TEAM BAYLES NORTH CAROLINA

It has been a fun week following what the kids were doing with the family reunion.  We feel it was our favorite one just knowing how many things they were doing together and how much fun they had.  Clark and Dianne did a great job putting it all together.  We're so glad we never have to be in charge again.  It's all on you kids.  Our part on Team Bayles is serving the Lord here in the North Carolina Charlotte Mission.  We are so blessed to be a part of Team Bayles and pray for the team every prayer we offer.  We are proud to be a part of  a team with such integrity and service.  We are trying to do our part by serving the Lord as missionaries in this part of His vineyard.  We love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our opportunity to give this glorious message to these wonderful people.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so true and the only way back to our Father and home.  We love our family and the eternal blessings we can enjoy as families.  

Elders Derbano, Clawson, Bayles', Oaks, Leavitt

Our district meeting was the last one before transfers.  We love our missionaries.  We think Elder Clawson will be the one to go this time.  Dad got his eleventh tick on the same day.  I hate removing them.  They just don't want to let go.  

I  love our writing class.  It is supposed to end next Thursday but they want to go through July..We meet every Thursday for an hour at the Senior Citizen's Center.  Their  stories are so inspirational, humorous and filled with emotion.  We thought they would be shy about sharing but is the favorite part of the class.  They love reading their stories to each other.  We are starting another class at the chapel on Wednesday nights at the church because it is so   far for members to drive to Yanceyville.  It will begin after the 4th of July.

the electrician

Home by the pond where Tim Ross spent  his
early years.  It is his grandparent's home.  He is the
uncle of the groom.  

 We continue to work on the Holland home.  She is a widow in her 30's with 5 boys from 4-17 whose home burned all but the outside structure.  We are painting, putting in electrical plugs, sweeping and insulating  to get this home back in their lives.  It is so much fun to work with ward members in something for others.  You can see the smoke marks on the roof.  We have finished the outside painting








We went to our first country wedding.  It was in a beautiful setting by a huge pond or little lake, whichever.  Dad sat down and it was so hot they had fans on each chair.  He picked his up and guess what was crawling on it.  Yes, a tick.  They're everywhere.
 They played country music the whole time which was up dad's alley.  One of the groomsmen had to go so he just did it in the trees.  That's country for you.  The food was Southern cooking at its finest.  Boy, can they put on a feed.




Every morning we walk for our exercise.  We have to go early because of the heat and humidity.

This is getting started, a block from our home.









Turning the corner.






The trees are so tall.  This is just around the corner from our home.  We live in a place that is just filled with beauty.

Coming back to the house.

Walking in front of Lucy after the walk and viewing the garden in the back.







Side of the house.











We had Sunday dinner with the Oakleys.  They are so good to us.  She is a true Southern cook and lady.  After dinner they took us to see the farm where he grew up.  He had not been there for 40 years.

                                                                                                                                Sharecropper's home
                                                                                    on Oakley farm.


















    I love Elder Bayles.  He's kinda foxy.

 Tues. July 25, 1905  We got up in good time this morning and stayed at Potts' until nine o'clock then stated on again and at noon asked for dinner and were refused twice but finally we got a man to give us a couple of biscuits a piece.  After resting at his place awhile we went on again and after walking until seven o'clock we commenced seeking entertainment but were refused five times, but at the last place they gave us our supper.  We then went on to Cooleemee and slept in a factory that was just being put up.

FATHERS' DAY WITH A GREAT FATHER

What a great Fathers' Day.  I am so blessed to live with the best father ever.(as the grands would say)  I am so glad my children have had this man in their lives and  able to have the full influence of the priesthood always.  He is a man I can look to for help no matter what. Sometimes he doesn't have patience with me but he is always there to figure things out.  I give up easily but he never wavers.  He spoke in church yesterday and people came up to me and said he sounded just like a General Authority.  He preached on the importance of fathers taking the lead in seeing that the family is doing what they need to do to be together forever. Most of his talk was from the book of Alma. It was a beautiful meeting filled with the Spirit. He loves his family and the Lord with all his heart and shows it in his daily living.  He is always a good example for others to follow.  He treats me with such tenderness and kindness making sure I am okay.  I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me such a man for so many years.  I pray every prayer that we can live on this earth together even longer.  I can't imagine life without him.  He has a strong and steady testimony of the divinity of our Savior and the atonement He made for us.  He is my light ad eternal love.  I love you companion of mine.

Another good week.  We went to the Parish to see if there was anything we could do to help.  They gave us several assignments and we spent two and a half hours working Friday.  A young widow with 5 boys had her house burn down and so the Parish is rebuilding it.  The church has pitched in and are really helping a lot.  They need lots of painters and wall boarders and carpet layers.  It is looking very good already.  The home is way out in the country and and the end of a dead end.  Someone came and crawled under her crawl space and stole all of the copper tubing and wiring and an electric box that is $3.000.  Do you believe it?  The mother has asked for nothing but is so overcome by all the goodness people are doing for them.  I wish I had taken a picture of it.  I will when we go out again.  It's a 4 bedroom, 2 bath home.  It's really going to be nice.  The boys got so excited when they saw what had been done because they were so depressed.  They are living in Virginia until they can move back in because it's cheaper there and school is out.

highways of Caswell County

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notice the highway going through the cemetery







At mutual the young women had a car wash to raise money for camp.  Lucy loved it as she lives under sappy trees and is very sad.

We love the Tabors.  When they took us to lunch this week Jesse said the blessing.  He always does and we love it.  He said,"Heavenly Father, it's us again."  Dad and I really had to work at not laughing.  They are wonderful people.
Thursday we did Meals-on-Wheels again.  We love doing that.  When we go to turn in the containers we just stay there and do our writing class.  We love that class.  They are incredible.  I am just amazed when it comes to the sharing time and how they want to share and how wonderful the stories are.  They write from the heart.  Sometimes we laugh and sometimes we cry.  Their goal is to have a folder of stories to have for their children for a life history.  They also want to start on genealogy (ginallgy in Caswell).  I have give some the number of our ward family history coordinator.
Dad has sprayed for roaches in that I have seen one in the house and one trying to get in Lucy.  I hate those things but people just say get used to it.  No way.  Elder also fixed a broken lamp for me so I could see to read at night.
Last week we went to visit a man who is supposed to be in our ward.  There was no home or address so we went into the town of Graham to get something to eat.

We ate at this little soda shop.  Afterwards we toured the town.  It is very quaint.

All seat $3.00
Acts of Valor

Nick's General
 Merc

Just want you to notice the wedding dresses with the bikinis in the middle




I took Elder Bayles to Texas Roadhouse in Burlington for Fathers' Day.  I also let him spend and entire hour in an antique store.  He didn't buy a thing.
I am doing the last three birthdays that I missed.

Molly brought such sunshine into our lives.  She was always so busy and wanting to be helpful.  She still is.  She is so kind to her cousins and loves her family.  She loves to read.  We love that she likes to choose the right.  She does very well in school and sings like an angel. March 11th

Baylie came straight from her Heavenly Father to us.  She came is a different way but has always been ours from the very beginning.  She is so like her mother.  She loves to do things with her family and loves to be in charge, just like her mother.  She loves to sing songs about Jesus.  March 19th

Cameron came after what Tiffani thought was a long wait.  She wanted him so badly.  He came in a bundle of love.  He excels in school and loves playing the organ.  He can also play the piano and violin. He loves the Cougars.  He thinks his twins are very special and is trying so hard to be a help to them be happy. March 24



We love that you kids are all together and having such a great time.  You looked so good in your red shirts.  We love  all of you so much.  Your dad was the speaker in  church today and he did such a great job.  He had a little trouble when he started talking about ya'all.  I wish there was some way I could convey how much he loves you but there just aren't words.  There is no way you could have made him happier than to let him see everyone.  He was concerned about the Ute red shirts but then decide they were in honor of Big Red.  They looked so good. If anyone want to know all about it I'm sure it will be in full form on Kristin's blog.  I told her not to take time from everyone to do it but inside I hope she does so we can see what you're doing.  If not I will just see it when she posts.  I wish I had thought about taking a picture of the screen so we could look at it now.  I love your granddad so very much and am so at peace knowing that we are a forever family.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and  
I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and a prophet on the earth today to lead and guide us on the right path back to our Father.

Mon. July 24 1905
We stayed at Sister Whisnhunt's until after dinner, reading and writing ltrs.  In the afternoon we left their place and started on our journey.  It rained on us part o the afternoon.  We commenced seeking entertainment and were refused eleven times, at nine o'clock we got to stay with a man by the name of Potts, we were ordered off one man's place and had to go without supper.  We retired at about ten o'clock.

SICKLE DOWN

Tuesday was Zone Conference.  We love being with the missionaries.  It was the last time to see President and Sister Thomas.  They are holding the sickle the senior couples gave them.  They love it.  We love them.  They bring us such leadership and training.

Couples who gave the sickle.  Pres. Thomas is always saying "Keep your sickle down." D&C 4  "And lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul."

Thomas, Kellers(leave in Aug), Us, Silkers (came out with us.) Burns(leave in Sept.)



Sister Thomas and me.

with the Pres

We went to a great ward council meeting. The stake challenged the members to have the Book of Mormon read by Mothers' Day.  Of course your dad read it twice.  This month they have challenged      

the wards to meet with every family in the ward and invite them to do something to improve the spirituality in their home. (family prayer, scriptures, meetings etc.)  We are going to many of the homes to help the ward out.  In Sept the invite is to place a Book of Mormon or give 10 pass along cards out. The  Greensboro Stake is great.

Thursday we had our first writing class at the Senior Center.  We were so worried no one would come.  Ten people signed up and they were so great.  I loved teaching the pre-write.  It felt like I was in the classroom again. The people loved it and want to do it every Thursday.  They had questions about the Church and one lady asked how to get to the church to start her genealogy.  Yahoo!  We are thinking of doing one at the church for the members so they don't have to go clear to Yanceyvillle.  One lady told us about members who live in Yanceyville who are great and wonderful people and are Mormons.  We went to visit them after writing because we had never heard of them.  They are great.  He is 80 and she is 68.  They got married in Sept.  He couldn't find the Caswell Ward so he went to Danville, Virginia, which is closer,  found this wife and so now they go to Danville. Go figure.  No one knew they were here.  They live in a post Civil War home and are completely redoing it.  They are having way too much fun.

We have now been out 5 months.  Time is going faster now.  I got a great present to celebrate.  Tick #4.  What a thrill.  We were talking to a nurse practioner today and she said dad for sure had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever when he was sick a few weeks ago.  How were we to know?

After going to an inactive and part member home after church we went to a home to celebrate with another family.  They had had several graduations.  We ate such good food.  We left that home to go to another one that was celebrating cousins graduating from BY High.  We are so fat.  Food here is just way too good.

When we finally got home we called our Lily.  It is her birthday today, seven years old.  What a special little girl.  We just can't believe she can be so big.  She is so good to Jonny and loves her family.  We are so happy with the good decisions she is making.  We are excited that she will be in second grade next year.  She will be such a good friend to the other students.  We love you Lily

Lucy's cousins.

Many times people get old, die and their kids don't want to live in the family home so they just leave it empty and build a new home or put a trailer on the land

This is a telephone pole we like.                                                                                                            

Tues. July 11, 1905  We left Gate's this morning at 7:30 AM and started for Jefferies' but we got on the wrong road and went down  Haw River.  It stormed on us part of the day and the roads were very muddy.  From Haws River we went up to McAdam's, a family of friends who lived three miles from there.  We were beginning to feel a little tired having walked about twenty-five miles.  We retired at nine o'clock.   

(Elder Bayles and I were at Haw River yesterday.)

CASWELL EAGLES

This week has been slow in that Elder Bayles has spent the entire time ill.  We still don't know what he had in that there is no doctor in the county.  Last Sunday he had a fever of 103-104 and was having chills.  He was fine in the mornings but by 3:00 he would need to go home and take a nap. He is fine now, than goodness.  He did net tick #8.  We got him before he put his head in.
We made our usual visits because we always thought Elder Bayles was better.
Sunday was Parker's birthday.  He is 11.  I can't believe how these little ones are growing.  He is such a good boy and has always been so kind to us.  He is way too full of knowledge and just love it.  He has always loved reading and can do so many things.  He loves his family and is such a good big brother.  He is going to be such a good missionary.  As I watch our elders work I can see our grands in action.  We love Parker.
Every time a tick gets on us we tape him on the calendar.  This is May's calendar.  Elder Bayles has had 8 ticks and I have had 3.  Can I tell you how much we HATE ticks?  They are very sneaks devils.  One climbed on Elder Bayles' finger while he was reading in bed.  We check each other and the sheets before we get into bed.  Go figure.


There is a plant here called the kudzu.  They grow i the south and in Taiwan and Japan, or so we're told.  In the winter they are dry vines.  In the summer they are plush greens.  These pictures are the before and after of the kudzu.

                                                                                  The change is amazing.  The kudzu is an

unwanted weed or vine.  It grows a foot a month.


Now for the Caswell eagles.  They are everywhere. You will decipher they are really buzzards.  It is illegal to kill them because they are an important part of the food chain.  They can carry a squirrel right off the ground.

                               This is our ward mission leader and his wife.




This sandwich was ordered by our dist. leader.  Every transfer time Elder Bayles takes the elders to lunch.  This is a cheese sandwich with Texas toast, then a hamburger, another cheese sandwich, another hamburger and topped with another cheese sandwich  Notice the butcher knife.  That was the only way the cook could keep it together.  The other elders including Elder Bayles ordered the garbage plate.  The hamburger was finished first.  I was sick just watching them eat all that grease.

We went to Emily's graduation party and this was on the table.  It is oranges cut in half and scooped  out  for a fruit salad.  Then finger jello is filled in the orange.  When ready it is cut into slices.  It made such a pretty plate and was yummy.   The kids and I loved it.

Welcome wasps.  I got bit 5 times by a wasp---hot, red, itchy, fever, headache, cramps but I would rather have that than a tick.
                               I love Elder Bayles!

 Thurs. June 22nd  We got up in good time and after eating breakfast and talking awhile, we started for Garner to get our mail.  After walking until noon we got there and got our mail,  I got a letter from Carlie.  After resting there awhile we started on again, we didn't get any dinner, so we ate plums.  It was an awful hot day.  We met a young man who asked us to go home with him so we went and stayed over until the cool of the evening, then started on again and commenced seeking for entertainment but could not find a place to stay.  At half past nine we went to a place and they gave us a couple of biscuits but would not let us stay so we went on a little farther and got in a chuch and stayed the remainder of the night.