This winter is not so bad...

Grant's Ridge Villas - Biwabik MN

Ron snowshoeing on the lake; Giant's Ridge Ski Resort

I kind of hate to tell you this, because we are supposed to be suffering here and snowed in and frozen with the cold and working hard every minute, but we went for a week to a condo up near Virginia, MN.  This is where we stayed, and we thank Marvin for buying some timeshare time that didn't get used, so at the last minute we found a place here in our mission and also our stake!  We did some missionary work while there.  Yes, we did. We inspected two missionary apartments and visited two seminary classes.  And also did some snowshoeing, and some reading, some quilting, and some card playing with  friends from Duluth that stayed over for a couple of nights.

Elders Boster & Benson

We went to check out the apartment of Elder Boster and Elder Benson but their car was more interesting than their apartment.  This happened when they got too close to a deer.

Elder Hicken and Elder Jove had an super clean apartment and they also had a free afternoon as a result of a cancelled appointment.  Our appointment was also cancelled so we stayed and played cards with them. Missionaries can play cards on P-day, just so you know.  Senior missionaries can do "whatever".

We had an interesting tour of the high school in Hibbing, MN.  The high school was built in the 1920's by the mining company to attract immigrants to come work in the mines. The school is huge (really huge) and looks like the inside of a museum or the Paris Opera House or Grand Central Station. But the auditorium is the best, most amazing--patterned after the Capitol Theatre in New York City.

We did not see the ghost who comes to the performances and always sits in the same seat.   Do you see him?  He is wearing a top hat.


This is Paul Given (Down syndrome) who has his own seminary class, taught by his mom. Paul is the youngest of 10 children.  He LOVES Joseph Smith and every time he sees him, the biggest smile comes across his face. He can say Joseph Smith and Jesus and only a few other words.  He has been learning about the Kirtland Temple and the appearance of Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith. As his mom was reading to him, he suddenly pulled the book over in front of him and she told us that he wanted to practice saying the Sacrament Prayer.  Then he knelt down and folded his hands and recited the Sacrament prayer, every word, after his mom.  It was such a sweet experience.  I know that Heavenly Father loves Paul and Paul's mom. And it will be a glorious day when Paul gets to meet Joseph Smith. This is one of my all-time favorite seminary class visits!!



We have been hearing about the ice caves since we got here.  They are on Lake Superior in the Apostle Island Lakeshore National Park.  Ron decided that since I couldn't keep up with the walking, he needed to invite some people who could.  So he got Elder Adamson and Elder Lambertson and Josie to come along.  First you drive 1 1/2 hours into Wisconsin along the south lake shore.  Then you park and walk to the lake and then across the lake to where the ice caves are.  Ron thinks they walked about 5 miles and Josie thinks it was WAY too far to walk!  Here are some pretty cool photos.

Elder Adamson

Elder Ron

Cave Opening

In the a cave

Adamson, Thao, Ron & Lambertson

 Sister Ballif (former missionary) returned for a fun visit.

Jake, Shelby Ballif, McKennon, Josie

When we went to inspect Elder Zerkle's apartment, we discovered his way of memorizing hymns.  Yup, it is in the shower.



We went for a hike in Jay Cooke State Park.  A beautiful place, we need to go back again.

St. Louis River

A concert by DSSO (Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra).  A great evening.

We DO have some friends in Minnesota who invited us for dinner and we played Wizard. (You may not have been as worried about this as me)