The School Year Starts our Northern Tours

Here are some pictures from our Last Year's Northern Tour. This picture below is not necessary seminary Teacher, but if he -- or she was she would definitely get the kids interest and probably have a lot to say about "other worlds have I created..." This is not a Seminary building, nor even a house where seminary is taught, but as you can see it is a great example of the blowing wind here in North Dakota. This may be an old empty house, but it definitely LEANS the direction of the blowing wind. There are many buildings like this in the middle of fields, and almost all are "leaners."
Here are the missionaries in the field.... Lo the field is white already to Harvest. They are getting ready to thrust in with all their might and get tot work. We were driving home from a disrict meeting in Dickinson and saw this field and decided it was a good photo opt.
Here is HAIL FROM BISMARCK. Almost every Thunderstorm comes with a warning of possible hail that can cause severe damage and injury. This came earlier this summer.

Well, school has started and we leave today for Dickinson and visit a semianry Teacher and tomorow the early morning seminary in Dickinson,ND. Sister Shelley Obrigeywitch is the Teacher there and she teaches 7 kids in her living room each day. We are excited. This morning also, Karen and I are going to the Temple at 10:00 to do Floors! Actually this is cleaning day, and we invited to come and help vacuum and work in The Temple cleaning it up. An opportunity most don't get very often.

Off to work we go.... Hi HO!

Our Trip to the INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDENS

Away we go to Minot ND from Bismarck on Saturday Aug. 16, to be there to speak in Church in Minot 1st Ward on Sunday and then take off to Bottineau,ND and the Snow boarding Turtle there. We stayed overnight and took off on Monday for Dunseith and the International Peace Garden which is on the boarder of Canada and the US. The Picture of our feet shows us standing in the two countries with the cement crack the boarder.
We have to bring our passports to get back into the US after our visit. They have the turtle mountains in Dunseith area so they built these two giant turtles in neighboring towns. The REAL turtle is Will Johnson in Bagdad, Arizona watering his Turtle in their back yard.
So that is our last few days in North Dakota. The Gospel if True and the World is filled with wonderful things.

This is an Elk Farm about 5 miles from our Apartment in Bismarck.
Fun to drive by and watch them. Sometimes they are far away, but on this day they were all gathered right against the fence near the road.

JUXTAPOSING FAMILY AND MISSION

WHO IS THE MYSTERY MAN IN RED? as it turns out it is Elder Johnson at the Hill Cumorah pageant way back in 1970 when he was assistant director and also played Wicked KingNoah -- a Book of Mormon evil King.
Sitting next to him is the prophet he burned to death each night during the pageant run.
Here are 5 of our 7 daughters who were at our house in Pocatello as we served our mission here in Bismarck. They all came together for a get-to-gether and for Karver's blessing. We wish had been there, but glad we were here.

After the visit of Ruth and Jeremy and Karver we found that having family around is really a boost and strength for the missionary zeal. Family are forever and important. We are so blessed to have the support of our entire family and their emails and letters and PICTURES are a source of constant reminding us of what is important in life. We really CAN mix a mission with family and feel the power of both.

Sister Johnson and I are back to busy busy busy. We drove over 500 miles last weekend from Bismarck to Jamestown, to Fargo, for a Youth Conference where I spoke on "Back to the Future" and we were able to help serve the 200+ youth from 4 stakes that were involved. They were wonderful and it was a spiritual experience just to be with 200 14 to 18 year olds who were polite, gentle, laughing and bear testimony all at appropriate times. We took of on Saturday at noon for Minot where we stayed overnight and then on Sunday we left at 8:00am for Williston where we attended their Fast and Testmony Meeting and other church meetings and then held an in-service for Alica Anderson and the 2 youth she will be "
teaching" in home study seminary next year. We then had lunch at Bishop Schiessl's home and drove the 4 hours back to Bismarck.

A GREAT MISSIONARY JOURNEY.