EAST OF EDEN

Now that we are teaching in the Eden Ward we are really busy.  We have an investigator who has set a baptism date.  It is so wonderful to experience someone growing in the testimony of the Restored Gospel.  When Elder Bayles taught her the word of wisdom lesson she was very quiet for awhile.  Elder Bayles waited and then asked how she felt.  She said, "Do I have to do it all at once?"  Elder Bayles asked what part she was having a hard time with and she answered,  'I just don't know if I can give up my Mountain Dew."  What a sweetie.  We hadn't even mentioned soda pop; just caffine.  Elder Bayles called her a few days later to see how she was doing and she told him she had been having a conversation with the Lord and suddenly asked Him, Coffee?  Really?"  Elder Bayles just told her to keep asking because the answer would be, "Yes"  She's great.  We love her.

view as we drive into our driveway  (pecan trees)

We drove to Danville to carry (Caswell term) Elder Bayles' suit pants to the cleaners.  We decided to gas up while we were there, get a Sam's Club Card and go to Walmart for groceries.  We got home and there on the seat of the car were the pants.  Too many senior moments lately.
Wednesday was Dist. Meeting.  We love taking the Danville elders.  We are so well trained at these meetings by our district leader.  Tuesday we have a meeting in Salisbury where Elder Carlson and Elder Bowen of the Seventy will train us.  We are very excited.  They have asked us to study D&C 84:33-41,the oath and covenant of the priesthood, the Abrahamic covenant, the house of Israel and the baptism covenant.  We are definitely doing that.  I hope they don't give a pop quiz.
We spent the entire day in the Lord's work; got home late and felt wonderful.
Thursday was another day with Lewis Farms.  We will do an entire blog when we get time to get it together.

satellite dish in back yard

Warren is coming along.  He hasn't had a cigarette for a month now.  We are so proud of him. I  asked him how he was doing and he said that he hadn't had but three.  I just groaned and was so sad and he just burst out laughing.  He loves to get the best of me.  We love him.
We had a wonderful dinner at the Cutting Board with the Miles and Aldridges.  We had so much fun with them.  The Miles are planning to go to the temple in December.  He was baptized Dec. 26,2011.
We had our first pecan pie this week.  It was at Freddie and Iris's.  It was the best pecan pie I have ever eaten.  We are going to roll home.
We had an incredible Sacrament Meeting today.  The speakers were so good.  Sister Lewis talked strictly from 3Nephi in such a personal manner.  You thought she was right there.  The Spirit was so tangible.  Brother Hawkins, talked about coming to ourselves.  He told a story about when he was 24 and at Dsneyland for Christmas and got lost.  He had us in stitches. But a little 8 year old boy was next to him and lost also so he decided the Lord put him there to help this little boy.  We love the Caswell Ward.  Funny thing a member of the ward gave us a picture of Kristin and family. (one of those strips you get in a machine at the mall)   The member was at a wedding reception in Columbia and Kristin and family were there.  The picture was part of the reception.  Small world.

Elder Bayles made these canes on PDay out of the wood from around Jesse and Margaret's pond.

We are doing a home evening tonight for a family in the ward to get them psyched up for this school year.  School starts tomorrow.
Have I ever told you I love Elder Bayles?
We celebrated Nixon's birthday this week.   They IPhoned us so we could see everyone,  Nixon was eating an entire cake by himself.  He was not interested i us at all.  We talked to everyone but the kids were more interested in playing outside which is as it should be.  We loved seeing them for a short time.  Erik, Shanell and boys were there. We love that they do so many things together.  The pirate cake and all the treasures looked so fun.  We love our family.

Nixon has brought so much joy to the family/  He is always full of smiles.  He loves his big sister, Ava, and keeps everyone happy.  I didn't have any pictures of him so I took pictures that are on my phone with my camera.  They didn't turn out so good but will have to do.

Thurs. Oct. 5, 1905, I bot a pair of half soles and half soled my shoes.
Sun. Nov.5,  We got up in good time, and as it was fast day we did not eating anything.  In the forenoon we went and visited the man who had sent for us to come and see him.  In the afternoon we held a sacrament meeting at Sister Smith's, and a night we held another meeting at Joseph Beasley's (the man that sent for us) after which he asked to be "baptized"; we also stayed with him over the night.  I also wrote a letter to Eva.

THE GARDEN OF EDEN

We have been given the area of Eden North Carolina because  they have taken the Elders out.  We are excited because we are doing so much more teaching.  It makes for long days but that's why we're here.  We only have one investigator who is progressing in Caswell and several in Eden.  The lady we are teaching has set a baptism date which really is encouraging.  She is golden.  We have to drive to Reidsville to teach her but that's just fine.  We have 4 more to visit who are interested.  Yahoo!  We don't get home until 8 or 9 or even after but we love it.
After our writing class, Wednesday, we went to Jesse's.  While we were there his next door neighbor stopped by to say hello.  We talked until 10.  He would be such a fine member.  He is the coach for the tennis team and all but about 3 girls are members of our ward.  He loves them because he knows how they will behave.  They were having a slumber party at his house.  No wonder he came to visit with us.
Our new missionary is from New Hampshire so that makes him special because Tiffani served there.  He's good.  We love our missionaries.

Proclamation on the family wall above our table.  Keeps us focused.  Love ya'll

Friday was district meeting because of transfers.  Our new leader is doing such a good job.  He will be a good trainer.  We took our 2 elders to lunch at Applebees.  Now that Eden is closed we are no longer in the Danville District.  We are in the Burlington Dist.  There are 10 of us and that seems so much better.  The Danville elders come here and we drive them on to the meeting to save on their miles.  It is another 45 min. to an hour to Elon, where are meetings are.  It's a beautiful ride.
We went to visit 4 families today and not one was home.  that is so discouraging but we will not give up.  They are good people.
Elder Bayles and I continue reading the Book of Mormon together.  He reads a verse and I read a verse. I am learning more than ever.
Here are some random pictures:

  

Harold's car shop

house still lived in

house being remodeled

Tues. Oct 3, 1905 We rose in good time this morning and found that it was raining quite hard.  After eating breakfast we waited awhile until it slacked up a little.  We then started on, and after wading thru the mud and rain until ten o'clock. We got to Hendrsonville but did not stop We went on west of there and commenced canvassing but the people being mostly "Baptists", we did not meet with much success, they would not even ask us in out of the rain, not some wouldn't except any literature.  After walking thru the mud until noon we began asking for dinner, which we got at the "County Home."  By this time the mud was so bad that we could hardly walk at all and the rain just pouring down, so we decided it was no use to try and go any farther so we went back to Hendersonville & the train for Asheville arriving here about seven o'clock.  After eating supper we retired at ten o'clock.

I LOVE MY COMPANION!

7 MONTHS BUT NOT COUNTING ANYMORE

Well we huve  been here 7 months but it seems like wa're home.  We love this place and especially love the people of Caswell Ward.  We wish ya'll could just spend a few days with them to see for yurselfs how wonderful thay are.  We are even larnin thar languge.  (We're not making fun of them.  We are so taken by this beautiful colloquialism. It's like a foreign language and so easy to learn.) I'm hoping I can keep the little I've picked up)  We LOVE these people.

Some wonderful people who have us over for dinner.  They  do their own  pork  and  hang it in the barn.  It was yummy.  We try very hard not to put last names on the blog.  

Brother Ouzts volunteered us to work at the Bishop's Storehouse in Greensboro.  What a great time we had.  We worked for 6 hours and 45 min.  We never stopped to even rest.  We filled food orders for people who just don't have enough.  We also kept the freezer and the shelves filled.  It was a continuous job but we loved it.  Elder Bayles had to leave the freezer every now and again because his jaw got to hurting so much he couldn't open his mouth (it didn't last darn it) and he thought his ears would freeze off.  By the time we got back to Yanceyville we were stiff and sore.  It felt so good to do some physical work.  Certainly we should have lost some pounds.  We did, but we had no problem finding them.

The burned home is almost finished.  We think they will be able to move in this month.  We hope that happens before school starts.
Zone meeting is always great.  We love being trained by the Elders. Their emphasis is on being atonement centered and making and keeping covenants.  We love it. They are the best.  We are the leading zone in the mission.  YaHoo!
President Craven called to let us know they are closing the Eden area and moving the Elders out.  He asked if we would take over their progressing investigators.  We will do that.  Eden is only about 45 minutes away.  It also includes Reidsville. The Zone Leaders came to our home to give us information about the Eden area.  It is always wonderful to have the Elders around.  They bring us such an uplift and are such positive young men.
Saturday evening we went to Danville for a baptism.  When we got there we were informed the candidate's wife put his belongings outside and said he couldn't come back if he got baptized.  He is a wonderful man with 9 children.  He was baptized and is depending on the Lord to help him with his family.  The children have been going to church with him for several months.  It's very sad but he is strong in his testimony.  He is from Dominican Republic.  The baptism was filled with the Spirit.  We are praying for him.

Sunday a member's first born was blessed.  She is so cute.  The Paw Paw is the member who let us invade his tabacca farm.  He's one we have grown to love.  Son put the new baby on his shoulders. 

It used to be every little intersection had a store.  We've sent some pictures.  Here are some more.

WD Pleasant Merc

Miles Store

We love the Gospel of Jesus Christ so very much.  It is so true.  Our Father in Heaven loves us so much and wants us to return to Him.  What a beautiful plan.
We love our family more each day.  Our children try so hard to live good lives.  We are so grateful they are  teaching our grandchildren  to love the Lord and live His commandments.  We love how they all love each other.
Brandon got his mission call.  He is leaving for the California, Arcadia Mission, Oct. 3rd.  We'll let you know his MTC address so you can send Krispy Kremes.  He will be a great missionary.

Add caption

Sat. Sept. 30, 1905  We got up in good time and after eating breakfast we went up to Bro. Jones's and prepared to go hold a meting but when we got ready to go it commenced raining so we didn't go.  In the afternoon we went up on the ridge and got a copy of another notice that was posted by the road for us, which contained the following:

"Notice to the Mormon Preachers"

"We have given you due notice we are not going to be troubled with you any longer, we are going to make up a crown and drive you out of here.  James Jones and Earl Head will tell you that we wont do it, but we are going to show you. You are not going to preach in the school house No. 13 any more.  We are not going to have no such stuff preached to the rising generation, we don't want no trouble with you but if nothing else will do you we will drive you out in a rough manner, the people of the neighborhood was to blame in the beginning for allowing you Mormons to come into this country.  If you are saving souls you are punishing the bodies.  James Jones and Earl Head have set on their asses and read Mormon books until their children are starving."

I love my companion!

So Do I!!

GUZENTA

We have learned a new Caswell math concept, "guzenta".  If you don't know what it is we'll tell you at the end of this blog.  Elder Bayles learned it in High Priest meeting this morning.
We have had a great week.  Scott and Bethany (8 yrs.) and Erik and Shanelle (15 yrs.)  celebrated wedding anniversaries.  I think I got them right.

Tuesday we spent the day in the "tabacca" fields with a member who is a very successful tabacca grower.  Elder Bayles even" pulled" or "primed" tabacca as they call it.   As soon as we have gone through the whole process we'll put it in our blog.
That evening we went to a Relief  Society Sisters Night Out to learn how to off-set memory loss.  I can't remember what we learned.  I just remember we enjoyed it.  Maybe it was the food.
Wednesday was our last district meeting with our district leader, Elder Oaks.  He has led us very well and will go home on the 15th.
Thursday was our meals on wheels day.  We deliver meals to thirteen people who cannot  get meals for themselves. We enjoy doing that.  We had dinner at the Loftus home.  They are such wonderful people and serve the Lord in everything they do.  Jonathan, their grandson, was there and was so excited that he had passed the interview to graduate from Primary.  He will soon be a Deacon and is just a great young boy.
Brother Emanuel  needed a ride from his truck driving school to his home and called us.  The school is in Ashboro and we didn't know how to get there so we plugged in Madge.  We don't know what it is about Greensboto but whenever we go there she gets all mixed up.  She took us there and Ashboro is due south but she put us north.  We finally figured it out and got to his apartment.  We finally made it home at 11:00 PM.  We did pass a most beautiful lake.

Elder Bayles is always stopping to hep a turtle in the middle of the road.

Lucy had to go to the doctor Friday and get her oil changed.  She enjoyed the new beverage.  We have put 17,000 miles on her since we left home.  We take her to Alamance Community College where a member of the ward is in charge of the automotive department.  It is very inexpensive and he is very kind to us
Our neighbors have now trapped 3 groundhogs by our garden.  They  (the groundhogs) have eaten our cantaloupe and other veggies.
Saturday we had Karen say she would listen to our message.  We are very excited to teach her.  We also went to another home where a lady has lost her only daughter.  She is in such depression and just can't see anything good in life  We will keep listening to her in that we feel it will help.  She doesn't want us to tell her about our message.  She is very sweet and gave me a start of her gardenia plant because she knows I love them.
We visited Ray and his family.  Elder Bayles had made him a walking stick with the Scout  and  Cherokee Camp medallions on it.  It was really beautiful and we think he really enjoyed it.
We ended the week with a baptism in Danville.  Baptisms are always a joy.

We drove by this road sign and decided to see what the Yanceyville airport looked like in that we did not know there was one.
The runway looked a little out of shape but I'm not sure you can put a plane in the hangars.

We continue to absolutely love our mission.  The people of Caswell County are so friendly and loving.  The spirit in this tiny ward is huge.  We love the Sabbath Day when we can be with them.  There is nothing like true Southern hospitality.  I love Elder Bayles.

*The answer to guzenta is:  2 guzenta 6, 3 times.

Sat. Sept 23, 1905  We got up in pretty good time and ate breakfast.  We had a morning appointed at eleven o'clock in a school house a bout two miles distant, but I did not go on acct of my foot being sore but my companion went there, but as anybody didn't come out he didn't hold any meeting.  On his way there he found a letter stuck up by the side of the road addressed to the "Mormon preachers" which contained the following:

Sept. 22nd 1905

"A short note to the mormon preachers we will give you three days to get away in, if you don't we will drag you out some night and beat youens until you cant get away. go away and ne er put your foot back in this county, tell your mormon preachers to never come in this county  Youens know that youens is not wanted here.  You mormons have always intruded on the people of this county.  We have plenty of ministers in this county.  James Jones and Earl Head has set on their asses and read Mormon books until their children are on sufferance"  (while serving in the moununs)