Noah.
Noah.
One of the fondest memories I have when serving in Beattyville, Kentucky is a man named Noah. Noah was a great blessing in my life. When I arrived in Beattyville, Noah gave us a call and wanted us to come by and teach him! We were stoked! We got to Noah's house and he told us that he was a member of the Church and that he needed help. Looking at his surroundings and his house (pictured below) we thought he was going to definitely ask us for money. He did not. He was dying and he wanted to get things right with God.
That first day when we met Noah, he was not doing too well and he was confined to a hospital bed in his home. We started to go over everyday to his house and simply read the Book of Mormon to him. He was too weak to read it on his own and we knew the power that daily reading has, so we made sure he read everyday even if we were the ones to read it to him! In a matter of days, his house seemed a little less morbid, a little more light, and he had a smile on his face. Noah's countenance quickly changed and not only that, but his health miraculously started to improve! Meeting Noah for the first time we would have never thought that he would be able to walk on his own.
A Sunday morning in November we received a call from Noah asking us to pick him up for church. He hadn't left his house for over 3 months now and he wanted to go to church! We had someone pick him up and he loved it! The spirit was so strong and we could tell that his health was improving. We started to make goals with Noah:
1. Come to church for 3 weeks in a row
2. Read and Pray daily
3. Receive the Aaronic Priesthood
4. Receive the Melchizedek Priesthood
5. Go to the temple
We started with the first one, come to church 3 weeks in a row. Bye golly, by the 3rd week he was walking into the church building with nothing but a can to help him! The miracles never ceased with Noah. On Noah's 5th week in a row of coming to church, he received the Priesthood Authority. Everyone of us there was in tears, the spirit was so thick that it felt like we could just cut through it. Then came the moment in eternity that I will never forget:
December 27, 2015 our branch Christmas program.
Now you have to know something about our branch in Beattyville, we were more like a little band of followers. Consisting of a total 5 active members that actually lived in Beattyville, the missionaries, and the Stake help, we had a total of 15-20 people in attendance weekly. When the choir walked up to conduct the Christmas program and carol together, we looked out at the congregation and it was only then when we realized that all but 1 member of the congregation was in the branch choir. That one member was Noah Jewell.
I can't really put into words the feeling that was felt as we all sang to Noah. We sang to him for 30 minutes and a smile never left his face. It was one of those moments in eternity when you just knew that you were exactly where you needed to be. I have never felt more at home since being on my mission. Noah was happy, he had the priesthood, he was active and repentant. God will help those that try.
After that, Noah caught a bad cold which turned into Pneumonia and he wound up in the hospital. We visited him several times, but his health just kept decreasing after that. He still held on for a while and left this life on June 7th, 2016. I cried when I heard the news, not because of death, but because he was such an influence and a good friend that it made saying goodbye that much harder. Noah taught me to be happy in hard circumstances. He taught me that happiness does not depend on your outward situation, but your relationship with God. It was not the doctor visits, or the fact that he attended church that strengthened him or made him happy, it was the fact that his relationship with God was increasing and growing deeper.
One of the fondest memories I have when serving in Beattyville, Kentucky is a man named Noah. Noah was a great blessing in my life. When I arrived in Beattyville, Noah gave us a call and wanted us to come by and teach him! We were stoked! We got to Noah's house and he told us that he was a member of the Church and that he needed help. Looking at his surroundings and his house (pictured below) we thought he was going to definitely ask us for money. He did not. He was dying and he wanted to get things right with God.
That first day when we met Noah, he was not doing too well and he was confined to a hospital bed in his home. We started to go over everyday to his house and simply read the Book of Mormon to him. He was too weak to read it on his own and we knew the power that daily reading has, so we made sure he read everyday even if we were the ones to read it to him! In a matter of days, his house seemed a little less morbid, a little more light, and he had a smile on his face. Noah's countenance quickly changed and not only that, but his health miraculously started to improve! Meeting Noah for the first time we would have never thought that he would be able to walk on his own.
A Sunday morning in November we received a call from Noah asking us to pick him up for church. He hadn't left his house for over 3 months now and he wanted to go to church! We had someone pick him up and he loved it! The spirit was so strong and we could tell that his health was improving. We started to make goals with Noah:
1. Come to church for 3 weeks in a row
2. Read and Pray daily
3. Receive the Aaronic Priesthood
4. Receive the Melchizedek Priesthood
5. Go to the temple
We started with the first one, come to church 3 weeks in a row. Bye golly, by the 3rd week he was walking into the church building with nothing but a can to help him! The miracles never ceased with Noah. On Noah's 5th week in a row of coming to church, he received the Priesthood Authority. Everyone of us there was in tears, the spirit was so thick that it felt like we could just cut through it. Then came the moment in eternity that I will never forget:
December 27, 2015 our branch Christmas program.
Now you have to know something about our branch in Beattyville, we were more like a little band of followers. Consisting of a total 5 active members that actually lived in Beattyville, the missionaries, and the Stake help, we had a total of 15-20 people in attendance weekly. When the choir walked up to conduct the Christmas program and carol together, we looked out at the congregation and it was only then when we realized that all but 1 member of the congregation was in the branch choir. That one member was Noah Jewell.
I can't really put into words the feeling that was felt as we all sang to Noah. We sang to him for 30 minutes and a smile never left his face. It was one of those moments in eternity when you just knew that you were exactly where you needed to be. I have never felt more at home since being on my mission. Noah was happy, he had the priesthood, he was active and repentant. God will help those that try.
After that, Noah caught a bad cold which turned into Pneumonia and he wound up in the hospital. We visited him several times, but his health just kept decreasing after that. He still held on for a while and left this life on June 7th, 2016. I cried when I heard the news, not because of death, but because he was such an influence and a good friend that it made saying goodbye that much harder. Noah taught me to be happy in hard circumstances. He taught me that happiness does not depend on your outward situation, but your relationship with God. It was not the doctor visits, or the fact that he attended church that strengthened him or made him happy, it was the fact that his relationship with God was increasing and growing deeper.
Obituary for Noah Lucas Jewell
Noah Lucas Jewell, husband of Lorenda Riley Jewell and the son of the late King and Sarah Katherine Shackleford Jewell, was born on February 13, 1942 in Beattyville, Kentucky and departed this life in Booneville, Kentucky on June 7, 2016 at the age of 74 years, 3 months, and 25 days. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and worked as a plumber.
In addition to his wife, Lorenda, Mr. Jewell is survived by five children, Noah Jewell, Jr. of Middletown, Ohio, Lyndon Jewell of Franklin, Ohio, Cindy Moore and Kathy Jewell, both of Middletown, Ohio, and Linda Brandenburg, of Beattyville, Kentucky; one grandson, Nicholas Jewell of Beattyville; many other grandchildren; and one brother, James Roy Jewell, of Beattyville.
Mr. Jewell is preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Lorie Ann Jewell; one son, Arkie Vanderpool; and several brothers and sisters.
In addition to his wife, Lorenda, Mr. Jewell is survived by five children, Noah Jewell, Jr. of Middletown, Ohio, Lyndon Jewell of Franklin, Ohio, Cindy Moore and Kathy Jewell, both of Middletown, Ohio, and Linda Brandenburg, of Beattyville, Kentucky; one grandson, Nicholas Jewell of Beattyville; many other grandchildren; and one brother, James Roy Jewell, of Beattyville.
Mr. Jewell is preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Lorie Ann Jewell; one son, Arkie Vanderpool; and several brothers and sisters.
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