First week in Huntington

Our first week here in Huntington we met lots of really good folks. We went to our first Sacrament meeting Sunday the 19th. We met members from both Hunting wards, 1st and 2nd wards. We live in the 2nd Ward.
Monday was a telephonic meeting with Brother Fuhriman. We talked more about our Pathway teaching responsibilities as well as other assignments from the stake leadership. We then ventured out to have lunch and gather a few more items for the apartment.
Tuesday was our first zone conference from 8:30 AM to 4:00PM. During this meeting we met with President Cox and his 1st counselor to discuss the church's new Self Reliance program that we are being asked to assist with. What an inspired program that can help the people of this depressed area raise their level of employment as well as their health and well being.
We also went with Elder and sister Scott of the mission office to go get boards and fix our bed. It's great now. At 8:30 that night we met with President Gee and the stake YSA committee discussing their needs and how we can reach them to bring them back to enjoy the blessings of institute.
Wednesday was lesson prep for Thursday's upcoming Pathway class. Yet another day trip to Walmart then that evening we drove across the Ohio river into Ohio to have dinner with the Sabastianis at Casa Grande restaurant. It was pretty good. The return trip was scary because the fog had rolled in and visibility was very low and we were trying to find our way home via the GPS that took us home a different route than what was shown us to get there. Faith and prayer and a GPS got us home.
Thursday AM was more lesson prep time. At 2:00 we met Brother Fuhriman and the Fowlers, senior missionaries that work at the University of WV institute. We discussed more Pathway responsibilities  as well as received materials to teach from. At 5:30 we met Elder and Sister Mazon the senior missionaries that teach the 30 and over age group of Pathway. They are really great folks. We will enjoy our association with them.
Our first Pathway class that night was taught by Brother Fuhriman, definitely a seasoned Institute teacher and we have large shoes to fill. The "Gathering" class which is "life skills" this semester will be fun to watch the students learn and grow as the young adults teach each other. After cleaning up and visiting with the Mazons a little more we got home at about 10:00 PM.
Friday Comcast came to set up the internet. We then went to lunch at a place we had heard about called "Hillbillies Hotdogs". Interesting but we don't need to go back. In the evening we went to Sis Sabastiani's institute class. It was held in her home which again challenged our navigational skills, but after three phone calls we made it and she did a nice job on her lesson.
   Saturday afternoon was a technology workshop followed by a ward potluck dinner for the Huntington 2nd ward and then Pat and I attended a Huntington 1st ward missionary fireside.

Driving to West Virginia

We finally have wifi and I can post something.
   We left the MTC on Feb 15. We were finished with our training by noon and decided to pack up and get on our way as opposed to waiting until Thursday to start out. That was a good decision as we were able to drive to Grand Junction, CO (242 miles) the first night. We saw lots of fairly unattractive country.
   The rest our our travels went as follows.
Grand Junction to Hays, Kansas then (585 miles)
Hays, Kansas to Mt Vernon Illinois then ( 591 miles)
Mt Vernon Illinois to Huntington, West Virginia ( 400 ish miles).
   We arrived at about 4:00 PM and were met by the full time Elders, the zone leaders. Zone leaders are two missionaries that keep track of and help put a group of about 30 other missionaries both Elders and Sister missionaries in a geographical area. So the Elders met us with our keys to this little apartment and helped us unload the car. They also went with us to Walmart where we bought groceries and other needed items. We then took the Elders to dinner and returned to our place where they helped us unload the car again. We are so grateful for their assistance.
   Pat and I worked to put stuff away and settle in for several hours. By about 11 PM we thought we should go in and make our bed.
   Now that's an interesting story. It was set up with no box spring, just 3 slats each with 2 posts holding them up. Not very secure looking. So for three nights we slept very carefully until on Tuesday our mission office apartment guy from Charleston, got us hooked up with a secure base and we are now comfortable.

 

The Missionary Training Center--Day 1

It's official!  We are at the MTC.  My heart is full as we mingle with the full time young missionaries.  We've seen every shape, size, color, nationality, and physical disability.  Quite remarkable.

Day 1.  Checked in, got our missionary badges, room assignment, and assigned to a district.  It's been a great day.

The Arnett Family Legacy

We are grateful for the amazing legacy of missionary service in the Arnett Family.  The flags in this photograph each represent a family member in the Fred and Norma Arnett Family who has served as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.  We are humbled to add our flag of West Virginia to the group.