Monday, July 27, 2015

Week 56: Tender Mercies

Querido Familia y Amigos,
          Hola! Como estan?  So I am not going to lie, this week was a hard week for me.  No particular reason. Just sometimes I can be an inward stress case.  But I am fine and really everything has been good around here.  As my companion would say, "It's not hard.  It's a growing opportunity."  God has been good to me and given me many tender mercies this week.
          It's cool being so close to downtown Bellevue because I finally feel like I am serving in a city.  The other day we had a member that lives in downtown offer to feed us, but when we showed up she wasn't there and wasn't answering our calls.  We had to be to a meeting in Bothell in an hour and it was Sunday, so we couldn't pick up food.  Sister Lee remembered where the older missionaries couples live in Bellevue so we showed up at their door step begging for food.  They are so cute!  It was like being at Grandma's house again (don't worry Grams, it wasn't quite as good as your house).  They fed us soup and cookies and sent us on our way.  Sometimes as missionaries we just miss being in family settings.  The next day we ended up eating fancy sushi with a member in Bellevue...living the good life!  Eating sushi with a Guatemalan and a Korean! 
          We had a huge miracle this week!  We got a referral from some Elders up north for a Tongan lady who just moved into our ward boundaries.  Turns out she lives in the same complex as us!  We went over to visit her and she sat us down and was like, "So I want to be baptized," and we, in shock, were like, "We can do that!"  There is a lot that we are going to have to help Rose overcome in the next few weeks, but she can do it if she trusts in Heavenly Father.  I just love having the opportunity to work with people from all over the world. Its such a blessing! 
          Sister Lee and I are good friends.  She knows a lot of the same people as I do because she went to Timpview and BYU so that has been...interesting. But she is fun and has been a great support to me.  Yes, we still teach a lot in Spanish, but it's all me. Even the members have told me that my Spanish has improved so much this month so that's a plus.  Lets be real though, its the gift of tongues!
         Anyway, I have been working a lot on studying and building faith this transfer. Faith in my Savior which builds faith in my Heavenly Father and His Plan. It also has helped me build faith in the Holy Ghost and that I can follow His promptings even if it seems completely irrational and just darn flat out crazy at times.  I have really built my faith and trust in Him when it has come to taking over the area, speaking Spanish and helping and serving all the investigators and sisters that I am over. I could never do any of this alone. Trust me, I would have been a mess a long time ago!  But He has held me all together.  I love Him and I love His Children and His work. 
Have a great week!
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard

PS. I played an intense game of soccer Saturday morning in the rain...I even scored a goal which is big for me (yeah, you people that really know me know....I am awkward on land).

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Week 55: Anyounghaseyo!

Anyounghaseyo! (Hello in Korean)
Querida Familia y Amigos,
          So, Sister Lee has been teaching me the ways of the Koreans!  We are having fun finding all the Hispanics and Hindus that live in Bellevue!  We have had some great lessons along with a lot of finding. Lots of just talking to everyone to see if they are interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have felt a lot of stress this last week...the souls of every single Hispanic in Bellevue is my responsibility...no pressure.  I felt really comforted this week during the Sacrament.  I felt that God is forgiving me of my short comings and that He has been enabling me to be able to speak a language that I don't fully know. The gift of tongues is really a real thing!  Sister Lee has been a trooper in helping me as much as she can.  She can already say a prayer in Spanish! 
          Nothing super eventful this week to take a picture of so this is our selfie in the car!
Sister Lee & Hermana Stoddard
Sorry not a lot of time, but I love all of you.  I am happy!  Just be happy!  This is the happiest work on Earth!
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Week 54: A dream is a Wish your Heart Makes...and Dreams Really do Come True‏

Querida Familia y Amigos,
          So I have a funny story for all of you. Lately in my prayers, I have been praying hard for the gift of tongues.  I have been praying for an opportunity that would really help me stretch and grow in Spanish.  I feel pretty comfortable with it as of now, but it's not perfect.  I can understand about 90% of what is being said, but sometimes I struggle speaking.  So I was thinking that maybe I would train this transfer.  I know all of you know this, but let me just bare my witness that the Lord works in mysterious ways.  So, his morning was transfers. Both of my companions left me, but in the middle of the meeting we realized that there weren't any other Hermanas there and no Sisters were coming from Mexico. Ummm.....There was a little bit of panic, a little bit of amazement that my prayers might actually be answered.  
          And what do you know?  I HAVE A KOREAN COMPANION!  Sister Lee!  Luckily for me, she speaks fluent English, but I am on my own for Spanish this whole transfer....gulp.... It's fine.  I know it's going to be hard to not have a companion to rely on to know any Spanish at all.  But I know I need this.  It's going to make me be fluent. Most of all, I know that I need this challenge to bring me closer to my Father in Heaven. There will be growing pains (please pray for me and the people here), but there is nothing that God can't do so I know I need to exercise my faith and let Him work miracles.
          This past week I went on exchanges with a greenie, an Hermana in Kirkland, WA ( FYI home of Costco).  We taught a girl from Spain with a different accent and we were able to teach a family from Brazil.  I keep having testimony builders about the power of God.  Even though they only knew Portuguese, a little Spanish and a little English and us only knowing Spanish and English, we were able to full-on communicate and teach them. It was an amazing experience that has given me the faith to know that everything will be alright this transfer.
          Random Story:  This week we met a guy that looked like a wanna-be Tony Stark. His dog's name was Thor. Yup, there are some pretty neat people that you meet tracting.
          We did have a really cool experience when a member from the Overlake ward called us over to talk to a Hispanic guy that was working in her yard. We talked to him for about an hour.  He told us about his long search for truth and how he really likes what the Mormons teach. He asked us for a Book of Mormon. He also told us about a dream he had and the Holy Ghost helped him interpret it to mean that he needed to find a church and come closer to Christ.  "We can certainly help you with that Jose!"  We also had a lot of less actives and some investigators come to church this week.  Super exciting!  I love the branch so much!  I love getting to play volleyball and soccer and going to church with them every week.  It's the life!
          Things have been going well with the new mission president and his wife. I think they are really stressed right now, but they don't let it show too much. They are very gentle and sweet. Very different from President Choi.  I am happy.  I loved my companions and we will be life long friends. I am excited for this new journey that I am about to embark on with Sister Lee!
          I have been learning a lot about faith recently.  I know that we all need to constantly nourish our faith and let it grow. We can only do that by acting.  That's how we can gain a truth of all things.  I know that when we strengthen our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, we are strengthening our relationship with Him. He will trust us more.  He will love and protect us.  Sometimes we have to walk in the dark a little bit to more fully see the light.  I love this gospel. I know that it's true with all my heart!
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Week 53: Freedom to Choose

Querida Familia y Amigos,
          It's really hot outside and no one here has air conditioning.  It's the struggle.  But people are home just lounging around all day so it's a great time to find people to talk to since lot of our "usual" investigators were out of town.
The Three Amigos
Hermanas Brooks, Stoddard & Christiansen
So a few things that happened and other things have been on my mind:
          1.  We said "hasta luego" to President and Sister Choi.  He is on his way to Japan to be over the East Asia area of the church.  It was sad to see them go.  They truly loved us and this work.  And in came President Schofield.  The moment I told him where I was from, he told me that he was a judge there for years.  I went from a mission president from the other side of the world to a mission president who knows everything about my hometown. Weird. President Schofield introduced himself to us and boldly told us that he is not President Choi so he might do things differently, but they have to same master...our Savior Jesus Christ.  
          Sister Schofield is just the sweetest lady.  She told us a story about cleaning the chandeliers in the Timpanogos temple. They cleaned every individual light every few months.  She explained how they weren't that dirty, but they shined even brighter once there were done with the three day cleaning process.  That's much like our spirits.  They don't need to be washed just once in our lives.  The Atonement is a daily cleanser.  Repenting everyday and taking the sacrament every week heals our souls.  We don't want to be running around with gaping wounds, now do we? No, no.  It's the daily cleaning that refines us and makes us sparkle and reflect the light of Christ, just like the crystals in a chandelier. 
          2.  As you can imagine, living in Seattle we have been getting a lot of questions about homosexual relationships and marriage.  Lots of people don't like the response that we give them.  Can I just say that all the Apostles and general leaders of the church including the Prophet expected the legalizing of gay marriage!?!  If you reflect through many of the talks this past conference, you will find that most of them talk about marriage and family.  The Lord is clear about His standards.  In the end, they are the only way we can be truly happy.
          3.  With it being Independence Day and everything, I reflected a lot on our freedom as Americans and as Children on God.  Because we live in a country where we are free to believe, we have freedom of mind. This also gives us the freedom to fully exercise our agency.  Christ fought for our agency and we are privileged enough to use it.  Because we are Children of our Heavenly Father and He loves us, He is here to liberate us and support us, but He will not force us to choose.  

CELEBRATING THE 4TH!!!!
          We had a sad experience this week when our progressing investigator David dropped us.  A large factor was the issue with gay marriage.  He told us that because of us he went from being atheist to believing in God, but he can't believe in the Christian God.  It broke our hearts for him to finally see someone who loves him,  but not understanding His laws.  We were all sad and cried in the car after that lesson.  
          But I am very thankful for the gift of agency.  I am grateful for my motherland, America.  I know she is God's promised land.  Without her, we wouldn't have had the restoration. I hope all of you had an excellent 4th of July and continue to have a fantastic summer.
Blanca & Makenzy with the 3 Sisters
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard 

Celebrating 1 year (July 2nd)
at the Taco Truck



Saturday, July 4, 2015

Week 52: The Beginning of Happily Ever After!

Dear Friends and Family,
          What a blessing my life has been.  It's just so beautiful!  Yes, the weather has been warmer here and no one has air conditioning, but really it's not that bad.  I am grateful for a car though.  We need rain because peoples' lawns are dying because they don't have sprinklers either.
Waiting for the font to fill Selfie
          But Saturday was an incredible day.  I was able to prepare for and witness the baptisms of the Chavez family!  It was such a beautiful, peaceful and spirit driven experience.  Everyone was in tears. Everyone knows that in a year's time they are going to be sealed together in the Lord's House for time and all eternity!  I can't wait to witness that blessing.
Chavez Family Baptism
         Everything went unusually smooth and believe it or not,  I actually sang a song with my companions...acapella.  Talk about outside of my comfort zone, but I like this feeling of overcoming my fears.  You can ask anyone who knows me well that I am a worrier and a very fearful person, but I have been able to face most of those fears on my mission and have been able to overcome some of them. Even if I am a sweaty mess while doing it, I have been able to overcome them with the help of the Atonement. But basically the Chavez family is perfect and we are going to be friends for life. Que padre! 
         Some other cool things happened this week, not to mention that one of the members, Hermano Garcia, took us to Cheesecake factory last night in downtown Bellevue. I was so happy! Tender mercies!
I really can't remember what I have and haven't told you about... but we met a new friend named Pete. He thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses for a whole week and he just kept getting mixed up between our doctrine and their doctrine. We were like, "We are Mormon."  He was like, "Oh, I like Mormons even better." Basically he adopted us as granddaughters and we call him Uncle Pete. We brought him a pie one day and he about fell over.  He couldn't fathom that three 20 year old girls could be so thoughtful.  Well, my friend, that's what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do to someone...make them a nice 20 year old:) 
          So we had to say farewell to President and Sister Choi yesterday. I learned so many valuable lessons from them that I will never forget. Their legend will live on for a long time in this mission. We will see what these new changes will bring; however, no mission rules can change for 6 months, so it won't affect me!
Have a wonderful, beautiful summer week everyone!

Week 52 Challenge:
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard
Quirky Rachel & Monica