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