What a Great Week !!

My favorite week so far!   Monday, our day off, we drove up to Spruce Knob - the highest point in West Virginia.  Had hoped for a great view, but it was disappointing, lots of the leaves already fallen and pretty drab.  Oh, well.  Drove back down the road to Spruce Knob Lake (more like a pond, I thought) and had a nice walk around the entire "lake".  As we completed our walk we stopped to visit with a lady who was fishing,  she asked us if we had seen any bears on our walk because there are a lot of bears around there.  Then she said that she quit making that walk because of all the snakes...  I guess we were fortunate to make it out alive.  On our drive back home

we stopped in Seneca Rocks to enjoy the view, check out the old stores there, and make a scheduled visit with our one ward family that lives there, the Teters.  They are a great, active family, making the 25-mile trip for Sunday meetings and youth activities.  Fun to get to know them better and they fed us a nice dinner.

Tuesday we had a district meeting in Petersburg, getting to know the new Elders who serve in Romney (about 40 miles away).  A kind ward member dropped off lasagna, bread, salad, and chocolate cake at the church for our lunch.  Then Wayne drove to Moorefield  to get the van serviced, pick up cleaning, and order our bicycle hitch.  When he got home we went up to the Nursing Home to help with Bingo, then made a couple visits.

Wednesday was a great day,  I picked up some flowers then we visited three single women in Moorefield and beyond.  All have health problems that prevent them from coming to church, all of them we had visited before, and they welcomed us back with open arms.  We brought  flowers, a message, and loving fellowship that they greatly appreciated.  We made arrangements to go back Sunday with the Elders to take them the sacrament.  Worked at the Family History Center in the evening and helped a recent convert get started in genealogy.  Found census and military records for him that he was thrilled with,  it was very exciting. 

Cute chicken coop at the Burr's home

Thursday was another great day as we revisited a couple new friends who are pretty isolated and lonely.  They, too, were glad to see us and appreciated our message and friendship.  Irene gave me an African Violet plant, so sweet.  We had lunch with  Darlene Self, her daughter Bonita, and Bonita's husband George and son Josh.  George was baptized in July,  Josh is 13 and not a member (yet).  After lunch we taught George a new member lesson on the priesthood.  Love their home, way out in the woods.  Took a picture of their cute chicken house for Julie.  Bingo again in the evening.

Friday, more visits, and had some training at the Food Pantry,  we will help there next week when it is our ward's turn to give out food.  Went to a shabby little diner on main street, had the best crab soup ever  (well, we've never actually had crab soup before, but it really was good).  Feeling a little sad as we watched the BYU/Boise State football game that night, knowing that some of our family was down there attending the game.  Julie & family and Devin & family were staying with Karli & family for the weekend.  Sounds like they had a fun time, even though Matt & Cache's favorite team the BSU Broncos got beat quite soundly.  More homesickness when we got Cache's cute baptism invitation in the mail,  he will be baptized on Saturday, November 2nd (his birthday).  We are sure proud of him and will be thinking of him on his special day. 

Down the lane to Jane Halterman's home

Yesterday I got to help another new member, Rebecca, a 17-year-old, get started in Family History.  She was very eager to learn and  quick at picking things up.  She said her grandmother and an aunt are willing to help her and give her family records.  Hope to get some names ready for her to take to the temple for baptisms soon.  Very exciting.

Today we went with Elders Ashby and Williamson after church to take the sacrament to a couple of women.  Very special experience.  And very appreciated. The Elders came to our apartment for dinner afterward,  what a treat for us to have them around.

Petersburg Meetinghouse

Miscellaneous thoughts - I forgot to mention that last Sunday was our ward Primary program.  It was great.  Only twelve kids, but they did their 3 parts each very well and they all sang so enthusiastically.  One day last week as we picked up a few groceries we had to get Snickers candy bars in Dallin's honor.  We thought of you as we ate them all, Dallin.  You are awesome.  Today the Petersburg Ward actually had Sacrament Meeting programs, with announcements and a leadership roster on it.  Wayne had taken a nice picture of the meetinghouse for the cover.  So fun to make and such great comments about it.  Trying to build ward unity and spirit.  This past week I really felt like a missionary, like I was touching lives and making a difference in a small way.  We are so happy to be here.  Our love to all.

Please join us in fasting next weekend for Patrick (Karli's husband) in his job search. 

For Elder Ashby's parents
He is such a great missionary