I am GOLDEN

Solo Español for dos semanas!  And then its off to el campo!  Estoy muy emocionada sobre Virginia! Being at the MTC for 6 weeks has about reached my limits though haha!  I am ready to be gone, but I am very appreciative of all the support and love I have from you all!  I have a really wonderful companion and I am really close to my district.  I have learned so much here!  Its really wonderful to be able to teach volunteer people. They speak Spanish really fast.  It's so cool to be able to know what they are saying and find a way to answer! The church is true!!!! 

 



Look who I found!! its Elder Isaacs! he came up to me and said Hermana Stacey?  You work for Clark Andersen right?  He is my uncle!!! and I was excited I almost hugged him...but I didn't, don't worry haha!

 

I have a problem of getting super attached to the Latinos here!  They are all so funny and nice! (and have a real thing for my hair! seriously I have never had so many people touch my hair and talk about it. One elder we were sitting by reached over and touched my hair and his companion said Elder you cant touch her! in espanol hahaa super funny!)  The sad thing is they leave every 2 weeks, but we get a new batch once they go so its ok! 

 

I was able to sing in the choir that sang the EFY medley in Spanish for Elder Oaks last week!  Super cool experience!  He is so amazing!  He shook my hand and said "Hermana Stacey, thank you for your service!" and his wife hugged me! I felt golden.

There was one elder who just got a ticket to go home because he had to fix some stuff before being a missionary and sister Oaks, not knowing who he was, said to him when he went up to shake their hands, "Elder Clements, I have a prompting to tell you that you will be an amazing missionary."  Holy cow, how awesome is that?!  Its just what he needed to come back out!

 

I love you all so much!

 

Studying 99.9% of the time and LOVING it!



His Work

Thank you for the letters, they really help and it has made me remember I am here on God's errand so He will not leave me alone.  He needs me to be a certain way so I WILL be. Thank you for that!  I'm so grateful I have such a supportive and loving family and friends!

 

 

Elder Oaks spoke to us on Tuesday and it was amazing to be in the presence of an apostle of the Lord.  He told us something that amazes me.  He said the miracles in the scriptures like Peter walking on water and Jesus healing and raising the dead are not history they are REALITY!  He has seen miracles like that himself but they are not allowed to add to scripture or talk about them!  He said but none of the miracles like that are like the ones we will witness in the field.  Changing a man's heart and life with the gospel. What a beautiful thing to say to a bunch of 18-20 year olds! 

 

 

I had a humbling experience this week.  My teacher Hermano Garza is who we teach (our favorite teacher by the way) and he is "Daniel" when we teach him.  He said how he was struggling because he didn't have a job and how he needs to be able to provide for his family and so on, and we actually taught with love and the spirit.  Afterward he said "I need to tell you a secret, this is about me. I am Daniel."  He said that he needs a different job to be able to support his family, his kid has been sick and he is struggling but we helped him with what we said.  Last night he came to us and asked if we wanted to squeeze a lesson in with him because he had been gone the past few days so we hadn't been able to teach him.  We scrambled and put a lesson together and said a prayer of love for him.  Let me tell you, we didn't even use our lesson!  Before we started he said "Hermanas do you want to teach 'Daniel' or me tonight?"  We said him, and he told us about his struggles.  At first we didn't know what to say and then he said, "What do I do?"  We were like dumbfounded for a second,  then he said something that shook me.  He said "No Hermanas, you DO know.  You are representatives of Jesus Christ, sent to do His work."  And at that moment I had a scripture pop into my head, and Hermana Stewart shared a story about her dad that related to Hermano Garza and then I shared the scripture with him.  He started to cry and said that Doctrine and Covenants 112 verse 10 was in his patriarchal blessing, and I knew I was inspired to share it with him.  We talked about prayer and patience for answers and how The Lord and God love him; the spirit was so strong.  What a touching experience to be able to finally feel like I CAN be an instrument in God's hands and I just need faith to do my part!  I loved it!

 

We got to go to the temple today!  The Mexico temple is beautiful and HUGE!  I love it!  It was beautiful to be able to experience it in Spanish!  I know it is the right thing in our lives and Jesus Christ will, in the flesh, walk this earth again. 

Oh!  So I sprained my thumb last week and it is all bruised and hurts today but it's ok!  We were playing volleyball and it first hit me in the jaw.  I got an ice pack because it hurt pretty bad.  Of course I didn't learn, because I kept playing and it bent my thumb all the way back.  The doc wrapped it up.   I guess sports are not my thing... (<----- classic Allyssa!)

 

 

 

P.S. My companera looks like Ginny Weasley.  EVERYONE, even the Latinos, say it! hahaha I knew Harry Potter would affect me in my life in a spiritual way haha 

Te amo thank you for all your support!

 

 

 

 



My Life is Forever Changed...

"Hola everyone!  This week has been a crazy one...there is an elder here that is companions with two hermanas....don't ask me I think it is awkward but yea.. oh and in case you are all wondering, if there is one man on Earth that can single handedly get the world to repent in one devotional, its Jeffrey R. Holland.  We watched a missionary devotional he gave 3 years ago and it still hit me like a ton of bricks!  He just has a way with words and such a powerful testimony and conviction of everything, especially serving a mission that I just felt so fortunate to be a missionary!  He is amazing, I would love to just shake his hand, he has changed my heart!

It is so cold here!  No one saw that coming!  I seriously wish I had my coat and gloves and boots because they don't believe in heaters here because they never need them.  Well let me tell you something, THEY NEED EM!  I guess I can survive 3 more weeks.  We are teaching so many times a day I feel like I should be a pro by now, but of course I am not.  Haha but I love being surrounded by Hispanics (or Mexicans) and saying 'Hola' to everyone and starting up conversations which always end in me not knowing what they just said and awkwardly trying to pretend I know.

Hope everything is well at home!  I miss it but I feel like that life was a lifetime ago which I guess in a way it was because now my life is forever changed."

Hola From the Other Side!

We're a little late updating Allyssa's missionary blog (got a too busy with sampler bowl concepts....at this time we ARE taking name suggestions)!   Here is what Hermana Stacey sent last week:

"Hola Mi familia y mis amigos!  I LOVE being a missionary!  It is such a wonderful feeling and the spirit is so strong here at the CCM (MTC).  Mexico is muy bonita, I just really love it!  I wish that I had my camera so I could take pictures to send you but that's ok, my companera is sending me some of hers to send you!

There is a website called letter@mtcmexicocarepackage.com and through that website supposedly you can email me for free and they print it off here and deliver it to me the next day!  (Don't forget that when you send a letter through the Mexico package website, you have to put Hermana Stacey district 15-A in the subject line)  My companera gets some and its so cool! So check it out also its free unlike DearElder.com I guess.. yea but don't send actual letters though while I am here in Mexico because I wont get it until like 4-5 weeks and if it comes after this week, I will be gone before it gets here! But once I get to Virginia send all you want!!!  ;) 

  Anyways, down to the good stuff! Mexico has lots of ummmm cannons going off everyday (I'm not going to tell you what they really are) and it sounds just like the Hunger Games cannon when a tribute dies so we just all sing the hunger games tune when that happens.  ;) 

I have a new respect for Latinos, they are beautiful people and I love their language!  So wonderful!  Everyone is so nice and loving here I love it!

 

Mis maestros son my divertido y I am learning so much! its only been a week but I can see a huge difference in my Spanish! I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with the ability to do this.  Its hard in a way that is hard to explain, like I know I can do it but, its a lot of work to learn the gospel while learning a different language.  But I have never been more grateful for the embarrassing 5 anos I took in high school, but it is helping! It is basically eat, sleep, study.  That's' all I do with a little extra study! Wow I have never studied so hard in my life! (which I am sure mis padres are glad to hear!)

This week felt like an eternity but also its hard to believe that I have been a missionary for a week! (well, 2 now...)The food here is, ummmmmm, interesting!  Honestly, it's a hit and miss.   Sometimes we are like ew, other times we are like YES!  But ALL the time you NEVER ask questions about WHAT you're eating haha!  I feel like everything has a weird taste to it, but its good ha.  I am drinking lots of filtered water though.

My companera is Hermana Stewart from St George and she is wonderful!  We are like meant to be companions; she is super fun and knows when we need to study and we just get along so great!  Everyone is younger than me but I am trying to get over that.  There is one other Hermana here that is my age and she is going to Virginia too!  I have 5 Hermanas going to Richmond same day that all came the same time!  Its kind of cool so we are all real close and most of us are in the same district! 




mi companera!

mi casa!

 

mis roommates



 

We have been teaching Carlos (one of our teachers) and its getting easier to write lessons and stuff but our 3rd lesson went smoothly!  I was so happy about it I mean we really tried to listen and answer his questions and be missionaries of God.  We were too focused on speaking Spanish last time, but this time we just opened our mouths and words came out what needed to be said and it was in SPANISH!  What a wonderful feeling  :)

 

We watched the Testaments and it just made the Atonement so real to me! Jesus was crucified, then came back and the part where Jacob's dad is blinded, but his whole life he told everyone about the Messiah and how He was going to come back.  Then when the Savior does come back, Jacob is describing Him to him saying, "He is magnificent father! Everything you have dreamed of and more!" Then they are crying together because his dad can't see for himself, then Jacob feels a hand on his shoulder, and the Savior then puts his hands on Jacob's dad's eyes and says "be healed" and the look on his face made me bawl like a baby!  He recognized his Savior's voice from the first word and he started to cry and praise him and it just was the most touching thing.  I just thought that will be us one day. The Messiah will come and we are going to see Him and touch his hands and hug our Lord!  It is so real to me and I hope to you too!  The spirit testified to me that this gospel is true in that moment and how can I deny such a beautiful truth?  I need to share this with everyone and I am so excited to be able to do it in Espanol! Jesus Christ knows us personally and is waiting for us to open our eyes and see Him and look into the eyes of our Redeemer with recognition.

I miss you all so much but I know nuestro Padre Celestial is taking care of you while I am gone! Te amo!"

Allyssa's Misionera Pictures

We thought we would share with you Allyssa's missionary pictures until we hear from her again!

We also got some glamour-esque photos of her too!

 

 

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- maddie says hi!


Mexico, She Has Llego!

(that means arrived....I think)


She made it!!

Here is the message she sent:

"Hola!!! I made it safely but as you can see I am using mi companera's email because I have forgotten my password and exceeded the amount of times to login with it! Anyways I LOVE Mexico it is hilarious to see the way they drive out here. We almost died 100 times getting from the airport to the CCM (MTC).  Anyways we are safe and I love my companion!  She is going to Richmond Virginia with me and its great! I love you and cant wait to see how much I learn here :)

P.S I spoke Spanish to the ladies at the airport and the missionaries I was with were really impressed haha"

Sounds like she's loving it so far and we can't wait to see pictures!


Adios Hermana Stacey!

She's gone!  She's really gone!


Hermana Stacey started her journey to the MTC in Mexico on Wednesday, January 27th at 10am.  Her mom, dad, and her sister Erin were there to see her off as well as a few surprise visitors!  Her Papa and Mums had driven down from Heber to say goodbye (or to make sure she actually got on the plane!).   Her best friend Becca had also gone to the airport!  It was an emotional farewell but everyone was excited for her to start a new chapter.

 

 

No turning back now!

 

On Sunday, the 24th, she had her farewell.  She gave a beautiful talk and bore her testimony in SPANISH!  It sounded amazing though we have no idea what she said.  ;)

Afterward we went to her Nana and Crabpa's house for some yummy soup and treats!  I also invented a new bowl for sampling a bunch of different soups!  But we'll talk more about that later (patent pending).

It was the perfect evening to celebrate our missionary <3

If you would like to send Allyssa a letter in Mexico, you can send them to:

Hermana Allyssa May Stacey
Carretera Tenayuca-Chalmita #828

Colonia Zona Escolar, Gustavo A. Madero

07230 Mexico, Distrito Federal

Mexico

Emails can be sent to:

allyssa.stacey@mylds.net


On March 7th, she will be on her way to Richmond Virginia!