Well, you might have guessed by the title that we got transfer calls this week! Oh snap! So, I'll let you fester on that thought for a little while. Where in the world could Elder Stock go? Well, your choices are in fact limited to most of the province of British Columbia...and, with tons of areas to serve in down here in the Lower Mainland, you could be pretty safe in guessing an area within the fabulous cities of Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, etc. You could also be pretty safe in guessing somewhere up North, e.g. Prince George, Terrace, Smithers, Burns Lake, etc...since I've collected 3/4 sub-missions thus far (sub-missions within the Canada Vancouver Mission include: Island, Lower Mainland, Okanagan, North). You COULD also be accurate in guessing that maybe I didn't leave the Fraser Valley YSA, because I've only been here for one transfer...and maybe my companion went somewhere else and I am still here...
But then again, if you had been studying your copy of An History of Elder Stock's Missionary Journeys, you would note that at one point, upon his entry into the desert landscape of Westbank, he left within one transfer and trekked out to Burnaby. But regardless, your guess is as good as anyone else's. Because transfers are unpredictable.
I wish I could say I was tranferred to the area my father and I often discussed in our many trips to the infamous McDonald's drive-thru: the moon. A lunar colony populated with ridiculously prepared people to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ, something so amazing and everlasting that surely it was...out of this world..... Eh? Eh? But...alas, the moon colony mission hasn't quite opened up. Give it some time, and I'm sure it will all come around...might be race between it and China, but...you know how the cookie crumbles...
Anyways! Tangents. Secants....geometry? What the...? I totally forgot math...how did...? The Spirit really DOES bring all things to remembrance... Speaking of remembering...
Oh yeah! So, my tranfer news is as follows:
My companion, Elder Miller, will be heading out the party city/vacationing spot of western Canada: Kelowna!!!
And I will be....
STAYING IN LANGLEY YSA!!! My new companion is going to be Elder Gawyrs. He's awesome. I've met him before and am super excited to finally serve with him. It's going to be good times. Especially because the work here in the YSA is seriously hastening! I am excited.
This week has been great. We were able to teach so many lessons. Which is something I always love doing. No matter the setting, the lesson, the person, it's cool to see that God loves ALL of His children enough to allow His Spirit to testify of the truths we teach as missionaries. Every. Single. Time.
I have grown to love what we teach as missionaries and how we teach as missionaries. Simplicity is what the Spirit can testify of with power. I love helping people understand the message of the Restoration, in its beautiful simplicity. Helping them understand the need for a prophet and for the priesthood authority of God to be on the earth. And sharing with them the account of Joseph Smith's First Vision for the first time in their entire life. The hope and the love that that brings into our lives is unbeatable.
I love teaching people and helping them understand that we have a purpose here in life, that our life didn't begin at birth and that it will not end at death. That we lived with our Heavenly Father before this life, that we are here to learn and to grow, and that we have an opportunity to return to live with Him after this life.
I love helping people live the gospel of Jesus Christ. To build faith in Him, to repent and change, to be baptized and confirmed, to endure to the end and enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost forever. I am grateful for the commandements of God, and for the direction they give to us and the enriching lives that they allow us to live. Surely there can be nothing so rewarding as being able to help our brothers and sisters to receive the restored gospel.
Everyone's so different, too. It's cool to be able to meet all of these people that are really reaching out to God for something they feel is missing in their lives. I taught a man last night by a campfire who literally asked me if God has a plan for him. Well, uh...yeah! And let me show you a pamphlet all about that! ;) The Lord is hastening His work. It's really energizing to be a part of. I know that He lives. And that He loves all of us. That matter where we are in life or what we go through, that He is there for us, and that living this gospel is more important than anything we can do. Sleeping, eating, breathing included.
I love missionary work. And I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior. They have done everything for me. And everything they have done has been given freely and out of love. The least we can do is follow their example and share it.
Sincerely,
Elder Stock
Me, Kyle Fifeld (recent convert in the YSA and our walking set of scriptures), and Elder Miller. The lesson teaching dream team!
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