The Weekend in Paradise

Oh, how lovely was the morning, radiant beamed the sun above, bees were humming sweet birds singing . . .

That hymn played in my mind as I stepped outside Saturday morning  The birds were singing their song to the heavens and the sun fell so softly through the trees.  I thought what a beautiful place home is and what dear people fill our lives here.  It is hard to think of leaving for a period of time.  I used to think when our children left on missions that the only thing worse than having them leave would be to have them stay and not go on their missions.  True once more for us.

Morning light 

Dave asked if I thought we should go to the temple sometime that day.  We hadn't made it there before  leaving for the MTC and you just need to start a mission with the temple.  We decided to make it to the 9:30 am session.  

As we walked into the waiting room, there sat Kent and Sara.  How sweet is that? So we spent the morning in the temple with them - a tender mercy.

Elder Thatcher and I with Sara and Kent Thatcher at the Logan Temple

Dave and I had driven separately so we could divide and conquer all the tasks and errands to be done on our only Saturday home.  I spent a while in town and then stopped at my dear friend Kerrie Pecks home to have her teach me a few more things about this blog.  She is the one who set me up on it and helped me learn how to use the blog.  Her blog about her son Brendan brendans-story.blogspot.com  and his struggle with cancer last year has touched so many.  I couldn't go to sleep at night without reading the days entry and usually fell asleep with tears and testimony accompanying me.  She has been a patient tutor.

Kerrie Peck and Myself

The rest of the day was spent packing.  Dave bought a scale for weighing our luggage so we would pack away and then weigh.  I am needing to cull out a few items  - never was good at making decisions so deciding what to leave home is not an easy task.  We made headway but by no means are finished.  As we packed in the evening we watched 'Ramona and Beezus'.  A delightful movie filled with love of family and the antics of an imaginative child.  

Sunday 

Amazingly, the one Sunday that we had here before our flight was the day that my brother Brad Johnson and his wife Rosie were to report their mission.  Brad and Rosie have been serving as Mission President of the Pittsburg Pennsylvania Mission.   Dave and I were getting ready for the day and still packing a little when we heard voices and in came Brig,  Ella and Lily.  Aaron and Lorraine's family had come up for the mission report.  It was fun to have them pop in and meant that we had gotten to see them three Sunday's in a row.  Lorraine had made me the cutest little packet to take with us with a little Hobbit Door as the zipper pull and filled with thoughtful things we would need.  It was great seeing Aaron looking so good. 

Aaron, Lorraine and Ella

A lot of our children came to the meeting in Providence.  Jeff and Amy were there, we sat right in front of Greg and Alison, with Murphy and Andrea right next to us, Anna was there and Mark and Emily, and Kent and Sara.  Alex, Emma and June came, Tiff was home with a sick Will. Sitting by the Ellis' and Murphy's family made for a fun meeting. To save seating we held several children on our laps; Jett, Silvie, Benson, Easton and Ray. 

In all my years in the church I have never been to a meeting quite like it.  The Chapel, cultural hall and stage were all filled to capacity.  We were sitting in the cultural hall on chairs way on the left side. We couldn't see anything from there of the stand or who was on it but the sound was excellent.  The foyers were packed with chairs and the halls held many standing just trying to hear.  As we sat down I said to Dave, "Do you think they will run out of bread?  How would you ever plan for this?"  And Surely enough, they ran out of bread during the sacrament with about half of the cultural hall who didn't receive any.  The bishop made an announcement from the stand that Elder Johnson (my brother Paul who was on the stand and the presiding authority) said that we would proceed with the water and after the meeting they would have a special sacrament in the chapel for any who hadn't received the bread.  They would have some by then.  That had never happened before in any meeting I had attended.  

Rosie and Brad's talks were so touching. They spoke of serving with love and how the mission had changed them.  At one point Brad asked all the missionaries from the mission to stand and about 1/4 of the audience stood.  It took my breath away. The meeting was powerful.  We were grateful to be wearing our missionary name tags and be heading out for our own mission.  

It was so good to see family for one last time, to hug my sister Janice and see four of my six brothers; Brad, Paul, Scott and Rob, and many nieces and nephews.

My brother Paul, (Elder Paul V. Johnson, myself holding Liesel with Sara and Kristen in front and Isaac Morley and Mary Kate Johnson (newly engaged) standing next to me 

President Bradley K. Johnson, myself and Sister Rosie Johnson

After visiting with so many loved ones it was back home to family and waffles.  We emptied the fridge of all its left overs and then made a huge batch of German pancakes and a bunch of waffles. There were strawberries and blueberries, syrup and whipped cream to top them.   Aaron and Lorraines family were back and we were joined by the Alison and Greg's family, Emily and children, Laura and Ken's family, Kent and Sara's, Alex and girls, Murphy, Andrea and boys, Matt and of course Anna.  Later in the evening when all the rest were leaving Mark came to say goodbye.  He had spent a busy day as bishop.

It was a delightful evening, cousins running about, the fairy house visited and a tea party set with grandpa's green strawberries,  giggles coming from the computer room and a game of Dominion between Uncle Matt and the nephews on the front lawn, a visit from a darling little Tinkerbell, children begging to ride Philly, 'Johny Lingo'  the Sunday movie on upstairs and the kitchen tossing out food to the masses.   It was a typical Sunday evening in Paradise and our last one for a while.  We wonder how lonely we will be in New Zealand.  Apparently we will spend our Sunday's at the MTC so we might not have time to be lonely but it will definitely be a change.

Fairy House tea party with green strawberries

Uncle Matt and the boys - Eric, Steven, Thatcher, Andrew, and Josh - game of Dominion

Our little Liesel is a dainty little Tinkerbell

Aaron and I had a nice visit in the laundry room.  He told me sweet stories about his courtship with Lorraine.  He told me he would be here when we got back and I quite believe him.  When he tells me things in that certain sure voice I have learned to listen.  Our strong courageous Aaron and Lorraine always pour strength into us.

Aaron, "I'll be here when you get back"

So many hugs and goodbyes. . .  The grandchildren are the sweetest.  I couldn't move fast enough to snap a pic of 4 or 5 of them hugging grandpa and saying goodby.

 'I'm happy you are going on a mission, but I am going to miss you!' so many of them said.   Our own hearts echo their words exactly.