Monday, January 24, 2011

BIKE TO THE FUTURE

By Peter Evans and Richard M. Romney

Lots of young men prepare financially to serve a mission. In Africa part of that preparation is earning enough money for a passport. Sedrick Tshiambine earned what he needed in an enterprising way: by selling bananas from the back of a bicycle.
Sedrick lives in Luputa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He’s one of 45 young men in the Luputa district who is working to save money for a passport to go on a mission. In DR Congo a passport costs $250, which is about two-thirds the cost of building a house.
But Sedrick was undaunted. He earned his mission money by cycling 15–30 kilometers (9–19 miles) from Luputa to small villages, where he purchased bananas, then cycling back across the hot African savanna, his bike heavily laden with fruit to sell in the city. Each week he traveled about 180 kilometers (112 miles) along the sandy roads, and only once did an unbalanced load cause a tumble.
For his efforts Sedrick earned about $1.25 a week, or $65.00 a year. It took him four years to save enough to purchase his passport, but now he knows his future will include a full-time mission because he is financially ready to answer the call to serve.

The FAITH Of A Missionary

Seth's email this week was very tender and was so inspiring that I wanted to always remember it. I miss my brother but I know that Seth was meant to serve the people of Brazil. I have always been taught that the family of a missionary is blessed. I believe this with all my heart. I think that i have been blessed by all of Seth's stories that he shares every week. It is so easy to forget how much we have and that the Lord has blessed us so much until we hear stories (like Seths') about others and their trials.

"So I also had one of my most spiritual moments that I´ve ever had in my life. So this last week one of the families that we are teaching moved to a ´´Burraco´´. This is not even considered a house. It´s a mud floor with some pieces of wood put together to make a roof and really doesn´t even have walls. They moved to save money from the rent that they were paying. But I really never have seen such poor circumstances. We were helping with the move and really having to carry everything by hand to the other house. To tell you the truth. I´m dead right now. Haha But anyways one of the kids has a bad tooth and it really strated to hurt him in the moment. He started to cry and blood strated gushing out of his nose and he was screaming about the pain the he was feeling in his head. My companion had just left the room to get some other things. So I was alone with some of the kids and one of the adults. No one knew what to do. The other day I watched one of the movies that you guys sent me with the story of John Tanner and his diseased leg that needed to be amputated. The missionaries in the movie healed him in the moment but first asked him if he had faith. Mauri, The child of our investigator was in so much pain from the tooth and the pain in the head and because of the amount of blood that was coming from his nose and mouth. The thought came to my head that he could die if I didn´t do something. Everyonewas in a panic and so was I because my companion wasn´t there. I thought of the movie and how the Elders had healed the man. I thought of this story and knew that I have the same authority that they had. the same authority that Jesus Chirst had when he healed the sick. I asked the mom the child if she had faith and asked the same thing to Mauri. they said yes. So I gave a blessing in the instant and felt inspired to say things that I never would have thought of alone. He stopped bleeding in the moment and the pain passed from the tooth and the head. And he went to sleep. The spirit was so strong. I never thought in my life that I would ever be able to do something like that. I almost started to cry and afterwards thanked God for the help that gave me to help this child. It was truly a miracle. This family doesn´t have money to pay for the dentist to pull the tooth out. So I going to use the money that you guys gave me for christmas to pay for it. It will be used for a better cause. I can´t stand seeing people in pain."
-Elder Seth Stones

Saturday, January 22, 2011


“We cannot see the future with precision, but we can know what the Lord intends and what it will take [for] each of us to qualify personally to participate.”
Henry B. Eyring

Monday, January 17, 2011

Receiving Answers To Prayers - Day Two

"Blessings usually don't come for free. In return the Lord typically requires obedience and sacrifice."
"Our prayers can't supersede the agency of those we're praying for. But sacrifice and fervent prayers can do much to help."
"One must also remember to always pray to be subject to the will of the Lord in all things."
"Behold, according to your desires, yea, even accodring to your faith shall it be done unto you." D&C 11:17
"Part of being able to grow in desire is to be sincere in our seeking."

"If he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayers and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see" D&C 5:24

"You simply cannot get answers to prayer when you have anger in your heart."

"A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS." James 1:8

D&C 101:7-8 - "These verses are a lament from the Lord, a lament that most of us don't really get serious about something until we are in a dire emergency. Then we beg the Lord for help."

"We must remember in all this that even if the Lord answers quickly, his answer may not always be "yes"...In essence, then, the thing that usually determines our ability to recieve answers quickly is ourselves - our own hearts and minds."
"This is the faith we need - the faith of a little childe, going in humility to its parent, and asking for the desire of its heart."
"These are the fundamentals of prayers: To pray with a true heart and mind, to address the Father, and to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. If we will do these things, all else will fall into place."
FIND A STILL PLACE
"The Lord usually speaks to us in quiet whisperings. If we are not in a quiet, still place when we approach him, we might not hear (or feel) his answers."
KNEEL DOWN
"Kneeling, where possible, shows our humility and dependence on the Lord. It shows that we recognize his greatness and our "nothingness."
PONDER AND STUDY THINGS OUT IN YOUR MIND
"When it comes to prayer and revelations, our minds need to be active and engages if we hope to receive answers from the Lord. If we simply wait passively for something to come into our minds, we'll wait a long time."
ASK
"The Lord rarely gives us answers to questions we don't ask. He rarely grants requests we don't seek."
"As you struggle with feelings of unworthiness, then, feeling you're not good enough or that you don't measure up, remember that the Lord doesn't require us to be perfect or near perfect before he'll give us answers to prayers."

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Receiving answers to our prayers - day one

I am reading "Receiving answers to our prayers" by Gene R. Cook and wanted to keep track of the wonderful insights that I receive from reading it. So here I am day one!
1. "I think the Lord at times must be saddened that while he has offered us so much, we're satisfied with so little."
2. "We can learn much by observing someone else or by reading concepts or doctrines that are taught. But the learning that is of the greaetest value to me is that which comes by the Spririt, enlightening the mind and speaking to the heart."
3. "We're too quick to turn to our own strength and not rely our own inadequacies. But I bear testimony we can all learn how to utilize prayer more effectively and improve our ability to receive answeres to our prayers".
4. "I believe when we pass through the veil and see more clearly how prayer and revelation work, we will humbly fall upon our knees and ask the Lord's forgiveness for not more fully recognizing his hand in our lives".
5. "The doctrines are alive. The Lord is alive. The Spirit is alive. And so can we be if we'll be more energized and become more involved with him".
CHALLENGE: "Get a piece of paper and write on it something very personal that you want from the Lord...something you want very much."
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WITH MY LIFE AND WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO BE GOING!
"Work on it as you proceed through this book."
Questions to Ponder:
1. What role does "doing all in your power" play in receivng the answers to prayer?
The Lord can't help/bless us unless we are doing all that is in our power to solve our problem.
6. "If we are really worried about something, so is the Lord. He will hep us with any matter of real concern to us."
7. "The most important thing we can do as we seek to communicate with our Heavenly Father is to have faith in Jesus Christ."
8. "Some people htink faith as a positive attitude. That's only a small part of what faith really is. Faith is the power that holds the worlds in place. Faith is the power by which God works. When we ahve faith, we have access to his power."
9. "Repentance is a key element in obtaining blessings from the Lord."
10. "It's often not enough to simply be "temple worthy." Repentance may bring us to a state of increased fasting, more prayer, added humility, searching the scriptures, and so forth. To the degree that we are willing to change and offer up our own sins, so that the Savior can cleanse us, we can vicariously affect events and other people. If we sacrifice and pay the price, and if it is in accordance with the will of the Lord, we can receive what we righteously desire."
11. "Some people argue that we shouldn't troube the Lord about little things. In a way, that's the spirit of pride, a spirit of wanting to do things on one's own, rather than a desire to discover and do the Lord's will."
12. "Certainly the Lord would have us do all that is in our power to do, but if we take the attitude of self-reliance to an extremem, we will begin to think that we can live our lives without his help."
13. "The Lord wants us to grown and become strong and be able to do much good, but through it all he wants us to be dependent on the spirit of the Lord for direction."
14. "That's not just praying before we do our Church work. We sould pray for guidance, direction, and blessing about every aspect of our lives."
15. "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good." (Alma 37:36-37).
16. The Lord says, "I understnad that you can do many things on your own, but if you want your actions to be for your spiritual well-being, you must pray and consecrate them unto me."

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010 was a lot smaller this year at the Stones' but it was still just as loud, crazy, and busy as usual!
Sorry these pictures ended up being out of order! Ugh, but enjoy them!
Highlights of Christmas 2010
1. Being home for two whole weeks with my sisters, ma, and pa!

2. Laughing til' our sides split! Who knew little christmas shops and Macey's could be so much fun:)
3. Finding the funniest sayings at quaint little shops in Leavenworth!

4. My dad's fashion show on Christmas morning!
5. Our annual Kris Kringle Kafe - Breakfast themed - complete with monkey bread, cinnamon chocolate crepes, maple sausage balls, and tons of fruit!

6. Christmas trees and decorations.
7. My Christmas wreath - monkey bread!






8. Decorating for Kris Kringle Kafe.




8. The photoshoot I did of Abby!









9. Spending time with my mom.
Spending time with my dad.


11. Leavenworth! Christmas town!
12. The best hot chocolate in Leavenworth!13. Going to the Tri-cities temple with my parents.

14. Spending the day in Tri-cities!
15. Watching Tangled with the family and eating at Micheal's on the lake.
16. Abby's "chipmunk" voice.
17. Wrapping presents with my sisters.
18. My mom's new flat screen in the kitchen.
19. Doing "INSANITY" every morning with my sisters and dad.
20. Waking up when I wanted.
21. Reading by the fireplace.
I hate how fast the breaks come and go! I am a little homesick and can't wait to go home again SOON! I love my family and I am so grateful for them!