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.

 

We've Crossed the River Jordan (Allegheny) into the promised land

Dear Folks at Home:

We are pleased to report our first weeks experience in the beautiful Pennsylvania forest . We had a District Council meeting Tuesday morning with President And Sister Bednar. They are wonderful people who have a deep and abiding love for the missionaries. President Bednar writes a weekly letter that is a treasure to read and study.

On Thursday evening we met with the Stake President and the Bishop for a couple of hours. We have our assignment for the next 18 months. The Franklin Ward is actually a combination of 3 church units. The Titusville branch was disbanded a few years ago and two years ago the Meadville Ward was changed from a Ward to a dependent Group. They meet in Meadville three times a month and on the first Sunday of the month everyone meets in Franklin. Because of these church units combining the distances are large. The Ward boundaries are 66 miles north to South and 100 miles east to west. Western Pennsylvania doesn’t have any huge cities. They have a bunch the size of Firth or Shelley.  Sheila counted members living in 30 separate towns or villages. ( Pingree and Thomas and Rockford would be villages in Pennsylvania)  There are some wonderful people living in the far corners of the Ward . We are going to put a few miles on our Buick as we visit and try to strengthen the Ward. 
I would like to mention Sister missionaries. Sister Burton and Sister Lanier serve in Franklin with us. Actually they have taken us under their wings and are our trainers. They have guided us and have shown us around when we would be hopelessly lost. They are truly devoted servants of the Lord. An interesting thing happened on Thursday. At the hour we met with the Bishop he told us of a family that did not want to be visited. There was a lot of anger involved and it was pretty serious. While he was visiting with us ,the Sisters, unaware of the situation, stopped at the home. With their gentle spirit and Christ like love they were kindly received. D&c 84:88 came to my mind when I heard of this. 

We had a huge snowstorm that started Saturday about noon. It was kind of funny. We stopped at Walmart in the morning. I stayed in the car and Sheila went in . ( more on that later) I saw a couple of Amish brethren go in and get stocked up with groceries. I guess in a blizzard you abandon your ways and do what you need to do in order to survive. Anyway, it started snowing about noon and our Mission President asked the missionaries not to drive on the roads. This does not apply to Senior Couples who are supposed to have good judgment (Sheila). The  Sisters called and asked if we could take them to an appointment at 6 pm. The city had been plowing the roads all afternoon and it was safe to travel in our little town. We picked them up and when we dropped them off they said when their lesson ended they wanted to go tracting. We agreed to pick them up at 8:45 pm so they could be in at 9pm. We picked up two frozen blocks of ice at 8:45 that resembled the Sister missionaries we had dropped off a few hours earlier. Tracting had been very successful. Everyone was home in the blizzard and they all answered their door out of curiosity. With this huge winter storm I don’t know how much missionary work was done last night in our mission but I do know of two hard working dedicated Sisters that never stop working,loving, and giving themselves to this labor of love. Sheila and I have posted on Facebook Sister Burtons testimony.

Sheila has always been faithful in whatever service she has been asked to do. But on our mission she has taken it up another level if that is possible . First of all she has made our apartment into a home . As I look at the pictures of our family and of the Savior on the walls it always reminds me of what is important and why we are here. this apartment has become a sacred place for us and I am grateful for what she has done. Our apartment has become a refuge from the storm Sheila is very organized and I am starting to see that as one of the spiritual gifts she has been given. She has already organized our work into 3 different areas in the Ward that we can travel to and her planning skills are going to make us much more effective . I am the driver and she is the navigator and that applies to more than just driving down the road. I not only love my companion but I also like her. One of the challenges Senior couples can have is too much togetherness that they are not used to. We have made this adjustment pretty well. The only thing that has happened is  that I have been banned from Walmart . She walks with Jana on the treadmill and I have decided I will use Jana as the barometer for how I am doing as a missionary companion . If she goes from a couple of times a week walking with Jana to three times a day I will know I am getting on her nerves. At least she will stay in shape.‍

   We are truly grateful for this opportunity to serve. I hope everyone has a wonderful week. I know we will.

The children of Israel have entered the promised land

Dear Folks at Home:

 Sister VanOrden and I arrived in Franklin , Pennsylvania this afternoon. I will touch on our journey and then our messages after this will be about our mission.

  I-80 is a good way to cross the country. It cost a total of $23.60 in tolls. I would have gladly paid more. The toll roads and turnpikes were a lot more convenient to travel on. The farmer in me thoroughly enjoyed driving through all the farm country. 

We went to church in Des Moines , Iowa. We were pleasantly surprised at the strength of the church there. There were 3 wards in the building and the ward we attended had the overflow open with chairs part way back in the cultural hall. They had just split the Stake and there is talk ( church gossip?) of their ward being divided. There were a lot of hog farms along I-80 in Ohio. There was a little bit of an inversion and you could smell them long before you saw them.

      Franklin is a small town surrounded by other small towns. There is a pretty good population here , they’re just spread out. They have a huge Walmart that I was blessed to visit with Sister VanOrden. I finally threw in the towel and just hung around the produce section while she shopped. The potatoes were shipped by Basin Gold and they were atrocious. Next time we go shopping I’m going to complain to the manager about their poor selection of potatoes.Sister VanOrden said next time we go to Walmart I’m going to be invited to sit in the car and read my scriptures while she shops. We have District Council in the morning and our Mission begins. 

 

We appreciate your friendship, love, and support.

The Hosts of Israel have fled Egypt

Dear Folks at Home:

  Sheila and I have finished our week at the MTC and are in Lincoln Nebraska this evening. We have had a wonderful experience in our training. The quote that is shown on this screen by Elder Holland best describes our experience.

We are assigned to Districts for our training. The two other couples are from Texas and Kansas City. The two sisters will serve as missionary nurses. Sheila and I are the only two born and raised in the church . Everyone else is a convert. Sister Turner, the older sister on the left( it’s ok. She is the first one to say she is old) is on her sixth mission. Two missions have been at church headquarters reviewing the health forms on Mission applications. She has served in Bosnia, with the Navajos, the Philippines, and is going to Melbourne to serve this mission. She is my hero. She has two grandchildren being married in the Temple while she is gone. She loves them dearly but she also loves the Lord. And she was told by the spirit that this is what she should be doing. I’ve come to appreciate this week that everyone who serves a mission makes a sacrifice in some way. 

The picture above is I80 going through Wyoming. We drove through fog this morning for about 200 miles. 

I was surprised that Nebraska didn’t have any snow.

One thing about Nebraska and Wyoming. The scenery doesn’t distract your driving. 
The cafeteria at the MTC is interesting. There are missionaries there from everywhere in the world. To serve a meal that would be tasty to everyone is difficult. I suggested a potato bar but I don’t think my idea was given much consideration. If someone can’t find something they can eat they do have huge cereal dispensers. They have small bowls thinking that would slow some of the Elders down. I saw one young Elder put 6 bowls on his tray and load them all up. 

One of the more spiritual moments a Missionary can have is to spend some time in front of the display murals.

This one helps missionaries appreciate Joseph Smith and the circumstances he faced in his life. The murals are 10 feet high and at least 25 feet wide. The one below is of Nephi. It tells us he was led by the spirit not knowing before hand which way he should go. Missionaries are to ask themselves how they are led. 

We will be in Pennsylvania by Monday evening. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you.