5/25/15 - 8th LETTER FROM BURNABY

Dear Humanity,

This week has been interesting.  Super fun and rewarding, and full of amazing miracle moments, but not without it's weird plot twists.  Some persecution, some plans falling through, etc.  Character builder moments.  I've learned a lot this week about hope, and what that means for us as missionaries.  In Preach My Gospel, we read that, "hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you...It is believing and expecting that something will occur."  Powerful stuff.  And just like faith, hope is a principle of action.  We can't just passively hope that we will be able to find someone to baptize, that we will be able to fulfill our purpose as missionaries and help God's children to come home to Him, if we aren't willing to do anything about it.  That's just mocking God at that point.  We need to be willing to work.  Something that President Burt always tells us is that we need to be worthy and willing.  Those two components are key, and it's a very common theme in the gospel; change yourself first, and then go out and help others experience that same joy of repentance.  First believe, then do.  They're inseparable.  Faith without works is dead, people.  And works without faith are just as lifeless.

And so we need to have hope and faith in all that we do.  No matter how crazy things get, just put a smile on and trust in God.  Doubt not, fear not, for He is with us.  I remember the time in the book of Alma, where Helaman, Gid and Teomner - three amazing warriors in the Book of Mormon - were trying to reclaim their city of Manti, but to no avail.  Everything they tried was failing, and they were embarrassed at their lack of success.  They didn't understand why they weren't succeeding, and began to be discouraged.  As missionaries, we're trying to "reclaim Manti" if you will.  We are trying to help everyone to come unto Christ and to help build up God's kingdom.  So what happens when we don't see any crazy success?  Do we just forget everything and collapse to the earth?  For these three warriors, they decided to turn to God.  In their own words, they said, "we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that He would strengthen us...and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in Him" (Alma 58:10-11).

I know that if we turn to God, if we truly want peace and assurance, and we're willing to be patient and to suffer a little bit, and to do some hard work, that He will give us peace.  He will help us in every aspect of our lives, if only we let Him.

I had the opportunity to go on a mini mission this weekend with Benson Woo, some guy from the White Rock Ward in BC.  He's preparing to head out in August to go and serve in the California Irvine mission.  It was awesome to have him with us the whole weekend.  He was exposed to missionary weirdness, and to miracles.  He even found us a potential investigator we're going to meet up with on Wednesday!  It was so fun to be around him and to get to help him to prepare.  The mission is where it's at!  Seriously.  No matter how crazy it gets, no matter how hard you think it is, just take a step back and realize who's in charge.  The Almighty God.  The Eternal Father.  He is well aware of what you're going through.  So ask Him for help, for guidance.

Our investigators are amazing.  Seriously.  I am so grateful to be able to teach so many wonderful people on my mission.  It boosts my faith, my testimony, and helps me realize why I am here.

This is His work.  He is in charge, so don't give up, don't get scared now.  You're locked and loaded on the rollercoaster of discipleship, and it ain't getting any slower.  Let it begin!!!

I hope you all have an amazing week!

Sincerely,
Elder Stock

Candid shot of me calling my favorite district leader, Elder Hudson!

 Benson Woo.

Best mini-missionary of all time!

 Elder Marchand and I taking Benson to get "released" from his mini-mission.

 They call him "Miracle March-eazy"...well...I do, at least.  

He's a mission legend, and he's my companion!  Boo-ya!

5/18/15 - 7th LETTER FROM BURNABY

Two more days and will be at the 9 month mark!  I really can't believe how fast the time is going by.  We are getting so close to that year mark, I can't wait!!!  Here's his letter:

Dear Humanity,

This week has been a week of disorienting awesomeness.  As if I was on a beach, and the water started receding...and all hope was lost, and then...a tidal wave of miracles descended upon the shore, drowning me in blessings and missionary joy.  If that doesn't sound weird and slightly unappealing, then you're a sane, normal person.  But if that sounds awesome to you, then you are qualified for the Work.  I'm kidding...that's actually...not scripture...but...anyways!

To start off the week, Elder Spencer and I - in his dying days and at the end of his Canadian ministry - went to eat at a super fancy restaurant called the Cactus Club Cafe.  It was paid for by a member who knew Elder Spencer's family in Zimbabwe.  Small world.  It was incredibly good.  Food is amazing, and having a steak is pretty nice once in a while.

We then went off to the Vancouver YSA's Family Home Evening to say goodbye to all of Elder Spencer's YSA recent converts.  He had a fan club, evidently.  The day was great, and then the unthinkable happened: Elder Spencer was taken.  Into a legion of departing missionaries, preparing themselves to return to their homes, to the real, scary, secular world by throwing a massive party with the mission preisdent and street contacting for one last hurrah.  I watched him drive away toward Richmond, never to see him again...

That day was crazy.  My zone leader trainer had left, and I had to put together our zone's travel plans for transfers basically by myself.  Insanity ensued.  But luckily, everyone got there in one piece...well, except for one of the new guys coming in.  He's still in critical condition. Kidding. Or am I?  Tuesday, I was up in West Van/Northshore with the elders, basically on an all day, switching off exchange.  It was really fun, and we got to bond before they headed off to Kelowna.

Wednesday came around, and we raced down to Langley's Greyhound bus station to drop off one of our elders, which was insane.  I finally got to see the Vancouver Britist Columbia Temple!!!

Then, the Assistants called, and gave me some crazy news.

Elder Spencer was still around for one more day, and had requested that he stay with me and Elder Marchand before he had to get on the plane...

The man had returned!  So we were jumping back and forth all over Richmond the whole day.  Picking up and dropping off, etc.  It was awesome.

Elder Marchand and I ended up dropping Elder Spencer off at the airport.  It was legitimately the most unreal thing I had ever seen.  A missionary whom I had served with for 6 weeks, now gone.  Just like that.

Elder Marchand and I got right to work.  Our teaching pool had pretty much imploded on itself in the last weeks of last transfer, so it was up to us to replenish it.  I was thinking a lot about this in my studies.  And of what we are tasked to do as missionaries.  My thoughts were drawn to 1 Nephi 17, when Nephi is commanded by the Lord to build a ship that will eventually carry him and his family across the ocean to the Promised Land.

Firstly, the Lord commands him to arise and go to the mountain, which he does without hesitation.  The Lord has asked us as members of the church to basically get up and go to work.  Are we doing this without hesitation?  More specifically, the Lord told me to get up and go on a mission, and so now that I am here, now that Nephi is at this mountain, what happens next?

He is commanded to "construct a ship, after the manner which [He] shall show [him]" (1 Ne. 17:8).  We as missionaries are commanded to invite others to come unto Christ.  To essentially construct the kingdom of God.

To build it up wherever we go.

So what was Nephi's response?  Did he ask for a manual on ship building?  Or that the materials he needed would be on the beach, ready for him in a nice, fancy box labeled Scriptural Ship Builder 2000?  What Nephi asked in return was, "Lord, whither shall I go that I may FIND ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?" (1 Ne. 17:9). Whoa. Ok, Nephi.  You're cool!  Not only was he exactly obedient, but he wanted to work so hard for the Lord.  He was willing to start from the ground up on this project.  If I were him in this situation, I probably would have been guilty of asking for some tools to come down from heaven.  Actually, I would have asked for the Scriptural Ship Builder 2000, but anyways, Nephi wanted to go and find. I don't know exactly how ship building works, but Nephi had to start off from literal scratch.  He had to first make the tools to make the ship.  He had to make a bellows, and do everything that his commandment may be fulfilled.  But he was more than willing to do it.

In building the kingdom of God here on the earth, we need to be willing to go and FIND.  There are three aspects or phases of missionary work: finding, teaching, and baptizing.  Just as Nephi wanted to go and find the ore, we as missionaries need to be willing to go and FIND those that God has prepared to hear and accept our message of the restored gospel.  Just as Nephi made the tools to construct the ship, we need to use our tools (teaching skills, Preach My Gospel, the scriptures, etc.) to TEACH all of God's children about His message, and help them receive it.  And lastly, Nephi constructed the ship. To bring about God's purpose for his posterity, to grant unto the Promised Land and to help them return unto Him.  We need to construct His kingdom, to BAPTIZE those whom we find and teach.  To help bring about God's purpose of returning all of His children back unto Him after this life.  So we did just that.  We did a TON of finding this week, and saw a crazy awesome miracle.  New investigators!  We're now constructing a teaching pool.  We found a young couple, Jordan and Katie, who are amazing.  They love the message of the Restoration of the gospel, and are so excited to keep learning, and to come out to church.  We found a man named Michael, who wants he and his wife to turn their lives around so that they can raise their two year old daughter in a better home.  We found a family who have been looking for a church to go to, but haven't felt at home yet, and many more.

All because we realized what you need in this Work.  You need to be willing to go and FIND the ore.  Not just to baptize.  Sure, that's what we want to do all day. But if you don't have the material to make the tools, then how are you going to construct the ship?

I know that this Work is God's Work.  He is at the helm.  This is His Hastening, and He needs all of us to join together and to go and find those that He has prepared.  They're in our friend groups, they're on the streets, they're our neighbors.  Everyone has the chance to accept this great and wonderful gospel, so go out and share it!  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, that He loves each and every one of us, just as our Heavenly Father does.  They are completely unified in their purpose,  and they want us to be as well.  You are all so awesome!  Thank you for your prayers, and for your support.  Have an amazing week, and Happy Victoria Day!!!! #Canada

You Already Know,
Elder Stock

Our Burnaby Zone...don't ask why I wasn't dressed out.  It's a long story. :D

 I got to see, like, my favorite companion ever in our transfer travels!  Elder Boehmer!!! Aw yeah!

 The Death of Elder Spencer.  The End of His Candian Ministry.  His final hour.

 Unbelievable.  The man, the myth, the legend...now gone.  Why?!  Why?!  

Back to cold, cruel world...

5/11/15 - 6th LETTER (sort of) FROM BURNABY

Yesterday was Mother's Day, one of the best days for a missionary mom....we were able to Skype!!!  It was a fun and very relaxed call from him.  We started with a kneeling family prayer and then he shared how he felt about me.  It was sweet and sincere.  Then we all had the opportunity to talk with him.  He ended by bearing his testimony and I offered the closing prayer.  It was a wonderful 40 minutes! Of course we had to update the family photo ;-)

 His reaction to me taking a photo of him.

We wrote our family letter to him as usual.  I was even able to email him back and forth for a bit...but he didn't send a big letter.  How did that happen?!?

This is part of what he wrote to me:

It's really weird seeing Elder Spencer in his "dying" days. (Elder Spencer flies home to Zimbabwe on Wednesday after completing his 2 year mission.  He's not 'dying', just his time in the mission field is)  He's such a good missionary, though, so he's not even stopping at all.  And my new companion, Elder Marchand, who's coming in?  Yeah, this is his last transfer, too...so, I'll be "killing" two missionaries in a row lol.  I shall be known as the Zone Leader Killer from now on.  Fear the wrath. Lol!!!!!  

P.S. Elder Spencer and I's baptismal picture made it onto the front page of the mission newsletter!!!! (wouldn't that have been a nice thing for him to send?!?  I can't complain at all though.  Yesterday we found out that he has the same amount of time to be on his email as every other missionary, but he has to complete and send off all his reports during that time also.  No extra time for the Zone Leader!)

Can't wait for an actual letter next week ;-)

UPDATE!!!!!!

He wrote again this afternoon!!!!  Here's the letter...and photos:

Dear Humanity,

Life is good.  This week was full of miracles, and epic missionary moments with my awesome companion, Elder Spencer.  Literally, the pure joy that comes from this Work is indescribably awesome.  It's as if the Gospel of Jesus Christ is, like, true, or something. ;) I was so happy that I was able to Skype my family for Mother's Day yesterday.  I have the best family in the world, by the way.  It's unfair.  I feel like the blessing of having such a good family was supposed to go to someone else, but it flew over to me on accident.  But hey, I'll roll with it!  They are so good, and having even just our short amount of time to talk with them was such a blessing.  I felt even more of a desire to serve God afterwards, and we had an amazing night at Metro Town, finding so many potential investigators.  

This week, we went on a TON of exchanges with our elders.  It was fun to be able to go into their areas and help them see miracles.  I was with the Korean missionaries on Friday, and that was a pure blast!  I've learned how to speak a little bit of Korean so that I can help them find people to teach.

It was pretty awesome, this last Saturday, because we had the privilege and the honor of participating in the baptism of Laurie Moore.  Pretty great because it was Elder Spencer's last weekend in the mission field, and he finished it off pretty well if you ask me.  It's so cool to see the miracle of the gospel truly unfolding in people's lives.  I feel the blessings of the gospel each and every day.

Our P-Day was pretty crazy today, with Elder Spencer getting ready to head off and all, so we don't have too much time to e-mail.  I'm sorry, I'll go crazy next week just for you guys! :D I know that this Church is true, that the Book of Mormon is not only true, but life-saving, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, is our Savior and our Redeemer. So obtain His gift: the Atonement.  It can heal everything.  Both physically and spiritually.  I love you all!  You are the best!!!

Sincerely,

Elder Stock

Us and the Vancouver South sisters right before Laurie's baptism.

 Laurie, her twin sons TJ and Zach, and me and Elder Spencer after the baptism.

Elder Porter in his natural habitat. #exchange He's Korean speaking, and is also from Gilbert, AZ....small world!

5/4/15 - 5th LETTER FROM BURNABY

Only 6 more days to wait before we have our 2nd Skype call with Elder Stock!  We're so excited and can't wait to see him again!!!!  Here's his letter:

Dear Humanity,

This week was....crazy!  Literally, everything flew by in a blur of awesome sauce.  By the time I am writing this to you, I don't know where to begin, or what even happened... It's a weird feeling.  But I do know that Elder Spencer and I basically had the flu this week.  See, when we went to Mission Leader Council, we had the Terrace zone leaders over with us for the night... And Elder Aldredge had the flu...  Thus, the Plague of Terrace was spread to Burnaby.  Literally, we were drained of all energy.  Super stuff noses, coughing, and just general death.  I felt as if someone had taken a syringe and literally drained all of the energy (I mean, there wasn't too much there to start with...) out of each and every one of my muscles (again...not much there... ;) We were toast.  And there was no way out of this predicament.  Especially since on Tuesday, we were to stand before the zone and conduct a zone meeting to relay the information gained at MLC and to build the faith of our missionaries.

We were sick.

And looking for help.

The Assistants, Elder Engelstead and Elder Cottingham came by on Monday night and went through our agenda for the zone meeting.  They noticed our awful and wretched state, and decided to help us out.  We received some priesthood blessings, and went on our merry way, feeling pumped up and ready to go.  The promised blessing was that we would be able to endure through zone meeting...we assumed that we would be healed after that, but...obviously I didn't read the fine print.

Literally, we were miraculously not sick for our whole zone meeting, and then as soon as our missionaries left, everything started flooding back.

But this is not a Work for quitters. And so, partly out of obedience and our love for the Savior, and partly out of stupidity, Elder Spencer and I decided to work through it.

There was no way out.  But, as Alma said, "If thou believest in the redemption of Christ thou canst be healed" (Alma 15:8).  I can testify to you all, that if you put your trust and faith in Christ, and seek the knowledge that He can heal you, that He will.  Now, I'm not saying that we said a fervent prayer and worked, and we were OK.  Not at all.  We didn't even know why we're still going!  I fell asleep on a bus and almost fell on somebody!  We looked like fools walking around Metro Town, and we didn't even see any crazy success stories or find any new investigators.  But we kept working.

Healing doesn't come, usually, in miraculous moments of realization.  I mean, it can, don't get me wrong.  God is ALL powerful.  Which means He can literally do ANYTHING.  But if you turn to the scriptures, when Christ visits the Nephites in the Americas and ministers unto them, He say, "for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you" (3 Nephi 17:8).  Whoa....

According "to our faith in Jesus Christ, He can heal us, both physically and spiritually" (PMG, pg. 62).

So, if it's according to our faith that we are healed, and if faith is something that we need to work for, to earn, then it makes sense that Christ doesn't usually automatically heal us.  Because we always need to learn something from our trials.  In Lehi's Dream, Lehi walks through a mist of darkness right as he begins to follow Christ (1 Nephi 8). We will all face those mists of darkness.  Our trials won't stop just because we are seeking to follow Jesus Christ.  But we will ALWAYS be rescued from these mists, at some point in time, as long as we just continually hold fast to the iron rod, to the word of God, to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

That is truth.  Yesterday, I met a man who argued that all religion was "subjective truth", that the only truth was what you could see right in front of you.  He held up a newspaper.  "What shape is this?!" he scowled.

"A rectangle..." I responded curtly.

"Exactly!  THAT's truth. Watch this...I am going to 'share' my truth with everyone on this street, and they will agree with me, while you will share yours and no one will."

Before I share with you what happened next, let me just tell you: the only truth that we can actually trust is that God is real, that He loves us, and that the gospel that He has provided for us is true.  Everything else is man-made fluff.  That rectangle?  Named by a human being.  The more I live the gospel, the more I realized that it is the only truth worth following.  Because it does not change.  No matter if you believe in Him or not, God is real.  He is our Heavenly Father.  And He loves us.  That's His motivation for everything He does.

So back to the encounter.  The man then walks up to everyone walking by, screaming at them, "Excuse me!  What shape is this?! What shape?!" Almost everyone starts running away in terror...people don't like crazies.  Go figure.  He then gets an answer.  A young man walks by, and is asked the question.  Confused, he stares real hard at the newspaper, and says, "A triangle."  The man, stunned, tries to change his mind.  But the kid walks away.

He turned to me and said, "well, obviously they can't speak English or something..." And then walked away, embarrassed.

People, there IS absolute truth.  We don't need to swim in this cesspool of moral relativism and subjective reality, searching for an existential purpose to our lives.  Because God lives.  I have seen too many miracles in my life to deny that, and I have felt His Spirit, the Holy Ghost testify to me that He does indeed live, that He does indeed love me.

I have seen people, lost and broken down, with nowhere to go, find hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, immediately apply it, and receive deliverance from their sins and afflictions.  I have seen people humble themselves before God and receive blessings from it.  I have seen someone, who didn't even believe in God two months before their baptism, discover that He is there, and receive a testimony of light and truth that holds firm to this day.  I have seen the hand of God prepare people to receive the gospel, and I have felt Him strengthen me as I do this work.

I know that Christ heals.  And I know that He does so according to our faith.

So go out there and share your knowledge.  Your testimony!  Because the world needs your light.

Sincerely,
Elder Stock

He didn't send a photo this week.......truthfully, I'm thankful since he's been sick, but I have to include a photo.  So here we are with a photo from 2005.  

The Stock Boys of the House of Steve!

4/27/15 - 4th LETTER FROM BURNABY

Dear Everyone,

What a week!  I was reminded this week, through being taught from on high, that we need to keep it simple.  Think about the job of the Apostles.  Back in Christ's time, they were to keep the doctrine pure and simple, for that is how it is.  That is how God teaches us.  To our understanding.  Very simple, and very profoundly. The simple truths of the gospel are what the Spirit will testify of.  God is our Heavenly Father, and we are His children.  He loves us, and wants to communicate with us.  We can do that through sincere prayer!  He has a body of flesh and bone, and because of this, He weeps with us when we suffer, and rejoices with us when we choose the right.  He has provided a way for us to return to live with Him after this life, and we can do so through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Boom.  That's Preach My Gospel.

We aren't called to teach about crazy elaborate church history, the specifics of the Levitical Priesthood, or where God lives in the universe...quite frankly because that isn't pure doctrine.  What I mean by pure doctrine is something that genuinely hleps us to live the gospel of Jesus Christ and fulfill God's plan for us.  Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  Boom.  That's all we need in this life.  Basic truth that helps us.

As Alma, my Book of Mormon hero, says, "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass" (Alma 37:6) Whoa. THAT'S profound, Alma.  And...wait a moment...simply put!  See, the key to sharing the gospel is not to be the smartest guy in the room.  Human wisdom and logic are cool, and all. But guess who has more knowledge than all y'all combined: our Heavenly Father!

Yeah...ANYTHING in life can be logically broken down.  Heck, even anti-Mormon literature is logical.  But is it the truth?  Of course not!

When we are talking with people about the Church, about our beliefs, what are we telling them?  Are we in Preach My Gospel every day, do we truly KNOW the doctrine we are called to teach?  The Spirit will be with you if you testify of God's love to someone.  He might not be there when you start trying to assert you "mighty" knowledge of the obsure events of early church history.  You know what I'm talking about.  The stuff that doesn't matter in the long run.  So prioritize.  Study what our prophets and apostles have shown to us as truth, as basic doctrine.  Don't know where to find it?

Oh...no worries.  It's a little book called Preach My Gospel!  Study it, believe it, learn it, love it, and teach it.  The Spirit will be with you, and you will be able to keep pace with the Hastening of the Work.

This week, I was privileged enough to attend Missionary Leadership Council (MLC) in Richmond.  All of the zone leaders and sister training leaders were gathered together from across the province with President and Sister Burt and his Assistants.  It was an AMAZING experience.  The conference was about 9 hours long...and yet it felt like a minute!  We discussed the needs of the mission, and some ways that we could be more unified across the mission in this wonderful work.  It was cool to be a part of it.  I felt so inadequate, though, walking in among these legendary missionaries.  When I walked into the meetinghouse, I saw my trainer himself, Elder Orr!  What a reunion.  We reminisced about the Duncan days and my greenie moments.  He's in Prince George.  It's cold up there... It was an awesome experience, and I found out from Elder Swallow (my old zone leader in Nanaimo) that Will is doing super well as the new Assistant Ward Mission Leader in Duncan!  I feel too blessed to have met Will... I am honored and humbled to be here in Burnaby.  The ward is awesome.  Speaking of which...at MLC, I was called up by the bishopric and asked if I could give a talk in sacrament meeting.  "You know I can!"  So...I prepared a little ten minute talk.  And when I got up on the podium, I totally forgot my talk, and instead when on for twenty minutes on how memebers can do missionary work as well, and related it to my topic... It was, like, kind of overly passionate.  But they ate it up!  So...there you go, eh?  It was a fun experience.  The members were kind of shell-shocked afterwards though... I felt a little bad that I went over, but I was like..."This is the most important topic, so...I'll be excused..."

The work is going super well.  We're teaching a guy named K who had some nerve damage in his arm.  Going for a baptismal date tonight!  And we just found a brand new family to teach yesterday.  C & J and their three little kids!  They're so cool.  Our super solid investigator, L, moved to Vancouver...she's getting baptized in two weeks into that ward... So, that's amazing!  Metro Town mall is insane.  I love it.  I love this work, and I know that it is our Heavenly Father's work.  We aren't just an organization going out and getting numbers!  This is literally Heavenly Father using His children as His servants to gather all of His children together, to return to Him.  So go out and be friends with everyone, and show them how much this gospel can change your life!  Wahoo!  Have a great week, everybody!

Your Guy,
Elder Stock

P.S. - Shout out to Island Ward Activity Girls/Sister Baxter!!!  That package was awesome!  Sunshine on a rainy day.  We have already devoured the food, and it was amazing!  You are all amazing, and you made my day! :D

Me and Elder Spencer devouring American Oreos...thank you Sister Baxter!!!!!

 Me and my father in the mission, Elder Orr, at MLC. #blasttothepast

 The first time Elder Spencer has had Oreos with milk...African children probs ;)

We're 2 weeks away from a Skype call with Elder Stock!

Can't wait!!!!!

4/20/15 - 3rd LETTER FROM BURNABY

Today marks Colton's 8 Month Mark!!!  Here's the letter!

Dear Everyone,

What an incredible week.  In Moroni 7, this amazing Book of Mormon prophet asks us a pretty rhetorical question when he inquires, "have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven...?" Because He fulfilled the law, and accomplished the Atonement, is it all over?  Is God just on a recliner, ceasing the work He has always done?  "Behold, I, [Moroni], say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."  Now, angels do minister to us.  But what exactly is an angel!?!  Moroni explains that, "the office of [an angel's] ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and do the work of the covenants of the Father...to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him."

Whoa.  What's an angel again?!  Someone...or something...that calls men to repentance...fulfills Heavenly Father's covenants...and prepares the way for His children to return to Him by declaring His gospel of Jesus Christ to them, that they may testify of it and of Him... That sounds really familiar to me...

There's something else that has a similar office...a calling or something.  Someone who is called to "help people qualify for baptism and confirmation by teaching them true doctrine and inviting them to repent and change their lives through making and keeping commitments that build their faith in Jesus Christ." Oh, yeah! A missionary!  As missioanries, we call men to repentance.  We invite others to make and keep commitments, to ACT, to Do something that will build their faith in Christ and help them to change in accordance with His will.  We fulfill and do the work of Heavenly Father's covenants.  He promised that He would gather His children.  In unity.  In one faith.  Why do we have a Church?  To gather ourselves in unity and faith!  That's why we're inviting everyone to it.  We prepare the way for His children to return to live with Him.  As they are baptized and live the gospel of Jesus Christ, then that way is wide open and they can return.  We declare the gospel, the word of Christ, to chosen vessels.  To those whom the Lord has prepared.  And when they are truly converted, they testify of Him and of His gospel.

My recent convert in Duncan, Will (one of the greatest men I have ever met in my life), was just called to be an Assistant Ward Mission Leader in his ward.  He is testifying of Jesus Christ.  He has been ministered unto, and now he is ministering to others.  Because we do not learn truth just to keep it.  That's not how God's plan works.  He didn't give Joseph Smith the most remarkable answer to prayer ever just so that Joseph could keep it as a souvenir and go on his merry way.  He gave him that answer so that he could share, so that he could help others to come to the same witness of the truth.  And look at the work now.  Sharing the gospel is a fundamental part of learning the gospel.  So go out and share it!  I have learned that as long as we are doing all that we can do, and we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ, that the Lord will bless us.

Miracles truly have not ceased, and nor will they ever now.  The Lord is hastening His work.  Of that I testify.  This week, we found someone who moved here from Kamloops with her two twin sons.  She's a single mom who's had an incredibly rough past, and all that she wants to do is move forward, to be baptized, and do all that she can to lead by example, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Not only was her coming in contact with us a miracle for her, but it was a blessing for us as well.  We have been finding so many people who will meet up, but are not willing to progress, to live the gospel.  And so finally, the Lord has granted us that desire of our hearts.  A blessing for both sides...that is how the Lord works!  He gives to all men liberally, and He is so good to us.  Blessings and miracles are raining down upon us each and every day.  All that we need to do is "close our umbrella" and feel the rain.  I am honored to be here in Burnaby with Elder Spencer.  He is amazing, and has taught me so much.  I am grateful for the missionaries that I serve each day and for the ward that I have been given to work with and bless.  I am grateful for the support of such an amazing family, that truly is an example to me of making the gospel of Jesus Christ a pattern of living.  I am excited to serve.

Have an amazing week,
Elder Stock

Elder Stock selfie...

 Transformers collection that some kid had in Coquitlam...He's obsessed ;-)

 Went on exchanges with Elder Kelly in Coquitlam!  

"We're here to FIND, Elder Kelly....not SEE!" #moralauthority

 Elder Spencer calling a district leader...

 Me and Elder Spencer calling a district leader.... ;-)

 All-You-Can-Eat Sushi.... SO much food....

8 months down....

16 more to go!

4/13/15 - 2nd LETTER FROM BURNABY

This weekend there was a social media blitz in British Columbia.  Two members shared photos of Colton and his companion and it was a great surprise for me! Jon Johnston took shared these two photos:
We meet the missionaries early to study with them.  They pray, study scriptures and make lesson plans.  We discussed the needs of people they teach and how to help them. #RealBCMormons

Nate Johnston and I joined the missionaries to help move dirt for a community garden.  The organic vegetables will be given to people in the neighborhood.  #RealBCMormons  Mormon missionaries usually wear white shirts and neckties.  But they wear work clothes when someone needs help.

Douglas Blatherwick posted these three photos:

Out with Elder Stock from Arizona and Elder Spencer from Zimbabwe.  #RealBCMormons

Sometimes missionaries get busy and have a hard time making time to eat.  They often try to find cheap, or all you can eat places to extend time between meals and save money.  One place of favor to missionaries over the years has been Uncle Willy's.  #RealBCMormons

As I left the missionaries I saw this view of #Burnaby and thought this is not a bad place to spend 1.5 to 2 years of your life on a mission.  I know I like living here.  Isn't it beautiful what God created?

As our church leaders have said, we are all missionaries, the full-time missionaries are just here to help us.  #RealBCMormons

 

It is a beautiful place.  Now let's hear about Elder Stock's adventures this week.

Dear All Y'All,

This week was great.  Elder Spencer and I conducted our zone meeting on Wednesday...it was a little nerve-wracking at first because Preisdent Burt himself attended ours.  So I was nervous to get up and starting our missionaries on accountability, how district meetings should look, etc.  Gladly, it all went really well.  Super interactive, super edifying, etc.  I love Elder Spencer.  He is a boss.  Just a bank of mission knowledge all contained in one Zimbabwean superstar missionary.  It's been good.  It's cool to see him, on his last transfer, still going strong.  Not losing momentum.  That's a good example to me.  I should treat every transfer that wya, with a desire to not lose momentum.  Because that is how everything falls apart.

As you probably all saw, as well, we had an epic media blitz!!!  It was fun to have members with us for the majority of the day, and to see the crazy awesome miracles that happened because of it.  Seriously: member-missionary work is the way that we access the true power of the Hastening.  Do it.  It is the Lord's way, and the only way that we can help others to truly come unto Christ.  Seriously, though.  What qualifies us for eternal life?  Enduring to the end!  What helps converts endure to the end?  Having a friend in the church.  Fellow-shippings is the biggest task that we have to attend to in this Work.  And us as missionaries can't do that, because we are always swapping wards.  Members and missionaries are one.  Simple as that.

We also got to attend this cool fireside last night by Dr. Givens with two of our investigators, Kevin and Anja, and the fireside was all about why we should choose to believe the restored gospel, and the five gems of the Restoration.  In layman's terms, they are that: God is passionate, He feels our feelings, that we have existed eternally, that we are in an ascent toward God, and not a Fall, that God is an architect with ambition; not a repairman acting out of desperation, and that heaven is a continuation of our family relationships on earth.  It was super cool and mind-blowing, and we got a lot out of it.

The gospel principle that I've truly learned this week is that God is passionate, that He cares about us so individually, so perfectly, and so intimately.  He is focused on us, we are His greatest joy.  All that He wants is for us to return to live with Him, but more than that: to become better from our life on earth.  He is not satisfied with us just living with Him.  He wants us to learn, to grow, to become like Him.  What an incredible Father we have, who has orchestrated with us such a perfect plan to go about doing this.  I am grateful for the plan of salvation, and I am grateful for how incredibly detailed our Heavenly Father is, and how truly dedicated He is to all of us.  So reach out to Him!  Pray a little bit more, seek His guidance.  Because He knows exactly what you can become.  And it is far greater than anything you have ever imagined.

I am truly honored to be here in Canada.  This mission that I am serving is honestly the greatest time of my life.  You are all amazing!  If you see my picture on Facebook, just know that..we're #RealBCMormons ;)

Sincerely, 

Elder Stock

His beloved Chipotle!