This has been a fun week with mostly lots happening.  One day we sat all day long with no visitors and two sets of sister missionaries.  Lots of studying and planning for that day!  But the next ones definitely made up for it.  We had 96 visitors one day and 88 the next.  It was a continual rotation with both of us to keep the tours going.  We were tired but it was truly a wonderful time.  We think this is the beginning of the summer busy times and are looking forward to many busy days.  It is exciting to visit with people from the area that are just driving around, see the sign and stop in to see what it is all about.  We love to testify and share the gospel with them as we tell them about the home and the Johnson family.

This week for our P-day we traveled down to Kidron, Oh.  We visited the Smuckers Store and also the Lehman Store.  The Lehman store has any and everything non electric and you could literally get lost in it.  Lots of old stuff to see and lots of other stuff to buy.  We enjoyed both places.  Then stopped at Das Dutchman Restaurant and had a great lunch.  Was a fun day!   I’ve included some pictures of these places.

 

                                    1534 Jelly Jars make up this wall.

Dad and his friend at Lehmans

 

I also posted a photo of the blooming pear trees by the Johnson Home.  They have been so pretty.  All of the flowering trees are really beautiful and it has been so fun to watch them all come into bloom and all of the trees turned green it seems like overnight.  It seems like spring has come and then it has froze for two nights now.  Will be in the 80's the rest of the week.  

Tour numbers are picking up.  Each day we seem to get a few more.  I think Memorial Day weekend will be a big one and then June is full of bus tours so we need to enjoy the slow days for now.  We had two young people who have their mission calls come through with their families today and so it was special to share with them.  They both are excited and ready to go.  One day we had two groups come in at the same time (this happens many times) but one couple was not members of the church.  I explained to them what it was all about and they said yes they would like to go on the tour.  They had been out driving around, saw the sign and so decided to come in and see about it.  They were really touched as we told of the conversion of the Johnsons and the story of the tar and feathering.  They could not go up stairs so I sat in the kitchen with them and with a picture book did the upstairs tour.  They loved it.  As I told them of the appearance of the Father and the Son to the Prophet Joseph and Sidney, they both did a little gasp.  I bore testimony of prophets and the restoration and they accepted it all.  They told me they were a little bit acquainted with the Mormons.  One young girl they knew was to be baptized. Her parents didn’t support her at all so this couple went with her to her baptism.  They didn’t want a Book of Mormon but she said she really wanted to read about Joseph Smith and gladly took the pamphlet I offered.  He said he would get on the church site for genealogy so I also suggested mormon.org and he was excited about that.  Hopefully some seed was planted and they will want to know more.  It was truly a very special time with them.
They released our SA sister representative today and put her in as a counselor in the RS.  Bummer!!!  She has been so excited to work with us in getting activity for the singles so we will miss her but feel that the RS needs her as well.  The high councilman from the stake came to visit with us.  Seems we are the only ward in the stake to be trying to do anything so he was interested in what we were doing.  He left with some ideas to share with other wards and hopefully it will help them as well.  Now we just have to get a new, excited representative who will push and follow through.  It will happen!! 

This has been the first full week for the Packers and they have done really well.  They picked up on the tour and other details quickly and have taken hold and gone forth.  It has been really good and we love serving with them.  We took our P-day and drove around the different communities scoping out the different campgrounds, and hotels/motels so we can update our files.  People are starting to ask us where they can stay and where are good places to eat.  The Packers are working on the eating side of it.  Anyway it was a fun day, traveled through some new country for us and visited with some friendly people, even found a new restaurant we liked.  Then on the way home we stopped into a little place, wasn’t sure just what it was.  Turned out it is a little man from Italy who has a bakery.  Seems missionaries stop in there from time to time and he loves to visit and share his bread.  He told me he was giving me a loaf for free but then with a smile said he would charge me double next time.  We got a loaf of cinnamon bread that was just yummy and we plan to go back for more. 

This weekend was the annual Garrettsville community yard sale.  Boy you have never seen the likes, yards and yards and more yards of stuff and lots and lots of people.  We did a bit of surfing Saturday morning and it was fun walking up and down the streets, in and out of driveways and garages.  Found a couple of things but not much that we were really interested in.  It definitely was a big affair.  We have another big week planned so will share that with you next week.   All of you have a great one.

This has been an interesting couple of weeks.  We were really up in the air because Holtrys were leaving and the Packers were coming but no one knew just when for sure.  We finally worked it out so Holtrys worked Thursday morning and then made the final move.  It was a very empty feeling when they drove away and we realized we were alone, really alone here.  Then the next afternoon Elder Sorenson guided the Packers down and we were able to show them the apartment and around town.  They then came on site the next morning and went through a tour with the sisters and us.  I then followed them doing one themselves.   When we had a family of 8 come in from Australia we told them we would follow and help.  Well another 3 people came in so we joined the two groups.  Just got a good start and a family of 7 came so we sent the Packers on ahead by themselves and we took the last tour.  Everything turned out great and so today when they came to serve we left them and came home.  We will stay sort of close but will divide the shifts this week and we feel they will do fine. 

We also had zone conference this past week.  We traveled to Youngstown for that.  It was really a great conference with lots of good counsel and teachings.  It is so good to be able to work with the young missionaries.  They are so strong and have super testimonies and are able to teach and help you feel the spirit.  Sister Vellinga gave a super talk on the temple garment and the covenants we make.  He really emphasized the importance of being a good missionary, obedient and diligent in every way.  We also did role playing trying to involve active families with our investigators.  We are excited because we have received two referrals this past couple of weeks and are able to follow up with them and refer them to missionaries in their areas.  This is a new thing for us but will be exciting.   Also we had a man call the Johnson Home today and ask if he came over if he could visit with missionaries.  We told him we were missionaries and would be glad to have him come and we would talk with him.  Sounds like some missionary work, huh!!!!!

The Packers are from Brigham City and are excited to be here.  Rumor has it that two more couples will be coming so that is really a boost for us.  The Holtrys were sad to leave but are excited about being in Kirtland as well.  Another day two men from the church offices in SL came with our FM director to check things out.  They arrived just as we were about to begin a tour so they joined us.  It was a bit intimidating at first but we soon got into it and loved the tour.  They were able to feel the spirit and complimented us so we felt good about that.  Just a different experience. 

The flowering trees have been just gorgeous the past couple of weeks, just loaded with all colors of blossoms.  So Pretty!  The leaves are all out and it has been so nice temperature wise.  Then the last couple of days it has turned off very cold.  Our thermometer read 33.5 this morning.  We have had clouds and wind all day and it is cold.  However, they say we will be back up to 70 and 80 by mid week.  Will be glad for that, we don’t like this cold.   

This week began a bit slow but boy did it end rather wild.  We had our P-day on Wednesday, did a few housekeeping things here at home and then decided to visit some of the little shops on the main street of Garrettsville.  Ended up at a small antique shop and Dan found a cast iron bell.  He has been looking for one for a long time so this excited him.  At the checkout the man said he had a larger one at his home so off we went for a look.  It was much bigger and of course we went for the big one.  Now he has a bell, needs to get it home and it will be hung out on the deck.  It has quite the ring so will be heard for some distance.  Exciting!!
On Thursday the Holtrys got the news that they were moving and could have the little house that we had left in Kirtland so they got busy and started the move.  Their last day here will be Tuesday and we are not sure when the Packers will be arriving so things should be interesting at the Home this week.  We had stake conference this weekend.  We went to Youngstown for the saturday evening meeting and it was really a special meeting.  Great talks and a wonderful spirit. We really enjoyed it.  President Kirk is really trying to make the stake great.  He is a wonderful man and we enjoy his talks and counsel.  Then Sunday it was an area conference broadcast into our ward chapel.  The area covers 68 stakes in the northeast and it really was a good conference.  Plenty of food for thought between the two meetings. 
Sunday afternoon we had a tour of 90 scheduled for 4 so we had the Holtrys and 2 companionships of sisters here ready and waiting.  They didn't make it until 5 but we had divided the missionaries into areas and then divided the group into 5 smaller groups and we had them through the tour of the home in just over an hour.  This was the first time for us and a big group and we felt really good about it.  Won't be so nervous for the next one.  The tour group had a guest speaker so they sat on the lawn and he talked to them for another hour.  We were finally able to close just after 7 so that was good.  We had 103 visitors for the day so it was truly a great day.
I had a young woman come into the home one day.  She is not a member but wanted to learn and know more about the church.  I was able to give her the tour and answer questions.  I also have her name and number so I can keep in contact with her and also refer her to the full time missionaries in her area.  She was a special young woman and hopefully she can feel and know and recognize the spirit as it testifies to her.  Was a special experience.
We also had a meeting with the Rootstown singles committee and now have planned activities through December.  They are excited and determined to make this work.  It is fun to watch and be a part of it. 
We are not sure just when the Packers will be arriving and we also have zone conference this week so it should be an interesting one.  Looking forward to new and great things.  We love it.