So Happy!!!

Its been a great week in Billingham! I have a new companion and she is seriously an answer to my prayers! We get along so well and have had a blast so far and I feel like I have known her forever. I can't remember when I have felt this happy on my mission. I feel like myself!! It seems like Heavenly Father really wants me to enjoy and be happy the final months of my mission and I am so grateful! He truly cares about each of us and wants us to be happy, such a blessing.

Easter has been such a special time on my mission. I love talking to people we meet about it and sharing that Christ lives again! I love that Easter and spring happen at the same time and everything is coming back to life, it is a great representation of Christ coming back and resurrecting. We got to sing in town with our zone for Easter and it was so fun! 

2 of our friends came to church this Sunday and they loved it. They are both struggling mentally and socially at the moment and they both felt welcomed and accepted at church. This ward is great at helping people feel accepted. One of them called us that night and thanked us for the great day at church he had and for caring about him. I feel like when we can help people feel loved, it totally changes them. 

We got to go to an amazing musical Easter fireside in Newcastle on Sunday night with a recent convert. It was centered on our Saviour and how He lives today! A family of a sister from Norway came because she is finishing her mission and sang. They are like famous in Norway and it was amazing.

Also, Martin is going to the temple on Saturday and I am so pumped for him!!!! He is doing so well and has been loving church. He fits right in :) 

I hope you all have a great week!!

Love, Sister Stevens 

Easter Sunday

Easter Caroling

Prince of Peace

Hello!!

Well, we got a call on Saturday from the assistants telling us that

Sister Sorensen is going to HULL!!!!! The best place ever! I am sad to

see her go but she is going to love Hull and do great things there. We

have had a great 2 months together and we will be reunited in Provo

this summer :) I am getting a new sister named Sister Cook, she is

from Utah! And I will finish her training. My first companion from

Utah! I've heard great things about her.

This week we were able to do service with some of our stake in Hartle

Poole! It was really fun and the weather was perfect. There wasn't a

cloud in the sky :) I loved being able to do a service project because

we don't have many here. It was great to spend time with the other

missionaries.

I went on an exchange with Sister Koepf from Michigan. I love her! We

had so much fun. We taught some lessons and knocked some doors. She is

a great missionary, and she is in my group so we will go home

together! I realised how grateful I am to meet so many incredible

people who will be life long friends. I love being with other sisters

and learning from them. I am amazed how how dedicated they are and how

much they love the people they serve. They are such great examples.

We had Zone Training and interviews with President and Sister Turvey

which was defs a highlight. I love being able to spend time with them

and hear counsel and advice they have for me. Everytime I am with them

I just feel so much love from them and for them. It amazes me how

Christlike their love is and how they love each one of us no matter

what we do. They are great examples and help me want to show my love

more!

We are trying our best to help our investigators progress but we can't

help them if they don't answer their door or phone.. so that has been

a bit of a strugg this week but Heavenly Father has a greater plan.

Some of the members have been reaching out to a couple investigators

and it makes such a difference. We couldn't do it without them. I have

such a testimony of member missionary work, they are necessary!

This week I started studying The Living Christ. After it was mentioned

in general conference a couple times I felt that I needed to study it

more in depth. It was been incredible the things I have learned about

our Saviour. I am so thankful for Him and the example He set that we

can follow. Now is the perfect time to study more about Him and become

more like Him as we celebrate His resurrection on Easter this Sunday!

The church has come out with a series of Prince of Peace videos and I

love them! So good & inspiring. I challenge each of you to watch the

videos and read The Living Christ before Easter this weekend! It will

make Easter more meaningful as we let His light into our lives more.

Hope you all have a great week!

Love, Sister Stevens xx

Service!!!!! 

Billingham Zone Leaders

we made stuffed peppers, they were tdf

Zone Training

#armyofbillingham

Investigators bunny

Chinese food for p-day last week

Last General Conference as a full time Missionary

Wow! General Conference always comes at the most perfect time! I am so thankful for such inspired leaders and for our prophet who was able to speak to us. What a blessing to hear from him! 

I have felt so inadequate like I am not becoming the person Heavenly Father wants me to become. I have been so stressed about it but while I was listening to conference there were a lot of things that helped me and feel a lot of peace. As I prepared to receive guidance and instruction through prayer and fasting I recognised so much personal revelation. It didn't come how I expected it to and it wasn't something huge or new, but it went back to the simplicity of the gospel that I need to go back to as well.  I loved Elder Holland's talk, something he said really stuck with me, "come as you are, but don't plan to stay as you are". This brought me SO much peace. It made me realise how much Heavenly Father loves me for me! And He wants me to come to Him as I am and He is the one who will help me make the change He needs me to make.  He knows what each of our futures hold, He knows where I need to be and who I need to become. We can't be fearful about not being good enough, we just need to do what we can and TRY! He will make us the person He needs us to be when we just trust Him. We need to be confident that the Lord is with us. 

This week has been good! We've seen lots of great things happen!

A recent convert invited us over to meet her mom and sister and we were able to teach them! And then they came to general conference with us! We are planning to see them again.

We got in touch with a former investigator and its been really hard to set a time to meet with him but something told me to not give up on him. We finally were able to teach him and it was so. powerful. He is really struggling with a lot of different things and it is so clear how the gospel will help him. It is just a matter if he is willing to be patient and try it out! I think a lot of people are looking for a immediate answer to their problems and want relief right away but part of this life is learning patience and learning to endure. We all knew this life wouldn't be easy but we knew it was necessary to become more like our Father in Heaven. Patience and endurance is all part of the test. 

We don't have a car until I can get my license and the first day we didn't have it we ended up far from our home in the pouring rain haha. All we could do was laugh because neither of us know the area but it was funny. I don't know how I survived so much of my mission on foot! A car is such a luxury. But being on the bus and walking more on the streets we have been able to testify so much more about our Saviour. We have really been trying to listen to them and focus on how Christ can individually help. 

We taught some other great lessons and found some new investigators we are excited about! 

Some funny things that happened:

we get a call at 9pm the other night from the sisters saying our car will be picked up the following morning at 5:30AM. 5:30!!! You could say we've moved into our car which includes our own personal pantry. Therefore, this news was quite alarming.

Haha we also had a bril idea today...we had to get real clever considering how to get our food shop all the way home without a car. So, we brought a suitcase to put and transport our groceries in. We looked hilarious.

I'm thankful to be a missionary and the amazing experiences that come being apart of the Lord's work.

Have a great week!

Sister Stevens 

cleaning out our car at 9:30pm so the other sisters can come get it at 5:30am!!!

 

our 1st day without a car

short sleeves & tightless!!!!!

Quote of the week:

"Of this be sure, you do not find the happy life...you make it." - Thomas S. Monson

This week has been a bit better, I decided if I am going to stay I need to make the best out of the next 5 months and do all I can to fulfill my purpose as a missionary. Heavenly Father has blessed us so much as we have pushed through. He knows what we are capable of and He won't push us more than we can handle. I am so thankful for the beautiful weather we have had! We have been able to go the last 2 days without tights! Haha it looked like my calves were glowing though because they haven't seen the sun in months. 

I have studied to word "peace" a bit this week and have come to realise that we decide if we have peace through life or not. It's kinda like us choosing to be postive or not. Peace comes when we remember we have a Saviour and Heavenly Father who love us! I have noticed so much more peace in my life when I have realised I can't control everything but put my trust in Heavenly Father's perfect plan. 

We were listening to Joseph Smith's First Prayer in the car today and some of the words really stuck out to me: "but undaunted, still he trusted in his Heavenly Father's care... Suddenly a light descended..." I loved this so much because sometimes we don't always know what we need to do or how we will continue on, but then suddenly just when we feel like giving up a light comes. Not always all at once, but gradually the light comes in. And I am so thankful for that light. I promise it will come when we continue in patience and trust. 

It has been a very adventurous week, trying by lots of former investigators, meeting lots of new people, and finding service opportunities along the way! We have realised that in order to soften the hearts of people here we need to serve them first. We noticed this couple painting their fence and asked if we could help them, surprisingly they said yes! We got to know them and resolved many of their stereotypes of mormons haha. We tesified about how the gospel of Jesus Christ has helped us and our families and they are letting us come back and share more with them! 

We got to travel to Leeds for an appointment and man was it strange to be back in my birthplace.. So many mixed emotions walking through those familiar streets. I was thinking back to a year ago when I was there and realising how far I have come which makes me so grateful for the hard times because they have made me who I am today. 

Most of the former investigators we have met this week we have noticed from their records that almost all of them have stopped seeing missionaries right after a trial. It made us sad thinking about how instead of turning to Christ and receiving His help they decided to turn away from Him. And I have noticed that when I have turned to Him and asked Him for help I have been able learn and grow so much more than if I were to just go through it alone. 

Today we did some exploring! We drove up to the English country side and didn't have a set place we were going and we ended up at a castle! We drove through some beautiful green, rolling hills, quaint villages, and saw lots of little lambs. I felt like I was in a movie! The english countryside is breathtaking. 

I hope all of you have a great week!!! Thank you for all the support, love, and prayers xx

Love, Sister Stevens

PS GENERAL CONFERENCE IS THIS WEEKEND!!!!! Best weekend ever!!!! I know when we go prepared spiritually and with questions we will get so much more out of it. I have such a testimony that our questions will be answered through the Holy Ghost or from what someone says. That is my invitation for you! 

Pday adventures.  We found a castle, some cute farms, and some lambs!!!

Zone Conference.  We miss Hull!!!

back to Leeds

buying milk for this lady who dropped hers :(

Little Cakes

Let's just start with a quote from the Restoration movie from one of my heroes Joseph Smith, "sometimes God brings us low, to lift us up higher." Well this week He has brought me low. It was a real test of my faith and my commitment to Heavenly Father. He really tested me and is continuing to test me to see if I trust Him, really trust Him. I am trying to patiently wait until He lifts me back up again. 

Sister Blair (well she is now Lauren now... ) read this story to me quite a few months ago and I read it recently and I feel like I could relate to Elijah in 1 Kings 19. It may sound a bit dramatic, but it's the best way I can describe how this week went. 

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life..."

But then little things happened to help him keep going for a little longer.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink...

I know that when times are tough the problem won't always be fixed, but Heavenly Father will give us little things to help us keep going and doing the things He asks us to do. 

Some of the things that helped me keep going this week were:

We made triple chocolate Ghirardelli brownies, got McDonald's fries.. some comfort food was much needed this week.

We have had an addition to our companionship and now we have been a trio! Sister Met is from Belgium and one of the kindest people I have ever been around! She is only here for a week though so we will say goodbye to her tomorrow. She has been a great support to us and has helped me focus on what really matters. 

One of the recent converts texted us and said to come over so we could meet her friend! We went as soon as we could, that's like a miracle text! So we ended up teaching her friend and she is even letting us teach her more! She's had some really challenging times and has struggled with a lot of the things our little trio has gone through and is currently going through. It was amazing to see a blessing I received come true that my experiences and relationship with Christ can help others. I was thankful to know that what I am facing can benefit others. 

Springtime is here and there are bright yellow flowers everywhere and cherry blossom trees. It's so pretty!

We have gone by lots of former investigators and found some great people who want to learn more so we are happy that Heavenly Father is leading us to prepared people! 

Sister Mokeghle (my companion from Hull) is now in my zone which is a miracle! So fun to be reunited with mission friends! 

I know that He will keep putting little cakes to help me keep going to do the work He has called me to do. We need to trust in His wisdom, not our incomplete knowledge. He knows the bigger picture whereas we can see just a little part of His plan. 

I have wondered a lot this week how I can continue to serve this mission through this pain, wondering how Heavenly Father expects me to continue on. I feel as though there isn't much more I can do. But I am recognising something He wants me to learn, to rely on our Saviour's grace. He makes up for what I cannot and He loves me through it all. 

I know Heavenly Father is so proud of each one of us when we push through, even when it's hard, and even when we don't want to. I know with His help we can do hard things! And we can say, "not my will, but thine be done." 

I can't express how much the little emails I get from people saying, "I felt prompted to email you" mean. It helps me keep going and helps me to remember that everything will be okay. Don't ever deny or ignore a prompting! 

I hope you can all see the little cakes that He gives to help us keep going. I know our Father in Heaven loves us, more than we can even comprehend. 

Love, Sister Stevens

We teach this little girls' mom English and she kept attacking me.
haha...so cute!

Cherry Blossom Trees and the Trio