Writings from West Virginia: Serving in Three Ways!

Hello everyone!

Not a whole lot happened this week seeing people wise. Not really sure why. We have a ton of appointments set up for this week though and it is going to be awesome! We found a lot of potential investigators last week that we talked to on the street/any other opportunity we had, and we have a lot of appointments set up for this week!

That being said, this week was still AMAZING! We had a member of the Seventy, Elder Erich W. Kopishke, come to the mission and teach us in a three day mission tour! What an amazing experience that was! The spiritual power that you can feel from these brethren is just amazing. He was a very energetic, very German man. He wasn't afraid to say anything that he felt needed to be said. No beating around the bush or going through the back door with him. He was bold, and it was awesome. It was also really funny, when he'd get excited, he'd start rattling off in German to his wife, who is also German. It was great. Here's a funny quote from the Wednesday conference:

"So you are almost in the south, almost in the bible belt...." - Elder Kopishke

"This is the south." - Quiet voice from the Stake President's pew

"Wait. This is the South?" - Elder Kopsishke

"Yeah..."

"ITS THE NORTHEAST!"

That was really super funny. He taught us a really good teaching model of teaching, asking, and testifying when we talk to people. That's what Elder Brenchley and I did for the potential investigators we found, and that's why they were interested! I can testify that these men are definitely inspired. There is no other way! Follow them and study their words, they are the words of God.

On Friday we had the opportunity to head up to Charleston for a special Mission Leadership Council (MLC) with Elder and Sister Kopishke, and President and Sister Salisbury. We learned a TON and are really excited to share it with everyone that we work with! Especially the missionaries we are with. We have 3 exchanges this week (Elder Brenchley and I are hardly going to see each other), so that we can share everything we learned. I think the number 1 thing was just helping them (the missionaries) with the things they want help with. Something else he taught us was that "they cannot receive anything they are not ready to receive." What great words of wisdom. They have to want to receive it before they can receive it!

This Sunday, yesterday, we had the opportunity to stand in the circle as Sister B. was confirmed! That was an amazing blessing. She is an official member!

Alrighty, funny story! So a couple weeks ago the Assistants called us wondering what the possibility of taking our car would be. We talked about it and unconditionally offered our car, because here in BV you don't need a car. Just really strong legs (these hills were NOT that hilly last week, I swear). So on Friday we get a call from Elder Rueda, one of our Assistants, wondering the possibilities of taking the car TOMORROW. I said sure, and the next day, it happened! Some missionaries drove up here from Roanoke to take the car, drove it up to where it needed to go, then later the Assistants brought them back down and they took their own car back to Roanoke. The Assistants also brought bikes with them! So officially I am a bike elder now. Crazy stuff! So for the 8ish hours that the Roanoke elders took our car, I was in a walking area, and now that we have the bikes, I'm in a bike area. 3 areas in two days! Riding bikes is a lot of fun, even if I now see how out of shape I am, haha.

Thank you for reading this everyone! I love you all and hope you have the best week ever! I'll talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

D&C 6:36