Prospero Ano Nuevo

Hola mi familia y mis amigos.  Les quiero mucho.

This week was so great! CHRISTMAS!!! gotta love it.

I went on my first two exchanges as sister training leader! So fun.. We have the best sisters in our zone.  First one I was in the same area but english with Sister Thao.  She is mong, from wisconsin. but her family is from Laus.  She speaks mong.  And it was so awesome being with her! we had a great day.  Then my second one was with Sister Tadevosyan.  She is from Armenia.  She speaks armenian, russian, georgian, and farsian.  and now on her mission she is learning english.  Sooo amazing. She is amazing and it was so cool to be with her and learn about armenian culture.  We were in San bruno and south san fran for the day.  Really, we have the greatest sisters.  I love them all! I love exchanges.  

Me and my dear companion had a great christmas! Christmas eve was the best! we got invited to a christmas party.. the ramirez family.  Yeah it was there whole extended family.  Which, I'm not joking, is like half the ward.  SOO many people.  But it was so amazing because I felt like i was at a stokes or major party!! it felt like i wasn't missing out on anything.  I am soo grateful to the ramirez for inviting us over.(: It was fun, Hyrum was just talking to us about his mission stories.  We were all laughing so hard.  They are so loving to us missionaries.  So yeah. That made my week.

Then Christmas was so great too! we went and had breakfast at the baileys with the elders too.  We had so much fun.  I love the Baileys.  They are definitely a blessing in my life. It's great having grandparents in the mission.(:

We went to the temple yesterday! I finally saw the lights!! IT was so awesome.  Our investigators, the hernandez, came! their names are rosio, guadelupe, then the kids are haylie, angel, and jesus.  They came and loved it! our RC minnie also came.  It was so great and a miracle that we could go.  We were so happy..  also.. while I was there there was a concert going on. Guess who was singing? dad, your cousin, melanie.  I saw the whole wheuler family.  But they were sitting down watching the concert so I didn't want to interupt them, plus we had to go.  But Jim did see me and say hi.  It was cool. yay for family.  Melanie did amazing, please tell her that for me. (:

Okay sorry that there isn't much.. that really is just all that happened this week. but thank you for everything you all do!! merry christmas!! i love you all! happy new year!  

be ready for a tonnnn of pictures. its my gift to you.(:

It was awesome to Skype with the family:

This is anto.  We eat at her house once a week.. yeah she is the cutest thing on this planet.

Our district on Christmas

exchange with sister thao! 

so funny story.... our christmas dinner got cancelled... and every single restaurant in san mateo was closed.. so what did we do? went to wallgreens and bought pizza. hahahah memories! gotta love it.

zone conference and armadillo willies with ricardo.(: and transfer day with the baileys.

 old but zone conference and thanksgiving ward party.

-christmas breakfast.(: and our crowns from elder wallace. we did some england traditions. it was fun.

 The BEAUTIFUL Oakland Temple

Feliz Navidad(:

Dearest Friends and Family,

Feliz navidad!!! yay!!! Christmas is this week! I am so happy.

First off... I need to tell you... so there was a mix up and last Tuesday, transfer day, we figured out we were actually moving to Sister Corbitts apt.  So I now live in south San Mateo.  I don't have the address, so please just send everything to the mission home from now on until I figure out our address.  I know I wasn't able to let you know.. so I know things might have been sent to my old apartment.  WEll other missionaries live there so hopefully I will be able to get those things.  But if you sent something to my bayshore apartment, please let me know so that I can keep track of everything! but yes! please send everything else to the mission home.(:

So yeah, Tuesday was pretty crazy. and it was pouring rain. yeah fun day of packing and moving. But i love my new apartment.(: It's big! haha its weird living in a big apartment.  But yeah.  This week was great!! It's fun covering two areas! Since we are combining the areas for good, we have a lot of work to do.  and our area is now  HUGE. we cover all of San mateo, foster city, and burlingame. yep thats three cities.  its crazy! but its good.  We have had a great week. i like this area.(:

Being Sister Training Leader will be cool too.  I know I am going to learn so much, I already have! I love it! tonight we are going to start our first exchange. I'm excited.  It's fun being STL because we all of the sudden have fun new responsibilities! Like Thursday we got a call from president telling us to come to Oakland.  We had to go and each of us had to drive these two sisters home.  Because sister Tadevosyan in our zone is from armenia and is training. and she can't drive.  but her trainy sister vejnar is from colorado and did not want to drive through san francisco first time driving in cali.. ha she wanted to watch someone first (makes perfect sense. driving here is scary.) so I got to drive with sister Vejnar and show her the ropes of driving in San Francisco.  Plus i got to spend a couple of hours with a new missionary in california traffic! It was so great!! I love her.  New missionaries are the greatest.  And I really was just glad to help.  I think that is what I am goign to love about this calling most.  I love helping people especially president meredith and these sisters.. I think thats the coolest part of being STL.  We not only get to help all these members and non members, but we get to help the sisters in our zone and be there for them.  I don't know all these sisters yet, but I already love them sooo much.  Plus I have the best zone.  Because our stake, the San Francisco stake, has like 4 english wards, 4 tongan wards, and 2 spanish wards.  so two spanish districts, one tongan district, and one english district.  So it will be fun go on exchanges with all these people.(:  So yeah, life is good.(:

We went to a new leader training on Friday, and I got to see sister Cefalo!! Ah I loved it! and the training was really good.  It's good that we have these things to make us better leaders.(:  

We had a Christmas party on friday for the ward!! Oh my goodness it was so fun.  I will attach pictures.  the kids were adorable.  They did the nativity.  And they had Santa come which was the best. They bought gifts for all the kids since a lot of these kids don't have much.  It was soo cool to see the kids were so happy!!!

I think that's about it... I love my new companion!!! she is from Gilbert, Arizona.  She is so awesome.  This is her last transfer so it's great being with someone with a lot of experience.(:  I love teaching with her!

I'm sorry this email is so lame, I really just don't know what to say.  But Maria is still doing great.  She is out of town for two weeks in Idaho visiting her family.  So we are praying that she will continue reading the book of mormon and be ready to continue when she comes back.

I hope you all have a merry Christmas.  Christmas really is amazing.  I love it so much.  I know this church is true.  God really did send his only begotten son for US.  Because he loves us.  Jesus Christ is our savior.  What can you give him for his birthday?  I hope we can all share this wonderful restored gospel as a gift to our savior.  I also hope we can serve others to show him our love. mosiah 2:17.  

I love you all so much! have an amazing week! thank you for all your support and love during these holidays! It is so amazing!!! I am so blessed to have you all.

Hermana Stokes

More fotos of my last district.  Love them!!

And I got to see Hermana Cefalo, my dear trainer, at training last week.  I love her. (:

TRANSFERS.... WHAT IS LIFE.

hi friends and family.

first off, im sorry im on so late today. we had breakfast at the baileys and then as our last p day together me and Hermana Hilton went to san fran(:

so I guess I just spoiled something for you.

Are you ready for my transfer?

Well... I'm staying... but theres a twist.... El camino b and a are combining to be one area. I will be with sister Corbitt as SISTER TRAINING LEADER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have known since Wednesday... and well you can say I haven't slept or ate since then.  I have literally been freaking out.  You guys don't understand.. So here in this mission... it is basically unheard of to be STL this young. Especially in a language program!!!! I was not expecting it AT ALL.  oh my heck.  When President Meredith called me last Wednesday night... I freaked out.  I actually am still in shock. AHHHH. everyone pray for me. Because I am so scared! But I know the lord has a plan.  For those of you who don't know what sister training leader means... It's the Leadership position for the sisters.  I will be over the San Francisco zone.  I will teach trainings at zone trainings and zone conferences (yikes)  I will be a part of mission leadership phone calls and meetings (weird) and I will go on exchanges with all the sisters in the zone.(this part I am both excited and nervous for, I get to go see different language programs and different areas in san fran!)  but yeah.  That will be my life.  I am still in shock.  But. I know the Lord has a plan, and I am super excited.(:  Me and Hna Hilton are sad we are getting split up. She is going to Hayward. But it will be great.(:  The thing I am most excited for is that I know this transfer I am going to learn sooo much.  It's Sister Corbitts last transfer, So I am going to kill someone! haha weird.  But I am so excited to learn so much from her and from being STL.(: It is going to be a great one.

Sorry I don't have much time since we went to San fran, but this week was good!  WE had Christmas Zone Conference!!!!! ahhh it was soo fun.  haha seriously the best.  We had some great trainings, I learned a ton.  Then we had a big normal American Christmas dinner made for us by some ward members!!!! it was the most delicious food ive eaten in a long time.  I was so happy.  We also played white elephant as a zone.  Seriously the day was so great and it made me love Christmas so much.

Christmas on the mission is the best.  I so far have gotten letters from our mission president, stake presidency, and the presidency of the church!!! its amazing how much support goes out to us missionaries around the holidays.  I love it so much.  It's weird that this is my only Christmas here.

So today was my second time driving in San fran.  I would just like you guys to know... I think after driving there I can drive anywhere. haha its fun.  but yeah we went to japan town and pier 39. fun stuff.

So yep, sorry that this is so short!I'm going to send a bunch of pictures though! so be ready!!! love you all so much!! remember, the lord has a plan for us all.  The church is true!!!!

Hermana Stokes

oh and yeah, I won't be moving, so its still the same address.(:

Also, for packages around the holidays... I'm thinking it might be safer to send to the mission home.  if you need that address let me know.  The senior couples go pick up all the packages on Christmas eve and bring it to us so that we have them by chrismtas. So just send it to the mission home and I will get it on time.(:  I just don't want anything getting stolen!

LOVE YOU ALL. 

I wanted to show you all of our Christmas Trees.  Thanks for my Mom and Dad for sending the fixings for a candy tree!

Here is a photo of Hermana Hilton and I in Japan Town - It rained a ton so we were soaked.

And finally a pic of our Christmas Zone Conference - so fun!!

It's a Monday

HI FAMILY.

Well. I'm gonna be honest. This week was a slow week of everyone cancelling on us.  So we walked around a lot. But we still saw miracles! It's crazy. Because in this mission teaching can be really hard.. but even on hard weeks the littlest things happen and they are just the biggest miracles.  I love it.  We get so excited over just accidently calling someone and ending up with an appointment.(:

This week I really gained a testimony of how important members are in lessons.  Oh my goodness so you remember my miracle story of maria last week? well she is a miracle every day. Oh my heck I love her.  Anyway. So we taught her on Monday and we were planning on teaching her the restauracion.... I honestly don't know how to spell that in English right now.. anyway.  So we have been trying to have more member present lessons lately which is hard in this area. but we were like lets bring a member with us! and we called a member that we have never asked before.  She came and worked miracles!!!! ahhh Hermana America is the best.  She changed maria's life with her testimony. and she really made what we were saying so much more true.  The spirit was testifying like crazy. and then she was just like hey so I can pick you up for church this weekend are you coming?  and maria hesitated and America was like no you need to come if you want to find out if its true. so ill pick you up at 930.  haha me and my comp were in shock. and maria agreed to come!!!!! It has never ever been that easy to get an investigator to come. and I can tell you that im 99 % sure she wouldn't have come if it wasn't for a member inviting her.  Then Friday when she missed her appointment she was like its okay though I will see you at church on sunday! and we were like um yes. and then Saturday we stopped by and were able to teach her and she started out the lesson saying. "im just like jose smith, searching for what church I should join." oh my goodness golden. then we had an amazing lesson about the plan of salvation. which she asked tons of questions and loved.  Then she came to church yesterday!!!!! we haven't talked too much about it yet but I think she really liked it. she was so awesome! in sunday school she got up and introduced herself and said the same thing, that she is like joseph smith. and the ward members were so awesome in welcoming her! ahh man I could go on and on with talking about this sweet lady. I love her sooo much!! She truly has the desires to find which church to join.  I really hope she receives her answer soon.

Soo yeah. That's really all I have to talk about. Haha I had exchanges this week with Hermana Corbitt.  She is in my district so it was weird because I already know her, I'm not used to that. haha but we stayed in the area. It was fun!

I loved this week so much.  I love this work so much.  Actually, missionary life is just the best.  I don't know if I ever want to stop.  Ahh I love it.  The church is true everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the Christmas Devotional last night as much as I did.  Let us not forget Who the true gift of Christmas is.  Keep sharing the He is the Gift video!!! It really is amazing.  I love this gospel.

I hope you all have a great week!!

Hermana Stokes

The pictures.. we went to the mall last Monday. apparently California is cooler because they have a whole tree not just a leaf frozen yogurt place. hahaha. and also, this is us in front of the cute Christmas dear.(: 17 days till Christmas!!!!!(: you can say we are pretty excited.  we have transfer calls at the end of this week and are crossing our fingers that we don't get separated..

#ShareTheGift

Hi family y friends..(:

This week was a great one!!! It FLEW by. seriously. I can't believe it's already Monday again!!! weird. anyway.  Wednesday we went to the temple! it was so amazing.  I love the temple.  It was so cool. Ah I just love it. After the session, as I was sitting in the celestial room, I was just thinking about how amazing It's going to be when we get to be in the celestial kingdom just waiting for our family members to join us.  Everyone is so happy and hugging.  Man. the second coming is going to be amazing.  The temple really is amazing.  It is a feeling you can't feel anywhere else.  I have never felt so close to God as I do in the temple.  My challenge for you all this week is to go to the temple.  If you are not endowed, go do baptisms.  If you can't do that, work on getting your recommend.  really, the temple is the most amazing place on this earth.(:  I hope that everyone can go someday!!

Thanksgiving was GREAT!!!! so fun. I don't think I've ever been so full. Our dinner appointment with a less active member Sandy wasn't until 6.  So we spent the day talking to people and getting other things done. then at 4 we went over to the baileys where they fed us pie.  they fed 9 of the single men in our ward. haha it was crazy! so they were all still there, and we played some games! hahah we played this one game.. I can't explain it.. but it was hilarious. because the latino men COULD NOT get it. hahahaha Angel and guadelupe were the beesssst. I really don't think I have laughed that hard in a looonnnng time. hahaha. then we went to Sandy's! Most Hispanics don't like turkey.  but they do adapt to our holiday here because I mean, they love holidays. so we had ham, chicken salad, instant mashed potatoes, pasole, and tonnnns of other little things. it was definitely the most different thanksgiving dinner ive ever had. but it was good. and I was soooo full.  Sandy is the best though. I love her. then we went back to the baileys and just talked to them and the elders for a while. the baileys really are the best. they are like our grandparents. I love them.(:

Funny story. a man we talked to on the street thought we were from spain.  First of all, is my Spanish really that good? second of all.. Can't you see my blonde hair and blue eyes? obviously not. hahah no but really its actually funny because people never understand how we speak Spanish if we are from here.

We had a way cool miracle happen yesterday!!! Okay so it was pouring rain.  But not really pouring Utah style.. it was pouring for California which is like nothing. but still. we were wet. we didn't have an appointment so we just were walking around, visiting formers, following the spirit. my companion has the thought to walk down the street a little. we did. we saw a lady and I was just about to talk to here just because that's what we do, talk to everyone.. so I say Hola como esta! and the lady just comes and hugs us. now at this point I was soo confused.  She starts going off on how great it is to see us.  So I asked her her name and she was like oh you don't know me? and I explained that we are new to the area and that she probably knew the last missionaries like us.  (we actually found out later that the missionaries she knew is Hermana cefalo! my trainer! super cool.)  anyway. so she tells us the missionaries taught her like 2 times a year ago and she wants to be taught again. I ask her when and she said when you want. so (since it was raining, and I didn't really want to be wandering around all night)  I asked if she had time right then. SHE DID. yeah I was not expecting that. so she walked us to her house and we had a great lesson with her! she told us her story and we have another lesson with her tonight!!! oh my miracle. her name is maria. and she is awesome! I can't wait to see what happens with her. She is amazing. It really reminded me of the power of God's hand in our work.  And how if he needs us to find someone at a certain time, he will put us in their path.  I wonder what would've happened to her if we didn't say hello.

So you are all probably wondering about my subject line.. well guess what kids. remember when the church did that because of him video for easter and it was super legit? well they are doing it for Christmas again. RIGHT AFTER YOU READ THIS.

Go to christmas.mormon.org .  And watch the video. It is AMAZING. Watch it, and go share it with your friends!! The church is doing soo many cool things with it. to spread the world that Jesus Christ is the real gift of Christmas.  They have all the missionaries in on it with pass along cards, they are taking over youtube on December 7th, and they are even taking over part of times square in new York! our church is the coolest!! I love it.  But yes. Watch the video, and please help everyone out by sharing this on social media and just when you see people.  It is going to be huge. I want everyone to see it.(: 

But yep, that's my week.  Here are some pictures. one from thanksgiving, it goes guadelupe, angel, maynor, brother bailey, and ricardo. I had to get a picture of angel and guadelupe. they were hilarioussssss. hahahaha they could not stop laughing. angel is the best. also one from right after our miracle today. haha can you tell we are sopping wet? its pouring in this picture. the good thing is that actually when it rains here, its not as cold.   it was fun.(: love you all! byeee. love, Hermana Stokes