Quickie Update - July 30, 2013

Just a quick update to show you the fruits of our physical labors on P-day Monday--67 loaves of banana bread!  Though they are half-size loaves, they still wore me out.  I hope we don't have to have a marathon bake very often.  At any rate, now we are prepared to make lots of visits!  :)

Howdy, all ya'll!!

This week has been exciting and rewarding!  We have begun teaching three young people.  Two girls (who were among those who brought us cupcakes our first day in Murphy) and a boy, cousin of one of the girls.  Their grandmothers are members, one is less-active and one is very active.  We have taught them three lessons so far.  We will teach them two more  next week before two of them leave to return to Florida, where they live.  We pray that they each will pray to know the truth and then follow it.

We have been baking banana bread enmass and taking a loaf to each home we visit.  Our first 20 loaves disappeared in only a few days.  I guess we must bake 40 loaves on Monday so that maybe we will have enough to last for a week.  

While visiting a less-active family Friday night, I had a thrilling discovery.  The great-grandma of the family, Dolores May, was married to a descendant of James May.  That is the same James May that Grandpa Ivan May descended from.  Small world!  Then she told me that she had Rees from Wales in her heritage.  So do I!  We already have a bond due to family history.  Her family was so welcoming and warm.  

The down-home, dust-of-the-earth people throughout the hills here just touch my heart.  They are easy to love and are mostly good people.  It is extremely common to find that nearly every family has experienced death, divorce, and/or some terrible trauma, if not many.  It is also common for members to become less active, because they live so far from the church and it takes a long time to get there.  Some just get burned out and recede into a sort of shell.
We pray they will remember their testimonies and rejoin us.

We have been searching for a suitable apartment that could house a set of young Elders. One of our neighbors came walking down the street and saw us on the porch.  He stopped to talk and invited us to visit him.  Turns out he has a lovely apartment that he built for his mother years ago.  He may consider renting it for the Elders!   Our President is thinking of placing some here in Murphy.  We'll see if that happens by the end of August.

We have had some inspiring moments this week while teaching, receiving instruction, and visiting with people.  Thank you all for your prayers.  We know they are helping us.  The Lord is good to us!  We love Him!  We feel so strongly the truth of the gospel and love it!

The site where the Trail of Tears started, only two blocks from our home.

Our quiet little neighborhood

                                                       

There are many abandoned houses in N.C.
This sad but picturesque one is near our house.

Spider artistry

Spiders were busy overnight.

Before the job began.

After - yum!

Great Week!

We have had a busy week.  We worked two shifts at the local Food Pantry.  Some very poor people came through, as well as some very proud ones.  We even got a couple of people to follow up on with visits.  Many have serious health issues.  We pray for them and thank our Father in Heaven for our good health and circumstances.

We have been visiting members of the Branch, a few each day.  As a result, we have two new investigators to teach next week.  One is 14 and visiting for only two more weeks, but we will try to teach her a few lessons before she returns to Florida.  Then the ward there can pick up where we leave off.  The second is a girl of 12.  Both are staying with their grandmothers currently.

It's interesting how the spirit of missionary work takes over one's heart and soul.  Now Lynn wakes up in the night thinking about people here instead of problems at work.  We don't have the same desire to read or watch the same things as before.  The "change of heart"
is not what I expected (Laurel), but it's wonderful, nonetheless.

You can see in the pictures attached why the mountains here are called the Great Smoky Mountains.  The mists are heavy and cause everything to look smoky.  The climate is rain forest.  I almost expect monkeys to swing from the trees!

The Branch Pioneer Day picnic was wonderful.  We enjoyed smoked pulled pork and barbequed chicken, along with many other tasty dishes.  The Primary children put on a short play about the pioneers.  Everything was basic, full of love, friendship, and the Spirit.

Pardon the messed up pictures.  I'm still learning how to use this blog!  :)

stormy sunset

Lynn on the river walk

our first district meeting

misty moisty morning

Pioneer picnic - see the giant smoker

Great Smoky Mountains

Someday we may strike it rich!

Primary children performing story at Pioneer picnic

Murphy Branch Pioneer picnic

Primary children at Pioneer picnic

Address

I plan to post weekly on Saturday.  This is just a short one for info.  Our address is
44 Cherokee St., Murphy, N.C.  28906.  We are pictured below with Pres. & Sis. Irion at the mission home in Knoxville, TN.  Love to you all!

In the Tennessee Knoxville mission home with Pres. & Sis. Irion

Elder & Sister Ogden!!

Finally in N.C.

July 12, 2013


We have completed our first week out of the MTC.  We traveled for four days enroute to Murphy, N.C., our destination.   We were able to spend two nights with dear friends from our past.  Some of them were converted to the gospel 35 years ago when we lived in Illinois.  It is so rewarding to see many of them as bishops, stake presidency members, faithful Latter-day
Saints strengthening their wards.  This is what we strive for in Murphy.

Today we attended our first District Meeting.  Whew!!  The young elders and sisters are so knowledgable!  They are all power houses!  It will keep us oldies studying and racing to try and keep up.  One elder turns out to be a good friend of Tyler Ashworth.   Small world!

We have great Southern Baptist neighbors who are so friendly and kind.  It's delightful to visit with them and listen to their strong mountain accent.  We will be working in a local soup kitchen and a food pantry a few times a month.  

We are still getting used to having odd looks and comments about our badges when we are out in public.  It's okay, though, "for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."

See in the pics how green everything is.  The Smoky Mountains are thus named, because they always look a bit smoky or misty.  Lovely.  Our little house is sweet and comfortable.
We have a nice small church, like a second phase church.

At the MTC - pointing to Murphy, N.C.

My favorite statue at the MTC

Placque telling of the wagon trails in the area

Wagon trails are still visible

Old wagon rims sit on the trail where they once traveled

Our sweet little house in Murphy, N.C.

Murphy, N.C. Branch meeting house

Green, green N.C.

Looking toward the Great Smoky Mountains

Here we go!!

July 5, 2013

Our first week was spent receiving training at the MTC.  We studied, role-played, were taught by amazing young returned missionaries, and enjoyed an abundance of the Spirit.  The Preach My Gospel training is wonderful!  Our testimonies have been strengthened and our desire to share the gospel increased.

Our district at the MTC was so fun together.  We plan to have a reunion vacation after our missions are over.  It's so great to continue to meet new people and make new friends.