Trip to Kirtland for transfers

Part of the Newell K. Whitney store

Kitchen

Back room in store
Room in store
School of the Prophets
Store
Missionaries
New missionaries and Sister and President Peterson
Outside of store
Us in front
Chagrin River where Willard Richards was baptized on December 31, 1834
Kirtland Temple

What a GREAT day!!! We arrived at Kirtland about an hour early so we went to Mickey-D's for breakfast.

We met President and Sister Peterson, all the new missionaries, Elder and Sister Haight, Elder McGuire, Brother and Sister Carl Anderson, and Elder and Sister Beckstrom at the Kirtland Temple at 8:00 am. We were given a tour by a woman named Barbara from the Community of Christ Church. Brother Anderson (a Kirtland Historian, CES representitive, and has written a book entitled "Joseph's Kirtland") who has lived in Kirtland for 40 years, also filled in the Church's information and what took place in all of the places in Church History. What a special person. He made it all come alive in your mind.He read accounts form the Doctrine & Covenants and told us events that occurred in each room. To know the keys of the restoraton were given along with the, visit from Moses, Elijah and Elias to restore the keys that they held. Kirtland was the one place that the Prophet Joseph lived the longest.

Then we went to the Newell K Whitney Store and toured it and went upstairs to the revelation room where many revelations were written and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible took place. Then we went into the School of the Prophets( a tiny room) and there were told of some of the things that took place there. It, other than our temples now, is where the Savior appeared. He gave

Joseph the Word of Wisdom Revelation. (20 of 22 men smoked or chewed and after Emma's complaint of having to clean up after each meeting Joseph prayed and was given the revelation for the Word of Wosdom. Then went in the adjoining room and wrote it down and came back and read it to those present. They immediately threw there pipes and other tabaccos in the fireplace.) This room is not much larger than a medium sized bathroom. So you can imagine the smoke. GAG!!!

We then heard from President Peterson about How Kirtland will be, rather is, one of four places that the Church will grow and be spread in the last days, in great numbers. He then had all of us kneel down and silently say a prayer to Heavenly Father and dedicate ourselves and our missions to Him. What a special feeling we had. We then left and took pictures.

Not any other missionaries get to start their first week in the mission in such a special manner.

Tonight we get two missionaries, who are going home at the end of their missions. They will come about 11:00 pm and then we need to have them at the Presidents home at 4:30 am to go to the airport. Then we will go to the archives and work and then to the Family History Center after we leave there. Then it will be Friday.YEAH!!! Don't know for sure if we will do anything special on Saturday. We have to polish up our talks for Sunday and get things ready for Sunday dinner as we are having 8 others over for dinner. Don't want to do a lot on Sunday except eat.

Well if you need any other explanation of the pictures will call tonight. Love Mom and Dad

Letters from our Mission

We have been here almost a month. Time is going quickly, although one day last week I had one of those bad word days BORED!! It was just doing the same thing over and over and over. So now I am trying to do a variety of things to keep from getting that way again. If I don't it's going to be a l-o-n-g mission. We are so busy every day and night and weekends. Today Dad helped Sister and Elder Hartman move about four apartments of of Elders and Sisters. I went to a Stake RS Enrichment Activity and luncheon with the Senior Sisters. Hey, if you get a minute go online to reddmountianretreat.com and look at that house up at Bear Lake. Sister Redd here said we could us it anytime for a Family Reunion. It has 6 bedrooms and beds for 20. She needs dad to build her some cabinets. See what you think and we will get it after we get back and ALL of us can go up and stay.

Dad has been doing some training on the camera here. It is a little bit different than the one at the MTC as it is faster and higher powered.We will start filming in April. We will be doing shift work so we will be going in a little later and staying until about 6 pm each day Monday-Friday. They are so far behind on imaging that we need to help in order to get caught up. There are 88 boxes "preped" with about 5,000 images in each one and there are 154 more boxes to do. So we have a lot ahead of us to do.

President Peterson gave all the missionaries a copy of the Book of Mormon for Christmas and a challenge to read it in two months. We weren't here but they gave us each one and we are going to start the challenge tomorrow, March 1st.

Here it is:

We invite you to join with us and read the Book of Mormon with the following objective, to find Jesus Christ within its pages. Each day, for the next 60 days, beginning March 1, 2009, do the following:

1. Write your name one the inside cover, for this Book of Mormon will be highly prized.

2. Read faithfully each day the chapters from the reading chart.

3. Circle each reference to Jesus by whatever name He is called ie.(Jesus, Lord, Emanuel, Lamb of God, He, Him, I etc.) At the bottom of each page, write the number of times Jesus is mentioned.

4. Highlight in one color all the Savior's words when he speaks or when He is directly quoted, such as when a prophet says, "Thus saith the Lord"

5. Highlight in a second color all the teachings and doctrines referring directly to Christ's mission, ressurection, birth, crucifixion, etc.

May you develop an even greater appreciation and love our Savior Jesus Christ. May you have and increased love for the Book of Mormon, and may you have a greater ability to testify of Him because you know Him.

Then he gave them a reading chart. If you guys would like to do this and want the list I am sending it as an attachment. Maybe we can actually get through all the way.

We sure miss all of you. Hope some of you get to come out. But if not we understand. Keep us up on your doings so we can sort of feel like we are there.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Went to church this morning. What a great Fast and Testimony Meeting. The spirit was so strong. Lots testified of doing what is right and being strong in what we know is true. One young girl told of going to her High school basketball teams overnighter on Saturday and when pizza and etc were served she told them No as she was fasting. They wanted to know what that meant and she explained to them how we fast for 24 hours for something special or someone and then give the cost of the meals we skipped to those in need. What a great thing for her to have the courage to tell them and especially to do what she knew and had been taught, was right. It is hard these days to do something different form the rest of the kids, but that's why we need to choose good friends and to be a good friend back in return. Sometime you may need that special friend to help pull you away from wrong things or maybe you will be the one to help your friends. I am so glad our grandchildren and kids have good friends and will always remember "Would Jesus want me to do this?".

No matter where you go the Church is always the same. Trying to learn everyone's names. Each week we meet a few more. Guess what?...............we GET to talk in Church next Sunday. Our subject is to tell a little about ourselves and on ways to keep the Sabbath holy. So that shouldn't be to bad. Don't know if it's scarier to talk to people you know or don't know.

Have a busy week ahead. Of coarse the archives most every day. A little break this week as on Wednesday morning at 6:15 am we leave and go to Kirtland. We will meet with all the new missionaries and President and Sister Peterson at the Kirtland temple for a tour and then go down to the visitors center at Historic Kirtland to the Newell K Whitney Store and the School of the Prophets. There President Peterson will tell us about the history of Kirtland in Church History and what revelations were given to Joseph Smith and the 12 there. Then he will dedicate our missions for us. Ought to be an awesome day. Wednesday night about 10:00 pm we will get two elders that are going home, to stay at our apartment. Then at 4:00 am we take them to the Presidents home to leave for the airport.Thursday evening we work at the Family History Center and Friday evening we are going out to a Polish restaurant with all the Senior Couples and Senior Sisters from here and Kirtland. Then Saturday I think is the day we are going to the Amish town of Berlin (pronounced Berlun) to see the "Master Carver" and the shops, Leahmans Hardware Store and the Knife store (that has really awesome kitchen knives. Expensive though). A paring knife is $60.00. Probably won't buy just look.

Well best end for the day as the Senior sisters and sister Olson (who has been staying with us for a little over a week) will be home from church and I invited them for dinner.

Love ALL of you!!!

Mom and Dad