"A Shocking Lack of Satin"

As always when I opened each email that I had this week I was overwhelmed by how many truly amazing people I know and love and love me. I don´t think that there is anyone in the world who is more blessed than I am and how quickly I forget it. It doesn´t seem fair, I wish that I could share some of these blessings.. and I guess that´s what we´re supposed to be doing as missionaries. Mom, I can always hear your voice in my head saying,"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And I was reminded that that ability is conditional on our humility and willingness to submit to His will by your statement " If I have to sell cars so I don't forget that, then so be it." You are teaching me how to really trust the Lord and really submit to His will and really trust in His strengthen--not just in theory, but in real life terms.

It is so exciting how many missionaries we are going to have in the family at the same time! Nancy wrote me to tell me that she is going on a mission and that Johnny is getting his call. Crazy! This next transfer--a week from today-- we are getting 30 new sisters in our mission! And we are going to continually have more and more missionaries in the transfers following. Things are changing and growing fast. Pray that we all will be able to learn together quickly and effectively.

 Hannah,

You are wonderful and I love you lots. Thank you for you confidence in me. It means a lot and when ever I might want to slow down and not work so hard, I can remember who everyone at home thinks that I am and just try a little bit harder to be that person.

Also, I would love you write your friends! 1. I love writing letters. and 2. I love sharing the gospel. Give them my address, or you could even let them email me and I can just print out their emails and write back later when I have more time.  You have an amazing ability to recognize what´s really important. "Christ literally conquered the impossible so we can be celestial beings! " I wish everyone could have this testimony.

Hannah,

you are a missionary right now! You don't have to wait. One of the most surprising things about the mission was that I didn't magically gain new abilities once I became a missionary. I still had to work by study and faith and I can absolutely say that the Lord given me more ability to speak and learn the language and to remember things in the scriptures that were important for investigators and helped me be more organized at times, but He still is the same and still chooses to teach me in the same way--in His time and in His way-- and He lets me struggle, and I know that it is only because He knows it will be for my good and help me realize that He is really in control.

I love you all and I am out of time so I won't even try to add any conclusion of thought and sorry that once again there is a shocking lack of details about anything solid that is actually happening in my life... its a problem I have to be overly general. But I love you!

--Steph