Hey there everyone!
I can't believe it but it's about that time of the mission. By the way I mean I have one week to go and I'm on my way to the Philippines. It's official, we got out flight plans and we're leaving October 29th! I am super excited and I cannot wait already. This is the most excited and the most nervous I have been the entire time I have been out here. I remember a month ago thinking I wanted to go in the field and teach even though my Tagalog was horrible. Now it's here and I'm super stoked. This past week has been awesome. Obviously the flight plans coming in was super sweet. We have also been doing a lot of reviewing of the Tagalog since we know it all already. Joke joke joke. The Tagalog is really coming along great, I know that the only reason that I've been able to learn Tagalog like this is because of the Spirit teaching me and because of my Heavenly Father helping me out along the way. I am so grateful that He has helped me so much, not only here but throughout my entire life. We had a great couple who came and spoke to us for the Sunday night fireside. They were awesome and they really focused on the way missionaries need to be in order to be successful. So many people have talked about it but it is so true. "Obedience brings blessings, exact obedience brings miracles." It's something like that :) So we've also been teaching a ton of investigators lately. Well it's the same ones, we have just been teaching them a lot because we really need to start getting ready for the field. There was even a day when Elder Webb and I taught four lessons. It was great. The other day we did a practice lesson on one of the fundamentals and we actually did it in English since it was the first time we ever taught it. Elder Webb and I were both thinking that it was so weird that we were teaching in English since we were so use to the Tagalog. It was cool though and we really learned a lot from it. On Sunday we went on our Temple walk and it was actually the last one that we have here at the MTC. It is so weird that we have had all these Temple Walks and all of these other experiences, and now we're coming to the point where basically all of them are the last ones. Like today, for example. Today is our last P-day here at the MTC since w leave on a Monday. It is so weird! So a lot of pictures were taken at the Temple because of the Temple Walk. I am so grateful that I had the chance to come here to the MTC and learn all of the things that I have learned. I have grown so much and it's just a wonderful feeling. I came in not knowing Doctrine and not knowing any Tagalog, and now I know a lot more Doctrine and I can have a full conversation in Tagalog. It is so amazing. I know this church is true with all my heart . I know that missionaries are called by a living prophet to go to countries and states to teach people that they are meant to teach. Out Heavenly Father has a plan for every single one of us, and it's our job to follow that plan and do everything we can to come unto Christ. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to go to the Philippines to teach the people there and I know I'm suppose to go to the Philippines because that is where my Heavenly Father wants me. Well that's about it form me. Last email from the MTC so the next one should be from the Philippines. I love you all and thanks so much for everything!!
Elder Stephens
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
2 weeks left?!
Hey everyone!!
How is everyone doing?! I hope everyone is great and doing well, I know it's hard without me there but it's all good, right? So first off, this week has been great. It went by so fast and it feels like yesterday I was just writing my last email on p-day. It's been a really good week and everything is coming along just great. I'm learning a lot more doctrine and I'm able to study the scriptures way more than I ever have before. I even was able to memorize a few scriptures along the way! I love all the time we get here to just study scriptures and study exactly what we're going to be teaching out in the field. So last Tuesday, we had an amazing speaker for out Tuesday night devotional. It was Elder Bednar!! It was so awesome to listen to him and he answered so many questions I had going into that fireside. It was after general conference and I took a bunch of notes but didn't really know what to do with them. Elder Bednar Spoke a ton about exactly what I needed to hear. He explained how we can use general conference to help us and he explained his ways of studying the talks and really getting to know them to apply them to his life. Elder Bednar said there are many ways we can study talks given at general conference as well as any other talks given. In his way, it comes down to three things that we can focus on. First we focus on the doctrine that i being talked about. Then we focus on the principles of the talk as well as on the doctrine. Then we recognize the blessings that can be given to us if we follow those principles. It was so helpful and it really allowed me to realize not only the importance of general conference, but the importance it has directly in my life. Like I said before, a ton of the talks were focused on missionary work, and now that I am one, it pertains a lot to me. I was so happy about that. Then Sunday night we had another speaker for Sunday night devotional. I forget his name right now but he talked about noticing the bird's eye view and not the worm's eye view. We need to see the overall picture of everything that we do. We need to see it in our study times, in our lessons to investigators, or anything else that we do as missionaries. The bird's eye view is what could happen as a result. He explained it as people building a beautiful building. There's a contractor and two assistants. One assistant is asked what he's doing and he says he's doing the hard labor while the contractor sits back and gets paid more than he does. Then the other assistant is asked the same question. He says he is helping his contractor build one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Both are doing the same job, but the second assistant realized the importance of his work and the overall picture of it. We need to do this in our work as well. Well that's about it from me. I love you all and thanks so much for everything!
Elder Stephens
How is everyone doing?! I hope everyone is great and doing well, I know it's hard without me there but it's all good, right? So first off, this week has been great. It went by so fast and it feels like yesterday I was just writing my last email on p-day. It's been a really good week and everything is coming along just great. I'm learning a lot more doctrine and I'm able to study the scriptures way more than I ever have before. I even was able to memorize a few scriptures along the way! I love all the time we get here to just study scriptures and study exactly what we're going to be teaching out in the field. So last Tuesday, we had an amazing speaker for out Tuesday night devotional. It was Elder Bednar!! It was so awesome to listen to him and he answered so many questions I had going into that fireside. It was after general conference and I took a bunch of notes but didn't really know what to do with them. Elder Bednar Spoke a ton about exactly what I needed to hear. He explained how we can use general conference to help us and he explained his ways of studying the talks and really getting to know them to apply them to his life. Elder Bednar said there are many ways we can study talks given at general conference as well as any other talks given. In his way, it comes down to three things that we can focus on. First we focus on the doctrine that i being talked about. Then we focus on the principles of the talk as well as on the doctrine. Then we recognize the blessings that can be given to us if we follow those principles. It was so helpful and it really allowed me to realize not only the importance of general conference, but the importance it has directly in my life. Like I said before, a ton of the talks were focused on missionary work, and now that I am one, it pertains a lot to me. I was so happy about that. Then Sunday night we had another speaker for Sunday night devotional. I forget his name right now but he talked about noticing the bird's eye view and not the worm's eye view. We need to see the overall picture of everything that we do. We need to see it in our study times, in our lessons to investigators, or anything else that we do as missionaries. The bird's eye view is what could happen as a result. He explained it as people building a beautiful building. There's a contractor and two assistants. One assistant is asked what he's doing and he says he's doing the hard labor while the contractor sits back and gets paid more than he does. Then the other assistant is asked the same question. He says he is helping his contractor build one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Both are doing the same job, but the second assistant realized the importance of his work and the overall picture of it. We need to do this in our work as well. Well that's about it from me. I love you all and thanks so much for everything!
Elder Stephens
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Time is flying by!
Hey everyone!
How are you all doing? I'm guessing pretty awesome. So I cannot believe that I only have about 3 weeks left in the MTC. It has gone by so fast. I remember getting in the MTC and seeing the new branch and all. There were Elders who were at the start of their 7th week in the MTC and I couldn't believe how much Tagalog they knew. I never thought I would be at that level. Now those "7 weekers" are us. This week we get new missionaries to the branch and we're going to be the ones to show them the ropes. We'll be the first ones they see leave in 3 weeks just like we did with that first group. It is so awesome to be a missionary and to be in the MTC. How about that general conference?!?! I know I haven't been around long in the church and stuff, but I really felt like that was one of the best conferences ever. There were so many talks on missionary work and service. It was really weir knowing that I was the one those general authorities were talking about. But it was also really exciting and it pumped me up to do that much better since I know that this work is so important, not only to us but to our Heavenly Father as well. I think President Monson set the tone for the entire conference with his big announcement about the age change. 18 year old missionaries? Never thought it would happen. Just kidding haha it's so awesome that young men can go at 18 now. As you might have guessed, the MTC was going nuts! So many people were talking about it. The MTC presidency were going around shaking hands with each other. I bet there were stoked for the new 18 year old missionaries to come in, but I have no idea why they would be. I bet there are going to be so many more missionaries, and I guarantee a ton more sister missionaries. One person was telling us that we're a part of it too. /since the announcement just happened a ton of people are going to want to go out so there is going to be a huge rise in the number of missionaries for a wile. Since we're a little ahead of them, we're probably going to be those missionaries that are going to train them and such. It would be so awesome and probably a little funny at times to train an 18 year old. There were a lot of talks on service too and it really is important for us to serve our neighbors and everyone around us. That's exactly what Jesus Christ did when He was here. He went out of His way to go and serve those that were in need of help. I think it is so important for us to help as many people as we can, especially out here on the mission. Chad Lewis gave a talk at the fireside Sunday night. For those of you who don't know, Chad Lewis played football for BYU in college then went on to the NFL and played for the Eagles. He was so awesome. His wife started out the fireside and the first thing she said was that they were not there because Brother Lewis was in the NFL or famous, but that they were there because of their testimonies in Jesus Christ. I thought that was so awesome and it was a testimony to me that people are so able to be humble even when they have a whole lot. He related a lot of things to football which was cool because you all know that I love football. They main thing that stood out to me was when he was talking about drills. In football we do drills each week, most of them the same exact ones that we feel we have mastered and we don't need to practice them anymore. Then he explained how he did this sideline catch drill one a week every week and how he sort of felt that way. But when the time came that he needed it, he was grateful. He caught a pass in the championship game to go to the Super Bowl, and yes, it was a sideline catch. He said it was the biggest and most important catch of his career and that without that drill, he probably wouldn't have caught it. There are times in our lives that we feel like we're just doing the same thing over and over, but it is so necessary because we never know when we're actually going to need that exact thing. Well that's about it from me! See you when I see you.
Mahal ko kayo!
Elder Stepehens
How are you all doing? I'm guessing pretty awesome. So I cannot believe that I only have about 3 weeks left in the MTC. It has gone by so fast. I remember getting in the MTC and seeing the new branch and all. There were Elders who were at the start of their 7th week in the MTC and I couldn't believe how much Tagalog they knew. I never thought I would be at that level. Now those "7 weekers" are us. This week we get new missionaries to the branch and we're going to be the ones to show them the ropes. We'll be the first ones they see leave in 3 weeks just like we did with that first group. It is so awesome to be a missionary and to be in the MTC. How about that general conference?!?! I know I haven't been around long in the church and stuff, but I really felt like that was one of the best conferences ever. There were so many talks on missionary work and service. It was really weir knowing that I was the one those general authorities were talking about. But it was also really exciting and it pumped me up to do that much better since I know that this work is so important, not only to us but to our Heavenly Father as well. I think President Monson set the tone for the entire conference with his big announcement about the age change. 18 year old missionaries? Never thought it would happen. Just kidding haha it's so awesome that young men can go at 18 now. As you might have guessed, the MTC was going nuts! So many people were talking about it. The MTC presidency were going around shaking hands with each other. I bet there were stoked for the new 18 year old missionaries to come in, but I have no idea why they would be. I bet there are going to be so many more missionaries, and I guarantee a ton more sister missionaries. One person was telling us that we're a part of it too. /since the announcement just happened a ton of people are going to want to go out so there is going to be a huge rise in the number of missionaries for a wile. Since we're a little ahead of them, we're probably going to be those missionaries that are going to train them and such. It would be so awesome and probably a little funny at times to train an 18 year old. There were a lot of talks on service too and it really is important for us to serve our neighbors and everyone around us. That's exactly what Jesus Christ did when He was here. He went out of His way to go and serve those that were in need of help. I think it is so important for us to help as many people as we can, especially out here on the mission. Chad Lewis gave a talk at the fireside Sunday night. For those of you who don't know, Chad Lewis played football for BYU in college then went on to the NFL and played for the Eagles. He was so awesome. His wife started out the fireside and the first thing she said was that they were not there because Brother Lewis was in the NFL or famous, but that they were there because of their testimonies in Jesus Christ. I thought that was so awesome and it was a testimony to me that people are so able to be humble even when they have a whole lot. He related a lot of things to football which was cool because you all know that I love football. They main thing that stood out to me was when he was talking about drills. In football we do drills each week, most of them the same exact ones that we feel we have mastered and we don't need to practice them anymore. Then he explained how he did this sideline catch drill one a week every week and how he sort of felt that way. But when the time came that he needed it, he was grateful. He caught a pass in the championship game to go to the Super Bowl, and yes, it was a sideline catch. He said it was the biggest and most important catch of his career and that without that drill, he probably wouldn't have caught it. There are times in our lives that we feel like we're just doing the same thing over and over, but it is so necessary because we never know when we're actually going to need that exact thing. Well that's about it from me! See you when I see you.
Mahal ko kayo!
Elder Stepehens
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
October?!
Hey everyone!!
How is everyone doing?! I always feel weird saying this because when you read it, you really can't answer me. Anyway, life in the MTC is still pretty awesome. The people are all so great and the language just gets better and better. By that I mean I'm able to speak more and more. Elder Webb and I are really trying to speak our language a lot to really get used to speaking it once we get into the Philippines because we really don't want to be all comfortable with English out there because we won't be speaking it too often The lessons are all going real well. We just got two new investigators this past week, so that gives us a total of four that we're teaching right now. All of them are really receptive and we feel that they are learning a ton. So that's awesome. I use awesome a lot. Fast Sunday was awesome, a lot of us got to bear our testimonies, and Elder Webb and I both got to as well. The spirit was so strong as we bore our testimonies, especially since the whole thing was in Tagalog. We had mission conference for fast Sunday too and it was so cool. There were a ton of speakers since it's two hours long and they all had really great talks. The MTC President, President Brown, talked about the apostasy and the restoration. He really touched on a lot of things and it was really cool because I really got to learn a lot about each subject. I also finished the Book of Mormon again on Sunday. I told myself I was going to finish it twice while i was here, once each month, and so far I'm right on schedule. I get so happy when I read the Book of Mormon and especially when I get all the way done and finish it. My testimony of it grows each time I finish it and I really learn something new each time I read it. That reminds me, I read in Mosiah 4 and a lot of parts really stood out to me. Towards the beginning it talks about the Atonement and how we can be perfected through the Atonement. It also talks about the joy that we can receive when we believe in Jesus Christ and His atonement. It then talked about how our Heavenly Father is so loving and how we really can do all things. Verse 9 really says it all. Then later it talks about how we need to be kind towards everyone. Christ was the perfect example of a giving and a caring person. And it is our job to be giving as well. I also was reading a little in Moses, in chapter 4 actually, and a lot of it talks about what happened in the Garden of Eden. It really just explains why the Fall had to happen and that is was not a total mistake by Adam and Eve. The Fall needed to happen in order for us to truly live the way God intended us to live our lives. Sorry, I just get to study so much here an I felt like sharing. some new changes came about in our district on Sunday, and I got called to be the new District Leader. I'm pretty excited about it, mainly because I get the mail for everyone. No really though, I'm excited to see what happens these next few weeks as I try to be a leader for this district. Honestly, this district is so awesome and it isn't going to be too tough being their District Leader. Well, that's it from me so I hope you all have a great week!!
Mahal ko kayo,
Elder Stephens
How is everyone doing?! I always feel weird saying this because when you read it, you really can't answer me. Anyway, life in the MTC is still pretty awesome. The people are all so great and the language just gets better and better. By that I mean I'm able to speak more and more. Elder Webb and I are really trying to speak our language a lot to really get used to speaking it once we get into the Philippines because we really don't want to be all comfortable with English out there because we won't be speaking it too often The lessons are all going real well. We just got two new investigators this past week, so that gives us a total of four that we're teaching right now. All of them are really receptive and we feel that they are learning a ton. So that's awesome. I use awesome a lot. Fast Sunday was awesome, a lot of us got to bear our testimonies, and Elder Webb and I both got to as well. The spirit was so strong as we bore our testimonies, especially since the whole thing was in Tagalog. We had mission conference for fast Sunday too and it was so cool. There were a ton of speakers since it's two hours long and they all had really great talks. The MTC President, President Brown, talked about the apostasy and the restoration. He really touched on a lot of things and it was really cool because I really got to learn a lot about each subject. I also finished the Book of Mormon again on Sunday. I told myself I was going to finish it twice while i was here, once each month, and so far I'm right on schedule. I get so happy when I read the Book of Mormon and especially when I get all the way done and finish it. My testimony of it grows each time I finish it and I really learn something new each time I read it. That reminds me, I read in Mosiah 4 and a lot of parts really stood out to me. Towards the beginning it talks about the Atonement and how we can be perfected through the Atonement. It also talks about the joy that we can receive when we believe in Jesus Christ and His atonement. It then talked about how our Heavenly Father is so loving and how we really can do all things. Verse 9 really says it all. Then later it talks about how we need to be kind towards everyone. Christ was the perfect example of a giving and a caring person. And it is our job to be giving as well. I also was reading a little in Moses, in chapter 4 actually, and a lot of it talks about what happened in the Garden of Eden. It really just explains why the Fall had to happen and that is was not a total mistake by Adam and Eve. The Fall needed to happen in order for us to truly live the way God intended us to live our lives. Sorry, I just get to study so much here an I felt like sharing. some new changes came about in our district on Sunday, and I got called to be the new District Leader. I'm pretty excited about it, mainly because I get the mail for everyone. No really though, I'm excited to see what happens these next few weeks as I try to be a leader for this district. Honestly, this district is so awesome and it isn't going to be too tough being their District Leader. Well, that's it from me so I hope you all have a great week!!
Mahal ko kayo,
Elder Stephens
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