Canada Vancouver Mission: 8/10/15 - 1st LETTER FROM LANGLEY

Dear Humankind,

Wow. Langley YSA is awesome! So, last Sunday was literally the first Sunday ever that I have attended a YSA. In my life... And it was awesome! I mean, sure, there's the shallow reasons (no babies crying, so it's easier to feel the Spirit, etc), but there is also a missionary fire there that I've never been apart of before. Literally, people are so determined to share the gospel with their friends that they'll do anything for it. They're way on board.

So...that's awesome! We were lucky enough to be able to baptize an investigator this Sunday! Fialka is awesome, and she has been taught for a while with various missionaries. The Spirit was so strong at her baptism. It was amazing. Seriously, people. Baptizing is where it's at. That covenant we make with our Heavenly Father through this ordinance? Yeah, it's 100% real. I know that as we go forth and boldly invite our brothers and sisters to come to the waters of baptism, and in turn come unto Christ, that we will be assisted in our efforts and our Heavenly Father will help us in His Work.

My new companion, Elder Miller, is amazing. He's really good at following the Spirit and teaching, and so it's a privilege to be serving with him. This new zone that I am in, the Langley zone, is crazy! We're literally revolving the temple...miracles are going to happen.

We have a lot of brand new missionaries that have just come into the mission, just ready to go out and share their testimonies with everyone and bring souls to Christ. Greenie faith is where it's at!

It's cool being in the Fraser Valley YSA branch, because our area is so huge. We cover a ton of cities up here. From Richmond clear out to Hope! So it's an adventure every single day. But it's cool. I feel like I'm hunting for YSA people when I am out finding. At bus stops, I'm just scanning everyone for the student aged people, and then I'm running at them with the word of God. So...that's a thing.

I am grateful for my mission. I have learned so much out here so far, and I will continue to learn so much more. And I have felt very literally the way that our Savior lifts us from our troubles, from our sins, from captivity. The adversary wants nothing more than to drag us down into the gulf of misery. And that's so easy for us to do. To just let go and allow him to pull us down. But I know that when we turn to Christ, and believe Him. Truly, truly believe Him, that He restores us. He makes us whole. He makes it so that we can walk again. So that we're not blind. So that we can speak the words that He would have us speak. There is an adversary. But there is also a Redeemer, a Healer. And He is so much more powerful than anything that the adversary can conjure up. Please trust Him. Because He lives today, and He needs disciples. Forever. He has a Work to do here. He's trying to bring all of our brothers and sisters back to our Heavenly Father. And we have the privilege of being apart of this Work. For Him. Because we love Him.

Christ suffered while on this earth. And we will suffer, too. But we will also feel joy because of Him. We will be changed because of Him.

"As your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ grows, your desire to share the gospel will increase," (PMG 2). That is doctrine. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and it has saved me from death. And all I want is to help everyone obtain this feeling, as well.

I know that this Church is true. It is the only way that we can obtain true and everlasting joy, and the only place that contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been restored to the earth today. And we are a part of it. So do not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And have no fear. Because we don't need to be scared. We just need to have faith.

Love you all,
Elder Stock

Me and Norman...the Mongolian in Burnaby.

He's a boss.