12/2/2013 December, Here we Come

Tom!!!! Congrats!!! I am so excited for you to get your patriarchal blessing!!!! that is one of the most precious things that I have in my life. you will love it. and then you will read it again a few months later and you will love it more! I love you little brother and I am so proud of you.

And Jeremy! and I am so proud of all the things you are doing and deciding everyday to be closer to the Lord. you are and will be an amazing warrior for the right and leader of the people around you. (something I've learned on the mission is that leadership is so much more than a calling. we can be leaders for righteousness-- or just leaders for whateverness-- in any calling we are given. what matter isn't where but how we serve. whate'er thou art act well thy part.) keep doing and being good:)

anyways family! i hope you had a great week and a great Thanksgiving! It sounds like you did. I'm sad to have not been able to be there with you all, but I was so grateful to be able to be here on the island of Madeira and have a great conference with a member of the area presidency and his wife and then a thanksgiving lunch that was really really great. and then we got to take the left overs home too. 

And I got my pajamas from grammie too! (yes I opened them.. but then I wrapped them back up again and put them under the Christmas tree that sally sent a little while back). so it was a perfect thanksgiving. 

This week has been a wonderful week for me to learn the importance of gratitude. I'm still a very very very very very imperfect missionary, it almost seems that I recognize a new thing to work on every day. but even so, Heavenly Father blesses me so very much. And recognizing that is one of the most important secrets to being happy. We had an alright week as far as the work goes. We had some great investigators that were finally starting to progress, and unfortunately we have also had a bit of a hard time with finding new investigators this week. but since I was still feeling that we were doing things that we were supposed to and that things were going to even themselves out for that week with the progress our other investigators were making, I just decided not to worry about it too much. But then along comes Sunday and nobody comes to church. all of our investigators just kept falling through for one reason or another, not answering phones, bus passes expiring, cars breaking down, etc. And so because of this, none of the 3 people that we had marked for baptism can be baptized on their scheduled days. 

But then on Sunday night, we went to have dinner with a wonderful lady in the ward and her daughter (it really makes me so sad that she only speaks Portuguese and that my family only speaks English.) And after we gave a little message and really thanked them for all the work they are doing in the branch (because man do they do work.) Marilene just went on to explain how she feels about her service. because she thinks about Mosiah 2 (I think its Mosiah 2) every time that she hears someone thank her. that even with all the service that we give we are always still beggars before the Lord, because he has given us everything and on top of that made eternal life possible. and she thinks of that. and every time Satan whispers in her ear that she deserves a break or a pat on the back or she is so great and everybody likes her because she is such a good person she prays and asks the Lord to take that feeling away from her. Because it is good to feel loved and appreciated and important, but she doesn't want to feel like her service is about her. She wants to feel like all of her work and service and giving is given out of love for the Lord. is given out of gratitude to Him. so that night after reporting some of the worst numbers ever (which is only important because of what it represents the work and the love and the people coming unto Christ) I prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for all of the blessings I have been given. and I don't think that I have succeeded in being like Marilene (let alone Christ) just yet, but its a beginning. and I want every day of my service to be a gift to the Lord. a gift that I can give to him with a pure and willing heart and with a feeling of gratitude for everything and anything that we were able to get done. 

I love my Savior and I know that He is there for each and every one of us when we need it most. He knows us so perfectly and He knows exactly when and how to answer our prayers, of that I have a very personal testimony. 

I love you all so much and I hope you will pray for me and each other and the people around you who need to know the truth about the gospel.  I Love You all!

Steph\ Sister Lofgreen

p.s. can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner! I can't wait to talk to you all!

p.p.s. Madeira is int he Guinness book of world records for their new years eve fire works so I'm stoked for that too.

11/4/2013

Hey family! 

What's up!?

Wanna know a secret? I'm still not used to Portuguese keyboards. I still search for apostrophes and question marks in the wrong places. This week has been really good. getting to know the area nd the people, trying (and not succeeding) to get used to how incredibly beautiful and perfect it is here and the sight of the sea from everywhere we go! its pretty amazing. 

This week was also great because I got two packages! One from grammie with Halloween candy! (its so nice to know that people still love me and think about me:) and one from sally with a Christmas tree and all the letters and ornaments from everybody, which I am very excited about. unfortunately I still have to wait a whole month on that one, so we'll see if I can make it.

Sorry I have been so bad about writing. Things have been a little crazy on Pdays lately. but it doesn't mean I don't love you and think about writing you guys all the time ( I try to make little notes of the good and important things to say during the week.)

This week was interesting because we started out in a tripla with sister call (my comp from Viseu who lives with us too) but then she went back to the mainland for a few days to pick up her comp the lovely Sister Cardoso. She is the cutest sweetest girl ever. Her family is from Angola, but she grew up in porto and so we finally have a source of real live Portuguese knowledge in the house. which is awesome.

We have been working with a family of recent converts that are a little bit less active at the moment and are still working to overcome some problems with smoking and some family problems as well. There strength had been the son who is about 18 or 19. He would get the whole family to church and to read scriptures and say prayers but this last week he has been serving as a mini missionary (as a full time missionary for a period of  6 wks to 3 months depending on his preference) on the other side of the city. so he can't even talk to his family besides by email and stuff like a normal missionary until he's done. so we've been working on getting them reading the scriptures and doing family prayer on their own with out him. 

I have really gained a testimony on my mission of the importance of the little things. Family prayer and scripture study really make a difference. Even just making the effort to make those things a priority, regardless of their quality makes a huge difference in you as a person. Õur actions really do define us over time.

We also have been working with this kid Eduíno who doesn't really talk much so we're never really sure how he's taking things, but he has been fulfilling with all of his commitments, including quitting smoking(and that would be really hard.), so he will be getting baptized on Saturday! Yay! 

My comp Sister Beard is amazing and everyone asks us if we're sisters. we get along really well. She prayed to be able to have a friend and I prayed to be able to have a happy transfer. and guess what! God answers prayers! So I'm excited for this transfer. Unfortunately she is sick today... so we will try to say in (and I will write letters so she can get better.) 

And that's more or less what's happening here in Madeira.

Other funny moments:

a random man named brother Jonah asking us if its true that black people don't like our church. which is funny because in Portugal you sometimes just feel like you are serving in Africa because there are a LOT of investigators and members from Cabo Verde and Angola and Mozambique and guinea.

we had a Halloween party and I bobbed for apples and definitely beat my comp.

we made candied apples and no one are them and now our fridge is full. I fell on lots of people on the bus...

I don't know what else but I'm out of time.

Love you all!

Steph

11/25/20013 I Have the Cutest Foot Fingers.

Hey family! 

Sorry about last week. That really sucked, but I will do my best to make up for it this week. 

Things I forgot to mention: somebody blasted our door with black paint on p day 2 weeks ago and I will be sending you a picture of that. Also, if you wanted to send me something for Christmas (no hints included..) it needed to be sent before the 21st or it probably won't get here until January.... so yeah. that sucks. but no worries! Just send it anyway! We should keep Christmas in our hearts all year round right?Well presents really help with that!

This week was good--I made banana bread this last Monday.

[tourists say the darndest things:you'd think they'd have a ripe banana in the land of bananas. (there were a lot of green bananas in the grocery store that day. Did I mention I live in the land of bananas? They're everywhere! and banana trees are really interesting.)] and I made up the recipe! and it was delicious. So basically I rock.

OK. On to the important stuff, that super cool investigator we have who came to church! He's still cool. He came and played soccer at the church on Saturday, and we taught him and his friend on the Wed. before that. And now he's marked for baptism on the 14th. The only problem is that we were teaching him with his girlfriend. One because everyone needs the gospel. 2. because its easier to just convert both of them and help them live the law of chastity. 3. because its seems like she would feel better about us if we taught him with her there right? Well, he's still legit and still going to get baptized, but she doesn't really like us and in typical Portuguese fashion he just told us. They're very straightforward about things here. so yeah. We're passing him over to the elders. 

But! in other news!

We did a division with the Sister Training Leaders this week and Sister Cutler and I met this lady named Leticia at the bus stop. and so on Saturday we went to her house which turned out to be really far away on a mountain super hidden down this skinny flight of like 100 cement stairs. but we found it about 45 minutes late and she was waiting for us! We met her husband and taught them the 1st lesson and they really got it (which you could tell because she would reexplain in her own words to her husband everything that we said) and they both accepted the convite to be baptized on the 14th! So we're really excited about that too. 

Unfortunately, we freaked out our other investigator, Raphael, who was marked for the 7th with the word of wisdom. I think we overwhelmed him a little bit. So we need to track him down to talk to him about it a little bit. He got overwhelmed but he just needs to know that he can do it!! And that he can do it at his pace and that he's not alone in it. 

Also... I opened some of the Christmas letters.. oops! But I just couldn't wait and I wanted to put some ornaments on the tree. 

Oh. and Sister Cardoso says that I have cute foot fingers because in Portuguese toes and fingers are the same word and you differentiate by saying hand or foot and she was studying English. and yeah.. it was funny. 

Hey! I love you guys!

Have a great week and eat lots of pie!

Love,

Steph

p.s. Fight the good fight!

11/18/2013 Time

Well.... I just wrote a really really really long email and now its gone and I don't know what happened to it.... 

so I'm sorry. Probably because that just happened to my comp on a lesser scale about 45 minutes ago and I didn't feel that bad for her.... so yeah... karma sucks.

Anyway--short version: love each other and the church is true. And those are basically the same thing.

Yeah.... and this week had some great stories too. short.

Conference of Eduino!

19 yr old Andre loved church in spite of the epilepsy attacks brought on by brawling members and a gospel principles lesson on the law of chastity taught over quarreling members. and he stayed for the baptism and loved it!

Charity is the greatest of all because it is all inclusive. You keep all the other commandments when you have charity.So, if you want more charity its the same as other traits: pray, study and fake it till you make it. aka keep the commandments and try to have the right motives (aka love) and serve--lots.

Well that's my weekly update. love you all and sorry I don't have time to respond to anything....

But I love you!!!!!

Steph\Sister Lofgreen

Fight the good fight (aka always keep the peace)

madeira rocks. yup. nao preocupes.

Hey family!!

This week was lovely! we had the baptism of Eduíno, a great training and interviews with President (which of course was exactly what I needed), I had a great personal chat with Sister Flukiger, and then we had a great district conference with the district of the whole island of Madeira. There are some really amazing members here. 

One of the parts of the conference that stood out the most to me was a talk given by a 12 or 13 year old kid. He was amazing. He gave a really great talk and I feel pretty certain that he wrote it himself. A lot of the conference from Saturday had focused on doing the little things (reading the scriptures, teaching in the home to do family prayer, family home evening. ya know, the basics). They focused on family and the obligations parents have to their kids and kids to their parents and all of us as a ward family. and then we got to see what the effect of teaching in the home really has on kids. This kid gave an amazing talk. I think I learned as much or more from him as the other adult members who spoke. He picked his own topic and he told about how his mom taught him to  (and had him take) care of his grandfather when he was sick. and his grandpa couldn't really talk but he could see in his eyes that he was always really grateful. then he passed away and on the first time that he went to the temple he was able to be baptized for his grandpa. and this little kid got choked up telling this all in his own words in that moment. He had been taught and given the opportunity to develop Christ like charity and develop a relationship with his grandfather. and then taught the doctrines of temples and family history and family relationships and how temple ordinances and physically taking care of his grandpa were both equally part of following the savior's example and gospel and having his charity for those around us.

So that was cool.
 

Eduíno's baptism was really great too, because 1-he was super happy and brought some of his family members who we haven't been able to talk to yet, 2- because a recent converts gave all the talks and prayers and even baptized him, 3- because Sister Beard was super patient with me even as I was getting stressed and obnoxious in trying to figure out everything for the baptism. I have the best companion in the best area with some of the best members ever. :)
 

Also, the elders in our ward are going to have 7 baptisms next Saturday (they are freaking bosses), so we are stoked for that and I am going to be making a lot of cookies :) One of them knows Jeremy and Jonny. His name is Elder Stratford (or probably more well known to you as Sam Stratford). He's freaking legit. all that work he's doing while training. so we are going to do a lot of good in this ward this transfer. :)

Well that was kind of a lot of random info, but hopefully there was something useful in there. you guys are wonderful and I love you all. Have a great week and tell everyone that you are thankful for them and why this month (if its sincere:)
 

Thanksgiving! I can't wait! We'll celebrate ourselves since they don't really do that here. And then Christmas! I put up the Christmas tree sally sent and I can barely wait to open all the letters. they're all at the base of the tree in order. haha.
 

Well I love you all and have a really great week. 

Love,

Steph \ Sister Lofgreen

Living In Paradise--Oct 29, 2013

Hey family. Sorry for not writing yesterday I was in buses and cars and on an airplane and then on more buses and cars. And now I'm living in freaking paradise. Literally one of the best vacation spots out here on this side of the world. I am on the island Madeira, and this morning as I went running I had an ocean breeze in my face green mountains that disappear into clouds on my right and the ocean on my right. It is amazing. and on top of that I came to a great branch with an amazing companion. I am really so excited to be serving with her. in the couple of lessons that we have taught together so far I am just so excited to be serving with her. plus things and home and in planning and in pretty much everything are just chill. And on top of that I am in the same house as Sister Call, my companion (that I trained) from Viseu, who I just love with all my heart. She is going to be training this transfer (her 5th which ironically is exactly the transfer that I was in when I trained her) and the sister she will be training is portuguese. which is awesome. because it means that we are all going to be able to work on our accents. 

Here in Madeira the people have an accent that is a bit different and sometimes it throughs me off a bit. I think I can understand Portuguese really quite well at this point in my mission, but sometimes, here, things still just go right over my head. So that will be a fun adventure. I hope to be able to perfect my portuguese accent and bring along a few good impressions of the Madeiran. We'll see how it goes.

But as for this last week.....

I can't write because apparently we only have 30 min for email... so yeah..~

até proximo. 

Love you guys.

stay sweet (hotrod)

Sister Lofgreen\Steph

October 21. 2013

Hey family,

I am alive and well. I'm really sorry that I didn't write anything yesterday. I had a few minutes to get on email in the morning last week, but I thought I would have more time later so I didn't say anything and then we didn't get a chance to go back the whole day, so it just didn't work out. I'm sorry. But I do love you guys. I will try to give you a good update of everything that's been going on with me, but that might be hard to get all the details. The mission is a very strange time warp and in the work, sometimes two weeks can feel like an eternity. I can't believe that it was just last week that we were at the doctor for Sister Parker. We went down to Lisboa to go to a doctor with Sister Flukiger to see if a real adult could get them to do something more effective. And it worked! She's the best. Plus she has a car, so that helps. and she took us to the american store where they have the Montreal Steak and Chicken seasonings that I love. I got her to buy some so I could put some in little baggies to take home (they're a little pricey over here.) Other novelties of the american store, kitchen aid, big jars of peanut butter, Reese's, root beer, fruit roll-ups, yummy pop corn, Ramen, mac and cheese, yummy granola bars, Crisco and lots of other things you probably wouldn't think of. But of all the american luxuries, I think the one I miss the most is a dryer. Luckily, I got to go use one at the laundry mat today, so this p-day is looking pretty up. :)

We are working with some really great families right now. and that's what every missionary dreams about--families.One is this lady named Neusa, her son Flavio (8), Ires (5) and Francisco (2) and her husband Alfonso. We met Neusa in the street about a month ago and tried to pass by a couple of times and she was just not having it. She wasn't home several times and then we went by one day and the door to the apartment complex was open and her husband answered the door and she did not want to let us in, but I think they weren't getting along and he let us in just to spite her. We got her to say a prayer with us and left and came back another day. She didn't want to let us in once again but we just kept talking for a little bit, said a prayer and then she let us come in and sit down. We sang a hymn with the kids and they loved it and we marked to come back another day. And then after a while, she really wanted us to come back and we finally got to teach her the first lesson last week. She started off the lesson by saying how she doesn't think her baptism was just like Christ's and she's not sure what to do about it. She has so many questions and really wants to follow Christ and help her kids grow up in the right way. That reminds me of a really cool experience we had the other day with her. The time before we really got to teach her a real live lesson this last week, we went over on a day when only her and Flavio (who's 8) were home. He was mad at her (a mom of three very lively kids sometimes yells and her kids don't always like it..) and he was sitting on the couch and refusing to look at or respond to anyone. Then we had Neusa say a prayer. and it was the most sincere, beautiful, Spirit-led, loving prayer I have ever heard an investigator say (well maybe not, we a really great investigator in Loulé who prayed kind of like that too). And she just expressed her love for her children and God and her desire to teach them what's right and do her best for them and for God to be near him and after the prayer Flavio totally changed. He just kind of looked at his mom awe-struck. Like he had no idea she had all those emotions inside of her. He was so moved and changed for the rest of the lesson. After that he had to go sit on his mom's lap and just hug her for like the rest of the time we were there. And it just really strengthened my testimony of family prayer and how as we focus on the Lord and on turning our hearts to Him, He is the one who can really bring us closer together. Turning to God does more to bless our families and our family relationships than anything else we can do, because He knows us and them and knows the thoughts and intents of their hearts and if He's the choreographer things always run more smoothly. I'm working on learning to apply that in my relationships with people her, with members and especially with my companion. The mission is really one of the greatest things ever invented for turning us into good people. Its the best training ground for service in the church, for having a successful life, for marriage and parenthood, for pretty much everything. I don't think its a coincidence that more and more youth are serving at this time when things in the world are getting more and more difficult. We need that strength in the church, not just in the mission field. We need more leaders, people who will lead and stand for righteousness and work and do many things of their own free will in what ever situation they are put in, not just when put in positions of "leadership." I'm working on that.

They more I learn, the farther it feels like I have to go, but that is sometimes a tool of the adversary too. My friend sent me a quote from another friend one time that said something like this "Whenever you get discouraged, take a moment to look back and see how far you've come." I have to recognize the progress I have been making because every time I do, I'm giving credit to the one who deserves it, the one who created this plan and the more specific plan for my life of challenges and blessings designed to help me, specifically, grow. 

Well there were lots of other things that happened this week, but I think I'll stop here unless I get a moment to come back later and write about them. I love-you all and i am so proud of each of you. tell me what's going on with you. I really do love to hear about it.

Oh yeah, other big thing, we had a baptism (I don't have pics cause I lost my camera... :(  This man named Paulo was baptized. He was brought to church by his girlfriend who is headed back to Paraguay (which most certainly borders Uruguay through Argentina's border) next week. It was great because he brought his whole family and they were all so happy and crying and so happy for him (hopefully we can start teaching all of them this week). And in Gospel Principles he taught the plan of salvation to the whole class so incredibly well. So that was a really great moment this week as well.

And about a millennium before that (aka Wednesday) we got to go do divisions in Viseu again! but with the other dupla this time. and I got to go with my lovely companion from the MTC! Sister Warburton! and that was a really fun day... but once again, no pictures.. sorry. I just love getting to love so many new people every transfer, every day. I want to remember and love that more. Some things I learned\relearned from her that day.

Really find AND talk about the good in everyone. 

The secret to being happy is being grateful. 

"I love the challenge of learning to love a new person."

"you have to love people into the gospel."

Geez. that girl is just a treasure trove of wisdom. her and Hillary Bowler. my equivalent of a magic eight ball for my life is conference, Sister Warburton, and Hillary Bowler. I swear it works. (ok, maybe I should go study personal revelation a bit more. that's probably not how it works.)

I am working on letters to lots of people! I'm sorry I'm so slow! I haven't done a great job of making time this transfer, but I will try better this week. (I have letters for Hillary and Jessica started and a big list for lots of other people, so don't hate me :)

I love you all and I hope I didn't forget anything terribly important, but if so Heavenly Father will remind me later. 

Love,

Steph

P.S. fight the good fight!