Hey Everyone!

So as you know transfers are this week.. I am staying and my companion is leaving me. I will miss her, but I am excited to make more friendships here on the mission! I have just loved each of my companions(: 

This week there has been many miracles! We got some awesome people we are going to start working with from this Nativity event that the stake had put together! They decorate the entire building and set up rooms filled with nativity sets! There was about 500 nativity sets throughout the building, I will send some pictures(: It was such an awesome activity, it really softened the hearts of those who came and tried it out. They realized we weren't crazy people, but we are normal and they felt the spirit in the building. There were also more non-members then members that had showed up too! So cool!

 Also there was a member family that sister Driesel was a little nervous to work with, but we started working with them anyways and it was so awesome! We built our relationship with their family so much last night! I just love them, and they offered their home to us for whenever we need to teach a lesson! I just love members!

 Then we have an investigator, originally from Jamaica, that we have been working with to be baptized on the 20th. The way we were able to find her was through one of the members daughters too! The Pratts little girl McKayla (6yrs old) Was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up in school, and said she wanted to be a missionary. Everyone started asking what a missionary was, and she just started sharing the gospel with all of them in class! We were able to start meeting with one of the little girls families from that and that is how we met Allison our investigator working towards the 20th to be baptized! She is already planning on her daughter getting baptized next year when she turns 8! Miracles are seriously just happening everywhere!! I am just loving missionary work! Its hard, but well worth it! I love the people in Muncie so much! 

Love always,

Sister Stokes 

Candy Poster I made :)

 view from outside our home in morning(:

 me and elder Anderson from a couple weeks ago!!

 Am I Elsa now? haha

 Indiana Hoosier.. haha

 my bed with grandmas pillowcase she sent me!!

 One of our miracle night with this awesome member, Tiffany

December 1st

Errrrrrbody clap your hands! 

We've been having miracles off the hook this week! It has truly been fabulous! But first of all... Man! There is so many things that have happened this week! Congrats to Tyson and Brittany with the 3rd little munchkin on the way!!! :D I am so excited! Amanda and Melissa had their talks this past Sunday.. definitely opposite ends of the spectrum though.. haha. And I feel like there was something else.. but I can't remember, Oh well. Man does time fly by though. I can't believe its already December! The count-down begins to Christmas! Oh have you seen the new mormon message?! Its called "He is the gift." As missionaries we got a little sneak peak before it was released this week!(: Hehe. But I heard on Friday they played it all over time square in New York!!! They rented out all of the billboards there! That is just the coolest thing! The works hastening on. 

Thanksgiving was a blast this week! I am surprised I didn't get homesick, but that was definitely a blessing from on high. We went to 2 members thanksgivings. The first one was more of a thanksgiving lunch with a TON of the Shroyers family in the church Gym to fit everyone. We played some volleyball afterwards, it was so much fun! The funny thing was is that they were playing Christmas music/country Christmas music for their background sound.. haha. But I guess it is never too early to start Christmas! :D Then we went to another member home, the Pratts, for their Thanksgiving. Can I just say, I LOVE THE PRATTS SO MUCH! Sister Pratt is just the sweetest member ever! I feel like we are just life-long friends. Love her to death(: 

Okay so for the miracles.. We saw a less-active sister, Sister Burke, and she has had the hardest time with prayer. Sister Driesel told me that it has been over 6 months since anyone has been able to get her to say a prayer, and she feels like it probably has been even longer than that. Well we went over there on Thursday and watched the restoration with her, which she said she had never seen before, and the spirit was so strong! We Talked a lot about the prayer that he had and the spirit definitely was touching her heart. When we committed her to pray before we left she said no. Flat out no, which she always did in the past too.  I was so surprised though! I thought for sure that she would, because of how strong the spirit in the room was. But then I had the impression to share the scripture in Matthew 13:25-31 about Peter walking on water, and how saying that prayer would be taking that leap of faith but the Lord is not going to let you sink. the moment you start to fall he will pick you back up. She felt like her prayer was going to sound stupid. Well after we shared that scripture and talked about it she went straight into a prayer! I have never felt my joy overflow like it did that night! I can't even explain to you how happy I was for her. I just love that lady so much! Well that was just one of the many miracles this week! I am just so grateful to be a missionary at this time to help the Lord hasten his work, because man oh man is it hastening! Well have a great week everyone, love you all!

Love always,

Sister Steffani Stokes(:

November 24th

Hey Everyone!!

This week we were able to do lots of fun things! We went from Meeting the major on Tuesday, to learning more about family history at an activity, to doing service with the major/boy-scouts/firefighters! It has been super fun and super awesome!

I think I wrote about this last week.. but I guess I will write how it went. So I spoke on Sunday with Elder Barfuss (ZL), President Porter, and Sister Porter. It was just a smidgen scary.. but it was an awesome experience! So The whole week before I was terrified and I would get anxious just thinking about it. But I was trying to prepare the whole week, because there was no way I was getting up there not knowing what I was doing. Side Note: I always write out every single word out of what I am going to be saying so I don't mess up. especially since this would only be my 2nd talk ever given in sacrament meeting. However, This week I decided I wanted to test my faith. Instread of writing it all out I wrote it bullet point style. It was so awesome. So 5 minutes to the meeting I almost ran away(Haha.. jk.. not really.. almost) But I get up there rightwhen they start. By this time I am physically shaking. As soon as they pass out the sacrament bread I start feeling better. Then when I got the water I got a complete calming sensation come over me. I was just sitting there and I had no fear to give my talk! It was the coolest thing! I ended up getting up there and talking for about 15 minutes, I planned to be talking for 5-10 minutes. I just could have gone all day! The whole time the spirit was giving me the words to say up there! I just didn't want to get down! Haha. But I know that the sacrament is the putting the spirit more in my life. I know that by taking the sacrament I am applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life. Its so important that we take it every single week! We are only hurting ourselves when we are not there taking of the great blessings it holds. But The atonement is also the enabling power that Christ gives us. So I was enabled to get up there and speak forever. I may have only given my mission President about 5 minutes to speak.. opps.. lol. Oh and I sang come follow me in my talk too without music. It was awesome, the spirit was awesome!

Well I hope all of you have a fantabulous week! Love Y'all!

Love Always,

Sister Steffani Stokes

November 17th

Hey everyone!

This week has been muy loco! Man I can't even begin to explain how crazy it has been. But first of all, Holy Guacamole! Amanda is home! She was at the airport with 'me!' That is so cool! Haha. Oh and I saw you Jason, hiding out in the corner behind your poster! Haha. That looked like so much fun there! 

This week has been crazy though because we had so many AWESOME meetings!! Friday we had a Mission Tour conference with Elder Wilford W. Anderson of the 2nd quorum of the 70's! President and sister Porter were there too, of course. lol. But that mtg lasted all day! It was so good! It went from 9:45am-5:00pm. Then we had dinner and went on splits with other sisters from fort wayne and came back to the church for a missionary fireside that started at 7. That went till the end of the night. President Porter, Sister Porter, Elder Anderson, and some temple workers were there speaking to us. Then saturday was our stake conference and they all spoke to us again! Then Sunday stake conference they all spoke to us, plus our stake president Burdett! Man it was so great! I feel like I just know Elder Anderson now! We are Bff's! ;D But next Sunday President Porter is coming to our ward to speak in sacrament for some reason. They asked me if I would speak with him... Ahhh! I am definitely a little nervous.. lol. But its only about 10 minutes, so I can do it! 

Well That was definitely the highlight for this week. Love you all! Go out and spread the great word we live!

Love always,

Sister Steffani Stokes

 after a rushed hr of raking.. its definitely 

feeling like break time!

 behind the gigantic pile!!

 i made a candy poster for sister driesels birthday

Kentucky Photos :)

 Raking Rays(I) yard. this is in Kentucky.. sorry its so late

 stopped for a selfie

 went for a run in the rain!