April 7, 2014

Hey all!

I have learned so much as a missionary, and I just continue to learn so much. I love this work and being a missionary. Last week we had the blessing of teaching with President and Sister Hiatt a whole time. They are couple missionaries who came here and Elder Hiatt quickly became President Hiatt when he because the second counselor in the mission presidency. They are both awesome and we had some great lessons with them last week. It was their last week here so that was why it was so great. They transferred to Palawan this last week because they  are trying to help our two districts over there to become stakes. For their going away party, we went to a buffet with all the couple missionaries and with the Stucki's. It was awesome and the best part was they paid for us! Elder Belnap and I ate so much, President Stucki asked us where it all goes. To this day I have no idea! We also had a training last week for the new missionaries who have been out for three weeks. I shared about teaching people, not lessons. While teaching about it, I learned a ton. I learned that teaching people, not lessons really just means loving the people you teach and teaching them as guided by the Spirit. If we love them and follow the Spirit as we teach, we will know what things we need to teach in order to really help them come unto Christ. I really was able to learn a lot while teaching about that. We also had a missionary leadership council this last week. It went very well! We had a lot of baptisms this last month. Actually the most the mission has had ever since I came out in the mission. In the missionary leadership council, we talked a lot about finding more people to teach. We real focused on finding those that are ready to receive the restored gospel. There are just so many people that have been prepared to receive the gospel at this time and we as missionaries have to do all we can to find those people and teach them in order to help them come unto Christ. I loved the message that President Stucki gave at the council. He just asked all of the leaders to start earnestly praying for the opportunities to find the elect, and do everything we can so that Heavenly Father will answer those prayers. I really believe we can do it. Later that night we had  a great lesson with some members of the Makati 4th ward. We went to a members house, his name is Josh, and we shared a lesson with a YSA who thought about serving in the mission in the past and still has hoped to do it. I just shared testimony of the blessings that I have received from serving on a mission. I hope he continues to think about it. I really believe he would be a great missionary. As far as our investigators go, we had a great lesson with Elias. He is looking good for baptism this month. He just wants to repent and be baptized and keeps saying that he can't wait. I love that he really wants to repent in order to be ready for baptism. He just can't wait to see the blessings that come from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We also have been working with Nino for quite a bit and he still has a little bit of doubts. We found our a big concern of his. H just has a hard time forgiving others. That is something that just really holds him back! So we shared a lot about Christ's example of suffering everything for us, and still forgiving us for our weaknesses. He liked that. This has been a great week! I just learned so much for last week. I really was blessed because most of the things I learned came because I was the one teaching and the Spirit just taught me while I taught. I love this work and I love being able to learn so much about the Savior. I know this is His work. If we trust in Him and in the Spirit, we will see success.

Elder Stephens