Thursday, September 12, 2013

September 9th 2013 Stephanie



                                                          September 9th 2013

Hey family,

So I have had an interesting week.  First off though I am super grateful with the news you gave us about dad. I am glad the surgery went well. I can’t believe he is on a business trip right now after the surgery. My prayers are with you all. I have felt a great pez ... sorry peace this week. I have been able to focus on the work more than I have ever been able to before and I don't know if that is because I am in my first area again and I am also training a new sister training leader and also a new missionary that my time is just so pack full that there is absolutely no time to think about anything else. 
My new companions are great Hermana Dumay wow so much faith and energy and animo (it’s like a combination of energy and excitement to do the work.) She is from the Dominican Republic ...I know exotic right ha ha. She is so much fun to be around. We sing hymns at the top of our lungs in the streets diva style hah. It’s fun to be with her. Our new daughter is Hermana Merrell. She is from Idaho and wow can’t speak Spanish very well ...but I am not going to lie she has improved a lot in the last few days. I was really scared at the first because well she cried the first two days and I hah didn't know what to do. But in these last days I have seen a change and she is less afraid to talk to people in the streets. I think I under the principle that God finds joy in seeing us succeed and progress. I was sitting back watching her do one of her first contacts in the bus and I was smiling from ear to ear. I truly find joy in watching her grow.
   Well I am back in Cuidad Delgado and it’s been interesting. I love these people so much and I want to help them so much. Hermana Dumay says that this ward makes her sad because it’s like it has an open wound and everyone is hurting. Pray for us. We need some serious revelation to help this area. I feel blessed to be able to give my all and put my heart and soul into helping the ward become more than it is where I know and love the people so much. I figured it out. If I stay here until the end of my mission, I will have spent a year in this ward. Wow, that is a long time and I wow truly love these people here. 
 Here is what I wrote to my President

   Dear President, 
    This week has been good. I am happy to be back in Cuidad Delgado ...but I am not going to lie things have changed. This ward is hurting. The members are struggling. I feel so blessed to spend this part of my mission serving these people I have learned to love and care so much for. I have made a covenant with God that I will be his tool here now to do whatever he needs me to be or do to help these people become come converted to the Lord and to find the blessing of the atonement in their lives. I want nothing else than to see these people and this area happy and well before I leave. I made the commitment to do all in my power to do so. 
   My dad is doing great. He is on a business trip believe it or not after his surgery. Thank you so much for keeping me posted. It means a lot to me to know what is going on.
    Thank you for the conference of leaders. I learned lots and I am excited to go back to my area and put all of it in to practice. We are going to change this area with the help and the direction of the Lord. I have never felt so full of faith before and I know that miracles can happen and I know the power of the atonement and how it can heal any wound and any scar no matter how deep. 


   So that is this week in a nutshell. Oh CALEB!!!! Sorry man FELICIDADES dud that is so awesome that you got in to the play and that they were considering you for the lead man. I can’t wait to come back and see and hear you perform!!! I know you will do great. I love you so much. Thanks for keeping us posted. 
    Family I feel like this area will change me a lot. I feel like God is teaching me so much and I feel so blessed to just suck it all in. I love my mission so much and I hate time ha. I have never been more stressed and more at peace in the same moment. I am truly feeling the saying that says that God uplifts and enables those who he calls.  I know this Gospel is true. I have felt the spirit testify of it too many times to question and to doubt. I love my Savoir so much and am grateful for his atoning sacrifice.  I had a thought this week. We as members of the church are so blessed to know and experience the love of the Savoir in our lives. We literally are the only people on the earth that can truly testify of the atonement because we are the only ones to have felt it in its fullness. Wow think of that for a moment and then think of the importance to make these things known unto the world. This is the work of the Lord and the most important work we will ever do.
I love you family. You are all in my prayers (daddy) 
Love your sister, daughter 
Hermana Hale  

No comments:

Post a Comment