Tuesday, March 25, 2014

March 24, 2014

This week was a good week. On Thursday (we have been going on visits with the aux groups) and we went and saw Gwen and her mom molly and were visiting with molly mostly and talking about faith and hope and then somehow i got talking to Gwen and was just kidding with her (cause she always gets into a shell when baptism is mentioned) and said did you decide when you’re going to get baptized yet? And she likes yes I did, May 3rd! And we were all in shock, even her mom and I guess all the prayers have been working on her and she is finally ready and I am really excited! Then on Saturday we had a lesson with Gwen on the word of wisdom and it was food but it was kind of sad when she said she would follow it and that she would be an example for her mom and wanted to throw all her coffee and tea away.. Parents are supposed to be the example. We have still been seeing the grandparents, we were just talking to his grandpa one day and he really opened up to us and confessed his whole life and all the crazy stories and it was neat. They did enjoy church and were out of town yesterday and going to be for a while but hopefully can watch conference with them and get them back to church. We had zone conference and it was really cool I learned a lot about of different things about the atonement I hadn’t heard before. We did some service for a guy named Jim again and he said we can teach him so tonight we will be doing a lesson with him! Split some wood one morning, that’s always fun. We were visiting the bishop one day, his daughter was over who's LA and was offended when she was in her youth and pretty anti church but they said we could come visit after some hesitation and finally on Friday we got to go see them, her husband/boyfriend just lost a daughter and we were able to talk about the plan of salvation with them. It went really well and they said we can come back Tuesday for another lesson and steak! Steak must mean they like us right? We are going to teach the restoration now, did thing a little backwards but it’s what they needed. D&C58:42-43 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. By this ye may know that if a man repenteth of his sins- behold, he will CONFESS them and FORSAKE them. I really like those last two words that we admit what we've done and we stop doing it. It’s like when we were growing up and mom would say when you say sorry your saying you’re not going to do it again. Well it’s the same way with repentance. Have a great week family, I love you. Elder Stevenson

Sunday, March 23, 2014

March 17, 2014

A lot of stuff happened this past week! Seeing the Barton’s sure was awesome and glad they took time out of there trip to see me. Yesterday Elder Judd spoke in church and we got his grandparents to come and listen to it! It was good, we are going to see them tonight and see what they thought of it, we saw them last Monday also and we invited them to hear the message of the gospel and they didn't say yes but they didn’t say no either so that’s better than just hearing no like before. We saw bonnie on Tuesday and talked about the plan of salvation, it went great, especially talking about the next life and seeing her kids again that she's lost. The bad part came 2 days later when she called and said not to come back cause ever since she broke up with her X, we remind her of him since that’s how we met her which stinks but hopefully even if we don’t end up teaching her other missionaries can teach her instead later down the road. We decided we want to meet everyone in the ward directory, whether active or less active and we started with the names we didn’t know. We met one man who has been inactive since a kid but said lately every time he drives by the church he feels like he needs to go to it and change his life around, then on Sunday guess what? he came to church and sat right next to me and enjoyed it!! We also met another guy who was agnostic and that was weird to hear what he believed but he said he is open for us coming and talking and hopes that there is a god and will let us help him find the way. There were a few other people we met but they weren’t really as receptive or open to us. I'm about out of time... Have a great week! Matt 20:26-28 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Love Elder Stevenson

Thursday, March 13, 2014

March 10, 2014

On Tuesday we got to go to the temple in snowflake, it was awesome! I think one of the best things about the temple is the peace that is there and the spirit that is there and how if you go with a question and an open your heart the spirit help you get that answer. I definitely got an answer to a mine :) We got there early and were able to do an endowment session and baptisms which is rare, usually just endowments. It was lots of fun and it was cool to baptize and be a confirmer, I haven't done either of those in the temple before. We had a lesson with Chris and taught her the restoration. It went really well. Elder Judd took the lead in teaching and he is doing great! It was kinda weird to sit back and relax and let him take the reins. We have started doing auxiliary visits where one night a week we go out and go see someone with a member of the bishopric, HP, elders, RS, etc. and it was good, I think they will continue to be and also help built unity in the ward. I hope you’re ready for some bad news. Levi who has been living with the Waldrops (member family) who works for the county and lives in a county owned house, the county said since he isn’t family he can't live there anymore, and so on Friday morning he moved to Winslow which is north 50 miles and out of the mission and our area :( It is covered by the Farmington mission so maybe Logan Anderson will get to finish teaching him! He's in a temporary home for about a week and hopefully he can find a stable place to live and a job and most of all the missionaries will be able to get in contact with him and he will be taken care of. On a better note! Yesterday at church a man named frank, and his daughter came to church with a ward member! He wants to change his life around and find Christ; well he sure did come to the right place!!! He said we can start teaching him soon but not quite yet because his girlfriend is less active and he needs to warm up a little more then we can teach him but he enjoyed church and wants to come back!! We have been visiting a little with a nonmember who has had a lot of trials and a rough life, she said we can talk about how families can be together forever and we are going over tomorrow! D&C43:11 Purge ye out of iniquity which is among you; sanctify yourselves before me. This is short verse but something all of us need to do and keep doing. Have a wonderful week family! Love Elder Stevenson

March 3, 2014

Hello! Last week was good, yesterday was the Gilbert temple dedication, it was really good, and the only bad this was since it was in replace of church no one that we work with could come because it you have to have a temple recommend. We saw the Grandparents, they are actually also having us over for dinner tonight, we had some questions prepared to ask them but it didn't feel right so maybe tonight will be right. We are still working with Levi, hopefully his appeal won’t take too long and he will be able to get baptized pronto. We talked about the priesthood last time; he is doing well, and had a lot of good questions for us that made us stretch our knowledge too. We had dinner and a lesson with Paul and Betsy and they are still doing well. There's a guy named AL the barber who is pretty cool we talk to him and he needs the gospel so much and he has a son who has a mental illness the gospel could benefit them so much, but we will keep on seeing him and maybe one day! Gwen’s had family in the hospital for the past while so we haven’t been able to go see them at their house. D&C122:7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness,and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee,know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. Have a great week! Love, Elder Stevenson