Week 69: Change of Season, Change of Heart‏

Dear Friends and Family,

A little jammie time after a hard day!

          It's getting wetter, darker and colder out there...welcome to Seattle!  I have never been so excited for Daylight Savings in my life!  Forget Halloween!  No, it's been a fun week.  We just had to bust out all the fleece lined tights, gloves and wool socks again.  Some of the long-timers up here on the Mountain say that sometimes the power will go out up to a week at a time.  I truly hope that never happens!  I would rather not become an ice cube!  I can't imagine serving a mission in Russia and in some of the colder places of the world.  I have been so blessed to serve in a mild climate.  Rarely too hot or too cold...all you need is a light jacket:)

My study area

Our cute little casa!

          We have had a few cool run-ins with people.  We met a guy named Erik who has never been religious, but he is dating a less active member of a neighboring ward.  He was open to having us bring a member over and come in and teach him...so we did.  He is starting to read the Book of Mormon and he prayed for one of the first times in his life.  So cool!  We also met a very kind Bahia lady with whom we had a very good discussion about the Restoration, and we also met a very kind British man who wants to do family history with us. 

Our Jesus Bracelets

          Update on Simon: we haven't seen him.  He basically lives at school.  Always doing homework or chores.  But the good news is that his mom and dad are starting to really like us.  We went over to see Simon on Friday and his mom let us in to talk to her while she was cooking.  She is very sweet...just doesn't like talking about religion a whole lot.  So we are trying to set up service to help their family out.

          Update on Brian: He likes us coming over and he doesn't mind sitting out on his front porch to talk with us (it's a rule that we can't go inside with a male unless another female is with us).  He is always sharing more and more with us about his spiritual path as a healer.  We are praying for the gift of discernment so that we can find the truth in what he says.  I have found that there is a lot of truth; sometimes he perceives it differently than the "Mormon" way.  What we are struggling with at this point is helping him understand the importance of the priesthood and ordinances.  He has seen many miracles and performed miraculous healings based off of faith and spiritual gifts.  I don't discredit that, but I think he is still missing a fullness of the healing that can be done through the Priesthood.

A llama in the forest.  What??

          Also he has a big problem with repentance.  He was raised in a Baptist church and he felt like their doctrine teaches "God loves you. A lot. But you are a sinner and you will burn in hell."  Which isn't super far from some of the ideas I had about repentance growing up.  But something that I have come to understand, starting in high school until now, is that repentance isn't the punishment for sin.  It's the cleansing power.  It's the rubbing alcohol in the wound.  It's sandpaper on the wood.  It's probably going to hurt a little before things get better.  But that's the beauty of repenting daily.  It is a little bit of cleaning everyday instead of having to deal with a whole blowout at once.  It keeps us in line with the straight and narrow. 
          We had interviews this week with President and Sister Schofield.  I was a bit of a mess...(I will tell you later), but they taught us about forgiveness through repentance.  Pres. Schofield asked us, "Who is in need of repentance?" All of us raised our hands. "Who does God forgive?"  All of us raised our hands a little more hesitantly.  He read in the scriptures about the promise that God makes.  That when we repent, He remembers our sins no more.  As often as you repent is as often as you will be forgiven.  Pray for strength to overcome your weak spots.  This is how we truly live at our full capacity, living up to our potential. 

Thank you for all your love and prayers in mine and my companions' behalf.  Have an incredible week! Share your testimony with the ones you meet. D&C 62:3

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Pday breakfast out

Halloween Cookies

Week 68: Figgies & Jammies and Ewer House‏

Dear Friends and Family,

          I realized that I always put all the spiritual things that I learned during the week at the end of my letter, but there are really the most important things that happened all week so I am going to switch things up.  We had our Bellevue South Stake conference this weekend and it was like an encore to General Conference.  It was that good.  I learned that personal revelation is essential for our individual salvation.  I learned that Family History is VITAL for our own salvation.  We can't be saved without our ancestors and they can't be saved without us.  I learned that I need to feel something when I pray.  I learned that there have to be doubts in order for faith to exist.  It's just learning to lean on the faith, reaching out to the Author of Hope instead of turning to the Father of Lies.  I learned that all of us, including ancient and latter-day prophets are people with follies.  There has only been one through all of history that is perfect; and we call Him our Savior, our Brother.  I learned that I can understand all of these doctrines with my head, but it's when I KNOW them with my heart that they become truly beautiful.  I know through the warm impressions in my heart and the enlightenment in my mind that the Gospel is REAL.  He is REAL!

          Sister Partridge and I seem to attract all the "spiritual" people of the mountain, or at least they are the most willing to talk to us.  They all believe in Christ, but live a more Buddhist/Eastern philosophy life style, and don't want to be associated with any religion.  It's been a very interesting experience.  One of those people is Brian.  He has been taught and dropped more than several times by lots of missionaries over the last five years.  But we feel that we need to keep talking with him right now.  We made some headway with him last week.  I felt inspired to share Moroni 10 with him where it talks about spiritual gifts. It totally clicked with him.  The awesome part was right after I read it, a very large tree in the forest in front of his house felt down. There was no warning, there was no wind, there was no one chopping it down, it just cracked and like the sound of thunder it fell down.  He took that as a major spiritual sign or rather a confirmation of truth.  That's when he started reading the Book of Mormon again.  He grew up Baptist and really hated it, but he has kept his belief in Jesus Christ and in prayer.  In the last 10-15 years, he studied with Native American Shamans and became a spiritual healer.  We have been finding that there is a lot of truth to what he believes, he just sees it in a different way.  We are still trying to figure out how to help him see the importance of the priesthood and the organization of the church.  He is a really great guy though.  We love talking to Brian...he even feeds us Fig Newtons!  But they are a special gluten free brand called Figgies and Jammies! haha

          We officially moved.  The Collin's family moved out and we had to move out the very next day.  We moved to the other side of our area and live with a single lady in our ward named Sister Ewer. I thought it was so funny when I put it in the GPS because it says, "Arriving at Ewer house."  haha  Anyway, it's a lot smaller and cozier.  It's like staying in a little cabin.  And she keeps it ultra clean which makes me ultra happy! 

          Some fun things we did this week was we went to a local pumpkin patch and talked to some people there.  Of course we bought our own pumpkins too to celebrate the season.  We also got to go to the member missionary fireside last night in Redmond.  I got all choked up seeing people from many of my areas.  Ah, I just love the people!  That's when I could see that I am making a difference in people's lives.  I am making a difference by bringing the good news, the word of God, to all of their homes.  What a blessing!  Just remember that Love replaces fear. "Be not afraid, but be believing," Mark 5.  "Be strong and of a good courage," Joshua 1:9.  Our God is always with us.  "He goes before our face and His angels are round about us."  I love you all to pieces.  Reeses pieces!

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Week 67: What Happy People Do

Dear Friends and Family,

          Sister Partridge and I laughed and sang a lot this week.  We had a lot of random things happen.  We saw a llama, so we paparazzied him.  We knocked doors in the mountains, in the dark and down pouring rain.  That was actually quite fun.  Quite the experience.  We thought it was hilarious and people thought we were crazy as we would knock on their door, looking like drowned rats, ask to sing them a song about God and then merrily skip off their front pouch.  I guess that's what the gospel does to you...it makes you a happy human even when there isn't a reason to be one. 

Bus stop on the mountain.

          We were having some car troubles late one night so we stopped at the only gas station within 6 or 7 miles.  Everyone at the gas station ended up taking a look at our car.  They said that there must be an internal leakage because we were losing a lot of engine oil.  So the next day we took our car to Issaquah to get fixed.  But we wanted to be good missionaries so we started walking around and talking to people.  We ended up on a park bench talking to a girl who was about our age.  Based on her appearance, it looked like she has had a hard life.  We were able to teach her about the Restoration and give her a Book of Mormon. 

          My scripture I am ponderizing is Isaiah 64:8.  Sorry, I am running out of time, but read it.  It's a good one.  You all are great people.  Trust the Lord and love yourself!

Love,

Hermana Stoddard

Fairy Forest Bakery

Present for a less active member.

They took our furniture.  We are moving!

Week 66: The Dealings of God with the Tiger Mountain Sisters

Dear Friends and Family,

The Fairy Bakery

          I have to admit I was a little confused last night when I didn't get a transfer call.  I had strong feelings that I would be Spanish speaking for the rest of my mission.  It was hard not to be a little disappointed to think that I will have spent more time in English areas than Spanish on my mission. But on Sunday, I got the impression to fast on Monday.  A fast for strength to help me give 'my everything' to the Lord this transfer.  I guess part of 'my everything' is giving 'my will' to the Lord. My will was to go back to Spanish mostly because the work is way easier and much more successful there.  And of course because I love Hispanics and I get to practice Spanish. 

I went a little crazy with language study during lunch time.

I can't complain.  This mission isn't about me.  It never was.  I am blessed that I even get to be here.  He knows there are people here in Tiger Mtn. that need me even though I don't know who they are.  I am a little broken hearted, and I don't understand, but that's okay.  I guess I don't need to.  I just need to work and do what He would have me do.  I will be fine and this transfer (or lack of one) is going to be a blessing.  There are miracles here for Sister Partridge and me, we just have to go find them. T hank you for your prayers. I will give everything I have to serve the Lord.  I am committed to work hard my last months here in my Father's vineyard. Yet again, the Lord reminded me that this mission isn't about me.  

Sister Partridge TRIED to make pomegranate
seeds into a heart since I was so bummed about transfers

          So let's talk about the miracles....We had a  great week!  We had two people actually let us into their houses to talk with them. One guy was a Wiccan and didn't seem too interested in converting, but he wanted to hear the message from the girl missionaries.  The second was a couple and they committed to read the Book of Mormon and come to Conference.  They didn't make it to conference, but....we are still going to keep bugging them:)  

          We had two investigators who we haven't seen in a long while sit down and talk with us.  One of them had been reading the Book of Mormon!!!  He is a little Buddhist, a little Christian.  There are a lot of people around here that kind of figure out their own religion, pulling truths from everything. Anyway, I think that Rick is a real truth seeker. He said he has been praying about the Book of Mormon and his answer is "keep reading it."  Sweet!  

          Then there is Brian.  He is a really interesting guy as well.  He studied with a Native American shaman and he is Christian.  He is really into talking about spirits.  He has had a lot of neat spiritual experiences (I think back to the days that my grandma and I would watch Ghost Hunters).  Anyway, he has read the Book of Mormon and said he prayed to know if it's true and he got nothing.  But he said if God tells him that it's true today, he would get baptized tomorrow, so we keep going back to see him once in awhile. 

          It just keeps getting darker and darker around here.  Luckily we had a less active give us bear spray and the members we are living with gave us a lantern.  I feel better, but it does get a little freaky at night.  Of course I had to be in the ghetto last year and in the forest this year when it gets dark early:)  But God has been protecting us, trust me. 

          That brings me to General Conference.  There were so many great speakers! Overall, I learned about being happy.  Just be happy.  It's learning to love the gospel.  Being joyful through trials. I choose to ponderize....it's the new thing apparently.  I chose Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth."

I got to watch conference
across the street from the temple.

          I want all of you to know that I would never do what I am doing if it weren't the true gospel.  I would have given up a long time ago.  If I was just a salesman trying to have people buy a product, I would have quite months ago.  But what I bring to their doorsteps is real.  I know.  I have felt it.  I know that the Atonement is real.  It's been the thing that has carried me the last 15/16 months. And I am going to let it carry me for the rest of eternity.  I love all of you and I pray for you.  Please pray for Simon and Rick this week.  Sister Partridge and I are committed to baptize two people this transfer!

With Love,
Hermana Stoddard

The Andersons - fabulous missionaries
& just plain hilarious!!

This is Tony.  One of the crazy people in the woods.
Just kidding, he is incredible!

This is Bro. Mancini.  He is 80, baptized a year ago,
a war veteran and an old Hollywood western film director.
He calls us his angels!

Spa Night --- Nacho Libre Style