Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:53:02 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We did pretty bad last week so I was going crazy this week. We were able to get a lot more lessons and had a much better week. But! We got word last night that I was getting transferred again! These past six weeks have gone crazy fast! Its like every transfer goes faster! Also, Elder Cunningham is training! I think I was more excited than him because that makes me a "Mom" (You train, you're a dad, your comp trains, you're the mom) Whooo! The transfer results for my district were pretty funny too. One Sister is leaving, and one set of Elders is both leaving, (we dont know why) and he's going to be a DL. The other set of sisters is staying, and its funny because Sis. Corbett started her mission here, got transferred to Yuma, and then is back here! And the other elders are staying too, and Elder Koons started his mission in the area next to him, and 8 months later got transferred to where he's at, and now he's still there. He'll be in the same stake for over a year!
Last P-day we had a Tri-Zone BBQ at a park near our house with Tempe and Gilbert Zones. So a lot of my friends were there! It was pretty fun, but kind of cold. I almost got ran over after I tripped when we were playing football. It was super scary. I also got to hang out with Elder Lesh one last time, because he goes home tomorrow! But he's sending me a famous tie of his, named "Handicapped Hercules." Get excited to see pictures. Also when we were about to leave, I stood up on the table and said "Oh captain my captain!" It was pretty funny, I have to admit. Also, the sister from New Zealand found out that some words are bad in America, and she also found out this week that the USA doesn't like France.
But anyways. We had a crazy, two and a half hour lesson with Ada this week. Because when we went over on Thursday night, she told us she summed up all her questions to "Where did we come from, why are we here, and where are we going" and wanted to answer them with the Bible and Book of Mormon to show that they were the same. After told us the questions we just stared at her for a second and I started laughing. She was confused and we asked here where she got those questions. She just came up with them! And we explained that those were common questions that the church definitely has answers for. We also explained that it asked and answered those exact questions in Preach My Gospel. So the next day we went over and had the 2.5 hour lesson where we answered the questions and explained the Restoration and priesthood authority. Her exact words when she understood it was like "this is like Lord of the Rings!!" So we're still working on it.
I've grown a lot this week, or at least recognized it. I was on exchanges with one of our Zone Leaders and I was really stressed because I didn't know where the ward mission leader lived and we were going around in circles. I felt judged and embarased, and I was letting my anxiety get the best of me. Then we find out where its at and we start going there and talk to this guy on the way. Of course, he was stupid, and I got frustrated and didn't do the best job talking to him. I tried really hard, but didn't sound confident at all. And before and after that, my zone leader was just telling me to be calm and confident, which made me more mad, so we went and met with the WML and I taught him how we can improve the missionary work in his ward, motivate the ward council, and set up a ward mission plan that will actually work. I kinda focused all my frustrations into it, so it went really well. Afterwards, my zone leader said, "now I see the true leadership of Elder Feller." Then something clicked. So I decided I needed to play my strengths more, and that all my struggles with this area were from trying to do it a way I wasn't good at. So with all that motivation, I set up a meeting with my whole district at a restaurant we go to some Saturdays that feeds us for free, and I taught them everything I knew about how to establish a successful ward, which is something I've been struggling though and working on my entire mission, and at this point, is something I can say that I understand a lot about. The entire mission is having tons of problems with getting members into missionary work, and its so important because that's where absolutely all our success comes from. But the problem is that the missionaries know just as much as the members, nothing. But now my district now understands how to do it, and we'll be doing it again at or after district meeting tomorrow.
Then, last night we talked to this lady on the street somewhere, and it was the best OYM we've had this whole transfer, and maybe the best of my mission. She genuinely listened and wanted to know what we believed. She told us about her experiences in Iraq with the national guard and about a lot of stuff. She asked good questions, and got good answers. When I offered her a Book of Mormon, I reached into my bag and I didnt have one! I already gave it away! But my companion did so we were good. haha. But she even wrote down when our appointment was for. It was really cool. Its always motivating when you talk to someone who is awesome.
That's all the interesting things for this week.
Love,
Elder Feller
ARIZONA
Showing posts with label Chandler 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chandler 2. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Daniel vs The Cold!
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2011 13:25:01 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We went from busy last week to nothing this week. All our potentials are falling through and we're basically down to two investigators. One of which was dodging us all last week... But we finally got in contact and are going to set something up soon.
Its getting really cold in Arizona! Its like 60's outside right now. I had to wear a jacket last night while we were biking. I was freezing cold and then I realized that I couldn't even see my breath... So in reality it wasn't that cold... But I'm not used to that. It was 115 for too long!
We've had a lot of meetings with our ward leaders this week. We're really trying to get stuff going in the wards. Yes, again. But they've been good. We're trying to keep up the momentum to get it all rolling, and they some of them seem to be excited about getting it done. That's the most effective thing we can be doing.
Ada is still doing really well. She was sick, so she couldn't make it to church this week. But we had two good lessons with her, where we talked a lot about the questions she had and what we can do to help her get baptized. She doesnt feel like she's repented of her issues with her family, and so she doesn't feel worthy to be baptized. Plus, we have to work on her testimony of the restoration... But we're getting there.
Everything else is cruising along. Transfers are next week, so we'll see what happens.
Love,
Daniel
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We went from busy last week to nothing this week. All our potentials are falling through and we're basically down to two investigators. One of which was dodging us all last week... But we finally got in contact and are going to set something up soon.
Its getting really cold in Arizona! Its like 60's outside right now. I had to wear a jacket last night while we were biking. I was freezing cold and then I realized that I couldn't even see my breath... So in reality it wasn't that cold... But I'm not used to that. It was 115 for too long!
We've had a lot of meetings with our ward leaders this week. We're really trying to get stuff going in the wards. Yes, again. But they've been good. We're trying to keep up the momentum to get it all rolling, and they some of them seem to be excited about getting it done. That's the most effective thing we can be doing.
Ada is still doing really well. She was sick, so she couldn't make it to church this week. But we had two good lessons with her, where we talked a lot about the questions she had and what we can do to help her get baptized. She doesnt feel like she's repented of her issues with her family, and so she doesn't feel worthy to be baptized. Plus, we have to work on her testimony of the restoration... But we're getting there.
Everything else is cruising along. Transfers are next week, so we'll see what happens.
Love,
Daniel
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| Getting Elder Cunningham's bike welded. |
Monday, October 31, 2011
Daniel vs Being Busy
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:38:10 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We had a crazy week! Tuesday was interviews with the Mission President. It was really good. Except we didnt get home until about 5 o clock so the rest of our evening got thrown off. President Howes really amazes me at how well he knows every single missionary. In my interview he just talked about my District, each person specifically and their needs. It was crazy!
Then on Thursday we had a visiting General Authority! Elder Wilson of the second quorum on the 70 came and spoke to us. It was from 9 in the morning until about 4-5. President and Sister Howes spoke, then Elder Wright, the area 70 here, and then Sister Wilson, then Elder Wilson. Then after lunch Sister Wilson talked about the common born-again argument against the church about "grace and works", which was a very complex answer that a lot of us didn't completely get, and then Elder Wilson talked again and opened the floor to questions.
Friday we spent applying our new training from the Assistants on our weekly planning, but then I had to bike way into Mesa in my suit to do a baptismal interview for the sisters. It went really well, except in the middle of the interview the girl I was interviewing told me I had pretty eyes, so I wrapped it up quick... It is really cool to interview these people who are so ready to be baptized. Its awesome to see the excitement in them as they are preparing.
Then Saturday we had to help Amanda move, and then had a ward Halloween party at night. We sat down and were eating food next to some of our friends in the ward, and at the same table was some non-members and no one told us! She got up and left to go get food and then her friend came over and was like "that was my neighbor!" and we're like, "Why didn't you tell us!?" Remember: It is impossible for missionaries with 300+ members at any given time to know who's who. I had 1200+ members in Queen Creek. You have to tell the missionaries if you want them to talk to them!
Then on Sunday we had to go to church, hurry and hop over to another ward to try and catch some investigators that didn't show and then race back to the other building to speak in the singles ward and then we left early to go prepare for Amanda's baptism, then we had a baptism and after we had to get a ride over to another church building to interview the other sisters candidate for baptism, then we went home to take some study time so I could prepare for District Meeting, but then we couldnt because we had to go to Amanda's house to give her some church DVDs we forgot to give her.
Whew.
But the baptism was amazing! The spirit was really strong and she really felt it. Her and her son Joseph were baptized, and after he went to church yesterday, her other son Christopher wants to get baptized as well. Joseph asked me to baptize him, and that was really cool. Amanda asked the Bishop to baptize her. She jokingly said it was because she wanted to make sure it was the right authority! We explained that lots of people could do it, but she still wanted the bishop. So it was really good. It was the first baptism of my mission that came from street contacting, even though I wasn't here when they started teaching her.
Also, wait let me explain, So Elder Krueger has my number back in Queen Creek so he could call me if he had any questions, because he was so fresh and didnt know the area. He called me before and told me that Bro. Powell had told him that he wasn't really waiting to talk to his parents, but he still believed that the Catholic church had that authority, and I was devastated! I felt like I had failed! But then called me on Sunday night and said he went over and had a throw-down lesson with him about the restoration and bro powell got back to him later and said he thought about what he said and would probably get baptized this year! It took me a second to realize that there's only two months left this year and then I was supper happy!
Love,
Elder Feller
Finally Pictures! These computers at MCC are bad at pictures, but I have conquered them!
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We had a crazy week! Tuesday was interviews with the Mission President. It was really good. Except we didnt get home until about 5 o clock so the rest of our evening got thrown off. President Howes really amazes me at how well he knows every single missionary. In my interview he just talked about my District, each person specifically and their needs. It was crazy!
Then on Thursday we had a visiting General Authority! Elder Wilson of the second quorum on the 70 came and spoke to us. It was from 9 in the morning until about 4-5. President and Sister Howes spoke, then Elder Wright, the area 70 here, and then Sister Wilson, then Elder Wilson. Then after lunch Sister Wilson talked about the common born-again argument against the church about "grace and works", which was a very complex answer that a lot of us didn't completely get, and then Elder Wilson talked again and opened the floor to questions.
Friday we spent applying our new training from the Assistants on our weekly planning, but then I had to bike way into Mesa in my suit to do a baptismal interview for the sisters. It went really well, except in the middle of the interview the girl I was interviewing told me I had pretty eyes, so I wrapped it up quick... It is really cool to interview these people who are so ready to be baptized. Its awesome to see the excitement in them as they are preparing.
Then Saturday we had to help Amanda move, and then had a ward Halloween party at night. We sat down and were eating food next to some of our friends in the ward, and at the same table was some non-members and no one told us! She got up and left to go get food and then her friend came over and was like "that was my neighbor!" and we're like, "Why didn't you tell us!?" Remember: It is impossible for missionaries with 300+ members at any given time to know who's who. I had 1200+ members in Queen Creek. You have to tell the missionaries if you want them to talk to them!
Then on Sunday we had to go to church, hurry and hop over to another ward to try and catch some investigators that didn't show and then race back to the other building to speak in the singles ward and then we left early to go prepare for Amanda's baptism, then we had a baptism and after we had to get a ride over to another church building to interview the other sisters candidate for baptism, then we went home to take some study time so I could prepare for District Meeting, but then we couldnt because we had to go to Amanda's house to give her some church DVDs we forgot to give her.
Whew.
But the baptism was amazing! The spirit was really strong and she really felt it. Her and her son Joseph were baptized, and after he went to church yesterday, her other son Christopher wants to get baptized as well. Joseph asked me to baptize him, and that was really cool. Amanda asked the Bishop to baptize her. She jokingly said it was because she wanted to make sure it was the right authority! We explained that lots of people could do it, but she still wanted the bishop. So it was really good. It was the first baptism of my mission that came from street contacting, even though I wasn't here when they started teaching her.
Also, wait let me explain, So Elder Krueger has my number back in Queen Creek so he could call me if he had any questions, because he was so fresh and didnt know the area. He called me before and told me that Bro. Powell had told him that he wasn't really waiting to talk to his parents, but he still believed that the Catholic church had that authority, and I was devastated! I felt like I had failed! But then called me on Sunday night and said he went over and had a throw-down lesson with him about the restoration and bro powell got back to him later and said he thought about what he said and would probably get baptized this year! It took me a second to realize that there's only two months left this year and then I was supper happy!
Love,
Elder Feller
Finally Pictures! These computers at MCC are bad at pictures, but I have conquered them!
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| Amanda's baptism |
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| Last day in Queen Creek |
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| Presents for Elder Krueger |
 |
| This was taped on my desk, which is across from my companions desk. |
Monday, October 24, 2011
Daniel vs Time
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:40:36 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
This has been a long, slow week. We hardly taught!
Ada got in a car accident early on in the week and then because of it she drank again, which she had really been trying not to do. But it worked out, we had a really good lesson with her. She talks a lot and usually we can guide it to where she works out her own problems. I pointed out at the end of the lesson that she used the phrase "I know.." 3 times in connection with her new found testimony of God and her relationship with him. She had been struggling with faith a lot and so this was a huge and amazing step! But everything is going really well now. Her faith is continually growing. Now we have her focusing on the Book of Mormon, and we're still working towards baptism.
I did my first District Training and exchanges this week! I trained on effective study and preparing to teach and Elder Netzley and I tore it up in his area for a day. It was really fun, and I definitely learned more than I was able to teach taught. But we didn't really have much time because of everything going on.
We were able to put Amanda and Joseph back on date on Sunday! Our lessons got delayed all week so we made sure we got them to church by scheduling a lesson right after. We focused on Joseph, because he's 8, making sure he understands everything so he can be baptized. He's a really smart and really good kid. He remembered pretty much everything from the Joseph Smith movie at the visitors center. So the plan is for them to be baptized next Sunday evening.
Friday morning we stopped by a garage sale advertized as and "LDS Book Sale" and I found a copy of Mormon Doctrine for a dollar! The funny thing was, our Mission Nurse showed up before I could buy it and gave me $20 to buy stuff. So I got an old D&C and some stickers of the LA Temple, and still have $17 to spare!
Really, nothing much else happened this week.
Love,
Elder Feller
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
This has been a long, slow week. We hardly taught!
Ada got in a car accident early on in the week and then because of it she drank again, which she had really been trying not to do. But it worked out, we had a really good lesson with her. She talks a lot and usually we can guide it to where she works out her own problems. I pointed out at the end of the lesson that she used the phrase "I know.." 3 times in connection with her new found testimony of God and her relationship with him. She had been struggling with faith a lot and so this was a huge and amazing step! But everything is going really well now. Her faith is continually growing. Now we have her focusing on the Book of Mormon, and we're still working towards baptism.
I did my first District Training and exchanges this week! I trained on effective study and preparing to teach and Elder Netzley and I tore it up in his area for a day. It was really fun, and I definitely learned more than I was able to teach taught. But we didn't really have much time because of everything going on.
We were able to put Amanda and Joseph back on date on Sunday! Our lessons got delayed all week so we made sure we got them to church by scheduling a lesson right after. We focused on Joseph, because he's 8, making sure he understands everything so he can be baptized. He's a really smart and really good kid. He remembered pretty much everything from the Joseph Smith movie at the visitors center. So the plan is for them to be baptized next Sunday evening.
Friday morning we stopped by a garage sale advertized as and "LDS Book Sale" and I found a copy of Mormon Doctrine for a dollar! The funny thing was, our Mission Nurse showed up before I could buy it and gave me $20 to buy stuff. So I got an old D&C and some stickers of the LA Temple, and still have $17 to spare!
Really, nothing much else happened this week.
Love,
Elder Feller
Monday, October 17, 2011
Daniel vs Falling Off Date!
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:07:46 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We had a crazy week.
So when I got to this area there was 5 people on date to be baptized, now there are zero. Its not my fault though! But were working on fixing it.
Three of them was Amanda and her two kids. One of her kids is 12 and is pretty typical. Kinda lazy and not really into anything. So its hard to get him into the lessons and keep him on track. But the rest of the family really wants to be baptized! We took her to the visitors center and watched the Joseph Smith movie, and after we went to see the statue of Christ, and she told the sister missionary there that she really wanted to be baptized. She said she would definitely be at church this week but she wasn't... I guess her younger kid was sick.. So she cant be baptized this weekend, but hopefully next. She's gotta get to church!
Then the next one was this guy named Bob. He talks a lot and gets off on tangents about how he's not a stalker and this girl named Carla needs to forgive him... Its pretty interesting. But I asked him why he wanted to get baptized and he said, "So I could hopefully get a job." Yeah... then we talked to him about what baptism means and he texted us the next morning saying "Tonight might be our last meeting, I think you guys are trying to convert me." So we made plans to go over, but the ward made me do splits with the priests, so I went with some of them to visit some poeple the bishop gave us while my companion, the ward mission leader, and a priest went to go teach Bob. The verdict was that he still wants to go to church, but doesn't want us to teach him anymore... So maybe someday.
The last one is Ada. She's an awesome investigator, but has some big concerns and is struggling with her family accepting her changing right now. She has two crazy concerns, the first is that she doesnt even know if she's feeling the spirit, or just her emotions. So we're building her faith to cope with that. And the other is she doesnt feel worthy to be baptized yet... And we're working on that too. She is excited to be baptized though. We took her to the Mission Presidents Fireside last night and she met President Howes. They both joked a little bit about taking the missionary who was here before me away, and then President asked her why she wasnt baptized, and then encouraged her to prepare to do so. It was pretty intense, especially when her family came up. But it was good, hopefully. She was kinda weird about it after, but I think it really made her think.
And were not the only ones with people falling off date. The whole zone is having a problem with it. I set a pretty high goal because we had lots of people, but we've lost a lot of them... so my goal is a little over the top now... The district is having a hard time, but were really working on it. Its just tough out there! But I've been praying about what skills we need to work on, and we're going to talk about it in district meeting.
Love,
Elder Feller
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
We had a crazy week.
So when I got to this area there was 5 people on date to be baptized, now there are zero. Its not my fault though! But were working on fixing it.
Three of them was Amanda and her two kids. One of her kids is 12 and is pretty typical. Kinda lazy and not really into anything. So its hard to get him into the lessons and keep him on track. But the rest of the family really wants to be baptized! We took her to the visitors center and watched the Joseph Smith movie, and after we went to see the statue of Christ, and she told the sister missionary there that she really wanted to be baptized. She said she would definitely be at church this week but she wasn't... I guess her younger kid was sick.. So she cant be baptized this weekend, but hopefully next. She's gotta get to church!
Then the next one was this guy named Bob. He talks a lot and gets off on tangents about how he's not a stalker and this girl named Carla needs to forgive him... Its pretty interesting. But I asked him why he wanted to get baptized and he said, "So I could hopefully get a job." Yeah... then we talked to him about what baptism means and he texted us the next morning saying "Tonight might be our last meeting, I think you guys are trying to convert me." So we made plans to go over, but the ward made me do splits with the priests, so I went with some of them to visit some poeple the bishop gave us while my companion, the ward mission leader, and a priest went to go teach Bob. The verdict was that he still wants to go to church, but doesn't want us to teach him anymore... So maybe someday.
The last one is Ada. She's an awesome investigator, but has some big concerns and is struggling with her family accepting her changing right now. She has two crazy concerns, the first is that she doesnt even know if she's feeling the spirit, or just her emotions. So we're building her faith to cope with that. And the other is she doesnt feel worthy to be baptized yet... And we're working on that too. She is excited to be baptized though. We took her to the Mission Presidents Fireside last night and she met President Howes. They both joked a little bit about taking the missionary who was here before me away, and then President asked her why she wasnt baptized, and then encouraged her to prepare to do so. It was pretty intense, especially when her family came up. But it was good, hopefully. She was kinda weird about it after, but I think it really made her think.
And were not the only ones with people falling off date. The whole zone is having a problem with it. I set a pretty high goal because we had lots of people, but we've lost a lot of them... so my goal is a little over the top now... The district is having a hard time, but were really working on it. Its just tough out there! But I've been praying about what skills we need to work on, and we're going to talk about it in district meeting.
Love,
Elder Feller
Monday, October 10, 2011
Daniel vs The Chandler Curse
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:28:04 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
I'm am now the District Leader of the Mesa 2nd District. But my area is in Chandler! Consider the Chandler Curse fulfilled! (Chandler Curse: Mission legend that if you serve in Chandler once, you WILL serve there either a) Forever. or b) Twice!) My new companion is Elder Cunningham from West Jordan, Utah. He's a good guy, but just kinda quiet and calm. So because no one lives with us, I'm going stir-crazy all the time!
I really miss Queen Creek! I had so many good and bad times there, but I love it. I would definitely move back there. I just wish some certain things that I feel like I went there to do were accomplished before I left. Its hard knowing that those things didn't get finished before it was my time to go. Of course, I blame myself and think I could've done better or tried harder or been more persistent, but the hardest thing to remember is peoples agency. But I'm not done with them yet! I've instructed Elder Krueger well what to be focusing on. Man, I miss that guy too! My last few days in Queen Creek were awesome! Elder Livermore's companion went home and so he hung out with us for a few days. We had a lot of fun. We even got to teach a lesson to a drunk guy who was talking about suicide. Apparently it wasn't out of the normal for him, but Elder Krueger and I were kinda nervous because we didn't know.
But we spent my last day saying bye to everyone.
Not much to report here. I'm pretty sure people are going to be mad at me because a bunch of people fell off date this last week. But these people did not have a firm understanding that they were going to be baptized those days, and so they were not doing everything necessary to prepare for it. But we will be working extra hard to get them there. The goal is to have them all back this week. There was a lot of good stuff going on here before I got here, but I feel like one thing was seriously lacking, member involvement and fellowshipping! So thats a district focus I'm making. It should go good. From a lot of the members I've met, it seems like they're good on doing missionary work! I just have to put the pressure on.
Yesterday, my first Sunday, we did a Mormon.org presentation for the youth in one of the wards. It went really well. They seemed to get into it. This is such a huge deal! Everyone needs to take it more seriously! I've already heard of people who have been asked about it. But in most of the presentations, they still didn't cover what people are supposed to say!
More next week!
Love,
Elder Feller
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
I'm am now the District Leader of the Mesa 2nd District. But my area is in Chandler! Consider the Chandler Curse fulfilled! (Chandler Curse: Mission legend that if you serve in Chandler once, you WILL serve there either a) Forever. or b) Twice!) My new companion is Elder Cunningham from West Jordan, Utah. He's a good guy, but just kinda quiet and calm. So because no one lives with us, I'm going stir-crazy all the time!
I really miss Queen Creek! I had so many good and bad times there, but I love it. I would definitely move back there. I just wish some certain things that I feel like I went there to do were accomplished before I left. Its hard knowing that those things didn't get finished before it was my time to go. Of course, I blame myself and think I could've done better or tried harder or been more persistent, but the hardest thing to remember is peoples agency. But I'm not done with them yet! I've instructed Elder Krueger well what to be focusing on. Man, I miss that guy too! My last few days in Queen Creek were awesome! Elder Livermore's companion went home and so he hung out with us for a few days. We had a lot of fun. We even got to teach a lesson to a drunk guy who was talking about suicide. Apparently it wasn't out of the normal for him, but Elder Krueger and I were kinda nervous because we didn't know.
But we spent my last day saying bye to everyone.
Not much to report here. I'm pretty sure people are going to be mad at me because a bunch of people fell off date this last week. But these people did not have a firm understanding that they were going to be baptized those days, and so they were not doing everything necessary to prepare for it. But we will be working extra hard to get them there. The goal is to have them all back this week. There was a lot of good stuff going on here before I got here, but I feel like one thing was seriously lacking, member involvement and fellowshipping! So thats a district focus I'm making. It should go good. From a lot of the members I've met, it seems like they're good on doing missionary work! I just have to put the pressure on.
Yesterday, my first Sunday, we did a Mormon.org presentation for the youth in one of the wards. It went really well. They seemed to get into it. This is such a huge deal! Everyone needs to take it more seriously! I've already heard of people who have been asked about it. But in most of the presentations, they still didn't cover what people are supposed to say!
More next week!
Love,
Elder Feller
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