Estoy aqui! I am in the mission field!

Madre,
Estoy aqui! I am in the mission field! And I am actually in a trio, again. Hnas [Sisters] Ghan and Voigt are great. Yesterday we got in [to Mesa] and after a little while at the Mission home, we headed out. We actually went to the Christmas lights at the temple and talked to people, most of the time I was on my own. It was really neat, tiring, and stretching. I actually talked to a couple of gentlemen in Espanol. They said that they already had the missionaries coming over at the end of the week, so asked if I could practice my Spanish on them by bearing my testimony of Jesucristo with them. Of course they said yes and it was really cool to do that. And everyone is right. These people are so patient and kind. I told them I was learning Spanish and whenever I stopped to think, they just waited patiently.

We were at the lights from 5 to 10. And it got pretty cold. Luckily it didn't get as cold as Utah is right now, but my hands were cold by the end of the night. It was really cool, but a lot. I wrote in my journal that it was the weirdest day of my life. I may revise that, because today has been really weird too. Mostly it feels like I am in a whole other life, living as someone else, and not understanding a lot of what people say. But it's fun! We unpacked this morning and so I'm pretty well set up. We had two appointments (citas is so much shorter) for earlier, but neither of the people were home. But we met up with Luis, a member from our ward. He was supposed to be our "member present", but instead we checked up on referrals from the luzes de Navidad. It was really fun and we actually made a cita to come back and teach someone on Saturday. We have three more citas for tonight. By-the-way, all these people have baptismal dates for January. Amazing, I know. We are apparently one of the highest baptizing missions. They had more than 1,200 baptisms this year! And they are all retaining. It is absolutely amazing.

I am in the Liahona 3rd ward and our area is all of about one square mile. Our area goes from about Broadway to Main to something else that I can’t remember right now. We live two blocks from the temple. We walk to the chapel and the temple, which is in our area. This is actually a biking area, so we are going to be finding another bike and buying me a helmet soon. I don't know exactly what the address is, but I'll find out by next week. This is an incredible experience.

I have no idea what else to say. Other than, I love this. I understand more espanol than I thought I would. But it is really hard to understand natives because they speak so fast and don't pronounce all the sounds. But I catch about 45% of what they say. Luis is quite the character. He is a YSA [young single adult] rep, and just very funny.

Well, te amo! I forget when p-day [preparation day] is. I think it is usually Thursdays. This week is weird because of the luzes de Navidad and the holiday. I really think that our p-day is Thursday. We'll find out, I guess!

Le amo mi familia! Les amo mis padres!

Ella (sounds like Aya [Andrea’s nickname in the family], but means “she”, I like it!)

Why I am on a mission.

A hand written letter from Andrea dated 16 Diciembre 2009

!Hola familia!

!Te Amo! The second package was timed perfectly. I had been getting worried. We are also going to have an early Christmas tonight. I’ll have my companions open some of the gifts.

We will finally be able to drink the hot chocolate that we received because Sister Jensen loves us. Sister Jensen is one of the wives of our branch presidency and she visits us a couple times a week, This Sunday she came and visited and wanted to know if there was anything she could get for us. I couldn’t think of anything but she seemed like she really wanted to do something for us. Well, all three of us have been sent packages of hot chocolate but we don’t have any cups in the residence halls. So I asked her to bring us some cups for hot chocolate. We all laughed and she told us that she had never been asked for cups before but she would see what she could do. Well, last night she stopped by our classroom with a bag for us. She told us almost apologetically that she couldn’t find any Styrofoam cups so she gave us each a mug that they weren’t using anymore. We all laughed and gave her hugs. The branch presidency wives are the only ones we are allowed to hug. We love them so much. We three are soon going to be the only Hermanas in the zone/branch. At the moment there are five of us. We are treated very well.

Speaking of being treated well, I have decided that we are the favorite district of the whole MTC. We are so loved. We are going to clean the temple on our P-day before Christmas. We also have a couple Elders that are going to be singing in a special thirty-two person choir for one of the Christmas devotionals. We are ushering for the Christmas devotional where an apostle is most likely to show up. That means we will be sitting in the front now, well, most of the district will be in the front row. I, and four others will be on the stand because I am going to be giving the closing prayer. Elder Smith will be giving the opening prayer and four companions will be sitting with us. We are all sooo excited!

We had an incredibly spiritual experience with teaching on Sunday. Every Sunday afternoon we have a district meeting where one of the companionships teaches a gospel principle to the rest of the class. Well this Sunday it was our turn. We had been assigned the topic of the resurrection, judgment, and eternal life. Well, I started with the resurrection. I told about the story connected with the second verse of the hymn, “Sunshine in My Soul”. The Spirit entered the room with incredible force. I asked two questions: “What can we do with this body that we won’t be able to do without it?” and “What about this body holds us back?” We had some really good discussions about that. The elders shared some really incredible experiences and points of view. Then we read Alma 11:43-44 and discussed that a little bit. After that Hermana Taets led us in an inspired visualization activity. She had taken a childhood education class and learned how to do an effective visualization activity. She wrote out an activity about meeting Christ at judgment. The Spirit was incredibly strong. Every single one of our beloved elders cried at some point during the lesson. After she finished the visualization she had us all write in our journals for several minutes. Then we had some more powerful discussion. Hernana Wardle then finished beautifully by leading a discussion about eternal life. We read Matthew 25:21 and talked about whom would be in the Celestial Kingdom to greet us. Then we read Doctrine & Covenants 18:15-16, 10, 14, 21; 4:2. We had a powerful discussion about who we need to share the gospel with so we can greet everyone with joy and have no regrets. It was the most powerful (if you couldn’t tell) lesson I have ever had the privilege of being a part of. I may send you a copy of the scripture Hermana Taets used/wrote for the visualization activity. It really was incredible.

We also did a very interesting activity last week. It was called the “Silla de la Humildad” or “Chair of Humility”. And it was a very humbling activity. Each of us had to sit in a chair in front of the class and listen to every other person say something they liked about us. There were some very cool things said. We are a pretty complimentary group anyway, so the things that were said went a little deeper. I love my district to pieces. They are always inspiring and helping me, even when they don’t know it. Here is a list of some of the things my wonderful Elders and companions said about me.

They appreciate that…
I am always close to the Spirit and God (that really helped!)
I love music just as much as Elder Rupp.
I am a good example.
I am honest and not afraid to speak up.
I am optimistic.
I am positive.
I have no malice.
I have a strong testimony.
I am willing to sing in the bathroom with Hermana Taets. (the elders laughed at that)
I always have good things to say about everyone.
I am willing to stand for what’s right.

I was kind of surprised, not so much at what my elders said, but at how sincere and humble they were as they told me these things. We are such a loving group. We are always telling each other that we love each other and feel like a family. That is part of the reason we are so excited to be here, together, for Christmas. Probably the thing I like the most about the “silla de la Humildad” is that I told Elder Rupp that he is like a brother to me and afterwards he said that I am like a sister to him. We aren’t sure exactly why but, it’s true.

I love the MTC. I love my elders and hermanas. I love that I have so many really powerful spiritual experiences. I love learning about the gospel. I love to see the Don del Lengua in action. I am able to communicate effectively in Spanish about a lot of things, and the two most important things that I can say I know how to do quite well: Pray and testify. It is amazing to me that after only one and a half months I can understand almost everything my teachers say. Granted they speak clearly, but still it amazes me.

God is so good. One thing that I was told a while ago is that while God promises to bless us if we follow him and obey certain principles some times he blesses us “just because”. I can feel that here with such force as to literally make me want to shout praises to the heavens. I love my Heavenly Father more than I can ever express. He loves me and sent His Son to die so I can live. You are doing a little of the same thing. There is a saying: “A missionary is someone who leaves his or her family for two or one and a half years, so other families can be together for eternity.” Thank you so much for everything. I love you so much and I want others to feel the kind of love, joy, and hope that I do. That is why I am on a mission.

I love you so much! Give everyone you meet, EVERYONE, a hug, or at least a smile from me. That will be my gift to you all this Christmas. I want you to go around hugging each other all day. I don’t want someone to go more than 10 minutes on Christmas without giving or receiving a hug.

!Te amo!
-Hermana Andrea Stephenson

P.S. We just got back from the temple and something that struck me this time is how grateful I am for parents. I realized that Adam and Eve didn’t have parents to turn to for help, comfort, or just a hug. They were truly on their own. I am so grateful for you Mom and Dad. I am grateful for your love, support, wisdom and hugs.

Mushisimas gracias Madre & Padre,
-Sunshine