to take advantage of the current "Mormon Moment". It was not a doctrinal explanation but rather focused on how our religion improves our lives and the lives of those we serve. It used information from the recent extensive Pew survey/research about the Mormons. It is something we will need to borrow and use. After our potluck lunch (Sister Johnson made lime Jello with cottage cheese and pineapple, only three people had any Sister Johnson, me and one other adventurous soul) we held a Fireside for those 15 people who stayed. We shared with them the movie "17 Miracles" a great production. They loved it. The Jello was our tribute to the pioneers. A grand accomplishment of their posterity and a wiggly gift to the world.

Not that Jello, but close.

One of the less actives in attendance at the EQ party was Richard Matson the son of our 1st counselor. It is great to see him coming along. The Spirit is speaking loudly to him these days. During our meeting with him last week, we used instruction/role-play from our last district meeting to ask Richard if he remembered a time when he felt the Spirit, he did and said that memory was giving him goose bumps at that very moment. Our lesson was taken from Elder Hallstrom's conference talk "Converted to His Gospel, Through His Church". This talk re-emphasized the importance of the Church together with the Gospel. We are working to get Richard back to Church, ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood and to the temple. BTW we keep telling these people we are teaching that we intend to be with them in the temple when they go. So, unless we can get them all to go on the same day, we will hopefully be asking for permission for more than one additional temple visit before we have to leave for home.

The Lord is working miracles on our behalf and on the behalf of those we are teaching, consider: Richard's cancer has left him, he has been able to give up his medicines and is getting stronger by the day. He reported to the young missionaries that Elder and Sister Johnson seem to bring to him exactly those things he needs to hear.  Will, who had been unable to find a job for three years, re-connects with the church, introduces his wife to the church and finds a job just 10 miles from where he lives with no Sunday work and great benefits. Dennis, who has attended church now three consecutive Sundays, was just awarded a large sum of back pay that he was not expecting and an increase in his monthly living allowance. The Lord blesses those who follow Him, learn His precepts and keep His commandments.

That is our testimony. That is the truth.
Elder and Sister Johnson

New Beginning, No End...Yet

Today is the first day of the final year of this mission...no, literally it is the first day. When we think about it we wonder where the time went. Time, of course, "goes" nowhere, we are the only things that go. That is we go when we exhibit the faith necessary to move with the Lord's direction, in the Lord's way and within the Lord's time. We of course are also "In the Middle" as Pres. Uchtdorf  has instructed us. We appreciate his insightful message as well. I am just glad we have more time to seek, find and refine.


On Friday we visited with Br. Klingman and discussed the upcoming Elder's Quorum party he has volunteered to host. This coming Saturday we will be meeting in his beautiful backyard as an Elder's quorum to have the party. We commented on his beautiful yard with its majestic views at one of our first meetings. He said, "with a yard like this we should have a party". The Spirit whispered, "take him up on that", so we did. The result has been his interaction with more and more of the members as the party is being planned.  The party will be in Crystal Falls which is 30 miles NW of Iron Mountain. There are several inactive families who all live within 15 miles of this city, including the son of our 1st counselor. In fact Crystal, as the locals call it, was the early site of branch gatherings in this area; a factoid of which the members in that part of the branch are always reminding us. (Grandma Riggs attended church in Crystal Falls when on a mission here over 30 years ago). We are hoping to have 12-15 priesthood holders in attendance. Our (becoming) less active brother (Klingman) was in church again on Sunday. It is wonderful to see how the Spirit takes hold and encourages this process. 


Britney Stevens will be baptized this coming Saturday the 28th. We have been able to help by befriending the Stevens and giving the missionaries transportation to and from their appointment (we have a less active man we teach the same day). Will Stevens has ties to some of the members here which has greatly aided the families integration. The Stevens' lives have improved dramatically. Will found a job close by with no Sunday work required, decent pay and benefits that are some of the best around. (All of the foregoing is somewhat unheard of in the U.P.) Pres. Compton (2nd counselor in the Stake Presidency) met with us at church on Sunday. He had taught Will Stevens all four years of seminary when he lived in Marquette. Will graduated, but like some other of his peers, including Pres. Compton's son, went into inactivity. Pres. Compton, with much emotion, explained how he had been praying for these individuals. I am sure his gratitude overwhelmed him when he learned of Will's return and the upcoming baptism. It strengthened the resolve of Sister Johnson and I to do everything we can to help those we visit to feel the Spirit which will facilitate their return as well. This is what this branch has needed and will be a major blessing to the branch.


At our last Zone Conference last week we learned some interesting things about missions for example there is no briefing for an incoming Mission President. After 4 days of MTC training they arrive at their assignments and are given the keys (both kinds) and wished "good luck". Mission presidents do know always in advanced how many replacement missionaries, Elders, Sisters and Seniors, to expect, they just don't know the names. This conference , like the others, as remarkable as young Elders took charge and taught great lessons. The emphasis for this conference was to take the opportunity at each bullet point of each lesson to tie the bullet point concept to baptism if at all possible. If you wonder why such emphasis re-read 3 Nephi 11:1-34 and notice the emphasis given by the newly resurrected Savior. It was the first thing he taught, his "Doctrine". 


We had another car incident. The intake manifold on the Olds sprung a leak. It was small but it was enough to allow coolant into the oil and create a vacuum leak which lead to a very rough running engine. I replaced the one on the green Olds at about the same mileage. Although the 3.8 motor is super reliable this one part tends to fail after a few miles. (130,000 in this case) The manifold is made of a composite material and leaks from the harsh climate in which it operates. So once again the car is "totally reliable." We think we would like to be able to be repaired with the same lack of fuss and with the same ease if our plumbing fails. (Wait a minute...I guess I have!)





Is this not the best time of our lives or what,
Elder and Sister Johnson


And now for a political message. (Everyone else is doing it)

Hot, Hotter, Cooler, Coolest

  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.

  Our son Alex has begun serving in his new calling in the Bishopric. This will be a tremendous blessing to him and his family. This, in good measure, because of the service he will be providing to people living in his ward boundaries.
  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 

  And lest you think that Elder J. had all of the fun, here is a picture of some wave action in my son's pool. Sister J. had to be restrained from jumping right in and joining in the melee. 

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.

Branch President Myron Berry in the blue shirt.

  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)

    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."