beautiful weather!

We're having such a great week! We've been working hard and it feels like there was nothing easy about this week, but all in all we had the most time to teach and the most people that we've invited to church actually come than at any time on my mission. Things are going well with each of the people we're meeting with; Luke, Pam and Vince especially. West Virginia is really growing on me more and more everyday, especially as the weather gets nice again, and as we continue to work hard and have fun. I really love my companion because of how fun he is, but he's also just so incredibly sincere about the work and always striving to do the best he can. I really hope that I don't ever hold him back, but that we have a good time together and make this experiance in Charleston the best one yet on our missions.

There's a family, the Minnich family that is really trying hard to come back to church so that their daughter can be baptized. Bro Minnich actually served in Helena, MT back in 2001! We instantly clicked when he found out that I'm originally from Townsend! They're such a cool family though. The baptism is set for June 17th because the family needs to be active for 4 months before she can be baptized so its more likely that they'll stay active afterwards. Hopefully it goes through! Even if I'm not here for it!

We're going to be finding out if I'm moving or not probably tomorrow. If not tomorrow than friday night, and so next week I'll be emailing on Tuesday. Love ya'll!

Just sending a picture from a couple months ago from when we played Rugby. It was waaay fun! Touch rugby of course, even if I'm all muddy!

~Elder Shain C Wiederholt

888 Oakwood Dr Ste 310

Charleston, WV 25310

Two sided coin of a week

This week was a good week. There's no particular reason why, but it was successful and satistfactory. Unfortuantely the zone didnt have a nearly good week as my companion and I did, and that always seems to happen. When we have a good week, the zone is down in the dumps and vice versa. Never seems to line up just right. We were able to teach a lot though, and we found an awesome guy named Luke. He's going through a tough time in his life, and we were just walking up his steps and he came out and let us in. He gave us a tour of the house that he's remodeling, and we sat down to teach him a little bit, inwhich he told us about ho he had jsut been praying that morning for help from God for him and his son especially. That was a week ago, and we're been over a couple more times to really help him with his house and other things. He's way sweet!

My time here in Charleston is starting to wind down, and then I'll be transferred. Transfers are in about 2 weeks, and I might be leaving. If not, then I wouldn't mind. I really love it here. It rocks! The weather is really starting to be awesome as well, even in the forcast is apparently calling for 6 inches of snow over the night. Right now, it's about 55 or 60 and sunny. Pretty rockin. There's a pretty wicked flu bug going around though. A lot of missionaries have caught it already, and I hope that I don't. I've called our mission health nurse at least once every couple months since she was called. haha

One is of a Church Marquee in Parkersburg, WV. The other is a district picture of the district that I'm in right now. I love these missionaries!

Sure do love ya'll!

~Elder Wiederholt

888 Oakwood Rd Ste 310

Charleston, WV 25314

a cold cold week!

We had an awesome week this week! We have truely been blessed and I truely love this work. The ward here is taking the opportunity to fast for the missionary work every month of February, last week being the first, and all three sets of missionaries in the ward had someone at church for the first time since I've been here in Charleston. There really is power in fasting, especially as my companion and I continue to see miracles all around us, in our areas and in the areas of other missionaries. The ward hasn't ever been this stoked for missionary work as long as I've been here either. Awesome.

Unfortunately the ward is having some tough times with people backbiting, and it's really effecting things. If the ward was more unified, this would easily be my favorite ward. It's so sad to see things happening that shouldn't happen, and to see it all around us. There was an awesome talk on Sunday by a High Councilman about how Christ didn't just say love one another because he likes rules, but because if we want to be loved by other people, then we need to love others. It's so true, and It's sad that it takes someone from another ward to come, see that, and say it.

There's a brand new video on Mormon.org, Jeremy Jones. My companion knows him, and like 3 others that have videos. It's incredible how small the world is! Jeremy Jones is way sweet though. He has a snowboard thats scratch and sniff...and smells like pizza. Hahaha.

Well, unfortunately there's not a whole lot else going on. We're all just pushing on through the cold and loving all the we do! Sure do love yall!

~Elder Shain C Wiederholt

888 Oakwood Rd Ste 310

Charleston, WV 25314

Working hard!

Things here are doing really well. Elder Dumke and I continue to work hard, trying things that we've never done before to find success. Everything from going the extra mile in obedience by wearing suits in the abnormally warm winter and actually making our beds, to working the ward to find and baptize those that are ready for the gospel by doing a special fast with the ward, where every family fasts a different day of the month for missionary work. We're pulling all the stops! This week we're going to invite everyone we talk to to come to church, because we're jsut not getting anyone there and it's getting frustrating.

Other than that, things are just going like normal. I'm sending a picture of me with a couple of the assistants and elder Dumke(behind me) in our apartment. I thought people at home might enjoy that. Man, this work rocks. I love it, and although home is coming faster and faster, I'm really going to miss this. We spent some quality time with some families last night to avoid the super bowl. One family, the Paynes, are thee coolest family in the world. I feel completely comfortable over there, and it's always really fun. They also ahve the most solid little kids in the world.

I love a'll, miss ya'll and I'll talk to ya'll later.