Thoughts

Quick Note:
IT'S MY ONE YEAR MARK BBG's

Yes! it is snowing here

It's the Most, Wonderful time, of the year!

Happy First
day of December!

ALSO:
Have you clicked the "JOIN THIS PAGE" button yet?

If not, please do


I get to spend it with our homie friend in the ward and Sister Todd doing gel nails.  Get like us, my friends.

Thanksgiving was an adventure and by definition of adventure I mean I gained five lbs. judge me. We had TWO Thanksgiving Dinners and a Pie session over at the L. families. 
Best Days. 
The L's are super funny. I met P. in my first area and now I'm serving here so were buddies. His parents remind me of Grandma and Grandpa Stucki a little bit. Especially his dad. He's like the epitome of Grandpa Stucki. Funniest guy. 

He also enjoys my stories that I tell.  So I like him even more. He asked me to come back and tell him some more stories after I told him about the time 

Ty got a concussion from the COW and had short term memory loss.  So we would make up stories and make him cry and every five minutes we would make up a new one because he forgot all about it. 

...and the time Dylan convinced me to run up Majestic View Mountain with them and as I was running down I filmed myself as I tripped and fell and passed out and woke up all bloody and got it all on camera. 

...and the time Ethan convinced me to ride my bike to Horizon Elementary with him but didn't tell me both the tires were flat. 

...and how Ty would rope my boyfriends feet and trip him when he came over.

...and the time when Dad turned into the Hulk and smashed Dylan's iPhone into glass shards using only his fist. 


P's Dad asked what Spencer would do to Ty?  
And I was like oh man do you know what a "Arapaho" is? 
Big time lolz after I explained that one. 
There goes your pride Ty. It was funny cause when we were leaving I asked "is there anything we can do for you guys" and P's Dad was like, "yeah, just keep your brothers away from my house." Hahaha. 

But then he was like JK!  Come back and tell me more stories. I guess I never fully comprehended how wonderfully entertaining my family is.


But on that note.... 
Y'all should write me a letter with favorite childhood memories of crazy things we would do because I'm running out of good stories. Please send several thanks! I would also appreciate if you got on Ultimate Guitar.com and sent me the chords to the following songs... 
I'd rather be with you... by Joshua Radin 
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
Any church song or hymn you can find 
Only hope by Mandy Moore
The Only Exception by Paramore
Any Christmas Song
I've been enjoying learning some new stuff on the guitar in my spare minutes. So I could use some more chords to practice. So I'm not just making stuff up. 

Sooooo Confession...

Rather than thinking up this entirely long Blog Post rant...
This week I just have two thoughts for you to think about in preface to the next couple weeks future Blog posts by Me and Momma Stook.

Thought number one #1:
Is kind of random...

But we were having a lesson at Panera Bread this week and I sat there observing the people around me.
Everyone was on their phones. 
The table to my left was this girlfriend and boyfriend probably in High School. The boy looked like he dressed up all cute for the girl and she was sitting on her phone and he was sitting there just... waiting and waiting and waiting.

Some date right??
So much for getting ready and looking nice if she's just gonna stare at her phone the entire time. 
Am I right?

The second table was this Mom and Daughter it looked like. 
The daughter was seriously probably only fourteen. And she sat there on her iPhone the entire time too! Her Mom just sat there. ...Like she bought her
this yummy lunch and it was just the two of them out together, probably for some bonding Mommy / Daughter time.  She was just texting away or scrolling away. And then to my utter most terror... She opened her cookie... and she did the unpardonable sin.

SHE TOOK A PICTURE OF IT AND POSTED IT ON INSTAGRAM.
I imagine it was probably captioned "Giant Cookie & Bonding Time with My Mom ❤️✌️😘 #loveher"

And she probably got like fifty likes on it and all these girls thinking...
"Man I wish Me and My Mom were that close"
"I wish we went on Mother daughter Dates to Panera Bread!"
"I bet they are having so much fun."

...And yet their social interaction consisted of breathing in the same five foot vicinity of each other. 

WHAT IS LIFE.

Not that I know what ACTUALLY went down on her Instagram...
but I know I saw plenty of that bogus news feed back at home where people get all worried about documenting these highlight moments online and FORGET to actually make it a real highlight moment in real life...

Social Media is going to be the death of relationships.  I swear it. 

If I find out you, reading this, EVER go to Panera 
(or any Cafe Bistro for that matter) 
with your boyfriend / mom / buddies / family / etc. 
and you sit on your phone the whole time and / or post how much fun your having online while not even exchanging words..........
I will wallop you. 

...Like do you even know what I'd give to be sitting next to My Mom or Boyfriend right now???

and have a nice little conversation over Panera Bread soup bowls? 

Do you even know? 
Heavens. 
Put your phone down and create a social interaction and memories and a lasting relationship. 

PLEASE. There's no iPhones in Heaven.

That's not doctrine, but it should be.

Building Real life Relationships > technology

#srrynotsrry#gooutside#breathefreshair



Thought number two #2:

Is my preface to the next up coming Blog post that WILL be written by my mom, and posted this next week!!!(MOM)

(So check back soon) in case you haven't read my previous post from last week.  

Here is the low down. My mom runs this blog.
She is really good at it. But she's also incredibly good at a trillion other things. She's practically perfect, or so you'd think. I mean she has a perfect relationship with her High School sweet heart husband.  She has a perfect drop dead gorgeous face.  And perfect children......hey. 

But really, she's great. She's my role model. I'm literally her biggest fan. 

But I think one of the most interesting things about my mom, that I respect and admire is that her life is far from perfect. I've never personally met anybody so full of faith and hope. Especially somebody who has so many reasons to give into despair. That's a personal testament to me that God is real. That our Savior lives. That there IS Hope. Or else how would we make it
through?

So I have asked her to share a bit of her story... some things that have CHANGED her. Obviously nothing too personal, due to the publicity of this blog. But to share her feelings and her testimony of the gospel. To tell her story. My hope is that her stories and thoughts will touch you as much as it does me. I hope it inspires you, and answers questions you may have personally. 

I thought of her stories as I was reading about something very personal to each of us.  Something I have been asked a lot as a missionary.  And that is about our trials, addictions, burdens, pains, heartaches, and tragedies. To sum it all up OPPOSITION. 

I came across this quote,

"Whenever tragedy occurs, we lament the things that will not

 be accomplished and the songs that will not be sung."

Among the most frequently asked questions of Church leaders are, 

"Why does a just God allow bad things to happen, especially to good people? Why are those who are righteous and in the Lord's service not immune from such tragedies?" (Elder Cook)  

How often do we hear this question? 
How often have you asked this question? 
Or something similar. 
I've heard it a lot... actually. 

If there is a God, Why did he allow this to happen to ME?
How do you feel about that statement? 
How would you respond to that question, if asked? 

LIFE IS HARD. 

No one of us is immune from that. But the thought that continually reoccurs in my mind is that God STILL has a plan. Even when you feel the world is ending.

Even when your life is falling apart. Even when life is unfair.
And even when you didn't DO anything wrong.

"There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent or hinder 

or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."

I truly believe that. So how DO we carry on? When our burdens are simply too much to bare? I think the phrase "Songs that will not be sung" is interesting.

We immediately turn to that thought when tragedy strikes. But the comforting words of one of my favorite songs in the LDS HYMNALS answers back,

"Jesus listening can hear, the songs I cannot sing." 

The connection between the two phrases is interesting. Our mortal minds can
hardly fathom the thought that in this life we witness endings, where songs will not be sung and opportunities will be missed. 

But with the light of the gospel, we see that Jesus can hear those songs we can not sing, or opportunities we never got, or tragedies that may have
occurred. 

And through him...  All can be made right. Maybe not this second, or minute, or day, or even lifetime. But as we rely on him, we can experience peace in this life and our greatest joy is yet to come.

"The dove of peace sings in my heart,The flow'rs of grace appear.
For blessings which he gives me now, For joys "laid up" above."

All can be made right through the Grace of Jesus Christ. I'm leaving these thoughts open ended for you to think about. 

And for My Mom to write about with her story, her experience, her wisdom 
and her faith.

So stay tuned for the next Blog post...
by My Mom.
Love Always,
S.Stucki
(via email December 1, 2014)

Big Enough for ALL His Children

Holocaust Memorial Museum

Washington Monument
Symbolic tribute to George Washington

View 500' up in the Washington Monument

Pants!

Sister Budd helped me with my skirt problem. Long skirts are a pain :)

Big Enough for ALL his Children

HELLO!

A couple things about this week...
We went to the White House, the top of the Washington monument, the Holocaust Museum,
and last but certainly not least CAFE RIO.
#win

All is well here in #Cashburn. I will send pictures. Hopefully you all are doing well at home.  Thanks for the skirts and packages and Etc. I appreciate it and love you all lots.

VIEWERS!

Thank you for reading, commenting, emailing, supporting, sharing, and for the wonderful thoughts, ideas and inspiration you've shared with me via this blog. I do ask however, that as you read, you share it with friends. We can use social media for good. By simply pinning on Pinterest, posting an Instagram, Facebook or Twitter we can share the message of the Gospel. You never know when that small thing could change someone's life.
#sharegoodness
(Elder Ballard reference)

Because readers are pinning this blog, following and sharing it on their social media with others, there has been so many rewards. There have been plenty of questions that have been able to be addressed and
I have met many wonderful people who are diligent and faithful followers of our Savior.  Who have a sincere desire to know more, and become better.

It is a complete joy being able to help others and build them up and strengthen their foundation and faith in Christ. We have been commanded..

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

With the growth in technology in this day and age we are able to share the gospel, preach the gospel, and invite others to learn of the gospel, so easily, and so efficiently. As missionaries (and as members) we can teach people all over the world through Facebook and Skype. As members you have the ability to use your own blogs and other networking sites and programs to share the gospel and to use the internet for good, for the Hastening of His work.

PLEASE continue to spread the gospel.
Please continue to share this blog.
Please continue to be a GOOD example to those around you.

You may not see the immediate effect of your doings, but no good opportunity we take goes wasted.
This week this blog reached 50k views. And because of viewers it has been shared and pinned and read and
talked about and people have been able to find it and locate missionaries and learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

A few weeks ago there was a comment left, by a new friend of mine and my companion, who we have now been able to begin teaching over Facebook and Skype. He came across this blog, online, somehow, somewhere and began to read and learn more about the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

My companion and I began teaching him via Facebook and Skype.  How wonderful that we can teach people all over the world!  How wonderful that by a simple share you can touch the life of another person.
And how wonderful it is that this week as we were teaching our friend over Skype he brought up a very important point in our lesson.

He wanted to learn more about Salvation.

So this week I have had the great opportunity to study about the Plan of Salvation, about Gods plan for each of us, about the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I want to share a bit more with you all, and ask that you share this, whether vocally or through social networking with YOUR friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, followers, etc.

Simply post your thoughts on the matter, or attach this blog.

Either way, we have been commanded to share the Gospel with all the world, why don't we take advantage of the tools that we have?

🌍

Through studying the Plan of Salvation
Or Plan of Happiness
Or GODS PLAN FOR US
I've come to realize one very important key concept.
Brought up over and over again,
And it is that He loves us.

❤️

WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD
he wants us to return to him,
To return home.

I read a profound talk by Elder Cook.
It's titled:

Our Father’s Plan--Big Enough for All His Children

The title of this talk immediately caught my attention. That this plan God has created, is big enough for each and every one of us here on this earth. Each and every individual who has lived on this earth and has since passed, and each and every individual that is yet to be born.  EACH OF US is a child of God. And he wants us each to return HOME to him.

There is no number.
No limit.
No extent.

He wants us ALL to return home.

He has sent us here with expectations.  God is a loving God with high expectations.  As any loving parent should be. But the beautiful thing about HIS plan is he has made it possible for us to each reach those
high expectations.  No matter our circumstance in life right now.

He sent us here to live on earth to have agency to learn, to grow, to change, to become. Knowing we would be imperfect, knowing we would slip up at times. Does that lower his expectations for us? Absolutely not.

Rather, he has provided us with a Savior. He sent His begotten son Jesus Christ to take upon him the sins and pains of the entire world.  FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL, as an everlasting sacrifice. So that we can EACH turn to him when we are seeking repentance, forgiveness, direction, guidance, strength. So that we can be made clean, made whole again.

He did not eliminate our personal responsibility to choose, however. It is up to us whether or not we decide to follow Jesus Christ and rely on his everlasting sacrifice, or, atonement.

Jesus Christ has already payed the price for each one of us individually. He has felt all of our sorrows, heartaches, pains, difficult decisions, temptations, the whole package.
We CAN rely on him, but do we?

By choosing to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are living the higher law. We can rely on him for guidance, direction, strength, forgiveness, repentance and all that is necessary for us to move on, start over, become better. Through Christ, is the only way we can become completely clean, completely healed.

By choosing to deny Jesus Christ, to not use his Atonement in our day to day lives, by choosing to not follow him, we are living the lower law. And we are taking that everlasting sacrifice for granted. Without Jesus Christ we are in danger of walking alone. We are in danger of seeking for guidance and direction and strength and forgiveness by ourselves.  That is not something we are capable of doing! When we choose not to use his Atonement in our lives, or his everlasting sacrifice, were choosing to sacrifice other things, and it puts a huge weight on our shoulders. We will be unable to be made clean and receive the blessings he has to offer us, if we don't choose to accept them.

It comes down to our choices.

By CHOOSING to follow Christ by CHOOSING to accept him, you are CHOOSING to live the higher law.  And by living the higher law you receive so many blessings.

This does not mean you are perfect.

I love how Orson F Whitney puts it when he says this Plan is one that..
"...saves the living, redeems the dead, rescues the damned, and glorifies all who repent.”

As we follow Jesus Christ and Gods plan for us, we are being saved, redeemed, rescued and glorified. We can be made clean, we can receive strength and we can reach ultimate happiness in the life to come.

This plan God has created, is for us all. In Elder Cooks talk he says:

"The marvelous doctrine revealed to the Prophet Joseph unveiled to us a Plan of Salvation that is applicable to all mankind, including those who do not hear of Christ in this life, children who die before the age of accountability, and those who have no understanding."

How wonderful is it to know that our Father in heaven loves us enough to create this Plan for us all, to provide a way for us each to make it back to him. To provide us each with an opportunity to learn of our
Savior and how we can follow Him to be happy not only in this life, but in the life to come.

"For behold, this is my work and my glory

to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

Why is it important to know Gods plan for you?
Why is it important to share it with others?

Our true destination is not perfection RIGHT NOW, it's not a big house, and nice cars, or temporal happiness here on earth. But our true destination is Eternal life.

I know there is something more, because of God's plan for ME.
I know Gods plan for ME is big enough for ALL his children.

Elder Cook ends by saying...
"That is why Latter-day Saints then and now sing the last verse of
“Come, Come, Ye Saints” with faith and expectation.

"And should we die before our journey’s through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell!"

Even though our journey may be fraught with tribulation, the destination is truly glorious.

Happy Day, All is well.
With love,
Sister Stucki


Sent from my iPad

(Via email 8/27/14)

Guess what?

I'm training!

I know.  I'm surprised too.

My new companion.  Sister Rossi.  Isn't she cute?

My Trainer (Sis. Schramm) & My Trainee (Sis. Rossi)
like mother. like daughter. Sorta

My first Canadian Zone Leader.  He was super punk to me and Sister Schramm.
He is going home next month.

Classic Virginians door mat

Ya.  Sometimes we have a moment to be goofy:)

Hey Family!

So transfers were this week. And I have a really crazy surprise.

It surprised me too.  Don't worry.

So.
 

My new companion is one of my bloggies!!
 

Her name is Sister Rossi.

And she got here on Wednesday.

 

Like she flew in on Wednesday.

So like..

I'm training.

SURPRISE.

I feel like I just flew in yesterday.  So I have no idea why I'm training a new missionary buuuuuttt it's going down. She is adorable. We have way too much in common.  Pretty much soul sisters. AND she was one of my blog readers.

BEST DAY EVER

On Monday night Sister Mitchell and I were reminiscing our past little transfer together.  We knew she was gonna be bailing outta here. We were laughing and being fat kids eating and then...we got..THE CALL.

The Assistants were on the phone and we both just kinda stared at it. And let it ring. For like...12 rings. And didn't answer it. Then Sister Mitchell just started laughing and was like friend,

YOU ARE TRAINING.

and I was like nuh uh...

YOU'RE TRAINING

So then we decided we should probably call and figure out what the deal was. The first thing Elder Ni said was,  "is the phone on speaker? good. Sister Stucki, Do you have a desire to follow the Lord?"

.....

welp.

trickery.

 

 

Anyway. The rest of Monday was great. We went to Bishop Janzens for dinner. We taught Ashley.  It was awesome because the Spirit was there. I guess Ashley went with one of the members to a concert so they are homies now. Best fellowshipper ever? She stayed for Family Home Evening and talked to tons of people and played dodge ball with all the young singles.

 

 

Tuesday was actual transfer calls.  Sister Mitchell got the call to pack her bags! We went and got milkshakes with President Riggs for the awesome goal thing this week. We went and ate Thai food at 'Thai Delish' with our friend Andrea. It was super fun. I got tofu and it's not even gross? It was incredibly spicy in the dish I got though so I was sweating up a storm. It's fine. Stop judging.

 

That night was an insane lightning storm. The thunder was SO loud and trees were tipping over in front of our apartment complex. and light poles. It was ridiculous. So that was fun driving in. The rainstorms here are so insane.

 

On Thursday we had a trainer meeting at eight in the morning in Fairfax so we went on an exchange.  Sister Roper is training too.  For her last transfer. So we drove to Fairfax for the meeting. Also Elder Adair is training.  He is our District Leader. It is kind of funny because we are all in the Ashburn Zone and we are all from St. George and we are all training.

 

Coincidence?
 

I think not.

 

 

So at training meeting I think like 11 new missionaries came in? Five sisters and six elders.  Something like that. When Sister Rossi stood up everybody was like, "oh I'm putting my money on Sister Stucki" (they thought we looked alike) and then President choked and said my name on accident before he said hers so it was a dead give away.

 

She is from South Salt Lake, West Jordan area. AND a girl that kissed my boyfriend...  has kissed her boyfriend before so that's cool I guess.  Actually not really buuuuuuuttttt that was the first among other things that we have in common. She is great. She graduated in 2013 and went to Snow College for a year.


Now she is here (:
in Ashburn (;
with me (:
poor thing (:

 

The first lesson we had was with M. He wanted to drop us but we went to J. Derenzys house and we talked about receiving answers. We talked to him forever and he said he would continue praying so he could receive an answer to know if this church is true. He ended up coming to church on Sunday as well So that was great! He is awesome. We went to Institute and introduced her to a bunch of people that evening so that was fun as well.

We got a new Ward Mission Leader named Dan. He is awesome. We had dinner with him at Panera and planned a bunch of things and went over all our investigators and people were working with. He seems awesome. He came to a lesson with us afterwards. The lesson was with O. It was Sister Rossi's first baptism invite.  He said yes!  For August second.  So we are working towards that day!


Get ready for THAT (:

  
 

We also found a new investigator this week and he is awesome. He is supposed to come to FHE tonight.  So we are excited for that. M. & O. were both at church on Sunday.  It was a great lesson about Christs life. We had to give an announcement in Elders Quorum about missionary work in Shenandoah.  Which was weird.  I have never done that before.  Bishop got up and like... chastised them into helping us out :l  It was kind of funny. He is really nice to me and Sister Rossi and tells us how lucky they are to have us in the ward! So that is a great thing!

 

 

 

So when Hunter R. asked us to give that little shpeel in Elders Quorum we jokingly said we would in exchange for a VIP tour of THE WHITE HOUSE and he told us, OK!  When are you free? He asked for our info so he could get our background checks started.... soooo in a couple of weeks we are LEGIT expecting a VIP tour of the White House. Sick huh? We are pretty stoked. My lil' trainee is pretty stoked.  So am I.
 

 

 

Also I need to buy a GPS! I have been using Sister Mitchell's and I need to send it to her. So tell Brother Webb thanks so much for the 'gift' because I'm going to buy a GPS with that!

 

As we were coming up with our Ward plan this week we devised a way for our members to begin working with people. I think y'all should know it too and start doing the same.

 

1. Start talking to people:

Don't walk around with your headphones in looking at your feet. Talk to everyone. Start conversations. Turn them into Gospel conversations. Share what you know.  What you believe.  Help others feel that as well.

 

 

2. GET THEIR INFO:

Don't let it slide. How will we ever find them if we don't have contact info? 

Do it!

 

 

3. Invite them!!

Invite them to something. Plan something and invite the missionaries. This is how finding works best

 

 

4. Pray for opportunities but then ACT.

We pray for opportunities all the time but if were praying for opportunities and then don't ACT on them.  We are passing up all the people the Lord is putting into our path. So make sure when you pray for something your actually willing to follow up and DO IT.

 

 

DON'T SLEEP THROUGH THE RESTORATION

WE ARE LIVING IT

 

Anyway.

I can't believe all these crazy engagements and people going on missions and other such crazy things going on back at home. I haven't been gone THAT long. Come on(?)

Dylan and Ethan sound like their keeping busy. Are they getting into trouble? Do they have girlfriends? Hopefully not. I don't approve. That's way too awk.

What are  Ty and Makenna up to?

Tell Eli hi (:

I miss that little stud!

I love you all and I'm grateful for all the love you send my way :) 

Keep writing letters and informing me on the latest and greatest!

 

 

 

Tell Kylie to write me a letter.  It's been too long! I hope their family is all doing good. She better not get married.

 

 

 

Also...for Christmas...get Madi Wogksch up on the Skype cam for me. 

I needa talk to that woman. It's been toooo dang long. (:

 

 

 

and HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!

I have the Greatest Dad in the world.

Just wanna throw that out there.

Can't top that.

 

 

 

I love you all so much! Keep spreading the gospel and being good friends and examples. and reading your scriptures and praying and listening to your parents(:

 

 

 

Love you!  Talk to you next week!

Sister Madison Paige Stucki

(via email June 16, 2014)