Sorry it has been so long since I have had a new posting but we have been busy being missionaries!  We have moved, have 4 people being baptized on Sunday and have spent a lot of time driving around these mountain roads looking for less-actives.

Here is a great chart that a man around here makes...World History Chart.  It shows information from 4004 BC to 2010 AD.  We have never seen anything so comprehensive!

The first week in April we had the wonderful experience of traveling to Buena Vista, Virginia...just outside Lexington.  Beautiful country!!  We attended a 2 day conference for all the senior couples serving in the WV mission.  Very inspiring and enjoyable.  We met on the old, but beautiful campus of Southern Virginia University.  There are currently between 600-700 students on campus and only 30-40 are not LDS.  The classes only have an average of 15 students attending.  What an impressive campus and outstanding student body.  We highly recommend this "East coast BYU" for anyone looking for high standards and a great university!

 

 

OK...the latest new food item...Ramps! They are like wild onions that grow in the forests high in the mountains.  Now is the only time of year they are available.  They are fried with bacon, scrambled eggs and other items as well.  Nope, not going to eat this one.  They smell and we have been told by many people that YOU will smell for days after eating them.  Heard on the radio that they are the latest delicacy in fine restaurants...don't do it!

Here is the Elk river, taken from the swinging bridge shown in previous post.  The snow is gone, the river is rising but the trees are still without leaves.  There are a few flowering trees that have blossomed but the majority of the multitude of trees are still very barren.  We are sure looking forward to Spring.  No, hasn't come to the mountains of WV yet!

Here is our new house...much warmer with insulation in walls and carpet in living room and bedrooms.  There is a beauty shop in the back (with whom we have to share the only bathroom - Tuesday thru Friday - can be tricky!) and way behind is an auto garage...the two businesses run by the owners.  In the foreground is our trusty "chariot"...great all-wheel drive Subaru who has taken us up many mountains and hollers through rain, ice and snow.  Already past 40,000 miles!!

While in a park the ranger said this usually out smarts the many bears that roam the woods.  You have to put your hand inside the metal piece at the bottom and push a button to open.  How ingenious is that!!

We actually had company and spent a couple of days taking my cousin, Juan Rondon, visiting from Miami, FL around to see the sights.  Here we are standing with Juan in front of a small water fall...part of the Gauley river.

We live in the lovely mountain valley known as Webster Springs.  The sign also shows off one of the flowering trees that have just recently blossomed.  Notice the barren trees in the background...with the exception of a pine tree.

This picture was taken out the car window on April 15th!  I thought the first day of Spring was in March!!  Apparently that is not the case in West Virginia.  The next day it jumped from 30 to 50 degrees and it all melted.  Today it is 60 degrees and raining.  When I ask people if we have seen the last of the snow they say "Don't know...we'll just have to wait and see."  But we have been told that it has been a colder winter than usual.

So the journey continues here in WV!  We love serving others every day, all day.  We love the people here in WV but sure miss all our friends, children and grandchildren.

Our love and fondest wishes to you all...
Elder and Sister McBean