Sister Torgerson putting together our festive decor!
Yours truly, decking the halls with our wonderful paper chain!
The fluorescent rocks!
A fluorescent quartz teacup!
The rocks in daylight disguise.
Mister Geology with seemingly innocent fireplace.
Family Dearests!
Well, this week was tops! We met Peter and Little Peter, who just moved from Quebec into our ward boundaries. Peter is a member, but Little Peter isn't, so we've started teaching him! On our first meeting we set him with a baptismal date of Dec. 16th and he is so excited! I got halfway through the baptism invitation and he said, "Yes! I really want to be baptized!" He's just so sincere! He's twelve years old, Cuban, and speaks Spanish, French and English. When we asked him about God, he said, "He's my best friend! I can tell Him anything and I know He'll answer my prayers. And I know He loves me!" Goodness, I wish everyone could be as humble and teachable as L'il Peter! Adults just put too much fluff and unnecessary stuff in the way, but kids just know the simple truths. I'll let you know how his baptism goes! Oh, and on our second visit we asked him how his Book of Mormon reading was going and he told us about the Lamanites, Nephites, Ishmaelites, etc. We looked at each other confused. "Peter," says Sister Dorneles, "did you start in Nephi or Mormon?" "You said to read the Book of Mormon, so that's what I read!" So cute, and he really enjoyed it and highlighted a lot of things, but now he's back in Nephi, and I think it will make more sense.
Well, this week was tops! We met Peter and Little Peter, who just moved from Quebec into our ward boundaries. Peter is a member, but Little Peter isn't, so we've started teaching him! On our first meeting we set him with a baptismal date of Dec. 16th and he is so excited! I got halfway through the baptism invitation and he said, "Yes! I really want to be baptized!" He's just so sincere! He's twelve years old, Cuban, and speaks Spanish, French and English. When we asked him about God, he said, "He's my best friend! I can tell Him anything and I know He'll answer my prayers. And I know He loves me!" Goodness, I wish everyone could be as humble and teachable as L'il Peter! Adults just put too much fluff and unnecessary stuff in the way, but kids just know the simple truths. I'll let you know how his baptism goes! Oh, and on our second visit we asked him how his Book of Mormon reading was going and he told us about the Lamanites, Nephites, Ishmaelites, etc. We looked at each other confused. "Peter," says Sister Dorneles, "did you start in Nephi or Mormon?" "You said to read the Book of Mormon, so that's what I read!" So cute, and he really enjoyed it and highlighted a lot of things, but now he's back in Nephi, and I think it will make more sense.
We got a referral from the Primary President this week about a less-active family who's kids are old enough to be baptized, but would still need the lessons because they're over eight. I really hope we get to teach them because kids are the best!
We got invited to support an elderly member of the ward with her society's glowing rocks display. It sounded..... really..... well, we weren't too sure what to think. But apparently in Franklin New Jersey, there are fluorescent and phosphorescent rocks that don't exist anywhere in the world (I know Mom, you're probably jumping out of your seat right now. "Rocks! Oh boy! Ah! Gee!"). We were ushered in to an old museum, into a room with a ceiling high fireplace built with various types of rocks. It looked nice. And then the man giving the tour turned out the lights, and turned on a UV light. IT WAS AMAZING! I don't know how these rocks glowed, but it was crazy! Unfortunately the mine where these things live isn't opened on Mondays, so we can't go through a tour of the mines. I was hoping we could, as you guys get to go to The Hobbit to see dwarves in mines, so I should get a similar experience. Oh well, maybe in the future. Speaking of which, one of the companionships in our district called to give us a referral, and said, "We have good news and bad news. The bad news is... The Hobbit has been cancelled." I just about fainted, it was so devastating. And then they said they were joking and that they had a referral for us. That part was indeed good news! But really, the first thing should never be joked about. Ok, enough of worldly stuff!
Also, we were walking about, like we do, and ran into a lady. I offered her a card for our website. "Oh! I'm not going to be a Mormon!" "Ok, nevertheless, the website has some really touching videos about Jesus Christ and we know it would benefit you." Then in comes Sister Torgerson with, "Why don't you want to be Mormon?" The lady said we were false and believed in different things. We asked her what beliefs of ours differed with hers. She didn't quite know, but just knew that we did. Oh, people, you and your "knowing what we believe" but not actually knowing anything. It ended with her asking us questions, us answering them, her being befuddled by our ways not being as weird as she'd heard, and ultimately in her accepting a Book of Mormon and saying she'd pray about it. Yay, I just hope she does it sincerely and with an open heart.
We also met a Pagan man who has altars and idols in his front yard. He was interesting, and said he had "Mr. Kreuger's Christmas" and a Book of Mormon, and enjoyed them, but wasn't interested in anything else. He hadn't prayed about the Book though, as he said our God was different from his gods and communication is different too. We've been focusing in our visits with members on the Book of Mormon and committing them to re-read it and pray about it. One member told us he'd committed about 400 people to do it, and yet he had never read it all the way through, and never prayed about it. And he had served a mission. Woof! He said he had a testimony of it, but with concerns he brought up about it, I didn't think he'd told them truth. Sister Dorneles was very bold in telling him he didn't have a solid testimony and that the only way he would is if he took our challenge. We knelt down and prayed, and as she prayed we all felt so strongly about the truthfulness of that Book. When we were walking back to our car she said, "Did you feel that?! Man! That "freaking'" Book is true!" Yes, that word is on the buried words list, but she's from Brazil and says a lot of funny things. She's great.
Also, Dawn has been struggling, as I think I already wrote about. But this week she and Bill were going out to pick up her son from wherever he lives, sort of far away. She's driven the route numerous times. Bill said to her, "I'm getting a really big feeling that you shouldn't drive." "What are you talking about, I've done this so many times!" "I know, but I just feel like I should do it this time." Annoyed, she got into the passenger side and grumbled throughout the trip. Then, out of nowhere on the freeway, their brand new back tires both blew. Bill has had that happen to him before and knew how to handle the car. Dawn says that if she was driving she would never have been able to control the vehicle and they both would have died. When they got their car to a stop, Bill turned to her and said, "We need to pray. That Holy Ghost thing you keep talking about must really be real!" Bill doesn't pray, but they said one together. Then a kindly semi-driver turned his truck so no oncoming traffic could pass (I don't know if that's legal, but hey, safety first) and called his friend who tows cars, and his other friend who replaces tires and got them all fixed up. What a blessing that Heavenly Father answers our prayers, and that he answers them through other people! Dawn said in Gospel Principles yesterday that now she sees God hasn't forgotten her or her family but has been watching over them during all of their trials. It was so amazing! I hope we can start teaching the rest of her family soon.
Also, speaking of recent converts, Kevin got his interview for the Aaronic Priesthood and is passing the Sacrament next week!
Well, I think that's it. It was a good week, and this one will be too! We're going to the Temple! Best place ever (!) besides our home on Sundays, but that's the best in a different kind of way. I love you all and I hope you're all safe! Give each other snuggs and kisses from this one!
Sister Mistipher
