Week 73

6/19

I love my mission! So much. So many miracles this week. I just love it! haha 

So last week we got this referral for a family, the Hernandez family. They are so prepared. Sister Amani and I are so blessed that Heavenly Father trusts us to allow us to work with this family. During our first visit with the whole family they asked, "So how soon can someone get baptized?" WHAT??? We set a baptismal date with them for August 12th. The whole family wants to get baptized. The mom, dad, and 2 of the sons came to church yesterday even though they had been out late working the night before. 

I know that God answers our prayers. They told us over and over and over again that they would be at church so we saved them a row. The sacrament started to get passed and I knew they were still going to come so I said very faithful prayer to Heavenly Father and asked him to help them to walk in after the sacrament was passed. I knew that He knew I was going to pray for that and I knew that He knew what He needed to do to help their family come to church. After the sacrament was passed and the first youth speaker was almost done, Sister Amani and I looked to the door and there they were, looking for that row we had saved them. They stayed for all 3 hours and from what we heard they thoroughly enjoyed it. They even introduced themselves as Brother and Sister Hernandez. Everyone in the ward welcomed them with open arms. 

I went on exchanges with Sister Dalton and 2 stories to share. Ok,also just to let you all know, EXCHANGES ARE SERIOUSLY ALWAYS FILLED WITH MIRACLES! And this week did not disappoint. 

NUMERO UNO. So this is just a funny story. We were trying to meet with this new investigator that the sisters met and she wasn't there. She is a refugee and so her whole family doesn't speak English. So there is this very dark man from Uganda who doesn't speak a word of English. He looks at us as we say, "Is Bokumeza here?" and he tries to tell us something but we literally did not understand a word he said. He ends up going to the closet and grabbing his shoes. He pointed at us to follow him and kept saying, "Bokumeza! Bokumeza! Bokumeza!" So we followed him for a few minutes then he was about to cross the street into a different area... so we couldn't go. Poor man didn't understand and we didn't even know his name so we just called him "Joe" haha 

Ok, quick spiritual story!! So the Lord is mindful of each second of every day. We had a really slow night and we only had 30 more minutes. We prayed and prayed and PRAYED to find that one person that Heavenly Father had been preparing.  We followed each of the promptings we received but no one was willing to accept the gospel right now. So we left and headed off to these apartments. We prayed ONE more time to find that elect person. As we said "Amen" we looked up and saw Karen. She was so prepared. I love this gospel and I know that God listens to our prayers.  

KEEP THE FAITH! Love you all!

Sister Summer Stone

Pictures!

Exchanges this week

Joe... haha

Preparation day last week

Sister Amani and I

Week 72

6/12

The subject line was an excuse that someone used for not being able to come to church haha BESIDES THE POINT! 

We have had an AMAZING week. Let me tell ya. Heavenly Father is blessing missionaries all around the world with so much success. God is gathering His elect and what a blessing that us as missionaries have to be apart of it. Ah I LOVE my mission and the miracles we see every single day. So many things to tell y'all and not enough time to tell it!

Funny story first... So we got this referral for a girl who was in need of some major help so we went and introduced ourselves to her and on our second visit her boyfriend was there and not too sure if this was on purpose or not but can y'all say PDA? haha Sister Amani and I felt super awk cause we're missionaries 1st of all and we're just awkward all the time and 2nd because ya know... that's just weird. The daughter was watching youtube videos and dancing in the corner as the son's came running in holding salamanders.. SO much going on in that house. haha I wanted to laugh OUT LOUD!! So when they walked out to "take a smoke" we just walked out and said we'd come back in a few days... they are just hiding now. 

It's amazing how Heavenly Father's spirit prompts us to say and do simple things that you don't realize will make a difference till after. We went to visit this less active family and we were just visiting on the porch cause that's what people in Idaho do. Anyways, they have this son in law who was visiting and I felt like we needed to talk to him so as he was walking away I didn't know what to say and he waved and said goodbye to the family and me... being me.. haha said "Yeah, it was nice to meet you." He got out of his car and said, "I am so so sorry. I'm Matthew." We talked for about 30 minutes, gave him and Book of Mormon, Plan of Salvation pamphlet, and passed him off to the Elders in Twin Falls where he lives. And it was all because I felt prompted to say "it was nice to meet you." Miracles and blessing out the WAZOO!! 

Ok. So Brother Stuart, my dear friend here in Filer got baptized this weekend. Such a special day for him and his family. He was able to just take that first step to enter into the kingdom of God with his sweet wife for all eternity. What a special spirit that was felt there. I love being here on my mission and being able to meet people and say, "I am here on my mission in Idaho for you." I know that Brother Stuart is one of those people. How blessed I was to be able to see him enter into the waters of baptism and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Brother Stuart came up out of the water and just started to laugh. He was so happy. He felt that warm feeling of love that our Eternal Father has for each of us. AH what an amazing day for him.

I love my mission so much and I am so grateful for the experiences we have and the people I meet. I know this gospel is true. I know that God knows each of us and he is preparing so many people to receive this gospel we just have to be ready and prepared to take them under our wing and introduce them to the blessings that await them in the eternities.

IT'S ALL TRUE! I love you all! KEEP THE FAITH!!

Love,

Sister Summer Stone

Pictures!

1. MLC with some of my favs

2. Another one from MLC

3. Brother Stuart's Baptism (he is the one on the right)

4. We planted succulents because we're weird and wanted our home to feel like home haha

Week 71

6/5

I cannot express how much I LOVE my mission. I really do! and I am in the ABSOLUTE best mission in the wordl!!! I love the Idaho Boise Mission and each day I am reminded of how much God loves the people here, especially here in little Filer, Idaho. Love it! Missions are literally the best thing ever!

Ok, so the work is amazing here. Sister Amani is great and we are just seeing so much success.

We had the privilege to go to the temple with the Hawkin's (Lily, their daughter is the 11yr old girl who got baptized a few weeks ago). What a blessing to see all those beautiful little children dressed in white? I know that at that moment the Spirit was there testifying to all of us that God knows each of them and wants the best for them. Through the priesthood power, they are now going to be able to be an eternal family.

We met a new woman this week. She is a single mom of 4 kids. She has so many questions and is so ready for the gospel. She wants to know for herself which church is true. She wants to find that peace in her life that Christ can bring. PRAY FOR HER! 

PS, I know that I am in this area for a reason. There are people we meet that I know I am here for.

Sorry no pictures for this week. I lost my camera. BUT I found it haha so expect more next week. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!! KEEP THE FAITH

Sister Summer Stone

Week 70

5/30

Everyone!! Missions are the best things in the whole world!! I LOVE my mission! So we had transfers this week, and my new companion is Sister Amani. She's from American Samoa and she's been out for a transfer so I'm follow up training her. She is the best! 

So this week was awesome though. Literally not enough time to write about everything but happened but here's a quick story.

So we are still working with the Esta's. It's amazing how Heavenly Father will help us during our studies to know how to help our investigators for that day. So Sister Amani and I talked about how to help our investigators understand the importance of the Book of Mormon. We were able to read with Sister Esta in the Book of Mormon this week and she really came to recognize the importance of gaining her own testimony. Good stuff going on here in Filer. People come closer and closer to following their (and OUR) Saviors example each day.

Love this gospel, love the Book of Mormon. We all need to read it EVERY SINGLE day no matter how many times we've read it. That's my invitation to you today. READ THE BOOK and you WILL recieve blessings. 

LOVE YOU ALL!! Keep the faith

Sister Summer Stone

Pictures:

Preparation day this last week. We played baseball!

Bye Sister Mata :(

My new comp, Sister Amani!!

Week 69

5/22

Oh wow. I swear. Each week just gets better and better. This weekend we had the mission tour, MLC, Desea's baptism, and many many more miracles. 

So, lets start with the mission tour. Elder Randall K. Bennett of the 70 came for the mission tour and he is one of the most amazing men I have ever met. He loves the work and he loves missionaries. He knows how important the work is in this time. We are here to gather scattered Israel. Even if we have a black name tag on or not. We are all here to gather scattered Israel. What an amazing work we have to do here. We have no time to waste. God wants us to be out working every second of the day that we can. I am so motivated and energized to do the Lords work here in the Idaho Boise Mission. Elder Bennett really helped us understand how important we are at this time. 

Desea was baptized on Saturday. She is one of the most prepared people I have met. I love this girl with all of my heart. She is so amazing. She bore her testimony at the end and she was able to bring the spirit so so strong. She came up to Sister Mata and I and said, "Now I know how everyone feels after they get baptized and they just want everyone to know!!!"

Love you all SO much! Keep the faith!

\

Sister Summer Stone

Pictures:

Mission tour

Desea's Baptism!!

Week 68

5/15

What a week? Isn't everyone just so happy to be alive? I am so blessed! LOVE this area. Love my companion. Love mothers day. Love technology so I could see everyone's face! I just love it all! Love my mission! Probably am the happiest missionary out there right now! 

So here's a quick run down of our week. Ready. Set. GO! 

Lily got baptized!!! She is the cutest person ever. It was a great service and a ton of people came to support her. Not too much more to add to that haha. They invited us to their sealing in the next few weeks so that's gonna be the best thing ever! I love the temple and isn't that the goal to be able to see all of our investigators get to the temple?

Ok, so on Saturday we had a lesson with Jose. We haven't been able to see him in a few weeks but we finally got to see him. So Jose told us he wants to get baptized he just isn't ready yet. He doesn't know what's holding him back but we don't know either... So we read Mosiah 18:8-10. In verse 10 it says, "if these are the desires of your heart, what have ye against being baptized?" basically... I'm paraphrasing. haha anyways. right there and then we call our district leader and asked him what he was doing and if he could do a baptismal interview with Jose. He said yes! So we drove up to Filer, from Hollister which is like a 20 minute drive then Jose had his baptismal interview. He won't be getting baptized right now... but he's working towards it! Please pray for him!!

We set a marriage and bap date with the Esta's. Nailed it!! Also, brother Stuart stopped smoking.  #BLESSINGS

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Keep the faith!

Sister Summer Stone

Pictures:

Lily's baptism!

Hailey's lesson at the park

wind in idaho... you're welcome

Preparation day last week

Week 67

5/8

This week has been so incredible. I seriously love my mission so much. I learn so much everyday. I love this area! ok, let's just jump right into the week cause i dont havce much time!

This week we were able to have some awesome lessons with the Stuarts. We were talking about following the prophet then all of a sudden I felt like I needed to ask Dan and Alex (Brother Stuarts sons) if they would prepare themselves to be baptized when their dad is getting baptized. They both said "YES" They know that this gospel will bless their family. they know they want to be with their family forever. 

On Sunday morning before stake conference Brother Stuart called us and he was like "I don't think I'll be coming today... I don't feel good." I prayed so hard that he would come to stake conference because I knew he would benefit... surprise! he showed up and they whole confernece was focused on the temple. Just what he needed!

I love you all and I know this gospel is true.

KEEP THE FAITH!

Sister Summer Stone

Preparation day last week, we played frisbee golf

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo (pt 2) #perksofhavingamexicancomp