Listen to the Spirit

Bonjour cet semaine 

Oops 

This week was good we had Elder Ellis come and visit us he taught us and it was awesome! He taught us using just the scriptures which my companion said they normally use preach my gospel but it was way better that he only used scriptures. His wife taught us about having the faith to continue even when it is really difficult. She also spoke to us in French haha. The spirit is so important if we don’t listen to the spirit it’s going to leave cuz we never listen to him, but if we change and decide to listen he will start to guide us again. I'm so very grateful for all of you who support me and I want you to know that I love you.

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

It's the little things....

Hello Everyone,

This week has been good we finally had a baptism it was awesome and then... they came late to church so we couldn’t finish the confirmation, so next week. I went on splits in the jungle with Elder Bemba. (see pic) This week I have learned the advantage of daily relations or cleaning or visits prevent large problems, big messes, less actives or falling away. I love the quote "The way you do small things is the way you do all things" it’s the little things that really matter in all aspects of life in your family or in a job interview or in your job. When we take the time to do the little things people (the lord) notices and even though we don’t know they are watching they are. I'm so very grateful for my family and the wonderful support to me that they are. I am so very grateful for my mission call to the Congo. I know and will continue to learn to appreciate all the little things that I took for granted at home ha-ha. I love you guys and I am so grateful for all your support.

--

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Transfers

This week in the Congo its transfers and I’m staying in Guynemer haha but we have a new Elder coming and Elder Dou is leaving Elder Larson is going to come to Guynemer. The 6 in my apartment stayed the same. This week our ami canceled the baptism because she wants her mom to come and well we need her mom's signature anyway so yea but other than that the Congo has been cooler. (I even bought a sweat suit, but the connection isn’t letting me download anything so I can’t send pictures) The temperature has dropped but one day this week it was super hot but just on Thursday. My companion and I are going to come up with a new plan to shake up our baptism numbers and get some more so we don't become stagnant in our area.

I got to meet Elder Cicon today in the mission office he came down from Pointe Noire to get his companion he's going to be training a new missionary.

Have a great week,

Elder Preston Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July! I love our flag! I get to see it every time I walk past the U.S. Embassy here. Be proud to be an American and take time to think about the freedoms you have and everything you do. And how you live in a country where you don't have to have the military drive around the streets all the time.

This week was filled with adventures and such nice things…. Now when would that ever happen haha just kidding this is the magic week we receive our transfer letters at the end of the week and we also have a baptism and oh wait we found a sweet investigator we just need to convert someone who's been analyzing scriptures longer than I’ve been alive easy enough right, well there's one thing that I do know that one I know that the book of Mormon is true yesss!!! And I know that people have been trying to prove it wrong for years without success so yea that’s easy but now we get to the hard part of getting someone to read it and ask god. We can all read stats and reports and those things are good and we can know it’s true but having a testimony that's what makes the difference.  Are we converted or are we convinced that is the question? I’m so grateful to be here in the Congo doing the lord's work I know he has sent me here to the Congo for a reason and well we'll never know all of the reasons and the benefits til after this life I love you all have a great week

Love Elder Stephens

preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Opposition

Hello Family and Friends,

We had dinner with Sr Ruth again. (See picture) She’s an Ami. She works and she is a teacher and she sells stuff too. She’s awesome she wants to pay tithing but apparently here you can't pay tithing before your baptism. She is a strong woman of faith.

Our Stake President told us 6 months after he was baptized he was called to be the Branch President and then he was facing opposition in all things because the members took it upon themselves to show him where it says in the scriptures we will face opposition. They were giving him opposition.

I got sick this week so every day when I got home I went straight to bed. I cut my ingrown toe nail as Julie L instructed so I hope that feels better soon. It has been very painful and we walk a lot.

Remember Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.

This was the scripture I chose for my mission plaque. It was important to me then and means even more to me now.

I hope everyone has a great week,

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Two weeks in one

6/13/16

Ok this week in the Congo,

We played soccer and we found in the park they put a workout section where you have machines but they just use your own body weight as the resistance that was awesome so were going to run there in the mornings and work out. Hopefully the other elders can keep to their word for that. We had an ami feed us and oh my goodness that was so so good. We were stuffed and could barely walk after we ate. I want you guys to know I’m praying for you. You learn to pray about every second of  your mission your praying for the lessons and your praying more than your teaching and your praying to know what to say what the people are even saying it’s fun haha. I know that the church is true and that through Joseph Smith the Lord has restored his gospel.

6/20/16

We had more baptisms this week. I’ll attach photos. We are working with one guy who likes beer. So we told him he would have to drink the kind without alcohol. And he said “NO, that’s for women.” I died laughing and my comp did too. The Bishop called the out the people of the ward out for not being on time and respecting the sacrament. He said if the President came and was giving out $ you wouldn’t be late you would be on time. It was funny. (But true) The mission President doesn’t want us going to that park to work out. He says it’s not safe. We think it is but President does not… Life in Africa….. The Sister missionaries have been asking me to translate for Sr. Bills (she works in the mission office and only speaks English) I would love letters for my Birthday coming up. I’ll have my mom put the address on again. But you can email too. Please visit the temple. Have a great week.

Elder Preston Stephens

27 Avenue De Le Base La Frontiere

Moungali

Brazzaville

Republic of Congo

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Acclimated

There was a baptism this week not for us but for other missionaries which my companion and I witnessed. This week was more less the normal we walked a lot. We started teaching a new investigator who’s been coming to church but we haven’t gotten to meet with him yet but he’s been coming to church so were basically just flying through the lessons because he’s already been taught them at church in gospel principles... (Taught by the missionaries) so were just did you understand that do you have any questions just like one on one stuff so it’s easy haha. I’m going crazy! It was 85 the other day I had to put my jacket on. One of the elders from RDC was soaked and I was wearing a jacket haha my companion and I like to wear our jackets. I’m so very grateful for my mission call and I know that the Lord has sent me here for a reason. I love all your letters and emails they make me smile and laugh. Love you guys. Read your scriptures they are the way that the Lord has given us written instructions and answers to our prayers.

--

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net