Letta

A big part of this week we were in Shaker and the other part of the week, I was in Chardon.  I had a last meeting with Laura and we really set expectations.  We were going to drop her, but she said she understands and she said she will start keeping committments, so that is good.

We took Jason to Kirtland.  The School of the Prophets was really awesome.  We told him about the men who threw their pipes and tobacco straight into the fireplace and we invited him to do the same with his coffee.   He said, "I don't think the senior missionaries would be very happy with me if I broke glass all over." ha ha.... everything is sarcasm.  I kept pulling pranks... we just have to do that with Jason because we are so bold with him and then we have to lighten things up a bit.  It was good and it was sad to say bye.  He will get baptized one day soon.  I told him he better go quick so he can find a cute Mormon girl and get married in the temple. 

They had me bear my testimony when I left Shake Heights and then they had me bear testimony in Chardon.  I am officially in my first branch.  Man, it was so small.  Not much is going on in Chardon right now... so we have a ton of work to do.  A ton... It's all country- kinda like Rootstown again.  There is one area where they have a couple shopping spots and food, but that is it.  It's weird not being the only white person anymore!   I kinda really liked it :)

We went to the Strawberry Festival again this year!   We served yummy Strawberry shortcake.  It was SO fun.... I loved seeing so many people and talking to so many people in line.

Well, we had the sweetest tour yesterday.  An elder from our mission came with his family (Elder Williams- She tried to set me up with him and his companion all the time ha ha and the bishop told her to stop).  So he actually was one of the elders that I sent Marsha to!  So we got to talk about Marsha.

There was a couple of families combined because it is getting so busy again.   One family was just moving here... and guess what there new ward is?  Shaker Heights.  They were adorable... they would have been in my area too.  Anyways, one of the little boys was named Luke and you could tell that he had a disability.  We kept talking to him and directing everything towards him.  When we were in the School of the Prophets, Luke was acting up and moving around a ton.  After we read the testimony of John Murdock of the vision he had, I turned to Luke and said, "Did you hear that Luke?  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ came in this room."  He smiled and turned his head into his mom as if he was embarrassed.  Such a sweet little boy.  After we went out of the store, the mom came up to me and said, "When Luke has high emotions, he reacts just as he did in the School of the Prophets."  Then she started to choke up and cry... she said, "It was very special to get to see him react to the spirit.  I know that he was feeling the spirit."

I heard a quote the last couple of days, it said, "the key to know God is a struggle."  Sometimes that is very true.  I did not realize how hard it would be to leave Shaker and get released... it's been really hard.  A lot harder to get released than to get called.  At least I am still serving and still a missionary! 

Well, I have to run, but I love you. 

I attached the note from Elder Holland...

Sister Kelsi Denae Johnson