Service & Service.

I feel like every weekly email should just say "A lot happened this week. Amen."

 

We did lots of service this week! A couple weeks ago we got a call from a Sister in the Bethlehem ward (said "beth-lim") about a guy, Dale, who had showed up at the church one day looking for help. A while back he went to help his daughter move out of her four-story apartment into another four-story apartment, and was expecting just the two of them to help. But to his surprise, there were members of the deacon's and Elders quorum there ready to help. Turns out his daughter's boss is LDS and sent for help. How amazing! You never know what influence your actions have! So he showed up outside our church because he knew that Mormons help.

 

To put it simply, the project is a huge one. It's a house/store duplex that his family owns up here in PA that needs a lot of work (he lives in Virginia). He's been renovating it for the past two years and has been doing it alone, for the most part. On Friday it was Sister Hall and I, the Elders, Sister Norton, and her son, Spencer who went and helped. We did mostly yard work, from taming patches of overgrown plants to dismantling a wheelbarrow to digging a cement post out of the ground. It was super fun, actually. And now I know how to use a gas-powered weed whacker.

 

On Saturday we had Sister Kramer and Sister Sourwine help out throughout the day, which was wonderful. At one point I was cleaning out this fenced-off patch of yard and I kept hearing a faint buzzing noise. There was a bees nest in there somewhere, but I just figured the worst that could happen was they could sting me, so I kept on raking. Eventually I did find a bees nest and a massive queen bee, but I did not get stung. Yay! Sister Kramer, however, found a chipmunk nest with a few babies in it, but it was freaky because we just saw something furry crawling around.

 

Dale is possibly one of the coolest people I've ever met. He's an older man who used to be a marine salvage diver in the Navy. He had a lot of great questions about the Church, and we were able to discuss with him the Restoration and a little about temples while we were digging out rose bushes. He has such a great attitude about life and a deep respect for people, and I'm pretty sure he would make a great general authority. It was amazing when we left him the Book of Mormon how willing he was to read it.

 

Sunday! Who here went to "The Work of Salvation" broadcast?? *Everyone should be raising their hands* Well, if you didn't, there's a WHOLE section about it on lds.org, that's how serious this work is.

 

Some of those who spoke or had video clips were Elder Nelson, Elder Perry, Elder Packer, Elder Andersen, and President Monson, with Elder Holland conducting. IT WAS AMAZING. The whole point of the broadcast was how it's the members' responsibility to find people and the missionaries' responsibility to teach. Fifty years ago the missionaries had success knocking on doors and talking, but times have changed, and so should our views of missionary work. The members need to always be inviting, searching, and praying for opportunities to find people, as we as missionaries will teach those you find.

 

I highly recommend watching the broadcast, so if you have two hours (oh come on, that's not that long!), please, please, pleasewatch it because I'm not doing it justice explaining it. http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/special-broadcast?lang=eng

 

Also, on Sunday when we sat down in Sacrament meeting I was surprised to see President and Sister Schaefermeyer on the stand (our mission president and his wife). That pretty much never happens in the mission, but it was a super special opportunity. We were even able to go to Relief Society and Gospel Principles with Sister Schaefermeyer. They're both going home this week, so it was amazing to see them one last time before they go.

 

Well as always, I love all of you! Get out there and find opportunities to share the gospel, because the Lord is hastening His work, and right now is the final stretch before He comes again. So get out there and work!

 

Love,

Sister Singleton

                                  This is possibly the WORST, most unflattering district picture ever.

                               

                                                  Me, Sister Hall, and the Schaefermeyers.

                               

                                    President and Sister Schaefermeyer surprised us in church!