Email Update: 12/1/2013

Dear Everyone,

Thanks for letting me know on the financial situation; i hadn't realized that i'd been spending that much. I'll make sure to fix that from now on. It sounds like everyone had a great time this last week, what with Thanksgiving and Babies being blessed and all. I'm glad you are all getting along without me (super corny fake sniffle).

 I haven't recieved Casey's package, but tell her not to worry; more often than not, it's just the mail being super slow. However, do ask if she used UPS or FedEx; those aren't able to be forwarded from the Mission office to the appartment, so she might be getting it back if she used either company.

As for the church open house, it's actually THIS Friday, at 5:00. It seems like it's going to go pretty well, although there are a few things that are grinding against my nerves. The first is that the sister in charge of planning the Christmas Party, which we are going to have the Open house work with, is wanting to have the program in the Chapel, rather than the gym. That means Sunday dress code, and i feel like if we try to ask people to wear Sunday clothes, they are going to turn right around and leave, even if they had wanted to come and were interested before they found out. Along with that, she wants to have the adults eat apart from their kids, and have the kids separate during the program. I already know of a MEMBER who isn't going to come because of that, so i'm really worried about anyone who isn't. Other than those two things, i think that it's going to go very smoothly.

Emily'sbnk baptism is this Saturday, also at 5:00. We are going to get everything for the program set up this Friday with Sister Stukie, who has been the fellowshipping family for Emily for the past few months. Sister Stukie is probably about 33 with 6 kids, and their house is immaculate, so i think that things will be able to go pretty smoothly with her help. I know that the Singles ward, both New Plymouth wards, and at least 10 members of her family are going to be at the baptism, so attendance should be pretty good. the only thing that i am worried about is stage fright. Emily is super excited about getting baptized, she wasn't nervous about her interview (passed with flying colors), and she knows most of the people who will be there, but she hates getting put on the spot. She doesn't want to have the spotlight all on her, so even though she will have plenty of support there for her, i think that that might actually mke things a little worse for her Stage Fright. At this point, i just hope that her excitement over powers her fear.

Our Thanksgiving was really fun. We ate at two members homes, the Austins (the people who's basment we live in) and the Marshals, a recently reactivated family, the Father of whom just recieved the Melcizadek Preisthood (and no, i do NOT know how to spell that word). About the food, though i do miss Mom's pies, i gotta say, triple chocolate pumpkin pie that is almost too rich for ME is nothing to shake a stick at.  The rest of the week was pretty basic, and nothing really to report, except for the fact that Nichole may be moving to Weiser in late December, and we got to help deliver some Thanksgiving Baskets to some of the people who we had been teaching.

Well, that'll about do it this week. Have an insane follow-up week!

Love Elder Stuver