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| Sister Stucki & Sister McKee |
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| Trying some meditation |
Momma,
HI
I haven't read your email yet. I'll print it and read it later! Tell Kylie I love her to death. I really liked that Insta post / print out you sent me. It made me smile. I miss her face!! We used to talk all the time. But hey. Four months are under my belt only fourteen months to go and we are gonna party (righteously) Also thanks everyone for the emails and letters!
Here is my weekly rundown....
Monday we visited L. again. We found out she doesn't believe in Joseph Smith at all! She thinks that Bill Graham should be a Prophet. She got really mad at me for not knowing who Billy Graham is and told me I'm sheltered and need to expand my knowledge. So that was super awesome! Make sure everyone knows who Billy Graham is(?) Apparently he is a big shot. Anyway after our lesson with her we realized we parked in someones parking spot and they were mad so they parked behind us. So we spent like a half an hour trying to get our car out. I'm basically a professional backer. Also I was scared to death the woman was going to come out and scream at us so we did it very quietly and discretely. It was scary. Never. Again.
Tuesday it was snowing. AGAIN. Which is so lame. I got a box from momma with the cute skirt so that was super nice! I should probably start wearing a bit longer skirts though for summer time because I can't wear leggings in the summer. I hear it is way hot. But I LOVE it for Spring and Winter and Fall (: and with nylons I guess for summer (: thanks!
T. called us and we set up a new appointment with him. It was super awesome because at the end we were like "What can we do for you?" and he paused and said, "honestly you are teaching me about the Mormon faith and that's all I could ask for." WHAT? this kid is sixteen. I was like. k. you are the best ever. It was so kind.
Tuesday we did a lot of street contacting which is sad and ironic because it snowed. These two dudes we talked to were crazy. It made me really sad. They basically didn't have any religious background and didn't care because it was (and i quote) "boring" I asked them what three things in their lives mattered most to them and they said "well that's easy there is one. money." WHAT? I was like okay. Fail. But really...it made me think about it and when I am ninety years old...looking back at my life...if the only thing I accomplished was to be able to sit on top of this glorious pile of money that would be pretty sad.
I don't know if you went to the General Women's Conference on Saturday but if you did, I loved that video they showed about 'life' and at the very end the old lady looked back at her life after her husband passed away and there were bunches and bunches of people, families, all gathered together laughing and crying and loving each other. and she just smiled. THAT is my goal. That was awesome.
Anyway, nothing much came from those two guys because they basically told me I lead a boring life and just sit in my house and read and play bingo. yeah. They said that. I was like..oh. well good luck with sitting on a pile of money. (I didn't really say that) Then they asked for my number and I was literally like .5 seconds away from Pepper Spraying them. I restrained thankfully. #ghettolife.
Wednesday...oh man. Wednesday was awful. I got out of bed put on my 2nd favorite pair of sweatpants. Started running to the gym. It was iced over. Started running back. It was freezing cold and windy. Hit an ice patch. slid...and rooolllleeeeedddd. yup just like old times skim boarding where you slip, roll, jump back up and keep running. Only this time it was on icy asphalt and I was all bloody and ripped up. So that was a great start to the day. I definitely took a thirty minute bath and just cried for a half an hour. That explains my Wednesday.
Basically the last week has been rough. New companion. People dropping us. No bueno. and then the slide on the asphalt. yeah. It was great. but...I came to a conclusion. one...I wasn't wearing my FAVORITE pair of sweat pants so that was a blessing. two...I didn't break anything...and three...new opportunities for finding.
President emailed me this week and told me some things...
SO I was glad to hear that from him and feel like I'm doing something important and helping...ya know?
yee ha.
I had some great inspiration on what I should do. I tried using it and it was crazy. I'm trying to have a good attitude about it. Pray for me? Thanks.
Jesse was texting us questions all day and basically dropped us. Yet another person who feels like they aren't fit for this lifestyle. AH. I'm sick of hearing that. Sorry. bluntly honest here. Partying...does nothing for you people!!!
I read an awesome talk called 'His Grace is Sufficient' by Brad Wilcox. EVERYONE needs to read this talk. Add a link to my blog or something. It's about Grace. It is awesome. Basically it talks both about how we don't need to be perfect, just try our best. I feel like that is a concept a lot of people have a hard time understanding. The concept of both JUSTICE and MERCY. I read about it also in Alma chapter 42 this week you can see my post on my Facebook. It is something a lot of people struggle with out here.
Which is interesting.
Thursday was pretty awesome. I've learned a lot about listening to promptings of the Spirit. Even if you think it's just you talking. Don't ignore it. Listen to them. I had this feeling as we were going through our area books the call this person. G. I saw her name and I just felt like I should call her. Now keep in mind we've done this PLENTY of times and I've never even met her she never plans with us.
But...I was like fine. Whatever. I'LL DO IT. So I did...and we talked and she said if we came over RIGHT THEN we could talk. So WE DID. and Holy Cow. She is solid. She wants to be baptized. She knows the church is true. She loves the Gospel. She even wants to serve a mission. The problem is her husband wants nothing to do with it. So we are going over to do service for them and continue giving her the lessons. I don't know when she'll be able to be baptized but we went over and talked to her and she started bawling and said she needed that. We told her how she is already being a missionary to her family and the Lord has a plan. She is an amazing woman and it was an amazing miracle of being in the right place at the right time and being able to help someone in need. Even if it doesn't count as a 'baptism' because she may not be for a while! She needed us at that moment and that's what was important.
We had another lesson with T. and it was awesome as well. His parents aren't too fond of the idea of him being a Mormon. But K. was a charm and was so willing to talk and be a homie. K. is like my little bud now. Her and T. are great. He explained to us how he felt so warm and loved whenever he was over at their house and we had these lessons. So that's a really good thing.
Also Sister D. bought us groceries and brought them over which was way too kind. I'm telling you the members in Manassass are the best human beings on earth!! Way too good.
Another miracle happened this week about being guided by the Spirit.
A great one (:
So we were looking for this address and couldn't find it anywhere. So we pulled over and were waiting and this guy knocks on the car door and asks us if we need help. INSTANTLY I felt we should share the Gospel with him. We drove away and I kept feeling like we needed to go back. But how creepish is that? I told my companion and she said we don't know where he lives. So that shut me up. But a thought came to my head that I had PRAYED for GOD to put PREPARED people in my path.
This guy literally came to ME and was I seriously going to pass it up? SO I told her to turn around. As we walked up to this random driveway he was driving out and rolled down his window! In the pouring rain.. I was just blatantly honest because I truly did NOT know what else to say to this guy.
So I just said hey... we really felt like we needed to come back and give you this book. He smiled and told us he had dated a Mormon in high school and had the missionary discussions before. He and his wife were talking about how he always runs into Mormons and she has never met one before. So we talked for a while.. about grace and etc. His beliefs are basically the same as ours. He was awesome. We exchanged numbers and are going back sometime this week.
Twas a miracle.
ALWAYS FOLLOW THE SPIRIT
EVEN IF ITS AWKWARD FOR HEAVENS SAKE
WE ARE MISSIONARIES!!!!
Then General Women's Conference happened. It was awesome. I don't know about you guys but I LOVED it. And that will be my spiritual message for you today.... in one second.
Lastly F. came to church
APPLAUSE EVERYBODY
and that was Sunday in a nutshell.
So okay. Women's Conference.
These are my notes / opinions on the subjects at hand.
BEING SISTERS IN THE CHURCH IS SUCH A BLESSING.
but we each have to do our part. Women are all different and unique but we are all daughters of God...
Which makes us united as sisters. Do we look at this unit this way? As a Relief Society? As Young Women? Are we truly there for each other as a sister would be? You may be doing just fine and not feeling like you need any help from a unit such as this... but what about the sisters who ARE struggling and DON'T HAVE that same family support you are so blessed to have?
If Jesus Christ was on the earth do you think he would sit comfortably in his home? Or comfortable on his specific assigned row in the chapel not bothering to help or invite a sister in need? I know we are placed where we are in life for a certain and specific reason. I've learned that over and over again on my mission. It applies to where we are at home as well. I know there are sisters in each ward that are struggling. Seek them out and help them. That's why you are there! Sometimes this is uncomfortable. Sometimes we are so preoccupied with our lives and our work and school or ten kids.
But if Jesus Christ was in our chapel and he saw that sister sitting alone... struggling to maintain her faith. I know he would extend some sort of invitation to be a helping hand, or a crutch in her life. The lord said himself "be one, if ye are not one ye are not mine." As sisters in the church we should be there for each other through thick and through thin. Sometimes...the sisters in the church are the only support we have.
Don't use excuses. Just because you are old and the sister you see struggling is young does not mean you cannot be a guiding influence in her life. We have tremendous influences and can be an example to other generations. There is no age barrier when it comes to Christ like service.
When you see a new face, introduce yourself! One thing I love about being in VA is there is so much work to do. The members here KNOW when they see a new face to go talk to them. When they see missionaries sitting with a new face everyone makes sure to say hello and invite and to help that person feel welcome. To feel like they are at home. It should be the same everywhere. The blessings are in the invitation. Not how the person responds to the invitation.
Especially in Utah... When it comes to Young women coming into Relief Society they may not necessarily be NEW but this is new to them. We are losing the new generation of women. Make them feel involved help them feel loved and enjoy the blessings of Relief Society. Everyone needs a smile and an arm around their shoulder to help them feel loved and supported. BE SINCERE and really mean it.
Be a sister to one another.
Reach out
Look beyond your differences
Love each other more and love each other better.
Now the second thing I really liked, Henry B. Eyring talked about was how we NEED strong women to be guiding influences. We need women to help people make and keep covenants. Especially your children.
He said to look up and smile at your MOMMA.
Which I did By The Way.
I even made a picture that says
'I got it from my MOMMA' ;)
Because I did! My mom taught me everything I know (:
He also talked about how there is a greater generation at hand. The Lord is lifting sisters higher and higher spiritually. In missions across the earth sisters are being called as leaders and the Lord is touching the hearts of young sisters and prompting them and guiding them to serve. Sisters are becoming ever more powerful as leaders and proselytizers. He talked about how the easy things of the Church have already been done. We need strong women who are determined, dedicated and DISCIPLINED...who can do hard things and who WILL do hard things.
He ended by saying
Trust in the Lord and lean not unto thine own understanding and he shall direct thy paths. We are his daughters in covenant and because he loves us he will provide the help we need to move us and others upwards to HIS presence.
I love you guys and hope all is well back home. I realize Ethan's preference dance was this weekend so I expect pictures asap. I'll read your letters and write back soon. Thanks for all the words and encouragement from everybody you really do inspire me and help me to stay strong on the rough days. Because even though missions are awesome they are hard. I love hearing encouragement from all those who are rooting for me and every other missionary out there serving. Please continue to not only pray for the missionaries but pray fro the investigators and those who are seeking truth that they we will be able to find it. And that the truth will be able to fine them, and they will be able to recognize it when it comes there way.
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and know it has blessed my life immensely.
Talk to ya all next week! I love you!
sister stucki
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