Halloween

Oi! I missed my Branch Halloween party! I was on trade-offs in Kalkaska :'( Oh well, I had a great week anyway :) First, I want to write about yesterday, Sunday. Quite a few testimonies were about the Plan of Salvation, where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going. Which, was awesome, 'cuz in gospel principles, we talked about the truth that Families can be Eternal. And I sure felt great hearing about the different ways a family can be strengthened, gave me great insight. Molly, a lady that just got baptized last week, asked some very perceptive questions, especially about the family nature of the branch, asking if everyone gets a home-teacher, which we explained yes, so that everyone can be helped and strengthened. A lady in the branch, Molly2, told of an experience around two decades ago. Her husband's a pilot, and crashed his airplane in Alaska, during a take-off. After he was pronounced dead, and since the plane was upside-down, the medical guys cut his seat-belt. Upon hitting the ground, his heart started beating again, so other pilots (who were flying at the time of the crash) gave him a blessing after getting there as quick as they could. So he was put in a hospital at Anchorage, and while recovering, his wife Molly2 and their child went up there. After some calls and getting details (that I forget at this time) worked out for a place to stay, for meals, and baby-sitting, through the Relief Society, she was settled in and all to see her husband in intensive care. Apparently some hospital people wanted to make sure Molly2 had things taken care of, so some woman had a binder open, asking her how she's doing emotionally ("kind of numb"), and having her basic needs met (food, place to stay, etc), then Molly2 said, "I'm mormon..." the woman closed the binder. Apparently the woman knew of what Molly2 went on to explain, that the "family unity" in our church exists wherever the church can be found, and that it's the way it is when people are willing to help others out. Which, I've come to see, is why giving/receiving service is so effective in teaching people, hearts are softened. Ah, which reminds me, a part-member family, had the four of us Elders over to help split wood, cool experience! and stack it. The husband isn't a member, but he's not having the lessons now. There's always time though! Ah, about the iPads, there'll actually be one per missionary, and will be taken along to each area that missionary goes to. So that'll be fun! I was in Kalkaska Tuesday and Wednesday, and had a blast. Taught the Restoration to a lady in her house, the first door we knocked! Took a minute to get invited in :) Had a miracle in that three members agreed to give us rides to the three appointments we had Wednesday. In the night before! Love, Elder Stolp

Sweet Stuff

Hey everybody!
This past weekend was District Conference, and President Hess attended! He actually spoke in each session. Some highlights of the various speakers; missionary work, living the gospel of Christ, the five stones (pray, scripture study, FHE, church attendance, and Temple attendance), conversion stories, and enduring to the end. Took quite a few notes. In the last half of the week, three members drove us around to various places, investigators and members alike. Had a sweet lesson Thursday with Bob and Molly, 'cuz the member we took, Bob2, was able to explain priesthood authority in a way they understood very well, Bob is very skeptical of organized religion altogether, but recognizes the importance of baptism. The situation with Molly was a little more complicated, she got emotional when we explained that only after baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost can the Spirit be with individuals always. See, she suffers from depression, so she took it hard. She explained she can't go through her day thinking the Holy Ghost leaves her, so I'm so glad Bob2 came with us, because his wife also suffers from depression, and was able to explain it in a way she understood. Committed them both to read the Book of Mormon, and to pray about it, so we'll see what happens on Wednesday! Ooh, but I'll be in Kalkaska on trade-offs with Elder Bob. Too bad I won't see Bob and Molly then. Weren't able to teach Molly2, not yet a legit investigator, with Bob3, another member we went out with, but we did talk with her. She was actually getting ready for a Halloween party, and had heavy dark make-up on. Had a quick chat with her, that whole situation was funny I think. Oh, Bob3 going to serve in Brazil, leaving in February. During the car rides, we mainly talked of automobile crashes we were in, and deer Bob3 has hit. He said he's about due for another, happens every two years. The craziest story I've heard out here: Bob3's dad's a pilot, and was lifting off once in a blizzard condition with his artificial altitude wacked up. In a short distance, the plane's right wing-tip got closer and closer to the ground, hit the ground, the wing folded, and the whole plane skidded for a while belly-up. They found Bob3's dad upside-down hanging from the seat, no vital signs. He got a blessing, was laid down on the ice, and woke up. It was not pretty. Every region of his body had a broken bone, his jaw was even broken in three places. But he's fine now, with only chronic back pain. How crazy is that! I'm doing pretty well out here, just waiting till a snowfall sticks to the ground, till then, I'll enjoy seeing grass.
Love ya'll! Elder Brian Stolp

Online Mission

GUESS WHAT! My mission has been asked to become one of the first electronic missions!!! Woohoo! That'll speed up reports and coordination with members. I'm so excited! Basically, area books, progress reports, and others things will be updated on I-pads. I'll find out relatively soon on how fast we're getting 'em. Yesterday was full of miracles. Molly brought her friend Zane to church, I still don't know if the other Elders are gonna teach him though. Another investigator on the East side, Milly, is getting baptized next week! So that's exciting. And Molly's on a baptismal date of November 16, right at the end of the transfer. In the evening near 6, while at a dinner in Sutton's Bay (a 30 min drive), the Cadillac Elders called us about a member from their branch in the Munson hospital, our area. We headed over a little past 7, talked a little while with the member, gave the blessing, and left. Walking into the parking lot, Elder Taylor noticed he forgot the keys in the member's room! We went back, the member wasn't in his bed anymore, but we got the keys. Half-way between the elevator and the exit on ground level, a guy says "mormon missionaries" after rounding a corner into the hallway we're walking in. He then said something along the lines of "fancy meeting you here." See, he was also LDS, and had brother that needed a blessing. Miracles happen!! Oh, while door-knocking this past week, we met John and Heather, our newest investigators! We were invited inside, gave them a Book of Mormon, and learned quite a lot about them. They need your prayers, and so do Bob and Molly, another couple that's investigating. Love ya all!!!!

Christ-Like

Hey-o!
Had a great first week with Elder Bob, got some more potentials and met with some less-actives. Oh! and gave my talk yesterday. So frightening! Elder Bob is pretty good at b-ball, sinks shots near the top of the key like no other. Molly, an investigator in the east-side Elders' area, had her mom come along, so yeah! Talk about pressure. The mom enjoyed church, but had a prior engagement so had to leave after the first two hours. Molly is so cool, she was informed that she'd need to move out of her apartment (two other guys are living there also) to be baptized. A friend of hers called and told her she could live in Bountiful, Utah with her! So now she just needs another place to live until January, and so many members are so supportive, I won't be surprised if she moves in the next week and-a-half. There was this one member we met, Bob, that told us some cool things. He worked in a variety of jobs. At this time, I remember he said he was good at washing dishes, but slower at coordinating the orders as he cooked, hated shuffling newspapers around with his feet (to separate the sheets) before being put on a conveyor belt and thrashed with rotating chains (I mean the newspapers were thrashed :o) to be treated to be put as insulation. Near the end of talking with him, I asked him if he was a convert, so he told us he was willing to talk with the missionaries, that he steadily kept committing to the different things he was invited to do, and was eventually baptized. Which is pretty much a miracle! 'Cuz as a person is obedient to God's word, by reading it, praying about it, following the principles found therein, repentance comes and becoming Christ-like is the focus of a person's life as a result. Which was the main theme of my talk yesterday, so yeah :)
Have a good week!
 Love Elder Brian Stolp

General Conference

Hey-o!
Elder Bob is going home Wednesday!! Transfers is Tuesday for us, so today is basically his last day. General Conference was awesome! I agree with Pres. Monson, that it was all very inspiring. The four of us missionaries just went to the Church building to watch the sessions, pretty fun. The East side set was able to have an investigator come, she apparently cried quite a bit. Then the last session on Sunday, a friend of the girl came, and was also taught by the other Elders. Which reminds me, Elder Bob will be leaving to the WMU area, and Elders Bob (to my area) and Bob (spelling?) are coming up. Went to Bob's place, talked with him a little, explaining that the good feeling he gets when he prays is the Holy Spirit, which reminded me that sometimes in life reminders and others pointing out what's what is sometimes all a person needs to understand different circumstances and situations. Like Elder Bednar's talk was exactly what a certain member needed to hear about paying his tithing, that we can trust in the Lord and pay our tithing no matter what. Oh, one last thing, I was called yesterday to give a talk next Sunday! On becoming more Christ-like. Yikes!
Love, Elder Stolp