Good Bye, B'bye, So Long, Toodle-oo, Peace Out, Happy Trails to You

Hi Everyone!  Great to hear from Ya'll! 

I'm so happy to hear about my new baby cousin!  Welcome Liam!

I'm doing well in Floyd, VA!  I really am getting to love it here.  It's for sure sad to leave Beckley.  Everyone there will be near and dear to my heart!  But, I am already growing to love the people here!  The members are great!

 My companion, Elder Olsen, is great and loves basketball!  He’s from Huntington, Utah. 

My companion, Elder Olsen, and I in front of our “house.”

869 Phlegar Hill Rd. NE

Floyd, VA  24091

 We live in a trailer, so that's dandy!  (It could be worse).

Feb. 25, Wed:  So, my birthday was pretty cool.  (P-Day)  We emailed, then the McGrady's took us out to lunch.  

The McGrady's

Bro. McGrady is doing a lot better – they originally thought he only had a couple months to live.  Now, his doctor said if he keeps taking the proper medication, he'll be doing fine!  All of a sudden he is in fine health!  While we were out to lunch, he turned to me and said, "It was your Priesthood blessing!"   The Priesthood is REAL! 

I was so sad to leave them and can't wait to hear how their sealing goes this Summer!

I got to teach Tom Poe as my last act of service in the Beckley 2 area, and he was reading the Book of Mormon.  

Tom Poe

Slowly, but surely he's going to come along!

I called all my investigators and said Good Bye!

Feb. 26, Thur:  After staying up late packing I said goodbye to Beckley 2 and Elder Caldwell then I headed up to the transfer meeting in Charleston. I got to say some goodbyes to some great missionaries who are leaving the mission. 

{Me and my two past District Leaders, Elder Spencer & Elder Morse - both returning home}

 

{Me and Elder Maxwell, dad's best friend from childhood's son - also returning home}

 

Around 6:30 p.m. the transfer van rolled into Blacksburg, VA and dropped me off.  Elder Olsen, my new companion, picked me up.  I love my new companion.  During the 30 minute drive to the trailer, we got to know each other!  Basketball came up, and I told him I was itching to play some basketball!  He responded and said, “Well, if you want, we have a group of less active members and potential investigators we go play with on Thursday nights...so, if you're up for it, we can go play right now!”  I was like in heaven.  Yeah!  So, the first thing I did in Floyd, was go play basketball!  Sweet!

Feb. 27, Fri:  6 months a missionary today!  

Well, Elder Olsen told me all about the area today and we planned.  

I did my first actions as District Leader and called the other areas and got to know them individually and find out how their areas were doing.  

We had dinner at some member's house tonight.  (The Branch here is really good at feeding the Elders.  Every day I've been here, we've been fed, and every night this week, as well!   Tonight was at the Lafon's.  They are a recent convert family, except the mom, who went inactive, but her family’s conversion brought her back, and they are all on fire now!  Bro. Lafon has the Melchizedek Priesthood and we taught him how to give a blessing.  They have three kids; all my siblings’ ages: Caleb (15), Abby (13) , and Katelyn (10), even spelled the same way, too!  They all play soccer!  They are such a great family.

Feb. 28, Sat:  Our trailer got inspected.  Sadly, Elder Olsen took most of the flack for the apartment’s shape, since I just got here.  The Williams' (CES Couple in Blacksburg) inspected our apartment, then took us out for pizza. 

Then the Zone Leaders drove down to give me some District Leader training.  It was very helpful and much needed!

Then Elder Olsen also introduced me to Johnny Brown, the most recent convert.  He and his fiance (Sister Horne) are just wonderful!  They are on fire, as well!  The Spirit was so strong just listening to their testimonies.  They are getting married in June, and sealed in November! (I will attach his conversion story at a future time). 

Sister Sower took us out to dinner at an Italian restaurant (probably the only one in the county!)

Mar. 1, Sun:  Well, Church got cancelled for fear of ice.  So, Elder Olsen and I drove up to Radford, because we couldn't handle going another week without renewing our Baptismal covenants!  There I met my District; Elder Higgins and Elder Ballard, and Sister Lively and Sister Zschoke (pronounced "Shock-E").   I love my District so much.  The four missionaries gave a wonderful 3rd hour lesson on member missionary work!  

We had supper at the former Branch President’s house, the Light's, a wonderful family!

Well, that's my week!  So, excited to be serving here, in this capacity.  Hope to hear from Y'all soon!