Hey Everyone!!

This week has been so great!! To be honest It has been really hard as well. I have been really sick for the past 2 weeks. Along with the elders in our ward! It makes it so much better when you have people that are sick with you, so that when something funny is said you're not the only one coughing uncontrollably.. Its been a blast! haha. We just have been laughing it off. Finally it got so bad for each of us that we finally had to go into urgent care. The elders were told that they both had sinus infections. I was told that I had a sinus infection, 2 ear infections, one of which ruptured. The other one she said was about to rupture.. and it did. Missionary work consists of teaching with your voice, and listening with your ears to find the need of those you are teaching. Hmmm.. and I could hardly do either of those. But no worries, I got a blessing. I have been really positive about it too. I may of prayed for something like this to happen too. I have been getting worried since I am coming home really soon. So I prayed to learn as much as I can these next couple of weeks. What better way to learn faster than to be a missionary doing everything wile being super sick!

JEREMY GOT BAPTIZED!!! I wish all of you could have been at his baptism! It was so spiritual! His testimony he bore after his baptism was so powerful too! He talked about how his faith has increased so much the past month since meeting with us. He said that he has changed so much! His last statement in his testimony was, "I will be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints until I am no more." The spirit flooded the room with that! He is so amazing, and the Lord really did prepare him before we even said one work to him! He invited one of his friends, Robert, to come to his baptism. He was there when we taught Jeremy the Restoration the first time. However he showed no interest then. However at his baptism on Saturday I had asked him what he thought and felt at the baptism. He said,"The only time I have ever felt the way I felt today was at my dads funeral." He talked about how he could feel the presence of his dad at the funeral. We are going to start teaching him the lessons this week! This Sunday Jeremy was also confirmed. He told us that the past couple of days have been the best couple days of his life! His parents and friends are not supportive. Neither is his pastor that he is so close to at the baptist church. But he moved forward with faith and did it anyways! We actually went to the baptist church with him and he introduced us to his pastors! He told each of them that we were the sister missionaries that he had been talking to, and also said that we have played an enormous role in his faith increasing dramatically the past couple of weeks! Obviously we could sense that we were not loved by them as much as Jeremy loved us.. He invited one of his pastors to come to church with him that day to witness him receiving the gift of the holy ghost. Straight-a-way his pastor said no. Jeremy told him it wasn't for a couple of hours. The pastor quickly said, "I will see what I can do.." Then walked away without hesitation. Sometimes I just wonder why we can't all get along. I guess we kind of took one of their members away from them though.. but if they would all open their hearts then we could finally be one big huge happy family again at Christs church! That is Gods plan. That is why we are gathering his sheep. 

Oh in a previous lesson this week with Jeremy. We talked to him about missionary work and service in the church. We committed him to be a missionary.. in the sense of stand up for what you believe in, and be willing to open your mouth and share with those around you. You know what his reply was? "Well... Its going to be really hard for me. Especially to leave my family for 2 whole years.. but I will try my best!" What?!? He committed to be a full-time missionary before he was even baptized!!! So cool! Man the Lord really answers prayers. #elect

This weeks really has been so great! I am so thankful to be a missionary at the most wicked point the world has been at. I am so grateful that God loves me so much to call me to do this for Him for 18 months. It has changed my life. I am forever in His debt for what he has done for me. All I was trying to do was give a little tiny bit back to him for all the blessing I already had in my life. However he just poured down even more blessings as soon as I accepted the call! He is a perfect loving heavenly Father! I am so blessed.

Love always,

Sister Steffani Stokes<3