February 3, 2014

Like last week, this morning we went hiking, we went to a place called the Tonto natural land bridge. It was a huge arch thing with a creek in the middle, it was really cool. 

We had a lesson with Gwen again this week and it was really good, she opened up to us and we had a good chat about how to make our lessons more fun (more crafts) and she wants to go on a hike.. All this hiking, I'm going crazy! And went over prayer with her and we thought she knew how to pray cause she previously said she did and then said she didn't and so we taught her and said we can only go on a hike if you say a prayer before well be able to be safe and no one will get hurt :) She said yes. 

A little bad news...Sky and Katelynn, 2 of the girls we've been working with that are planning to be baptized on Feb 15. Well they are in foster care and living with active members but the parents still have parental rights even though they can’t see the kids and we ran into the girls mom at the church (thought she was in jail for abuse and drugs...) and she said I'm not going to let them get baptized until I have them all back under my roof and I can plan the baptism and a bunch of other selfish stuff, so then last night we figured out where she’s living and went and saw her and shared a little message and gave her a BOM and when she warms up a little more well bring it back up. 

Stake conference was this week and it was really good! The Saturday night session was hastening the work and it was amazing! And the best part was after it was over one of our members from blue ridge branch we cover came up and said hello and introduced us to a guy named Levi and we started talking to him and he wants to learn about the church and he's been reading the BOM and loved stake conference and went through the Gilbert temple open house and I am so excited because I can definitely see him joining the church :) And the best part is he's over 18… He doesn't need parent consent!! ha-ha and then Sunday morning he came back for stake conference and enjoyed that as well! I am still sooo grateful and thankful we could be blessed with someone to work with and someone who wants to learn why he is here and his purpose in life and I am excited to start teaching him! This is going to be a good week!

 

We have started doing scripture text messages every day to everyone who has a phone and says we can send them to them and it is amazing, people are willing to let us send them to them even when they don’t want to hear the gospel and it really warms them right up and helps us get a lot more united with the members too.

Love you,

Elder Stevenson