This week has been full of fun and hard work, like missionary work should be. First let me give you an update on the investigators. Erwin officially smoked his last cigarette of all time on December 31st, 2010. HOORAY!!!! We're pretty excited for him. Keep praying for him to stay strong and witness the miracles. I really do..honestly...feel like he's made up his mind this time; he's decided he's going to be baptized and he's excited about it. As for Ricky, we're working with the AP's and President to see if he even needs to be baptized. He continues to impress us though. This last teaching we had with him we talked about obeying and honoring the laws of the land. I started to say one of the Articles of Faith and he finished quoting it, from his memory. I was of course surprised and asked him how he knew it, and he said, I couldn't sleep at night, so I started memorizing the little card you gave me with the picture of Jesus on it. YEAH...he's pretty amazing. As for the baptist boy, Alvin Celestial....nice name no? haha! He's celestial alright. I have never felt the spirit so consistently strong while teaching someone. We didn't get to teach him on Sunday, he was out of town, but he is really thinking deeply about things, praying and reading. Right now he's just waiting for an answer. Our other new investigators, Christopher, he's 17 and awesome as well. We gave him the assignment to read the introduction and start in 1 Nephi if he wanted to. Well, he read the intro, the testimony of the witnesses, Joseph's experience, studied the pictures, read the 1st chapter in Nephi and had questions about the 1st chapter. He's also reading, praying and waiting for an answer. I love this work!

Our branch is slowly awakening. We received 5 referrals from them this week for all priesthood age individuals. We're quite excited. We're gaining new investigators by the day and many of them are chosen spirits. We're excited to see the growth. I adore my companion and mom, I too hope I get to stay with her..that she can "kill me off"...as they call it in the mission. BUT...we'll see what the Lord has in store.

This Sunday, Brother Gatucao, the former bishop that we helped to reactivate, bore his testimony. I had chills running up and down my spine and tears in my eyes. When he said to me that first Sunday, Sister, I'm back! HE MEANT IT! HE"S BACK!!!! He was definitely overcome by the spirit while bearing his testimony. He will play a huge role in helping to reactivate other families in the ward. We love him and could not be happier for him and his family who are planning on going to the temple trip together in May. They are sealed already, but he hasn't been to church in over a decade. He's been living the gospel, reading daily, still paying tithing, but not going to church. SO....he's excited to go to the temple as well. It's been a long time.

Ok, as for New Years, we were allowed on New Year's Eve to watch Disney movies again. We had planned a ton of movies, we made tacos, they were delicious..with our homemade soft taco shells....yes!!!! Carrying on the Mexican food tradition in the Philippines! haha! Well then we started watching the movies.....I'm an old woman. I definitely fell asleep in the first movie. ha! The other sister stayed up for 3 after I fell asleep. I was out before midnight. ha! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ME! I'm gonna be such a wimp when I get home.

Sister Christofferson and I started an exercise program for the remainder of the transfer. We went jogging this morning and it felt awesome to be up that early and working out.

Today in district meeting while waiting for interviews everyone started joking around about how long it would take for me after I got home to get married. I was freaking out inside. I told them to stop, it wasn't funny, which only caused them to make more ridiculous comments. I'm not ok with that. ha! But to be fair...I did do that to every single sister or elder who went home in the last few transfers. ha! What goes around comes around no?

You know how awhile back I said, "I've noticed a pattern in my mission. Whenever I start to get comfortable Heavenly Father throws in a twist to push me to my limits and cause me to stretch." Well, it has happened yet again. On Friday I got a call from one of our AP's. Our conversation went something like this,
"Sister Stadler! Kamusta ka?"
"Maayo man elder! Ikaw?"
"Maayo, salamat, hopefully you can do a musical number for this coming zone conference..."
"Oo! Pwede gid!..(why am I typing this is Ilonggo...you guys don't know Ilonggo..sorry)Sure! I can do that for you!"
"Actually, that's a joke. That's not why I called. You're be emergency transferred, we had a problem with some sisters."
"WHAT? ....elder that's not funny. you're joking right?"
"...yes. hahahahahah! But really, President would like me to inform you that you are now the Coordinating Sister. You will need to go on exchanges this next Tuesday and Wednesday and fill out the reports and report everything back to President."
"...is this a joke too?"
"No. He'll call you with more information closer to the exchanges. You'll just be over your Zone. But next transfer you'll most likely transfer ..."

SO.....I guess I'm the first Coordinating Sister in the mission. ...no training, just being thrown into the mix. It should be...fun! ha! Keep me in your prayers. I always feel like I have so many weaknesses, I don't know how I can help these sisters which seem so much further along than I am at times. BUT...fun fact, this exchange will be in BAGO! My first area, which should be fun to go back to for 1 day. Anyway, I love the mission, this will be a good experience for me. Who knows what President has in mind for next transfer, but I'm game!

I love you all so much and I hope things are going well for you! You're amazing! Keep writing! haha...in the words of Samantha, "8 weeks left!!!!! MARCH MARCH MARCH!!!!" hahahahahahaha! I'm .....freaking out inside. but, I am excited to see you all again. Sean, you're in my prayers. It's gonna work out. You're gonna be there in Salt Lake. I love you all, until next week, GOD SPEED !

All my love,
Sister Stadler