Hi everyone!!
This past week was pretty insane! On monday we had exchanges, so I didn't get to learn how to milk a cow (service project!) but the exchange itself was so much fun! We've discovered that service is absolutely amazing at getting people to open up to us! Of course, everyone up here is pretty self-sufficient, so we normally have to be very specific in our service requests. We've brushed horses, cleaned kitchens, stacked wood, milked cows (I wasn't there for that... sadness), helped till a garden, split wood, etc. What can I say, you do what you've got to do to show your love for the people. And if you don't feel like you love them, serve them! It works pretty well.
Anyway, Tuesday we went around to all of the Spanish families (I was in the other area) and I really wanted to kick myself for not practicing my Spanish more when I was in high school. namely because I could only understand every other or every three words that they spoke. Sso I've decided that I'm going to study the Book of Mormon in Spanish AND English. End of story!
But it was really cool and the dinner that we had with one of the members was amazing because she made Cafe Rio. Let me say this again: she made HOME-MADE PORK BARBACOA CAFE RIO AMAZINGNESS!!!! Yep, if you can't tell, I've missed having my favorite restaurants just 5 minutes away. I think the nearest Cafe Rio is in Phoenix or Albuquerque. And the nearest Panda Express is supposedly in Snowflake, but I've never seen it. This is what happens when they send you to the boonies, but I absolutely LOVE it here! On Wednesday, we had interviews with President Sweeney and sister Goodwin and I had a very specific question for him. His answer stunned, surprised, amazed, (whatever word you can use in this context to describe jaw-dropping). Anyway, the short story is..... drumroll please....
WE GET TO GO ON TREK!!!!!
Yep. We got permission to go on trek because of all of the non-members that will be going (including some of our investigators) and because it's a very unique teaching opportunity. So we're madly trying to get everything together for it, but the ward members are being super helpful. So, could you possibly send my blue pioneer skirt, bonnet, and my steel-toe boots? If not, I'm sure I'll be able to scrounge something up :)
Friday was very special because it was my birthday! I woke up to a bed covered in balloons with one floating over my face (which scared me to death!) and we opened presents (no worries, I re-opened both of the packages you sent). Then, one of our members took us to breakfast! After that, we drove up to Alpine to help look after a 90+ year old woman. We stayed up there for lunch, visited a few people, then came back home and finished our lunch-time with a nap. I love naps, they are amazing things; especially if you don't get to take them very often. After our nap, we tried to visit a few people and then went to a service project. We are currently helping one of the women in our ward with a quilt. She's HAND-QUILTING a 1500+ piece quilt, so we offered our services so that she can get it done faster. We then had a lesson with one of our investigators on the Law of Chastity (the topic that all missionaries love to teach) and we got her on date for baptism for the 24th of this month! She came to church this week and even is participating in the stake choir for stake conference with one of our other investigators! It's pretty amazing! Later that evening we went and got shakes before our next lesson and we ran into a few less-actives at DQ. What can I say, the Lord inspired us to get milkshakes :) That, and we gave the 1st vision in 3 different languages (Spanish, English and Portuguese) as our message for our members. I know, it's pretty legit.
Fast Sunday was pretty fantastic as well. We finally got a ride to church for one of our investigators and her 5 kids. They were all so excited to come to church and one of her kids (who is 11) got up and bore her testimony!! It was the sweetest, most spiritual experience that I have had on my entire mission! Anyway, in both wards we had a total of 7 investigators at church! The Lord will bless us in so many ways when we sincerely pray and fast for others.
I know that when we pray sincerely, Heavenly Father will answer our prayers. I was reading in Nephi this morning and it was where Lehi is talking about his dream (1nephi8) and he said that AFTER he had prayed, he saw the tree of life. We are told in 2nephi25:23 that it is "by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." I know that as we keep the covenants that we have made at baptism and in the temple, that the windows of heaven will open and that the Lord will pour out a blessing that we won't have room enough to receive it (Malachi 8:10 i think). I have seen so many blessings up here! Not just for me, but in the lives of the people that are sincerely looking for the Gospel and looking for the truth. It is such an amazing privilege to be the tool in the Lord's hands to accomplish his work and I'm so happy that Andrew, Amy and I get to see these blessings unfold. Not just in our lives, but in the lives of others. It truly is a great work and a wonder.
Love,
Steph
The pic is of my bed covered in balloons (we did end up playing balloon baseball later in the day) hopefully I'll have more to send next week.
Speaking of, next week is transfers, so I won't be emailing until Wednesday (I have it on really good authority that I'll be here for at least another transfer, which I am SO GRATEFUL for)
This past week was pretty insane! On monday we had exchanges, so I didn't get to learn how to milk a cow (service project!) but the exchange itself was so much fun! We've discovered that service is absolutely amazing at getting people to open up to us! Of course, everyone up here is pretty self-sufficient, so we normally have to be very specific in our service requests. We've brushed horses, cleaned kitchens, stacked wood, milked cows (I wasn't there for that... sadness), helped till a garden, split wood, etc. What can I say, you do what you've got to do to show your love for the people. And if you don't feel like you love them, serve them! It works pretty well.
Anyway, Tuesday we went around to all of the Spanish families (I was in the other area) and I really wanted to kick myself for not practicing my Spanish more when I was in high school. namely because I could only understand every other or every three words that they spoke. Sso I've decided that I'm going to study the Book of Mormon in Spanish AND English. End of story!
But it was really cool and the dinner that we had with one of the members was amazing because she made Cafe Rio. Let me say this again: she made HOME-MADE PORK BARBACOA CAFE RIO AMAZINGNESS!!!! Yep, if you can't tell, I've missed having my favorite restaurants just 5 minutes away. I think the nearest Cafe Rio is in Phoenix or Albuquerque. And the nearest Panda Express is supposedly in Snowflake, but I've never seen it. This is what happens when they send you to the boonies, but I absolutely LOVE it here! On Wednesday, we had interviews with President Sweeney and sister Goodwin and I had a very specific question for him. His answer stunned, surprised, amazed, (whatever word you can use in this context to describe jaw-dropping). Anyway, the short story is..... drumroll please....
WE GET TO GO ON TREK!!!!!
Yep. We got permission to go on trek because of all of the non-members that will be going (including some of our investigators) and because it's a very unique teaching opportunity. So we're madly trying to get everything together for it, but the ward members are being super helpful. So, could you possibly send my blue pioneer skirt, bonnet, and my steel-toe boots? If not, I'm sure I'll be able to scrounge something up :)
Friday was very special because it was my birthday! I woke up to a bed covered in balloons with one floating over my face (which scared me to death!) and we opened presents (no worries, I re-opened both of the packages you sent). Then, one of our members took us to breakfast! After that, we drove up to Alpine to help look after a 90+ year old woman. We stayed up there for lunch, visited a few people, then came back home and finished our lunch-time with a nap. I love naps, they are amazing things; especially if you don't get to take them very often. After our nap, we tried to visit a few people and then went to a service project. We are currently helping one of the women in our ward with a quilt. She's HAND-QUILTING a 1500+ piece quilt, so we offered our services so that she can get it done faster. We then had a lesson with one of our investigators on the Law of Chastity (the topic that all missionaries love to teach) and we got her on date for baptism for the 24th of this month! She came to church this week and even is participating in the stake choir for stake conference with one of our other investigators! It's pretty amazing! Later that evening we went and got shakes before our next lesson and we ran into a few less-actives at DQ. What can I say, the Lord inspired us to get milkshakes :) That, and we gave the 1st vision in 3 different languages (Spanish, English and Portuguese) as our message for our members. I know, it's pretty legit.
Fast Sunday was pretty fantastic as well. We finally got a ride to church for one of our investigators and her 5 kids. They were all so excited to come to church and one of her kids (who is 11) got up and bore her testimony!! It was the sweetest, most spiritual experience that I have had on my entire mission! Anyway, in both wards we had a total of 7 investigators at church! The Lord will bless us in so many ways when we sincerely pray and fast for others.
Love,
Steph
The pic is of my bed covered in balloons (we did end up playing balloon baseball later in the day) hopefully I'll have more to send next week.
Speaking of, next week is transfers, so I won't be emailing until Wednesday (I have it on really good authority that I'll be here for at least another transfer, which I am SO GRATEFUL for)
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