Maher-shalal-hash-baz

Family and Friends,

"I dreamed a dream in time gone by..." Les Mis

Well... its interesting that what happens to those around you can have a huge effect on your personal life. 

I love my mission. I have had lots of time to ponder during this week... and this really has been the craziest experience of my life. So many good and difficult times.. but worth every second. So happy i am out here. 

As of about 45 minutes ago i have a new companion. Elder Juco. He is Filipino.. honestly that's just about all i know about him... hahaah. its literally a brand new thing. 

Sorry.. its gonna be a short one again, honestly i never know what to say... and because of weird transfer stuff today i dont have my scriptures to give study notes. Its best if you just read for yourself anyways :) haha!

I did realize that i truly am grateful for commandments and for mission rules. They help me to be focused, happy and healthy. I know that God loves us and wants the best for us.. thats why He gives us trials. 

I know this Church is true. I have no doubt.

I love you all... i really do. And i pray for you all.

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Choicest Vine

Family and Friends,

"You need a set of scriptures for every member of your house, just like a toothbrush."   -Bacolod South Stake Stake President

"We need to turn his heart from a rock to a cupcake." -Brother Garzon

My life is a dream. Honestly. The days pass by so quick it almost seems like a joke. 

This week has been rewarding. We now have 3 or 4 full families in our teaching pool that are listening to us and are somewhat progressing. What a blessing!! Teaching families is the greatest thing in the whole world... because its families that become exalted, not individuals.

Elder Sanderson and I are having quite the time here in Minoyan Area... We are seeing some amazing things happening here, especially with the help of the members. We are getting referrals, good referrals! The members are the key... there is no other way!! So please do your part as a member.. by small efforts you can see miracles, trust me!

Some study notes.

This first one is very applicable in our time and age. I hear of many different conflicts and concerns in the church. That is not good. D&C 45:69. Speaking of Zion.. "and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another." Yes.. this may be speaking of literal war.. but i see it more as other things. Things like; gossip, disobedience, anger against leaders etc. None of that is what you or what the Church needs. We must be united. Unity leads to understanding.

A little bit of humor. 2 Nephi 13:11. So yes this is a warning against evil... but focus on the reward part. The first thing I think of when I read 'rewards' is The Dundies. I hope you are familiar with this... if not go watch the Office episode entitled the Dundies. The idea of the Dundies is Michael Scott giving out the most ridiculous rewards to his co-workers in a "Oscars" theme.. i applied that to our lives. If we were to take stock of our lives... right here today.. what would our 'Dundie' be? "Most obnoxious"? "Best Xboxer"? "Best at Crossword Puzzles" (Like Stanley)... or what? haha! Its a funny concept but you get the idea. Create ourselves a good Dundie!

Side note. Please pay a generous fast offering. It is connected with being a full tithe payer. I will be doing both of those things once I am home... its such a blessing to you!

The biggest thing i learned out of my studies this week is, love. 1 John Chapter 4 is so insightful about charity and what it really is. It goes back to 3 things... love for God.. love for ourselves.. and love for our fellowman. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear..." What a statement. What truth! What i learned and am still learning is that 99% of the problems of missionaries, converts, investigators, long time members, whoever... is fear. Fear is devilish. Its that simple. Fear opposes faith. Faith is the first step to salvation. Satan uses fear against us... he wants us to fear a new job opportunity.. or calling.. or move.. or schooling.. because he wants us to fail. He wants us to move backwards. So develop your love... read the scriptures... have a kneeling prayer twice a day.. attend church.. these simple acts will increase your love for God. Which in turn will increase in you feeling the Spirit. Which in turn will increase your desire to love and serve others... its not way easy. I am not very good at it either... but its an enjoyable task! Love is so central. Like the great singer songwriter Conner Oberst said.. "That's all i want, is to love and be loved.. and to believe in my soul!" The Beatles didn't lie when they said that "all you need is love"... it has a huge effect on those around us. So try it. I am... and its awesome.

PS.. i am so not perfect at all these things i say.. but i know one day we can all get there, cause i mean hey... that is the point of this life!

I love you all.. your lives are all going in different directions.. but that is how it works.. life just keeps changing. I know God loves us. I know He listens to prayers... i literally have no doubt about that! 

Go Cougars!

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Thumbprint War

Family and Friends,

Life as a missionary is nuts.

It never stops and things always change. Haha. But i love it!

I am now in my 5th area. It is called Murcia 1A... but its in an area called Minoyan. It is recently opened.. and is just a special sacrament that is part of a branch. My companion is Elder Sanderson from Logan, Utah area... he is awesome! He only has 3 transfers left, crazy!

About new areas.. d&c 100:4 "Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls." What does it mean that it was "expedient" in the Lord... a couple words similar to this are; 'practical and helpful'... the Lord puts us in 'practical' places..He knows where we will shine! This verse isnt just for missionaries.. it applies to your home ward.. your job.. your school.. whatever! We have chances to help others... its simple! Just do it! 

I am learning a lot about how the Holy Ghost works with others... again... the Book of Mormon is such a powerful tool for that! It can not only invite the spirit into our lives.. but it helps us recognize the spirit's influence. The way God works with us is subtle and simple.. and we must search for it. 

Sorry.. my emails are getting shorter and shorter.. honestly sometimes i dread P-days... it kinda throws off the groove of working, especially for us cuz we come out of the mountain top into the city .ahaha. Honestly, i have a million stories and pics and videos.. but.. you will kind of just have to wait for me coming home!! dont worry.. its way closer than we all think!! haha. 

I love you all!!

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Full Throttle

Family and Friends,

Sometimes you get a text from someone high in line of authority telling you to do something... and you end up teaching 15 lessons in one day. 

"Now you're just somebody that i used to know" -Goyte

"taga space kita" -Elder Powell

Do you realize that we are creatures of habit? 

I uh... love my mission. love my comp. love my area. I love the unknown (the power of faith. haha).

Sorry my email is short.. my mind is just, well... in a loop and i am just caught up in the work. its amazing. we work way hard everyday. we taught 50 lessons to investigators with a member present this week. We have been working like our tails are on fire. the work is hastening.. well actually, being hastened by the Lord. Can you keep up?

I really do know this is all true. i have NO doubt at all. its amazing. this is God's work. This is His work. I am His servant. 

I love you all... i am almost 22 years old. i feel like im 13. haha

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Campaigner

Family and Friends,

"You can't be always tired and always hungry... that's just useless." -Elder Powell

Name of my new indie band... 'The harvest is past, the summer is ended'

Well.. First, I have a new companion. Elder Powell from Vernal Utah. Small world right? He is great.. super funny. He is very intellectual... we have had some deep deep deep doctrine conversations.. i mean like off in outer space doctrine stuff.. ahaha. awesome! 

The work here in Masville is golden. I love the members here... really. They are so willing to help with the work.  No baptism this week... but many are in the works!!

I learned that I love to eat fruit. Especially rhambutan... yeah, its the greatest. You will see pictures one day. 

We had district conference this week (La Carlota is a district not a stake). Wow. Amazing. Heard many inspired messages... even from President and Sister Lopez. Some things I learned from our conference.. Do we realize how important our prophet is? God only guide His kingdom through His prophet... ponder that. Interesting one liner from a RM... "There is no reason to become less-active". He spoke of how at times we "deny Christ" by the way we disgrace our covenants. Sunday Meetings are the best and most important way to retain and keep our covenants in remembrance. I hope you go to church every week, because i am out here inviting people to do that same thing all day every day. Another awesome one liner from the 1st Counselor of the mission presidency.. "Instant gratification creates weak people". That is about spiritual things. Parents.. Siblings.. Cousins.. Are you reading your scriptures daily? It may not be an ultimately  'instant' gratification... but its a commandment. I have learned why. Think of a typical day... up for about 15 hours or so... how many of those hours are spent on the "carnal-mind" (2 Nephi 9:39)? Honestly... how many? When we do that simple half hour of personal study of the scriptures.. it trains our brains to be "spiritually-minded". From the same verse we learn where those two types of mind sets lead to.... I wont give you all the learning, open it up and read for yourself. The single biggest thing I learned from district conference... is the importance of family.

I love chicken... its such a great meal. I also love vegetables.. #getskinny

Another Study Note. I'm gonna take you to the Old Testament. Numbers Chapter 22. Balaam is a man under the influence of the Holy Ghost... a somewhat righteous man from what i can see. He is offered 'honors and riches' to curse Israel. (That kind of relates back to the "denying Christ" reference). He counsels with the Lord... who tells him to do or say nothing except "... but yet the word which I shall say unto thee." He is offered again riches and honor... he stays true. But then he makes the mistake. Verse 21. "He rose up in the morning,  and saddled his ass, and went with the prince of Moab." Why is that a mistake???? He acted against God's advice... he did not wait for the Lord's word. The next part is instructive... The Lord opens the eyes of Balaam's ass. His trusted animal and friend's eyes are opened. The animal sees the angel of the Lord who desires to slay Balaam. But Balaam is well... prideful. He does not recognize that his animal has been enlightened... he gets angry and smites his animal. Why? Because he knew not that the Lord was warning him through his animal. Balaam was blinded by his own stiffneckedness. Finally Balaam sees the angel, and feels remorse for his incorrect decision. How many times have our leaders given us counsel... how many times have their eyes been "opened" before ours.. warned us.. tried to do whatever possible to lead us away from that which will slay us.. yet.. like Balaam... we think we are better than our "animal". God will warn us through others. Are we humble enough to take their advice? Are we sensitive enough to see that they may be more enlightened than us? And when our "animal" or leader... gives us counsel, do we get angry and wish to hurt or afflict the one giving us counsel. And trust me... i have been chastised MANY times by my leaders here on my mission. This message helped me this week. Also, do you see the underlying root of all of Balaam's problems? His desire for honors and riches. He put those before the Lord's counsel. It's that simple... we must put God's kingdom first. I am seeing amazing blessings. 

Side note... 2 Nephi 9:28. I have learned a lot about planning.. i do it daily on my mission. Why? Why must you plan? Yes, you at home. Because Satan is planning daily as well... .do we realize that? Satan is set on destroying us. Literally. We need a defense...we need the 'counsel of God'. Or are we setting it 'aside'... where are your scriptures? Do you know? When did you open them last? I testify that we cannot come to the full measure of obtaining the Spirit if we set aside our holy writ. There is also a promised curse in this verse ... "they shall perish." I cant emphasize this any more forcefully.... OPEN AND READ YOUR SCRIPTURES. I didn't for like 4 years and look where I ended up. Look. Near to perishing...! Look what saved me.... Look what changed me... Its a little blue book entitled The Book of Mormon. Nothing else. I had much to guide me to correction.. but it really came down to my scripture study. I am writing you as a full-time missionary because I read my scriptures and made a turn around. 

Just a side note... I hope you know that these messages I write are meant directly for you. Mom. Dad. Cassie. Cami. Cole. You are the intent that i write my "scirptures" every Monday. No investigator is gonna read this... i have other lessons for them. Preaching the gospel makes "God more willling to forgive us of our personal sins" -Spencer W Kimball. I am preaching to all of you because I love you all. And because i have a responsibility to God. I love preaching... mostly because it forces me to try and live the same way as well, im trying!! 

I love you all so much. I have the best family!

Palangga,

Elder Stagg