January 13, 2015

Dearest All

"It is time for you to treasure up your wonderful memories with Elder Cluff and to look forward with great anticipation to the marvelous experiences that are still before you."

- Pops

Thank you Pops for your encouraging words...I think he phrased it best, with the attitude I am trying very hard to take, with a very difficult and unexpected transfer, I am not spiritually or emotionally prepared to leave Prestonsburg Kentucky at all. I am having a harder time in the past day since I learned I was leaving, than I had in the days and weeks before I left for the MTC. So many people, places and culture I have come to love here that I did not expect to have to say goodbye too so soon.

Never the less as Prestsonsburg and my superior companionship with Elder Cluff come to a close I trust that the lord has work for me to do in White Sulfur Springs West Virginia (Home of the Green Briar.) I am told even though it is in West Virginia according to President Pitt "white sulfur springs is still Virginia" so I look forward to the third flavor of culture in our mission, and because of the Med School in the area a good number of the ward members are from Utah...(oh FYI Elder Cluff had previously served in White Sulfur Springs so he has been able to tell me all about it)

Well I have been busy saying bye to all the wonderful people I love here, so I will let my photographs tell the story and hopefully fill the gaps over the last couple weeks.

​We finally saw our first bit of snow here in Kentucky, just a dusting but it was truly beautiful, Kentucky is a gorgeous state. I am going to miss it here so much. :'(
​Kentucky is Beautiful, this is an Ice flow on our way into the State park, at the top of 
Stone Crest
​Elder Cluff and I prepared a Hike for a district meeting (on an Apostasy Trail, that took us from the life of the savior to the restoration and all the events in between, the meeting turned out splendid the next day and was a spiritual experience for all when we each took a moment to go off and pray personally seeking for our own sacred Grove experience), in Jenny Wiley state park, which with the frozen lake and the Fog over the lake and quite atmosphere it was splendid, and made for some spectacular photographs.
Over looking my wonderful little town of Prestonsburg Down below, from Stonecrest.

Over the Past few months we months we have been working with D reach a maintainable house hold, which was overwhelmed when she had her 5 grandchildren and son-in-law move-in into her modest home, after two months of sorting, organizing, donating and even burning stuff we reached a finished product, here are a few insights to that which we took this week, with one final deep clean, bleaching, vacuuming, washing dusting. etc

Before
After
Before
 After 

 ​After & Forever changed, I have never seen someone as faithfully strong through diligent endurance. I have seen and testify that the hand of God has touched the marvelous woman's live and I am so forever grateful for her example and the opportunity I had to serve her. Love you D. D is the example of true conversion by faith and commitment, applying Moroni's promise and trusting the lord in All things, giving the lord every opportunity to pour out his blessings on her. 


My time is up for this week, know that I will miss Kentucky and I have taken plenty of video that I will send home shortly.

love you All 
ARt
​

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