Hermana Sadie Stokes California Oakland/San Francisco: Everything is Awesome. (:

Hi. so. I love the mission. I love the gospel. Yep. That's all.

Just kidding. I will tell you about my amazing week. (:

This is going to be a long one. I can feel it.

Remember Ken ottam? I told you he had an awesome conversion story but I didn't tell you the story because I didn't want to type it. Well I just copy and pasted it from Hna Hiltons email haha. So enjoy this story. (:

He was a young man, 13ish? and he had been studying the bible a TON. He had been slowly putting together the pieces of the gospel that had been lost in a lot of churches (ex: 2 priesthoods, Aaronic and Melchizedek or that there would be an apostacy). He attended several churches and was confused which was right. at one point, he chose a chruch that looked pretty good, got baptized, and after he changed into dry clothes, he asked the pastor when he would get the gift of the holy ghost by the laying on of hands. When they told him it wasn't necessary, he walked out the door of the Church and never went back. Eventually, he made a friend. The friend was always happy and when he went to his house, Ken could feel the peace in his home and asked him what it was. Eventually, the friend invited him to a church activity and in his words, "I saw the painting of Christ appearing to the people in the america's, and it all clicked. everything i'd read and heard about the gospel made since and I knew it was the truth. I turned to my friend and said "I need to be baptized in this church""

I am sure his friend was quite shocked by his statement, but it goes to show that the Lord truly does prepare people to receive the restored gospel. :) THE CHURCH IS TRUE

Okay. Yeah. He is awesome. Also.. This week we got some awesome potentials! We had one guy randomly call us saying other missionaries gave him our number because they didn't speak spanish. and he asked to meet with us! So we get to meet him this week I am so excited. We also contacted a referral who told us "I just need to find God." And we were like well.. We know where he is! and gave him a Book of Mormon. we just need to teach all these potentials so they can be our investigators! But yeah. so exciting.

We also had the miracle of running into our less active Sister Sullivan this week. It was so random, and in a time she really needed us! It was great haha she was walking for exercise, but she asked us to walk with her and teach while we walk. So we taught her a lesson while speed walking. It was pretty legit. Good workout too! I love her so much. (:

And well... WE HAD A BAPTISM THIS WEEK!!!!! ahhh so great! It went so well! Okay so I don't think I've even really told you about this family. Ha its weird because we just are teaching so many people I can't tell you about them all. But this family is awesome. Margarita is a reactivated Less active. She lives with the father of her children, Samuel. So Jocelyn and Bianca are the two kids and then Margarita is pregnant with a third girl. They are the cutest! Jocelyn and Bianca got baptized this week and it was amazing. The girls were so excited!!! Samuel is our investigator and he is AWESOME. But he can't get baptized till they are married and they can't get married until Margarita gets her identification from her mom in Mexico who is taking forever to send them. But Samuel is sooo converted. He told the bishop in his broken English. "I hope Margarita gets her papers soon so we can be married and I can be baptized next. I have been ready for so long. " AHH HE IS THE BEST. I love this family so much. So please, pray that the papers come soon. (:

So now I'm just going to freak out to you about how awesome our ward is. They are so awesome at sharing the gospel! Sister Schwitters has been updating us on her neighbor.. she has been praying so hard to find a moment to invite her to church or something bigger than the usual. Well on Friday at an activity she ran up to us so excited because she invited her friend to church and she said yes!!! and she also shared the family proclamation to her!!! and she loved it!!!! ahhhh so exciting. I love these members so much they love missionary work almost as much as we do. (; I just love when people understand that it brings the greatest joy ever.

Talking about awesome members... yesterday we had plans to go to Oakland with Isaac and Eunice and Andres and were so excited. Andres is a recent convert and his kids investigators and they have so many questions. So we were going to watch the Joseph Smith movie. Well they cancelled but then the member who was gonna come with us went to their house and convinced them to come! Ha so awesome. So we went and it was amazing. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet and I am so grateful for what he did for us. I am just so grateful that the Restoration happened. Otherwise I would not be here! My life would mean pretty much nothing without the restoration. I am so grateful.

And other awesome members... then we had Porque Yo Creo!!!!! and our investigator Celina was gonna come but our ride cancelled last minute.. but then Toni and Kim from the YSA ward saved our lives and took her! They are awesome. and Porque Yo Creo was amazing as usual. So many people were there! I saw a bunch from concord and a bunch from San Mateo. I saw Jose!!! His baptismal date is moved to September 12th I think? somewhere around there. But the members told me he is doing really well. I guess he met with Bishop to move his date so Idk what it is. But it was good to see that he is doing well. Please keep praying for him! He needs this gospel. and I guess he was talking to Sergio and said it's weird because he really wants to get baptized.. but something keeps telling him not to. Satan is definitely trying everything possible to keep him away. I swear.. this guy is going to do amazing things in the church. That's why Satan is working so hard against him. So he could use all the prayers possible. (:

AH I JUST LOVE THE MISSION SO MUCH. I know the church is true. Church was amazing yesterday as usual. I was going to freak out about that too but this email is sooo long. haha sorry. but I promise, it's worth the read. (:

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Hermana Stokes

so many pics stay tuned. (:

1. we went to hawaii. (:

2. baptism!