TO KIRTLAND: CITY OF FAITH AND BEAUTY

'Over the River and through the woods to Kirtland Town we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh' and that is almost what we need this time of year. Here we are leaving the Johnson Farm headed for a new adventure now at the Historic sites in Kirtland.

Sister Guenther and I were in charge of a farewell dinner for the Butterfields who were the site directors for three faithful years. We had 58 attend and eat and participate. Sister Guenther is the creative genius and came up with splendid ideas for decorations and program idea and she made the cute lady bug cakes and favors for each person to match. She did all of the creative, crafty, cute stuff and I tried to put together a menu, assign food and write a little skit to be presented for the Butterfield's entertainment. It was so fun and went off well. The big things you see by the cakes are extra, extra large pans of Ohio Bread pudding. It is nothing, I say NOTHING like the bread pudding I used to make with old, stale bread. No wonder I never liked bread pudding. This was made with croissants, butter and brown sugar. Ugh, so rich and decadent. We had them wrapped to try to keep them warm on the trip from Garrettsville.

It is fitting that we should be in charge of the Butterfield's farewell dinner. They were also Kimi's mission President 15 years ago in Ventura Ca. And when Kimi left on her mission, we moved into the very ward in South Jordan where Elder Butterfield had been bishop and the stake where he had been stake president. They knew the exact house we lived in. We built a house in Riverton and moved before they came home from their mission, but our paths were bound to cross. And here we were for seven months under their direction in the Kirtland area. What great people. We will miss them.

We hated to take down the Christmas cards and pictures from our door. But we didn't figure the people moving in in two days would appreciate them nearly as much as we did, so we had to finally taken them down. How we love family and friends who remember us out here in Ohio with emails, facebook, blogs, letters, cards and even packages. We are having a wonderful Mission and just pray for strength to keep up the pace. Serving here is like a dream and I am going to try harder to be more proactive and accomplish more. We meet people frequently who know people we know or are related. Just a few days ago we met a man who knows my sister Jenny in Tabor, Alberta and also talked to one of the sister missionaries who had talked to my niece Pam on the phone.

The next blog to be posted when we get our computer hooked up again in Kirtland.

ONCE IN HISTORY 1-1-11

Happy New Year to all in my book of friends and loved ones. We had a most memorable Christmas here in Ohio! Boy, oh boy! It's tough to be away from kids and grand kids, but look at the pictures. As you see, Sister Guenther and I kept busy making and delivering cookies all over the village. We even had Santa come see us in our apartment! What else could you ask for? He even brought a few gifts to put under our tree (which was a tiny fiber optic, bottle-brush thing, but, with a little imigination, gave the illusion of a tree. And Santa didn't even care. He found us anyway.

Our December was busy and active, leaving little time to whine about who we were missing. I had dreaded December when we came in June, but we actually enjoyed it very much.

Of course, the true reason for our happiness this year, is that we are priveleged to be in the service of the very Lord and Savior whose birth we celebrate! Each day we testify and honor and praise His Holy name, and our celebration this year was the more meaningful because of it.

Among our favorite tangible gifts this year was one from our children, who kindly sent pictures of themselves and their families (always a vital and a treasured gift), then added some sweet memories in a booklet titled, "Lessons Learned at Home". That's what you see me holding in the picture by the 'tree'. This now annual gift has become a treasured Orton family tradition, one we now value as gold. Though we, regretably, had to be excused as they gathered and read them to each other this year, we had no trouble imagining their tears and laughter, as we sat huddled together in our Ohio apartment, relishing their writings of childhood memories, and we added liberally our own tears and laughter. Thankfully, they were kind, and said nice things.

What a wonderful beginning to a New Year! And, what a date it is today! One/One/One-One , a day that is here today, and never to come again. Make it a good one! Happy New Year!