May 11, 2015

​West Virginia at the End of Winter

​West Virginia in spring...We had a lot of fun taking these two photos...We are up on a Farm House hill up Big Draft in White Sulphur Springs, the winter photo the homeowner's weren't home when we knocked on their door...When we went back to take the spring photo and they were home and outside, and after talking with them for a moment and explained our hopes in getting a spring photo they were more than willing to share their front porch view with us, and they got to know the Mormons a little better....some thought in contrast of these two photographs shows us the promise of hope and renewal.    

The Week was another week of miracles, H.G. continues to amaze me with her sincerity and commitment to learn more...Heavenly answers and guidance have been and will continue to be her's as she applies the time honored practice taught by the savior and prophets modern and ancient of seeking, acting in faith (reading scriptures, applying the principles taught) and asking God with "sincerity of heart and real intent having faith in christ" (Moroni 10:4) "If any man will do his will he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17) and of course in (Matthew 7:7-8) "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened"

This week in a phone call she told us that she had gone to bed saying the lords prayer in hopes of receiving some guidance as to continue in her search and she said that she woke up in the middle of the night and felt prompted to read 1 Peter 2:5 

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ"

When I got off the phone with her, my heart was racing a little and I could not contain my joy, she asked up to ponder on that and see if that has any significance...the next day when we met with her on her front lawn with her youngest children abounding around playfully, I told her that "when I read that scripture I was excited" she immediately responded "I was too!" She went on to have a number of great questions...and she said that that scripture was her answer to keep learning more and that she had only received an answer from God like this one once before in her life. She also mentioned how "I really want to be in the temple" and had even looked up the temple recommend interview questions...again amazed...the next morning she woke her children and dressed them for church only to discover that her car battery was dead, (she had left the lights on the night before) and with her husband away with one of their sons in Charleston...we had the opportunity to come to rescue and she was determined to make it to church even with the little bumps in the road. We quickly borrowed some jumper cables from a member and set off for her home and we all made it, in time for Sacrament. 

M.H. has been terribly ill with a chronic condition he suffers from, and wasn't able to make it to church this week but never the less he is still heading in the right direction. 

We also after just getting the feeling to keep going, even though our day was almost through, and we met a Brazilian family who had just moved to the states weeks ago and they invited us back especially when we mentioned that we knew another Brazilian family in the ward who has lived in the states just two years...the member family was beyond excited and ready to meet this family ASAP. The Lord is continuing to help us find the prepared and the elect...as we even again found just before our mothers day Skype call  we were again feeling the prompting to keep going even though it was 6:45 and our plan was to call at 7:00 and we still had a mile to walk back to the car and then get to the member's home for the call...we followed the prompting and kept walking up a dirt road to the top of hill and there we met M.M. a very nice individual who elder sawyer asked the right question to and before we knew it half an hour later we were setting up our return appointment with him and reading the Book of Mormon...right as we finished at 7:08 we called home to let them know we would be late and just happened to call right as we were singing my mom Happy Birthday...the lord is so aware and will bless us richly for our efforts especially when the effort is out of our way.  

Photos will come in Part 2.

Love you 

ART

Elder Wheeler

So these photos are from the past two weeks sorry if there are any repeats. 

Quick service opportunity for the P's a Part Member family, who is fairly home-bound...west Virginia grass comes back with a fight, we were covered in grass when we were done. and we were only getting the patches of grass that he couldn't do with the riding lawn mower. 

​More Friends from Parkersburg at our Zone Conference...this is me and all my friends I went on exchanges with in Ravenswood while in Parkersburg...Elder Thomson (the elder closest to me in the gray suit) in in my district again he has become a really good friend in the mission. 

​Heading out for Lunch in Lexington VA after Zone Conference

​Elder Price and I meet again from the MTC both passed our year marks now...

​This is the potential investigator J.S. who we went to go see play music a few weeks ago at the Pub (see letter 9.4) we was nice enough to restring a guitar that we had in our apartment, which M. H. mentioned to us that he was looking for a guitar for his oldest son L who recently picked up playing the guitar at school for his Birthday, J. took us the music store to purchase the strings and then he did the work for free and we delivered the guitar to M. to give to his son.

​M.H. and his son L....we were sure to make J. a custom photo thank you card for all his help.

More in Part 3
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Roasting Star bursts courtesy of the M's

Rocking my super cool Wheeler Jacket...my mom is so cool

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Our Subaru in it's natural Habitat...favorite mission vehicle I have driven yet...I have become a big fan of Subaru...they really are awesome cars.

Did I ever mention that the White Sulphur Springs Ward is full of Adorable kids.

And plenty of loving parents to accompany them

This is Brother M....enough said...he is a pretty cool dude, he is the Air Traffic Controller at Greenbriar Valley Airport (LWB)

Some "Lagoon-Style Corn" for dinner:)

The Ward campout was great, even though we didn't stay overnight we were there till dark and back at dawn...it was huge help in our relationship with members even though none of our investigators were there...it was a huge leap in the unity with the mission and the ward.

Helping out A.B. with leveling his backyard, by hand...he is building a shed to store stuff from his attic and turn the attic into a bed room to make room for his soon expected 3rd child. A. remains a good friend and we continue to share gospel conversations with him.

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Our District P-day to Lost World Caverns Which is around the bend from where we live...there are plenty of videos that I will send home that accompany this adventure...including, since we were the only ones in the cave that, we sang a few hymns and the echo was awesome! from Left to right; Elder Pulson (District Leader) Elder Kovak (who is from Switzerland), Elder Yocum, Elder Sawyer, Elder Thomson and Elder Wheeler

The L. family at lunch with the B....we love this family

The Cave was huge needless to say we had a lot of fun on the self guided tour...and being the only people down there...

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This one is for you mom...haha this is the natural entrance to the cave which is a 120 foot shaft...that was capped off, the cave was discovered when a farmer who owned the land was dropping dead cattle down the hole and after a while noticed that the hole never filled up and eventually someone went down and discovered the cavern. 

Again the cavern was huge!

Helping New investigators H.& P. M. move into Lewisburg
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District Lunch at Aprils, we have become quite the regulars at Aprils after district meetings and they are always know exactly what we want.

With the Help of Sister L.F. (less-active) we made an extra special "Notify" for the G's...it was a lot of fun and great time with the F's too.

 

Conclusion in part 5

In the Works for the past few weeks has been the Public Showing of Meet the Mormons in Lewisburg...we got he ball rolling and after sharing the excitement of the film with members the ward got on board and the  theater has been wonderful in showing and promoting the film here in Lewisburg. Working the Public Affairs of the church has been interesting too.
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Because the Ward members donated enough to make the showings free, and has been promoted in Lewisburg WV and Covington VA The Film opens this Thursday in Lewisburg

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We also helped J.C. move stuff from his storage unit to his new barn we helped him build...notice the trusses...country as they may look they are as strong as the hoover dam.

Spring time lessons with Sister S.

West Virginia is in full Sacred Grove status...this was taken from the top of the hill where Elder Sawyer and I were when we called home letting you all know we would be late after teaching M.M.

​Last for today...my GPS reminded me that I have been out for a year...and not to waste a moment.

love yins

Elder Wheeler

ART