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).