Super Awesome Week!

This week has been super awesome. I can't believe that another week has gone by and I have been in the field for a whole month haha. We went on exchanges with our sister training leaders on Tuesday and I was with sister boatright who is a little older than me and we saw a lot of miracles that are leading to wonderful things. We met with a man named tony who had the first lesson and then nothing after that. It was cool to go meet him and hopefully his schedule will work out so we can go to teach him more and invite him to read the Book of Mormon more often. He seemed interested but was in a huge project. We also met a woman named Pam whose husband was a referral from church headquarters but wasn't interested. However she was!! We have a meeting with her on Tuesday of this week and we are so excited. We tried meeting with her last week but she had strep throat and ain't nobody got time for that. We have a baptism for Nicole this Saturday and we are so stoked. The family is doing awesome and they are working towards getting to the temple so that is so great.  

We have another person on date for May and she is doing great. Her name is sibyl and she has been taking the lessons for like a year now and has some issues but she is going strong. Her testimony is so encouraging and she knows that the gospel is true. It's amazing. The work is definitely progressing. Even when we go to contact people with no trespassing signs who end up having guns....awkward. Don't worry he was super nice and didn't chase us away. So that was a blessing. On a weird note we got antied for like an hour at this guys house. That was cool. Jokes it really wasn't. We had a referral from the sister training leaders and this lady is like my daughters Mormon and I need a church so can I come to yours. It was great. Hopefully she will come this week!  I am so excited for general conference and for the women's conference which we will be watching at the stake center and then rushing back for the baptism at our meeting house. 

This pday has been kind of crazy. We went as a zone to the ape caves. It sounded fun....until we had to scale rocks for like five hours!! Jokes it was more like two hours but it was cool. So that is why this letter is so short. We have like an hour to get everything done. I love you all so much and I know that the lord is looking out for everyone. Trust his plan. Always trust him. I'm sorry I couldn't email everyone back this week but I will try to not spend all next pday underground in a cave, I promise. Also it was raining all through the hike and my feet are soaked and so am I. I sure do love you all and I'll talk to you all next week! 

Love, 

Sister Stephens 

Classy La Center

What a great week here in good ol la center! Sister McMullin and I get along great and we have a lot of goals on how to turn this area around and make it a baptizing ward. Our zone is working really hard on getting our goal of 20 commitments. We almost have another one! Sibyl is so ready for baptism and she is praying about a baptism date and for help to overcome some hurdles for baptism. We were able to contact a referral from a lady in the ward. Her name is Ellie and she is in her eighties. She is so sweet and loves Christ so much. She actually almost got baptized fifty years ago with her husband but struggles with the Book of Mormon. We offered to help her around her yard and she invited us over. It was raining so we just went over and got to know he. We talked about faith in Christ and how the knowledge that he lives has the power to really change our lives. She even made us lunch and gave us both a necklace that she has made. She says she is looking for a more meaningful relationship with Christ...basically the gospel and the Book of Mormon. We made a lot of appointments to see less active members and investigators that have kind of been lost through all of the transitions of missionaries in this area. I am praying to stay here next transfer. La center really needs a set of consistent missionaries to get the fire going back in this area. We also taught the Penders this week and Nicole came to sacrament but didn't stay for the block. Her mom said she didn't feel good but she has to come next week. We are really getting the ward involved in their re-activity. Nicole's primary teacher wants to be involved in getting her to class. Sister Pender wants to get sealed to her mother and her kids so that is her motivation. It's a great goal that we pray will commit her to making church and the gospel a priority in her life. 

La center is ready to receive the gospel and we are concentrated on finding those who are prepared for this message. I was kind of home sick this morning when I was reading in the scriptures. I was reading in 2 Nephi 10 and Jacob is teaching the people and he tells them to not let their heads droop because they have been saved. He talks about how they were lead out of he land of their inheritance to the land of promise by the hand of the lord. I was thinking about my own land of inheritance of Kennewick and in Rexburg. I loved that life and I loved being at byui and seeing or talking to my family every day. It was wonderful. But then I was led out of that place to my own promised land. The Washington Vancouver mission!!! And it is so wonderful. The miracles here are real and I have learned so much more about my savior and really developed a personal relationship with him. It's important to recognize that we are all being lead to our own promised land by Heavenly Father. When we let him do the sailing then the blessings will be more than we can receive. When I think about all we all have been given it seems unfair because we are human and we sin but we are loved so deeply. It amazes me about how much we are loved. 

We have done a lot of tracting this week and people kept telling us to go away or that thy believe in the Jesus from the bible....it breaks my heart because we do too! The restoration is centered in Christ and strengthens that belief. But we still work and are happy to be here. It's crazy how much the ward back home has changed. It kind of makes me sad that everything will be so different when I get back. However it is proof that the gospel is going forth and that is so wonderful!! We are pretty excited for this next week and we are going bowling today for pday! Basically the high life here in northern Vancouver area!! We are loving preaching the gospel. La center is still super classy with confederate flags, windy roads, moldy falling apart houses, and cars that have been in the ground for at least a decade. It's definitely an adventure every day which makes everything more interesting. I love you all so much and remember who you are!! 

Sister Stephens 

The Gospel Has Been Restored!

This week has been pretty interesting. I've been super sick, sudafed and NyQuil have been my best friends. We had a lot of success with members coming to lessons with us. Sister wade is so awesome and came tracting with us. We only talked to two people but the miracle is that they actually talked to us about Christ and didn't slam the door. We may have a new investigator from it as well. Her name is deeann and she was so sweet and talked and asked questions so hopefully we will catch her this week and teach me more about the restoration. Our other investigators are doing well. We are working with Nicole trying to help her mom understand the importance of coming to church consistently. She is still on date so that is a blessing. Luis and Juan we had to refer to the Spanish missionaries so we don't really know how they are doing. We keep praying for them. We visited with Carmen who has been taught for  a while and her boyfriend who she lives with is inactive. He has been telling her a lot of anti Mormon information and she doesn't believe in the plan of salvation. It's heart breaking because that is one of my favorite parts of the gospel. It really is the plan of happiness and gives so much depth and meaning to our lives. Also check out 2 nephi 1 I love the counsel that lehi gives to his sons in those first chapters. This world has so many temptations and the only way that we can hold to the iron rod is putting the full armor of God on every day. It is so important to pray and read e scriptures every day. They will bring us closer to Christ and allow for the spirit to more fully work within us. 

Sad news for this week though. My companion is getting emergency transferred to long view. They need a Spanish sister to replace  a sister that is going home for surgery. So I will be getting a new trainer. All I know is that her name is sister McMullen and has been out four months. I'm nervous and excited. La center is a huge area full of back roads so I have no clue how we are going to get around without the gps. Our zone has a goal to get 20 people on date for baptism by the 31st. We know that Heavenly Father is behind the goal and we have nine already so pray for us! We went and did service for this botanical garden and it was so fun! We basically just pulled weeds but answered questions about the church so that was awesome! 

I just love the ward that I am serving in. Fun story I had to use the restroom so so bad and we ran to the Lents house and asked to use the restroom. Bro Lents was the only one there so he ran out of his house so we could be in there. So nice but so embarrassing. We love them and everyone here. I gave the prayer in sacrament and everyone asked if I was sick....and I am. Awkward. I am excited for this next week. Sorry is is short but we have so much to do this week. I love you all and remember that the gospel has been restored! 

Sister Stephens 

My Zone

Crazy Week!

This week has been crazy! We were on Vancouver for most of the week.
On Monday evening we went to the mission home and all of us new
missionaries were able to meet president and sister Taylor and stayed
the night at their home. It was so fun. I got to spend time with my
MTC district which was definitely a blessing. Then on Tuesday we had a
trainer trainee meeting where they established expectations for us and
really got is excited for all of the work that is here in the
Washington Vancouver mission. Pres. Taylor always says that God
doesn't do random and I really believe that. Heavenly Father is so
aware of is here in la center and is hastening the work according to
our diligence and faith. Then on Wednesday we had an all day training
for the iPads. The church is using our mission, and 28 missions, as a
pilots to learn how mobile devices will help increase the work. This
week we are focusing on safely using our devices and then on how to
best use our area books and then we will be retrained on Facebook and
reintroduced to it. It's awesome because everything we are learning is
helping us as missionaries and helping us prepare for our future
families and children to protect them against the evil on the
Internet. Then on Thursday we got to go to the temple with our
district and sister wade took us. She is such a sweet heart and takes
good care of us. The rest of the week went by great. We did a lot of
service and have a new investigator, Juan. We went to meet with his
grandson Luis and he sat in on the lesson and has a lot of questions.
He invited us to come back next week and we are very excited. Except
he only speaks Spanish and very little English....so my companion does
the talking and I just sit there and nod. I'm practicing the plan of
salvation on Spanish so hopefully that's not a train wreck.

Nicole is doing great. We taught her about Christ and his miracles and
invited her to pray and think of something she could do that would
follow christs example. We haven't seen her at church for two weeks so
that's discouraging but we will continue to work with her. She is
excited to be baptized but we need to help her see the importance of
church as well as help her mother see that as well. The Glenn's are
doing so awesome. Sean and heather, two of their kids, went to do
baptisms for the dead on Saturday and they just loved it. Sean is
progressing so much and wants to serve a mission and be sealed to his
family. Bro. Glenn just got a job so that is a huge blessing. Sister
Glenn still is hesitant to us teaching her but we talk with her about
Christ and show bible videos and that seems to really invite the
spirit. They invited us over on Thursday to spend some time with them
so that is really exciting. We also met with jace and Michael. Jace
was baptized and his dad Michael is inactive. We talked about
baptismal covenants and why church is important. They said they would
come so we are praying for them to come.

Everything else is going great. We don't live on a working farm but
there are cows and Tom the cat! I love it here. La center has some
challenges but the lord is providing for us. I read this quote in the
ensign and I love it. "Heavenly Father is constantly raining down
blessings upon us, it is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an
umbrella, block these blessings fro, reaching us. His commandments are
the loving instructions and the divine help for us to close the
umbrella so we can revive the shower of heavenly blessings" - pres.
Uchtodrf. I just love that. I'm so glad to hear that everyone is doing
well and that the lord is aware of all of you. Always remember where
the blessings come from. Its amazing how much we are loved. I pray for
you all and love you so so so much!!

La Center

This week has been extremely crazy. The last little while if the Mtc
was awesome but we were really sad to say goodbye to our district. So
we had the longest day on tuesday and finally we made it to portland
but our mission president was in slc at a training so we are meeting
with them today for dinner in Vancouver. So my first area is La Center
which is super small, no stop lights, and most of the members live in
the middle of nowhere. Sister Gomez and I live with Sis. Taylor who is
an 80 year old member and is so cute. She takes good care of us and we
also live on a farm. So awesome. Adjusting to mission life has been
kind of difficult but it has also been very rewarding. The first day
we were trackting and set up 2 return appointments for this week. A
lot of slammed doors and weed farmers turning us away but the Lord has
been with us and its been really great.

We are teaching a nine year old girl named Nicole whos family is just
returning to activity and have her on date for baptism for March 28th.
Hopefully it happens, they havent been coming to church a lot so we
are praying for them. We also are teaching the Glenns who are a part
member family. The mom hasnt wanted anything to do with the
missionaries until we started doing service for them and now she is
more open to having us talk about Christ with her. I love that family.
They have a daughter who is 7 and she is hilarious. We are always
entertained when we are visiting with them. The ward here is awesome
though. We get meals every night and they are so willing to do
missionary work and most of the referrals come from them. Also we went
to a casino for dinner with a member. So the first time I was in a
casino it was on my mission. But la center has three casinos and a
tavern and thats about it. We are 45 minutes north of Vancouver and we
have to do our shopping in a neighboring town.

This sunday we were able to meet with a lot of less active families
and just talk with them and share a message about Gods love for them.
They are so awesome and now that we finally met them we are able to
figure out their needs and help them come back to church. Also
everyone out here has huge dogs. We met brand new puppies yesterday as
well as a newfoundland. So great. My comp doesnt really like dogs but
i embrace them because well I just miss jake haha.

I am so glad that everything at home is doing great. I hope that
Courtney and Danny get all situated in their new place. Im sure you
both did wonderful on your talks. The Lord really does love you all
and is watching over you. I just love all of the promises that he
gives to us if we just obey. He will grant us more blessings then we
could ever imagine if we just follow his commandments. How great is
that! The Book of Mormon is such a wonderful tool that we were given
to find happiness and I have found that happiness. It doesnt matter
how far gone you are the Lord is still waiting to recieve you and
bless you. There is true and eternal happiness in following the
commandments of God. I am so thankful for this gospel that we have
that teaches us how to live happy lives to lead us back to our Father
in Heaven. I just love this gospel.

Mom: The boots look cute but they need to be an extended calf, if they
are then send them my way. I did get everything that I needed so I am
set :) I love you all so much and pray for you every day.
- Sister Stephens

MTC Life

HELLO!!!! AHHH I love being a missionary, it is so wonderful. I can't believe that it has already been a week since I have been here. The schedule is pretty crazy here, we have like no time to even breath. We wake up and then we go to class and do our own studies and have our companionship study with our district study. My companion is sis. hansen, she is from cedar hills utah and she is so great. We teach really well together and she has been a really big strength to me when I am feeling discouraged. My district is amazing and we are all going to vancouver but two elders. I am learning so much about the gospel and just about how important the book of mormon really is. It draws us to Christ and centers us. How amazing is that that we have a Father in Heaven that loves us so much to give us even more direction as we are on this earth. Thank you for having us read it at home, I know that just one chapter a day and studying that it will strengthen our family so much. Our investiagtor Austin finally prayed and has committed to be baptized. He is amazing. Our other two are still learning but that is okay. I am learning to teach people and to not teach lessons. The Lord knows his children and he knows exactly what we need to be teaching them. So if we just listen to the spirit then we will be able to teach them what they need. 

I have seen one sister from school here, her name is Priscilla and she is pretty cool but I only see her every now and then. Mostly I just hang out with my district when there is time for that. I had a pretty hard day yesterday and so the elders gave me a blessing of comfort and I also talked to my teacher bro. barton, who is amazing, and he really helped me see that I am not an awful missionary. It was the first time that I have cried since I have been here. I guess it just doesn't seem real yet, mostly because I haven't lived at home in so long. I think it willl be really difficult once I get to washington. Whenever i tell people where i am from and where i am going they do the same thing that everyone in the ward has been doing. Its really funny, but I just want to get there and actually start teaching people what I have come to learn and love so much. My district has named me Sister, I LOVE THE GOSPEL! Mostly because I say that like everyday haha. But i do, i really do love the gospel. it makes my life just so much better. The sisters in my district are Sister Nielsen and sister black and we all live in a little dorm with bunkbeds that we hardly ever see. But we have a lot of laughs at dinner and at our residence when we are there. It makes everything a little more bareable. 

So I am going to be sending home some clothes, and I am sure you have seen that I made a big purchase because like three of my skirts are not doable here and for the mission. They are modest but i have to keep making sure they are not riding up and that is such a pain when doing missionary work. So I bought some at the MTC bookstore. So hopefully you havent pulled everything out of my checking yet. Im so happy that you have more time off. You really need it. I worry a lot about everyone too but prayer is so real. So keep praying for them and studying from the scriptures. It will bless our family so much. I love you so much momma. I wouldn't be a missionary without your constant example and guidance in my life. I will send you pictures today! I LOVE YOU 

Ami 

First letter home

I made it! And I LOVE BEING HERE! Today has been really long and I am exhausted, but it's been wonderful. My companion is Sis. Hansen from Utah, and she is going to VA as well. My district is pretty cool. Us 4 sisters are going to VA as well as 1 Elder. The other 2 are going to OKC. We had a lot of meetings today, and had a big meeting where 30 of us taught investigators. It's been kind of a haze, but tomorrow is when the real MTC life begins. My p-day is Thursday so I won't be able to email until then. I'll only get one email home while I am here. I'm not sure how I am going to handle getting up at 6:30.... But I am excited to get started. I love everyone I am with. I promise I'll write more when I can. I love you all so much!
Sis. Stephens