Snow

E-mail dated: 12/09/13

"Well, this week has been a pretty good one.  We got snow on Thursday and it has stuck through today. They cancelled church on Sunday because there was so much snow.  We share a ward with another set of Elder's and currently their van is broke down, so we woke up early and drove into Charleston to pick them up.  It was Elder Varner's first time driving in the snow or icy conditions, I was lucky to make it out with my life!  I think I had a death grip on the door the whole time!  Since church was cancelled we stayed and shoveled snow with the Westside elder's for the day, we just walked around the neighborhood and shoveled members/ random peoples driveways.  It was pretty fun.  People were surprised when they found out we weren't asking for money.  I found out that Elder Udy's dads birthday was also on Sunday (he is the Elder in the picture) but he is turning 50 something so dad can still pretend like he is young.  Elder Udy is a pretty cool kid, I would love to serve with him if the opportunity came about.  After we finished shoveling snow President wanted to have a special Sacrament meeting for the Elders that were close to the mission office, at the expense of alot of miles we went and it was totally worth it!! President started teaching some pretty deep doctrine the whole time and we were there for like 2 hours. 
It is crazy to think this transfer is half over and Christmas is on the way.  The Brown's invited both sets of Elder's to their house to skype on Christmas day so that should be lots of fun.  I don't know how to do it but I am sure they will show us how. "

Transfer to Sissionville WV

 Elder Thomas & Elder Varner

E-mail:  11/25/13

"  Well the ward here is a bunch of older people, there is 1 young women and 3 young men.  The chapel that we meet in here is a Stake center, so it is weird to be back in a regular size building.  Just the gym is bigger than any of the buildings I have been in so far.  My new companion is Elder Varner.  He is from Henderson NV, he pretty much lives and breathes football.  The apt. is great,  it is really clean and has a washer and dryer. We have a ping pong table which we are putting to good use by mapping out and organizing the area.  I am still the district leader here and am excited to serve in Sissionville."

E-mail: 12/2/13

Thanksgiving was great!  We spent Thanksgiving with a very nice family, but they are way to fancy for me.  We started off with a salad thing then had some fancy appetizers.  I'm just sitting at the table thinking which fork do I use and wondering how I can organize my food to fit more on my plate for the next trip.  I ate way to much and was ready for a nap afterwards.  The food was great but not as good as home though, that's for sure!   Well we got some snow the first of this week. It has been below freezing this whole week, hopefully we will get more snow! We found a couple new investigators this week, 2 of which seem real promising.  One lady has been coming to church for the past 4 weeks and has already read the Book of mormon.  Her only problem is that her daughter is against the church, but hopefully that will change and we could see a baptism after 6 weeks or so.  We haven't ran into any crazy people lately,  I haven't been yelled at lately and am kinda missing it.  I have been studing alot out of 'Jesus the Christ'  and usually learn somethng awesome everytime I read it.  It is probably my favorite book now, except that James E. Talmage is very smart and I can't understand some of the words so I spend alot of time in the dictionary when I read it.  I studied so much about the Atonement, it was pretty great!"  

Leaving Rocky Mount VA

" Some of my favorite people in Rocky Mount, Sister Atkins and her son Jeff".

Elder Thomas& Elder Bovee

Email dated 11/20/13

"Well, we got the news and next week I am transferring to Sissionville WV..  I am going to be pretty close to Charleston.  This week we have been trying to find some new people to teach. We actually hit the standard of excellence last week.  That was pretty cool.  Right now we have 5 people on date, 3 of them are very solid.  So I am bummed because I will miss their baptisms.  Elder Bovee will have to send me pictures.  I will be sad to have to leave Rocky Mount, I really like the members here but will welcome a new adventure."