The Gospel Brings Happiness!

I am so happy that it is finally spring time! However the rain hasnt been present like all week I am sure that it is coming like tomorrow. Good thing I bought that rain jacket because I use it almost every day out here. This week was pretty interesting, there were a lot of miracles that happened as well as a lot of growing periods. Nicole was baptized on saturday and she was so scared of the water but she told us that as soon as she walked into the font she felt calm and that she knew that Heavenly Father was with her. Her faith in that is really awesome and she is helping her family so much. Her parents are working towards getting the temple and they are so excited. I hope I am here in La Center to see them go through the temple and be sealed as an eternal family. Transfers are this week and both Sister McMullin and I are staying in good ol La center! I knew that I would probably stay since I still have another transfer of training left. Our zone is getting mixed up a little but for the most part we are staying the same. I am really glad that sister mcmullin and I are staying together, we are different in some ways but we get a long great and we are really working hard to change the hearts of the people here. Which has been a difficult time, especially when people tell us a lot of anti doctrine and we just have to be kind and testify and then leave. I didnt realize how prevalent anti doctrine is in the world but I know that what I am doing is right and the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored again to the earth. It just makes sense in my heart and in my mind that God would still speak to His children today as he did in times of old through the prophet. It is just a wonderful thing to know and I love sharing that with people, it has gotten a lot better and I am not afraid to open my mouth and just invite, that is what is important to do, invite and testify. 

The womens conference was really really great! I loved how they talked and focused on the family and on the proclamation to the world. It was awesome, its on lds.org, you should really watch it. And there is a new video that has come out called because he lives and it is amazing. It is nondenominational and talks about the miracle of Christ's resurrection and what that means for us. We were tracting the other day and we ran into Jehovahs Witnesses and they invited us to their event as we invited them to our Life of Christ event at the stake center in Vancouver. They told us that they dont believe in easter because it wasnt in the bible and they only celebrate the death of Christ. That made me so sad because knowing that Christ lives today gives us all so much hope! The death was so important but the atonement is important as a whole, including the Resurrection. We were able to meet this awesome couple this week, Mark and Cari, they needed help moving so we went like three days in a row this week helping them pack and get them ready to move. They are headed to Klama so it is out of our area which is so sad!! We talked a lot about the gospel and gave them copies of The Book of Mormon with our testimonies in them as well as our favorite scriptures marked. Cari said that she would read from it and she didnt say much more about it. However they said that missionaries could come and help them unpack so that will be such a great referral for them. We also have a great week lined up with people who we have been trying to get in with that have been potentials for a really long time. AND sibyl came to church!!! We were so excited. We also spoke in church this sunday and it was so cool. We talked about the importance of member missionary work. It is so important. The work is so much more effective when members reach out to those that they love and invite them to meet with us. They really are more likely to say yes to hearing the gospel then from us just knocking on their doors. After Sis. Lents came up to us and said that she had texted her friend that she had told us the night before that she was unsure about sharing the gospel with. And she did it when we were talking so that was so awesome! 

This pday we are in the family history center which is pretty cool, they have helped me a lot and now i get to email on a computer which is surprisingly faster and easier than the ipad haha. That is so fun that you all went to Seattle! Now you can experience the real fun part of the state ;) Obviously western washington is the true promised land haha. Oh man i love my mission, i love the people here and the ward and even when I feel like I honestly cant do this anymore I think about leaving these people and it breaks my heart! And then Heavenly Father reminds me why I am here and calls me to repentance for doubting my ability to be a missionary. The work is so great!! Its crazy how much the ward has changed back home...it will be all different when I get back! Which im not even ready for that yet haha its only been 2 months....crazy right?!? I am so happy to hear that everyone is doing well at home. Even when life gets hard the gospel is the way to bring happiness back. It sounds crazy but its so true. It is so important to remember the role that the gospel plays in our lives and how we need to act on what we know to be true. Even when its hard. It will be so so so worth it. I cant believe that Tyler is going into high school next week and Jordan is getting ready for her senior pictures! I got the cute card that you guys sent and I loved the picture of Jordan at Sadies. It was so cute! 

Everything here is going good and my shoes are doing just fine :) I love you all so much and know that I am praying for you! I hope everything at work gets better for you momma! Keep praying and I know Heavenly Father will take care of you. Those CD's are in my car. I forgot to tell you that. Check in the glove box and in the back window. Also dont forget that its almost april and that means i get my new glasses :) 

Love you! 

Sister Stephens