Hey Family -
It is crazy all the natural disasters that are happening. I guess you probably didn't hear about the tornado/ hurricane windstorm that ripped through West Virginia. A majority of the missionaries were without power for a few days and some without water. Needless to say it was anything but a routine weekend. At the time I was on exchanges in Beckley with another missionary. We were teaching the restoration on this guys front porch and the clouds really started rolling in.
The day went from 105 weather to starting to cool down quick. If you know anything about weather (which at the time I did not) then that is not a good thing. Within 10 minutes there were hurricane force winds uprooting trees, breaking branches and pulling down power lines. We ran to our car and headed for shelter, but almost all the ways home were blocked by downed lines or trees. As we came around one bend, this guy immediately behind us pulled his chainsaw out of his truck and starting going at this 40 foot tree in the pouring rain. The good thing about WV is everyone has a gun and a chainsaw and everyone wants to use it. The power was out and the chaos began. Elder Syndergaard and his temp comp stayed in the mission home with the Pitts because all the streetlights were out and it was unsafe to drive. We got home the next day and there were basically two apartments in the mission with both power and water - us and the assistants. It helps that we live right next to the capitol. But I have never been so grateful. Surely it doesn't seem like a big deal for all the power to go out, but you woulda thought we were on the brink of an Apocalypse.
Church was obviously cancelled and all the missionaries in the surrounding area came in for missionary sacrament meeting. Elder Syndergaard and I blessed the sacrament and we all bore our testimonies. The Spirit was so strong.
The rest of the week was good. We taught more than we usually do and we drove the zone with meetings. It is so cool how the Lord magnifies the time we do have. Chip is doing well. We didn't get to see him this week but we were in contact with him almost everyday. His grandma has been in and out of the hospital, but we are planning to see him tonight.
Remember that less active family I talked about a few weeks ago that I have been trying to see the whole time I have been here, and then the Dad came to church? Well on Thursday we teamed up with their home teachers to go and see them. They didn't answer at first but as we were leaving they ran and caught us and told us to come round back. We had our first lesson with the family and have scheduled to see them every week to work with them. The girls both want to be baptized after they found out Liz got baptized. I am really excited to see the progress they make.
I am guessing this is my last full week in Charleston, so I am really trying to soak it in.
Love yall!
Elder Dumke
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