December 16, 2013

Hello everyone!
This last week was nuts! We were really blessed to be able to get a lot of work done in the area. The elders I mentioned in the last email, Elder Tuttle and Elder Wecker, are actually still here waiting for their visas! This entire past week we got to be with them. I work with Elder Tuttle every day and Elder Bayatan works with Elder Wecker. It is really weird going on splits every day in our area and then talking about the people once we come back after a full day of work. We really get to help a lot more people though because of it! Last week we had our zone meeting. Elder Bayatan and I felt we had a really good zone meeting and were successful in helping the zone to become better missionaries. For the zone meeting we really focused on praying with faith and looking forward. ?All the missionaries in our zone are doing great and they love the work. We are just trying to help them rely more on the Savior rather than themselves. So we really focused on praying with faith and asking Heavenly Father to help us do this work. The Makati 2nd ward put on a "Himig Pasko" which was just an event at the church where we invited everyone to come. There was about 300 people I think! It was a really cool activity that the ward put on for the community to remember the Savior this Christmas. There was a choir that sang for the event and everyone loved it. I cannot believe it is almost Christmas! I can feel it in the air. Everyone is started to really remember the Savior more because of Christmas and it makes me happy that we get to share His gospel to all of these people. Last Sunday we had a mission fast where we fasted that we may reach the goals we are setting as a mission. It was so powerful, the spirit was so strong during the fast. I know that fasting and prayer work. If we rely on the Lord, He will help us. this is His work and we cannot do it on our own. I'm grateful for this gospel and the blessing it has been in my life.

Elder Stephens