HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This week we ate dinner at the Hunts and Dan came too! After an amazing Samoan feed (oh my. so much food.) Sis S. and I shared a message on obedience to Heavenly Father. Bro Hunt and their 21 year old son (he is prepping to serve a mish and has become great friends with Dan!) both shared their testimonies on how they have seen the difference in their lives while they have been obedient, and when they have not. This difference was very obvious for them. Being obedient to Heavenly Father  takes sacrifice. But it is so worth it. I KNOW that sacrifice brings forth the blessings from Heaven.

I want to be like the Stripling Warriors in Alma!  "Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them.... they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually." Exact obedience and faith kept these warriors alive! Exact obedience and faith bring so many miracles. As missionaries for Jesus Christ, we need those miracles!

We taught Dan the Word of Wisdom this week. He was a little floored about some of the things, but there was no question for him that he wants to follow what the prophet says. The blessings that come from obedience are sooooo worth it! Dan is awesome.

A. is a different person than the lady we met tracting. She is full of JOY! She literally beams! She sent us the funniest text this week, we asked her how her Book of Mormon reading was coming and she said "Good, but I can't find the Book of Moses"  A. is so diligent, I'm sure she had been searching for ages trying to find Moses.  (for all those who don't know, Moses is in another book of scripture called the Pearl of Great Price :)
 A. LOVES the strength she receives from coming to church and recognizes the peace and happiness she feels in her life now. She continually thanks us for bringing her to Jesus Christ and helping her find God again. I love being a missionary!!!!

Saturday we saw the C. family (they are from Egypt). They told us about how Egypt had been attacked by terrorists close to where their family lives and how terrified their family is every minute of the day.. They are so worried :( So often we worry about such little things, it was humbling to see this family. We are so fortunate to not have to worry about this on a daily basis. We then saw an Italian lady walking and talked to her for a while. We then met with a family from China  and taught the mum to pray and it was so special! She said it in Chinese and I didn't understand a speck of it, but the Spirit was so strong!! We then had dinner with a Fijian Indian woman. No matter where we come from, I know that we are all Heavenly Father's children!

Sunday we also taught a  family of 7 from Afghanistan!! Ohhhh my goodness!!! Wow! So cool!

Transfers were this week!! Sis. S and I are staying!! Yay! But Sis W. is leaving and I'm so sad :( But had an Australian Day surprise going away party last night and it was so fun!!! and so hot in our flat! haha

Sister S. says I keep talking in my sleep. Actually, I keep teaching lessons in my sleep, hahaha

I forgot to mention that ice skating a couple of weeks ago was soooo pristine. All the Aussies and Americans had skated before...but apparently there aren't too many ice rinks in the Philippines, Samoa, Tonga or Cook Islands...hahahahahaha. Oh my gosh, watching some of the missionaries slide around was one of the funniest things I've seen on my mission so far.

I know that the missionaries are prayed for by millions of people daily. I know it because I feel the blessings and protection DAILY. Thank you so much for your prayers!!! I know that we are all Heavenly Father's children and I know that Jesus Christ lives.

Love y'all!!! xoxoxo

Sister Hailey Stevenson

I Have Never Experienced Heat Like I Did This Week..My Toothpaste Melted in the House!!!

 Everyone says that Melbourne doesn't have an ozone layer....and now I get it. I have never experienced heat like I did this week. It got up to 47 degrees Celsius(I think that's 116 deg. F?), but the sun here is so harsh!! Everyone complains about it, and people hide out and become a bit crabby, but in a way I kinda like how intense it is ;) Most people here don't have AC. We definitely don't. My toothpaste melted in the house! Hahaha!

I didn't know it prior to my mission, but Australia is notorious for summer fires. This week especially due to the 40+ weather everyday, fires have been raging around the country. We could smell smoke everyday last week, and you could see the fog in the air. We had a full moon and it was blood red!

For weeks after my "accident" in Texas, the flashback of running through the fire and coals, and the screaming that came out of my mouth, would play over and over and over in my head. The thought of fire or my treatments at the burn hospital would cause my body to cringe and shake.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all aspects of our lives--our sins, griefs, and even emotional trauma. With His help, those mental flames have been completely alleviated from my mind, and have been replaced with peace, and the unwavering knowledge that my Heavenly Father knows, and loves me. How interesting that I'm in this place with fires...I know it's not by coincidence and I'm not the least bit scared :)

It was a really wonderful week for Sister Stallings and me. We taught Dan the Plan of Salvation on Wednesday. Wow. It may have been the most powerful lessons of my mission. We really focused on the Christ's Atonement and how we are absolutely nothing without Him. I will never be so grateful for anything as I am for our perfect Savior, who sacrificed Himself, and went through the absolute greatest of sufferings for us. Dan is preparing to be baptised Feb 15 :)))

We taught him again Friday and he told us how  all day Wednesday he was feeling really wishy washy about being baptised. But then Wednesday night he prayed about it and was filled with a lot of emotion. The next morning he woke up and all of his doubts were completely gone. He said that he knows that this is what he wants to do, and what is he going to do. 

He told us that last week he was at his absolute lowest point ever, and for one of the only times ever, he prayed for help.  On the hardest of days, he was only going to be home for an hour. We just happened to come during this hour. My heart was filled with sooo much warmth and joy as he bore his testimony that God knows us. 

Saturday he hung out the park all day playing a bunch of islander games with the  Young Single Adults in our stake. At church he had people from all directions running up to him. It made us so happy!!!! He is reading the Book of Mormon everyday, and is finding strength in it. I know know KNOW that Heavenly Father prepares people to hear our message!!! I hope all of you are praying to know who you know that is prepared!!!

A. is reading her scriptures too! We taught her the Plan of Salvation this week and she kept saying how much she knows it's true and how at peace she is in her life now that she has the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She has become best friends with a lady in our ward, and that is such a blessing!!

Heavenly Father literally poured out the blessings on us this week. Goodness I love Him :')

So Dan, A, Craig, Heywood, Lauren and Raven were all at church on Sunday. So much joy!!!! It is the most wonderful thing in the world watching these people that I love so much become happier as they come to know that they are never alone, and that their is so much hope in the world because of Jesus Christ.

I will never deny the truth of this Gospel! It really is the greatest news! We all have times that are really, really hard. (I'm certainly seeing it here in Australia, I've never been aware of so much suffering around me) but I know this is Heavenly Father shaping us into the people that we are supposed to be.

Love y'all heaps and heaps,

Sister Hailey Stevenson

THE BEST THING YOU COULD EVER GIVE A MISSIONARY IS REFERRALS!!

HI!!!!

This week we were early for a lesson and decided to knock on their neighbors door. A woman came to the door and quickly let us know how uninterested she was. I was a little discouraged because I had really felt that we should knock on this specific door! We went across the street and no one answered. Suddenly we heard someone say "Excuse me! Who are you?" We turned around and there was a guy coming out of the house we had just been at. Long story short, he met missionaries years ago, had given them his number, but for some reason they never called! He really wants to learn more about God, and why so many Christian people he has met are so nice. BOO YA! A couple days later we went to teach him. This young man  is SO prepared to hear the truth. In 4 days he read 60 pages of the Book of Mormon and has been keeping a notebook of all of his favorite scriptures. we are SOOOOOOOO excited to teach him again!!!
We met with Jem at the chapel and it was so beyond glorious to see her. I have never seen her so happy. She is doing sooooo well and is on such a good path.

Kendrick, look up the Mormon message "Mormon Mustang" you will like it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlXXor-WAwQ

In the past 2 weeks we have done the Stop Smoking Program with 3  people and not one of them has picked up a cigarette since. Yay!!!!

This week we had a lesson with A. and a man in our ward who just came home from his mission in Paraguay. I know she loved being able to speak in her native tongue. The spirit was strong and she said she really wanted to come to church!! She  hurt her foot and hasn't been able to work...but in a way this is a miracle because now she can come on Sunday. She's been wanting to so badly, but always works.

Yesterday the Elders gave another one our friends and her children a blessing. This family has gone through more in the past year than anyone should ever have to. I know with out any doubt that those blessings were exactly what Heavenly Father wanted them to know. The Elders had no idea what has happened to them, but every word was so precise to their needs. (yes mother, I wrote them down ;) I know that the priesthood power is authority from Jesus Christ Himself. It is the real and only authority to act in God's name and it is such a miracle and blessing that we have it in our church.

On Sunday, Cr., Kay., A. and H. came to church. It was soooooooo great! H. was a big shock! He was only there for 20 minutes and kept falling asleep, but so many people came and introduced themselves and I was so grateful for that. In Gospel Principles it was just A., me and Sis S. and the Elders. The lesson was on the nature of Heavenly Father. What a pure, and powerful lesson it was. A. said the closing prayer and she thanked Heavenly Father for sending "these people to [her] door" and for leading her in this direction. So happy! A family in our ward invited A. and her kids over tonight. Double so happy :,)

The best thing you could ever give a missionary (Even better than a great meal!) is REFERRALS!! :) Always, always, always give the missionaries referrals. And if they have people coming with them to church, please go and talk to them!!! It crushes my heart when we bring people to church and ward members just walk past them.

I love being a missionary so much. I've noticed that the harder I work, the more I love my mission.

Friends and family that read my letters!! I love you all so much! I just want to say that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for ALL of us. We all need it! It does not just bless our life so immensely now, but it is the only way that we can return to live with our families after this life. It is so worth it. If you have questions, ASK! Mormon.org and LDS.org are such great resources. Or ask one of my lovely family members :)

I love you all sooooo much! Keep smiling everyday and remember how loved you are!

Sister Hailey Stevenson

Heavenly Father Loves us, even when we are goobers.

Hola!!!!!! (I am sooo happy when I meet people from South America!! It reminds me a little bit of home, haha)

Happy Happy Happy New Year!!!! We did some party poppers and went to bed at 10:30. Such party animals.

Today for a Preparation day activity, we went to the Melbourne Zoo with all of the sisters from the West side of the mission. It was so FUN!!!! I saw some animals I'd never seen before....like a platypus and a red tree kangaroo. And I  got super close to koalas and PET KANGAROOS!!!!!!! Yes. Today I have fulfilled a bullet on my bucket list: Take a selfie with a kangaroo. SUCCESS! They are so soft and they kept eating food out of all the prams and babies were generally terrified of them! Hahahaha the parents just laughed and let the kangaroos sniff their babies faces. It was hysterical.

selfie with a ROO

But, the biggest highlight of the trip was something very unexpected. Jem called. I think my heart skipped 7 beats. To get down to it, Jem kept her promise to us, and has been praying everyday. She has been praying about how she can have the happiest life that God wants her to have and yesterday, she moved out of P.'s house. She is living with her sister, and has a new job lined up and wants to start taking the discussions again. Is that not enough to make you bawl your eyes out?!??!!??!?! Ahhhhhhh!!!!!! Heavenly Father has heard our prayers and we could not be more blessed. We are meeting with her this week!!

We had another miracle happen this week. (Actually like 485978493 trillion) 

We were in the car leaving an appointment and going to do some finding, when I saw this girl walking on the footpath. I felt like we should go talk to her. But for a solid 45 seconds, I was a goober, and kept writing in my planner vs following the prompting immediately. Luckily, Heavenly Father still loves us even when we're goobers :) So we got out and went to talk to this girl. 23 year old T.is Samoan (yeah!!!!!) and said we could come share a message with her another day. So the next night we went over, taught her the Restoration, and it was so great! T. has learning disabilities cannot read, and it was important that we taught very very simply. The spirit was very strong and she recognized the happiness she felt. When we told her about how families can be together forever, she said her dad died 3 years ago, and she would want to be baptised so she can be with him again. BLESSINGS!!!! We set a baptismal date for January 25th. I pretty much exploded into glitter that night ;)

Sooooo, the next day was Sunday, and we had arranged for T.H. (A Young Single Adult in our ward who served a mission in Samoa!) to pick her up for church. When we saw T.H. walk in the chapel alone we were DEVASTATED. T. didn't answer the door or her phone. That night we went back over with T.H.. T's mum answered the door and told us that T. couldn't just go and do whatever she wanted without her mum's permission. She said that they had their own church. We kept talking to her mum and she definitely softened. Then she told us something that made all of our eyes bulge. "I was a Mormon when I lived in Samoa" T's mum is a member!!!! She just hasn't been back to church since she got married!!! When we told her there was a chapel 3 minutes away from their house she was surprised and said they would come to church sometime. She said we could come share a message with her and her family this week :) BLESSINGS BLESSINGS GALORE!!!!!

Sister St. and I are working as hard as we can, and are really trying to utilize every minute of our day. We want our will to be completely aligned with Heavenly Father's. I really admire Sister St. desire to improve, and how immensely teachable and humble she is. She's exemplary!
  There were a lot of ups and downs this week. Such is life! But I can say with absolute confidence that there is a God. And He loves us SO much. His hand is constantly outstretched to us, wanting to help us, and uplift us. It's completely up to us whether or not we reach out to accept. I know Heavenly Father hears our prayers and answers them.

Prep Day in Melbourne on our way to the Zoo

Mom that is so crazy you are reading about our ancestors!! This week we got to do a genealogy briefing and guess what! I found a Brigham Young Stevenson in our line. Genealogy is soooooooo COOL!!! There is so much work we need to do! Send me some cool stories! How many companions did you have on your mish? You and dad should keep sending me mish stories! And you are absolutely correct. Obedience=JOY. And immense blessings.

I just love Australia so much. I'm reminded daily of how unique this place is. This morning we were walking and BRIGHT, beautiful parrots flew right in front of us to a tree. 

This week I have been thinking a lot about two questions:

Do I love my Heavenly Father?

Do my actions show that I love Him?

Once you have this embedded in your mind, life changes a little :)

Love y'all heaps,

 All the Aussie shoes I bought last week.
just kidding ;) only a few are mine. they were soooooooooo cheap 

Sister Hailey Stevenson

Sweet doors in Melbourne...prep day

AH! IT FEELS LIKE A DREAM!!

Talofa!!!!!
     I had the most wonderful Christmas!!!! Oh how I love and adore you all, getting to see you was SO SURREAL and SO exciting!!!!!! It was weird hearing "Hailey"! I'm so used to Sister Stevenson!! Or I guess, "Sistah Stevenson" is how they say it ;)

Our ward (church congregation) was so generous and loving to us on Christmas. And to get to talk to all of you!!! Ah! It feels like a dream!I was thinking about it this week, and I really am the luckiest girl in the world. Truly.

Talking to Hailey on Christmas Eve (Christmas Day in Australia)!

     Thursday was a pretty discouraging. We worked HARD all day, and only got one new contact. It was very hot, and no one wanted to talk to us. But I have a testimony that as we give it our best (in all aspects of life!) and pray to Heavenly Father, He will bless us and help us with the rest! The next day we went to the Temple (which was soooooo pristine in every way!) and then did weekly planning, and by the end of it all, we only had 2 hours to work. In 2 hours we were able to see one of our investigators, got 7 new contacts, taught 2 lessons, and received 3 referrals. Oh the sweet tender mercies from our Father in Heaven!! I know He loves me, and blesses Sister Stallings and I as we serve Him with all our heart, might, mind and strength. And I know that He loves you. (Yes, you. Whomever is reading this.)

     It is becoming very, very easy for me to talk to ANYONE! I am grateful for this skill!

We were at the train station the other day and suddenly this guy who I've met before came up to me and started swearing up a storm and saying all these horrible things about me. And telling me to go back to my country because no one wants me here. He then spit at me and threatened to call the cops if I didn't leave.......haha. 

A couple months ago, this would have shaken me up a little bit. But I guess my skin has thickened because I just brushed the whole thing off immediately. Poor guy. I just smiled and told to have a good day as I got on the train. I'm thinking he was having a pretty awful day.

We started teaching a woman named S. yesterday!! Oh me oh my. She is soooo prepared to hear our message.The way that she expresses her love for Jesus Christ reminds me so much of Grandma Larsen!! (huge compliment) and with their countenances and lovely homes I do think they'd get along nicely :) S. has the Jehovah's Witnesses come teach her often. She says she wont convert though because she's Catholic and doesn't believe and like everything that they teach. But she doesn't exactly agree with her religion either. Since the first time we met her, she has read the POS pamphlet over and over again and loves it soooo much. She kept saying "I want to be baptized so badly. I just love Jesus Christ so much. I want to be baptized before I die" WOW. Whatta lady. Right now she is praying about when she wants to prepare to be baptized :) Ohhhh the JOY AND GRATITUDE I feel!!!

On a way different and worldly side note, I got the greatest shoes today for $2 and $5. BLESSINGS!!! ;
Sister Stallings is doing so well!  She works hard and I am so grateful to have her as my companion

One of my favorite parts of my mission is the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life. Heavenly Father is leading me. More and more I'm feeling the Holy Spirit tell me what to say or to do something specific, to go somewhere or to talk to a certain person. As I follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, I see miracles happen. I wish so badly that everyone could have this gift in their lives.

Sunday we started the stop smoking program with a very special family. If he follows the plan, he will be free from his addiction in seven days. I KNOW he can do it. Being sealed to his family in the temple is worth ANYTHING. Addictions are not. Please pray for him!

We taught Relief Society on Sunday! We talked about how the gift of HOPE is the best gift/service we could give to anyone. The hope that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings is priceless. Oh we are soooo blessed!!! I'm smiling big right now!

I love Jesus Christ!! I love being an ambassador for Him!!! I love the Book of Mormon and I wish everyone in the world would read it and the Bible. I love my Father in Heaven and I know that He loves us. I love Australia and I LOVE the people here so much! And I love you all soooooooo much!!

Make this week WONDERFUL! YOU decide the happiness in your life! Make sure to find someone to serve everyday! It is a key to joy. Love,love, love you!

Sister Hailey Stevenson

This was us this morning at 1000 Steps in Ferntree Gully...Google it...so beautiful!!!

CHRISTMAS CHEER FROM DOWN UNDER

Merry Christmas!! 

It was sooooooo amazing getting to talk to y'all!!! I promise I wasn't sad crying! Hahaha (All the missionaries in Hailey's mission got to make a quick call a week ago to set up the Christmas Skype Time...she is 17 hours ahead of us)
I can't believe I get to kind of see you in in two days (via skype) !!!!!!

J. dropped us this week :( She says she needs to put aside all church things (going to church, communicating with anyone from the church) because of the barrier that is coming between her and P. Although it was devestating, the whole phone call I felt such a peace that everything WILL work out! I don't know what will happen, but I do know that someday she  will be baptized. I just pray that I will be able to be there for it!

MY NEW GOLDEN IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!! ( I have the privilige of serving with Sister R. Stallings from Logan, Utah, and I am SO EXCITED :) Sister Stallings is a joy and so down to earth. 

I love and adore her so much. She is loving, humble, and has a 100% desire to work hard and be obedient. I am so blessed to have her as my companion.

My "MOM" and my "DAUGHTER" aka... Trainer and my Golden

I saw over 50 kangaroos yesterday!!! They are the most amazing animal. The babies are sooo cute and the mama will bend over to eat grass and the baby will stick out it's head and eat grass straight from the pouch!! And watching them fight is so cool!I

These Kangaroos are fighting

 Yesterday the J's both came to church for the first time in over a year. It may have been one of the most joyous moments of my mission. They LOVED Sacrament Meeting and were so glad they came. Next step, getting them sealed in the Temple.

I found the most glorious scripture this week! 2 Nephi 10:23
Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

It applies to missionaries. We must continue to have cheerful hearts and remember that we are all free to act for ourselves because of Christ's gift of agency. I must stay cheerful as I respect my investigators agency.

The Savior's birth has never felt as real to me as it does now. What a GLORIOUS week this is. And what better way can I give back to my Savior than by bringing people closer to Him? People ask me all the time if it's hard being a missionary at this time of year. Although I do miss you all (sometimes.... ;) I am SO GRATEFUL to be here serving my Heavenly Father everyday. I LOVE being a missionary and I am so grateful for Jesus Christ. His Atonement is intimate and infinite and I am forever indebted to Him. I love Him so much!!!

Love you so much and can't WAIT to TALK TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AGHHHH!!!!

Sister Stevenson

PS.   So Aussie shampoo is sold in 11 countries.... none of which are Australia.

We have received so many treats for Christmas!!!

American accents! Goodness! Do I really sound like that?

So to get down to the cream filling, we got a call last night from President Maxwell (I love that man so much, but when he calls my eyes get really big and my heart starts beating very very quickly!!)  He has asked us both to train new missionaries that come on Wednesday and Sister Baker is being transferred.  But I get to stay here!!! Holy goodness! We're in the middle of a transfer and it's almost Christmas, so this was very unexpected and shocking! I guess they are all visa waiters  (meaning they have been serving as missionaries in another mission until their Australian Visa comes in)!   There are 16 new missionaries!

My bunny at the OKeefe's

I HAVE STARTED DRIVING!!!  So, I cruise down the road and all is well, I'm getting used to driving on the left, and  the lack of stop signs and the excess of yielding roundabouts. Every time I flick the blinkers .....BAM, WINDSHIELD WIPERS. Repeat. Every time I drive. Still getting used to that :)

Last week was probably the most emotionally straining week of my mission so far. 

The strenuous work from morning until night, day after day without cease is not hard for me. What is hard is recognizing and respecting that everyone has their own agency.  I love the people we are teaching so much. I so badly want these people to be able to experience the peace, hope, JOY and IMMENSE blessings that I receive from being a part of Jesus Christ's church. So many of them feel the spirit when we're with them, and know there is truth in our message, but they are afraid to make any change in their lives, so they ask us not to come back. This week was full of those times, and it was truly devastating.

Before, I thought that life as a missionary would be peachy every single day. Before I came here, missionaries always seemed so happy and laid back!  I thought that missionary life would be a breeze.

My conceptions were a tad misconstrued. As a representative of Jesus Christ, I still feel temptation every single day. Sad and unfair things happen. Satan tries so hard to weaken me. He wants me to feel homesick. He wants me to feel too young and inadequate. But I will not let him delight in my giving in.
 As my foundation is built on Jesus Christ, I will not fall. As I turn to Him during times of uncertainty, He lightens my burdens and reminds me who I am, and whose I am. I love my Savior and rejoice in His gospel. He is my LIGHT and the reason that we can all have hope in this life. He really is the Prince of Peace!!!

I LOVED the Christmas devotional! To all my friends who didn't see it, please please please watch it and tell me what you think!   http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/christmas-devotional/2013/12?lang=eng     And those American accents! Goodness!   Do I really sound like that?!!!

Love y'all so so so so so much. Hurrah for Israel!!!

Sister Stevenson

I love Sister Silver and All of her family!!!!!

Sis. W. got to see horses and on her BDAY!