Shortly after taking this picture, looking off to the southwest from the upper porch of our residence in Bedford, we had the hardest driving rainstorm we have yet experienced here in Virginia. It came down in sheets of water, blowing out of the south. It slackened off after awhile, but continued to rain throughout the evening, much to Linda's pleasure. This was on Wednesday.

We are continuing to make Amish Friendship bread and take starter and the recipe to members and families we teach. Now that we have it going, we aren't sure how to stop. We have 3 more ziplock bags of starter to share with someone out there. It sure does make good tasting bread, or rather cake. It has the consistency of pound cake and you can make any flavor you like. Our most recent is Lemon, and that sure is good!

We were early for our appointment with Merle and Marianna Dutton on Thursday afternoon, so we drove on down to Smith Mountain lake on a nearby road and looked at some of the newer homes that have been built near the lake in Gooodview, Virginia.

This is one of them. You can see a very small portion of one of the many inlets of the lake in the background. We were told this home is valued at near a million dollars. Brother Dutton said the lots themselves in this particular development are priced at over $500,000.

Yes, Elder Chapman was told to take off his coat and tie and help out with washing and drying the windows. It isn't enough just to show up, you need to be willing to roll up your sleeves and work for the cause!

Mr. Meador in his mortorized cart observing the youth as they wash the cars in his driveway. Sister Neal, one of the YW leaders is talking with him.

I introduced myself to Mr. Meador when I arrived and he told me that he was very impressed that a group of young people would come and do this kind of service for his organization with no thought of renumeration; but just as a gesture of help and goodwill.

The leaders did have hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks prepared and served up after the project was completed. They all had a very enjoyable time!

Here is Elder Hart in his cap and car wash clothes, keeping an eye out for those who might want to put soap and water on him instead of the vehicle.

Almost everyone got good and wet before it was over with, but they did a good job cleaning and washing the cars too.

There were 22 youth and leaders involved in this project. The young lady you see here, Rachel, and her mother, Raquel Querro, in the background in the black dress, are being taught by the missionaries.

Tuesday, July 14, the Bedford missionaries were invited to help with the Young Women's and Young Men's service project at the home of John Meador in Moneta.

Mr. Meador is a paraplegic who dispatches for Bedford Ride, a service that provides transportation for the needy in the Bedford County area. These are the youth of our Branch. Our young people cleaned and washed all 6 of the Bedford Ride vans and cars that are garaged in Moneta and then vacuumed and washed Mr. Meador's big van as well.

Elder Wright is there in the midst of the work. The youth loved having the missionaries helping out.

Elder Wright and Elder Hart, our Bedford Elders, who accompanied us to our dinner appointment with Evelyn and Buck Deel, out at their home in Blue Ridge, a week ago Sunday.

We are enjoying having these elders assigned here in the Bedford Branch. They are working hard and achieving resullts. They had two investigators out to Sacrament meeting yesterday.

Linda is giving a big hug to one of our dear older members of the Bedford Branch, Sister Lucy Strawn, on her 85th birthday. Sister Strawn is one of the sisters in the branch that we are assigned to as Home Teachers.

She is widowed and now lives with her daughter Betty, who called and invited us to a surprise birthday party for her mother this past Tuesday evening.

We pass this home on our way to visit one of our Home Teaching families who live east of Bedford, south of the Salem/Lynchburg Turnpike. This photo does not do justice to the beautiful setting. The home sits on a prominence that gives views for miles in all directions, something you don't find frequently in this forested countryside.

Of course, it can't be the 4th of July without fireworks!

The town of Bedford had a fireworks display up by the D-Day Memorial on the west side of town, but we elected to stay put and watch "A Capital 4th" on T-V, followed by Fireworks and music from New York and Boston.

Isn't it a great country?

I am pretty sure I am the only person in Virginia who got to wear a"Firecracker 4th Softball Tournament" shirt on this Independence Day, thanks to our Show Low family!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Isn't it a great country?

We wanted Elizabeth to know that the flag she sent for Father's Day is being proudly displayed on July 4th, here in Bedford!

We didn't have a flag. It came just in time! Thank you, dear Elizabeth!

We enjoyed a quiet but very nice 4th, with steak on the bar-b-q, corn on the cob, fresh garden tomato and avocado slices, garlic toast and root beer floats!

It is a great country!

A view of the Hodge home from the back yard. It has been such a blessing for us to reside here in this lovely home and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of its surroundings. We truly love this place!

A closer view of the grapes that are now maturing in the grape arbor that was built, planted and nutured by the original owner, Elmer Hodge, Senior, now deceased. We think of him and his wife often as we live here in their home and enjoy the beauty and peace that surrounds us.

We have a grape arbor which is presently bearing young grapes in great clusters, out here in the back yard of the home where we reside.

There is an abundance of grapes. We don't know what we will do with it all when they mature!

This is the view from our bedroom window, looking off to the north toward the Blue Ridge mountains in the distance as dusk settles in toward nightfall. The clouds catch the setting sun's rays in a variety of ever changing hues.

The sky is an endless source of beauty and wonder!

Another view, off to the northeast on Wednesday evening as storm clouds continue to build out over the Bedford County countryside east of the Blue Ridge.

Taken from our back deck at the Hodge home where we reside here in Bedford, Virginia while serving in the West Virginia Charleston Mission.

Wednesday evening, July 1, great thunderheads began to develop off to the east of us and we heard the warning of severe weather for parts of Bedford County and other parts of Virginia.

Much to Linda's disappointment, no rain fell where we reside just outside the town limits of Bedford, but we were treated to the marvelous scenes of billowing storm clouds as they towered above us to the northeast.

Except for Sister Chapman, who insisted on being the camera person, these are the present missionaries assigned to the Vinton District of the Roanoke Virginia Zone of our mission.

Back row, (l to r) Elder Jeffery of Oklahoma, just arrived two transfers ago. He is in a Spanish speaking companionship with Elder Macay.

Elder Hart of Payson, Utah. He is newly arrived from the MTC, serving in Bedford with Elder Wright.

Elder Schottes, one of our Zone Leaders ( I don't know where he is from).

Elder Wright of Loveland, Colorado. He has been out for about a year. He attended BYU and was a member of the BYU track team, throwing the Discus and the Hammer. He has a serious girl friend back home, the daughter of a former member of the Loveland Stake Presidency, last name Harris. He has brought a lot of energy and committment to his assignment as Trainer to Elder Hart since their arrival in Bedford on this most recent Transfer. We are really excited about the work being done by these two Bedford Elders.

Middle Row, (l to r), Elder Brady, Zone Leader with Elder Schottes. Excellent missionary (I don't know where he is from).

Elder Shill, our very fine District Leader. He is the grandson of one of my fellow faculty members at the Skyline Seminary, 1966-68, Wynn Call of Star Valley, Wyoming.

Myself, Elder Chapman

Front Row, (l to r), Elder Macay, Senior companion and Trainer to Elder Jeffery. He is a Spanish speaker and is the only missionary still in the Vinton District since our arrival in January. We really like Eler Macay. He is the only one in our District who will attempt to play the piano to accompany our hymn singing at our meetings.

Elder Boling of San Diego, California. He was in Bedford for a short time. We are happy to see him back as the new companion to our District leader, Elder Shill.

Sister Chapman took this picture at the end of our most recent District Meeting this past Monday, June 29.

Sister Linda Chapman of the West Virginia Charleston Mission is seated quietly in this small Civil War cemetary near Appomattox Court House, Virginia, paying her respects to ten of the last soldiers to die in this war.

Nine of the graves hold the remains of soldiers of the Confederacy. One grave on the very end (to the left, not shown) is that of a Union soldier who fell here amid the last shots fired during this momenteous and tragic conflict.

this is a peaceful and sacred spot, maintained by a group of women called the Daughters of the Confederacy. The cemetary is on the north side of US 460, just west of the entrance to the Appomattox Court House Historic Park.