Lost in the Woods

Dear Folks at Home:

It has been another glorious week in Pennsylvania. The Elders have named the GPS in their vehicle PAM. I had another name for the GPS in our Buick on Wednesday. The road she took us on became unpaved and then undriven on. We weren’t lost. We just weren’t sure where we were. 

We drove by the Amish community church last Sunday.

THERE IS SPRINGTIME IN MY SOUL TODAY (Hymn 227)

Dear Folks at Home:

When we get pictures like this from the farm in Idaho 

it makes us a little home sick.

Sheila and I have found a walking path by the Allegheny River. This is a beautiful area. The path goes for at least 2 miles. Which is plenty. 

 It has been a good week. I wasn’t feeling well the first few days but we’ve made up for it these past 3 days. On Wednesday evening the Meadville Elders had an appointment fall through and they were a little bummed. They decided to not give up. They started tracting an apartment complex close to the church. There was a fellow who was just moving in and they offered to help him. He was a little hesitant because he didn’t want to impose on them. They insisted and when they finished he invited them to stay a while and tell him about our church. They taught him the first lesson on the Restoration. And he’s invited them back. There’s something to be said for not giving up. They kept trying and good things happened. 

 We had a service project on Thursday for Sister Schafer.Rich, Bill, the Elders and Sheila and I. We cleaned up her yard. It took about 2 minutes into the job to establish that Sheila knew more about yard work than the rest of us combined. So she became the Supervisor. If seeing pictures of our farm make me miss home, digging in the dirt makes Sheila feel that way. Although this was a small part of our day it was time well spent. Sister Schafer’s neighbors on both sides came over to see what we were doing and we had the opportunity to leave a gospel message with them. 

  General Conference was wonderful and I do have one story. Our Ward Mission leader is an attorney and he took to heart the counsel from Elder Uchdorf about sharing the gospel. He had a couple in his office Monday morning taking care of a property deed. The fellows name was Raymond L Evans. He told Raymond that he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Raymond's name  reminded him of a church leader in the past named Richard L Evans. Raymond’s face lit up and he told him that he had been baptized when he was 8 and went to church until he was 14. His wife is Catholic. They had moved here from California in October. If Brother Martin had not spoken up we never would have known about the Evans’s. Sheila and I made a visit to their home this morning. They are really nice people. They weren’t looking for the gospel but they are certainly not running away. They’ve asked us back and good things are going to happen. All because Brother Martin spoke up. That’s the news from Pennsylvania. Have a good week. I know we will.

Ye Who Are Called To Labor And Minister For God

Dear Folks at Home:

           It has been another eventful week in Pennsylvania. There is a genuine excitement for General Conference. I am not sure how I can best explain the feeling. It is an adventure being a member here. Distances and small congregations present challenges. But for two weekends a year they hear a prophets voice just as soon as the Saints in the West do. For one weekend they feel a unity with the rest of the church. Sheila and I have also had a unique experience lately. We go walking in the mornings ( her idea not mine) and listen to the past Conference on our phones. I have listened to the talks in a completely different manner as a missionary than I did at home. It’s as if every one who spoke at the last General Conference stood at the pulpit at the Franklin Ward building and spoke directly to the members here. It has been a rewarding experience which we are grateful for. Another observation I’ve had as I’ve listened is I’m able to identify which of the Preach my Gospel missionary lessons each speaker is teaching from. We truly love being missionaries.

When we first arrived here and began making visits it became apparent to us that many of the members had not had contact with the church for a while. Until we started making visits in the Titusville area. And there we found a higher level of activity and strength and a different attitude. Even among the members who were no longer involved. There were always two names mentioned as we talked to these members. Gordon Sutton and Michael Welter. They have been home teachers and now Ministers to these members for a long time. Over and over we’ve heard the same story. “ We know we can call on these Brothers.”” They are always checking up on our family.”” We know they care.” They are currently assigned 6 families. But on their own they visit an additional 6 or 7 families. So about 13 families total. Multiple times a month. With the energy and enthusiasm of youths.

They are pictured below.

 

Brother Sutton is on the left with Brother Welter on the right. Pretty impressive. But  they are no longer young. They both battle health problems and I’m sure it hurts to go out some days. But out they go and lives are changed because of them. One example from a week ago shows what they do. A members husband was in the last week of his life. He had battled cancer and was able to sit in his recliner enduring the long days and even longer nights. These two ministering Brothers stopped in to visit.This good man was slumped down with his chin resting on his chest. Brother Sutton said “ I need to tell you a story “. He then told a joke. The Sister noticed a grin come to her husbands face. Brother Welter then made a comical remark. The grin got wider. And for the last time in his life he raised his head up and smiled. They both expressed to this good man their heart felt love and appreciation. They departed with a blessing on the home and on the family.As the Sister later told Sheila and I it was as if for that time the Savior himself had been in their home. And when we hear of Ministering in a higher and holier way I can think of two older brethren who have bad knees and arthritis who have set the example of what this really means. It is wonderful to serve the Lord in the Mission field. Have a good week. I know we will.

O Thou Rock of our Salvation

 I saw this sign the other day. So is this how I got to serve a mission?

When we first arrived we hoped to see some Amish. Now we hope we don’t hit one. They are everywhere!

'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love

Dear Folks at Home:

Three weeks ago Sheila and I were given an assignment to personally invite 60 members of the Franklin ward to attend Stake Conference. These would be members that were not in church to receive the letter of invitation from the Stake Presidency. I reset the odometer on our SUV when we left the church that day. As we prepared to leave for Jamestown last Saturday I checked the odometer. 1485 miles in 10 days traveling the Ward. As we did so we learned some wonderful lessons. At every home we always would ask if they would share their conversion story. Some took place in the 1970s and a couple were from this past November. We found it touching that regardless of their present activity in the church they had deep emotions and strong and tender feelings about their conversion to the gospel. Every story was different on what helped them know the church was true. One sister told us that when she opened the door 🚪 and saw the missionaries standing there she immediately knew something was different about them. The young Elders themselves were a gospel message to her. Another said she lived at the top of a hill and looked out her front window and saw two young Elders knocking on doors at the bottom of the hill in a blizzard. They did not get in a home and she became fascinated to see when they would give up. They continued working their way up the hill and when they got to her house she met them at the door. There in her doorway were a couple of frozen blocks of ice that resembled the young men she had watched all afternoon. She began to weep as she shared this story. She and her family had been members now for well over 30 years. She recounted the covenants and Temple blessings that they had experienced. All because two young men did not give up but instead kept trying and kept working. Even after all these years the events of that day were vivid in her mind. And those two young missionaries will forever be remembered by her family.

Another brother told us that he felt the spirit whisper to him that the church was true when he walked into church for the first time. The prelude music was being played and something in the melody of the hymn touched him and testified to him. By and large the Book of Mormon was the most important tool in helping these souls  come unto Christ. No one that we visited with had needed to pray to know if it was true when they finished reading. They had already received the witness many times as they read the Book of Mormon. Their prayer instead was one of gratitude.

Another Gospel Doctrine that converted many was the Plan of Salvation. Many had lost a loved one and had been left without hope. This comforting doctrine was something they cherished and helped them to embrace the gospel.

Our Sister missionaries took Sheila and I to a home that had not been visited by church members in over 3 years. As we sat down with them I asked them about their conversion. Their story was much the same. And it was just as tender to them as any other we had heard. It got a little humorous at that point. They wanted to know if there had been any changes in our meeting time. That led to the question of any other changes. Sheila and the Sisters enjoyed sharing with them every thing that had happened since President Nelson became the President of the Church. With no contact with the church for over 3 years it was a little overwhelming to them.  It was a wonderful visit and we are invited back and hopefully can see some  blessings  take place in their lives.

It was while I was in their home that I had impressed on my mind an important lesson. As missionaries we help others receive revelation in three important ways. Through prayer, reading the Book of Mormon, and by attending church. When a convert is baptized and receives the Holy Ghost , that should be the beginning of revelation in their lives. As I carefully considered the many homes we have visited I can see how revelation is the essential part of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. What works to help convert us also helps to keep us converted. Revelations that come to us from prayer, scripture study, and church and Temple attendance and keeping covenants is essential to our staying on the covenant path. And when we stop praying, stop studying the word of God, and stop attending church and the Temple, we stop receiving revelation. So when we invited these many families to come to Stake Conference we were actually inviting them to receive revelation.

The Jamestown NewYork Stake center is a little bigger than the Pingree building. It was the first time since January 6th that we had heard an organ. That was only for the Sunday General Session. There are some wonderful things about this Jamestown Stake that were touching to us. One is that no one is assigned to put up chairs. We had the Saturday afternoon session and a Sister had requested (had not been assigned ) that she could make a meal for everyone in that meeting. With the long distances involved it was not possible for anyone to travel home before the Saturday evening session. It was a wonderful meal and then everyone there attended the Saturday evening session. Following that meeting, without assignment , everyone as a group went in to the cultural hall and put away the tables and set up chairs for Sunday Morning. Following the Sunday session the same thing happened. Without any assignment everyone put away chairs and help clean up. There is also a genuine love that exists in Jamestown. It’s a struggle to be a member here and they have a bond with each other that is touching.

 

I would like to close with a story about my Mission Companion. One of the reasons we are able to get into so many homes is that Sheila is standing there with a loaf of home made bread 🍞 for them. She makes about a dozen loaves a week and they are gone by Friday on a slow week. She radiates love and as we serve in the Franklin Ward we are finding that it is love and kindness that is missing in many peoples lives. And so they respond to her with affection and open arms. I’m becoming convinced that as we serve here in Pennsylvania that the amount of good we are able to do will be in a direct relationship to how much we love. And considering who my companion is all I need to do is drive. We love you and hope you have a wonderful week. I know we will.

We will not retreat though our numbers may be few

Dear Folks at Home:

   It was my birthday this week and Elder Vimahi gave me the “ biggest potato “ he could find. It is a sweet potato but I do appreciate his thoughtfulness. One of the joys of Missionary work is serving with our fellow missionaries. These young men and women are as dedicated as anyone could be. Once in a while they might do something a little puzzling but overall it is a wonderful blessing to serve with them. And they have a lot of energy. I am amazed at the depth of their Gospel knowledge. They are truly some of the Lords chosen servants.

Today it was “ Franklin on Ice” . These ice sculptures were impressive.

Have a good week.  I know we will. 

Fear not I am with thee

Dear Folks at Home:

On Tuesday we went to Spartanburg to make some visits. There is a strong Amish community in that area. They are intermingled with the rest of the villagers. There are power lines down the road but there is no hook up for the Amish homes.  Their yards are tidy and well kept up. As I viewed the outdoor bathrooms I came to appreciate the hardships they endure. Especially this week which had record breaking cold back here. Which leads to the story I want to share. Brother Kunick is a farmer and neighbor to these good people. They each have ice houses to keep their food cool and to help preserve it longer. On Wednesday morning at 8 am when the temperature was well below zero Brother Kunick met 25 Amish brethren at a pond below his house. He had a tractor with a trailer and they cut ice out of the pond in large blocks (think of the opening to the movie Frozen) and loaded it on his trailer. He then transported it to their different homes to put these big ice blocks in their ice rooms or houses. 

Today is Ground Hog Day in Pennsylvania. We drove  past Punxsutawney last week when we went to Zone Conference. There are about 5000 people who live in that little town. There are two little winding roads that lead into the community. There are over 30 thousand people who descend into their small town for the festival on the morning of February 2 nd each year. Can you see how this leads to chaos? The Senior couple who serve there invited Sheila and I to visit them and we could hike up the trail to “ Gobblers Knob “ where the festival takes place. They want us to come this summer when the weather is nice and there are no crowds. We just learned that the Groundhog did not see his shadow and we will have an early spring. After the bone chilling Polar Vortex we’ve experienced this week that is good news.  Take Ground Hog day with a grain of salt. I’m still planning on wearing my winter coat.

   Pictured below is Sister Christine Schaefer. She joined the church in October and Sheila and I have learned to love her. She taught school throughout her life and had experienced tragedy and heartbreaks in her journey through life. The missionaries knocked on her door and she invited them in. She had a strong Methodist upbringing and was open to what the missionaries had to teach. The first lesson on the Restoration was a little difficult for her. She began to read the Book of Mormon and it prepared her for the lesson on the Plan of Salvation. Her son had passed away a few years ago in tragic circumstances and as the missionaries taught her about Heavenly Fathers plan she began to weep. Where the Faith of her upbringing had given no hope she was now being given a glimpse into eternity. And in that lesson she found that the blessings of redemption and reunion could be shared by her and her family. The next question was not if she would be baptized but how soon? The week after her baptism she traveled to the Palmyra Temple where the work for her son was performed. I have learned some lessons from her. She has been a member for about 4 months. She is a strength to the Ward and was given a ministering assignment that she truly magnifies. ( when they gave her the assignment she was puzzled. She had already been doing everything they told her a ministering Sister should do)She brings a carload of members with her to church each Sunday. She is part of the Meadville group. They do not have anyone that can play the piano. (An organist is unheard of out here) She had her brother bring an electronic keyboard to her and she practices for hours  so that she can accompany the hymns on Sunday. One of the sweet opportunities Sheila and I are looking forward to this coming October is to take her through the Temple to receive her endowment. We are receiving some choice blessings in our Service and Christine is certainly one of them.

Sheila and I are grateful for everyone’s love and support. If good things are happening for us we attribute them to your prayers.
Have a good week. I know we will.