God is Kind to Me

I am so grateful!! for amazing friends who are there for me when I need them.  They're there when I need someone to talk to, someone to listen, someone to smile, someone to give me a hug, someone to lend a shoulder to cry on, and someone who cares and loves me.
I'm so grateful that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and answers my prayers by sending me a friend to help me in my times of trouble.  I love my friends and family.  I'm so grateful for their examples to me and for their support and love to me.

I'm so grateful I have a loving older brother who cared enough to die for me.

 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

-Alma 7:11-13 (Book of Mormon)

Come This Day

This link is to a Mormon Message.  President Henry B. Eyring, a disciple of Jesus Christ, urges us to seek God's help to overcome complacency and discouragement and find joy in serving Him today.

I know God lives.  I know He answers our prayers.  I know He loves us and is very much aware of us.

How to Remain Hopeful and Faithful in a World that is Becoming More Evil

Evil is in the world, designed by the devil to destroy humanity.  Evil creates unnecessary fear to lurk in our hearts.  Fear is the devil’s first and chief weapon to destroy you and me.  Fear of persecution and cares of the world caused James Covill to reject the gospel and the word of God (D&C 40:2).  How can we remain hopeful of better things to come so that we can remain faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ and God the Father?

What does it mean to be hopeful and faithful?  “To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone” (BD, 669).  Hope cometh of faith and is an “abiding trust”, or assurance, “that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you” (PMG, 117).   Hope is believing and expecting that something will occur.  When we have faith, we are acting and showing that we trust the Lord’s promises to us of receiving blessings if we keep His commandments.  Fear cannot dwell where there is faith.

The Lord has promised us a bounty of blessings if we remain faithful and keep His commandments.  He has promised us power to become His sons, power to have great faith and go before the world to proclaim His gospel, joy, riches of eternity (D&C 38:39), mercy, eternal salvation, and so much more.  He loves us and wants to bless us.  Even though we are surrounded by darkness and trials, “try to force a smile, gaze heavenward, and say, ‘I understand, Lord. I know what this is. A time to prove myself, isn’t it?’ Then partner with Him to endure well to the end” (Jorg Klebingat, Oct. 2014).  As we team up with our Heavenly Father, no amount of darkness or evil can overcome us.
Have hope of Eternal Life, for deliverance from our enemies, and for deliverance from darkness and evil.  Always remember that Jesus Christ is “the light and the life of the world; a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not;” (D&C 39:2).  When we have Christ with us, we will always have light to cut through the darkness of evil.  Look forward to the future with hope and faith in Christ that He will fulfill his promises to you as you keep His commandments and endure to the end.  “But the day soon cometh that…the veil of darkness shall be rent…Wherefore, gird up your loins and be prepared.  Behold the kingdom is yours, and the enemy shall not overcome” (D&C 38:8-9).

Mormon Message - Sitting on the Bench: Thoughts on Suicide Prevention 

Home Sweet Home (Дом Милый Дом)

Hello again!  I'm home!  I just finished my 1 1/2 year mission in the Russia St. Petersburg mission.  What a beautiful and amazing experience that was.  I loved it.  I met amazing people

Me and my best friend Masha (Маша)!

Wonderful friends from Petrozavodsk (Петрозаводск)! L to R: Lida (Лида), Me (Я), Yulia (Юлия), Sasha (Саша), Sis. Evans (Сестра Эванс)

Vyborg (Выьорг) Young Women!! L to R: Nadya (Надя), Sonya (Соня), Me (Я), Lena (Лена), Tanya (Таня)

My lovely companion: Sister Kirushkina (Сестра Кирюшкина) :)

learned a fantastic language and saw some pretty cool places. :) 

St. Petersburg (Санкт Петербург) - view from the Mission Home. My 1st night in Russia. 10:25pm

Pskov (Псков) - My first city!

St. Petersubrg (Санкт Петербург) - The Hermitage (The Winter Palace) :)

Since I've been home I have returned to school at Brigham Young University.  It's been hard trying to adjust back to school life, but every week it gets better. :)  I'm making lots of new friends and guess what! There are about 10 people in my ward who went to Russian speaking missions!  So I am able to speak Russian still here:)
I miss Russia.  I miss the friends I made.  Thankfully we have skype!

Sestroretsk (Сестроретцк) - 2nd city I served in

I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know it is the true Church of Christ on the earth today and by following it's precepts and heeding the counsel given by our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and by keeping the commandments of God, we can return to live with our families forever and with our loving Heavenly Father!
Я так благодарна за эту возможность у меня была служить на миссии для Церкви Иисуса Христа Святых последних дней.  Я знаю, что этот истинная Церковь Христа на земле сегодня и когда мы следуем советы даны нам пророк - Томас С. Монсон - и когда мы следуем заветы Бога, тогда мы можем вернуться жить навеки с нашими семьями и с нашим любящим Небесном Отцом! :)

It got really cold..

Thank you for your support and love while I have been serving and also while I've been back!  It means so much!  Love you all!  Люблю вас всех!

Sister Stone in Russia! :)

Yup.  That's right.  I'm headed out!  Not quite yet to Russia, but to the MTC.  Which is like a foreign land in and of itself.
Here is my MTC address in case any of you would like to write me while I'm there (the letters will be MUCH appreciated!):

Sister Jessica Belle Stone
MTC Mailbox #22
RUS-SPET 0514
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

And also, my sister has made me a blog for while I'm out serving!  The emails and pictures I send home will be posted there.  http://sisterjessicastone.blogspot.com/

  до свидания!

1 More Month!

1 more month.  28 more days.  I enter the MTC in 1 month!!!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!

Onion Domes of St. Petersburg Russia

I thought waiting for a missionary to come home (this was a couple years ago) was hard.  NOT SO!!!  Waiting to GO on my mission has been THEEE hardest thing ever!!  Especially when all of my friends have already left on theirs and I'm the only one left to go!  It is ridiculously tough.

St. Petersburg Russia - A Palace

I feel like I have been bombarded with trials- one after another after another!  They never cease!  The adversary is working hard to stop me from leaving.  He's working hard on all the sister missionaries waiting to leave on their missions.

St. Petersburg Russia - The City

So I thought I would be able to start my visa papers today, but I called the travel office for the church and they informed me that it'd be best to wait a couple more weeks before I start them.  Shapoopie.  I thought I might have something to do today!!  It's hard being sick and not being able to do much except have a Harry Potter Marathon...

Catharine's Palace in St. Petersburg Russia

Happy Valentines Day (Single Awareness Day for me!) tomorrow!

Quote of the Day! :)
"Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the Devil says, 'Oh crap, she's up.'"

See you in 18 months!

I leave for my mission in 2 months!
HALLELUJAH!!!! :) I can not wait to go!
My best friend leaves for her mission in 1 day. She gets set apart tonight-she'll be an official missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! She's going to Buenos Aires Argentina!

Me and my best friend Shayna:)

Saya left last week for her mission-she's headed to Nagoya Japan!:) Kara leaves next week for her mission, Amanda leaves the week after that, and Lisa leaves the week after Amanda!:) Then it's another month till I leave and another month until Meg leaves.
I love that all of my friends share the same love and desire to serve a mission! It is the best:)

Meg-Sendai Japan; Lisa-San Bernandino, California; Saya-Nagoya Japan; Shayna-Buenos Aires Argentina; Me-St. Petersburg Russia

The time has finally come!
In 57 days I will be leaving one beautiful place-St. George, Utah-

Pine Valley Mountain-the amazing view from the fields:)

just to go to another beautiful place-St. Petersburg Russia!!:)

Pictures are worth 1000 words...

I have lacked in my blogging.
These past 4 months has been insane! Definitely one of my more crazier semesters!
Missionary age changes, 

Conference! The day that changed our lives:)

Getting my mission call,

 Going up to the Bell Tower with my roommate Sarah! (She plays the bells!!:)

Rough classes, 
Weddings,

Karen, Marissa, and I

 

  Me and Sara!

Doing big projects for classes,

My First water painting. Took me about 10 hours...

Sleepovers,

Jenny, Me, and Carlee:)

Basketball games,

Me and Michelle!:)

and working...it has been a rough time!
However...it's OVER!!! :) I finished my finals on Tuesday and moved home!
And I was able to have the most amazing and beautiful experience. I was able to go through the temple!!  It was a beautiful experience and I am eager to return as many times as I can before I head to the MTC in March!

I've got a job lined up and I start this Tuesday! And hopefully I can get another job!:)
It's been fun having Amelia here this past week! I've missed her! Last night, Rachel, Meli, and I all had a sleepover in the basement-it was a blast:)  We've done a lot of other fun things also while she has been here! She leaves today though:( Poo.

My good friend Melissa is returning home from Uganda Tuesday!! I can't wait to see her:) And to have our Despicable Me date!;)

87 Days until I leave for the MTC!!!!! Can't wait!:)