Hey there everyone!
This was another great week! We had the wonderful opportunity to hangout with President and Sister Stucki this past week because we had interviews for the whole zone! It was our pleasure to go with them to all of the interviews because we actually went to the apartments! President Stucki did the interviews, Sister Stucki checked on the cleanliness of the apartments (and the missionaries), and Elder Balonsong and I checked the area books and planners. It was great because all of the areas in the Narra zone are really far, so on Friday we spent literally the whole day with President and Sister Stucki. 6:30 am to 9:30 pm. Interviews were a success as always and I was able to really help out the missionaries in the zone on their area books and planners in order to help more people to hear the gospel and come closer unto Christ. My interview with President Stucki went so well and he helped me out so much. He had us share what we struggled with the most here on the mission and he just helped us solve it so we have the best experiences we can possible have in these 2 years as servants of the Lord. He also gave me some council to help out all of the missionaries in the zone which blessed me so much. He is such a great mission president and I know he just loves the work so much. I can't wait for the next time I get to hangout with President Stucki again. We were also able to find a lot more people again this week! The Lord is just blessing us so much with people to find and more and more people who are ready to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of the people we found were just placed in our path, sort of like they found us@ It was great and I know it is because the Lord recognized out desire and diligence and is blessing us for it. We as missionaries cannot forget the Lord in this work. We do all we can and He makes up the rest. I love this work so much and I ma so grateful for the opportunity to serve. I am the busiest I have ever been on the mission so far and I know it will just get more busy from here. I am glad though because it means I am really helping God's children to come unto Him. I know this is the work and the Lord and I really would not want to be anywhere else right now. I only get 2 years so I have to make the most of it! I love you guys so much! Over and out from Narra Palawan!
Elder Stephens
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Monday, July 15, 2013
July 15, 2013
Hey there everybody!
This was an awesome week yet again for the Narra Elders, Elder Balonsong and Elder Stephens. We had tons of work, actually i think the most I have had yet on my mission, which means the work really is hastening here in the Philippines. We are able to teach a lot of people and continue to find on the way. Last week we had our zone meeting, first one I've had yet as the zone leader, and it went really well. We just focused on repentance and helping the people that we are teaching to repent and come unto Christ. We also challenged all of the Elders in our zone to focus more on finding new investigators and helping them to progress towards baptism. Finding has just been low in Narra for the past few weeks so we really invited them to go out and focus on it. They really respond well and found so many new investigators and I know that through their efforts a lot more people are now receiving the message of the Restoration and a lot of them will come to know that it is true. We are teaching a few wonderful families that are really progressing and it has been great to see them exercise their faith to come closer unto Christ. One of them is the Bambico family who have been to church a few times and are reading the Book of Mormon every day. They are a pretty big family and I have really been touched by their faith in our Savior. They don't have a whole ton of riches, but they have family and they are now beginning ot learn about the gospel and they are so happy because of it. We are also teaching the Vigunti family who are sort of the same way. it is only a husband and a wife because the kids are all grown and on their own, but they are also exercising great faith in the Savior. Every lesson we have they just learn so much and immediately begin to apply it to their lives.I love the wonderful people herein the Narra area and I am so happy I have the blessing to invite and help them to come unto Christ. Missionary work is so great and I love this work with all my heart. I will forever be grateful to my Heavenly Father that he provided me this opportunity. I love you will all my heart. Till next week!
Elder Stephens
This was an awesome week yet again for the Narra Elders, Elder Balonsong and Elder Stephens. We had tons of work, actually i think the most I have had yet on my mission, which means the work really is hastening here in the Philippines. We are able to teach a lot of people and continue to find on the way. Last week we had our zone meeting, first one I've had yet as the zone leader, and it went really well. We just focused on repentance and helping the people that we are teaching to repent and come unto Christ. We also challenged all of the Elders in our zone to focus more on finding new investigators and helping them to progress towards baptism. Finding has just been low in Narra for the past few weeks so we really invited them to go out and focus on it. They really respond well and found so many new investigators and I know that through their efforts a lot more people are now receiving the message of the Restoration and a lot of them will come to know that it is true. We are teaching a few wonderful families that are really progressing and it has been great to see them exercise their faith to come closer unto Christ. One of them is the Bambico family who have been to church a few times and are reading the Book of Mormon every day. They are a pretty big family and I have really been touched by their faith in our Savior. They don't have a whole ton of riches, but they have family and they are now beginning ot learn about the gospel and they are so happy because of it. We are also teaching the Vigunti family who are sort of the same way. it is only a husband and a wife because the kids are all grown and on their own, but they are also exercising great faith in the Savior. Every lesson we have they just learn so much and immediately begin to apply it to their lives.I love the wonderful people herein the Narra area and I am so happy I have the blessing to invite and help them to come unto Christ. Missionary work is so great and I love this work with all my heart. I will forever be grateful to my Heavenly Father that he provided me this opportunity. I love you will all my heart. Till next week!
Elder Stephens
Sunday, July 7, 2013
July 8, 2013
Hey everyone!!
This has been one crazy week to say the least. We had transfers this past week, so I officially have already left my wonderful area of Aborlan and moved to Narra! There are two sets of missionaries here in Narra, Elder Balonsong and I are the zone leaders in Narra A and Elder Vang, my old companion, and his trainee Elder Dolorino are in Narra B. I am really excited to wok here in Narra and to serve as zone leader in the Narra zone! Last week we had missionary leadership council. It is just a meeting with all the zone leaders, training sister missionaries, the assistants, and President and Sister Stucki. It was a really cool experience for my first time because we all just talked a ton about how we can help the mission become better! It is great because you get insights from all the zones over the entire missions which really helps you know what things the whole mission can work on and how you as a zone leader can help the missionaries in your zone. It was great and the main focus of the meeting was on miracles and how if we have faith, miracles can happen. It was a wonderful message because i know that miracles happen in our time today. Miracles can't happen however, if we do not have faith in Jesus Christ. So our focus is helping all the missionaries here to have stronger faith so we can witness miracles in the Philiippines Manila Mission. I got to work in Narra for a few days as week which was a ton of fun. We have a ton of lessons which really keeps us busy but more importantly it means more people are being taught the gospel of Jesus Christ which helps them come closer unto Him. I love this new area and new assignment and I can't wait to continue to work hard here! I love you all and miss you all as well. Keep us missionaries in your prayers! See you next week!
Elder Stephens
This has been one crazy week to say the least. We had transfers this past week, so I officially have already left my wonderful area of Aborlan and moved to Narra! There are two sets of missionaries here in Narra, Elder Balonsong and I are the zone leaders in Narra A and Elder Vang, my old companion, and his trainee Elder Dolorino are in Narra B. I am really excited to wok here in Narra and to serve as zone leader in the Narra zone! Last week we had missionary leadership council. It is just a meeting with all the zone leaders, training sister missionaries, the assistants, and President and Sister Stucki. It was a really cool experience for my first time because we all just talked a ton about how we can help the mission become better! It is great because you get insights from all the zones over the entire missions which really helps you know what things the whole mission can work on and how you as a zone leader can help the missionaries in your zone. It was great and the main focus of the meeting was on miracles and how if we have faith, miracles can happen. It was a wonderful message because i know that miracles happen in our time today. Miracles can't happen however, if we do not have faith in Jesus Christ. So our focus is helping all the missionaries here to have stronger faith so we can witness miracles in the Philiippines Manila Mission. I got to work in Narra for a few days as week which was a ton of fun. We have a ton of lessons which really keeps us busy but more importantly it means more people are being taught the gospel of Jesus Christ which helps them come closer unto Him. I love this new area and new assignment and I can't wait to continue to work hard here! I love you all and miss you all as well. Keep us missionaries in your prayers! See you next week!
Elder Stephens
July 1, 2013
Hello everyone!
I can't believe it is already July! These past few weeks have just flown by. This last week was definitely one to remember. We had a lot of work this week with is always great I think that is one reason that time is flying by so fast. We just work all day and time just slips away. Like I always say, "Time flies when you're having fun!" We put a big focus on reteaching recent converts all the lessons. This past week we were able to finish all the lessons from Preach My Gospel, lessons 1-5 with the Paller Family! It was great and they are just so strong. I know they love the gospel and I know it has changed their lives. Reteaching the lessons to them just really helps them to gain a strong foundation that cannot fall. We also just started lesson 5 with Tatay Ernesto since he is a brand new convert and this past week we taught about Temples and family history work. I just love the Temple so much and it was amazing being able to testify about family history work and temple work. It was great because we invited Tatay Ernesto to do family history work and he said he really doesn't know the information about his family. I testified that it is the work of the Lord and that the Lord helps us when we do His work and Tatay Ernesto had no more doubts and committed to start his family history work. It was amazing to see his family and to feel the Spirit work in him to testify of the work of the Lord. Yesterday we got to watch the broadcast of Hastening the Work of Salvation. It was amazing! It pumped me up to just work so much harder as missionary and especially working with the members to help the work of the Lord grow. Heavenly Father has provided us with so many tools to helppeople to come unto Christ and we have to use all of them if we want to succeed. I know that the members and leaders of the church, all of the world, were inspired by the talks given by prophets and apostles of the Lord. I know they are called of God to help His work move forward. With this renewed focus on member missionaries I know that the work will go forth unlike ever before! I recently got a call from President Stucki yesterday and got a new assignment in the mission! I get to continue to serve here on Palawan, but as a zone leader in the Narra zone! I am so excited to serve as a zone leader and help all of the missionaries in the zone to really help the work grow. As district leader I learned so much and the Lord really helped me as I served. I know He will continue to help me as I stay obedient and seek His guidance. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week, and especially a great 4th of July!
Elder Stephens
I can't believe it is already July! These past few weeks have just flown by. This last week was definitely one to remember. We had a lot of work this week with is always great I think that is one reason that time is flying by so fast. We just work all day and time just slips away. Like I always say, "Time flies when you're having fun!" We put a big focus on reteaching recent converts all the lessons. This past week we were able to finish all the lessons from Preach My Gospel, lessons 1-5 with the Paller Family! It was great and they are just so strong. I know they love the gospel and I know it has changed their lives. Reteaching the lessons to them just really helps them to gain a strong foundation that cannot fall. We also just started lesson 5 with Tatay Ernesto since he is a brand new convert and this past week we taught about Temples and family history work. I just love the Temple so much and it was amazing being able to testify about family history work and temple work. It was great because we invited Tatay Ernesto to do family history work and he said he really doesn't know the information about his family. I testified that it is the work of the Lord and that the Lord helps us when we do His work and Tatay Ernesto had no more doubts and committed to start his family history work. It was amazing to see his family and to feel the Spirit work in him to testify of the work of the Lord. Yesterday we got to watch the broadcast of Hastening the Work of Salvation. It was amazing! It pumped me up to just work so much harder as missionary and especially working with the members to help the work of the Lord grow. Heavenly Father has provided us with so many tools to helppeople to come unto Christ and we have to use all of them if we want to succeed. I know that the members and leaders of the church, all of the world, were inspired by the talks given by prophets and apostles of the Lord. I know they are called of God to help His work move forward. With this renewed focus on member missionaries I know that the work will go forth unlike ever before! I recently got a call from President Stucki yesterday and got a new assignment in the mission! I get to continue to serve here on Palawan, but as a zone leader in the Narra zone! I am so excited to serve as a zone leader and help all of the missionaries in the zone to really help the work grow. As district leader I learned so much and the Lord really helped me as I served. I know He will continue to help me as I stay obedient and seek His guidance. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week, and especially a great 4th of July!
Elder Stephens
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