Hey everyone! It's good to hear that Allne is doing better and that he's not going to die yet. :) Well, we got transfer news this week. They are closing down Redd Ward to sisters and leaving the elders here. There is just not enough work in this area, and it's very discouraging. Oh my goodness, you have NO idea how hard we worked to get this area going, but it just didn't pick up. I really gained a testimony of church attendance. I have been here for 4 1/2 months and we hardly saw any one of our investigators come to church I now see the importance of people coming to church. I see that the work we do throughout the week is the preparation for them to come to church on Sunday. So when no one comes to church, I feel like I have failed somewhere in that week, because no one is there. :( It's really hard. I am actually really glad sisters are gone, because it was just to much out here. It was a constant battle with the elders. It was lame. Now hopefully between the 2 areas there will be enough work to keep the elders busy. I think we were supposed to come here for Angie. She is our baby. We went to say goodbye to her last night, oh my goodness, I cried after we left. She is the first one I cried over. She is so special to me, and we are like sisters. I am going to miss her and Jasmine (her 2 yr old daughter. she's the little girl in the picture). I was imagining getting off the plane and driving home with you guys, and talking to Angie on the way home. Haha! That's how much I love her! She is amazing. :)

I am going back up to Albuquerque, and doubling (meaning, the elders got booted, and we get to take over) with Sister Nichols (she's been out for 6 months) to an area that covers 2 wards (weird. total opposite of what I'm doing now), the Volcano Cliffs and Ladera wards. The area also covers 2 branchs, the Tohajilee branch and the Laguna Acoma branch. IT'S ON THE REZ!!!!! I am soooo excited to go back to the rez! But president said to mainly stay in the city, but I am allowed to go to the rez when there is work. :) :) :) YAY!!! I was so sad for like 2 days, until president called to prep me on the new area. Then I was happy! It is in my old stake, by the Bandelier ward. So I'm kinda used to the area. We'll see how it goes. But he is keeping El Paso open for english sisters, and Sister Bode is going there with her MTC comp! So cool! She's just going around the mountain. I'm glad president left sisters down here, I was scared that all the sister areas were going to be confined to ABQ. So anyway! It's good.

So this week, has just been tying up loose ends. We actually found out that they were closing to sisters earlier this week before we were supposed to find out. So it was kind of nice to have that preparation. I think we would have felt like we failed if president closed it without hinting to us. But it is good for the area to have us close.

The pictures are of this last week. The one is of a guy riding a horse pulling another one behind him. The river bed he is in is the Rio Grande. It's always dry! So it was pretty cool to see that. And then of course our district, and Jasmine, and I can't remember the other pictures I put up. Anyway!

So a couple of weeks ago, Angie had to put her dogs down because they were getting aggresive, and she's been looking at getting another dog or 2. So we went to go see Ricardo Pacheco who is a recent conver/less active who we are trying to get him to go to the singles ward, but he's so stubborn! So we went to see him, and his pitbull just had puppies, and he was trying to get rid of them. So we took one for Angie! Haha! We stuck the puppy in the back seat and drove it to her. She was thrilled! And Jasmine loved him! It was good for Angie to have a dog. They called him Oso, which is Bear in English. :) It's so cute! Jasmine says it really cute too. Jasmine is going to miss us. :(

Anyway, I don't think there is anything else. I am sad that the letter went home! But I will just get triple the info. :) Delene wrote me a letter, it was a good letter, I really needed it. It's been kind of a downer transfer. All of our investigators dropped us...it really makes you think if you are doing something wrong. I'm not really sure if I'm confident in my work anymore. I am really tired. I didn't understand what my older companions were talking about when they said that. But now I do, you are more tired emotionally and spiritually rather than physically. My emotions run pretty high on Sunday. Sunday is just not as enjoyable anymore. It's way to stressful. I am so worried about people coming to church! Last week, we were waiting for Angie, but she couldn't come (she hasn't been to church in a month or so, but she is going to start going to the spanish branch, which is closer to her, so it will be easier for her to go), oh man, Sister Bode broke down, and I was pretty close to crying myself. But we are hoping that with her going to the spanish branch she will understand more and want to go back more. She grew up with spanish religion wise, and so the words in english are a little different, and she doesn't understand all the consepts. But with her going to the branch she will be familiar with the religion words in spanish. :) We are just glad she decided this after we left. It would have been to hard if we stayed.

Well, I hope you all had a good week, keep me updated. I love you all!

 

Love

Sister Stolp

Dude!

Hey everybody! So how was your guys' week? I haven't gotten a letter from anyone this week, so I'm guessing the mail is behind, and we don't get mail this week because of Presidents Day. Bummer. Anyway! This week has been a big trial for us. Most all of our investigators dropped us, and no one came to church, and the one person we thought for sure was coming, didn't because of a marital crisis, and she was set up to get her patriarchal blessing last night (the HIGH LIGHT of our week!), but we went to the patriarch's house and he wasn't home, so we called and called and called him but he didn't answer. So we went to the church to see if he was there at choir practice and forgot, but he wasn't there, so someone made a few calls and found out that his mom died and that he cancelled all of his appointments but somehow our recent convert didn't get the message...so we were ticked to say the least. It was almost the breaking point for me, to say forget it! That was the icing on the cake for me, and I had about had it. BUT the lady that drove us home was so wonderful, she helped us see that there must have been a reason why this all happened. I was done seeing reasons why things happen, and it was always not what we wanted! But the recent convert said that she had been stressed about the crisis, and that she probably needed to work a few things out before she got her blessing. It was a humbling experience for me to see that yes, Heavenly Father is in charge, and that I have to slow down a bit and take the punches, and the bruises, and the scrapes (sp?), and figure out why was Heavenly Father doing this. Anyway! It really calmed us down. But it helped the recent convert to realize that she really does need to be prepared to receive her blessing. So next time, it will be an even better experience. I just hope it's soon! She needs the help and guidance from her blessing.

So how has everyone been? Transfers are coming up next week, we hear on Saturday what is going to happen. We both have been here since the end of October, so we kind of think 3 things: 1) we are both leaving 2) one of us is staying 3) they are closing the area down to sister. But we will have to wait and find out! We are both ready for a change I think. It's been a hard 3 transfers down here. But someone we are coming out one step ahead. Yay for us. Anyway! How is Allen doing? Please tell me how he is doing soon! And Dad, I talked to my Mission President, and he said that if Allen dies before I get home, then you can call me to tell me the news. So please please call my mission president to call me and tell me. I want to know as soon as you can after he passes.

How is school going for you guys? Julia what are you up too? Annie, how is the pregancy going?

If I don't hear from you guys soon then I will start to worry a lot about Allen...

I love you guys!

 

Love Sister Stolp

SNOW!

Hey everyone! So this week has been weird once again...you're all probably wondering why I put those pictures on there. We had a snowstorm last week, it snowed like 1/2 inch, and got down to a breaking record of 9 degrees. They started calling it the blizzard of 2011. Everything froze, the pipes, the pools, everything. So they cancelled school for like 4 days, and everyones pipes broke. El Paso never gets cold, so when they built these houses, they only put the pipes under 3ft. rather than 6ft. So they all froze. In our shower the water came out brown, and wouldn't drain. So we thought there was a pipe break in our shower. The plummer said there was ice in our pipe, and he had to replace it before it burst and caused more damage. So that was the exciting business for us. There were some people here who were out of water for 4 days or more. And the electricity was turned off for a while all over the city (rolling black outs), because there are 4 generators in El Paso, and 2 of them were down because of the storm. So they had to conserve energy. Weird. Then the resevoirs were almost depleted because of all the water leaks, so they told everyone not to shower or wash clothes/dishes/cars/etc...So it was pretty gross. But we survived. They told us we could start using the water yesterday. Yay for showers! It was crazy I'm telling you. Everyone was in a panic. It made me think of the second coming. No one is going to be prepared for what is going to happen. I mean, El Paso wasn't even prepared for a little frost...The schools still don't have water, so they told the kids to bring their own water bottle because there is no water to drink. But ya, it's crazy. I wrote Julia a letter, so it might have more detail, so you will have to share info Julia when you get my letter. :)

Yesterday we got dropped by one of our investigators (he's catholic). We were teaching the plan of salvation, and he agreed for the first half of it (you really can't argue that one), then we got into death and that's where he started having his fit. He couldn't get past the fact that EVERYONE has a second chance. He believes that if you sell yourself to the devil you go straight to Hell. There are no detours to the spirit world for them. They have to second chance. We told him that it was part of the plan and that we all go there no matter what. He said that that would be forcing them to go somewhere that they don't want to go. He said that those people who sell themselves to the devil WANT to be with Satan and that they don't want to be there. He would not listen to us at all. We asked him to think of those people who are not mentally capable of thinking clearly. People who are bi-polar or have other mental disabilities. He would not listen to that at all. He was so dead set on people not being given a second chance. It was the weirdest lesson. But he has been trying to get rid of us for a few weeks I think. He told us that that lesson was the end, we could not agree on doctrine, and so we needed to leave. He pretty much kicked us out the door. It was so rude! His wife is a less active member, and boy, we think she felt really bad. I think she was going to cry. Sister Bode and I were not surprised by what he did. He's not very emotional that way, and I don't think he liked us anyway. He really didn't want to listen, he wanted to argue our religion. So we are not broken hearted over what happened. And we are so used to people dropping us and being against us that we really don't care. We are here to find the elect, and he was not the elect. So we are just moving onward and upward! There was something not right with him either, I always felt a little uneasy around him. So it's probably a good thing that he gave us the boot. :)

What are all of you guys up too? How is the weather up there? I heard that you didn't get it at all. But who knows? I haven't seen Utah to know. What's going on with the ward? Anything new? How is your health Brenda?

I love you all!

 

Love

Sister Stolp

Danger! Danger!

Hey everyone! So this week has been really slow, and not as busy as it was last week. But it was ok. We are glad it's Monday! Yay! So last week, we were in an appointment with a less active lady whose husband was offended a while ago, but her son wants to get baptized. So anyway, we were at their house giving a lesson. So while we were there, not 2 mins later, the elders knocked on the door, and they were with a member. Sister Bode and I were SHOCKED, but that is an understatement. Man, we were livid! We had been fighting the ward for so long telling them that we can NOT go into each others areas for anything. Period. So when the elders showed up, we were furious! We were having a really bad day as it was, our ride was a flake, so we had to go up there on our miles that we didn't have, it was bad. So anyway! It was just a bad day. That was the icing on the cake. And I think if it was anything else, I would have blown up anyway. It's just that the elders had to suffer my wrath. I thought that they were there because it was either the elders or the ward saying "oh the sisters don't know what they are doing and they are just sisters, so the priesthood needs to go contact these people because we have the priesthood. Let's not ask the sisters (since it's their area) about any of these people. We have the priesthood so we can do and go wherever we want. Who cares if they know the whole story about these people." Yada yada yada. I was ticked! That pushed me over the edge. And NO ONE taked to us about what they had planned on doing. So I gave the elders a good tongue lashing. I don't think they like us much anymore, but oh well. They can't go into our area. Period. But the next morning I apologized to the elders for yelling at them, I know that I could have talked about it a little more calmly. But man, I was ticked! And it was the WRONG night to do what they did. So anyway....we have things figured out, and they aren't going to do that anymore. So yesterday we talked to the bishop and he agreed that if we are going to go into each others areas, we better have a good enough reason to call president about it. Later that night (last night) we went to see a man that we haven't taught yet, we didn't know much about him, and he lived out in the country a bit. (they are just bigger lots) So we took a lady from our ward with us, and she is a very smart lady. The appointment went well we thought, until we got back to the church to pick up our car. She asked us why we were going out there at night without a priesthood holder. We told her that as long as there's 3 women then we are fine. And she said no, we aren't fine. She was very apprehensive about that appointment. There was a semi truck parked infront of his house, and his house was very shady. He lied about other people in the house (he said there wasn't anyone home but him, but in reality his son was home), he took us into the back living room instead of the front one by the door. And he didn't turn on any lights except the room that we were in and the light in the stairway. And that was it. The lady from the ward said that everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. BUT we were not harmed, so I bet angels were protecting us. And I know that angels are all around us as we travel and teach. She told us that we need to be smart about tracting, if we see nice shiny cars in the driveway of a trailer, DO NOT KNOCK ON THE DOOR. They are apart of the cartel. She told us a bunch of other stuff, so we are taking more precaution and texting a member everytime we have an appointment or when we are going to tract, to let them know where we are and how long we have been in the appointment/tracting. That way incase we get kidnapped or shot they will know where to start looking for us. Don't worry though, angels do protect us, and I had a blessing from the bishop at the start of the transfer and in the blessing he told me to be wise and to be careful, and that I need to be smart about things, and we will be protected. So I don't know if all of this is connected, but if it is, I'm not taking any chances, and Sister Bode and I both agree that this is what we need to do. And we are going to drop a few people...and there are to many signs that one of our investigtors could be with the cartel. The first thing we talked about with her on her doorstep was Juarez, because she is from there. We asked about the saftey of those people, etc. But we are afraid that these people will start to think that we know too much and that's why they keep us coming back. To keep tabs on us. But they aren't really interested anyway, so there is no need for us to go back. And one of our investigators is a target for the cartel. Her husband was supposedly a cop over there, and the cartel has threatened him not to go over the border. So we think their house is watched and we might be possibly watched for knowing these people. So...and they aren't going anywhere with the gospel, and the spirit just isn't there when we teach. So we have to be very careful whose house we go into. Sister Bode brought up a good point also, is when we are in their house teaching, there is no stopping them from coming in and shooting up the house. So we decided it's just better not to go back to some of these houses. But we've been here for 3 months already and nothing has happened, so I think we are ok right now. We just have to be smart about El Paso. Anyway! We were thinking it might be safer for us to switch areas with the elders, give them the rural stuff and we take the city. A lot of people that we have talked too agrees with us. So we will see what happens. There are a lot more stories from this week, but I will write them in my journal read it when I get home. :) It was an interesting week. Anyway! Be smart, be safe! Love you all!

 

Love

Sister Stolp

Es Bueno

Hey everyone! Annie, I'm so glad that you didn't leave me out! Was that your way of telling people you were pregnant? I was freaking out because I thought I missed something. Sheesh! That's cool that you're due in August! Maybe you will have the baby RIGHT after I get home! That would be cool. :) I really want to come help you this summer with the girls, but I really need a job, so we will see what happens and what feels right. Anyway! UGH. I don't want to go back to school so quickly! I want to take some online classes, but I don't know what that will benefit me. I have a hard time retaining information, but if it's in front of me then I can remember. I have to rely on my companions to remember little details about when people are going to be home, etc... It could be that I just deal with a lot of people, but I think my brain is losing it's function. My companion even said I should get my memory checked out because it's so bad. But here's the thing. I remember people that we meet and where we met them and where they live and their name and their situation. Whereas my companions never remember. So I don't know. I think I just struggle with nitpicky stuff. But what should I do? It's very frustrating for me. But people say that online classes are not very helpful. Ask Jimmy about online classes, please? But if I do online classes I could stay with you for a couple of months to help you (I know Jimmy will go crazy with me living with you guys! Hahaha!), and then I could come home and be with the boys and Val for a while. I don't know! I just want to spend time with you guys! Oh well. Heavenly Father will let me know what to do. I don't really want to take it to Him just yet because it's not the right time to be thinking of school and all that. I need to focus on my mission. Which speaking of my mission. :) This week we had so many lessons! Our mission weekly goal is 20 lessons a week, and this is the first time I have reached that in a LOOONG time! It was amazing! I think it was because we had such a bad week last week and were feeling extremely discouraged, that Heavenly Father helped us get these lessons so that we can feel like we are successful. Which was very much needed! We have been feeling like failures for a few weeks now, especially last week. We thought for sure they were going to close this area down to sisters, or just let the elders take over the whole ward. That was our fear, but Heavenly Father knew we needed this week and He didn't close the area down AND we both stayed another transfer. We have been teaching this one lady, Melinda, for several weeks now. Her husband, Leonides, is extremely less active and will not come to church (most likely he was offended, and also, he doesn't speak english, so it makes it hard in an english ward). So anyway. Melinda has been dealing with a lot of health problems and a lot of stress from other things. Her husband is internally bleeding and hasn't been able to see a doctor yet, and she has a cyst, and her son, Leo, has a heart murmur and he's struggling in school with his reading. And this has all happened in the last week. So we saw her on Tuesday, and took her to Sister Richardsons house (RS Pres) for a lesson. We were reading a conference talk with her on how to listen to the Holy Ghost. So anyway, at Sister Richardsons, Melinda broke down. All she could see what blackness and no way out. She was so overwhelmed with everything, and she was so frustrated and angry. Her mom also passed away 2 1/2 years ago, and she can't seem to find closure. It was so sad to see her like this. Usually Melinda is smiling and happy, but definitely not that day. So we talked to her, I'm not sure how much that helped. BUT Sister Richardson has 8 kids, and she is one of the most relaxed ladies I have ever met, she is so calm and peaceful and you feel very comfortable in her presence. So that is what Melinda saw and felt. I'm not sure what she heard of the talk that gave her comfort, but it was seeing Sister Richardson so cool and collected. That really touched her. So the next day we went by Melinda's to see how she was doing, and she could not stop saying how impressed she was with Sister Richardson and how calm she was. Melinda really wanted that calmness and that peace in her life. We kept telling her that it was the spirit and the knowledge of the gospel that gives us that peace. And that she too can have that peace in her life through baptism to receive the Holy Ghost. We asked her to come to church, because that is where she can feel the spirit, and she can see better how the gospel effects our lives. So we went back everyday this week to help her and see how she was doing. She actually started doing better throughout the week, and got out of her funk. BUT she didn't come to church. No one came to church. We were so discouraged! We worked so hard this week to get out investigators to church, especially Melinda! And then didn't come. But I have faith that if we keep trying and doing what we know is right, then Heavenly Father will bless us one day and our investigators will come to church. I have been here for 3 months, but I feel like I have only been here a week! There is so much for me to do down here! I really want to finish my mission here. I have so much love for this area! I love the people here! I really don't want to leave, EVER! I will be a missionary here forever. :) Anyway! That is my letter this week. I'll probably finish the letter that I'm writing home and send it sometime. But don't wait for it. :) I love you all!

 

Love

Sister Stolp