"Well shall we just start with the worst news of my mission? J who was
supposed to get baptized on the 30 call us on Saturday, the day before
his interview, and told us he has to go back to Mexico. We were so
sad! Definitely cried. He is so good he asked us where the church is
and we gave him as a referral in every way possible. He said he will
be back but he doesn't know when. So that's the biggest thing that
happened this week. We are very sad but he is in a really good
position he is read unfairly and has his goals set for baptism.
Now on to happier things. We have really enjoyed eating with the
Goethe park ward. Oh excuse me... Serving.. Not eating. But really we
have dinner every night! This diet thing is at a rough start.. But the
ward is fantastic! we have a really great ward mission leader who is
always on top of everything. We are working with a family a mother and
her two sons who are just working out a couple of kinks before they
can get baptized but they are super ready and come to church every
week! They are very nice. This Sunday was crazy because we had
investigators in each ward and one starts at 9:00 with counsel at 7:30
and the other starts at 11:00 with ward counsel at 9:30 also we were
teaching young women's. We had 8 hours of church total with our
meetings. It was a lot but I mean asi es la mision!
In la riviera branch, we had 5 investigators at church! We are
working with a lot of part member families which is prefect because
hat gives a lot of support to them and helps them come to church and
we are teaching in the homes of members. One of our investigators who
we have been teaching for a while came with her kids and they really
liked it it seemed! Everything here is still great! I still love being
a missionary I love helping people come into Christ. Things are well i
am well the work is well as well :) have a happy week!
Hermana Stevens"
February 1
"It was a pretty good week! Really crazy busy but that's a good thing
when you're a missionary the only bad part is when there just aren't
enough hours in the day! We have still been finding but it is good
because we are still teaching! Teaching and finding. We are working
with two young girls and part member family. We are teaching and
should be baptized soon. This week we had interviews with president
and I always love those. They help me learn about the qualities of a
good missionary and what I need to do to improve. I seriously love
being a missionary and learning and teaching and changing.
This week we had stake conference and it was really good actually a
lot of good talks mostly about sabbath day. It was pretty annoying
because the whole time while they were talking about how we can have a
more meaningful sabbath the grown man next to us was playing a game on
his phone.. Nice... I mean honestly I was probably worse when I was
home but I have come to realize how important the sacrament is and why
we have it and how we need to respect it.
This week we went on a blitz for another ward which is when a bunch
from the zone go and find in once specific area and add a bunch of new
investigators. We were able to find a few but it was fun. I have
learned this week and the past couple that I need to be more bold
because when you're too agreeable and trying to find common ground too
often, we mold into any other church. We have talked a lot about how
we need to not be apologetic when we are sharing the gospel and we
need to share the restored gospel with everyone we see. Pretty basic I
know but for some it takes almost a year. I don't like spending time
with people who aren't prepared when I can be finding the one who is.
I am so thankful for my mission so far because I have learned so much.
I have learned more in the past year than I have in the past 19th
years of my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to change.
In stake conference we talked about humility and how really we need to
be humble so that we can recognize the importance of the sacrament and
change there was a scripture that I like that I found this morning.
Dyc 112:10
10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand,
and give thee answer to thy prayers.
Be thou humble and he will lead you by you hand. How sweet and gentle
is that? Man I love the Lord. it's easy to forget how loving the
savior is but just read about him and her to know him. :) love you
all! Have a happy week!
Hermana Stevens"
February 8
"Hello familia y amigos!
Weeks fly seriously fly. We have been super busy with the two wards!
But like I said last week, busy as a missionary is good. This week we
had a blitz which was really nice. We were able to get a few returns
that we will go to this coming week. Hope everything goes through well
with all of them. The majority of our appointments were scheduled for
Tuesday at 6:00... So we have to figure that one out..
We were supposed to have a baptism this week but we haven't been able
to meet with them in the past week because they're super busy and
don't follow through with our appointments.. so we have to change the
date. Super frustrating but all in the Lord time right? They come to
church every week and really want to be baptized. I have a lot of
faith they will but it just might not come when I want it to. But
that's okay.
This week we got a surprise phone call. I didn't recognize the number
but we give out our number to everyone in town so we answered it and
guess who it was! OUR INVESTIGATOR WHO MOVED TO MEXICO! He called to
see how we were doing! He said he made contact with the missionaries
there and they said they were going to come by but hadn't.. -_- (I'm
quite mad at them..) he said he might have to seek them out and meet
them halfway or something. He told us that he has been reading every
night and morning and that he is on chapter 10! He said he hopes to
come back soon! We hope he does too so we can witness his baptism!:)
We have been going through our area book and organizing a lot.
Dropping those who need to be dropped deleting the moved and adding
the ones who are going to progress. It's a lot of work but so worth
it. I have come to realize that a "no" how ever rude it may be can be
just as good as a "yes" because as we focus our efforts on finding the
yeses, we don't have to worry about who might accept if they say no.
And we get more time with the willing, open hearted and the prepared
and that is how we will most effectively guide people back to the
fold.
This week, we talked in zone training about he role of the spirit in
conversion. Honestly, the role of the spirit in conversion is what is
important in a lesson. If we don't have the spirit to be with us, they
won't receive the spirit and the spirit is how they will receive their
answer and develop a testimony!
We had a cool miracle this week! Saturday night, our ward mission
leader called us and said that a boy that was dropped about 5 months
ago wants to come to church and be baptized. He is 16 and he CAME and
he brought his dad who is a preacher for his church! The boy is very
sweet and stayed all three hours. He set up an appointment with us
too. We are very excited to work with him and hopefully get more of
his family on board.
I just really want to help both of these wards. It's kind of sad
because both of them just really want a solid set of missionaries and
both appear to feel bad that they have to share us with other wards
and both desperately need baptisms. I want to help them understand
their role in the conversion of their friends and family and
strengthen he ward while helping their friends and family come unto
Christ. We are going to have a super good busy week this week!
Happy Valentine's Day or whatever. :)
Much love, Hermana Stevens"
Weeks fly seriously fly. We have been super busy with the two wards!
But like I said last week, busy as a missionary is good. This week we
had a blitz which was really nice. We were able to get a few returns
that we will go to this coming week. Hope everything goes through well
with all of them. The majority of our appointments were scheduled for
Tuesday at 6:00... So we have to figure that one out..
We were supposed to have a baptism this week but we haven't been able
to meet with them in the past week because they're super busy and
don't follow through with our appointments.. so we have to change the
date. Super frustrating but all in the Lord time right? They come to
church every week and really want to be baptized. I have a lot of
faith they will but it just might not come when I want it to. But
that's okay.
This week we got a surprise phone call. I didn't recognize the number
but we give out our number to everyone in town so we answered it and
guess who it was! OUR INVESTIGATOR WHO MOVED TO MEXICO! He called to
see how we were doing! He said he made contact with the missionaries
there and they said they were going to come by but hadn't.. -_- (I'm
quite mad at them..) he said he might have to seek them out and meet
them halfway or something. He told us that he has been reading every
night and morning and that he is on chapter 10! He said he hopes to
come back soon! We hope he does too so we can witness his baptism!:)
We have been going through our area book and organizing a lot.
Dropping those who need to be dropped deleting the moved and adding
the ones who are going to progress. It's a lot of work but so worth
it. I have come to realize that a "no" how ever rude it may be can be
just as good as a "yes" because as we focus our efforts on finding the
yeses, we don't have to worry about who might accept if they say no.
And we get more time with the willing, open hearted and the prepared
and that is how we will most effectively guide people back to the
fold.
This week, we talked in zone training about he role of the spirit in
conversion. Honestly, the role of the spirit in conversion is what is
important in a lesson. If we don't have the spirit to be with us, they
won't receive the spirit and the spirit is how they will receive their
answer and develop a testimony!
We had a cool miracle this week! Saturday night, our ward mission
leader called us and said that a boy that was dropped about 5 months
ago wants to come to church and be baptized. He is 16 and he CAME and
he brought his dad who is a preacher for his church! The boy is very
sweet and stayed all three hours. He set up an appointment with us
too. We are very excited to work with him and hopefully get more of
his family on board.
I just really want to help both of these wards. It's kind of sad
because both of them just really want a solid set of missionaries and
both appear to feel bad that they have to share us with other wards
and both desperately need baptisms. I want to help them understand
their role in the conversion of their friends and family and
strengthen he ward while helping their friends and family come unto
Christ. We are going to have a super good busy week this week!
Happy Valentine's Day or whatever. :)
Much love, Hermana Stevens"
