10/31/11- Letter to the World

Hello World!  Happy Halloween!

 

Monday

For P-Day we just stayed at home and wrote letters--so nice!  That night, we got to teach Momma L's family. 

 

Tuesday

In the morning, we went to Luthercare where we got to visit with Cara and Diane--Amy was busy.  Amy is 102 and sharp as a tack!  Next we taught Bro Shaw (our 79 yr old investigator) at Bro C's house with the Brintons.  We watched the John Tanner story.  It was Bro Shaw's b-day!  It went pretty well and we committed him to talk to his family about baptism. 

 

That night we had a ton of appointments fall through and ended up tracting.  We've been doing our complex, but we decided to do a neighborhood a little while away so we have those aparments as an option later if we needed somehwere to tract for a few minutes.  While walking by a strip we hadn't tracted, however, I felt inspired to tract them.  So we did!  One of the first doors was Carissa.  She was just running off to work, but she was interested and took a Book of Mormon!  I thought--she's why we needed to come here.  Then we tracted into another man who was interested.  Then we tracted into Vanessa.

 

For those of you who may not remember, here are past entries on Vanessa:

 

Alan--We open-your-mouthed Alan.  We gave him a mormon.org pass-a-long card and asked if he'd ever had any of those questions.  He said he wondered what happens when we die.  We opened to Alma 40 and shared the scripture and he was happy!  We talked about eternal marriage (he's engaged and has a 3-yr old) and the Priesthood and Baptism.  He said he'd be baptized May 7!  We went to visit him the next day and he said his fiance isn't interested and they couldn't learn anymore.  We were really downhearted.  He kept being on our minds, so we went back when we knew she was gone and talked to him again.  He said he had good feelings about it and wanted to study, but he wanted his whole family to join a church together.  He said he'd still read and pray.  You can just tell he knows it's true!  We keep praying for Vanessa, his finace, to soften her heart and be open to our message!

 

I can't find if I ever wrote more, but like a week or so later, we were in the complex again and saw this woman taking out the trash.  We went to open-your-mouth her and saw that she had been crying--pretty hard it looked like.  We got her to talk to us and she started bearing her soul.  This little boy came running by and she called him Alan and we realized that this was Vanessa.  Little Alan had been having nightmares, so we promised her that if she'd read from the Book of Mormon to him they'd go away.  She also seemed commited to church.  We went back to follow up later, though, and never got another response.

 

That was back in April.  Skip to now.  She opened the door and I saw little Alan and realized who she was.  She said she'd been reading from the Book of Mormon and he hasn't had nightmares since.  She said it was on her bedside table!  At first, she said Sunday was her only day alone, but by the end, she said she'd come to the Trunk or Treat and Church!  (She didn't end up coming because little Alan got sick and the Trunk or Treat was snowed out).  Miracles are abounding!

 

Wednesday

Sis M took us out to a wonderful lunch.  More appointments fell through, but we got to teach Momma L.  All three kids went to mutual that night!  Yay!  We were at the church, too, because another of our investigators was meeting the bishop there.  We ended up with 5 investigators at mutual!  If only we can get them there on Sundays lol!  That night we taught Anton.  He didn't think we'd come back after last time.  It was REALLY good, though.  We committed him to read the WHOLE Book of Mormon rather than just church history stuff and he said he would! 

 

Thursday

We've been teaching a returning active woman named Alice, and her boyfriend accepted the invitation to take the lessons!  So he's a new investigator!  That was really exciting.  President came to District Meeting and we had interviews, which went well.  We met with Sis H at the White's home.  The Whites are one of my favorite families ever!  I want to be like them when I grow up lol.  They have a girl (oldest) with three little brothers, all within about 5 years of each other.  Hmm...sound familiar?  Afterward, we went to visit the Stones, a recent convert family I love to death.  Their daughter is struggling doing her timed tests in math, so after the lesson, I got to work with her a little bit.  I'm going to call her tonight because the next test is tomorrow so I can quiz her over the phone.  I'm so going to be a teacher--all my aversions to the politics of it aside, I LOVE helping kids learn!

 

Oh ya--Bro Shaw called and dropped us this day.  He talked to his pastor, his son, his daughter, and his son-in-law (a pastor in MD) and they convinced him that the only reason he's meeting with us is because he misses the companionship of his wife.  We committed him to keep reading and praying and make the decision himself.

 

Friday

I've known this next couple since my original days in the field.  Sis L is one of my favorite women ever and her husband Zach is amazing, too.  Zach always comes to church, but has never had the lessons, but as of Friday, we're officially teaching him!  He said it's mainly intellectual to learn what his wife believes, but he also agreed to read the Book of Mormon with Sis L!  Awesome!

 

Saturday

The Ephrata elders had a baptism--and Momma L's family came!  Yay!  We went to the RS craft fair luncheon for our lunch break--best bread bowl and soup I think I've EVER had.  And some of the best apple pie too!  Oh ya...it snowed this day!  Like a lot!  We got to go tracting in it. Fun stuff lol.  They canceled the trunk-or-treat, which was our plans for a good chunk of the night since we had investigators coming and members had planned to bring their friends.  It getting canceled meant sister missionaries out in the snow.  We walked to Sis H's house and taught her a lesson and she gave us a ride home.

 

Sunday

We used to have three Lancaster wards that all met at one buliding.  While I was in State College, they turned it into four Lancaster wards that meet in two buildings.  Because of this, we don't see the Elders as much as we did before.  Because of the snow, though, their building was out of power and they came to our church!  It was really fun to have 8 misisonaries in gospel principles lol.  The only ones missing were the sisters, who attended the morning session of church.  We had all three of our part-member family investigators at church!  Awesome!  And Zach gave some of his old suits to one of our investigators who didn't have any church clothes and he looked schnazzy!  It was awesome!

 

After church, we had more canceled appointments.  We had dinner at the Brintons--awesome family--and were able to practice teaching a lesson.  He's a PMG scholar, so no pressure!  haha.

 

Well that's it for the week!  Missionaries are in at 6 today, which is when P-Day ends, so it's only P-Day today pretty much!  We're going to go play basketball with the elders, I believe. 

 

Love you all!

 

Sister Denton

10/24/11- Letter to the World

Hello World!  It has been a FABULOUS week!

Monday
P-Day per usual--errands and the basketball with the elders.  We had a less active appointment set up today, but the daughter we set it up with failed to tell her mother and the daughter was conveniently at the movies lol.  So we were driving back to Lititz when we got a call from Momma L.  She had met with sisters before, but her sister, who was living with her at the time, was very against the missionaries coming over.  She'd moved out that weekend, and Momma L called us in tears and told us that she and her children wanted the sisters back in their lives.  We went over right away, taught them, and set up a return appointment.  Four new investigators!  The two daughters came to mutual this week and really enjoyed themselves!  It was great!

Tuesday
We had some apopintments fall through in the morning.  We went over to Sis Bell's house and did some housework and yardwork.  We went to the Black's for dinner--awesome family.  Next we got to go meet with Sis Hammond.  Her sister lives in Vegas and is a member.  She called Bishop and asked him to give Sis Hammond's info to us.  She also turned into a new investigator and is planning to be baptized Nov 12!  She is so wonderful!  We love her. Next we got to go to the Hilliers.  I love that family!  Bro Wong is not a member, but is amazing and keeping all of his commitments.  We're working toward helping him have a desire to be baptized now rather than sometime in the future.  Last of all we went to some formers--Laura and Tomy.  We picked them up as new investigators as well.

Wednesday
After District Meeting, we got to go see Sis Hartman, a returning member.  We watched Prophet of the Restoration with her.  It was really great!  After dinner, we went to the chapel because we had THREE investigators come to mutual!  So cool!  We made sure they were all set and then headed home for some finding time.

Thursday
We got to go to LutherCare.  Today was Spa Day, so we gave the women manicures.  It's always fun to just sit there and chat with them!  Sis Wong picked us up and brought us to Soila's house--she's a youth investigator.  We set her with a baptismal date of Nov 30.  She's excited for it!  After dinner, we did more finding time.

Friday
We had lunch with the Bradley's.  It's always fun to go there because it's always fancy--multiple courses and china and different utensils for everything.  It was a delicious dinner with all the trimmings--chicken, stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, salad, carrots, green beans with baked apples for dessert.  Perfect intro to fall!  We went to teach Bro Shaw next--he's working toward Nov 12 at this point.   He still needs to tell his family he's meeting with us--his son is a pastor.  He is gaining a testimony of it, it's just hard to make the change.  We had dinner with the Mccann's--delicious once again!  We went to a baptism that night and Sis Hammond came with her granddaughter and Soila came with her grandmother!  It was a double baptism--one in English one in Spanish, so one of the elders translated.  'Twas interesting!

Saturday
We started the morning by helping Sis Hammond with her newspaper route!  We folded the papers and stuffed them in bags in the back of her car while she and her granddaughter through them out the window.  Afterward we were able to teach her a lesson.  We read from the Book of Mormon and got her excited for church.  Next we went to the Stones--I LOVE them!  They are a family full of recent converts.  The mom's been a member all her life, but was less active a long time.  The daughter joined in June, the dad joined in July, and another daughter joined in August.  So cool!  They are such a wonderful family.

After dinner, we tracted some and then headed out to Momma L's with the bishop's wife.  It was a good lesson and we tried to commit them to baptism.  Let's just say we'll try again lol.

Sunday
Fabulous!  We had 9 less actives at church (which is just blowing our DL out of the water) and Sis Hammond came with her son and Bro Wong came per usual.  It was the Primary Program, so that was really fun too!

Love you all tons!  The gospel is true!

Sister Denton

10/17/11- Letter to the World

Hello World!

Monday
We're back in Lancaster which means back to basketball at the church with the Elders!  Woot!  None of the other sisters played, so the elders decided I was on the team of whoever had the ball.  Haha...fine with me :D
Afterward, we tracted some and then went to a member's home for dinner.  Next we went and had a first lesson with Victoria, who we'd met the day previous.  She is so amazing and the Spirit was so strong!  She committed to be baptized Nov 26.  We haven't been back in contact with her, but I'm hoping she's just been busy.

Tuesday
We taught Bro. Shaw in the morning.  He's working toward Nov 5.  It was a good lesson.  We had dinner and then some cancellations.  Such is the life.  It ended up being good, though.  We got to stop by a couple of less-active families that I love and commit them to come out to church.  We also went to the Day home and had an official lesson with a return appointment to make them formally investigators again :D

Wednesday
We went to see this sweet Pratt lady who has now been back to church for about a month.  She's living with her boyfriend, so we talked about eternal marriage some.  She lives in a trailer park, so we knocked some doors for a few hours.  A lot of them are Spanish with limited to no English.  When that happened, all I could say was the church's name.  Haha..maybe I should've taken Spanish, eh?  I called our Spanish elders and asked how to say "Can we watch this DVD with you?"  so when we went back we could watch the Restoration.  I was able to ask it, but the answer was normally no.  We went to see another less active woman and watched The Lamb of God with her.  That night we went back to a couple we used to teach.  It was an interesting lesson.  They're pretty set in what they believe, but both Sis Davidson and our team-up feel we should go back.  So we will!

Thursday
We had a few people fall through and then went to volunteer at Luthercare.  It was fun to visit with the older women I used to see!  That night, we got to go to Harrisburg for a regional ward council training by Elder Zwick of the Seventy.  The State College Sisters were there!  And they got to come back and spend the night for Mission Tour the next day!  I found out that Alan has a date, Kalea now has a date, and Zack is getting closer!  I love those people!

Friday
We had Misison Tour from 9-4!  Pure awesomeness.  We heard from Pres and Sis Topham, Pres Rhem, and Elder and Sister Zwick.  The afternoon session was particularly incredible.  Afterward we had dinner with a family that I love to death and then stopped by Sis Russell's.

Saturday
We went back to the trailer park with not much luck.  We stopped by some less actives with again not much luck.  We ended up walking to downtown Lititz, "open your mouthing" some, tracting some, and walking back.

Sunday
Best day of the week!  I love church.  A bunch of less actives came, which was awesome! Mostly tracting besides that.

Well, I'm off to another week!  Time just goes by so fast!  On Friday I'll only have 5 months left.  I plan to be able to say awesome things about those last 5 months!

Love you all!

Sister Denton

10/10/11- Letter to the World

Coming to you from Lititz once more!

Monday
We had P-Day and spent the last hour of P-Day at a little going away party--'twas fun!  Then Sister Juliano and I drove off to Pittsburgh.  We had a huge gathering of sisters--7 of the 9 of us--at the Pittsburgh apartment.  It was a lot of fun! 

Tuesday
Training meeting!  We got to meet the three new sisters and realized that all three training sisters matched up, clothing wise, with each of the new sisters.  We thought it'd be funny if we were assigned as such.  We were!  All of the other missionaries were laughing way hard as the two purples, two peach sweaters, and two black/whites were matched up.  Sister Davidson is now serving with me in Lititz!  It's great!  We get along really well.  We dropped Sister Franklin and Sister Samuelson off at their apartment around 10:30pm, drove back to Harrisburg to get our luggage around 11:30pm, and got to our apartment at 12:30am.  Ya.  Long day!

Wednesday
We had District Meeting first.  It was so cool to be back at the Lancaster building!  Elders Cluff and Valenga are our elders.  There are four others as well, which will make for some great P-Day basketball action.  We taught Bro. Shaw, a 78-year-old investigator who's working toward baptism on Nov 5.  We also taught Alexis, a Chinese woman.  She became a new investigator.  Went to dinner and then went to the GORGEOUS new building that opened after I left to meet with Bishop.

Thursday
We got to go to lunch at a member's home and then help her in her yard with her less active son for a few hours.  We went to dinner with a mostly active family and then went to see the Day family, who I love from before!  Nadia, who is 5, is SO cute.  She took a pass-a-long card and went and tracted on her neighbor's door while we were talking to her mom haha.

The rest of the week was great, but I've got to go!  Love ya'll!

Sister Denton

10/3/11- Letter to the World

Okay world...this one is going to be a doozy, I think!  It's been an AMAZING week!

Monday
The Philipsburg Elders came out to State College so we could play basketball.  I wrote letters for most of the time, but when the elders left, Sisters Quijano and Juliano were still out, so I ran out and played them 2 on 1.  I was the 1.  And I did awesome!  Since when do I play basketball?  Dribbling, driving, shooting...it was awesome!

After P-Day, Heidi came with us to teach a potential who didn't show.  We decided to go over to Caden's since we'd not seen him in awhile.  He was sick, but we were able to talk to him for a little while and teach a little lesson.  Heidi dropped us off at Wal-Mart and we picked up some saltines, sprite, and chicken soup for him since he hadn't eaten anything in awhile.  We tracted the rest of the night.

Tuesday
Tuesday started with what might just be the very best experience of my entire mission.  First, let's review the first time we met with Zack:
from July 11
Zack
He's new this week and AWESOME.  We met him at a forum (we set up a table of Book of Mormons on campus) and we met with him.  He's probable in his mid-30s and is a researcher at PSU.  He really wants to research and find out if God is there!  He said the closing prayer and it was SO sweet and innocent!  "Hi God.  I don't know what is true, but I want to know.  I like you.  In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen."  He came to all three hours of church and seemed to enjoy it.  Our Branch Mission Leader is awesome and was at the first lesson, so is an AWESOME fellowshipper.  He's actually going to have to do the appt tomorrow, since we'll be in Pittsburgh
Okay, that being said, we've been teaching him ever since...almost every week.  A few weeks ago, he was really busy and took a break from us for a couple of weeks.  When we met him again, you could tell how good it felt for him to see us again.  The next week, he told us he'd been reading from the Book of Mormon--trying to do it every night!  So this Tuesday morning, he said the opening prayer.  Parts of it went as follows, "I've been reading the Book of Mormon and I feel the spirit of the Book of Mormon.  I've felt a change in me, but I don't know what it is.  Even though it's a rainy and stormy day, it's a beautiful day because I'm here with my friends and they are going to teach me about  you."  Oh my gosh!  I didn't even know how to react.  I am SO happy that he is feeling the Spirit!  He's been so scientific about everything.  Even that first meeting, I remember him saying that we couldn't tell him he'd know by feelings because it can't be proven.  He said he couldn't have faith because he didn't have faith.  I told him to live like he believes...come to church like he believes it's true, read the Book of Mormon like he believes it, pray like he believes in God.  Then, if his life improves, he can know God is real!  Well, he's been doing it!  He gave up his tea he drank during work and now just drinks hot water every day.  He comes to church.  He's reading the Book of Mormon.  I love it!  I love him so much!  Imagine how much our Heavenly Father loves all of his children--that's why we need to go out and share this gospel message with everyone!

So, the day didn't end there.  We taught Leonel from India, who had canceled the last week.  I didn't even really know how interested he was, but when I asked if he'd read from the Book of Mormon (expecting an "I didn't get a chance") he said, "I read it every day."  "The Book of Mormon?"  "Yes"  "That's...awesome!...that's great!"  I couldn't find words haha I was so excited.  He only reads a few verses a day, but he's doing it!

Next was Suzanne, but she didn't show up :(  She's avoiding us now.  We went out to do a forum for a little while, but I was just on air from the first two appointments.   We went back in for Alan.  I love Alan too!  He's also from China.  We got to teach him part of lesson 3 and he said he'd come to conference (which he did :D).  He is so innocent and so earnestly wanting this truth.  We committed him to baptism and he asked his grandma (his grandmas are Christian, but his parents in China are not).  She said it's up to him.  We told him he could pray about anything, so he prayed for help on his test and it worked :D  He said it was easier than he expected and now he has this sweet testimony of prayer--though we did emphasize afterward that we don't always get the answers we want, but we always get answers.  He is so sweet and I just love him to death!

After dinner we went tracting.  One of the first doors we knocked on was Nobuko.  She let us in and we talked for like an hour!  She was raised Catholic, but isn't really sure what she believes now.  We had some good conversation though!  She took a Book of Mormon :D

Wednesday
We got to teach Kalea!  It went well.  She was SO excited for conference.  She is just so sweet!  Next was Levi--another Chinese investigator.  With him, language is a huge barrier.  We discussed the Plan of Salvation more, but will probably have to do so again.  That's alright, it's a good lesson!

Thursday
We had District Meeting, which was great, and then service.  After that we got to go to the awesome Skinner family's house!  I love them!  He is the institute teacher out here.  That night, we stopped by the Ponces, a hispanic family we met a few weeks ago.  She let us in and became a new investigator!  We'll have to turn her over to the elders, though (we're getting elders in State College...sisters will be only in the branch :D)

Friday
All of our morning appointments canceled!  Sad day!  We got to go to the Wesleys for dinner--a family that I just adore!  After that we got to see Bro McAllister, who I also love.  Both are recent converts in the ward.

Saturday
Conference!  Woot!  'Twas great.  All three appointments canceled, though.  Sad day.  Also, I found out between sessions that I'm leaving State College :(

Sunday
Conference Part 2!  Double Woot!  Kalea came to the morning session.  Alan and Zack came to the afternoon.  Alan took notes and told me he received answers to his prayers!!!  Zack said he received some answers, but not as strong as he was expecting.  Both were really sad when they found out I was leaving.  I'm going to miss them so much!  One of the talks that day was about feeling love as a missionary.  I totally do for these two.  I love Chinese people!  I may just start learning Mandarin when I get home...who knows...senior mission to China?  :D  Also, President called and asked me to train this night.....in Lititz!  I'm going back to Lancaster for at least 3 more months--that'll be at least a year of my mission!  Crazy!  I love it there and I'm excited to meet my new companion tomorrow.  I'm driving to Pittsburgh tonight (Monday) after the branch's going away party.

I was very reflective this morning during my personal study.  I wrote a lot.  Ever since I found out I was getting transferred, really.  This is the hardest time I've had leaving.  Alma 26 is a huge comfort to me, though.  My investigators are in the hands of the Lord.  I also love Alma 26:9 with some changes, "For if [I] had not come up out of the land of [Utah], these [my] dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved [me], would still have been...strangers to God."  I "open your mouthed"  Zack at the forum.  I talked to Alan on the bus.  Not glorying in myself, but in the fact that I've been able to be an instrument in God's hand.  I am forever grateful for my time here in Pennsylvania.

Here's a poem I wrote this morning:
My heart is lifted up in praise
as I learn of Thy mysterious ways
I seek to follow all Thy will
and find I'm blessed as I fulfill

"Less than the dust," dear Moses taught
"of infinite worth, a child of God"
We're nothing on our own, you see,
but with our Father, everything

I sometimes question my own worth
am I just another birth?
but something whispers quietly
"A princess now, a queen you'll be"

My God can make much more of me
than anything of myself could be
I'll hold His pockets, follow steadily
and climb the mountain of divinity.

The church is true.  This is Christ's work.  We are disciples of Him.  I am so grateful for this!

Love you all so much!

Sister Denton