E-Mail April 29, 2011

Um so hi i leave in like 2 1/2 weeks!! holy MOLY!!!! i'm still kinda in shock and really nervous to leave! i still have SO MUCH MORE to learn! i dont feel like my Spanish is near fluent enought, so i'm givin it all i got to put my faith in the Lord that he will look out for me and help me reach my potential. Time is going by so quick!! And i just got an email from Jackie and she is going to be hitting her 6 month mark so soon!! BLOWS my mind!

Ok so this week has been really crazy. but really good at the same time. First of all and most important, we got to hear ANOTHER apostle this week!!! :D ahhh! Elder Oaks and his wife came and spoke to us Tuesday night :) it was soooo cool! he talked about how i can be a successful misisonary. And so i've got to take all the advice i can get before i'm out in the real world! I love hearing from Apostles :) I will freak out if we get to hear anymore before i leave :) how lucky would that be!? :)

Easter was soooooo good!!!! oh man SO GOOD!! it was so awesome to  completely focus on Christ ALL DAY :) my testimony that he lives has grown so much stronger! I think i'll talk more about that in my letter thought cause it seems more spiritual on paper :) But this whole week we have set aside time as a District to talk about Christ and the Atonement. Definitely the most powerful times here at the mtc <3 so remember how i have the best district in the whole world!? :) well i do :):) And the Elders in my district are the bomb!!! They are so sweet! On easter they suprised us Hermanas with an easter egg hunt in the class room!! :) it was soooo cute! and super fun! hahaha it lasted like 30 seconds but it was still the sweetest thing!! :) they were so excited for us too that was probly the best part. It was a wonderful Easter for me :)

Ok so Even thought we have has SUPER spiritual highs as a district, we experienced our first "fight" as a district.... NO BUENO.... there was no spirit there at all and it was not a happy feeling. And the contention drug on from that night to the next day in the afternoon.... it is impossible to be a successful misisonary when you dont have the spirit... Lucky since my district is the best in the world, we were able to solve our problems, apologise to each other, forgive one another, and most importantly get the spirit back. I never want that to happen again... Its hard to admit things when you can be in the wrong, but its not worth holding on to when you dont have the Spirit anymore.

  

The Spanish is kinda a struggle for me right now. i dont always feel like my language study is affective. Mainly cause there is SO MUCH to learn and when you only have an hour a day to work on those, its rough. I'm trying hard to speak more spanish too cause thats one of my big downfalls, i'm using english as a crutch. But somedays its really overwhelming. :/ I also think thats why i've loved focusing on the Savior so much cause I have come to realize the importance of the Atonement and how PERSONAL it is. I love knowing that Christ is willing to go through these struggles with me and help me whenever i ask. I'm learning to work harder on my part cause i know that the Lord will help with the rest.

I KNOW that my Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for ME. I know that in the Garden, he saw all of us as individuals, he saw our faces and suffered for US. I know that he was resurrected and that he lives!! :) I'm so grateful for that knowlegde i have. I'm so proud to do his work, and to help others gain a testimony of what i know. :) I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. even when the work does get really hard. REALLY HARD. I love being on the lords errand and wouldn't trade it for anything. i love you all so so much! i'm excited to write you more today! thanks for all your love and support <3 The church is TRUE so NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!! never be afraid to share this happy message!! hugs and kisses to you all!!!

xoxoxoxxo Hermana Stevens :):):)

Thursday April 21, 2011 Email

Es un dia maravilloso!

This week i have just been on a spirital high!! :):) I have seen so many blessings from the Lord and have felt the Holy Ghost so strongly! :) In class this week we did an activity were we got to sit in class and just pray for 20 min straight. no one talked, you just got to sit there and pray as long as you wanted, then just listen to the promptings of the spirit. It was one of the most powerful things i have ever experienced in my life. I felt the spirit so strongly that night and it was wonderful cause it was all so individual and just a conversation between me and my heavenly Father. <3 I love the power of prayer and how real it is. I have never prayed so much during the day, but i love praying as much as i do. I'm learning to pray for every single thing i struggle with or need help on. I see my prayers getting answered continually too. Our Heavenly Father is so mindful of us and listens and answers our prayers i know that without a doubt. :)

Another awesome experience we had in class this week was writing down any question that we had about anything. We then passed them to someone in our class and they got to answer the question. IT was SO AWESOMe to just dive into the scriptures and find references and answers to these questions! :) I have never really done a deep scripture search by topic but it was so awesome :):) Again the spirit was so strong and it was so awesome to be able to follow those promptings and answer someones question they had. I love my teachers and how well they follow the spirit. :) I aslo learned how much i truly LOVE THE SCRIPTURES! :)

ok ok so Sunday night at dinner, my companion and i got to eat with the PRESIDENT of the MTC!! :):) President Brown came over and sat by us and talked to us through our whole evening of dinner :) He is the cutest old man!! :) he reminds me of President Hinkely! :):) It was so awesome talking to him and feeling his spirit. He asked us all sorts of questions about ourself and then at the end he called us "Princess Moroni's" :):) is that the cutest thing or what?! :) bah i love him!! it was the coolest experience to sit and talk to him!! haha i'm nervous now though cause i'm afraid at a fireside or something he'll call me up to bear my testimony or some thing :/ hahah but we'll see :) either way it was so awesome!

And then the news gets better!!! ELDER RICHARD G SCOTT came this tuesday to speak to us at the fireside!! ahhh that was sooooooooooo awesome!! MOST POWERFUL THING I'VE EVER BEEN TO! :) it was miraculous!! i'm gonna talk a lot more about that in my letter this week cause i wanna be more specific. but the spirit was sooo strong in that meeting and he was so cute when he first started his talk, he gave us all "virutal hugs" cause he couldn't stay after and shake our hands :) it was sooo awesome!! mk but i'll write more about that today:) i cant wait to tell you the details!! 

And this coming week my district will be the oldest ones in the zone!! all our oldies are leaving this week!! its crazy!! I cant believe how quick time is going! But its good for sure i'm excited for all of them to get out into the field! :) I'm gonna be a mess when its time for my district to split, we have come SO close. But i know that i wasnt meant to spend 18 months at the mtc making best friends :) i gotta get busy spreading the gospel :):)

This week was just so great :) And i want eveyone at home to know how MUCH i LOVE THIS WORK. It has really become so sacred to me. I feel so honored to be an instrument in the Lords hands to bring about this wonderful work. I have no doubt in my mind that our Savior Jesus Chirst LIVES, He died in OUR behalf and overcame all the sins of the world. I KNOW that he loves us as individuals and desires for us to return to Live with our Father in Heaven again. I KNOW that the power of the Atonement is REAL and it is for us to use always. I'm so grateful for that loving sacrifice he made for me. I love learning about this gospel. I know that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ!! The church is TRUE and we should take every opportunity that we have to share it with those around us! :):)

I'm so grateful for all of your love and support at home <3 I hope all is going well. I hope you take the time this coming Sunday, which is Easter and really take the time to forget about ourselves and really focus on the Savior. Take time to ponder the meaning of his life and how it affects ours. <3 I know that my Redeemer lives, what comfort this SWEET sentence gives! :):) I love you all hugs and kisses coming your way!! :):)

xoxoxo, Hermana Stevens <3 Give em Heaven!

April 21, 2011

Dearest Family & Friends,
      Oh how I love you all! And Oh how I love being a missionary!!  :D  This past week has been the BESTEST and I'm just gonna jump right into the Good Stuff! :)
     On Sunday I had dinner with the President of the MTC. :) Pres. Brown came over by me and Hermana Y. and we had an awesome conversation during dinner.  He's such a cute & sweet old man!  He reminded me of President Hinckley & Grandpa Stevens. :) Super nice, but I'm scared he's going to call me up during a fireside and have me bear my testimony to the whole MTC. :/ ha ha prob wont happen but still. :P That was awesome though to have dinner with him.
      THEN on Tuesday... don't even worry, Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke to us! :) Such a cool experience!!  The Spirit was so strong!  He spoke with such power and motivation.  When he first got up to speak he gave us all "virtual hugs". :) It was so cute!  Then the two strongest points that I got out of the talk were:
      1. He had those of us who are learning a language raise our hands, (a lot of people) then he gave us an Apostolic Blessing of the Gift of Tongues.  HOW AWESOME IS THAT?! :D It was so beautiful.  He said right after, "that still means you have to study." :P ha ha but he did say that those who have a willing desire WILL learn the language.  It was so SWEET!!  Not every day you get a Aposolic Blessing.
      2. At the end of his talk he gave one of the most powerful testimonies that I have ever heard.  He started off by saying he wasn't talking to us anymore as Richard G. Scott, but as an Apostle of the Lord.  He then went on to testify saying, "I don't believe that Christ is a Glorified Resurected Being... I KNOW.  Remember one thing; a humble, weak individual in his struggle to serve the Lord, stood in your presence and declared with every fiber of his being that Christ Lives." Oh man alive!!  SUCH a powerful testimony!!  And that wasn't even 1/2 of it.  It was incredible.  I'm so lucky I got to hear an apostle speak at the MTC. :) So Good!
      My classes have been going good too.  A lot of spiritual experiences in those too.  One day my teacher said we are going to spend the entire day focusing on Christ 100% on Him. :)  I'm sooo excited for that!  Then we are going to spend another on Joseph Smith.  Those are going to be some powerful days. :)
      Well I have 4 weeks left here @ the MTC which is crazy.  I get nervous sometimes to leave, but it'll be good to get myself out of my comfort zone again.  One of the Hermana's in our zone left for Spain today.  It's crazy to see one of our own go. :/ Bitter sweet for sure.  But she'll do wonders in Spain.  On Monday, we will be the oldest district in the zone!! So Bizzar!! I do not feel that advanced with my Spanish...but the time has come and we are the oldest or will be next week.  Weird. :/
      I feel like my Spanish is coming... but there is still so much I don't understand.  And I know I have to take it one concept @ a time, but somedays I feel super behind and it's hard not to get overwhelmed.  BUT, I try not to let myself get caught up in the moments when I'm struggling.  For the most part all is well & I try to continue learning every day. :)
      Well to finish up this letter, I want you all to know that I have a STRONG testimony that this is the TRUE and only True church on the earth today.  This is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I know that my Savior and Redeemer LIVES!! He died on the cross & suffered in Gethsemane for us as individuals and he rose up on the 3rd day.  I know the power of the atonement is real and life changing.  I'm so grateful for the knowledge I ahve and am continually learning. :)  I love being a missionary and wouldn't trade it for anything!  Theis gospel is amazing and we need to do all we can to be followers of Christ.   I love you all and hope you have a wonderful Easter.  Eat a piece of the "Chocolate Death Cake" at Grandma E. for me.
      I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful loving family.  Thank you all for your love and support.  I sure do miss you all, but I'm recieving SO many blessings from the Lord for giving this small time period of my life.  I love the life of a missionary. :)  It's some ROUGH work, but it's so worth it!
      I LOVE you all so much!! Hugs and kisses comin your way!!
XOXO, Hermana Stevens

Thursday April 14th, 2011- Email

This week was awesome :) Yesterday was one of the best teaching moments of my experience here :) i love how much the Lord blessses me when i'm dilligent in my studies and work hard to do his will. :) this week my companion and i have tried to speak as much spanish as we can and only use english when we MUST. I've been so surpiresed how much that has helped me learn and remember spanish! :) its the coolest feeling to remember the things you've been studying that week. our goal is to keep this up so by the time we leave the mtc we will be FLUENT! or as fluent as we can be :):) But i love the goal and it makes me excited to speak spanish!

This week we had two AWESOME firesides!! on sunday we had the BYU mens choir come and sing for us and that was SOOOO COOOL!!! :):) the whole thing was singing and it was so entertaining!  They are incredible too!! if you ever wanna hear some good music look them up!! :) Then on Tuesday we had President RAsband of the 70 come and speak to us :):) What an excellent talk too! he talked to us about Bridel your passions and went into some sweet detail about that :) It was a great way to refocus my mind and thoughts to more important things :) I wont lie sometimes it can be really easy to let your mind wander about the most random, un important things.. but when we learn to control our thoughts and passions, then we are more willing to submit to the Lord :)

I'm runnin low on time, so i'll wrap up. Pretty much in my email this week, i just want everyone to know how much I LOVE THIS WORK!! :):) i love the Gospel of Jesus Christ!! i KNOW that God lives and loves us as individuals! :) i know that Christ is our savior and the plan of our salvation is central to him :) I love that i can rely on him for anything that i need! i'm so grateful to serve a mission!! i know too much to keep it to myself!! the world NEEDS TO KNOW THIS HAPPY NEWS!!! :) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is TRUE!!  So i'm grateful to be here and GIVE EM HEAVEN!!! :):):)

hugs and kisses to all!! xoxox

Hermana Stevens <3

April 7, 2011- EMail

Conference WAS SOOOOO BOMB!!!! OHHHHHH MAN!!  it was the greatest thing i~ve ever experienced!! I learned so much and took something from every talk!!  i~ll be writing all about that today in my letter home.

 

I cant believe ive been here three weeks!! time is just flying by! We got new elders in our district today and i~m really excited to meet them! no hermanas though. but its ok we just arent the youngest anymore!!

 

this week i have learned so much about the plan of salvation and the fall of adam and eve. going to the temple was so great and i learned so much!! I~m also learning so much about my relationship with Jesus Christ. I love learning more and more about it and coming close to him. I can feel the spirit so strong in class and its so wonderfu!

 

the spanish is coming along good. Last week i taught one of my progressing investigators and it was the coolest experience ever! i Finally got the feeling of the spirit totally taking over the lesson and giving me the gift of toungues! The lesson went so smooth and the spirit was so strong! I~m striving to have every lesson feel like that. I~m trying really hard to plan out my days and be super specific on what i need to learn to teach and making sure that i am using all my time wisely. Some days that can be soooo hard! but for the most part i learn to pray for the spirit to help me stay focused. <3

 

 Hermana Stevens!