November 24, 2014
HELLO!
It's been another great week in Cromwell. :) And we've had some bizarre weather. It was 20-something degrees earlier this week and today it's 60 degrees and mist/raining. The East Coast is a crazy place. :)
It's been another great week in Cromwell. :) And we've had some bizarre weather. It was 20-something degrees earlier this week and today it's 60 degrees and mist/raining. The East Coast is a crazy place. :)
We had a pretty successful week with teaching investigators and coordinating with the Elders. Ideally, we want to alternate lessons with them with our investigators and this week we were all able to teach the same people. YAY!
We'll start with Marlo! She is so cool. She came with her boyfriend's mom, who is a returning member, to our Halloween party and has interacted with us when we have visited her boyfriend's mom and has really liked us. She also came to the Primary Program last week with her boyfriend (we're not sure if he's a member or not) and really loved it. (P.S. In PEC on Sunday, Bishop Bell mentioned that another non-member who came to our Primary Program complained that the people in the ward were "too friendly" and thought the program was so-so. Is that not the craziest thing you've ever heard?! How can you not like the Primary Program? I submit that she must not have a soul. :) Bishop said that the "too friendly" complaint was okay with him- he wouldn't have it any other way. #cromwellward) So yes, we started teaching her and she's all for it. She came to church again this week with her boyfriend and his mom! And the Elders set a date with her for January 10th! SO cool!
Funniest thing Marlo said in our first lesson: She was talking about something and she paused in the middle of her sentence and said, "Wait... can I say 'freaking'?" It was so funny! :) It's nice that she has already had some influence from her boyfriend's mom and is already aware of some of the standards we live, but it's always funny when people get mixed up some of them. Fannie thought Mormons couldn't eat oregano. :)
We'll start with Marlo! She is so cool. She came with her boyfriend's mom, who is a returning member, to our Halloween party and has interacted with us when we have visited her boyfriend's mom and has really liked us. She also came to the Primary Program last week with her boyfriend (we're not sure if he's a member or not) and really loved it. (P.S. In PEC on Sunday, Bishop Bell mentioned that another non-member who came to our Primary Program complained that the people in the ward were "too friendly" and thought the program was so-so. Is that not the craziest thing you've ever heard?! How can you not like the Primary Program? I submit that she must not have a soul. :) Bishop said that the "too friendly" complaint was okay with him- he wouldn't have it any other way. #cromwellward) So yes, we started teaching her and she's all for it. She came to church again this week with her boyfriend and his mom! And the Elders set a date with her for January 10th! SO cool!
Funniest thing Marlo said in our first lesson: She was talking about something and she paused in the middle of her sentence and said, "Wait... can I say 'freaking'?" It was so funny! :) It's nice that she has already had some influence from her boyfriend's mom and is already aware of some of the standards we live, but it's always funny when people get mixed up some of them. Fannie thought Mormons couldn't eat oregano. :)
We also had a chance to teach Barry Phelps, a wonderful investigator the Elders have been teaching. We took Sister Bell (she was the poor soul who came with us to the mental hospital appointment and I'm really grateful she got to be a part of a better experience!) and she added such perfect testimony- it really added to the peace and Spirit in the lesson. We taught the lesson by first discussing sacrifice (thanks for the idea, President Fairbank!), which also really brought the Spirit to the lesson. I feel like I've been wondering about why sacrifice is necessary for our salvation, and I realized (or re-realized) that the commandments God gives us that require us sacrifice are an opportunity for us to practice being more like Him. Opportunities to sacrifice help us to eliminate selfishness. Seen in that light, tithing feels like such a blessing. I loved that realization! Barry accepted everything well- he really is quite prepared! The coolest thing was that he invited his acquaintance, Nick, to sit in on the lesson. (Why are non-members so much less afraid to share the gospel?!) As we were leaving, Nick remarked that we were so "normal". :) I like it when we can leave a good impression. #imamormon
Unfortunately, Barry had a rough weekend and wasn't at church. :( The Elders had set a date with him for this coming weekend, but he's not going to make it. We're okay with it, though. We were thinking he needed more time to prepare anyway. But, please keep praying for him!
And speaking of "November to Remember", it has been an incredible month of miracles with the mission goal of 70 baptisms!! We are now at 63 baptisms and there are 60 people on date for this upcoming weekend! (Melissa Denton and Jackie Brindamour are two of them!!! And Edith from Providence was baptized yesterday! :) Makes me so happy! I LOVE PROVIDENCE!) I am so amazed and excited and grateful to be here at this time with so much energy and Spirit. I LOVE THE MBM!!! This has been such a wonderful lesson for me that when we seek revelation, sacrifice, and consecrate all of our thoughts and efforts to the Lord's work, He will shower us with blessings. Please continue to pray for our goal and for those we are teaching!
Thanksgiving is going to be wonderful! We've been invited to 2 non-members' homes and I'm excited we get to interact with them more. :) I'm not so excited to eat 3 Thanksgiving dinners, however. Yous (that's a Connecticut ghetto term) guys might be rolling me off the plane. :)
I love you all so very much! And I am so grateful to be here! Thank you for all you do to love and support me. Your testimonies build mine and your examples have helped me to be brave enough to serve. It has been so incredible!
Much love!
Sister Wheeler Jr.
Sister Wheeler Jr.
P.S. As for the "Christmas Initiative" that Jord acted like was so secret is going to be a SWEET short video similar to "Because of Him". We're excited! We get to hand out special pass-alongs to promote it, etc. Check out christmas.mormon.org. The church bought a HUGE space in Times Square to promote it and they bought HUGE advertising space on YouTube as well. SO COOL!
P.P.S. Can I just tell you there's nothing less encouraging than finishing dinner with a member and then having them say (with ZERO enthusiasm), "Well... I guess we can move to the other room so you can share a message. I know you're supposed to do that." Makes me feel like they're REALLY excited to have us encourage and set goals with them to share the gospel. :)
P.P.P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FIONA AND LINDY!!! STOP GROWING UP SO FAST!!! :)
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