The Farm

So after much work and receiving my driver’s license in February and finally buying a truck, I stuck out on my first state-side adventure on March 14th! After a 1 ½ days drive in my dumpy old truck with my brother, Cody, and my Dad, I was happy to finally arrive on the farm. Where, I quickly jumped into action of mucking out sheep stalls. I scrapped them so clean they were like new, and I fixed a gate. Steve, the owner, said “I know there was good use for you, it takes skill to clean this with such efficiency. Not everyone has that.”
Then the next day was filled with weeding tiny little weeds out of the seedling flats. Then we were all called into the barn to dock and vaccinate the lambs. I let my two compadres, Sarah and Gabe, get into that, and mostly watched. They have little to no experience with animals, so I thought it would be good for them. They each did 2 lambs, and then Steve tells me to do the last lamb. So I confidently gave it a Sub-Q shot, then deftly placed the “little green-cheerio” (rubber band) on the tail at the 2nd digit, while making jokes, and taa-daa!!! No problems! I still got it! Thank you, mom, for teaching me all this stuff when I was 12. Now I just need to know the difference between a weed and a seedling… :D
I also got a good kick from a cow. This milk-cow named, Maxine, has just “freshened” (given birth) and has “edema”… I’m not sure what that means but her udder is all swollen and hard and she won’t let her milk down. So we started hot compresses, and I had the idea of using eucalyptus oil to help her relax, and it seemed to work. But in the process of all that and trying to milk her, I got a good kick to the thigh that has left a big bruise. But our efforts were rewarded with the incredible recovery of the cow!
I really like being here except that it’s COLD!!! I’m talking snow! But it’s great cuz I get to do what I love, learn more about my talents, and help others obtain good healthy food!!! :D

Ajusting to America

Hi everyone! it's been a while. It has taken me a while to find my next adventure/something to write about, but it never fails of course i have found it! I am preparing to go to school, but not just any school, a biodynamic organic growing farm school!!!! It's called Live Power Community Farm in Covelo California, yes I'm staying in states this time! But non-the-less preparation is in order. i have acheived my first goal of receiving my drivers lisence!!! Now i need a truck and gear and i'm off in march!!! I want to keep up this blog through my workings and studyings.

I'm really excited to go to this school to further my education, expand my talents, and someday make a difference. There is nothing more wonderful to me then to cultivate good rich pure soil, plant a seed, watch it grow, harvest the fruit, and then hand over this wonderful product and know that it6 is feeding a family, and helping children grow healthy! it's so awesome!!!

Well I'll keep every one updated on the hard work and fun! :)

Settling Down

I arrived home on Thursday October 20th safe and sound, but still suffering from jet lag. I got to travel with two of my past companions, Siser Ockey and Sister Smith. We arrived in LAX Thursday and after customs we had to seperate Sister Ockey off to Utah and Sister Smith off to Washington. Then as I seperated from them soon saw... heard my family calling, my niece Emma calling, "TATI!!!" I then was clobbered with hugs and questions, it was a happy momment. After we put my luggage in the van, we went back into the airport to find Sister Ockey and Smith, which we did. We helped them find there right gates. Then I said good-bye to my last companions, and went straight to In-N-Out, of course, and had some great burgers!

Life at home has been pretty normal, sleeping a lot, to over come the dengue fever effects and jet-lag. Now I have to work on my next adventure in life: LIFE! I need a drivers-lisence to start, some house-sitting jobs for some cash and maybe start community college in the spring.

Thank you for all the love, prayers, and support you all have given me through this last adventure of mine. I hope that we will again enjoy a new adventure soon. Stay tuned to know what and where is the next adventure for me, Tatiana Stephens.

Dengue Fever

Well . . . as you can tell, I'm out of the hospital and at the MRC for recovery... still very weak. I am doing much better, no more fevers, or body aches, but still covered in an ugly rash (but that's going away too), my stomach is still sensitive.
Dengue is a lot like having malaria. In fact, I thought I had malaria again! I was then rushed to the ER with a temperature of 102'F, vomiting and body-aches. They quickly took care of me, but I don't remember much, my head was in such a fog from the fever, but I do remember the missionary couple who were with me repeatedly asked me to speak in English cuz they didn't understand anything I was saying. I guess I was speaking in Tagalog the whole time and didn't realize. I then slept for 3 days under lots of pain meds and hydration fluids, every 3hrs a nurse would come in and take my BP, temp, and pulse, and every 12hrs some one would come in and take a vile or two of blood...
Well they figured out that I had Dengue and that I had been battling it for about 1 week before entering the hospital. It causes the platelet count in your blood to go way down, it also caused my potassium levels to go way down, and it attacked or weakened my liver and gallbladder, causing them to painfully swell. They then put me on an antibiotic drip which made me vomit a lot, but it sped up my improvment a lot and soon the rashes came which is the last stage of Dengue, a sign that it's all going to be over soon. But the doctors were at a loss as to what to do about my liver and gallbladder...

The doctor came in one day and seemed curious about my 'allergy' (hyper-sensitivity) to potatoes. After some talking, and some thought, the doctor then concluded that I am a celiac... i just responded with an "Oh man!" and he asked if i was familiar with it. I then explained that my mom and 2 little sisters were celiac. The doctor seemed suprised but more sure now. So they did some more blood tests and changed my diet. as soon as the diet was changed my recovery quickened. The doctor then explained that I (and probably all my siblings) HAVE celiac but it can be 'dormant' or only slightly active and not cause any serious or immediate health concerns, but it was there non-the-less, and because of the Dengue it was able to 'activate' and it is celiac that is attacking my liver and causing problems with my gallbladder. But if I stay on the gluten free diet (just like mom) there shouldn't be any more problems.
I'm so tired and weak I have to just rest. But I want to end healthy and hard working. Thank you all for ALL the prayers. I know they have helped me and the Lord has blessed me so that I can recover and start working again soon before I leave. Thank you, and love you all...
--Super Sister Stephens
ps: It's all ending so soon!!!!!! ayaw ko!!!!

Fun Little Angels

We had a great baptism this last week. We had 4 converts and 2 kids who are children of record (meaning one or more of their parents are members and they are active in the church so don't need to be taught by the missionaries) but all are ages 8-12 years old. It was so fun. They were like fun little angels all dressed in white and looking their bests! Lots of people came and the branch president's daughter was baptized too so they brought spaghetti and soda and chocolate muffins and buko-pie! (cocoanut-pie) It was so great, the spirit was there, everyone was happy and there were no mis-haps, it was just so great to see these kids share their testimonies and their desire to be good and to willingly follow the commandments, and to see their love for Jesus Christ and have reverence for His atonement. I know God will bless them for their willingness to follow Him. I know that God loves and blesses all His children (that's all of us) as we follow His commandments and become as a child, submissive, meek, humble, and pure in heart.
love you all,
--Sister Stephens
ps: See ya all in October!!!

My lasts...

This is it, the last transfer. I'm with my last companion, Sister Agraviador, still. My last area, Pangarap Branch. My last planner. L'll be having my last temple tour, and my last sessions in the Manila temple. My last chance to work as hard as I can as a designated servant of the Lord. The time is winding down... but it's not over yet! It ain't over till they force me on to the airplane on October 20!!!
This saturday we have a baptism of 6! 4 investigators and 2 children of record! It's going to be a great baptism! We have lots of goals for this area and lots of work to do!!!
Thank you all for all the prayers and support,
--Sister Stephens
PS Shout out: Thanks for the letters from: Erin Sprinkle {congratulations on 1 more bundle of poop, er.. i mean joy, you know baby!!! lol!}, of course from Nora my ever faithful pen pal {OMG!!!!! I would so write you but I think I would get home before the letter got to you so you are just going to have to wait, then we are going to talk all night!!!! eeeeeeeyyyyyyiiiiiiyaaaayyyy!!!!! I'm so exited for you!!! love you!!!!

It's That Time Again!! Transfer Time!

Transfer time!!!... and no I am not being transfered! So, I'll be here till I "die" in October. (heehee) That"s ok, we have some really good baptisms lined up this month and next! Sister Agarviador and I are the only sisters in the whole mission who aren't training... so we get to really focus and work hard till the end! I hope we find a lot of new families to teach and build the relationship with the branch a lot more.
On Saturday we had the baptism of Augusto, it went well and he really takes his new priesthood responsibilities seriously and is going to be a great example to his family.


There's been a lot of rain, it's actually going on to week two of rain every day.


I know that this work is HIS missionary work and that our message is for everyone and that it comes from HIM just for you and your family, I know this to be true.
mahal ko kayo,
--Sister Stephens