GET OFF MY LAND AND DON'T COME BACK

We love the Smokeys

Monday we did all our chores in a hurry and headed to Asheville to have Lucy's tires rotated.  We had a Zone Conference the next day and didn't want to go all the way back to Murphy and then get up at 4 so we could make the meeting in Asheville.  It was supposed to rain and having had 12 inches in 3 days and 3-4 days a week of rain since Thanksgiving, we decided to stay the night.  After the tire rotation we checked into what we thought was a Marriott, Spring Hill.  We found that a Spring Hill is not a Marriott.  Oh well.  It was nice and not expensive and we got a king bed.  Hallelujah!  We then went to Outback for dinner.  Another Hallelujah!!  We felt quite spoiled.
We wish there were a way to describe how wonderful Zone Conferences are. Our Zone leaders are the best and train us so well.  One of them is Elder Casper who is Julie Laws' son and the other is a great young man from Orem.  We love them. We also received training from the Mission Assistants and from President and Sister Craven.  We always learn so much from them. We leave so filled with the Spirit.

office staff missionaries teaching elders how to clean their bathrooms

 We so need prayer in our lives.  Prayer gives messages to the heart to let the Spirit in.  "On your knees, on your feet, never sitting on your seat"  We're going to try to remember that.
We learned that on Mon we will get 14 missionaries and next Tues 26 more.  Wow!  We don't know how they're going to find places for all of them but our mission president will find a way.  He's remarkable.
Sister Cravn taught more about the tree of life and the important lessons taught in that dream.  Did you know that everyone who embarked upon the "straight and narrow path" had already been baptized?  We love it.  We are encouraged to use the priesthood and leave the Savior's peace and blessing upon the homes we visit.  Elder Bayles does it and does such a great job. The Spirit is so abundant when he does this.

This was also Asher's birthday.  What would our life be like without Asher?  We love his special spirit.  He has learned so much since we left.  We talked to him on the phone and we're excited to get to know him again.  He has grown so much.  Our Father loves his little ones so much and we are go grateful.  He knew Erik and Shanelle would be the best parents for Asher.  He loves his brothers and they love him so much.  It's a perfect match.
Thursday we decided to find some less active members on our list.  We went to see a member no one has seen for some time.  We had a hard time finding the home.  We found a road up a mountain, Vengeance Creek Rd, that we thought might lead to her home.

 We  drove up and saw a home at the end of the road.  We decided to ask this man coming toward us if he knew her.  WOW!  We were told he has told many Mormons to never come back and the next time someone comes he will take legal action.  "Get off my land and don't come back" were his words.  He was not kind and very loud.  We hurridly turned around and headed off the mountain.
It was a bit scary and we were needless to say, nervous.  We had been told that the people in Andrews were not Mormon friendly.  We learned that this is true.  Even grandpa had trouble there The Lord blessed us that the man was not carrying a gun.
On our way out of there we came across some fun sites.

home in Marble

across the street

resort with basketball, swimming and van ride, even a dish

A good man we have been teaching split a truck load of wood for one of our people.  She really needed it and Elder Bayles loved doing something with wood, especially for someone else.

tramp electricity

We passed a home that I was so infatuated with that I made Elder Bayles stop so I could get out and take pictures.  It's a definite fixer upper.  Someone lived in it only 2 years ago.  It was a beautiful home when grandpa was here.

back

his and hers

back door

I'ld never make it

out buildings

Kristin taught me to hold the camera up to a window

chimney side

front porch, check the foundation

how firm a foundation
remember this home was lived in 2 years ago
the strange thing is I love it

Friday we worked at the food bank.  We love giving food to those who don't have much.  They are so thankful.  We had the opportunity to share the story of the restoration and the Book of Mormon with one of the men we work with at the food bank.  We bore our testimony, and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon.
Sunday is always a great day.  We had the opportunity to teach a young woman who seemed to be a marvelous contact only to learn that she had probably been baptized as a child. She still needed to be taught, and it was a good lesson. We love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is so true.  We love sharing it as missionaries.  We love being companions and we love each other.
Since Sister Bayles always does the Blog, you never really get to know what a marvelous missionary she is.  As her family knows, she has never met a stranger, and she loves everybody.  She is such a mother to the missionaries, and they love her.  She is a friend to the less active and those of other faiths. She will complement a woman for her hair, or dress or shoes, etc. She makes a fuss over babies. (That is partially because she misses her own grandchildren).  She truly emanates the Christ like attributes that we all so desire to have in our lives.  There is never a dull moment with her as a companion!

Thurs. Nov 3 1904 I got up in good time this morning and after eating breakfast, Elder Fawcett and I walked up to Cedar Grove, (where granddad and I took pictures of the well) a distance of four miles to get some Perfection Dye to dye his pats.  We got back here to Gates' in an hour and a half from the time we left.  We  helped Uncle Jim Hopkins unpack his goods the rest of the afternoon  After dinner I helped him price them.  Being quite sleepy I retired early.