November 24, 2014

Hi Family, This last week was not quite what was expected. Elder DeBruin has been struggling with a few things and this last Tuesday evening we were visiting a Less active, Inez and she President called us I had the phone so talked to him first then Elder Debruin talked to him, he said there would be a transfer that night and that my companion would be staying at the mission home for a little while. My companion got all packed up and was pretty sad but we said bye to a few people quickly and went to the mission office. I met my new companion there, his name is Elder Freckleton, and he’s from Idaho Falls. I will try and send a picture of us together. Elder Debruin went home on Friday. Here is an update of the other things that happened last week: We are teaching the Deleon family (family working towards the temple) and talked about Patriarchal blessings and they are doing really good, sadly one of the extended family members on the reservation froze to death this last weekend and they it is pretty sad. Thank goodness for the atonement and knowledge of the Resurrection. I hope they can find peace. We are still working with the Highley's (John, Nicole, Gannon) plus James. James is more of a family friend but is staying with them for a while and we have started teaching him when we teach Nicole. John is good, he helps us as we teach and testify. He joined about 8 months ago. Nicole is doing ok, but it has been hard to get her to church, if she doesn't start showing some more fruits we might have to stop teaching her. On the bright side we picked up James, he has been reading the book of Mormon and we taught Nicole the word of wisdom and he was there too. He has barely been taught the basics but accepted the Word of Wisdom so that was pretty cool! We also taught him the restoration this last week. We are still working with Blain and helping him get to the temple, he is doing great and keeps all commitments and appointments, and it’s just a matter of time before he can go to the temple. We talked a little more about the plan of salvation with him last week. Sister Fussell is doing well, her husband took offense to us (I might have said that already?) but we are still meeting with her and helping get her to the temple and tobacco free. We talked to her during church and she said her husband was confused and that's why he got mad but she explained things out to him and he has thoughts about joining the church. We are still teaching the Armstrong family- we talked this last time about things that led to Mary's baptism and then talked about things they need to do to be sealed as a family. We made a list of things to go over with them and have an appointment tonight to talk about the Family Proclamation. We had exchanges Thursday and I spend the day with Elder Turner, it was a great day! We went to see an "unknown" person on the list of our 800 members and found out that person had moved and then as we were in the van updating records a man came from the other side of the street and wanted to talk, so we rolled down our windows and he just wanted to say hi and see if we needed water or anything, found out he used to be taught by missionaries a while back but then moved and now has a wife and 2 kids 13 and 8. His name is Juan and he wants us to start teaching him and his family, and gets his kids involved in the gospel. It was cool. We also were going to see an investigator and talked to a guy taking out the trash, he was less active and took us to meet his brother who he is staying with who is less active and his family. The cool thing was we were looking for that family but they moved apartments in a huge complex and it was a miracle we ran into them. We had a couple similar experiences this week also. We are helping the French speaking sister teach some people, we don't really do much except escort them because where they go is pretty dangerous for sisters. We had Zone Conference last week and it was really good. Talked about the mission tour, and a few other things. December there will be 3 articles in the Ensign that will help you do your missionary work and you even get pass along cards to use! Here is a link to check out tomorrow http://www.mormon.org/christmas/countdown Also dad you should just put a stack of Mormon pass along cards at your store for people to take. I'm trying to make this letter long for mom, but running out of things to say.. One day we out and felt like we should see the Bonito's (that’s Kyle - investigators family) and so we talked went over and talked to the family even though we knew Kyle wasn't home so we just chatted on the door step for a minute with Celeste (his more than girlfriend, not quite wife) about how he is liking being taught and thoughts of the gospel and what not (she is never home for our lessons with him) and talked about how the gospel blesses families and things he has said to us about how his family is the world to him but he doesn't really express that to her so she was crying and it was good. Church was good, Kyle and the family was there. Brother and Sister Cody were there, it’s been hard to meet with them. They have been busy, but hopefully this week. We are reading the Book of Mormon before the end of the year and marking all of the times it mentions Christ, it’s going great. Here is a few scriptures of the week since its thanksgiving! Rev. 7:12 Blessing, and glory, and thanksgiving, and honor be unto our God. Mosiah 2:19–21:O how you ought to thank your heavenly King. Alma 34:38 Live in thanksgiving daily. D&C 46:7 Ye should do all things with prayer and thanksgiving. And here is my favorite- Alma 37:37 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. Have a happy Turkey day, tackle someone in the snow for me, and be grateful. Love, Elder Stevenson PS: I was thinking if I made the font bigger it would take up more of the page ;)

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

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.

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

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

October 13, 2014

This last week was great! Heavenly Father really blessed our area, last Sunday we counted up the time we had spent in other area's due to exchanges, planning meetings, meetings, helping other missionaries, and what not for the week, it was 50 hours (way more than a typical week), that's 2 whole days but this last week we had more member present lessons then I have seen in a long time and more than my comp has seen in this area in a long while so God definitely "repaid" us well. On Sunday me and my companion both bore our testimonies, unplanned we both talked about God's love for his children. He read a poem and I talked about about Alma 26. The Phoenix temple open house started on Friday and lucky for us we were the first ones there on Saturday with a less active family who is returning. It was beautiful. We had ZTM on Tuesday (Zone Training Meeting) it sure was different than before, but it went super well! Here is an update on some people we have been working with: Mary and dad and Andrea: Andrea just stopped coming to our appointments but brother Armstrong and Mary were both at church and we hope to go to the open house with them this week! We taught the word of wisdom and the biggest hold up was eating meat sparingly so that was pretty awesome! (Especially for having parents who don't set a good example) Last week I may have mentioned a family from Africa?... Well the dads name is Erick and the moms name is Lucy (I wonder what their real names are...) and they have 2 little kids, a one year old and a 1 month old and yesterday they came to church!! They loved it and want to come back again next week. Our main goal for them is to help them understand the temple; why they need to get there so they can be sealed and be a forever family. We started teaching a father in a (PMF) part member family, he is at church every week but isn't a member and just like the African family we want them to be sealed, so tomorrow we are going to the open house with them! In our lesson yesterday we talked about the god head and about how the gospel blesses families. We had a good lesson with Nicole, she is on date for the 15th of next month. 2 good lessons with her last week, well much more has happened but I am out of time. I love you, have a great week! Sorry I don’t have time for a scripture :( But I am grateful for yours mom and dad! Love Elder Stevenson

October 6, 2014

This week was very good, as you know General Conference was great, I really enjoyed Saturday, it was very.. comforting. A lot of the things I have personally been trying to do were things talked about on Saturday morning so it wasn't like a 'great awakening' but more like a confirmation of my choices. A few really good ones to me was Elder Klebingat's and Lord, is it I? Also there was a lot of basic doctrine retaught and testimony's of Christ and the Prophet. The world is going to get more wicked on one end and more righteous on the other before Christ comes again, which side are you on? Last week I went on exchanges with a Spanish companionship, it was pretty fun! I know a few more words and things but was mostly lost in the day. We got to watch Meet the Mormons this last week, its great! You will like it although you will cry as well. On Friday, we went to the temple and it was great, conference and a temple in one weekend, can't beat that! After the temple we had a meeting which was good, a lot of new tools we can use that I am excited for! A huge focus on inviting people to the temple, not only baptism. going back to "beginning with the end in mind" My companion has been quite sick so sadly we haven't been able to work to much in our area this week but on the bright side we had a good lesson with Mary and Andrea Armstrong (on date for 10/25) and watched conference with them Saturday. If I could ask a favor, please pray for Br. Armstrong, that he will be able to be worthy to baptize by the 25th, he is struggling with smoking and coming to church due to poor health. We also watched conference at 2 less active homes, and a member family who had recent convert over so that was good. We ran into a guy and offered help moving some stuff with him, he accepted so we helped unload his truck then he let us in and we talked for a while. He was catholic and asked about every question there is (polygamy, JS, etc.) it was cool to unfold them to him piece by piece. Don't know that they have true intent but we will give them the choice to follow or not. Lots of other stuff but you can hear about it next week, have a good week! Your turn to send me a scripture. Don't forget, if you don't apply what you learned at conference there was no point in watching it. Love Elder Stevenson