8/25/14

Well, this week was pretty good. Let me start off with a funny story.




Once upon a time, my companion and I returned to our house and we were STARVING. And, we had pretty much nothing in our house, so, we decided to ask the lady we live with to order a pizza and we{d pay for it. so, she says sure and asks what we want and we tell her. About a half hour passes, and then we here her daughter. "MOM! There tiny! They cant eat all of this!" (the sister was tying her shoes and hadn't looked up) "they said they wanted a grand." "BUT MOM!!!" She looks up and its a HUGE pizza. So, they come laughing, and the box she is holding looks like it could have a small un-assembled cabinet in it. It was the pizza! It was huge, so, we just cut it in half and shred it with them. It was hilarious.

This Saturday we had a ward FHE. We watched "Together Forever." Its from who knows what year and is kinda cheesy, but it was really good. Then our Mission leader taught everyone how FHE should be done and how to use the manual. Then we played a GIANT game off memory. It was pretty fantastic, and everyone participated. The best was when towards the end, everyone started counting down which added to the excitement. Also, we had a random investigator from another ward there. She had just had her first lesson with the Elders and asked to stay. She loved the video, especially since she lost her mom. She wants to be able to have her again and the video really helped her to have hope. And then of course we ate food because that's what you do here. Eat, and eat and eat.


Yesterday we got a new mission leader. He JUST returned from his mission from California. He told me my Spanish is really good. That was nice. And he guessed exactly how many months I have been out. That was impressive... Or he knows... Who knows. Anyways, I think he is really going to help whip this ward into shape. Because he is ready to work, which shows what ind of missionary he was. Its great. Our old mission leader is going to give us piano lessons today! Im pretty excited for that.


Thats about all I can think of today...


Anywho, life is good and I am so grateful to be in the Lords Army. Also, if you haven{t gone to the temple lately, I would advise you to do so, or to prepare to do so. Hope you are all studying Preach My Gospel! Conference is only like 5 weeks away!!! :D Its going to be great like always I am sure. Im not too excited, I{ve only made a count down calendar... Haha. But really. Im exctied to be able to listen to the Prophet and his Apostles. Love you all and Hope you have an EXCELLENT week!
Hermana Stanger

8/18/14

Baptism!

This week, as the title suggests, we had a baptism. It went pretty well. Our song as a missionary choir wasn't perfect, but people cried, so that's good right? Haha (or it was that bad.) Her baptism was great even though she was terrified of the water and she was practically shoved under. In her testimony after, she told everyone there was a party in heaven and she was really happy. It was pretty sweet. Its amazing to see lives change and the happiness the gospel brings.


This week we had Super divisions, where everyone in our zone trades companions for the day. It was pretty exciting, not going to lie. I got put with a greenie. But, she is really great and doesn't seem like she is new. It made me have less fear if in the future I get the opportunity to train. It was actually kind of fun. And I learned a lot from her. The next day when we traded back, we had a little "What did you learn and how did inviting people to baptism in the first contact go." She told everybody something I said after she had cut me off to invite someone, "Why wait, its there salvation." It wasn't MY words. But I think it helped a lot of other people too.



One of our investigators, who is 13, we had to change her baptismal date last night. When we gave her the new date, her mother said she will be baptized the same day. Which means, WERE GOING TO HAVE A WEDDING!!! :D YAY!!! (Also, random side note, she gave me my first wedding present. Im not even engaged... haha) But, her husband agreed to finally get married to her. And he "secretly" listens in to all of the lessons, so, maybe he will be baptized too. Its a land of miracles!


Also, I am staying with my companion for another transfer! Yay! We get to keep working together in this area. Its really exciting.

Sadly, I used a lot of my time to respond to other wonderful emails, but that's the stuff most exciting and important from this week. I love you all and testify that this is Christ church. He lives. His Atonement was perfect and we need to ALWAYS remember him! The Book of Mormon is true!! Loves!

Hermna Stanger

8/11/14

This week was wonderful. Let me tell you a funny story first.

Once upon a time, my companion and I were walking down the street. We saw one of our less actives and an investigator of the other missionaries in our ward. So, of course we went to say hello. When we got there, they were talking to this old man. Somewhere around his 80s. He proposed to me. I told him I couldn't because I was a missionary. He told my I could just put apart a little time. Then he sang to us. We invited him to baptism and he accepted. But, Not sure if its with "real intention." Why do people keep proposing to me?!? I think its funny though.... But, the part that's special about this story is when he asked what church we were from and after we told him, he asked questions. We didn't answer them, the investigator and the less active did! It was special!

Also, this Saturday, we had a ward activity in the "undesirable" area. The area where nobody wants to go because they are poor and there is lots of drugs and danger. But, we had an activity there anyways to show them we care. We had 6 investigators, i don't know how many less actives, and a bunch of members. In total about 40. We played a bunch of games and then watched "the touch of the Masters hand" and then we ate food. It was so fun. Some of the activities were; the Oreo game, (where you have to move the Oreo down your face without touching it), a game with ties ( there are 2 ties. 1 you tie in 1 knot and untie it then pass it on and the other you tie 2 knots and pass it on. the person that gets stuck with both loses.) and other such games. The activity was a success! The next day at church, EVERYONE that went to the activity went to church. All of them!!! :D It was awesome!!

Saturday, were having a baptism!!!! :D I am so excited. It took a lot for *Maggie to prepare. (*change of name for security ;)) She used to be attending the Jehovah's witnesses and would compare everything to them. Now, she loves going to church, the scriptures, praying, everything! She is so excited. In the beginning it was really hard to teach her because shes a little bit slower. Shes kinda like teaching a small child. Some days it was really frustrating, but she has worked so hard and the Lord has definitely blessed her a lot. Its a lot easier for her to understand things now. Saturday is her baptism and its combined with the elders of anther ward. So, were going to do a musical number with all the 4 elders in that ward and the 4 hermanas in my ward! Hopefully it goes well.



Yesterday, we went looking for one referral. When we got to his house, we asked if *Bill lived there. He said yeah, that's me. We introduced our selves and he let us in. It took him sometime to figure out how we got his direction. Then he remembered two young men with ties. We gave him a book of Mormon and he was so excited to read it. He especially liked that we had the answers to a lot of his questions he has never found the answer too. He accepted a baptismal date. I think he could do well as a young men's president... Haha. But really, it feels like he has been prepared.



The other day we went to visit some of the recent converts, and we were going to teach baptism and confirmation to them. Then my companion tells them that they are going to teach us today. We gave them our scriptures and 5 minutes to prepare. It went so great!!! They loved it and want to do it again. My favorite was when we asked, "but is it ok if i am only baptized and not confirmed?" The young man said, "no, its like putting on your shirt but not your pants. You need both!" What a great example and super simple!



Other funny story time! The other day were went to teach this couple. The man is 85 the woman is 80. We invited them to be baptised and the woman said, "if my feet are still above the ground." Maybe that's not funny, but if you knew her, it is. 

 



Anyways, love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!! Remember God loves you! Remember who's going to win the final battle and which side you want to be on! Loves!!

Hermana Stanger

8/4/14

Well, it feels like we are constantly running. There is NOT enough time in the day to do all we need to. There are too many people who need to hear the gospel, and not enough time. Its so hard.We pretty much run from one appointment to the other. Its exciting. Talking about exciting and running, yesterday, we were walking up "the hill." Its a lot like Bonneville, the steep street by my house. Anyways, we were walking up it, and this scary drunk man asked us something, we felt we needed to walk away really fast, so, we went as fast as possible. We got to the top and stopped for a second to breath. We looked back and HE WAS FOLLOWING US!!! So, we practically ran down the street. We got to a catholic church and there was a wedding, so we "got lost in the crowd" and then escaped further. Then we crossed the busy street, and he was STILL following us!!! So, we walked really fast around the corner and BOOKED IT! I don't know if I have ran so fast in my life. Not to mention (me being the klutz i am) Tripped and scrapped my knee a few days before. But it didn't hurt while i was running. It was exciting. I'm grateful we listened to the promptings we had because who knows what would have happened. Its always an adventure here! :)

We had 3 investigators in church yesterday! And they all loved it. ! of them has her baptismal interview this week, so, hopefully next week we will be having a baptism! Shes super excited too. Hopefully we can get everything taught before hand. She is really great. Although, shes is positive the interview is a test and she is terrified. We have even asked her the questions and everything, but shes still nervous. Poor girl. The other 2 were a mother and daughter. They are wonderful, the daughter hopefully will be baptized at the end of this month and the mother, hopefully her husband will marry her so she can be baptized, because she knows it is true and its what she wants.

About 2 weeks ago or so we had a woman show up to church and no one knew who she was. She said she had been going to a different ward. Well, we got asked to go visit her. Turns out shes been a member since her childhood, but got married and fell away. She just started coming back to church and shes pretty much like a fresh investigator. I love her so much. Apparently, all the missionaries that have tried to visit before, she never opened her door. God is a god of miracles my friends. He can change people. Have the faith that he can help change you. I have found out one of many of the reasons missionaries don't want to go home. Because they change, and they don't want to go back to what they were before. Its a scary thought.


Hope you all have a fantabulous week and that all is well.God loves you and so do I! What more could you want? ;)

Love, Hermana Stanger