Fall 2018 October in Everett Washington

The Church is True

This week has just flown by right out the window. I have loved everything so let me start you off from the beginning of the week!

Our 1st P-day as our zone, we played soccer in the pouring rain, we were drenched at the end of it, but it was honestly super fun! We are teaching this amazing women with other elders, her name is Jennifer. Her story is just insane and amazing all at the same time. She is insanely smart in the Bible and is an ordained minister, but is in the middle of undoing that, which is a process. She was talking with a friend of hers who lives in California who is a member of the church and they were talking about Moses and he brought up how we have more information about it in another book of scripture, the Pearl of Great Price. She was intrigued and read the whole thing! She wanted to learn more about this, and she saw 2 missionaries walking down the road (which is funny because it was my trainer and MTC companion sister Porter and Murdock) and she tells them she wants to learn more about what our church teaches! And she is so amazing, already knows the gospel is true and is on date for baptism. 

So every Tuesday and Thursday, the ladies in our ward and stake do Refit in the mornings and we have permission to do it with them! It is so fun and there are lots of non members who also go because it is free and they have a child care as well.
Aaron, who was baptized last Saturday is so awesome, we are teaching him the new member lessons and he is so smart in the gospel. he pretty much teaches us. I found out during that lesson that our Ward mission Leader Brother Taylor served his mission in Russia and speaks Russian! It was when they could still wear name tags and things, but I got so excited! There family is the cutest, they are moving back to Utah at the end of the year though, but that's okay! closer to me when I go home haha.

For my Birthday on Wednesday, we went to dinner with the Russian Sisters! Sister Pryshchepchuk and sister Koroleva are the cutest and I love them so much! They made me homemade Piroshki! which is just stuffed potato bread and also some with stuffed cabbage and stuff! They know it's one of my favorites! haha. While we were eating, we saw people signing at a table next to us and our zone leaders and another companionship in our zone are ASL missionaries and so we decided to face time call them and they told us to  do a sign to the people and then show them the phone so they can communicate! Turns out they have met before, but they said they are busy right now, but that they would love for the elders to come in November. It was a cool experience! 

Sister Drais who is a couple missionary working in the Mission Office texted us and said we need to come to the office today and when we did, they got me this yummy pastry and a card! They are so sweet.

Super cool miracle,

We decided to drive to this former investigator and while driving to his place, he calls us! His name is Martin and he is from Bulgaria. We told him we were actually on our way to see him and we were able to meet him outside and teach him and pick him back up! we met with him the next day and taught him the restoration.

We got to see the Russian sisters again because they had their new missionary training on Friday. sister P tells me that Brother Slava, a Russian member was so sad that I left and he thought I was going to come back to see him for my birthday! He got me some Russian treats from the Russian store! He is so sweet.

This amazing man named Todd who is the best missionary pal out there took us out after Confrence on saturday to PF Changs for my birthday! He is so amazing and we love him! 

Hands down the highlight of the week was conference. I just could not believe all the revelatory announcements that happened! It was funny because we had FHE on Monday with the Gabel family and we were talking about it and I guess there was news traveling around that church was going to be changed to 2 hours. I was like that would seriously be so crazy, and then it happened! But some things that really stuck out to me from conference were the patterns in the talks and the main focuses that were emphasized. And if you didn't catch them or weren't able to watch conference, this is what stuck out to me:

• The Importance of having a testimony of the Plan of Salvation (Study it! D&C 138).
• Importance of regular temple attendance, staying on the covenant path
• Ministering, "Gain a Shepard's Heart." This is actually my goal this week, I want to really love others and see them how God see's them. Each soul is precious in the eyes of God!
• Dealing with Hard things. Troubles will come, "don't be alarmed, be ready."
• Gathering scattered Israel 
• And lastly, gaining our own testimony, taking upon us the name of Christ.

I am beyond grateful for the spirit that bore testimony to me in conference. I know what was shared in conference is from our Heavenly Father, and He wants us to hop on this train because it is moving forward, and if you aren't ready to get on it, you will be left behind. A really awesome quote by Gordon B. Hinckley states, "We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it." I know that this is the truest of truths! There is nothing more important on Earth as stated in conference than Gathering Scattered Israel. I Hope you all took the commitments left at conference (which were a lot) and will apply them and DO them. I am excited to Read the Book of Mormon all the way through to the end of the year focusing on Jesus Christ. I know these commitments given is to bless us and strengthen us spiritually so we can handle the hardships that lye ahead. I love you all! have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Stokes