Oh my goodness family, I have about 8 minutes to type, and I don't even know what to say. I have a week left and things haven't been easy in our area. Keep praying for new investigators. We had 3 with a baptismal date and 1 we were extending the next lesson and 3 have moved away spontaneously and the other got a job where he doesn't even have time to take lessons anymore. That was Ricky, MikaJoy, CHRISTOPHER and Ronny. We both cried with Christopher moving. It was completely unexpected but it had to happen. SO...that cut our progressing investigators down a bit. We have faith though. Ricky will be baptized this Saturday and we're pretty excited about it. :)
I found out some pretty bad news. When I fly into Manila, I will be all alone...yeah that's terrifying...I'm gonna just sleep in the hotel and read my scriptures and I think Sister Flores, my followup trainer is trying to get off work to see me..woohoo...anyway...the sad part is..normally you get to go to a temple session, THE TEMPLE IS CLOSED FOR CLEANING!!!!!! I almost cried.
I don't have much info about this week. The work has been hard, but my companion is a gem. It's easy to be happy when you're doing the Lord's work side by side with a best friend. I'm wearing myself out in the work. I hope all is going well for you. You're all in my prayers. I'll see you all next Wednesday no? the 2nd...weird. I'm so excited. I feel like I'm numb to everything right now and everything is in a weird time warp. AH!!!! YOU GUYS I SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!!! ...I feel like it hasn't been long enough for me to come home yet, but...President says it is. I love you tons. Pray for opportunities to serve and share the gospel, and pray for me to have opportunities on the way home too. Love you tons~ Until next week, GOD SPEED!!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
p.s. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna bawl when I have to take this beautiful tag off. ah!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna be such a weirdy! Love me anyway!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Well family dear, here we are, another week over and few more to go and life is whizzing by around us. This week we were able to settle in completely to our new home. We don't have tile, its a concrete floor, but it feels like home. We love it. We have a bit of a spider/ant problem, but they are suppose to come spray the house. I don't have a problem with the spiders, but we have found 2 big egg sacks lately...which has send the other sisters into a tizzy! HAHA! But its been fun!
We had our Mission tour on Tuesday with Elder Teh. It was powerfully spiritual. He talked about perfecting ourselves to become better as individuals and therefore, progress the mission. He talked a lot about being worthy to receive spiritual revelation, personal revelation. He talked about the different between standing on edge and the safety from being far from it and not even facing in the direction of Satan's temptations. It is something that I have been applying to post-mission plans also. It seems every time I see President he reminds me of going home and asks about my plans. He keeps telling me to plan ahead to make the adjustment smoother. I think I'm pretty planned. Maybe he thinks I should be more detail. haha!
In the missionary mission tour we had a choir number, the most beautiful arrangement of Love one Another I have ever heard. Then, I sang a solo, "I know that my Redeemer lives." The one that I have sung many times before. I made it until the last verse, just like I always do and I lost it, my legs were shaking ..(Paul Remember when President Wak asked you if you leg was okay cause it was shaking so bad while you were speaking? haha!) I have always had a hard time singing that song because I feel like I am singing my testimony. It's not just any old lyrics, but this time, after what I've seen in the mission, the words hit me so hard. The spirit was strong, and it was hard to finish it, but I did. I was so convinced I would make it through without any problems. Each practice went beautifully and I lost it once in practice, after a particularly difficult day of work. I thought I got the tears all out. BUT. ..sure enough, my tear ducts still react the same way they always did. Well, I sat down thinking, "Stadler....why did you pick that song? You never make it through that song..." But I sang. Elder Teh stood up to share his part of the program. I thought of a scripture, a simple statement, "The song of the righteous is a prayer until God." quoting D&C 25.
Later, during lunch, I had 3 specific elders I had had on my mind that were a little different than other elders. You know, the ones who are incredibly nice, but they just don't clique with the other elders. I had been praying that somehow I could help them to feel the Savior's love for them through me. Each of the 3 came up to me after the meeting and gave some of the most sincere compliments I have ever received. One of them just said, "Sister Stadler, thank you. That is something that I have needed. Thank you.." I love the gospel. Not the way I had planned on helping these elders, and yet, Heavenly Father knows how to help them.
Later in the evening we had the chance to perform a musical number again for a fireside in La Carlota for the members in our district. The member choir sounded wonderful! While I was playing prelude for the fireside everyone was busy talking to their neighbors and chit chatting....not being reverent. THEN...lo and behold, we had a brown out....no electricity and the piano, is electric. So here we are, I wish you could hear the effect when the lights go out. Everyone, no matter where or when we have a brown out ..gasps in unison. Then they all start talking louder. I'm sitting here at the piano, in the dark thinking, how can I help these people prepare spiritually for this message....then it hits me, "You have a loud voice. Grab your hymn book and your flashlight and go invite everyone to sing with you, even though its dark, most of the members have flashlights or they have music memorized."
I hesitated for a moment, but my heart was racing and its one of those do or die moments. SO, I did. I asked the chorister if she felt okay about it, she readily consented and I jumped up and said, "Brother and sisters....(loud talking still...) BROTHERS AND SISTERS....( a slight lull in conversation..) Brother and Sister, hopefully you will listen right now to me. (Silence) Thank you. It is important that we prepare spiritually for this fireside. Would it be okay if we sang some hymns, even though we have no light, to prepare us?" I don' t know what reaction I was expecting, but there was a unanimous "YES!" from the members in attendance. SO here I am, little Arizona girl in the middle of the Philippines, using her diaphragm and lung support to belt out the melody for others to follow in the middle of a dark chapel. The music was beautiful. The spirit was there. We sang "Nearer My God to Thee" and by the end of the song the room was silent and the lights came back on. I returned to the piano and the room stayed silent for the remainder of the prelude.
The fireside was spiritually powerful. Elder Teh loves these people and it is evident. His beautiful wife had a strong spirit with her as well. They are a remarkable couple and they work beautifully with each other. Its a couple you look at and think, "That is what I want to become with a best friend some day." After the fireside President Tobias came up to me and said, "Sister Stadler...do you know how many days you have left?" I just made a furrowed my brow at him, ha...then he said, "I've been thinking. Do you think you could extend for just another....6 months or so?" hahaha! I laughed and said "Sure! no problem!" and then he furrowed his brow at me. haha! I love President so much.
On Sunday we had the pleasure of having Ricky Yanson interviewed by President. With joyful chord, we would like to announce that RICKY CAN BE BAPTIZED!!!!! We plan for having him interviewed again by our district leader this weekend and next weekend, right before I go home, he'll be baptized!!!! I am so excited! He...HE is SOOOO excited! We're really happy for him. This week was a good week. We were busy and we were rejected by many many people, but ...if that doesn't happen daily, then you're not a missionary. I'm eating up the moments I have left here in the field.
This week we were punted by every back up plan we had, and we had a TON Of them. We even went to other less active members and no one seemed to be home. So we were walking down the street trying to find SOMEONE who would listen and we ran into a group of young boys (15-25) that we had talked to before. They never really listened before, they are always joking around and trying to flirt. WELL....you've all seen a little glimpse of the wrath of Ashley.....but the wrath of Sister Stadler is a little more....polished??? If you will? So here I am, picture this with me for a moment....rejected all day, just found out another investigator got a new job and works Sundays now, poor Sister Christofferson is sick and in a daze with her cold and I'm thinking..." WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSE TO GO?!?!?!" And then I see this group of boys. This is a busy street. Trikes are driving all over the place, weaving in and out of traffic, people are trying to sell fish and shoving it in your face, people are making cat calls to us all the time. We walk past these boys and say hi and then I think..Nope! We're gonna talk to them again.
So I walk back. AH....the walk back. People react 1 of 2 ways, they run away or they look shocked, like a deer in headlights and then start laughing. SO..they chose the latter of the two. So here I am, I look to Sister Christofferson and she looks at me like..."I don't even know why we're here right now...you take it.." So I start inviting them to come to church and explaining truths for the Restoration and the whole time they're giggling and shooting looks back and forth and given ridiculous answers to my questions. THEN.. small miracle...a drunk man we know who used to come collect our trash on Thursdays walks by. NOW....normally a drunk many walking by isn't a blessing, but in this case, it was. So he walks by and starts to talk to me and the boys all laugh, thinking its hilarious that he's trying to hold my hand and get close to me. I controlled the situation and told him to take off. He did, and they all laughed and shouted as he walked away. For a split second I thought, stop now. What's the point? The moment is ruined, they are not ready to listen. they are young boys, but then...another thought came...use it! Use an inspired question! Apply training. So I did.
I asked, "Why are you laughing?" they laughed again, so I asked it again, "Why are you laughing? Honestly, why is that funny to you?" They got quiet and they could tell I was serious, then they said, "He's drunk! Really really drunk sis! He can't even walk." And I said, "Where is that man's family? How can he provide for them if he's drunk?" They thought for a second and said, "He can't. His family is probably at home right now." "Exactly! HE can't provide for them. He made a choice that make him drunk. He chose alcohol over his family. Now if He can't provide for their needs ...their temporal needs, how can he provide for their spiritual needs?" They stood there silent and one boy finally said, "He can't. its not possible." AH! I wish you could have seen their faces!!!!! I taught a little about the love of God for us and blessings for our families and then I asked them what their purpose was here on earth and they couldn't give me an answer.
One boy, was 17 was smoking hahaha.... I've been a little bolder in the Philippines than I would be at home. I went to grab the cigarette and said, "Ew! Why do you have that? That's gross and your body is holy!" He got embarassed and hit it. We talked about what they wanted in the future and we have a lesson this week set up with them. We're hoping to get them into smaller groups, or teach them individually. BUT...we'll see if they are serious about it. They know we're serious, that we're not there to flirt. It was funny...later that night as we were lying in bed started to fall asleep Sister Christofferson broke the silence and said,"Hey, remember when you went off with love on those boys today? HAHAHAH!" I love her so much. They reminded me so much of friends from high school. I can't stand to just be silent.
The Gospel is true! I have 2 weeks to work my hardest and wear myself out full time for the Lord. Then I have a lifetime to figure out how to continue doing that every day in my family. Until next week, teach the gospel, know that I love you and...God Speed!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
We had our Mission tour on Tuesday with Elder Teh. It was powerfully spiritual. He talked about perfecting ourselves to become better as individuals and therefore, progress the mission. He talked a lot about being worthy to receive spiritual revelation, personal revelation. He talked about the different between standing on edge and the safety from being far from it and not even facing in the direction of Satan's temptations. It is something that I have been applying to post-mission plans also. It seems every time I see President he reminds me of going home and asks about my plans. He keeps telling me to plan ahead to make the adjustment smoother. I think I'm pretty planned. Maybe he thinks I should be more detail. haha!
In the missionary mission tour we had a choir number, the most beautiful arrangement of Love one Another I have ever heard. Then, I sang a solo, "I know that my Redeemer lives." The one that I have sung many times before. I made it until the last verse, just like I always do and I lost it, my legs were shaking ..(Paul Remember when President Wak asked you if you leg was okay cause it was shaking so bad while you were speaking? haha!) I have always had a hard time singing that song because I feel like I am singing my testimony. It's not just any old lyrics, but this time, after what I've seen in the mission, the words hit me so hard. The spirit was strong, and it was hard to finish it, but I did. I was so convinced I would make it through without any problems. Each practice went beautifully and I lost it once in practice, after a particularly difficult day of work. I thought I got the tears all out. BUT. ..sure enough, my tear ducts still react the same way they always did. Well, I sat down thinking, "Stadler....why did you pick that song? You never make it through that song..." But I sang. Elder Teh stood up to share his part of the program. I thought of a scripture, a simple statement, "The song of the righteous is a prayer until God." quoting D&C 25.
Later, during lunch, I had 3 specific elders I had had on my mind that were a little different than other elders. You know, the ones who are incredibly nice, but they just don't clique with the other elders. I had been praying that somehow I could help them to feel the Savior's love for them through me. Each of the 3 came up to me after the meeting and gave some of the most sincere compliments I have ever received. One of them just said, "Sister Stadler, thank you. That is something that I have needed. Thank you.." I love the gospel. Not the way I had planned on helping these elders, and yet, Heavenly Father knows how to help them.
Later in the evening we had the chance to perform a musical number again for a fireside in La Carlota for the members in our district. The member choir sounded wonderful! While I was playing prelude for the fireside everyone was busy talking to their neighbors and chit chatting....not being reverent. THEN...lo and behold, we had a brown out....no electricity and the piano, is electric. So here we are, I wish you could hear the effect when the lights go out. Everyone, no matter where or when we have a brown out ..gasps in unison. Then they all start talking louder. I'm sitting here at the piano, in the dark thinking, how can I help these people prepare spiritually for this message....then it hits me, "You have a loud voice. Grab your hymn book and your flashlight and go invite everyone to sing with you, even though its dark, most of the members have flashlights or they have music memorized."
I hesitated for a moment, but my heart was racing and its one of those do or die moments. SO, I did. I asked the chorister if she felt okay about it, she readily consented and I jumped up and said, "Brother and sisters....(loud talking still...) BROTHERS AND SISTERS....( a slight lull in conversation..) Brother and Sister, hopefully you will listen right now to me. (Silence) Thank you. It is important that we prepare spiritually for this fireside. Would it be okay if we sang some hymns, even though we have no light, to prepare us?" I don' t know what reaction I was expecting, but there was a unanimous "YES!" from the members in attendance. SO here I am, little Arizona girl in the middle of the Philippines, using her diaphragm and lung support to belt out the melody for others to follow in the middle of a dark chapel. The music was beautiful. The spirit was there. We sang "Nearer My God to Thee" and by the end of the song the room was silent and the lights came back on. I returned to the piano and the room stayed silent for the remainder of the prelude.
The fireside was spiritually powerful. Elder Teh loves these people and it is evident. His beautiful wife had a strong spirit with her as well. They are a remarkable couple and they work beautifully with each other. Its a couple you look at and think, "That is what I want to become with a best friend some day." After the fireside President Tobias came up to me and said, "Sister Stadler...do you know how many days you have left?" I just made a furrowed my brow at him, ha...then he said, "I've been thinking. Do you think you could extend for just another....6 months or so?" hahaha! I laughed and said "Sure! no problem!" and then he furrowed his brow at me. haha! I love President so much.
On Sunday we had the pleasure of having Ricky Yanson interviewed by President. With joyful chord, we would like to announce that RICKY CAN BE BAPTIZED!!!!! We plan for having him interviewed again by our district leader this weekend and next weekend, right before I go home, he'll be baptized!!!! I am so excited! He...HE is SOOOO excited! We're really happy for him. This week was a good week. We were busy and we were rejected by many many people, but ...if that doesn't happen daily, then you're not a missionary. I'm eating up the moments I have left here in the field.
This week we were punted by every back up plan we had, and we had a TON Of them. We even went to other less active members and no one seemed to be home. So we were walking down the street trying to find SOMEONE who would listen and we ran into a group of young boys (15-25) that we had talked to before. They never really listened before, they are always joking around and trying to flirt. WELL....you've all seen a little glimpse of the wrath of Ashley.....but the wrath of Sister Stadler is a little more....polished??? If you will? So here I am, picture this with me for a moment....rejected all day, just found out another investigator got a new job and works Sundays now, poor Sister Christofferson is sick and in a daze with her cold and I'm thinking..." WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSE TO GO?!?!?!" And then I see this group of boys. This is a busy street. Trikes are driving all over the place, weaving in and out of traffic, people are trying to sell fish and shoving it in your face, people are making cat calls to us all the time. We walk past these boys and say hi and then I think..Nope! We're gonna talk to them again.
So I walk back. AH....the walk back. People react 1 of 2 ways, they run away or they look shocked, like a deer in headlights and then start laughing. SO..they chose the latter of the two. So here I am, I look to Sister Christofferson and she looks at me like..."I don't even know why we're here right now...you take it.." So I start inviting them to come to church and explaining truths for the Restoration and the whole time they're giggling and shooting looks back and forth and given ridiculous answers to my questions. THEN.. small miracle...a drunk man we know who used to come collect our trash on Thursdays walks by. NOW....normally a drunk many walking by isn't a blessing, but in this case, it was. So he walks by and starts to talk to me and the boys all laugh, thinking its hilarious that he's trying to hold my hand and get close to me. I controlled the situation and told him to take off. He did, and they all laughed and shouted as he walked away. For a split second I thought, stop now. What's the point? The moment is ruined, they are not ready to listen. they are young boys, but then...another thought came...use it! Use an inspired question! Apply training. So I did.
I asked, "Why are you laughing?" they laughed again, so I asked it again, "Why are you laughing? Honestly, why is that funny to you?" They got quiet and they could tell I was serious, then they said, "He's drunk! Really really drunk sis! He can't even walk." And I said, "Where is that man's family? How can he provide for them if he's drunk?" They thought for a second and said, "He can't. His family is probably at home right now." "Exactly! HE can't provide for them. He made a choice that make him drunk. He chose alcohol over his family. Now if He can't provide for their needs ...their temporal needs, how can he provide for their spiritual needs?" They stood there silent and one boy finally said, "He can't. its not possible." AH! I wish you could have seen their faces!!!!! I taught a little about the love of God for us and blessings for our families and then I asked them what their purpose was here on earth and they couldn't give me an answer.
One boy, was 17 was smoking hahaha.... I've been a little bolder in the Philippines than I would be at home. I went to grab the cigarette and said, "Ew! Why do you have that? That's gross and your body is holy!" He got embarassed and hit it. We talked about what they wanted in the future and we have a lesson this week set up with them. We're hoping to get them into smaller groups, or teach them individually. BUT...we'll see if they are serious about it. They know we're serious, that we're not there to flirt. It was funny...later that night as we were lying in bed started to fall asleep Sister Christofferson broke the silence and said,"Hey, remember when you went off with love on those boys today? HAHAHAH!" I love her so much. They reminded me so much of friends from high school. I can't stand to just be silent.
The Gospel is true! I have 2 weeks to work my hardest and wear myself out full time for the Lord. Then I have a lifetime to figure out how to continue doing that every day in my family. Until next week, teach the gospel, know that I love you and...God Speed!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Hello family dearest! We are currently using email time to hurriedly send emails off and then go clean 2 houses and shop and get ourselves ready for our mission tour/conference tomorrow morning. To put this week into one word it would be EXHAUSTING. I have been worn to my limits and it has been interesting for sure. haha! To be honest the last few weeks have been blending all together so this might be some repeating but I hope not. So..here goes. We were told by the office elders that we have exactly one week to find a home and that it was our top priority. SO this entire week we spend packing stuff and spending our entire days looking for homes, including lunch time. Sister Christofferson and I had a total of 5 proselyting hours this week, ...hahahaha...that should give you a little hint as to how things were.
So right now we're sitting here, next to each other on the computers (oh yeah!! That's definitely okay now for each missionary to have a computer! We're pretty excited about that)...anyway...we're both just looking at each other and saying.."hm...what do we type about?" We actually ended up renting a home that we looked at awhile ago, but when we walked into it to look, it didn't have tile and the boarders were still there. The feeling in the home was kind of dark to be honest. The spirit definitely was not present. BUT...we went back to look at it again, and this time, the boarders were gone and as we walked in we felt good about it. Elder Nasis (our financial secretary) Elder Christopher (Our Supply Manager) Elder Stradling and Elder Gruninger (Our AP's) all helped us to move in on Saturday and Sunday evening. Usually we wouldn't move on Sunday, but we had a deadline and a few large things still had to be moved. AND...this Tuesday, tomorrow, we have the mission tour. Elder Teh will be touring La Carlota and visiting our apartments too, so our home needs to be ready for him.
Its to interesting to me how different the home feels now. We were able to dedicate it and the spirit is strong there. We just cleaned all the screens on the windows today and my goodness that made a huge difference. Now we just need curtains for some privacy. We have a sweet older woman who lives in a room attached to our home and she doesn't understand the concept of not entering our apartment. haha! This morning I was eating my cinnamon toast for breakfast and felt like someone was watching me. I turn around and BOOM! There is sweet little Delia's face on the window. hahahaha! I jumped. But we talked to her today and it should be okay now. She was just offering to help clean the apartment. Thank you for your prayers and your faith in us finding a home. We're happy to have moved and we'll miss the calamansi bush, haha, but we're happy in our home. Who knew one could find such joy in a small home and no carpet, no tile, just cement floors and one bathroom with 4 sisters. :) We're incredibly happy..and who wouldn't be? This week we get to Proselyte again!!!! I miss teaching!
These last few days we've had so many assignments from President that we haven't really felt much like missionaries. BUT...we are and alas..this week we will have wonderful experiences to share.
ALRIGHT...its the moment you've all been waiting for....Erwin Espinosa Joguilon was baptized on February 5th, 2011 at 5:30pm. I cannot even begin to express the joy I felt at his baptism. Brother Paolo, a branch missionary baptized him and did a pretty good job. haha..he was nervous and had to say the words about 8 times before he finally for it, then Brother Erwin's hand didn't go all the way under. So they had to do it 3 more times until Paolo said it right again, then he finally did it right!!! :) The spirit was strong. Sister Christofferson and I sang..it was pretty good. But the best part of it was when they invited Erwin to bear his testimony. I thought for a moment..."Oh no...we forgot to prepare him for this and explain about it.." But he stood up and walked to the front of the room, turned around, smiled...his eyes were shining.
If I could only let you see how he looked the first time we taught him. At the point we ha our first lesson with him he has already been taught by 2 different sets of elders, so I can't even imagine how he was the very first lesson with the elders. But here we was now, his whole countenance had changed and he was honestly glowing. He bore the most pure and sincere testimony I have ever heard in the Philippines. The spirit was so strong and I lost it. I know I have said this before, but I don't think I have ever felt that way before for anther investigator. We worked so hard with Erwin, we cried with him and his family, we laughed with them, we knelt with them in prayer in their humble home and we spend many hours on our knees praying in private, pleading with the Lord for help for him, for his eyes to be opened to His potential. Often I remind him that he is not the only one praying for his family, but that many of you are praying for him and asking about his progress as well. Whenever I mention that he gets a huge smile on his face. The elders who taught him before always ask about him and occasionally I would get a note through our mail here from one of them saying. "Sister Stadler...Baptize Erwin!" hahaha! Well, he is now the newest and one of the cleanest members in the church. I could not be happier.
As for a humorous moment this week...at our new home we have a dog, Sonny, of the woman who lives next to us, Sister Delia. Well we can't let him out of the fence...she's very picky about that. Well on Sunday morning, after having spent most of the night moving with the elders and being completely a totally drained, the dog got out. So we were just gonna let him go because we were going to be late for church if we didn't leave immediately. Sister Christofferson was a little worried..she's a huge dog lover...you all know how I feel about dogs. hahahahaha! So I looked at her face and knew she wouldn't be able to focus at church if she didn't get that dog inside. So I handed her my stuff and took off running after the dog. (SIDE NOTE.....I have been jogging in the mornings with Sister Elwood, another sister in the house. I wanted to shoot myself the first morning. BUT..now it's pretty enjoyable.) SO I take off running after this dog. Well my plan was to just run and pick him up. He's way nice, but as soon as I got to him he started growling...In my mind I pictured me in the hospital on the sabbath with a chomped hand...so I didn't pick him up, but the other sisters came around the corner and it just clicked. We ended up all running back, herding him like a sheep back to the house. hahahaha! It was way funny! But it worked. Then....this is the best part, this morning we look outside and Sonny is definitely just laying outside of the gate...and Sister Delia is totally okay with it. hahahahaha! So....good thing we got a huge work out. Fun fun!
Well I hope everything is going well for all of you. I'm excited to let you know what types of experiences we'll have this next week. I have great hopes for this week. You are all in my prayers. I love you all tons! I need to run and get the houses clean. Share the gospel! The church is true! Until next week, God Speed!
All my mushy gooshy love,
Sister Stadler
So right now we're sitting here, next to each other on the computers (oh yeah!! That's definitely okay now for each missionary to have a computer! We're pretty excited about that)...anyway...we're both just looking at each other and saying.."hm...what do we type about?" We actually ended up renting a home that we looked at awhile ago, but when we walked into it to look, it didn't have tile and the boarders were still there. The feeling in the home was kind of dark to be honest. The spirit definitely was not present. BUT...we went back to look at it again, and this time, the boarders were gone and as we walked in we felt good about it. Elder Nasis (our financial secretary) Elder Christopher (Our Supply Manager) Elder Stradling and Elder Gruninger (Our AP's) all helped us to move in on Saturday and Sunday evening. Usually we wouldn't move on Sunday, but we had a deadline and a few large things still had to be moved. AND...this Tuesday, tomorrow, we have the mission tour. Elder Teh will be touring La Carlota and visiting our apartments too, so our home needs to be ready for him.
Its to interesting to me how different the home feels now. We were able to dedicate it and the spirit is strong there. We just cleaned all the screens on the windows today and my goodness that made a huge difference. Now we just need curtains for some privacy. We have a sweet older woman who lives in a room attached to our home and she doesn't understand the concept of not entering our apartment. haha! This morning I was eating my cinnamon toast for breakfast and felt like someone was watching me. I turn around and BOOM! There is sweet little Delia's face on the window. hahahaha! I jumped. But we talked to her today and it should be okay now. She was just offering to help clean the apartment. Thank you for your prayers and your faith in us finding a home. We're happy to have moved and we'll miss the calamansi bush, haha, but we're happy in our home. Who knew one could find such joy in a small home and no carpet, no tile, just cement floors and one bathroom with 4 sisters. :) We're incredibly happy..and who wouldn't be? This week we get to Proselyte again!!!! I miss teaching!
These last few days we've had so many assignments from President that we haven't really felt much like missionaries. BUT...we are and alas..this week we will have wonderful experiences to share.
ALRIGHT...its the moment you've all been waiting for....Erwin Espinosa Joguilon was baptized on February 5th, 2011 at 5:30pm. I cannot even begin to express the joy I felt at his baptism. Brother Paolo, a branch missionary baptized him and did a pretty good job. haha..he was nervous and had to say the words about 8 times before he finally for it, then Brother Erwin's hand didn't go all the way under. So they had to do it 3 more times until Paolo said it right again, then he finally did it right!!! :) The spirit was strong. Sister Christofferson and I sang..it was pretty good. But the best part of it was when they invited Erwin to bear his testimony. I thought for a moment..."Oh no...we forgot to prepare him for this and explain about it.." But he stood up and walked to the front of the room, turned around, smiled...his eyes were shining.
If I could only let you see how he looked the first time we taught him. At the point we ha our first lesson with him he has already been taught by 2 different sets of elders, so I can't even imagine how he was the very first lesson with the elders. But here we was now, his whole countenance had changed and he was honestly glowing. He bore the most pure and sincere testimony I have ever heard in the Philippines. The spirit was so strong and I lost it. I know I have said this before, but I don't think I have ever felt that way before for anther investigator. We worked so hard with Erwin, we cried with him and his family, we laughed with them, we knelt with them in prayer in their humble home and we spend many hours on our knees praying in private, pleading with the Lord for help for him, for his eyes to be opened to His potential. Often I remind him that he is not the only one praying for his family, but that many of you are praying for him and asking about his progress as well. Whenever I mention that he gets a huge smile on his face. The elders who taught him before always ask about him and occasionally I would get a note through our mail here from one of them saying. "Sister Stadler...Baptize Erwin!" hahaha! Well, he is now the newest and one of the cleanest members in the church. I could not be happier.
As for a humorous moment this week...at our new home we have a dog, Sonny, of the woman who lives next to us, Sister Delia. Well we can't let him out of the fence...she's very picky about that. Well on Sunday morning, after having spent most of the night moving with the elders and being completely a totally drained, the dog got out. So we were just gonna let him go because we were going to be late for church if we didn't leave immediately. Sister Christofferson was a little worried..she's a huge dog lover...you all know how I feel about dogs. hahahahaha! So I looked at her face and knew she wouldn't be able to focus at church if she didn't get that dog inside. So I handed her my stuff and took off running after the dog. (SIDE NOTE.....I have been jogging in the mornings with Sister Elwood, another sister in the house. I wanted to shoot myself the first morning. BUT..now it's pretty enjoyable.) SO I take off running after this dog. Well my plan was to just run and pick him up. He's way nice, but as soon as I got to him he started growling...In my mind I pictured me in the hospital on the sabbath with a chomped hand...so I didn't pick him up, but the other sisters came around the corner and it just clicked. We ended up all running back, herding him like a sheep back to the house. hahahaha! It was way funny! But it worked. Then....this is the best part, this morning we look outside and Sonny is definitely just laying outside of the gate...and Sister Delia is totally okay with it. hahahahaha! So....good thing we got a huge work out. Fun fun!
Well I hope everything is going well for all of you. I'm excited to let you know what types of experiences we'll have this next week. I have great hopes for this week. You are all in my prayers. I love you all tons! I need to run and get the houses clean. Share the gospel! The church is true! Until next week, God Speed!
All my mushy gooshy love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Family, oh family, have I got some news for you. Perhaps you will not be as excited as I am, but, Erwin Joguilon had his baptismal interview and....HE PASSED!!!!! Not just barely passed...no...he is prepared. He passed with flying colors. I honestly do not feel like I have ever worked so hard and prayed so hard and cried so hard with an investigator in my entire mission. Erwin has been taught for over 8 transfers an he was not progressing at all. Something changed when the Sisters started teaching him. Not sure what Sister Jackson and I did to help him, but whatever we did through the spirit, it worked. He was just ready when we arrived I feel, but someone had to fan the flame. He is so excited and we are overwhelmed with joy for him. Feb 5, 2011 is his baptismal date at 5 pm. You're all invited! hahahaha!
As for the Branch, they are doing beautifully. They are progressing slowly and seeing small miracles unfold. Visiting teaching and Home teaching are starting this next week. The Rescue started last week and they are already reaping the fruits of their labors and are excited to see the fruit. We are just elated to see this little branch starting to take control of themselves. The poor family we were working with that didn't have food, the Pacheo's have now moved into a nicer apartment and are planning to go to the temple in May. They are excited and they are doing great things and progressing like crazy. They even gave us a referral for their sister.
I will finish the scripture challenge tonight. I have 17 pages left. President had us read the Book of Mormon in 2 months highlighting the words Jesus Christ, Repentance and Faith. Tonight is the last night of the challenge. I always love reading the Book of Mormon in such a condensed amount of time. The storyline just plays out perfectly. I am in the last few chapters of Ether right now and I'm gearing up for my favorite chapters in Moroni. OH HOW I LOVE THIS BOOK! If the world could only understand the great meaning behind it.
Well, as for the housing situation...turns out President didn't approve the houses for 2 reasons, 1- it was too nice for missionaries. 2- it was too close to the elders, therefore possibly causing future problems with sister/elder relationships. SOOOO...bad news, we have 1 week to find house and nothing seems to be available. We will be fasting yet again to find a home and that is our main priority. SO..this week we'll be teaching our investigators with a baptismal date and then house searching all day until we find one. Its a little....stressful, but once again, with no house, no missionaries. There has to be something out there...a house just waiting for sweet little sisters to live in it. Maybe there is a reason it has taken us this long, maybe we're suppose to meet families to teach...we have met a few. Regardless, this week, we'll find a house.
I don't have much else to add. We've been working hard this week. President put me in charge of 2 other choir numbers, one with missionaries and one with the district members in our branches in La Carlota district. I was a little worried about that...but these singers are incredibly talented. It is going to be beautiful.
I have been teaching Sister Christofferson and Sister Freeman some sign language and trying to remember things....man I miss that. They have been picking that up quickly.
Last night we made lumpia. It's like a small deep fried eggroll....yes..I'm making that when I get home. They are way good! We decided to made some dessert lumpia...which no one does here, but you know...we're American women....there has to be dessert. So we put some banana and sugar and cinnamon in a pan and cooked that up real nice and then deep fried it. HEAVEN!!!! We decided we're gonna make a small business outside of BYU campus called "LUMPIA LANG" which means...only lumpia. Then we'll have all different types of lumpia, savory and sweet. That won't happen, but....we will definitely be making some at home. Imagine if you will....and pumpkin pie lumpia...Ooh Ooh!! Strawberry cheesecake...or Strawberry Rhubard. MAN...strawberries....I don't even remember what those taste like. So many fun things to reunite with.
Christopher and Rex and Ricky are all doing well. Ricky has an interview with President Tobias and he'll see if he is able to be baptized. We're praying for him. We feel like he's really capable of it. We'll see. That will be after the Mission Tour Fireside with Elder Teh on the 8th of February. Keep the house in your prayers. I hope you're all doing well. You all sound like you're doing great. You're all awesome and I love you. I miss you all, but the weeks are going by way too fast. On Sunday I was sitting in the back with my beautiful companion and I just lost it. A woman gave the most beautiful prayer I think I've heard since I've been here. She was honestly conversing with her Heavenly Father for the entire congregation. When the prayer ended I looked at these remarkable people I have been greatly blessed to learn from and study with and laugh with....they will never know the impact they will have on the rest of my life. Heavenly Father knows what He's doing when He sends His missionaries out into the world. Until next week, be good, look for someone to serve daily and ...GOD SPEED!
all my love,
Sister Stadler
As for the Branch, they are doing beautifully. They are progressing slowly and seeing small miracles unfold. Visiting teaching and Home teaching are starting this next week. The Rescue started last week and they are already reaping the fruits of their labors and are excited to see the fruit. We are just elated to see this little branch starting to take control of themselves. The poor family we were working with that didn't have food, the Pacheo's have now moved into a nicer apartment and are planning to go to the temple in May. They are excited and they are doing great things and progressing like crazy. They even gave us a referral for their sister.
I will finish the scripture challenge tonight. I have 17 pages left. President had us read the Book of Mormon in 2 months highlighting the words Jesus Christ, Repentance and Faith. Tonight is the last night of the challenge. I always love reading the Book of Mormon in such a condensed amount of time. The storyline just plays out perfectly. I am in the last few chapters of Ether right now and I'm gearing up for my favorite chapters in Moroni. OH HOW I LOVE THIS BOOK! If the world could only understand the great meaning behind it.
Well, as for the housing situation...turns out President didn't approve the houses for 2 reasons, 1- it was too nice for missionaries. 2- it was too close to the elders, therefore possibly causing future problems with sister/elder relationships. SOOOO...bad news, we have 1 week to find house and nothing seems to be available. We will be fasting yet again to find a home and that is our main priority. SO..this week we'll be teaching our investigators with a baptismal date and then house searching all day until we find one. Its a little....stressful, but once again, with no house, no missionaries. There has to be something out there...a house just waiting for sweet little sisters to live in it. Maybe there is a reason it has taken us this long, maybe we're suppose to meet families to teach...we have met a few. Regardless, this week, we'll find a house.
I don't have much else to add. We've been working hard this week. President put me in charge of 2 other choir numbers, one with missionaries and one with the district members in our branches in La Carlota district. I was a little worried about that...but these singers are incredibly talented. It is going to be beautiful.
I have been teaching Sister Christofferson and Sister Freeman some sign language and trying to remember things....man I miss that. They have been picking that up quickly.
Last night we made lumpia. It's like a small deep fried eggroll....yes..I'm making that when I get home. They are way good! We decided to made some dessert lumpia...which no one does here, but you know...we're American women....there has to be dessert. So we put some banana and sugar and cinnamon in a pan and cooked that up real nice and then deep fried it. HEAVEN!!!! We decided we're gonna make a small business outside of BYU campus called "LUMPIA LANG" which means...only lumpia. Then we'll have all different types of lumpia, savory and sweet. That won't happen, but....we will definitely be making some at home. Imagine if you will....and pumpkin pie lumpia...Ooh Ooh!! Strawberry cheesecake...or Strawberry Rhubard. MAN...strawberries....I don't even remember what those taste like. So many fun things to reunite with.
Christopher and Rex and Ricky are all doing well. Ricky has an interview with President Tobias and he'll see if he is able to be baptized. We're praying for him. We feel like he's really capable of it. We'll see. That will be after the Mission Tour Fireside with Elder Teh on the 8th of February. Keep the house in your prayers. I hope you're all doing well. You all sound like you're doing great. You're all awesome and I love you. I miss you all, but the weeks are going by way too fast. On Sunday I was sitting in the back with my beautiful companion and I just lost it. A woman gave the most beautiful prayer I think I've heard since I've been here. She was honestly conversing with her Heavenly Father for the entire congregation. When the prayer ended I looked at these remarkable people I have been greatly blessed to learn from and study with and laugh with....they will never know the impact they will have on the rest of my life. Heavenly Father knows what He's doing when He sends His missionaries out into the world. Until next week, be good, look for someone to serve daily and ...GOD SPEED!
all my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Alright folks that I love so dearly. Here we are again, another week over and its been said I have 5 little tiny weeks left. It's that time where every single person I know seems to be asking me when I am going home and to be honest, it doesn't bother me anymore. Just like a wise person told me, put your nose the grindstone and work a little harder each time you hear it. AND SO I SHALL! :) The only weird thing is planning events in the branch that are past my returning date. WEIRD!
Oh...speaking of which! Good news!! Mom, the branch just found out that their travel will be completely paid for for the temple trip!!!!!!!!!!!! What a huge blessing no? I was so excited to hear about that. They could however use some money for extra white shirts and ties for priesthood if possible. That won't be nearly as expensive. In our branch council meeting they brought up the need for a skirt for one sister who is planning on going to the temple. I said I could give her one of mine and have it re-sized first. I asked what size she was and they all said, "Sister, you are....not the same size. You are...uh..." HAHAHA! I laughed really hard and said, "Oo, GANI! Tambok ako! Pero tani may fitting anay tapos ihatag ko sa iya!" oops..I mean..."Yes, obviously! I'm fat! but hopefully I can get it fitted before I give it to her." President Tumunong laughed and said, You're not fat sister! You're...uh....how light you are!!!!" ha! followed by a comment, "Sister! You're not fat, you're..American Standard!" They were way funny! No one here is sensitive about their weight, and to be honest...its helped me a lot here. They are way funny! Of course we're all huge compared to everyone here. BUT, we all had a good laugh about it. Sister Christofferson leaned over and said, "Oh man...only in the Philippines would they be discussing your weight in a Branch Council Meeting." haha! I love her and I love the people here! My goodness I will miss them.
As for this week. Thank you so much for your prayers! WE FOUND 2 HOUSES!!!! We were sent on a hunt for 2 different houses and up to this week we haven't even found one. BUT, we fasted and prayed and you all prayed and Heavenly Father definitely provided, as he always does. They are some of the most beautiful homes I can ever seen in the Philippines and for an incredibly affordable price. We are greatly blessed. We are waiting to see if President approves, but we are excited to move in this next week hopefully. It was funny how it worked, neither homes were available for rent, but Sister Christofferson and I talked to the owners and they changed their minds. I never thought in a million years that I would be house hunting on my mission. Let me tell you, apartment searches after the mission are going to be a breeze!!!!! Imagine just logging onto a computer and pulling up all available apartments in the area by the click of a mouse. That is hard for me to imagine. We had the spend lots of proselyting time looking for houses, so this week's work was slower, but next week it should pick up.
Our investigators with a baptismal date are all progressing nicely. Rex and Erwin are both doing great, going to church and loving life. Erwin's date is coming up quickly and we're excited for him. Keep him especially in your prayers. He's doing great with the word of wisdom, but we all know how Satan works in those last few weeks before the baptism and especially right after the baptism as well. Christopher continues to amaze me. His questions are so well thought out and he ALWAYS has questions when we show up. He is now involved with fellowshipping other less active members and investigators. He is golden. This boy reads daily and loves it and in his prayer a few weeks ago actually included that Quincy, a less active friend of his, would realize what's important and come to church and read. She did. :)
Sean, have you found out if you can come to Utah yet? I sure hope so. I've been praying for it. I hope your work has picked up some. How is the economy doing in the US right now anyway? Is work still hard to find? Are stocks starting to pick back up or what? We're out in our own little world out here.
We have no idea what is going on. We heard there have been many storms and natural disasters lately. Does this surprise anyone? Let's take a look at the wickedness of the world. My goodness...the responsibility we have to teach the gospel is tremendous isn't it? And at times it can almost feel more like a burden, no? We're far from perfect, we constantly fall and sin and have so many weaknesses, and yet, we know the truth, and the truth is perfect, so..we must share this beautiful message of hope with others. Step up to the challenge and share the message! :) You will find more joy in that than in any other way man could ever provide.
So nothing too funny happened this week. We were walking one day and had a dog come out of a bush and start running and barking full speed at us. We don't usually have problems with dogs, but this one was angry. It has little baby puppies so we're sure it was just protective. Serves me right for whistling while walking...haha! Well, luckily my companion is the dog whisperer. While I started walking faster and pulled out my umbrella to beat the dog to death she simply turns around and makes a noise that the people do here and the dog starts lunging at her snapping and she does it again and immediately it retreats. Much better alternative to dog innards all over my umbrella.
Also, today I had to go to the city to get my final x-rays. You have to get a set of x-rays to make sure you don't have TB before returning to the states. FUN FUN! But yeah...its over and I'm not too scarred. love you all!!!! The shop is closing. Big hugs and kisses!!! God speed!!!!
Love,
Sister Stadler
Oh...speaking of which! Good news!! Mom, the branch just found out that their travel will be completely paid for for the temple trip!!!!!!!!!!!! What a huge blessing no? I was so excited to hear about that. They could however use some money for extra white shirts and ties for priesthood if possible. That won't be nearly as expensive. In our branch council meeting they brought up the need for a skirt for one sister who is planning on going to the temple. I said I could give her one of mine and have it re-sized first. I asked what size she was and they all said, "Sister, you are....not the same size. You are...uh..." HAHAHA! I laughed really hard and said, "Oo, GANI! Tambok ako! Pero tani may fitting anay tapos ihatag ko sa iya!" oops..I mean..."Yes, obviously! I'm fat! but hopefully I can get it fitted before I give it to her." President Tumunong laughed and said, You're not fat sister! You're...uh....how light you are!!!!" ha! followed by a comment, "Sister! You're not fat, you're..American Standard!" They were way funny! No one here is sensitive about their weight, and to be honest...its helped me a lot here. They are way funny! Of course we're all huge compared to everyone here. BUT, we all had a good laugh about it. Sister Christofferson leaned over and said, "Oh man...only in the Philippines would they be discussing your weight in a Branch Council Meeting." haha! I love her and I love the people here! My goodness I will miss them.
As for this week. Thank you so much for your prayers! WE FOUND 2 HOUSES!!!! We were sent on a hunt for 2 different houses and up to this week we haven't even found one. BUT, we fasted and prayed and you all prayed and Heavenly Father definitely provided, as he always does. They are some of the most beautiful homes I can ever seen in the Philippines and for an incredibly affordable price. We are greatly blessed. We are waiting to see if President approves, but we are excited to move in this next week hopefully. It was funny how it worked, neither homes were available for rent, but Sister Christofferson and I talked to the owners and they changed their minds. I never thought in a million years that I would be house hunting on my mission. Let me tell you, apartment searches after the mission are going to be a breeze!!!!! Imagine just logging onto a computer and pulling up all available apartments in the area by the click of a mouse. That is hard for me to imagine. We had the spend lots of proselyting time looking for houses, so this week's work was slower, but next week it should pick up.
Our investigators with a baptismal date are all progressing nicely. Rex and Erwin are both doing great, going to church and loving life. Erwin's date is coming up quickly and we're excited for him. Keep him especially in your prayers. He's doing great with the word of wisdom, but we all know how Satan works in those last few weeks before the baptism and especially right after the baptism as well. Christopher continues to amaze me. His questions are so well thought out and he ALWAYS has questions when we show up. He is now involved with fellowshipping other less active members and investigators. He is golden. This boy reads daily and loves it and in his prayer a few weeks ago actually included that Quincy, a less active friend of his, would realize what's important and come to church and read. She did. :)
Sean, have you found out if you can come to Utah yet? I sure hope so. I've been praying for it. I hope your work has picked up some. How is the economy doing in the US right now anyway? Is work still hard to find? Are stocks starting to pick back up or what? We're out in our own little world out here.
We have no idea what is going on. We heard there have been many storms and natural disasters lately. Does this surprise anyone? Let's take a look at the wickedness of the world. My goodness...the responsibility we have to teach the gospel is tremendous isn't it? And at times it can almost feel more like a burden, no? We're far from perfect, we constantly fall and sin and have so many weaknesses, and yet, we know the truth, and the truth is perfect, so..we must share this beautiful message of hope with others. Step up to the challenge and share the message! :) You will find more joy in that than in any other way man could ever provide.
So nothing too funny happened this week. We were walking one day and had a dog come out of a bush and start running and barking full speed at us. We don't usually have problems with dogs, but this one was angry. It has little baby puppies so we're sure it was just protective. Serves me right for whistling while walking...haha! Well, luckily my companion is the dog whisperer. While I started walking faster and pulled out my umbrella to beat the dog to death she simply turns around and makes a noise that the people do here and the dog starts lunging at her snapping and she does it again and immediately it retreats. Much better alternative to dog innards all over my umbrella.
Also, today I had to go to the city to get my final x-rays. You have to get a set of x-rays to make sure you don't have TB before returning to the states. FUN FUN! But yeah...its over and I'm not too scarred. love you all!!!! The shop is closing. Big hugs and kisses!!! God speed!!!!
Love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Well, transfer announcments are here and...drum roll please............. I'm STAYING IN LA CARLOTA AND......SISTER CHRISTOFFERSON IS KILLING ME OFF!!!!!!!! WOO HOOOO!!!! I'm way excited and happy..releaved really. But here it is...my last transfer. I can't believe its here and the last transfer felt like it took 4 days to get through. I'm sure it will go even faster. We went to a departure meeting yesterday for Elder Theobald and his batch. He talked to me after and said, "Sister, these next 6 weeks will be the fastest of your whole mission. They fly by.." SO! I'm just holding on and working harder than ever before.
There were only 2 departing missionaries from America. President said in his talk, "This is the hugest batch of foreigners ever...(laughter)." Then he said, "And next transfer will be the record breaking largest foreign departure...Sister Stadler. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to bear your testimony in this meeting, but this upcoming transfer, in every leadership training we have I want you to bear your testimony." Not sure what that means, but...whatever. ha! There are only 2 of us leaving next transfer, Sister Canaya and I. So yes mom, I will be flying home alone. I'm a little worried, I hate trying to make flight changes, but the mission looks after its missionaries, AND.....good grief I have been watched over here. We know Heavenly Father will watch over me on the flight home. President gave me the option of staying either an additional transfer and going home with Sister Ball or staying an additional 3 weeks and flying home with my batch from IloIlo mission, Jennie?! But...I want to be there so bad for the birth of little nameless baby boy Anderson! :) And I figured you wouldn't like me to stay an extra 3 weeks, so I'm just going to
exercise my faith and make the most of it.
This week was full of craziness. We had exchanges this last week, which after much prayer, I followed a prompting and I had and it turned out to answer many prayers for many sisters. I LOVE THE SPIRIT!!!!! Exchanges were a huge tender mercy for me. Going back to Bago and seeing a few people that I had taught my first transfer was...amazing. Unfortunately, some of them are now inactive because of a lack of fellowshipping. AH! Now true, they could go on their own, and I gave them a good older Sister Stadler talkin to, but Japhet....Japhet is active as ever! He's a counselor in the Young Mens and loving life. I didn't want to go around visiting, because that wasn't the purpose of exchanges. Exchanges are for training missionaries. Experienced missionaries switch into other companionships to help teach and help with concerns in the area. Well, praying beforehand I said, "Father, I would love to go see each person we taught, but let me see those Father who I need to see, if it be thy will." And it was His will.
At one point we really needed a member to come to an appointment with us and no one was in sight. I knew a member's house was around the corner. She was studying for an exam, so I knew that Japhet lived right around the corner from her, but he still had school. We went to his house and he wasn't there. My heart sunk a little bit. So I asked his neighbor if she could tell him that Sister Stadler stopped by. We then went across a large rice field towards the appointment and I
hear..."SIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAIT LANG SIS!!!!!" And I turn around and see a little dot running across the rice field and lo and behold....it was Japhet Villarte! I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest..I was so excited. I have never wanted to hug someone so bad in my entire life....but I didn't. ha! I shook his hand, with the hugest smile ever on my face, haha, and said, "Japhet...you're still strong?!" And he said without a moments hesitation, "Yes Sister, I am. I will always be strong no matter what others choose. The church is true, I will never turn from it." I started tearing up. AH!!!!! I have always felt that I knew Japhet before. There was a connection with him. He bore a powerful testimony in the lesson we taught and testified of prophets and how we have a living prophet. His testimony had depth. It wasn't the light hearted testimony you hear many youth bear.
I was able to see many people during the day...and yes they all made comments on how I was now fluent in Ilonggo. haha! I'm not fluent...I just couldn't speak well to them before. hahaha! Anyway, it was awesome. Sister Nethercott, a sister who was on the exchange, came up to me at zone conference later in the week and said, "Sister Stadler, I know you are inspired. You don't know the number of ways that exchange helped me. You answered many specific questions I had been praying about. I wrote you a letter, but forgot it. Just know that I am very thankful."
I love this work. Zone conference was remarkable. The focus was working with the spirit. To be completely honest, I have become quite comfortable with understanding spiritual promptings. This is something I hope stays with me throughout my life. It has taken time and I have to check myself constantly to see if I am still a worthy
vessel for the spirit to dwell in. I worry that after the mission, once the mantle is removed, the spirit will speak to me in a little different way. BUT...I will find out when I get home. Its easier on a mission..the world is shut out.
This week we were also able to extend commitments to Christopher Barrientos and Rex Jayme for baptism. They readily accepted. Both are remarkable individuals. We are excited! When we committed Christopher I said, "Brother Christopher, we are so excited for you!" and he responded.."Sister, I am excited for myself!" haha! He's solid. I'll have more updates next week. Keep praying for a home for us. We've
looked at many....but they don't seem to be quite up to par....Anyway, keep praying. I love you tons.
You're all amazing. I pray for you often. Sean.....I'm a loser. I had written multiple times in various places to wish you happy birthday last week...did i? no..cause i''m a puts and forgot...but here it is...get ready... HAPPY BIRTHDAY
SEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good grief I love you. Keep praying that you'll be able to go to Salt Lake for the my homecoming. I pray for it daily, multiple times. Surely Heavenly Father will find a way to answers our prayers. I love you all, until next week, GOD SPEED!!!!
All my kisses and hugs from the last 18 months,
Sister Stadler
There were only 2 departing missionaries from America. President said in his talk, "This is the hugest batch of foreigners ever...(laughter)." Then he said, "And next transfer will be the record breaking largest foreign departure...Sister Stadler. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to bear your testimony in this meeting, but this upcoming transfer, in every leadership training we have I want you to bear your testimony." Not sure what that means, but...whatever. ha! There are only 2 of us leaving next transfer, Sister Canaya and I. So yes mom, I will be flying home alone. I'm a little worried, I hate trying to make flight changes, but the mission looks after its missionaries, AND.....good grief I have been watched over here. We know Heavenly Father will watch over me on the flight home. President gave me the option of staying either an additional transfer and going home with Sister Ball or staying an additional 3 weeks and flying home with my batch from IloIlo mission, Jennie?! But...I want to be there so bad for the birth of little nameless baby boy Anderson! :) And I figured you wouldn't like me to stay an extra 3 weeks, so I'm just going to
exercise my faith and make the most of it.
This week was full of craziness. We had exchanges this last week, which after much prayer, I followed a prompting and I had and it turned out to answer many prayers for many sisters. I LOVE THE SPIRIT!!!!! Exchanges were a huge tender mercy for me. Going back to Bago and seeing a few people that I had taught my first transfer was...amazing. Unfortunately, some of them are now inactive because of a lack of fellowshipping. AH! Now true, they could go on their own, and I gave them a good older Sister Stadler talkin to, but Japhet....Japhet is active as ever! He's a counselor in the Young Mens and loving life. I didn't want to go around visiting, because that wasn't the purpose of exchanges. Exchanges are for training missionaries. Experienced missionaries switch into other companionships to help teach and help with concerns in the area. Well, praying beforehand I said, "Father, I would love to go see each person we taught, but let me see those Father who I need to see, if it be thy will." And it was His will.
At one point we really needed a member to come to an appointment with us and no one was in sight. I knew a member's house was around the corner. She was studying for an exam, so I knew that Japhet lived right around the corner from her, but he still had school. We went to his house and he wasn't there. My heart sunk a little bit. So I asked his neighbor if she could tell him that Sister Stadler stopped by. We then went across a large rice field towards the appointment and I
hear..."SIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAIT LANG SIS!!!!!" And I turn around and see a little dot running across the rice field and lo and behold....it was Japhet Villarte! I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest..I was so excited. I have never wanted to hug someone so bad in my entire life....but I didn't. ha! I shook his hand, with the hugest smile ever on my face, haha, and said, "Japhet...you're still strong?!" And he said without a moments hesitation, "Yes Sister, I am. I will always be strong no matter what others choose. The church is true, I will never turn from it." I started tearing up. AH!!!!! I have always felt that I knew Japhet before. There was a connection with him. He bore a powerful testimony in the lesson we taught and testified of prophets and how we have a living prophet. His testimony had depth. It wasn't the light hearted testimony you hear many youth bear.
I was able to see many people during the day...and yes they all made comments on how I was now fluent in Ilonggo. haha! I'm not fluent...I just couldn't speak well to them before. hahaha! Anyway, it was awesome. Sister Nethercott, a sister who was on the exchange, came up to me at zone conference later in the week and said, "Sister Stadler, I know you are inspired. You don't know the number of ways that exchange helped me. You answered many specific questions I had been praying about. I wrote you a letter, but forgot it. Just know that I am very thankful."
I love this work. Zone conference was remarkable. The focus was working with the spirit. To be completely honest, I have become quite comfortable with understanding spiritual promptings. This is something I hope stays with me throughout my life. It has taken time and I have to check myself constantly to see if I am still a worthy
vessel for the spirit to dwell in. I worry that after the mission, once the mantle is removed, the spirit will speak to me in a little different way. BUT...I will find out when I get home. Its easier on a mission..the world is shut out.
This week we were also able to extend commitments to Christopher Barrientos and Rex Jayme for baptism. They readily accepted. Both are remarkable individuals. We are excited! When we committed Christopher I said, "Brother Christopher, we are so excited for you!" and he responded.."Sister, I am excited for myself!" haha! He's solid. I'll have more updates next week. Keep praying for a home for us. We've
looked at many....but they don't seem to be quite up to par....Anyway, keep praying. I love you tons.
You're all amazing. I pray for you often. Sean.....I'm a loser. I had written multiple times in various places to wish you happy birthday last week...did i? no..cause i''m a puts and forgot...but here it is...get ready... HAPPY BIRTHDAY
SEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good grief I love you. Keep praying that you'll be able to go to Salt Lake for the my homecoming. I pray for it daily, multiple times. Surely Heavenly Father will find a way to answers our prayers. I love you all, until next week, GOD SPEED!!!!
All my kisses and hugs from the last 18 months,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Hello my sweet family! Good grief I love you to death! This week I officially put in my "trunky" papers ...which means I put down information about where I want the flight to fly into and my official returning date was given to me. This is weird. I don't know exactly how to explain what I'm feeling. SO...instead of thinking about it, I'm throwing myself into the work..or trying to anyway. This last week has been a huge blessing and I'm excited to see how this next week will go.
So his week we were punted a lot, but we were able to have 14 new investigators, a record for me on the mission. Here is the greatest part, they were all male investigators, ages 20-30. Talk about potential priesthood holders! :) I was so happy! We have had some wonderful teaching opportunities with them. Pray for us this week that we'll have the opportunity to teach them all again. The first lesson is always easiest. It is the following lessons that can be hard to get in. I adore my companion and we're excited for this next week. We have 9 days left together..unless by some miracle of miracles we stay together and she kills me off in the mission...I would be more than okay with that. We have the exchanges tomorrow. I'm pretty nervous about it actually. We were going to do it last week ,but we rescheduled it for this week. Keep me in your prayers for it, that I'll be guided by the spirit to ask inspired questions and to help them to progress. Keep Sister Christofferson in your prayers too. I think she's a little nervous, but she'll do great! I have huge faith in her because she works by the spirit. I love her tons!
This letter is going to be slightly shorter than the average because I just spent time looking at the BYU website trying to figure out about schooling....that is the last thing I want to think about however. AH! I hate thinking about all of this. It makes me feel....really uneasy inside. I'm so unsure of anything after the mission. I feel like normal conversation with people is going to be difficult. Is it not normal to bring up the doctrine of Christ 3 sentences into a conversation??? hahaha!
Our investigators are doing well. Erwin is still progressing, keep praying for him! He's excited to be baptized, just pray that he can continue to withstand the temptations and to be completely honest with his family.
I feel like this is jumping all around. Right now in my reading I'm in Alma 26. I love this chapter. I love the book of Alma. He's such a wonderful example to us. He and Amulek work miracles together. They are such a wonderful companionship. Alma is the more calm and reserved it seems, while Amulek is the firey one....I feel kind of like that in our companionship! hahaha! I'm Amulek, Sister Christofferson is Alma. I feel she's much wiser than me in many ways as well, even though I'm the senior. I have been so blessed with companionships. Heavenly Father truly knows who we need to be with and what we need to learn from people. I have no idea what this next, and last, transfer holds for me. I feel like my time is ending here in La Carlota, but perhaps I'll have one last transfer here.
We had a solid fireside about starting home teaching and visiting teaching here. As I was teaching about the effects of home teaching I was reminded of something Brother Hansen said to me before I left on the mission. I don't know if he'll ever understand the comfort it brought to me. He just reassured me that he'd look after my family..look after Mom and Dad. I knew he was serious. My heart was calm after that. I love the effect of the truly concerned home teacher and visiting teacher. We're pretty excited to see it start in the branch here.
Mom, give Dale, Dad, and Sean a huge squeeze for me. As for fish, I hated it before my mission. Now..I'm addicted! I can't seem to get enough of it. Hope you all enjoyed your salmon. I have one more request for prayers. Our sweet little home here is in need of being renovated, so we're in the process of looking for a new home. Well, it's been incredibly hard. It's not like we can just go pick up a white sheet or get a real estate agent...its been hard. We haven't found a single house that is up to standard that is available for rent. We have a deadline too, within the next 2 weeks we need to find a home for the 4 sisters, and a set of couple missionaries need a home as well. Please pray for specifics to fit the standards for the mission:
-tile
-2 cr's...er..bathrooms
-complete kitchen
-furnished/painted
-protected, meaning...gated
-3 or 4 rooms
Hopefully nearer to the center of strength in our area too. I know Heavenly Father has plans for us to be somewhere...we just haven't found the place yet. Thank you for your prayers.
This week my eyes have been opened to many things and I feel like I'm constantly finding reasons to be humbled. Its a good thing. I'm an emotional wreck at times, 7 weeks left and it's flying by. I love this work with all of my heart. Thinking about going home is exciting, but my heart aches. I refuse to talk about it usually because it makes me start to cry..to be honest. BUT...I know this won't be my last mission. I'm not trunky. Don't worry about that. I'm completely and totally invested in this great work. I love this gospel with all of my heart. I just re-read a talk by M. Russell Ballard about Pure Testimony from General Conference in 2004. It was as remarkable as ever. How truly blessed we are to know the truth about the gospel! To know that God still speaks with man today! Share that message. Your life will be happier than ever. We came home one night this week to find the other sisters brimming with joy because their day had gone so well. We were also incredibly happy with the way our day went. Sister Freeman said, "What other time in our lives will we have the blessing of having days like this? Effecting the salvation of souls?" Amen. I love this work,and being a bigger part of it. I love you all so much! Until next week, GOD SPEED ! :)
All my love,
Sister Stadler
So his week we were punted a lot, but we were able to have 14 new investigators, a record for me on the mission. Here is the greatest part, they were all male investigators, ages 20-30. Talk about potential priesthood holders! :) I was so happy! We have had some wonderful teaching opportunities with them. Pray for us this week that we'll have the opportunity to teach them all again. The first lesson is always easiest. It is the following lessons that can be hard to get in. I adore my companion and we're excited for this next week. We have 9 days left together..unless by some miracle of miracles we stay together and she kills me off in the mission...I would be more than okay with that. We have the exchanges tomorrow. I'm pretty nervous about it actually. We were going to do it last week ,but we rescheduled it for this week. Keep me in your prayers for it, that I'll be guided by the spirit to ask inspired questions and to help them to progress. Keep Sister Christofferson in your prayers too. I think she's a little nervous, but she'll do great! I have huge faith in her because she works by the spirit. I love her tons!
This letter is going to be slightly shorter than the average because I just spent time looking at the BYU website trying to figure out about schooling....that is the last thing I want to think about however. AH! I hate thinking about all of this. It makes me feel....really uneasy inside. I'm so unsure of anything after the mission. I feel like normal conversation with people is going to be difficult. Is it not normal to bring up the doctrine of Christ 3 sentences into a conversation??? hahaha!
Our investigators are doing well. Erwin is still progressing, keep praying for him! He's excited to be baptized, just pray that he can continue to withstand the temptations and to be completely honest with his family.
I feel like this is jumping all around. Right now in my reading I'm in Alma 26. I love this chapter. I love the book of Alma. He's such a wonderful example to us. He and Amulek work miracles together. They are such a wonderful companionship. Alma is the more calm and reserved it seems, while Amulek is the firey one....I feel kind of like that in our companionship! hahaha! I'm Amulek, Sister Christofferson is Alma. I feel she's much wiser than me in many ways as well, even though I'm the senior. I have been so blessed with companionships. Heavenly Father truly knows who we need to be with and what we need to learn from people. I have no idea what this next, and last, transfer holds for me. I feel like my time is ending here in La Carlota, but perhaps I'll have one last transfer here.
We had a solid fireside about starting home teaching and visiting teaching here. As I was teaching about the effects of home teaching I was reminded of something Brother Hansen said to me before I left on the mission. I don't know if he'll ever understand the comfort it brought to me. He just reassured me that he'd look after my family..look after Mom and Dad. I knew he was serious. My heart was calm after that. I love the effect of the truly concerned home teacher and visiting teacher. We're pretty excited to see it start in the branch here.
Mom, give Dale, Dad, and Sean a huge squeeze for me. As for fish, I hated it before my mission. Now..I'm addicted! I can't seem to get enough of it. Hope you all enjoyed your salmon. I have one more request for prayers. Our sweet little home here is in need of being renovated, so we're in the process of looking for a new home. Well, it's been incredibly hard. It's not like we can just go pick up a white sheet or get a real estate agent...its been hard. We haven't found a single house that is up to standard that is available for rent. We have a deadline too, within the next 2 weeks we need to find a home for the 4 sisters, and a set of couple missionaries need a home as well. Please pray for specifics to fit the standards for the mission:
-tile
-2 cr's...er..bathrooms
-complete kitchen
-furnished/painted
-protected, meaning...gated
-3 or 4 rooms
Hopefully nearer to the center of strength in our area too. I know Heavenly Father has plans for us to be somewhere...we just haven't found the place yet. Thank you for your prayers.
This week my eyes have been opened to many things and I feel like I'm constantly finding reasons to be humbled. Its a good thing. I'm an emotional wreck at times, 7 weeks left and it's flying by. I love this work with all of my heart. Thinking about going home is exciting, but my heart aches. I refuse to talk about it usually because it makes me start to cry..to be honest. BUT...I know this won't be my last mission. I'm not trunky. Don't worry about that. I'm completely and totally invested in this great work. I love this gospel with all of my heart. I just re-read a talk by M. Russell Ballard about Pure Testimony from General Conference in 2004. It was as remarkable as ever. How truly blessed we are to know the truth about the gospel! To know that God still speaks with man today! Share that message. Your life will be happier than ever. We came home one night this week to find the other sisters brimming with joy because their day had gone so well. We were also incredibly happy with the way our day went. Sister Freeman said, "What other time in our lives will we have the blessing of having days like this? Effecting the salvation of souls?" Amen. I love this work,and being a bigger part of it. I love you all so much! Until next week, GOD SPEED ! :)
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, January 9, 2011
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
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
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Alright, this week has been amazing. I adore my sweet companion. I have perhaps never worked as hard as I have this week. We're working on finding new investigators and we found 6 this week, all men. I'm amazed how the Lord provides people when we get stood up for appointments. If we will just do our part, open our mouths and teach whenever we can He will provide. I'll give an experience. With each companionship you have your strengths, well I can honestly say that when teaching with Sister Christofferson our strength is the spirit. I have never felt the spirit so strongly while teaching with any other companion.
Well, one night we were going to visit a less active, Sister Yu, and she didn't really have time when we got there, but I told her it would only take 15 minutes. She is so kind and invited us in. Well we get in her living room to teach her and there is a young man sitting at her table working on a project. He immediately started collecting his things to leave and I felt, he needs to stay, invite him to stay. So I introduced myself and asked a few questions and told him we were going to share a short Christmas message and would love for him to stay. He did. He made it very clear ahead of time that he was Baptist, that he didn't celebrate Christmas personally because it didn't say in the Bible when the actual date of Christ's birth was. Interesting no? So I explained we celebrate Christmas, not as an actual date of the Savior's birth, his literal Birthday, but because we are so grateful for his life and all He did for each of us. He started to soften. Sister Christofferson shared the scripture and the spirit was there. We had shared that specific scripture many many times before and she took it in a different way that we'd ever taken it before. She started teaching about prophets. I immediately started thinking about how I was going to direct what she was teaching in a way to relate to what I was hoping to teach, Christ's earthly ministry. WELL....I immediately caught myself..."STADLER! What are you doing??? Stop planning ahead and pray for him to feel the spirit of what she's saying!.."
So I listened to her teach and prayed that he would feel the truth of the message, that his heart would be opened. I then had a question come to mind that I felt I should ask him. For a moment I pushed it from my mind...(you think I would learn by now...haha)...the question came to my mind again. I almost didn't ask it because of its simplicity. BUT...I did. As Sister Christofferson turned to me for me to testify and teach I asked him, "Alvin, how would you feel if you knew there was a living prophet today on the earth?" This is a classic practice question while doing MTC practices, yet I have never felt so powerfully that it was an inspired question. He was at a loss for words and his face looked puzzled as he pulled away from us physically sitting back into his seat. He was silent for a minute, brow wrinkled and then finally said, "Well, I guess if that was true, we wouldn't need a Bible right? Because there would still be a man who spoke directly to God." His entire demeanor changed. I testified that we did have a living prophet today. The spirit was so strong. I asked him if we could set up a time to return to tell him about how this prophet and how we have one now and without a moments hesitation he responded, "Yes! When?" So we will be visiting him on Wednesday. AH!!!! I love this gospel!!!! It is so true!
One last funny experience. Ok, so this Sunday we had the opportunity to speak. After our talks our branch president spoke and he said something that made me think he had finally lost his marbles! hahaha! He stands up and says they just received a letter from the first presidency and they said that the members of the church were encouraged to get their affairs in order because in the year 2011 our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would come again. I looked at my companion and said, "...what?! ..this can't be right. everything inside of me is saying this isn't right.." she said, "I feel the same.." I'm thinking...OH MAN....how do we handle this? Everyone in the congregation became absolutely silent and their mouths were open and you could see worry on some of their faces...then our Branch President said, "By the look on your faces I can tell you're not ready.. we don't know when He will come, but we must be prepared now!" Boy was I relieved to have him admit that was a attention getter only. Incredibly effective though! You're all in my prayers. Until next week, look for missionary opportunities, work with faith and WORK on it...WORK is the key! God Speed! (And Merry Christmas!)
all my love,
Sister Stadler
Well, one night we were going to visit a less active, Sister Yu, and she didn't really have time when we got there, but I told her it would only take 15 minutes. She is so kind and invited us in. Well we get in her living room to teach her and there is a young man sitting at her table working on a project. He immediately started collecting his things to leave and I felt, he needs to stay, invite him to stay. So I introduced myself and asked a few questions and told him we were going to share a short Christmas message and would love for him to stay. He did. He made it very clear ahead of time that he was Baptist, that he didn't celebrate Christmas personally because it didn't say in the Bible when the actual date of Christ's birth was. Interesting no? So I explained we celebrate Christmas, not as an actual date of the Savior's birth, his literal Birthday, but because we are so grateful for his life and all He did for each of us. He started to soften. Sister Christofferson shared the scripture and the spirit was there. We had shared that specific scripture many many times before and she took it in a different way that we'd ever taken it before. She started teaching about prophets. I immediately started thinking about how I was going to direct what she was teaching in a way to relate to what I was hoping to teach, Christ's earthly ministry. WELL....I immediately caught myself..."STADLER! What are you doing??? Stop planning ahead and pray for him to feel the spirit of what she's saying!.."
So I listened to her teach and prayed that he would feel the truth of the message, that his heart would be opened. I then had a question come to mind that I felt I should ask him. For a moment I pushed it from my mind...(you think I would learn by now...haha)...the question came to my mind again. I almost didn't ask it because of its simplicity. BUT...I did. As Sister Christofferson turned to me for me to testify and teach I asked him, "Alvin, how would you feel if you knew there was a living prophet today on the earth?" This is a classic practice question while doing MTC practices, yet I have never felt so powerfully that it was an inspired question. He was at a loss for words and his face looked puzzled as he pulled away from us physically sitting back into his seat. He was silent for a minute, brow wrinkled and then finally said, "Well, I guess if that was true, we wouldn't need a Bible right? Because there would still be a man who spoke directly to God." His entire demeanor changed. I testified that we did have a living prophet today. The spirit was so strong. I asked him if we could set up a time to return to tell him about how this prophet and how we have one now and without a moments hesitation he responded, "Yes! When?" So we will be visiting him on Wednesday. AH!!!! I love this gospel!!!! It is so true!
One last funny experience. Ok, so this Sunday we had the opportunity to speak. After our talks our branch president spoke and he said something that made me think he had finally lost his marbles! hahaha! He stands up and says they just received a letter from the first presidency and they said that the members of the church were encouraged to get their affairs in order because in the year 2011 our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would come again. I looked at my companion and said, "...what?! ..this can't be right. everything inside of me is saying this isn't right.." she said, "I feel the same.." I'm thinking...OH MAN....how do we handle this? Everyone in the congregation became absolutely silent and their mouths were open and you could see worry on some of their faces...then our Branch President said, "By the look on your faces I can tell you're not ready.. we don't know when He will come, but we must be prepared now!" Boy was I relieved to have him admit that was a attention getter only. Incredibly effective though! You're all in my prayers. Until next week, look for missionary opportunities, work with faith and WORK on it...WORK is the key! God Speed! (And Merry Christmas!)
all my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, December 19, 2010
My goodness gracious is it really only 12 days until Christmas!? I feel like only last week I was calling home for the first time, one month into the mission. Time is flying by and today someone told me I had a little over 2 months left and I wigged out for a second telling them not to round down, then tears filled my eyes. Ah, the emotions are already starting. This Christmas is going to be absolutely wonderful. We have so many plans and not with gifts or money or food, but with goals we're trying to accomplish in the mission and specifically in our area. Today we had a wonderful Zone Meeting about increasing our faith in finding the elect. It was something I had been studying lately and it wasn't a chance lesson. There have been big changes in the mission and transfers have become completely unpredictable. Its all in the Lord's plan and we're excited to work with our faith, put our comforts out of the way and find the elect.
As for the new companion.... OH MY GOODNESS!!! Heavenly Father answers the prayers of missionaries who are trying their hardest to do His work. Her name is Sister Christofferson and we immediately hit it off. She is perhaps the kindest, most genuine, and humble individual I have ever had the blessing of knowing. She has a strong love for music, a beautiful voice and a rock solid testimony of her Savior. Random fact, her grandmother is none other than Janice Kapp Perry. She plays the flute beautifully as well. Our whole apartment right now is a musical feast. President has created a Christmas devotional for investigators and recent converts and I am in charge of the choir, composed of all hand picked individuals who can sing and read music. I'm pretty excited. Sister Freeman will be playing violin and Sister Christofferson will be playing the flute.
Our plans for Christmas day include Christmas caroling and getting into as many families homes to share a Christmas message about Jesus Christ. Sister Christofferson is honestly an answer to many prayers spent on my knees crying to the Lord for someone who will catch the vision and wear themselves out in the work being led by the spirit. I could not have been happier with the Lord's decision. She had been in the mission for 6 months, but in a Cebuano speaking area. La Carlota is her 2nd area and she'll be learning a new language. :) She's not nervous though and is already doing great. Pray for her and for us. She's from Lehi, Utah and we'll definitely be seeing each other after the mission.
As for Erwin, he just made goals yesterday for his giving up cigarettes and we feel pretty good about it. We'll teach him tomorrow and see how he's doing with his goal. Pray for him to be honest with us. Unfortunately Ricky's baptism did not go through. He didn't pass his baptismal interview for multiple reasons. His understanding of the doctrine is amazing. BUT....as I was asking him questions about his personal information to fill out the baptismal record he wasn't giving me straight answers. SO...turns out he has a past and has to repent of some things. We're trying to find if he's truly accountable for his actions because he has a history of attempted suicide and deep depression. It's been a very sad experience. Elder Scott, our district leader, pulled me aside and asked if I knew about any of it. NO...I didn't. SO, he explained some things to me, very jumbled concerns...I was so confused as to what to do.
As Sister Christofferson and I planned and prepared to teach him she stopped and said, "Well Sister Stadler, we need to be incredibly in tune with the spirit so we can fully discern if he is telling truth and is accountable." Exactly right, and that's exactly what happened. The lesson started off a little rough, we explained about baptism and I was wary to get into questions, but the questions just came. His sister was able to be there for the lesson as well and add greater understanding to the situation, which then caused him to open up. By the end of the lesson my heart was so full and there was great peace in the room. So now we're working on getting some legal verification on things before we give him another baptismal date. Long process, but so worth while. So, thank you for your prayers. Continue to pray for him.
I love you all so much. Pray for me to have the faith to accomplish the work that Heavenly Father has in store for me. I have this overwhelming feeling that something big is on the way. I have such an urgent feeling about this work. At times I feel almost uneasy because I feel this is of such vital importance. The more I read in scripture the more I know it is true. There is such power in the word of God. This Christmas season find a copy of the Book of Mormon and share it with someone. don't chicken out! This is salvation we're talking about. I love this gospel and I love all of you! You're in my prayers. Continue to be a wonderful example to those around you. I look forward to talking to you soon! Press forward ever! We're all called to serve our King. Until next week, God Speed!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
As for the new companion.... OH MY GOODNESS!!! Heavenly Father answers the prayers of missionaries who are trying their hardest to do His work. Her name is Sister Christofferson and we immediately hit it off. She is perhaps the kindest, most genuine, and humble individual I have ever had the blessing of knowing. She has a strong love for music, a beautiful voice and a rock solid testimony of her Savior. Random fact, her grandmother is none other than Janice Kapp Perry. She plays the flute beautifully as well. Our whole apartment right now is a musical feast. President has created a Christmas devotional for investigators and recent converts and I am in charge of the choir, composed of all hand picked individuals who can sing and read music. I'm pretty excited. Sister Freeman will be playing violin and Sister Christofferson will be playing the flute.
Our plans for Christmas day include Christmas caroling and getting into as many families homes to share a Christmas message about Jesus Christ. Sister Christofferson is honestly an answer to many prayers spent on my knees crying to the Lord for someone who will catch the vision and wear themselves out in the work being led by the spirit. I could not have been happier with the Lord's decision. She had been in the mission for 6 months, but in a Cebuano speaking area. La Carlota is her 2nd area and she'll be learning a new language. :) She's not nervous though and is already doing great. Pray for her and for us. She's from Lehi, Utah and we'll definitely be seeing each other after the mission.
As for Erwin, he just made goals yesterday for his giving up cigarettes and we feel pretty good about it. We'll teach him tomorrow and see how he's doing with his goal. Pray for him to be honest with us. Unfortunately Ricky's baptism did not go through. He didn't pass his baptismal interview for multiple reasons. His understanding of the doctrine is amazing. BUT....as I was asking him questions about his personal information to fill out the baptismal record he wasn't giving me straight answers. SO...turns out he has a past and has to repent of some things. We're trying to find if he's truly accountable for his actions because he has a history of attempted suicide and deep depression. It's been a very sad experience. Elder Scott, our district leader, pulled me aside and asked if I knew about any of it. NO...I didn't. SO, he explained some things to me, very jumbled concerns...I was so confused as to what to do.
As Sister Christofferson and I planned and prepared to teach him she stopped and said, "Well Sister Stadler, we need to be incredibly in tune with the spirit so we can fully discern if he is telling truth and is accountable." Exactly right, and that's exactly what happened. The lesson started off a little rough, we explained about baptism and I was wary to get into questions, but the questions just came. His sister was able to be there for the lesson as well and add greater understanding to the situation, which then caused him to open up. By the end of the lesson my heart was so full and there was great peace in the room. So now we're working on getting some legal verification on things before we give him another baptismal date. Long process, but so worth while. So, thank you for your prayers. Continue to pray for him.
I love you all so much. Pray for me to have the faith to accomplish the work that Heavenly Father has in store for me. I have this overwhelming feeling that something big is on the way. I have such an urgent feeling about this work. At times I feel almost uneasy because I feel this is of such vital importance. The more I read in scripture the more I know it is true. There is such power in the word of God. This Christmas season find a copy of the Book of Mormon and share it with someone. don't chicken out! This is salvation we're talking about. I love this gospel and I love all of you! You're in my prayers. Continue to be a wonderful example to those around you. I look forward to talking to you soon! Press forward ever! We're all called to serve our King. Until next week, God Speed!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Hello family!!!!! My goodness I love you all so much! All of my friends that read this too, I love you as well, just not as much as my family. : ) So this morning we had transfer announcements and drum roll please......against all odds...I'm staying in La Carlota!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was shocked! I had already started packing. I am so happy that I'm staying and I feel it is a tender mercy from the Lord. I just....I love these people and I love the work here. Its hard, don't get me wrong, but I love it. My sweet companion will be transferring, which was surprising to us since they usually leave people in their first areas for longer. BUT....President is pulling a lot of weird stuff this transfer. Lots of changes! Those of you that read this from the mission...try this on for size. In La Carlota Zone, Valladolid is closing as well as Bago 2nd ward and possibly the 1st ward too. Pulupandan is having a full white wash. They're putting elders in and pulling sisters. Not sure about the rest of the area but this means I'll be spending Christmas here! AND...with Sister Freeman and Sister Gamil!!!!!!!!! A huge tender mercy from the Lord. I love these sisters so much. As you can tell from my silly photos, I have become quite attached.
Tell Christina I said hello! My goodness I love that girl! Did she even get my letter I sent her? I'm sure she's swamped, but I did send her another letter. Haven't heard from her.
Thanksgiving dinner was delightful, and you can tell in the photos I definitely stuffed myself to maximum capacity. I was dying....haha! But it was delicious. The stuffing was amazing and Sister Jackson made an apple crisp...which was amazing as well! Yes...that is a coconut filled with fruit salad in the photo. That was Sister Gamil's contribution.
This week was pretty uneventful to be completely honest. Sister Jackson was sick for most of the week and then I also had a fever for a day, so our work was pretty little. But I feel fine now. Because we missed so much work we did have to push Ricky's baptism back a week. Otherwise we would have had to marathon teach him. I don't have much else to say this week. I love you all so much and you each have a letter that will be sent this next week, so look forward to that. I promise next week will be longer. I hope you're all doing well. I know that the Lord is watching over you and I have full confidence in Him. I love this gospel so much! Stay strong and until next week, God speed!
all my love,
Sister Stadler
Tell Christina I said hello! My goodness I love that girl! Did she even get my letter I sent her? I'm sure she's swamped, but I did send her another letter. Haven't heard from her.
Thanksgiving dinner was delightful, and you can tell in the photos I definitely stuffed myself to maximum capacity. I was dying....haha! But it was delicious. The stuffing was amazing and Sister Jackson made an apple crisp...which was amazing as well! Yes...that is a coconut filled with fruit salad in the photo. That was Sister Gamil's contribution.
This week was pretty uneventful to be completely honest. Sister Jackson was sick for most of the week and then I also had a fever for a day, so our work was pretty little. But I feel fine now. Because we missed so much work we did have to push Ricky's baptism back a week. Otherwise we would have had to marathon teach him. I don't have much else to say this week. I love you all so much and you each have a letter that will be sent this next week, so look forward to that. I promise next week will be longer. I hope you're all doing well. I know that the Lord is watching over you and I have full confidence in Him. I love this gospel so much! Stay strong and until next week, God speed!
all my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Well today was a beautifully flaming hot day with more sunlight that I ever thought humanly possible. It was one of those days where you can feel your skin burning while standing in the sunlight. :) Made me miss home for 2 seconds, then I snapped back into gear. Thank you for the emails. You will never know what your emails do for me. They are like a straight shot of adrenaline for a missionary.
Dad, happy early birthday! :) You're 72! Happy Happy Birthday Daddy dear! Happy days will come to you all year..if I had a wish then it would be!!! A happy happy birthday to you from me!!!!!! :) (sing that)
Alright folks...here's some other things I need to say before I forget. A gigantic thank you goes out for the Relief Society sisters from our ward! I was so surprised to get the package and I loved everything in it! Especially the notes! I miss you sisters so much! I ate the beef jerky like it was going out of style...and our adorable Filipina roommate here had never had it, she thought it was heavenly. :) Everything was so well thought out! Thank you so much!
As for our Thanksgiving meal, we will be partaking of it in approximately 2 hours or so. We're pretty excited. Also, if anyone would like to email me some music tracks, christmas music (anything you have) and mo-tab or classical music. I don't really want anything from EFY. I miss classical a lot and hymns. That would be wonderful. Thank you!
Erwin is continuing to progress but very very slowly. We had another wonderful lesson with him this week and he's still in the process of feeling like his prayers are answered about the Book of Mormon. When we were teaching I felt I needed to ask him what his expectations are for receiving an answer and his answer was, "Money and means for my family." So it was good to clear up that he was looking for a sign, but the Lord asks us to work with our faith. So, we'll see. He watched the Restoration video and he liked it a lot.
Rocky Yanson is progressing quickly. He is still set for December 11 and he's incredibly excited, as are we. He was way early to church on Sunday and then was way late leaving, he stayed and stacked the chairs and helped clean up. Yes..he's golden. haha! Our investigators are few, but we're going through referrals right now. The members are finally starting to provide referrals and we're excited to see what will happen. Its a very very very slow process working with the CMIS, but it's slowly working.
Transfer announcements are this next week and I can't believe it's already time to start another transfer. I'm not sure at all if I'll be staying or going. Either way, I will be happy, however I would be so incredibly excited to stay in La Carlota for Christmas. The members have a place in my heart and I love helping them in their branch. I feel like they want to do what is right, its just not what they're used to and they haven't quite caught the vision. It's like they feel its a beautiful idea, but they have real life matters to deal with so they put the branch on the back burner.
This week we were waiting to have PEC meeting (Priesthood Executive Council) with all the Auxiliary and Priesthood leaders...seems odd the sisters would be there no? BUT...when missionary work is involved, we are invited for our part then we're dismissed and they continue the meeting. Well...I asked President when the meeting would be...he scheduled one and I feel like it's maybe the first meeting they've had in a very very long time. ha! But as we were waiting for his counselors to show up he was just talking to me about life and asking some questions about the area and everything and he stopped and said, "Sister Stadler, you are so kind." I just laughed and said, "Oh president..only sometimes." He said," No really, you're just a kind person." and I said..."If you asked my siblings, they might argue that!" He just laughed. :)
I miss you all so much! Missionary work is exhausting. Sister Ball and I talked a lot over sister conference. That was a huge tender mercy. I love that sister with all of my heart and I know Heavenly Father put her in my life to be an eternal friend. She told me, "Sister Stadler...I'm tired. and I still have 3 transfers left." I responded, "ha! I'm tired too. I don't know how elders do it. But you know what my mom would say.." she waited for a second and then I said, "...Suck it up princess!" She just laughed and said, "And this is why I need to meet this wonderful woman!" We're tired, but not too tired. We've worked hard, and yet we feel like we still haven't work hard enough and we're constantly trying to be better and to refine ourselves. We've been sick, we've been rejected, we've been disappointed in investigators, in companions, in ourselves...and yet we have experienced the sweetest joys and the most tender experiences we have ever witnessed in our lives. We have been blessed beyond belief and suffered trials we didn't know if we could endure. The mission is remarkable and shapes us is ways we couldn't have ever dreamed. I love being on a mission and I am excited for these next 2 transfers.
I love you all more than I could express. Enjoy this Christmas season. Share the gospel! Just open your mouths! It's not hard to do..it's a little weird at first, but then it becomes natural to talk of Christ, to rejoice in Christ and to teach of His life. I love you and I will email you all next week! Until next week, God Speed! :) xoxoxox
All my love,
Sister Stadler
P.S. Ariel, thank you for your email! Your teaching will be awesome! wish I had a recording of you teaching the elders quorum lesson. remember when you were terrified to be a teacher in the relief society back in our sparks ward? And look where you are now!!! Does the Lord not prepare us for things to come? :) I love you tons!
Dad, happy early birthday! :) You're 72! Happy Happy Birthday Daddy dear! Happy days will come to you all year..if I had a wish then it would be!!! A happy happy birthday to you from me!!!!!! :) (sing that)
Alright folks...here's some other things I need to say before I forget. A gigantic thank you goes out for the Relief Society sisters from our ward! I was so surprised to get the package and I loved everything in it! Especially the notes! I miss you sisters so much! I ate the beef jerky like it was going out of style...and our adorable Filipina roommate here had never had it, she thought it was heavenly. :) Everything was so well thought out! Thank you so much!
As for our Thanksgiving meal, we will be partaking of it in approximately 2 hours or so. We're pretty excited. Also, if anyone would like to email me some music tracks, christmas music (anything you have) and mo-tab or classical music. I don't really want anything from EFY. I miss classical a lot and hymns. That would be wonderful. Thank you!
Erwin is continuing to progress but very very slowly. We had another wonderful lesson with him this week and he's still in the process of feeling like his prayers are answered about the Book of Mormon. When we were teaching I felt I needed to ask him what his expectations are for receiving an answer and his answer was, "Money and means for my family." So it was good to clear up that he was looking for a sign, but the Lord asks us to work with our faith. So, we'll see. He watched the Restoration video and he liked it a lot.
Rocky Yanson is progressing quickly. He is still set for December 11 and he's incredibly excited, as are we. He was way early to church on Sunday and then was way late leaving, he stayed and stacked the chairs and helped clean up. Yes..he's golden. haha! Our investigators are few, but we're going through referrals right now. The members are finally starting to provide referrals and we're excited to see what will happen. Its a very very very slow process working with the CMIS, but it's slowly working.
Transfer announcements are this next week and I can't believe it's already time to start another transfer. I'm not sure at all if I'll be staying or going. Either way, I will be happy, however I would be so incredibly excited to stay in La Carlota for Christmas. The members have a place in my heart and I love helping them in their branch. I feel like they want to do what is right, its just not what they're used to and they haven't quite caught the vision. It's like they feel its a beautiful idea, but they have real life matters to deal with so they put the branch on the back burner.
This week we were waiting to have PEC meeting (Priesthood Executive Council) with all the Auxiliary and Priesthood leaders...seems odd the sisters would be there no? BUT...when missionary work is involved, we are invited for our part then we're dismissed and they continue the meeting. Well...I asked President when the meeting would be...he scheduled one and I feel like it's maybe the first meeting they've had in a very very long time. ha! But as we were waiting for his counselors to show up he was just talking to me about life and asking some questions about the area and everything and he stopped and said, "Sister Stadler, you are so kind." I just laughed and said, "Oh president..only sometimes." He said," No really, you're just a kind person." and I said..."If you asked my siblings, they might argue that!" He just laughed. :)
I miss you all so much! Missionary work is exhausting. Sister Ball and I talked a lot over sister conference. That was a huge tender mercy. I love that sister with all of my heart and I know Heavenly Father put her in my life to be an eternal friend. She told me, "Sister Stadler...I'm tired. and I still have 3 transfers left." I responded, "ha! I'm tired too. I don't know how elders do it. But you know what my mom would say.." she waited for a second and then I said, "...Suck it up princess!" She just laughed and said, "And this is why I need to meet this wonderful woman!" We're tired, but not too tired. We've worked hard, and yet we feel like we still haven't work hard enough and we're constantly trying to be better and to refine ourselves. We've been sick, we've been rejected, we've been disappointed in investigators, in companions, in ourselves...and yet we have experienced the sweetest joys and the most tender experiences we have ever witnessed in our lives. We have been blessed beyond belief and suffered trials we didn't know if we could endure. The mission is remarkable and shapes us is ways we couldn't have ever dreamed. I love being on a mission and I am excited for these next 2 transfers.
I love you all more than I could express. Enjoy this Christmas season. Share the gospel! Just open your mouths! It's not hard to do..it's a little weird at first, but then it becomes natural to talk of Christ, to rejoice in Christ and to teach of His life. I love you and I will email you all next week! Until next week, God Speed! :) xoxoxox
All my love,
Sister Stadler
P.S. Ariel, thank you for your email! Your teaching will be awesome! wish I had a recording of you teaching the elders quorum lesson. remember when you were terrified to be a teacher in the relief society back in our sparks ward? And look where you are now!!! Does the Lord not prepare us for things to come? :) I love you tons!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Dearest family, I apologize for this late email. We had Mission Sister's Conference this Monday and Tuesday and then President had those of us that were from farther areas stay Tuesday night in the mission home SO....buot silingon...we just barely got back to our area this morning and I am dead beat tired. The conference was absolutely amazing and a spiritual feast, a true answer to many of our prayers. Let me say one thing, I adore our mission president and his beautiful wife. I fully intend to stay in touch with those amazing people for the remainder of my life and on through the eternities. President has such a vision for the mission and has such a strong testimony of obedience and diligence. He is a remarkable example to me. I remember being a little concerned at the beginning of my mission of never becoming close to President Tobias. Well, that was a ridiculous fear. I suppose some individuals never feel that closeness, but that is of their own choosing.
Last night, as the sisters were eating he was playing the piano and I was just sitting on the couch listening. He looked over at me and chuckled after which I requested that he play his saxophone....which he said, "No......well, okay I will for you." haha! So he pulled out his saxophone and started playing a little bit, but he was really full from dinner and he has to take it easy with health stuff anyway, so THEN...he pulls out his guitar and starts playing Blue Moon. MY GOODNESS...that man has so many talents. So I'm sitting there in the mission home listening to oldies and watching the lights on the Christmas tree twinkle and I was thinking about each and every one of you. Funny how the Mission Home feels like home to me now.
Our week went really well. I just want to point out that on the 27th of this month will be my 1 year mark in the Philippines. That is insanity my dear loved ones. That makes it a 14 month mark in the mission itself. Time is flying and life is so good. This week I was speaking to a man who looked somewhat different from most of the people here, Asian, though, none the less. Well he kept answering me and I couldn't understand what he was saying. I kept speaking in Ilonggo to him and finally my companion said, "Sister! he's Chinese...he doesn't know Ilonggo..He's been speaking to you in English this whole time." hahahahahahahahaha! I was dying. K, so then I tried to talk to him in English and it's like someone flipped the dumb switch or something. I couldn't formulate a quality sentence to save my life. So what ended up happening was the man's wife, who is native, would translate what I was saying into English to him! hahahaha! My English is not that bad! We speak in the house all the time. But something switches in my mind when I walk outside that door and it's really weird. Anyway. It was funny.
This week we were able to extend a baptismal date to Ricky Yanson and he answered by saying.."December 11th?...what time do I need to be there?" AH!!!! Yes please! This man was definitely prepared and he continues to progress.
As for Erwin. We had a remarkable lesson with him. We were teaching and I felt like everything he said was just spewing answers he knew was right but wasn't really believing it and as I was teaching I had the impression to just stop talking and ask him what he was thinking about. So I did. It definitely got his attention and he started crying. (This man is no a crier. He is so stubborn and yet I have the hugest about of love for him and his family. He has started reading every day in the Book of Mormon and his understanding of it is beautiful. BUT...he hadn't applied it! He hadn't yet asked if the Book of Mormon was true through Prayer. He's in the process of doing that right now. Pray for Erwin.) Well as he looked up at me and with tears in his eyes he said, "We don't have money. We have bills and food to buy and we don't have any money for it. I don't know what else I can do." My heart immediately felt the weight of his burden. I would have given anything at that time to take his burden and put it on my shoulders. As I taught about the Atonement and the power of prayer and acting in faith, the lesson became a beautiful opportunity to allow him to feel his Heavenly Father's love and concern for him through the Spirit. His whole family was in tears ..as was I..that was a given. I was able to promise as a representative of Jesus Christ that if he were to continue to follow God's commandments to the best of his ability that God would provide for his family. As I gave that powerful promise the spirit was working so strong within me, it was a very sacred experience for me. As we left that night there was a peace in the home that wasn't there when we walked in.
I hugged Sister Joguilon and she held me for quite awhile. She is Erwin's wife and our relief society president. She is an elect lady. I look up to her so much. I left that night thinking, "I have 2 more transfers to make a difference in these people's lives. I've got to wear myself out and make the most of every second here." GOOD GRIEF I LOVE MY MISSION!!!!!
I'm gonna be a such a weirdo when I get home! hahaha! I thought I was still pretty normal. When we were in the mission home there was a movie there he let us watch, it was cute. It had a bit of romance in it, HAHAHAHAHA! You would die laughing if you had watched it with us. You would all be like..."this isn't romance...there is a relationship in the movie." haha! Anyway....there was a scene where a guy walks into a party, it's like a 29 second scene....I covered my eyes. Not even noticing what I was doing. HAHA! Sister Freeman started laughing so hard! Someone in the film said some slang word that every 12 year old says at home, but I've perfected my language and I don't even say little slang words anymore because they aren't feminine. It's funny how blinded we become to things. Well I heard the word and I said, "WOAH! Why are we watching this!????????" The movie was good. IT was a Christmas movie actually, it just had an interesting intro. ANYWAY....my point??? I'm gonna be a total weirdo. And I'll probably start going off in Ilonggo on you all...so get excited! I love you all to death.
In the tradition of the Thanksgiving season let me say I am eternally grateful to be in such an amazing family. Your support of me being on a mission is priceless and I will never forget it. I see missionaries all the time who have no support and my heart hurts for them, and simultaneously I feel such an overwhelming gratitude for each of you. I am thankful for toilet tissue and hot water. I am thankful for dish soap and washing bins and clean clothes. I am thankful for Jody dresses and hammocks and nasty missionary shoes that are worn out and have walked countless miles in order to share the word of God. I am, above all else, grateful for the Atoning sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him, all would be lost. My imperfections are many, and they are being made apparent daily, but through the Atonement, through Him, I can exercise my agency to repent and become clean, again, through His redeeming blood. He lives! For this I am grateful and will forever be grateful. He lives! Do we realize what this means? I will spend the remainder of my days in this mortal existence proclaiming His love and His gospel. Time is flying by, there are so many people who still need to hear the gospel. I love you all! Look for opportunities to teach! You're all amazing! Until next week, GOD SPEED!!!!!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Last night, as the sisters were eating he was playing the piano and I was just sitting on the couch listening. He looked over at me and chuckled after which I requested that he play his saxophone....which he said, "No......well, okay I will for you." haha! So he pulled out his saxophone and started playing a little bit, but he was really full from dinner and he has to take it easy with health stuff anyway, so THEN...he pulls out his guitar and starts playing Blue Moon. MY GOODNESS...that man has so many talents. So I'm sitting there in the mission home listening to oldies and watching the lights on the Christmas tree twinkle and I was thinking about each and every one of you. Funny how the Mission Home feels like home to me now.
Our week went really well. I just want to point out that on the 27th of this month will be my 1 year mark in the Philippines. That is insanity my dear loved ones. That makes it a 14 month mark in the mission itself. Time is flying and life is so good. This week I was speaking to a man who looked somewhat different from most of the people here, Asian, though, none the less. Well he kept answering me and I couldn't understand what he was saying. I kept speaking in Ilonggo to him and finally my companion said, "Sister! he's Chinese...he doesn't know Ilonggo..He's been speaking to you in English this whole time." hahahahahahahahaha! I was dying. K, so then I tried to talk to him in English and it's like someone flipped the dumb switch or something. I couldn't formulate a quality sentence to save my life. So what ended up happening was the man's wife, who is native, would translate what I was saying into English to him! hahahaha! My English is not that bad! We speak in the house all the time. But something switches in my mind when I walk outside that door and it's really weird. Anyway. It was funny.
This week we were able to extend a baptismal date to Ricky Yanson and he answered by saying.."December 11th?...what time do I need to be there?" AH!!!! Yes please! This man was definitely prepared and he continues to progress.
As for Erwin. We had a remarkable lesson with him. We were teaching and I felt like everything he said was just spewing answers he knew was right but wasn't really believing it and as I was teaching I had the impression to just stop talking and ask him what he was thinking about. So I did. It definitely got his attention and he started crying. (This man is no a crier. He is so stubborn and yet I have the hugest about of love for him and his family. He has started reading every day in the Book of Mormon and his understanding of it is beautiful. BUT...he hadn't applied it! He hadn't yet asked if the Book of Mormon was true through Prayer. He's in the process of doing that right now. Pray for Erwin.) Well as he looked up at me and with tears in his eyes he said, "We don't have money. We have bills and food to buy and we don't have any money for it. I don't know what else I can do." My heart immediately felt the weight of his burden. I would have given anything at that time to take his burden and put it on my shoulders. As I taught about the Atonement and the power of prayer and acting in faith, the lesson became a beautiful opportunity to allow him to feel his Heavenly Father's love and concern for him through the Spirit. His whole family was in tears ..as was I..that was a given. I was able to promise as a representative of Jesus Christ that if he were to continue to follow God's commandments to the best of his ability that God would provide for his family. As I gave that powerful promise the spirit was working so strong within me, it was a very sacred experience for me. As we left that night there was a peace in the home that wasn't there when we walked in.
I hugged Sister Joguilon and she held me for quite awhile. She is Erwin's wife and our relief society president. She is an elect lady. I look up to her so much. I left that night thinking, "I have 2 more transfers to make a difference in these people's lives. I've got to wear myself out and make the most of every second here." GOOD GRIEF I LOVE MY MISSION!!!!!
I'm gonna be a such a weirdo when I get home! hahaha! I thought I was still pretty normal. When we were in the mission home there was a movie there he let us watch, it was cute. It had a bit of romance in it, HAHAHAHAHA! You would die laughing if you had watched it with us. You would all be like..."this isn't romance...there is a relationship in the movie." haha! Anyway....there was a scene where a guy walks into a party, it's like a 29 second scene....I covered my eyes. Not even noticing what I was doing. HAHA! Sister Freeman started laughing so hard! Someone in the film said some slang word that every 12 year old says at home, but I've perfected my language and I don't even say little slang words anymore because they aren't feminine. It's funny how blinded we become to things. Well I heard the word and I said, "WOAH! Why are we watching this!????????" The movie was good. IT was a Christmas movie actually, it just had an interesting intro. ANYWAY....my point??? I'm gonna be a total weirdo. And I'll probably start going off in Ilonggo on you all...so get excited! I love you all to death.
In the tradition of the Thanksgiving season let me say I am eternally grateful to be in such an amazing family. Your support of me being on a mission is priceless and I will never forget it. I see missionaries all the time who have no support and my heart hurts for them, and simultaneously I feel such an overwhelming gratitude for each of you. I am thankful for toilet tissue and hot water. I am thankful for dish soap and washing bins and clean clothes. I am thankful for Jody dresses and hammocks and nasty missionary shoes that are worn out and have walked countless miles in order to share the word of God. I am, above all else, grateful for the Atoning sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him, all would be lost. My imperfections are many, and they are being made apparent daily, but through the Atonement, through Him, I can exercise my agency to repent and become clean, again, through His redeeming blood. He lives! For this I am grateful and will forever be grateful. He lives! Do we realize what this means? I will spend the remainder of my days in this mortal existence proclaiming His love and His gospel. Time is flying by, there are so many people who still need to hear the gospel. I love you all! Look for opportunities to teach! You're all amazing! Until next week, GOD SPEED!!!!!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Another one bites the dust!!!! (whip sound...) One week down....not enough to go. My goodness time is flying by. Amanda, you are right....6 weeks until Christmas...which I have not been counting down...but every family of every missionary has...haha. Doesn't surprise me. I'm excited to talk to all of you. I miss you dearly but not enough to distract me from the work. First of all, let me answer some questions I realized I haven't answered. Amanda, the other Jody's you've seen in the photos I had made here. Yeah...they aren't quite the same, and the ones Sean and Mom bought me are my favorites because they are so much cooler, but the Jody is a Jody still and it's just nice to have them. They are all amazing at sewing here. My companion has actually talked about having a wedding dress made here before she goes home..she has the exact style of dress she wants and its designer...so it would be WAY WAY WAY WAY cheaper if she did it here. Personally...I'm worried more about finding a groom some day than I am about finding the dress. ha!
Alright, So as for investigators, we're slowly building our pool. We had one we found this week that came to church and wore a white shirt that was his dad's old one. He's 28, from a part member family...his sister is a member. He actually answered a question in Sunday School....I was shocked! I did a little dance in my mind since it wouldn't be acceptable in the church with my tag on. So we're pretty excited about him. His name is Ricky Yanson. Alright, as for the Angelicos....we're gonna give them some space for a bit I think. They just aren't progressing and I think maybe it's just not their time. But...we plan on teaching them still, just not as often. As for the Pacheo family..They are like night and day changes. They have a lightness in their step and a joy in their eyes that wasn't there before. They are now officially reactivated and so happy to be back. We love them! They're little girl is doing so well too. Thank you for your prayers, we feel them daily. We have been working a lot with less active members and it has been wonderful. We love working with them. I'll share more spiritual wise next week. I'm short on time.
Paul, I didn't get the exact date yet, but kono...er...in English..it has been said that I will be leaving here on the 2nd of March, flying to Manila, spending one day in Manila and then fly out the next day. I'm double checking it this week with one of the AP's so you can schedule it in.
Heavenly Father blesses His missionary force. I love you all and I need to get off here because I'm like 3 minutes over time. I love you I love you I love you and I hope to hear from all of you next week. you're amazing!!!! Until next week, share the gospel and.....GOD SPEED!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
P.S. Sean....thank you so much for the Thanksgiving $$....I am soooo excited! We all are! And..I found a bag! thanks! love you!
Alright, So as for investigators, we're slowly building our pool. We had one we found this week that came to church and wore a white shirt that was his dad's old one. He's 28, from a part member family...his sister is a member. He actually answered a question in Sunday School....I was shocked! I did a little dance in my mind since it wouldn't be acceptable in the church with my tag on. So we're pretty excited about him. His name is Ricky Yanson. Alright, as for the Angelicos....we're gonna give them some space for a bit I think. They just aren't progressing and I think maybe it's just not their time. But...we plan on teaching them still, just not as often. As for the Pacheo family..They are like night and day changes. They have a lightness in their step and a joy in their eyes that wasn't there before. They are now officially reactivated and so happy to be back. We love them! They're little girl is doing so well too. Thank you for your prayers, we feel them daily. We have been working a lot with less active members and it has been wonderful. We love working with them. I'll share more spiritual wise next week. I'm short on time.
Paul, I didn't get the exact date yet, but kono...er...in English..it has been said that I will be leaving here on the 2nd of March, flying to Manila, spending one day in Manila and then fly out the next day. I'm double checking it this week with one of the AP's so you can schedule it in.
Heavenly Father blesses His missionary force. I love you all and I need to get off here because I'm like 3 minutes over time. I love you I love you I love you and I hope to hear from all of you next week. you're amazing!!!! Until next week, share the gospel and.....GOD SPEED!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
P.S. Sean....thank you so much for the Thanksgiving $$....I am soooo excited! We all are! And..I found a bag! thanks! love you!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Oh family family, my goodness what amazing emails! :) AMANDA AND JOSHUA CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! And Te! (te means like..i told you so) I knew it was going to be a boy, Holly and I were correct with our guesses. Oh my goodness I am so excited for you two and I'm sure my excitement is nothing compared to yours! And I'm gonna be there for it maybe.
OK, let me give you a short update on this week, and short it will be. Well, mom, Erwin isn't progressing at all and in fact, while we were planning on having his interview for baptism this week, he was planning on breaking the Word of Wisdom yet again. It's ridiculous. We're gonna visit him less frequently for now. I think he needs a break, he's still smoking, but secretly. My fears were confirmed by his wife. The missionaries have been teaching him for over 4 transfers now and it's just not his time right now. He understands everything and could probably teach us the lessons, but until he really believes it...and applies it, it means nothing. SO....with that being said, we have been working like crazy updating our CMIS list for church. Most of our days are spent going to different areas of town and asking if people know where certain people live and if they've moved or passed away. In one day we were able to remove 170+ people from the list. That definitely helps with retention percentages. haha! Our little branch is doing pretty well. Our relief society president, Erwin's wife, is remarkable and has started working with us once a week to go contact less active sisters. Our other time is spend mainly trying to contact priesthood. We have had some members reactivated and next Sunday 2 more will be considered reactivated. It's a very slow process.
President just recently increased our Mission Standards, the goals we have to meet each week and month....it's not going to be easy and it will definitely have to be directly from our loving Heavenly Father. Please keep us in your prayers that we will specifically be able to meet the goals set for us my President Tobias. I know he is a very inspired man who has a vision for this mission and I know he receives revelation for us from God. I have faith, but right now we have 1 progressing investigator. The Angelico family isn't progressing. They promised to come next week to church, I hope they do. Their 14 year old daughter is progressing,and we're hoping they'll catch her wind and fly with it....but they haven't yet.
This week, to be honest, has been a very difficult week. Not a bad week. I don't think I've had a bad week on the mission, just some are harder than others. You all have been asking about what to pray for specifically, well, here are some specific things. Pray for me to be humble, to be sensitive to spiritual promptings and to be endowed with patience. I have been made very aware of weaknesses this week, but it's a constant struggle we have with the natural man no? HA! That pesky natural man that holds us back and keeps us from happiness.
Mom, that two week missionary challenge sounds awesome! Quality commitments are key to helping people repent and come unto Christ. I'll include that in my prayers! I'm excited to hear about your experiences! I can't even begin to tell you how jealous I am that you went to the temple! AH! I miss the temple so much and I can't wait to do our full day temple day when I get back.
The Pacheo family, the family with no food that needed medicine are doing great! They came to church on Sunday and I've never seen them smiling so big! They were so happy to be there, their whole countenance has changed! They are reading daily and praying and fasting and just loving life! Amazing what the gospel does for them! I don't really have much else to add.
Keep me in your prayers. You're in mine every single day! I love you all so much. I love this gospel! I just finished the Book of Mormon again and I am just in love with this book! I can't get enough of it! I was reading in Moroni and I was thinking about how precious Mormon's letters had to have been for Moroni and we get to read them! The last thing he counsels him to do, in chapter 9..I think it's verses 25-26...He says to not be weighed down by the carnage and sin but to be lifted up in Christ. I love it! Of all things he could counsel him, here he is, after witnessing an entire nation destroyed, he's hiding out..literally being hunted for his life, I'm sure he's incredibly lonely, and the best counsel his father could possible give is given. Look to Christ. I echo that same message. For each of you who are weighed down by burdens and feel lonely, as if no one else could ever completely understand, I testify that Jesus Christ does understand because He has already suffered it for you. He loves us with such a pure love. When it feels like you can't go on or you have nowhere to turn, Turn to Him. He knows how to succor His people, (those are Alma's words...not mine) haha! I love this work! I love all of you! Until next week, God Speed! :)
All my Love,
Sister Stadler
OK, let me give you a short update on this week, and short it will be. Well, mom, Erwin isn't progressing at all and in fact, while we were planning on having his interview for baptism this week, he was planning on breaking the Word of Wisdom yet again. It's ridiculous. We're gonna visit him less frequently for now. I think he needs a break, he's still smoking, but secretly. My fears were confirmed by his wife. The missionaries have been teaching him for over 4 transfers now and it's just not his time right now. He understands everything and could probably teach us the lessons, but until he really believes it...and applies it, it means nothing. SO....with that being said, we have been working like crazy updating our CMIS list for church. Most of our days are spent going to different areas of town and asking if people know where certain people live and if they've moved or passed away. In one day we were able to remove 170+ people from the list. That definitely helps with retention percentages. haha! Our little branch is doing pretty well. Our relief society president, Erwin's wife, is remarkable and has started working with us once a week to go contact less active sisters. Our other time is spend mainly trying to contact priesthood. We have had some members reactivated and next Sunday 2 more will be considered reactivated. It's a very slow process.
President just recently increased our Mission Standards, the goals we have to meet each week and month....it's not going to be easy and it will definitely have to be directly from our loving Heavenly Father. Please keep us in your prayers that we will specifically be able to meet the goals set for us my President Tobias. I know he is a very inspired man who has a vision for this mission and I know he receives revelation for us from God. I have faith, but right now we have 1 progressing investigator. The Angelico family isn't progressing. They promised to come next week to church, I hope they do. Their 14 year old daughter is progressing,and we're hoping they'll catch her wind and fly with it....but they haven't yet.
This week, to be honest, has been a very difficult week. Not a bad week. I don't think I've had a bad week on the mission, just some are harder than others. You all have been asking about what to pray for specifically, well, here are some specific things. Pray for me to be humble, to be sensitive to spiritual promptings and to be endowed with patience. I have been made very aware of weaknesses this week, but it's a constant struggle we have with the natural man no? HA! That pesky natural man that holds us back and keeps us from happiness.
Mom, that two week missionary challenge sounds awesome! Quality commitments are key to helping people repent and come unto Christ. I'll include that in my prayers! I'm excited to hear about your experiences! I can't even begin to tell you how jealous I am that you went to the temple! AH! I miss the temple so much and I can't wait to do our full day temple day when I get back.
The Pacheo family, the family with no food that needed medicine are doing great! They came to church on Sunday and I've never seen them smiling so big! They were so happy to be there, their whole countenance has changed! They are reading daily and praying and fasting and just loving life! Amazing what the gospel does for them! I don't really have much else to add.
Keep me in your prayers. You're in mine every single day! I love you all so much. I love this gospel! I just finished the Book of Mormon again and I am just in love with this book! I can't get enough of it! I was reading in Moroni and I was thinking about how precious Mormon's letters had to have been for Moroni and we get to read them! The last thing he counsels him to do, in chapter 9..I think it's verses 25-26...He says to not be weighed down by the carnage and sin but to be lifted up in Christ. I love it! Of all things he could counsel him, here he is, after witnessing an entire nation destroyed, he's hiding out..literally being hunted for his life, I'm sure he's incredibly lonely, and the best counsel his father could possible give is given. Look to Christ. I echo that same message. For each of you who are weighed down by burdens and feel lonely, as if no one else could ever completely understand, I testify that Jesus Christ does understand because He has already suffered it for you. He loves us with such a pure love. When it feels like you can't go on or you have nowhere to turn, Turn to Him. He knows how to succor His people, (those are Alma's words...not mine) haha! I love this work! I love all of you! Until next week, God Speed! :)
All my Love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Family family, how I love thee! So this week was pretty crazy with transfers and all that jazz. I, once again, am staying in my area and with Sister Jackson. We're pretty happy about that. Sister Ball was contacted the night before transfers and was told that she was transferring instead of Sister Nethercott. Gotta love revelation. So Sister Nethercott was already packed and ready to go, but she had to unpack everything. But...Sister Ball was pretty happy. She was ready to get out of that area. It was really good to see her this last week. We sang for the departure meeting for the October batch, it was amazing! The spirit was so strong and it was SO hard to say goodbye to each of those elders that were leaving. Each of them have had an impact in my life and So many of them were leadership for me, which has helped me to be a better missionary from following their examples. We all miss them dearly, but they promised to write.....ha! we'll see if that happens. (elders, if you're reading this... don't take offense..keep the promise and just write! haha! Also, Elder Wade!!!! How is your dad? No fair telling me about that. What's going on? He's in my prayers.) The real world hits them and you know...people tend to forget about missionaries. haha! Luckily, I have the best family in the world and you have not forgotten about me.
Amanda, big big lameness that you were late for your appointment! hahahaha! I made a big deal about it and printed it out, not reading any of it and then was on the back of a motorcycle on a trik reading it trying to find out if my guess what right only to find out.....I'd have to wait another week. ha! Oh well, now next week you better not be late. Paul, just when i think your children couldn't possibly get any cuter..they do! A giraffe???? REALLY?! K and Kaitlin is stunning! lock her up now! Man I miss children. The children here are so cute, and all I want to do is pick them all up and love them to death....but I've weaned myself from doing so. It will make it all the more sweet when I get home. I'm excited for your Ward mission plan! Way to be proactive. I never realized how important that calling is to the ward until I came on the mission. You've got your work cut out for you, but...kaya mo na! (you can do it!) Even when the members are being ridiculous, keep it up! Don't lose hope! So often members get burned into their mindset that certain families just don't want to come back..they aren't interested. Well that's Satan whispering in their impatient little ears. People want to feel appreciated and sometimes they just need to feel love before they are willing to make that huge first step back. Too often people feel they are a statistic to the church, if only the members would take time out of their "all too busy" schedule...simplify...(to quote an apostle) ...and choose one family to focus on and fellowship and participate in the Lord's work. AH! Missionary work will be a huge part of my life for the rest of my life. Alright, mom, If you were here, I would have you come speak at our missionary firesides as well. :) You have become so good about missionary work. I love it! Keep it up! I love getting spiritual uplift from all of you. Robyn, I never received the letter from Sara and Sam and all the girls when they were all there with you. They usually email you a copy no? Maybe you could resend it? I received your dear elder about the competition! NATIONALS!!!! My goodness that is crazy! I wish I could have seen it in person. Well, next time you'll be prepared. ;) no? Also, I'll be writing you a letter sometime within in the next couple weeks about the other things in the letter. Sean, you're amazing! How are you? Thank you for helping me in my mission. I'm a little jealous you're all in sweater weather, since I'm still...well...still Sister Stadler just sweating my way through life. ha!
This week we had the baptism of Ramzel A. Pangantihon. He is amazing!!! The baptism was a little rough starting out an hour late, the norm here, and then during the 2nd talk we had a brown out. IT was after 6 at night so it was completely black here. BUT...the work will continue! So this was the elder's first baptism he had ever done, and while one of the witnesses held a flashlight into the font, Ramzel was baptized! Sister Jackson and I sang a musical number, (our voices blend incredibly well together..sometimes I force her to sing with me! haha!) The Spirit was very strong and later, when we visited him on Monday, he couldn't even put into words what he felt. I love that little boy! I heard today from a sister serving in Bago that Japhet, one of my favorite converts, is now a counselor in the Young Mens' presidency and that Irene Valdevieso and her husband have a date set to be sealed in the temple!!!!! I don't think a missionary could ever get better news!
The work was small this week, many meetings and such, but it was good. This next week we're really excited to dive into our CMIS sheet and contact less actives. We have days set for just less active work and we're excited to see what the Lord has in store for us. Mom, I'm confused what you mean about changing islands....I have never once changed islands. haha! I'm still on Negros Occidental. Jennie changed islands, but that's to Iloilo. It does get to raining really hard here in LaCarlota. BUT..we're way safe. No flooding in our area as of yet. I don't have much else to add. Life is wonderful and I am head over heels in love with this gospel. I'll share one thing from my personal study. I was reading in Mormon 6, these verses specifically:
7 And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the aarmies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful bfear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.
8 And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers.
9 And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war.
10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my aten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.
I was amazed and as I read I began to see the battle before my own eyes. I cannot imagine what Mormon felt watching his own people obliterated. The verse that gets me is 7 and 8...the awful fear of death and the terror..knowing they would die in their wickedness. Can you see it? Can you see the armies coming down to face them and their hearts full of terror and sorrow? As I read this I immediately pictured in my mind the Savior in Gethsemane. There were over 230,000 people who were killed that day, and the Savior suffered for each of them individually. He felt that terror, that fear they were experiencing at that very moment. He already suffered for them! If they would have only put their burdens on the Lord, turned to Him through repentance. They may have still died, but the fear could have been swept away. Mormon and Moroni amaze me.
I love the Book of Mormon and I love how it relates to us no matter what trials we are experiencing. This week, let us all find something we are willing to give up, something to repent of, something to CHANGE...for repentance IS change...so we can become a little more like Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Come unto Him and feel the joy of His redeeming love. I know this church is true! I love it and I enjoy every moment I have to share that with others. I miss you all and I pray for you, but I know you are in the Lord's hands and I have no reason to fear. Share the gospel and make the most of the time the Lord has given to you! Until next week, God Speed! :)
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Amanda, big big lameness that you were late for your appointment! hahahaha! I made a big deal about it and printed it out, not reading any of it and then was on the back of a motorcycle on a trik reading it trying to find out if my guess what right only to find out.....I'd have to wait another week. ha! Oh well, now next week you better not be late. Paul, just when i think your children couldn't possibly get any cuter..they do! A giraffe???? REALLY?! K and Kaitlin is stunning! lock her up now! Man I miss children. The children here are so cute, and all I want to do is pick them all up and love them to death....but I've weaned myself from doing so. It will make it all the more sweet when I get home. I'm excited for your Ward mission plan! Way to be proactive. I never realized how important that calling is to the ward until I came on the mission. You've got your work cut out for you, but...kaya mo na! (you can do it!) Even when the members are being ridiculous, keep it up! Don't lose hope! So often members get burned into their mindset that certain families just don't want to come back..they aren't interested. Well that's Satan whispering in their impatient little ears. People want to feel appreciated and sometimes they just need to feel love before they are willing to make that huge first step back. Too often people feel they are a statistic to the church, if only the members would take time out of their "all too busy" schedule...simplify...(to quote an apostle) ...and choose one family to focus on and fellowship and participate in the Lord's work. AH! Missionary work will be a huge part of my life for the rest of my life. Alright, mom, If you were here, I would have you come speak at our missionary firesides as well. :) You have become so good about missionary work. I love it! Keep it up! I love getting spiritual uplift from all of you. Robyn, I never received the letter from Sara and Sam and all the girls when they were all there with you. They usually email you a copy no? Maybe you could resend it? I received your dear elder about the competition! NATIONALS!!!! My goodness that is crazy! I wish I could have seen it in person. Well, next time you'll be prepared. ;) no? Also, I'll be writing you a letter sometime within in the next couple weeks about the other things in the letter. Sean, you're amazing! How are you? Thank you for helping me in my mission. I'm a little jealous you're all in sweater weather, since I'm still...well...still Sister Stadler just sweating my way through life. ha!
This week we had the baptism of Ramzel A. Pangantihon. He is amazing!!! The baptism was a little rough starting out an hour late, the norm here, and then during the 2nd talk we had a brown out. IT was after 6 at night so it was completely black here. BUT...the work will continue! So this was the elder's first baptism he had ever done, and while one of the witnesses held a flashlight into the font, Ramzel was baptized! Sister Jackson and I sang a musical number, (our voices blend incredibly well together..sometimes I force her to sing with me! haha!) The Spirit was very strong and later, when we visited him on Monday, he couldn't even put into words what he felt. I love that little boy! I heard today from a sister serving in Bago that Japhet, one of my favorite converts, is now a counselor in the Young Mens' presidency and that Irene Valdevieso and her husband have a date set to be sealed in the temple!!!!! I don't think a missionary could ever get better news!
The work was small this week, many meetings and such, but it was good. This next week we're really excited to dive into our CMIS sheet and contact less actives. We have days set for just less active work and we're excited to see what the Lord has in store for us. Mom, I'm confused what you mean about changing islands....I have never once changed islands. haha! I'm still on Negros Occidental. Jennie changed islands, but that's to Iloilo. It does get to raining really hard here in LaCarlota. BUT..we're way safe. No flooding in our area as of yet. I don't have much else to add. Life is wonderful and I am head over heels in love with this gospel. I'll share one thing from my personal study. I was reading in Mormon 6, these verses specifically:
7 And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the aarmies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful bfear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.
8 And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers.
9 And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war.
10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my aten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.
I was amazed and as I read I began to see the battle before my own eyes. I cannot imagine what Mormon felt watching his own people obliterated. The verse that gets me is 7 and 8...the awful fear of death and the terror..knowing they would die in their wickedness. Can you see it? Can you see the armies coming down to face them and their hearts full of terror and sorrow? As I read this I immediately pictured in my mind the Savior in Gethsemane. There were over 230,000 people who were killed that day, and the Savior suffered for each of them individually. He felt that terror, that fear they were experiencing at that very moment. He already suffered for them! If they would have only put their burdens on the Lord, turned to Him through repentance. They may have still died, but the fear could have been swept away. Mormon and Moroni amaze me.
I love the Book of Mormon and I love how it relates to us no matter what trials we are experiencing. This week, let us all find something we are willing to give up, something to repent of, something to CHANGE...for repentance IS change...so we can become a little more like Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Come unto Him and feel the joy of His redeeming love. I know this church is true! I love it and I enjoy every moment I have to share that with others. I miss you all and I pray for you, but I know you are in the Lord's hands and I have no reason to fear. Share the gospel and make the most of the time the Lord has given to you! Until next week, God Speed! :)
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Alright family, hang in here with me. I have a ton to tell you and a little time to type, so here we go. As for the typhoon that some of you may have heard about. Basically, I was sent to the safest island in the Philippines and we only experienced rain and some crazy thunder storms, hence the soaked through Jody photos. But as for problems in the area, none here. As for Amanda and and Paul, thanks for the photos, I've already pulled them up over 3 times a piece looking at them again! haha! Paul, your office looks way nice! It may seem like a normal office there, but I haven't seen anything that nice in...well...13 months. You look so professional in your little coat and Dr. Stadler???? YES PLEASE!!!! Amanda, oh my cuteness! I teared up a tiny bit and my heart started to race when I saw that adorable bump on you! forget about just looking fat. YOU LOOK ADORABLE!!a little tired mind you, but adorable! :) MAN....I will be there for the birth of that child...which I can sense is a little boy. That's my final guess. And you will name him...KoyKoy. After our mission president's son. haha! Just kidding.
Dad! I'm so happy that you just finished the Book of Mormon! I'm even happier that you started again! I'm in Mormon right now and at the rate it's going I'll probably be finishing it again in about a week or two. I have found on my mission that I just can't get enough of that book. No one can even begin to understand how important it is and how it will change their lives until they take the time to read it every single day! And you're doing that! Keep it up! Last week I was really craving your biscuits and gravy! We were all talking about Christmas traditions, and so many foods I crave from home.
Samantha Nicole! I cant believe you're on a volleyball team! How fun! Someday I'll have to tell you about my experience trying out for the team. I didn't make it..haha..but I didn't want to actually get to be on the team anyway! haha! I'll explain sometime. How is life? How is school? Where are you now? I'm confused. I thought you were living back with Robyn! Tell me more details here about your life! I love getting your little emails on dear elder. You can just email me too if that's easier for you. As for the probiotics coming, I'm excited and I thank you in advance for your concern. The ones Aunt Vikki sent are helping so much already, those will help even more I'm sure.
I'm starting to see a glimmer of hope. A couple weeks ago I received a blessing for a cold I had and in the blessing the elder paused for a moment and said, "Sister Stadler, it is important that you remember what you teach every day. Your Savior's Atonement applies to you too and your current problems you're suffering with." ..there were others things that were said that I needed to hear. It was good for me to hear it. I was talking to this elder's companion about the health issues when he was talking to me and he asked me if I felt it was getting better, at that point I said no and I don't think it would be anytime soon (this was before the blessing) to which he said, "Sister! Where is your faith in this matter?" It kind of shocked me to hear that. But I needed to. SO....haha...long story short, I've changed my hope and my mindset about things, along with pro-biotics and things are much better and will only continue to get better. SO...before I forget and get all spiritual with things that happened this week, let me tell you of my Christmas wish! :) The time is coming up to send off the package ...and that is why I'm saying this! :) I don't want a package!!! haha! So don't send one! It takes way way way way too long and is way way way way too expensive and you've all spoiled me too much on my mission already. I'll be babysitting for ya'll for forever when I get home. haha! Ok, so I have been thinking, and as the Christmas season approaches (yes I know this is crazy but in the Philippines the season starts in September) I have been wondering about each of your individual testimonies, how you got to the point you're all at now. I was looking at the photos I have of each of you and have felt such a strong longing as I studied faces and thought about memories with each of you. I would love for each of you, including Sammi and Kaitlin, haha...and Shelley's kids of you can get a hold of them...if not..I understand, but I would like each of you to write a little letter about your testimony of the Savior and your personal relationship with Him. Who He truly is to you and how a knowledge of Him has effected your life. Feel free to include other things, but that's what I want for Christmas.
Ok, moving on to this week. It was a wonderful week with Zone conference on Friday. President amazes me! The more than man speaks the more I just love him. He has taught me quiet dignity in a way I could never explain over email. Our whole zone conference was on Christlike attributes and working with ward members and leaders. The spirit was so incredibly strong and at one point I felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest. I didn't know why either and then a moment later Elder Edioy stood and said, "President would like to invite a few missionaries at this time to share their testimony of Christlike attributes." I knew in a second that I would need to share my testimony. I wasn't even sure how to start with that topic, because it wasn't "share you testimony about Christ"...and yet I stood up after an elder and I was completely overcome with that spirit. The conference was powerful and the whole mission took a turn. As one elder put it, the dark ages are over in the mission, those disobedient missionaries are all home now and the whole countenance of the mission has changed.
There is a light in the missionaries that wasn't there before and the proof of their obedience is manifest in the numbers coming in. I guess before the mission split, even with the whole other island we were averaging 200 baptisms a month. Well, now we have 60 less missionaries and we're only on one island and we're over that for baptisms a month...barely, but we're already over 200. The work is increasing and quickly. Our work in the mission is through reactivation and teaching part member families, which I have gained a testimony of. They said to us in conference that we probably won't be able to see the fruits of our labors while we're in the field, but 10 years down the road, it will make all the difference. We will be able to come back and see stakes formed in areas where we are now if we focus on the rescue and the Centers of Strength in our areas. I'm excited! It's tiring, and it's hard work when you don't see people being baptized, but, ayos lang! Payadon lang kami! :)
This Sunday Ramzel, 2 members of the Angelico family and Irwin were all at church along with 4 less actives we've been working with! It was a wonderful Sunday! The Pacheo family fasted and we fasted for them and we were able to witness the blessing of the branch serving and helping them and their testimonies were greatly strengthened. There is a light that has entered their countenance. It's amazing to watch the Lord's programs work effectively. Ramzel will be baptized this Saturday and Sister Jackson and I will both be here!!! WOOHOOO!!! Transfer announcements said, we're staying together another transfer! :)
Life is so good! I love my mission and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now. I think of each of you at night when I'm lying in bed and I miss you all, but there is no homesickness whatsoever. I love this work and I can't wait to see what this transfer has in store for us here in La Carlota. Mara, the Angelico's 14 year old daughter, told us in our last teaching that she has no doubts now. She knows the Book of Mormon is true! I love it! My study this week has been about Mormon and Abraham and I am amazed with the strength of the youth. My eyes were opened to a pattern of how the Lord uses young worthy men to build His kingdom: Mormon, Abraham, Nephi, Joseph Smith, Samuel, Alma, Captain Moroni! It's remarkable! It is true that the Lord uses small and simple means to bring to pass mighty miracles! I see it happen often in the mission. The church is true! I could never deny it. I'm eating up every moment I have here in the field! There are only 3 transfers left! 18 weeks left in the mission after this Friday and I just can't believe it. I love you all, and until next week, God Speed!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Dad! I'm so happy that you just finished the Book of Mormon! I'm even happier that you started again! I'm in Mormon right now and at the rate it's going I'll probably be finishing it again in about a week or two. I have found on my mission that I just can't get enough of that book. No one can even begin to understand how important it is and how it will change their lives until they take the time to read it every single day! And you're doing that! Keep it up! Last week I was really craving your biscuits and gravy! We were all talking about Christmas traditions, and so many foods I crave from home.
Samantha Nicole! I cant believe you're on a volleyball team! How fun! Someday I'll have to tell you about my experience trying out for the team. I didn't make it..haha..but I didn't want to actually get to be on the team anyway! haha! I'll explain sometime. How is life? How is school? Where are you now? I'm confused. I thought you were living back with Robyn! Tell me more details here about your life! I love getting your little emails on dear elder. You can just email me too if that's easier for you. As for the probiotics coming, I'm excited and I thank you in advance for your concern. The ones Aunt Vikki sent are helping so much already, those will help even more I'm sure.
I'm starting to see a glimmer of hope. A couple weeks ago I received a blessing for a cold I had and in the blessing the elder paused for a moment and said, "Sister Stadler, it is important that you remember what you teach every day. Your Savior's Atonement applies to you too and your current problems you're suffering with." ..there were others things that were said that I needed to hear. It was good for me to hear it. I was talking to this elder's companion about the health issues when he was talking to me and he asked me if I felt it was getting better, at that point I said no and I don't think it would be anytime soon (this was before the blessing) to which he said, "Sister! Where is your faith in this matter?" It kind of shocked me to hear that. But I needed to. SO....haha...long story short, I've changed my hope and my mindset about things, along with pro-biotics and things are much better and will only continue to get better. SO...before I forget and get all spiritual with things that happened this week, let me tell you of my Christmas wish! :) The time is coming up to send off the package ...and that is why I'm saying this! :) I don't want a package!!! haha! So don't send one! It takes way way way way too long and is way way way way too expensive and you've all spoiled me too much on my mission already. I'll be babysitting for ya'll for forever when I get home. haha! Ok, so I have been thinking, and as the Christmas season approaches (yes I know this is crazy but in the Philippines the season starts in September) I have been wondering about each of your individual testimonies, how you got to the point you're all at now. I was looking at the photos I have of each of you and have felt such a strong longing as I studied faces and thought about memories with each of you. I would love for each of you, including Sammi and Kaitlin, haha...and Shelley's kids of you can get a hold of them...if not..I understand, but I would like each of you to write a little letter about your testimony of the Savior and your personal relationship with Him. Who He truly is to you and how a knowledge of Him has effected your life. Feel free to include other things, but that's what I want for Christmas.
Ok, moving on to this week. It was a wonderful week with Zone conference on Friday. President amazes me! The more than man speaks the more I just love him. He has taught me quiet dignity in a way I could never explain over email. Our whole zone conference was on Christlike attributes and working with ward members and leaders. The spirit was so incredibly strong and at one point I felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest. I didn't know why either and then a moment later Elder Edioy stood and said, "President would like to invite a few missionaries at this time to share their testimony of Christlike attributes." I knew in a second that I would need to share my testimony. I wasn't even sure how to start with that topic, because it wasn't "share you testimony about Christ"...and yet I stood up after an elder and I was completely overcome with that spirit. The conference was powerful and the whole mission took a turn. As one elder put it, the dark ages are over in the mission, those disobedient missionaries are all home now and the whole countenance of the mission has changed.
There is a light in the missionaries that wasn't there before and the proof of their obedience is manifest in the numbers coming in. I guess before the mission split, even with the whole other island we were averaging 200 baptisms a month. Well, now we have 60 less missionaries and we're only on one island and we're over that for baptisms a month...barely, but we're already over 200. The work is increasing and quickly. Our work in the mission is through reactivation and teaching part member families, which I have gained a testimony of. They said to us in conference that we probably won't be able to see the fruits of our labors while we're in the field, but 10 years down the road, it will make all the difference. We will be able to come back and see stakes formed in areas where we are now if we focus on the rescue and the Centers of Strength in our areas. I'm excited! It's tiring, and it's hard work when you don't see people being baptized, but, ayos lang! Payadon lang kami! :)
This Sunday Ramzel, 2 members of the Angelico family and Irwin were all at church along with 4 less actives we've been working with! It was a wonderful Sunday! The Pacheo family fasted and we fasted for them and we were able to witness the blessing of the branch serving and helping them and their testimonies were greatly strengthened. There is a light that has entered their countenance. It's amazing to watch the Lord's programs work effectively. Ramzel will be baptized this Saturday and Sister Jackson and I will both be here!!! WOOHOOO!!! Transfer announcements said, we're staying together another transfer! :)
Life is so good! I love my mission and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now. I think of each of you at night when I'm lying in bed and I miss you all, but there is no homesickness whatsoever. I love this work and I can't wait to see what this transfer has in store for us here in La Carlota. Mara, the Angelico's 14 year old daughter, told us in our last teaching that she has no doubts now. She knows the Book of Mormon is true! I love it! My study this week has been about Mormon and Abraham and I am amazed with the strength of the youth. My eyes were opened to a pattern of how the Lord uses young worthy men to build His kingdom: Mormon, Abraham, Nephi, Joseph Smith, Samuel, Alma, Captain Moroni! It's remarkable! It is true that the Lord uses small and simple means to bring to pass mighty miracles! I see it happen often in the mission. The church is true! I could never deny it. I'm eating up every moment I have here in the field! There are only 3 transfers left! 18 weeks left in the mission after this Friday and I just can't believe it. I love you all, and until next week, God Speed!
All my love,
Sister Stadler
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
