Home Teaching & Missionaries in Sheldon Ward

We enjoy visiting with the Maloneys since they have children at home. Their oldest son, Chris just graduated from two year college and started his first job. Chris is not active in church. The Bishop is hoping we can make a connection with him, but Sheldon ward is a difficult one as there are very few young men his age. Jake comes to church. He and the Bishop's son are about the same age. They're usually the ones who bless the sacrament. There's one deacon who passes the sacrament each week along with a couple of the elders or some of the mature members of the priesthood. Last Sunday, August 24th, when many members were on holiday, Elder Jones helped pass the sacrament.

Steve does IT work for one of the automobile companies. He has been in the same company for 25 years while it changed owners several times. He's one of the fortunate Brummies who has stable employment. His wife Nikki knows sign language and works with deaf students in the local schools.

The Maloney Family: Jake, 16; Steve, Christopher, 18; Nikki and Nicholas, 11

Below: Marguerite and Patrick Carroll with their 'ward' Timmy. Timmy was orphaned so Marguerite and Patrick took him in since they had known his family.  Patrick is paid by the government to be Timmy's caretaker. Timmy is in his 50s but he's in Primary. Before sacrament meeting each Sunday, Tim goes up to the microphone and breathes heavily 3 times. (He thinks he's saying the opening prayer.) After church, he helps the pianist play the postlude music by plunking on a few piano keys. This ritual makes him feel that he is contributing to the meetings.

Patrick and Marguerite are sweet people. Whatever Patrick says, he always looks to her and asks, "Idn't that rawght, Mawguerite?" She always agrees that it's 'rawght'.

Marguerite and Patrick Carroll with Timmy

Ian Hadley is the 1st counselor in the Bishopric. Debbie arranges the missionary dinners. They have been married 10 years. Ian was a confirmed bachelor until Debbie came along. She had a previous marriage and has 4 children - 2 boys and 2 girls. The girls have remained active in the church, but the boys have not. The Hadleys said they can't leave on holiday like most of the country does in August, because they have 6 cats. They very kindly keep them outside when we come H.T. :-)

Ian and Debbie Hadley

Tell those H.T. to get out of MY house!

L-R: Elder Velasco from the Phillipines, Elder Ruka, Elder Martin, Elder Leal (Idaho)

Elder Velasco & Elder Martin

Last month, all the missionaries were asked to sing Called to Serve in one of the sacrament meetings. The plan was for one of the young elders, Elder Leal, to sing a solo on the first verse. But Sister Jolley hadn't practiced with them so she forgot the plan. She thought she was the only one who sang a duet with him, but later Elder Jones, who was standing on the opposite side of Elder Leal, admitted that he forgot the plan too, and he was belting out the first verse along with Elder Leal while elbowing Elder Martin to remind him to sing. We're not sure if Elder Martin gave in or resisted the prod. Sister Jones was playing the piano and she was sure there was a solo in there somewhere so she continued to play after we had all finished singing. She ended abruptly when she noticed the silence from the choir. We all became hysterical later when the whole story was told.

We promised Elder Leal he could sing a REAL solo next time. He's sure we're all senile, so he won't hold his breath!

Happy last day of August 2014!