New pic's!

Zone Conference and miracles!

Hello all,

Well the week before this one was quite the rough week. We had an extremely hard time seeing anyone, especially our investigators. Then we had Zone Conference! There with us we had Elder Baxter of the Seventy (I believe he gave a talk in april's GC about single mothers?). It was pretty amazing to have a General Authority be there to instruct us. Instruct/chastise ;) No he really did hit us pretty hard with a lot of things, which is great. It pushes us to be better. Between him and President and Sister Lewis, we had 16 commitments. It began to be very overwhelming, and we have a lot to improve on, but it is great because when we are satisfied with where we are, we will always fail to hit our potential. I feel like even though we were working hard, we were settling for too less and not bringing forth effort enough to have the miracles that we needed. Faith without works is dead! We have faith, but we were not manifesting that faith enough in our works. So Elder Idso and myself have been recommitted to being better, and we have seen amazing blessings from that. A real blessing of life is the ability to try and improve each day. 

One of the things that we have seen great things from has been opening our mouths, and declaring the gospel freely. We received a challenge from Elder Ballard to this mission challenging us to contact 10 people, appropriately, each day and to discuss the gospel with them. This is very hard up here in the Hills, but we have been doing our best, talking to everyone and trying to bring the gospel to everyone we see. The whole zone has seen incredible blessings. Miracles have happened as we have simply done better in finding those that God puts into our paths! With talking to everyone comes a lot more rejection as well, but it just strengthens our resolve to keep doing it. Somehow ;) But we have just seen great blessings from it and it is so awesome to see progression. 

We are still struggling in getting people to church and seeing our investigators at all really. But our vision is raised and we are working harder than ever to find those the Lord has prepared. I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ. He is hastening His work and the truth of God is filling the earth! I am so blessed to be a part of it. 

I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving. I am thankful for each of you and your love and support. Stay strong and safe! Love,

Elder Stone

Beautiful California!

Colder weather!

This week has been very cold. yay ;)

Well happy to report that this week went a lot better than the last. While again we weren't able to get anyone to church this week, we are really seeing progression!! Miguel and Luz Hernandez are an amazing family we are teaching in Cameron Park. They accepted a baptismal date on Wednesday! YES. They are so amazing. A great little family with so much potential. The date may not work out because they haven't been able to come to church, but they are progressing and doing awesome. A little while ago we watched the Restoration video with them, but it was in English because they couldn't find the remote :P He understood most of it, but her no. But when we came back the next time, they said they found the remote, and they had watched it in Spanish and even had their kids watch it too! Which was awesome. We also got to see Leo, a 16 year old from El Salvador. He is awesome and a super smart kid. It is so great to teach him, and he really has true intent to know if this is true!

We also are working with another 16 year old named Ulises. He accepted a date as well, but again it will be hard because of church and work. But he is great! Him and his two younger brothers are the most mature kids I have ever met. So respectful and professional, it is awesome. They keep appointments better than adults!

We have Zone Conference this week on Friday! Elder Baxter of the Seventy will be there! It will be awesome and we are excited to learn at the feet of such a great man. Last Zone Conference the Spirit was so strong, and I am looking forward to having that again. 

The church hosted a huge all-faith devotional yesterday about putting Christ back into Christmas! Our stake president and a reverend lady gave talks, and they had a live nativity and music and everything! It was awesome. We were going to translate for it, but not one of the tons of people we invited showed up, so AWESOME. ;) Thus is missionary work!

I love being out here. It is so exciting to be a part of this work. God knows what we need and when we need it. And He will give it to us in His time and His way, because He knows best! To trust God is the best way to find happiness in life. 

I love and miss you all. Thank you for your love and support and prayers. Stay strong and safe, and look for missionary opportunities! Sharing the light we have is the best way to increase that light. I think a blessing that the Lord gives to us as missionaries often times, is the ability to see people in their potential. Seeing them progress and come closer to that potential is the most rewarding thing ever. 

Love you all! 

Elder Stone

Doug and Brayden

The new place! :)

 

The new move and a little sickness!

Well this was quite the week. We got all moved into our new place and are adjusting well. The Morris family is amazing. We came extremely short of our goals this week, which was very disappointing. We are trying to find ways to improve and be more diligent, and we know the Lord will not let us fail. If only people didn't have agency ;)

There is a Stone Ln in Placerville! So booyah! But literally a lot of stoners live on it so it is interesting.

I am glad to hear that all is well there and that the fall weather has been sweet! 

Not too much has happened this week. Elder Idso went to a baptism in Lodi on Saturday, so I got to go with the Zone Leaders to a temple tour with their investigator Christine, who is incredible. It was so amazing to just be around the temple. I wish I could have stayed there forever. Nothing beats the temple and the spirit it brings. 

Elder Idso and myself still feel like we are on the verge of great success, we just need to keep going hard and having faith and trust in the Lord. 

Yesterday we were unable to attend church which was unfortunate. Elder Idso got very sick all Saturday night and we didn't go out all day. I caught whatever it was last night as well, which isn't too surprising being that I am with em 24/7. Tried to eat some dinner and then my body just said nope it is going back. Haven't thrown up in quite a while so that was unfortunate. Hate it when a good streak is ruined.  We ate dinner with a family friday night and they said right after we left they all started throwing up, so I think that is where it came from! Their little boy had it like the day before we came. But anyways feeling a little better. I think it is just a 24 hour thing. Good thing it is P day and we aren't missing proselyting. Hopefully tonight we will be able to get out!

Not much else went on this week! We are looking for great things and miracles this week so we can achieve the goals that we set in faith! There is always room to improve. 

I love being a missionary. This is the Lord's work! Love and miss you all. Stay safe and strong, and look for missionary opportunities! How great shall be your joy!

Elder Stone

Lot's of pics!! :)

Me and Heston, one of the strongest & most amazing converts I've ever met!

Armor of God!!

The road to our church!  Gorgeous!

 

 

Me and Elder Williams. (The greatest friend on my mission so far!)

The beautiful Sacramento Temple

Our amazing "mansion" house!

 

          Our Zone!!

 We are the triplets. haha. Me, Elder Herd and Elder Holgerson. :)

 

 

Moving out of the mansion!

Hey guys!

Well, we have seen a really tough past few weeks. But we need to continuously improve and work harder and count on those blessings to come in the Lord's time. Transfers have come, and Elder Idso and myself will be staying here! I am grateful for that, because while it has been hard, I feel like we are on the verge of just breaking through. This area will be on fire! On the literal hand though, there's another forest fire near us.

For the next transfer, we will be moving out of the mansion. It makes me sad, but glad we get to be the last ones there! Doug will be moving out and selling the place to go be with his family in Utah, which is great for him. We will be moving to the Morris family's home tomorrow!

For Halloween we went to a members home and watched Ephraim's Rescue, carved pumpkins, had a barbeque, and zone training! It was a good night. But it felt extremely weird watching a movie. ha :P

The new camera is amazing! Thank you so much. Couldn't be any better.

It is getting very cold up here. Below freezing at nights! But the fall colors are beautiful up here. I realized this week how much I am going to miss this area when I am called away. It is incredible!

We had the opportunity to go to the temple this morning. It was amazing. Nothing is more spiritually rewarding than going to the temple. Words can't describe the spirit there! So thankful to be able to go.

Things are going well. Staying safe and working hard! I love and thank you all for your support and prayers. You are in mine. Stay strong and remember that Christ is always there when we need Him. Love, 

Elder Stone