Well, it has been another week and we have filled it to the fullest.  Tuesday the sister missionaries had a 'silent training meeting' and it was really special.  We quietly went in and things were given on a power point presentation.  We recorded in our journals our feelings toward the Savior and goals we have for ourselves.  It was very spiritual and we enjoyed it. 
The center has a big nativity display for Christmas and are in the process of accepting items from the wards and other churches and the community.  They say over 650 come in so it is a BIG thing.  We are excitedly looking forward to that. 
We drove into Amish country and bought a nut apple pie and shared with two of the couples.  Also ate dinner there and it turned out good.  We drove out to the quarry where they got the rock for the temple.  Below are a couple of pictures of there. 

 

 

 

We also drove out to the Johnson Farm where Joseph Smith lived for about 1 1/2 years and received some of the revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants.  This is a photo of us standing on the steps where the prophet talked to those gathered in front of the Johnson Home.  The home has been restored and is about 80 percent original.  Was a great day.  

 

Got lots of activities planned for the next week so will report another day. 
                         Have a Happy Halloween everybody. 

Sunday 21 October 2012
This has been a great week.  We are feeling more confident all the time with the tours and have been able to meet with some wonderful groups.  They are all so eager to learn about the history of Kirtland and the strengthening of the church in this area.  It is special to bear testimony of the events that ocurred in this area.  On Thursday we walked up to the Kirtland Temple and were able to go on tour with a gentleman of the Church of Christ.  Some of the couple missionaries had dinner with him on Tuesday and so we sort of requested him to be our guide.  He might be a member of that church but he knows the history of the Mormon Church and bore quite a strong testimony of authority, temples and leadership.  When we came out of the temple, it was raining elephants, too heavy for cats and dogs.  No Umbrellas!!  Three young girls in the tour group offered to bring us home, so after running in the rain to get to their car, we came home rather wet. 
Friday we were alone at the Morley Farm for tours all day.  We were able to do 5 tours.  One group was three sisters, two of which had served as missionary companions in Chile 38 years ago.  The one did not understand English so we spoke a phrase at a time and they translated for her.  It was a spiritual experience and so special.  Today in conference they were there and made sure we saw them and said hi to them.

This is a picture of what we call the Kirtland Sacred Grove.  It is the possible site of the Morley school house where several revelations were given.  As we tell of those happenings you can really feel of the spirit.  It is especially beautiful now with the leaves. 

 
Friday evening the senior missionaries, the FM group and others from the Mission Office all went to an Amish Dinner with the Joe Miller Family.  They cleared out their work shop, spread out tables and served us all there.  (40 of us).  What a feast... mashed potatoes and gravy, cole slaw, creamed peas, carrots, beef and chicken and warm home made bread and jam.  Then came the good stuff, pies of any variety and a real cream and chocolate cake pudding.  YUMMMYY!!!  They were so gracious and told us about their way of life and sang songs for us. The whole family worked together in preparing, serving and cleaning up. Was fun to watch them as they worked. Joe and his wife are 70 years old celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.  He had a brain tumor and an aneurism which was corrected with surgery and then had a massive stroke and was completely paralized on his left side.  With much therapy and work he has come back and you could never tell.  He has a window making business and works every day.  Was a great Evening!!
Saturday evening was stake conference with Elder Ellis of the council of the 70 and then again today.  He is such a good speaker and we were taught much, things to help us be better as families, and come closer to our Father in Heaven.  We then rushed to the Visitor's Center and were able to do a tour.  Each group are so special and we really enjoy visiting and telling them of the history and then bearing testimony.  So spiritual, such a special thing to be involved in.  The Gospel is true and Heavenly Father blesses us so richly if we but allow Him to do so. 

Just thought you all might like to know we are really where you think we are.  The flowers are beginning to freeze but some like these are still very nice.

Today, Monday the 14th has been a special day.  We were at the VC at 8:45 for prayer meeting and had a bus of 30 people at the door at 9.  The sister missionaries were not there yet and so it looked like we were going to take them out on tour.  However, they did show up and were able to take them.  Then when the next group came in, we were assigned to take them out.  This was our FIRST!!!
It was a family with 7 kids from Arizona.  We felt really good about what we were able to do and explain and they seemed to really enjoy it and asked questions and participated in discussions.  They thanked us again and again.  We really enjoyed them and their special family.  Below is a picture of the Crook Family from AZ.

 

The next picture is for Owen. This checker board is in the Newell K. Whitney home. 

The checker pieces are cut slices of corn cobs.

 

 

 

 

 

It has really been a special day. We were able to teach and bear testimony and discover that we can really do it.  After doing our first tour and feeling good about it and loving the cute family, we did a bit more training and then came home and had lunch with Elder and Sister Peterson.  The Petersons and us then did a drive around and spotted some of the shopping areas.  Found some of the more important spots like Joann's, Kohls, Target, Dillards, Maceys, Penneys and of course  the super K-Mart and Super WalMart.  Oh and we did find the grocery store, Giant Eagle.  Now we just need time and money to check them all out.  We finished our drive with a Blizzard at DQ.  Yummy!!!   We went back to the VC to check on things there and for the guys to be trained on closing the sites and in walks President Valinga, his wife, son and family.  What a joy to meet them and we could really feel of their love and excitement at having us here in 'the best mission in the world'.  We then received more training on the desk and returned home to a cold cottage.  Got to have our furnace checked.  It has really been a glorious day.  So glad to be here and be able to share the history and our testimonies.   



 

Packing was quite a project.  When all was said and done we were sort of like a jar of marshmallow creme.  If you opened a door, things sort of just expanded and out they came.  It took some doing but they were finally able to get it all in and on the cargo carrier on the back.  We did take more than we might have needed but wanted to have some bottled fruit, jam, sewing machine, tools, pans, and some of the things we might feel were important for the next two years.
    When we got to Grand Junction, we felt that the cargo carrier (Pauline calls it a back porch) was sagging a bit so we purchased some ties and secured it to the rails on top of the car.  Much better!!!

 

 

We stayed in Limon, CO the first night and then Cameron, MO the second.  As we pulled out from Cameron the sun was just coming up and there was big fan shaped clouds.  A beautiful morning....

 

 

 

We had quite a bit of head wind coming across Kansas but did okay.  The third night we were in Richmond, Ohio.  We thought we were stopping a bit earlier but soon realized we had passed into the eastern time zone and it wasn't as early as we thought.  Thursday we were a bit slower getting started because we didn't want to run into rush hour traffic in the big city but were still able to get to Kirtland just after 1 o'clock.  We were met by Elder and Sister Edmun, the visitor center directors.  We visited with them and then they took us to our new home.  They call it the Honeymoon Suite because it is so small.  No it is not large but very comfortable and we are mostly settled in.  It has two bedrooms and the kitchen table is in the living room but it feels home to us.  We didn't unpack some of our things because they said that we would be moving the first part of December because getting up the hill to our cottage is too dangerous in winter.  Two couples leave in December so we should be getting one of their homes.  Following are pictures of our house, inside and out. 

 

 

 

Elder and Sister Johnson are our trainers and they were serving out at the Morley Farm so they could not be here to greet us but they had left milk, margarine, freezer jam, bread and cereal here for us.  They then came about 6 and took us out to dinner, filled us in on scheduling and some of the things that we will be involved in.  Interestingly enough Elder and Sister Johnson are from CLEVELAND ENGLAND!!!   Can you believe that, you would think we were somehow tied to Cleveland.  Australia, home and now here and then them. 

We went to the visitors center this morning and went on a tour with the Sister Missionaries, had lunch with the Petersons (one of the couples from the MTC).  Dad helped set up their printer so they fixed us all a sandwich.  We then had the special opportunity of going out to the Morley Farm and listening to Bro Anderson talk about all the things that happened in Kirtland.  He is amazing and only does special tours but knows all there is to know.  Fun to listen to and such a special spirit.  Only thing is we were freezing.  The thermometer said in the 50's but with a bit of a breeze and humidity it was cold.  We then went back and watched the video at the VC and came home for supper, reading and whatever.  Everyone is sooo glad to see us and it is amazing to see and hear all of the special things that have happened here...a truly spiritual high for us and we are so looking forward to knowing and understanding all of it.  Below is a picture of Bro Anderson as he was talking to us.  Been a great day!!

 

 

 

 

    Well things are finally beginning.  We entered the MTC in Provo on Monday 24 September 2012.  We stopped in Price to do a last check on my new glasses which by the way after two tries still are not right.  That put us a bit later than we planned.  However, we did arrive at 10:59 (we had been told to check in between 10 & 11).  We were warmly welcomed as Elder and Sister Wells.  When asked how come they knew our names, we found that we were the last ones not checked off of their list.  We were then welcomed by about 10 elders waiting to help us carry our luggage to our room.  We were in what some called the pent house, the 3rd floor of the Jacob Hamblin Building, very nice.
    After a quick tour of the area we went to lunch in the cafeteria.  It was a sea of white shirts mixed with a splash of color of the sisters.  We didn't know much about how it all worked but finally stood there with our trays wondering where to sit.  We sat by 2 senior couples and much to our joy, one of them was also going to Kirtland.  Instant friends!  It was orientation and then to classes.  Our instructors were super, fun and informative.  They are returned missionaries and students at BYU.  We were in class at 8 each morning and usually finished about 4:30 in the afternoon with breaks and lunch in between.  We were taught and then practiced what we had learned and our focus was on becoming acquainted with the book Preach My Gospel and how to use it in our mission. 
   The second week on Monday we traveled to Temple Square in Salt Lake for tours with the sister missionaries that serve there.  Actually being on a tour and watching them helped us to know our role as visitor center missionaries.  Then for two more days we focused on our callings as visitor center missionaries and shared many special, spiritual experiences.  We became very close as a group, there were 14 couples, and truly felt the strength of each as we prepare to go to our assignments. 


     

 

 

Kirtland, Ohio is the place....see right there.

 

 

 



This is the four couples that will be serving in the Kirtland Visitors center. 

They are:  Palmers, Holtrys,Wells, Petersons 

 

 Sunday afternoon between meetings we decided to take a ride around the Alpine Loop.  It was a beautiful day and the leaves were so bright and colorful. 

 

Dee and Marlynn Peterson from Firth, Idaho



                                                                                     View of the back side of Timpanogas

Elder and Sister Wells on the Alpine Loop 



 



 

More of the Alpine Loop