YA'ALL COME BACK, YA HEAR?

one week after Erik left

Every time someone comes to visit, as soon as they leave we find more fun places ta go.  I've decided that during the Millenium we'll plan a trip for all.  We'll just say "Beam me up" and we'll be here and enjoy the beauty of Southwest,North Carolina,and beam over to Caswell and enjoy it.  I'm sure that between teaching the gospel to those who have not heard it, doing genealogy (genology as they say in Caswell),  serving the Lord, and doing temple work we will have plenty of time.
Two days after Erik left, the trees turned a beautiful yellow and green.  The pollen was thick so we're glad Erik missed that.
After doing all our P-day chores we headed for Nantahala Lake. It is in our area and Elder Bayles has always wanted to go there but we have no contacts there so we haven't gone.  It was a beautiful, sunny day so we thoroughly enjoyed the time.  We wish we had taken all of you.

 There were tiny little ripple  falls for about 5  miles and then a beautiful lake.  We didn't even know it was there.
 We continually ask people what to take ya'all to see when you come and they all say Fields of the Wood which is really not at all that good.  They never tell us the beautiful things that are right close.  It was a good day until we heard about the Boston Marathon.
We love working at the food bank.  They make fun of me because I say Okey Dokey all the time.  They're great volunteers and they love the Mormons because we work hard.  Good PR.
It was finally warm enough that we took a morning walk.  We had heard there was a river walk along the Hiwasee River  but no one seemed excited about it.  IT WAS GREAT!

 It is 4 miles and  has wood walkways where it is swampy, and little rocks the rest of the time.

  It takes you to the Great Leech Pool on the river where it joins with the Valley River.  The Cherokee Legend is that there is a natural rock ledge across the river  they could walk on to get to the other side.  They believe there is a giant leech with red and white stripes that would lay on the ledge.  It lived in a deep hole at the base of the ledge. At certain times the water would boil and shoot up into a geyser.  If you were caught on the ledge the leech would sweep you into the water.  Many disappeared and were never seen again. Others were found laying along the banks of the river with their ears and noses bitten off.  They also believed there was a giant tunnel the leech would use to swim over to the Notley River by Murphy where the water would also boil.

On our walk we were amazed by all the beautiful vines that grow in North Carolina.  They cover the whole state. (Many of them are poison oak)  Look but don't touch!

Dad calls this the toilet vine

President Craven called us and invited us to a meeting Saturday in Charlotte.  We left go Friday after district meeting as it is five and a half hours away and returned Saturday after the luncheon.  It was a very short meeting but we love to be in this great man's training. Elder Meredith from the 70 was the main trainer.  It was incredible.  I sent an email with a quote he used.
 Elder Bayles is no longer our dist. leader as Elder Gosselin has been called.  He leaves in 6 weeks so we are all excited for him to have this opportunity before he goes home.  He is a very humble and obedient elder.  He will lead his companion and 2 senior couples.  We will help him but he is ready.
Thursday we ate at the couples' home.  He is coming along just fine.  They had 20 cardinals and 1 indigo bunting in the tree outside the kitchen window.   So beautiful.  They had a baby goat born that very day.

 I wish I had filmed the little one because it cried instead of bleated. He (the man, not the goat) served Morrell mushrooms he had just gathered that morning on his dad's farm.  They cost $80 a pound in the store and $35 an oz in San Francisco.  He soaked them all day.  They looked like squid or some kind of fuzzy something, then breaded them and fried them.  They were large and crispy and I can't even count how many I ate they were so yummy.  Imagine me liking mushrooms!  That would be like Beth eating meat!  He had also shot a wild turkey and he breaded it and served turkey nuggets that were to die for.  Everything was so good.  Needless to say we are still gaining weight.  He's straight from the mountains and loves to cook and we love to eat so it's a great friendship.
Elder Gosselin had his first dist meeting and he was so well prepared and did a great job.  Of course we went to eat after.  It's a cookie jar buffet.  Yum.  More calories.

Elders Gomm and Gosselin

The District

We left dinner for Charlotte and stayed the night in a hotel (king-size bed!) and then the great meeting. Another thing we took away from it was to make a list of three columns; one for things to stop doing, one for start doing and one for continue doing.  He said to make it very short so it was doable.  It really made us think and decide to make some changes in our lives. Another thing he emphasized was to praise in public and correct privately.  I wish I had had these instructions when having children at home.  I notice ya'all do this and it makes for such happy families.  Ya'all are such good parents and partners.  Couldn't ask for more.
 We drove home after and had a hard time staying awake.  13 hours in 2 days is rough on us oldies.  We did manage to take a break on the way and found an off the route water fall.  The hike was good for us and helped out on our tiredness.

We observed some beautiful scenery on our way home when we were awake.

Looked to turn right our of the falls parking lot and saw this sign on the left.

Sunday was so rewarding.  They sustained Robyn as a RS teacher.  She is so scared but will be so great.  We love her so much.  She is also taking the temple classes.  Wahoo!  We had dinner with a family up in the mountains.  I don't think Lucy can take the road many more times.  They fed us so much we took the leftovers home and had an entire meal another day.  More calories in the lime cheese cake.  Ouch.
I love my companion more each day.  He is a great leader and trainer for me.

Note:  Each week, Sister Bayles does the blog.  Then she asks me to edit it.  She never talks about what she does.  You all know that she is incredible in the way she talks to literally everyone.  You should also know that she is a wonderful teacher.  She has such enthusiasm and love for the gospel and for the Savior.  She bears a sweet and heartfelt testimony.  I am so proud of her and I am grateful to be her companion both here in the mission field and for eternity.  I am sure that it is a daily challenge of her patience to live with me but she is great.  I love her with all my heart.

Wed. Nov. 15th  (an oyster roast 2 nights before)  We got up in good time and after eating breakfast we came back to the meeting house and stayed there studing until nine o'clock.  I then came down to Sister Chadwick's an done some studing and writing.  In the afternoon having got tired of staying in the house, Elder Burbidge and I got us a shotgun a piece went hunting down by the sound.  I got one shot at a partridge and missed it and he shot at a stump in the water thinking it was a duck.  We got back to the meeting house at three o'clock and I wrote a letter to Eva.  Eld. Burbidge and I went to  Bro. Dan Sander's and stayed overnight.