Freezing in West Virginia

We sure had a lot of beautiful warm Fall days here in West Virginia,  but the weather has definitely

Joy and Forrest Whetzel

changed.  It's been cold and windy,  with a few snow flurries.  Right now it's 20 degrees outside. But our apartment is warm and cozy,  the heater in the van works well, and the homes we have been visiting are warm and inviting too (for the most part).  Monday (P Day) was relaxing as we just stayed home, did chores, read, and watched a movie.  At 4 pm we picked up Elders Williamsen and Ashby and drove about 45 minutes to the home of Joy and Forrest Whetzel for dinner.  She is a faithful member, he is not a member and in ailing health.  I took a picture of them for nephew Nathan Jensen - he knew them when he spent a little time here on his mission.  Nathan was in the Washington, DC,

 Mission, which included this area back then.  We had a nice dinner and visit with them, and their daughter

Janie.  Then we visited the Keplingers.  Johnny K. wanted us to stop in and sample some deer bologna that he had just made.  Elder W  wanted to say good-bye to them.  We love the Keplingers, Wayne and Johnny have a lot in common, and so do Janet and I - she is my visiting teaching companion, too.  Johnny was inactive when we got here,  it's been nice to see him at church for three Sundays recently. 

We did spend a couple days travelling to and attending meetings last week.  Zone Training in Woodstock on Tuesday and Transfer Day in Columbia (near Baltimore) on Wednesday.  We took Elders Ashby and

Elder Williamsen's last day

Williamsen to Transfers because Elder W had come to the end of his mission (honorably) and Elder A was getting a new companion.  So now we have a new missionary/son here in Petersburg - Elder Goodell from Sheridan, Wyoming.  He seems nice and enthusiastic.  He has served for a year and a half already.  Transfer days are fun, we get to see the new missionaries and hear testimonies from the ones going home.  Our new bike rack worked well also.  We got home Wednesday in time for me to help Becky Hovatter with her genealogy at the church and Wayne helped with the Scouts - amazing them with his knot-tying skills.  They are learning, here in Petersburg, that Wayne is a man of many talents...

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were mostly discouraging as we are still trying to make it through the ward list and find the lost.  We found several homes, but people weren't there.  Each day however we managed to have at least one good visit, with people who were glad to see us, shared their stories with us, and indicated they maybe might come back to church some day. 

We will keep encouraging.  Things will slow down around here for the next week - it's deer hunting season here and school is out all next week.  We have several dinner appointments though and have been invited with the elders to join with the Burr family for Thanksgiving dinner.  Bonita Burrs is a wonderful cook and they are great people, so we are all looking forward to that.  We will miss our family and hope to hear about all your fun plans. 

Other highlights of the week included talking to grandson Noah on his 8th birthday and to granddaughter Kadyn on her 13th birthday.  Getting a fat packet of letters and beautiful pictures from the Acor family - thank you so much.  Hearing about Dylan's play date with his youngest son Jack.  Getting email updates from our family.  Getting a new calling to teach Relief Society once a month.  Getting names ready for temple work.  Having numerous reminders that we are where we are supposed to be, doing what we are supposed to be doing.   

 

Wayne with missionary companion Leon Johnson - 50 years ago!!