January 20th, 2013

Love you guys!

Sounds like there never really is a boring day at the Stoker house. I'll keep you in my prayers, Paige. You crazy animal.

This has been another week of learning for Sister Stoker! Heavenly Father is so good at giving me trials to make me stronger. And I am grateful for them. Training has been a learning experience for me- it helps me continue to work on being exactly obedient so I can set the example for Sister Onorato. We do still find ways to have fun though throughout the day which is always important. 

Yesterday the second counselor in the bishopric came up to us right before Sacrament meeting started and told us the speakers didn't make it to church so we were it! Haha. I was loving it- I think S. Onorato turned a bit green. But she did a fantastic job. We spoke on missionary work- big surprise I know- but it was great to get up and just talk to these people. It is so cool serving in an area for so long because I knew each and every one of the families in the congregation and love them all. There was a great spirit in the meeting as we sang missionary songs and our Ward Mission Leader came up as well and gave a great talk. We had a new investigator there too so it is always good to know there won't be anything crazy said over the pulpit. 

There was a missionary fireside last night and I was able to lead the choir again, so that was a fun experience. Afterward we found a couple new investigators who I am really excited about. The other day we were praying about the members in the ward and asked who of them have friends or neighbors who are prepared. We chose a family in each neighborhood and have contacted a couple of them, and so far they have given us great referrals! IT is so cool to see how the Lord really will work with you if you just ask him. Bobbi and Taylor were the neighbors of a family in the ward and said they have tons of LDS friends and love being part of a church community, they just haven't found one yet. My favorite phrase. They will be baptized in no time!

We have been meeting with Trevor, a 16? year old that we talked to on the street because we thought he was 21. But we teach him at his neighbor's house (members of the ward) who have started to bring more friends to listen to the missionaries. Guess it's the cool thing now. Last week we taught a lesson to 5 teenage boys- definitely a different experience than what I am used to. They were easily distracted and I think it was weird for them to share experiences from their heart, but it was cool to see the young men step up and prove that sharing the gospel isn't hard- they were all really chill about it. 

Thanks again for the emails! I love you and pray for you all the time. Thank you for teaching me just about everything I know- i think FHE is the best MTC anyone could have. So thank you for making that a priority. 

Sister Stoker

January 13th, 2014

This week has been crazy. I picked up my new companion on Wednesday, Sister Onorato. She is from Pennsylvania and is so eager to work! I love it. I did make her bike most of Saturday though- poor thing. We found a lot of success with it though and got 3 new investigators from diligence in talking to everyone.

We were at our Ward Mission Leader's home last week (The Smiths- two of my favorite people in the ward. They remind me a lot of Mom and Dad) and we were talking about Serena and how she would just watch her neighbors go to church every Sunday and long to go with them and be a part of that family. It made them sit back and think about their neighbors. There was a couple who recently moved onto their street whom they had met briefly a few months ago, so they suggested we go knock on their door. A lady named Valerie answered and invited us to come back later in the week. We had a lesson with her on Saturday night and it was so great. She had been turned away from other churches in the past because the people were judgemental and she could tell the teachings were corrupt. She said her and her husband had been talking about the LDS faith and how they had yet to meet someone from our church who was unpleasant. He is going to a Jewish medical school here and apparently a huge percentage of the students are LDS. He is on a Ultimate Frisbee team with a lot of them and just loves the kind of people they are. Well lo and behold we showed up at their door the day they had that conversation. I love how the spirit works!

Member missionary work is blowing up around here- it has really helped being in this ward forever so we know the members so well. LOVE YOU~

Sister Stoker

January 6th, 2014

What a week!

Serena was baptized and confirmed this weekend. It has been such a blessing to be part of her conversion. I will send a recording of the testimony she gave at her baptism- it was so great and the spirit was so strong as she spoke. She is already doing missionary work and will text us with finding opportunities all the time. She was at the park the other day and told us to come over and pounce on all the bait. Her words, not mine. The ward has been so great in being involved in her conversion and so may of them have caught this wave of missionary work.

We got transfer news this week! Sister Nilson and I are splitting up :( and each taking one of the wards. It will be good though- we will get a lot more work done and be able to focus on the people that were falling through the cracks. She is going to be with her MTC companion who is also waiting for her Visa, so that will be crazy. I'm guessing if they both get their visas we will take the ward back. I am going to be training again, so that will be fun. It also means I will be in PALO VERDE FOR 9 MONTHSSSSSSSSS. It's nuts. Except the thing is I could stay here for the rest of my mission. I love this place and love the members- they really have become my family.

I have the strongest testimony of WORK. There is a quote that says that there is no satisfactory substitute than work and I have seen that. I have tried napping or moping around when things don't go the way I want them to, but really work is the only way to overcome them. This IS the Lord's work. He is in the very details of it and I have loved being a part of it. I know there is power in the Book of Mormon and I have been discovering it everyday. Every morning I write a question in my study journal and then read the scriptures (DC and BOM) and have gotten an answer every time. It works! The gospel is true and I love being His representative.

LOVE YOU!
Sister Stoker

Serena's Baptism 

Christmas Adventure

December 30th, 2013

Thank you for the pictures and presents and everything!! I love you all so much. It was so great to skype- Sister Nilson keeps telling people about how as soon as the video connected on Skype, all 5 girls in the living room just squealed. Gotta love the Stoker house. This past week was so great. We had a lot of success despite the holiday season and had way too much fun. On Christmas, we had dinners at 1, 3, 5, and dessert at 7. I almost blew up and died. But they were all with investigators so we really couldn't pass them up. This ward has become my family and I love it dearly. We are having transfers this weekend, but I talked to president the other day and it sounds like I am staying here for another 6 weeks. What a blessing! That will be 7.5 weeks here.

Serena is getting baptized on Saturday and we can't wait! She is so excited...and so ready! The ward has been such a great support with her.

Sorry it is a short one again- I promise I will be better at this emailing business.

LOVE you!

Sister Stoker

Heart attacking Serena's door for her birthday!

I woke up early and decorated the room for S. Nilson's birthday. We had too much fun that day 

The fort we built Christmas eve :)

Us in the fort! 

I knew you wanted a picture of me Christmas morn...