We surpassed our 4th Quarter Goal of 107 baptisms!!

December 29, 2013

Dear New Jersey Morristown Missionaries:
NJMM Baptism Goals:

32 for the month of December, 2013
107 for the months October, November & December, 2013

6 Baptisms this week! THANK YOU!

Here’s where we are to date:
28 for the month of December

116 for the months October, November & December, 2013

We surpassed our 4th Quarter Goal of 107 baptisms!! Congratulations Missionaries!

It’s been a wonderful Christmas week. As so many of you have commented in your letters,
Christmas in the mission field is different than any other you’ll experience. The opportunity to
share with others a message about Christ instead of worrying about what present we should
get for a friend or family member. It is a Christmas we will always remember. For us, it’s the
3rd Christmas in a row that we have been able to attend a baptism. Elder Murray and Elder
Dahl baptized a 9 year old girl, on Christmas day in Paterson Spanish. She was so excited about
it. It was a joy to see her so happy.
Today, we attended church in Elizabeth Spanish ward. Our missionaries looked great and were
so essential to the growth of the ward. Sister Willis, Sister Martin, Elder Ramirez, Elder Morrill,
Elder Hansen, Elder C. Bell, Elder Boyer and Elder King are doing such good work there. After
Sacrament meeting, we attended the baptism of Catalina, a 45 year old woman, taught and
prepared by Sister Willis and Sister Martin (and a host of other missionaries over the last 3
years). It was a wonderful service. It was clear to me how prepared she was. It was great to
see (and take pictures of) all our Elizabeth missionaries, including those mentioned above plus
the English missionaries: Sister Page, Sister Robison, Elder Reeves and Elder Gale. Marcel, the
branch mission leader, told me what great missionaries we had in his branch and how thankful
he was for them. He was right, they are great! I then drove to New City for a baptismal
interview of a wonderful woman who will be baptized next Sunday. I love those baptism
interviews. The Spirit is always strong in them. On Saturday, we attended two baptisms in the
Princeton 1st ward: Elder Augustin and Elder Winfield baptized Timothy, a 54 year old man, and
Sister Shaw and Sister Navarro taught and prepared Alan, a 30 year old Chinese man. While at
the service, a man leaned over to me and expressed how impressed he is with all the
missionaries in their area, both English and Spanish. I had a big smile on my face. It was a nice
compliment for the Princeton 1st ward missionaries plus Elder Vellinga, Elder Thompson, Elder
Romrell, Elder Workman, Elder Fage, Elder Bennett, Elder Lattuga, Elder Arevalo, Sister Holyoak,
Sister Walton, Sister Rittenhouse and Sister Jordan. We also had the following baptisms this
week: Sister Willis and Sister Martin taught and prepared Catalina, a 45 year old woman in
Elizabeth Spanish ward; Elder B. Bell and Elder Newman baptized Asante, a 32 year old man, in

East Brunswick ward; and Elder Mull and Elder Roe (with help from Elder Alvarez and Elder
Nielsen) baptized Jaye, an 18 year old young man, in Paterson Spanish branch. Congratulations
Elders and Sisters on blessing the lives of these sons and daughters of God.

LOVE, FAITH and EFFORT. Here’s how you’ve been doing:

Week End Less-Act Bapt Dates At Sacr Mtg New Invest MP Lessons Total Lessons
338 1,809
11/24/13 221 144 170 183 284 1,589
329 1,762
12/1/13 237 145 135 150 257 1,561
265 1,386
12/8/13 244 136 147 242 301 1,725

12/15/13 105 132 73 145

12/22/13 228 132 143 148

12/29/13 230 117 130 172

It is time we focused all of our efforts on our work. No more distractions. I invite each of you to
re-commit yourselves to do your best, exercise faith and continue to be obedient. Set realistic
goals and then go achieve them. We are at the beginning of an exciting year for our mission. I
am so grateful to be a part of it with you.

Monthly Focus: Always Remember Him
As I listened to the sacrament prayer today in Spanish, I recited it in my head in English, and
caught hold on the phase “…and always remember Him.,…”. I felt an increase of love for Him
and all He has done for us. It made me grateful for our monthly focus on Him. It’s been easier
to always remember Him this month because of all the focus on Christmas, our mission
activities, Christmas music, Christmas cards received in the mail depicting something about Him
or His birth, and Christmas decorations all over the place. So now that the Christmas music
stops, the cards stop coming, the decorations are taken down, and people get back to their
normal lives, will we still be as diligent in remembering Him? What are you going to do to keep
Him at the center of your thoughts? to always remember Him? For me, it comes down to the
basics, i.e., sincere daily prayer, meaningful scripture study, and serving others. Fortunately,
Sister Jeppson has reminders about Him or some aspect of His gospel placed throughout the
mission home. Gentle reminders really help. I also realize even more fully how remembering
Him helps us to have the Spirit with us in greater measure. I am ever grateful for Him and all He
has done for us. I am a disciple of Him. “I have been called of Him to declare His word among
his people, that they might have everlasting life.” His words inspire me:

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And
behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup
which the Father hath given me and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins
of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the
beginning.” 3 Ne 11: 10-11. “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
D&C 6: 36.

Monthly Financial Support
I’m happy to announce that beginning January 1, your monthly financial allotment will be
increased to $155 for Elders and $165 for sisters. Please make sure you budget your funds

wisely so you don’t run out of money before the end of each month. I also encourage you to
make a monthly fast offering donation to your ward or branch. You will blessed for it.

A Word from Sister Jeppson
Hope you all have a wonderful New Year’s Eve! Another year to start fresh and set new goals is
upon us. I have a goal for all the sisters, ahem, to not forget to wear your jackets at all church
meetings, that is, Zone conferences, Zone meeting, District meeting, Baptisms, Training
meetings, etc. I know it is bulky wearing a coat besides, so keep your jackets in the car and put
them on when you get to the meeting. Sweaters do not count as jackets, sorry. Thank you
Elders and Sisters for all you do to make this the best mission in the church. I love you!

Final Word
Please make sure you are in your apartments by 9 pm - 9:30pm on New Year’s Eve. I don’t
want anyone in harm’s way.
Happy New Year to you all! A new year, a new resolve to do better. An opportunity to get rid
of some of the old habits and develop new and better ones. A time to re-commit ourselves to
our Lord and Savior and His work. God bless you for all you’re doing.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart…..”. Proverbs 3:5.

Have a wonderful day! Be your best selves.

We love you all,
President and Sister Jeppson

P.S. Please drive safely!! And take care of yourselves.