Sorry all of you snow people, we had 57 degrees here today.  A bit of rain last night and over cast today but very pleasant.  We are sure it is coming and will probably happen all at once. 
We just completed our first week here at the Johnson Home with a total of 2 tours and lot of studying and a bit of indexing.  We have enjoyed the slower pace so it has been nice.  We have worked at getting things organized and put away and are feeling comfortable and at home.  Below are a couple of pictures, one before and one after. 

 

Last night, Saturday, we went to the Rootstown Ward Party.  They had a big crowd and lots of great food.  They also did a program which was really good.  They then presented each of the missionaries with gift bags.  We have Sisters living in Kent and another set in Ravenna and then us that serve with that ward. In our bag was crackers, cheese, choc milk mix, candy, cookies, apples, oranges and pears.  Yummy!!!  They are so good to us.  Then of course today we got our loaf of warm bread.  We think we like this ward and the great people.  Will be nice when we get to know all of their names better but they are patient with us.  We have been given the assignment to call each of the members on their birthdays so that should be fun.  Called our first ones today.  At first the sister I called was rather hesitant but when I told her 'Happy Birthday' she laughed and told me thanks for calling.  Will be nice and a way to let them know we care about them.

 

These are a couple of pictures of the Johnson Home.  It was built in 1828, New England Style and very well preserved.

 

 

 

Thursday we had the special experience of an open house and tour of Lorenzo Snow's home built in 1816.  A couple who are not members purchased it because they love old homes, especially those with history.  They knew it had connections with the Mormons and so involved historians from our church in the history of the home.  They were so very gracious and love to have members come and tour the home and take pictures of it.  I forgot my camera, can you believe that.  I won't next time.  It was all decorated for Christmas and just beautiful.  He took one group and she took the other and they told all about the history of the home and the Snow family that had lived their.  They also believe that Eliza Snow is close by watching over the home. They also served sandwiches and a light lunch.  We then all gathered and sang songs and they told us more of their history.  It was truly delightful and they invited us back at any time, especially bring our families they said. President and Sister Valinga, Elder and Sister Edman, most of the couple missionaries and sister missionaries were there and it was a really special evening.  We definitely plan to go back.   

This next week will prove to be a wild one so will see how it all plays out.  We are taking it one day at a time, learning to get around and finding things.  We did break down and buy a GPS and that certainly makes things easier.  Have a great week,will check in again next Sunday.  LOVE YOU!!! 

 

We just came from a most amazing Christmas Program sponsored by the Kirtland Stake.  They had special instrumental numbers, a choir, organ and it was so very nice.  Of course we think that the star of our show was our own Sister Wygant from the Provo area.  She plays the flute like no other.  They have an arts college here in Mentor so there are a lot of talented young people and that showed tonight.  We wished it could have gone on for longer.  With the nativities, and special programs like this we are loving this Christmas season.  So blessed to be here. We have also had some special groups come into the Center and perform and that adds to the spirit of Christmas.
Since we are soon leaving here we had the two couples that were with us in the MTC over for dinner Friday night.  We then went down to the center for a program and came back here to play games. It is so good to be able to spend time together and we just love being together sharing silly stories, special moments, etc from our families.  If your ears were ringing we were probably talking about you.
Saturday we were invited to Elder and Sister Riches for dinner. The Jones are coming from Johnson Farm and we are going out, and the Riches served there for 7 1/2 months so we had lots to talk about.  Was another special evening.  We have also been packing and have most things ready to just put into the car tomorrow.  Will do a shift tomorrow afternoon at the center and then pull out for Garrettsville Tuesday morning. 
We started that new adventure today.  We drove to Garrettsville to the apartment and cased it out, went on down to Rootstown for church, came back to the apartment for lunch and then served the afternoon at the Johnson Home in Hiram.  Put over 100 miles on our car today and even drove 55 part of the way.  That is new for us....  The ward was great, lots of new friendly people.  I think we will love it.  We were handed a loaf of warm bread from the sister that does the sacrament bread and that will be a weekly thing.  Yummmm.....  Dan also found a cousin.... a brother Lisonbee that is a descendant of Coker Lisonbee the same as us.  What a small world! We went to the home and decided to do a bit of studying on our tour dialogue and in walked a sister from Utah, come for a tour.  Her name was even Annette so we hit it off right from the start.  So our first day at the Johnson Home we did a tour.  In fact that was the only one for the whole day.  It was so fun and we felt good about it all.  Yes, we will keep studying and get better but it was great.  Now we have that first time over with and know we can do it.  We came home and went to the program and are finally home for the evening and tired after a really very nice day.  Yeh....
Didn't take time for pictures this week, sorry.... but next week we will share some of our new things with you. We can hardly wait to get ALL unpacked and organized to hopefully find the things we think we brought with us.  Hope everyone has a great week.... remember we LOVE you all....

This has truly been a whirl wind of a week.  Tuesday was our Zone Conference.  Half of the missionaries met on Monday and the other half on Tuesday.  We all gathered in the Kirtland Temple at 10 a.m.  President Valinga spoke, along with Elder and Sister Edman, a stake President and Brother Karl Anderson.  It was truly amazing and we loved it all.  One of the sisters played a flute duet with an Elder on the violin.  The acoustics in the temple are truly amazing and it sounded really special.  We were all divided into districts into each of the four corners of the temple (choir seats) and everyone had the opportunity of bearing their testimony in the Temple.  Such a great spirit!!!  We gathered in the stake center for lunch and another meeting and then at the Historical Center to view the nativities and a closing program.  Truly a wonderful day.
We have been getting more and more busy at the center as people come into view the nativities and they all love it.  It is really something to behold and we love the spirit it brings.
Friday was our training meeting and the training sisters asked Elder Edman if they could do something fun for the training and he gave permission.  What he didn't know is that it was a surprise for them.  After the introduction they asked that all who had been asked to help with the training to go out into the gathering room. This left Elder and Sister Edman alone and they began to wonder.  Well, it was a live nativity and we all put on our costumes.  As they read the nativity from Luke in came all of the bleating sheep, donkeys and even reindeer.  Mary and Joseph and the baby, the shepherds and finally the wise men.  It was so fun but so very touching.  Sister Edman had tears.  It was amazing the costumes the sisters had put together but it turned out so good and we all loved it.  Below is a group picture of all the group. 

After the training meeting we drove out to the Johnson Farm and visited with the Jones who we are replacing.  They did a bit of training and answered a lot of questions and then did a tour for us.  We then went to their apartment which will be our apartment, had lunch with them and then he showed us around town so we could find things easier.  We then went back to the Farm Home and met with the Holtry's who we will be serving with and they did some more training and also a tour for us.  By then it was getting dark and we came home.  It had been a full day but a truly special one for sure.
One day we were able to do a tour for 7 non LDS.  They told us they were Methodists and Luthuren.  What a fun group, full of questions, receptive but not acceptive.  It really turned out good and we were glad we were able to have the time with them.  Special People!
Today was our last day at the Chardon Branch.  Things seem to be improving and the missionary sisters are more enthused and getting more help with things. We had a dinner at the Palmers tonight and the Jones were there.  They had been to their Rootstown Ward and it seems they have set us up.  The ward is anxiously awaiting us and are going to put us right to work.  Should be fun!
We were also able to attend the First Presidency Christmas Devotional today at the center and really enjoyed that.  What a way to begin the Christmas Season!!! 

Well, things just keep rolling along and we seem to keep busy.  Monday we were at the Kirtland Elementary.  We have been assigned each a third grader to help with reading.  Cute boys and it is fun to be there.  That evening we attended an Empty Nesters/Singles FHE at Chardon.  They have a potluck dinner and lesson once a month.  Dinner was good and it was fun getting to know them better. Thanksgiving was great.  All of the couples of the mission came to the center for Dinner, games and movies.  The sisters joined us after their dinner appointments.  Lots and lots of great food and good friends.  I made pies in the morning and then went down about 1.  By 8 that evening we were tired so came home.  Friday was our big opening for the nativity and the lighting ceremony.  It was one wild day and we were kept hopping.  Lots and lots of people and excitement.  One of the big nativities was brought in by an artist of the area and he did all of the set up, took him about 7 hours.  Below is a picture of him in the beginning and another of the final.  A definitely beautiful setting.

 

 

The one big room upstairs if full of nativities.  Below is picture of most of the room and then some of the individual nativities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a full wall display of all the different aspects of the Savior's Life. In the middle is the last supper, one side is the crucifixtion with the crown of thorns, empty tomb, etc. The other has to do with the birth with the gold, frankincense and myrrh. swaddling cloth, cradle....

 

Out in the little school house there is a big display of international nativities.  Below is a sample...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The BIG news this week is that we got our first transfer.  We are moving about the 10th of December to Garrettsville and will be working at the John Johnson Farm in Hiram.  We will be working with one other couple so it will be trading with each other, working the schedule between us.  Of course there is not too much happening during the next few months so that should work okay.  We will be learning and testifying of different things so we have more to learn.  Everyone that has worked out there say it is their favorite place so we are looking forward to that.  It is a much more rural area.  We will also be assigned to the Rootstown Ward.  They love the senior missionaries and want us to help them lots so that will be fun to work with them and help them to build the ward. It will be a bit more traveling in the car because our apt is 5 miles away and the ward about 30-45 minutes away.

Each week has new adventures and excitement and we love it.  We had three couples and Elder Crowley, a young elder with the PM group, over for dinner last night in our little apt.  We ate and visited for almost 4 hours.  Sometimes we were laughing, other times, crying and other times crying because we were laughing so hard.  FUN!!!

 

 

This week has gone by really fast.  Tuesday was our P-Day so we went out into Amish country, visited several stores, had lunch at the Dutchman's Restaurant, stopped at the White House Chocolate Factory and tasted all their samples.  Course then we had to buy some.  We also went on out to the End of the Commons General Store and purchased a bit of bulk items.  Was a fun day and we saw new country.  Tours were really slow this week so we did quite a bit of studying and visiting.  We also drove out to Lake Erie.  Was a beautiful sight and sooo big.  One gentleman stopped and was visiting with us and told us that the Canadian border was 90 miles across. 

                                                
Lake Erie with the Geese                                                                     Fairport Harbor Lighthouse

This harbor was where many of the missionaries left from headed into Canada and the Eastern states.
It is a museum but we didn't take the time right now to go inside.  Another time.....

As we were driving down to our Chardon Branch on Veterans Day, they had the big hook and ladder truck out over the highway in the middle of town and it was so neat to see the flag waving.

We also had the opportunity to go with Elder and Sister Miles who are FM missionaries to go into the Joseph Smith home and Joseph's variety store that the church has recently purchased.  The Church of Christ have had some of their missionaries living in the home so it isn't as it was and has a lot of work needed to be respresentative of that time.  The old store is really in disrepair.  The historical people from SL have been all through it but there is still lots of old 'stuff' in there and we were able to wander around and look at it all.  Below are some of the photos.  Owen probably would have loved it all and packed it home in a heartbeat.  The building has had several businesses in it since the time but was quite interesting.

An old drill press

Things gathered in a pile

 

 

All of us standing in the basement of Joseph's Variety Store

 

It is amazing as we learn more of the area all of the preparations made for the church to be in this area and all of the building of the basics of the church that took place as the saints were here.  This area had definitly been prepared for the gospel and when commanded to gather to the Ohio, here they were promised strength and power and knowledge.  They did not question but did as their prophet said because they knew he communicated with God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Many of the programs and basics of the church began here, the foundations, and  when their purpose was accomplished, they moved on.  What a blessing it is for us to be here, to walk in their footsteps and feel of their spirit and gain a resolve to do better!   Another Great Week!!!

 



Well, here is another Sunday and wow has this been some kind of a week.  Really a highly spiritual week of some really special happenings.  First of all on Tuesday we drove down to Cleveland to the mission home for a dinner with Elder and Sister Valinga and the other new missionaries of the mission.  Had a very nice dinner, did some visiting and bore testimonies.  We really enjoyed getting to know everyone and feeling of their spirit and love of the gospel.

 

This is us with President and Sister Valinga

in the mission home.

 

 

Wednesday morning all of the new missionaries met in the Kirtland temple.  We were given a tour by the man that is over the temple from the Church of Christ.  We also had Karl Anderson who really knows all there is to know about Kirtland and the happenings here.  He was able to give us some insight into some of the revelations that took place in the temple.  Very informative and very spiritual.  It was really an opportunity to be in the temple.  Love it!!!

 

 

This is a photo of all of us on the front steps of the temple. 

Brother Anderson is on the far left with his wife directly in front of him. 

 

We then met at the Whitney Store and went into the School of the Prophets.  Some very sacred and special revelations were received there including the visitation of the Father and the Son.  We were again taught and spiritually fed.  Then we were left alone to review our feelings and our desire to serve our mission with the goals that we might have.  Again it was a very special time.

 

 

This is us again in front of the Whitney Store.

 

 

Then on Thursday which was our P-day, Elder and Sister Crump invited us to ride to the Columbus temple with them.  They have just given us permission to attend the temple twice during our mission time and so we were excited to be able to go.  It was so good to be in the temple and we truly enjoyed our time there.  It took us almost 3 hours to drive down so it was nice to have company and to become better acquainted with the Crumps.  Another beautiful day!!!

 

 



 

 

 

Friday we had the opportunity to do a tour with a young family from Brisbane Australia.  They were really special and it turns out that they knew Josh Woodfield from Townsville.  Josh's mother was the RS President, his grandmother lived with them and he went out many times with the elders. We even had Christmas breakfast with them. They said he is now married and has a little boy.  They took a picture of us to share with Josh so that was another special day.

 

Sunday we were able to give a lesson in Sunday School to some new converts and investigators who were there with the Sister Missionaries.  Turned out very nice and we enjoyed that.  Came back to the center and were able to do a tour with a young couple (we think they are newly engaged) and a young man who had just been baptized in June.  He came with a non member friend and we were able to tell about Kirtland and bear testimony.  Hopefully he felt the spirit and will have a desire to know more. 

Think that is one full week, full of special and spiritual times and we love it.  



Well, we survived Hurricane Sandy.... Monday morning when we went into the center, Elder Edman told us to go shopping to be prepared for whatever.  Then that afternoon the power went off for 5 hours.  One couple still had power so 4 couples of us got together and played games. The sister missionaries were all grounded until at least Wednesday and we were told to stay close.  Later about midnight the power went off again but we were snug in our beds.  Got up late but stayed wrapped in quilts.  We finally went to a sporting goods store and found an indoor propane heater.  Warmed things up to 65 before the power came back on at 7 that night.  We have had lots of heavy winds and rain.  Some of the houses have had water in their basements, up to 2 feet.  However, we are on a hill and have no basement so we are great.
Wednesday night we had a Halloween dinner with all of the couples and sisters.  I made a big pot of cheddar Chowder and it was all gone. Made a hit.  The sisters left to go to work after the dinner and the rest of us did a get to know you activity.  Was a nice evening.  We came home and I did a trick or treat to the sisters across the driveway.  They gave me hugs and I gave them a cake.  Works for me!!
Friday morning we had a transfer testimony meeting for the 4 sisters and 2 couples that are going home.  Was a very spiritual meeting.  They all expressed their love for the mission and for the spiritual things that they have learned and felt as they have served.  Afterwards we had a breakfast with everyone.  Another great day. One of the couples got a phone call of a family emergency at home so they left early Saturday for home.  They were supposed to be released the first of December so it was only a little bit early.  We will miss them.  In between all of the extra things we were able to do tours at the center.  We had talked about the things we say on our tours and decided to try a couple of new things and were very pleased with the results.  Made things much more spiritual as we were able to bear testimony of some of the special things that have happened.  We are loving it more and more as we feel more confident in the things we do. The ones we work with are so special, loving and willing to help out.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.......