August 20, 2012

Familyyyyyyy:

Yo, so crazy dope week! Lots of time on a bus, baptizing, teaching, finding, teaching, and eating super good Mexican food as always. So it started out with heading to Tampico last Tuesday. That was super, super fun, four of us from Zona Victoria headed up to Tampico to pick up our new comps. I was so stoked for this generation of new Elders because they got some super sick trainers not gonna lie. Every single missionary there at the trainers meeting is a super good missionary and it was fun to see all of them. When we got to the mission home Tuesday, there were 12 new missionaries. 8 were Americans and I was pretty sure I wouldn't get any of them as my comp, 3 from South America and 1 from Mexico. Well my comp's name is..... Elder Garry, an American from Mesa, Arizona, who one night was taking photos with Elder Faught in the MTC and the next was snappin photos with another member of GMC$ down in Tampico, Mexico! How sick is that?! He's a super cool Elder.  We know a bunch of the same people because he went to BYU too.  So yeah, I was pretty much blown away by that, President Call very rarely gave Americans to American Trainers, but here we are together. Haha. His Spanish isn't too bad, but there's still a lot to learn, so the goal is that we're really trying not to speak a lot of English and so far we've done a pretty good job with it. I'm really focusing on giving him lots of opportunities to teach and contact and learn by trial and error because really that's the only way you learn a lot of times is by personal experience. That was something that Elder Rindy gave me was a ton of chances to contact people in the streets which really helped my Spanish improve quickly, so we're doing a lot of that down here as well.

So I was super happy that Jessica's baptism was this last Saturday because how sick is it to arrive in your first area in the mission and have your comp tell you that you guys have a baptism this coming Saturday and that you're going to do the ordinance?! So yeah, Jessica's baptism was this last Saturday and Elder Garry did the baptizing which was super sweet! He did a great job, he was a little worried about the words in Spanish but he did perfect. It was such an awesome service, her husband came with their little daughter, and Christian, one of our other recent converts, spoke and gave the story of his conversion which was super, super powerful. He is preparing to serve a mission, going to receive Melchezidek priesthood soon, and we made plans for him to go on the ward temple trip to Tampico in two weeks!

We also found of ton of new investigators this week that are super close to baptism already! There's a man named Teodocio in Barrio Mainero that was baptized not too long ago and we found him, taught his wife and his two kids, and they ALL came to church this past week! It was super sick, also the familia Villanueva is progressing well and will be baptized the 1st of September. I've been really happy that Elder Garry is experiencing some good success in his first area because that wasn't really a luxury that Elder Rindy and Elder Castro and I had in Francia for like 9 of my 12 weeks there haha. But it's been a super fun week, Elder Garry is getting used to Mexico pretty well, he hasn't gotten sick yet which is a plus.

I'm super stoked, tomorrow is Zone Conference so Pres and Hna Jordan are heading up to Victoria. I really like President Jordan, we get along super well and he reminds me a ton of Dad. There are a ton of similarities haha. But he's a super funny guy and I'm sure zone conference will be sweet. Our goal as a zone is even higher this change than the last one. It was 53 last change and 57 this change. I'm super stoked, Victoria seriously is so sweet and truly is exploding right now.

It's still blazing hot here, but everyone tells me that in September it will start to cool off a little bit, that will be nice. This last week has been kinda weird because for the first time is my mission, my Spanish is better than my companion's haha. But it's been really good; I would say I feel 100% fluent, I don't have any real problems communicating and I can finally get some of the jokes the first time haha. The Lord has really blessed me with the language.

Ok, so I need my home girls Logan and Baylee's address up at BYU so if you will hit me with that this next week I would love that.

I love you all so much. Have an awesome time going back to school everyone. I wanted to send a ton of pics this week cuz I have some sweet ones, but my computer won't let me in the Internet Cafe I'm in HASHTAGhomeless. I hope all is well. I miss you all, but Victoria is the place to be at. Thank you all for your prayers, love and support, I really do feel them often.

143

Elder Stockard

August 13, 2012

Familia:

Yo so crazy sick, kinda weird week this week here in Victoria! This was the last week of the Transfer and as a zone we had a super high goal of 53 baptisms here. Our Zone is 22 Elders and that goal was the highest the mission has ever had as a Zone! Our goal as a companionship was 4. Well, as a zone we ended with 50, and as a companionship we ended with 3! Jessica, who is a teacher in a small pueblo wasn't in town this weekend but her baptism is all planned and scheduled for this Saturday. We also have a part member family, la familia Villanueva, that will be all members in two Saturdays. All in all, Barrio Mainero is in super good shape going into the next change with 3 pretty solid baptismal dates for the first two weeks of the next Transfer which is exciting. But let me back it up for y'all a few days first.

So week 6 of the Transfer is like the week leading up to Christmas, but it happens every 6 weeks. You never know what's going to happen and President Call really liked keeping people on their toes so he never told anyone until the Sunday night before. But this Thursday, I got a call saying that I would be going to Tampico Friday morning for a training without my companion. So I went to Tampico, me and 3 other Elders from Victoria, had a bomb breakfast at the mission home, and had a training. Turns out that I'm going to be training again!!! I'm super stoked, my nuevo is going to probably be from South America, but tomorrow I head to Tampico and we will have a meeting, the 11 trainers and the 11 nuevos and I'll find out who is my new comp. I'm super stoked to be training again, I learned so much from doing so with Elder Castillo (who is going to Ciudad Mante). Also, I'll get to meet all the kids from Elder Faught's zone in the MTC which I'm super stoked for. I'll have some stories to tell them about Elder Faught haha. But it should be an awesome experience to train again. Mom, Elder Parry was serving in Victoria as well until yesterday so we would see each other pretty regularly at zone meetings and stuff.
Other than that, Mainero is pretty sweet, still incredibly hot, but pretty sick. I feel really good that we're going to be baptizing like it's hot this next transfer, I feel pretty good about the investigators we have and how they are progressing. Yesterday really built my testimony of the importance of attending church in the conversion process. La Familia Villanueva came to church, and later last night we went by and taught them. Both the parents just appeared almost physically different. They told us how great of an experience they had and how nice all the members were, how great the classes were, and how well the teachers explained everything. The spirit was super strong. Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power that feeling the Holy Ghost in rich abundance has to change the attitudes of those who are prepared to hear the gospel.

So right now I'm gearing up for another 8 hours and a crowded hot bus tomorrow from Victoria to Tampico and back. But all and all I'm super excited. I'm excited for this generation of new elders, they are gonna have some sick Elders for their trainers, there are some really good Elders who know how to baptize that are training.

Lauren, I'm so so so excited for you to go to BYU, it's going to be such an incredible experience for you. I loved every minute of it and made friends that I love to death (Even though I haven't heard from them since the MTC hahaha hashtagouch). Study hard, play even harder, and live it up on the weekends in Midway. You are going to love it so much. Log and Baylee are gonna love it too (Logan I hope is already loving it).

That's about it from South of the Border. I love you all so much and constantly feel and rely on the strength of all of you wonderful examples. I'm so blessed to know each of you and love you to death

143

Elder Stockard

August 6, 2012

Familia:

Que Onda! Man, from all the letters and everything it sounds like Midway is the place to be. I got a letter from Grandma the other day that says how great it is up there too! That place has just got it all. HAHA so funny to hear about Ryan's drivers test, well funny to everyone but him I bet. It reminds me so much of my boy Charlie Heck when he failed his drivers test for running a stop sign haha. That was a good story for sure.

Thanks for telling me about Scotty's letter he wrote me, I can't wait to read it! I love that dude to death and I'm so glad he's getting ready to go on a mish. He will be awesome as a missionary because he has always been so good at connecting with people and talking to people. He will be super dynamite in lessons which is like a huge skill as a missionary. How is it possible that Hadley already has a month in the mish? Haha I swear he entered the MTC yesterday and Miles too. Miles is like half way around the world now. I love that dad sends me their letters and #SpecialKs. #Respect #143GMC$.  It's so awesome to hear how they are all doing. I think a bunch of my college friends are in the MTC right now with Had but I'm not exactly sure. I'm for sure gonna be looking out for Elder Garry and Elder Ringer down here in Tampico. This week I met Elder Riley from Reno. He went to McQueen and we know a ton of the same people. Ask Lalo if he knows them because he knows a ton of the Otuafis.

This week was straight dope once again here in Victoria. We had two baptims, Christian, who has a ton of member friends and has been attending in a different ward for a long time. We have had a ton of member support in his lessons and we have been able to teach with and reactivate a friend of his named Brigido in our ward which has been awesome. Both of them are straight on fire right now and Christian's conversion process has been really awesome to be a part of. He has loved reading in the Book of Mormon and has grown so much. Also, the last daughter of Hermana Alicia was baptized this saturday, Lucia. Their family is one of my favorites. They have grown a ton. This Sunday was really awesome to watch Luis, Alicia's son that we baptized, as he passed the Sacrament for the first time. Lucia and Christian were confirmed. A bunch of menos activos, including a family of 7 whose son we are working to help prepare to serve a mission, were all in Church. A recent convert blessed the sacrament.

 As I watched all of this awesome progress unfold, I just couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful for all of the crazy ways we have been blessed in my time here in Mainero. This area is seriously awesome. Some wards aren't crazy supportive, but Mainero really is. We had almost 40 people at Lucia's baptism and they had a ton of food afterwards and everyone had a great time. We have a crazy sweet ward mission leader, Hermano Giovanny who is an awesome member, he supports us like crazy and teaches with us and works with us.  Now his nephew, who isn't a member, is living with them and we're going to teach him. Also, we live next door to the 1 counselor in the Stake Presidency and the Stake Geneology coordinator and they always take good care of us. They love giving us food when we get home in the nights. #TMS. Mainero is seriously like a dream area. We have worked crazy hard, had great support from the members and seen good results. Everything really does depend on obedience. It's not always easy, sometimes you've got to do it alone, but it's a simple principle that as we learn and apply it, we are more happy and qualify for more blessings. The Book of Mormon says countless times, "Keep the comandments and you will prosper in the land." This is truly a simple and true principle that I have learned in the misison. The reason is this: Like D&C 130:20-21 says, There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven on which all blessings are predicated. That law is obedience. As we obey, we qualify for blessings. This is something marvalously simple that is taught over and over throughout the entire BofM. Its a true principle. If we obey, we qualify for the spirit, if we qualify for the spirit we will baptize. It's a question Uncle Brandon posed to me in a letter when I was in Tennesse and that's my answer haha.

I love you all so much. We should have Jessica's baptism this Saturday and maybe one more. The Church is true, Mexico is the Promised Land (Just ask my boys Elder Johnston and Elder Hubbard) and I have the greatest group of family and friends on Earth. You guys mean the world to me and I hope I can make you all proud. #143 #JakeHeaps #DYT

Love,

Elder Stockard

July 30, 2012

Mommmma y Fam:

Ok, sickest thing I've ever heard in my life that you had Elder Rindy and his fam over for dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!! How crazy is that? That's seriously so so so dope. And how crazy that I put something about that in my letter the week before? Haha, but I'm and so super stoked right now to hear that. That is so great that he came over with his fam. Elder Rindy was an awesome trainer and comp. A few weeks back I wrote him a letter so I hope he gets it pretty soon. I'm so happy to hear you guys all had a get together. It was so weird,  first, to see a pic with you two standing with my old comp, second, to see my old comp in a white shirt and tie without a missionary tag and third, to see both our fams together.  Three months ago we only had pictures of our families while we were sitting in a tiny house in the middle of downtown Madero, Mexico.  Haha that's straight sweet.

 

So this week has hands down been the greatest week of my mission, it is up pretty high in the list of greatest weeks of my life. I'll get rollin on tellin y'all about it.

So this week I'm absolutely convinced that I'm seeing the fruits of obedience and hard work over the first quarter of my mission. In a really miraculous way, we put together 3 baptisms for this coming Saturday, all throughout this last week. Lucia, Hermana Alicia's oldest child, came back from vacation early and we got her all ready this last week to be baptized. Christian, the 19 year old from church last Sunday who asked us what he has to do to be baptized, has progressed super fast and is doing awesome. He will also be baptized this next Saturday. We've been teaching him everyday. He's a super cool guy and yesterday was asking a bunch of questions about serving a mission. As part of creating a strong support system for him within the ward, Elder Castillo and I along with our super dope Ward mission leader launched our own reactivation program for JAS (YSA) aged kids in our ward. We have goals to reactivate 4 in this coming month and we introduced it to the ward counsel this last week and it's going pretty well. Also, Jessica continues to love reading in the Book of Mormon. She has already had her baptismal interview and should be baptized this Saturday as well, but depending on her work, it might be Saturday the 11th as well. Either way this week has been miraculous. Even with all the success, that wasn't the best part.

 

The best part was that I got a package this Thursday night. It was a small, crudely wrapped package, but what was in it has made me maybe the happiest person on Earth. I opened it, and inside were letters, some pictures, and a baptismal program. The package was from my friend Elder Castro, and it contained letters from the Familia Preza and one from Elder Castro, and pictures of us all together and of their baptism. I looked at the pictures first and I was so happy, literally jumping for joy! All four members of their incredible family dressed in white standing with Elder Castro and President Jordan. I literally couldn't stop smiling. Next, I read the letter from Elder Castro who is without a doubt the greatest missionary in the entire mission. He described how great a service it was and how the whole family has continued to progress. Lastly, I opened up the letter from la Familia Preza. This one brought me to tears. The whole thing was incredibly sweet but the last few lines really got me good. Translating it, they wrote: 'You and Elder Castro are the reason that our family is so incredibly happy living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. We miss you so much. The Familia Preza Cruz. P.S. We are anxiously awaiting our sealing as a family and hope that you will be at the temple with us in a year.'

As I read those lines, I finally understood what Jacob 5:70-75 was talking about when it says that as we labor we will find great joy in the fruits of our labors. What I felt all that night and since that time has been mainly 3 emotions. First and foremost is joy. I feel so so happy for that family. I feel so happy that they are all members of the only true church upon the face of the planet, protected under priesthood power. I feel so happy that they have a firm testimony of Christ and of the Book of Mormon as another witness of Christ. I felt so happy that they have taken part in a valid baptismal and that they have done so as a family. Second, I felt overcome with gratitude to my Father in Heaven. I know that it is no coincidence that Elder Castro and I found that family on the day we did and in the way we did. I know that God ordered and provided. I feel so grateful that he has afforded me the incredible opportunity to be in his service and to have been an instrument in his hands in providing the truth of the healing and strengthening power of the Atonement to this family. Thirdly, I felt really excited and anxious for this time next year. I know that they have made an excellent choice to be baptized, but the temple is next and they all still need to end up there. That is now the subject of my prayers. I hope that la Familia Preza, Joy and Rachel, Alicia Luis and Lucia, Jessica, Christian and all the other converts can understand and then act in such a way that they will not only be baptized, but that they can end up in the temple a year after. I am so happy for them and I have great faith and confidence that in a year we will all be in Tampico for their sealing as a family.

 

This week has been incredible. I have grown so much. I have thought a lot on different things that Brandon has told me in letters this last week but one of them has stuck with me more than others. He said, If you love them, you will baptize them. I think that's a pretty good theme to live by. Remember that, If you love them (whoever it is that's them), you will baptize them. I love you all so much. I hope more than anything that I can make you all proud every single day.

 

All is well in Victoria, the Lord is blessing me and helping me grow in ways I could have never imagined 7 months ago. A mission is worth whatever sacrifice it requires. Whether it's money, time, school, or bad habits, give it up because there are incredible people prepared in every part of this world waiting to hear the gospel.  You will change their lives as you labor diligently and follow the spirit, but more than anything else, they will change your life.

Love,

Elder Stockard

July 23, 2012

Family:

Yeah Momma, you're telling me, time is flying like crazy. The days here seem like I blink and it's over. This week has been very good. Very hot. Lots of contacting in the streets.  Lots of spiritual experiences.

 

It's really fun for me to hear about all the fun Utah trips that are already taking place with the Midway house. I'm gonna be so stoked to see that when I get back. I hope Alyssa's dance camp is off the chain. One of these trips when you're up there, you should call up my boy Elder (well not anymore) Jared Rindlisbacher. He's up in Logan but if you can get him down to Midway, it would be worth it, the dude is straight off the chain and he will have some really good mission stories from our time together in Madero.

 

This week here in Victoria was really good. This week we didn't have a ton of lessons, but the ones we did have were really good. We have been working with a part member less active family named the Familia Villanueva and they have come to church the last two weeks. They are really cool and have a son named Jeiro who is a really good kid. He's 17 and we've been talking with him about a mission in the coming years. We also had a really good lesson with Jessica this last Friday with our Ward Mission Leader Hno Giovanny who is straight sick too. But Jessica is doing awesome, she has now attended church 4 straight weeks, she loves it and she has read almost all of the Book of Mormon. She is for sure a golden investigator, the only problem is finding times to teach her because she works out of town. But she will be baptized during this transfer either August 4th or 11th. She said something in the lesson that really made me think and is a lot of what you said to me too Mom. She said something like, I haven't had some angelic witness that the Book of Mormon is true, but as I've read and learned from it, I've seen changes for the better in my life.

 

This is exactly how I would describe my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I was blessed to grow up hearing the stories and reading from it almost everyday of my life (which is a crazy huge blessing and I've come to learn that in my time in the mish), but I don't think I started to have a really strong personal testimony until I started reading it everyday personally in March 2011. I started reading because I was having trials and I was looking for some direction or support, mostly I had a lot of questions, but what I found was the best answer I could have ever asked for. I have learned that the Book of Mormon is true because it teaches one of our central messages as missionaries, the gospel of Jesus Christ, better than any other book that has ever been written. The gospel of Jesus Christ is our road map, it's the thing here in this life that God has given us in order to obtain peace and happiness. As we strive to have faith in Jesus Christ, and then we repent, we are more happy and our view of others and of life changes. That's what I've learned from the Book of Mormon: faith, repentance, and living the commandments brings joy; it is the only source of happiness that doesn't wither away in this life. As I read the Book of Mormon, my view of the world changed, my view of others changed, my view of what is important in this life changed. I felt closer to the Savior Jesus Christ than ever before in my life. I found verses of scripture that I was sure were written just for me. The Holy Ghost testified, and continues to testify that that book is true because every time I read it, I feel an undeniable burning in my chest that makes me happy, that brings me peace. I continue to find answers and direction within every page of that book. I was so happy to hear Jessica say that she had seen some of the same things that I had seen as results of that incredible book. When she said that I smiled slightly and just said, 'Oh, you have no idea.'

 

We had one other cool experience yesterday in Barrio Victoria after Sacrament meeting. A menos activo that we had visited showed up in Barrio Victoria yesterday along with a nonmember friend who we had never seen before. After Sacrament we introduced ourselves to them and the nonmember introduced himself, told us he had been attending in another ward and that he wanted to know what he had to do to be baptized. I'll tell you what, that is the greatest question in the world to hear haha. It really taught me to trust in the promise in Preach My Gospel that when we do all we can to find and teach prepared people, the Lord will put prepared people in our path. We hadn't had a lot of success in finding people throughout the week from contacting, but when we obey, work as hard as we can, and have faith, the Lord will always order and provide.

 

I've also been doing my best How to Win Friends and Influence People swagg that I can. haha.  People LIVE for compliments, remember that. haha.

 

I love you so much fam and friends. Read the Book of Mormon, invite people to hear the gospel. If you love them, baptize them.

 

#143 #DYT #JakeHeaps,

Elder Stockard

July 16, 2012

Family:
Ok, first of all so sick to see the pic of Had, Miles, Ryan and Logan all together at the MTC drop off!!! Haha that is soooooo dope that they all got to see each other there. Haha. I'm glad that Ry got to go up to Utah with them, that sounds like a lot of fun. So you guys have had quite the week back at home! That's really awesome to hear. Leaving the Cyber Cafe last week after our email, I just couldn't help but feel two things: 1.How blessed I am to have the family and friends that I do and 2. Just how proud I am to have these same people in my life. I hear about both you and Dad and how well you guys are doing in your new jobs, Laur getting ready for the Y, Ry with B ball, and Lys with dance and I'm just so proud to be apart of the Stockard Fam.

Our week was really awesome as well. Although I'm not 100% sure, I'm almost positive that la famila Preza was baptized this last Saturday back in Francia, and also we had the chance to baptize Luis, the son of Hermana Alicia this last Saturday, so that's 5 awesome people that all took part in a valid baptism this past Saturday which I'm very happy about. To answer your question, yes Alicia and Luis and their fam have an awesome tandem of visiting teachers and also they have been very active in all the activities so far. This last Saturday they went to a huge stake family activity and really had a great time. They're awesome and progressing very well. Jessica works out of town and was a church this past week but once again, it was in the town where she works. We have a ton of other investigators that we're working with, not a huge amount that are progressing right now, but we stay busy trying to find new investigators every single day.
 
I probably can't email you the Questions of the Soul document that we did, but all we did was make like a bookmark with these on it and we use it in a ton of different ways. We use it when we contact people in the street, at their door, in lessons, in readings (lessons where the only thing we do is read/explain a chapter or part of the Book of Mormon) and tons of stuff. You can find them. There's a big list of them in Preach My Gospel Chapter 5. We've had some especially good experiences with it in our reading of the Book of Mormon with people this week. There is not a better way to invite the Spirit to testify that the BofM is true than by reading with your investigators from it.

Mom, I really liked what you told me about the Relief Society lesson in Midway. It's so true that a huge part about helping people to come unto Christ and be baptized is our people skills. Smiling is key. I've learned a lot about this and it's so true. We can't expect others to get excited about the gospel if we aren't willing to do so as well. I'm convinced that very soon "How to Win Friends and Influence People" will be a staple of the mission library haha jk.
 
This last week, and not really sure why, I've thought some in how blessed I am to have so many friends on missions right now with me. It really is a blessing that I had to have so many good friends growing up and also at college, and my 2 cousins and now those fools are all over the world sharing this message in tons of different languages. It really is such a blessing to have them as an example.
Mom, Ive been taking tons of pics, but today I forgot my camera cord haha. Sorry, don't worry, I'm still gorgeous haha jk... But like for real I am ;). I weighed myself today and I still weigh 168 pounds, crazy what the sun will do to you here. I love you all so much, I pray for you and I'm so blessed to know each of you. Thanks for all your love and support.
#143, #JakeHeaps #DYT(DoYoThang)
Love,
Elder Stockard

July 9, 2012

Familia:

Wow, what a week it was for all you guys back home! That's a lot for one week for sure! It sounds like overall it was a lot of fun! Dad, major congrats on getting sworn in.  Judge Stockard. I'm so happy for you.  That's so dope that Logan and Sean Deaver came down for Had's farewell. I've still never met Sean Deaver but from what Had, Log, and Miles have told me, the man is straight sick wit it. I'm sure that made for a fun week.

 

Lauren, Happy birthday! Ryan, Happy Birthday today big dog. I can't believe its already been a year since all of us, Lalo, and Miles drove up to Tahoe to watch Ryan play ball. Mom, do you remember that? That seems like yesterday to me, haha.

 

I'm really glad all went well with Travis and his wisdom teeth, I'm super excited to hear where he gets called to. I'm still pullin for Benin with Pres Weed, but we will see for sure. More than anything I can't believe that Had enters the MTC this week. I don't know if he got my last letter I sent him yet, but it was like a 6 page ode to him and so I hope that someone will get that to him if he hasn't gotten it yet. Had, love you bro, you're going to do great.

 

This week was a really cool week. We've had some great progress with some investigators and found some really good new investigators. Hermana Alicia's son, Luis, is 13 and we will baptize him this Saturday. It is really awesome to see all of their family progressing because I guess last change when Alicia was baptized, neither of her kids wanted anything to do with the Church. Her daughter Lucia is 16 and will be baptized in the coming weeks but she is visiting her Dad in Veracruz right now. Its really great to see their family progressing. Seeing them and also the Familia Preza had made me remember a quote from Elder Packer in this last conference that I love. It says something to the effect of, The goal of all activity in the church is to see a family all gathered together in their home, safely protected under the sealing power of the priesthood, living their covenants and progressing together. Not exactly word for word, but it's true. Everything that we do in the church builds towards the sealing of families. Also, we have a super awesome investigator named Jessica who I talked about last week. Well we couldn't meet with her at all this week because she works out of town, but we've been in contact with the Elders in the city where she works and she went to church with them and she's been reading and praying and really progressing well. She will be baptized later this transfer as well!

 

Last change when I was in Francia with Elder Castro, we did something has really paid dividends across the whole mission. We took from Preach My Gospel an idea that has been awesome. Chapter 5 of PMG is all about the Book of Mormon. One section within it is titled, The Book of Mormon Answers the Questions of the Soul, and then there is a huge list of questions that so many people have, and the chapter within the Book of Mormon where we can find the answer. Elder Castro and I typed these questions out one P Day, added also the page numbers, and then made 100s of copies. The idea has really worked well and has spread across a huge part of the mission. All of zona Victoria is using it, Elder Castillo and I use it every day in contacting, and it really has helped us as missionaries show in a more personal way, the importance of the Book of Mormon. When we present the Book of Mormon as a tool that can help and bless these peoples lives, many more people are at least curious to read and find out if it really does have these answers. Once this happens, it's like giving the ball to Kobe with 6 seconds left: game over. The Book of Mormon is true. 100% of the time. It contains a promise, all that read and then ask in prayer, with faith, if it's true will know that it is. These questions of the soul are a way to really get people interested personally in the BofM and it has really helped to strengthen testimonies.

 

Last experience. Yesterday I was sitting in Barrio Victioria's Sacrament meeting, and the Spirit just washed over me like a wave. All I could think of was the parting words of President McKee when we left Nashville: "Remember that it's all true." I don't exactly know why, but at this very moment, in a tiny chapel in downtown Victoria Tamaulipas, it just really clicked. It's all true. This is the truth. Christ is at the head of this Church. He established it and He guides it. It's all true. Make no mistake, I love and miss you all so much, I think of you often, but there is nowhere else I would rather be right now than here in Mexico. I am learning and growing so much every single day, in ways that I never could have imagined. And more than anything, I know that I am involved in the work of the Savior and I love being apart of it.

Love you all.  Thanks so much for all your prayers and support. 143

Elder Stockard