Week 74: "Soy Discipulo de Jesucristo"

Querida Familia y Amigos,
          Sorry I am a day late.  They switched our Pday so we could attend the temple.  

Last visit to the Seattle Temple

Not sure where to begin.... so I will begin with best thing that is happening right now.  It's Christmas time! And the Church has released it's new video for the year.  If you haven't seen it, watch it now.
https://www.mormon.org/christmas  If you haven't sent it to a friend, send it now.  Discover why He was born. Discover why He is important to you personally.  The Prophet and Apostles and other leaders of the Church are giving us such great resources to be member missionaries. How non-threatening is a video? Very.  And it is so simple, yet powerful.  
          Christmastime is the best because there are so many activities to invite people to and peoples' hearts are softened for about 3 to 4 weeks of the year.  If you are thinking about inviting someone to church, here is your opportunity.  The chances of them saying yes are much higher this month.  It's so great!  And one of my favorite things is that when we knock on doors right now, we just tell people that we are singing Christmas carols and sharing a message about Jesus Christ.  Almost all of the doors stay open and quite often we get invited in.  One guy even started a fire for us to stay warm!  Plus I love getting to sing praises to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
          We had a good, quiet Thanksgiving.  We ate with the Santisteban's.  They joined the church about four years ago so we talked most of the time about their incredible conversion story.  They were given lots of anti-Mormon material early on in their investigation of the church, but they overcame it and found the truth.  We also got together as a mission that day and had a musical talent show. I ended up singing "The Lord is My Shepherd" with Sister Partridge and Hermana Oliphant playing the piano.  Who would have ever thought that I would sing in front of group of peers?  I didn't, for sure. 
          We also had our Mission Leadership Council and I went on two exchanges as a Sister Training Leader. For one of them I went back to Crossroads with Hermana Brooks.  I got to see some members and investigators from that area that I love so very much!  Especially seeing the Chavez family!  The best part is that they are still planning on getting sealed in the temple this summer!!!!  I truly enjoy being a leader even though it's a lot of responsibility to carry around.  I just feel so happy not worrying so much about my troubles and getting to spend my time serving others.

After exchanges with Hermanas Brooks & Flores

          Also this week we were able to put our investigator, Maria, on date to be baptized on January 2.  She is the cutest little grandma from Mexico.  Probably in her early 70s.  She taught us how to crochet the other morning.  While we were doing that, we were asking her why she hadn't read the Book of Mormon. She finally told us that the letters were too small for her to read.  We were able to bring her a giant print from our apartment and wow! I have never seen her so happy!  She was like a little girl in the candy shop. She was opening it up to random pages and reading out loud. And of course she included in her own two cents about what she learned.  It was fabulous!  She is the cutest!

My last companions Hermanas Oliphant & Collette

           Well, I want you to know that I know that the Church is true.  There are plenty of good people and good churches out there, but this is the only Church with the Priesthood of God.  Whatever we do here by that Priesthood, whether it be baptism or marriage, it will be bound on Earth and in Heaven.  I have learned these truths through the Holy Spirit.  Even though coming to Seattle was an unexpected mission call, I know that I was chosen by God to be here at this time, to serve His children.  I want you to know that I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  Sometimes it's hard to know if He is there, but once I take that leap of faith, I always feel His presence.  I know He lives and I know He loves me.  I want to express my thanks, my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to labor in His vineyard as a missionary, a trainer, a Sister Training Leader and as a disciple of Christ.  I am thankful to have served my siblings, both English and Spanish speaking. Thanks to all of you for supporting me and praying in my behalf. I will forever be grateful for my mission.  I love this gospel and I am going to miss being an ordained servant of the Lord.  But I will not stop serving Him.
Yo se que las cosas que estamos haciendo son real. Esta obra es de nuestro Padre Celestial. Yo he recibido mi propio testimonio de la restauracion, del Libro de Mormon, El Plan de Salvacion. Mas importante, yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador, Maestro, y Hermano. Le amo. Y con su Evangelio podre superar la muerte y sere perdonado de mis pecados. Estoy agradacida para las muchas bendiciones que El me ha dado, especialmente por mi mision y mi familia. En el sagrado nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard

Google Translation:  I know that the things we are doing are real.  This work is our Heavenly Father's.  I received my own testimony of the restoration, the Book of Mormon, the plan of salvation.  More importantly, I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, Master and Brother.  I love Him.  And with His Gospel, I too can overcome death and I'll be forgiven for my sins.  I am grateful for the many blessings He has given me, especially my mission and my family.  In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Semana 73: Bienvenido al Barrio Verdadero

                                         Welcome to the True Neighborhood

Querida Familia y Amigos,

          Estoy en un barrio de Espanol! I am in a Spanish ward!  Okay, sorry about the skimpy email last week. I will try to make up for it. 

          Last week in Tiger Mountain, Sister Partridge and I had quite a few heart to hearts.  She taught me a lot about communication.  It's okay to talk about how I feel and that it's better to talk about problems than stifle them.  We ended up having a good, successful week.  We taught Brian again and he came to church! He may not have been baptized, but we believe that we were there in that area mostly for him.  We were able to connect with him really well and hopefully one day (hopefully soon) he will decide that he is ready.

          We also learned to overcome many of our fears.  We endured the mountains at night, we learned to talk about hard things, and we learned to love those who are difficult to love.  We ended up singing "The Lord is My Shepherd" in sacrament meeting and apparently we are going to sing it again in front of the mission for our Thanksgiving activity.  Who would have thought that I would ever sing in public?  But here I am!  I also bore my testimony at my last member missionary fireside and I gave my departing testimony at zone conference this week.  La Familia Solis from Seahurst came to the fireside just to see me and they committed me to come back to Seattle with my sisters to see them.  I just love these people.  I was a little emotional at the fireside because there were people there from all the different areas I have served in.  It was like an ending to a good book. There was closure and I was happy.  

La Familia Solis

          I know that my time here is running short.  My brain knows that, but it hasn't informed my heart yet. I still feel like I will be doing this work forever.  But I guess the greatest part is that I have learned so much  about how to be a good member missionary.  Missionaries are set apart to help people be spiritually converted to the gospel (hardest part), but members have a special calling to socially convert people. Gordon B. Hinckley said that people need both to become lasting members in the church.  I realize how much I have grown these past 17 months, I just hope I have grown to be the person that my Father in Heaven wants me to be at this point in my life.

          Well, I am happy to say that now I am in a Spanish ward.  It's the only Spanish ward in this mission so they refer to themselves as "El Barrio Verdadero" or the true ward (kind of like the expression the true church). There is a good mix of South Americans in this ward so I am learning how to understand different accents, especially the Argentine accent!  But I was excited to see that I retained a lot of my Spanish.  I am just trying to give it my all right now.  I am so happy to be back to trailer parks and city although it's not as ghetto as my first area.  We were able to teach many lessons and find many new investigators.  Have I ever told you how much I love Hispanics?  They had a Thanksgiving activity with lots of food!  And the best part was that we had 14 nonmembers there, many of them investigators!  I became a Spanish speaking chatter box!  I even had the opportunity to translate in sacrament meeting....that was kind of rough, but I am glad that I tried. I absolutely love being with Hermana Oliphant and Hermana Collette.

The Trio:  Hermana Oliphant, Hermana Collette & Herman Stoddard

We have already had so many laughs.  I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father to be ending my mission this way.  Especially as a sister training leader.  I have learned something for myself....we truly are much happier when we are serving.  I love being able to know and serve many sisters.  It's hard, but it's the best.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Week 72: Last Transfer

Received 7:00 pm on Transfer Day

Hi family and friends,

          I am okay!  The power is out in a lot of Seattle right now so we had to travel to find a library with power.  I don't have any time to write today, but I just wanted to let you know that everything is alright.  I was transferred....Wait for it...I am in Bothell Spanish speaking and I am a Sister Training Leader again!  I am serving with Hermana Collette and Hermana Oliphant again!  I love you and hope that your week is just sparkles, bubbles and butterflies!

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Week 71: The Lord is My Light‏

Dear Friends and Family,

          So the time change has been awesome.  It is dark at 5:00 which is when we go out tracting.  This is a different ball game than last year.  Last year I was in the ghetto, but there were people around and there were street lights.  Now we just look like two dumb lost girls trying to find peoples' houses in the woods. And then the next challenge is trying to find the front doors, so we have to creep around the house.  We don't mean to, but we look like robbers.  We knocked a door and no one answered but the guy followed us to his neighbor's house and scared the living day lights out of us.  He asked what we were doing knocking doors in the middle of the night.  All we could stammer out was, "It's 5:30 sir."  Once he realized that we were missionaries he told us to have a nice night and quickly walked away.  

          I will be real, my companion and I are both struggling with fear right now.  We constantly recite the scripture "perfect love casteth out all fear."  I have felt Heavenly Father's comforting hand quite a bit this last week.  I always pray for protection and I literally felt the presence of angels.  Besides that, we were able to meet a few great people.  We found a young couple who let us in. They are expecting a baby any day now.  They weren't very interested in the gospel, but after talking with them we found out that the husband's whole family is Mormon.  We know that his family is praying for them and I can't help but think that we were an answer to one of those prayers on that dark, wet night.  

          After that we were walking in the rain with soaking wet hair and singing hymns and laughing. Luckily, Sister Partridge bought new boots so her feet weren't wet that day. I just love the symbolism of us carrying our lantern in the dark to go find those people who are lost and honestly searching for light in their lives. The scriptures are becoming very real to me.

          We had the talk with Brian...you know the baptism talk.  He was kind of defensive, but he told us that he wasn't feeling well, too.  Anyway, he is an honest 'truth seeker' so he said he would be baptized if he felt it was right, but so far, he isn't feeling it.  I am just trying to figure out if now is his time or not.  He has had too many experiences not to accept the fullness of the gospel one day. Please keep him in your prayers:) 

          We also had the great privilege of taking two new investigators, a husband and a wife, to the family history center with a ward missionary.  Bob and Gene are the cutest British couple in their 80's. They have been wanting to do family history, but now we have given them the opportunity to actually do it.  It was so great to see how excited they were!  They told us about their lives, their parents, grandparents...it was literally so much fun.  And all of it was said in cool Liverpool accents!  Love it!  They asked to come back next week....let me think about that one...um YES!  We are really excited for them.  We hope the Spirit of Elijah will touch their hearts and they will be more willing to talk about the restored gospel. 

          Yesterday I gave a talk in church about the Plan of Salvation.  This month, Tiger Mountain ward is focusing on missionary work.  My job was to share that lesson the way I would to an investigator so that the members will feel the spirit of missionary work.  It just made me so thankful to know why I am here on this Earth.  I am grateful to know that I have a purpose and that I am not alone.  It doesn't matter how dark and scary the world gets, my Father in Heaven will not abandon me.  And I know the same goes for all of His children.  I love all of you!  Keep being faithful!  Keep being happy!

Love,

Hermana Stoddard