How time does fly!!!

Queridos amigos y familiares (dearest friends and family),

First off, I want to apologize for not writing for awhile. I have been super busy with school and ministry here and time has just flown by. Wow! I can honestly not believe that we are already in April of 2009! And I am 2/3 of the way through my first year of schooling here at La Roca.

I am going to sum up everything that has been going on here with me for the last few months. When I arrived here Friday, Jan. 2nd I started school again that Monday but we had a week of conferences instead of classes. We got to hear the Willow Creek Leadership conferences all week they were really good and it was a nice break from classes. Then the next week it was back to life as usual here at La Roca and I had class in the overview of Bible doctrine and public speaking. It was a very challanging for me to have to write and give speeches in spanish. But those of you who know me well, know that I love talking ;) and I like public speaking as well, so for me this class was like another big goal or achievement for me when it comes to my spanish. It went really well and was a huge accomplishment for me (preaching level 1 here I come!).

Then in February I had a class in spirtual formation and one on ocults and other religions here in Mexico. Wow! Those were both really good classes. I had to go and visit services of other religiones to learn about them and mormones come to our class and talked with us for four hours one day. It was really fascinating and I was constantely telling everyone who listened what I was learning about different religions. Plus it also helped me a ton to understnad what is the difference between a denomination and another religion, meaning what do we believe and how is that different from the other religions that say they believe in God and/or Jesus. When is it just a difference of how we practice something and when is it a difference thats fundamental in our beliefs.

Also, in February I hoped plan and lead a weekend youth retreat. Which went awesome the students were really blessed and we also had a lot of great fellowship together. I really enjoyed being apart of it but I came back from that totally spent. The next weekend after the camp, we had a group of guys that come from a church in California called the Grove come and worked with our church bettering the community by painting curbs, community buildings and cleaning up sidewalks. So I got to work with them and help translate. I also was asked by the pastor to translate the sermon which was a another big accomplishment because it was really scary. But even though I didn't do perfect, I feel like it went well especially for the first time. The week of the 14th of Feb. for something different and fun each cabana had to dress up and do a skit for the rest of the school and the one that won would get 2 dyas off of work. My cabana decided to do the skit I showed them on You Tube by Lifehouse called Everything, which if you have never seen this skit I highly recommend watching it, it is very anointed. It was a lot of fun and we ended up winning first place. Yeah for no work!

In March, I had my favorite class of the year so far and the most boring class of the year (both were highly effected by the teachers). I had a class in teology (the study of the person of God) and a class in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). The class in teology was absolutely amazing and so caused me to think and question what I believe and how do I know that there is a God. The teacher would constantly leave us with a whole bunch of doubts at the end of each class so that we would have to go find the answers for ourselves and not just take what he had to tell us as the truth. So it was a super challanging class mentally and after I finished I feel like I don't know hardly anything about the person of God. But also challanged that it is a never ending process and that I need to be desiring to learn about Him more everyday.

As I think I have mentioned in a prior post at the end of each month when we have the week of exams we have a day of prayer and we have communion together and worship it is a really cool time. And this month the ones who were planning the gathering came to me and my friend Jasmine and asked us to sing a duet in spanish. Which was this really beautiful song about Christ's walk to Calvary. So that was really cool.

Also, in March I was invited by a friend and his family from my church to go with them to visit Morelia, Michuacan for a weekend. So after my pastor gave me permission which was a very nice blessing to have a weekend off. I got to go visit another state about 4 hours away from Guadalajara. It is a beautiful state and is very cultural all the little pueblos "towns" are cobbstone streets with old buildings and a lot of history and good food. I loved visiting Morelia and hope that I get to go back and visit there again. When I got back we had our first youth group gathering the next weekend that I helped lead and we had about 15 of us which is a very good start. We are going to try to start having a gathering atleast once a month right now and then move into more frequent when we have more people who can help us. Please keep this in your prayers.

Well, I think that was a very quick overview of all the things that happened in the last three months. I will try to write again soon. Please keep me in your prayers I really appreciate them. A few specific areas that you can pray for me:

1. My health (I got a stomach infection and was sick for the whole month of March and so now I find that my stomach is still a little weak)

2. That I would finish this year out strong. I am feeling a little drained so please pray that God would help me to have the energy and the attitude to be able to serve and study well.

3. Please be praying for my ministry at the church that I can be a blessing to them in every area that I am serving in.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support! I love you all. Cuidense y Dios les bendiga (take care and God bless you). Stacia

A quick recap of my first meeting with Ellie

Dearest family and friends, I thought I (Stacia) would take a little time to share my first experience of meeting Ellie with you all. When my family went to China, I was not able to go with because I was/am studying in La Roca en Guadalajara, Mx. It was horribly hard for both Steph and I, after all these years, not to be able to go with. I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans of peace and not of evil, plans to give you a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). Like the rest of you, I had to rely intensely on this web-site to be able to see pictures and know what was going on. Everytime I saw updates and pictures, I cried. I became so attached to little Ellie without ever even getting to hold her and kiss her. Just looking at the pictures and praying for her; I loved her and longed for the day when I would get to meet her and hold her for the first time. One day I was talking to my small group at school and sharing how I felt about Ellie and it dawned on me- That is how God feels about each one of us. He knows us before we are born and wants each one of us. Same as we have wanted Ellie since before she was born! We prayed for her and loved her and thought about her before she was born! Then, as we got pictures of her, we had a longing to know her, to hold her and to express our love for her. Again a picture of God's love for each one of us. While I was in Mexico it was hard to explain to people the intense love I felt for Ellie even though I did not know her I loved her and couldn't wait to meet her. Two days before I left I went to the Mexican version of build a bear and picked out and made her a bunny named Bella (which in spanish means beautiful). It turned out to be quite a funny experience because normally little kids get to pick out and make their animals. So after I finished stuffing my bunny, I was told to pick out a heart to put in it and then I was told I need to close my eyes make a wish, spin around two times, jump up and down twice and give it a kiss while they sprinkled glitter on me. I looked at the girl and was like, "Are you serious, I am 21 years old and I am making this for my little sister." But sure enough I had to do the whole routine;) Anyways, I made the bunny to give to Ellie as I got off the plan because I knew I was going to be a little emotional when I met her and I thought it would be a good distraction. Finally the day came for me to come home to meet Ellie for the first time. It was the most horrible plane ride that seemed to never end! I just wanted to meet my little sister. It was snowing that night and my flight was delayed leaving and then we had to hold over Minneapolis before they would let us land and as we were finally coming in for a landing when we were only a couple hundred feet off the runway we pulled up. Needless to say I was about ready to rush the cabin and demand that they give me a parashoot so I could just jump out. They just didn't understand what it was doing to my emotions knowing that I my little sister and my family were waiting in the airport and we came within a few hundred feet of it and then went back up. It was horrible. I did finally land and as I came down the escalators, I spotted Kaitlyn with an adorable pink little bundle in her hands. And I began to cry, when I made it over to them I couldn't get any words out I just looked at her for the first time handed her the bunny and then turned to grandma Janine who was also crying and hugged her and sobbed for a few minutes. After waiting so long she is finally here and a part of our family. I find myself very emotional at times (which is not normal for me) when I think about last Christmas and her not being here and now we have her. She is an absolute joy! She warmed up to me and Steph immediately and we have had a hard time putting her down. The day after I got in, was my birthday. I have to say it was one of my favorite birthdays ever. Steph and Jeremy came in late the same night as me, but Ellie was asleep when they got in. We all got up on my birthday and dad stayed home from work and we just all hung out as a family and enjoyed Ellie all morning. It was absolutely amazing. She is so much fun and such a happy baby you can't help but falling in love with her. I hope each and everyone of you gets a chance to meet her and to see for yourself how much of a blessing she is. Merry Christmas everyone! Love Stacia

I'll be home for Christmas;)

Dearest Friends and Family,


First off, I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving. They do not celebrate Thanksgiving down here;) So I was in school as normal on Thanksgiving. But I was able to call and talk with my family to wish them Happy Thanksgiving so that was nice.


I have really adjusted to the fast and intense life I live down here now. My brain doesn't hurt anymore trying to keep up with everything (especially the spanish) like before. I have gotten pretty fluent as far as spanish goes. Of course there is always more to learn and I definately make my mistakes and have days that I just can't seem to say anything right (which amuses my fellow classmates). My friends have had fun teaching me all the slang and they think it is absolutely hilarious when I use it:). I find that when I am in class now my brain is no longer translating into english so at times I will say to myself is the teacher speaking in english or spanish because my brain is starting not to differenciate between the two.


This last month (Nov.) I had two very challanging classes. I had Hermenuetica (interperating the Bible) and Metodos del Estudio Biblico (how to study the Bible). Both were amazing and I learned a ton I wish I had more time to spend developing each method that we were taught more in depth. This month I have Panarama Biblica (A panoramic view of the Bible) and Introducion de educacion biblica (Children's ministry). I am so excited about the Panoramic class because already so much that I learned and have stored in my brain since a child is all coming in to play and I am learning were all the Bible stories and dates, people, places, etc. fit. It is so cool!



This month was also sad because my good friend Jasmin who I have absolutely grown to love at La Roca left to go back home to Las Vegas. So I was left without anyone to speak english too. Which is good because it will cause me to have to speak even more than I already was and it is a hard thinkg because there are times when it is hard to shre your emotions in another language and that just gets frustrating. But God is good and I know that He is along side me.

I hope to be able to see a lot of you at Christmas time! Pray for me in that it will be the first time I get to meet Ellie of which I am super excited. Plus, Steph and Jeremy are coming up for Christmas so we are all going to be together as a family.

My first month at "La Roca"

Dearest Friends and Family,

Wow! It has been a hectic month! I cannot believe I have already finished my first two classes Evangelism and Christian Living and am starting two new classes tomorrow. Thanks so much for all your prayers they meant a lot to me. I definately had some hard days thinking about and missing my family and Elli. But God is good and he has definately been my strength in the hard times. I was really asking God why I wasn't able to go with to get Elli and how I just don't understand His timing in this and one thing that I really felt God speak to my heart though this is about His love for us. We waited for, prayed for, wanted and loved Elli since before she was born. What an amazing picture of the Father's love for each of us. Also, as I was able to follow my families journey in China through the website, I felt this intense love for Elli and a longing to know her. I feel like God said that is how He feels about each of us that He loves us and longs to have a personal realtionship with us even more than I love and long to have a relationship with Elli. What an amazing and loving God we serve. I am so grateful that God has brought her to be apart of our family and I can't wait to meet her!!!

Thanks for all your prays I can't believe I was able to finish all the homework, but I did. I finished reading four books in spanish! Wow! That was quite a feat:) And I memorized 19 out 20 verses in spanish. We also went out doing door to door evangelism every Friday and that was awesome! We were able to share the gospel with a gothic person and she received Christ! That was very exciting.I also personally had the opportunity to share the gospel with one of my cousins. All in all it was an amazing month that went by really fast.

This past week was stressful with having our finals for each class but also very cool. At the end of each month as we finish out our class we have what is called a Friday Prayer Day. We take all our exams on Thurs. and then on Fri. we all dress up and come together to have communion, worship, testimonies and to pray together for about 4 hours. It was awesome! We pray all the time at my school but not as in depth as we were able to do on Friday. You grow so much closer with people as you each begin to open up and share what God is doing in your life and encourage and pray for each other.

Down here at the school; I never seem to have enough time. But hopefully, I will adjust to the rhythm very soon. I only have 1 hour or free time everyday from 5:30-10:30 it is intense. Plus on the weekends I am working at the church about 15 hours a weekend doing: administrative stuff, planning for a children's program in the future, playing on the worship team and doing specials, helping set up for any programs we are having that weekend and I am going to start teaching the older group of children in two weeks. The picture is me with my pastor and his family. 

This next weekend my whole school and I are going to be working as volunteers Thurs night-Sat night at the Pastors and Leader conference held by Willow Creek Church here in Guadalajara. So next weekend will be even more busy than these past few:).

I have been thinking about you all and have been praying for you. Please let me know if there is anything I can personally pray for.

A few pray requests for me are:

1. The Willow Creek Conference that everything would go smoothly and that we would serve well.

2. That I would continue to hear God's voice

3. Health (I feel like I am lacking sleep:) )

4. Language (It is getting better but it still takes me more time to do my homework and sometimes I just can't find the words, etc.)

5. That I would be able to balance my time well with homework, school and ministry

Thanks so much! I love you and miss you all! God bless, Stacia

My first week at "La Roca"

Dear Friends and Family,

First off I want to thank you all for your prayers. They mean so much to me! I thought I would write a little about what is going on down here and what my first week was like at "La Roca".

First off God so confirmed to me that this is exactely where He wants me right now. The first night we were there we head a message around a campfire and it so spoke to me about being a David generation. I am generation 22 (2008-2011). One morning during my devotionals I decided to read Proverbs 22 to see if it said anything that would apply to me since I am apart of generation 22 here at "La Roca" I found two verses in particular that really spoke to me and I feel apply to my life. First off there is Proverbs 22 :6 "Train up a child in the way he/she should go and when he/she is old they will not depart from it." Although I am not a child I am still young and they are definately intensely training me and making sure my foundation is firm. Also, verse 11 "He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend." and they are definately encouraging and training us about what it means to have a pure heart and how we attain that. Something that I found out this weekend when I was telling Kimar about what I learned ant that I was generation 22 and just confirmed to me again that I am where I am supposed to be is that Kimar and David's house number is 22:) God definately has a sense of humor!

This week consisted of a lot of running around, meeting new people and trying to figure out where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing:). I wake up at 5:30am to work in the kitchen in the morning. Then I have chapel and 2 hours of lecture (in Spanish). I have Evagelism Tues.-Thurs. and Christian life/living on Wed.-Fri. Both classes are awesome but the Evagelism class is absolutely amazing! After breakfast at 9:30am, which I get confused and feel like I am eating lunch because I have already been up for four hours, I have some clean up time and then 2 more hours of lecture. After class we have 1 hour of work around the campus (although my work is in the morning so this is my devo time) and then an hour of sports. They are very stirct about everyone participating and always being on time. Then we get to clean up and have lunch 2:30pm. The food routine is still strange for me because I am not a big eater in the morning and they it their biggest meal of the day in the morning, medium at luch and a light dinner and we usually eat opposite, plus the times are a little different. Then we have 1 hour of free time after everything is cleaned up we are in charge of all the cleaning around the campus. Then it is off to the Library for 3 hours of study time and trust me I need all of it. We have dinner at 7:30pm and then go back to the library to study more. So far by the end of this month I will have to read and write reports for 1 book in evagelism and 3 books in Christian living. Did I mention I have never read a whole book in Spanish before and by the end of this month I will have read 4!?! Also I have to memorize 20 verses and have daily homework and exams. In my evagelism class we are required to participate in door to door evangelism, evagelism on the buses (which is the main source of transportation down here) and personal one on one evagelism. It is intense!!! But I am so excited about what I am learning. On the weekends I leave the campus and go live with my amazing missionary friends Kimar and David. I have to put in a minimum of 10 hours a week serving in my church and if my Pastor has his way it will be 30 with all the things he would like me to do:). But please do be praying for me to be wise about my time so I don't end up totally burned out, but that I am also to help in as many areas as possible. Monday is my only day off basically and I have to back to "La Roca" at 6pm to start my routine all over again.
Here are a few quick prayer requests:)
- My family is in China right now so please be praying for their safety and health.
- My homework (being that Spanish is not my first language it is a little more overwhelming)
- My time that God would help me to make the most of it
- Whatever else God lays on your heart to pray for:)

Thank you guys so much and know that I am thinking about and praying for all of you. Please feel free to write me (although I only have access on the weekends to internet) with any pray requests or just to say. I love you all! Blessings, Stacia