How do You treat others?

Sisters Serving in Washington DC South

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What a Great day

My wonderful companion - Sister Schramm

We tried to catch the bunny

Smile:)

Yes. It's freezing here.

I've gotta lot to say so bear with me humans.

1. My satchel broke. So I'll probably be getting a new one here soon at Target.  I'm waiting until after this week because WE GET I-PADS. I wanna see what all I have to carry around. So I can downsize. 
But quick reminder...

WE GET I-PADS THIS WEEK!!!

holla at Christmas in March baby. JK. but seriously?

So Monday we went to this place called Five Below where everything is under five bucks.  So I got some nice essentials there. I met this lady. She just started talking to me!! She is from out of our area.  So I passed her as a referral to some other Sisters. It was kinda funny though.

We also went to Chipotle with our friends that live by us. We met them when we shoveled them out of the snow.  We had dinner and a lesson about temples with them. They are A, A & S they are roommates. They are awesome!!!

Also...ha ha ha. Mom. Lots of people out here follow me on Instagram and stuff.  (members) and they saw my Oreo plea:/ The H. family specifically... stocked us up!! They gave us like five boxes of Oreos. WHAT!!!?? Yeah. We love them. We get spoiled out here. Also I held their pet rat.....yerp.

Tuesday was District meeting. We visited lots of members.  Then we checked on H. & M.   M. is getting married soon!!  So that's a good thing. We are excited for her.

Nobody was really interested...we talked to a lot of people but lots of stuff fell through again.

Wednesday we went tracting literally all day long. We set up lots of appointments but throughout the week they fell through. One lady we ran into got SOOOO mad because we were looking for a 'Bill Knox' and she said it was a malicious joke that people made up about 'Bills knocking at her door' or something? I don't even know. 

Then she continued to chastise us about how Missionaries representing Christ need to actually represent Christ. (she was referring to an experience she had at a gas station years previous not us. - we softened her up)  Anyway, I thought it was sad that she remembered an experience about missionaries like that from so long ago!! We have an appointment with her next week so hopefully we can clear things up with her!!

Later that night it was Freezing cold and we were tracting all night and these girls opened up the door and were just straight up making fun of us. Laughing in our faces.  It was awkward. They don't believe ... anything. It was really weird watching them laugh in my face and make fun of me. It was like all of the sudden I wasn't a human being anymore. Because... what.. I was different than them?? It made me take a flashback to Middle school and High school when as soon as one person says or does anything different than everyone else -  everyone points and laughs.

How sad is it that humanity treats people so awful? I've said it before.  But man if I could go back to High school now... I wish I would have sought out instances such as those and been that person to be a friend. Nobody should be torn down and mocked and laughed at and made fun of for something ''different'' they believe.

Especially when it means so much to them.  Right there on that doorstep.. with two teenage girls pointing and laughing at me. I think I felt a tiny bit of how Christ felt.  All he wanted was to help people. He knew he COULD but they laughed at him and mocked him and hurt him. 

I wasn't at those girls door for me... at all! I don't benefit from them learning. That is how it was with Christ. Yet his testimony never wavered. I really took that in... I mean I was out there on their doorstep. Freezing my behind off out of my free will and being laughed at! 
How embarrassing right?

...but My testimony didn't BUDGE. Because.. I know! 
This Church really is true and I walked away feeling SO so SO blessed that I know. One day those two girls will know too... They'll have the opportunity to know because they didn't realize what they were turning down.. 
they had NO IDEA!

Thursday. I biffed it -  on the ice. Enough said.

It was pretty Rough and Cold and Windy and nobody was home and everyone bailed on us.

We visited C. who is always busy but wants to be baptized.  Which is a throw off. Also..ha ha we went to visit a member next to C. and we saw a house being ROBBED. 

no joke. 

It was dark and we were walking past these town homes and the door was open and this guy comes out with a flashlight and a ski mask and we were like WHAT???? 

so we RAN and BARGED into the Members homes like dude. your neighbors are being robbed. what is this? it was sketch. then we had to RUN back to our cars? and every person we saw along the way we almost freaked out. it was a sketch night. and we didn't even have our pepper spray. 
let that Be a lesson to all y'all.. always carry pepper spray!!

That night D. asked us to come over... I think they miss us. They are awesome. We had a good talk with them. We miss teaching them. But they are still our faves. Also I lost my planner while helping somebody take in groceries.  So somewhere in the world there is a Sister Stucki badge and a Sister Stucki planner.  Somebody could be stealing my identity.

Friday we woke up early to go find my planner.  Guess what we found...

BILL KNOX!!!!! 

yeah. He is real. He isn't a malicious joke like that lady said. 
It was crazy. but we had to pass him to the Elders.  
So that was lame. 
Also we made up a remix to 'At last I see the light' (on Tangled) 
called 'At last I see my bed' it goes a little something like this... 

*plz youtube "At last I see the light" and sing along thnx*

AND AT LAST I SEE MY BED

AND ITS LIKE THE FOG HAS LIFTED

AND AT LAST I SEE MY PJ'S

AND ITS LIKE THE SKY IS NEWWWWW

AND ITS WARM

AND REAL

AND RIGHT

AND THE WORLD HAS SOMEHOW SHIFTED

ALL AT ONCE EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT

NOW

THAT I 

SEE YOUUUUU

we were REALLY  HAPPY to be back in our warm beds. Don't judge.

Saturday we taught E. and visited S. and her baby!!! the baby is like a week old. So adorable. Also Dad: there is a guy in my ward named Brother Long. He grew up in Ohio (about the time you were on your mission) converted to the church! and then served a mission in Las Vegas, Nevada. Crazy right? I feel like you guys could be homies.

Also we went and visited a less active named L. at her work. Her boss was talking to us. He is Muslim. His name is Mr. M. and he is awesome! He loved us. He insisted on getting us drinks and we were like no no no but he was like "YES SISTERS!" and he grabbed this big wad of cash out of the cash register and marched over to the dollar store and bought us drinks and chocolates. It was way funny. But seriously who just does that for some random Mormon missionaries you've never met? We loved him.

Sunday was roughhh!! 
I think everyone in the ward knew we were on the Struggle Bus this week. Because literally everyone asked me if I was okay?  How the family was doing? and yada? yada?  I love our ward. I really do. but I was about to lose it. 

We visited J. and N.. which was an awesome lesson.  Then we went to the D. house... and showed that new Mormon message on bullying... oh and it all came out. Sister Schramm and I just lost it.  We started bawling. We are babies.... no not really.  It was just a rough week. 

Luckily we were at the D.'s and they are awesome. So they were just like AHH MISSIONARIES. They took care of us. They are converts to the church and Brother D. is in the Bishopric now. Like I said... they are AWESSOMMEE. A true missionary inspiration right there.

When we were driving home this reoccurring theme hit me of... 
How we treat others??? 

As Missionaries and Members we spend so much time waiting for the perfect opportunity to find somebody who isn't our religion to teach them.  To uplift them.  But what about the people around us who are struggling? How often do we reach out to the person who already is a member but is struggling with a testimony? or how often do we smile at the kid who isn't being physically bullied... but everyone stares and laughs at them behind there back?

I know where I'm from... there wasn't a lot of 'non members' I could teach per-say, so I kind of justified not reaching out to people by assuming there was no one I could help. When in reality there were people all around me struggling to find the truth.  And their own knowledge of it.

In school... it's the same way. We see bullying as 'the kid who is getting his lunch money stolen' or something.. of that nature. We never really saw that so everything was 'okay' but in reality...  there were people everywhere I turned who were being gossiped about or harassed.

How often do we justify our actions by assuming nobody really needs our help? As missionaries we are always inviting people to take some sort of action. I've learned the worst that can happen is they say NO.

So what's holding you back from inviting and uplifting and carrying one another burdens?

Yes.  Even the people closest to you! 
Your neighbor.  Your friend. YOUR BROTHER?

My challenge to you all is to prayerfully seek out one person in need of help. I know if you ask God to help you to bless the life of another he will lead you through unexpected paths. I can vouch for that because he unexpectedly led me to Washington DC South.  

I've both helped and BEEN HELPED. 

Which has changed my life. 

Whats holding you back from changing the lives of others? 

Don't let those opportunities slip away.

Love you all.
Sister Stucki
(via e-mail March 3, 2014)

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Are you a Reader?

Since I was in first grade, I have been a fan of reading and an avid quote collector. I truly believe reading helps improve all areas of intelligence and builds your knowledge base more than anything else you could spend your time on. That being said, lately I've been trying to find good reads to help me throughout my mission. After all, what you don't know you can't teach! In General Conference one of my favorite quotes was said by Elder McConkie when he said..

          "You cannot expect the holy ghost to help you remember things you have never read or studied! STUDY. SEARCH. PRAY. As you dedicate yourself the same Holy Ghost who revealed to prophets of old will reveal unto you. The holy ghost will then be able to bring all things to your remembrance in the very hour that you need."

If that isnt insentive enough to get READING than i don't know what is! As I read, i like to highlight and scribble notes in my books and pamphlets to note important things that stick out to me. Kind of like scripture marking. However, i know i will not be able to take every book i own with me on my mission. So I usually go back at the end and re-write my favorite quotations or stories into small journal (I found for $5 at ross) so that i have a collection of inspiring and motivational tidbits to share in the mission field!

Here is a list of books, pamphlets and talks that have inspired me and i hope will do the same for you. Enjoy!

What I Wish I Would Have Known Before My Mission 

John Bytheway

John is a hilarious, motivational speaker for youth. The book is full of good advice and tips. The end has an epilogue of information he thought was valuable to the reader. Such as frequent questions he was asked and answers he has studied up on and wish he would have known.

My Beloved Sisters

Spencer W. Kimball

This book isn't very long but it is especially for sisters. This book helps you better understand your role as a women, even if you already know these things, it gives you insight on how you might share this information with OTHER women, especially while in the mission field. It points out many joys that are worth living for, it is a book full of hope and peace, inspiration and guidance and points out great truths in the divine and important role of women and daughters of God. 

LDS Family Services: Addiction Recovery Program (Book)

LDS Family Services

While reading this you have to keep in mind that there are MANY forms of addictions. This book isn't just meant for one or two of the more 'popular' addictions, but it can help you in almost every aspect of your life. It also gaurentees you to better understand what others are going through and how to help them overcome any struggles or challenges they may be facing. It is full of advice and church council, that EVERYONE can apply to their life.

For The Strength of Youth

LDS (Pamphlet)

DO NOT UNDERMINE the value in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. You may have read it a thousand times, read it again. The simple truths in this book are easy to teach, and to show how they will bless and affect your life immensily by following its teachings. Don't forget to take one of these on your mission with you!

Defending the Church
Wayne D Arnett
(sorry for poor internet quality)
This is a reference guide/pamphlet about defending the church. I wouldn't advise that you rely on 'defense' for teaching, that isn't your calling. However, this book is full of interesting facts about the church that are good to know for your own self.


Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence
Jeffery Holland
(Talk)
I would print this one out and read it. And re read it. And glue it in your journal. And tape it to your wall. This talk is right on key. Take it on your mission with you. Pass it around. Live by it. If you don't read anything else, read this one.

These are a few of my most recent 'reads.' Of course, when you receive your mission call they have a list of books you should bring with you on your mission. Such as the 'True to the Faith' and 'Jesus the Christ' book collection (which you can buy at any local lds book store, such as seagull or Deseret book in a package deal!) As well as your Preach My Gospel, Missionary Prep, Temple Prep and of course The Book of Mormon, Bible, Doctrine & Covenants & Pearl of Great Price.

WOW LOTS OF READING EH?

I haven't yet read ALL of the list of mission required books, but those are for sure flying with me to DC, so i will have eighteen months with 'em. Good luck on your reading! If you find any new inspiring favorites please email me at madison.stucki@myldsmail.net and let me know. Love you all and good luck!