JANUARY 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE ALIVE AND A GREAT TIME TO SERVE THE LORD ON A FULL-TIME MISSION!

WE WERE ABLE TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH OUR DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW AND THEIR 3 SWEET CHILDREN.  IT WAS JUST US AND WE PLAYED GAMES AND ATE, AND PLAYED GAMES AND ATE, AND PLAYED GAMES AND WENT OUTSIDE TO BANG ON PANS AT MIDNIGHT.  WE ALWAYS DID THAT WITH OUR CHILDREN AND THE TRADITION CONTINUES.

WITH ELDER & SISTER HILL RETURNING HOME FROM THEIR MISSION, OUR WORKLOAD HAS PRETTY MUCH TRIPLED, WHICH MAKES FOR MANY, MANY BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD!  WE HAVE TAKEN ON THE FORT BRAGG WARD AND YOUNG SINGLE ADULT BRANCH AND IT HAS KEPT US EXTREMELY BUSY.  CAMERON WARD HAS A VERY SOFT SPOT IN OUR HEARTS, SINCE THIS IS THE AREA WE STARTED OUT IN.  WE CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THIS WARD AS WELL, AND EVERY OTHER DAY WHEN WE TRAVEL TO THAT WARD'S BOUNDARIES, WE ALWAYS GET A FEELING OF NOSTALGIA TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND SEE THE SWEET MEMBERS THERE AND BRING THEM A MESSAGE TO UPLIFT AND, HOPEFULLY, INSPIRE THEM.

WE BEGAN THE NEW YEAR BY VISITING 6 NEW FAMILIES IN THE CAMERON WARD.  THREE OF THESE WERE MEMBERS WHO HAD LIVED HERE FOR UP TO 2 YEARS, AND THEIR RECORDS HAD FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM.  SOME ACTIVE, SOME INACTIVE.  WE DID OUR USUAL THING OF TAKING A BOX OF HONEY BUNS WITH US TO GIVE TO THE FAMILIES WITH LITTLE ONES.  WE HAVE FOUND THIS HAS HELPED SORT OF BREAK THE ICE WITH THOSE WHO TEND TO BE LESS ACTIVE.  WE HAVE FOUND SUCCESS AND WE HAVE FOUND SORROW.  ONE VERY SWEET FAMILY WE MET - THE FATHER IS IN SPECIAL FORCES.  THEY HAVE 2 SWEET CHILDREN.  BOTH ARE MEMBERS.  THE FATHER SERVED A MISSION TO FRANCE AND HE HAS A SISTER WHO IS NOW ON A MISSION IN ARGENTINA.  HE TOLD US THAT BECAUSE OF HIS PARENTS PUSHING HIS WIFE TO GET BAPTIZED, THEY HAVE DECIDED NOT TO BE ACTIVE IN THE CHURCH AT ALL.  HE STATED TO US THAT HIS WIFE IS PROBABLY MORE INTERESTED IN THE CHURCH THAN HE IS.  WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET HER BECAUSE SHE WAS AT WORK.  THIS JUST ABOUT BROKE OUR HEARTS.  WE HAVE NOW BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING OF WHAT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN FEELS WHEN ONE OF HIS VERY SPECIAL SPIRIT CHILDREN TURNS AWAY FROM THE GOSPEL.  IT IS SUCH A DEEP FEELING OF SADNESS FOR US.  OTHERS WE HAVE MET EMBRACE US AND ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE THE GOSPEL IN THEIR LIVES.  

THE CAMERON WARD HAD A CHANGE IN BISHOPS AND BISHOP HOOSTE IS NOW THE BISHOP.  HIS WIFE HAS BEEN RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT SO WE LOOK FOR A CHANGE THERE SOON.  BISHOP COLBY AND HIS WIFE PCS'D (PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION) TO FORT SAM HOUSTON IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS.  THE CAMERON WARD MISSION LEADER HAS BEEN STRIVING DILIGENTLY TO ENCOURAGE THE MEMBERS TO HAVE "MISSIONARY EXPERIENCES."  HE HAS DONE THIS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.  STILL, NOT MUCH SUCCESS TO REPORT.  THE CAMERON ELDERS HAVE FELT LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE TO "BRING THE SPARK OF MISSIONARY WORK" INTO THEIR HEARTS.  CONSEQUENTLY, THE ENTIRE 5TH SUNDAY WAS DEDICATED TO MISSIONARY WORK.  ELDER WADLEY AND I SPOKE, AS DID THE ELDERS AND WARD MISSION LEADER.  WE LEFT THE MEMBERSHIP WITH CHALLENGES TO GIVE ONE ANOTHER AND WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE CHALLENGES.  WE ARE PRAYING THAT THEIR HEARTS WERE TOUCHED AND THAT MISSIONARY WORK CAN, ONCE AGAIN, BE A PRIORITY IN THE WARD.

BROTHER AND SISTER KIRBY, AN ELDERLY COUPLE IN THE CAMERON WARD ARE BEING CHALLENGED SO MUCH LATELY.  SISTER KIRBY HAS STAGE 4 CANCER AND BROTHER KIRBY'S HEALTH ISN'T THAT GOOD.  WE GO OVER ONCE A WEEK AND ELDER WADLEY TAKES BROTHER KIRBY TO RUN ERRANDS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AND SISTER WADLEY SITS WITH SISTER KIRBY AND WE USUALLY END UP WATCHING THE BYU CHANNEL.  SHE IS SUCH A STRONG SPIRIT - WITH SUCH A STRONG TESTIMONY OF THE SAVIOR.  AS SHE LAYS IN THE BED SHE HAS BEEN IN NOW FOR OVER 5 MONTHS, SHE WILL SAY TO SISTER WADLEY, "ONLY THE LORD KNOWS HOW LONG MY LIFE WILL BE HERE, ONLY THE LORD KNOWS."  THEY HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR TESTIMONY OF ETERNAL LIFE AND OF FAMILIES SO MUCH SINCE WE HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW AND LOVE THEM!  ONE DAY WHEN WE HAD GONE OVER TO SEE THEM, BROTHER KIRBY HAD HAD A VERY BAD DAY.  MEDICAL SUPPLY COMPANIES HAD BEEN IN AND OUT ALL DAY.  NURSES HAD BEEN IN AND OUT.  BROTHER KIRBY MADE THE COMMENT THAT, "EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN SO HECTIC AND I'M SO VERY TIRED, I CAN STILL SEE ALL THE GOOD IN THE PEOPLE WHO COME INTO OUR HOME AND IT MAKES ME REALIZE THAT THE LORD IS STILL AWARE OF US AND IS LOOKING OUT FOR US."  WHAT FAITH THEY BOTH HAVE!  WE FEEL SO BLESSED TO KNOW THEM.

THE NEW YEAR BROUGHT SEVERAL MORE FAMILIES WITH THEIR DAD BEING DEPLOYED IN THE FORT BRAGG WARD.  MOST OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE AT LEAST 3 SMALL CHILDREN.  3 OF THE FAMILIES HAVE 5 CHILDREN, THE OLDEST BEING 7.  THEIR FATHER'S WILL BE GONE 9 MONTHS.  THEY ARE SUCH STRONG SISTERS WHO TAKE THE REINS AND CONTINUE ON.  WE SEE THEM EVERY WEEK AT CHURCH.  ONE SISTER, WHO HAS 5 CHILDREN AND HER HUSBAND IS DEPLOYED, PLAYS THE ORGAN IN SACRAMENT MEETING, SO ELDER WADLEY AND I SIT WITH THE CHILDREN UNTIL SHE COMES DOWN OFF THE STAND.  SHE HAS AN 11 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER, TWIN 3 YEAR OLD BOYS, A 5 YEAR OLD BOY AND A 7 YEAR OLD BOY.  YOU MIGHT SAY WE ARE DEFINITELY "THE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA" OF THE WARD.  WE BELIEVE THERE IS ONE OTHER COUPLE WHO ARE OUR AGE AND SHE USUALLY HAS A BABY SITTING ON HER LAP TOO!   OH...HOW WE LOVE THEM!!!

JANUARY 5TH BROUGHT THE FIRST ZONE CONFERENCE IN THE MISSION TO OUR ZONE!  PRESIDENT AND SISTER JAMES WERE THERE, ALONG WITH THE 2 ASSISTANTS TO THE PRESIDENT, ELDER AND SISTER SCOTT WHO WORK IN THE MISSION OFFICE AND ELDER AND SISTER WALKER.  ELDER WALKER IS SISTER JAMES UNCLE AND HE AND HIS WIFE ARE SERVING IN THE MISSION OFFICE WITH ELDER WALKER OVER FINANCES AND SISTER WALKER A MISSION NURSE.  WHAT WONDERFUL PEOPLE THEY ARE!  THE WALKER'S ARE FROM HORSESHOE BEND, IDAHO!  IT WAS SO FUN TO VISIT WITH THEM AND GET TO KNOW THEM.  ELDERS AND SISTERS IN THE ZONE GAVE LESSONS ON CHRIST LIKE ATTRIBUTES, ON GOOD LANGUAGE, ON REPENTANCE, AND ON TAKING UPON US THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.  PRESIDENT JAMES INSTRUCTED US ON HOW OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN SEES EACH OF US.  HE DID THIS IN SUCH A UNIQUE WAY.  FIRST OF ALL, HE SHOWED US A PICTURE OF AN ARTIST AT AN EASEL PAINTING A PICTURE OF A BEAUTIFUL BIRD IN FLIGHT.  HE HAD A MODEL SITTING ON A TABLE NEXT TO HIM AND THE PICTURE DEPICTS HIM LOOKING AT THE MODEL.  THE MODEL, HOWEVER, WAS NOT OF A BIRD, BUT WAS AN EGG.  THUS:  THE ARTIST WAS PORTRAYING WHAT THIS EGG COULD ACTUALLY BECOME.  IN THE SAME WAY, OUR FATHER SEES US AS HIS CHILDREN, AND KNOWS THE WONDERFUL PERSON WE CAN AND ARE BECOMING.

PRESIDENT JAMES EXPLAINED TO US THAT THIS PICTURE WAS SHOWN BY BISHOP COSA WHEN HE WAS GIVING A TALK AT THE MTC TO ALL THE NEW MISSION PRESIDENTS AND THEIR WIVES.  HE SAID THIS PAINTING REPRESENTED HOW 2 MISSIONARIES SAW HIS PARENTS AS THEY TAUGHT THEM THE GOSPEL.  HE SAID THE MISSIONARIES SAW BEYOND A YOUNG ARGUMENTATIVE COUPLE AND THEIR LITTLE BOY (BISHOP COSA,) WHO WERE STRUGGLING STUDENTS.  THEY SAW TO THE FINISHED PRODUCT - A FAMILY JOINING THE CHURCH AND BEING SEALED IN THE TEMPLE.  AS HE FINISHED HIS TALK, HE HELD UP A PICTURE OF A TEMPLE AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF IT.  PRESIDENT JAMES TOLD US THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE FAMILIES TOO!  WHAT A REALLY WONDERFUL STORY THAT WAS!

WE THEN HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH SISTER JAMES GOING OVER DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN MAKE "GREEN SMOOTHIES" AND EAT HEALTHIER.  SHE TOLD US THAT SHE HAD BEEN ASKED TO DO SOME PAINTINGS ON THE WALLS IN PRESIDENT AND SISTER UCHTDORF'S HOME AND AS SHE PAINTED, SISTER UCHTDORF WOULD BRING HER A GREEN SMOOTHIE.  SISTER JAMES HAD BROUGHT LOTS OF INGREDIENTS AND HER PROCESSOR AND HAD MADE US ALL A LITTLE SAMPLE OF A SMOOTHIE RIGHT THERE AND IT WAS GREAT!  SHE ALSO SHARED RECIPES SUCH AS BAKING KALE AND PUTTING ANY SEASONING ON IT THAT YOU WANT.  SHE PASSED SOME AROUND THAT HAD BBQ SEASONING ON IT.  THEY WERE SORT OF LIKE POTATO CHIPS.  NOT BAD!  WE HAD A GOOD LAUGH WHEN ONE OF THE CAMERON ELDERS SAID, "CHUCK IT DOWN, CHUCK IT DOWN....KILL IT!"  ELDER WADLEY AND I NEEDED TO HAVE MORE OF A "SWEET" TASTE IN OURS, SO WE JUST CHUCKED IT DOWN AS ELDER ROSE TOLD EVERYONE TO DO!  IT WAS A REALLY SPIRITUAL AND FUN ZONE CONFERENCE.  PRESIDENT JAMES TOLD US THAT WE WERE THE GUINEA PIGS, BEING THE FIRST ZONE CONFERENCE OF THE NEW YEAR, AND THEY WERE STILL WORKING OUT THE KINKS FOR THE NEW YEAR'S ZONE CONFERENCE PRESENTATION, BUT IT TRULY WAS AWESOME!

THE CAMERON ELDERS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE DINNER APPOINTMENTS AND SINCE THEY LIVE A WAYS AWAY, WE DRIVE THERE AND TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE TO EAT.  THEY ARE ALWAYS SO APPRECIATIVE!  THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND SEVERAL NEW INVESTIGATORS AND ELDER WADLEY AND I HAVE ACCOMPANIED THEM TO SOME OF THEIR LESSONS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY NEED A SISTER PRESENT IF THEY ARE GIVING A LESSON TO A SINGLE SISTER.  IT HAS BEEN SO MUCH FUN SEEING THE HAND OF THE LORD CHANGE THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THESE FINE MISSIONARIES AND THE SPIRIT!

BY HAVING MILITARY RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE MISSIONARIES LIKE WE ARE, AT DIFFERENT ARMY BASES, WE ARE ABLE TO SEND INFORMATION BACK AND FORTH TO EACH OTHER OF MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH ARE COMING TO THEIR BASES OR THEM COMING TO FORT BRAGG.  THIS IS A TREMENDOUS HELP IN KEEPING THE MISSIONARY EFFORT GOING AND HELPING THE MEMBERS TO STAY A PART OF THE GOSPEL.  WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD SUCCESS IN PASSING NAMES ALONG TO FORT BENNING IN GEORGIA LATELY.  THIS POST IS A TRAINING POST.  WE HAVE HAD MILITARY MEMBERS LEAVE HERE, NOT BEING VERY ACTIVE, AND WE HAVE SENT THEIR INFORMATION TO FORT BENNING AND THEY HAVE VISITED THEM, USUALLY WITH A LOT OF SUCCESS!  IT IS WONDERFUL!  WHEN WE WERE IN THE MTC, WE HAD 2 DAYS OF TRAINING SPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS MILITARY RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVES, WHICH ARE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN A MEMBER SUPPORT MISSIONARY.  THE END RESULT, THOUGH, IS ALWAYS THE SAME.....WE LOVE THEM!

THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT BRANCH IS COMING ALONG WELL.  THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MAJOR CHANGES TAKE PLACE.  THEY HAD BEEN HOLDING THE FAMILY HOME EVENING ON MONDAY NIGHT AT THE STAKE CENTER HERE IN FAYETTEVILLE.   AS OF THE 18TH OF JANUARY, IT WAS CHANGED TO BE HELD IN PRESIDENT DICKERSON'S HOME IN VAAS, WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MINUTES FROM THE POST.
THE ATTENDANCE ALWAYS VARIES DEPENDING ON WORK SCHEDULES.  USUALLY WE HAVE ABOUT 15 MEMBERS PRESENT.  ONE MONDAY EVENING WE HAD 3 INVESTIGATORS COME WITH MEMBERS!  THE LAST FAMILY HOME EVENING WE MADE 2 TEAMS AND PLAYED "PASSWORD" WITH PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURES.  THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN!

THE 18TH OF JANUARY FOUND US TRAVELING OUT TO VAAS TO PRESIDENT DICKERSON'S HOME FOR THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT FAMILY HOME EVENING.  IT IS ABOUT A HALF HOUR AWAY FROM FROM FT. BRAGG.  THE DICKERSON'S MOVED CLOSER TO FORT BRAGG FROM PINEHURST IN ORDER TO HELP FACILITATE ACTIVITIES FOR THE BRANCH.  BY THE WAY, PINEHURST IS "THE PREMIER" CITY FOR ALL OF THE BIG GOLF TOURNAMENTS.  IT HELD THE U.S. OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT THERE 2 YEARS AGO.  THERE ARE OVER 60 GOLF COURSES IN THE CITY.  WE HAVE PUT THAT CITY DOWN ON OUR "BUCKET LIST" TO VISIT BEFORE LEAVING OUR MISSION.  THAT EVENING WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR PRESIDENT NELSON'S TALK TO THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULTS THAT HE GAVE THE PRIOR SUNDAY EVENING.  SISTER NELSON SPOKE AS WELL.  WHAT A SPIRITUAL FEAST IT WAS!

STAKE CONFERENCE FELL ON JANUARY 17TH AND IT WAS A SATELLITE BROADCAST ON REVERENCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY.  THE SPEAKERS WERE L. WHITNEY CLAYTON, OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SEVENTY, SISTER LINDA REEVES, 2ND COUNSELOR IN THE RELIEF SOCIETY GENERAL PRESIDENCY, ELDER RONALD A. RASBAND OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES, AND ELDER ROBERT D. HALES OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES.  AGAIN....WHAT AN EXCEPTIONAL SPIRITUAL FEAST!

OUR DISTRICT MEETING FOR THAT SAME WEEK  HAD A SHORTENED VERSION OF OUR REGULAR MEETING, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WATCH A SPECIAL WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY BROADCAST AT NOON FROM SALT LAKE CITY.  THOSE INSTRUCTING US INCLUDED:  BRENT H. NIELSON OF THE SEVENTY, NEIL L. ANDERSON OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES, DAVID A. BEDNAR OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES AND W. CHROSTOPHER WADDELL OF THE PRESIDING BISHOPRIC. SUCH GREAT INSTRUCTION FROM ALL OF THEM.  THEY WERE IN SMALL SEGMENTS WITH FULL TIME ELDERS AND SISTERS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING, BEING INSTRUCTED BY THE LEADERS WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.  WE WERE ABLE TO SIT IN THE RELIEF SOCIETY ROOM OF THE STAKE CENTER AND VIEW THE BROADCAST.  WE HAD ALL GONE TOGETHER AS A DISTRICT OVER TO SKIBO ROAD TO MEMPHIS BBQ TO ENJOY AN GREAT BBQ LUNCH TOGETHER BEFORE HEADING BACK TO HEAR THE BROADCAST.  IT WAS REALLY A FUN, INSPIRATIONAL DAY!  ONE SAD NOTE THOUGH:  THERE WILL BE TRANSFERS NEXT WEEK SO WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHO WILL NOT BE WITH US ANY LONGER.  WE HAVE GROWN TO LOVE ALL OF THESE YOUNG ELDERS AND SISTERS AND THEY AFFECTIONATELY REFER TO US AS "GRANDMISSIONARIES!!!"  MORE ON THE MISSIONARY DEVOTIONAL FOLLOWS BELOW.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MONTH OF JANUARY HAS BEEN COMPLETELY FULL OF WONDERFUL, SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES.  WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SIT AT THE FEET OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS AND BE INSTRUCTED LOVINGLY AND PRAYERFULLY AS TO THE LORD'S WORK HERE ON THE EARTH.  WE HAVE BEEN SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS EXPERIENCE!

WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE CAMERON MISSIONARIES OVER TO MEET SISTER GAY WHO IS NOT A MEMBER.  HER HUSBAND IS A LESS ACTIVE MEMBER AND DEPLOYS ALL THE TIME.  SHE HAS AGREED TO HEAR THE MISSIONARIES AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET BOTH BROTHER AND SISTER GAY.  SHE AND THEIR 2 CHILDREN, LILY AGE 10 AND CHRISTOPHER AGE 12 ARE BEGINNING TO LISTEN TO THE ELDERS.  OUR PRAYERS HAVE TRULY BEEN ANSWERED FOR THIS SWEET FAMILY!

SISTER WELSH AND HER FAMILY HAVE HAD PNEUMONIA DURING THE TIME HER HUSBAND HAS BEEN DEPLOYED.  WE HAVE TAKEN FRUIT, CANDY, AND HUGS OVER TO HER AND THEIR CHILDREN.  INTERESTINGLY, HER HUSBAND CAME HOME JUST YESTERDAY FROM HIS TIME OUT AT SURVIVAL SCHOOL AT CAMP MACKALL BECAUSE HE TOO CAME DOWN WITH PNEUMONIA!  AT LEAST THEY ARE A COMPLETE FAMILY ONCE AGAIN!

WE HAVE NEGLECTED TO KEEP EVERYONE POSTED ON THE HAPPENINGS OF OUR BABIES AND GRANDbabies.  OUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, LETICIA, HAD A BIRTHDAY LAST MONTH ON THE 20TH.  HOW OLD NOW TICIE???  ALSO WE HAVE HAD 4 BIRTHDAYS THIS MONTH:  REBEKAH TURNED 5 ON THE 3RD, JAMES TURNED 4 ON THE 7TH, BRETT TURNED 11 ON THE 10TH AND MANDI GIRL TURNED ??? ON THE 23RD.  OUR FAMILY IS GETTING OLDER AND OLDER, WHICH MEANS ELDER AND SISTER WADLEY ARE GETTING ANCIENTER AND ANCIENTER!!! WE HAVEN'T BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT "SKYPE"ING WITH EVERYONE.  WE CONTINUE TO HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT THINGS COME UP.  WE MADE A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TO SKYPE WITH EACH FAMILY ONCE A MONTH, SO WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THAT RESOLUTION.  WE KNOW THAT BABY JANE STARTED BALLET LESSONS BECAUSE SHE IS FINALLY OUT OF DIAPERS!  I THINK THIS MEANS THAT ALL THE WADLEY CLAN ARE FINALLY OUT OF DIAPERS!!  HIP HIP...HOORAY!  SARA MADE THE HONOR ORCHESTRA AND KAYLEE MADE THE HONOR BAND.  WAY TO GO YOU TALENTED GIRLS!  WE KNOW THAT BRETT CROSSED OVER TO 11 YEAR OLD SCOUTS AND EARNED HIS ARROW OF LIGHT.  CONGRATULATIONS YOU SCOUTER...YOU!!!  JEN AND JOSH HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH SNOW AND WIND!  TYPICAL FOR THEIR NECK OF THE WOODS.  ONE REALLY EXCITING THING AT THE GILLESPIE HOUSEHOLD IS THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETELY FINISHED THEIR BASEMENT.  THE CARPET WAS LAID THIS MONTH!  HOW EXCITING FOR YOU GUYS!  WE CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK HOME AND SEE IT.  MANDI GIRL WAS ABLE TO HAVE HER MOM AND SISTERS COME OVER TO HELP HER CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY.  HOW NICE IS THAT!  DAVID TRAVELED TO DALLAS FOR WORK DURING JANUARY.  MICHAEL DID A STINT UP AT JOINT BASE LEWIS/MCCHORD DURING JANUARY FOR HIS RESERVE DUTY.  KEEP FEEDING US INFO ON THE HAPPENINGS KIDDOS.  WE LOVE TO BRAGG!!! (GET IT...FORT BRAGG!!!)

BEAU BERGDAHL WAS BROUGHT TO FT. BRAGG THIS MONTH TO HEAR THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM FOR HIS DESERTION.  HE WAS WHISKED IN AND OUT OF THE FORT.  BECAUSE THIS POST HOUSES SEVERAL DIFFERENT HEADQUARTERS, THINGS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING HERE.  ELDER WADLEY AND I ARE ALWAYS AMAZED AS TO THE SIZE OF THIS PLACE.  WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND WHERE EVERYONE LIVES.  IT'S A NEVER ENDING PROCESS!  BECAUSE WE LIVE ON POST AND DON'T HAVE ANY LITTLE ONES RUNNING AROUND, THE FT. BRAGG WARD MISSION LEADER HAS ASKED US IF WE CAN HOLD THE MISSIONARY CORRELATION MEETING IN OUR HOME EACH SUNDAY EVENING.  IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN, SINCE ALL OF THEM ARE SO YOUNG AND SO ENTHUSED!!   WE ALSO OPEN OUR HOME ANYTIME THE ELDERS OR ZONE LEADERS WANT TO TEACH A SINGLE FEMALE MILITARY MEMBER, WHICH USUALLY HAPPENS ABOUT 4 OR 5 TIMES A MONTH.  THIS IS ALWAYS SUCH A REALLY SPECIAL TIME WHEN WE CAN SHARE OUR TESTIMONIES OF THE GOSPEL AND GET TO KNOW THEM.  MY HEART REALLY SKIPS A BEAT WHEN I WATCH THESE ELDERS AND SISTERS TEACH INVESTIGATORS THE GOSPEL!  I WANT TO TEXT EACH OF THEIR PARENTS AND TELL THEM HOW PROUD THEY WOULD BE OF THEM!!!

ELDER WADLEY AND I GET VERY SENTIMENTAL WHEN WE WATCH THESE MISSIONARIES AND REALIZE THAT IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE WE WILL HAVE GRANDCHILDREN SERVING MISSIONS TOO.  WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALL THOSE IN OUR FAMILY WHO SERVED HONORABLE MISSIONS!  NOW THEY HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TRAINING THEIR OWN CHILDREN TO SOMEDAY, DO AS THEY HAVE DONE, AND SERVE THE LORD!  WHAT A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY!  I REMEMBER WHEN OUR 2 SONS SERVED THEIR MISSIONS, I WOULD ALWAYS WRITE THEM AND SAY, "REMEMBER TO DO SOMETHING KIND EVERYDAY FOR YOUR COMPANION.  IT WILL MAKE THEM SO HAPPY AND MAKE YOU FEEL SO GOOD!"  ELDER WADLEY HAS CERTAINLY FULFILLED THAT REQUEST HERE ON OUR SENIOR MISSION!  HE IS SO KIND, SO LOVING, AND SO THOUGHTFUL TO ME.  NEVER A DAY GOES BY THAT HE DOESN'T FORGET TO ASK ME WHAT HE CAN DO TO HELP ME.  THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

THERE ARE 2 VERY SPECIAL VISITS WE HAVE HAD THIS MONTH THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MENTION:

THE FIRST ONE WAS WHEN WE TEXTED A SINGLE MILITARY MEMBER TO SEE IF WE MIGHT STOP BY SOMETIME AND MEET HIM.  HE TEXTED US BACK, THINKING THAT WE WERE IN SALT LAKE CITY IN THE WARD HE USED TO BE IN.  WE TOLD HIM, NO WE ARE HERE AT FT. BRAGG.  HE TOLD US HE HAD TO DEPLOY FOR A MONTH, BUT WOULD GET BACK WITH US UPON HIS RETURN.  WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM, SO WE TEXTED HIM AGAIN AND HE SET UP A TIME WE COULD COME BY.  THIS IS HIS CONVERSION STORY:

HE WAS IN THE MARINES AND SERVED IN DESERT STORM THE SAME TIME PERIOD AS ELDER WADLEY.  THIS INSTANTLY GOT THEM TALKING "MILITARY!"  HE GOT OUT OF THE MARINES AND DECIDED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO BECOME A LAWYER.  HE WORKED IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN NASHVILLE FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS AND DECIDED HE WAS TIRED OF DEALING WITH ALL THE VERY SAD AND HORRIBLE CASES HE HAD TO TRY AND SO HE REALIZED HE MISSED THE MILITARY AND DECIDED TO JOIN THE ARMY AS AN ATTORNEY.  ALL OF HIS LIFE HE HAD CONSIDERED HIMSELF AN ATHEIST  HE SAID HE DIDN'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A GOD.   DURING THE TIME HE WAS IN NASHVILLE, HE BEGAN READING DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL BOOKS THAT GOT HIM THINKING THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A GOD.  HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT IN THE ARMY WAS AT FORT DOUGLAS IN SALT LAKE CITY.  HE SAID THAT AS HE DROVE INTO THE SALT LAKE VALLEY TO START HIS NEW ASSIGNMENT, THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT CAME OVER HIM AS HE ENTERED THE VALLEY - SOMETHING THAT WAS HARD FOR HIM TO DESCRIBE.  HE SAID THAT HE HAD A CALM, PEACEFUL FEELING.

AS HE BEGAN HIS JOB AT FORT DOUGLAS, HE MET MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WHO IN TIME TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE CHURCH.  HE HAD GONE TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT CHURCHES IN SALT LAKE CITY, WHICH WEREN'T LDS CHURCHES.  AT ONE POINT, SOMEONE HE WORKED WITH INVITED HIM TO COME TO HIS CHURCH, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE AN LDS WARD.  HE SAID HE WAS STILL SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT CHURCH.  HE SAID ALL THE OTHERS HE HAD GONE TO JUST DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT TO HIM.

HE WENT TO THE LDS SERVICES AND TOLD US HE LOVED THE EMPHASIS ON "FAMILY."  HE CONTINUED TO GO AND EVENTUALLY WAS BAPTIZED.  HE HAS SINCE FINISHED HIS ASSIGNMENT AT FORT DOUGLAS AND HAS COME TO BE AN ATTORNEY AT ONE OF THE HEADQUARTERS UNITS HERE AT FT. BRAGG.  HE HAS BEEN DIVORCED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAS 4 CHILDREN.  ONE SON IS 25 AND IS STUDYING AT STANFORD, ONE SON HAS PASSED AWAY AND HE HAS 2 DAUGHTERS, ONE IS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE IN NASHVILLE AND THE OTHER IS 16 AND LIVES IN FLORIDA WITH HIS EX-WIFE.  HE SAID HIS 2 DAUGHTERS WERE ABLE TO SPEND CHRISTMAS HERE WITH HIM AND HE JUST LOVED WATCHING THEM ENJOY EACH OTHER SO MUCH.  HE SAID THEY ARE VERY CLOSE.  HIS SON SPENT CHRISTMAS WITH HIS MOTHER.

WHAT A WONDERFUL CONVERSION STORY!  ELDER WADLEY AND I JUST SAT THERE AND DIDN'T WANT IT TO END!  IT REMINDED US OF A BOOK BY HARTMAN RECTOR, JR. AND HIS WIFE.  HE WAS A SEVENTY MANY MANY YEARS AGO.  HE AND HIS WIFE WERE BOTH CONVERTS AND THEY WROTE A BOOK ENTITLED, "NO MORE STRANGERS," WHICH ENDED UP BEING 3 VOLUMES BEFORE THEY WERE DONE!  IT IS NOTHING BUT CONVERSION STORIES AND IS WONDERFUL!  WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!   WE PLAN TO VISIT HIM AGAIN AND WE'RE SURE TALKS ON DESERT STORM WILL CONTINUE, AS WILL STORIES ABOUT HIS CONVERSION, WHICH WE ARE SO ANXIOUS TO HEAR!  WHAT AN AWESOME BROTHER IN THE GOSPEL!

OUR SECOND STORY INVOLVES A WONDERFUL FAMILY.  WE HAD DRIVEN TO THEIR HOUSE ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO.  WHEN WE WENT UP ON THE PORCH, THERE WAS A SIGN THAT READ, "PLEASE DO NOT KNOCK OR RING THE BELL, BABY SLEEPING.  IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU CAN TEXT ME AND I WILL GET BACK TO YOU."  THERE WAS NO PHONE NUMBER ON THE WARD ROSTER - JUST A SISTER'S NAME.     THIS GAVE US NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO JUST WALK AWAY.

TIME WENT ON AND WE WERE GIVEN AN UPDATED ROSTER WHICH WE STARTED WORKING ON TO GO AND DO VISITS AND MEET MEMBERS WHO HAD MOVED INTO THE WARD, ETC.  WE CAME UPON THIS ADDRESS AGAIN AND DIDN'T REALLY REMEMBER WHICH PERSON IT WAS, SO WE DROVE TO IT.  AS WE GOT NEAR THE HOUSE, I TOLD ELDER WADLEY, "I THINK WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE."  SURE ENOUGH, AS WE APPROACHED THE PORCH, IT WAS THE SAME ONE THAT HAD HAD THAT NOTE ON THE DOOR.  THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS, THE NOTE WAS GONE!  WE RANG THE DOORBELL AND A BOY ABOUT 10 OPENED THE DOOR FOLLOWED BY HIS MOM.

WE INTRODUCED OURSELVES AND SHE WELCOMED US IN.  AS WE BEGAN VISITING WITH HER, SHE INTRODUCED HER 3 CHILDREN WHO HAD JUST FINISHED THEIR HOMEWORK (SHE HOME SCHOOLS) AND WERE ABLE TO PLAY ON THEIR TABLETS FOR A WHILE.  THEY HAVE A BOY 10, A BOY 9, A GIRL 4, A BOY 2 AND A BABY BOY 9 MONTHS OLD.  THE LITTLE 4 YEAR OLD GIRL CAME AND SAT DOWN BETWEEN ELDER WADLEY AND MYSELF AND SHOWED US WHAT SHE WAS PLAYING WITH. JUST THE SWEETEST FAMILY.

SHE EXPLAINED TO US THAT HER HUSBAND WAS IN THE AIR FORCE AND THEY HAD MOVED TO FT. BRAGG FROM ENGLAND ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO.  WE MENTIONED THE BASE IN ENGLAND WHERE WE HAD BEEN STATIONED AND SHE KNEW IT, BUT SAID THEY WERE STATIONED AT ANOTHER ONE NEARBY.  WE BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE WE HAD A LOT IN COMMON WITH HER AND BELIEVE SHE DID TOO.  SHE THEN TOLD US, "I SHOULD TELL YOU, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO CHURCH IN A LONG TIME.  I WENT TO CHURCH SINCE I WAS 2 AND MY MOTHER STILL GOES IN PORTLAND, OREGON, BUT I GUESS BECAUSE MY HUSBAND IS CATHOLIC, IT HAS JUST BEEN EASIER FOR US TO ATTEND ANOTHER CHURCH AND KIND OF COMPROMISE.  I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH THE KIDS ONE DAY AND NOTICED A CHURCH NEAR THE HOUSE HERE AND DECIDED WE SHOULD TRY THAT ONE.  SHE SAID ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WAS BECAUSE THE CAMERON WARD WAS SO FAR AWAY.  IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE THEM ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES TO GET THERE.  THIS CHURCH IS A BAPTIST CHURCH.

SHE SAID THAT SHE FELT IT REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE SHE SAID HER HUSBAND HAS NEVER REALLY GONE TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SHE FEELS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING HIM, JUST NATURALLY SAY, "I'M CATHOLIC" BECAUSE ALL OF THEIR ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN CATHOLIC AND SO "THIS IS JUST WHAT THEY SAY."  ELDER WADLEY AND I ACTUALLY HAVE NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE RIGHT NEAR US THAT TELL US THIS EXACT SAME THING!  WE DIDN'T, OF COURSE, MENTION THIS TO HER.

SHE SAID THAT SHE GOES TO ONE OF THE LADIES STUDY GROUPS AND ENJOYS IT.  SHE SAID THAT HER 10 YEAR OLD SON ASKED HER WHEN HE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BAPTIZED AND SHE TOLD HIM WE WILL HAVE TO ASK THE PASTOR.  THEY HAVE ASKED HIM TWICE AND NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.  AS SHE CONTINUED TO TALK TO US, SHE WAS THE MOST SINCERE PERSON WE HAVE EVER MET, AND SHE VERY THOUGHTFULLY TOLD US, "I THINK I REALLY DO NEED TO START COMING BACK TO CHURCH.  I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS JUST MISSING AT THIS CHURCH AND IN OUR FAMILY."  SHE SAID THEY HAD HAD SOME MARITAL PROBLEMS WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO THE STATES AND SO THEY THOUGHT THAT BY JOINING A CHURCH THAT WAS REALLY NEITHER OF THEIR CHURCHES MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY TO TRY TO MEND THINGS.  SHE SAID HER HUSBAND REALLY ISN'T AGAINST HER FAITH AT ALL AND THEY HAVE DISCUSSED IT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT JUST DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND SHE THINKS HE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO LEARN.  SHE SAID HER SONS ARE INVOLVED IN A TYPE OF SCOUTING PROGRAM AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH THAT IS "CHRISTIAN CENTERED," AND HER HUSBAND HELPS OUT WITH IT.  SHE IS SUCH A VERY SWEET, SWEET LADY AND WE WANT SO BADLY FOR HER TO HAVE THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL IN HER LIFE AGAIN.  ELDER WADLEY ASKED HER IF SHE THINKS HER HUSBAND WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HAVING THE MISSIONARIES COME OVER AND TEACH HIM.  SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT HE WOULD.  HE TOLD HER TO VISIT WITH HIM AND WE LEFT OUR CARD WITH HER AND TOLD HER TO TEXT OR CALL US AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME OVER AND BRING THE MISSIONARIES.  SHE ASKED HOW OLD THEY WERE AND WE TOLD HER PROBABLY ABOUT 20.  SHE SMILED AND SAID, "WELL I KNOW HE WOULD LIKE VISITING WITH YOU." (AS SHE POINTED TO ELDER WADLEY.")  WE ALL LAUGHED AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD TALK TO HIM.  WE LEFT HER HOME FEELING SUCH LOVE FOR HER AND HER SWEET FAMILY.  WE NOTICED WHEN WE SAT DOWN IN THEIR LIVING ROOM, SHE HAD A FRESH VASE OF BEAUTIFUL ROSES ON THE COFFEE TABLE.  SISTER WADLEY HAD ASKED HER IF THEY WERE REAL AND SHE SAID, "YES, I JUST BOUGHT THEM TODAY!"  HER HOME WAS SO WELCOMING - JUST AS SHE WAS.  WE ARE PRAYING FOR THIS VERY SWEET FAMILY AND TRUSTING IN THE LORD THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM HER AND CAN PROCEED TO INTRODUCE THE GOSPEL TO HER HUSBAND AND THEY CAN EVENTUALLY BE SEALED TOGETHER AS A FAMILY FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY.

THIS, TO US, IS A VERY SPECIAL WAY TO BEGIN 2016.  THIS GIVES EACH OF YOU, AND ESPECIALLY OUR VERY PRECIOUS GRANDbabies A GLIMPSE OF THE IMPORTANT WORK GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ARE DOING HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.  BUT WE NEED TO REMIND YOU...IT ISN'T OUR WORK...IT IS THE LORD'S WORK.  IT ISN'T OUR SPIRIT THAT TOUCHES THE HEARTS HERE...IT IS THE LORD'S.  WE ARE INSTRUMENTS AND SERVE AS HIS HANDS HERE ON THE EARTH BUT WE ACKNOWLEDGE HIS HAND IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND SAY.  IT IS TRULY A BLESSING IN OUR LIVES TO BE ABLE TO SERVE HIM AT THIS TIME AND TO REAP THE REWARDS OF FINDING  SWEET, SWEET SPIRITS THAT THE LORD HAS PREPARED TO BUILD OUR TESTIMONIES AT THIS TIME IN OUR LIVES.  WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THIS.

ON THE 20TH OF JANUARY WE WERE ABLE TO ENJOY A VERY SPECIAL WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY DEVOTIONAL FROM SALT LAKE CITY WHICH I MENTIONED EARLIER.    ELDER ANDERSON SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT HELD ONE OF THESE IN OVER A DECADE. WE HAD OUR REGULAR DISTRICT MEETING AT THE STAKE CENTER, THEN STOPPED ABOUT A HALF HOUR EARLY AND ALL OF US (1 COMPANIONSHIP OF SISTERS AND 3 COMPANIONSHIPS OF ELDERS) WENT TO A GREAT SOUTHERN BBQ RESTAURANT IN FAYETTEVILLE, THEN CAME BACK AND SAT IN THE RELIEF SOCIETY ROOM AND WATCHED THE CONFERENCE.  THOSE TAKING PART IN THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED NEIL L. ANDERSON AND DAVID A. BEDNAR OF THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES,
W. CHRISTOPHER WADDELL OF THE PRESIDING BISHOPRIC, L. WHITNEY CLAYTON OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SEVENTY, BRENT H. NIELSON OF THE SEVENTY AND BONNIE L. OSCARSON, YOUNG WOMEN GENERAL PRESIDENT.  IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING CONFERENCE.  SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS DEVOTIONAL ARE AS FOLLOWS:

*  THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO TESTIFY OF THE SAVIOR.
*  HAVE THE SAVIOR'S NAME ON YOUR LIPS AND BE PREPARED AS THE PROMPTINGS COME TO TESTIFY OF HIM.
*  IF EVER UNSURE WHAT TO SAY, SPEAK OF THE SAVIOR AND THE 4 FOLD MISSION OF THE CHURCH:  BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST AND ENDURING TO THE END.
*  KEEP THE TEACHING SIMPLE.
*  PETER TAUGHT THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST IN IT'S PUREST FORM:  "REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED AND YE SHALL RECEIVE THE TRUTH."
*  HELP LIFT THE FAITH OF PEOPLE FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE TO A HIGHER FAITH IN GOD.
*  KNEEL DOWN WITH THOSE YOU TEACH.
*  ORDINANCES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SALVATION.
*  ONE DAY WE WILL BE WRAPPED IN HIS ARMS AND BE HIS FOREVER.
*  WE CAN'T PUSH THE ROLE OF THE HOLY GHOST INTO THE HEART AND CONVERT - THE HOLY GHOST DOES THAT.
*  WE BRING THE SPIRIT INTO THE TEACHING SETTING AS WE ARE OBEDIENT, CLEAN AND WORTHY.
*  THE HOLY GHOST IS THE TEACHER.
*  WE BRING IT "UNTO," BUT THE INVESTIGATOR BRINGS IT "INTO."
*  INVESTIGATORS NEED THE EXPERIENCE OF EXPERIENCING THE HOLD GHOST.  HELP THEM FEEL THE SPIRIT.
*  DON'T GET IN THE WAY OF THE HOLY GHOST.  HELP THE INVESTIGATOR REALIZE IT IS THE HOLY GHOST THEY ARE FEELING.
*  WE CAN'T CONVERT IF WE AREN'T CONVERTED - THE WORDS WILL CHOKE IN OUR THROAT  -  ELDER HOLLAND.
*  MOST OF THE TIME, TEACHING IS NOT TALKING, IT'S LISTENING AND OBSERVING.
*  REVELATION IS THOUGHTS TO MIND AND FEELINGS TO HEART.
*  THE ROLE OF THE HOLY GHOST IN CONVERSION:  TO CONVERT THE INVESTIGATOR.  OUR ROLE:  TO CREATE A SPIRIT FOR THE HOLY GHOST TO WORK
*  WITHOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, WE ARE UTTERLY INCAPABLE OF CHANGING THE HEARTS OF INVESTIGATORS.  HE IS THE INSTRUMENT OF ENDURING CONVERSION.
*  THE MESSAGE WE HAVE TO SHARE IS LIFE ALTERING AND ETERNITY CHANGING.
*  OUR INVESTIGATORS MUST BECOME AGENTS AND NOT OBJECTS.
*  WE TEACH PEOPLE NOT LESSONS.
*  ELIJAH DIDN'T COERCE.  OUR ROLE IS TO FOLLOW UP AFTER APPROPRIATE COMMITMENT INVITATION.  WILL YOU????
*  MORE PEOPLE ARE BAPTIZED BY WORKING WITH MEMBERS.
*  WHOM DO YOU KNOW?  WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED AND BENEFIT FROM THE GOSPEL MESSAGE?
*  ONE MEMBER CAME OUT ON THE PORCH WHEN THE MISSIONARIES CAME TO THE DOOR WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD MAP OF RECENT MOVE INS!  THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!!
*  PRESIDENT MONSON:  NOW IS THE TIME FOR MEMBERS AND MISSIONARIES TO COME TOGETHER.
*  WHO ARE YOU??  WE ARE ROYALTY - WE ARE THE SONS AND DAUGHTER OF GOD!
*  MISSIONARY WORK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK WE CAN DO IN MORTALITY.,
*  PRAY SO YOU CAN LOOK BACK ON YOUR MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE BY BEING FAITHFUL AND TRUE.
*  WE MUST HAVE THE SPIRITUAL STATURE TO DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
*  WE DON'T PREACH AND TEACH TO INCREASE OUR NUMBERS.
*  WE SEEK FOR THE BAPTISM THAT FOLLOWS SINCERE REPENTANCE.
*  PRINCIPLE JOB OF MISSIONARIES:  TEACH REPENTANCE AND BAPTIZE CONVERTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS DEVOTIONAL WAS PHENOMENAL!   SUCH A WONDERFUL SPIRIT FILLED THE ROOM AS WE SAT AS A DISTRICT AND FEASTED UPON THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE MENTIONED THE WONDERFUL VON LATTA'S!  WE HAVE BECOME SUCH GOOD FRIENDS WITH THEM.  THEY ARE A LESS ACTIVE COUPLE, WHO WE WENT TO VISIT ONE DAY.  COME TO FIND OUT, THEY WERE STATIONED AT RAF UPPER HEYFORD IN ENGLAND THE SAME TIME WE WERE AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY SUCH A GREAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THEM!  WE HAVE GONE OUT TO DINNER TOGETHER, THEY HAVE HAD US OVER, WE HAVE HAD THEM OVER.  IN ONE OF OUR LAST VISITS TOGETHER, BROTHER VON LATTA ASKED ELDER WADLEY ABOUT THE CHURCH AND HOW HE BECAME A MEMBER.  ELDER WADLEY EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT HE WAS BORN INTO THE CHURCH.  BROTHER VON LATTA TOLD ELDER WADLEY THAT HIS FATHER WAS OF THE REORGANIZED LATTER DAY SAINT FAITH AND SINCE HE WAS FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK, HIS FATHER WOULD TAKE HIM TO SEE THE PAGEANT IN PALMYRA EACH YEAR. WHEN HE MARRIED HIS WIFE, SHE WAS A MEMBER AND HE LISTENED TO THE MISSIONARIES AND JOINED THE CHURCH, BUT THEY HAVE JUST BEEN LESS ACTIVE.  WE ARE PRAYING EVERY DAY THAT THEIR HEARTS WILL BE TOUCHED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WILL FEEL THE HOLY GHOST INVITING THEM TO RETURN AGAIN TO THE CHURCH AND ENJOY THE LOVE OF THE GOSPEL.

WE ARE BECOMING MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE POST AND THE MEMBERS ON THE POST.  SINCE THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 9 LARGE HOUSING AREAS, IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO LEARN ALL OF THEM!  WE HAVE A NEW SENIOR MILITARY RELATIONS COUPLE COMING ON FEBRUARY 12TH!  WE ARE SO EXCITED TO MEET THEM AND WORK WITH THEM.  WE HAVE GONE OVER TO THE APARTMENT THEY WILL BE USING AND HAVE GOTTEN THINGS READY FOR THEIR ARRIVAL.  WE HAVE BRAND NEW UPDATED WARD ROSTERS FOR THEM AND HAVE WORKED WITH THE YOUNG ELDERS AND SISTER TO HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE ACTIVE AND LESS ACTIVE, PART MEMBER, ETC. FAMILIES.  THAT WAS SUCH A BIG HELP TO US WHEN WE ARRIVED HERE.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO GO OUT TO CAMP MACKALL AND ENJOY A SACRAMENT MEETING WITH THE SOLDIERS DEPLOYED OUT THEIR FOR THEIR SPECIAL FORCES SURVIVAL SCHOOL.  IT HAS BEEN SUCH A REWARDING AND SPIRITUALLY UPLIFTING TIME FOR US.  WE COME AWAY WITH SUCH A SENSE OF NOT ONLY PRIDE FOR THE MILITARY OF OUR COUNTRY, BUT WITH A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR THE GOSPEL AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN EVERYONE'S LIFE.

WE CONTINUE TO ADD MORE FAMILIES TO OUR LIST OF "DEPLOYED SPOUSES."  WE GET AROUND TO ALL OF THEM ONCE A WEEK TO CHECK ON THEM AND USUALLY TAKE A LITTLE TREAT FOR THE KIDS.  THEY ARE BEGINNING TO LOOK FORWARD TO OUR COMING...I WONDER WHY???  WE WALKED INTO ONE HOME THIS PAST WEEK WITH A BAG OF CUTIES AND THE LITTLE BOY RAN UP TO US AND SAID, "THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE!!"  SUCH A SMALL PRICE TO PAY TO LET THOSE KIDS KNOW THAT THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WHO LOVE THEM AND CARE ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING.  WE LOVE ALL OF THEM!

WE WERE ABLE TO GO UP TO THE RALEIGH TEMPLE ON SATURDAY, THE 30TH OF JANUARY.  THE FORT BRAGG RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT'S SON, WHOM WE HAVE TAUGHT THE TEMPLE PREPARATION CLASSES TO, RECEIVED HIS ENDOWMENTS AND WE WERE ABLE TO BE UP THERE WITH HIM.  HE IS THE VERY FIRST MISSIONARY TO GO OUT OF THE FORT BRAGG WARD.  THAT'S QUITE AN HONOR!  THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULTS WERE ALSO UP THERE DOING BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD.  IT WAS A GREAT DAY!  WE ALSO MANAGE TO FIT IN A COSTCO RUN WHENEVER WE ARE UP THERE, WHICH ISN'T THAT OFTEN!  I THINK WE HAVE ONLY BEEN UP THERE TWICE IN THE 5 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN HERE.

I FINALLY HAD TO VISIT WOMACK - THE BIG ARMY MEDICAL CENTER HERE ON FORT BRAGG.  NOTHING SERIOUS.  WAX HAD BUILT UP IN MY EAR THAT THEY REMOVED.  THEN I WENT BACK AGAIN A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER BECAUSE OF BAD ALLERGIES.  I HAD BEEN ITCHING MY EYES SO MUCH THAT THE SKIN ALL AROUND MY EYES WAS RAW.  THEY GAVE ME 2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF EYE DROPS AND AN OINTMENT TO PUT ON MY SKIN.  WITHIN A DAY, IT WAS 95 PERCENT BETTER!  NOT SURE WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT!   OTHER THAN THOSE 2 EPISODES, ELDER WADLEY AND I HAVE HAD EXCELLENT HEALTH WHILE WE HAVE BEEN SERVING THE LORD - TRULY BLESSED.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT LATELY IN ALL OF THE WARDS ABOUT USING PREACH MY GOSPEL IN THEIR FAMILY HOME EVENINGS.  OUR HOME WARD ENCOURAGED THIS AND WE DECIDED IT WAS A GREAT THING TO BRING UP HERE.  WE HAVE TALKED IN SACRAMENT MEETING IN ALL 3 WARDS WITH THE OTHER FULL TIME ELDERS AND SISTERS AND ENCOURAGED PARENTS TO INCORPORATE A LESSON A MONTH INTO THEIR FAMILY HOME EVENINGS.  WE HAVE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK!  AFTER ALL....IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE EVERYONE'S CHILDREN WILL BE SERVING MISSIONS....DID YOU HEAR THAT GRAND babies????  STUDY HARD NOW...IT WILL BE THAT MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO SERVE.  GRANDMA AND GRANDPA WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH OF OUR 4 CHILDREN TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY FOR THEIR FAMILY HOME EVENINGS ONE WEEK A MONTH!  YOU'LL BE SO GLAD YOU DID!

WE HAD A VERY BAD ICE STORM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.  IT LITERALLY RAINS ICE.  THE TREES ARE ALL LADEN DOWN WITH ICE, MANY BREAKING THEIR BRANCHES RIGHT OFF.  WE HAD TO CANCEL ALL OF OUR APPOINTMENTS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND WERE TOLD BY OUR MISSION PRESIDENT TO STAY OFF THE ROADS.  IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING EXPERIENCING THIS TYPE OF WEATHER.

WE CONTINUE TO HELP CLEAN THE STAKE HOUSE WHEN IT IS OUR WARD'S OR BRANCH'S TURN.  WE USUALLY HAVE TO WORK AROUND BAPTISMS!  THE FORT BRAGG WARD HAS ABOUT 300 PEOPLE IN IT...200 OF THESE ARE PRIMARY AND NURSERY CHILDREN!!!!  WE ARE USUALLY SITTING WITH A FAMILY AT SACRAMENT MEETING WHO HAS A FATHER DEPLOYED SO WE CAN HELP OUT.  IT SOMETIMES MAKES FOR VERY LIVELY SACRAMENT MEETINGS.  WE TRY TO HELP THEIR MOM'S SHOW THEM HOW TO BE REVERENT - IT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES WITH OUR OWN CHILDREN!

WELL, ELDER WADLEY IS GOING TO ADD HIS 2 CENTS WORTH TO OUR JANUARY 2016 BLOG AND THEN WE WILL PUBLISH IT.  I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE YOU, HOW MUCH WE THINK ABOUT YOU, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW MUCH WE ARE LOVING SERVING THE LORD HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.  IT HAS TRULY BEEN "THE BEST YEAR FOR OUR LIFE!"

MY 2 CENTS WORTH WILL INCLUDE A BOOK OF MORMON SCRIPTURE FOR OUR KIDS AND GRANDkids.  IT IS ABOUT HOPE AND LOVE.  PRESIDENT EYRING ASKED US TO LEAVE OUR FAMILIES A LEGACY OF HOPE.  SOMETIMES I SEND OUR FAMILY A LITTLE SERMON ABOUT HOPE.  FOR LOVE, VALENTINE'S DAY IS ALMOST HERE!  WE STUDIED THIS SCRIPTURE IN OUR LAST DISTRICT MEETING, AND I KNOW THEY'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY WORTH REPEATING.   2 NEPHI 31:20
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

AS ALWAYS, SISTER WADLEY HAS COVERED EVERYTHING VERY WELL.  ONE STORY I'LL ADD TO FINISH FOR THIS MONTH IS ABOUT A SINGLE YOUNG MAN IN THE YSA BRANCH HERE AT FORT BRAGG.  WE CONTACTED HIM AND EXPRESSED OUR DESIRE TO GET ACQUAINTED. HE ASKED TO MEET US AT THE KFC ON POST, BECAUSE IT WASN'T CONVENIENT TO SEE HIM IN THE BARRACKS.  WE HAD A NICE MEAL TOGETHER, AND A VERY NICE VISIT ABOUT THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER.  LIKE EVERYONE, HE'S MADE MISTAKES AND HAD DIFFICULTIES.  HE IS LESS ACTIVE, BUT STILL PRAYS, READS THE SCRIPTURES, AND FEELS THE HOLY GHOST IN HIS LIFE. HE'D FINISHED A 500 MILE RIDE THAT DAY ON A BEAUTIFUL MOTORCYCLE, (YES, WE TALKED BIKES FOR A WHILE) AND HE TOLD US HOW THE HOLY GHOST HAD HELPED HIM THAT DAY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT.  WE EACH BORE TESTIMONY OF HOW MUCH THE LORD LOVES HIM, AND WANTS HIM TO COME BACK TO FULL FELLOWSHIP AND ACTIVITY IN THE CHURCH.  THERE WAS SUCH A GOOD FRIENDSHIP AND SPIRIT THERE.  THE NEXT DAY, SUNDAY, HE CAME TO CHURCH, MET WITH THE BRANCH PRESIDENT, AND WANTS TO START ATTENDING THE YSA FHE ACTIVITIES.  WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR HIM, AND SO BLESSED TO SEE HOW THE HOLY GHOST TOUCHES PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND LIVES.  IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE WITH THESE GREAT SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

DECEMBER, 2015

The time is flying by!  We are already one third done with our mission.  When we look back, we realize just how much we have accomplished, and yet as we look forward to 2016, we realize just how very much more we need to do!

December began with our usual visits to the less actives and part member families in the Cameron Ward.  We also met with the Ft. Bragg Elder's Quorum President and the Ft. Bragg Relief Society President to see just how we can be of assistance to their ward.  They both gave us several family names whose spouse is currently deployed.  Some may be home for Christmas, others not.  We are following up with them to make sure they have what they need thru the holidays and thereafter.

The Ward Mission Leader in Ft. Bragg is deploying to Germany for 4 months two days after Christmas.  They just had their 5th child.  This is an example of life here at Ft. Bragg.  The vast majority of families are unbelievably self-reliant, with very few requiring special attention.  Still, a big part of our calling is to minister to the deployed families and that is something we take very seriously.  They LOVE having a "grandma and grandpa" come by for a visit and this is usually what we are called!  Elder Wadley and I love it just as much, if not more, than they do!  It gives us our "special hugs" we miss from our own very sweet GRANDchildren!

We also continue to take a Sacrament Meeting out to Camp Mackall to the members attending survival training for the Special Forces.  This always seems to be a highlight of our week.  They come in from the field and are so appreciative to have an hour of "back home."  Our testimonies have been strengthened by each of them so very much.  Brother Wood is so good about making sure we have everything we need out there for the meetings.  Chaplain Cottle at Camp Mackall has also been so helpful in facilitating this for us.

We are continuing to visit and help the Kirby's.  They are an elderly couple.  Sister Kirby has stage 4 cancer and brother Kirby attends to her 24/7.  Elder Wadley takes Brother Kirby shopping and to run errands once a week and Sister Wadley sits with Sister Kirby.  She reads to her or they watch the BYU channel together.  Sometimes Sister Kirby just sleeps.  Hospice comes in a couple of times a week and bathes her and makes sure she is comfortable.  They are really an amazing couple.  Sister Kirby was taught by missionaries in the Philippines and she joined the church there.  They were married in the Philippines and later sealed in the Raleigh temple.  They are celebrating their 9th anniversary of their sealing on December 15th, so we are going over and taking them a gift and having a nice visit with them.  They don't know we realize it is their anniversary, but Sister Wadley saw a plaque on a table in their living room that had the date on it.

We are continuing to fellowship Sister Gay who is a non-member.  Her husband is an inactive member and she was interested in learning about "his church" when they were first married.  We continually pray that she will accept the missionaries into their home.  Brother Gay is an instructor in the Special Forces and has also been a Green Beret.  He has been deployed more than he has been home this past year.  They have 2 children and are just so very very sweet.  We feel that in time the Lord will, again, touch her heart and bring her into the gospel.

We were able to have a senior missionary conference here in Fayetteville for the southern half of the North Carolina Raleigh Mission.  This was made up of approximately 20 senior missionary couples.  It was such a fun, fun time!  President and Sister James came down and presided over the conference.  We met at the Fayetteville Stake for morning instruction.  Elder Wadley and I talked for 5 minutes each on "The Attributes of the Savior."  It was a very informative meeting, with all couples talking about certain parts of their mission and giving all of us some great ideas!  We had pizza and salad in the cultural hall afterwards and then everyone carpooled over to the Airborne and Special Forces museum here in Fayetteville for a tour.  It is a phenomenal museum which gives the entire history (in very life-like, realistic displays) of the Airborne and Special Forces here at Ft. Bragg.  Near the end of the exhibit, I about burst all of my buttons off...there was a wonderful display of Desert Storm.  This is the war Elder Wadley flew combat missions in.  President and Sister James were so excited to hear all about it and I couldn't have been more proud!  It actually happened to be 25 years ago, almost to the day, that Elder Wadley flew his first mission in Deseret Storm.  Elder Wadley has been able to have many conversations with military members here about his/and their experiences and it has made for some great missionary efforts as well!  There is just something about military life that makes for a wonderful comradery with everyone else.  We all sort of think and talk alike around here!

We received an email from our Bishop here in the Cameron Ward, who is the head Chaplain on Ft. Bragg, inviting us to a special dinner for all of the Ft. Bragg LDS Chaplains (5), us and the other senior military relations couple here at Ft. Bragg.  Elder Bruce Carlson, who was just made Emeritus at the last General Conference and is now on the Miliary Relations Committee for the church, was coming to Ft. Bragg and wanted to have dinner with all of us.  What a thrill for us.  This had even more meaning for Elder Wadley, since Elder Carlson was stationed at Mountain Home AFB with us back in the beginning of the 1990's just before Elder Wadley retired from the Air Force.  They both flew the same fighter jet.  Elder Carlson told Bishop Colby to let all of us know it would be casual.  Well, casual for the Chaplains and their wives...skirt and shirt and tie for us missionaries!!!  When we arrived at the Mexican Restaurant, in walked Elder Carlson in levi's, cowboy boots and a western shirt!  It was such a thrill to meet him and have dinner with him.  He and Elder Wadley talked about flying for a good majority of the night.  He told Elder Wadley that when Desert Storm broke out, he had a desk job in the Pentagon and was so mad he didn't get to be a part of that war!  It was wonderful to meet with all the Chaplain's and their wives.  We knew 3 of the 5.  They are in the wards we serve in.

One very special experience Elder Carlson told us about that I want to pass on for everyone to enjoy: When Elder Carlson served as an active seventy about 8 months ago, his office was on level 2 of the old Church office Building.  He said that when he would get on the elevator to go down to the basement to get in his car and leave for the day, the kind of joke was..."oh I hope the elevator doesn't stop on the 1st floor"...that meant that a member of the First Presidency or someone in their offices would more than likely be getting on. One particular day as he was riding the elevator down, it DID stop at the first floor and who should be standing there when the doors opened but President Monson.  Elder Carlson smiled at the prophet and as the prophet walked into the elevator he began whistling THE AIR FORCE SONG!!!  This one is "Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder, Flying High Into The Sky."  Elder Carlson smiled and told him thank you and President Monson smiled back at him and said, "Hello Elder Carlson, how are you doing?"  Wow....what a story!  Elder Carlson then said, "did you notice President Monson at conference how he was kind of unsteady on his feet at the podium?  He has diabetes and sometimes it puts him off balance."  He also said, "for a man that old, I couldn't believe that he would remember a little retired military member and whistle that song to me as he got in the elevator!  That just shows how keen his mind is!"  He also said to us that night the following:   "This is just Elder Carlson talking, but I feel that President Monson is going to live a good long life because of the way some people in the church are doubting their own faith and going away from the church because of the policies that have been in the church FOREVER.  I feel that it will be a test of the member's faith to see such an elderly prophet, and see if they will still believe and have the commitment to follow the prophet.  It will be a time of putting our faith to the test."  Elder Wadley and I felt that was such a profound statement for him to make.  He again said, "this is just my personal feeling."  It was a wonderful evening!

Elder Wadley and I were able to have several Family Home Evenings with members of both the Cameron and Ft. Bragg Wards.  We took President Monson's Christmas pamphlet to each of them and talked about the Savior and all He has done for us.  We were so warmly received by everyone.  The gospel is strong with the military members here.

We received permission from President James to travel to Charlotte for Christmas to be with our daughter, Kathryn, and her sweet family.  What a treat that was!  We helped get preparations ready for Christmas Eve.  They had 2 other families join us.  We had a wonderful dinner, followed by a presentation of the birth of the Savior by all of the children.  Our daughter played the flute for the play and our son-in-law played the trumpet.  We were each given a typed, colored program to follow along.  Oh how it thrilled us to see our 3 beautiful grandchildren portraying the shepherds and the wisemen.  Memories never to be forgotten!  After the guests left, we gathered everyone up and took Christmas goodies around to all of their friends while looking at all the beautiful lights.  Upon returning home, the children found Mrs. Claus had left new jammies for all of them!  We sat around the tree, had some hot chocolate and read the Christmas story and it was a magical evening!  Next morning there were 3 very excited children!  Presents were opened.  Daddy said he thought there was one present Santa had left upstairs.  He brought down a big red gift wrapped box and out popped a brand new puppy!  She is half Schnauzer and half Poodle.  She's adorable!  We had so much fun playing with her!  We stayed through their church on Sunday.  Kathryn spoke in Sacrament Meeting about "Spiritual Goals."  It was beautiful!  She also played the organ.  She compared making spiritual goals to the goals she sees her piano students make with their lessons and learning to play the piano.  Elder Wadley and I were asked to teach the 9 and 10 year olds in Primary since they didn't have a teacher that morning.  We gladly did that and talked about the Savior and showed them several little vignettes from our laptop.  It was a lot of fun! Our granddaughter's best friend was in the class, whom we had seen on Christmas Eve for dinner, so that was an extra special treat.  We traveled back to Fayetteville Sunday afternoon and brought Kaylee, our 13 year old granddaughter back with us for a visit.  Now, how fun is that as a missionary couple!  We were afraid she might get a little bored, since we had District Meetings, visits to members, and even a get together on December 30th in our home all the Young Single Adults who didn't go home for the Christmas holiday.  She was such a big help for that party, since Elder Wadley and I had been busy all day with meetings and visits.  She did get to go visit a couple of families with us, which she really enjoyed.  One family was PCSing (permanent change of station) to Ft. Benning, Georgia, so she helped me make dinner for them and we all took it over and had a nice visit.  The other family had 2 schnauzers, so she was in heaven!

We drove her back home (again with permission from President James) on the 30th and stayed over night for New Year's Eve.  We brought all of the left over food from the party the night before.  Speaking of our party - we had about 18 people there - in our little 3 bedroom base house!  They had a great time.  We told them all to bring any games they had, but they ended up eating and VISITING, which they said seemed SO GOOD, compared to staying in the barracks.  We were so happy the Branch President of the Young Single Adult Branch ok'd this get together and actually told us thank you for having it.  We feel like this is the least we can do, living on post.  It was a fun night!

Anyway, back to New Year's Eve.  We ate, played games, ate, played games, banged pans at midnight and stayed up until 1:30 a.m. playing games.  The 2 youngest grandchildren (4 and 7) stayed up until 1:00 a.m.!  We woke up the next morning and took everyone to breakfast and then we drove back to Fayetteville.  We ended up being gone about 25 hours!

I thought you might like to hear a pretty typical week for us (that is when there aren't many other distractions that ALWAYS seem to come up:  sewing ripped pants for the elders, picking the sister missionaries up and going to an investigator's house with them and helping them teach a lesson, etc., which make for added blessings!)  So anyway, on a typical day we get up around 7.  We read scriptures, have our morning prayers and then head out on our 2 mile walk.  The weather has been very nice.  We don't yet know what we are in store for in May, June, July and August!  We may decide to walk the gym at the housing complex with air conditioning instead!  We come back, fix breakfast, shower and get ready for the day (which we plan out the previous evening.)   One day will consist of us driving up to members in the Cameron Ward (about 30 minutes away) and visiting with families who have a mom or dad deployed.  We usually call them the night before to see what time works best for them.  A lot of times, we have a lot to see just after 5 p.m. because the spouse is working.  They are usually so good to invite us for dinner, but we tell them, we have a lot to see and just take a rain check.  If there is a special need for us to stay and get more involved with the family, then we for sure take them up on the invitation!  Again, such self-reliant people!  They just love having us come into the home and spend time with the children and make life a little better without mom or dad home.

Cameron Ward has members living on base housing, which is off base - about 10 miles away, but you have to show a military ID when you go on.  The ward is made up of about 65 percent of the members here.  The other 35 percent live in what Elder Wadley and I refer to as "the forest."  If you ask the full-time elders serving here they would call it the same thing!  It literally is like a forest you drive through to get to their houses.  Some live in trailers with just the forest surrounding them.  On one of our trips into the forest, we saw a run down trailer house with a complete man in armor standing on the porch.  We always will refer to this trailer as "The Armor of God Trailer" as we drive by and that gave us the idea to begin presenting The Armor of God Family Home Evenings to members and their families.  We made a shield, a sword, covered some shoes in aluminum foil and we have the children use all of these while we talk to them about "putting on the whole armor of God" as found in 1st Corinthians.  We help them think of ways they can put on the whole armor of God.  They are so excited when they realize that THEY have thought of the things they can do!  They really like it!  When we travel to the Cameron members, we have to put an address in both of our cell phones GPS and visit these 2 families and then drive back to a central location in the forest that has a grocery store and a McDonald's to put in 2 more addresses and then we go and visit them, and the day continues on until about 7:30 at night.  The children usually go to bed around this time because the military members have to be in so early.  We are usually driving back to the post by around 8.  We have a bite to eat while we are calling to make appointments for the next day (if we haven't been able to get in touch with them during the day, which we try to do.)

When we visit the members of the Ft. Bragg Ward, they live right on the post so we don't have as far to go.  We catch them during the day and in the evenings.  A lot of times we will see them when we are shopping at the commissary or the PX.  On Monday evenings, we travel to the Stake Center to have Family Home Evening with the Young Single Adults.  On Thursday evenings we travel back there to attend Institute.  Thursday afternoons we volunteer at Womack, the huge military hospital here on Ft. Bragg.  We volunteer for the Red Cross.  We take carts around to the patients with movies, books, snacks, etc. on them.  We stop and visit with them for a minute.  They usually really appreciate the visit.  The Red Cross has also asked us to give briefings to the men and women who will be deploying and help them get the paperwork completed as to next of kin, etc.  This is usually a difficult time for them, because they have a lot on their mind - family, war, military, finances, etc. We try to make it as comfortable for them as we can.  It has given us a good feeling being able to contribute to the post with volunteer work.  It took quite a while to get everything done we needed to in order to volunteer.  It's not a quick task.  We had to have a background check, a hippa investigation, retired military verification, shots, etc.  It was quite involved.

We were able to go bowling on post with our District in December.  We had 3 sets of Elders and 1 Set of Sisters.  We gave each person a $10 Taco Bell gift card for Christmas along with the M&M Christmas Story and a picture of us that we had taken for our Christmas Cards.  They loved everything.  The Hills, the senior missionary couple who left in November, had made key chains that have North Carolina Raleigh Mission on them, so we gave each of them one of these as well.  I made candy kiss cookies for them and the Sister's had bought donuts. We had a great time!

Elder Wadley and I are teaching 3 families the Temple Prep classes.  They are about half way thru them, hoping to go to the temple in the near future.  It is so much fun to see their progress!  One of the families just had their first child - a little baby girl who is now a month old.  The other family has 3 girls: 9, 7 and 4.  He is trying very hard to quit smoking.  She is so concerned about all of their tattoos they both have (which is a VERY common thing here in the military with both members and non-members.)  We have encouraged him with bringing him some strong cinnamon candies he really likes to put in his mouth when he feels the temptation.  We have tried something with him that has seemed to have a good impact on him:  we tell him that when he has the urge to pick up one of those white cigarettes, to instead think of his 3 girls all dressed in white in the temple and being sealed to him and his wife for eternity!  We have explained to both of them that it doesn't matter about their tattoos.  What matters is having their family sealed together for eternity!  We think they have definitely caught the vision.  She is now the Relief Society Secretary and does such a good job!

The Ft. Bragg Relief Society President and her husband have a son who just finished a semester at BYU Idaho and has returned home to await his mission call.  We have just finished giving him the Temple Prep lessons and he is so excited for his call!  The bishop announced that he will be the very first missionary to go out from the Ft. Bragg ward.  The majority of the members in the ward have Primary age children.  There are probably 8 Young Women and maybe 10 Young Men.  So to have a family in the ward with a son old enough to go on a mission is rare.  They also have a daughter who will be attending BYU Idaho in January.  Great family! Their father is a helicopter battalion commander.

We have grown to LOVE all of the members of the wards we serve in.  There is something about being in the Lord's service and having a heart that just bursts with love for those whom you are serving.  It is a good reminder for Elder Wadley and myself of the love our Father in Heaven has for us.  In church today, one of the full-time missionaries was teaching us about how much love our Father in Heaven has for us and he stated, "now I haven't been a father yet, but I look at all of you in this class who are parents, and ask you to think about your own children and just how much love you have for them.  Of course, this is something that is just indescribable.  Needless to say, this is how we feel about the members here.  We love them DEARLY.

As we end our blog for 2015, Elder Wadley and I want to wish everyone of you who might read this a very HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.  May your mind and your heart be FILLED with the love of our Savior and may you find peace in your life by serving and learning to love those with whom you serve.

Sister Wadley does a SUPER job with the BLOG, our record keeping, and keeping me in line.  I love her so much, and want everyone to know what an amazing gift she has for remembering people's names and stories, and listening and loving them in such a personal and kind way.  She has a wonderful way of letting people know how much we love them, and how much more the Savior and Heavenly Father loves them too.  We've had some very rewarding and humbling experiences with people we've grown to love and who have become our close friends.  Living on Fort Bragg has certainly helped us appreciate how much so very many give to protect our freedoms.

25 years ago I was deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of  Operation Desert Storm - the first Gulf War, and it was certainly my warmest winter ever.  Sister Wadley and the kids were in Mountain Home during one of the coldest Idaho winters on record.  They did 3 early morning paper routes and on one of those way below zero mornings when Sister Wadley was getting all 4 kids up for the routes, she went out into the garage to start the van only to find that the sliding door was frozen shut.  She ran in the house and grabbed her hair blower and came back out, plugged it in and proceeded to blow hot air up and down the seam of the door!  The papers needed to be delivered!  I think this winter in North Carolina will now become the very warmest winter for both of us.  It really rains a lot here.  It seems like in one weekend we get as much rain here as Utah and southern Idaho get for the whole year! Everything is certainly pretty and green.  Roses in bloom for Christmas and New Years! We love all of you and will be so excited to see you once again when our mission is complete - which, we are glad, won't be until next September!

Elder & Sister Wadley
Military Relations
North Carolina Raleigh Mission
Ft. Bragg, N.C.

NOVEMBER, 2015

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!  AS ELDER WADLEY AND I CONTINUE OUR MISSIONARY BLOG, WE AGAIN WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO THOSE VERY SPECIAL GRAND babies, HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO SERVE THE LORD, AND HOW MANY BLESSINGS WE HAVE FOUND IN THESE LAST 3 MONTHS.  WE CAN SEE THE LORD'S HAND IN EVERYTHING WE DO.  WHILE YOU GRAND babies ARE SITTING WITH YOUR FAMILY AT FAMILY HOME EVENING AND IN YOUR PRIMARY CLASSES, WE HOPE YOU WILL LISTEN HARD TO EVERYTHING YOUR MOM AND DAD AND YOUR TEACHERS ARE TEACHING YOU, SO THAT WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SERVE YOUR MISSION, YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND BE A VALIANT SERVANT OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.  WE TESTIFY TO YOU THAT YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH JOY AND HAPPINESS AS YOU SERVE!  THE LORD WILL BLESS YOU AS YOU ARE REPRESENTING HIM TO OTHERS IN THE WORLD.

WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE'S HEARTS SOFTEN AS WE HAVE GONE OUT TO VISIT MEMBERS HERE IN THE CAMERON WARD.  OUR BISHOP HERE, BISHOP COLBY, IS A CHAPLAIN AT FT. BRAGG AND A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF REPRESENTING THE TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL TO THE MILITARY MEMBERS HERE.  BOTH OF HIS COUNSELORS ARE ALSO MILITARY MEMBERS.  BROTHER CHAMBERLAIN FLIES HELICOPTERS AND BROTHER BUSH IS IN CHARGE OF THE ROTC PROGRAM AT CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY HERE.   AS WE MEET WITH THEM AND THE REST OF THE WARD COUNCIL EACH MONTH, THERE IS DEFINITELY A FEELING OF BEING IN A MILITARY WARD!  THE MEETINGS ARE KEPT TO 1 1/2 HOURS, BUT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO SPEAK AND EVERYTHING GETS COVERED.  I TOLD ELDER WADLEY, I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER TO SALUTE AT THE END OF OUR LAST WARD COUNCIL OR NOT!!!  I SAY THIS JOKINGLY BECAUSE AT ONE POINT NEAR THE END OF WARD COUNCIL, BISHOP COLBY ASKED THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY WHAT TIME IS WAS AND HE SAID, "8:24" AT WHICH BISHOP COLBY SAID, "ALRIGHT, WE HAVE 6 MORE MINUTES!!!"  I CAN THINK OF MEETINGS THAT I WISH HAD ENDED "RIGHT ON THE DOT!"  ANYWAY, THAT IS JUST AN INTERESTING SIDE NOTE!

THE MEMBERS IN THE WARD ARE JUST WONDERFUL!  WE HAVE SEEN THEIR SPOUSES LEAVE ON DEPLOYMENTS, AND THEY JUST CARRY ON WITH THE FAMILY AND NOT ONLY CARRY ON, BUT TAKE CARE OF OTHER MEMBERS IN THE WARD, WHICH MAKES FOR A REAL CLOSE KNIT WARD.  WE SEE MEMBERS WHO HAVE A BIT MORE DIFFICULTY COPING WITH CHANGE, AND WE TRY TO VISIT THEM MORE FREQUENTLY.  THE WARD HAD A RE-DEDICATION OF THE CHAPEL, WHICH MEANT THE BUILDING HAD AN ADDITIONAL WING ADDED ON (THE NURSERY), PLUS THE CHAPEL WAS UPDATED.  THE 2 WARDS WHO USE THIS BUILDING (SANFORD AND CAMERON) GOT TOGETHER AND HAD A VERY NICE RE-DEDICATION PROGRAM WITH A CHOIR FROM THE 2 WARDS SINGING AND THE STAKE PRESIDENT PRESIDING AND CONDUCTING.

WE ARE STILL DRIVING OUT TO CAMP MACKALL 2 TO 3 TIMES A MONTH TO HAVE A SACRAMENT MEETING WITH THE MEMBERS OUT THERE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING.  THIS IS ALWAYS SUCH A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.  ELDER WADLEY AND BROTHER WOOD FROM THE FAYETTEVILLE 3RD WARD BISHOPRIC (WHO TEACHES OUT AT CAMP MACKALL) BLESS AND PASS THE SACRAMENT AND THEN SISTER WADLEY USUALLY GIVES A SHORT TALK AND ELDER WADLEY THEN TALKS.  BROTHER WOOD GAVE US A TOUR THIS LAST TIME OF THE FACILITY AND WE FOUND THE CHAPLAIN'S OFFICE AS WELL AS SAW THROUGH THE BARBED WIRE WHERE A CONVENIENCE STORE WAS FOR THE SOLDIERS.  IT IS DEFINITELY A VERY REMOTE AREA FOR TRAINING OF OUR SOLDIERS.  ONE OTHER INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT CAMP MACKALL:  WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS SURVIVAL TRAINING AREA IS MENTIONED IN THE FILM "BAND OF BROTHERS."  WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE, BUT WERE TOLD THAT.

ONE INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT OUR VISITS OUT TO CAMP MACKALL - A MEMBER OF THE CAMERON WARD HAS BEEN TRAINING OUT THERE.  WE MET HIM ABOUT THE 2ND WEEK OF NOVEMBER AS WE HELD SACRAMENT MEETING.  THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR THE 6 WEEKS THEY ARE OUT THERE.  THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY, HIS WIFE HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM THE PRIMARY PRESIDENCY.  HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT, AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SAY ANYTHING TO HIM.  THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIS WIFE TO COME BY AND GIVE THEIR FAMILY A LITTLE THANKSGIVING FAMILY HOME EVENING.  WHILE WE WERE THERE, WE LET HER KNOW THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A SPECIAL SACRAMENT MEETING WITH HER HUSBAND OUT AT CAMP MACKALL AND SHE BEGAN TO CRY AND AS SHE HUGGED SISTER WADLEY, SHE SAID, "OH I HAVE BEEN SO WORRIED THAT HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE ANY SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT FOR THIS PAST MONTH."  SHE WAS SO HAPPY.  ANOTHER LITTLE NOTE ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER:  SHE IS EXPECTING THEIR 4TH CHILD IN MARCH.  HER HUSBAND HAD TOLD US OUT AT CAMP MACKALL THAT SHE WAS GOING TO FIND OUT THE NEXT DAY WHAT THEY WERE HAVING AND WHEN WE VISITED THE FAMILY, THE CHILDREN TOLD US WHAT SHE WAS HAVING - SO WE ACTUALLY FOUND OUT BEFORE HE DID.  THIS WAS KIND OF A BITTER SWEET MOMENT.  THEY HAVE 2 GIRLS AND A BOY AND SHE IS HAVING A BOY!  SUCH A WONDERFUL FAMILY!

THERE ARE SEVERAL FAMILIES IN THE WARD WHO LIVE IN TRAILERS AND HAVE A LOT OF DOGS FOR PROTECTION IN THEIR YARD.  WHEN WE GO VISIT, THE FAMILY USUALLY HEARS THE DOGS BARKING AND SO THEY COME OUTSIDE AND WE VISIT AT THE GATE.  THERE ARE ALSO 2 GATED COMMUNITIES WHERE THE FAMILY NEEDS TO LET THE GATE GUARD KNOW WE ARE COMING AND WE ARE LET IN.  THESE 2 ARE CAROLINA LAKES AND ANDERSON CREEK CLUB.  THESE ARE VERY NICE AREAS.  CAROLINA LAKES ACTUALLY HAS DEER ROAMING THROUGHOUT IT AND  THE HOMES SURROUND A BEAUTIFUL LAKE.  OUR BISHOP AND RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT LIVE HERE AND WE HAVE TRAVELED THERE SEVERAL TIMES.  WE ALWAYS HAVE TO GO SLOWLY WHEN IN THERE AND WATCH OUT FOR DEER.  IT ISN'T LIT THAT WELL AT ALL.

ONE OTHER VERY NICE AREA IN OUR MISSION AND, ACTUALLY IN OUR STAKE IS PINEHURST.  IT BOASTS 3 MAJOR GOLF TOURNAMENTS EACH YEAR AND IS ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING!  WE HAVE SISTERS SERVING IN THAT AREA NOW AND IS ABOUT A HALF HOUR FROM WHERE WE LIVE ON FT. BRAGG.  WE MET A COUPLE AT STAKE CONFERENCE WHO LIVES THERE AND ARE SERVING A SERVICE MISSION NOW OUT OF THEIR HOME WHILE HE TAKES CARE OF HIS PARENTS 24/7.  THEY RUN THE ADDICTION/RECOVERY PROGRAM AND TOLD US THAT IF WE HAVE PEOPLE TO REFER TO THEM, THEY WOULD HAPPILY PRESENT THEIR CHURCH STRUCTURED PROGRAM.  THEY ARE ACTUALLY VERY BUSY WITH IT RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE THE CAMERON WARD IS SO TRANSIENT, THE BISHOP HAS HELD AN OPEN HOUSE TO GET TO KNOW THE NEWEST MEMBERS AND THE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT HELD ONE THE SUNDAY PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING.  THE ATTENDANCE AT BOTH WAS VERY GOOD AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE A LESS ACTIVE SISTER WITH US EACH TIME.  WE HAVE SEEN SOME SUCCESS IN GETTING SEVERAL FAMILIES OUT TO CHURCH BECAUSE OF VISITS WE HAVE MADE TO THE FAMILY AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE HAND OF THE LORD IN THEIR LIVES.  THEY HAVE TOLD US HOW THEY DIDN'T THINK ANYONE CARED ABOUT THEM.  I THINK THIS CAN HAPPEN A LOT IN WARDS, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, AND IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING WHEN YOU SEE THEM OUT TO CHURCH AND ENJOYING THE SPIRIT THERE.

WHERE WE LIVE IN MERIDIAN, IDAHO OR GROWING UP IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, WHEN IT RAINS IT USUALLY COOLS THINGS OFF.  NOT IN THE SOUTH!  ON THE 19TH, WE WOKE UP TO THE RAIN JUST POURING DOWN AND RUNNING LIKE CRAZY OUT OF THE DRAIN SPOUTS!  ELDER WADLEY HAD LEFT A BAG OF DANISH COOKIES ON THE TABLE WHERE WE DO OUR TYPING AND WORK AT NIGHT, AND HE DIDN'T SEAL IT CLOSED WITH A CLOTHES PIN.  WHAT HAD BEEN SOME VERY HARD, YUMMY COOKIES HAD TURNED INTO SOFT COOKIES THAT COULD MELT IN YOUR MOUTH FROM THE HUMIDITY OVER NIGHT!  IT'S VERY STRANGE TO GET USED TO.  ANOTHER INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE WEATHER IN THE SOUTH.  WE ARE SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL TREES; SO MUCH SO THAT IT IS UNUSUAL TO EVER SEE THE HORIZON.  WE MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS IN A PREVIOUS POST.  ANYWAY, WE ARE TOLD THAT BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH MOISTURE AND A HIGH ANNUAL RAIN FALL, THE TREE ROOTS SPREAD OUT NEAR THE GROUND LEVEL INSTEAD OF GOING DEEP DOWN INTO THE EARTH TO FIND MOISTURE.  AS A RESULT, THEY ARE NOT WHAT WE CALL "STRONGLY ROOTED" AND THEY BECOME VERY VULNERABLE IN STORMS WITH STRONG WINDS.  BECAUSE THE ROOTS DON'T GO DEEP INTO THE GROUND TO GIVE THEM STURDY SUPPORT, THEY WILL FREQUENTLY TIP OVER IN THE STRONG WIND BECAUSE THE ROOTS ARE REAL CLOSE TO THE SURFACE.  ELDER WADLEY HAS USED THIS ANALOGY IN SEVERAL OF HIS TALKS HE HAS GIVEN HERE IN BEING "STRONGLY ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL."  SISTER WADLEY TOLD OF A LADY WHO HEARD HER LITTLE GIRL FALL OUT OF BED AND WHEN SHE WENT INTO HER BEDROOM SHE ASKED HER, "WHAT HAPPENED HONEY?"   THE LITTLE GIRL LOOKED AT HER AND SAID, "I WASN'T IN THE BED FAR ENOUGH."  AGAIN, WE CAN RELATE THIS TO NOT BEING IN THE GOSPEL "FAR ENOUGH." - NOT HAVING A GOOD FOUNDATION TO SEE US THROUGH THE THINGS OF THE WORLD TODAY.

WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SIMMONS AIRFIELD STATIC DISPLAY AND OPEN HOUSE ON THE 24TH OF NOVEMBER.  WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD!  BROTHER CHAMBERLAIN IN THE CAMERON WARD BISHOPRIC FLIES ON OF THE HELICOPTERS ON DISPLAY AND WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK INSIDE IT, AS WELL AS A BLACK HAWK, AN APACHE, AND A CHINOOK.  WE VISITED WITH THE PILOT OF THE BLACK HAWK.  HE HAS BEEN ON 2 DIFFERENT DEPLOYMENTS TO SAUDI ARABIA.  HE SAID IT IS USED TO QUICKLY PICK UP SERVICEMEN WHO ARE STRANDED AND THE ENEMY MAY BE NEAR.  THIS WAS PORTRAYED IN THE MOVIE "BLACK HAWK DOWN."  ELDER WADLEY SAT IN ALL 4 HELICOPTERS.  THEY HAD THE GOLDEN PARACHUTISTS FROM THE ARMY PUT ON A PROGRAM AND 9 OF THEM JUMPED OUT OF A CHINOOK AND WERE ABLE TO MANEUVER THEIR CHUTES TO AN EXACT LANDING POINT WITH THE CROWD ALL GATHERED AROUND THEM.  THEY HAD RED STREAMS COMING OUT OF THEIR PARACHUTES AS THEY DESCENDED.  QUITE A PICTURE!  THEY HAD HOT DOGS, CHIPS AND DRINKS FOR EVERYONE AND IT WAS A REALLY FUN TIME!

ELDER AND SISTER HILL, THE OTHER MILITARY RELATIONS SENIOR COUPLE HERE ARE FINISHING THEIR MISSION AND WILL BE HEADING HOME THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING.  THEY LIVE IN A SUBURB OF ST. GEORGE (WASHINGTON.)  WE SURE HATE TO SEE THEM GO.  THERE IS SO MUCH WORK HERE AND THEY HAVE BEEN SO VERY HELPFUL TO GET US OFF THE GROUND WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO HERE.  WE HAVE WITNESSED A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF TRUSTING IN THE LORD AND DOING THE LORD'S WILL, EVEN UNDER DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES.  THE HILL'S SERVED A MILITARY RELATIONS MISSION TO HAWAII (TOUGH ASSIGNMENT, RIGHT?), RETURNED HOME FOR A YEAR AND THEN HEADED OUT ON A SECOND MILITARY RELATIONS MISSION HERE TO FT. BRAGG.  THE WEEK BEFORE THEY WERE DUE TO ENTER THE MTC FOR THEIR MISSION HERE, ELDER HILL SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK.  HE ENDED UP HAVING 3 STINTS PUT INTO HIS HEART.  HIS DOCTOR TOLD HIM IT PROBABLY WASN'T THE RIGHT TIME TO GO ON ANOTHER MISSION.  ELDER HILL JUST SAID, "WATCH ME."  THEY GOT TO THE MISSION FIELD 2 WEEKS AFTER THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE.  WHILE SERVING THEIR MISSION HERE, THEIR LITTLE 4 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER BEGAN HAVING SEIZURES AND HAS AN INOPERABLE BRAIN TUMOR AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO LIVE MUCH LONGER.  HER OLDER BROTHER WHO IS 7 HAS CANCER AND IS, AT THIS TIME, IN REMISSION; HOWEVER, HE HAS HAD ONE OTHER TIME HE WAS IN REMISSION AND THE CANCER CAME BACK.  IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR ONE FAMILY, IN MID NOVEMBER, THESE TWO LITTLE GRANDCHILDREN'S MOTHER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FIBRO MYALGIA AND IS QUITE SICK WITH IT.  CONSEQUENTLY, THE HILLS ARE CUTTING THEIR MISSION SHORT BY A MONTH TO HEAD HOME TO HELP WITH THEIR FAMILY.  ELDER HILL'S COMMENT TO ELDER WADLEY WHEN WE LAST WENT OUT TO EAT WITH THEM WAS, "HEY, THERE IS SO MUCH WORK STILL LEFT TO DO, I'M TRUSTING YOU TO GET IT DONE!"  WOW - WHEN WE HEARD THIS, WE THOUGHT....WHERE ARE 3 OR 4 MORE SENIOR COUPLES TO HELP US!!  WE DROVE AROUND THE HOUSING ON FORT BRAGG WITH THE HILL'S TO GET ACCLIMATED TO WHERE WE NEED TO VISIT AND SERVE, AND WE BOTH CAME HOME WITH OUR HEADS SPINNING!  IT COVERS A REALLY BIG AREA.  ELDER WADLEY AND I WILL BE STARTING TO VISIT EACH MEMBER OF THE FT. BRAGG WARD, GETTING TO KNOW THEM, AND LETTING THEM KNOW WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THEM.  WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!  WE KNOW MOST OF THE CAMERON WARD MEMBERS NOW AND IT WILL BE FUN TO GET TO KNOW ANOTHER WARD.

THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULTS CONTINUE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME TOGETHER.  WE HAVE A GOOD GROUP COMING OUT TO INSTITUTE AND FAMILY HOME EVENING NOW AND WE WILL BE HAVING A FEW GETTOGETHERS WITH THEM AT OUR HOME HERE ON POPE ARMY AIR FIELD BEFORE THE NEW YEAR.

THE ENTRANCES TO THE GATES ON FT. BRAGG CONTINUE TO KEEP ELDER WADLEY AND MYSELF LAUGHING OUT LOUD!!  TO FOLLOW UP ON A PREVIOUS POST WHERE ELDER WADLEY FOUND OUT WHAT HE IS TO SAY TO THE GUARDS WHEN THEY SALUTE HIM AND SAY, "ALL THE WAY SIR."  HIS RESPONSE IS "AIRBORNE."  WELL...... THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN WE WERE COMING HOME FROM INSTITUTE, ELDER WADLEY HAD A LITTLE DIFFICULTY FINDING OUR MILITARY I.D.'S.  HE FINALLY GRABBED THEM JUST AS WE CAME TO THE GATE.  WE HAD JUST LEFT THE YOUNG MISSIONARIES AT THE CHURCH AND ELDER WADLEY HAD THINGS ON HIS MIND HE HAD TO GET DONE FOR THEM SO AS WE APPROACHED THE GATE, THEIR WERE 3 GUARDS THERE INSTEAD OF JUST THE USUAL 1.  SO INSTEAD OF THE GUARDS SAYING GOOD EVENING SIR, ELDER WADLEY PIPES UP AND SAYS, "HI ELDERS!"  WELL...THAT GOT A GOOD LOOK FROM ALL 3 GUARDS!  THEN...ELDER WADLEY CONTINUES TO SAY, "ALL THE WAY!"  THAT GETS another LOOK FROM ALL 3 GUARDS.  SO I GUESS THEY DECIDED TO "PLAY" ALONG WITH ELDER WADLEY BECAUSE ALL 3 RESPONDED, "AIRBORNE!!!!"  OH....WE LAUGHED AND LAUGHED ABOUT THAT ONE.  I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD!  JUST ONE OF MANY MANY FUN, FUN TIMES WE ARE ENCOUNTERING OUT HERE IN THE MISSION FIELD!  OH YES, AND DID I HAPPEN TO MENTION THAT "WE LOVE OUR MISSION!!"

THE WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 21ST WAS OUR STAKE CONFERENCE AND WE HAD ELDER BLUTH FROM THE 4TH QUORUM OF THE SEVENTIES HERE AS THE PRESIDING AUTHORITY.  WE WERE ABLE TO MEET HIM AND HAVE A LITTLE VISIT WITH HIM.  HE EXPRESSED HIS THANKFULNESS TO US FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF OUR LIVES TO SERVE THIS MISSION AND SAID HE KNOWS THE LORD WILL BLESS US FOR OUR EFFORTS.  IT WAS REALLY A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE!  OUR MISSION PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT JAMES AND HIS WIFE BOTH SPOKE AT THE SATURDAY EVENING SESSION.  ELDER BLUTH HAS SUCH A GREAT TALENT OF TALKING ABOUT VERY SIMPLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO HIM AS A CHILD AND THEN HAVING THESE STORIES CONNECT WITH A PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU NOT ONLY WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN SUCH A WAY TO EXPERIENCE THESE LESSONS IN YOUR OWN LIFE, BUT YOU NEVER WANTED HIM TO FINISH TALKING!  IT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE.  HE TOLD A STORY OF HOW HE AND HIS BROTHER EACH STOLE AN APPLE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORS APPLE ORCHARD.  THEY RAN BACK TO THEIR HOUSE AND AS THEY STOOD BY THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND BIT INTO THAT JUICY APPLE THEY FELT A HAND GRAB ONTO THEIR NECKS.  IT WAS THEIR FATHER.  HE VERY CALMLY SAID, "COME WITH ME BOYS."  HE TOOK THEM TO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NEIGHBOR WITH THE APPLE ORCHARD AND HAD THEM RING THE BELL.  THE WIFE CAME TO THE DOOR AND ELDER BLUTH SAID, "I DON'T KNOW WHY I HAD TO BE THE ONE TO TELL HER WE HAD TAKEN AN APPLE FROM HER ORCHARD - BUT I HAD TO."  AFTER HE SAID IT, THE KIND NEIGHBOR SMILED AND SAID, "ANY TIME YOU WOULD LIKE AN APPLE, PLEASE JUST COME AND RING OUR BELL AND ASK, BUT never STEAL AN APPLE FROM OUR ORCHARD BOYS."  ELDER BLUTH SAID THAT MADE HIM FEEL SO BAD AND AS THEY WALKED HOME WITH THEIR FATHER, THE HAND THAT HAD BEEN AROUND THEIR NECK, SLOWLY MOVED DOWN TO HIS SHOULDER AND A BIG HUG TO PULL HIM CLOSER TO HIS FATHER FOLLOWED AND HE SAID HE WILL NEVER FORGET THAT AS LONG AS HE LIVES.

OUR MISSION PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE SPOKE AT THE SATURDAY EVENING SESSION AND GAVE SUCH GOOD TALKS.  SISTER JAMES JUST SPOKE FOR A FEW MINUTES ABOUT THE PLAN OF SALVATION AND HOW WE NEED TO STAY ON COURSE WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD TODAY.  PRESIDENT JAMES CAME TO THE MICROPHONE SEEMING VERY SOLEMN.  HE BEGAN BY SAYING, "IN 2005 A GIRL NAMES ELIZABETH SMART WAS KIDNAPPED FROM HER HOME.  FOR A WEEK, OVER 2,000 PEOPLE SEARCHED FOR HER."  HE THEN BEGAN TO SORT OF CHOKE UP AND SAID, "I WISH THEIR HAD BEEN 2,000 PEOPLE THERE TO RESCUE OUR DAUGHTER."  HE THEN BEGAN TO CRY AND WE TOOK IT THAT THEIR DAUGHTER HAD CHOSEN TO LEAVE THE CHURCH.  HE THEN WAS ABLE TO COMPOSE HIMSELF AND TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT REACTIVATION AND RETENTION IS IN THE CHURCH.  IT WAS A GREAT TALK!  I FELT SO SORRY FOR THEM THOUGH, AFTER HEARING HIS TALK.  IT MADE ME REALIZE, ONCE AGAIN, HOW VERY BLESSED ELDER WADLEY AND I ARE.  OUR 4 CHILDREN AND THEIR SPOUSES AND OUR 13 GRANDchildren ARE ACTIVE IN THE CHURCH AND THEY ARE TEACHING THESE CHILDREN THE PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH WILL BE SUCH A BLESSING IN THEIR LIVES AS THEY GROW OLDER IN SUCH A WICKED WORLD.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU A MILLION KIDS FOR YOUR WONDERFUL EXAMPLE TO DAD AND I AND FOR LIVING GOOD LIVES AND STAYING CLOSE TO THE LORD.

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND FOUND US OVER IN CONCORD, N.C. WITH OUR DAUGHTER, KATHRYN, AND HER SWEET SWEET FAMILY.  THEY ARE THE FAMILY WHO LIVE THE FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE REST OF OUR FAMILY.  WE RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM OUR MISSION PRESIDENT TO TRAVEL THE 2 1/2 HOURS OVER TO SPEND THANKSGIVING WITH THEM.  THEY ARE IN THE CHARLOTTE MISSION AND CONCORD IS A SUBURB OF CHARLOTTE.  WHAT AN AWESOME TIME WE HAD.  THEY HAVE KAYLEE WHO WILL BE 14 IN FEBRUARY, AND IS OUR OLDEST GRANDCHILD, AARON WHO WILL BE 8 IN JUNE AND BE BAPTIZED!!! AND REBEKAH WHO WILL BE 5 IN JANUARY.  WE HAD A HOUSEFUL AT THANKSGIVING, SHARING IT WITH 2 OF THEIR CLOSEST FAMILIES THERE.  WE HAD A TOTAL OF 19 PEOPLE THERE.  KATHRYN HAD SET A BEAUTIFUL TABLE AND  I KEPT REBEKAH BUSY COLORING NAPKINS FOR ALL OF THE CHILDREN WHO WOULD BE THERE.  SHE LOVED IT!  IT HAS BEEN A FAMILY TRADITION EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.  ALL OF MY SIBLINGS WOULD TRY TO COLOR THE BEST NAPKIN EVERY THANKSGIVING!  SO MUCH GOOD FOOD!!!  OH MY WORD...IT'S A GOOD THING ELDER WADLEY AND I WALK AT LEAST A MILE AND A HALF EVERY DAY.  AFTER THAT FEAST, WE WILL BE UPPING OUR DISTANCE FOR SURE!!!  WE WENT TO SEE THE NEW PEANUTS MOVIE TOGETHER AND WENT TO A FRIENDS HOUSE THE NEXT EVENING FOR THEIR TRADITIONAL "PIE PARTY."  WOW...MORE FOOD!!  WE ATTENDED CHURCH WITH THEM ON SUNDAY BEFORE HEADING BACK HOME.  WE MET ANOTHER SENIOR MISSIONARY COUPLE WHO WERE IN ANOTHER WARD THAT MEETS IN KATHRYN'S BUILDING AND THEY ARE FROM HIGHLAND, UTAH.  THEY HAD JUST RETURNED FROM AN 18 MONTH MISSION IN HAWAII AND THE NEW CHARLOTTE, N.C. MISSION PRESIDENT KNEW THEM AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD COME AND WORK IN THE MISSION OFFICE FOR HIM, SO THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE SERVING.  COME TO FIND OUT, AS WE TALKED TO THEM, THEY SERVED WITH ELDER AND SISTER HILL, WHO ARE THE SENIOR COUPLE WE HAVE BEEN SERVING WITH HERE WHO WILL HEAD HOME THIS NEXT WEEK.  TALK ABOUT A SMALL WORLD!  THEIR NAMES ARE THE ADAMSON'S AND HE IS ALSO RETIRED AIR FORCE AND SAID HE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE AN AWESOME MISSION!  WE TOLD HIM IT IS!!  ONE SAD NOTE THOUGH, SISTER ADAMSON TOLD US THAT THE OTHER COUPLE WHO SERVE IN THE MISSION OFFICE WITH THEM, THE MAN PASSED AWAY DURING HIS SLEEP ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND THEY HAD JUST TAKEN HIS WIFE TO THE AIRPORT TO FLY HOME.  HOW VERY SAD.

WE WILL BEGIN OUR SERVICE WITH THE FT. BRAGG WARD THIS NEXT WEEK.  WE HAVE A BIG MAP OF ALL THE HOUSING ON THE POST AND WILL WORK ON EACH SEPARATE HOUSING AREA TO GET TO KNOW THE MEMBERS.  IT SEEMS LIKE A DAUNTING TASK, BUT WE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME GOING ALL OVER THE CAMERON WARD AND MEETING ACTIVE MEMBERS, INACTIVE MEMBERS...EVEN THOSE WHO HAD BEEN OPPOSED TO THE CHURCH, SO WE THINK THIS WILL BE A REALLY FUN TIME.

ONE REALLY FUN NOTE:  WE HAVE A YOUNG SINGLE ADULT HERE WHO WAS GOING TO BE HEADING HOME TO MIDDLETON, IDAHO TO GET MARRIED IN THE BOISE TEMPLE.  HE IS ACTIVE DUTY ARMY.  WHEN WE MET HIM HE WAS GOING TO BE LEAVING THAT NEXT SATURDAY.  HE SAID THAT PRESIDENT BELLISTON, FIRST COUNSELOR IN THE BOISE TEMPLE PRESIDENCY WAS GOING TO SEAL THEM.  HE SAID HE GREW UP AND WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH PRESIDENT BELLISTON'S SON.  WHEN HE CAME BACK WITH HIS BRIDE, HE TOLD US THAT PRESIDENT BELLISTON HAD BEEN CALLED AS THE NEW TEMPLE PRESIDENT AND "WAS TRAINING FOR HIS NEW CALLING."  I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO IRONIC THAT WE WOULD MEET SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE RIGHT WHERE ELDER WADLEY AND I SERVED FOR 2 1/2 YEARS PRIOR TO COMING ON OUR MISSION.  HE AND HIS WIFE ARE NOW IN THE FAYETTEVILLE 3RD WARD AND HE WILL BE GETTING OUT OF THE ARMY IN 7 MONTHS TO GO TO BYU IDAHO.  HE, ALONG WITH 2 NEW YOUNG MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH SPOKE AT THE SATURDAY EVENING SESSION OF OUR STAKE CONFERENCE.  THEY COME OUT TO INSTITUTE EVERY THURSDAY EVENING AND WE HAVE HAD THEM OVER FOR DINNER AND HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM.  SHE IS FROM SEATTLE AND ALL OF HIS FAMILY LIVES IN MIDDLETON.  WHAT A SMALL WORLD!

WELL, MANY FUN THINGS HAVE GONE ON WITH OUR GRANDchildren SINCE WE BEGAN OUR MISSION.  OUR OLDEST GRANDSON RECEIVED HIS ARROW OF LIGHT (YEAH BRETT!)  ANOTHER GRANDDAUGHTER LOST HER FIRST TOOTH (YEAH LILYA!)  ANOTHER STARTED KINDERGARTEN (YEAH ASHLEY!) ANOTHER HAS FINISHED POTTY TRAINING AND IS WEARING BIG GIRL UNDERPANTS NOW (YEAH JANE!)  OUR OLDEST GRANDDAUGHTER WAS SELECTED TO PERFORM IN A SPECIAL CHOIR THAT PERFORMED IN WINSTON SALEM N.C.  SHE WAS ONE OF THE 145 CHOSEN OUT OF 1,000 WHO TRIED OUT. HOW VERY PROUD WE ARE! (YEAH KAYLEE!)  OUR SECOND OLDEST GRANDDAUGHTER, SARA, THRILLED US WITH STRAIGHT A'S ON HER FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARD AND WAS CHOSEN AS FIRST CHAIR VIOLINIST IN HER SCHOOL'S ORCHESTRA!  WAY TO GO SARA!  LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND TO FILL OUR LIVES WITH HAPPINESS!  YOU KIDS BE SURE TO CONTINUE TO LET GRANDMA AND GRANDPA KNOW ALL OF THE HAPPENINGS IN YOUR FAMILIES WHILE WE ARE ON OUR MISSION!  WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO VERY MUCH!

WELL, I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT CAUGHT YOU UP ON THE WADLEY'S MISSION.  IT HAS BEEN A HUMBLING, SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE TO SERVE THE LORD AT THIS TIME IN OUR LIVES.  WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD'S HAND IN SO MANY OF OUR ENDEAVORS.  WE CAN DEFINITELY SAY THAT MANY THINGS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED WERE NOT OUR DOING, BUT THE LORD'S.  WHAT A TESTIMONY OF HIS GOODNESS AND HIS LOVE FOR US.  WE LOVE OUR SAVIOR.  WE LOVE HIS EXAMPLE AND HIS TEACHINGS.  WE FEEL HONORED TO BEAR A NAME TAG THAT HAS THE LORD'S NAME ON IT, AS HIS REPRESENTATIVES.  IT REMINDS ME OF A MAGNET ON KATHRYN'S FRIDGE I SAW WHEN WE WERE OVER THERE FOR THANKSGIVING.  IT READ: "YOU ARE MY HANDS" AND HAD A PICTURE OF THE SAVIOR.  WE CAN ACTUALLY SAY THAT THIS MISSION HAS BEEN THE MOST WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WE HAVE EVER HAD.  COMING HOME EACH NIGHT SO DEAD TIRED AND YET FED BY THE SPIRIT SO RICHLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IS TRULY A BLESSING IN OUR LIVES.  WE HOPE THAT AS YOU PREPARE FOR THIS SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BE ENLIGHTENED BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD TO HAVE, AS SISTER BEDNAR SAYS, "SPIRITUAL EYES" TO SEE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AND LOSE YOURSELF IN HIS SERVICE.  MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU.  WE LOVE YOU.

SISTER WADLEY HAS, AS USUAL, GIVEN AN EXCELLENT UPDATE ON OUR MISSION. WE FEEL SO FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF HOLDING AN OCCASIONAL SACRAMENT MEETING OUT AT CAMP MACKALL FOR THE MEMBERS WHO ARE IN ONE OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT ARMY SURVIVAL SCHOOLS.  IT REMINDS ME OF THE CHALLENGING TIMES I HAD IN THE AIR FORCE SURVIVAL TRAINING, AND ALSO OF THE HUMBLE AND SPIRITUAL SACRAMENT MEETINGS WE HAD 25 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS DEPLOYED TO SAUDI ARABIA FOR OPERATION DESERT STORM IN THE FIRST GULF WAR.  THE SAYING IS SO TRUE THAT "NOBODY PRAYS FOR PEACE LIKE A SOLDIER."  WE ARE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE CALIBER AND DEDICATION OF THE FINE MEN AND WOMEN HERE AT FORT BRAGG, WHICH IS THE HOME OF THE 82ND AIRBORNE, AND HOME OF THE ARMY SPECIAL FORCES.  WE ARE BLESSED TO BE IN THEIR MIDST, AND BE ABLE TO HELP THEM AS FULL TIME MISSIONARIES.  OUR PRAYERS ARE ALWAYS WITH THEM, AS THEY COME AND GO ON SO MANY DEPLOYMENTS.  OUR PRAYERS ARE ALSO WITH ALL OF YOU, OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND WE HOPE YOU KNOW OF OUR LOVE FOR YOU, AND THE LORD.  HE HAS BLESSED US SO MUCH ALREADY ON THIS MISSION.  WE HOPE YOU FEEL OF HIS SPIRIT DURING THIS WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS SEASON.

NOVEMBER 7, 2015


OH MY WORD...WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?  IT SEEMS LIKE ELDER WADLEY AND I JUST GOT HERE AND WE HAVE ALREADY FILLED OUR WEEKLY PILL CONTAINERS 7 TIMES!  IT'S PRETTY PATHETIC WHEN YOU COUNT THE WEEKS YOU HAVE BEEN OUT ON YOUR MISSION BY THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU'VE FILLED YOUR PILL CONTAINER.  HEY, BUT LIFE IS GOOD AND WE ARE SO ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE WE ARE SERVING THE LORD.

IT HAS BEEN A REALLY BUSY, FUN-FILLED MONTH!  IT BEGAN WITH HURRICANE JOAQUIN THREATENING US!  WE HEARD FROM ONE PERSON WHO SAID THAT "IN HIS 23 YEARS, HE HAS NEVER SEEN AS MUCH RAIN."  IT DID RAIN A LOT!  

WE HAD A ZONE CONFERENCE UP AT APEX, WHICH IS WHERE THE RALEIGH TEMPLE IS.  IT IS ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTH OF RALEIGH.  THERE IS A STAKE CENTER RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE TEMPLE.  WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE CAMERON SISTER MISSIONARIES WITH US, BUT THEY HAD TO DRIVE THEIR OWN CAR UP BECAUSE SALT LAKE WAS INSTALLING "BLACK BOXES" IN EVERY CAR.  THESE ARE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, SPEEDING TICKETS...RESULTING IN MISSIONARIES HAVING THEIR DRIVING PRIVILEGES TAKEN AWAY.  A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHURCH WHO GOES AROUND TO ALL OF THE MISSIONS, CAME AND EXPLAINED HOW THEY WORK AS 3 INSTALLERS WERE WORKING OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT TO PUT THEM IN.  THE MISSIONARIES WERE NOT TOO HAPPY WITH THE BLACK BOXES - TEENAGE DRIVERS AND ALL!! APPARENTLY, THEY HAVE TO SWIPE A CARD EACH TIME THEY GET IN TO DRIVE.  IT RECORDS IF THEY GO OVER THE SPEED LIMIT AND A WARNING VOICE COMES ON!  THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER WARNING SIGNS AS WELL.  THEN THE INFORMATION IS TRANSMITTED TO THE MISSION HOME.  THE MISSIONARIES KNOW THEY ARE UNDER THE GUN NOW!  WE HAVE ACTUALLY VISITED WITH SEVERAL SETS OF MISSIONARIES IN OUR DISTRICT SINCE HAVING THEM INSTALLED AND THEY SAID THEY AREN'T THAT BAD.  ACCORDING TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHURCH, THEY HAVE CUT DOWN ON ACCIDENTS BY 90 PERCENT.  

ZONE CONFERENCE IS USUALLY HELD AT OUR OWN STAKE CENTER HERE IN FAYETTEVILLE; HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF HAVING THE BOXES INSTALLED IT WAS IN APEX UP IN RALEIGH AND WAS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER ZONE.  OUR MISSION PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT JAMES, AND HIS WIFE SPOKE.  THE MISSION DOCTOR TALKED ON NOT OVEREATING WHILE OUT ON YOUR MISSION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE.  THEY HAD A NICE LUNCH FOR US IN THE CULTURAL HALL.  ACTUALLY, COME TO THINK OF IT, THE MISSION DOCTOR SPOKE AFTER THE LUNCH SO AS NOT TO MAKE ANYONE FEEL GUILTY WHILE THEY ATE!!!  THE NEXT DAY WAS A ZONE TEMPLE TRIP.  WHAT A GREAT TIME THAT WAS.  ONE OF THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT GIRLS FROM OUR YOUNG SINGLE ADULT GROUP IN OUR STAKE WAS RECEIVING HER ENDOWMENTS IN OUR SESSION AND HEADING OUT ON HER MISSION TO SEATTLE.  PRESIDENT AND SISTER JAMES WERE IN ATTENDANCE AND IT WAS REALLY ENJOYABLE.  AFTERWARDS, WE WENT OVER TO THE STAKE CENTER AGAIN WHERE WE WERE FED A REALLY NICE LUNCH.  WE SAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE TEMPLE PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE AND HE TALKED ABOUT WHERE HE WAS RAISED.  COME TO FIND OUT, PART OF HIS YOUNGER YEARS WAS IN VALE, OREGON AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW ELDER WADLEY AND I LOVE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN IN THE CAR AS WE DRIVE THROUGH VALE AND SMELL THE WONDERFUL ONIONS IN THE FIELD!  HE SAID HE SURE REMEMBERED THAT TOO.  AFTER LUNCH, HE SPOKE TO ALL OF THE MISSIONARIES IN THE CHAPEL AND THEN HAD A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.  ONE THING HE TOLD THEM WAS ABOUT 2 MALE MISSIONARIES WHO HAD RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM THEIR MISSION PRESIDENT TO ATTEND A SEALING OF A COUPLE THEY HAD HELPED TEACH.  AFTERWARDS, THE TEMPLE PRESIDENT TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY WOULD LIKE, THEY COULD COME IN HIS OFFICE AND VISIT FOR A WHILE ABOUT THE TEMPLE.  HE SAID THEY BOTH SPOKE UP AND SAID THEY WOULD LOVE TO, BUT THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO BECAUSE THEY HAD GOTTEN SPECIAL PERMISSION TO ATTEND THE SEALING, BUT WERE EXPECTED TO LEAVE RIGHT AFTER....FOLLOWING THE MISSION RULES....HOW AWESOME!

THE 2 DAYS AT ZONE CONFERENCE WERE REALLY ENJOYABLE!  WE RAN TO COSTCO FOR SUPPLIES AFTERWARDS, BEFORE HEADING BACK TO FAYETTEVILLE.  IT IS ABOUT AN HOUR DRIVE IS ALL, THROUGH BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!  

WE WERE ABLE TO AGAIN HEAD UP TO THE TEMPLE TO GO WITH THE CAMERON WARD YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO DO BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD.  8 GIRLS AND 7 BOYS WENT.  OUR YOUNG WOMEN PRESIDENT, SWEET SISTER JENKINS, WHO IS 83 YEARS YOUNG!! KEPT TELLING ME THAT SHE WOULD STAY IN THE DRESSING ROOM TO MOP UP.  WHEN WE WERE CHANGING IN THE DRESSING ROOM, SHE SAID, "OH SISTER WADLEY, AS I GET OLDER, I TEND TO SHRINK AND NOW MY DRESS HANGS ON ME."  I TOLD HER SHE LOOKED BEAUTIFUL AND THAT I WANT TO MOP UP IN THE CHANGING ROOM.  SHE KEPT TELLING ME SHE WOULD DO IT.  I SAID NO, NO, NO...THOSE ARE YOUR YOUNG WOMEN OUT THERE AND YOU NEED TO BE WITH THEM!  SHE FINALLY CONSENTED.  OH, SHE IS SOOO SWEET.  WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME THAT EVENING.  ELDER WADLEY DID LOTS AND LOTS OF CONFIRMATIONS.

WE HAD ABOUT THE BEST EXPERIENCE OCTOBER 27-29 THAT WE HAVE HAD THUS FAR ON OUR MISSION....OUR DAUGHTER, KATHRYN CAME FOR A VISIT AND BROUGHT OUR LITTLE 4 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER, REBEKAH.  THEY LIVE IN CHARLOTTE WHICH IS ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY. WHAT A TREAT FOR US!!  WE WENT TO THE MALL, WE PLAYED GAMES, WE ATE OUT, WE PICKED COTTON FROM THE COTTON FIELDS, REBEKAH HELPED GRANDMA FIX A YUMMY BREAKFAST ONE OF THE MORNINGS AND ELDER WADLEY AND I JUST ATE THAT BABY GIRL UP!  WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE MANY MORE SUCH EXPERIENCES WHILE WE ARE HERE.   THEY ALSO HAVE OUR ALMOST 14 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER AND OUR ALMOST 8 YEAR OLD GRANDSON.  WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK FOR?  

OCTOBER 23RD FOUND US AT THE CAMERON WARD TRUNK OR TREAT.  ELDER WADLEY AND I SET UP OUR TRUNK WITH COPIES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND ALL SORTS OF HANDOUTS.  A PICTURE OF THE SAVIOR WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE TRUNK.  EVERYONE WHO CAME BY LOVED OUR SET UP AND WE EVEN HANDED OUT 2 COPIES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON TO MEN WHO HAD COME WITH MEMBERS TO THE TRUNK OR TREAT.  I MADE CHILI AND CORN BREAD AND EVERYONE LOVED THE CORN BREAD!

THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2ND SAW TRANSFERS IN THE MISSION.  OUR SWEET CAMERON SISTERS, WHOM WE HAVE GROWN TO TRULY LOVE WERE BOTH TRANSFERRED.  WE NOW HAVE 2 ELDERS HERE WITH US.  IT HAS MADE IT QUITE DIFFICULT TO HAVE MEMBERS SIGN UP TO FEED THEM.  THE REASON IS THAT MOST OF THE MILITARY MEMBERS DON'T GET HOME UNTIL AROUND 6-6:30.  THE MISSION HAS A STRICT RULE THAT THE MISSIONARIES ARE TO BE FED BETWEEN 5 AND 6.  WELL, WHEN THE SISTERS WERE HERE, THEY COULD JUST GO OVER TO A FAMILY'S HOUSE WHO HAD SIGNED UP TO FEED THEM, EVEN THOUGH THE SPOUSE (USUALLY MALE) WASN'T HOME YET BECAUSE THEY WERE FEMALE.  NOT SO FOR THE ELDERS.  SO THE ELDERS CALLED THE MISSION PRESIDENT TO SEE IF HE WOULD ALLOW THEM TO EAT LATER SO THE FAMILIES IN THIS AREA COULD FEED THEM AND THE MISSION PRESIDENT SAID NO.  CONSEQUENTLY, I HAVE CALLED THE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT AND WE TALKED ABOUT SENDING A SHEET AROUND AND EXPLAINING TO THE SISTERS THAT SINCE WE NOW HAVE 2 ELDERS, IF THEY WOULD STILL PLEASE SIGN UP TO FEED THEM AND THEN IF THEY FIND OUT THEIR SPOUSE WON'T BE HOME IN TIME, IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE A MEAL OVER TO THE ELDERS HOUSE.  SO WE'LL SEE HOW THIS WILL WORK.  THE SISTERS WERE ALWAYS VERY WELL FED AND IF, FOR SOME REASON, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MEAL, WE WOULD GO PICK THEM UP AND TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE THE SAME WILL BE TRUE FOR THE ELDERS.

ANOTHER REALLY GREAT HIGHLIGHT OF OUR MISSION IS THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE HAD TO PRESENT SACRAMENT MEETINGS TO MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WHO ARE OUT TRAINING WITH THE SPECIAL FORCES.  THESE MEN ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST.  THEY HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT COURSES THEY ATTEND, BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE ACTUAL TRAINING IN THE FIELD.  AFTER ALL OF THIS IS COMPLETED, THEY HEAD BACK TO FT. BRAGG AND GO THROUGH LANGUAGE TRAINING.  WE HAVE MET SPECIAL FORCES MEN WHO HAVE LEARNED FRENCH, ITALIAN, FARSI, RUSSIAN, ARABIC, AND SEVERAL OTHER LANGUAGES.  THEY ARE BEING TRAINED TO BE READY AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND THEY TRULY ARE THE ELITE!   ELDER WADLEY AND I HAVE TRAVELED TO THE SITE WITH THE OTHER SENIOR COUPLE, ELDER AND SISTER HILL, AND AN INSTRUCTOR OF THE SPECIAL FORCES, WHO IS IN THE BISHOPRIC OF THE FAYETTEVILLE 3RD WARD.  IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET TO THE SITE.  THERE WE SET UP SACRAMENT MEETING IN A CLASSROOM.  WE HAVE AN OPENING SONG AND PRAYER, THEN A SACRAMENT SONG.  ELDER HILL AND ELDER WADLEY BLESS AND PASS THE SACRAMENT.  AFTERWARDS, IF IT IS FAST SUNDAY, WE HAVE A TESTIMONY MEETING.  OTHER TIMES WE HAVE HAD ELDER HILL OR ELDER WADLEY GIVE A SHORT TALK ON SOMETHING THAT IS INSPIRING FOR THE SOLDIERS, SINCE THEY ARE IN ABOUT A 2 MONTH VERY, VERY STRENUOUS TRAINING, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.  NO OUTSIDE COMMUNICATION IS ALLOWED.  IT HAS BEEN SO INSPIRATIONAL TO BE WITH THEM AND A REAL BLESSING FOR ELDER WADLEY AND ME.

WE WERE THRILLED IN SACRAMENT MEETING ON NOVEMBER 8TH BECAUSE AS WE SAT ON THE STAND, (WE WERE SPEAKING THAT DAY) WE SAW 3 DIFFERENT FAMILIES COME IN WHO HAVE BEEN LESS ACTIVE, WHOM WE HAVE GONE OUT TO VISIT AND STRUCK UP A REALLY GOOD FRIENDSHIP WITH.  AS THEY SAT DOWN AND SAW US ON THE STAND, THEY SMILED AND WAVED AT US.  OH, WE ARE SO, SO GRATEFUL FOR THE LORD'S INSPIRATION HE GIVES US THROUGH THE HOLY GHOST TO KNOW JUST WHAT TO SAY AND WHEN TO SAY IT TO THESE VERY, VERY WONDERFUL MEMBERS.  NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THEN THE LORD TAKES CARE OF THE DETAILS, AFTER WE HAVE DONE ALL WE CAN DO.  I HAD TO KEEP MYSELF FROM BURSTING OUT IN TEARS.  OH,  I CAN'T NOT MENTION A VERY VERY INTERESTING/HILARIOUS THING THAT HAPPENED AS WE SAT ON THE STAND THAT DAY.  WE HAD JUST GOTTEN SEATED AND WERE REACHING FOR OUR HYMN BOOKS FOR THE OPENING HYMN.  ELDER WADLEY COULDN'T FIND ONE UNDER HIS SEAT SO HE GOT UP AND WENT UP TO ONE OF THE CHOIR SEATS, JUST BEHIND THE SACRAMENT TABLE SEATS TO GET ONE.  HE SAT DOWN NEXT TO ME AND OPENED THE HYMN BOOK, AND THERE RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES WAS A HUGE....DEAD....COCKROACH THAT HAD BEEN KILLED AND PLACED IN THE HYMN BOOK WHERE IT HAS SAT LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE SMASHED FLAT!   I THINK IT STARTLED BOTH OF US SO MUCH, THAT ELDER WADLEY JUST CALMLY CLOSED THE BOOK AND WALKED THAT LITTLE MONSTER BACK TO IT'S HOUSE IN THE CHOIR SEATS!  NOT A REAL GOOD TIME TO TRY TO TAKE IT OUT TO THE TRASH CAN.  YUP, WE'RE IN THE DEAD SOUTH...DEAD COCK ROACHES AND ALL! 

WE HAVE FOUND 2 DIFFERENT FAMILIES WHO WERE STATIONED IN ENGLAND AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE OVER THERE.  THEY WERE AT THE SAME AIR FORCE BASE WE WERE AT.  WE DIDN'T KNOW THEM THEN,  BUT WE HAVE BECOME GOOD FRIENDS WITH BOTH OF THEM.  THEY HAVE EACH INVITED US OVER FOR DINNER AND WE HAVE HAD THE BEST TIME REMINISCING ABOUT LIFE IN JOLLY OLD ENGLAND!  ONE OF THE FAMILIES HAS JUST RECENTLY STARTED COMING BACK TO CHURCH.  THE OTHER ONE IS STILL INACTIVE, BUT WE ARE PRAYING THAT IN TIME, THEIR HEARTS WILL BE SOFTENED.  

HAVE I MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE SQUIRRELS HERE ARE GRAY?  ELDER WADLEY AND I WALK 1 1/2 MILES EVERY MORNING AROUND THE POST AND THERE ARE LOTS OF GRAY SQUIRRELS EATING THE ACORNS ON THE GROUND.  THE POST IS JUST HUGE.  

 I JUST WANT TO TELL ALL OF YOU MY FEELINGS ABOUT OUR MISSION THUS FAR.  ELDER WADLEY IS GOING TO ADD HIS THOUGHTS AS WELL.  I THINK THE BEST WAY TO SUM UP MY FEELINGS IS TO SAY WHAT ELDER CAPPELL WROTE IN HIS BLOG:  "I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO BUSY/TIRED, YET NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY."  THROUGHOUT MY LIFE I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THAT WHEN WE ARE SERVING THE LORD, WE ARE THE HAPPIEST.  THIS HAS PROVEN TRUE IN MY OWN LIFE; HOWEVER, WHEN YOU ARE SERVING THE LORD ON A FULL-TIME BASIS, HE IS ABLE TO TURN ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND EFFORT TO OTHERS - SO MUCH SO THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE EXHAUSTED, YOU DESIRE TO DO MORE AND MORE.  OH...IT REALLY IS A REMARKABLE FEELING.  A FEELING I NEVER WANT TO LOSE. I HOPE WHEN YOU READ THIS, GRAND babies, YOU WILL REALIZE THE BLESSINGS THAT AWAIT YOU WHEN IT IS YOUR TIME TO SERVE YOUR MISSIONS.  IT IS TRULY WONDERFUL. (I PURPOSEFULLY TYPE THE WORD "GRAND babies THIS WAY AS I HAVE DONE IN MANY FAMILY UPDATES TO THE KIDS, BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY TRULY ARE....GRAND!!!!)

I WANT TO EXPLAIN A TYPICAL WEEK TO YOU.  OUR DAYS RIGHT NOW ARE SPENT VISITING NEW MOVE-INS, LESS ACTIVES AND SPOUSES OF DEPLOYED SOLDIERS.  THIS COULD BE EITHER THE HUSBAND OR WIFE.  MONDAY EVENING WE ATTEND THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT FAMILY HOME EVENING.  WEDNESDAY MORNING WE HAVE DISTRICT MEETING FROM 10:00 A.M. TO NOON.  THURSDAY EVENING WE ATTEND YOUNG SINGLE ADULT INSTITUTE.  IF THE CAMERON WARD LEADERSHIP NEEDS US TO GO VISIT A CERTAIN FAMILY OR MEMBER, WE ARE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT.  ELDER WADLEY HELPS OUT WHEN THEY NEED SOMETHING AT SCOUTS ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS.  I ACCOMPANY HIM THERE.  SUNDAYS WE HAVE OUR WARD AT 1:00.  WE TAKE TURNS TEACHING THE GOSPEL PRINCIPLES CLASS WITH THE WARD MISSION LEADER AND THE FULL-TIME ELDERS.  WHEN WE CHANGE TO BEING OVER THE FT. BRAGG WARD, THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT BRANCH AND THE CAMERON WARD, WE WILL BE GOING TO CHURCH FROM 8:30 A.M. TO 4 P.M. EACH SUNDAY, PLUS HEADING OUT TO THE SPECIAL FORCES FOR THEIR SACRAMENT MEETING LATER THAT EVENING.

I WANT TO ALSO MENTION A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY THUS FAR.  WE WERE ASSIGNED TO SERVE IN THE CAMERON WARD, WHICH IS WHERE ALL OF MY ENTRIES THUS FAR HAVE COME FROM.  THIS WARD IS MADE UP OF 85% MILITARY FAMILIES.  OUR CALLING HERE IS TO KEEP CLOSE TRACK OF THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE SPOUSES DEPLOYED.  AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 20 FAMILIES WHO FIT INTO THIS CATEGORY.  WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO VISIT ABOUT 25 FAMILIES, WHO THE WARD WOULD LIKE US TO FIND OUT IF THEY WANT HOME TEACHERS OR VISITING TEACHERS, IF THEY WOULD PREFER A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM THE RELIEF SOCIETY, OR IF THEY WOULD RATHER BE A "DO NOT CONTACT."  WE HAVE FINISHED THIS LIST.  THEY HAVE ALSO ASKED US TO VISIT THE "NEW MOVE-IN" FAMILIES.  WE HAVE 6 PAGES OF THESE AND WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ABOUT 4 OF THE PAGES.  IT HAS BEEN SO MUCH FUN GETTING TO KNOW EVERYONE.  I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT ALL, EXCEPT FOR ONE SISTER, HAVE BEEN VERY CORDIAL TO US AND WE HAVE HAD NICE VISITS.   WE CONTINUE TO DO THESE ASSIGNMENTS PLUS ATTEND THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT FAMILY HOME EVENINGS AND INSTITUTE NIGHTS.  THEY ARE A FUN GROUP OF MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE STATIONED HERE AT FT. BRAGG.  SOME OF THEM WE SEE AT THE GATES AS GUARDS WHEN WE GO IN AND OUT OF THE POST.  SOME WE SEE AS WE SHOP AT THE COMMISSARY OR PX ON POST.  

ONE VERY FUNNY THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ELDER WADLEY WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE.  AS WE WOULD COME TO A GATE TO ENTER ONTO FT. BRAGG, THE SOLDIER WOULD LOOK AT OUR MILITARY ID'S AND THEN SALUTE ELDER WADLEY AS HE SAYS, "ALL THE WAY SIR."  ELDER WADLEY WOULD LOOK OVER TO ME AND SAY, "WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?"  I WOULD SAY, "I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA!"  WELL, THIS CONTINUED AND EVERY TIME WE WOULD COME TO A GATE TO ENTER THE POST, THE SAME THING WOULD BE SAID AS THEY WOULD SALUTE ELDER WADLEY.  SO FINALLY ELDER WADLEY THOUGHT, "OK, WHEN THEY SAY THAT I'LL JUST SALUTE THEM BACK AND SAY, "ROGER THAT!"  SO THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS UNTIL ELDER WADLEY FINALLY ASKED THE FIRST COUNSELOR IN OUR BISHOPRIC HERE, WHO IS A HELICOPTER PILOT, AND HE SAID THAT THE REASON THEY SAY "ALL THE WAY SIR" IS BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE 82ND AIRBORNE AND HOW THEY PARACHUTE OUT OF THE PLANES AND GO "ALL THE WAY" TO THE GROUND, MAKING SURE ALL OF THEIR EQUIPMENT IS SAFELY STORED...HIT THE GROUND AND DO WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO DO.  HE SAID YOUR RESPONSE BACK SHOULD BE "AIRBORNE."  SO ELDER WADLEY BEGAN SAYING THAT.  WHAT MADE IT SO FUNNY IS THAT OFTEN TIMES, SINCE HE WASN'T USED TO SAYING "AIRBORNE" YET, HE WOULD START TO DRIVE OFF AND THEN SORT OF YELL IT BACK TO THE GUARD!  OH, WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF GOOD LAUGHS OVER THAT ONE!  WE ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF CANDY TO GIVE THE GATE GUARD AS WE GO THRU AND THEY ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU SIR.  VERY POLITE.  

WE WAKE UP EVERY MORNING TO REVEILLE BEING PLAYED RIGHT AROUND SUNRISE. RETREAT AROUND 5 P.M. AND TAPS  AT 10 P.M.  IF WE ARE DRIVING ON POST AND RETREAT IS PLAYED, WE PULL THE CAR OVER AND WAIT UNTIL IT ENDS.  IF WE ARE WALKING ON POST AND REVEILLE OR RETREAT COMES ON, WE STOP, FACE THE MAIN FLAG, IF WE KNOW WHERE IT IS, OR FACE THE AREA WHERE THE MUSIC IS COMING FROM, PLACE OUR HAND OVER OUR HEART AND WAIT UNTIL IT ENDS.  THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID FOR 20 YEARS WHEN ELDER WADLEY WAS ACTIVE DUTY IN THE AIR FORCE.  IT SEEMS "SO GOOD" TO BE BACK TO A PLACE THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IN A LOT OF THE EXPERIENCES WE HAVE HAD IN THE AIR FORCE.   FLAGS FLY ON MOST HOUSES ON THE POST.  FT. BRAGG HAS ABOUT 161,000 ACRES THAT MAKE UP THE ENTIRE INSTALLATION, WHICH INCLUDES 7 DROP SITES FOR PARACHUTE DROPS, CAMP MACKALL WHERE THE SPECIAL FORCES TRAIN, ETC.  NOW, YOU MAY THINK I HAVE MISS-TYPED THE NUMBER, BUT IT'S TRUE!  IT ENCOMPASSES LARGE, VAST AREAS TO TRAIN THE RANGERS, THE SPECIAL FORCES AND THE 82ND AIRBOURNE.  YOU CAN TELL WHICH SERVICE MEMBER IS WITH WHICH UNIT BY HIS HAT.  OTHERWISE, I WOULDN'T HAVE A CLUE!

PER OUR VISITS WITH THE OTHER SENIOR MILITARY RELATIONS COUPLES HERE AT FT. BRAGG, BEGINNING THE END OF NOVEMBER, ELDER WADLEY AND I WILL BE THE SENIOR MISSIONARY COUPLE OVER THE FT. BRAGG WARD, THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT BRANCH, AND STILL KEEP THE CAMERON WARD.  WE WILL SPREAD OURSELVES PRETTY THIN, BUT IT WILL BE SO MUCH FUN!  I  THINK THAT THE FT. BRAGG WARD WILL BE PROBABLY 95% MILITARY.  THERE ARE SOME YOUNG SINGLE ADULTS WHO ARE NOT MILITARY, BUT ON THE WHOLE, WE WILL BE DEALING PRIMARILY WITH THE MILITARY.  THE TRANSITIONING IN THESE WARDS IS CONTINUAL!  IT BRINGS ME BACK TO OUR MILITARY DAYS.  I SERVED AS RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT IN 4 DIFFERENT MILITARY WARDS AND MY CONTINUAL JOB WAS UPDATING VISITING TEACHING ROSTERS AND TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF MOVE-INS AND MOVE-OUTS!  THIS IS ONE REASON WHY WE HAVE TRIED SO HARD TO HELP THE CAMERON WARD GET ON TOP OF THEIR WARD ROSTER.  SO MANY OF THE SPOUSES ARE DEPLOYED AT DIFFERENT TIMES, THAT IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO KEEP TRACK OF THEIR HOME TEACHING AND VISITING TEACHING.  IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE WILL BE DIVIDING OUR TIME BETWEEN 2 WARDS AND A BRANCH.  HOPEFULLY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO EACH OF THEM JUSTICE.  

PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ELDER WADLEY AND I IF WE HAVE GOTTEN CLAUSTROPHOBIA YET.  AT FIRST WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BUT NOW WE DO.  AS YOU DRIVE EACH DAY, YOU NEVER SEE THE HORIZON.  IT IS AS IF YOU ARE DRIVING THROUGH A FOREST ALL DAY LONG.  THE TREES HERE ARE ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING!  ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH ALL OF THE COLORS.   SO SOME OF THE YOUNG MISSIONARIES HAVE ASKED US THAT AND WE SAID, "NO WE ARE LOVING IT!"  IT'S FUNNY THOUGH, AS ELDER WADLEY AND I ARE OUT VISITING MEMBERS, THERE MAY BE A HIGH PLACE WE COME TO IN THE ROAD, AND ELDER WADLEY WILL STOP THE CAR AND SAY, "LOOK.....THERE'S THE HORIZON!"  IT IS JUST SOMETHING YOU WOULD NEVER THINK TO TAKE FOR GRANTED.   

I AM REFERRED TO AS "MAM" HERE.  EVERYWHERE WE GO IT IS, "YES MAM AND NO MAM."  THEY ARE VERY COURTEOUS AND POLITE AND THE CHILDREN TALK TO YOU THE VERY SAME WAY.  ANOTHER WORD THAT WE ARE BEGINNING TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT IS "YA'LL."  WE FIND THE ELDERS SAYING THIS ALL THE TIME!  

ONE OF THE CLASSES WE TOOK AT THE MTC WAS A COURSE ON "RESILIENCY."  IT WAS TAUGHT FOR MILITARY RELATIONS MISSIONARIES.  WE ARE SO GLAD WE HAD THIS CLASS AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO START A CLASS UP VERY SOON.  THE MEMBERS HERE ARE ALWAYS HAVING CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES.  A 2 WEEK DEPLOYMENT HERE, A 3 MONTH DEPLOYMENT THERE.  ONE MEMBER WE VISITED SAID HE HAS BEEN DEPLOYED 34 TIMES THIS YEAR!  HE HAS A WIFE AND 2 SONS - 11 AND 13.  WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO TRY TO HELP THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS LEFT BEHIND FEEL SECURE AND KEEP THEM GROUNDED IN THE GOSPEL.  SOMETIMES IT IS A CHALLENGE.

LIVING ON THE POST HAS TRULY BEEN A BLESSING.  WE FEEL SAFE.  WE HAVE THE COMMRADERY OF THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD - THE MILITARY!!!!   WHEN WE GO THRU THE GATE, OFTEN TIMES ONE OF THE GUARDS WHO CHECKS OUR MILITARY ID'S IS A MEMBER OF THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT BRANCH AND HE GREETS US WITH, "HELLO ELDER WADLEY - SIR!"  

I FEEL SO VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!  I WOULDN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD.  IT HAS MADE ME APPRECIATE MY SAVIOR SO MUCH MORE, MY COUNTRY SO MUCH MORE, AND MY TESTIMONY SO MUCH MORE.  LOVE TO ALL OF YOU! 
SISTER WADLEY

HI YA'LL - ELDER WADLEY HERE.  SISTER WADLEY HAD DONE A GREAT JOB, AS ALWAYS, OF TELLING OUR STORY.  I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH THE CALIBER AND COMMITMENT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN HERE AT FORT BRAGG.  WE CAN'T BELIEVE HOW DEDICATED THEY ARE TO OUR COUNTRY, AND TO THE LORD.  IT'S VERY HUMBLING AND INSPIRING TO HEAR THEIR STORIES AND FEEL OF THEIR TESTIMONY.  ONE AFTERNOON WE WERE ABLE TO WATCH THREE PLANES FLY OVER A DROP ZONE, AND ABOUT 50 SOLDIERS JUMPED OUT OF EACH PLANE AND PARACHUTED TO THE GROUND.  THEY WERE EACH LOADED WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND WEAPONS.  AFTER GATHERING UP THE PARACHUTE AND STUFFING IT BACK INTO A BACKPACK, THEY WOULD RUN TO THE GATHERING AREA.  VERY IMPRESSIVE!  SOME SPOUSES AND FAMILY WERE WITH US IN A VIEWING AREA.  TWO YOUNG WOMEN IN UNIFORM APPROACHED US, AND ONE SMILED AND SAID, "WE SAW YOUR NAME-TAGS, AND I WANTED TO FEEL A BIT OF HOME."  SHE WAS FROM THE SUGAR-HOUSE AREA IN SLC, WHICH WAS NEAR WHERE WE GREW UP.  (SMALL WORLD)  SHE SAID SHE WASN'T ACTIVE NOW, BUT WAS THINKING ABOUT COMING BACK TO CHURCH.  WE GAVE HER OUR CONTACT CARD, AND HAD A GREAT VISIT WITH HER AND HER FRIEND.  WE'RE HOPING TO BRING THEM TO A CHURCH MEETING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.  

WE'RE EXCITED TO START MEETING WITH, AND GETTING TO KNOW THE FORT BRAGG WARD, AND MORE OF THE YOUNG SINGLE ADULT BRANCH.  OUR EXPERIENCE HERE HAS BEEN SO REWARDING, AND IS MORE FUN THAN WE EVER EXPECTED.  IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL HERE, AND SUCH A CHANGE FROM THE DRY CLIMATES OF UTAH AND IDAHO.  OUR TIME IN THE LORD'S SERVICE HAS BEEN GOING BY SO QUICKLY, AND WE'RE HAVING NO PROBLEM KEEPING BUSY.