Hey Fam!

It is Beautiful out here in Virginia

HELLO My Dear Wonderful Family!

It was so good to hear from you all yesterday! You've grown up a lot I feel like. Dylan has a mullet, Ethan gained fifty lbs, Makenna looks like shes 20, Eli talks even more than he did when I left, Mom colored her hair, Dad looks like hes an RM and Ty.....

Yeah Ty looks the exact same

Sorry not sorry.

NOW GET BACK TO THE WORK.

I really loved that Mom said she had a missionary experience / opportunity. I think you all should be looking for those missionary oppurtunities. There is work in Utah too ya know. I seriously have been considering living out here when I'm older JUST so I have more opportunities to do missionary work. I love Utah but man, it is so fun sharing the gospel with people who don't know about it and watching their life light up and change. 

It's amazing, nothing is better!

So Monday was preparation day!  Once again! We got to go to the Family Home Evening activity for
the Young Single adults because we had some investigators and less actives there. We played volleyball. As in yes, I played volleyball, in a skirt. All those days of sand volleyball at DSU with PARKXFELT and MADIWOAHH payed off today.  I kicked butt. no I'm kidding. well actually, our team did win. 

We also went to Ross and went shopping a little bit, looked around, 'twas a fun time. I bought some cute shoes. They are like half flats, half sandals. Flandals. yep. They are adorable. love them. #nomoresweatyfeetholla

Tuesday was Zone Conference. So we were sitting down for 8 hours straight being fed with spiritual knowledge. My allergies were killing me. But it was nice listening to President and such speak. I learned lots of new things to incorporate into our teaching. We had dinner at the L. house and they made us a Cinco de Mayo Mexican feast. Which was brilliant! 

ROUND TWO. We taught J. again and talked about keeping the Sabbath day holy. He has been worried with work, and doesn't want to ask it off but we promised him blessings if he talks to his boss and shows his faith The Lord will somehow provide a way. It was a very bold lesson, we gotta get this guy to church he is solid!

Wednesday was kinda rough.. not much work going on. We had to clean our car battery and a couple appointments fell through. We ended up teaching J.R. and his family.  So by the end of the night we did get four new investigators because his family is full of young singles. They are from Africa, so the mom speaks another language. They all talk a lot. We taught them the Restoration and plan on going back to watch the movie with them soon.

When I got home I had a package. It was great.  I also got letters from my favorite siblings!!! Ethan, Ty, Makenna, Eli.  Yes. Favorite. May this be a lesson to you Dylan. Write me. ya fool.

So we made V. baptism program today. Our lesson with him was about missionary work.  So he taught us the Plan of Salvation. He's awesome!!!  Anyways he is such a solid investigator, and a solid missionary #eldervictor Other than that we did a lot of finding and driving that day.

V. baptism was on Saturday! It went really well. He bore his testimony at the end about how he knew this is what he was missing in his life and he felt the spirit so strong. It was awesome because his family was able to be there and to hear it all. 

Except super awkward story... so...they are from El Salvador. So they speak spanish. So I'm sitting there telling his dad that I have a spanish pamphlet for him and these elders are just laughing at me hysterically. After the dad walks away with this pamphlet they decide to tell me it was in French.

THANKS FOR NOTHING ELDERS.

poor guy.

ANYWAYS.

We drove clear out to crazy land for dinner and the J. live in this literal forest in this mansion house. With black bears. no lie. We were driving our old school Toyota down this 85 acres of forest four wheel trails I swear. #loudounprobs #richestcountyintheUSA

They told us about their break in last year, robbers tied them up and dragged them into the basement and they had to plot an escape. crazy eh. super phsyco people around these parts. anyway. It was a cool story. Almost as good as watching this new season of 24 that is premiering right now *tear drops* man. I miss that show. It's whatever.

Almost tops the murder on the loose story in Manassas (:

We had a lesson with J. and he invited his friend. It was really cool because he prayed at the end and everything. Such a good example to his friend. What a guy. 

Thanks for the package with the pants and socks mom!  Much appreciated. We also went to the "Remember our Culture" presentation / performance thing at the church. It was super sweet and if you have the opportunity to go to one do it because they are cool. Most of the people are from Utah so go check it out.  I also learned to pray in sign language. We are teaching a guy named D. who is deaf. He's hilarious. He teaches us cool things.

Sunday we had church. IT WAS MOTHERS DAY.  
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOMMA. 

At the munch and mingle afterwards it was awesome because a girl brought her friend J. and we were able to talk to him about the gospel and have a little discussion with him. He's solid. As well as another investigator we had come, named E. and V. who literally just got confirmed.  He was able to talk to her and teach her about baptism and the Holy Ghost. such a stud!!! he's awesome!!

That night.. when we were walking into our apartment there was a girl asleep outside on the bottom floor. So we walked up to her and asked her if she needed to get somewhere. She was from N. Carolina, got in a car accident, didn't have any money, hadn't showered in days, it was really sad. We gave her our coats and ran upstairs to make some food for her. Eventually a friend of hers came and got her and they said they had somewhere to stay. They thanked us for the service and we left them with a copy of the book of Mormon, gold fish crackers and fruit rollups you sent me (haha)  It is really sad seeing people like that. You want to help them. But at the same time they have their agency to choose what they want to do with their lives.

Unfortunately...drugs and alcohol don't bring you happiness as I saw last night. She was miserable and it was awful to watch. I'm sure our Heavenly Father feels the same way.  When he sees us down here making dumb decisions. He knows best!! He gives us these commandments to follow so we will be happy.  They are not rules to make us miserable.  They are the guidelines to success!

 #spiritualrantageone

So something I find interesting, which is a question I have gotten...or more a statement I have had thrown at me  a lot since being on my mission is one, that of the trinity.  Two... that believing in an 'embodied god' degrades him, because we have physical bodies and we can't comprehend what Gods nature is. Some people have gotten upset at our teaching that God and Jesus Christ are separate beings. And that God does not have a physical body. I read a talk by Elder Jeffery R. Holland that brought up some new ideas for me that I think are very interesting to think about especially in reply to this common statement and concern. 
He says..

If the idea of an embodied God is repugnant why are the central doctrines and most distinguishing characteristics of all Christianity the
1. Incarnation
2. Atonement
3. Physical Resurrection of Jesus Christ?
If having a body is not needed nor wanted by Deity, Why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem HIS body, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from his spirit for eternity?

After pondering much on the subject it really got me thinking this is true. IF God and Jesus Christ were one being, wouldn't they have a body, because Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and taught after ressurection we never again would be separated from our bodies? And if having a resurrected body was so important and eternal why wouldn't God have a physical body?

There is a really good talk on this subject by Elder Ballard and I would definitely advise looking it up.  It is a good read and explains a lot about the topic.

ALSO before I end this... when we were skyping Dad asked me a couple questions I want to expand on, that I wasn't quite able to yesterday.

1. Have I seen any miracles?

BOY HAVE I! Holy cow. Do you remember the Bill Knox story? and the G. story? and the E. A. story? Each one of those were totally guided by the SPIRIT and there would have been no other way to find solutions or help those people! All these miracles are not workings that I have done.  But it has been me and my companion being tools in Gods hands to Hasten His Work. To help His children. The sad part is there are so many opportunities for MIRACLES for EACH OF US every single day, not just missionaries. We just have to be open to listen to the promptings of the Spirit. Why do you think the Prophets and Apostles talk about this so often?? AH it is crucial. Do we listen to those whispering's of the Spirit that prompt us to help others out? Or to bravely speak up?

THAT my friends.  IS HOW IT'S DONE.

2. How do you develop a desire to serve a mission, to serve the Lord?

haha

hahaahah

ha.

ha.......

previous blog posts will include that I never had a desire to serve a mission. Until the Summer of '13

Why?

Well gee...

I READ THE BOOK OF MORMON 
OUT OF MY OWN FREE WILL 
ALL THE WAY THROUGH. 

Seriously. 

I started feeling like a mission was where I was supposed to be.  But I REALLY did not want to go. Until I read the Book of Mormon. Once I started pondering the teachings of the Gospel and Praying and actually DOING everything the Prophet, Apostles and well, JESUS CHRIST has asked ME (us) to do.  I gained the DESIRE to SERVE. To help UPLIFT and INSPIRE and act as a tool in the hands of the Lord. I realized the importance of the gospel. You really don't quite understand all that you will be doing until you get out here.  But day by day, you continue to LEARN and GROW in TESTIMONY, FAITH, STRENGTH, PATIENCE, and DESIRE to serve.

The Book of Mormon really is SO important. 
Read it. 
It is the KEY to revelation.

 2 Timothy 3:15-17
 
Love you all,
Sister Madison Paige Stucki
(via email May 12, 2014)