HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN TOP

I made my second basket.  I was the last one in class to finish.  I was so frustrated but then sadly realized that I just can't do what I used ter.  My hands were sore for several days.  Our instructor was so patient with me and helped me to the bitter end.

We had personal interviews with President Thomas.  He is a wonderful president and I just love his wife. I love any time we can be with other missionaries.  It really gives you a lift.  We had to go to Danville, Virginia first to get the elders and an investigator.  He weighed over 300 pounds and filled our back seat.  The elders were a little scrimped.  He was baptized Saturday.  I guess it was quite the thing,  The first time the two elders in the font with him could not get him pushed under.  When they finally got him back up (which they weren't certain they could do) they hadn't gotten him all the way under.  When the witnesses said that Elder Wilcok put him back under.  They had to do it a third time because he didn't say the prayer again.  The third time he said the words wrong but the fourth time was for sure.  Thank goodness John has a great sense of humor.  They are still chuckling about it.  He will be a great member and is a very nice young man.  He's golden.  After the interviews, which were in Greensboro, we took them all home.  We stopped at O'Kellys for a sandwich.

We headed home for a lesson with Warren.  I love him.  He is slowly coming along.We visited with Gail and Sister Aldridge on Wednesday.  I love them.  Sister Aldridge is always looking for someone for us to teach.  She's a great missionary helper.  We went to mutual after and there were 10 non members there.  These youth and the entire ward are so good at being kind and helpful to others.  Parents won't let us teach the kids and the adults help with Scouting but you never know what will happen down the road.

We decided to stop our service at the museum because it was taking too much teaching time and we only saw 1 person in all the time we had served.  No one goes to the museum.  We decided to head on down to see Susan.  On the was we saw some girls who are friends, in their yard.

 We stopped to visit and the older 2 invited us to go to the livestock show where they were going to show their lambs.  It was on Friday, in Virginia, but still in our mission. The girls both got blue ribbons. We met with both sets of grandparents and the school librarian.  You can imagine how dad felt to be around animals.  He loved the pigs.  We got lost twice on the way home and even went the wrong way in a parking lot.  How can you do that? When we got to Susan's her husband informed us that they had 35 cats and 16 dogs.  I believe it.  I love them.  They are great to visit with and I call him bishop.  Who knows? From there we went to the Fowlers'.  His daughter is moving in next week.  She wants to go on a  mission so we hope she can get them to come to church.  They're wonderful people.

Kristin turned 44 on the 27th.  How can that be?  I'm only 35.  We are so thankful our Father sent her to us. She was such a beautiful baby and fun little girl.  I played with her constantly.  She never wanted any one to touch her curls.  She has become such a wonderful mother herself and such an unselfish and caring person.  We love her so much.  She lives by faith and does so many little things for us.

Another investigator invited us to a spring fling in Providence.  We got up early so we would get there and not miss the parade.  Well, the parade was maybe a block long and had no floats.  It was just cars, trucks, fire engines and Smoky the Bear.  One man had his old truck which he had painted white with a spray can or two.  Very different.  It was so cold and windy.  Our investigators did not show up but some members from the ward did.  We were excited to see the tractor pulls but they were really lawn mower pulls.  They did have pro wrestling. We laughed our heads off.  The members who were with us, 7 of them, were having as much fun as we were.  Everyone was jolly. The best part was that I ran into the fireman who is in charge of the Bossy Bingo fund raiser. They didn't have it this year because they made more money on the 4-wheeler drawing. You make 100 squares on the ground.  People pay $50 a square and you can buy a many as you want. They start selling the inside squares first because Bossy usually dumps early. They sometimes do it in a circle formation. When all 100 squares are sold they have $5000.  The winner gets $1000.  If Bossy dumps on more than 1 square the people have to share the money.  They let her out when the last square is sold or at a certain preappointed time. Tiffani says she is going to suggest it at their next ward activity. Of course you can decide on the money factor and how many squares.

Sunday after church and our missionary meeting we headed to Ashville for meetings with 2 other couple missionaries.  It was later than we had expected so we just checked into our hotel and went to dinner.  The other couples weren't there.  When we got back the man at the desk stopped us and asked if this bag was ours.  It was the bag with both our computers, all the cords and my finance book with all our financial information. We were shocked.  We had not even known it was missing.  He said someone had brought it in from the parking lot.  The people in North Carolina are the best.  We said a prayer thanking the Lord for such wonderful, honest people.  We never did find out who they were.

Silkers, Burns, us

The time with the other couples was so beneficial.  We shared ideas with each other and learned so much.  We also did a great deal of laughing and just having a good time.  We spent most of the day at the Biltmore. It is the largest house in the US.  It has 250 rooms with 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms.  It was strange because we never felt High Cotton.  It was a very comfortable place, huge but comfy.  George Vanderbilt opened it in 1895.  Three years later he brought his bride,Edith to the Biltmore and their only child, Cornelia was born there in 1900.  He  died in 1914 and Edith and Cornelia continued to call it home.

Their daughter called it home and lived there even after she was married.  As a young girl she spent much time playing with the servants' children.  Her mother spent as much time as possible with her.  In 1930 they opened it to the public because of the Depression and to bring money in to preserve the estate.  The family still owns and operates the business with 1,800 employees.  It has a winter garden inside the entrance, a billiard room, banquet hall with an organ loft, breakfast room, salon, music room, tapestry gallery, library (contains half of his 23,000 volume collection) bedrooms, sitting rooms, Halloween room, bowling alley, dressing rooms, swimming pool, gymnasium, kitchens, servants rooms, laundry and drying rooms, smoking room and gun room.  Guests would stay for several days.  The servants had their own quarters and had a formal dining room and were treated very well.   The gardens were absolutely amazing.  I have never seen prettier. It was a very enjoyable day.  We ate way too much and gained way too much.

Your dad still has it.

The next day we shared more ideas and headed home.  We went through the Blue Ridge Parkway to Boone.  It is a beautiful range.  The trees are so thick and the hills go forever.

We went to Mt. Mitchell, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi, elevation 6,578 ft.  It was a beautiful view but I think our mountain is about 9 or 10,000 ft.  It wasn't tall but the beauty was indescribable.

We climbed the falls at Linville Falls.  It was an easy walk but not in Sunday shoes.  It was so worth the walk.

goose and goslings

We stopped at Flat Top Manor, home of Moses H. Cone, who invented Levi denim fabric.We got home at 9:30 and fell in bed.

View from the front porch.

The next morning we arose early to go to district meeting.  I love being with the missionaries.  Our lessson was on teaching with the Spirit.

I am trying to get caught up with birthdays but may never make it.  I am on Dave Jennings.  We love him.  Tiffani did a great job in landing him.  What a catch.  We love how no matter what his calling, he does it to the best of his ability and goes way beyond that.  He is a great provider for his family and such a good husband.  I love that he takes the kids so Tiffani can have a break.

Friday we made vegetable beds for Christine and our gardens.  Elder Bayles dug the ground and then we made four 2X10  boxes to put the dirt and plants in.  We waited till evening so it wouldn't be so hot.  It doesn't cool off in NC.  It was fun to be together.  We put 48 screws in the beds with 3 at each corner. We loved being outside and working.

Saturday we had one of the families we have been working with have their son baptized.  He will be 9 in 10 days so they wanted to get it done.  Brother Ward baptized his son. It took 3 times but he got it done.  It was a wonderful time.  I love it when children choose the right.

After the baptism we had a baby shower for one of the gals in our ward.  They really go" high cotton" here when they do things.  "High cotton" here means the same as "livin' high" or ritzy. If you want to hear Alabama sing it go HERE. The words are so good.  Listen carefully.

Going visiting after church Sunday we came across some animals.

How cows cool off in Caswell County

Find the turtle

Trying to see what's on the other side 

At Sister Apple's home.

I love Elder Bayles.

Tuesday May 23rd  We got up in good time this morning and after eating breakfast helped chop cotton all day again today.  I also wrote a letter to Estella.  After eating supper we went over to Joseph Beasley's and stayed over the night.