April 22, 2013

Hello everybody!
This has been one awesome week. Definitely one to remember. We were really blessed with a lot of work this past week. We have a lot of investigators we are teaching right now and it is really a great feeling being able to work here in the Aborlan area out in Palawan. We have been teaching a man named Jason who has really come a long way and it has been a real blessing being able to teach him. This past week he invited his friends to come and now we are teaching all of them as well! It was like he gave us a bunch of referrals without even being a member yet! So that was a really big highlight of the week. We also had the wonderful opportunity to have interviews with President Stucki again last Friday. It is just always a really great time being able to talk with Presidnet Stucki, he is a great mission president and he really takes his calling seriously which makes the mission for all of us full-time missionaries a great experience. He gave me some great council on just really focusing on the work and also on feeling the Holy Ghost. I know that when we feel the Holy Ghost in our lives, we are doing what we need to be doing. When  we are following the promptings of the Spirit, we know the Lord is guiding us and helping us along the way. I know I couldn't do this work without my Savior, and I am so grateful for Him and His guidance. We also had an area District Conference here in the Narra District. There were a ton of wonderful speakers and again President Stucki was one of them. He talked on allowing others the chance to grow their faith in Christ by giving them responsibilities in the church. He explained how sometimes we just rely on those people we know will get the job done but then don't give the chance to others to grow from themselves. I know that is so true that we can grow in our faith when given a responsibility we aren't totally prepared for. Before the mission I wasn't the perfect missionary nor will I ever become one. However I know that I am called of God to be here and that He will help me in everything I do. This is such a wonderful place to be here on the mission.  I really couldn't imagine being anywhere or doing anything else. I love the people, I love the area, and I especially love my Savior. It is such a huge blessing to be here and I can't wait to continue to work. I love you all!!

Elder Stephens