The End of the Beginning

 Hola a todos! [Hello to everyone!]

This is my last email as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Esta semana [This week]: 

☆ Last exchange w/E.Morrell! Visiting Boston again was so fun  

☆ For service we passed out food again!  

☆ I have been giving away a lot of balloons  

☆ Accidentally locked ourselves our of the family history center...  

☆ I got to conduct one more baptismal interview!  

☆ I gave a short thought in Sacrament meeting  

☆ Went to Topgolf and ate at the Shake shack after  

We found 13/14 new people to teach this week. We had 4/3 recent converts at church! One of them hadn't come since I got here. Ingris is progressing super well, we moved her baptismal date to the 29th. This doesn't feel like my last email. 

These two years have been full of growth and struggle. I have learned so much. I have come to better understand the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know my Savior. I know God's plan for us is a perfect plan. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith restored the Church of Jesus Christ. I believe Him when He says "if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high." Endure it well. 

Love y'all

Elder Stockett

"Teaching the gospel is supposed to be a struggle because without the struggle there is no growth." [E.Lortz]

Beware of the evil behind the smiling eyes.’ [Neil Andersen]

'I promise your personal anguish will be relieved and your obedience and faithfulness to patiently submit your will to God will be rewarded in “the own due time of the Lord.” “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”' [David Bednar]

"Kindness is the power that God has given us to unlock hard hearts and subdue stubborn souls." [George Smith]

Bad boy, cómelo!

 Como estamos? Espero que estemos super bien.  [How are you all doing?  I hope you are doing super well.]

At service on Thursday the famed abuelita [little grandma] gave my companion food and he didn't eat it so she said "bad boy, cómelo!" [eat it!]  She then proceeded to stand there until scarfed down the toast covered in plastic-like queso.  

Esta semana [This week]:

♧ I won pickleball.  

♧ I taught a few missionaries how to spladle  

♧ We got to participate in two DCs [District Council meetings] in New London 

♧ Departing interview with Pres[ident] and Sister Risenmay. President had me commit to feed myself spiritually every day. Sister Risenmay and I talked about my next temple covenant  

♧ Service at the big red church! Passing out food to the comunidad [community]  

♧ Exchanges with the one-and-only Ɛ.Swain. There were a lot of college girls flirting with him 

♧ Gave my departing testimony to the MBM [Massachusetts Boston Mission]  

♧ half zone pday! Played volleyball and signs  

11/14 new people found! This week went by extraordinarily fast. We were in New London four days this week.  Progressing friends: Diogenes got baptized yesterday!! Ingris (we found her @ Walmart) who has una fecha baptismal [baptism date] for the 22nd, Rommel (passoff from las hermanas [the sister missionaries]) y Braulio (self-referral who's father is a member) have una fecha baptismal [baptismal date] for the 29th. This area is doing so well and the ward is doing great at supporting us! The new initiative to assign ministering companionships to friends will be really good to convert them socially. 

Alma 17:7 is now one of my all time favorite verses of scripture. Email me to know why.  

Love y'all

Ɛ.Stockett

"Satan cannot seduce us by his enticements unless we in our hearts consent and yield. Our organization is such that we can resist the devil; if we were not organized so, we would not be free agents.” [Joseph Smith]

"Mere wanting is hardly a proper guide for moral conduct.” [D Christofferson]

"Similarly, we do not have to yield simply because a temptation surfaces. We may want to, but we don’t have to." [D Christofferson]

"At a minimum, moral discipline will be of immense help to us as we deal with whatever stresses and challenges may come in a disintegrating society." [D Christofferson]

"The path of salvation has always led one way or another through Gethsemane." [Jeffrey Holland]

This email is sponsored by Uncle Onion [Evan]. As I have served the Lord I have been able to recognize the great blessings I have received. One of the greatest blessings I received is my family. Especially my parents who loved me and nurtured me in the ways of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So my advice to everyone, especially my cousins, is to listen AND OBEY your parents; they love you with a love you can not completely understand. Cherish that heavenly gift of two earthly guardians. 

Welcome to chili's 🌶

Hola a todos!  [Hello to everyone!]

We had zone pday today and we went to chili's with the Waterford elders for dinner. Twas just as good as the last time. Double bacon rancher  

Esta semana [This week]:

◇ Exchanges w/E.Gourley. We ate out twice

◇ got to see e.bingham at MLC [Missionary Leadership Council - a meeting for just the missionaries serviving in a leadership position]

◇ and I'm out of time 

Love y'all,

Elder Stockett 

“Satan cannot seduce us by his enticements unless we in our hearts consent and yield. Our organization is such that we can resist the devil; if we were not organized so, we would not be free agents.” [Joseph Smith]

"All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not." [Joseph Smith]

The Savior Heals All Wounds

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2019-12-0010-the-savior-heals-all-wounds-1080p?lang=eng

El Templo

 Holaaaa [Helloooo],

Esta semana [This week]:

♡ We ate "big rig" a Bond family special.  

♡ Exchanges with E.Randall.

♡ Liam, a 4 yr old, sprayed me with a lot of febreeze. 

♡ temple trip! The presentation of the endowment is shorter. ️ 

♡ the chapel flooded today.

♡ pickleball with the district today [... and another mysteriously absent note about who won; we all know what that means!]

No updates really... 14/12 found. 6/6 friends at church! The Lord provides no doubt.

Love y'all

Elder Stockett

"Challenges that tax our faith are usually opportunities to stretch and strengthen our faith by finding out if we really believe the Lord will help us." [Sheri L Dew] 

"You don’t have to be perfect. You only have to have a desire to develop your faith and draw nearer to Him each day." [Deiter Uchtdorf]

Hope is not a plan

Buenassss [Hellooooooo],

So I was not going to send an email until Monday but someone convinced me otherwise. 

♤ ZC happened with a big focus on goals and plans

♤ I carved a frozen banana

♤ Exchanges with E.Walston

♤ Got free Chinese food from a youth leader, love you Brother Bond

♤ I got to do a baptismal interview with the hermanas [Sister Missionaries'] friend, Mario, he has such a powerful testimony. it was my favorite interview thus far

We put Diogenes Rakel and Ingris on baptismal date for September!! Ingris's date is the 22nd and the date of Rakel y Diogenes is the 8th. We found 10/14 new people.

Love y'all

Elder Stockett

"The ultimate lesson of the book of Job is that each of us can choose to live our lives trusting God and His plan, no matter what." [Dale Renlund]

If you fail to plan you plan to fail.

"Woke up today and the world felt heavy so grabbed my keys and I went for a drive." [Jordan Davis]

Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/tomorrow-the-lord-will-do-wonders-among-you?lang=eng