5/31/11- Letter to the World

Hello World!

I am writing to you from sunny State College, PA!!  Woot!

State College Outer is one of two sisters areas in this part of PA.  We are about 3 hours NW of Lancaster.  Penn State is here, so I'll be working a lot with the College students.  We have one family ward and then the other sisters have another family ward and we share the Singles Branch.  Should be fun!

Now about my last week in Lititz.

Day Fam
They didn't make it to church this week, so we've got to push the baptism back.  I'm not sure when it will be yet.  We're going to have them pray about it as a family so they are more committed to it I think.  I love them tons :D

Winford
Winford's our awesome new potential that I just love to pieces!!!  Sister Anderson and I both just love this kid so much! (don't worry...the approved kind of love lol)  He is 20 and just has SUCH a desire to be good.  He's had a crazy past, but is doing all he can now to be the best he can.  We met him the first time tracting on like Tuesday or so and he said he'd be willing to meet again and read.  The second time we came by was Thursday and we needed a ride for two little boys to scouts.  He gave them a ride and came to the Blue and Gold with them!  It was so cool!  He helped them in the father/son cake decorating contest, too.  He also had read 4 pages at that point (which is phenomenal!).  We met with him the next day and taught part of lesson 1.  He had read a little more.  We weren't completely sure he wanted to keep learning, but after we left that lesson, he texted and told us that this is really what he needs in life right now.  That was Friday and we invited him to church.

We didn't see him at church and figured he just slept in or something.  We went to see him Sunday to say goodbye and asked about church...he had gone and just sat in the back and left after!  We didn't believe him at first, but he proved it!  He had come in alone, sat through sacrament, and left alone!  We told him that next time he can definitely come sit by us!  We were able to talk to his mom and brother, too.

Monday, he called and said he wanted to meet to give me a going away present, so we met him at the library.  He wouldn't let me open it then, but we got to teach him again.  Sunday night I had challenged him to read from the Book of Mormon in the morning, even a little bit, and pray and he would have a better day (he was expecting a horrible day).  Monday we asked him about it...he had read--2 verses (1 wasn't enough and 3 would be overdoing it)--but he had a pretty good day!  We taught part of lesson 2 and talked some about baptism. He really had a distaste for religion before.  He told us he's never believed in anything before, and now he's trying to.  I asked him how he's been feeling and he said, "Pretty good."  It's so cool to see him making these little steps!

As we left, I opened up this cute little angel ornament that says "Best Teacher" on the wings.  So cute!  We turned around to thank him and Sister Anderson told him it was the sweetest thing she'd ever seen.  He was like, "Ah man, why you got to do this to me?"  Winford is AWESOME!

We saw Anton and Ellie again, but didn't really teach them this time.  They did come to church!  We also got to see Tyson again :D  He said he's been reading still!

Well, I've gotta go, but I love you all!

Sister Denton

5/23/11- Letter to the World

Hello world!!

I'd first like to congratulate everyone on surviving the end of the world.  I'm not sure how much it was advertised in Utah, but everyone out here was talking about the end of the world being this past Saturday--May 21, 2011.  Well, in celebration of it (no relation really, lol), we attended a baptism!  I don't know if I ever really talked about the Mendoza family when I was in Millersville, but they were a LA family we started trying to get in contact with.  While I was there, we got Alan (the non-baptized 9-yr-old son) to scouts and church.  He was baptized Saturday!  So cool!

The Day Family is doing fabulously.  They are FABULOUS missionaries!  This week they all came to church PLUS Sis. Day' friends Laura (and her daughter) and Tomy (who is a new investigator of last night)...they were at the blessing night if I talked about that last week...PLUS Neomi's friend.  It was AWESOME.  They are so filled with faith and so eager to learn and pray and ask and know!  I love teaching them.  They are an absolutly incredible family and the Day are all set with Jessica 4!  Woot!

We didn't see Tomy this week (not the Tomy from above...the Seventh Day Adventist)

The referral family dropped us.

We met a new family tracting and we had a RA with them and taught L1.  We got another RA!  I hope they progress!  It's a mom, dad, and six kids.  Super cute!

We had Zone Conference this week.  'Twas fun as always!

Yesterday we got another new investigator--Emelda.  We tracted into her and she let us right in!  We taught L1 and she was receptive and set up a RA.  I'm excited to teach her more!  She has a cute little 2-yr-old and lives with her bf who we've yet to meet.

We also have a TON of RA with different potentials this week, so hopefully we'll have even more amazing people to talk about next week!

I love you all!  Have a FABULOUS week.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to e-mail next week, but we shall see!

Sister Denton

5/16/11- Letter to the World

Sorry...not much time again today!  We went to Gettysburg!  It was really fun.

Sis. Day is doing great.  She wasn't able to make it to church this week, so she can't be baptized the end of May, but their family is still progressing well.  I love them so much!!

Tomy is still meeting with us, but having troubles with Saturday vs. Sunday Sabbath day still.

We got some new investigators through a referral.  I don't know how solid they are yet, but it's a mom, daughter, and friend.

I love the gospel!  It's true :D

Love,

Sister Denton

5/9/11- Letter to the World

Only one minute left!!

The most exciting news this week is Anisha Day.  We "open your mouthed" her as she was going into her house.  She is SO prepared!  We met her Wednesday, saw her Thursday, had a lesson Friday, did service Saturday, and she came to church Sunday!  She's getting baptized May 28.  She has a 16-year-old that the Manchester Elders need to teach, an 8-year-old who also wants to be baptized, and a 5-year-old.  As Sis. Anderson shared the first vision the first night we met her, Sis. Day started crying!  She is so close to the Spirit and so wonderful!!  She enjoyed church, too, and so did her kids!!

Kurt Russell, a less active somewhat recent convert came to church!  That was awesome, too!  So did Sis. Heaton, who we've been working with for awhile.  It was a great day :D

I tried to send pictures, but apparently it was too big for most of you, so I'll have to try again next week!

Love you all!  The church is true!

Sister Denton

5/2/11- Letter to the World

Wow!  What a crazy week!!!!!

Monday

After P-Day, Sister Anderson asked if it was alright if we changed plans and went to tract some apartments at the end of a street we'd already tracted.  We though maybe it was to see some potentials there, but they weren't interested.  We started tracting and saw this guy playing baseball with some kids.  Sister A said we needed to go talk to him, so we did.  As we went toward him, he started shaking his head.  We introduced ourselves and he said he knew what church we were from.  He said, "My family was baptized in March seven years ago.  We are Mormons."  Awesome!!  So we went and talked to him and his wife some more and it turns out everyone EXCEPT him was baptized (and his son who was too young at the time, but is 10 now).  They haven't been to church in awhile, because he had some things that didn't allow him to be baptized and they kind of lost hope, but he still wants to be baptized and he wants to baptize his son!  Super cool!  So we're going to start teaching the Lebaron family!

Tuesday

We did a LOT of finding this day.  In the morning we met Jackson who took a Book of Mormon and set a return appointment (which he later cancelled).  We hope he'll be interested.  We went to follow up with a potential who wasn't home and met Josh, a man who just moved here and is looking for a Presbyterian church.  We told him we didn't know where one was, but said he could come to ours and he agreed--once the new one is finished (mid-June).  Next we went to tract some apartments I've wanted to tract for awhile.  We met Diane, who said we could come back, but wasn't super interested, and then we met Tomy.  He is from Haiti and is a Seventh Day Adventist, but is interested in studying with us!  Super cool!  We got a RA with him.  We also got a return appointment with the Camp family, who didn't have time to talk at the moment.

We called to follow up with John (the Spiritual seeker who agreed to read) and asked if he started reading the Book of Mormon.  He said he started last night and if we give him two days, he should have it finished.  Man, does he know how to make a missionary's jaw drop!! 

Later in the day we called Tyler, the friend of the minister we'd met last week.  He said he'd been reading from the Book of Mormon, too, and that he'd for sure be at church on Sunday!!!!

Wednesday

We had a couple of appointments fall through early on, which led to tracting.  We met this awesome kid named Josh--he's going to be famous one day, so remember that!  He had talked to the sisters before, but had been told that the Book of Mormon teaches different stories than he believes.  He took our meeting him again as a sign and agreed to read!  He's a graphic designer and is trying to take the book of Revelation and make it easier for young adults to understand, so we told him about D&C 77 and he's excited to look it up.  He was home on Spring Break from school in Florida, so we told him to look the missionaries up there.

We had team-ups with Sis Day, a girl who's preparing to serve a mission.  She came with us for like 5 hours!  First we went to teach the Labarons again.  That went well, but getting them to church will be tough.  He knows he has no good reason not to come, but still won't make the jump to come.  Next we went tracting and then we went to teach Anton and Katherine, the couple who went to Bible College.  I think they're interested and just don't know it.  They are still willing to meet with us, they just inform us every time that they have no intent of being baptized.  They really are amazing and we hope to see them progress!  They said they'd like to come to church!

Wednesday night we had another tornado warning.

Thursday

CRAZY storms this morning, found out later that there was another tornado warning out and there were actually two F1s that touched down in Palmyra, PA, which is about an hour NW of us.  We met with Tomy with a member in the ward who speaks some French.  It went well!  The biggest issue is whether the Sabbath is Saturday or Sunday.  We had another amazing dinner at the Smiths--Swedish Meatballs this time and some of the best carrot cake I've ever had!

Also, I don't know if I talked about Sadie last week, but we got a media referral for a CUTE girl we had talked to on the street.  She actually requested a Book of Mormon!!!

Friday

We had Leadership Training in Harrisburg.  I just realized...like just now...that we go to Harrisburg a lot and it's the capital!  Cool!  We watched a PHENOMENAL talk that Elder Holland gave in the MTC in January of this year.  We also found out that our phone's texting capabilities will be turned ON as of Friday!!!  Holla!  That is going to help us connect with so many more investigators and members!!!  We also found out that starting in the August transfer, missionaries who are training will be issued personal DVD players to watch the District movies and other tracting movies.  Also, those companionships will have TWO hours of comp study time for the first two transfers.  Changes are exciting :D

We went to dinner at the Hilliers where we had THE BEST enchiladas I have EVER had in my life.  No joke.  They were phenomenal.

We went to follow up with Sadie, but she wasn't home, so we left it with a guy there who actually used to be LDS!

Saturday

Lots of tracting and finding :D

Sunday

More tracting and finding!  We went to an active member's home for a lightning visit and they invited us back for dinner.  My first time trying Salmon....it was DELICIOUS!!!  Who knew I liked seafood?  Certainly not me!

Today we're going to go to Wilbur's Chocolate Factory and the Pretzel Factory--both in Lititz.  Lititz is actually pretty historical!

Love you all!

Sister Denton

Reminder...The new mission office address is

2600 Boyce Plaza Ste 101

Upper St. Clair, PA 15241