Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm so excited! This past week was intense, meeting with new people is always a change. On Friday we got a call from a member that explained she got a call from Bob, a guy who went up to the church building and saw the member's number and called her, explaining that he wanted missionaries over. How cool is that! Met with him Saturday, and go to know him a little. Earlier in the year he suffered brain damage, and lost pretty much everything he owned, expect his car. That happened in Utah, and he got lots of assistance from church members. After a lot of help, money, and phone calls, he got up here in Michigan at some friend's place. Because of his good experience in Utah, he wants to get more involved with the church here in TC. We invited him to read the Book of Mormon and promised him blessings by doing so; also invited him to church, but he said he's not ready to jump in. He seems like a sincere guy, and that the brain damage effected him little, just a little. Bob (the 14-year old) is still progressing towards baptism, we're all really excited for him and his mom. They both made it to church yesterday, which is such a blessing 'cuz it was snowing the whole day. Get this, we only had Sacrament meeting! Merry Christmas again! love, Elder B. Stolp

Super Awesome Cool Stuff

Well, it's been snowing for the past two days, seems to me like a foot to me. Blue skies now so I'm happy. And then I'm doubly happy because Bob and his mom came to church yesterday!!! Bob's the 14 year old I keep writing about. They live 30 minutes away driving on good roads, but yesterday they left before 9 to get to church at a reasonable time. That shows great faith in this kind of weather. Elder Taylor and I had a great lesson with Joe on Saturday about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, seemed to understand it well, and we're still shooting for the 28th for his baptismal date. After a really great dinner at a family of all sons, (they were having a pillow fight for some of the time we were there), we visited a less-active and her daughter, very relieving from the rambunctiousness of the other family. For the most part all Elder Bob and I did was ask questions and share brief testimony of the love of God (Tree of Life story). The mom shared that she raised her four kids by herself, and tried to teach them of God and the Gospel. She definitely has a strong faith in Christ, she works on Sundays though. The daughter is now currently raising two children, and really wants them blessed in the church, baptized, and raised with good morals. See though, her husband is of a different faith, so it's a struggle for her. She was just up visiting her mom for a while, quite a talker. We had our Half-mission Christmas party yesterday, so much fun!!! Love ya all! Elder B. Stolp

Almost Christmas

Hey everyone, This past week has been really good, for starters, Bob came to church today! Bob's the 14 year-old getting baptized on the 28th. His mom (less-active) came with us to Gospel Principles, had a lesson on the importance of the Temple. So it was perfect for her! and all the others there, can't leave them out. Molly, Molly2, and Molly3 (all recent converts) were there, along with Bob2. Bob3 is in his early 30's, served a mission in New Zealand. It was awesome having bob3, 'cuz he expressed that the Temple feels like home. The spirit was for sure felt by all in the room, I felt it myself, and I know for myself that being in the Temple feels like home. After the class-time, a lady mentioned she wanted a blessing, and explained that she wants to get going to the Temple again and do what Christ wants her to do. So in a side-room, Elders Elder 1, Elder 2, Elder 3, and myself gave her a blessing. Only 16 more days till Christmas!!!! Love, Elder Stolp

Thanksgiving

Hey everybody! I had an intense Thanksgiving week! Ate Thanksgiving dinners, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! Okay, maybe Friday didn't count 'cuz we just had ham, rolls (supper tiny too), corn, water, and butter. alright alright, there was probably another vegetable but I can't remember. Thursday was best because the dad and four of their kids (10-7 year olds) played socks. The dad dominated 'cuz he was pulling some wrestling moves. Other than that, things are going well, can't believe it's already December, and we set a baptismal date with Joe! Joe is a less-active member's adopted son, has high functioning autism, and likes to do sports. Pretty much all they gotta do now is start coming to church. This area is so exciting to be in, lots of things going on, like the east-side Elders baptizing Molly! Happened already, on Saturday. The Branch seems to really catch the excitement of the recent growth, hope it continues and grows!!! Love ya! Elder Brian Stolp

Red Light

WE SLIPPED STRAIGHT THROUGH A RED LIGHT!! These Michiganders are crazy! Roads are covered in driven over snow, so a slush, and it's not getting plowed!!! What are these people thinking!!! Wonder if it's only plowed in the night. >:( A good distance away from a yellow light, Elder Bob applied the brake off and on, but each time we hear the tires crunch through the snow *kcreech* till the light turns red and we go right through. Good thing all the other cars barely started crawling. One other thing about this place during the winter, it's windy all the time! Who would ever want to live here! Door-knocked in 16 degree weather. Other than that, everything's just dandy! Met two new individuals that wanna meet with us. Molly is a lady that runs a daycare and is looking for a church to raise her two little kids in, very open of hearing other beliefs (asked if we celebrated holidays, willing to meet with us ether way). Then Bob, a 40-year old man we met while knocking doors, met with us Saturday, and was just as welcoming. Thing with him though, he wants to meet with us to basically talk about beliefs, not to decide if these things are true. By the way, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Love ya, Elder B Stolp

From the Overcast State

Hey all!! Get this! Yesterday we had a crazy crazy rainstorm! And farther down south there was some stuff about tornado conditions. I decided Michigan is overcast too many times for me. Aside from that, I went to Molly's (taught by East side Elders) baptism on Friday, huge success. A few more people decided to take the lessons because of it. Last week was great, in that it set up for great stuff for future times. Got a referral from a member, it was the wrong address though! We'll have to follow up on that. While door-knocking, lady asked if we could come by later in the week, before we asked! Small miracle. From that brief meeting, I bet she'll be awesome in taking the lessons. Oh, three other overly-fantastic things happened, went on trade-offs to Kalkaska, Bob had a soft commitment to baptism, and a cool less-active family came to church! The Kalkaska Elders are still going strong, Elder Boswell and some members took me to a family they're teaching, and the man expressed his concern of baptism. I was able to share some scriptures that really show the importance of baptism, and he understood extremely well. Elder Bob is a pretty cool missionary, easy to get along with. While out there, Elder Bob2 went with Elder Bob3 to teach Bob about the Restoration, and committed him to read and pray, to know if getting baptized is what he should do. Elder Bob (very outspoken, bold) asked if December 7th was a day he could work towards for baptism. Apparently Bob was taken aback, including the family in whose home Jason is being taught in. We got a call Saturday, from the mother in the less-active family, and she asked if Sunday was Potluck, which it was, so she came with glazed pumpkin cookies. How cool is that!!!! Love ya all!!! Elder B. Stolp

New Gator

Hey everyone! Bob's the newest person in our teaching pool! He goes to High school with Bob2, a young man in the branch, both seniors. We taught Bob the Plan of Salvation at Bob2's house on Saturday, went really well. Bob has a sweet accent, reminds me of Arnold S (don't know the spelling >:o ). I'm just really excited that Bob already has strong fellowship through Bob2. And with all the other young single adults investigating on the East side Elders' area, it'll be sweet having them all come at once. Oh yeah, Molly is getting baptized this Saturday!!! Then her friend Molly2 is getting baptized in a couple weeks! So excited!!! The East side have like 12 people they're meeting with through Molly's involvement, so how cool would that be, if here on the West side we get tons of referrals through Bob and Bob2! We'll need to make a YSA Traverse City Branch!!! :) That would be legit! Reminds me of Alma 37:6, by small and simple means are great things brought to pass. Love ya! Elder Stolp