7/25/16 - 2nd LETTER IN SIDNEY

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: ATTACK ON SIDNEY…

“Yeah, and so district meeting will be an awesome time to receive revelation and then we need to actually apply what we learn in the work and see miracles,” Elder Stock said, trying to sagely teach his son Elder Whitney the finer doctrines of the kingdom. The duo walked by the kitchen in the stake centre of Victoria. A man was filling up glasses of water in there. He was shorter, kind of a stocky man, with a nice suit on. He turned to Elder Stock.

“You’ve gotten taller,” he said with a straight face. Elder Stock smiled.

“Will!!!!!! I can’t believe you are actually here! It’s been so long!” After an epic man hug, the duo turned to Elder Whitney.

“Well, let’s go do this district meeting,” Will said.

A year and a half ago, Will Wilson was baptized on Elder Stock’s last weekend of Duncan life. And now, he is a stake single adult representative in Victoria, owns a nice suit, and is extremely faithful to his calling and to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why we serve. So people like Will can have a chance.

This week has been a blast! Elder Whitney and I have been really just focusing on having our “line in the water” as fishers of men. Making sure that we are always doing something that will help us find people to teach this restored gospel to. And we have been treated to Heavenly Father’s countless miracles. We have been journeying out onto reserves, trekking across towns, and preaching this gospel by the Spirit to all that we see.

Honestly, being a missionary is awesome. At this point in my mission, I literally have an aching urge to go and help others receive the restored gospel. Like, when I am not doing that, I am itching to go back out and work. I feel the Spirit. I feel God’s hand in my life, and receive His revelation for me. Specific, clear revelation that I use and that I become better with. I have my testimony and conversion strengthened each and every day, and I know that that is from God. What a blessing it is to serve! I never want to give this up!

So, funny story. My whole mission, I have always acted as “Lloyd” in my role plays of teaching. Literally because in the MTC, I did my first role play, they asked me who I was, and I thought of Dumb and Dumber being the unconsecrated weirdo I was, and said I was Lloyd. Anyways, Elder Whitney practiced as him every day and one day, we are tracting, and are led to this house at the bottom of a reserve right next to a lagoon. After we go all the way there, we find a man sitting in his chair. “Hey, there! We’re your missionaries! How are ya?!” I yell.

The man in the chair says, “Come in!” We do, and teach him the Restoration. He wants us back, and we find out that his name is…Lloyd. Two years of role playing and God finally led me to the man! So there you go!

Sidney is the best, the ward here is the greatest, Vancouver Island is the greatest place on earth, I love life, and yeah…I can’t say too much more. I feel like Elder Christensen on the District 2 Episode 1. Watch it and laugh after this email.

I know that this work is Christ’s cause. That He has commissioned all of us, as His followers, to go forth and to teach all nations, baptizing them in His name! I know that His gospel and priesthood authority has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I continue to know that each time I read and pray about it. It is the most correct book on earth, and will bring you closer to your Savior. I know He lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Have a great week,

Elder Stock

Me and Will Wilson, brothers in arms! 

We be preachin’…

My last study journal….it’s as deep as you can get! ;)

I mean, just look at that cosmos!!!  

7/18/16 - 1st LETTER IN SIDNEY

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: ATTACK ON SIDNEY…

“Elder Stock, can you stand?” President Burt commanded at a meeting full of new missionaries and their soon to be trainers. “Elder Stock is heading into new territory for him. On Vancouver Island. He’s going to an area called Sidney. Whitewashing. And his new companion is from Utah. His name is Elder Whitney!” The words rang in Elder Stock’s ears as he briskly walked up to join his “son” at the front of the chapel and gave him a big elder to elder hug.

A blur of trainings and pictures were taken. Soon, the duo found themselves tearing down the highway toward a giant ferry to the mystical Vancouver Island.

Elder Stock turned to his son. “Aw. Yeah,” he said. And thus began to most epic adventure of all time.

Elder Whitney Bio:

From Gunnison, UT. Loves the gospel and missionary work, has a strong testimony of the plan of salvation. Filled with energy and is excited to be here. Is exactly obedient and is adjusting to mission life at five days better than I was adjusted at my year mark, it seems like. Consensus: he’s a beast.

Being back on the Island feels so nice. The air is fresher here than anywhere in the world, the people are prepared, the church is strong and not complacent, and everything is just perfect. See, when the earth was created, there was a slice of perfect that fell out of heaven and landed in the ocean right next to British Columbia. That sliver of land that solidified afterward is known today as Vancouver Island.

Sidney borders my first area, Duncan. And I am thrilled to be here. We got right to work this week, wasting no time. Found some new investigators to teach, and are building up a teaching pool here in Sid City. The ward is on fire! Our bishop is a beast. He’s literally named John Carter. Yeah, like that one dude on Mars? Same concept only First Nations and extremely devoted to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. I learned a lot in this short week about the Spirit. How to follow and trust him in the work. Elder Whitney and I were driving toward our home at the end of our night, when suddenly Elder Whitney felt a prompting to go drop by a referral we received from a less active member. I spun around in the opposite direction immediately, and we went to go find the reason!

As we did, we realized that we did not have this referral’s address written down on anything in our car. We were kind of just running on pure faith juice at this point. So we did. We stopped on the road we assumed his house was on. We prayed for guidance and bolted out of our car, with fifteen minutes left of the night. If we didn’t find this guy and teach him a lesson, we were going to be way late…

Running on pure hope at this point, we knocked on the door of what we wanted to be his home. A man answered with a glass of wine and no shirt. Told us we got the wrong house. Ten minutes. A ray of hope shined forth. Wine glass man uttered, “Go up the road to the gas pump. He might be there…”

Chevy Cruze tires sped across the asphalt, and a gas pump soon loomed in the distance. As it got closer, we saw that there was a stretch of rez on the side of the road. “He’s got to be in there!” I said to Elder Whitney. We parked and ran to a home we felt impressed to knock on. A little girl answered, and her dad came up the stairs.

“We’re looking for a man named Bear!” we managed to say to him. “Do you know him at all?” Five minutes.

“Yeah,” he sighed, tired from a long day. “Follow me…” We did. Through bushes and a yard full of broken cars and glass. For what seemed like an eternity, we ended up in the back of a thicket of broken down houses and trees. A run down trailer sat before us. “This is it,” the man said as he knocked on it and then walked away.

Our guy answered the door. “Are you Bear?” we asked.

“Yes.” We then taught him how he can come closer to his Heavenly Father. We prayed with him, and he felt the Spirit. He prayed for us, and thanked his Creator for the blessing of meeting us. And we’re going to see him this week.

God provides. Get on your feet and see His miracles!

Have a great week,

Elder Stock

Leavin’ Vernon in good hands!

 Soarin’ over BC!

 Me, my son, and President and Sister Burt!

 That ferry, tho!

 KAIJU CRAB!!!!

 Crab smolder…

7/11/16 - 12th LETTER FROM VERNON

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: ADVENTURES IN KAM CITY…

Downtown Kamloops swirled on Saturday evening. Cars flew past on the road, and people crowded the streets. Two missionaries traveled among them all, talking with everyone they could. Suddenly, out of the crowds, a man appeared.

“Someone take my address and number! I need to get in touch with the Latter-day Saints!” he yelled above the sounds.

“Uh, sure!” Elder Stock responded, not knowing how to handle someone so solid.

“I can meet you tonight at seven, too!” he said.

That night, they met him in the park.

“So, what made you want to meet with us?” Elder Stock asked.

“I was praying. And I was asking God, ‘Where are your guides? Where are the guides to your kingdom?’ And when I woke up the next morning, I saw missionaries from your church. I knew it was a sign. But I was too scared to talk with them. So I built up the courage and found you today.”

There was a silence. “This is what you are looking for,” the missionaries said. He came to church the next day. Miracles have not ceased. Welcome to the Hastening!!!

This week has been insane! Elder Nakale and I have gone crazy in Kamloops, and it has been a blast! We are finding so much success. Let me just testify to you ALL: God is hastening His work. Let’s start keeping pace a little more. Because He’s been ready for a little bit.

This week I got a transfer call. I’m leaving the Vernon zone and I’m going out of the country. To Sydney, Australia!!!!!!!!!

Wait, what, President? Oh, ok….Oh, yeah. That makes more sense…

So, I’m actually going to SIDNEY, BC!!!!! It’s on Vancouver Island!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m going to be TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY FIRST SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so pumped. This is going to be the best transfer of all time.

I am way too stoked for this. I’m geeking out. Van Island for life!!!!! So, yeah. My life is complete. Plan for this transfer: work harder than I can even work. So, run more than it is requisite basically. Leave it all on the field.  It’s the eleventh hour. It’s game time.

As our faith in Jesus Christ grows, our desire and ability to be like Him increases. We find ourselves turning outward, developing pure Christ like love. Charity. As this happens, we see God’s children as who they really are: His children. With the potential of becoming like Him and receiving the blessings of the gospel. And our desire to share this glorious truth of the Restoration burns brighter than anything we can imagine. As Holland says, “First and forever, fan the flame of your faith”, because as you do you will bring that light to the world.

I know that this Work is literally God’s work and His purpose. I know that His Son, Jesus Christ, lives. They love us. And They have restored truth to the earth. I know that as we read the Book of Mormon every single day, that we will draw closer to Them more than we can imagine. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have an epic week!

Elder Stock

UP NEXT ON MISH LYFE: ATTACK ON SIDNEY…

Elder Stock and his greenie arrive in the city, only to find that their mission just got crazy…

To be continued…

Drowning in my tie collection… Perks of the mish!

 Rode a bike all day for the first time in my mission (I’ve just had cars)…feel like a champ!

 The Coquihalla at night…just waiting for a monster to attack, no big deal…

 Elder Meline and I at MLC! Can Van 4ever!!!

 Mexican food….chimichangas are a way of living, I’ve decided…

 Commander Helmet….I can’t imagine what people think as they see us.

7/4/2016 - 11th LETTER FROM VERNON

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: FILL THE FONT….AGAIN!!!!!!

The room was quiet as Elder Scully began his talk on the Holy Ghost, shortly after Earnest had been baptized by priesthood authority. “So, Earnest, how do you feel?” he began.

Earnest smiled and paused. “Amazing,” he replied. The Spirit filled the room.

He now is striving to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and progress in this great gospel. This is why we serve.

I have been thrilled this week to be able to be a part of the conversion process of Earnest, and to be able to seek the Lord’s help in His work. Vernon truly is such a miracle land. This is God’s work. He is preparing His children to receive this gospel. As long as we ACT in faith, He will allow us to be a part of His work and His glory. Here in the Vernon zone, we have been focusing on striving to “Remember the Why”. Why are we here, why we wake up in the morning, why we go out of our way to talk with everyone we can, why we teach the gospel.

What we did was we committed everyone in the zone, including ourselves, to read and pray about our call letters and to remember the feelings we had when we were first called to serve our missions. And then to seek God’s help in remembering why we are here and to act upon that. It was incredible. Kneeling in prayer, remembering the powerful adrenaline rush of opening my mission call, and then recommitting myself to His work was pure joy.

I know, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that I am called of God. Personally, He has sent me here, to British Columbia, from August 2014-2016, to bring souls to Him. I am literally a representative of the Savior Jesus Christ. And while I am far from perfect, He is with me. I know that. Powerfully.

If you have even a shred of a desire to serve God, you are literally called to His work. He needs us. We are fighting a war here against an adversary who is cunning and getting more powerful by the day. But we are promised that if we rely on the Lord, and go forward in faith, that we will be saved, and we will conquer. To do this work, we need to have faith. That comes through study, through learning, through seeking the Lord. As our faith grows, we develop a home in Him. A trust that His promises will be fulfilled and an expectation of His blessings as we are faithful to our promises to Him. And this leads us to become like Christ, to repent and change and have the Spirit to be with us. And when we have the Spirit, we have a desire to serve others. And then we have true charity. I have learned that faith transforms into charity. That while we may have a testimony, a faith in this gospel, we have nothing unless we share it. Unless we have true charity. That is how we become like Christ, by turning outward. As Paul declared, “though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Let’s become more converted this week and look outside of ourselves! Let’s lift the brokenhearted and serve our brothers and sisters.

I know that this gospel is true. Jesus Christ lives and leads His Church through a living prophet. I know that this is His work. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great week!

Elder Stock

Earnest’s baptism!!!!!

 Elder Nakale and Elder Stock…dream team.

 British Columbia….what a place!

 Canada Day firework show….in Merritt!!!

6/27/16 - 10th LETTER FROM VERNON

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: FILL THE FONT!!!

“Ron! How do you feel?” Elder Meline asked the elderly First Nations man as he came up out of the water, baptized by priesthood authority.

There was a silence, as the Spirit bore witness to us all that the baptism had been performed properly to provide a remission of his sins.

“I feel like stayin’ in the water a little more…I feel clean…” he said.

Wow. I couldn’t have had a better week in the mission field. We have worked with Ron for a little less than a month now, and he has progressed in leaps and bounds. Conversion truly is a miracle. I’m so grateful that this gospel is true, and that the Holy Ghost truly teaches and testifies of it with actual Godly power. As we were teaching Ron, he would always remark that he felt a strength building within him that helped him to keep God’s commandments and repent in preparation for his covenant at baptism.

The Spirit that was there at the baptism was so strong. You could feel of God’s love for him. I love this work, and I love the absolute privilege it is to be a part of it, and to be able to feel a fraction of our Father in heaven’s love for each and every one of His children.

We had some incredible experiences this week. Teaching our investigator, Earnest, is just insane. He is so solid and studies the teachings of all the latter-day prophets on his own. He is eating the gospel up like the feast of the Restoration that it is!

We are teaching a man named Carlton, as well, and he is so faith-filled! It’s incredible to me to see what you can learn from the people you teach on your mission. I have been privileged to have met some stellar people here in British Columbia so far, and how grateful I am for all of their examples to me! To those who are reading this and who are some of those people, I commend you for your faith and your devotion to this gospel. I also testify to you that you are on the right path, that the choices you made to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Lord’s true Church is good and right. This is the work of salvation. No matter what trials or challenges we go through, no matter what persecutions arise or doubts surface, just know that this is His work. And “I [the Lord] will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil” (D&C 10:43).

I’ve learned this week just how important it is to always remember the “why” of missionary work and the gospel. To recognize the true purpose behind everything; to bring us unto Christ. I’ve learned the importance of giving everything to the Savior as you do His work. As Bruce R. McConkie said, “We are not as other men. We are the Saints of God and have the revelations of heaven. Where much is given much is expected. We are to put first in our lives the things of His kingdom”. I know that if we give all we have to Him, our will, our desires, our inadequacies, that He will make us into something great. We can all be instruments in His perfect hands to change the lives of those around us. As we nurture our faith, let it mature into charity. Let us turn outward. For “pure Christ-like love flowing from true righteousness can change the world” (Jeffrey R. Holland).

Thank you for your support and devotion to the Master and His gospel.

I know that He lives, and loves each and every one of us, and that He has restored His truth to the earth today. Draw near unto Him, and He will draw near unto you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have an epic week!

Elder Stock

Ron Felix’s baptism!!!

 From left: Elder Stock, Elder Meline, Elder Nakale, and Elder Scully

 #SMS2016

(Stock-Meline-Scully AKA Save-Many-Souls)

The perfect tri-force!!!

(They are standing in this order: Scully, Stock and Meline)

6/20/16 - 9th LETTER FROM VERNON

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: VERN-TASTIC…

“Please bless him to know if these things are really true,” Elder Scully said as he finished his prayer at the beginning of their lesson with Earnest. After he said amen, there was a silence as the Spirit distilled upon them all.

“Well, it’s not an issue of ‘if it’s true’…rather, it’s an issue of, ‘if you’re ready for a long-haired guy to join your group’…” he said in response…

To which Elder Stock grinned from ear to ear.

This is the work of salvation! My week has been fantastic. My testimony that God lives and leads His work today grows deeper and stronger each day. Can I just say that I am grateful to be a missionary and for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that is available to us all?! Someone told me that what we teach was too good to be true this week. To which I replied, “Yes! It is too good to be true. But that’s the remarkable thing: it is true! In fact, it’s even more than just true, it is life!” At this point on my mission, everything’s going to sound cliché, but that’s the beauty of it, everyone: the gospel is true, our Heavenly Father lives and loves us, and we have the fullness of truth restored to the earth today. You can find it in the pages of the Book of Mormon and the words of the living prophets of God today!!!

This week, we’ve hit the ground running doing our absolute best to follow the Spirit, be exactly obedient to the commandments and mission rules, and worked with ALL of the time we have in the day. As a result, the Lord is guiding us to people whom He has prepared to receive this restored gospel. It is incredible to see how that works. Our friend, Ron, is planning on getting baptized this weekend and is excited for his big day to make a covenant with God. We are so grateful for him and for God’s hand in his progression. With it being Father’s Day yesterday, I’ve reflected a little on the father figures I’ve had in my life. I’m grateful for my missionary trainer, for my mission president, for my earthly father, and especially for my Heavenly Father, and how they all have helped me in different ways to progress and really grow here on earth and on my mission.

I want to give a shout out to my dad, Anthony Stock! He is incredible, and is such an example to me of hard work, of selfless service, and of perseverance. I’ll never forget the lessons he has taught me, and the gospel conversations we had throughout my life. They’ve helped mold me. Thank you, dad, for everything! And happy Father’s Day!

I know that this work is the Lord’s work, and that there is nothing that is going to stop it. We just need to give of everything we have, and He will show forth His power through us.

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way to eternal life, that Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness is perfect, that it has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that His infinite and eternal sacrifice can rescue us all. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Have an awesome week!

Elder Stock

Cherry pickin’…the Okanagan Valley bares fruit at last!

6/13/16 - 8th LETTER FROM VERNON

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: KINGS OF VERNON…

“All right, well we’ve got a dinner appointment out there in Armstrong, so maybe we can just tract on some roads on the way out there?” Elder Stock brainstormed with his companion, Elder Meline as they loaded up their scriptures into the Nissan Rogue.

Elder Meline grabbed the map, and pointed to a street. “What about this one?” he asked, pointing to a road out in Armstrong.

“Um…sure, if you’re feeling it.” The two started the drive out to Armstrong, and drove to the street they had picked. Looking around, there was nobody outside the very few houses. “Well, here we are,” Elder Stock sighed.

Elder Meline smiled. “We’re going to find the reason why we were sent here,” he said, and they both walked onto the empty street. After talking to a few people at their door with no luck, they began to wonder if this really was a smart idea to come out on this random street. And then, they saw someone walking their dog along the sidewalk, and immediately came over to her and started talking to her.

Her name was Irene, and she had been going through some hard times with the deaths of some loved ones, and had a lot of questions weighing on her about the life after this one. We were able to testify of the plan of happiness and of the Restoration of Christ’s gospel that allows us to see our loved ones again and to live with them in Heavenly Father’s presence. While she was hesitant to believe in a modern-day prophet, she accepted the invitation to learn more and really wants to know if what we are teaching is true. She’s going to meet with us this week, and as we left her that day, we couldn’t help but realize that that was the reason why God sent us out to Armstrong. He leads His work. He knows His children. We, as His missionaries, are His spiritual search and rescue team.

I’ve learned a lot this week about true charity, and how to really develop that gift from God within ourselves, how to really have a Christ-like love for the people around us. As a missionary, it’s so key. Because the only way to do the Lord’s work is to do it in His way. With love, patience and faith. As a companionship, we have really been focusing this week on giving our hearts to the Lord, and being so exactly obedient, that we receive the blessings of having more people to teach the gospel to. It’s worked. Because it’s a law of heaven. Obey His commandments, and you receive His blessings.

It’s an absolute honor and thrill to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ. A certain scripture we’ve all heard comes to life when you do. As King Benjamin taught that, “the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man”. I see that as people accept our message and begin to repent and to change their view of God and of themselves and of the world, and truly “becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19). I know that this is true. That the gospel of Jesus Christ will change us. He can heal us and redeem us and strengthen us in ways that we didn’t even know were possible.

He lives. I know it. And He wants us to come unto Him. Every day, every hour, just forever… He loves us and will do anything for us, and has done everything for us. This is His Church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is at the helm of it, and leads through His prophet, Thomas S. Monson. The Book of Mormon testifies of Him and is the only way that we can truly come to know Him and to know that His kingdom has been restored. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great week!

Elder Stock

My “deep-in-thought-writing-emails” face…

That’s what you get when I neglect my camera for a week.