LDS Mission- Farmville, VA

My LDS Mission

Farmville, Virginia

January 1988-March 1988

I arrived in Farmville after a very long trip from Bluefield, West Virginia. I was sad to leave Bluefield, but found my new companion, Sister Ryan. She was an older sister in her 50s. Most sister missionaries are in their 20s. By the time I arrived there I was very ready for Spring, though it was still a couple months away.

We lived in the finish attic of an elderly lady who was a member of the local LDS church. After living in the attic of the house in Bluefield I felt I was living in luxury.

The area we served covered seven counties in the heart of Virginia. We usually covered 90 miles in a day driving from Cumberland and Montgomery Counties in the north to Charlotte and Lunenburg Counties in the south with Prince Edward, Amelia and Nottoway Counties in the middle.

We were trying to get the local LDS congregation (or ward) to be more enthusiastic about things. I was up late one night trying to figure out what could be done. I was reading in the Bible and the Book of Mormon trying to find some answers.

It was then that I read something I have read a dozen times or more, but had never really understood. I was reading in Alma 32. It was just like those cartoons when someone gets a an idea and a light bulb goes on above their head. I didn't just stop there. I read on. Turning to the New Testament in the Bible. I turned to Hebrews 11.

I finally understood that Faith was not merely belief. It was a cause for action. The dictionaries definition of faith was lacking. This gave me a renewed sense of my purpose in being there.

It was also about this time that we received a referral to contact a young college student in the area who was interested in our message. As a young boy he had watched as his father was baptized a member of our faith. He remembered the feeling he had and longed to be a part of that. He lived with his mother who was very much against it. All the time growing up he kept that thought in the back of his mind.

When he reached the age of 18 he left home to attend college in Farmville. He no longer needed his mother's permission to join with our faith. He immediately began searching for nearest LDS Church in the area. The nearest LDS chapel was in the next county. He finally sent a request to the headquarters of the Church in Salt Lake City. That lead to the referral we received.

He had obviously done his homework and was very eager to learn more. He was baptized a few weeks later. By that time, however, I had been transferred to yet another town.

While serving there I met a lovely older couple (Elder and Sister Walker) who were serving as genealogy missionaries for the LDS Church. Their message was to teach people about the importance of family history, keeping records and searching out our ancestors.

We assisted them in arranging a genealogy class through the local library. This was a great experience as we met many of the local people we might not have otherwise met.

And finally, while en route to an appointment one day we came to the Sailor's Creek Battlefield. This was the site of the last major battle of the Civil War. It was a very moving experience to stand there and realize that several thousand men lost their lives on that spot of ground.

A few weeks later, as I was being transferred to Roanoke, I would get the opportunity to walk around at Appomattox Court House and see the McLean house where Lee surrendered to Grant.

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