Toasty at BYU GAMES!

Kevin went to BYU's homecoming game! One of Steve's hardest thing on his mission is waiting to see if BYU wins their game that week!~

Birthday P-day ( He's 19)

Oct 24, 2016 (Steve's 19th Birthday!1)


This week I got to go on my first exchange to a differetn area. I went to London chinese with 2 chinese Elders, Elder Chu and Elder Mak. Elder Lee came to Tillsonburg with Elder Brand. It was super fun and we got to talk to a bunch of people! They don't have a car so we rode the bus everytwhere and bus contacting is now my new favorite thing in the world! People are totally trapped! and they know they are trapped! I got to have some legitamate religious discussions and share real testimony and experiences with people! It was soooo sweet! and there were a lot of people that were interested! I could see how it would be easy to get frustrated as a language missionary though, because everyone we found outside of 1 person we passed onto other missionaries who will teach them in English. Anyway, it was an absolute blast and I had such a good time! "wo ei jeshu jidu" means I love Jesus Christ and "ni how ma? wo han pang" means hi how are you, I am fat. Both crucial statements to know in mandrin.

     I did have one day I think on Saturday where I was feeling pretty down, and Elder Brand asked me if I was doing okay in companion study and I broke down and started crying and whatnot. Being a missionary is not easy! However, I have been comforted and brought incredible peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that I could be comforted no other way. I could simply not be a missionary on my own, I just couldn't. But with God I can do all things, I believe in miracles more than ever before.

     We are being led to those who are ready to accept Jesus Christ to any certain extent, adn they are being led to us. I have felt those on the other side of the veil nearer out here than ever before in my life. I know they are involved with this work, and the Holy Ghost is involved with every single aspect of this work.

     I've seen lives changed, I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ truly transforms. I know anyone who truly seeks will eventually be led to the Gospel and thereby the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Today I read in Jesus the Christ where it talks about the great apostacy and how honeslty clear it is that this church is Jesus's church restored to the earth. However, no logical or clear proof would or could ever be more powerful or influential than the truth I know by the power of the Holy Ghost. I love being a missionary!

     Thanks for all the birthday wishes! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else doing anything else on my birthday!

#7 P-day in Toronto (Tillsonburg)

October 11, 2016

Steve's p-day was on Tuesday because Toronto's Thanksgiving was on Monday the October 10,2016.
Steve said his knee is doing great. Almost all the swelling is gone, he is till wearing his knee brace. The medical guy there doesn't think Steve needs to see the doctor, so we will keep praying nothing is really wrong!!

The guy on the far right of the picture is Steve's new companion Elder Brand

Thanks for all your prayers for Elder Dixon!!

This week has been another fantastic week!

     We had what's called skills and interviews this week, which is basically zone council, but President and Sister Shields come, give some instruction, and do quarterly interviews with each missionary in the zone! It was sweet! In my interview we talked a lot about BYU football to start ahah. President Shields is a big BYU football fan so that was very fun! He asked if I had any questions, and I had a list so we went through those, and that was pretty much the rest of the interview haha. 

     We're still led to lots of people and are seeing miracles left and right. One of my favorites from this week was we were in an area(I believe by revelation) doing some things and contacting some potentials, ended up staying and knocking some more doors. When we were walking to our car we saw someone in their garage and went and talked to him. He said he had been looking everywhere for a Book of Mormon, bookstores, etc.. He said that his previous boss had said that she based most of the principles of the business off what she had learned from the Book of Mormon and her religion. The business was very successful so he wanted to read the Book! Unfortunetly he works on a boat and is gone for months at a time so I may not see him again, but he is going to read the Book of Mormon and has the missionaries number for when he gets backand I'm sure will want to be baptized!

     Also Reg totally changed and has decided to repent and stop judging others, big change we saw was when we taught the importatnece of the sacrament and invited them to take one thing to church they wanted to "sacrifice" and leave behind. Reg said he would leave behind judging others. President Fisher said he came in early on Sunday and asked if he and President Fisher could start over! It was incredible and my testimony was greatly stregnthened of the power of this message leading unto repentance! We saw him yesterday and he did get a bit offended at church haha, but there is still incredible progress!

     Because it was Thanksgiving we went and said we were "hymning for Thanksgiving" going door to door haha. We said we were singing a hymn of grattitude. I was suprised how many people wouldn't even let us sing them a song! There were some that did though and the spirit was super strong!

     I love being a missionary! I know this message that I am sharing is the most joyous that anyone could be sharing and offering! I know lives change as they turn to Christ, and that any honest seeker who continues seeking will eventually be led to the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and thye will want to be baptized and become a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! I hope all is still going well! I love and miss you all!

6th P-day (Tillsonburg) New Comp Elder Brand

Monday October 3, 2016



Steve's knee is doing so well they have cancelled his doctor appointment!

He still hasn't played on it so keep praying for him!!

Good bye Elder Johnson, Good luck getting back into life and going home !!

Letter from Steve.....

This week has been incredible. I cannot put into words my love and complete admiration for Elder Brand. The difference in the spirit has been unmistakable and powerful.\

     Tough to say goodbye to Elder Johnson to be sure. He will do great things back home for his family and future family.

     I got to see elder Ward at transfers! Guess why? elder Brand was his trainer!!!! How sweet is that!! I think its' pretty incredible! I also got to see Elder Thiem there which was sweet! Elder Ward is in YSA in Kitchener if I haven't said that before and doing well! Super jealous of the fact that I see cows all the time though haha. 

     District meeting was powerful with elder Brand, like I said, he's incredible.

     Also going to the temple was sweet this week, we got to go for the "Conference trip" but we were out of boundaries so we only got to go since I am being trained and I'm not complaining haha. We got the Saratov approach devil video which was awesome because I have only seen that one one other time. and its' my favorite creation video of all of them.Elder Brand is super spiritual and has some beautiful insights from the Temple and from everything else! I love talking with him about that and we have had many incredible discussions!

     We have seen many miracles, but honestly for me they all come back to Elder Brand and how he lives and works. He exemplifies exact obedience, and always seeking to find ways to live a higher spirit of the law of obedience. For example, we always set new goals and when we read from the white handbook or preach my gospel, we are always setting new ways of applying so that we can become more obedient. Also whenever we are in the apartment eating or at night or in the morning, he makes sure "the district" is always on our DVD player I believe to always keep our minds on the work. He listens so well to me and always tries to incorporate thoughts I have into action as a priority over his own thoughts.

     There is more that he does, but I think that hopefully gives a basic idea, he basically does EVERYTHING that he possibly knows how to do the very best that he knows how to do it. I think he understands what I learned, That we have been given so many resources to missionaries to be successful, and if we just actually do it to the best we can we will find incredible success.

     We have found incredible success. The spirit we carry and I feel throughout the day is undeniable, and very different than before. When we talk to people I can see in their eyes that they feel it like they didn't before. When we seek inspiration on where to go and what to do IT IS ACTUALLY TANGIBLE AND CLEAR. We are actually being led to people that are ready. We have found SO MANY MORE people that are prepared. Initially I was simply amazed at what was happening and thought it was just luck, now I am absolutely completely convinced it is not. Elder Brand is also super loving AND bold in lessons, and contrary to what I thought might happen, people are NEVER offended. In fact, they want to change! I could go on all day, but I won't. I completely believe in obedience like I never have before. I honestly have learned more in this last week from serving with Elder Brand then my first 6 weeks in the field combined.

     Part of the reason I think we have had so much more success, is because Heavenly Father knows that if He sends us to those that are ready they will feel that spirit now. As Elder Arnold said they should feel it on their doorstep just from your fire, I feel that now. He knows that we are ready to actually help those that are ready. Everything has completely changed.

     Conference was incredible. One thing I was really taught by the spirit was how much more I need to use the Book of Mormon and how much I am failing to have total confidence in it. Elder Brand is super big on the Book of Mormon so that won't be a problem and I am super excited! I loved Uchtdorf's opening address, Elder Oak's was one of my favorite's he had ever given, Holland's brought me emotion as usual. This conference though I think I was shedding tears through almost the entirety of every session. We missed a good chunk of Bednar's which was a dagger. But from what we caught I could tell we really missed out. My testimony is stronger than ever that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, and He stands at the head. One idea I just remembered that I loved was that people should be invited to be converted to Christ's Gospel, not His church, that will come naturally as they desire to live His Gospel.

      I know that God simply wants us to obey His laws and His commandments the best that we can. And that doesn't mean we can't do that better today than yesterday, and better tomorrow than today. I know He is so happy with all progress and loves us so much, even when we choose to knowingly disobey. I would write more, this has been my favorite week of my mission, but I just don't have time haha!

Poor Elder Johnson dying at his funeral

So lucky getting to go to the temple with some member of the Branch!