Transfer Day...

Elder Nathan Stoven from Sandy, UT left us on July 11th

to support the singles ward in Roanoak. He served in Richlands four transfers...

which is about six months.  The night before he left

he asked Elder Hunt for a special blessing...sort of like a Grandfather's blessing.

It is amazing how close we become to these young Elders,

and how much we appreciate their energy and dedication to the work.

Honaker Festival...

 Elder Green, pictured in center is an artist.

He and his wife are Senior Missionaries in Princeton, WV and he volunteers his talent to invite others to learn about Christ by painting pictures of the Restoration at local fairs.

 Elders Cannole and Stoven

Honaker, Russel County, VA

4th of July Festival, 2012

 Elder Green spent the day painting this picture of Joseph Smith

receiving answer to his prayer:  James 1:5

Many people were drawn into our booth to watch and learn the stories behind the pictures on display:
Jesus Christ... Daniel in the Lion's Den... Mormon abridging the Nephite history on gold plates...
Moroni burying the gold plates in a hillside... etc.

 At the end of the guided tour visitors were offered a copy of the Book of Mormon,

a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible and a record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas.  We gave away 20 copies in 3 hours!

Of course there were a few other displays at the festival that caught the attention of Elder Hunt.

Welch District

It's transfer week and our Welch District will change on Wednesday.
I have really enjoyed working with our District Leader, Elder Kyle Syndergaard.
He is from Pocatello, Idaho...a former rafting guide and very smart.
(No doubt he would have been one of my CE students had he grown up in Casa Grande.)

Pictured: Front-Elders Cannole and Stoven--Richland Branch Elders

Back: Elder/Sister Green, serving in Princeton,WV.
He is an artist and I'll show his work on a later post.  Bluefield Elders-Mitchell and Sargent
Welch Elders-Syndergaard (tall in back) and Elder Neilson, his companion... next to Karl and I.

Richland Branch Elders

Elder Stoven (former BYU soccor goalie, from Sandy, UT)

Elder Cannole...raised in Queen Creek, AZ-family currently living in CA.

These are the Elders who taught and baptized Mark Clifton.

Elder Cannole's comes from a family of entertainers.

"Country Roads"

Following our last Richlands District meeting prior to transfers, we recorded this video singing the Charleston West Virginia Mission version on John Denver's "Country Roads." Elder Synderguard is accompanying on the guitar, and this pretty much tells the life of missionaries.

There is a new mission song now...but everyone in the group wanted this one preserved, hence the recording. Enjoy!

Sledding anyone?

We are enjoying a very mild winter but are warned there will be more snow coming... even through April. This is the sled display outside a nearby hardware store.

Grundy, Virginia

Grundy is one of the communities in our Richlands Branch--

about 30 miles west of where we live. (Very close to the Kentucky border)

Grundy is a coal mining community in Buchanan County that is also home to

The Appalachian Law School-- specializing in mining law, a pharmaceutical school,

and perhaps most famous of all...The Grundy Walmart!

This Walmart has two story parking under the store...and provides a "buggy" escalator

to delivery shopping carts to the parking area.

This photo is only a snippet of the hunting/fishing department.

First baptism...

November 12, 2011: Zane Carroll and Ian Oswald were baptised by our Branch President, Mike McClure. I've never met a kinder or more loving Priesthood leader. It has been such a priviledge to assist Elder Butler and Elder Moore in teaching this family. Younger brother Brayden could pass the baptism interview...just isn't old enough yet. As soon as the Mom and boyfriend are married, and Brandon is off probation, he too will be baptized. We'd love to see this family go to the temple during the time we are in Richlands Branch. It's a great goal.