God's Culture

So, this past week, we found two new investigators :-D  We're excited for the progress we are making.

We had a Silent Dinner up in Oviedo, which was a Youth activity where they all were unable to talk and had to learn to communicate through writing back and forth or quickly learn some sign that one of our Deaf members was teaching them.  I was able to voice interpret for him that night, and we all had a great time!  We're planning on doing that down in the Hunter's Creek ward.  

I was also able to do some voice interpreting during Sacrament meeting yesturday as one of our Deaf members was asked to speak.  It went really well!  I wasn't nervous through it, but I can't say I remember much of what I said...so hopefully it was the spirit speaking that the congregation heard. 

We've officially announced that the Oviedo Ward and the Hunter's Creek Ward are the central locations for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing church services in the Orlando metropolitan area.  We are excited to get to work to help the stakes and wards and members assist in strengthening the Deaf community. 

Right now, we are working on creating a Vision for the ASL Program.  Right now, we are focusing on "Creating God's Culture" and "Unification".  We continue to brainstorm ideas of what we can do to help our members.  

Another thing we did this week was attend two Zone Conferences so we could give a roundtable training to the missionaries in our area so we could share with them how they can help support the new ASL program.  It was great!  We used the bookmarks that Dad sent me to write our phone number and the two church addresses for ASL church services and hand them out to each missionary.  We are receiving at least one missionary referral each day!  Now we have to work with contacting them!  

We are enjoying ourselves here learning something new each day!  Soon, we'll have to learn how to teach an ASL class... that will be quite an adventure! 

I'm glad you were able to attend Sis. Moore's homecoming.  I forgot she had just arrived home!  I can't believe how quickly time flies by!  Sis. Andrea Nicoll also came home a week or two ago (unless the volcano kept her from making her flight home).  Speaking of time, my email time has come and gone!  Lots of Love!!  Thanks so much for the weekly family updates!  I enjoy reading them!

Lord's Program

Another week has gone by, it seems ... We've been keeping busy driving all around the streets of the Orlando metropolitan area. We've been from Windermere (our apt) up to Sanford, Oviedo, Winter Park and down to Kissimmee and St. Cloud. Our strength of members is focused in Oviedo and Winter Park but right now our focus in teaching is down in Kissimmee and St. Cloud. We are quickly learning how to budget our miles and finding the fastest routes of travel. It's a lot of fun! Also, I'm starting to use the phone more often. I still don't care for referral calls, but I have no problem calling the missionaries to confirm referral information and getting information for our records on the area. We're still trying to figure everything out with our car book, updating potential sheets and member sheets, organizing our area book, etc. Little by little it comes together. One day, I called the office and talked to all of the senior couples - phone being passed from person to person - because we keep making a list of things to be done.

Right now, I'm navigator in the car - I'm sure that makes Mom happy! My records from the Ft. Lauderdale Mission got misplaced so I don't have Orlando Mission approval to drive ... but I get to meet with President this week to seek out that approval. So, Sis. Homer drives while I navigate and it's going well! I'm having a lot of fun figuring out how to use the map and getting us places. In a way, we hope for a GPS, but Sis. Homer used one earlier this week when we were on exchanges and it led her astray - so I'd rather trust a paper map then an electronic device. Soon, I may change my mind ... So, when I get home, I will know Orlando like the back of my hand ... and right now we aren't using toll roads so we get quite creative in how to save miles! Soon though, we'll also add navigation of the toll roads in our skills. It's awesome!

Some other things we've started doing is finding better ways to contact. Just walking around signing isn't quite doing anything yet ... very slow work, especially out in the smaller towns. So, we go on tracting exchanges with Sisters asking for referrals at each door approach, we focus on Downtown Orlando working the Lynx Transit Center and the Downtown Library, and we decided to start visiting the UCF campus each week ... an institute teacher there reserves a booth for the College Park missionaries and we thought it was a great opportunity for us to join and ask for referrals. Now I have to learn to stop feeling awkward about street contacts. I've finally felt comfortable making door contacts, but it still feels extremely awkward to stop a person on the street, parking lot, or campus.

Something that I love is the wonderful members here, both Deaf and Hearing!! They are awesome! So willing to help! Sis. Homer was raised (on the mission) in a Singles Ward, so having so many dinner appointments and visits with families is a huge change for her! It's funny to see her transition into Deaf work. She loves to teach and keep busy, but sometimes it feels a bit slow because we travel a lot and Deaf contacts are few. Doing tracting exchanges and campus contacts are helping a lot so we can continue to teach and take a break from being silent. We made a rule to only speak in the car or when communicating with the hearing. So, we have a lot of silent times just signing back and forth. I love it!

So, all is great here in the Orlando ASL Program. We learn something every day! We can't wait to hear about the new ASL missionaries that will be called to Orlando. The members are already talking about Sis. Lovejoy! We're also curious what will happen when the Mission Presidents change. We look forward to meeting President Hall, and we're curious what the change will do to our new program. It's so funny to hear the ideas we toss to each other every day. We try to guess where our new apartment will be, if Orlando will establish a Deaf Branch while we are on our missions, if we'll ever be able to talk our President into a nicer phone - the members think we need a keyboard phone (blackberry or iphone) because we use a stubby little brick, etc. We're just having fun. We're grateful for what we have been given, and each day we see the tender mercies that the Lord has given the ASL program. He sees our needs and provides a way so we turn everything into His hands and always remember that this is the Lord's program.

The First Week

So, we have officially begun the new Florida Orlando ASL program on April 6, 2010. It has begun with only two Sister missionaries: Sis. Homer and I. It's going great so far! We have contacted a lot of the strong Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (HH) members in the three magnet wards: Oviedo, Winter Park, and Hunters Creek. We are attending the Hunters Creek ward, but are able to travel during the week to the three stake boundaries to meet and teach the Deaf and HH. It has been quite an adventure so far. We've used a lot of our miles traveling all over the metropolitan area meeting members and trying to contact. There is a lot of trial and error so far in what is effective and what is not, but we are constantly learning and growing with each action we take. The Deaf/HH members are amazing! So willing to help us with anything we need and teaching us a lot about the language.

This Sunday, I was able to do some interpreting in church, which was a lot of fun. Typically, we have a member who interprets, but he is also on the High Counsel and is very busy with work. I'm glad we are here to be able to lighten his load and actually allow him to sit with his family when he is at church. We also have a young woman - a senior in High School - who wants to become an interpreter and is willing to help out for Sacrament meeting. We had five members come to Sacrament meeting, and four were able to attend Sunday School that we hold together in ASL. This week, they left before RS/Priesthood, but they said they'd try to stay the full three hours next time. We then drove up from Hunters Creek to Oviedo for an evening Youth Bishop Discussion where another Deaf couple was teaching about adversity. It was really great to be able to attend. We had hoped to have non-members attend, but not this time. We are working with other events to be able to create fun gatherings for non-members in the area to come together so we can meet them.

Life is going well! I make sure each night to write down something I learned from the members or our experience in the program to remind me of the progress we are making and eventually be able to see the growth that is coming in the program. And of course, I continue my nightly tender mercy also. I am almost ready to get myself a new journal! All is well! Sis. Homer and I are going great! We are excited to see what this next week brings as we apply the things we have learned this past week.

April 6th

Wow, here I am again on another P-Day! This week felt like forever ... but flew by so quickly! Conference was amazing! I really enjoyed it! I had planned to write down my highlights, but I forgot my journal - it's already packed away as I prepare for our transfer tomorrow! Something that stood out to me the most was how most of the talks on both days focused on raising a righteous family unto to Lord. I had so many fun ideas of how to raise my future children - then I realized that doesn't apply to me right now as a missionary ... oops! :-D So, it is my responsibility as a missionary to help our investigators see the importance of raising their children in righteousness.

Something that makes me so excited is that the Florida Orlando ASL Program is starting on April 6, 2010!! Isn't that the best date ever! I love the little tender mercies I see in my life! Tomorrow, we will be talking to President Darrington about the details of our area. We will be living in Windermere (the biggest Sister's apartment - it has two bathrooms ... Pres. Darrington knows that is important for four Sisters to have), focusing on the Hunters Creek Stake (at least 20 miles away from our apt), but also working with the Orlando and Orlando South Stakes. We're excited to see the full extent of our area. It's weird to think that we are starting a NEW area. It's not just going into something already set up, area book present, phone and car there, member and investigator teaching records organized, etc. Nope, this is all new! I'm excited because I love to organize!! Yay! Sis. Homer and I are up for the challenge. We hope all goes well!! Already, we've had missionaries give us deaf referrals and we are excited to see how many more we receive this first week of the official ASL program. We will keep busy meeting the members and contacting the referrals we receive. So much to do, so little time - but with the Lord's time, all will continue forth as He knows it should.

I am so excited to hear that Jeff and Sherry are expecting a baby boy!! Yay!! I'm going to have a nephew!!! I am so jealous. Seriously, the only thing that makes me homesick is not being able to see any nieces and nephews that will be growing up these eighteen months I am gone... send me pictures! :-D Lots of Love!

(Written to Hna. Nori in Argentina)

You reminded me of the Work, Work, Work quote that we recite once a week. In this mission we recite a scripture or quote each day:

• Monday: D&C 88:123-124
• Tuesday: The Standard of Truth
• Wednesday: D&C 4
• Thursday: Work Work Work
• Friday:3 Nephi 5:13
• Saturday:Alma 38:12
• Sunday: Our Purpose

"The Standard of Truth has been erected: no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth, boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every climb, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

"Work! Work! Work! One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work. If a missionary works she will get the spirit; if she gets the spirit she will teach by the spirit; if she teaches by the spirit she will touch the hearts of the people and she will be happy! There will be no homesickness, no worrying about family for all time, talents, and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. That's the secret! Work! Work! Work! There's no satisfactory substitute especially in missionary work!

This week, we start the ASL program on April 6th. YAY!!! I'm senior companion and we will be working with three stakes, but focusing on the Hunter's Creek stake, were there is the greatest concentration of the Deaf. We're excited to get to work!

Have a great day! You will be in my prayers. Hope things continue to go better for you! Yay for missionary work!

Onward and Upward we go!
Sis. Ellsworth

Exchanges, Service, and Miracles

This week went by fast. I'm not really sure what to write about. We had an opportunity to do exchanges with the Windermere Sisters so Sis. Muhlestein and I spent a day over in the Windermere area - which is the apartment where Sis. Homer and I will probably be moving to next transfer. We were able to be on bike during the morning, both of us getting sunburned - oops!

Also this week, we were able to participate in Temple Service. We were able to continue replanting the flowers on temple grounds, taking out the winter flowers and planting the summer flowers. It was a lot of fun! It seems like missionaries are able to do Temple service once a transfer. Also, I was able to help out a bit at the Mission Office with a few of the other Sisters as our companions were participating in a ZLDLC (Zone Leader District Leader Council). Something I really like about this mission is how there are three Sisters called to be "Senior Sisters" as they watch over the Sisters of the Mission, doing exchanges and building unity. Sis. Muhlestein was just called as a Senior Sister last transfer so we follow her around when she has these meetings to attend.

We continue in our teaching and helping our investigators with their concerns. It's been hard this week. We haven't had any progressing investigators come to church in the last two weeks. Also, our baptism hasn't been sealed with a confirmation yet, so we are doing a lot of mighty prayers to give us help and strength. The work does continue forth and we have a lot of great investigators we are working with.

This Sunday, Sis. Homer and I had an amazing miracle! We learned that there would be a baby blessing for a Deaf couple in the Oviedo Ward. One of the interpreters called us up and willingly drove down to pick us up and bring us to Oviedo. It was amazing! We stayed for church then were invited to a dinner afterwards. We were in Oviedo for seven hours conversing with Deaf members from the Oviedo, Winter Park, and Hunter's Creek Wards. It would appear that these will be the wards we will put our most focus on as the Deaf members are working themselves to grow in size and combining together to get the work moving forward. They were so excited to meet the new ASL missionaries! They have been waiting for us for a long time and are hoping to have two more soon so there will be missionaries for the north and south, since the Orlando mission is quite huge in size! Sis. Homer and I were grateful for the opportunity to begin to get to know the members, see how we have progressed in the language, and gain more of an understanding what we need to do for the new ASL program. It was awesome! We are really excited for the upcoming transfers.

Ups and Downs

Our companionship is awesome! We have fun talking about everything! -- gospel related, of course -- Our biggest topic this week is how much our journal entrees and letters and day to day living makes us appear to have constant mood swings. Feeling the greatest joy in one moment, then the greatest sorrow the next. It's crazy! I survive quite well, just adapting to every situation we come across. It is interesting, though to think about our days. Every hour, we have a different appointment with a different person with their own struggles and concerns and need for spiritual nourishment. We as missionaries have to quickly switch from focusing on one person's need to another. One hour, we may be overjoyed with their strong faith and seeing them commit to baptism. Then the next hour, we see another of our investigators slipping away and being overcome by the influences of the world.

This past week, we had an amazing baptism. Monday morning, right before FHE in the Singles' Ward, one of our investigators was baptized and she is simply amazing. The spirit was so strong and she bore her testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. What was amazing is the fact that we started teaching her the Wednesday before. The spirit testified the truth to her and she knew it. However, as Sunday approached for her confirmation, her family tried to work on her to convince her of the choice she made. Saturday, she was still excited to come to church and said nothing would keep her from going. Then Sunday came. Her family wouldn't let us talk to her - over the phone or in person. She was unable to come to church. It's so heart-wrenching to experience that. We just continue to pray for her and seek for inspiration to know how to help her.

We have been blessed with eight new investigators this past week. President Darrington told us that the people in Orlando that are the most prepared to hear and accept the gospel will be the college-age. And I can see that it is true. We are doing great things here in the Singles' Ward. I love it!

As it relates to the ASL program, I'm not sure what to do right now relating to that. P-day is dedicated to writing all my MTC teachers and district then waiting for replies. So, right now, I'm looking for advice in how to start and run a program. Even basic advice works right now. I've got a basic outline plan at the moment, but I'm wondering what kind of schedule to follow day by day, if there are responsibilities and tasks that need to be accomplished on a weekly basis. Also, how to organize and map a huge area, working with three stakes to bring together the Deaf and hard of hearing, the correct line of authority and leadership to organize the ASL program with the ward level and stake level, etc. I'm sure as soon as the next transfer starts, we'll be able to figure things out - but the more advice and help, the smoother I hope it will go.

All is well! We're doing great! The Lord continues to bless us daily with His tender mercies. Onward and upward with the missionary work in Florida!

News to Tell!

Well... HELLO FROM ORLANDO!! I am at the Family History Center in the Stake Center across the street from the Orlando Temple. It's awesome!! Also, it's a gathering spot for all the missionaries in our zone to email home. It's an exciting place!

I am in the Buena Vista Area, serving in the Buena Vista YSA ward. So, something funny about this, when I was planning on moving to Orlando last year, I was totally planning on moving to this ward and in this area. I love how the Lord led me to the place I wanted to originally go. It's so funny! My companions are Sis. Homer and Sis. Muhlestein, both from Utah (Sandy and Kaysville). When we have transfers in April, Sis. Homer and I will be companions to start the new ASL program. Right now, I'm helping her learn ASL so we can be prepared for that challenge. Our area is huge! Because it is a singles ward, we have about five areas in our area - so we run into other missionaries a lot - or see the Elders on bikes every once in a while. It's a lot of fun! So far, I've met a friend from high school and the elder brother to another friend from high school. Oh how small the world is. It also helps that this Singles Ward is where the people in the Disney College Program go to.

It's been quite a transition because I'm learning the rules of this mission. Not many are different, but I have to adapt to a few changes I wasn't use to before. I am glad to hear that this is also an exact obedience mission and they have something called "The Lord's Battle Plan" which is totally amazing! It focuses on the leading principles of Faith & Hope, Charity, Unity, Obedience, Urgency, and Virtue to help continue for the work in having "One Lord, One Faith, One Hundred Baptisms".

Our companionship is simply amazing!! We get along very well and have a variety of experience - Sis. Muhlestein on her 14th month, I'm on my 6th, and Sis. Homer on her 3rd. We came up with an equation for how we can help our investigators:

(Excitement + Exactness) x (Urgency + Unity) = Exaltation

Everything is going great! We are doing well! And tonight is a baptism! I am truly being blessed in the start of my new mission area. Lots of Love!!