Weekly Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

The best news is we made it to the best month of the year. Christmas will be here before we know it.  We had a Christmas Devotional at our stake center yesterday. We didn't know anything about it until the young elders asked for a ride because they didn't have enough miles left on their car.  The stake center is about and hour and a half away from Oakland. It was all music with a little narration and a short message from our Stake President.  We have some very talented people in out stake.  Music can bring the spirit into a meeting like nothing else, especially at Christmas time.

We spent some time again this week delivering invitations to the branch Christmas dinner.  And we had some success this week!  We visited a man that had been active several years ago but hasn't been to church in years. We gave him an invitation and had a short visit with him.  He's a really nice guy and wants us to come back to visit sometime. Later in the week he called the Relief Society President and said he wanted to come to the dinner and offered to take a pumpkin pie (it's a pot-luck dinner). That was a feel-good moment for us.

Thursday was another morning at the hospital.  It was sooo busy.  The people that work with us said it was the busiest day they can remember.  I guess people are trying to get medical work done before the end of the year when insurance deductibles start over.  We usually work from 9:00 until 1:00 but I had a doctor's appointment at noon.  We thought it would slow down by then, it usually does, so I left Mom to work with the security guard. It didn't slow down at all and Mom was happy to see our replacement show up. By the way, the doctor's visit was just to get my medications re-filled.

We had District Council in Masontown again on Friday. We like having it there because one of the routes home takes us past Morgantown where they have a Sam's Club among other things we are accustomed to. It's an hour away from Oakland so we don't go there otherwise.  They also have most of the chain restaurants we are familiar with.

We also delivered a few more birthday cards and candy bars delivered.  It's fun to see the smile on their faces, especially the kids.  The branch really likes that we are doing this their for branch members.

Here's a little West Virginia humor for you.  How do we know that the toothbrush was invented in West Virginia?  Because if it had been invented anywhere else they would have called it the teethbrush.

Mom's scripture for this week is from Mosiah 2:41 - "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy  state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending  happiness.  Oh remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."  As Mom was reading her scriptures one morning it got her attention because it says "remember, remember" and when the scriptures repeat, you should pay attention.

We hope that you are all doing well. We pray for you daily.  Enjoy the next few weeks as we get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We love you.

Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandad

Jamee and Kerry

Sister and Elder Cooper