Fluent in Spanish.... NOT

 Wow how has another week passed?? This week honestly flew by and I'm not really sure how! Well after another week I'm officually fluent in spanish... ok yeah that was a joke but just to show that I definitely still have a sense of humor and plenty of sarcasm ;) that is how I survive sometimes for sure. Sometimes I literally just have to laugh at how bad my Spanish is but that's how we Stones deal with hard times if you know us lol. This week was hard but it was also really good so don't worry about me too much! 

This week as far as investigators go we've had a lot of ups and downs. Carlos is sadly prioritizing work and excuses over us (and god) this week when we tried to contact him so that's sad! When you can see people's testimony start to sprout and then have them not want to change their life it's tough! So keep him in your prayers please! We told him we wouldn't drink coke this week if he wouldn't drink coffee so that was kind of fun giving up something to show our support. (Also the coke here is so much better and everyone's obsessed with it- its definitely better than in the states) 

In better news Diego is doing good and progressing and we have a couple new people were teaching! 

I don't want to bore you all (or y'all for mads) anyways don't want to bore you talking about too many investigators but I have cool story about one of the people we found this week! So this week on Friday I felt kinda down about not having much success I said a little prayer that we could find someone to teach. Less than 5 minutes later we get a call from a girl at the church (keep in mind this is a week day) and she said there's a guy here who wants to be taught by the missionaries..They were having a food drive at the church and he walked in and wanted to know about the church... which idk but I don't think that happens a ton... sooo say less, we left right away (but it took us a while to get a uber and get there so we were worried he wouldn't stick around) and we show up and this guys just sitting there waiting for us with a big smile!  When we got there he introduces himself (he's Javier btw probably about 50 ish years old) and then says he has a LOT of questions. We spent the next 2 hours talking to him and he wasn't kidding he has a lot of questions haha. We answered his question the best we could (some I literally had no idea how to answer in English or Spanish- missionaries don't have answers to everything, especially new missionaries) but we gave him a book of mormon and invited him to church and did our best. It felt like a miracle honestly! Saturday night he messaged us with a couple questions about Joseph Smith and we sent him answers and the Joseph Smith movie, and he messaged us about an hour and a half later saying he loved the movie so he actually watched it. Well it gets better, next day he shows up to church *probably 10 minutes late* and he said he loved sacrament meeting so much that he wanted to go to the full next sacrament meeting... so yes after all of sacrament meeting and classes the first time he stayed for the other sacrament meeting. Hermana Stone, could it get any better? I'll tell you, yes yes it can. We had a lesson a little later in the day at the church and he wants to be baptized! So he's now on date for baptism and he said hes stoked for general conference after us telling him about it. Seeing him so excited about the gospel is great! 

Also guys CONFERENCE IS THIS WEEKEND!! I invite you to all watch it and go into conference prepared with a question in mind. I promise that it will be answered through the spirit or in the messages of the prophet and apostles. Pay attention to small promptings and feelings- sometimes answers come in a small way! 

Anyways this week was good! The food here is super good, it kind of makes me sick sometimes but I think that's just being in a new place so hopefully that goes away :) we also found a house to live in so this next Saturday between conf sessions well move! I'm sad to leave the sisters were living with but it will be good! 

Lifes good here in Mexico through the good and bad! I love you all! If you any of you want to email me its sstone@missionary.org :D

-hermana piedra (stone;)

Hills & Valleys

 Hello family and friends! 

I hope you are all having a fantastic week! This week was pretty good so I'll tell you guys about it! :D 

This week we celebrated the Independence Day of mexico which was super cool! We watched fireworks from our house and watched the president of Mexico's speech and got to scream "VIVA" a bunch of times as part of the ceremony thing so that was a blast! This week we also had some bomb food which some hard days is honestly what keeps me going haha so its great! This week we did hours and hours of walking, looking for a house to live in with not much luck (were technically homeless right now living in a different area with some other sisters so its great) but it was honestly super fun to get some sun (I got a little sunburn haha) and see a ton of the city and stretch my legs. It was great! I can't wait to be able yo get out and walk and talk to people hopefully at the end of this transfer (oh also for those of you who don't know were not allowed to do much in person stuff right now so getting out feels great! Store runs, going to the church, and looking for houses is nice)

 This week we got to teach/call a couple new people who don't seem super interested sadly but that's ok because we have 2 people that were teaching who are progressing a lot! We found Carlos as a referral from the system and Diego as a referral from a ward member! I hope if you guys know someone who would benefit from hearing the gospel you refer them to the missionaries! Anyways we have Diego a BoM and had a lesson at his house which was honestly a highlight of the week- he had a "hachi" puppy that I got to play with, he got us pan de muertos and smoothies, him and the ward member that referred him- his "friend" I think if you know what I mean ;)- were both super nice and fun to talk to, and his view was this beautiful greenery and a lake, AND he was asking awesome questions and accepted the BoM... so yes a highlight for sure! 

Another highlight this week was CARLOS CAME TO CHURCH!! He works alllll the time so it was hard to get him there, but he came and I was so happy. Right before the sacrament I got to tell him a little bit about what the sacrament is and it was a good reminder for myself. I definitely take the sacrament for granted sometimes, but having the opportunity to renew our covenants and repent each week is such a blessing! During the sacrament I looked over and Carlos was balling and had to take off his mask to wipe his tears- I know the holy ghost was testifying to his the truth of this gospel it was a cool experience! He also cried when we introduced him to the bishop and the bishop bore his testimony to him. It was really cool and I hope he keeps progressing towards baptism! I couldn't stop smiling the while time I was at church!

There were a lot of ups this week and a lot of downs but that's just how life is! I had a really good couple of days this week and then right when I thought everything was good I had a couple "less than ideal" days :). Yesterday I had a breakdown in the middle of the day out of nowhere haha but after my little breakdown of missing my family and being stressed I actually felt grateful and my heart was full- it was a weird experience. One second I was crying over not feeling good enough and missing my family and then a feeling of love washed over me. I miss my family and friends because I've been blessed with the best family ever and such amazing people in my life! I'm so grateful for that! I also realized from the bad days that I have had good days this week and so many good happy little moments this week and having a bad day helped me see how good the other days were. There really must be opposition in all things, and I think the more we look to the lord and thank him for our opposition, the happier we will become and the more we will realize how much God blesses us! He's the God of the hills AND valleys- he's there for us helping us through our valleys and he is the reason we get to the top of the hills with beautiful views! 

I hope you all have the best day and week and if any of you want to email me (or Facebook message me a voice recording or message) I'd love to hear from you!  sstone@missionary.org 

Love you all

-hermana Stone 

1000 x Better

 Hola familia y mi amigos! 

Another week and I'm still alive! First off I just want to say thank you to all of those who have reached out to me this week with words of love and encouragement! It means the world to me (for real you have no idea:') I just love all of you!

As for this week in the mission... it has been 1000× better than the first week in the field. Living in a different country is tough haha but it is so cool. This week I tried to take a step back and just try to enjoy this beautiful country and language and it went so much better! I made a list of every little thing that made me happy this week and my mood lifted! Paying attention to God's hand makes the biggest difference and I challenge all of you to try to do the same. 

The last 2 weeks I have learned to truly appreciate other cultures and also appreciate how easy we have it in the states. I miss my shower at home and carpet haha. The people here are so kind though and honestly they are all rooting for me to learn spanish so it is comforting. Sometimes I literally have no idea how to say things and my spanish probably doesn't make any sense, but when I'm teaching with the spirit the spirit teaches them and testifies of the truth of what I'm trying to say! It's so cool because the spirit is a language everyone can understand. 

This week I had the opportunity of teaching my first lesson in person, giving a talk in sacrament meeting (in spanish), and helping teach a lesson in relief society. Even though it is scary to put myself out there and struggle, it was so cool to bear simple testimony and feel the spirit so strong! Also our awesome friend Carlos is on date for baptism and I got to testify of the book of mormon and invite him to be baptized and I felt the spirit so strong! I know this work is moving forward and everyone can be a part of it! Thank you for all the prayers and love once again and I hope to continue hearing from you all! Much love from mexico!! 

Pictures: 

Me and my comp

My companion is actually a chef and I'm going to come home with some bomb recipes

Shopping for fruit- the fruit and veggies here are so good- especially the mangos 

The "tangues" basically a giant craft fair/food stands they set up twice a week

Our beautiful city- driving here is crazy. We take uber's or walk everywhere and I feel like I'm going to either get hit by a car or get in a car crash haha but its... exciting :) 

The best taco/quesadillas I've ever had (the food here is soooooo good) 

Pdays are so fun- I love my district and I get to play soccer for like 2 ish hours every pday and it's awesome! Today we played soccer in the pouring rain and it was so fun- so many people slipped haha and don't worry I whipped some of the elders into shape ;) 

Have the best week!!

-hermana stone 

First Week in MEXICO!

 HEY ALL! 

WOW is the mission tough. Not gonna lie moving to a country where you don't speak the language is TOUGH jaja fr... let's just say I've cried a couple times and almost screamed from frustration a few times. My companion doesn't speak any English which can be tough when you also don't know how to communicate your feelings speak the language but its ok! This first week was the toughest week of my life but I know I got through it because of Gods help! I'm hanging in there though so don't worry too much! Hopefully it can only get better from here. Mexico is beautiful and my companion is super sweet! Thanks for all the prayers (I need them jaja) and I would love some emails if any of you have time:) my email is sstone@missionary.org! 

I hope that if any of you are struggling you know you can get through it with God's help! He knows exactly how you feel and is always just a prayer away. Much love for you all! Have a good week 

Hna Stone