"Well hello my dear friends and family!! Hermana Stevens here. So sorry
about last week I haven't had a week of not emailing everyone yet and
decided everyone deserves one right? So here we are another week by
and I ant believe that it is May! This week we went on exchanges and
we were with two English sisters and I left into their area. I am so
thankful for my call because English finding is hard... We woke up and
did the usual morning routine, went out and biked, came home and ate
lunch and went back out to bike for 6 more hours. Our efforts proved
somewhat successful we were able to find a couple of potentials for
the sisters to go back to but it was a lot of knocking and street
contacting. The sister that I went with is a fairly new sister and is
really shy when it comes to contacting. I realized after a while that
I was the only one talking. Talk about hogging the contact! so I
decided to, you know, give her time to speak. The next contact we did,
I went up and introduced ourselves and turned the time over to her and
she didn't say anything! Haha I encouraged her and told her "just open
your mouth and if you don't know what to say, bear your testimony". We
had a LOT of awkward moments of silence but the amazing thing to me is
that no matter how afraid we might be, the Lords promise always
stands. "Open your mouth and it shall be filled" (D&C 33:8) everytime
I don't know what to say, I open my mouth, and the words some how come
out. I love being a missionary.
During our exchange, we had to also help out some other sisters
from another zone because one of them was sick so all three of us went
on separate exchanges. I love my sisters but It was nice to get back
to my companions. I love my companions.
This Sunday, was one of the sweetest fast and testimony meetings
I have been in. We were sitting on the stand because Hermana Paredes
was translating and as soon as they announced that people could come
and bear their testimonies and all at once, every one of the young men
got up to bear their testimonies! EVERY SINGLE ONE! The young men's
president is moving to Puerto Rico and last week, they had been
talking about opening your mouth to share what you know. Some of the
boys were really nervous so they would stand at the pulpit with one or
two of their buddies but they all bore their testimonies and the
spirit was so strong. Every single person in the congregation was
teared up. I LOVE this branch.
We were talking the other day with a sister who has been struggling
and having thoughts of going home. I had just received an email from
my trainer so I shared a couple words of it with her. I love my
trainer still :) she told me about how so often when you are in a
mission, you think about what life off the mission is like and who you
want to become but as soon as you get home, the mission is always on
your mind and you miss it! How we need to be here because this is the
only time we get to be here doing what we are doing right now. We
talked with her a long time and it really reminded me how true that
is. I love being here there is nowhere else I would rather be than
here right now. I love my calling.
Over all it has bee another successful week. We had a lot more success
with our investigators and things are moving a long greatly! Thanks
for everything you do for me! :) I love you all!
Hermana Stevens"
May 9, 2016
"Hello! Another beautiful day in the big Sacramento city! but really, today is beautiful because it has been really gloomy the past couple days. It has been another good week with a lot of finding. The people we are teaching are moving along for the most part just quite slowly. We had not seen Edwin for a long time because of family problems but we have been able to get back over there this week and things seem promising. We will have another lesson with him today. Guillermo has been kind of M.I.A. we have been calling and setting appointments but he cancels or doesn't show but we called him yesterday and he is in 2 Nephi so there is progression and we were able to set another appointment so I think we are on the "up" with him too! We are teaching a couple other people too who are keeping some commitments but struggle with others but we are doing our best to address their concerns.
This week we also had MLC and it was wonderful! It was really a spiritually uplifting experience. I was able to feel the confirmation of the goal of 33 baptisms for the month of May and also I was able to be a part of a role play. I really liked all of the roleplays and that is something that we took back to our zone training. I thought it was really interesting how 75% of our baptisms come from member referrals but like 90%? of our finding efforts are on our own right? That is crazy! I mean honestly, member work is not easy either. The finding appears thinner and so I think it can be a little discouraging but when we need quality we find more ready people through the members than through our own efforts and so we really should be working on how we can better coordinate our missionary efforts with our members.
We were able to blitz our area on Thursday with the help of the Spanish missionaries in our zone and it proved somewhat successful. We were able to make contact with a former investigator named Maria. She is someone that Hermana Bowen and I found but she was "released" after I left the area. I always felt something about her and when we went by to make an appointment with her, she seems really willing to meet with us. I really hope that she is ready and willing to make the necessary changes to be baptized! She is really nice and has 3 girls.
We also went on exchanges. I was in my area with another Sister and she really is a great missionary! It is always sad to be with missionaries who struggle with things that could be easily fixed if they would just turn themselves over to the Lord. I understand it though it isn't easy and i still struggle sometimes I mean, we all do but once we just humble ourselves and tell the Lord to take us and make us what he needs us to be, we become way more than we could ever imagine and it makes success in our areas and successful area means happy missionary! I am just continually grateful for the time that I have to be a missionary. I am still trying to become what he needs but that is an almost never ending process right? It doesn't seem that easy when you are applying it but it always is better. Thanks for everything!
Hermana Stevens"
May 16
"DISCLAIMER: this email is too long. I know. I tried to shorten it and
cut things out but I just can't. Sorrrry.Hello! It has been a really good week here. Like usually it is a
good week but things picked up a little bit more this week. We started
out with Presidents Interviews. I always love sitting down with
president because even though I usually don't have a lot to say, I
know that if I did, he would listen. He is such a great man and I have
no doubt in my mind that he and Sister Jardine are called of God to do
this. I think God picked the perfect pair for the job! I love them. We
were asked to study 3 Nephi 19:24 which says; 24 And it came to pass
that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his
disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to
pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given
unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.
President asked us about our thoughts on this scripture. He
explained that even though Heavenly Father knows what we want and
need, he is always bound by the law so we have to ask. Usually what we
ask for doesn't come how we would like it or expect it to but it comes
in an even better more beautiful way because he knows all and what is
going to bless us most. He is a very inspired man. I am thankful to
serve with him.
We have been visiting E more again. He had a lot going on for
sometime and so it was hard to find him but we found him at home again
and have been visiting him again. He is doing well he just needs to
recognize that in the end, these things that we are teaching are going
to be the things at matter and the things that will bring him he most
happiness! But he is good and will start progressing better soon now
that we are back on track.
We have been visiting with his guy, F, for a week or two now. I
actually met him when I was here last time because he came to church
with a less active member but he had never given us his address but
then one day, we were at E's house and F was there! We taught the
lesson and then F asked if we had an extra Book of Mormon for him so
we got him one and got his address and we have been teaching him. We
had a really great lesson with him and he spirit was very strong. We
invited him to be baptized on June 7 and he said he would! He really
seems to have real intentions because he asks a lot of really sincere
questions and has been readin the Book of Mormon.
Our investigator, M, is doing really well! We taught her a quick
lesson in the middle of the week and asked for referrals. She said her
neighbors down the street spoke Spanish so we went and knocked. There
was a man who answered the door and was basically doing anything he
could to not talk to us and actually walked away at one point but the
door was open and we had seen more people walk by so we kept with it.
A little boy came by and so we asked if he would go and get his mom.
She came to the door with a little girl and another man. We talked for
a second and then Hermana Torres asked if we could go in and sing a
song for them. She let us in and we sang he sent his son. They loved
it! They were so sweet and invited us back and we have our appointment
with them tonight! We will call them CJ&N. I am so excited! We taught
M a little later in the week and brought a member with us. We were
planning on teaching gospel of Jesus Christ which consists of cleansed
from sin, faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy
Ghost and enduring to the end. Earlier in the month, we made a goal to
help this specific investigator be baptized in May and we hadn't even
offered her a date in May so we prayed and we made a goal of inviting
her to be baptized on May 28. So we went into this lesson with that
date in mind. We taught up until just before baptism. I asked her
"have you prayed about baptism yet?" And she said " yes. I just really
need more time." We went on with the lesson and our member helped a
ton! At one point, M actually said "I just don't know which church is
Jesus' church." And I said " do you know how many churches there are?
Too many right? Well if you pray about the Book of Mormon and it is
true, you don't have to keep searching because we are the only church
that uses this book. Hermana Paredes showed her Moronis promise in the
back and explained that her answer will come from the Holy Ghost. All
of us bore testimony of the Holy Ghost and the spirit was so strong.
After she said the first time that she was not ready to accept a
baptismal date I thought that was it and that we were not going to be
able to invite her to the 28 of May that time but after the spirit
flooded in, Hermana Paredes asked "when you know that these things are
true, will y be baptized by someone who holds the priesthood authority
of God?" There was a long pause of silence and then she started
nodding her head yes. Then she said "when I feel it, yes." Then it
opened the opportunity to say " we will be holding a baptismal service
on May 28. Will you prepare yourself to be baptized on this day?" She
nodded a little and laughed a little and then said "I don't know. I
need to know." It was a REALLY powerful moment and even though she
didn't say yes, she felt the spirit and I know she can tell a
difference.
Holy this email is so long I am SO sorry but a couple more
stories. We went by to visit someone that I taught for a little while
last year. We will call her MO. We dropped by and she was home with
her family. She lives with her three girls and their dad and they were
all home. She had been taught a lot by an Elder a couple of years ago.
We sat down and asked a couple of questions to get a feel of how much
she knew. She went and got her Book of Mormon and I asked if she had
been reading it and she said yes. Then I asked how much fishes knew
about Joseph Smith and she said " well we watch the movie!" She said
they sometimes watch it as a family! So we went on and she said "I
don't know I just know that God is always there and you guys are
always there. I knew you were coming over today. I told my daughter
even. I just knew. It your are always there even when I start running
or whatever you always come back." I testified and said " it is
because we are representatives of Jesus Christ and each day, we pray
about where we should go and who we should see and I know that God is
your Heavenly Father and he loves you and he wants you back. We are
here because we know what we share is true and we know it can change
your life because it has changed ours." Then she said " how? How has
it changed yours?" And I said " well first of all I know who I am. I
know I am a daughter of God. I know why I am here and I know that
after this life, I will be with my family forever." She said "because
you are doing this you will be with your family forever?" And I said
"if we keep Gods commandments and do what he asks, we can be with our
families for time and eternity and we can tell you all about that" it
was a really cool moment because even from the first time I met MO,
from the moment I saw her door last year, I knew I needed to knock it
and something about her makes it so easy for me to testify to her of
these things clearly and simply. She is really cool and we have a
lesson with her family this week.
Through some of these lessons, we were with an English sister. I
would invite her to bare her testimony whenever she wanted and I would
translate. Everything she said was perfect. Right exactly what we were
talking about. Exactly want the person needed to hear. I know that the
spirit is so important. The spirit is the teacher and we are just the
mouth piece. The spirit will be the difference of someone getting
baptized or not. I love this opportunity I have to be a missionary and
utilize the gift of the Holy Ghost every single minute. I will leave
it at that. To those who made it this far, thanks. You're a real
homie.
Hermana Stevens"
May 24
" Well this was an exciting week watching Hermana Torres get ready to go home! I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to be companions with her. She was such an amazing example of what a missionary should be til the end. I Have learned that there is always something to learn from your companion no matter how long you have been out/in an area/together. The three of us had a lot of fun together and a lot of hard moments too but that is how you grow so close to someone so fast! We had a really good week with a good amount of lessons. We were especially blessed with new investigators this week and I am excited to help them start progressing. I love finding people who will listen and WANT to listen because I know that this message is for everyone!
This morning we went to the temple. I LOVE THE TEMPLE. I just kept thinking about how big of a blessing it is to have a temple so close to me still. My whole life I think i just took it for granted but after all of the people I have talked to, I know that it is truly a blessing to be able to go as often as I do as a missionary. There is just an amazing amount of peace. I cant even describe it. Every time that I go, I just feel my Gods love for me and peace. I love the gospel.
This past couple of weeks, I have been going deeper into The Book of Mormon. I have been really studying it instead of just reading it. I love how applicable it is to everyone. It is really cool because often I find a scripture that I just didnt really notice before and it happens to fit perfectly into a lesson. "treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." D&C 84:85. I am really gaining a testimony of this scripture. That and I am eternally grateful for our ipads because I have never been really good at remembering scripture references but I can always remember a phrase.
As my friend have started to return to their homes from their missions, it makes me remember how grateful I am for my mission. I have learned and grown so much and I just feel more motivated than ever to push harder. I really want to be able to leave it all here and give it all I've got daily. I love the mission!
As you know, it is transfer week and guess what. IM STAYING!! hahaha SAC X 8! :) Thats okay because I love it here. I just feel like there is something I am missing. There is someone here that I am not getting to or something.. I don't know but I just really want to be diligent to what the spirit is telling me because that is how I am going to figure it out :) Also surprise round two; my new companion is my old companion Hermana McCloud!! I am very happy! Thanks for everything! Peace n Blessings
Hermana Stevens"
May 30
"Hello! It has been a really great week! We have been blessed to find 5 new investigators! Let me tell you a little about each. The first ones are A and his daughter E. When I was with Hermana Paredes, we went to visit one of our investigators and when we got there, we had a little bit of updating to do so that kind of stalled us getting out of the car for a second. While we were sitting there, we saw a man walking outside so we said our prayer and started to get out of our car. When we got out, he looked at us and said "HOLA!" (which I thought was funny because ususally people dont approach us in spanish). We talked to him for a little bit and found out that he was pretty religious but invited us to come by sometime. When we went for our return appointment, his daughter, E, answered the door and we chatted with her for a bit. A came outside and we sat on a bench in his front yard to share our lesson. His daughter came out before we had actually started the lesson so we invited her to sit in and she said she didnt want to. A couple of minutes later, she came out and said "what are you going to talk about?" "Jesus Christ!" I said. She grabbed a chair and joined us. They really like to talk which made our getting to know them easy. We taught them the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they really liked it and really seemed to understand it! When his daughter asked "how did you guys meet?" I told her "on the street over there." and A said "I was working on that house down the street and I saw them pull up in their car and so I waited for them to get out so we could talk about God!" The lesson went really well. they told us that they used to go to church but hadnt in a long time. E said that she really liked going to church because it made her a better person and now she "talks back and is mean" (we dont believe her entirely) They seem to have a desire to learn and to know. We were supposed to have a lesson with them on thursday but he got called into work and we had to reschedule but we will see them tomorrow and hopefully his wife will be there this time!
Our other news come from a family that we started teaching. They are a family that the elders were teaching a while back and that we just picked up. They are really sweet and we are going to see them again tomorrow.
We decided that we are going to get a member present to every planned lesson that we have. We are pretty determined and so far things are going well. We are just really struggling getting people to church so we think as the fellow shipping goes up, so will church attendance!
I have thought a lot about my mission this week. I mean I usually think about my mission because it is literally my life right now but I just thought about how big of an impact that it has had on my life thus far. I just truly love my mission. Each time a new transfer starts I think about my growth that transfer and the things that I have learned and bettered and it is amazing that every companion, every area, every person that we meet we can learn something from. I have learned and grown so much already! I am seriously thankful for every happy moment that I have been given I am even thankful for the hard moments and the sad ones because I learn from them. I know what to do differently or how to better who I am. I just know that God is very aware of every need that I have. It really has been another great week and we have been blessed with a great group of investigators and members. Thanks for the constant love and support! :)
Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Hermana Stevens"
June 6
"Well I just love being a missionary! Seriously. I just love being able to talk with everyone I see all day long and share the good word with them. This gospel is so true! I have always known that it is all true but it is really cool when I get a moment when I am testifying of a specific principle and the Holy Ghost testifies to me that what I am saying is true. The spirit is so powerful.
This week we went on a couple of team ups. I really like going out with the other sisters. I like getting to know them and how they work. I got to go with Hermana Paredes my former companion and we found a couple of potentials. She is doing really well she is a really great, driven missionary! I love her. I also went with Hermana Nokes who is from the same parts as I am so we know a lot of mutual people. She is also really a great missionary. She is not afraid to speak and teach. I feel blessed to be able to work with such amazing sisters!
This week was also Mission Leadership Council and it was really great! We talked about Member missionary work mostly. It was a short one because we are going to have 3 this month THREE! what a good time to be a missionary. In a couple of weeks, Elder Larry Lawerence is coming to the mission so we will have an MLC, a zone conference and personal interviews with him! I am really excited! I think that it will really get a fire going in the mission! I really learned a lot that we can really apply to our areas and especially about working with our members and getting faith. I think honestly I just need to really act like the kind of missionary I want to be right? Something that struck me a lot was when we talked about "faith". Faith has always kind of been a hard thing for me to grasp. Not because I don't have any but because I feel like sometimes even when I feel like I have the most faith, things don't go the way that I planned it to. However, faith is SO important and honestly those times happen to everyone! Some things just become a trial of our faith! We did a little segment in our Zone Training on faith because it is something that we can continually increase in. I think that the more we act in faith and act on the promptings of the spirit, our faith will grow and the Lord will trust us more ultimately aligning our will more with his. It is something I am working on and I know the Lord will provide.
Sadly, I had to leave early from MLC because I had a doctors appointment for my dumb asthma-not-asthma. I just need a new inhaler because I almost died 2 weeks ago. Not really but I did get a little nervous for a second! haha. Anyway because we missed the MLC lunch, President and Sister Jardine took Hermana McCloud and I out to lunch. Sister Jardine chose my favorite place (Chilis). I just love them! They are really some of the greatest people ever and sometimes president reminds me of my own dad. They have the same sense of humor it is hilarious! I am so thankful for the up close time I get to spend with them. I dont know how they do it but they make every single missionary feel 100% loved. What great people!
I am just really trying to get lost in the work because as time picks up, my love for being a missionary increases!! AH! I really just want to work so hard because I love it here and I love these people and I love doing what I am doing! We are really working hard and crazy busy which is a good thing! I love the work and I know that the California Sacramento Mission is truly the greatest mission on earth.
Sorry for no pictures last week I just forgot.. I am really bad at this weekly email thing.. I will do my best this time. Have a happy week!
-Hermana Stevens"
