This week has been so amazing. I have learned so much and I've only been out two weeks! So we had zone conference on Tuesday and the theme was "Our Need For A Savior." It was such an amazing first zone conference. Our Mission President President Wilding is so amazing, I have learned so much from him. But he brought up the Story in the Book of Mormon about Abinadi and how he teaches the people that they are in need of a savior. King Noah has created a culture that causes the people to commit sin. So Abinadi is baring out his soul to the people, but they are so hard hearted, he thinks they all listened to his urgent message with deaf ears. Abinadi is killed by fire thinking that his message was unheard, and will die with him, But it is because of him we have the rest of the Book of Mormon, it is because of him, Alma was able to take his message to heart, and know that divinity of it. Because this one man had been obedient to God's command to spread the Need for a savior, the generations to follow Alma were blessed. I have come to love to Book of Mormon so much as I have been out on my mission. I know that it is through the Book of Mormon we are able to see our blessings more clearly and even miracles. It is the word of God and I wish I didn't take it for granted before my mission. It has really helped me see the beauty of this gospel, and how blessed we are to have all this knowledge in the palms of our hands. We just have to be willing to read it and be obedient to it's commands. I know it is through obedience we are able to be blessed, obedience is key! look at all the prophets in the Book of Mormon, it is through obedience they were able to develop their testimonies. Mosiah chapter 5 verse 8 is an amazing verse that goes along with that. I want to invite all you to become more familiar with the Book of Mormon, and read it everyday, I know that it will bless you in many different ways than you would think.
A lot of things happened this week! Hermana Stokes has officially been out a whole year on her mission on Nov. 1st!! I have officially been 19 for one month on nov. 3rd! and I've been out on my mission a whole month on Nov. 4th! time flies! So on Friday, We had to go down to Mill Creek, where the mission office is for a Training, but when we woke up, we woke up to 4 inches of snow! and we aren't aloud to drive if there is snow on the roads, so we thought we weren't going to be able to go! I was so sad, but we asked down the chain of people to ask, and they said that it'll be fine, so we were able to drive down! It was crazy though, because it was still snowing all the way down to Everett which is an hour and a half from where we are, and they don't get to much snow down there. But I got to see Sister Murdock! I missed her so much, she is amazing. It was a good missionary training, I love our mission president and wife, they are the best. Also, there is another Sister Stokes in the Mission!? what are the odds of that happening, she is awesome, this is her last transfer though.
This Sunday, we had a zone fast, since it was fast Sunday anyway haha. We just fasted for each other and for miracles to happen. It was great, fasting hasn't been to hard for me out here, we stay busy enough that I don't think about it to often. But our zone had so many miracles on that night, a couple of the sisters and elders found three and even four new investigators! It was awesome. We didn't find any new investigators, but I know that we have seen many miracles in different ways. Our YSA ward has been so amazing, we have a lot of recent converts that are so strong and have all been going or will soon go to the temple. We are definitely a unique ward with a lot of different personalities, but it makes it fun! After church, they do a thing called "Break the Fast" and have Lunch afterwards and it's so good! Benefits of being in a YSA ward. We had a Potato bar, with lots of other things and lots of deserts, it was great. I love the area that I am serving in, I have met such amazing people here, I love that even though it's different in different places you go in the world, the church is the same, and people are so loving to one another.
I'm so grateful for all the experiences I have had so far in my mission, I know only good things are to come and many learning and growing experiences. This church is a church of action, just like it says in the scriptures, Faith without works is dead! Their is always improvement needed somewhere, and we can never boast in our God to much!
"Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blesses is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blesses be the name of my God, who had been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land." Alma 26:36
I love you all so much, don't forget your purpose here, and know that through The Lord, We can do all things. This life wasn't meant to be easy, but when we strive to be obedient, our trials will be made easier because of our faith and works.
Love,
Sister Stokes
