Ummmmmm.......

This week has been good. We have another baptism this weekend, and another one set for Dec. 4th.  We're pretty excited about them!

Last Friday was exchanges.  I went to Scottsdale with Sister Kiernan,

who is AMAZING, and we contacted a guy who is dating an LDS girl and isn't against learning more.  So that was cool.  We basically taught him the first lesson on the spot.

Let's see....This morning we went to the temple and did a session.  It was so cool.  I love going to the temple!

No biking mishaps this week, so that was good.....

We're getting fed a lot of Mexican food...So that is always interesting.... Yes, I eat it.  Shocking that I am trying new things, right?  The breakfast for dinner has become my favorite meal.

No scorpions lately......

It's getting a lot colder than I ever thought it would get....I"m glad I actually brought my coat.  Although, I suppose it's just colder for us right now since we're on bikes....

Man....I really don't have a lot to say....I guess that's why I bring my journal to review the week as I'm writing home.

I guess talking back and forth to dad via email is also a little distracting from this weekly email....but I just don't have anything to say....

Ummmm.....

Oh, so there are 3 big dogs that live outside of the little guest house that we live in and they are SO ANNOYING!  Lol.  They run and jump on us every time we come through the gate, and then they sleep ALL DAY and bark ALL NIGHT!  AHHHH!!!   I have to pray that Heavenly Father will either make them stop or to bless me that I won't hear them....Yeah, so that's how dull I am right now....Talking about annoying dogs...Sister Holliday would be laughing at me right now....

Let's see....For Thanksgiving, we've been invited to eat with a poleniesian family....however you spell that ......So that will be filling and crazy for sure....

Ok, I've honestly baked my brain and I can't think of anything exciting to write about....Then watch, I'll log off and think of a million things to say...

Love you all!! Write to me!  Don't be shy!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox for EVERYONE!!!!

Love, Me

Anyway, I love you all!

SO, this past week has been crazy.

Monday was normal.  Yadda Yadda Yadda.

Tuesday was the mission tour, hence the reason my pday was on Wednesday last week. Elder Evans of the first quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us.  It was really good, but I forgot the notes I took, and I only remember a few things he said, so I'll have to tell you  more later.  What I do remember....he told us that we needed to break out of the traditions of our fathers (aka trainers) and start obeying Preach My Gospel more.  He said we all know that going door to door isn't doing much, yet we all still cling to the hope that we will find someone that way, just to be proved wrong...again....and again... and again...Lol.  Then he said if we begin asking for referrals from everyone, especially from those we are teaching, then our numbers will at least double.  Now, Sis. H. and I haven't been going door to door since most of the people are already members in our area, but we did need to be reminded to ask for referrals.  We're still working on that, but getting better.  He also told us that we are receiving a lot of new training now that isn't being taught at the MTC yet, but it's important that we begin incorporating all of this because at the end of 18 months (or somethin' like that) this will all be taught at the MTC and we don't want all of the new missionaries coming into an "old fashioned field".  I don't' know what it was like before, but now we are receiving trainings in District Meetings, which are now weekly, and each transfer we either have Zone Conference, or ZDMs (now called something different, but I don't know what).  It rotates between the two.  Anyway, that's just a couple of the new changes....

Wednesday was our pday.  I never realized how much of a pain it is to not have a car.....

Thursday was weekly planning, which normally happens on Friday but....

Friday was Zone Conference.  It was really good and very uplifting.  Sister Ellsworth (Mission President's wife) gave a talk about Nephi and his sorrows at being imperfect.   Not because he was bad/sinning, but because of his feelings of grief, betrayal, probably anger and frustration, etc. that he feels because of his brothers' hatred towards him.  You know, all of those feelings aren't always sinful, yet they are not feelings that God would have us feel, so the atonement paid for those as well so that we could be free of them.  President spoke as well, along with the mission president's assistants who gave us training on how to ask for referrals when we begin working at the temple lights.  (By the way, I am SO EXCITED to work at the temple lights.  Everyone in the mission will get to work there at some point).


Saturday was Alma's baptism, which was amazing.  Her whole non-member family was there and on Sunday,they all stayed through Sacrament Meeting and her brother Carlos (who introduced her to the gospel) stayed for all 3 hours. VERY exciting.

Sunday was the normal chaos of meetings from 7 am - 3 pm.  Then that night we went with an investigator to a Mission President's Fireside (aka "We Believe" fireside, which is a WAY better name for it).  It was really good.

And yesterday, we went with an investigator (who just found out she's pregnant.  Woot Woot!) and her husband to see the Joseph Smith movie in the visitor's Center.  It was an awesome lesson and we even got to see some of the Christmas lights early since they were testing them.  The sad thing was, Nashville Tribute was in Mesa (15 minutes away!) and it was free for missionaries and their investigators but we couldn't go because we couldn't find an investigator to go with us.  BUMMER!  We even had President Ellsworth's permission to go! (Not that we would have gone without his permission, but concerts aren't on the menu as really "acceptable for missionaries, even if it's an LDS group).  However, we did have an awesome lesson watching the Joseph Smith movie, and that's all that really matters, right?

Well, there's not much to say to specific individuals today.  I'm glad all is well at home and abroad.
 Keep writing letters.  I miss everyone.  And I have a pile of letters I hope to send out today, so maybe if you are loved, you will get one.  OK, that doesn't entirely depend on how much I love you.  But it does have a little something to do with if you write me handwritten letters or not....And maybe something to do with if I have your addresses....or if I have time to write you.....or about a million other factors....Anyway, I love you all.  (All= Mom, Dad, siblings, extended family, friends, blog readers, blog put-er-together-ers, like Deon, blog COMMENTERS-on the blog or in the form of handwritten letters, and so on and so forth).  Ok, I'm just wasting time now....Keep me updated on life.  And tell me about missionary experiences!  I love you all!  (All=Mom, Dad, siblings, extended family, friends, blog readers, blog put-er together-ers like Deon, blog COMMENTERS-on the blog or in the form of handwritten letters, and so on and so forth) Hehehe.....

Love ya til Niagra Falls,

Me, the missionary.  In Arizona.  In the warmth.  And sun.  Sister Stephens

Hooting it up with (Sister) Holliday!

Sister Holliday the Fire Breather

Sister Stephens and her new wheels!

Ahh.... missing Duncan!

A new convert and her family

Sistas!

...The Bad and Then the Good...

Dearest Family:
 

Wow.  It has been quite the week!  So much has happened, I'm not sure where to start...  I guess I'll try to give the bad and then the good in each situation, assuming that there is both sides in each case...

Let's see... Last week, an 11 year old girl in one of our wards got hit by a car.  She was killed instantly.  She was riding her bike with her dad and some others and they misjudged the distance of the oncoming car. the car slowed down, but the driver behind didn't know why the car in front was slowing down, so they went around it and hit the girl.  It was a shock to everyone, obviously, but the ward is taking care of the family.  It was awkward though because I had to give a talk on the following Sunday (we spoke on the same day, Mom!) and I had to change my talk from member missionary work to include something on the plan of salvation.  So, I just started over and spoke on the Hope of the gospel.  I though it went really well and I was complimented by the bishopric and several other members on how well I did. They said it was perfect for the occasion.  I'm glad they said that it was good, because I had NO IDEA what to say to a ward in mourning especially since I'd only met the girl once!

This week, we found two investigators.  Eric, we invited both to be baptized on the first lessons.  They accepted.

A is getting baptized on Saturday.  We weren't sure if it was going to happen since she hadn't told her parents about the date, but things have gone well, and it's happening anyway!  We are having it translated into Spanish for her parents.  We're hoping it will open many doors.

On Tuesday, there was a shooting 3 houses down from A.  A man was shot 3 times.  I don't know a whole lot other than that, but the good news is that we are safe and we haven't heard anything about it since then (which is good because that means that nothing new has happened).

Let's see.... On Monday, Sister Holliday pointed out that one of my bike tires was splitting.  And then we came out of an appointment that night, the other tire was flat.  We have no idea why.  Thankfully, the members who gave us the bikes came to the rescue and fixed it for me.  I still need to find out how much it was though.  Working on it....

But that's about it.

Mom, I'm glad you liked the package.  I thought it would amuse you to see a scorpion..

Oh, and did I tell you I finished my first journal?

I love yo tons!  XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOs for ALL!

Love, ME