April 9, 2018

5th Transfer here we come! April 9. 2018

I am officially getting transferred this Wednesday!! I have mixed emotions about it all! I love Bellingham and don't feel ready to leave, especially this ward, but the Lord has greater things in store for me, even if I don't want to accept that. This past week has been so great. All of our friends came back from spring break and the work has sped back up! 

Monday- We had a zone P-Day with President and Sister Wilding!! We all went to the Stake center and had food and lots of games. I love them so much. We also got to see Manny who was a Former investigator and make him an investigator again!

Tuesday-  We met with Charlotte and taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has such a strong testimony in the gospel already, she is seriously already like a member. We had a lesson with Ze, we taught him about tithing and fasting, he thought it was cool and agreed to pay tithing when he is baptized. We asked him to fast this Sunday as well. 

Wednesday- We had district meeting, but it was a small group of us because some of the elders went to the temple. It was an amazing last district meeting all together, we sat in a circle and the spirit was so strong.  Elder Brown asked me to instruct on receiving revelation and we all learned so much through the spirit. 

Thursday- We did service at Days For Girls, then a typical missionary day. we had a lesson with Jordan and he is doing good, he has been working on his family history and was able to find more names! 

Friday- We met with Teresa our recent convert and she is doing great, her and Charlotte are becoming really good friends! We had a lesson with Megan, a girl from our ward who we were teaching the lessons a couple months ago, is is a convert of 5 years and she served a mission in Texas and got back last summer, but has been struggling with her testimony. She is amazing. We had a lesson with Coree right after and she came with us. We watched President Nelson's Sunday morning talk on Receiving revelation and had a really good lesson with him.

Saturday-   We met with Charlotte and taught her some commandments, she has changed so much and is seriously amazing. She took out her nose ring on her own and she said she couldn't sleep, so she wrote down her testimony on accident hahah. She read it to us, and the spirit was so strong. she is amazing. She came to a lesson with our investigator Ivan and she was just sharing her testimony of the Book of Mormon and was like, "If you come to church I will too" haha! He said he would, but ended up not coming.. But he texted us and said that he will next week.

SUNDAY!!!- This was such an amazing fast Sunday! Charlotte was the first one to get up and she shared her testimony she wrote and after that people were going up there back to back all saying how amazing her testimony was. Jordan got up after her and he just finished 1 Nephi and he shared 1 Nephi 22: 29-30 and it was such a great testimony. Ze and Coree came as well, and Ze asked where he can get an envelope to pay fast offerings and we were mind blown! He payed 15 dollars for fast offerings! He is so cute! I told him I'm probably leaving and he goes "No." it was so funny. 

We also were able to find a new investigator named Aaron! He is really cool, but I won't be able to meet him again.. Oh well.

I have loved serving in Bellingham YSA and I am going to miss it like crazy! I know the Lord puts certain people in your path for a reason and I have met the most amazing people here. I am so grateful to be out here serving the Lord, I know that he is the man in charge and I trust that I will go where I need to be. I love you all, I hope you have a great week!

P.S. we are going to the Tulip Festival today so pictures to come!!

Charlotte's Testimony <3

I’ve always wondered if there was a God above, some greater being the rest of us measly humans on Earth. I always wished that there was something more out there then what I already knew.

Growing up Jewish I was fed different stories from the Old Testament and heard different teachings from different prophets, I prayed the same as my neighbor in synagogue, but I never felt the rewarding response or overwhelming sense that there actually was something greater than what we already knew. Every loved one that passed on from my family pulled me further from the so called “God” I was searching for, if God really had a plan for me then why is he taking everyone I love away from me. This thought, although grew with wisdom as I aged, has been in my head for quite some time now.

I love being Jewish. It will always be a part of my culture and my community. But when I left home, I realized that it wasn’t the religion I called home but the people and the rituals that I grew up with that meant something to me.

As I stumbled aimlessly through my freshman year of college I realized that I always felt envious of the people around me that had a relationship with God and had that greater sense of something more to cling onto when things got tough. As my anxiety progressed my need for God grew stronger everyday. But if I couldn’t feel him in the place I called home, that my parents took me to till I was old enough to fight it, then where was I supposed to look.

Well it may sound crazy. But I knelt down on my knees with no idea what I was doing. And prayed to God (whoever that is) and asked for some guidance or some kind of sign that there really is a greater existence. Someone who I can talk to, someone who knows what I’m going though, and someone who knows my life has purpose and a plan. Now I thought that the next morning I would wake up with some overwhelming sign that God was there for me, and although there were small signs that are too personal to share, my relationship with God grew very slowly.

Since a synagogue wasn’t the right place for me spiritually what was the next step? Well, luckily there are plenty of churches of all kinds around my college campus, and with little background on the religion other than what my participating friends have told me. I attended a Sunday sacrament meeting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder day saints. This was a Young single adults ward so it was all kids around my age. The first hour the sacrament was passed and I got to hear testimony’s​ from kids my own age. I’ve gone every Sunday since. I’ve started learning about the religion, and taking lessons from the sister missionaries in my town, who quickly became my close friends. I pray every night before I go to bed. And after 20 years of wanting, wishing, and resenting the people I love. I have finally found God. Here in the place I least expected it. To know that this is the truth. Is the strongest thing I have felt in a long time. I am still learning, and asking questions. As I always will. But to know that I have a heavenly father who loves me more than anything else. Is the most comforting thing. This is what I have been missing in my life.

I will always be Jewish, that is my heritage, family, and my culture. But as I have become an adult. I have found a religion that makes me feel at home. Something I can look up to when I’m feeling down. And somewhere I can find answers to all of life’s questions. I’m not ready to make a life changing decision like getting baptized, but in the past few months the things in my lifestyle that I have changed because of this religion have made me so happy, everything I’ve done has been positive. And although this isn’t my friends truth, or my families truth, this is the beginning of my truth. So thank you God for answering my prayers. I am eternally grateful.

April 2, 2018

 Grandma Fish sent us aprons for Easter!

 Charlotte watching conference <3

 Natalia, who was baptized in the spanish 

branch last summer moved back to Miami..

We love her so much!

Made a Loom! 

Easter Conference Weekend! April 2, 2018

Wow, what an amazing Easter weekend. I don't know about all of you, but this conference took the cake. What an experience we all had to be part of a solemn assembly and sustain our beloved Prophet Russel M. Nelson worldwide. I couldn't stop smiling because of the joy I felt in my heart, and the joy that President Eyring expressed as we all sustained them. I love this church and for all of our amazing leaders that dedicate their lives to the service of the Lord, they truly are called of God. 

I did what Elder Ballard asked each of us to do. Right down your feelings and impressions you felt while participating in this historical event. The spirit was so strong, there was no room for doubts of any kind in my mind, it was all filled with the warmth of the Holy Ghost. If you haven't already, I would also invite you to write down the feelings you felt during the solemn assembly, I know that when we look back at that moment in time and what we experienced, it will be a strong testimony to us in the future.

This past week was slow because of Spring Break, but it was still a good week. Our Zone has been

 doing a 14 day fast these past two weeks left in the transfer and President and Sister Wiliding fasted for us last Sunday, but we fasted on Friday for everyone. It was a really cool experience as we are uniting ourselves and helping one another. 

We taught Coree the last discussion in the missionary lessons of Friday! We are now going to teach to his needs and keep strengthening his testimony int he Gospel. He is now in the Book of Alma! He watched Conference on Sunday and he said he thinks that President Nelsons speech was the best by far, and no wonder he is the President of the church! haha. He is awesome.

Charlotte was back home for spring break so we didn't teach her this week, but she watched All of conference!! She even sent us a picture of her watching, she is so cute. She just told us that she is reading a book called, "So How Come a nice Jewish Boy Became a Mormon" hahah! Her boyfriends mom (who are members) gave it to her! 

Ze was in California all week so he didn't watch conference, but we are meeting with him tomorrow so that's good! 

Jordan our Recent Convert has been doing good. We are working with him on getting to the temple and hopefully we can do some family history work this week and he can get his temple recommend this Sunday.

For Conference this weekend, our bishopric were all out of town, so they had us open up the institute and set everything up, it ended up being Sister Nordstrom and I and 2 other girls from our ward that came haha. But Brother Right from the bishopric on his break from work came and dropped off some Costco pizza's! We all probably ate way to much pizza, but it was worth it. 

On Saturday right when the afternoon session of General Conference ended, this couple came in the building and told us that they are from Arkansas and they drove all the way here to buy a car from someone and take a week vacation here, but the guy ripped them off and stole their car they drove down in with the husbands wallet in it with all their money. So they had to ask a maintenance guy from the hotel they were staying at to drop them off here, and because they have no money on them, they had to give him some of their stuff they had with them. But luckily we were here. But it was so sad, they had so much stuff with them and they have a 12 year old daughter at home and they need to get back home so they don't loose their jobs and everything. But one of the bishops in the area came to try and help them. Not sure what happened but it was so sad. Just something that doesn't happen everyday.

But it was an amazing weekend! I am so grateful we are able to here from our Prophet, Apostles, and their councilors every 6 months. If you weren't able to watch, make time this week to go back and watch. These messages are truly inspired from God and directed to each us of personally to help us know what we can do to live a more Christlike centered life. I love you all, I hope you have an amazing week!

Another week in Bellingham! April 2, 2018

This past Monday was so much fun! We spent the day with our amazing friends Alex, Tawny, and Teresa, and our investigator Charlotte! We went to Larrabee State Park and it is beautiful! Sisters from Mount Vernon came up as well. It was such a warm sunny day, it was a blast. 

Last week was finals week for Western students, so a lot of our friends went home for spring break.. and now this week is officially spring break.. so it's going to be dead. But it's ok, we will follow the spirit and find the elect!

Gators:

Charlotte is doing great! We met with her Tuesday and taught her all about Jesus Christ in the New Testament and watched Bible videos that went along with what we read. It really helped her understand how important He is and that He is her Savior. 

We met with her one more time on Thursday before she left for home and read the Book of Mormon with her, She has been reading the Children's Book of Mormon and has read all the way into Mosiah! haha. She went to Church back home with her Boyfriend Harrison though! We were so happy!

Ze is doing great! We weren't able to teach him this week, but he came to a dinner that our Bishop had and invited a lot of people from the ward! It was super fun. Coree came as well, and Coree normally would pick up Ze, but Ze just bought a new car and wanted to drive Coree! haha they are best friends. 

We had interviews this week! They went really good, I have no idea if I am going to be transferred or not though! So we will have to wait and see!

I am so excited for this weekend! IT'S GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! It couldn't come at a better time. I hope you all make it a priority to watch it this weekend, I know that our questions we have can be answered  as we really listen to their words. I know I get so much more out of conference when I write thing down that stick out to me or thoughts that come to my mind. I would encourage all of you to be engaged while you watch conference, and make it a spiritual experience for yourself.

I love you all! Have an amazing week!

love,

Sister Stokes