Week 69: Tuesday September 30, 2014

Dear Family,

   What a beautiful week it has been! The Peace Festival has officially ended. It's been such an enlightening time for me to learn about others faith, beliefs, & passions. More than that, it's been my privilege to share with them what I know to be true. I have made friends with so many people that I never before could have imagined meeting. I took a lot of videos. As you watch them, I hope that you can feel at least part of the beauty that exists in the people of this world. As I watched these incredible people & events with my own eyes, tears fell down my face. There is so much to be appreciated all around us, but I feel like too often people are too caught up in the "hurry" of life & miss out on the privilege of taking in what is all around them. I think that we should all make a more conscience effort to appreciate the beauty of the world & all that has been given us.

   We had a great zone conference yesterday. President & Sister McCurdy both gave wonderful workshops, as well as the assistants. This week has personally been very uplifting for me. I have had incredible studies of the scriptures & have had very strong impressions about things that I am to do while still here in the mission as well as when I return. It's been a great week. 

   Thank you all for writing. As usual, I feel like I didn't write very much, but I do include the things that I feel are of the most worth in each of my letters. Each week, I hope that something I write touches your heart & provokes a new thought or idea for you to ponder & apply in your own life. To end, I would like to leave you with a scripture... 

   "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." 2 Nephi 5:27

   I hope that you are all happy, for that is the purpose of our existence. I love you all so much.

Elder Staheli. 

Week 68: Tuesday September 23, 2014

Dear Family,

   The interfaith peace festival is officially underway! It's been such a great experience participating in this event. On a regular day of work we wake up, study, & then go to our appointments. During this festival, we meet at a large plaza complex & set up a large booth with videos, pamphlets, books, posters, etc. The entire day is filled with talking to hundreds of people, teaching lessons, & listening to/learning about other faiths. It's been such a special experience! Tomorrow is our "host day". We will give a presentation & continue on in talking to people. 

   Sunday was a little bit different. The actual event started last Saturday, but there were some opening ceremonies on Sunday afternoon. After church, Elder Martinez & I  had the wonderful privilege of speaking to all faiths during this ceremony. I shared our purpose in attending the event & shared a small portion of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I felt a little bit like an apostle of old, testifying to a large group of people. I guess the only difference is that they didn't want to kill me after I had finished speaking (I don't think?). Anyway, I will take some pictures to give you all a visual of what is going on. I also uploaded a video of a lady singing at the event. It's the back of her because we are both on the stage, but it's awesome nonetheless. 

   That's the overview of this week. So busy, I can't even tell you. Thanks for writing & sending a picture of Daxton. I can't wait to see him & hold him. I saw a video that Elder Glines put up of him getting off the plane & seeing his family. I bawled. That is going to be such a beautiful day. 

   All is well in the Philippines.

Elder Staheli.

Week 67: Tuesday September 16, 2014

Dear Family,

   There hasn't really been too much that has happened this week, but it's been great nonetheless. Sometimes it's nice to not have any meetings, conferences, or anything like that, just so we can get a full week of work in. We have an investigator right now, Arniel, who is getting ready to be baptized. He is set to be baptized on October 4th & he is progressing so well. 

   The next few weeks are going to be super busy. This next week we have the "Peace Walk". It is an entire week dedicated to interfaith activity. There will be booths, activities, & thousands of people to talk to! I am really excited about it. I will take some pictures & tell you how it goes. General Conference is also coming up in a few weeks! I am really excited to attend another General Conference & hear from the prophet & apostles. It is always such a spiritually uplifting time. We will also have another MLC in October, so I am sure that this transfer is going to go by fast.

   We were able to attend a temple session this morning & it was great! That is going to be one of the things that I miss the most when I transfer to another area. Being so close to the temple brings such a great spirit into everyday. 

   Thank you all for the update about what's going on over there on your side of the world. I can't believe that Starr & Chad are selling the house! That's crazy. It's exciting too, though. I can't wait to see it. I'm sorry that my e-mail isn't very exciting this week. Like I said, not much has happened & I am just tired. But I send you all my love! Until next week...

Elder Staheli.

Week 66: Tuesday September 9, 2014

Dear Family,

   Another transfer has come & gone! This has been one of my favorite transfers that I have had my entire mission for so many reasons! I love my area, I love my companion, I was able to see Casey & Chantyl, the work is flourishing, I get to go to the temple...There are so many great things that have happened in the past 6 weeks. It fills my heart with gratitude to be apart of something so great. Another reason I love this transfer is because we just received transfer calls...I'm staying in my area with Elder Martinez for another transfer! I was a little surprised, but very excited. After this transfer, I will have been in my area for 6 months, a quarter of my mission! I love this area so much. The members are awesome & the work is progressing so well.

   I am also excited for this upcoming transfer because everyone in our zone, with the exception of us & one other companionship, will be training new missionaries. I'm so excited to work with them & help them to learn, adjust, & grow. Working with & teaching other missionaries is probably my favorite thing to do in the mission. It's incredible to work with a missionary, not see them for a few transfers, & then see how much they have progressed since you last worked with them. It's such a great feeling.

   Our work is going so well right now. We have a couple of investigators who are preparing for baptism. One of them is Joy, the investigator that Casey & Chantyl were able to meet. We also have a young man named Arniel who is preparing to be baptized as well. Yesterday, Elder Martinez & I found a few new investigators that are really excited about the gospel also! Needless to say, the Lord is leading us to those whom he has prepared.

   So much always seems to happen during the week & sometimes I can't remember if I have already sent you stories & experiences or not. The days seem to just blur together. I am a little bit sad that Elder Glines has finished my mission, but I know that he gave it his all & served his heart out. He was an awesome missionary. Right before he left he told me that he would send me pictures of him at all of the greatest places in St. George. I'm excited to see them. The new AP who took his place is actually my trainer, Elder Walker! It's great because we are all right here in the city & we usually go out to eat a couple of times a week with them, so I'm excited about that. 

   Well, that's about it on this side of the world. Thank you all for sending such awesome pictures! It sounds like you all had such a fun week! I uploaded a couple of pictures as well. I love you all!

Elder Staheli.

Week 65: Tuesday September 2, 2014

Dear Family,

   I apologize for not writing last week, but I was understandably busy with Casey & Chantyl being here for the day. What a wonderful day it was! I'm sure they have already told you all about it, but I just want you all to know that it was such a beautiful experience for me & one that I will cherish for years to come as I ponder about my mission. Most of the pictures are on their phones, but I did send a few, along with many others that I have taken over the few weeks past.

   Being able to spend an entire day with Casey & Chantyl was very special & by far one of the greatest memories that I may have on my mission. But right now I want to tell you about an even crazier day, the day after Casey & Chantyl visited. 

   When I said my goodbyes to them on Wednesday night, it was pouring rain outside. This was in no way unusual as we are in the middle of rainy season over here, but the following day held an unexpectedly great amount of rainfall. Me & Elder Martinez were at the chapel around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The rain was pouring down with great force & we stood at the door just watching it all come down. As we stood there, the phone rang. I answered & heard the voice of a frantic Sister on the other end. "Elders, we're trapped & the water is rising fast!" I looked at Elder Martinez & told him what I had just heard. After receiving a little more information, we had a decision to make. We both ran out into the rain & made our way to the Sister's area. Upon arriving the street the we need to enter, we found cars stopped, unable to enter or exit. The water was rushing out of the street, about up to my waist. We looked at each other, nodded, & headed in. It took us about 20 minutes to fight our way up the current, dodging debris along our way. To make a long story short (I don't have much time) we finally made it to where the sisters were trapped. We helped them make their way through the flood & back to their apartment in safety. It was nothing compared to the storm that hit last year, but it was for sure the craziest thing that I have had to do on my mission.

   Well, that's the crazy story of the week. So much has happened in the past few weeks that it would take hours to write it all out. It will make for some great story telling when I get back home. I love you all. 

Elder Staheli.

Week 64: Wednesday August 27, 2014

This week we got the privilege of hearing from Casey who is on deployment in the Philippines. He has been there the past 6 months. This past week his wife Chantyl was able to join him and he was finally able to take a four-day pass and visit Dylan. Dylan had a busy day with Casey and Chantyl so we were able to get this update from Casey.
"We had a great day with Elder Staheli. He gave us a tour of the temple grounds, the mission office, and chapel. We were able to do a session with him and his companion at the temple as well as visit his apartment and eat lunch. Later in the evening we were able to sit in on a first discussion and then have dinner with an active family. He looks a little thin, but seems to be doing extremely well both physically, mentally, and spiritually. His mission President pulled Chantyl and I into his office alone just to tell us what he thought of Elder Staheli. He said he's one of the best missionaries in the mission. He went onto say he is extremely obedient, cares a great deal for all of the missionaries he is over and loves the members and investigators with his whole heart. He said (since his mission President has only been here a few months) that he is one of the missionaries he relies on and trusts with his whole heart. He said because of the missionary Elder Staheli is he didn't hesitate at all about letting him spend the day with us. He said out of the other 258 missionaries in the mission there's only 4 others besides Elder Staheli that he'd have allowed to do that, all because he knows he won't break any rules and will do the right thing. He encouraged us to share this with the family just so we could know how valuable Elder Staheli is to the work here and what a great missionary and leader he is. Even when we finished he said he couldn't fully articulate what a great missionary he is and how proud we should all be of him. I will be sending some pictures shortly and when I get a chance to write a lengthy email I'll give a full description of our day."

Week 63: Tuesday August 20, 2014

Family,

   We have a fairly busy week ahead of us! I think I told you, but if not, Elder Bowen, the general authority, will be visiting the mission this week. In fact, he should be arriving in just a few minutes. Tomorrow we have a few interviews, a big meeting with the entire mission, & a few other things going on while he is here to visit. I am really excited to meet him! I'm sure he is a very kind person & it is going to be a great experience. 

   This week has been another great one, but as always, it seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye. It's interesting how all of the days just seem to blur together sometimes. Me & Elder Martinez always talk about how interesting it is to be used to everything that goes on here. Sometimes we will just be out walking & one of us will just stop & say, "Elder, we're in the Philippines!" I guess that means that I am doing pretty well if I have to consciously remind myself of my surroundings & situations. The strangest sensations are when I walk down a street & it feels like I am in Las Vegas or California. It's going to be strange going home. What's even stranger is that I have had the weirdest desire lately to go to a ballpark & watch a professional baseball game. I think that's one of the first trips that I am going to have to take when I get home. Does anyone want to go see an Angels game with me?

   Missionary life is the best. I love meeting new people; talking to new people on the street everyday. I love building a teaching pool. I hate when people don't progress & have to be dropped. I love finding new people to take their place. I hate when people don't come to church. I love when the spirit touches someone's heart in a lesson & they can't fight back the tears. I hate when people think that every church is the same. I love when someone gains a testimony of the restoration & of Joseph Smith. I hate seeing families who can't be sealed because of the father's inactivity. I love seeing those same families eventually dressed in white. I love being so tired at night that I fall asleep on my knees. I hate seeing missionaries waste these years & not reach their fullest potential. I love these two beautiful years that I have to be serving these incredible people. I hate that it will all have to come to an end, & I will have to leave this heavenly place. 

   It's weird to think that Casey & Chantyl will be here at this time next week. I am so excited! It's going to be such a special experience. I miss you all. Thank you for all of the letters, pictures, & love! I love you all!

Elder Staheli.