Not Alone

Learning a Great lesson 

with Personal Study & Sidewalk Chalk

Madison has always liked to doodle...

I saw this on Facebook... People love the missionaries

Still Madison :)

Be Faithful To The Lord
To Your Call To The Work.
BECAUSE well..
I have a fantastic story for you.
You are gonna lol.

But first let me say I have loved serving in Shenandoah Young Single Adult Ward. It has been fantastic.  I have witnessed so many MIRACLES and Tender Mercies here in this area. I have loved it.  I could not have arrived at a better time. I am grateful for those I have been able to meet and the opportunity I have had to spend time here. This weekend two of our recent converts spoke at a fireside and a bunch of ward members came.  It was awesome and the spirit was so strong. It's been a great three transfers here and I'm excited and anxious to see what this next week holds for me.

 😳

But anyway's... Back to the my story...

In the Doctrine and Covenants I was reading where The Lord is chastising the Prophet because he had not been faithful to his commands and to his call.
He said,
"You have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them. ...You should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words... ...Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble... ... thou wast chosen to do the work of The Lord." -D&C 3

As I was reading this I found several different things quite interesting. One of them, being the promise The Lord gave, that YOU ARE ENTRUSTED, YOU should not fear man more than God. YOU should be faithful.

And if you are, God will extend his arm and support you against all the fiery darts of the adversary, and he will be with you in every time of trouble. I was slightly amused at this and wondered to myself "Ya know, I wonder if this really happens. I wonder if I would have enough Faith in times of trouble to take Gods side, and if he will extend his hand and help me."

*spoiler*

DON'T QUESTION GOD. period.

*continue*

It was an amusing thought ya know, but I went on with my day not thinking again about my slight fascination during personal study that morning. Later in the day I received a package from mom. It had sidewalk chalk in it! So Sister Rossi and I decided we would be cool like the New York missionaries and do a side walk chalk art about the Plan of Salvation for people to walk past and see, in a public place.

Lots of missionaries have done it before so we decided, Hey why not?  So we went to a park trail and we chalked out this very elaborate Plan of Salvation Masterpiece. It was cute, and catchy. As people walked by they looked at it and smiled, some even laughed a bit. And then... this old woman and her dog came walking down the trail. I looked up and smiled the biggest smile I could muster and said,
"HELLO how are you?"
 In which she replied hostilely, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
And I said, "Well I'm drawing a picture... with chalk... it's The Plan of Salvation! (:
She started walking all over it! and yelled, "THIS IS GRAFFITI does your church know you're doing this? This is awful. I'm calling somebody. THIS oh...THIS no. Knocking on doors is one thing but THIS this has gone too far. This is ridiculous. This is not allowed. This is evil."

I cringed a bit, like... ouch, lady. come on? Sister Rossi and I exchanged looks, sad, disheartened, upset. I mean lets be honest, if we were five year olds drawing rainbows and butterflies she would not have said a thing. But she was clearly upset and wanted us to take it back. It was kind of awkward because there comes a point when you have to decide whether to be a missionary and just smile,  or to be a human and yell back at her.

So we just stood there in the in between not knowing what to do as she stomped all over our elaborate artwork of GOD'S PLAN. Which indeed seemed incredibly sac religious in my point of observation, but we let her do as she would. It's not like we were going to bulldoze a ninety year old woman and her pesty dog.

As she was ranting off how awful of people we were for sharing the Gospel via the sidewalk... this man came jogging down our path. He read the chalk and jogged around it, not disturbing the picture or the old woman.

Then he stopped, turned around and said, "MAM. Mam."  She calmed down for .5 seconds and he said, "Mam, it's SIDEWALK chalk."

She shot him... this glare of death.  After which he said, "Ladies, are you writing anything bad?"  We shook our heads, no. "Anything profane?" No. He looked up at the old woman.  "See?  It's sidewalk chalk. It will come off."  They had this monumental stare down like they were mentally having a standoff, in silence. Then she grunted and walked away with her dog. The man turned and continued jogging.  Sister Rossi and I sat there and stared for like five minutes at this while lowdown that just went on.

So I may or may not have made this story way more Dramatic then needs be.
But as we walked home I was thinking about that random jogger passing by. He did not need to stop. He did not need to say anything. He blatantly came out of no where and saved Us.  Because I literally do not know what I would have said to this lady to be kind and explain that we were missionaries and this is what we do.  Share the gospel! But in that moment of awkward torture and embarrassment.  While she was screaming in our faces, we simply remained calm, and trusted The Lord to work things out. We didn't apologize for sharing what we Knew to be TRUE, we didn't agree that we were wrong, we didn't accuse her or get angry and get our feathers all ruffled back.

We simply waited.

And God DID extend his arm to support us against what seemed at that moment as "fiery darts" of the adversary, or opposition. Maybe she was just having a bad day.  But to Me it was a pretty sweet experience.  When I realized that what I had been learning about earlier while reading in Personal Study REALLY DOES HAPPEN.

I was so excited that my early morning fascination with the scriptures just happened in real life!

So I'm sure my cheesy grin did not make our encounter any more pleasant.
But BOY I was excited!

It is a miracle to me to know that the Windows of Heaven are not closed. That God really does love and care about ALL of His children.

That promises given to those who lived in times of old, are promises We Can Receive NOW.

That we can receive guidance, answers, direction, comfort, peace and yes we can even withstand fiery darts of the adversary.  Knowing full well God is by our side every minute. How beautiful it is to know that we are not alone.  We are never alone. I will leave you with that Wonderful thought that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Because next week I'm going to pick right back up on this topic. I have a lot to say about it.  But this blog post is getting lengthy and my time is running short. So look forward to next weeks blog of "YOU ARE NOT ALONE 2.0 part ii.

Also it's my half way mark.
Also its transfers.
So it going to be good. Bueno.
Don't send letters until next week

👌

Love you guys!
Talk to you next Week!
Good luck at school and stuff!

😘

Sister Madison Paige Stucki
(via email September 1, 2014)
 Sent from my iPad

Changed.

Ca$hburn   #loudouncountyprobs

Package from "B town"

We have COOL members who bring us Pizza & Drinks.  it's chill.

Thrift Store Service

Serving with a Smile!

Going to the Game :)

So excited...

Sister Rossi, ME, Sister Schramm

I'm So American right now...

There was probably 500 missionaries.  So SICK!

On our way home. At 2:00 am.  WHAT???

O Yeah.  The Metro literally could NOT fit one more body inside.
#BigCityProbs
It's Gross

Still got it.

Family & Friends,

I've created a rough draft not in any particular order of my biggest fears.

1. When your cell phone doesn't hang up and your talking about the person you're on the phone with (whether it be good or bad it doesn't matter still awk)

2. Slipping and falling into one of Manassas Parks massive storm drains

3. Slipping and falling onto the Metro tracks

4. VA lightning storms striking us through the car window

5. Coming home the same person I was when I left.


CAN WE ALL PLZ PONDER THE LAST POINT

Thnx. Just think about that thought for a sec.

I was reading in Jacob 5 the other day.  About the Lords vineyard, and pruning trees, that whole shpeel. I want to just reiterate a few verses that stuck out to me this week specifically. Even more specificly to the work this week and missionary work in general.

Missionary work.. is hard. It's real tough. But I love that you can find comfort in the scriptures, and in comparison.

This week was one of  those  weeks.


Verse 41: "he wept and said what more could I have done for my vineyard?
This sold me. 
This week was rough. 
Some awkward experiences not to be described.
Some bad drops. 
And Sister Rossi and I just thought, 
"What more could we have done?"
"Was there more?"
"What was it we could have done?"

And when you're so involved in the work, it's your life, it's what you devote all your time, energy and talents to, it catches you on the verge of tears. 
OFTEN
When you love these people so much, and things just aren't happening. 
It hurts. 
What more can you do?

Verse 46: "It grieveth me that I should lose them. What more could I have done? I have stretched forth my hand all the day long."
Verse 50: "spare it a little longer, let us go and labor with all our might. 
THIS ONE LAST TIME."

...that was the second selling point to me. 
Something that hit me.
 to push on, a little while longer,
 labor a little harder, this one last time...

one last time meaning
Hey, we don't get another shot at this.
you have one mission. make it count.

As I kept reading and comparing and reading and comparing, EVERY time I read the word 'vineyard' it took me back to Elder Holland's talk in General Conference a couple years ago, about laborers in the vineyard.  One of my all time favorites.

keep up with me here. haha.

His entire talk is based around the Atonement.  How it can help us. How we access it. What we need to do NOW to access the Atonement. Utilizing the Atonement in our lives requires several things. 
1. having faith 
2. repentance (or change, as I before mentioned) 
3. making covenants 
4. enduring to the end.

But I want to focus on Key point #2.

repentance.
aka
CHANGE


because one of My greatest fears is that I wont / haven't changed.
THIS LIFE IS ABOUT CHANGE.
it's about improvement.
it's about growth, knowledge, opportunity, trial and error, mistake making, 
forgiveness & education.

It is a time for us to prepare to meet God.

If we can't change, what can we do?

If we are not willing to change what are we willing to do?

My biggest fear is no longer 'losing myself' or 'forgetting who I was before' or 'changing and becoming a different "Madison"'
RATHER
My biggest fear is that I won't change.
that my mission will be but a "neat experience" to ponder back on from time to time.'

ohhh
that gives me the chills.

No way!!

let this be an invitation
to everyone. to invite change into your lives. to seek out areas where you can improve and do so now. to become the kind of person God intended you to be.

Which brings me to my next point. 
In Elder Holland's latest and greatest message in the Spring 2014 General Conference talk: "The Costs and Blessings of Discipleship"

(sorry my mind is all over the place)

This week we had the opportunity to go to a Nat's game. On our way home my companion and I were watching these people on the metro. Mind you the metro was jam pack FULL of drunk people from the baseball game. As we were jumping out of the metro one of the drunk men turned and spit his tobacco chew all over Sister Rossi's skirt.

Ah.

It was awful.

The poor thing wanted to burst into tears.

And the first thing I thought of was Elder Holland's talk (above) in General Conference this year about the Sister missionaries. So I re-read it. And he says:

"Dear Child, you have in your own humble way stepped into a circle of very distinguished women and men who have, as the Book of Mormon Prophet Jacob (referencing back up to my Jacob vineyard connection) (sorry) SAID "viewed Christ's death and suffered his cross and born the shame of the world."

he goes onto say,

In keeping with the Saviors own experiecne there has been a long history of rejection and a painfully high price paid by Prophets and Apostles, Missionaries and Members in every generation...all those who have tried to honor Gods call to lift the human family to a "more excellent way."

MORE EXCELLENT WAY.

this more excellent way = change.

living the Gospel of Christ so fully and completely and honestly that we CAN change. 
that we understand the Atonement enough to realize we will never be perfect, that we should always be constantly striving to develop new attributes and characteristics of Jesus Christ our Savior.

That we can be okay with change.
And it will be hard.

change IS HARD
repentance is hard.
FAITH is hard.
knocking on doors and getting them slammed in your face, IS HARD
getting spit on with tobacco chew, is hard.
living 2280 miles away from family and home 
and everything you've ever known is hard.
life is hard.
following Christ, is hard.

Bearing the sins of the entire human race and family, was probably extremely hard.

but without it where are we?
who are we?
and what have we become?

my greatest fear is to come home unchanged.
and not JUST home from my 18 month mission to Utah
but home to My Father who put me here in this world, 
who EXPECTS ME to do hard things.

who EXPECTS me to come home, changed.

why did we come here except to grow and develop and learn and progress?

Let us labor this LAST TIME with all our might (Jacob 5)
Now is the time and day of your salvation... 
this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God (Alma 34)

Somebody explained to me this week that each individuals mission is 

designed to stretch them to THEIR own personal maximum.

I would go so far as to say that each individuals life is designed 

to stretch them to THEIR own personal maximum.

Maximum growth.
Maximum change.
God expects us to change.

Love you all.
sister madison paige stucki
(via email August 4, 2014)


P.S.

Not to kill the vibe but a couple quick notes.

One, my satchel broke this week. 

I know. it was rough. I don't want to buy a new one. 

Can you please send me my yellow satchel / backpack I bought before I left? 

can you also send me my dark brown combat boots, I sent my other ones home. thank you!

Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE I LOVE YOUR FACE HOPE IT WAS THE BEST EVER 

<3 <3 <3 <3 I miss you. no more teen hype.

Thanks Makenna for the bracelet it is adorbs and I wear it everyday.  Perfect for summer. Actually it's funny because the other day I was like man I wish I had some of my cute summery boho bracelets and then BOOM you sent me one from Cali. 

with an ANCHOR - MY LOGO. holla. love you tons.

If you want you can send black mascara, no water proof too. I always need that ish.

AND recipes for green smoothies. I want to get healthy. thnx.

If you see any navy, khaki green, beige, corally pink, cream, pastel/mustard yellow, aqua blue, purple or light grey KNEE LENGTH solid color skirts (SOLID COLOR) send 'em my way. if not it's cool. but ya know, just keep your eye out if they come about. I prefer knee length, not shorter or longer. they are a pain.

Also for the FUN FACTS...

this week was Absolutely insane and so dramatic which is why I'm not going into journal detail about my week.

However please know:
-Sister Rossi passed out and threw up on our Recent Converts porch
-Also Sister Rossi got spit on by some tobacco guy
-An investigator said he wanted to "wife me"
-Went to a Nats game, didn't get home until 2 am (whaattt?)
-Another investigator confessed his love for me and wants to quit the lessons.
-my satchel fell apart


yikes.


it's been fun.
and it's been real.

and i'm gonna go take a wonderful prep day party break now.
'cause we need it.
ask the members.
#stresscaseontheloose

love you all so much!
sister stucki

Madi :)