April 4, 2017
So conference was really good!! The Saturday sessions I watched at the Stake Center in Enumclaw and the Sunday sessions I watched at a members home with an investigator. I was going to bring my note book to write some things I liked, but they were all good talks. I liked Elder Oaks a lot just because he talked about the trinity and how it is FALSE DOCTRINE!!! Everyone here believes in the trinity but not one can explain to me how it is true or where it talks about it because it doesn't talk about it. And it's not true!! Elder Holland also gave a good talk on that back in 2008 that I like. I love how the Prophet of the church talked about how we just need to be kinder!! It is such a simple little thing but it can make all the difference in the world!! Another thing I feel like a lot of them talked about is walking with Christ. Just always turn to him to have him help you make choices no matter what they are because he is never going to lead us astray. They also read the scripture John 3:16 4x that I counted and 3 of them were in the very first session.
Yes I got your package. Thanks! That is cool Ty got his patriarchal blessing those are so cool. Also the weather has been pretty crazy like that here too. Yesterday was like a Sunny day almost the whole day. It was so nice!!! We have not had blue skies since I got here!! I miss the Utah sun. Ha Ha. Tell Eli Happy Birthday. I miss that little punk. The kids are all getting old. That is so weird. Thanks for sending more black pants. There is one thing I have been wanting, a cool CTR ring. I don't know why... I have just liked rings lately.
Transfers... I will be staying here in Victor Falls. Elder White is leaving to be a Zone Leader in Auburn. I am sad he is leaving. He is way cool!! He only has 2 transfers left. My new companion... I don't know who he is. I have never met him but I will find out today.
I love you all!!
Elder Ethan Stucki
April 10, 2017
So my companion is Elder Medley. I don't know his full name. He is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. He has been out 4 months. I don't know a lot about him because he literally does not talk. It makes it a little tough. I have tried asking him every question in the book and he just gives a short answer and does not talk again. It makes it pretty tough when we are doing studies or planning because he just wont talk. So I said , "you are a quiet one aren't you?" and he just said, "yeah I'm just a thinker and I like to think..."
G. is doing okay. She has been super sick the past week and a half so we have not had any lessons with her. Hopefully she can make it to our lesson tomorrow. Saturday we had another festival of finding day where the whole mission goes out knocking doors from 10 am to 5 pm. With a lunch break of course. It went pretty good and we found 4 potentials in just our area so that is cool! One of them has to be so prepared because me and Elder Payne, who is from Emery, Utah (we switch companions throughout the day) We went to this one gals house and when we started teaching it was just rough and all over the place and we just were not teaching good. But she was still super receptive. When we left we gave her a Book of Mormon and she is going to read it. Which is awesome.
The best part of the week was probably last night. Last night we went to the Enumclaw wards and went in a trio with Elder Pugh who is from Blanding, Utah. He is only on his second transfer but he is a Stud. His companion was going to sing in the choir at the devotional so we went to his area to go to his lessons with him because we did not have any lessons planned. We gave a church tour to this 18 year old girl named T. She was with a member friend. So that was weird being with 2 18 year old girls. Ha Ha. The lesson was way good. They have only been teaching her for a week and she already wants to get baptized. She even is the one who asked her friend to start taking her to church. We talked to her about the sacrament and showed Elder Hollands "Always remember him" video and after the spirit was so strong and we asked her how she felt and she says, "overwhelmed with the spirit!!" So I asked her, "why do you think that is?" and she said "because this is Christs church" It was awesome. I love seeing people make that connection for themselves and seeing the Spirit work inside of them! This church is true and it changes lives and I'm so grateful to be an instrument in the Lords hands at this time. I am able to watch people change. It is amazing.
Love you all.
Elder Ethan Stucki
...and sorry mom I spent a little money today. I needed a new belt because mine broke and then when I was there I saw 2 cool ties and I couldn't leave them. :)
March 3, 2017
Pictures this week.
The pictures of the waterfalls don't do it justice. It was pretty steep plus it was raining so it was muddy and slippery. It is about a 100 foot waterfall maybe a little more. So not to big but still fun.
The picture of the 3 of us the one on the left is Elder Palmer he is my favorite. We are literally the same person. The one on the right is Elder Payne.
March 13, 2017
First... tell Dad and Grandma Happy Birthday this past week!!!
Y'all are getting old! ha ha. Just kidding love ya!
So G. is doing OK. We had a lesson with her this week and it was a really good lesson on the Word of Wisdom. She has a vape pen that she needs to get off of and she also needs to come to church to be able to be baptized because she hasn't come yet. Every week she has an excuse. Which is getting old. It is something most of the mission struggles with is getting people out to church. This past Sunday was Stake Conference and it was really good. Elder Satati a General Authority was there and gave a talk on how to keep families safe from harmful media and stuff.
Fun part of the week...
So Sunday was daylight savings. We were dreading it a little because we were going to loose an hour of sleep. We were also excited because now it doesn't get dark until almost 8 so people are out for longer. Anyways we already knew Saturday that we were going to be tired in the morning. To make it worse we got woken up at 2:30 that morning. Our neighbors got arrested. ha ha Below us is a 25 year old girl that lives with her boyfriend. I guess that night they were out in the parking lot and the boyfriend was drunk and the people upstairs across from us were awake because they were smoking weed. I guess they heard them fighting and one of them went out on the balcony and said something to the boyfriend and next thing we know he is kicking there door down. He broke into there house and we woke up when we heard that. Then we just heard yelling and screaming and people yelling 911 and get out and like 5 minutes later the cops show up and started arresting people. Ha ha. It was pretty great but we lost a lot of sleep and were dead tired the next day. Other then that it was a good week
Love you all!
Elder Ethan Stucki
March 20, 2017
So this past Tuesday we had a lesson with G. that did not go so good. She always goes in waves of good and bad days. It was a bad day. We could tell that she was just holding back and there was just something in the way of her progressing. So Thursday night we decided to pray to see what we needed to do to help her and we had an idea to have her read Alma 32. Then we would talk to her about how we need to humble ourselves and align our will with Gods and talk about faith and how it is like a seed and if its a good seed we can feel it growing inside of us. So we texted her Friday morning to have her read it before our lesson that was at 2:00.
She ended up texting us 30 minutes before the lesson and said that at first she didn't get much out of the chapter and she didn't know why we wanted her to read it. Later in the day she was getting ready for the lesson and she was washing her hair and she heard a voice that said "G. quit digging your hills in the ground and holding back from the truth and humble yourself." (Something along those lines anyways.) It was a miracle because it was exactly what we were going to talk to her about that day. The Spirit told her before we did... what she needed to do. The Spirit is powerful!! So that lesson went really good and she is back on date for April 22nd.
We also have 7 other investigators we are working with and 1 is also on date for April 22. His name is L. he recently got out of jail. He is in his 50's. We also have D. he is in his 60's and really wants to be baptized. He will be moving soon so he will probably get baptized somewhere else. Which is still good.
I bought a blow dart gun and I shoot squirrels with it out of our apartment window. I don't need anything, but treats are always good. I went to Red Robbin to use the gift card but someone ended up paying for us so we get to go again. Cool.
Love you all.
Elder Ethan Stucki
March 27, 2017
So this week was a slower week. Not a lot happened. We had a lesson with G. on Tuesday that went pretty good. She is bipolar so she goes back and forth but it is just Satan getting to her sometimes. We remind her of the adversary and then she's like... oh yeah duh I knew that and then she is fine. So she is doing good. We had a lot of cancelled appointments this week which is rough. But it's okay. D. one of our solid investigators moved away this past week so hopefully the missionaries in Southern Washington can find him because he wants to be baptized.
I think the job I want when I'm older is to be a Cop in Bonney Lake. They are crazy. We were driving home last night and those guys go flying past us like swerving through cars and I don't know how they made it through some of the gaps that they did, but they did. There was three of them, just bumper to bumper it was nuts! I don't really want to be a cop... but that looked like fun.
What would I recommend to the family?
First, you should all be reading the Book of Mormon daily!!
Don't miss a day. No matter what.
Second read His Grace is Sufficient by Brad Wilcox. It is a talk Bishop Ferguson sent to us and it is the best talk. I learned a ton about the Atonement and about Grace in a way that is so easy to understand.
Also... have "Family Councils" yeah sounds fun right!!!!
Elder Satati is a General Authority who spoke in our Stake Conference a couple weeks ago. He talked about these things and how they are so good for families. Just sit down and talk with each other. Discuss things basically. If there is a problem... talk about it. If there is something the family needs to improve on... talk about it together.
Mom and Dad... you two can talk about things that need to be done too. You probably already do. I'm sure. These are just things Elder Satati talked about and how they strengthen families.
So something to try. maybe.
I love you all!
Have a good week.
Elder Ethan Stucki
February 7, 2017
So the baptism went really good this past Thursday. It was really hectic at first because we no longer have a car so we had a member give us a ride up to the building. When we got there I forgot the key to get into church so we had to go back and get it. Then when we got into the building... we had a key to open the baptismal font but not a key to open the lock box in the bathroom to start the water. So we were calling everyone to figure out where a key was. No one had a key. Finally after an hour we called the Stake Clerk who is in our ward and he was like "the key is in the cleaning closet" Sure enough it was and we got the font filled.
We got the room set up and everything ready. Then I realized I forgot my white pants. I was baptizing one of the boys. So I called our Ward Mission Leader and he was able to stop by the apartment and bring them to me on the way. (which was nice) They had a few jumpsuits but none of them fit me. Just as the baptism was starting... I realized I forgot a extra long sleeve white shirt. So after the baptism I was wearing a wet shirt the rest of the night and it smelled like chlorine which was fun!!!
Other then that the baptism went really well and I am doing good. I have been sick since Friday. Now I am starting to feel a little better. It seems like everyone here is sick. But don't worry Mom, I hear it has only killed 114 people so far.
Love you all.
Elder Ethan Stucki
February 13, 2017
I don't have a long letter. This week was boring. Not boring but not a lot happened. Our investigator pool is going down and we are not finding any new. Most all of this week we went around talking to part member families trying to find people that way but no one was interested.
We do a lot of less active work because there are so many less actives but still not a lot comes from that either. As in... they don't come to church. Everyone thinks that there life is fine without the gospel and they are just stubborn. Ya... they might not be like struggling, they might have a good job and things like that but that's just all the worldly garbage. They forget about all the blessings that come from following the gospel. They are not going to have there nice car or there money or worldly things after this life. All they will have is there family. But if they don't do what they are supposed to here and go to church and follow the commandments they won't even have there families. But they don't think about that they just think about the NOW. They are stubborn.
We have been walking and riding bikes. Last week we had 8-9 inches of snow. The most they have had since 1995. The snow has melted now. Transfers are next week so I will email Tuesday. Also I hope one of us gets transferred. I have been losing my patience. Our personalities just don't go together.
Love you all.
Elder Ethan Stucki
February 21, 2017
Hey family,
So it was a OK week. This week we found a few really good potentials so hopefully something comes of them, but... I'm getting transferred!! It will be sad to leave Orting but I won't be going far. I'm going to still be in the same zone. My new area will be in Victor Falls with Elder Andrew White. Elder White is pretty cool he has been my District Leader. He is from Nephi, Utah and is super cool and big into hunting!! Like cowboy hick stuff so we are kinda the same ha ha. Victor Falls is kinda a ghetto area though I was just there this past week on exchanges and I have been there a few times. There is not a lot of work that goes on there like ever. So idk. But we will see. I'm super excited for my new companion. It will be fun. I will have to go on exchanges all the time because the District Leader is always going on exchanges. I don't know. Sometimes I just like to stay in my own area. ha ha. But it will be fine. I will have a car and yes I will take my bike.
Love you all
Elder Ethan Stucki
February 27, 2017
So this week was a good week. I am still in the Enumclaw Stake / Zone. I'm even still in my same District as my last area. So I didn't go to far. My new companion is Elder Andrew White. He is from Nephi, Utah and he loves hunting so we get along pretty well!!
Tuesday was transfers and we had a miracle happen that day within 45 minutes of being together. We went to Panda for dinner and while we were there we got a phone call from a lady named G. A month ago Elder White and his last companion were at the church building and this lady pulls up. They did not know her. So they went and talked to her. It was G. She said that she has had a feeling for the past year that she needs to go to this church. Elder White tried to get her phone number or her address so that they could go and teach her but she wouldn't give it to them. They left her with a Book of Mormon and our phone number.
Anyways this past Tuesday a month later G. gave us a call. So the day I got there. She said she wanted some missionaries to come and pray with her. That night me and Elder White went over to her house and talked with her. Her husband is an alcoholic and her youngest daughter is 28 and in jail. She has depression and lots of other things and all this extra stuff is hard on her. We taught her a little about the restoration and about the atonement and invited her to start reading and praying about the Book of Mormon and promised her that as she did so she would start to find peace and joy in her life! As we were leaving she said that she felt the spirit the moment we walked in the door. That was really cool!
We go back to her house 2 days later to see how she is doing and she just looked so much better and there was just something about her. She answered the door with the Book of Mormon in her hand. In the past 2 days she had read 109 pages in the Book of Mormon!! She loves it and says she is addicted to it and knows that it is true! She said she can't put it down. What's even more amazing is that she is understanding and remembering everything that she is reading! She is marking scriptures and was sharing scriptures with us! It was crazy and so amazing to see that change that she had in just 2 days of reading the Book of Mormon.
I know and I have already seen that the Book of Mormon truly does change lives. No matter what the struggle is that you are going through.
I'm going to invite all of you to read the Book of Mormon daily!! I never did when I was back at home but now I wish I would have. I never knew how powerful it was and how many blessings come from it until I came out on my mission. Especially after I was privileged enough to be able to witness the change in G. after only 2 days. She was almost glowing. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that the church of Jesus Christ has been restored and that there is a living Prophet on the earth today. I'm so grateful for the gospel in my life and our family really has been blessed because of it.
Start reading your Book of Mormon more!!
I love you all!
Elder Ethan Stucki
