Fires Rain But No Snow

The last of fall!! Sorry to see it leaf.      Biltmore Estate just a little cottage


Dear Family and Friends

     We made the national news this week with the forest fires in an area in our mission called Gatlinburg.  Rob, Meg and Susan know about Gatlinburg.  It is a place they met one summer to do a east coast family reunion when they all lived within a 4-5 hour radius from each other.  They rented a cabin up in the steep mountain sloops in the Smokey Mountains.  Many homes and businesses  burnt to the ground because of the 80 mile an hour winds that kindled the forty fires that were burning around the area.  Tennessee has had really dry weather for months and so these small wild fires were being watched but when the winds came up it just jumped across valley and sloops and went wild.  The fire fighters could not contain it and so it hit the town of Gatlinburgh.  Very few lives were lost but there were a few.  There was no danger to missionaries but some of the members in that area lost their businesses and homes.  The people of Tennessee are a volunteering state that is why it is called the Volunteer State so they have had many donations.  Our stake did a hygene kit project the day after the fires and we are now trying to do a gofund me project for a family that lost there business shop.

   Out of tragic things come beautiful things.

We have had a wonderful past few days with the visit of Uncle Gregg and Aunt Barbara.  They came to see us and we have just enjoyed being together.  My brother looked good his energy is not as great as it was but we have given him time to take naps and so I think we haven't worn him out to much.
We had talked to them about visiting since hearing of his brain tumor.  We didn't know if it was even possible but with the Lord's help anythings can happen.  Last year at this time we were not sure he would live to see another Christmas.  But it looks good and we are so grateful for everyday the Lord gives him.  Thank you for always keeping him in your prayers.  They still need your sustaining prayers and love as you ask our Father to bless him and Aunt Barbara.
  The out look that comes as we consider the possiblity of not being together again is sobering but I do feel loved by the Lord and my brother that we have had time to just enjoy conversation, memories, blessings and concerns for the future.  We have shown them some of the fun things about our area of this southern mission.  As some of you may remember our dad served in this area of the south in a place called Asheville.  We took Uncle Gregg and Aunt Barbara to Asheville where the Biltmore estate is located.  It is the largest American home ever built and still is.  It is like a European castle.  It was built at the turn of the 19th century.  We took some pictures of us as we toured the home and took some pitures of the inside of the home.  It's not a home it is a mansion with 250 rooms.  1800 acres of land, which includes a lake a farm, winery, gardens, (formal and productive)  It has forest of wild game and keepers cottages.   It was built by George Vanderbuilt and is still owned privately by a distant relative. They keep up the estate by giving tours.  Not all the rooms are furnished some are empty or used as storeage.  It was a fun time.  The next day we went on a train ride for about 90 minutes.  It was the polar express train with a visit from Santa Claus.  There were some families on the train so it made it fun.  They even had a snow maker things that blew foamy specks that floated past the windows as we traveled along.  Then we attended the broadway musical Cinderella that night at the Tennessee Theatre downtown.  It is a beautiful ornate building built in the 1920 that houses wonderful events.  We just happen to get tickets and then when Gregg and Barbara decided to come we told them about the play and they got tickets also.  So we did not sit together but we went for ice cream before the play at an old fashioned soda place.  Today is Sunday and we went to church together.  It was fun to have family with us.  We had a nice dinner together.  Tomorrow we will go into the office for the morning and then we will take them to the Dixie Stampede for dinner and a show.  We have done this show before and we really loved it.  Then Uncle Gregg and Aunt Barbara will go home on Tuesday.  We feel blessed to have had them come to see us.  We hope it was a
blessing for them also.  We love you all.  Thank you for praying for the missionaries.  Mom

Christmas at the Biltmore

massive iron Chandelier

Biltmore Estate front entrance

My brother Gregg and myself in from of just part of the massive Biltmore