The wonder of personal scripture study!

Hello Family!!

Happy Transfers week! Transfers are tomorrow but there are not really any big huge changes for me.  I am staying in the same Zone (West 1) and I am still a District leader.  I am still with Sister Torino as well.  The only real change is that we have to move apartments. ugh.  I so dislike moving.  Oh well.  Also there is only 1 sister from this transfer that is staying in our district.  I don't know the sisters in our district very well and I am so excited to get to know them better.  Oh and I am now a grandma.  Sister Ngo is training this transfer! AHHH!!  She is such a fabulous missionary and I love her so so much.  Honestly, we had a hard time in the first 6 weeks, but I love her so much and I am so grateful that I was able to be her trainer.

I am so excited for this next transfer and what Sister Torino and I will accomplish. I have already set some study goals for this transfer to help my personal development. I am working on completing the New Testament.Sister Torino and I have a goal to really study from PMG this transfer and how to teach the lessons simply. We will effectively roleplay everyday so that we can become better teachers and understand the doctrines better.

So I have been reading in the New Testament lately and the Lord has taught me a lot, very bluntly.  But I know who the lord loveth, he chasteneth. ;)  So One day this week, I was having a really hard time staying awake in my personal study. I was reading in Matthew 26 when Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane.  This was the scripture that I read. Matt 26:40 "And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" Personal Study is 1 hour... The spirit is willing but the flesh is week.  I have been doing a much better job at staying awake now...

The second time was today actually.  I have become an anti magnet.  I am not even kidding.  They always seem to find me, especially in the summer.  They always bugged me in my first transfer and a year later, they are still finding me.  Well this morning while I was in the shower, I was reflecting on my encounter with them yesterday.  I was getting kinda irritated and wondering why they would come and were so rude.  I was wondering why they came and wasted our time when we do not argue our faith with them and tell them that they are wrong.  This is the scripture verses that stuck out to me this morning. 
Matt 5:43-44 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you"

I need to love the anti's even though they despitefully use me.  I am working on it. :)

Our investigator is doing so well!!  We found a RM who served in France to be a member present for us and to help explain some things to him in french. I will tell you a bit about our investigator.  He just moved from Haiti to Florida and is taking classes to learn English better.  He is so wonderful and prepared for the gospel!!  He had been going to different churches, but did not feel like any of them were true.  He was looking online to see if he could find any other churches and he found the churches number called in, and I answered the phone!  He said that he loves the gospel and how close the families are in the church.  He has been reading the Book of Mormon in French and also in English so that he can understand it.  He is getting baptized on July 12th!!  Sister Torino and I are so excited and he is too!!

I love you all so very much!!

Love Always,

Sister Stephen