Sister Denton's Marvelous Mission: January 2012

Monday, January 30, 2012

1/30/12- Letter to the World

Hello World!!

Can you even believe that it's February next week!?  Crazy!

Monday
All of our appointments fell through after P-Day.  We stopped by the Stones and had a great lesson with them.  I love that family!

Tuesday
We got a new investigator--Bro Frost.  He reminds me a lot of Barney Fife.  He's so awesome!  We had lunch at the church and then went to follow up with some potentials.  We stopped by Sis Kelley.  Since then, we've not seen her--turns out she's got bronchial pneumonia and is staying with a friend.  We had dinner with the Alis...delicious as always!  We went to another less active that evening and had a great lesson.  We were supposed to have a lesson with Maribel, but she dropped us.  We went to tract in her complex and got stopped by the Property Manager...add it to the list of complexes that say NOTHING about private property or soliciting or anything and yet the management tells us we can't be there.

Wednesday
After District Meeting, we went to follow up with some people and then headed to Sis Wood's.  We had a good lesson and then went to the Butterfield's for dinner.  We had hamburgers and sweet potato fries...can I tell you GOOD it tasted to eat a home-cooked hamburger!  This summer I am grilling it up!  We went to teach Soila next, our investigator with autism.  Our leaders wanted the bishop to sit in to get an idea of her accountability.  He'd like to meet with her a few more times, but said we should be good to go!  She's been praying and reading and she FINALLY came to church this week!  Our last appointment fell through, but we ended up going to see Bernard's little sister (since he was at scouts) and read a chapter with her.

Thursday
Our first appointment fell through, so we went home to finish companion study.  We went to lunch at the LaCava's--baked ziti.  Oh yum!  We went to Luthercare for Spa Day--good as always.  One woman kept falling asleep while I did her nails!  We went to help Laura move, but she didn't make it back in time.  We headed next to three apointments that fell through.  We ate at the Pizza shop in town.  Sis Garrison came to one of the appt, and since he wasn't there, she came with us to see the Stones.  After the rest fell through, I really wanted to just go to a less active house or something because it was rainy and miserable.  I felt like we should be out, though, so we kept tracting.  I felt like we should go try Graham and Betsey again, so we walked over there and they let us in and we had a great lesson!  They're new investigators!  So awesome!  I love the Spirit :D

Friday
After Weekly Planning, we went to see Sis Schneider, a new investigator from last week.  I was actually worried that she wouldn't let us in, but it turned out to be a fantastic lesson!  When talking about pre-earth life, a concept she'd never heard of, I mentioned that the Bible talks about "returning" to live with God and that you can't return somewhere you've never been.  She really thought about that and is going to ask her pastor roommate.  Hopefully that goes well :D  Next we went to see Bro Frost again, and he agreed to come to church!  (Although he called us Saturday night and said he had the sniffles and wouldn't make it).  We went to dinner at the Pratts--always love them!  We stopped by Bernard's that night and had a great lesson and then went to the Lambs for a great lesson.  They tried coming to church last week, but got lost.  But they tried!

Saturday
Our first appointment fell through, so we tracted more in Manheim--seems to be our new place of choice.  After going home for lunch, we went to an appointment that fell through and then went out tracting some more.  We had dinner with the Woods--Costco Pizza.  Oh yum.  We went tracting for the rest of the night.  Sam (from England) had ditched us, but Sis Page wanted to go try him again.  I did not want to because I could just see him being like "I hung up on you, didn't return your message, wasn't there for an appointment, and didn't respond to the note you left.  Can't you take a hint?"  Instead, he saw us and apologized for not getting back to us and set up a return appointment!  Awesome!

Sunday
Church was FANTASTIC!  The youth speakers didn't show up, so yours truly got called to bear her testimony on missionary work.  The other two speakers were phenomenal--again all on missionary work.  I got to sub as pianist for choir, which was way fun.  We had a  quick lunch and then did some more studies at the church.  We headed to dinner with the Blacks--I LOVE that family.  Pot roast, vegetables, homemade jam, and cheescake for dessert.  Oh yum.  Are you seeing a pattern with delicious meals this week?  We went tracting for the rest of the night--in Manheim :D

Love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

Sister Denton

Monday, January 23, 2012

1/23/12- Letter to the World

Hello World!

We had a great week!

Tuesday
We went to follow up with some potentials and got to go in and teach a lesson to one!  Maribel became a new investigator.  She has 5 kids, so there's a lot of potential there!  We had interviews with President and then headed up to the Archer's for dinner.  We went to a member's home to have them follow us to a less active that they just started Visiting teaching to help them get to know one another.  Hopefully we can get her out to church!

Wednesday
After studies, we headed up to Harrisburg for a specialized training meeting.  It was really fantastic!  Training meetngs always are :D  We went back and taught Soila a great lesson on obedience and tithing...I really hope to see her baptized before I leave!  Her big hold up is getting to church.  We stopped by the Stones next.  Last of all was Anton, the Bible College grad we've been seeing for awhile.  It was a great lesson and he is willing to try to find out if it's true!

Thursday
We started the day by tracting.  We went to Luthercare next.  They are having activites there, now, so I got to play Scrabble and Upwords with a few of the residents--and they totally beat me!  We went to Sis Kelley's next and taught about baptism.  She's closer to accepting a date, I think!  Next was the Wright's for dinner--great family and delcious dinner!  We taught Laura last.  She's moving to the Elder's area this next week, so hopefully she can progress there!

Friday
After planning, we went to another potential--Niki.  She let us in and became a new investigator also!  We went to our next appointment, and she wasn't there, but we "Open Your Mouthed" a woman at the mailbox and it was her!  She's moving, but she seemed interested in meeting with missionaries!  We went tracting for a little while and tracted this cute Vietnamese woman.  We'd been parked in front of her house, so after her door, we went to get more layers on because it was FREEZING.  As we were about to start tracting again, she waved us down.  She'd been making this hat and she wanted to give it to me because I wasn't wearing one.  So sweet!  So now I have a bright pink/grey reversible hat.  :D  We didn't have a dinner break, so we went to the Pinewood Derby to support Bernard.  He didn't make it, though, so we headed home.  We stopped by Sis Kelleys' for a little bit to see if the kids made it.  We ended up tracting that night.  I felt like we should go on this one street that I know I'd done part of like 3 months ago, but I couldn't remember how much.  We started partway down, and everyone seemed really rude and uninterested.  I still felt like we should keep going.  At one house, I realized I'd done these houses before, but I still felt like we should keep going.  We got to the end of the street and the last house I stopped at and almost didn't go up to because I specifically remembered tracting it.  I couldn't remember if they answered, though, so we went up and Magen let us in!  She's hispanic and said we could come back!!!  Yay for the Spirit!

Saturday
We taught Sis Kelleys and the kids this morning and watched the longer Joseph Smith movie.  Micaela had made us all these cute little cards and one said "I like you gises so much!"  Cute :D  We headed down to find some potentials, but none went through.  We headed out to Manheim to tract some.  Our dinner canceled, so we had pizza and then went tracting some more.  It was really cold, but we got some new potentials!

Sunday
Church was fabulous.  We had dinner with the Gross--a great family.  We went to the Gill's next and they took us out to pick up Bro Hunter--our potential from Haiti.  It was a great lesson and he is now a new investigator!  Next we had to head straight out to Luise and Zach's.  We had part of L2 with them.  Sis Meza gave us each a neckwarmer she made..super cute!  She also gave us some DELICOUS pineapple upside down cake.

Monday
Today we're laying low.  After P-Day we have some appointment with potentials from Saturday, so hopefully they turn into new investigators, too!

Love ya!

Sister Denton

I don't think I have any cooking woes from this week...improvement and progression has one eternal round, right?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

1/17/12- Letter to the World

Hello World!!

Can you believe it's the middle of January?!  Crazy!!

Monday
We went to Intercourse and Paradise....Amish towns.  'Twas fun!  That night we went tracting and met a few awesome people.  First was Marcene, a daughter of a less active in our area.  I REALLY did not want to go out tracting that nigth and I said a little prayer that someone would let us in...she did!  It was great!  At the end of the street, we met Graham, who looks like Grandpa Sherwood!  He talked for FOREVER, but he said we could come back!  He believes Joseph Smith was a mennonite and shot someone on his way out West...we've got some basics to teach :D We were running late by the time we got done and still had to make it home for curfew, so we ran to our car.  The problem was, we'd been standing there in 30 degree weather for 30-45 minutes and our feet and legs were frozen.  We could barely run and we were totally waddling like old women as we tried to run back to the car.  We kept looking at each other and laughing so hard that we could barely move.  Way fun.

Tuesday
We started with Sis Kelleys, our only progressing investigator, and had a good lesson.  After that, we went tracting.  As we were walking, I saw a women out and we went to "Open Your Mouth" her.  I gave a whole spiel about The Book of Mormon and she looked at Sister Page and said, "Do you get headaches"  "Yes"  "Ya...I thought so...God told me."  She then preceded to pray a blessing of healing upon her, including touching her head.  I was struggling with what we should do in this situation when she turned to me and said, "Do you have back trouble?"  "Yes"  "Ya...God told me that.  Can I pray for you?"  :"Sure"  She then touched my back as she said a prayer for me as well.  Not too often you get healed on the streets of Lititz!  We continued tracting and found one person that was interested, but she was a minor.  We set a return appointment and asked her to clear it with her mom.  Her mom wasn't a fan of us, so we're not able to see her again.  We went to dinner at the Vaughans and they made WAFFLES!!!  I miss breakfast food so much.  I also was daydreaming about those broiled hoagies we always made....oh ya.

Wednesday
We had a fabulous District Meeting and then went out to contact some potentials before teaching Sis Wood.  We had dinner with the Brintons and then went to follow up with some more people.  We met this awesome girl named Valene who I really hope we can start teaching!  She was really excited about getting a Book of Mormon.

Thursday
We finally got in with a less active that we've been trying for awhile and had a fabulous lesson.  We went to Spa Day at Luthercare and were able to do some manicures.  They're going to start doing more activities, so rather than just visiting with the women, we'll get to play games and things...best service ever!  We taught Sis Kelleys again and it was great!  It was the Word of Wisdom, so we were a little leery, but she agreed to live it!  We went to dinner with the Garrisons and laughed way too much...they're hillarious.  We ended up tracting more Thursday night and got some great potentials!  I found out from later consolidating the potenitals forms that some of them were potentials from the summer that never got followed up with!

Friday
After Weekly Planning, we did some running around as we tried to follow up with potentials and less actives.  We had dinner with the Mcdonald/Caldwell family--love tthem!  After that, we went to a first appointment, but he had to reschedule.  We stopped by Bernard's and got to teach a little lesson there and then ran to the Heatons.  Our car was acting up, so her son checked it out and we didn't have time for a lesson.

Saturday
We started with helping the Day family clean up their Christmas decorations.  We had lunch there.  As we left, the dog got out, so we had to go chase him down along with some men that were playing football up the street.  A new family moved in, so we made them some chocolate popcorn during the rest of our lunch break and dropped it off on the way out.  We got stood up for an apopintment, but got to stop by Soila's.  We had a GREAT lesson with her about following the prophet and she is still set with Feb 11.  We went to Sis Mason's, our Italian investigator, and ended up dropping her.  She is very not interested in changing religion.  We went home for dinner and then headed out to track down some women for the Relief Society President.  We ended our day with the Stones--love them!

Sunday
After meetings and additional study, we went to the Brown/Klein's house for dinner.  It was fun as always!  Afterward, we only had time to finish up our studies.  Sundays are just stock full of meetings!

Monday
Nothing too fun for P-Day.  We went to our appointment with Sam (the one from England) and he wasn't there, so we taught Sis Russell.  We went to Sis Kelley's next and got to teach a little lesson.  We were going to head out tracting, but stopped by the Day house for a little lesson.  They were just making dinner and invited us to eat, so we got some more marvelous food as well.  That finished out our night.

Today we have interviews with President.  Should be fun!

Love ya!

Sister Denton

Homemaking Tip:  If you are going to sew up the hole in the pocket of your coat, thourougly check for items that may've fallen through it first so you don't find a pen in the lining of your coat a couple of days later.  Just sayin :D

Monday, January 9, 2012

1/9/12- Letter to the World

Hello World!!

Well weather this week has been NUTS!!  We had FREEZING cold days and days over 60!  Still no snow, really.  We've had accumulation twice this winter--once in October and once in December.  The one in December was way less than an inch.  It's so crazy!

Now for the work this week:

Tuesday
After e-mailing, we went to Bernard's and made chocolate popcorn with them and taught more about baptism.  Bernard is so awesome!  After than, we went to Sis Russell's house--love her!  We were there a little early, so we decided to tract for like 10 minutes.  The first house was this guy from England named Sam.  We got a Return Appointment!  Woot!  After Sis Russell we headed home.

Wednesday
After District Meeting, we went to an appointment who canceled when we were almost there.  We went tracting and stopped by a less active to set up a return appointment.  Awesome dinner with the Sheltons, as always.  Next we went to the church to get stood up 3 times in a row.  Nice.  We went home and then went to teach Laura, but she canceled as well.  Fun stuff!

Thursday
We had to bring a Bible out to the sisters in the next area over.  We made it back just in time to go to Luthercare and chat with our ladies.  Afterward we tried a couple of less actives and an investigator to no avail.  Our dinner appointment got sick, so we went home for dinner.  We were able to stop by Clara's and teach her a little lesson.  We were actually just stopping by to confirm for Friday, but she let us teach!  We went out that night until going to Bernard's to watch a movie about Pres Monson.  It was kind of crazy, but I hope it helped increase his testimony of him!

Friday
After Weekly Planning, we had some sisters in the ward take us out to Saladworks--PA's version of Zupa's.  We went to Clara's and watched the Restoration with her.  We went to try some people that night, and they pretty much all fell through again.  We did get to see a less active, so that was good!

Saturday
We started the day at Clara's--her kids were there for the weekend.  Apparently the first thing her daughter said when she got there was that she wanted to go to church again!  Her son also wanted to.  Clara had been sick and wasn't planning on going, but the kids got her there!  The kids are kind of nuts, but when we started reading a chapter from the Book of Mormon, they both calmed down and started reading with us!  It was SO cool!  The Book of Mormon is awesome!  We went to Deven's, but she wasn't there, so we tracted more.  We had dinner at Arby's (did you know they stopped selling their Chicken Salad sandwich?  lame!) and then went to try some more people.  We did get to see Laura that evening, which was good.  She's moving into the Elder's area soon.

Sunday
Bernard didn't make it to church...it's really hard for him that his family doesn't come, I think.  After church, we tried a couple of people.  We ended up going to see Sis Bell, which was great.  We had dinner at the Pratt's--always guaranteed to be a good time.  It was DELICIOUS Hispanic food--cafe rio levels of goodness!  They had invited another fam in the ward over, too, so it was great.  We had a good lesson and then met with Bro Pratt (he's our ward mission leader).

Well, I'm going to go out now and try to do as my brother Chazz encouraged--"Well until next week have a good one and spread the gospel like its Book of Mormon peanut butter on mission field bread... All over the place!"

Love ya!  This work is the Lord's!

Sister Denton

Cooking tip for the week:  All pastas give you a suggestion for how much water to put in the pot to boil it.  It is not necessary to follow those directions when you drain the water, for example when making macaroni or tortellini.  However, when making Top Ramen, it is vital that you put in the correct amount of water.  Too much will make the seasoning very bland and the noodles practically unedible.  Just sayin' :D

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

1/3/12- Letter to the World

Hello World!!
Let's get down to business!  Name that song :D  Actually...I'll make a parody!
Let's get down to business to defeat Satan
Heed your DL's orders, and you won't go wrong
We're the strangest bunch you've ever met,
but you can bet that in some time
Elder, you'll have success and baptize!
Thursday
To kick off the day we got to see Clara again, and both of her kids were there!  They all listened for a little while, though it was mostly distractions lol.  Whatcha gonna do?  She did commit to church, though!  We went to the library to be stood up and then headed off to Luthercare to chat with our people.  We also pushed some wheelchairs down for "Singalong with Mitch"  Does anyone actually know what that is?  After that, we went to a member's home and taught a little lesson and tried a Part-member family to no avail.  We had dinner with the Butterfields and then got to go see Sis Hammond for the first time in forever!  We met at Sis White's and then she drove us to Sis Hammond's.  It was a fabulous lesson and she recommitted to be baptized on Feb 4 with Sis White's son!  So cool!
Friday
After weekly planning, we headed down to see our Italian investigator, Deven.  We taught lesson 1, but I'm not sure how much the language barrier is going to affect us.  Next we headed to the Stones where we were able to see a few of them and have a really good lesson.  We had dinner with the Carsons and then headed to a less active appointment.  They weren't there, so we headed back to Lititz and saw Sis Heaton for our weekly Friday visit!  We got to get her hooked on family history :D  My specialty!
Saturday
We went to see Laura in the morning, but she had something come up.  We headed home for lunch and then went to the library to get stood up.  We were WAY out of miles because the Elders had used our car for a few days while we were in Pittsburgh and blown through them, so we walked 3 miles to contact a referral who told us she wasn't interested in a matter of about 20 seconds.  We stopped at a less active house on the way home and met his non-member fiancee...hopefully we can start getting in there!  We then walked the rest of the way home and went to the Day house and helped clean.  We had to be in at 6 for New Years.  Party up lol. 
Sunday
We were at the church for 10 hours.  Count 'em. 
8:50 arrived for Ward Council
9-10:30 Ward Council
11-2 Church
2-2:30 Lunch in kitchen...reheated pizza
2:30-3 Personal Study
3 Meeting with Bishop
3:30-4 Personal Study
4-6 comp study
6-6:45 dinner in kitchen...cup a soup
We stopped by Mariam's because she's not been answering.  Turns out her bro has the phone now.  It was good to see her though!  We stopped by the Stones again since they'd not made it to church and got to see Bro Stone.  Then we went to see Sis Kensington, another less active, to finish out the night.
Monday
We basically shopped and slept.  Oh ya.  When it was time to go out, we went to the Days and got to teach John.  HE COMMITTED TO A DATE!!!  Jan 24.  I'm SO excited. I love this kid!  His mom also fed us these awesome fried green banana things stuffed with meat.  She's awesome!  We went to see Clara, and she was sick, so we brought her some Sprite and Ginger Ale.  Then we went to see a less active member to deliver a message and then turned around and came right back home!
Tuesday
This morning we taught the Hilliers.  That went pretty well!  We got to watch "Only a Stonecutter," which is AWESOME.  Then we drove home and walked to Claire's house for a very interesting lesson.  Then we walked here!  Tonight we're going to make some chocolate popcorn with John as a Word of Wisdom prize and then teach a lesson.  We're also going to see Laura  and hopefully Sis Rich!  We'll see :D
Love ya'll!
Sister Denton
Cooking tip from Sis Denton--if you start cooking Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and realize you don't have any butter, Alfredo sauce is not an equal substitute, although it does add some flavor!