I like to bear my testimony...

Stu sent us his testimony for christmas and it is so amazing I wanted to post it on his blog for everyone to read....We love you Stu and we are so proud of you and the amazing missionary and person that you are!! You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
So here is his testimony...
This is my testimony; it may not be much but the things I do say I mean with all my heart. I know that my savior lives, what comfort that sweet sentence gives and I know he knows me. He has helped me all my life, every time I get down I think about him and know that from the garden to the cross he walked a mile in my shoes. We went to a families house for dinner and she hand signed a song for us and when it got to Jesus Christ, the sign for that is you put your finger in the middle of your hand. When she did that the spirit hit me so hard, the finger in the middle of her had was the nail going into his hand. I stopped watching for a minute and let my mind think about that one sign it was amazing the feeling I got and this is what came to my mind. what if I had enough faith to heal the blind? Then I asked myself what is faith? How do i gain faith? My companion gave me the scripture about the mustard seed and after reading it I asked my companion, hey is this what it means? I told him what I thought and his is like is that what you think it means? I'm like ya then he goes to the bible dictionary and he looks up parables and it says the parable conveys to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence. Now I pondered about this forever about the parable of the seed and what it means to me. I prayed all night and no I did not ger me answer from any angel but from the Holy Ghost the next day. We went over to a mans house and his is blind now remember what I said at the beginning... I said what if I had enough faith to heal the blind? After praying all night and getting my answer I am sure I know what faith is and that day was the high of my faith, nothing could shake it. Back to the story, the guy lets us in and he starts talking to me about my eye and how I feel the spirit hits me and I say to him I look at mine as a blessing and I am happy to have this trial. I used to pray every day that the lord would take this cup from me, then I changed my way of looking at it and I thought how much this has increased my faith in the lord. I look to him for help when I get nervous about it and when I cant do something because of it, I always turn to the lord for help and I know that at the last day I will have so much faith that Jesus will fix it that when he lays his hands on my head and says you will be healed according to your faith and I will say I have the faith savior. I cant wait for that day after saying this the man asked for a blessing and I was like this is my chance to heal the blind and I did heal the blind that day. No he didnt get up and see but he now is healed from looking at it in a negative way. He now looks at it as a blessing like I do, I truly healed this man my faith is unshakable. I know that through my savior all things are possible I cant tell you how happy I am to be in the service of my Lord. The savior spent his life on a mission and I am only asked to go for 2 years but sometimes I find myself saying this is hard or why do I have to do that? Then I think this is not about me, my job as a missionary is to invite others to come to Christ and I have the chance to change somebodys life. I love the work so much I have grown so much I can only keep going up and I plan to. I also have a great testimony of my family I would have never come and had this chance to grow if nor for great examples like you. I would have been lost in life, I know my mission will change my life so thank you so much for all of the support I love you all and I leave this with you hopeing you will take something from it. Faith is a huge thing in my life and I hope it is in yours too. I love you with all my heart in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

* What an amazing little brother I have!! What an amazing missionary he is and what an amazing man he is becoming I am so blessed to have such a kindred spirit in my life I am blessed with an amazing family all around me!! I love you so much brother and I am so so very proud of you!

Go in Faith Return with Honor,
Elder Hensley

Letters Home!

Dear Family,
It is my second day in the field. I feel nervous and scared I have to teach tonight and I'm not so good with the Doctorine so all I have is my testimony of ways the gospel has blessed me in my life and of a wonderful family and friends who have helped me so much in life. I am going to give it everything I have and invite the spirit. But I am going to stop getting all down and tell you something funny that happened today this cop comes in the building and calls my companion by his first name, tells him to put his hands on his head. My companion tries to talk and the cop says you better listen to me son and get on the ground then the cop handcuffs him and says he is going to jail then the cop is like does anybody else live with you and he points to me and says to the cop he does then the cop says is he involved my companion is like no then the cop tells me to get up and asks me what my name is. I tell him and he is like welcome to the mission son I'm your mission leader I was like no way I was so embarrassed everybody was laughing he got me good haha. I thought my companion was going to jail it was so real.
Things I have done on my mission so far:
1. I have lost 10 lbs and will loose more
2. I have become a clean freak haha
3. I have gained a testimony
4. I have learned to love others
5. I have become a goal setter
6. I have come to know how much I love my family
7. I have had the spirit everyday
8. I have learned to love church all 3 hrs haha
9. I have learned how to save money
10. I have become a better me
I miss you guys and I hope your doing great I love you all keep up with being a close family cuz I love that about us I keep all of you in my prayers and think about how you have helped me and use it in my teaching I hope your all doing great love you Elder stu :)
Go in Faith Return with Honor,
Elder Hensley

Letter Home!

Dear Family,

whats up? The mission is going great I cant wait to get out and teach real people. My district is so cool some great guys, I am doing great learning fast and learning how to not be shy. I am getting good at it and when I get back you guys wont even know who that shy kid was haha. I'm working out everyday and trying to eat better so I hope I cant keep it up. My testimony is getting so big and if we can I really want us to work on Grandma Rose I want her to be at my wedding in the temple that would make me so happy and I want you guys to know that I know this church is true and that our family is going to be together forever. I know that what I am doing is the best thing in the world at this time in my life it is going to make me a better person and bring so much happiness to our family and many blessings. I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ and I know that Joseph Smith restored it, he died so we can have the Book of Mormon and know that Christ died for our sins and if we read this book we can get closer to God. I love you family thanks for everything you do. I keep you in my prayers so you can have many blessings.

Go in Faith Return with Honor,
Elder Hensley
P.S. Stu will be leaving for California tomorrow!! So if you would like to write him a letter please send it to his California address :)

Saturday letter!

whats up dad and mom thanks so much 4> the letters and food that was awesome i miss you guys alot> the mtc is awesome you can feel the spirit so strong that> they compare it 2 being in the temple i really think angels> walk the halls at the mtc i love you guys so much i just> wanted 2 write a little letter 2 get started talking 2 you> guys the big `1s i will start next week i also need> williams adress and would you give jessica my po box number> asap thanks again 4 all of the stuff it made my day and i> love the little poem thing haha but ya things r great i have> already grown so much and i can look people in the eye and> talk 2 them word s just come out its so crazy what this> place does 2 you like i can do anything and my comp is cool> i have some cool elders in my room 1 is from canada and he> really says ay all the time it is soso funny haha my comps> name is elder osejo i took lots of pics so any way time is> short i love you guys thanks for everything

Go in Faith Return with Honor,
Elder Hensley

On his way...

Stu left for the MTC this Wednesday and although we are all gonna miss him very much we are so proud of him!! Here are some pictures before my parents took him and the next posts will all be from Stu's letters and pictures he sends us we hope you enjoy reading about his journey with the rest of us!!

Go in Faith Return with Honor,
Elder Hensley