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.