March 31, 2018

March 29, 2018

Easter is coming!

March 27, 2018

This week really hasnt been very exciting. We have spent a lot of time finding people this week. It has been worth it to see people grow but not much has been happening here. It smells like weed all over this place and I think that this week the most people have pulled over to yell at me. People really think some funny things about Mormonism haha. I am just happy to find when someone is actually living their religion. Too many times I find people treating their family horribly and drinking a lot and being just a not good person and when we just say hello they more often than not tell us to go away because they are Catholic. I wish people would just live their religion. That is so important. But now I sound like im complaining about mission life and humans in general and Im not. I still love them all and I am so happy to be here! This week I have learned that I am more capable than I thought that I was. My life is starting to lay out in a map which is good haha. I went on an exchange this week with an English Elder so I had to do all of the talking and I found out that I can actually speak Spanish when I need to! Well I need to go now.

Love you all!

Elder Stephen

March 20, 2018 Pictures (The Beach!!!!!)

March 20, 2018

pues nada

That is a Spanish joke for all you

'This week was pretty good. We had a baptism this week. Brenda got baptised and she is so awesoem! she started reading the book for Mormons about 2 or 3 weeks ago and she is already to Alma.(that's like 245 pages of scripture for a single mom to make time to read) She is such a great example for me because she seeks answers diligently from God and because of that she receives her answers. 

This week I have worked on being more happy. I have learned a lot about myself being here in San Ysidro. Elder Snow is helping a whole lot with my Spanish and I am improving so much!! 

Outside of that this week has been a lot of searching for people and trying to clean up our records so we walk to certain houses looking for people who are members and who we used to teach. it's a long process but one that has to be done. 

I am excited because today I get to see the ocean for the first time that I can remember. I'm really excited haha. My district is going to take me there today. 

I have been assigned to be the needs coordinator so I get to call all the missionaries in the zone that we are in and ask them if they need any materials or anything. It is time consuming but I have learned a lot from this too. Psalms 12:6 says "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Its true. I love the Lord's words because they are so pure and perfect.

Love you all,

Elder Stephen

March 13, 2018

Que tal,

So week one in San Ysidro has been really good! My companion is Elder Snow. He is a good missionary who is ready to work. This ward is really active in missionary work, and that is how you know that this is not only a great ward, but the Lord is going to help us a whole lot. 

We are going to have a baptism this Saturday. The person who is getting baptised is named Brenda. She has been taught for 3 weeks. She literally pulled over one day and asked the missionaries to teach  her. She is so awesome and has been reading and marking in the Book of Mormon. She is already halfway through the Book of Mosiah. So Awesome! We are going to be blessed enough to get to teach her kids now. I'm excited for that. 

I have gotten organized  in my new area and it's not in the middle of the desert so it gets rainy a little and there is constant traffic. It's certainly different from Calexico, but I think that it is good different! 

David O McKay once said: "The true purpose of life is the perfection of humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of God's inspiration. Real life is response to the best within us. To be alive only to appetite, pleasure, pride, money-making, and not to goodness and kidness, purity and love, poetry, music, flowers, stars, God and eternal hopes, is to deprive one's self of the real joy of living" I really love that quote for a lot of reasons but especially because we all face decisions every day that determine our footholds. Where are we going? And do we look around or up? I can promise that as we look the the Lord we will become better people and lovers of all things good. This week has been a huge growing experience for me and my Spanish is not very good haha.

Love you all! 

Elder Stephen

March 10, 2018 Pictures

March 6, 2018

Yall,

So yesterday, Elder Cowley and I were patiently waiting for the document that tells us if we are getting transfered and it finally came. Elder Cowley is staying in Calexico and I am going from the boarder of Mexicali to the boarder of Tijuana. So now I am in a walking area called San Ysidro. My companion is Elder Snow and I am excited. The day yesterday was very sad because I said goodbye to lots of people who I love a whole lot! I took pictures and told them how much they mean to me. It was really cool and a good experience in general. After that I packed up the car and I have spent this whole day driving two hours to San Diego and getting into my new area. I still haven't seen my new apartment but it will be interesting. I miss the crap out of Elder Cowley, but this will be good and exciting. I am ready to teach and help others out here in San Ysidro.

Love yall, 

Elder Stephen 

March 4, 2018 Pictures

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