Merry Christmas Ya’ll!
Well, everything is setting up to be a very Merry Christmas this week! We are getting to know the area; we have a great week set up – we’re getting taken care of for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Plus the Utes beat the Cougars! Woo! The streak goes on! Hope to hear about all your game watching experiences! Also, big PLUS that the Utes beat the defending National Champions, Duke, in NYC in basketball. So, with Christmas coming up, the Utes winning, I’m having the time of my life...what more could I ask for!?
A little background story about the Roanoke Walk area. The three missionary sets from the Roanoke 1st Ward got reorganized. The Botetourt County area (where Elder Maxfield was previously serving) and Roanoke North area (previously the zone leaders’ area) became the Sisters’ area. The Roanoke South (previously the Sisters’) was split, and is now half the zone leaders’ area, and half ours. The downtown portion is our Walk Area. We live with the zone leaders - Elder Kropushek (he replaced me in Floyd) and Elder Bingham.
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| Elder Kropushek, Elder Maxfield, & Elder Bingham |
It’s a blast.
As for my short week....Here we go!
Wed. Dec. 16: It was Preparation Day; spent some time emailing, and made Christmas cards. Those who I have a mailing address for, hopefully you get them soon. If I don’t have your address, and you want a Christmas card, make sure to let me know your address! I also packed.
I was able to say goodbye to George, and apparently JB. JB & McKayla didn’t end up coming to dinner with the Jacobsen’s,
but the Hand’s came, so I thought we had said goodbye to them, but apparently not. It was a fun dinner!
We had a visit with Brother Fitzgerald; after realizing he’s got a bad heart and will need a heart transplant, he wanted to get right with God and religion.
I had my final lesson with Betty and Debbie.
Debbie has been in a care home for the past several weeks, and has really had it rough. It’s really humbled her, and she wants to be baptized as soon as possible, but also recognizes that will take time.
It was a wonderful lesson (with Brother Turman joining us) on repentance and forgiveness because #asaviorisborn.
The Ramirez' really wanted to feed us a big Mexican Christmas dinner - Mucho Bueno!
Thurs. Dec. 17: Transfer Day. So, we woke up at 3:30 in the morning so we could go to Lexington and put our luggage on the van there, then head to Roanoke.
Wed. Dec. 16: It was Preparation Day; spent some time emailing, and made Christmas cards. Those who I have a mailing address for, hopefully you get them soon. If I don’t have your address, and you want a Christmas card, make sure to let me know your address! I also packed.
I was able to say goodbye to George, and apparently JB. JB & McKayla didn’t end up coming to dinner with the Jacobsen’s,
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| The Jacobsen's |
We had a visit with Brother Fitzgerald; after realizing he’s got a bad heart and will need a heart transplant, he wanted to get right with God and religion.
I had my final lesson with Betty and Debbie.
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| Debbie & Betty |
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| Brother Turman |
The Ramirez' really wanted to feed us a big Mexican Christmas dinner - Mucho Bueno!
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| The Ramirez family and the Flores' |
We went over with the Flores’.
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| The Ramirez' |
Thurs. Dec. 17: Transfer Day. So, we woke up at 3:30 in the morning so we could go to Lexington and put our luggage on the van there, then head to Roanoke.
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| {Transfer Lei} |
Well, the driver accidentally locked the keys in the 15 passenger van, so Elder Johnson and I drove back to BV, and got the additional key.
The trailer we put our luggage on didn’t have a tarp, and it was raining, so all our luggage got wet. I had to dry a lot of my clothes in the dryer. I got to Roanoke in the morning and went to the apartment with Elder Maxfield and the zone leaders. We were able to shop, and then just try to figure things out in the area, as well as go through and sort all these former investigators to see whose area they were in (out of the three sets).
As we were leaving the library, the zone leaders gave us a call; a less-active member wanted to reconnect with the missionaries and the Church. So, we were like a block away from his house - we got to go over there, and his name is Neil Webb. He’s a super cool guy who has a burning testimony of The Restoration of the Gospel. He also invited his friend, Chuck, and his roommate, Jessica, to sit in on the lesson. It went great! Jessica was interested and committed to read the book of Mormon; Chuck just did it for the education standpoint.
The whole day we had a car, but we had to take it to Roanoke, and give it to…. Guess Who? The Buena Vista zone leaders. Can you believe it? Elder Wasden (the new BV ZL) and another missionary drove it down there. #whatluck
We had dinner with Brother Chris Winkler - he’s one of the Ward Missionaries who goes out with the missionaries like every day! Then we had Ward Mission Coordination meeting.
The trailer we put our luggage on didn’t have a tarp, and it was raining, so all our luggage got wet. I had to dry a lot of my clothes in the dryer. I got to Roanoke in the morning and went to the apartment with Elder Maxfield and the zone leaders. We were able to shop, and then just try to figure things out in the area, as well as go through and sort all these former investigators to see whose area they were in (out of the three sets).
As we were leaving the library, the zone leaders gave us a call; a less-active member wanted to reconnect with the missionaries and the Church. So, we were like a block away from his house - we got to go over there, and his name is Neil Webb. He’s a super cool guy who has a burning testimony of The Restoration of the Gospel. He also invited his friend, Chuck, and his roommate, Jessica, to sit in on the lesson. It went great! Jessica was interested and committed to read the book of Mormon; Chuck just did it for the education standpoint.
The whole day we had a car, but we had to take it to Roanoke, and give it to…. Guess Who? The Buena Vista zone leaders. Can you believe it? Elder Wasden (the new BV ZL) and another missionary drove it down there. #whatluck
We had dinner with Brother Chris Winkler - he’s one of the Ward Missionaries who goes out with the missionaries like every day! Then we had Ward Mission Coordination meeting.
Fri. Dec. 18: We started weekly planning; had to end up calling the Sisters to get some info from them.
We taught a real recent convert named, Nate Henegar. He’s just 19 yrs. old, a bit younger than I am - we got to know him, and ask him about his testimony of the Restoration. He’s great!
We tried to contact some other people while we had Brother Winkler driving us around, but no luck.
We ended up walking a lot, and then going back to finish weekly planning! Tonight we had dinner with Bowe's family - they've been married for 54 years!
Most of the Roanoke zone (those who cover the greater Roanoke area) participated in “The Dickens of a Christmas.
” All of downtown Roanoke was blocked off. We helped volunteer by helping at the snow sledding rRamp, helping kids write letters to Santa, and running the booth with #asaviorisborn video playing. We walked around and talked to people, as well.Sat. Dec. 19: We met another recent convert named, Clayton Lloyd. He’s awesome! He really wants to go out with us and feed us. He also, too, has a burning testimony.
We taught one of the investigators that the Sisters had left us. His name is Brian - he's 38 and living with a member (not married) and their 10 month old baby. He is on date for Baptism for Feb. 27. We taught them the importance of reading the Book of Mormon daily.
Sun. Dec. 20: Brian and Shivell came to church! I sang in the ward choir, "Still, Still, Still" – what a great song!
We taught one of our investigators named, Denice" She’s been investigating for 7 months - slowly but surely! She is very well versed in the Bible and very intelligent.
We walk everywhere!
Well, what a great time of year it is to remember the Savior! I can honestly say, it’s been one of my favorite Christmas seasons because I’ve only focused on the Savior, and nothing really else. I really love my Savior - and my mission!
Merry Christmas to all!
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