Well, this has been a week of connections and so fun.  Each day has been special and we have loved it.  Monday we had the couple from WA that Lynn and Calleen went to Hawaii with.  It was fun visiting with them and they expressed their love and respect for the two of them.  So fun!  Tuesday we had a couple from Orem and their daughter is a room mate of Nikki Gardner from Cleveland.  Wednesday it was a couple from Tooele who are in Jon's parents ward.  Another young man came in and his sister is married to Holtry's Son.  Elder and Sister Palmer brought their just returning daughter and friend in for a tour and that was fun to give them a bit of the insider things.  We worked all day Tuesday and Wednesday so we could take Friday and Saturday off to be with my sisters.  A week later and that would not have been possible since we will be getting a new couple and the Holtrys are moving to Kirtland.  On Thursday we had the BYU Idaho Symphany Band come for a tour.  We divided them into three groups and the Holtrys helped us and were able to give them the tour.  Afterwards they all gathered in the carriage house and sang a special number just for us.  It was amazing, the spirit was so strong, they are such a great group of young people.  Was sort of a first scheduled tour for us and we were able to do it.  Hopefully the ones coming up will run as smooth.

BYU Symphany Band

  So it has already been a full week with lots of fun things happening.  Then Thursday evening, Aliece, Jeanie, Amy and Nadine came.  We had dinner here with the Holtrys as well.  The next morning we had them up and on the road about 8, did an all day tour of Kirtland area, the sites, temple, Lake Erie, Chocolate factory, and Nauvoo family market.  Got home about 12 hours later, very tired but happy.  The next morning took off again about 8 and went down to Dover and the Warther's Museum, toured some little shops, and ate at Der Dutchman's.  Then drove back up to Hudson and wandered through the Hudson Cliffs.  Again a 12 hour day.  Sunday was church, the Johnson Home, Lorenzo Snow home, Necklaces with Sister Holtry and very late to bed.  Got up this morning and went to Emma's.  Its a little Amish shop with lots of Amish crafts.  The girls had to sit on their bags to get them closed but were still able to put a bit more stuff in from Emma's and off to the airport they went.  It has truly been a special week with lots of memories, laughs and good times.  Amy just likes to scare the shirts off of joggers but we still love her.  We appreciate them taking the time to come out and especially their families for sharing.  We love you all and are so very grateful for family.  Have a great week.  Below are a few of the many pictures taken.

Whitney Story

Hudson Ledges

Aliece & Amy - Hudson Ledges

John Johnson Home

Lorenzo Snow Home 

Well, the big news this week is that we have a new bishopric.  Today was our ward conference and Bp William Mars and his counselors were released.  His second counselor, Brother Bowers was sustained as the new bishop with Brother Marler and Brother Dan Mars as counselors.  They are all younger brethren and very much the go getters and we feel they will be a strong bishopric. We are looking forward to great things.  Bp Mars has been a good Bishop and very supportive of us as missionaries.  A great family!

We are trying to get things going with the singles and today we got good news that gives us encouragement.  The stake said that none of the other wards are trying to do anything and so was excited that we were doing some things.  They have offered encouragement and help and this has got our singles representative excited and ready to go for it.  We do have an ice cream social planned for May 1 so hopefully the singles will want to join us.  Just good to see some things beginning to happen.

Saturday the ward had a fund raiser for the youth programs.  It was a spaghetti supper and pie auction.  However, it was more than pies; some really neat things were up for auction.  It was a fun evening, and the food was good.  The young people served everyone and then they had the auction.  We finally bid on some little alien cupcakes and shared them with some of the kids at our table and also the missionary sisters.  However, we also bid on a basket containing some homemade apple pie filling, a bottle of apple sauce and a bottle of grape juice.  It also had the makings for apple crisp, a glass dish, hot pads and some utensils.  Thought that was a good buy for only $40.  I also took two loaves of my Amish bread and they sold for $22 each.  There was lots of laughing and just a fun evening.  Guess they raised about $3000 for the youth programs. 

This week was also transfer week.  We had over 39 missionaries come in and 3 sisters (not sure how many elders) go home so Pres. Valinga has had his hands full trying to get everyone placed.  We did get one new one in the Rootstown ward, Sister Johnson from California.  Not sure where all the others went but it has been some arranging to get housing and transportation for all of them.

We were so sorry to hear of Kyle’s passing.  We truly extend our love and prayers for Ruth Anne and her girls.  How blessed we are to have the gospel in our lives and the understanding that we have of the eternities, to know that life goes on and we will be reunited with our loved ones. 

We took another ride this week for our p-day and ended up at the Hudson Cliffs.  It is an amazing rock outcropping that you can hike down and around and through it all.  It was a beautiful, warm day and we just really enjoyed being out hiking around and enjoying the fresh air and the beauties of nature.  We had been told not to miss the Nelson Cliffs so we came back and went there to compare.  They were nice but we liked the ones at Hudson the best.   Then Thursday we served at the home all day and it was 80 degrees.  Wow, such a nice day…..and then it dropped.  Friday it rained and the wind blew and it was only in the 40’s.  Then Saturday it snowed and was even colder.  This morning our thermometer read 22 degrees.  Some of the big flowering trees got their blossoms frozen and the daffodils were drooped.  Hopefully the fruit trees were not out far enough to damage.  But now it is in the 40’s and sunny and very nice.  What a change!   Below are a couple of pictures of the Hudson Cliffs.

 

 

 

 

This has been a rather slow week, not too many visitors at the Home but those that did come were special.  It is always special when we get to share with those that come.  We have been trying to get the sisters to come and learn the tour so that when we have big groups they will be able to help us.  One companionship came in today and Sister Maynard was able to do her last tour at the Johnson Home as she is going home this week.  She was excited about that.  Another companionship came in to get help learning and a couple walked in so we told them to take the tour.  They wanted me to accompany them so I did.  Well, first off we were told that they were Catholic, had just been out for a Sunday afternoon drive and saw the house so came to see what it was about.  The two sisters froze on the spot.  I let them do what they could and then added.  It turned out to be a nice tour afterall.  The lady had tears as I shared my testimony of the 76 Section of the D & C.  Come to find out they had her friend's mother's funeral yesterday.  I fell like she felt the spirit of the home.  We gave her some literature and expresses our love and sympathies.  So things were good, just a bit stressful for the sisters.  Later we went through the house and talked about the tour and things to share in each room.  They are trying to learn it all so they can help.  Love working with the Sisters....
    President Valinga has had his hands full.  As of today we will be getting 39+ new missionaries this week.  In addition to those that are assigned to our mission, we are getting a bunch of visa waiters.  The sisters said that there will be lots of triplets in order to use them since we don't know how long they will be here.  Exciting times.
     The week before we drove up to Cleveland and went in the Science Museum.  It was really informative and very well done.  They had a special exhibit on mummies and also an IMAX movie.  We liked that as well as the NASA and medical exhibits.  They had three floors of lots of interactive for kids as well.  We really enjoyed the time we spent there.  We drove past the Cleveland Browns stadium as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Was a good day.  This week we went into Kirtland and walked through the Penitentary Glen.  It is so named because of the deep gorge of Stoney Brook is hard to get out of.  Nothing like some of our gorges at home but impressive.  At one place you go down 144 stairs to a Stoney Brook Falls.  Not a lot of water right now but was a fun walk.  Below is a picture of the falls and also the stairs.  We then went to lunch with the Petersons.  All in all we walked about 4 miles that day so it was a good one. 

This area is a big wilderness type park with lots of walking and hiking trails, bird watching areas, wildlife, etc. It will really be pretty when the leaves are out.  They also have a couple of centers talking about wildlife, plants and animals. 
They have taken in all the bags and buckets for the collection of the maple sap.  The trees are beginning to leaf out and that makes the sap bitter so it is over for this year.  Spring must be coming for we saw some baby lambs and calves this week and the daffodils are blooming all over the place, along the roads, in flower beds, out in the trees, just everywhere.  Not too warm yet but it must be coming.  We had a storm of all storms the other day....super high winds, heavy, heavy rain, lightening and house shaking thunder.  Thank goodness we were home and could watch it out the window.  Below is a picture of some of the daffodils.  I love them.  Think I will get a bunch and put in when I get home. 

Its been another week already and has been a busy one.  We really have had lots of visitors this week and it is so special to be with each group.  Most of them come prepared to learn more about church history.  One of the visitors told us that they have dedicated a site in the Philipines for a MTC and the church is really growing there.  Truly we are seeing an urgency with all of the missionaries throughout the world.  What a blessing!
Wednesday we had a single adult activity.  It was lots of fun with lots of good food, laughs and company.  It was mostly our committee but they are getting excited about inviting others to join us.  We met at Fred Fuller park in Kent in the old jail house.  Was a neat place and we really enjoyed it.  Have another activity planned for May 1st.  Got to keep things going and hopefully it will catch on.
Thursday night we went to a musical at the school.  It was the Wizard of Oz put on by the schools and community.  They did a really good job and we were impressed with the talents of the students. 
The orchestra was community members and the students (6-12 grades) were the actors.  Was a good evening.   Saturday a family of seven came in.  Dan was out with another group so I greeted them.  "Hi, I'm sister Wells".   The gal grabbed my arm and said "Hi, I'm Suzanne" and laughed.  Wow, was I surprised.  It was Suzanne Brasher from Cleveland.  She and her husband Kirt both worked at the school.  He died and she has remarried a Anderson from Ferron.  They were here with one of her daughters and her family.  Was fun to be able to visit with them and then do the tour.  A single sister came just as we were starting with them so we had her join us.  Found out she was not a member and was lost, didn't really know where she was or what the Johnson Home was all about.  She seemed to really enjoy the tour, thanked us and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon and some pamphlets.  We then gave her directions to get back home.  She was really nice and hopefully we were able to spark some interest. 
About 11 that day two Smith families came into the home.  There were 12 of them.  They had been visiting church history sites and this was the last one before home.  They asked lots of questions and it was really a special tour.  At the end both fathers bore testimony and then 3 of the children did also.  The one father talked of how hard it must of been for those early saints but told his children that the things they were experiencing in school and elsewhere were just as hard, only different.  It was important that they stay true and determined to keep the commandments.  It was really a spiritual ending to a special tour.  Great families!  We also had two women come as a preview to their youth conference in June.  They will be bringing 100 youth plus leaders, bishops, etc.  and so wanted to know just how things would work.  We talked them through that and then did a tour with them.  In the revelation room they both were in tears and expressed how grateful they were for the opportunity to bring their youth to the Kirtland area.  We are excited to have them come. Will be a challenge but will really be fun.
We have listened to most of conference and have really enjoyed the talks.  Sounds like the message is to stay worthy and work with the missionaries.  Sounds like exciting things are ahead.  We are excited for Cedar City and a new temple there.  Hope everyone has a great week.  Spring might be coming....we have some daffodils starting to show their faces but it still feels rather cool.   Love to all.....