"I assume you are new, Sister Stone."

Family! How are you all? Not going to lie that I´m a little jealous that mom and dad are in the Caribbean right now. Enjoy the beach you lucky people!!
This week was a little bit sad. Our baptism for next week, Ramiro, decided that he wanted to leave our district because he didn't have friends here. (What the heck, right?) We called him the other day and he said he moved. The rest of the day we felt like complete failures and I just wanted to eat my sorrows away. I have decided that that isn´t the best way to handle my sorrows in the mission though. We talked to Ramiro´s aunt yesterday at church and she said she thinks that it was just a little phase and that he will be back this week...so we are going to see what happens later this week with him.

This week my sweet companion was sick, so I spent 7 HOURS reading the scriptures and all the Liahonas in our room while she slept all day on Wednesday. In the evening, I couldn´t sit any longer so I called our Zone Leaders. They said I could get a member from the ward as a companion, and our pension could be her companion. So I called a girl in our ward and we went out and worked for the evening. And it´s a good thing 'cause we got invited to a birthday party for a member. HOLLER! You know what that means...TORTA!

Yesterday I gave my first talk in church in spanish. It was....interesting. Just to explain a little bit of how my spanish went...I spoke before the stake president, and when he stood up he said, "It is always such a pleasure having new missionaries here from the United States... I assume you are new, Sister Stone." Hahaha. I spoke about the family, and used some quotes from The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Luckily I have been blessed with an incredible family and awesome parents so I talked about some things I learned in my home growing up, and how important it is for parents to teach by example. I taught primary again...and listen to this. I thought this was hysterical! My bishop has two sons. They are 18 months apart and their names are....DAVID and STEPHEN! Hahaha. It took me 2 weeks of teaching them to realize they were brothers and realize their names; it was too funny when I realized that.

Now...the conference last night? Did anyone else get a chance to watch that? Amazing! It´s incredible how the Lord is hastening His work. I love the weekly emails from Summer telling me about all my friends getting their mission calls. It´s so inspiring. I just sat and cried during the fireside last night thinking about how incredible it is that I am a missionary right now. Sometimes it will hit me that I am on a mission and I just laugh 'cause it´s so awesome! I love being here! I love the opportunity I have to serve the Lord and show Him how much I love Him.

I had a cool thought this week during one of my personal studies that I wanted to share:

I remember when we were little we used to always tell you guys how much we loved you and were so grateful you were our parents.  Dad would always respond, "Show me." No matter how often we said "I love you", it was when we were obedient, or working hard that you truly KNEW we loved you. It is the same with our Father in Heaven. We can tell him in our prayers everyday how much we love him, but if we aren´t obedient to his commandmants, or if we don´t give our time and talents to Him when we are clearly capable of doing so, we are not truly showing our love for Him.

I love you guys so much and think about you all the time! Thanks for the examples you have all been to me in my life. I have been so extremely blessed in my life, and the only way I can truly show the Lord how grateful I am is if I serve Him with all my heart.

Xoxo,
Hermana Carli Stone

PS. My companion got a haircut last week so we took a picture. Haha.

3 Months!

Holy cow. I hit 3 months this week. Can you believe that? The time here in the mission is SO weird. And only someone who has served understands that statement.

First off: Happy fathers day Dad!! I missed you and thought about you lots yesterday! I am going to see what I can do about the missionaries calling on Fathers day too. Haha. I have been SO blessed to have you as a dad. It´s interesting because I was writing out a list of traits I want my future husband to have the other day and as I went back and read it I thought "Hey...this guy sounds like dad!" haha...hopefully he´s out there somewhere. But that's not important right now.

Secondly: Happy birthday to CAM!!! This is the first birthday in 10 years we haven't been together...I figured that one out last week. I am so sad I cant be there to celebrate the big 20, but I´m sure Matt will spoil you (I hope)

Thirdly: What a fun weekend you guys had! I thought about you guys all day on Saturday knowing that you had the upstage show. Sad I missed it, but I know you guys will order the DVD and I can watch Colton's back-flip when I get home. (What a stud. So proud of him) Oh...speaking of back-flips...last week on p day we went to this park with a big open field and I thought "Hey...I haven't done a back-flip in a while...I want to try one." (Such a classic Chandler thought, right?) especially because I don't think I have ever tumbled on anything but the floors in the gym that have springs...hahaha. But I did it...and it was so fun. So...ill probably do it again this week...don't worry, I will ask for a blessing if I get hurt. haha.

This week we had a talent show for the three wards in our building and it was hilarious. One little boy from the primary in our ward went up and recited a poem he learned in school, and after he did there was like...5 more primary kids that wanted to do the same thing. So we listened to this random poem in Spanish like...6 times. Then each ward did a skit (What? Is that a talent?) hahaha. Our ward asked if we could be in it...so we were, and don't worry, they made fun of my Spanish in front of everyone....hahaha. Then we did a musical number with the missionaries in the three wards. It was basically my companion and another elder singing while the rest tried super hard to sing on tune while I played. I loved it.

This week we contacted a reference from a little boy in our ward, and his friend said he would be baptized. Then his grandma came in and started listening to the lesson, and his mom too. It was awesome. His grandma said her spouse wouldn't let her be baptized (holy cow I cant even tell you how many times we hear that one) but the mom of the boy said it would be alright if her son was baptized. WOO. He's awesome. His name is Piero, and he´s 13. Another Peruvian friend for Colton. Ha.

Our investigator Ramiro passed his baptismal interview, and he´s gonna be baptized on the 29th of Junio. He unfortunately had some problems with the word of wisdom so we gave him Enos 1 to read...and we go and meet with him tonight to talk about it. He´s been to church 5 times...but just doesn't want to make the commitment to be baptized. If he doesn't follow thru with his date on the 29th then we need to drop him, which would be so sad.

I truly love the people here so much. I grow to love them and their culture more and more everyday.

My hilarious moments of the week: Hermana Chávez will die if she finds out I told all my mission fans this story...but I have too.
So...Saturday afternoon we had fish for lunch, and Hermana Chávez loves fish...so she ate like...an entire fish by herself. (I'm not talking like...yummy salmon...I seriously felt like i was eating the FISH HATCHERY by dads office...the smell of fish...was in my mouth. yikes) So about...an hour after lunch we are walking to an appointment and she asks if we can stop at one of the little stores on the side of the road (the death of me....they have so much cookies and chocolate and cake for like...10 cents) anyway... while I'm looking at the ice cream she buys something and puts it in her water. Well...about 2 hours pass and she tells me she needs to go to the bathroom...which she always does so I didn't think anything of it...then like...3 minutes later she says "okay....we have to get to a members house...i NEED to go to the bathroom!" I start laughing and ask her why and she says it cause of her medicine...hahahahaha. she pulls out a package of ALCA SELTZER. She had like...4 of them in her water bottle. I was dying! We sprinted to this members house so she could go to the bathroom. I was just sitting in the courtyard of this house laughing. Oh...and then the lady who lives there asked me how many siblings I had and I said 19. You should have seen her face! I thought I was passed the stage of misunderstanding simple questions. Nope.

Well...i love you all, and think of you all the time. Have a good week!

Love love!

Baptism

Family! Buenas Días!

How are you all? CRAZY weekend at home. Sorry about that! Give Suzi my love, and tell Les congrats on her big move back into her house. What a relief!

Things here in Gráficos this week were good. I had my first baptism! Wooo!
This kid is 11 years old and the most solid member in the ward. I´m not even kidding you. If he wasn´t 11 I would consider coming back here and marrying him. I want Colton to learn Spanish so he can come down here and be friends with him. He´s awesome at soccer, and has the sweetest little testimony. I´ll attach a picture, but unfortunately thanks to Elder Valerio (the one elder i thought i could trust to take a good picture for me....because he´s white...hahaha) my pictures are all blurry...but of course the pictures he took of himself are not. haha. So...i have blurry pictures...and one without my companion. ha.

Yesterday at church the primary president asked me if I could help with singing time...of course I was stoked, right? Well....as soon as all the kids were in the chapel (where the only piano is) she LEFT! And I had to teach them...in SPANISH....and play. Hahaha. It was quite the adventure considering that not one of those children ever learned to sit still in their life....and also because I couldn't remember how to say "Sit down" so I just kept saying..."Escucha....escucha!" Which means listen. hahahaa. I told them if I heard every kid sing I would sing a song in English...you should have HEARD the choir of children screaming "Follow the prophet" in Spanish. I was laughing so hard I could hardly play the piano.

Speaking of music...apparently it´s not normal to make up songs here...so when I walk and make up songs about how hungry and tired I am my companion just laughs at me....and trips. 3 times this week. It´s getting a little out of hand. Haha. She is hilarious. We made a cake this morning for our zone for an elders birthday...yes....we are those sisters. When I say cake i'm talking...straight up bakery status. It looks SO good...we are gonna eat it later. haha. I´ll send a picture. My companion likes to take pictures that are SUPER close up...so enjoy that one.

Things here are good. I am loving the work. It gets harder everyday...is that even possible? But I really am learning so much. Spanish obviously being the biggest and most important thing. It comes little by little....as does everything else in life. I have learned how important patience is, and have been studying a little more about it during my personal study in the mornings...along with all the other Christlike attributes I want to learn...the list is endless. Haha.

Love you all!

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Hello my lovely family! Sounds like things are going just swimmingly at home. (speaking of swimming...I wish I could. It is so hot today)

First off. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCUS! Of course I didn't forget your big day...my memory increases with age buddy. I hope you and KK have a fun day and do something out of the ordinary...like go to dinner.  If you want some suggestions on where to eat I have a list of places in Provo I want to eat at when I get home. Haha.

Next, I´m pretty sure Cassy turned 25 again this year on the 30th of May so Happy late birthday to her. By the way Cas...I sent you guys a letter like...a month ago, so it should get there sometime next month...from what I have been told. :)
This week was tough. Should I start every email like that? Haha. I have come to love the Book of Mormon so much since I have served my mission. My pages look like rainbows because I want to mark everything I read.  It truly is the word of God. I always knew it was, but it wasn't until I got on my mission that I truly KNEW it was. I look forward to personal study every morning. And this week I have been reading talks from April conference. WOW! These men really are called of God.

I dont have a ton of investigator stories this week unfortunately. We have been in kind of a lull which is definitely hard and frustrating...but it comes with serving a mission, and I realize that it is going to be hard. Remember that book that I sort of probably maybe read in high school called "Do hard things?" I should probably read that again when I get home. :)
Yesterday was Fast Sunday and the Spirit was so strong the whole sacrament meeting...I just sat there feeling so much peace and joy! I don't understand how someone can feel that way, and not know that feeling is coming from God. There is nothing else in the world that can bring the happiness and peace that the spirit brings. I just want everyone to feel it.

On Saturday we taught a lesson to a family about prayer and my companion asked me to bear my testimony about having family prayer. I started tearing up and told the family how much I loved praying with my family and how I felt like it always brought us together....so Mom and Dad thank you for that.

I know I always tell you how much I love Hermana Chavez, but seriously...she is such a gem. Last night we sat in the kitchen talking for like...an hour and a half just laughing. She is starting to understand my humor, and it makes our relationship so much more fun. Yesterday in church during Relief Society they announced a birthday, and she turned to me and said "We should probably go visit her this week on her birthday....because that family always has cake at their parties" hahaha. She knows me so well ;) Hermana Chavez and I somehow end up at every birthday party for every member of the ward....and get fed cake a couple times a week. haha.

Things here are hard, but I honestly love it. I am SO grateful for prayer...I promise you that a mission is impossible to do on your own. The Lord strengthens me everyday. I am so happy to serve a mission!