Monday, March 24, 2014

7 Minute Method, Baptisms, and Such

This is LAST week's email- 3/17/14
 
Hey everyone!  How have your weeks been?  This week was pretty awesome!  Saturday was the best!  Because of the baptism of course but also because we had a really spiritual experience.  So during Zone Training they introduced a new teaching method that President Hanks wants us to use.  It allows us to teach the restoration in only 7 minutes using pictures in the pamphlet.  I honestly didn't know how I felt about it because it feels like you are just skimming through everything and I didn't think that teaching like that would bring the spirit in as much.  Well we went to visit Gary on Saturday and we ended up talking to his neighbor (whose name is also Gary).  I felt a prompting that this would be a great chance to use the new method so I asked him if we could share a really quick message with him.  After we flew through the first lesson he was crying and we all felt the spirit really strong.  He was so happy because he said he hadn't felt the spirit is months and thought he had done something wrong.  It was amazing.  We set up an appointment with him for tomorrow and maybe we can invite him to baptism!
Well Saturday night was the baptism!  It was a little stressful because the Staffords were an hour late, but we finally got them baptized!  Their sister who was baptized with her husband in 2010 gave a talk and told us the story of how their family was reunited and how happy she was that Tessa and Marissa made this decision.  I'm really thankful that I was able to be a part of blessing their family.  
.....They did show up really late to sacrament meeting though so they are going to have to be confirmed next week.  I'm pretty sad about that.  We are going to visit them a lot this week though and make sure they get to church ON TIME!!  
Well that was my week!  Love you all!
Elder Whetten 

Monday, March 3, 2014

Cool Story Bro

 
Hey everybody!  How was everybodys week? Things here in Alabama are going great!  The weather was so nice the past few days but I guess it's back to being cold...
So cool story:  A little over a month ago, actually the day Gary got baptized, we got a text from someone asking us to go to the hospital and give her mom a blessing.  So we did!  The mothers name was Jennifer and she told us she was a member from Utah.  We went back to see her a little while later but I guess she wasn't in the hospital anymore.  Well just last week we got a call from Jennifer and she wanted us to come by and meet her family.  So we went to see how she was doing and got to know her and her two daughters a little bit.  Well we came to find out that Jennifer had not been to church in over a year and her 2 daughters have not been baptized.  They were really excited we came because they wanted to go back to church and the 2 girls really want to get baptized.  We set a baptism date with them for March 15th and were able to get them a ride to church and they came yesterday.  So crazy! That was exciting.  They are also going to be having family home evening at the ward mission leaders house tonight and that will be really good!  The Lord has really blessed us this week by giving us the chance to help and teach this family. 
Well that was my news!  I hope yall have a great week! 
Elder Whetten