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