the bare necessities: mangos, AC, and pday 🥭🥵☀️

 Week: 42

HOLAAAAAA

Wow I feel like a million years have gone by since my last email because sooo much has happened. Turns out, it's only been a week and half 🙃 buckle in for the update!!

- spent the last days with mija Hermana Grande which was quite sad. She is doing so well training and I'm excited to see where the mission takes her 👩‍🍼

- during transfers I got to be temporary companions with my missionary abuelita Hermana Dougher (aka the love of my life) before she went home. It was a dream come true. Gonna miss her 😪

- I got assigned to serve as an STL-Sister Trainer Leader (for real this time jajaj). We had leadership conference right after transfer day. I met my new companion Hermana Evia from Northern Mexico and got super spiritually fed and prepped for the transfer! (and saw mi Mamá Tesén 🥹)

    Last generational pic 😔

- TRANSFERS: I got transfered outside of the city to an area called San Blas! We are about 45 mins from the coast and BOY IT IS HOT. I thought I was sweating bad in the city but here it is no joke. This zone is one of the most physically exhausting areas of the mission due to the straight heat and humidity (and the fact that our area is a straight incline and on the coastline ⛰️). We've been surviving and the AC unit in our bedroom is an absolute godsend. Besides the climate, I am LOVING San Blas! I feel like I went a few decades back in time because it is a very traditional little town. The ladies wear their traditional clothes and jewelry all the time. The other thing is that everyoneeee here speaks Zapoteco as their first language. It is crazy! I feel like I'm in my training all over again. Everyone starts talking and I don't understand a thing, even in sacrament meeting hahaha. We really rely on the members to help us translate during lessons, but I've been dedicating part of my language study time to try and pick some of it up. Stay tuned for when i come home trilingual 🗣

- Angela and Briseyda got baptized! We spent the first few days of the transfer getting everything ready for them and getting the signature from their mom. She barely speaks Spanish and had no idea they were getting baptized lol. Everything ended up working out and they are headed to FSY in a few weeks! Great way to start off the transfer 💪🌊

Other things:

- there are SO. MANY. MANGOS here! They are literally falling from the trees 24/7 and I be chomping down on at least 3 a day. So fire 🥭

- we whitewashed this area after elders were here and the house was SO DISGUSTING. If you're an elder reading this, CLEAN YOUR DANG HOUSE 🫵🏽🧽(and clean your sheets too—I know you haven't done it. You know who you are🫵🏽🧺)

- exchanges with the Hermanas in Tehuantepec were bomb 👯‍♀️

- interviews with President were also bomb 💣

- would not recomend going a week and half without pday. It’s the worst. I'm so tired 🛌

This week I've been studying and thinking a lot about John 10 in the New Testament—especially these verses:

"4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."

I love the whole parable of Jesus being the good shepherd. I especially love this chapter because it gives us such insights. We are His sheep, and we follow Him because we know His voice, and He knows ours. This familiarity only comes from time spent in a close relationship. If we don't have this relationship with him, we cannot follow Him because we don't recognize his voice, and are much more open to the wolves that are about. Not sure how much sense that makes, but it's something that I enjoyed pondering this week. 

Also as I'm sure 98% of you know by now, general conference is this weekend woooooo!!! Everyone get hyped and prepare your yourselves to get crazy spiritually fed 🌮

Sorry for the long read, just a lot going on! Love and miss you all and please write! I love to hear from youuuuu

Hasta el próximooooo

-Hermana Stephenson