Novmeber 25th, 2013

What a crazy week it has been! I'm going nuts. We had transfers AND boundary changes this weekend- i have to keep telling myself that change is good. We lost part of our ward which was sad- we had to give away our awesome new investigator to the elders :( I hate that. BUT good things are comin! Sister Remund is leaving me and going to Kingman to be with my MTC companion Sister Nichols! I'm SO happy for her. She has been here all her mission and I'm sure was ready for a little change. I'm so excited to stay here because this ward is now my family, so I'll be able so spend the holidays with them. My new companion is Sister Nilson. I don't know her very well, but she is actually a visa waiter headed to Brazil, so we'll see how long we are actually companions. Word on the street is as soon as they get their Visas they are gone within the week.

We had an awesome meeting with Elder Bruce C. Carlson from the 70 on Thursday. He gave some really good trainings and mostly they were all focused on us becoming better people- not missionaries. I thought it was interesting. He talked about how (and Elder Anderson told us this too) they are more concerned with how active/ strong we are in 30 years then how many people we convert. I also had the privilege of leading the missionary choir for him so that was fun. There was fancy violin and everything.

So the temple trip with Yamilet. We had such a sacred experience when we went on Tuesday and I don't want you to freak out when I tell you, but it was such an answer to prayers and concerns I've had. We planned to go at 6:30 on Tuesday night and were freaking out SO excited and were determined to not be late. The baptisms were at 7:30 but we were going to have a lesson with her before and walk around/ show her the atrium before. Well somehow we were late- don't know how that happened- but we got out of an appointment a few minutes late. So Yamilet called us and asked if she should wait inside for us or out in the parking lot and we told her just to sit in her car till we got there. Well as soon as she hung up the phone, she heard a gun shot. Someone committed suicide that night in the atrium RIGHT when we were supposed to be there. Such a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. It was such a blessing because at no point during the night did we get an overwhelming feeling that we shouldn't go, or that we should be late. It just happened. To me, that was my Father in Heaven letting me know that He is guiding me through everything- whether or not I have a spiritual prompting or not. They closed the temple for the night but we were able to go on Friday night and OH what an awesome experience! IT was so fun to be all dressed in white with her and Sister Remund and watch Yamilet let others recieve the same blessings from baptism as she just had.

Jasmine came back to church this week! Her baby is old enough to take now so her and Sa'Niyah (the baby) and her sister Miracle (3 yrs old) came and sat by us. Mom thank you for teaching me how to keep kids entertained during sacrament. We colored with her and looked at the pictures in the gospel principles manual and somehow kept her quiet. She loved primary though. And after church, I saw the Burrups! Brother and Sister Burrup flew down here to pick up Laurel and they met her for the first time in the foyer of the chapel and we were standing right there during the reunion and it was so sweet! You all better take good care of her when she heads home.

Well I love you. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Sister Stoker