Adventures

It's been another super, super fast week. Crazy how fast time is going! It's so bittersweet. I have to say goodbye to Sister Hough, she is needed somewhere else so I am getting a new companion! It's going to be an adventure, but I feel a lot of Peace about it. 

Some highlights from the week:

We had zone Conference! It was Elder Norton & I's first conference together so it was a treat :) we were able to receive great training & it always pushes me to work a bit harder and be a little better. 

One of the less active members we are working with has been through it all…bless her heart. We have been visiting her more frequently, which has been so good! The last couple of times she has just been sharing her story with us and we have been listening trying to squeeze in how much she needs the gospel right now. One lesson she felt the spirit so strong! She started laughing and crying and was like, ‘I didn't even feel the spirit this strong when I was baptised.’ She could feel Heavenly Father telling her that He still loves her & still is there. It was such an amazing experience. It showed us that we really just need to listen with love. She even came to church on Sunday which was the first time in years, she said she felt like she was coming home. I am so happy for her that she has been able to feel the difference in her life already! 

Huge tender merc this week. I was just feeling a bit down & overwhelmed and stressed because everyone keeps asking when I'm going home and what I'm going to do and everything.. bless. Literally like even people on the streets! I asked our zone leaders for a blessing because they were in our area and he said to meet him at the church. We get to the church and guess who pulls up with my zone leader a couple minutes later? Elder Norton!! Ahh I was so thankful and happy! We were able to have a good little chat and he said everything I needed to hear. It was a huge blessing. I am still in awe that we are in the same mission and even going home the same transfer! He gave me a blessing and I am amazed at the love I felt from Heavenly Father. In the blessing he said to do 3 things: 

1.       Look outwards

2.       Pray for the gift of charity

3.       Study Alma 7

As I studied Alma 7 this week, verses 11-13 talk about what Christ did for us, so He would know how to succour us. Elder Holland said succour means to run to or to give aid too. It made me think of all the finding we do everyday and how many doors we knock. Sometimes it gets frustrating because I know how amazing this gospel is but most people don't want anything to do with it or us. So I decided instead of just thinking about finding people to teach, I starting thinking about succouring people. Giving aid to them, lifting their burdens, and healing them just like Christ did. It helps me see "finding" in a different light and helps me have more motivation to help people. 

I am so thankful for the scriptures and for personal revelation. That is how Heavenly Father speaks to us & how we receive answers. I know He cares about each one of us and wants us to feel His love. I know as we try and be more like our Saviour and study the scriptures we can feel it. I am thankful for each challenge and each new adventure because that is how we grow & progress to live with Him again. 

Hope you all have a great week!

Sister Stevens 

Got to see Sister Cook <3

Rainy Day.  I love the rain so much!

my boots were 3 pounds #blessed

Pretty Darlington

Zone Conference with Elder Norton

New area!!!

Hiya fam! 

Wow another week has flown by, crazy how fast the time goes. I am enjoying my new area. 

It was an adjustment saying goodbye to some of my favourite missionaries and the Billingham ward 

and harder than I thought it would be but all is good now :) Monday night we had an activity

 with the Billingham missionaries and the recent converts to say goodbye and it was so fun!

 We played games, had a thought, and ate some food and hung out.

 I realised that I love these people so much and I am so thankful for the time

 I have been able to serve in Billingham. 

We spent a lot of the week travelling and taking sisters where they needed to go because 

we got to take the car to our area. It was fun to be with them and see some other parts of our mission. 

And I got to be with Sister Cook longer than I thought which was a huge plus :):) 

We even got to drive up to her new area and help them move into their new flat! 

Then we got fish and chips by the sea with some other missionaries and a senior elder :) Good mems! 

I have been able to meet lots of great people my first week here and I already feel 

SO much love for the people we are working with which is a huge blessing from Heavenly Father.

 We have been able to visit lots of members and help them with their missionary work. 

I think that is the hardest thing right now. We are working with a less active lady and her son who is 12.

 He is hopefully getting baptised at the end of the month. We have taught them a couple times this week

 and I love them so much! I can just see how their lives will change as he takes this step. 

We felt that we should move his date forward a week and when we did he was so excited!

 We also area working with a family, they have 2 daughters who are coming to youth night tomorrow 

night and they want me to cut their hair and get them ready for prom which will be so fun! 

They have a big interest in learning about the gospel which is amazing! 

Church this Sunday was just what I needed. I was feeling a bit emotional with the change and everything 

but during the sacrament and testimony meeting I felt the Spirit so strongly and I felt so much peace. 

I realised how important it is to go every week because it really makes the biggest difference! 

We had a great lesson in Relief Society about running the race of discipleship and a scripture 

was shared that I love. Its Hebrews 12:1, "let us lay aside every weight,

 and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." 

Crazy to think this could be my last area! I am excited to push through and do my best! 

I know great things are ahead :)

Hope you all have a great week!
Sister Stevens

New companion from South of England, Sister Hough
"when membs love us"

Last day with Sister Cook :(((

Outside our palace

Goodbyes

Goodbye to the best peeps ever :(

taking Sister Cook and Sister Rigby to North Shields! Cayden is her  zone leader now!!

New flat...she's a keeper ;)

Bless this week

Hiya fam!
Wow, what a week, seriously this has been the craziest week of my mission I think. 

So many things have happened I won't go into much detail about but I am so thankful 

for Sister Cook and that we were able to go through all this together.

But for starters, I am getting transferred! Sister Cook and I are both leaving Billingham. 

I am SO sad to be leaving Sister Cook! But I am excited for a new fresh start with a great comp :) 

Her name is Sister Hough and she is from Huntington, England. 

She just finished being trained so its gonna be so good. 

Last Monday night we decided we needed to move out of our house because of our neighbours. 

There have been quite a few problems and we did not feel safe. 

Luckily a family in our ward offered to let us live with them for a bit and it was truly such a blessing!

 They live in a little village, very beautiful and nice. We got to study outside in the backyard 

each morning looking out to a gorg english field. The weather has been SO nice, 

like almost too hot! I have quite the farmers tan goin on...
We woke up early to go running on forrest trails, 

it was a dream pretty much. The members really helped us feel so much love and feel at home. 

And they introduced us to some of their friends!!

We were able to do some service for some less actives, meet some great new people, 

and say goodbye to some of our fav peeps here in Billingham. 

There was one lady that really stuck out to me this week. 

She is catholic and has 7 kids and when she opened the door and let us in 

I was so amazed at how happy and faithful she is. She has been through a lot but her 

faith in Jesus Christ has really helped her through her challenges. 

I am so thankful to be a missionary and to become a better disciple of Christ. 

I am thankful for the tough times because it helps me appriciate the good so much more. 

The next 2 transfers are gonna be great :)

Hope you all have a great week!

Love, Sister Stevens 

Sister Cook and Sister Stevens last week together

farmers tan from our service project in 80 degree Sun!

LA teaching us how to crochet

a week at the Wicks

Goodbye to the Pikes :( faves

Goodbye to Dawn

Goodbye to Sister Mo :(
She has finished her mission as is headed back to South Africa

"Joy is a gift for the faithful"

Wow what a busy week! Sister Cook and I just looked back on our week and are grateful for everything we've been able to accomplish and learn. But man, we are exhausted. We had ward conference on Sunday and everything that was said was very inspiring but the most inspiring thing about the whole thing was our stake president's smile. He literally smiles all the time and it just makes me feel so happy when I see him, so this week Sister Cook and are going to work on our smiles :)

We saw a lot of members this week and were able to help them to think of some of their friends that they know could benefit from the gospel and showed them the Europe Area plan card. Its been a very helpful tool for the members to set goals for progression. We have also picked out the less active members in the ward who are in part member families. President has promised that this is where we will find the most success. So we've been trying by many of those families and have gotten in contact with great people, we will see the fruits!! 

We also knocked a lot of doors, probably more than I have knocked my whole mission! Its nice when we can talk and laugh in between, I love my companion :)

I was able to go on an exchange with Sister Mo!! It was the last one before she goes home next week :( She has taught me so much and has been a great example to me. We had lots of fun and relived some old mems from Hull. She really helped me see the progress I have made and the person I have become. 

President and Sister Turvey came to Billingham this week for interviews which is always a highlight! I l love them :) They both said they can't believe that Elder Norton and I go home the same transfer.. either can I!!! After interviews, we were on our way to our flat after trying by a former, and we noticed a man carrying grocery bags and them setting them down right by our fence. We ran over to help him, and at first he said thank you but that they were going to be too heavy for us (haha maybe for me but sister cook is muscle woman)  but we got talking for a few min about things. He's from Hungary but had been in the UK for close to 45 years. Great man. He decided he'd let us help carry his bags and we walked to his house. And we set an appointment to teach him! His wife has passed away and he has some great questions. I love when service opportunities arise and it leads to an investigator. We taught him and man does he love to talk. Haha taught him again and scheduled him for baptism on the 23rd of June:) yay! At the beginning of the lesson, he said he had no need to go to church and that baptism was great but not necessary- but by the use of the book of Mormon and the spirit guiding our words, we were able to resolve his concerns. It was a very cool expereince! By the end of the lesson he told us he would come to church on Sunday and we could baptise him then haha!! If only it worked like that:)

This week I have been learning a lot about repentance. I have seen and felt a difference as I have in my prayers each night looked back on the day and repented for the things I have done that aren't the best, or that I should've done. I have really noticed a change in the way I feel throughout the day and my attitude. Its been amazing! Something that I have been working on is to have more meaningful and uplifting sacraments. I had a very powerful experience as I took the sacrament on Sunday. I feel it is because of constantly repenting even for the small things and because I really pondered and thought about Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for that sacred ordinance we are able to have each week. 

Time is flying and I am enjoying my mission more and more! Hope you all have a great week :)
love,
Sister Stevens

After an exchange, these are the things Sister Mo said about Lisel:

Things we love about Sister Stevens 

1.      Very submissive to the will of God!! 

2.      Very persistent in finding people to teach, talk to everyone --> when you spot the person you go for them.

3.      You are so great at bearing testimony and personal experiences during lessons!! It makes you very human.

4.      You have such a great tolerance of people from everywhere!! Honestly this is your most unique gift. Because of it you get along with literally everyone. 

5.      You are not judgemental of the people you serve and serve with. 

6.      You are very patient with the Lord!! How about you've been in physical pain forever?

7.      You are always willing to improve!! 

"Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost." 

You are a successful missionary because you are COMMITTED to find, teach and baptise  more of the converted! Thank you for your example! Sister Cook needs you!! 

Work on: finding-- find their magnet to the gospel, point of interest  

 

Lisel said, "Sister Mo is so nice"<3

ice skating for P-day!

A member made this for me!!!  SO CUTE

A Mother's Day boost :)

Roseberry Toppings Pday Hike

It was so windy we thought we were going to blow off

Ice cream after :)

Hiya fam! 

Hope all you mothers had a great Mother's Day! It was the best being able to speak and see my family! I could not be more grateful for their love, support, and examples. They gave me a little boost to finish the next 3 months strong! 

This week has been good! Lots of ups and downs as usual. 

The work has been a bit slower as far as investigator wise so we have been doing a lot of knocking. We have had some good conversations and we will keep searching to find the one! We know as we continue to work hard we will be lead to those who are prepared. I have noticed when I am talking to people that sometimes I feel like its not even me talking. I have noticed so strongly that when we just open our mouths the Spirit will help us to know what to say. 

A funny thing that happened while we were knocking the other day. We knocked one side of the street and then went onto the other side. This really old lady opened the door and was like "I saw you talking to my boyfriend across the street" (he was probably in his 20s) and then she says. "If you keep talking to him I will scratch your eyes out." Haha we were dying, it was hilarious.

We are trying harder to really help the members. To strengthen them and help them with their missionary responsibilities. I really enjoy talking to each of them and getting to know them better. I have felt so much love for them as we have listened to their experiences. One less active couple that we are working with are so great, we love visiting them! Sister Cook and I both feel like we have a connection with them. We were having a lesson this week and we were just talking about things that they enjoy or like about the church and she was able to recall a spiritual experience she had when her dad passed away. When she shared it with us she got emotional and said since then she has always known their is an afterlife and that helped her understand more about the Plan of Salvation. It was incredible. When we are able to recall spiritual experiences they help strengthen our testimonies so much and help us remember that we do have one.

I am so thankful to be serving with Sister Cook! We have had a blast together and I don't remember the last time I have laughed this hard. It makes everything more fun. Its so natural to teach and talk to people. We have been reading the scriptures together each morning before planning to help invite the spirit more and I have loved it. I am so grateful! Its definitely been an inspired transfer. I would be totally fine to just finish here with her. 

I read Alma 44:4 this week and it really stuck out to me. "God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto out faith, and our religion.." I know that when we trust our Heavenly Father and put our faith in Him, He will help us through our struggles and bring us out on top. 

This morning we went on the prettiest hike called Roseberry Toppings. The tallest hill in the area! Lets just say I'm a bit out of shape so it was a good workout. We got to see the English country side from above and it was gorgeous. And the wind almost blew us off the hill.

Things are going good and time is flying. I am so thankful to be here and to have this once in a life time experience. 

Love, 

Sister Stevens 

ps Keep seeking out the ONE!! :)

Our last face time call with Sister Stevens!
100 days left!!