Tex Mex - Love It!!!

Hey everyone! How are you?

This past week was a very interesting week of trials, but that has to
happen sometimes. It was one of the tougher weeks of my mission. We
had two great solid baptisms lined up for yesterday both youth a girl
17, and a boy 17, but from different families. Tuesday we had great
lessons with both of them and had set up plans for them to go to an
activity Wednesday. Wednesday came and the ride for the guy couldn't
pick him up. We told the member to text the investigator and tell him.
But it had slipped the member's mind and we got a sad text from the
investigator Wednesday night. He said he didn't want to come to church
anymore or anything. We asked him why and he said because this was the
second time he got bailed on by someone from the church. We tried
talking to him, but he kept saying no and he didn't want to hear it. We
tried calling him and passing by him lots of times the next day but he
kept ignoring us and telling us to leave him alone. He was upset
because it was the second time he had been bailed on by this member,
and he had been waiting out for him all night. It killed us because it
was something so easily avoided. It was our fault and it hurts inside.
It's crazy how bad it hurts. This guy was awesome, but we are going to
keep trying and praying for a miracle.

On top of that, Wednesday night our other investigator (girl) was
getting dropped off after the activity. Her parents came out and got
mad at her and started yelling at her and stuff. She didn't want to be
there, so she started to walk to her friends house. A big hassel came
and she went to a mental hospital because of some problems she was
having. We were devastated. She wasn't supposed to get out until
today. We tried to go visit her and stop by her house and get a hold
of her but we couldn't. Sunday came around and we still hadn't heard
from her. Until around 12:30 when she called and said how she was out
of the hospital. She was devastated because she thought she couldn't
be baptized. But she asked us if she still could and we said of
course, and set things up and had the baptism. The baptism was great
and very spiritual. Her sister came and gave her support, who isn't a
member. It was a great miracle we had seen from the Lord.

But that miracle didn't happen till Sunday, and so the whole week we
were worried thinking about these two people and it made for a tough
week. On top of that, we had lots of things cancel and a guy we were
working with tell us he wanted to wait for a while for his baptism.
For some reason the Lord has been testing us. As well, the zone has
struggled this past month and we are coming short of our goal. It hurts
inside.

But some good news and a good spiritual story. Monday all of our
lessons had fallen through. We were going by some part-member families,
but they were falling through as well. As we were walking to our car,
we decided to talk to the people outside. The first few people didn't
want to listen. But then there was a girl sitting outside. At first we
were reluctant because she was a younger girl. But I said we need to
go  talk to her. So we went. She was super interested and then her mom
came out. He mom told us they had been listening to the missionaries
before in a different city. She said one day they just stopped coming
by. We talked a little and set up a return. We went by the next day
and met the dad and had a good lesson with him and the daughter. We
set bds with both of them. Then the next day we went back and talked
with them, plus the mom and the other son. We had a great lesson
and set bds with them. Then Friday we had a great lesson with all of
them and their older son and set a bd with him. We brought lots of
members and had great lessons. They are all preparing to be baptized
together as a family. We are super excited for them. Only three of
them came to church yesterday, but we have a lesson with them today
and it's going down!

That really helped pick up our spirits. As well, we had a great
spiritual lesson with this guy we met from a member's family. We had
taught him and invited him to be baptized, but he was super iffy about
it. He had come to church last week which was good and already paid
his tithing. Then Wednesday we went by to see him and had a great lesson with
him. We talked more about baptism and he was still iffy, so we decided
to take it to the Lord. We knelt down, explained the spirit and had
him pray. He asked the Lord if he should be baptized on the 18th of
September. After he prayed, the spirit was so strong and as we
invited him to be baptized he said "of course I will, I can't deny the
answer I'm getting from the Lord right now". It was a great lesson.

Overall the week ended with great miracles, but still one of the
tougher weeks of my mission. It proves that the Lord blesses those who
keep working and keep working hard. Miracles come according to our
faith in all things. The Lord is a God of miracles, don't ever forget!

I love you all,
-Elder Stone

Heat Index of 123 in South Texas!!!

This week was a great week. I've once again learned the importance and power in a fast and the importance of great fellowship. We are teaching this young woman. She is about seventeen and has had a problem with depression and different issues in her life. She was adopted and she doesn't have the best relationship with her parents. She has a care taker lady that watches over her, but it’s really sad to see because all the lady does is talk bad about her and her sister. It really tears them down. But she had a humbling experience a while back and really opened up to the gospel. She accepted a bd and has been working hard towards her date. We had a great family pick her up for church and ever since then they have bonded a ton. She has been to church a bunch now and had good times with the family and their 23 yr old daughter. The other night she committed to the baptism and then got in a huge fight with her parents. Usually she would have gone and drank, but she felt the need to text us. She also called the member family. About two min later the member family called us and said "elders we just wanted to tell you that the young woman got kicked out of her house and we are going to pick her and her sister up." They went that night and the girls stayed at the member's house. They bonded a ton and went out to the movies the next day. We were also struggling on getting the young woman’s mom and dad to sign the baptismal record. We talked to the member family about that and the mom of the members wanted to come help. Well yesterday in the evening, she called us and told us she got the paper signed for us. She had talked with the girl’s mom and had bonded with her and she gave permission. It was great.  As well, we are teaching this guy G. He’s been to church with us about five times now, but he’s super busy during the week and so it’s been tough to be able to teach him. He’s supposed to get baptized this weekend and we still have a lot to go over. We were planning to go over the restoration and Joseph Smith yesterday and we were worried cuz he had a problem with that before. So we fasted for him and yesterday right before church ended we pulled him out and had the lesson. The lesson went so great. He understood everything and basically taught us. The spirit was super strong and he's super excited for his baptism on Sunday. He's super solid. We are super amped!

All five of the girls who we baptized last week got confirmed yesterday. It was stressful cuz they almost missed it. They walked in right a second before we sang the sacrament song. The bishopric stalled and the girls were all confirmed yesterday. It was great. I confirmed two and Elder Simmons did the others. It was a great day. We also still had five people at church. We found this super cool kid R. He was super legit and we set a bd with him first lesson., The lesson was good and we committed him to church and everything. He said he'd come and we were super amped! We called him a bunch in the morning but he never picked up. Then after church he called us and said he had shown up at church in the morning, but when he walked in only wearing a regular shirt and jeans, he was embarrassed and left. Such a bummer. And that was our fault, but he has plans to come this next week so we are amped!

Sorry this is shorter, time is up! I love you all a lot!

-Elder Stone

Greetings from the Hurricane Zone - Not!

Hey Mom and Dad and Chelsea and Matthew and everyone else,(love you all)

This past week was great! We saw tons of miracles. Fasting is a great thing that the Lord lets us do. It really has helped me to understand who knows best and what's most important in life. There was big talk of a tropical storm coming in. They said it was going to hit the valley directly. We all were prepared with 72-hr kits and all, but nothing came. Just some dark clouds and a little rain. So it was a big scare for nothing, but still fun. So you always ask about new investigators. We should be finding seven new people a week, that is the standard that President Trayner has given us. We've been struggling a little and we usually find around five or six. But the good thing about this is that these people are usually very prepared. We've had great lessons with them and have been able to set bds with almost all of them.

So we saw one huge miracle with a family we are teaching. The Dad is a less active memeber, or was. And it's the same family that we fasted for to get parent permission. So, as of last Sunday and Monday, only the three older girls were going to get baptized, not the two younger ones. They didn't feel ready and they wanted to wait a few months or years first. We were bummed because we wanted the family to do it all togheter. But we prayed a lot for them and fasted for them and went over Tuesday to have a lesson. We brought a member who is an awesome member. He threw down for us! All the girls had been interviewed and only the three youngest girls were there for this lesson at first. At first the older one who was supposed to get baptized said she was worried and all this stuff. Brother G went and talked with her and cleared up all her doubts and made her know she's ready. The spirit was strong. Then he started talking to them, the two younger girls who didn’t want to be baptized yet. He talked with them about why and stuff and talked with them about why they should. He taught in parables, which is how we see success teaching. He related it to a trip to Sea World and how they wouldn't wait for that if he had free tickets to go now. The rest of the family came home in between all this, and Brother G was throwing down with everyone. The lesson came to an end and he asked, who is getting baptized on Sunday? The three older girls all said they were and then he looked at the other sister, and said what about you? and she goes "Yo Tambien" (me too) and I was shocked and amazed, and then he asked the other, and she said "yo tambien". I smiled so huge and almost started to cry. We had truly seen another miracle, even the other girls were talking like "wow she is doing it too, and stuff." We asked the Dad, he asked them again and they said yes and he signed the paper. It was amazing to see the Lord work with his children.  I remember half way through the lesson saying a silent prayer asking the Lord to soften their hearts, and He did. Then they all came to church yesterday. They usually come in normal clothes, but yesterday they all put on there fancy dresses and looked great. At their baptism, as we were waiting to start, the younger kids kept coming up to us and saying "I want to get baptized, baptize me." And we told them they had to wait a few more years. But it was amazing.

As well our great friend, “E” was baptized saturday. It was great, and he had asked me to confirm him in church the following day. It was a great blessing. My first time in Spanish, and the Lord worked the same way as He does in English. It was great, and afterward “E” stood up and shook our hands and hugged us. It was great.

We also finally had some people come to English yesterday! It was awesome - we are teaching two people in English and they both came and loved church and should be getting baptized on the 21 of August. Super amped!

So, transfers are coming up and they are going to be splitting our area. As far as we know, we are both staying here, so that'll be good. We are excited to get working. We are having tons of changes done in the zone so it'll be good. We had a goal of 18 for August, it will make us stretch, but we can do it with the Lord's help.

I love you all
-Elder Stone