One Year!!

Wow. One year in the mission. It hardly feels like I have been here
for so long. The best year of my life so far that's for sure. We will
be celebrating with Chinese food and martenelis and of course the best
part: teaching the gospel. So quick update on president Taylor: he is
doing great and is recovering really awesome. We are all praying for
him to be back to full duties by March. The doctors think it will take
longer but president is determined and so are we! Lots of prayer
that's for sure. And we are all doing a mission wide fast this Sunday
for his recovery. So I know that the immediate family did it rhis past
week but if anyone else feels so inclined we would appreciate the help
to call down the powers of heaven for our president. 

 This week has been amazing as well! Woodland is seriously a great
area. We are slowly but surely figuring out the whole two wards thing.
We have a system now and are going to be able to devote more time to
both wards. Some cool miracle stories this week though. We were able
to teach Ashleyanne about the restoration on Wednesday and she wants
to be baptized. She is going to go to mutual this week as well as come
to church. It's so great, she has been so prepared. We don't have a
date set for her yet but we will be inviting her to be baptized this
month. 

 Lawna and Brianna came to church this week! We didn't think they were
coming but they said they were on their way a little after church
started! So they made most of sacrament but had to leave after Sunday
school. We had an awesome meeting that was all about the savior and
how to gain a stronger testimony and relationship with him. And it all
basically came down to faith. Faith is such an action word because it
really motivates us to do something about what we believe. And then it
goes back to the Church Pray Read. The gospel, man it's so simple and
awesome. And they also talked a lot about how the atonement is for
everyone, including us. A lot of times people will say and remember
how great the atonement is for every single person...except ourselves.
We have to trust Christ and believe him when he says we can be
forgiven. Just read Enos. He believed Christ when he said his sins
were forgiven because God cannot lie. Anyway they came to that
sacrament meeting and loved it. We didn't get to meet with them this
week though, so that was sad but pray they will keep progressing. 

 We had a great lesson with the Martinez family. They are investigators
that we tried to meet with last week but everyone was sick. We talked
about baptism and what the promises are that we make with God. And
also what he promises us, so basically our covenants. They all said
they wanted to be baptized after they learned more about it all. Well
good thing we know some missionaries who can teach them :) we are
going to be giving them a church tour on Friday so they can be more
comfortable when they come to church on Sunday. 

So many people to
teach and it's awesome. We are also teaching a lady named Stephanie
who the sisters before us found. Not much to update there...because we
haven't taught a lesson yet. So good things happening here in
Woodland.

We are also working with a handful of less active members but none of
them are progressing very much. We did have to confiscate some word of
wisdom things the other day so that was interesting. We do what we
gotta do. Yup the work is going, it's rainy all the time, and I love
it. 

Have a great week, 

Sister Stephens

Exchanges with sister McMullin

Got a gift card for dinner :)

I love woodland!!