Our Trio's down to two...

Hey so I totally forgot to tell you all but 2 weeks ago we received a call from President telling us Hermana Vargas' trainee was going to come May 20th!!! So this past week we had to drop off Hermana Vargas in Oakland:( We were so sad to say goodbye.. but so happy for her!! Plus she's still in our zone so we still see her sometimes. (:  I do miss the trio life though.

Anyway, this week was honestly really hard.  We started out the week with amazing goals to have a bunch of lessons.  We had so many set lessons.  BUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM CANCELLED.  It was really hard.  Sunday morning I was really upset, and just praying for some kind of miracles to happen that day.  Well, everyone.  I can testify to you that Heavenly Father does care about us, and he does listen to our prayers.  Because yesterday was the most amazing day of my mission.  Also the most stressful.  But One miracle after another.  Actually, I was praying hard for certain things all day.  I have never prayed so hard in my life.  But Heavenly Father answered all of our prayers.  Me and Hna Housley were crying last night of gratitude.  We realized that Heavenly Father was trying to show us that he knows we are trying, and that he is proud of us.  (:  

So I'm going to go a little backwards today and first tell about yesterday.  It was amazing.  So first, we only expected Jose to come to church.  But before church Edilma, our investigator, calls us and is like Hermana's are you going to send someone to pick me up for church?  She has never been and we haven't seen her in 2 weeks.  But she came!!! MIRACLE.  And our member Michelle brought her and was perfect for her.  Edilma came with her baby and seemed to really enjoy it.  I already felt so blessed with that miracle.  Then.  We left pretty early to go to Porque Yo Creo, because the San Mateo bridge was closed so we knew there would be tons of traffic on the bay bridge.  Which there was.  So we were sitting in stopped traffic when Jose calls us and tells us he cancelled his plans so he could come to PYC.  We were so excited!! But then we needed to find a ride for him.  At this point is was 4:15.  I kid you not, we spent the next hour and 15 minutes in stopped traffic calling every single member in our phone trying to find someone.  We were both so stressed and praying so hard.  Finally at 5:30, Freidell said that even though they were in South City, they would back track to San Mateo, pick him up, then drive back to go to Oakland.  But she was like Hermanas we are going to be late.  Because PYC starts at 6:30 and traffic was soooo bad.  So we started praying so hard that by some miracle they would make it for at least some of the speakers.  We really knew this would help Jose.  I seriously never stopped praying. well at 6:31 guess who walks in the door?  FREIDELL, JUAN CARLOS, AND JOSE. they made it on time!!!!!!! I still have NO IDEA how that happened.  I fully believe that God sped up traffic just for Jose to make it.  Next miracle.  We have been trying to get Sergio to speak at pyc for months.  He's a recent convert for over a year now and still has never spoke because hes too nervous.  He told us that if he arrived he would speak today.  so we told them.  But then the meeting started and they still werent here.  i was praying so hard for him to get there,  because i knew he needed this. adn i knew it would be good for jose too.  Well during the last speaker, he arrived! but he texted us and was like I'm too nervous... going with my promptings.. I knew just this once we had to push them.  We texted the zls saying we were good to go. During that whole last talk I was praying so hard that Sergio wouldn't be mad at me and that he would have peace washed over him and be able to give his testimony.  the conductor stood up and announced that we would have one more speaker.  Sergio gave me a pretty scared look.. but then he stood up and gave the most beautiful testimony.  He thanked me after for pushing him, because he never would've done it if I didn't.(:  The final miracle was that after the meeting we were able to go over to the Visitors Center and give Jose a tour.  He loved it.  When we watched the Christus, he cried!!! He is so great.  We will hopefully set a baptismal date with him soon.  Because he is so prepared.  He is definitely getting baptized.  

Yep.   That was my day yesterday! See what I mean by the most amazing/stressful day of my mission? Also, to top it off, I got to see a bunch of people from Concord again.  Also, I saw Hermana Arellano who was visiting the mission!!!    So that is always great. (:

Anyway, the rest of my week was good! Exchanges last week.  One in the Tongan area with sister Kaufana.  Then the next in the Samoan area in SF with sister Leuluaiailii.  Both so great!!! The Samoan area is awesome.  Well, its interesting. hahaha. But I met some of the greatest members!!! It was a really good day.

I love you all!! thank you so much for all you do.  Have a great week!! 

Pictures:  1 This is just one of the pictures from yesterday,  with Vilma and Olga and Hna Arellano!! #iloveconcord.  the rest are on her phone, hopefully she sends them to me soon then i will send them to you. (:

2. I ATE SUSHI THIS WEEK. dad are you proud!? It is hna vargas favorite so we went on her last day.  it was like real sushi. it was actually really good!! I ate it all. 

3.  Last p day together.. yes. we bought balloons. hahahahaa. 

ONE YEAR

Hi so um I'm freaking out because IN THREE DAYS IT HAS BEEN A YEAR SINCE I LEFT HOME. we are starting MY SECOND SUMMER IN THE MISSION. I really am freaking out.. I don't understand how time moves so fast. what the heck!!!!! I feel ripped off. hhahaha jk. But really, it's weird.  I feel like I've been on the mission MAYBE 4 months.  But no it's been a whole year since I've seen you all.  I can't even imagine how much has all changed.  WEIRD. okay, moving on.

This week was good!!! crazy but good!! We had 2 exchanges! The first, I went to Sister Hasek's area in the SF YSA.  This is Sister Hasek's second transfer.  She is from Indiana!  We had fun together with the adventures of their service.. we went to golden gate park and pulled out radishes.  it was fun.  Then my second exchange was with Sister Lin from Taiwan.  She came to my area.  It was fun!! I love her too.(:

Oh just so you know I just am writing you this email today.  We are going to the temple tomorrow!!!! So I will email you all back tomorrow.(:

Anyway,  yeah it was a good week.  We went to physical therapy a couple of times! Haha for Hermana Vargas.  That is always fun.  Then Wednesday we had Zone Training for SF West zone.  Me and Sister Housley did the training again, except this time instead of President showing up, the Assistants showed up.  Who were the ones who gave the original training.. so that's awkward.  Haha but they evaluated it and said we did well. Yay.(:

Wow... I really have like nothing to tell.  Saturday was such a weird day! It was the day of our exchange so it was me, Hermana vargas, and sister lin.  And I don't know why, but the weirdest things kept happening.  We almost walked into the filming of a TV show... we saw a Utah license plate(I freaked out),  we met with a less active who told us she is now attending the catholic church then bore testimony on that church to us.. that was awkward.. oh and then the coolest thing happened! We were walking and there was a lady walking towards us.  I stopped her to talk to her and she seemed in a big rush so she just asked for whatever we had for her.  I took out an invitation to go to Mormon.org.  She just looked at us and said you're Mormons? okay this is creepy... last night I had a dream that I joined the Mormon church.. she looked at us again and as walking away she said: your timing is funny...  haha it was crazy!! she was American by the way.  As she was walking away I yelled, well you can always join if you want!  she just laughed.  But I have full confidence that the Lord put her in our path for a reason and she will probably keep having experiences happen like that until she joins the church.

Yep, so that was our week. Haha kind of different than others.  We also were able to teach Jose again.  He came to church again!  He is soo awesome.  The only problem is he is only going to get baptized if he gets an answer.  Which is great, and exactly what we want! The only problem is he is expecting his answer to come in a dream or like Joseph Smith or something.  So we are going to have to explain that to him tomorrow.  I just hope he is able to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost. 

Thank you all for your love and support!! I love you all so much.  I know this church is true with all my heart.  Please, study your scriptures and pray every day! And go to church! Because without those things, you cannot reach the complete happiness that the Lord has planned for you.

Have a great week!

Hermana Stokes

pictures: me and my comps.. then me on exchanges with sister lin.. then an old picture! because I wanted to put 3 and I don't think I ever sent this one.  But it's me and Hermana Orantes (I miss her.) and Sister Jepperson!  The Office missionary.(: I love her. 

meetings, meetings, and more meetings.(:

My week this week was a bunch of meetings!! but good ones!! we had MLC, which i love.  then we had zlc thurs and zone training meeting Saturday!  all were good.  MLC was awesome because President talked to us about changing our focus.  It was cool.(:  I feel so motivated.  zone training was good!! Me and sister Housley gave a training on Prayer.  It was really awesome!! President and Sister Meredith were there, so that was fun. (:

Also we went on an exchange this week!! I was with sister Fernandez again but this time in her area.! it was awesome!! that day we also went to the Baileys to help them clean out their apartment before they left. it was fun and sad!!

We were able to see a lot of our investigators this week and that was awesome.  Jose came to church again!! He is doing so well. He is just waiting to receive an answer on if he should be baptized.  Please pray that he will receive the answer yes and that he will recognize it!! thank you so much.

That is really all I have to say.  I'm sorry that it is so short this week! but i love you all!!

I challenge you all to evaluate your prayers with your Heavenly Father.  Maybe even study the topic a little.  Are they sincere? are you praying with charity? are you praying with faith?  I've studied prayer a lot lately and it really is the first step to being successful.  Always include your Heavenly Father in your life through prayer. (:  I know that he is listening to us and wants to help us, he is just waiting for us to come to him.(:

have a great week!!! love you all!

pics:us at the baileys.(:

 My new companions: Hermanas Vargas y Housely

 We are on exchanges here.

Elder Parker and I are the last Lehites in the mission.  There used to be 6, now there are only 2.  We need more Lehites :).

 Futuro madres - The relief society had a big dinner for Mother's day.  Do much fun!

Trio for life (:

Hey good news everyone! Well actually I guess it's kind of sad news too in some ways but it's good!! We got a call from President on my birthday telling us that Hermana Vargas' trainee actually isn't coming till the transfer, june 3rd.  So we get to be in a trio the whole transfer!!! just covering san mateo though. The elders are taking her area over.  So we have a lot of fun together.  It's a little weird because like Hermana Vargas can't go to some of our meetings that we have as Sister training leaders.. So we have to drop her off with other missionaries.  It's super weird and feels like we are dropping off our child for the day or something. (: haha. but I am so happy because I love my companions! So it's fun that we all get to stay together.(:

My birthday went sooo well!! it was so fun!!! We had family home evening with the ward that night and watched meet the Mormons.  And guess what! they came out at the end with a cake for me!! it was soo fun.  I have the best ward.   I am so grateful for them.(:  Mike was the one who thought of it, and with the help of alex, freidell, and michelle, they made it happen. ah. they are the best.

Then Wednesday I ate at the rodriguez, and they gave me another cake!! and a balloon!! they are the best aswell. really, I feel so loved. Our members really do take care of us. (:

We had two exchanges this week! The first I was with Sister Wang.  She is from Taiwan!! she came to our area.  it was really fun to learn Chinese from her. (: Caleb be ready, I will try and speak Chinese to you on Skype.  Then Sister Tu'ata'ane came to our area for another exchange.  She is from Tonga.  I also had fun with her.  (:

This week we met a guy from turkey who after introducing ourselves yells "I LOVE MORMONS." hahahha it was so funny.  but he's also convinced it is too late to be one.. uh okay.

Also, while driving in SAN FRANCISCO, we saw a young man pick up a piece of trash.  Seriously it was such a miracle and made me so happy.  It also gave me hope for the people of SF. hahah.

The Baileys are leaving on Wednesday:( soo sad.  I will miss them so much!! the ward threw them a farewell party on Friday. It was really nice.

The only other thing I have to write about is Jose! our new investigator!!! do you remember when I told you about him ? how he randomly came to church? well he came again last week, and then finally on Saturday we were able to meet with him.  HE IS SO PREPARED!!!! It's crazy!! We had an awesome lesson with him and he basically told us that he has no doubts.  He said that hearing our testimonies alone he knows that this church is true.  But that he still wants to know for himself so he is going to read and pray.  He also was like "oh so this book of Mormon is actually just evidence of Joseph Smith.  If you were to tell me about Joseph Smith alone I wouldn't believe you.. but the fact that this book is right here, it's evidence of him and I know it's true. "  um what? okay yeah.  that's how awesome he is.  He came to church yesterday and told us that he is finding the peace he is looking for in our church.  he was like "ya voy! quiero aprender mas!"  which means like im coming I want to learn! I want to progress in your church.  it was sooo awesome.  I am so grateful for this miracle that has come into our lives.

haha it was really funny because in the lesson we had with Jose, Angel and Sergio were there.  And they were both realllly impressed with how prepared Jose is.  So Angel leans over and was like can I ask you a question? How were you even found? Jose was like "oh I just came to church one day" and Angle just starts DYING laughing. hahaha it was so funny. But really, with things like this, I just laugh too because it's so crazy that huge miracles like this happen.  The Lord has a plan everyone.

That was my week!! It was super crazy, but so good.  we also met a bunch of awesome potentials this past week and have set appointments with thm this week! We also have a set appointment with the Zabala's, who we haven't seen in a while.  So be ready.  this week will be great. (:

Cuidense todos!! les quiero mucho!!(:

Hermana Stokes

me and my cakes. (: and my comps.(:

 On Exchanges with Hermanas Vargas and Wang

On Exchanges with Hermanas Vargas and Tu'ata'ane

Misty Cefalo came back and visited.  Here are some of her pics she sent me.

My District