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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

I'm Dreaming of a Whi...GREEN CHRISTMAS?!

Hello everybody! This has been quite the fun week, filled with holiday cheer, love, and goodness all around! I love the Christmas season so much! People generally seem a lot happier. I have really gotten to learn a lot from reading the four gospels in the New Testament about Jesus Christ and how amazing he was to the people. It really enriches what I already loved about Christmas.

On Monday, we had P-day! It was a lot of fun, and we got to hang out with Brother Bennett. We also had the opportunity of going to a YSA activity with the sisters as well as some of the other members of the ward. It was a lot of fun, and a couple less active members actually came to it! So that was good!

Tuesday was a pretty busy day as well! We helped out at the Food Pantry with people wanting their Christmas dinner, so that was a really good service opportunity. Elder Knowles had to get his haircut because the lady was booked on P day, so I managed to talk with a couple people at the haircut place about the gospel. They were very nice, and very french, which means they weren't interested due to their Catholicism, but hey. You never know! :) Later that night we went to the White's for a speedball game, and I had the best game of my life. I scored 5 of our 7 points, and even though we lost, I was a force to be reckoned with. (Humility implied.)

Wednesday was Christmas Eve! Which means we had a District Meeting! We had to drive all the way down to Houlton for it. One message that we really pressed was the need for faith in our mission work. Faith is the first principle of the gospel, meaning everything that we do stems from it. For instance, asking an investigator to have faith in Christ is prerequisite to them repenting and being baptized. The same goes for missionary work. Faith comes before miracles. I really thoroughly enjoyed that! For Christmas Eve we also went to a huge party at the Benson's house! It was so fun, several members and nonmembers were there. We played games, ate Sweet and Sour Meatballs (so good), and sang Christmas carols! Towards the end of the night we played songs using nosewhistles, and some of the children played instruments for us. It was so cool! The Benson's also let us go inside their snow cave/igloo thing in their front yard! It was so warm in there. :) It was a fantastic Christmas Eve.

Thursday was Christmas! Obviously :) Well, kind of obviously because it was rainy. It was so rainy, in fact, that it removed a good portion of the snow so that we could see the grass. People told us that it was the first green Christmas they've had in 30+ years. Wow. Anyway, I woke up at 6:30, and wore my Christmas sweater, and opened up my presents by the light of the Christmas tree. It was so neat, and I had a lot of fun seeing all of my presents. Thank you all for your generosity, I got five ties, a lego set, a pair of gloves, some boots, 115 dollars in Subway money :), sweaters, and some beanies (or tooks for my international friends) and a watch. I also got a lot of candy and some pistachios! I appreciated all the letters I had received from all of you family and friends :) It really means a lot. Afterwards we ate botulism and Dr. Pepper at Brother Bennett's house, visited a few members, and I also got to talk to my family! It was good to see you :) and I love you so much Mom!

The rest of the week was fairly bland. It's a tough time to meet, however, good things are happening. Tonight we are meeting with some of our new investigators, so hopefully we will be able to commit them to baptism! :) If it's the Lord's will, it will be done.

Thanks Everyone! Merry Christmas!

Staying warm in the snow cave!

The outside of the snow cave/igloo.

Here is our Christmas tree.

Christmas morning

I had a great Christmas!!  Thanks everyone!!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

'Twas the Week Before Christmas'

Merry almost Christmas everybody! We've had a pretty successful week this week!

To start, we had a YSA game night on Monday with a few members, specifically Brandy and Jared. It was a lot of fun, and we are starting to invite investigators and youth to them as well! It's really helped get the younger members of the church involved in finding people that would be interested in learning about the church.

On Tuesday we had a great day! A member family invited us over for dinner and told us that we would be teaching a lesson to a couple teenagers. That was pretty exciting by itself, because we haven't had too many people to teach. We went to their house and it turns out that 5 people were interested in learning more about the church! We got to teach them the first discussion, and it went really well! All of them accepted Book of Mormon's, they all committed to pray, and three of them actually came to church! Hopefully we will be able to continue to teach all of them! I see really good things happening here in Caribou. :)

We've also been working with a guy named Anthony. He is a member's fiance, and is interested in the church. He might not be baptized in my time here in Maine, but he definitely will someday! It's been admittedly tough to set up appointments this week because everybody has been so busy with Christmas and New Year's. Hopefully we will be able to continue to find new investigators, even during the holidays! :)

One thing that I have really loved this Christmas season is reading about Christ's life. As a missionary, we represent Christ, and I've really been able to see Christ-like Character in my life here in Maine. I am called to serve this people, and share the truest and most peaceful message this world will ever know. Like the angels "bring glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people", we do the same as missionaries as we look outward and teach others the true meaning of Christmas.

Thank you all for supporting me, and I hope that you have a merry Christmas :)

Elder Wanlass

A member took this picture of Elder Wanlass and Elder Knowles and shared it with our family.  He said, "Your sons are both wonderful examples of what a missionary should be.  I'm glad I have had the pleasure to meet with them."

Monday, December 15, 2014

I'm Still Here! (Not Vertical Horizon)

Hello family, friends, and acquaintances! It's been another busy week in Caribou! We had our Christmas Zone Conference this week in Moncton, New Brunswick, and I finally got to see some of my MTC friends! Sister Bowden and Elder Kruger were both there! It was a good time. We got to watch "Meet the Mormons", and then we had a gift exchange. To top it off, Santa came! And he looked exactly like Elder Knowles' sweater. It was perfect :)
Luckily for me, I get to stay in Caribou for at least another transfer. So that's good. I seriously love the ward here. I've made a lot of good friends, and I hope that I will be able to continue makingthem.
This week we managed to find a couple new investigators, so that is good. I don't know if they are going to be baptized while I am here, but they definitely will someday. We also have been seeing a few recent converts, and one of them named Mason is deciding to serve a mission! It's so cool, so we are going to reteach him the lessons, and then he is going to try to head out! At the end of the week, my Caribou Ward had a Christmas brunch. It was a lot of fun, and a bunch of people did show up! I love meeting people that way. We also had a  gingerbread house contest, and me and Sister Smith won hands down! (Even though I did less work on it)
All in all, this week was amazing! We did work hard, we had fun, and I'm glad I can spend another month here in Caribou!  And it's almost Christmas! Well, I have to get off, because these computers are super slow, but hopefully the next letter I can make a little longer.
Love you all!

Elder Wanlass

My winning gingerbread house.  (o.k so I tied.)

My new planner that the Sister Missionaries made.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Below Zero

Hello everybody! This week has been pretty sparse as far as teaching goes, but we've been trying to find more people. Technically we have zero people being taught at the moment, but that's okay!  We are working on it! Aside from that, we've had a pretty fun week and we have several appointments scheduled for next week! It's going to be fun!

To start, the weather here has been more fierce than ever before! Right now as I speak, the weather is -15 F outside. It's definitely fun, but I must say, when you breathe that cold of air, it freezes the inside of your nose, and then it thaws almost immediately. It's the strangest feeling ever.

So as far as Maine culture goes, I had a new candy bar called a fried potato (because it is a fried potato) and it tastes exactly like an almond joy! How weird is that?! Some members gave it to us! It was so good! Another member actually gave us a stereo for our apartment and it hooks up to my iPod so I can jam out to my motab! :)

Earlier on in this week we got to watch a light parade in Presque Isle! It was so cool, and it went on for a solid hour! So many people were there, and it was pretty cool to see the place so busy! :) I promise next week I will write a much longer letter! I'm just not feeling super great at the moment, so I will have to make up for it next week :) Thanks for all of your support, and I love you all!

Elder Wanlass

My awesome district.

Enjoying the snow!

My ugly sweater for Zone Conference.  Thanks Bro. Bennett!! (Nice touch with the unicorns, don't you think?)

Here is the sweet sound system that Bro. Bennett hooked us up with.

Monday, December 1, 2014

The Real Thanksgiving!

Well, another week has come and gone. In fact, it was Thanksgiving! :D We were the only people in the whole mission (along with the sisters) who got to celebrate it! It was so nice, and we got to talk to a bunch of nice people.

On Tuesday, we had a chance to eat dinner with the Harper family. They are both such nice people, and I really enjoyed their company. Most of their kids are out of the house, but they have one daughter named Abby, who has high functioning autism. She reminded me a lot of Reagan. She was very sweet and apparently loves to listen to the radio in her room. Such a great family! We also got to stop by this older gentleman named Bernie Cyr. He was a very nice old man, and had a lot of stories to tell us. Particularly about the Bigfoot race, Lizard people, and other things. He loved Genealogy, and said that he loves doing it because it's a spiritual journey. It was really cool, and it made me think that I should focus on doing more family history when I go home.

Wednesday was a fairly slow day, but we met this older lady who gave us a candy made only in New England called a Peach Blossom. She gave a package of them! They taste like Reeses' hard candy. Definitely interesting.

Thursday was Thanksgiving, obviously. We went and played Turkey ball in the morning with some of the men in the ward. But due to the weather being 15 degrees plus wind chill, we decided to end relatively early on. Afterwards, we hung out with Brother Bennett. People do not like proselyting on Thanksgiving day. Then we went to spend Thanksgiving Dinner with the Nouhans'. They were very kind, and gave us a lot of food. We were definitely taken care of :) After dinner, we had an amazing Ping Pong match with the family. I'm not very good at Ping Pong, but I tried my best. :D We then went to Brandy's and played a couple games with her and the sister missionaries and Jared Reed. It was a fantastic Thanksgiving! Brother Bennett also ordered me and Elder Knowles ugly sweaters...I'm so looking forward to wearing those :) Pictures shall come.

Here is my moose burger!

Ping Pong Playa!

I will say, one of the things I love most about my area is the sheer amount of support the members give the missionaries here. They are so nice to us, and I'm so grateful to be serving here.

Now that it's December, I have a little message to share with you. Christmas is coming up, and l started a countdown that my mother gave me! In Hymn 207, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", it reads: "Peace on Earth, good will to men, From heaven's all gracious king. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing." The message of Christ is a peaceful one, a hopeful one. One that we can all love and cherish. Focus on Christ this Christmas. It's the best thing. :)

I love you all,

Elder Wanlass

A member gave us homemade Reeses and Almond Joys.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Holy Crepes! I'm The Elder!

Well, it's official, I am The Elder. At the Food Pantry we serve at, they have deemed me with that title, and Elder Knowles as the Other Elder. I got a promotion!

This week has been pretty nice! We have had a couple solid lessons with J. involving tithing and the Book of Mormon! No problems there, he is still almost ready for baptism! December 13! One really exciting thing about that day is that the ward is doing a Christmas activity on that day, so he will get baptized while we are celebrating Christmas! :D

On Thursday we had a really cool lesson with Sie, a recent convert. We watched the talk by Tad R. Callister called "The Blueprint". It's such a powerful talk, and I love the testimony born at the end of it. Christ's church is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it! It's a great talk to help build your testimony in how amazing our church is, and why the restoration of the gospel is so important to everybody--members and nonmembers alike. We also had a lesson with Brandy about enduring to the end.

We also met with the O'Connell family. They are converts of about a year and a half, and they have such strong conviction of the gospel. I love their family!

On Friday we had interviews with President Leavitt, which went well, and I feel like I am doing well as a missionary. President is a very uplifting person to talk to, and I'm glad that he is such a great guy! He told us that we need to use our Facebook's a lot more to contact potentials and members. He got after everybody in the mission for not using Facebook enough :P Back home it was usually the opposite...

On Sunday we had a pretty fun day! A lot of people come to church on Sunday! It's really cool! After church Brother and Sister White invited us to something called a crepe off! And guess who got to be the judges?! You got that right! The missionaries! They made some really great crepes, and I loved spending time with the family!

One of the crepes the Elders judged.

That's about everything noteworthy that happened this week! I hope you all have a fanTASTic Monday! :)

Elder Wanlass

Selfie with Papa's tie he gave me.

Elders and Sisters serving in the area with our friend Brandy.

Banana Bread to take to our awesome investigator.

Monday, November 17, 2014

The Most Beautiful Gift

Hey everybody! How are you? Well, this week went alright for me! We had zone conference on Tuesday, so we got to travel all the way to Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Zone conference was alright. I still get a little intimidated because I don't know most of the missionaries in my mission yet, but I will over time!

Elder Knowles and Elder Wanlass

So far, our prime investigator, J., is doing really well. He still wants to get baptized, and he has just started a stop smoking program, so he should be ready for baptism by mid-December. One of the members, Brandy Downer, decided to give a quad scripture to J. since he was going to get baptized soon. He has really enjoyed reading his scriptures, and now he has a set of all of them! He told me that "It was the most beautiful gift he had ever received!" That really touched my heart.

Speaking of gifts, a couple members up here named the Stepp's went down and visited Utah this past week. I guess, in a crazy turn of events, they ended up visiting my home ward! They met my mom, and were able to talk to some of the members of my ward! I even got a gift from my Priests/Teachers quorum! A quarter of a donut! It truly is a beautiful gift...

I also got a piece of newspaper that dates back to the 1860's, and I held a Bible that was from 1890. This family named the Mandevilles' gave it to me, and there house was built way back then! They are such a great family! They have 10 dogs, a pig named Fernando, and a mechanical horse riding simulator, that, yes, I rode. The members here are so great!

One of the coolest guys I've met on my mission thus far would have to be Brother Bennett. He is 6'8", a Texan, and works for border patrol. He likes having the missionaries over, and he talks about his mission in Mexico City. He always gets me pumped to do missionary work, because I want to have as many fun stories as him. He bought us lunch on Friday at an Italian place.

One of the greatest things about my mission thus far has been having the spirit constantly with me. I think that it is one of the greatest gifts that anybody can possibly receive. Sometimes being a missionary is difficult, but because of your support, and the love of the Savior, I know I can do anything :) The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!

I love you all!

Elder Wanlass

Monday, November 10, 2014

Green Jello, Goodbyes, etc.

Hey-llo everybody! It's great to hear from all of you! This week felt pretty long because of transfers, but it has been really good! This week was pretty fun, because both Elder Woodbury and Bate were leaving, we said goodbye to a lot of the members in Caribou/Presque Isle. It was a bittersweet moment, but on the plus side, we had green jello! Apparently nobody eats jello except in Utah...so that's cool!

I got my new companion, Elder Knowles. He's really cool, he's been out on his mission for 22 months and is turning 21 in December! He is really athletic, and rumor has it that he can dunk a basketball and he's only a couple inches taller than me. So that's exciting!

We haven't had any major snowstorms yet, and many people think this year will be a bit milder. I don't mind it either way, I can't wait to get -40 degrees :D So much fun!

Other than that, we've been meeting a lot with members. Since I'm the only missionary left that has been in Caribou for a little bit, we all are trying to get to know people in the ward as well as find new people to teach. J. is doing a lot better. His uncle died recently, so I was a little nervous about his smoking and drinking. We have a meeting with him this Wednesday, so hopefully things will go just fine.

On Saturday we went to The O'Connell's daughter's wedding reception! It was really cool, and we got to talk with a lot of nice people from the ward and from around town.

All in all, this week has been good. Next week my letter will be longer, I promise.

The scripture I've been focusing on right now is D&C 58:26-27.

"For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;"

As we are constantly looking for ways to help others and to share the gospel, we will be blessed for taking initiative and doing what is right, not what is easy.

I love you all, and I hope you have a great week!

Elder Wanlass

The Amish park their buggy's in the parking spot!

Green jello!!

Our farewell! (with Elder Bate & Elder Woodbury)

While we were walking.....

This is the Balloon of Peace in Caribou.  Colonel Joseph Kittinger from the U.S. Air Force, lifted off  from Caribou, ME, aboard this helium-filled balloon. (1984)   86 hours later, he came to rest in Italy, having completed the very first solo transatlantic balloon flight.

My new companion is Elder Knowles from Logan.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Snow Way Out!

Well, This week overall has been pretty good! Unfortunately for us, a lot of our lessons had fallen through due to people cancelling on us. and it was Halloween, so we couldn't go out during that day. However, we still did some pretty interesting things!

On Tuesday, we went over to Sister M's to talk with her about Jason, and how he is doing. She was super stressed out at the time, and we really needed to talk to her. I got out my mini hymn book, and talked about how hymns bring us happiness and comfort when times are tough, and we sang "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" After the song was over, the whole room was just...in awe. The spirit can always change things from chaos to peace.

A lot of people have been freaking out about the Ebola virus that is going around. A lady up at Fort Kent (a town in my area) who traveled to Africa to help fight it refuses to get quarantined from it, and so a lot of people are scared to death right now. We have taught a lot about the peace that comes from the gospel. Specifically to members.

On Wednesday night, there was a Trunk or Treat at the church. I really feel like I've started to get to know the members better here, despite only being here for a transfer. It was fun to see so many people involved in dressing up, games, and bringing food! The ward in Caribou is so great! We had to leave in the middle of it, because we had a couple lessons to do. We went to Will and Lisa's, and as we were about to start the lesson, a couple blue flashes in the sky happened. All the lights on one side of the river went out. However, before we left for the Trunk or Treat, I had felt prompted to take my little blue flashlight and put it in my bag. That was amazing, because I hadn't been carrying it at all week. We proceeded to teach lessons in the dark by flashlight and candlelight. It was such a powerful experience. With Will and Lisa, we've really been trying to help them read the Book of Mormon. They have been reading it, and they are really starting to gain a testimony. I know it!

In other news, it snowed last night, and it looked dark at 4:30... FANTASTIC! :)

Snow at 4:30 p.m.

We found out the results of this transfer...So, I am definitely staying in Caribou, but what is surprising is that BOTH of my companions are going to Canada, and I'm getting a different companion. The two sisters by us went home, so essentially, I'm the only missionary with any knowledge of the area at all. It's a little freaky, but I'm comforted by knowing that I'm not doing this alone. We had a CES devotional last night about building our foundation on Christ, and I know that as I build my foundation, the Devil's mighty winds will never shake me! (Helaman 5:12)

I will never forsake :) I love you all! I hope you have a fanTASTic week!

Elder Wanlass

Selfie with Elder Woodbury

Monday, October 27, 2014

The Harvest is White Already to Field

Hello Everybody! Things are going pretty nicely in the Maineland. This past week has been fairly slow, but also pretty cool. Now I don't know how cold it is in Utah yet, but up here it is 30-40 degrees all the time. It hasn't snowed yet, but everybody keeps telling me it will snow before Halloween... Which is in four days. So that's exciting!

 We managed to get a new investigator this week! His name is Narayana. (Ne-Ryan). He used to be Hindu, but is really accepting of the gospel, and wants to get baptized if he knows that our message is true! He has been reading the Book of Mormon, and has enjoyed it thus far. We taught him almost four times this week, which is super exciting!

 On Wednesday, we had kind of an interesting experience. While we were knocking, a lady drove up to us and started yelling at us. She had a younger girl in the passenger seat who looked super uncomfortable. She told us to stop knocking, which was okay, because we only had a couple of houses left. She then drove off. After she left, we finished knocking the street, and then proceeded with our day. We came to find out from a member of our church (her coworker) that the lady went back to her workplace and talked about how terrible 'Jehovah's Witnesses' were and that when they knock on her door it scares her son, how we shoved our beliefs down her throat, and all these other terrible things.

Elder Wanlass and his $3 scarf

 The lady complained to her manager about it, and it turns out that her manager was the lady who bought us hot dogs a couple weeks ago for serving in the community. She told us that we were the Elders and that we were the best young men ever, and that we could teach them things that will make them happy. The lady who yelled at us is now in a lot of trouble with her work because she took a company car and an intern over to yell at us, rather than doing her job. So the Lord protects his missionaries!

 The last event that took place this week was an amazing ward activity called the Harvest Social. In Maine, they do this party annually and invite members, nonmembers, investigators, and everybody in between to come and eat food. A lot of it is potatoes and turkey, because that is what Maine is known for, and it was a lot of fun. We had a couple investigators come to it: Randy, Will, and Lisa. Randy and Lisa are brother and sister, and Will is Lisa's boyfriend and a member of the church. Randy is so cool, and he wanted a tour of the church. So we gave him one!

 We were expecting to see all of them at church, but they didn't come... so that's a bit of a shame. Oh well!

 The Harvest Social was so fun though, I met so many members, and I really feel like I'm starting to become a part of the ward here. we also achieved our sacrament attendance goal two weeks in a row now! Hooray! People are coming!

 The scripture I've been thinking of this week is James 2:17-18: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without they works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

 I love this scripture, because so many people feel that if they have faith, they don't need to do anything else. But their faith will truly be shown by the efforts they put into loving God and others. On the contrary, if you are doing good works, but don't have that faith or hope that truly brings conversion, you will not be able to progress and become better. You need faith AND works.

Love you all!

 Elder Wanlass

Monday, October 20, 2014

Well, this week was a little bit interesting. The first few days were pretty eventful, but the last couple have been a little bit dry.

On Monday, we had the opportunity to go thrift shopping at a store similar to Ross (I hear). I got a coat for 30 dollars when it was originally 200! Best deal ever! It's called Marden's.

Tuesday we went to see a few investigators, and we even got to have a fakesgiving dinner with one of them! They made turkey, peas, fresh mashed potato, and carrots! Potatoes are super popular up here because Maine is a potato state. I guess Maine and Idaho are in competition. The potato I had here was the best one I had ever had. Hands down. Brother Bennett also bought us Subway sandwiches.

Wednesday we went to a very small town called Limestone! I had never been to Limestone, but I ended up getting a collector's pin and met a couple members. One of the members decided to come out on splits with us, so we divided up into Me/Bate and Woodbury/Member. I think it went pretty well! I felt super great knocking on people's doors, I felt happy and excited, and I got yelled at and I was still super thrilled. The coolest thing happened. We weren't going to knock one of the houses, but we decided to anyway, and when I did, a man came out and was super friendly to us. I asked him if he knew anything about us, and he said that he had worked with mormons because he lived in Utah. He told me he was from Layton!!! How crazy is that?! He wants to meet with us and learn more about what we believe. So amazing.

Thursday we taught the gospel to some investigators, raked leaves at the hospital, etc.

Saturday was a pretty good day. We did a lot of member work. We carved pumpkins with the YSA and with a less active member, and I carved the angel Moroni! It looks so cool!

To make up for missing Friday and Sunday, I want to share a scripture I really loved this week.

Joshua 24:15 - And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

I find such power in that statement. If we do not choose righteous things, we are not going to have the strength and power of God with us. As I serve God, I know that I will be able to benefit immensely from my mission experience. I love you all!

Elder Wanlass

Monday, October 13, 2014

Happy Fakesgiving!

It's Canadian Thanksgiving today, but even more importantly it's Columbus Day! Hooray! This week has been quite busy. We had a lot of stuff going on as far as district training, exchanges, zone leaders staying over, and the President interviews.

Monday: Last Monday after P-day I got the chance to try elegant Chinese food at this place called the Oriental Pearl. By elegant I mean...It might have been the grossest food I've ever eaten. It's a tradition among the missionaries to go there at least once during your time here in Maine. So I feel like I have been a true Maine-iac.

Tuesday: The Zone leaders came over for the day, which was pretty fun. I got yelled at by my first lesbian today, which was admittedly pretty funny. People overreact really bad sometimes to the missionaries asking them questions.

Wednesday: We had exchanges with the Woodstock Elders! So Elder Woodbury went down to Woodstock, New Brunswick, and Elder Craig came up to Caribou with Elder Bate and I! He is such an amazing missionary. He is already training an Elder and he has only been out a couple months. Usually you don't train until you've been out at least 3 and a half. We met a couple potentials, but nothing really happened today. I also scheduled a meeting with one of our investigators: Lisa, on Friday at 8. (This will be important for a little later.)

Thursday: We picked up Elder Woodbury and traded Elder Craig back, and we went to a new investigator's grandmother's house. She is a 13 year old girl who wants to get baptized into her Grandmother's church. She will be learning from the sisters from here on out, but this means I'm going to contribute to 2 baptisms by the end of this transfer!! The people of Maine are pretty accepting of the gospel. It's fantastic. It's mainly through members that we find people who want the gospel. We also met up with a recent convert named Brandy who gave us a few presents from her trip to New Hampshire! I have a pin on my shoulder bag already.

Friday: We had a miracle happen today. I set up an appointment with Will and Lisa on Friday, but unbeknownst to me, we had a less active visit already planned for Friday night. We were about to call Will and Lisa and tell them we would have to reschedule, but before we did, the less active family cancelled on us. So we went to do a lesson with them, and another guy was with them. It turns out it was Lisa's brother. As we started teaching, he started asking us questions, and I felt a strong impression that I needed to talk about the Book of Mormon. As we talked about it, he looked like he really wanted to know more, and he is investigating the church now! If I hadn't set up that Friday appointment, we never would have met him. It was amazing!

Saturday: Another Miracle!! We spent a lot of time knocking and street contacting today, which I feel like I'm starting to become more comfortable with. As we walked down the street, a car pulled up and this guy asked "Are you Jehovah's Witnesses?" and we said no, and that we were from The Church of Jesus Christ, and he said "Me too!" It turns out that he was a member of the branch in Caribou 40 years ago. We weren't even planning on knocking that street! After talking with him for a bit, he bought us dinner at a really good Italian place called Napoli's, and he wants us to teach the owner of the restaurant, who is one of his good friends! We also get free food from there occasionally because we are missionaries. It was so cool!

Sunday: We had a few investigators of ours come to church! A couple came with their two kids, and they seemed to know a lot of people and they liked it. Hopefully they will be interested enough to come again! After that, we checked on a few potentials in Presque Isle, and then went home.

It's been a great week. Many more to come!

Love you all!

Elder Wanlass

Thursday, October 9, 2014

I Hope I Don't Get Stephen King'd!

Seriously, Maine has it's graveyards right next to the roads. No fences, no sidewalks. They're just there, watching the cars as they pass. Ominous. No wonder Stephen King wrote all his books here.

Anyway, hello everybody! It's been a great week in Caribou! It was actually a little slow because of General Conference and Zone Training in Canada, but other than that, It's been wonderful!

On Tuesday, we had a lot of service activities. Particularly stocking and handing out food pantry items, as well as having a 2 and a half hour orientation at the hospital we want to serve at. It was alright I suppose, but it took way longer than we were anticipating. After that, we went and knocked doors on Milk Street. (Yes. Milk Street.) Let's just say, the carton was empty. Everybody here either has their own religion, or just disregards anything we say and closes the door. We got a referral for this big black guys house. He was super nice, but he kept telling us that the Bible was the only word of God. He then said he loved the work we were doing despite disagreeing with us.
We also went to a members home and ate dinner with them. They had a slide from the top floor of their house to the bottom, and I got to go down it! Who needs stairs?

Wednesday was kind of a boring day. We had Zone training, but not much else. We went to a Members house and they had a pigpen with a black potbellied pig living in their dining room. Then we drove through moose country. The woods are creepy at night.

On Thursday, we went to Canada. Because my mission is dual countries, we cross the border a lot, and we went to see members who live in Canada, and we had dinner at their house with members and nonmembers alike. They gave us Rice and Chili (A Newfie Tradition) and then we went home. I also got to commit our new investigator Jason to baptism! He is such a great guy, and he really desires to become a better person. He's already been to church 3 times and we just had our first lesson with him.

Friday was a little bit of a slow day, because people keep cancelling on us. We went to a gas station though to look for a member, and a couple of nonmember ladies saw us and offered to buy us all food and drinks. They insisted. My companions got Hot Dogs and I got a Diet Coke!

The weekend was filled with General Conference and it was amazing. We stay at a lot of members houses watching it, so it's pretty cool. I will say, I do miss the mountains and many of you, as I was watching conference, I thought of all of you watching it, but 2 hours earlier in the day than me. good times...

We also had a chance to go to another church on Sunday. One of our investigators wanted us to come, and we decided to. It was different. It seemed to be a blend of Pentecostal and Christian Rock band. The Preacher didn't look too happy to see us at all. Let's just say, I can really tell that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, because it feels warm, peaceful, and calming, rather than strange and irreverent.

I love you all, and I hope you all have a fanTASTic day!

Elder Wanlass

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Well, Sort of. On Tuesday we flew basically all day. Coming from the MTC to the airport is probably the biggest 180 somebody can make. We went from being 12 in a crowd of thousands of missionaries, to most people looking at us strangely as if we were from a foreign country. (I guess the airport in Chicago is kind  of a foreign country though).

We made it to Halifax at about 11:30, and we went to the mission home at around 12:30 for immigration. It was weird. They had kilometres, litres, french everywhere, and it certainly felt different. That night, President Leavitt told each one of us what area we would be serving in. One Elder went to New Brunswick, two to PEI, three to Newfoundland, and five to Nova Scotia. And then there was me.

I guess Canada really didn't want me for long, because I was the only missionary sent back to the States! Caribou, Maine here I come! I had a seven hour long drive to get to my area, which was the longest by far, but I finally got to meet my companions and cross the border. I like Canada, but there was a feeling of patriotism I got when I got to cross the border and see the MPH signs and the American Fleg once again! Only US missionaries can serve in Maine for whatever reason, so my companions and I had a huge talk about why America was so great. 'MUrica!

I keep saying my companions! I will clarify, I'm in a trio. One of my companions is Elder Woodbury, and he's my height and has been out 20 months, so he's super experienced. My other companion is Elder Bate, who is 6' 10" and has been out six weeks. So for those who said I would be with somebody really tall, you got your wish I suppose! The funny thing is, Elder Woodbury is probably going to be transferred, so that leaves me and Elder Bate! Exciting!

For those who have no idea where Caribou is (most, I assume), it is on the border of Maine and Canada. The name is a bit of a lie, however, considering you don't even get to see Caribou. Only Moose. Throughout the small town, there are about 100 different churches, and most people are very religious in their particular faith. It's honestly pretty cool, because even though there are a lot of religious people, nobody has been mean to us. They actually support missionary work. So they won't accept it, but they give us drinks anyway. We also have an investigator who was trying to convert us to be a Seventh Day Adventist. (Not sure what is is still)

Caribou actually has the strongest ward by far in my entire mission. The congregation is about 200 people, and we have a few really faithful investigators right now. The growth of the church here is astounding! We have three on date to be baptized in November, and hopefully a couple more will commit! With so many members, we've also had a 3 dinner appointments in the last 5 days. We do a lot of member service up here as well. I actually have a bit of a miracle that happened on my second day. Us Elders were helping the Hudson family move in to their apartment. As we started loading furniture in, a car parked in the driveway, and an old man came out livid. It turns out he was a landlord. He was screaming that we weren't allowed to do this, and that his assistant made a mistake and that he was going to make us move them back out. The old man went and yelled at the dad, and I thought we were going to have to pack everything back up. As he continued to shout, I said a silent prayer that his heart would be changed. Soon after, the man had calmed down, and allowed the family to move in once he knew they were LDS. He met us, and was actually quite polite. After that, he went outside, drove to a different apartment, and started yelling at someone else. Nice guy. Nice guy.

I also got to dedicate their house for them! Which was pretty cool, I had never done it before.

The most momentous occasion happened on Saturday. We went Subway contacting at the local Subway, and I figured out that the sandwiches are cheaper up here! We also met this really nice guy named Donald and talked to him about what we do.

Basically, a lot has happened since I last wrote. Mondays are now my designated P days, so you should receive emails a little more often. I love you all! I hope you are doing well, and I am constantly praying for you!

Elder Wanlass

PS: Some fun facts about Caribou:

1. The trees are incredibly beautiful here. Unlike anything I've ever seen. Red, Yellow, Brown, Orange. It's so nice.
2. There is an old man that smokes a different colored pipe everyday, and he just walks around town.
3. There are two guys that I guess have been trying to sell this old bike since may, and they walk door to door trying to sell it.

My new address is:

40 Sweden Street
Caribou, Maine

The "Beg" the "Fleg" and the Name "Teg"

Hello everybody! I guess it's been a while! It's been super busy here at the MTC, but it's been quite an amazing week. First of all, I've been teaching, planning, studying, and that's basically all for quite a while now. The food here at the MTC is pretty good, but I can't wait to actually head out into the mission field. I actually get a Diet Coke every lunch and dinner just because it reminds me of home.

My companion is Elder Astle. He is from Colorado Springs, and he loves lacrosse and somehow figured out how to play the kazoo with his nameteg. He is my height, and looks young, just like me! We get along really well. The rest of our District is all pretty fun as well. We are kind of a family, and there are four Elders and four Sisters. The Elders in our district are pretty lucky, because there are six beds in our room and only four of us, so we have a lot more space. Sadly, our room still was written up as "Unacceptable" even though we did the best in our zone. Hmm...

The other Elders names are Elder Kruger (As in Freddy), and Heimonen (not to be confused with Hermione). They are basically a part of our companionship, because we always sit together in class, lunch, and we share our room together. Kruger is the big teddy bear in our group, and Heimonen is kind of the buff guy that does impressions of Gollum. The Sisters are Sister Pitcher, Sister Lambert, Sister Bowden, and Sister Moore. We are all super fun and get along really well, which can lead to distraction, but we're working on it.

I didn't actually think this would happen, but it turns out that it did. I figured that a few people in my District would live in Provo or close to the MTC, but it turns out that I'm the closest one in the District! Three of the sisters and the other Elders live in Canada, and one Sister lives farther away from Provo than me, but still lives in Utah. So that's interesting! I have my Canadian initiation going on, where I learn all the different lingo, accents, and such. Like Name'teg', for instance.

Speaking of accents, there's a British guy in our zone. He asked me where the loo was, and then said cheers. So that's exciting :D.

We had a chance to meet our Branch President, and he selected District Leaders from our zone. President Stice is super cool. He looks like a military general, but he is really nice to the Elders as long as they do what they are supposed to. He wants us to practice giving blessings to each other, so we offer the sisters as well as give companionship blessings. It's pretty cool, because some Leaders actually don't allow the missionaries to practice. President Stice also told me that he had a son that did ballroom and that he married his partner! Maybe foreshadowing for me..??

Anyway, that leads me to my next point. They called me to be the District Leader. Which I guess makes me the Jeff Winger of my District. I have to call on people to give prayers, pick hymns, speak, and I also am in charge of picking up the mail. Thanks Grandma and Mom for giving me things! :) Nobody in my District except for me and Sister Pitcher receive things constantly. So that's been cool.

This Sunday we got to go on a temple walk, and today we actually got to do an endowment session at the Provo Temple. It was nice to feel the peace of the temple. You know how at Disneyland, they play constant Disney songs? Well at the MTC, it's kind of the same thing except I have a constant hymn playing in my heart.

As the week wrapped up, Richard G. Scott came to speak to all the missionaries. His talk was about prayer, which spoke to me at that particular moment.

Well, I've really been thinking how to become more like Christ throughout the week, and the best way I think is by Charity. We watched Elder Bednar's "The Character of Christ" and he shared a story. It reminded me that "My mission isn't about me, it's for the Lord." I'm so excited to continue serving. Continue onward everybody! :D

Elder Wanlass

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Mission Farewell Talk

Mission Farewell Talk on August 24, 2014

How to Find Peace

Hello brothers and sisters, I'm really glad to see all of you here today.  I want to take some time to thank all of you for everything that you've done for me.  I have really good friends that have helped me through hardships in my life, an amazing ward that I've been able to feel at home in, and a supportive family who I love, and I'm blessed to know they love me too.  For those of you who may not know, I have been called to serve in the Canada, Halifax mission.  My area is right above Maine, and covers all of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and a tiny sliver of Maine.  It's crazy, because there are some parts of my mission where the church is so small that they don't even consider themselves a branch of the church.  So they call themselves "The Sticks".  So luckily for me, even though I am a little nervous to speak to you today, this is probably the biggest group of people I'll have to speak to over the course of my mission.

While I was thinking of my topic for my farewell, I really wanted to talk about something that I've had experience with these past few months.  I'll be honest; it's been a pretty hard summer.  Sometimes I'd be feeling happy and confident in myself, while other days I felt really down.  We all have times like this in our life, and it is especially important that we seek for guidance and help during these times.  When we ask Heavenly Father for help in faith, we can feel a Spirit of Peace overcome us, and know that we are not alone.  I feel that everybody needs to know how to find this peace and love of God at some point in their life, and when they seek, they will be able to find.

Finding peace can be easier said than done.  Sometimes our trials can seem so tough that we can't handle them ourselves.  Luckily for us, in these times of struggle, we do not have to face these challenges alone.  Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can overcome all things through him as long as we believe that we can.  Christ's Atonement doesn't only help us recover from sin and death, but it can help in all things that we may need help with.  In one of my favorite hymns:  "Where Can I Turn for Peace"  It says:

"Where is the quiet hand, to calm my anguish?"
"Who, who can understand? He, only One."

Jesus Christ knows each and every one of us individually, and knows our feelings, our thoughts, and our hearts.  He suffered for us because he loves all of us, and wanted to help all of us return to our Heavenly Father to become more like him.  In D&C 6:36, the Lord tells Joseph Smith, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."  If we do this knowing that our Savior loves us, then we will be able to find peace through the Atonement.

We can also find peace by following Christ's example using the three main attributes of Christ: Hope, Faith, and Charity.  Hope assures us each day that Jesus Christ's atonement will be able to help every single person.  Faith in Jesus Christ gives us knowledge of the truth, and Charity offers us a chance to act as Christ would.  The best witness one can receive of a gospel principle is by acting on it first, and then seeing the blessings that come from them.  If we ever feel discouraged or troubled, the best way to fix that is to help somebody else who is going through a trial of their own.  If we constantly seek to follow Jesus Christ's example in this way, he will be able to grant us blessings of peace.

One of the best places to go when you feel you need guidance and peace is the temple.  A couple of weeks ago, I had a temple week.  Early on, I had the opportunity to go to the Ogden Temple Open House and see the new temple with my family.  It was a really cool experience, and it was a nice start to my week.  The spirit was strong, and you could tell that it is a place where amazing things will take place.

In his 2011 General Conference "The Holy Temple-A Beacon of the World" Thomas S. Monson said this regarding temples:  "My brothers and sisters, temples are more than stone and mortar.  They are filled with faith and fasting.  They are built of trials and testimonies.  They are sanctified by sacrifice and service."

I again had another temple experience a couple days later.  I'm a Primary teacher, and all the Stake Primary kids and teachers got together to walk to the Bountiful Temple.  Even before the walk started, the spirit was invited with hundreds of kids singing "I Love to See the Temple".  We couldn't see the temple over the mountain, but we could feel it in our presence, and when we made it, the peace there was amazing.  Sometimes we can't immediately feel peace that we need, but when we exercise even a particle of faith, and keep moving forward in our lives, Heavenly Father can grant us anything that we desire.  It will all be worth it.  Two days after that I had the opportunity to receive my endowments in the Jordan River Temple.

Some days we may not be able to make it to the temple.  However, that does not mean that we can't feel the spirit in our home. You can invite the spirit by reading your scriptures, listening to happy and good spirited music, learning more about the gospel, or simply praying to your Heavenly Father daily.  If you do these things consistently, you will feel a gradual strengthening of the Spirit in your life, and be stronger against trials and adversity in your life.

One really cool thing that I got to do in preparation for my mission was study some of my genealogy.  I had wondered for a while if I had relatives from my mission because my ancestors were Scottish and English, and Nova Scotia means New Scotland.  Well, I figured out that on both sides I have relatives that lived in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, both areas that are in my mission.  I'd like to talk specifically about my Great Great Great Great Grandfather who was born in Halifax, Daniel Starke.  Daniel Stark became a member of the church early on in his life in 1843 at 23 years of age.  He was a carpenter, and a very hardworking man.  A few years later, about the same time many of the Latter-Day Saints walked the plains to Zion, Daniel and his family, as well as 238 other members got on a boat headed to California.  On the boat, they had a room where all of them would gather for morning and evening prayer and devotionals.  They were to travel all the way around South America.  Later on in their travels, a really bad storm started to freeze the sails of the boat, and the strong wind prevented the ship from being controlled easily.  The captain of the boat, who was not a member of the church, went down to the room to warn and prepare the Saints for the worst.  However, rather than panicking, he found them singing hymns and praying with the utmost peace and composure.  They eventually made it to Hawaii, and then traveled to California after staying there.  Even in this possibly perilous storm, my grandfather and the other members of the church put their trust and faith in the Lord, and made it safely.

I have another story which is one of my favorite examples of peace.  It's in D&C 121.  Jospeh Smith and some of the Latter-Day apostles had been taken to Liberty Jail, the Saints were being persecuted and forced to leave and abandon their belongings in Missouri, it was a dark time for the church members.  While he was still in the jail, Joseph Smith prayed to God, saying:
"O God, where art thou?  And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?" D&C 121:1.
He asks God for how much longer this torment of the Saints will last.  Surely, this was not a peaceful time for any of them.  Sometimes we may feel this way in our own lives, and may want to ask the same things.  However, after 6 verses of Joseph Smith pleading, Heavenly Father responds to him:

"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.  Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."

The Lord is always beside us as long as we live righteously.  However, sometimes God will allow trials to impact the righteous because he wants us to become stronger, he knows we can handle them through the Atonement, and he knows that as long as we put our faith and trust in him we will have peace in the end.

O' Canada!

Receiving the Mission call on May 7, 2014.


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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

art bears spirit

Naturally written in stone inscribed art bears spirit manifestation through an invisible hand and only man who makes it art.

the vessel

beginning as one
returning to empty space
we water bearers

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Funny how a destroyed berry resembles a flower in bloom trapped on an old branch inscribed with age lines of abstract design.

the creation

mind manufacture
mirrors inner emotion
distraught self image

Monday, January 29, 2007

blue blood

Far, far thicker than water and more so when it's blue blood relatives follow similar obsessions and display them proudly.

Like echoes go on forever as long as someone is there to listen this repetition of pattern deeper within explains the congregation of elements as they move out.

Magnified by the ocular properties of water frozen fast and clear this intentional focus draws attention to the background notion of om.

the mess

vision coercion
mind grapples with confusion
conceives inside out

Sunday, January 28, 2007

If every vortex of colour explosion had as many eyes as this it might be possible to see beyond the surface impression to a place of bliss.

Recurring like bad dreams and cartoon hounds with strange leering eyes suddenly step forth from the weirdest of places.

Battles like the line drawn between dark and light it separates simplicity of design into two halves of the same mind.

the law

adhering to code
devised equilibrium
concentric circles

Friday, January 26, 2007

celebrate sunlight

Like friends gathered to celebrate sunlight, those with the ability to cast strange shadows, do so.

Subtle as the seal who sits serenely sprawled on rock and without eyes seems to embody alive.

Their purpose tenuous at best their duration the same alive for the shape of change to have a face.

I saw the glow of density the white web made and reached to photograph texture as close as angles would afford when through the lens on camera screen a leg seemed to twitch alive and a chill not of cold ran down my spine as my hand quickly drew away. I was just talking about the haunted house with Garry yesterday, must be some kind of sign, ooooo scary!!!

the quest

hands reach for balance
eternally the self looks
within without sight

Thursday, January 25, 2007

evaluate the flow

Fading like focus falls off in layers little bits of original colour still shine though aged.

One year later, Art Waldie, still growing a fine head of hair.

This cartoon hound comes courtesy of the ability to let the dark stand forth and the light fall back so the dog with crazy eyes can step forth.

When you still the mind enough to evaluate the flow you will see the way the lines go in a circular pattern balanced in chaos the reason the yin side has a seed of the yang side inside.

the reflection

mental brain schism
of chaos and clarity
self separation

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

lethargic bird awoken

When I stepped out the door this morning, a robin flew from the porch next door and landed on a skinny branch where it sat for a long time. A heavy lump of lethargic bird awoken unceremoniously by a sudden warming trend not seen for months as the drip of the accumulated snow waits for the spring echo of the calling bird. It was still there by the time I went and got my camera.

Split down the middle the symbol representing dual maintains a hold on the other like the seed of an eye stays behind to gently remind the light it needs the dark or the other way around the circles find ways to maintain balance.

the drip

fluid in motion
temperature dependant
travels in between

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

sly innuendo

Once again presented as discovered and it's with a wry grin that I begin to see the effects too much looking can cause.

Have you ever walked through a dense forest in the midst of a light and warm snowfall that clings to every surface for as long as possible before sliding to the ground in a whoosh of white snow lost inside the flurry of flakes already falling and its the silence after the fall just before another load of snow dumps that exquisite steps forward and identifies itself

Sly innuendo - when plastic people perform - behind whatever - mask

In contrast this drop of snow upon a rock in an ever flowing creek is like a tear in the sheet of the image fabric as metaphor for a missing piece of person placed within to complete the puzzle only one name springs to mind on the wind whispering mary.

In between simplicity represented as two to define opposition and provide a little friction for the vision is a random shape of a conjured face of a creature left only to mind to extrapolate.

Take a long look at this inset. A parrot and a nicely defined sign of the yin/yang and with patience a face to represent us all as we peer inside for more.

Pressed into empty this tree of simplicity is carved from the vantage point above creek to appear as a smear of wet leaves shaped like a tree.

the landscape

sun behind mountains
breaks light to identify
essence imagined

Monday, January 22, 2007

the signs

I kid you not, I don't make this stuff up, they appear and I record their presence and the rest is left entirely up to you the viewer but beware the skeptic who missed the writing on the bark for seeing the tree inside of the forest.

Shapes inside shapes disguise the fact that the light at the end of this tunnel is blue.

Each emblematic imprint like totems to the power of the electrical flow these spirits of the telegraph pole convey their repeating message.

sign time

seen as dead end road
home no longer has the glow
look forward not back

It's how he sees himself. This camera has an adjustable viewing screen. It can be flipped so the subject can see what the camera does. It makes a difference in the end result.

the sculpture

contrived emergence
downward flow of gravity
melts snow into light

Sunday, January 21, 2007

different than imagined

When imagination discovered a mirror image of itself it wasn't surprised to find it was much different than imagined.

Receding, like distance when perception leaves the plane of two dimensions, balance repeats itself the farther inside it goes.

the thought

one synapse pulses
electrical thought discharge
spark of creation

Friday, January 19, 2007

universal art

Behind the fabric of the flag of our country, a pile of snow!

Looking inside for the ride that random takes you on when you let the perspective go

the doormat

when bootprints collide
outside the doorway to om
universal art

Thursday, January 18, 2007

it sounds like om

If colour is any indication there is a bit of separation going on that creates an impression too subtle to be sure but it sounds like om.

Like objects in motion leave a bigger space than the amount they take up the effects of the environment alter the results of the experiment.

Where did they get those trees?
From the forest.
Why do they take them?
So we can have wood to build our houses with.
Look there's another one, they better not take too many.
Don't worry they'll grow back.

BTW The hotel in the background is the one I'm banned from being on the property. Still lurking about suspiciously however, ha.

the gnome

huddled in tree womb
wood spirit hibernation
birthed by attention

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

random flow of chaos

Fractal pattern people pose invisible inside elaborate design on cold glass formed without ever falling this snow sculpture beauty is compliments of the random flow of chaos captured if for only one moment.

Lost in the graphic flow of white winter as background motion comes alive like fish swim in or out of water.

They wait these ever evolving snow creatures for a change in the season that will be warm but spell their demise.

Who tries to speak through this muted weak light of winter morning eye behind the trunk of tree plays cat and mouse game with the periphery of perception and comes to life with a smile no more than shattered bark lines cut from age and cold that give a simple but obviously contrived appeal to the moment before elusive spirit of the cloud that seems to haunt and follow like a shadow tries to stay behind to define the space that once took the place of the body as it slid between these luscious liquid moments.

Further proof that even skinny people can survive a Canadian winter, barely, do I look cold? I'm certainly not as cold as I look, really.

the spot

only through absence
does empty become concrete
nothing is something

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Franchises must act now on pensions auto-enrolment

Written by Ryan McChrystal on Monday, 12 January 2015. Posted in Finance

Auto-enrolment pensions will soon roll out to all companies with between 30 and 50 staff. Franchises have much to consider to make sure they don’t fall foul of the new regulation

Franchises must act now on pensions auto-enrolment

In order to enhance personal pension funding, the government has drastically changed the laws and regulations around pension provisions supplied by employers. Auto-enrolment (AE) should be viewed as a great opportunity for businesses to help support their employees. It is being staged out over a period of six years, which started with the largest employers in 2012. Following a fairly successful start among bigger firms, it will roll out to all businesses that have between 30 and 58 employees – which will undoubtedly include many franchises.

By now most staff are likely to have heard about AE in the media but as an employer it’s your legal duty to make sure they know enough. If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to start raising awareness about how the changes will affect staff. You should also know that all employers are legally required to automatically enrol certain staff into a pension scheme and make contributions.

The Pensions Regulator has already issued its first fines to employers for not meeting their duties so it’s important for franchises to ensure that they are fully compliant with the law.

For many companies, the staging date at which they are expected to enrol eligible employees is fast approaching. Companies should find out theirs as soon as possible in order to keep themselves on the right path. This is something that can be obtained easily from the Pensions Regulator website by entering your PAYE reference number.

It is important not to miss your date as this could land you in trouble. “Non-compliance could lead to the regulator to issue fines up to £10,000 per day for the largest employers,” says Karen Bexley, director and head of employment law at MLP Law.

Employees are only eligible for auto-enrolment if they meet certain age and earning criteria. “As franchises often employ a diverse workforce with different pay and employment contracts, determining whether certain members of staff qualify, or the correct amount of employer contribution, can be a real challenge,” says David Foskett, managing director at ADP UK & Ireland, a supplier of payroll, time and attendance, and HR outsourcing.

“Implementing auto-enrolment can be a complex process, requiring the knowledge and input of various functions. By having a dedicated project team in place involving departments such as finance, payroll and legal, as well as franchise owners and external consultants, businesses will be able to ensure a successful transition. This also supports them in communicating the changes to staff and ensuring that employees understand how the new regulation affects them and what their options are,” he adds.

If you have an existing pension scheme for your workforce you should check with your provider to see if you’re able use it for AE. If you need to open a new scheme, make sure that you approach the provider in good time because they will be taking on thousands of employers in the coming months and there could be delays. “To comply with the new regulation, franchises should not only find a suitable scheme provider but also put systems in place to monitor jobholders, who may become eligible because of earnings or age in the future,” says Foskett. For example, employees under 22 and those receiving variable pay require careful attention. “Reviewing payroll and administration systems at an early stage can help franchises to ensure that they are compatible with these new requirements,” Foskett says.

It’s critical to find a partner that can not only support the AE process but also work with you to ensure that your employees are benefiting from the scheme.

“The key to implementing auto-enrolment successfully lies in the planning,” says Graham Wrightson, pensions partner at international law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP. Employers have found they needed to start preparing up to a year before their staging date, so you should start making plans in good time. Although AE began in October 2012, it rolled out with bigger companies first, so there is still time for SMEs and franchisees to get prepared.

Before staging, find out who to enrol. You will need to assess all your staff for eligibility but you may not have to automatically enrol all of them. Communications to members are subject to prescriptive and detailed requirements and time is required to ensure they are fit-for-purpose. “At the end of the day, the legislation is complex and sets down strict timings and specific standards; experience has shown that it is easy to become non-compliant without even realising it and companies should take heed that the regulator is starting to flex its muscles to ensure compliance,” Wrightson says.

Clare Abrahams, head of auto-enrolment at Aon Employee Benefits, said: “Franchisees need to take the same steps to prepare as any other employer. We find that many benefit from economies of scale as they can go into deals for advice and solutions as a group of employers and share knowledge. For example, we have offered significant discounts on our Littleblue auto-enrolment product when approached by a group of employers.”

However, there are some pitfalls to be aware of. “Importantly, it is absolutely essential that you plan ahead and visit the Regulator’s website to get confirmation of your staging date. Since many franchisees can share payroll resources (or may have done in the past) or evolved from mergers, acquisitions or break away companies, they could end up with a staging date that is very different to what might be expected for the size of their workforce,” Abrahams adds.

They also need to consider carefully which employer the contracts of employment actually lie with and who specifically falls under their employer auto-enrolment duties.

About the Author

Ryan McChrystal

Ryan McChrystal

In a previous life McChrystal wrote about asset management in the Middle East. A history and politics graduate from the north of Ireland, he now focuses his efforts a little closer to home. When he's not knee-deep in journalism McChrystal fancies himself as a bit of a globetrotter. In the summer of 2014 he completed his second US road trip, spanning the east coast, but Americans will be glad to know he'll be giving them a break for a few years before returning. McChrystal is a music geek and proud parent of a dwarf rabbit named Dylan.

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text:
Sunday, December 6, 2009

what about Eric

"You know, what I was just thinking," Nick said as he walked along with Heath out in the old towne area. It was brisk out, but it was nice they could hold hands and no one would stop and stare. "If you do find a position, I know you want to quit at the home. Maybe you could talk to Eric. See if he's interested. He'd be perfect."

"You think?" Heath smiled as if it would be a relief to find someone to replace him.

"He definitely wants a job."

"But there's Olivia?" Heath questioned.

"So, I think they are pretty much, over. He's not trying to win her back, you know." Nick told him.

Heath just nodded.

"Whats the matter?" Nick leaned in.

"Nothing, I'm a little stressed." Heath shrugged. "What if I give up this job I have now and find nothing?"

"We'll be OK." Nick winced. He had faith in him. Heath would find something. Hopefully, something he loved.

Robyn said...

haha I'll definatly try to keep warm! (and take loooots of pictures. :D )

fan fic said...

I guess there comes a time you have to have a leap of faith about these things when you get into the real world.

ElasticHeart said...

~I'm fine. It's getting cold here, too, but it's not snowing.
Keep writing. I love it.

Cait said...

Just what eric needs a job! So does Heath. One he'll love.


text:
Saturday, May 12, 2012

jumping in

Josie was happy to see Ian. Of course, the baby was kicking like crazy now. It had only happened a couple of days after the little flutters had began, which was a few weeks ago. Yet Josie seemed more attune to the baby. Josie understood the baby was excited too, or maybe her hormones were making the baby this active. She just wouldn't question it.

And to think how worried she'd been about the baby not moving. She loved knowing it was OK. There were a few nights she'd had nightmares about either having a zombie or a vampire. She wasn't sure which would be worse. But the dark dreams were replaced with more happy and sunny dreams. Still, she thought of Topher. Maybe not all the time, but sometimes.

She didn't want to think about him. He was so aloof. Although, she wasn't trying to tie him down. It hurt, that he'd turned on her. To her, those were the real kind of vampires. The guy who she thought was the best possible boyfriend, who was now someone entirely different. It was as if she didn't know that guy.

She'd seen him driving around town. Spotted him at the grocery store. He wouldn't even turn his head. She'd said his name too. It was him. He didn't have a doppelganger. Maybe that was why she'd hung out at the library. Henry told her about this other woman that was taking up Topher's time now.  Josie knew she was hoping for an awkward situation.

Of course, it was going to be awkward showing up where Jules' worked. But at least she'd have Ian with her.

Not that she expected a lot from Ian, who was all so melancholy. Maybe he was really in love with Lola. She felt sad for him. Maybe they were in the same boat. Maybe that was it. Anyway, she was eager about this chance at a summer job, with or without a baby on board. She was determined to do this.

"Its OK, if Josie helps, isn't it?" Ian spoke up right away for her when they got to the shop where Jules was alone.

"The more the merrier, at this rate." Jules smiled. Someone was late. He didn't say who. Josie suspected it was Topher. She looked about the coffee situation. It wasn't like they made espressos there, but they did a lot of smoothies and iced coffees.

Jules walked them through the cash register. Where the baked good were, how to warm them up. There were all sorts of machines to work. They helped him open. Soon enough, Josie was running the cash register. But she kept her eyes on Ian, not Jules. She was afraid she wouldn't feel comfortable around Jules, but he was easy to work with, and he kept making her feel successful at every little problem she tackled.

"I'm pretty sure you two can keep the operation going." Jules said they might be short handed, but he didn't expect much of a rush while they were away, due to a holiday, summer vacations and no classes.

Josie was afraid she was smiling too much, but she felt good about this, and it didn't matter to her if Topher showed up or not.

Cafe Fashionista said...

I'm thrilled to see Josie so happy - she really needed this! :)

lucy and sarah said...

I'm glad Jules isn't the Jules she remembers. I think she's growing up.

ivy's closet said...

Wow, this great for her. To find that she can work there.

meg said...

I liked what she said about vampires. I'm glad she likes working there.

FWB said...

aw..sweet post!

Mimi said...

i agree with cafe fashionista -- it's good that josie is happy. :)

<3, Mimi


text:
Monday, June 3, 2013

Finding the Groove

Derrick knew it wouldn't have been the roar of satisfaction if Jordy hadn't been there. The crowd loved him. He was the essences of coolness on stage. He alone was all the crowd needed. It finally donned on Derrick that Mitch wasn't in Jordy's band.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He didn't mean to be aggravated, but thankfully, Mitch got them through their eight songs as if it were complimenting Jordy's work, somehow.

"You knew, he was going to L.A." Mitch worked as hard as anyone getting their gear ready to load up after they did their time on stage.

"Yeah, I guess." Maybe he'd forgotten. "I just know, you'd go with him."

"Why would I go with him?" Mitch's smile was a little irresistible. OK, he was seriously irresistible in Derrick's book, but now he wondered if Mitch didn't think he was good enough for L.A.

"Because you, are that good. You, should go with him." Derrick was pretty sure Mitch definitely had more to do with Jordy's success than he'd ever take credit for.

"He doesn't need me." Mitch kept grinning. "But, I think you need a drummer."

"Yeah.." Derrick hoped Zac was OK with that. He sensed that he couldn't stand Mitch, yet with all of Mitch's help they had plenty of new fans. They liked their music. "We definitely need one."

"Maybe you can talk Zac into letting Syreeta have a solo." Mitch shrugged as if they were moving on.

"Yeah, sure." Derrick nodded. They definitely couldn't ignore her talent.

Syreeta was so thirsty. She hated to break her rules, but she could definitely go for a Coca-Cola right now. She headed down to the drink machine, alone. It was hard to say how she felt about the concert. She guessed it was good. Zac looked pissed, but then again she was keeping her distance.

She put in her coins and pushed the right button for her drink. Slowly it rolled out and she couldn't wait to have a sip.

"Hey, Reesie." The voice sounded familiar, but it wasn't Luna. Instead, it was someone she hadn't seen in a good long time. Someone she'd known when she lived in a foster home. It was Evy. Syreeta drew a blank. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see Evy. Not that they were ever close. Syreeta had always stayed out of her way.

"Hey." Syreeta managed after she took a sip of her cold drink.

"Whatcha doing with all those white guys?" Evy made a face of disgust. She flicked her heavy braided hair behind her back. She looked out of place here. As if she should be off to a club in her skimpy shimmery outfit.

Syreeta winced.

"Its just a band. A band I like to be in." Syreeta didn't want to hate Evy, but she'd always made it hard to like her.

Syreeta heard steps behind her. It was Zac. She hoped Evy would be nice. She knew exactly what Evy was getting at. Syreeta was forgetting her roots. She'd heard it from her before, and here she was in her face about it, again. Years, later.

"Hey, who's your friend?" Shockingly, Zac was all smiles.

"This is Evy." Syreeta scowled, but Evy was pleased as punch to meet him. They shook hands and instantly, Evy was cooing all over him.

Syreeta rolled her eyes and nursed her drink.

Just like Fish expected, he was alone back stage watching Jordy do his thing. He supposed it was the best seat in the house. Well, he got to see his back side most. And a good view of the crowd going crazy with enthusiasm. But just like he figured, Derrick was off with Mitch. Maybe they were making out. Well, he would be. Possibly. If he were in Mitch's shoes.

Syreeta left him too. He bet she made up with Zac. So what if Zac could be grumpy, he had to be happy about the turn out of this concert, and how everyone was ecstatic to hear him. No booing.

Fish somehow got over his nerves, thinking his timing would be so slow. Mitch really was a good teacher. Fish couldn't hate him even if he wanted too. But Fish was alone now. His cell vibrated. He checked the text.

"Good news." Shan texted. They'd found Henry. Shan was at the hospital. "You were so great! Thanks for making my night."

Fish half smiled. He wished he could believe that, but he knew who really made Shan's night.

Cafe Fashionista said...

Fish is a sweetheart. :)

ivy's closet said...

I'm glad Fish is happy for everyone. I hope they appreciate them. Good to hear about Henry, too.

lucy and sarah said...

How exciting. And to meet Evy too.

mazzymay said...

Such a great night.

Library Drama said...

Things are looking up and some down, too.

Sara Gerard said...

Wow, lots going on at this show!

Caitlin and Megan said...

So glad Henry has been found.


text:
Thursday, July 4, 2013

It's the 4th

Shan was helping out with the cookout. Being at Fish's was his home away from home. He was getting used to the baby where he roomed, as well as his housemates.

Shan was busy at the movie theater, too. After all, he'd been bumped up to assistant manager. Honestly, he hadn't seen that coming, but he took it in stride. He knew he could handle it. At the moment though, this was where he wanted to be. And there was no three year old hanging on to Fish, who brought out the hamburger buns.

"So did you hear back from the library?" Shan asked. It had been weeks now since Fish applied for a shelver's position.

"Probably, won't." He shrugged. "I mean, if..if I'd volunteered-"

"Yeah, but you did. You were like a junior friend, weren't you?" Shan winced.

"I just helped out with the summer reading program." Fish sighed as he studied the sizzling burgers. Shan turned them like a pro.

"Like, what? Four years in a row." Shan thought that had to count for something. He squished down the burger a bit, but not a lot. He liked his burgers rare, yet he wasn't so sure Fish's parents would go for that.

"It doesn't matter, I wasn't exactly, shelving, you know." He looked a little sad about it.

"Hey, you still have your Saturdays at the movieplex." Shan reminded him. He slipped the burger patties on the buns then.

"Well, I am getting my driver's license. I'm taking driver's ed, next week." Fish fessed up as he was about to take the platter inside.

"Is this a secret?" Shan let a sly grin slip.

"Yeah." He barely said. He was paying with his own cash. Come to find out, he'd forged his parents' signature. "I need to see if..if can do it."

"I know you can." Shan smiled at him as he watched Fish walk away. He wanted to reach for Fish, but he didn't. He'd promised Fish he'd behave today.

Zac knew he was supposed to be thankful that his Mom was home, even if most of the time she lounged around, clutching to her 'Heart' pillow for comfort. But it was really boring. Sawyer's older brother was there while Sawyer was invited over to Syreeta's for a back yard barbecue. He was hoping Syreeta would be here, instead. He hated to admit he missed her. After all, they hadn't exactly been having band practice like everyone promised.

Maybe after the holiday. Yet, he did have his doubts. He moped around even now with a paper plate of chips and a couple of hot dogs. It felt like the worst 4th ever. But the door bell rang, it was Evy to his surprise and a mini van full of people. They were from the foster home where she lived.

"You want to come to the park?" There would be fireworks and a concert was in full throttle.

Zac suddenly felt nervous. Her family hadn't exactly been the friendliest. They were so loud. But to get away from here might be just what he needed. He checked with his Mom and she said OK.

Evy hung on to him as if he was her's and nobody else could claim him. Zac couldn't help but smile even if maybe she was a little too clingy.

She introduced him to Dean who was driving. Zac didn't remember him from before. There was also a very skinny girl named Vada and of course, their Foster Mom, along for the ride with a couple of little ones she tended too.

It wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but then beggars couldn't be choosers.

Henry was listening to his brother tell him about what happened last year at the park.

"Do you remember what happened to you, last year on the 4th?" Aidan questioned.

"I dunno." Seemed to be his answer for everything. As it was, he was fascinated with the fire flies in the dark. He kept watching them not wanting to be plagued with the past. Why couldn't he just enjoy this? There was music in the park. The river wasn't too fishy as of yet. And there were people. Lots of people.

But he didn't fear anything at the moment. Perhaps, he did have that silly grin on his face.

It had been such a hot day in the sun. He needed his shades during their cookout. His Dad grilled fish. True, they could have gotten ribs where Aidan worked, yet their dad insisted on something more gourmet and upscale. So he'd sat around and watched. Quietly, with a wince for the most part.

The seafood didn't really set well with him. He'd picked at the pasta salad. Maybe he just wasn't feeling well, but as soon as Audrey mentioned the concert at the park, he perked up. There would be people. Maybe people who knew him. That would be fun.

But most chose to stick with their little groups. There were the fireflies to keep him company. So he followed them, as if that was his only mission. Soon enough he was lost near the river bank. He stumbled once on a rock. Actually, it could have been a close call. He could have fallen into the river. He'd have to be careful, he remembered then as he tried not to walk into the river.

And then, he practically walked right on top of them on the blanket. Henry looked down. He knew that person.

"Derrick?" Henry felt kind of funny that the name came so automatic. Of course, he was with some guy who was sitting next to him, looking at something on his iPhone, a  music video.

Derrick jumped to his feet, and shook Henry's hand.

"Hey, what are you doing out here? All by your lonesome?" Derrick looked at him as if he might be lost for words.

"Fireflies." After he said it, Henry supposed Derrick must have thought he was mental. He guessed it was time to move on. He hadn't meant to interrupt anything. Derrick introduced him to Mitch, who put his iPhone away.

"Hope, you're OK?" Derrick kept his eye on him. "You're not lost, are you?"

"I don't think so." All he had to do was walk back toward the concert even if the fireflies were more interesting. He turned back, and waved goodbye.

Derrick seemed different than he remembered. A part of Henry felt sad, as if he'd lost him, somewhere along the way, but Henry didn't look back. He walked toward the lights of the stage, and that's when he saw her sitting on an old quilt, practically in the dark.

Actually, he thought he might trip over her. Instead, he made a clumsy move to sit on the quilt. There was room enough.

"You're not drunk, are you?" She looked at him suspiciously, as if she preferred to be alone.

"No, I don't think they'd advise it. Might make me throw up." He shrugged.

She only nodded as she looked toward the band.

"I'm Henry." He offered a handshake, but it took her a good long while to shake his hand.

"I'm Vada." She told him. "Just once, I'd like to be alone. Somewhere quiet, but that never happens where I live."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." He was about to get up.

"Its OK. Stay. Just be quiet." She stretched out in her denin over-all shorts with the white tank underneath. "I just want to watch the stars." She leaned back on her elbows and looked up.

Henry looked up too, to the heavens. The fireflies were a lot like the stars.

Cafe Fashionista said...

Poor Henry. He's going through such a tough time right now. :(

CoutureTrend Jessica said...

great post

ivy said...

Maybe the accidental encounter is a good thing for Henry.

Lucy and Sarah said...

What an odd Derrick moment.

Anonymous said...

Henry has met a girl. I hope it goes well with Fish and the driver's license.

MOSAMUSE said...

i think it will work out

Anonymous said...

So many things happening!


text:
Friday, April 28, 2006

Changes in Attitudes, Chapter 3

Clark/Chloe AU
Season 5, post-"Fanatic"
Rating: Adult. If you're under eighteen, please leave this page now.
Disclaimer: These characters belong to the WB and DC comics, not to me.

Clark looks at her for a moment, then the grin she loves curves his lips.

“Sorry to disappoint you,” he says, “but everything else about me is pretty normal.”

“I doubt that,” she answers lightly. “There’s nothing normal about you, Clark.”

She intends it as a compliment, as well as an obvious statement of fact, and is startled when the smile drops away and he turns his back on her. “Yeah,” he says, a little too softly. "I know that."

Chloe takes three steps, slides her arms around him, and presses up against his back, hugging him from behind. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way, Clark. I think all the things you can do are really amazing.”

His back is warm and solid, and when she leans her cheek against him she can hear his heart thudding in a fast, steady rhythm. “I know you think so, Chlo. But the truth is… I’m a freak.”

“Whoa,” she says. “Where is this coming from, Clark?”

“I just…” He heaves a sigh. “I could have set you on fire, Chlo.”

“Oh, please. You were careful. I saw the way you turned your head away.”

“Yeah, but I…” He lifts his hands, flexes them. “I couldn’t even touch you, Chloe. I was too afraid of hurting you.”

“You worry too much,” she says dismissively.

He yanks away, so abruptly that she almost falls, and spins around and faces her. “I worry too much?” he repeats in an incredulous tone. “So tell me, Chloe, when should I start worrying? When I break your arm?”

“Or when I knock out your front teeth from kissing you too hard?”

“Look, Clark—“

“How about when I snap your spine in two? Huh? Can I start worrying then?”

He’s in her face, his face taut with anger, his voice louder than usual, almost to the point of yelling. But no matter how big he is, and how hard he tries to intimidate her, Chloe knows him too well to be afraid. She stands her ground and looks up at him unflinchingly.

“Look, Clark, I understand how you feel,” she says gently, but he doesn’t let her finish.

“No,” he growls. “You don’t. You can’t understand how hard it is for me to control myself sometimes. And you really don’t understand how strong I am, or you’d be afraid of me.”

“I’ve seen you catch a car, Clark. I know how strong you are.”

He glares at her for a moment longer, then turns and stalks away. She stares at the rigid lines of his back helplessly, wishing she knew how to console him, to make him believe what she’s utterly certain of—that he’ll never hurt her. No matter what.

“I think we should go back to the dorm,” he says at last, his voice muffled. It sounds almost like he’s on the verge of tears, and her heart instantly melts.

“No,” she says, walking toward him, circling around him, standing a foot away from him and looking up into his eyes. “We are not going back to the dorm. I want you to kiss me.”

He looks down at her for a moment, desire and anger warring in his gaze, but then the desire apparently wins out, because he bends over and kisses her.

His lips are hard against hers, forceful, almost violent, and he wraps his arms around her and pulls her to him, a little too hard. She gasps as all the breath is driven from her lungs, but he doesn’t stop kissing her. His tongue drives forcefully into her mouth, and one big hand tangles in her hair, yanking it in a way that hurts a little. She wiggles, trying blindly to get loose, and suddenly he lets her go, giving her a slight shove, so that she stumbles away from him.

She stares at him for a long moment, bewildered by his uncharacteristic behavior, but then she sees the tension in his features, the bleakness in his eyes, and it begins to make sense.

“Trying to scare me, Clark?”

He looks away, swallowing hard. “You should be scared of me, Chloe,” he says softly.

She hates to admit it, but she was scared of him, for just a second, and he obviously realizes it. Her fear was just an instinctive response, because he's so strong, and he could hurt her so easily. But she trusts him, and knows he won't.

“That wasn’t you, Clark. You and I both know you don’t act that way.”

“Neither of us has the slightest idea how I’ll react during sex.”

She explodes in fury. “Well, how will you ever know if you don’t try?” She moves toward him, and now she’s in his face, her voice raised in anger. “You big stupid oaf, do you really think you can spend the rest of your life alone?”

He stares down at her, looking bemused. Suddenly some of the seriousness fades from his face, and a small smile breaks through. “You know,” he says mildly, “when you’re trying to seduce a guy, you’re not supposed to call him a big stupid oaf.”

Some of the anger drains from her at the sight of his smile, and she whacks him on the shoulder, gently. “I call ‘em as I see ‘em, Kent.”

“Yeah. You always do.”

“Look,” she says in a calmer tone. “You have to try this sometime. Why not now?”

He looks embarrassed. “Actually, Chlo, even if I wanted to risk it—to risk you-- I don’t have any… uh.. protection.”

She blinks. “What, did you make Lana buy the condoms last time?”

He nods, and she can see his blush even in the starlight.

“Well,” she says thoughtfully. “It’s not like we’re the same species. I don’t see how you could get me pregnant.”

“I don’t know, Chlo. For all I know my, uh, cells might make yours mutate or something.”

Amusement curves her mouth. “So you think you might have supersperm?”

His blush grows more obvious, to the point where his cheeks are practically glowing in the dark. “I can shoot fire from my eyes,” he points out. “I can run fast enough to break the speed of sound. I can benchpress a truck. Do you really think supersperm is beyond the realm of possibility?”

“I guess not,” she admits. It seems unlikely, but so do a lot of things she’s seen over the past five years.

“I could run over to a drugstore, but I, uh…”

He trails off, looking more self-conscious than ever, and she glances down. Yeah, she can see why he wouldn’t want to go into a drugstore sporting a hardon. She’s not a guy, but she can imagine that might be a little embarrassing.

“It’s okay,” she says softly. “I really think maybe it’s a little early for that, anyway. I mean, we have some… unresolved issues.”

Lana. The fact that he’s dating Lana hangs between them like a heavy weight.

“I plan on resolving those issues later tonight,” he answers, and she can’t miss the calm, steady look he gives her. She understands what he’s telling her, that he’s made his decision, and the weight lifts away from her. She smiles, steps toward him, and puts her arms around his neck.

This time his kiss is gentle, and his hands move over her carefully. Her body melts at his touch, and when his hands slide up beneath her shirt, stroking down her spine, she shivers.

Chloe,” he murmurs against her mouth, and she loves the sound of her name on his lips.

She can feel the tension in his body, can feel that he’s still hard despite what happened earlier. She can feel his heat even through the denim, and she moves against him instinctively. She doesn’t have a lot of sexual experience—in fact, she’s only been with one guy, and that was so long ago she can’t even really remember his face—but her hips have a will of their own, and they move against his in a steady, urgent rhythm.

But it’s not quite right, because his erection is pressing against her stomach, and that’s definitely not where she wants it.

His hand slides around to her front, cups her breast and squeezes the nipple gently, and even through her bra it feels unbelievably good. She gives a small noise that’s embarrassingly close to a squeak and lifts one of her legs, trying to get closer to him.

Suddenly he picks her up, as if she doesn’t weigh anything at all, and positions her better, so that she can feel the hard length of him sliding against her most sensitive flesh. She wraps her legs around his hips and clings to him. There are two layers of denim between them, but it still feels so good she moans against his mouth. His fingers dig into her ass, and he urges her still closer.

They move together for a long time, as smoothly and naturally as if they've been together many, many times before. At first their rhythm is slow and deliberate, but it grows faster and faster. Clark kisses her over and over again, on her lips, her face, her throat, gentle, passionate kisses that convey such a deep affection that it makes her throat tight and her eyes sting.

They're both still wearing all their clothes, but she can't imagine she could feel any closer to him than she does at this moment. She feels heat building in her body, feels herself shivering as she climbs toward a climax. She can feel Clark shuddering too, can feel him throbbing against her, and she bites her lip to stop herself from crying out. Her hands are underneath his shirt, on the warm, smooth skin of his back, and she can feel dampness as he starts to sweat a little.

She wonders if the heat vision thing will happen again, and if it does, what it might feel like for him, coupled with orgasm. She remembers the way he cried out, the sound of his deep voice, hoarse with pleasure, and she wants to make him feel that way again. Maybe she can even make him feel better. The thought steals her breath away.

The sensation of his big body moving against hers is just incredible. It’s an amazing feeling, just like floating, like flying, and she’s so close, so very close…

She knows he's close, too, and she wants to watch his face as he comes, to see his mouth drop open and his eyes go wide with shock and pleasure. She wants to see the stunned look of ecstasy on his face that she saw there when his heat vision activated.

Her eyes drift open… and she suddenly shrieks.

His eyes snap open, too, and then all of a sudden they’re both falling, plummeting like rocks. Chloe has just enough time to realize that they were actually floating in the air, maybe fifteen or twenty feet above the grass, but before she can do more than clutch at him, they’ve hit the ground.

If she’d fallen from that height, she would have been badly injured, but Clark lands lightly on his feet, like a cat, his knees bending to absorb the shock of the fall, and his arms still locked around her tightly.

He drops her unceremoniously onto the ground, pushes her away, and stumbles back. He's staring at her in shock, obviously horrified.

“Oh, my God,” he says, looking totally freaked out. His words tumble over each other on the way out of his mouth. “Oh, my God. Chloe. OhmyGodI’msosorry.”

Read Chapter 4 here.

blackheart_me said...

AWW clark's awkwardness in the beginning is adorable. His insecurities can't be helped, but Chloe will help him feel normal :) aww oh snap. Clark is getting aggressive and defensive :( Help him Chloe! Elly u kill me :D Supersperm? well everything else about him is super, y not that too? :P oh no they were getting so comfortable again, but hey coool. She made him fly :D

BabyDee said...

Wow. Chloe is Clark's Red Bull - she gives him Wiiiiiiings!!! :-D


text:
Monday, June 11, 2012

"How do I correct the unconscious moves I make when I speak?": 4 tactics

The lights are on, the mic is working and you've started to speak. And then you start to sway...or keep touching your face...or look from side to side, again and again. Maybe you know you're doing it, maybe not--or maybe you thought you'd corrected the problem, but it crept back into your routine.

So what can you do if you're a speaker with a body with a mind of its own? Here are four tactics:
  1. Know what you're doing: The biggest issue with unconscious moves is that lack of awareness. This is one time you'll want a video camera and a trusted pal or a coach to capture what you're doing. Get footage of yourself speaking or presenting, ideally a few times, so you can observe how and when you move. For some people, just seeing the unconscious move is enough to end it. But if not...
  2. Review video soon: The sooner you review a video of your unconscious moves after a talk, the more you'll be able to recall about what you were thinking. If the movement is what I call a "visual um," you might find that you lost your train of thought--and the movement was a silent way of marking your place, just as "um" does verbally.
  3. Know why you're doing it: When you review the video, think about those unintentional moves. Are you repeating a move because you're nervous? Were you distracted? Just don't know what else to do with your hands? All of those can be dealt with, but you need to identify the reasons first.
  4. Find a substitute: If your unconscious move signals forgetting, substitute more practice so you feel more prepared. Use a plan for your message so it sticks with you first, and then with your audience. If you're aimlessly repeating a move, work out a couple of substitutes, then practice using them. If you keep looking away from the audience, prompt yourself to look at a different part of the audience instead of turning away, for example.
What are the unconscious moves you've made while speaking or presenting? Share them in the comments.


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Monday, June 10, 2013

The Eloquent Woman's weekly speaker toolkit

Readers who follow The Eloquent Woman on Facebook are already used to seeing the "extras" I share there: links to good reads, resources and ideas from other sources, in addition to posts from the blog. I'm summarizing that extra content and putting it here on the blog, so all readers can benefit. Here's a look at the week just past:
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