Monday, November 17, 2014

November 17, 2014

Last Wednesday we had our mission conference with Elder Lawrence, it was so good! In the morning Sister Lawrence spoke, she talked about the house of Israel and what that means, the Abrahamic covenant, and the scattering and gathering of Israel, the word "elect". It was super good, I don't know that I have ever learned so much in such little time. Then Elder Lawrence talked about how we can have a better mission "culture" and it was really good as well. I think everyone wants to do better and do more. This weekend was the Phoenix Temple dedication, sadly that meant no investigators could be at church but it was good. President Monson is getting super old, I think in the next 10 years there will be a lot of change in the leadership (apostles) of the church. Not too much other stuff happened that is out of the ordinary, went on exchanges, my bike got stolen on exchanges but that's ok cause we have the van, had a few good lessons- one with Kyle, he is still progressing and doing good, he doesn't feel like he knows enough yet to set a baptism date but that's alright cause he's still brand new to it all. We read the book of Mormon quite a bit last week for our lessons with people to help make sure they read and understand what they read and all that. We have done a little service lately, helped a less active move, got our neighbor a couch, helped a catholic lady move boxes, a few other things. 1 Nephi 17:13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness (world); and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land (temple or heaven); and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led. Anyways, sorry this letter isn't any longer Mom! Love, Elder Stevenson

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

November 11, 2014

We had a good last week! It was my companion’s birthday so I made him a cake. Yesterday, Elder Lawrence from the 70 met with us, he is here for a mission tour and we will meet with him again tomorrow. We had Fast Sunday this week because last week was Stake Conference and it was unique. As a missionary we are always hoping our investigators will have a spiritual experience and being Fast Sunday it’s always a mystery... Well with that being said there was like 3 natives who bore their testimony about the "Indian placement program" back in the day where members of the church would foster an Indian for a while like a foreign exchanged student and so these 3 people came and visited there host family and talked about it. It was pretty dull, but the cool part was like all our investigators there were natives, Kyle and then Br. Cody and his grandsons. That pretty much makes up all the Indians in the ward so don't think there’s a lot. But it was just neat to see the Lord works in his ways and although a few testimonies might not have had an impact on some people they had an impact on other people. We had a lot of good lessons last week and pushed Nicole’s baptism date back until January, it’s a ways off but her son turns 8 then and can be baptized together so I think that is worth the wait! I am out of time but love you and pray for you! Elder Stevenson 1 Nephi 18:3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

Monday, November 3, 2014

November 3, 2014

This last week was great! Mary was baptized, no one remember a SD card reader but I do have pictures! Her baptism was good, her dad did it. It was a redneck baptism to say the least but a baptism is a baptism if it’s done properly and with authority, right? This was the last week of the temple open house and we went 2 times! We went once with Imran and Virginia, they really enjoyed the temple and had good questions, then they saw meet the Mormons with some members too. This week we will go over and have another lesson. We also went to the temple with Nicole (investigator) and John (recent convert)/father and a member, it was really good, I think we have built up a relationship with her and now she will progress more. We also went to the Mesa temple on Halloween! It was so great, our mission was invited and when we got there I saw Elder Alan in the dressing room and we got to go thru a session together! It was really cool :) Sadly we had a long drive and an early curfew so we had to jet and I wasn't able to take a picture with him outside the temple cause they weren't out yet.. We had a few other good lessons this last week as well and stake conference which was great. On Saturday we got up super early (like 4) and volunteered to help with a MS walk. There was a lot of people and we had a lot of fun! There was like 20 missionaries and I and my companion filled up big tubs with water bottles and ice. It was all in the back of a semi so we made a water wall and stacked it up on the back of the trailer. It was really cool! And the ice was in the other end of the trailer so for a few minutes i sat on the little ice room and it felt so good! The weather is cooling off and it’s great. 2 Nephi 32:9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul. Elder Stevenson

Sunday, November 2, 2014

October 29, 2014

Hello hello! I'm sorry I don't have time to read and reply to you emails family, but I printed it off and will read it later tonight. This week has been transfer week and today is our P-day and it went way to fast. We picked up a new truck right off the lot with like 2 miles on it and I got to drive it, then we did a helped and bunch of other stuff so anyways I only have a few minutes to email. Here is a quick recap: We had a ward party, chili cook off and trunk or treat; the Armstrong family came and won so that was really cool! Speaking of the Armstrong family Mary is still all set for her baptism on Saturday. We heard today from the secretary in the ward they lost bro Armstrong’s records and are trying to find them before Saturday... Hope they do! Another investigators mom just got married in SLC temple so we went to the reception at another church building in the stake and supported them and her and helped clean up afterward. It was really good! They are coming along. He has a Muslim background so any help would be great. Another super good lesson with a boyfriend in a part member family, he is native and doesn't have any background with any religion so we just went over the godhead and Heavenly Fathers plan for us and a little bit with families, it was neat! He is trying so I really hope his answer comes. We are starting to work with the church next door in service projects and things, it is a Scientology church, we went to their little "open house" (their church is sooo false and wicked by the way- foolishness of men, cunning and crafty ways of the devil) anyways they came to our chili cook off and it was cool to start building a relationship with them. Have a good week! Hope this letter makes sense, I didn't proof read it. Love Elder Stevenson