Several times in our mission we have been asked to drive the sister missionaries to Charleston for transfers. Charleston is where the Mission Home and the mission office is located.
The fun part is seeing all those missionaries that are involved in the transfer, come together. Some have completed their missions and are going home. Others come in to receive companions just fresh from the MTC that they will train, while others are coming to be sent to another area or receive new companions.
Whatever the reason, the energy of happy reunions of past companionships, and excitement of coming to or leaving the West Virginia Charleston Mission is an exciting time. We love being a part of the hubbub. Our last transfer was Feb 23 and we lost two sisters that had been here as part of a threesome, and we picked up Sister Caldwell to serve here with Sister Wykstra. April 6th will be transfers again and Sister Wykstra goes home and we will have another great sister. It's just so fun to be part of the whole mission.
This recent companionship just had a baptism in our ward last Wednesday. The top picture is of Elder Traynor and Phyllis Copley. Phyllis is now our newest ward member and she asked Pat to baptize and confirm her. I was asked to sing at the baptism. I sang "I Need Thee every Hour".
Today Pat confirmed her a member of the church. He had 5 baptisms as a dad and now his first baptism as a missionary, a special opportunity.
The second picture is of Matt and Ann and the family (l to r, Jason, Sarah, Max, Kate, Gma, Gpa, Lucy, Ann, Nicole and Matt) We were thrilled that they came to see us in our mission in WV. They had been to the Washington DC and Charlottesville, VA areas to revisit where Sarah and Jason and Nicole were born while Matt was in Med school at UVA. So they spent their spring break week doing the Virginia sites, the DC historical sites all in the cold, rain and snow.
They also stopped and visited Emily and Erik's group. The cousins were happy the see each other.
They then made their way to WV. We were able to spend an evening together at a great Mexican Food Restaurant and at our apartment. Sunday morning they went to Sacrament Meeting with us and were able to meet some of our dear folks here before feeding them lunch and sending them on their way to the Cincinnati airport to make their way to Idaho Falls. A quick but wonderful visit.
Other happenings in the last few weeks include:
2/25 I sang in Sacrament Meeting."Be Still My Soul"
2/27 Pat prepared the lead student duties for our Pathway class because the guy who was supposed to do it up and decided to fly to the Philippines to meet a gal, then over slept and missed his flight. The Uber driver told him that it was divine intervention. We agree.
3/16-17 HuntingtonStake Conference. I was asked 10 days prior to get together a Choir for the conference meetings, one for the Sat night meeting and one Sunday morning. So with some anxiety and prayers to invite the angels to sing with us, we pulled it off.
As the Stake President announced the concluding speaker he also announced that the Choir would sing the closing hymn which was news to me. So I slipped a note to the Stake President to mention that we would do as he asked, however we had not rehearsed the Hymn. His reply was, "I have all confidence in you and the Choir, and a happy face. Well, I then slipped another note to be passed around the choir and the accompanist to let them know what we would do. The hymn was "God Speed the Right". We were blessed. We did well. I really think that the choir followed direction better during this hymn than during the rehearsed numbers.
After the meeting the Stake President thanked me and said how pleased he was with all the music for the conference.
3/20 I spoke in our ward Relief Society Birthday celebration dinner. My assigned topic was Spiritual Gardening. Being the first day of Spring I talked about our Spring gardens and flower beds that need preparation and renewal for the spring plantings. I then likened that to the need for our Spiritual Gardens to also be cultivated, to remove the undesirable, then prepare our gardens (hearts) to plant the Seeds of Faith, Charity, Family Harmony, Work Ethic and finally the seeds of Testimony.
Lastly, we can report that we have another, new assignment. President Lindhardt asked us to inspect the apartments and cars of three companionships. One is close here in Barboursville, the sisters, one in west Huntington and one and hour and a half away in Logan, WV, both Elders. We have them scheduled for tomorrow to make our inspections.
We are still loving our mission, and still miss our dear loved ones.
We love our Savior and are grateful for this opportunity.
Almost Heaven, Traynors
