two months already?!?

(Posted by Steph's Dad 12/10/07)Hola,Greetings from snowy Stow! It's been snowing basically since the 1st and I can't wait for the next 4-5 months of it :) Luckily it was only really windy one day so tracting hasn't been too shabby.A couple things for this week. Thank you for the emails this week! I loved hearing from each of you and hope things continue to go well. So from Dad's email he said Monica and Nate are coming this weekend--does that mean you're staying all the way through Christmas or are you doing Christmas early? Just curious.Monday was my two-month mark and Sister Corbridge didn't let me forget! She's so great. She gave me a bunch of quotes about Kirtland and the prophecies that it would be built up again. I'm so grateful I can assist in that work. Sister Corbridge also let me know that as of Monday, I've completed 1/9 of my mission and that January 3rd will be 1/6. It was CRAZY to think of it like that. While I was in the MTC a speaker informed us that in the Lord's time, a mission lasts 2.16 minutes...so we need to sprint. I loved that idea. Time really does fly and we need to make the most of it. I'm so grateful that I can be in Stow, serving the people here, and beginning my 2.16 minute sprint in such a great place.This week was great--we had some memorable things happen. First, we've been praying about how to address Gail's concerns and decided we needed to boldly approach the subject. As we did so, she informed us that she too had been praying about how to voice the concerns that she has so it was great to see the Lord answering all of our prayers. Though we're still working on resolving her concerns, I'm so grateful that the Lord allows us to work through the Spirit to help people see the importance of the message we share. With Gail though, it's still going to take some time. She feels we put prophets up on pedestals and that they tell us too much while at the same time she won't read from the Book of Mormon because there aren't any other churches that believe in it and if she asked her pastor he'd probably tell her not to. She believes that people could have been in the Americas and written a record but she feels reading it would be a betrayal to the Bible and to God. That she's always been taught the Bible shouldn't be added to and that even though Revelations wasn't the last book written it's just compiled at the end, she's been taught that it is and doesn't really want to acknowledge that. As we've read to her during lessons, she doesn't disagree with any principles that are taught in the book but still won't read. It drives me crazy but at the same time I know that her concerns are valid. It's also great to know that as we teach and testify with clarity and conviction and promise her blessings for taking that leap of faith, the Spirit will work upon her and help her to realize the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.Secondly, we had two awesome tracting experiences this week. On Saturday morning we were tracting in a nice, new neighborhood. We approached a lady speed walking and were planning on leaving a pass-along card with her. She said she couldn't stop because she was on a mission so we started walking with her...for 50 minutes. I'm sure it was hilarious to see two missionaries speed walking while teaching the first to a lady. But she was great and we have a return appointment with her. The second was right at the tail end of tracting on Monday night. It was getting close to being too dark but we decided to knock on a few more doors. When Karen came to the door, there was such a great feeling about her and her home. She and her daughter are new investigators and I can't wait to teach them more. To see the spirit that people can possess is so cool and I love being able to add to the light and knowledge and truth that people currently have.The ward here in Tallmadge is so amazing. This past Sunday a super nice lady gave both Sister Corbridge and I a hat/scarf. I wish I had a picture of it, because though it looks a little old lady-ish (it has a fur hat with a scarf attached to it), I think I'm going to break down and wear it when it gets really cold. Then we get fed several times a week and it's so nice to be invited into homes where the Spirit resides and the food is good too! :) One of my favorite families is a family of recent converts, the Stebel family. They live around the corner from us and are so great. Though they're experiencing some hard things, they continue to build upon what they already know and are learning how to rely on the Spirit and their testimonies of the gospel to help them. The mother and father are actually going up to Kirtland with us tomorrow to take Richard; I'm really excited for all of them (and for me too) to have a sacred and spiritual time there.Other than that, I don't have a lot to report. There have been a few hard days, but even in the midst of those hard times I see the Lord guiding me and guiding the work to bring to pass His purposes. Thank you for your prayers and your letters and your love. I pray for you daily and hope that you continue to strengthen your testimonies and receive the blessings you need. You're so great and I love love love you!Love,Sister Cannariato