Transfer week. Basically the week that delays Pday 2 days

Hi everyone!

This week was nuts! First things first, I am now a Sister Training Leader.... Pray for me.

Next, WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE TWICE!!!!

Ok, the first time was to do the work for some of Sister Hurst's family names and the second time was when we were able to take 5 investigators to the Phoenix Temple Open House. Honestly, when we did the family names, it was a phenomenal experience! It was so cool to do the baptism and confirmation and then go straight up the stairs to do the rest of the work! I felt my excitement and happiness grow with every step we took up those stairs, knowing that this person wouldn't have to wait any longer to have those saving ordinances done. It was amazing! The open house trip was amazing as well! Sis Hurst and I were really nervous at first because our group actually got split. One of the couples that had come with us, Mary and Donny, were split up and you could tell that he wasn't enjoying the tour without her. But a major miracle happened! As we were leaving the Celestial Room, Donny saw Mary further back in the line, just about to enter the Celestial Room and he immediately hopped the line and went back to be with her and they were able to see the Celestial and sealing rooms together. They cried and held hands the entire time, it was so tender :)

Ok now everyone, be prepared to be shocked: I played the piano, as a musical number, in District Meeting. Yep. I was so nervous that my hands shook the whole time that I played and I cut a few sections out of the piece, but I played. I expect you all to have cake and ice cream in celebration of me facing that fear. I'm definitely going to have pie this week in celebration.

Let's see. Other good news of the week... We helped Sis. Lisonbee with some of the questions that she had about familysearch! We also helped her understand how to use the camera on her tablet. We got some funny pictures :)

Also, we got a surprise email this week from our mission president. We get to go to the temple on Friday!!! Apparently they need patrons on Halloween, so they invited all of the missionaries to come to the temple from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. Yep, 3 hours in the happiest place on earth. I feel so blessed! Also, this transfer is our "temple transfer" so we'll be going to the temple as a mission this transfer as well! Yep. Pretty awesome!

Well, I love you all so much and I'm so excited for the holidays! Take some pictures of the snow and the fall leaves and send them to me! Right now, it feels like spring down here, but it's getting progressively cooler. I'll just keep praying for snow on Christmas and hopefully it'll happen :)

Love,

Steph

pic: us with Lisa at the temple 

There's a bright golden haze round the city! The palms are as high as an elephant's eye! And the skyscrapers' climbin clear up to the sky!

This week was pretty awesome. The highlight of the week was Saturday. "why?" you may ask. Well, here is the reason...

I have a new companion. His name is Thor. He doesn't like dogs and bad men and will protect me from all such things. Also, he smells like pepper. His code name is: Mace.

Ha, had you thinking that I had gotten a new companion didn't I? Nope, Sister Hurst and I are still out here in good ole Mesa 25th ward, on our bikes, braving the city elements as well as any Chihuahua that crosses our path. This week was actually a pretty great week! 

On Tuesday, we got to go to the Phoenix Temple Open House with one of our investigators, Marcel, and it was AMAZING! It reminds me about how much I LOVE the temple! Also, Sister Hurst got special permission to go do ordinances for her family this week, so I'm super excited to tag along.

We had something really sad happen on Monday. One of our less-actives, Bryan, passed away suddenly. We were at the apartment complex when the police were there and it was really really hard for us all. The next day, we dropped by one of his good friends, Lisa, who was baptized a little over a year ago. She was struggling a bit, so we shared the Plan of Salvation with her and answered her questions about the Spirit World. I was able to share with her the hope that the Plan of Salvation gives us. And it testified even more to me about how perfect this plan is and that it is real. I KNOW, without a doubt, that there is more to come after this life. I also know that we have that potential to be with our families forever. That's why we have temples. That's why we need to constantly strive to remain worthy to enter the temple, because that means that we're worthy to enter into our Heavenly Father's presence after this life. This life really is the time to prepare to meet God. And I'm so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a modern day prophet that can give us that guidance that we need to return to live with our families and Heavenly Father again.

In other news, I gave a training this week in District Meeting that was pretty awesome. I don't remember most of what I talked about. I just know that I had prepared for a completely different topic and the Lord used me as his mouthpiece to say what really needed to be said. I was terrified to listen to the prompting, but as soon as I did, I was given the power that I needed to complete the training. So much so, that when I sat down afterwards, I wasn't shaking at all. And I'm usually shaking after I've been standing up in front of people, so that was definitely a miracle.

Anyway, I pray for you all every day, but I would like to make my prayers a bit more specific (remember my setting apart blessing? I was ADMONISHED to pray for you all). SO, just let me know if you would like me to pray for anything specific. And you know I will, because I love you all

T----------------H------------I-----------S----------------M------------U---------------C--------------H!!!!

Love,

Steph

Also, no pics because I forgot to charge my camera, so I didn't get a pic of me riding my bike in a rainstorm, but now you know it happened and that I enjoyed EVERY SECOND OF IT! :) And I may or may not have leaped over some puddles while  Singing in the rain haha

Sis Lee Missionary Letter (You know you want to read this) haha

Dear everyone,

So this week has been pretty cool. And I mean that literally. IT HAS FINALLY COOLED OFF!!!! WOOHOOO!!! It hasn't reached the point yet where I can wear my scarves, but it's getting there!!

This week was a bit nuts. First of all, all of the Elders in our zone having been puking the whole week and the Sisters have been avoiding them to prevent infection. This was especially funny when we had our big Zone Conference this last week and the whole zone HAD to meet. So, the half circle of chairs was divided. On the left side of the room, you had the infected elders. On the right side of the room, you had the healthy elders. And right smack in the middle were all of the Sisters, armed with scented hand-sanitizers. It was hilarious because every time someone coughed or sneezed, a new Bath and Body Works scent would waft across the room. I've never really appreciated hand sanitizer as much as I have on my mission. You NEVER want to get sick. Ever. Period. So, that being said, guess who was sick this week? Yeah. It was no bueno. But despite that, we did a lot of work!

This week we met with John several times. John is an awesome guy! He's led a really tough life, but he's making huge strides to change. It's really hard to get out of the drug world, especially with the background that he has, but he's doing it! And we're so happy because he's decided to stop smoking as well! AND (yes, this guy is full of miracles) he came to our scripture study class this week! AND he came to church! I wanted shake his hand and then sing and dance around the room because I was so happy! Fortunately, I refrained from singing and dancing, but I shook his hand and gave him a super sincere smile. He also stayed for the full 3 hours. This man is a gem. He also offered the services of some of his "friends" if we ever had any issues with someone in the area. We politely declined, but it was a nice gesture on his part. So, mother, I'm going to be ok. There are TONS of people here that look out for the missionaries besides the 2060 stripling warriors, grandpa Lee, and Captain Moroni :)

Also, this week we had interviews and I may or may not have been practicing the piano in the chapel while I waited. It was so great to have the chance to play the piano! I wish that I could play better and I wish I'd listened to dad when he said that I should practice the hymns, but I'm sure I'll be able to teach myself or get lessons after the mission.

So no pics this week (sorry) so I'll give you an embarrassing story from this morning instead. Another Sister is spending the day with us and her zone leaders were going to drop off her bike. Well, it never registered in my brain that they would do it this morning. So, I'm walking from the front room of the house back to where we stay and I have to pass by the front door. As I'm walking past the door in my pjs I look through the glass (yep, glass door) and I see the elders on the door-step right about to knock. Well, I wasn't expecting that, so my first reaction was to squeal and run back into the room I came from. Well, the sisters got a kick out of it and they took care of the bike and everything while I hid. Apparently the elders got a kick out of it as well... fun times fun times.

Well, I love you all and I pray for you every day! Have an amazing week!

Love,
Steph

And the temperature comes a tumblin' down!

HELLO EVERYONE!

This week has been... pretty good actually. The weather is getting really really nice. Also, you definitely know that you're doing the right thing if Satan is trying to discourage you. Prime reason being that we had some pretty amazing miracles this week.

Miracle #1: CONFERENCE!!!

I absolutely LOVED General Conference! It just makes me think of this same time last year when I was conked out on the couch after my Wisdom Teeth surgery. I think I got much more out of Conference this time around. Also, dad: I realize that I didn't give you my omelet order, but I hope there was an honorary omelet made for me this conference!

Anyway, the talks were absolutely phenomenal! I wrote down a bunch of questions right before the Saturday morning session and I had every single one of them answered! Crazy, right?! Nope, not crazy because those speakers were led by the Spirit as to what they should talk about. Proof that the Spirit of God is at work among the children of men and that the Lord is concerned with all of us INDIVIDUALLY. And because these speakers were inspired, they answered ALL of my questions :)

Miracle #2:

This week we were able to have AMAZING lessons with some of our investigators! One of them, is awesome because he knows that there is something missing in his life and he wants to know what it is. Enter the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, which he says makes perfect sense! The only hitch is that his mother has refused her permission for him to be baptized until she passes away. So, right now we're praying, not only for his progress, but that his mother's heart will be softened.

Miracle #3: Meet the Mormons

We got to watch Meet the Mormons this week!!!! It was so cool! It's really kind of like a documentary, showing the lives of different members of the church and how they live their beliefs in their everyday life despite their different cultures and backgrounds. It was amazing! I would definitely watch it again! Also, the success of opening weekend determines how long the movie is in theaters (yes, actual movie theaters). So, if you can, go see it on opening weekend. You won't regret it. I laughed so hard at some points and at others, it was hard to hold the tears back. It's an amazing movie that you can go to and invite everyone to watch. It doesn't preach, it doesn't bible bash, it shows how we live our beliefs. And I LOVED it! I really liked ALL of the stories. They were really really awesome.

Miracle #3: The parable of the multiplying tic tacs

Actually, that's a really funny story. Sister Hurst had asked if I had any mints and I said "Yes!". I then reached into my bag and pulled out my little container of tic tacs. Unfortunately, there were only 2 tic tacs left. Despite that fact, I gave my companion one of the tic tacs and I ate the other. I was disheartened because I knew that I would need a tic tac later in the day and I knew that I didn't have any left. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the sorrow of my soul, I later reached into my bag to discard the once full tic tac container. However, when I lifted the container out of my bag, there were 2 additional tic tacs inside! Yep. Pretty cool huh? haha

Anyway, I love you all and I love hearing from you all. I hope that, no matter where we are, we always remember our Savior and his sacrifice for us and that we continuously strive to utilize the atonement in our lives. I know that I feel the strength of the Atonement especially when I'm reading my scriptures, praying sincerely, and taking the sacrament. Those are three of the greatest blessings that we have been given. Because I've read the scriptures, prayed, and partaken of the sacrament, I KNOW that my Redeemer lives. And that knowledge is the most comfort that we can receive in ANY circumstance. I know that the priesthood power has been restored to the earth and that worthy Melchizedek priesthood holders have the authority from God to give us blessings. I know this because I recently received a blessing that addressed concerns that the Elder giving the blessing knew nothing about. I KNOW that Christ's church has been restored to the earth and that we are ESSENTIAL to the hastening of the work.

Love,
Steph

pic: 1) Ahh Mosquitos. The one creature that I'm still trying to discover a purpose for. Total "bite" count? 73
2) This is my greenie that I'm part-time training while our companions go on exchanges. Her name is Sister Richards and she is the bomb!