Week of July 11th
Sister Lowry in the white skirt, standing next to Sister Harper above, Sister Buhler in the lavender sweater.

Miracles from Sister Lowry / Sister Harper Rochester

We were tracting today, knocking on doors.  This lady’s door we knocked on she said, “Come on in; I’ve been waiting for you!”  Later we found she had been waiting for the Jehovah Witnesses, but we came instead.  She has a husband and 4 children; they are all searching for the truth.  She is having them come back. 

Also while we were tracting, we spoke with 5 girls and their mother.  Each of them wanted a picture of the temple!  We had a sweet conversation with those girls; the spirit was so strong.  We told them, “Did you know your Heavenly Father loves you?”  One little girl holding a picture of Jesus Christ said, “Is this Him?  I miss Him!”  And regarding the temple, she said, “Is this His house?”  “Yes,” said Sister Harper. The girl responded, “The temple is like a castle --- a king must live there!”  “Yes,” said the sisters, “He does live there and He is a king and if He is a king, what does that make you --- His daughter?”  And the sisters exclaimed, “The spirit was so strong --- they knew; they all knew it was true.  They knew who Heavenly Father was and who they were!”

They also found a young, single adult.  She said, “This is weird; I wasn’t going to answer the door.”  They talked about repentance and mentioned the temple.  She loved it and is having them back!

That night a family they have been teaching --- parents with three children were excited to learn about the Book of Mormon and how to pray.  The father of the home knelt down and led the family in prayer.  They came to church the next day. 

Sister Lowry spoke to a Lutheran minister (for 44 years) on the spot.  They had a 15-minute lesson with him.  He was amazed!  Sister Lowry says she has no idea what she said, but his expression was one of shock!  He said, “That was just beautiful!” He has their telephone number!

July 21, 2010
NEW MISSIONARIES w. Trainers
Front row from left to right:
Elder Browning, Sister Whiteley, Sister Sorensen, Sister Hedengren, Sister Wright, Sister Howell
Middle row from left to right:
Elder Payne, Elder Happonen, Elder Jepsen, Elder Sabey, Elder Ronstrom, Pres. Howell
Just behind Elder Sabey and Elder Ronstrom:
Elder Cornelius and Elder Hanks
Back row:
Elder Katoa, Elder Fonua, Elder Stilson, Elder Pedersen, Elder Livingston, Elder Whitehead
We welcome this great group of missionaries, including 3 from Scandinavia!  We appreciate the marvelous families that have prepared them for their service to the Lord!

It's 9:37 pm here; there have been tornadoes here again --- in Eden Prairie, near the Twin Cities. All the missionaries are home and accounted for!

Elder Simpson 2nd from the right, front row and Elder Marsh 3rd from the right, back row reported an interesting experience. They are zone leaders of the Minneapolis Zone. In May their zone had 10 baptisms, in June their zone had 11 baptisms. On July 8th they reported having found 4 new investigators in one day. They wondered why the Lord was blessing them so much. Coming out of their last 20 minute lesson (a first lesson), they stopped a man, had a great gospel discussion with him, got his information (name, address, phone number, set up an appointment). When they asked his name, he said it was "Unity!" That was the answer to their successful day --- their entire zone was "unified!"

Elder Blume and Elder Lemonds on the front row, 6th and 7th from the right called in with an interesting miracle:
We've been going back to potentials and former investigators and felt impressed about this certain street; we kept going back to this street. Finally we met a Lutheran pastor, he invited us in, and we spoke with him for 30 minutes (trying to keep it down to 20 minutes!) He speaks German, works as a translator on occasion. (Elder Blume is fluent in German!) We had a wonderful conversation. He is married and has four children. He asked if we could come back in the morning (today). This morning he came into the room with a big stack of papers telling us he had an agenda. Wondering what he meant, we tried to prepare ourselves spiritually. He reminded us that he used to meet with the missionaries, had had all 6 discussions; they given him a quad and had asked him to be baptized. "I wasn't ready at that time," he said! "This is what I need from you --- another quad, a reading assignment; I read 20 to 30 chapters a night and help weeding my garden!" He expressed his disillusionment with his church, that he was conservative. They talked about Alma 32 with him --- he said he had read it, that he really enjoyed it. When they were leaving, they boldly reminded him of their purpose, "we are here to help you get baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." To which he replied, "I am open to learning!" He is reading 3 Nephi tonight; they're returning tomorrow morning to teach him. He committed to pray about the Book of Mormon.

This is not a singular experience. Many Lutherans are disillusioned with changes in their church and are seeking the truth. As religions are compromising their morals, the truth is becoming more readily recognizable and many are searching for the truth.

Members and missionaries teamed up to clean up Wadena!

On June 17, 2010 a string of tornadoes ripped through Minnesota. The northwestern town of Wadena was the hardest hit with a quarter of the buildings wiped out. The community center was almost completely destroyed, accept the room where the church held a Dependent Sunday School.

Yet more powerful than the tornadoes that came through Wadena, are Elder Richard Murdoch and Sister Ann Murdoch, a senior missionary couple from Cleveland Utah, assigned to work there since March 20, 2010. Wadina had 12 members going to church; after the Elders had increased membership up to 50, this wonderful couple replaced them, having multiple baptisms, since arriving. Missionaries had been teaching the son of a member, but when Sister Murdock came, his wife was excited to be taught by another sister. Both wife and son have since been baptized; the family is complete!

On June 18th and 19th, 12 missionaries, the Murdochs and 22 members from the St. Cloud Stake helped dig out the town and the Dependent Sunday School was held in Murdoch’s apartment for two Sundays --- 58 being the largest group! Then Elder Murdoch arranged to use the Seventh Day Adventist building, finding they had lost their pastor because of lack of funds. He offered to teach them both Saturday and Sunday! What’s more powerful than a string of tornadoes? A humble, diligent senior couple that can love and bless a whole town!

June 20, 2010
Jose Rivera baptised! Elders Crepeau and Davis, Bro. Rivera, President and Sister Howell
Jose called President Howell yesterday (July 4th) and told him the Holy Ghost really is always with him! Recently a dump trunk was driving behind Jose on a street and the Holy Ghost said to stop! So he immediately pulled to the side of the road. Right after he stopped, the dump trunk pushed the car in front of him to the side of the road. “That would have been me! But the Holy Ghost told me to stop!” Also he said the Holy Ghost direct him and the elder right to one of his friends the other day to teach him and his family the gospel, which they’re doing! As Jose was confirmed after baptism, he was promised he would bring many people into the church and that’s just what’s happening!

Duluth Zone Activity May 11, 2010

Sister Whetton, 2nd row, third from the right and Sister Larson, 1st row, second from the left are serving together presently in Minneapolis. They arrived together April 28th --- this is a picture of their first day here. They recently reported an amazing miracle, (one of numerous miracles called in). In their own words: "Today we taught this guy named Chris. We met him last week on Wednesday in the pouring rain and had an appointment on Sunday. He actually CAME to his appointment! (It must have been in the Institute building!) We gave him the first 20 minute lesson, teaching him about the spirit, prayer and the Book of Mormon! He agreed to read Alma 32. Tuesday afternoon we taught him again. He came exclaiming that the Book of Mormon "is amazing!" He had read Alma 32 five times! We taught him the restoration, using visuals, giving him the baptismal challenge at the end of the lesson. He wanted to pray about baptism, but remarked that he felt good and why wouldn't God want him to do this? He committed to read Moroni 7. He came back today (July 2nd) for our third lesson with him. We gave him the plan of salvation lesson, using visuals. We taught him the whole plan. He was overcome. We asked him what he needed to do to receive all the the blessings Heavenly Father has for him. He responded, "Just a minute, I wrote it down in the back of my Book of Mormon." Then he read, "Have faith, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost! I feel so good about this! I've never felt so good about anything in my whole life!" His baptismal date is July 24th!

June 9, 2010 NEW MISSIONARIES
New missionaries & Trainers --- HURRAH for ISRAEL! And for your wonderful sons and daughters, their devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ and love for our brothers and sisters in MMM!

June 9, 2010
NEW MISSIONARIES ARRIVED
Elder Smith jogging to share the gospel . . .
Elder Davenport right off the plane to Dinkytown, a college campus, contacting with Elder Hale.