Small town fair.

Hey y'all!

This has been a good week all together! 

We got a call at the beginning of the week saying that we would be without a car for a little while, which was hard for the fact that our area is quite large, but is also fun because we would get to talk to so many more people as we walk and ride our bikes. Our car was needed up in Easly, South Carolina, because their car up there was once in Union, and the guy had already repaired it and would give them a deal or something. So yeah, no car for a little bit! No big deal. I remember biking all over Hopkins when I came out here in 2013, I wish I'd had a miles counter on it to see how far we pedaled! Elder Olmstead and I are working really hard on a couple of less-active members here in Union, and while doing that, we have a goal of finding new investigators by teaching these members. We had some luck this last week when we went to go visit a sister with some non-members renting from her. We thought we might be able to start teaching them, but when we started talking with her about helping us find people to teach and the blessings that come from sharing the gospel, 2 other names came to her mind. She walked us across the street and introduced us to S and K. They're from Pennsylvania and have the thick accent, they're fun to listen to. They also have a little boy that they take care of named J. He is just bouncing off the walls with energy and has the attention span of little Joel when there was an animal or a bug around. I am having fun relating to him. Sometimes I feel like him, especially after sitting in a meeting for an hour or 2, I am about ready to climb up the wall. Pray for them, they said that they're thinking about moving at the end of the month, and we are hoping that they'll stay so we can fellowship them in. 

The fair was in town this week, so we got to go walk around and talk to people! You would be surprised how many people you run into at a small town fair! We must've talked to 30 people that I've met since I first came out here. We had one guy wave us down and talk to us, he told us that he had once met with the missionaries, and told us to come see him again sometime. 

Elder Olmstead and Jacob got me to go on a ride the lifts you upside down and spins you around really fast, totally not something I am used to :P It was fun anyway. 

I can't believe it has already been a transfer and a half since Elder Olmstead and I were put back together. Time really has been flying by. last night we were talking about how October is almost over, and O said "What about September, when did that happen?" It feels like we just got done with August. 

Woke up this morning to 42 degrees outside, and it felt wonderful :) the upstate is absolutely covered in green, but with the changing weather, it is starting to turn orange and yellow :) I can't wait to see it all! I am loving the cold, and I am just thinking about how much I'll save on power during the winter later on in life because I'll never have to turn the heater on :) 

We had a bunch of service planned for this last Saturday, but things fell through and we didn't end up getting to do any of it. Sometimes things like that are a bummer, but times like this it opened us up for unplanned service opportunities! We were able to go help the Elders in Spartanburg with some stuff they were going to be doing, which included hauling wood out of the forest, splitting and stacking it, and helping a member clear out a felled tree. :) We aren't allowed to use power tools out here, so he decided he wasn't gonna use one either. He brought his ATV out, and we would wrap the winch cable around the bigger branches and back away as he pulled it all out of the way. When we were finished with that, we went in to get some water, and I noticed a banjo on his wall. I said "Nice Banjo, do you play?" and he replied "Nope, you can have it. Learn how to play it." Then he gave it to me. Now I have a new task :) Haha I'm excited to learn! 

We have an appointment this week to go help a member tear down an old house on his property. He said "Imma give each of you boys a sledge hammer and let y'all go ta town!" haha it should be fun. :) I promise we'll be safe and won't let the house fall on us. The roof is already gone :P 

Scripture of the week: Mosiah 2:17 

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

 Love y'all!

I tried a new recipe for cinnamon biscuits. YUM!