OUR TRAINERS

Let me introduce you to our trainers, Elder and Sister Atkinson. They have been so helpful. They are assigned to the Grovetown ward which meets in our building. Elder Atkinson is retired military and they are also assigned to Ford Gordon, wonderful people. This picture was taken after district meeting this past week.

Two fun things happened to us this week. We rode over to Akin South Carolina with the Atkinsons, just across the river from Augusta, to take some mending to the Elders there.

Sister Atkinsons mends all the Elders clothes. Two sets of Elders live in the same apartment. One set of Elders had been on splits with ward members. One Elder went with the son and the other Elder went with his Dad. The dad and son came in to visit, introduced themselves, their last name is Brooks. The younger Brother Brooks said to Elder Berry and me I know who you are. He said he served a mission in Las Vegas about three years ago and had dinner at our house. He also said Lowell shook his had every Sunday. We didn't remember him but what a wonderful visit. The older Brother Brooks thanked us for taking care of his son while serving in Vegas.

The second thing happened this past Saturday night. We were at a Baptism and the ward mission leader said he had a surprise for us. About that time Ann and Monte Stewart walked in the door with their son Tommy and daughter Elizabeth. What a joyful visit. Their son David lives in Martinez and was blessing his fifth child on Sunday so they stopped in at the baptism for a short surprise visit.

We met the sweetest young couple this week, Christopher and Lakeysha Smoot. They have four young children, 2girls ages 4 and 6, a 2 year old boy, and a 4 week old baby. They welcomed us into their home and we had a wonderful visit. They have been members of the church about a year so they are young in the gospel and struggle. They love the gospel and just need lots of love and encouragement. That is something we can do. They let me hold their baby and told us she was getting blessed this Sunday. That was one of the most beautiful little babies I have ever seen. She had beautiful skin big brown eyes and dark short curly hair. I fell in love. Saturday we took them a little white dress for the blessing. They were so appreciative. We also had the opportunity to teach about the sacred nature of ordinances. The baby was beautiful in her little white dress being held in the circle by the Priesthood. Christopher held the microphone and took the baby back to their seat. The baby was beautiful. The Smoot's home teacher blessed the baby. When Christopher and Lakeysha walked in church they looked a little sad. After Church they told us his mother had passed that morning so they had to leave and take care of funeral arrangements.

We stay very busy but are still figuring our exactly all the things we need to do. Two families were baptized since we have been here. One family is mother and two children. The other is father, mother, and three boys. We decided we would go into their homes, have home evening and nurture them for a while. We have two appointments this week. One of the draw backs to the converts is they don't have cars and they have to depend on others for rides to church.

The ward has many challenges but they are working very hard to overcome them. The Relief Society lesson yesterday was how to fill out a tithing/donation slip. They taught about each donation, where it went and how it was spent. They even showed how to put in an envelope and who to give it to. Our job is easy compared to theirs. One thing we have learned is this is not a nine to five job. Our desire is that everyone that is baptized stays on that straight and narrow path to Christ. We know it will bless their lives and help bring them up out of their circumstances. We love the work and love being here.

Love Elder and Sister Berry

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

October 31, 2011
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! We are on lock down tonight at 6:00P.M. along with all the missionaries. We must be in our apartment.

We have had a very interesting and busy week. Our days are filled with finding the visiting less active families. Tuesday we knocked on a front door and when someone came they came from a door on the side of the house. They looked out the window and when they saw our black name tags they knew we were missionaries so they invited us in. The Johnson's are an inactive family. We visited with Gregory and his daughter, Latasha. Latasha was studying to take the ASAP test so she could join the military. Lowell helped her a little with that. Gregory works part time so he can take care of his 4 year old handicapped grandson (child abuse), his wife Karen works full time (we haven't met her yet) The grandson was born while his mother (daughter in law)was "locked up" so the Johnson's took the baby home with them. When the mother got "out" she took the baby and they thought she would be a good mother. The mother took the baby and moved to Chicago. Two years later they got a phone call. The baby was in the hospital and not expected to live. Gregory quit work and went to Chicago and stayed until the baby was able to be released. While at the hospital he had a spiritual experience. He said as he prayed for the baby to live, the room lit up brighter than day and from that moment on the baby started to improve. The little boy lost seventy percent of brain capacity, can't walk, says very few words, and one side of his body is paralyzed. He is a happy and loved little boy. The mother is "locked up" and will be for a long time. The boys dad is also "locked up". We had a delightful visit with the Johnsons. When we left we realized we didn't do any of the things we had been taught in the MTC. We didn't invite them to church on Sunday, didn't leave a message, or say prayer. Although the visit was successful we felt sad we hadn't invited them back to church.

We visited an active sister in the hospital. We left her with a scripture and prayer. As we were leaving we asked if we could bring her anything on our next visit. She asked for a Word Search Puzzle Book in large print. We decided to go buy one and take it back to her so we wouldn't forget. We found a Target store close by. While walking down the isle a young woman all smiles came up and shook our hand. She saw our black name tags. She was from Texas and in Augusta to attend a family wedding. While we were checking out a man came up and shook our hands. He was a relative of the girl. We paid for our book and before we left the store visited with their whole family. They were from Texas and Idaho.

Thursday we went to Columbia, South Carolina for a Leadership Training. We left our apartment before 6:00A.M. and didn't get back to Augusta until 6:00P.M. On our way out of town we went to Grovetown ( a section of town ) and picked up two Elders, then drove to Evans (a section ) and dropped off one Elder and picked up another. From there we headed for Columbia and arrived there by 8:00. We enjoyed watching all the Elders meet and greet and slap backs. We all went into the chapel and with all the visiting it got a little loud. An Assistant to the President announced for everyone to be seated and read their scriptures. Everyone immediately sat down and opened their scriptures and continued reading until the meeting began. What a humbling sight to look over the chapel and see opened scriptures and bent heads. When the President, his wife and Trainers arrived everyone stood up and remained standing until motioned to be seated. The trainers were Brother Donaldson and Brother Littlefield from the Missionary Training Department. The meetings started at 8:30 and two hours later it was time for a break and divide into two groups. We met another two hours then lunch break. Meetings started again at 1 o'clock and ended a little after 4. We stood up a lot in this meeting and did role playing. What an inspiring meeting. When the meetings were over we wished for more.

Saturday was a ward trunk or treat party. We were planning to go so Saturday morning Patty called and said she had made a huge pot of chili for her ward party. She said she had enough for us to take to our party. Patty said she had never learned to make small amounts and she had too much. Good excuse to share. Thanks Patty. We picked up a family and drove them to the ward party. The mother and daughter were interviewed for baptism for tomorrow. Lowell and I handed out candy in the parking lot. We didn't drive our car around to the area but just stood and gave out candy. As we drove the family home Lowell asked the family what they had learned and if they had any questions. This gave us a chance to teach them more because we had a captive audience.

Sunday the Bishop took a few minutes in Sacrament Meeting and spoke to the congregation, He said he had reports from two different sources that some men had been laying their hands on family members. He told them that was not appropriate behavior. The Savior wouldn't do that. Little children were precious in the sight of the Lord and no one deserved that type of treatment. They were told they needed to control their anger. For those who were guilty they should come talk to him. Family members should never strike one another. Bishop Burgess is the most spiritual and Christ like man I have ever seen. He truly loves his flock with all its challenges. The ward leaders works hard with all their challenges with the rapid growth due to baptisms. There were 8 baptized after the block today. I noticed there was some confusion with clothes so I asked who was in charge of the baptism clothes. The young Elders said they took them home each week and washed them when they got around to it, which meant they probably laid around wet until the night before the baptism. So guess who volunteered to wash the clothes? The ward furnishes nice, fluffy towels, with Augusta Ward monogrammed on them and new looking clothes. Before going to bed tonight we washed two large loads of baptismal clothes and a load for tomorrow.

Love serving in Augusta

FIRST LETTER FROM AUGUSTA GEORGIA

Things are going pretty fast. We have almost got the apartment set up. No hot water yet. Or heat. This should happen tomorrow,gas guy is coming. Its not to bad with the water and heat. We went to a ward social last nite. Met some people from Nevada. The mission President lived at Sahara and Jones and raised his family. We have meeting today. Corrilation this morning then the three hour block then at four there is a babtism of seven people.

Our address is 2703 Wood Crest Dr. Apt. C Augusta Ga. 30909 Toots will give you more detail later. Elder & Sister Berry

MTC

October 10, 2011

Today we enter the MTC