May 7, 2018

 With all of my companions in order from now since MTC!

 Charlotte<3

Grateful For Opposition

Dear Family
This week has been so great! we have seen so many miracles, but I will start off with a funny story. so we went down to the beach for exercise in the morning and there was a group of seagulls standing together. So I thought it was a good Idea to run at them and take pictures of them flying away, which did turn out great, but what came after was terrible. a couple of the alpha seagulls came and started dive bombing us and squawking super loud and mean! I really thought we were going to die. So we started running and they kept following us and diving at us! finally they flew away, but man I will never chase seagulls again!

5 New Investigators this week!

We tracted into Kathy, who is so prepared! Her son converted a couple years back, served a mission and was married in the temple. He has shared a little bit about the Book of Mormon with her. She said what she loved about the Book of Mormon was that he was able to answer all of her questions with it. She is so sweet, she has struggled with addictions for a lot of her life, but has been clean for over 4 years now. 

Germany is an awesome guy who seemed really interested in the Book of Mormon. He believes in God and wants to learn more about what we believe.

Natalia was this sweet woman who said we could come back Saturday, so we did. We taught her part of the Restoration, but her sister lost her dog so we had to cut it short. Her Boyfriend was on the couch listening the whole time and would chime in occasionally. He said he had good friends who were Mormons and he was the one who said that we can come back, so we were able to make him a new investigator!

We picked up Josh when we were going to a Less Actives house to teach her, Josh is her 30 ish years old son who isn't a member and has a lot of health problems. But we picked him up as an investigator and came back the next day and taught them both the restoration. That lesson was so amazing, the spirit was so strong and he has so much intent. He prayed for the first time and it was the most genuine prayer. The Lord is preparing so many hearts and I am so grateful to be one of His mouthpieces in spreading the gospel.

The O'hara Kids are getting baptized this weekend! They had there baptismal interview Friday! There dad, who was baptized a couple months ago is going to baptize them. 

Ze is getting baptized this weekend as well! I am so excited for him, I have loved the 6 months I had to teach him. We might be able to go back up to Bellingham for it, but no guarantee because of the O'hara's baptism. 

Charlotte's Baptism!!

We went up to Bellingham for Charlotte's baptism this weekend! It was an amazing service. Her parents, who are Jewish came, they didn't seem too happy, but it is way awesome they came to support her! Sister Harris, Nordstrom, Murdock and I sang "Peace In Christ." It was a beautiful day!

The Lord has been touching the hearts of so many here in Oak Harbor, I am blessed to be apart of this work. There are always trials and opposition that come, but it's a part of life. We learn to work through them, knowing God has a greater plan in store. I have learned a lot about myself these past couple months, I am grateful for opposition, if there was no opposition in life, we couldn't experience joy. 2 Nephi 2:11,

"For it must needs be, that th ere is an opposition in all th ings. If not so, my firstborn  in the wilderness, righteousne ss could not be brought to pas s, neither wickedness, neither  holiness nor misery, neither  good nor bad. Wherefore, all t hings must needs be a compound  in one; wherefore, if it shou ld be one body it must needs r emain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption  nor incorruption, happiness no r misery, neither sense nor in sensibility."

I know that God has a plan for all of His Children, we are being shaped and molded into who we need to become. I am grateful we have the ability to grow and progress, I know the Lord 

Has overcome every ounce of pain and heartache that we go through, we aren't alone in this race, Christ is right by our side running with us, and helping us up when we fall. I love you all! Have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Stokes