Headed to Billingham!!!!!

My loves!

This week has flown by, but what's new? Transfer calls were last night and tomorrow I am headed up to Billingham! It's going to be an adventure but I know that's exactly where Heavenly Father needs me. And good news I will be serving near Sister Blair for her last transfer! Heavenly Father knows I need her. 

I am so thankful for this time I have been able to serve in Hull. I am so thankful for all I have learned and experienced here. I have really been able to learn to see the Lord's hand each day. There are so many amazing people I have been able to serve with and get to know that I will miss dearly. Hull will always have a special place in my heart! And so will Sister Melgarejo! Ahh we are sad to be apart but we will be friends forever :) it has been such a blessing to see her progress as a missionary! I have learned so much from her. Also I didn't think it could get colder, but this week has been the coldest yet. I have literally worn all my layers and now I get to go to the north where it will be colder! Pray for sun in England please :) 

We met with a former from about 10 years ago this week and it was such an amazing lesson! It was so cool to see how prepared he was and a lot of it was because of the missionaries that taught him so long ago. When we meet with people once or just talk to them on the street we get to plant that first seed. Sadly, he is moving to London next week but we will refer him to the missionaries there! 

Hahaha so we had a lesson with this guy this week and we met him at the bus station and then we're going to take the bus to the missionary home. We just started talking on the bus and he started asking more about the Book of Mormon and what makes our  church different. So we explained to him a little about it and he got up and said, "this is not for me" and walked off the bus. It was quite hilarious and we just looked at each other and laughed. Bless him. 

 Well I am forever grateful for this mission I am serving. I know that this is what Heavenly Father wants me to be doing and I am thankful for all I am learning about the gospel and what really matters in life. It's hard, but it's so worth it. 

I hope you all make it a great week!

Love, Sister Stevens 

awww...goodbye to the Napper family :(

When you have to pack...

Goodbye HULL!!!!

On our way to the Aquarium we got lost and found this

The Deep Aquarium

Steven, an investigators son

Best comp ever!!!

Obedience brings blessings!

Hello family!

Another week has come and gone and I can't believe it! Time just flies too quickly. I am really just trying to enjoy every minute of being a missionary because too soon it will be all over.

I feel so grateful to be a missionary and get to see that hand of the Lord so much each day. He is always there, we just need to look a bit harder sometimes. 

I am learning so much about obedience and when we are obedient that is when the miracles and the blessings come. We all need to learn obedience in life because that is how we will make it back to our Father in Heaven. I have been reading and studying about the life of Nephi. I am amazed at how willing he was to obey and to trust in the Lord. He says in 1 Nephi 18:16 after his brothers bound him with cords, "Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions." Sometimes we still face challenges and hard times even when we are obedient, but that is because Heavenly Father wants to make us better, he wants us to learn and grow. We too can thank God even through our trials just like Nephi did! 

We started seeing a former investigator named Anna from Poland again, she was just extremely busy with the holidays and wouldn't make time to see us. But we had an incredible lesson with her. She said she notices a difference when she reads the Book of Mormon, she can feel a warm feeling in her head. We helped her to recognise it as the spirit and then helped her to remember she can have the Spirit with her always! Anna has a little son who has sports every Sunday morning, so it is almost impossible for her to get to church, but we will keep working with her and help her to see that the results of going to church are so much greater than sports! 

Brian, our investigator from China has been meeting with the elders in a close by area because one of them is Chinese speaking. He feels more comfortable speaking in Chinese so it has helped a ton! Which has been great, he has really enjoyed meeting with them. He also said the Book of Mormon has helped him see what really matters in life! He does have some small concerns with joining the church because of certain traditions in China, but he said he loves the people he has met who go to our church. He says they are very friendly and they seem happy, he is looking for that same happiness. We promised him that he can feel that same happiness he just has to give up certain things! Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. 

I am thankful for this gospel and for the blessings it brings to our lives. I am so thankful to be born of "goodly parents" who taught me the gospel all growing up. I am thankful I get to teach what they taught me. The gospel is truly how we can be happy and have direction in our lives. 

I invite you to pray for the chance to stand as a witness of Christ each day and I know you will have the best week ever!!

love, sister stevens

Pretty Hull!

recent convert Gundars and Nellie a member <3

when its freezing!!!!!

Hello everyone!!!

We have been freezing here in Hull! The temperature hasn't even been that low but the humidity and the wind makes the cold go straight through our bones. We have been layering up as much as we can!

Its been another great week! My love for Sister Melgarejo grows everyday, I feel like we are sisters (literally) haha I think we are spending too much time laughing. It makes missionary work a lot more fun when you love your companion and you can have fun together. Its been amazing to see how far she has come so far with her English and being able to keep a conversation with people. She is doing great and is such a great example to me. I am so thankful for her! 

Its been hard to see our investigators this week because exams.... opposition in all things!  We are hoping to start to be able to see them more because exams are almost over! OLE!

We got in contact with a former investigator from a couple years ago and we arranged to see him this week. Because we were going to his house we needed another female to come with us so we called a member to come but she ended up cancelling last minute! We had no idea what to do because we wouldn't be able to teach him without her! We said a prayer and then called him to explain the situation. Then he said his wife will be there. We ended up teaching both the husband and the wife and their little boy! It was a miracle! They are from Zimbabwe and they belong to the Methodist church and have such strong faith. It was a bit different because I am so used to teaching people with not a lot of religious background but we followed the spirit and it went well! We really focused on modern day prophets and their role on earth. They felt that if God does love us then He would have someone to lead and guide us. We are blessed with a wonderful prophet today, President Monson.

 They were so kind and grateful that we came to share this message with them and they are so excited to learn more about being together forever as a family!! 

We have spent lots of time in the streets talking to people and inviting them to learn about God and His plan for them! It makes me so sad how many people are lost in this world, they really don't understand that there is more to life than just work and money and worldy things. We are so blessed to have the knowledge that Heavenly Father loves us and He has a perfect plan for each of us! And all we have to do is follow His Son Jesus Christ and try our best. Of course we all make mistakes and mess up sometimes but we are blessed with the Sacrament and the gift of Repentance to help us back onto the straight and narrow path. I know that as each of you read the Book of Mormon, attend church, and pray you can stay strong and you can always get through whatever challenges you are going through. And I know you will be able to find JOY in each day.

Hope you all have a great week! Keep smiling :)

on our way to church

recent convert Jayne

saying goodbye to recent converts who are moving :(

SNOW!!!  for 5 minutes haha

nightly exercises (working on my going home body...lol)

love, Sister Stevens 

the beginning of a GREAT year!

Family!!!

Hope you all have had a great start to 2017! Its a great time to look at our lives and think about what we hope to achieve this year and what ways we can become more like our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

This week has been incredible. I have truly seen that Heavenly Father has been guiding our work every where we go. He has put so many amazing people in our paths. This week I have really thought about what kind of missionary I hope to be and the things I want to accomplish and do before this time is over :( Through mighty prayer, deeper desires, and hard work we have seen many miracles. One of the things that has helped me to see little miracles or tender mercies is I have started a journal to just write each night things that happened that day that I have been able to see have come from Heavenly Father. I know it has deepened my relationship with Him because I have come to know Him better and seen how He works each day to help us! Its been such a cool experience. Another thing that has really helped me this week to feel closer to Heavenly Father is dedicated time I have taken out of each day to really study the Book of Mormon. Really the only way we can partake of the Atonement of Christ is through continually feasting on the scriptures. It brings an added measure of peace, comfort, and the Spirit to our lives and can truly help us to overcome temptation and make good choices. This week we have asked all the recent converts in our ward if they notice a difference when they have read the Book of Mormon each day and they all gave specific examples of when they have read more consistently. It can really change lives!!!

Some other highlights of the week: 

We were street contacting one night before a lesson with a recent convert and we met a guy named Bryan from China who is studying at the university. We just started talking to him and just shared what we do as missionaries, because he is from China he hasn't ever really had an opportunity to learn about God, but he had thought about Him before. He happened to just be taking a walk to have a break from studying for his exams and we were able to teach him right then because we were near the missionary house! We helped him to understand who God is and that He could help him with his exams! It is amazing how the gospel can help everyone at every point of their lives. 

We met another Chinese student named Chendu, we had met her a couple weeks before on the street and then this week she thought it was a sign from God that we met her again. It was similar to Bryan, where she hasn't had the chance to learn about God. We taught her and she loved it and really felt that God is there. She even called us her angels haha!

Then there is this guy named Michael, he is from England and has been through a lot, more than anyone ever should. He has tried a lot of things to find good in his life but hasn't found anything that has really helped him. We just pray that he can recognise that the gospel is exactly what he is looking for! He said the only reason he has met with us is because he felt like we were good people that really cared about him. I have learned that it doesn't always matter what we say or how we say it but if we show people we truly care about them and help them feel the spirit that is what draws people to the gospel! We have met with him a couple times and each time he has opened up to us more and can feel we are just here to help him find God and find good. We have really listened and as we have, its amazing how the Spirit has helped us know what to say. One of the lessons with Michael we had 2 of our recent converts there that were perfect with him! It was the most amazing thing having them share their experiences of how the gospel has helped them overcome challenges and helped them to improve the qualities of their lives. One of the new members even shared a scripture that he had remembered. It was such a happy moment seeing their progression in the gospel! 

Another amazing thing that happened this week is we went to York to serve with the sisters there and guess who happens to be serving in the area we were in?? ELDER NORTON! We were able to see each other and even got permission from President to have tea together :) It was amazing to be reunited. It was just a great moment to reconnect, share what we have been working on, and what we hope to achieve And to look at each other in the mission home on our last night and say, "we did all we could." I know that will be a great moment :) I have been so blessed to be able to learn from him! 

I have felt so much joy this week as I have just turned this work over to Heavenly Father and trusted in Him. He could do this work without me, but I am blessed to be able to be apart of it!  Yes, there are still hard moments but it is so worth it. 

Sorry this is so long... but I hope you all have a great week!!!!! 

love you!

Sister Stevens 

Christmas Caroling in the Shopping Centre

still doing hair

Christmas Day

New Year's we were sick with chest infections

but we still had fun and played Uno and went to bed at 8pm :)

Nellie a member from Russia

Exchanges in York!  Lisel got to have Tea with Elder Norton!!!  She said it was the best day!

so gross!

Hello 2017!!!!

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome 2017! 

This week was a bit interesting... so me and another sister I live with both were feeling very ill for a couple days and our mission presidents wife sent us to the doctors. And she said we both have chest infections haha. So we spent the week getting better and resting. But it's hilarious because the antibiotics made me throw up so it was a great week... I spent a lot of time reading the Book of Mormon which I finished! and also read the entire book Joseph Smith History written by his mother. It was so amazing learning more about what he went though the gospel and for us to have the Book of Mormon. It really inspired me at how obedient Jospeh was to Heavenly Father's commandments. 

As the new year has come I have recommitted myself to studying the Book of Mormon each day, reading it with the purpose of coming closer and getting to know my Saviour more. And really reading with the knowledge that it is written for me and for each of us for our day! I know it can help us answer our questions about life and help us feel a lot more peace throughout each day. As I have been reading and pondering about the Book of Mormon I have realised that we only get out what we put in. If we want a witness that it is true & to feel peace when you read it we need to read it with that intent. The answers are there, Heavenly Father is waiting to give us them if we are willing to take the time to read with real intent. I hope each of you will have the goal to not just read for the sake of reading, but to actually look for answers and how the Book of Mormon can apply to you in this life! I am so thankful to have it! It has brought me more peace than anything while serving my mission. President Hinkley promises that, "if each of you will read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." That's a pretty amazing promise!

I am thankful for the chances my Saviour gives me to become better, I am so thankful for the Atonement and that I can use it each day as I make mistakes and try to be better. I am thankful to know that Heavenly Father loves me, even when I feel I am not worthy of His love. He is always there, even when we don't deserve it. We are so blessed to have a father in heaven who loves us unconditionally. I pray that each of you can feel His love and it gives you a desire to be more Christlike. 

I know that the beginning of a new year is a new start to become better and to work on things. This life is all about change and improving! There are always great things ahead when we put our trust in the Lord. 

I love you all! Have a great week & keep smiling :)

Love, sister Stevens 

*This video is a New Years tradition from Spain, they call it 'Las Doce Uvas'.  Lisel said she couldn't hang because her gag reflexes are too strong!

1/2 mission Christmas party