April 14, 2014

Happy Easter this week!! Another weekly update- As for Kathy and Jim- We had a good lesson with them on faith and what our faith should be based upon. There is a movie called finding faith in Christ that is good that we watched with them. The only hold up for them is Cathy and the priesthood; she feels men and women are not equal in our church because they don't hold the priesthood. We tried explaining it to her and printed Elder Oaks talk from conference but they are actually out of town for about a week for a funeral so we will see them when they are back. After the lesson we got talking and thinking about what to do and the idea came that she needs to pray about it and study and get her own answer; just like everything else in the gospel! Elder Judd got sick one day with the flu but it didn't last too long. Gwen is still doing great getting ready for her baptism. We had a lesson on tithing with her and it went good. Trying to think outside the box and make it creative we went to the store and changed a dollar for pennies and used the pennies as a visual to help her understand and also took a tithing slip and she filled it out and wanted to give 50 cents instead of just 10 so that was neat. But then on Sunday morning she forgot it so she couldn't give it to the bishop! We had Zone Training Meeting and that's always a good learning experience. We have a new investigator I think I mentioned last week, his name is Butch and taught him the restoration. It went pretty good actually. He had an engine from a car or something drop on him when he was a mechanic and it caused some brain damage and it’s hard to understand him. I know that handicapped people do not need to be baptized but 'm not sure what the definition is for someone to be "handicapped" because this day in age there are people we see all the time that say I can't work I'm emotionally handicapped and stuff like that which is true somewhat but they still can think and be ok... so what is the limit on someone who is disabled? Any ideas? We went to the casino on the reservation and went gambling. That was fun I made some money! Hah no we did go to the casino to the bingo hall to help set up for a big business showcase and the events. Helped move and get rid of old electronics. It is crazy how many things old people have. We helped two guys and there was like 6 TV's, a few computers, printers, antique things like air force transmitters, got rid of all that. We are still going through the ward list seeing people we don't know and we met one lady and ended up knowing her dad as an active member but he has cancer and is in the hospital and talked for an hour and committed her to coming back to church. But then she wasn't there Sunday. There was a youth fireside yesterday that was excellent, the speaker talked about Apollo 13 and related it to our journey home and we are the ship and Houston is God. Happy Easter, remember him, remember He Lives! I don't think I have sent this….but its good either way- D&C122:7-8 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. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Love you lots, Elder Stevenson

April 7, 2014

Well it seems like I just wrote a letter so this one may be a bit shorter. This week has been pretty crazy, let’s see- On Thursday and Friday we taught seminary because the teacher needed a sub and that was pretty fun, I know how I probably looked from a teacher perspective now and wish I had of paid better attention. We had a lesson with Chris and talked about the word of wisdom, something she has been struggling with but it was a really good lesson and she has such a desire to live the gospel and put of the natural man. We helped get a foundation ready for pavers and digging in the hard AZ rocky dirt is sure fun. Actually it was too bad except a huge 300 lb. rock in the path we had to move. Then we went home to change but ended up doing more service, power washing a deck to get all the pine sap off and raking the roof for pine needles and the rain gutters. We had dinner on Friday with a member family and they invited some friends they have been working with (Brenda and Ernie) that have been reading the Book of Mormon and we got told before we went over "Don't teach a lesson or push them" but then while we were there we shared a little scripture after dinner like usual and that really opened up the conversation and after we left they were talking some more. We got a call from the members the next day saying after you left Brenda said she thinks she is thinking about being baptized! And we haven't even taught them yet! They are weekenders and before have kinda said we don't want the missionaries to teach us but now that we had dinner with them and met them and they see were normal we think they will be receptive to us also. Miracles are everywhere :) On Friday our floor in the bathroom was wet so we told our landlord/member we live by and he got looking at it and ended up tearing up the shower and toilet and bathroom floor and found the leak is coming from under the bathtub and the wood on the floor is all wet. Well at that point our place was a mess and he said it wouldn't be done till Monday so we talked to a few ward members and in no time one offered us to stay in their guest home/side home thing so that's where we have been for a couple days. We just barely found out it will be Thursday before we can go back in but that's ok because the place we are in now is awesome and it has an oven! Thursday because that's how long it will be till the wood that was under the floor will take to dry. Conference was great. On Saturday we watched some of it at the grandparents’ house and it was funny, before when we asked they said sure you can watch but don't expect us to watch with you so we went and his grandpa ended up watching with us and enjoying it and after the first session his grandma made us lunch and we got talking and she was really stubborn before but she's like when is the afternoon session done and she said well maybe I’ll be back from the store by then, she wasn't back but it's a big step. I loved conference! It is packed with so much good that the whole world needs to smarten up and listen to and we would be so much better off. A few things that stood out to me, being a disciple of Jesus Christ and following him. Lots of talk about trials and I liked the one about being grateful no matter our circumstance and the story of "the load". Now is the time to prepare to meet God, the example of the 4 minutes and how this is our performance time. Lots of good things about loving our fellow man and serving him. In the talk about following up, I want to ask each of you who you have invited to listen to the missionaries in the last 3 months? If no one you better find 2 people to invite during the next 3 months. :) Well, have a good week, share the gospel! Love Elder Stevenson

March 31, 2014

Well I don’t even know where to start my letter this week. So much has happened! I'll tell you want I remember from last week but I just got a new planner so I don't remember some of it. But we had a lesson with Jim and Kathy Cotney (the brother of the members we are living with). We went over the restoration and it was good. We got a little deep into some things but it was actually a good thing because it was things that they had questions about so we were helping answer them. Then the Monday a couple days ago we saw them again and taught the plan of salvation, it also went very well. They are pretty quiet and reserved people so they are reluctant to come to church but they did agree to watch conference with us this week at our members house! And they have been reading the Book of Mormon! Yay!! We also found a new investigator whose name is john, he has got a big Santa beard and I’m trying to figure if he's crazy or what but he's a nice guy and was a referral from a less active- Steve we have also been working with so it has been great to work with both of them at the same time and hopefully can bring both of them in together and in a sense kill 2 birds with one stone. We went over the restoration with John and everything just clicked and made sense. It was awesome and he has been reading the Book of Mormon with Steve and then yesterday saw John again and talked about the plan of salvation. It still always amazed me people go so far in their life and have no idea where they came from, why we are here, or what the hereafter holds. I enjoy seeing people enlightened :) it gives a little hope and joy for the things to come. We saw Jerry and Michelle and talked about the restoration with them. It went alright, it wasn't as good as when we talked about the plan of salvation but hopefully we can go back and teach them again, (they said they were a little busy and didn't know there schedule yet) I hate when people say that! But the things we have been talking to them about are things that have been touching them we can tell. On Thursday I think it was one of the best days so far of being a missionary. The missionary department came down from SLC and visited us and there is what is called MLC for all the zone leaders and somehow I got invited to go to it with a few other missionaries who usually don’t go cause there was visitors and it was amazing. A man named bro Hemingway (head of missionary Proselyting) and brother Ware (head of missionary planning) and in the morning President Sweeny taught us and that was really good. Then Brother Hemingway opened up by letting us ask any questions we wanted to about missionary work and I learned so much and he knew right where to turn in PMG and the scriptures for every answer. We were taught about teaching simply, as CJ calls it, KISS- keep it simple stupid, or keep it short & sweet. And also coming to realize how important the quality of planning every night is. Many other cool things learned but I won’t go into too much details. Well I could just keep writing and writing but I’m about out of time so I hope you have a greet week! Don't forget, Share the gospel! It's the most important thing we have! Isaiah 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone... Christ was completely alone as he suffered for us in all things. We know that, he was alone so we don't have to be. Love, Elder Stevenson

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

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

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