New Companion - Elder Stokes

Sean's new companion is Elder Andrew Stokes. He is is from Monument, Colorado. Sean believes that they will only be serving together for 1 transfer. Sis. Dance told me he is very tall. Sean will feel like he is living with Jake (although I think Jake is taller):)

Goodbye to Elder Yates and transfer to Palmer

In the midst of Sean receiving a concussion, he also received a new companion and was transferred on August 3. Sean is sad not to be serving with Elder Yates anymore, but President Dance wanted Elder Yates to serve the remainder of his mission in Soldotna, a beautiful little fishing town by Sterling. It's a good thing he loves to fish. Elder Yates goes home the first part of December. Sean and Elder Yates became great friends and I know Sean will miss serving with him. I will also miss having the local contact with his sister.

He is still serving over the same single's ward in Wasilla, but he and his new companion, Elder Stokes, (yes Stokes) have also been given a family ward. They will be living in Palmer, AK, which is only a few miles away from Wasilla. He believes he will only be serving with Elder Stokes and living in Palmer for a short time and then may be moving back to Wasilla.

Sis. Dance told me earlier in the week, that the addition of a family ward will be very good for Sean right now. Although he will be in church most of the day on Sunday, going to both wards. At least he won't be bored. :)

They will be participating in the baptism of a young man named "Adrian" on August 14. Adrian wanted to be baptized in the lake, but Sean thinks it will probably be at the stake center.

Alaskan style concussion

This week didn't start off well with our weekly email. First of all, Sean did not email yesterday (Monday), so around 5:00 on Monday, I checked with Elder Yates' sister, Mikelle, to see if their Mom had heard from Zach. Mikelle let me know that it was transfer day so the boys would be emailing on Tuesday. Wow....it is so nice to have Mikelle and Elder Yates' Mom to connect with.

So after writing Sean a nice email about all of us being at youth conference over the weekend, this was the response I received from Sean: ".....hmm, I take it no one told you about me being in the ER until 3:00 a.m. Thursday/Friday, Elder Yates is being transferred today and I will be moving apartments, so yeah."

How is that for getting a mother's heart rate going fast in less than 3 seconds. Anyway, this is what I learned from Sean and Sister Dance (after speaking with her on Wednesday). I guess Sean received a concussion on Thursday, July 28, while playing soccer with the single's ward around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Sean was kicked in the back of the head by the soccer ball and collapsed. He was unconscious for 15 seconds or so. After he came to, Elder Yates gave him a blessing and they kept him still until they felt it was safe to move him. They helped him get to their car and Elder Yates drove him to the hospital. On the way, Elder Yates called Sister Dance to inform her what had happened. Zach told her that Sean was shaking and was a bit disoriented. She told him to call back as soon as they got to the hospital and keep her informed, which he did throughout the hospital stay. When they arrived at the hospital in Wasilla, Sean passed out again and began vomiting. They quickly admitted him and he received a head/brain and body cat scan. Sean said it wasn't until 1:00 a.m. or so that he woke to the Dr. telling him what they had done to him, but he doesn't remember exactly what was said. I guess the Dr. told him that he had a major concussion and possible torn ligaments in his neck. He was sent home around 3:00 a.m. in a neck brace.

Sis. Dance told me that she had spoke with Elder Yates each hour and had also talked to Sean for about 15 minutes, which he doesn't remember. When Sean saw her on Wednesday, he told her that he didn't remember even talking to her. The last thing he remembers is playing soccer and then waking up in the hospital, talking to the doctor.

Sis. Dance informed me that Sean was given strict instructions on what to do after being released and that she was calling and checking up on him daily. He was told what to expect with his recovery and if there were any complications he was to immediately return to the hospital. Sis. Dance said they would not do a follow-up cat scan unless there were complications. Although, he does have a follow-up appointment on August 26.

He has had an ongoing headache and is very sensitive to light, which was all expected. He wore the neck brace for 3 or 4 days and then was to be careful not to turn his head quickly and to absolutely not be involved in any physical activity, until she gave him the o.k. She told me that he probably would not be playing any sports at all, other than maybe basketball, the rest of his mission. Sean told us he didn't think he would ever play soccer again and that he didn't even like it that much to begin with.

Sister Dance and I had a good visit. She sincerely apologized for not contacting us. I felt very upset in the beginning, but after speaking with her, I know she loves Sean and has his and our best interest at heart. It just didn't happen, and she was truly sorry. We both had tears and I felt at peace when we hung up. She is his missionary mother for now and I know he will be taken care of.

This experience has truly tested my faith. But I do have faith in this gospel and what Sean is doing. Although I miss him every minute, every day, there is no place else I would want him to be. I am so grateful that he has been given this experience. He is an incredible young man and I love him!

Call from Alaska

Tonight I received a very special call. Lexie and I had just returned from the grocery store and walked in the door to the phone ringing. She answered it and after a few vague "yeses" she said "you probably want to talk to my mom." She handed me the phone and on the other end a male voice asked me if I was Sister Stoker. I told him yes and he proceeded to tell me his name was Brother Ron Osborne from Boise, Idaho and that he was on vacation with his family in Alaska. He told me that he was in Wasilla and had just had a nice visit with my Elder Stoker. He explained that there was a street fair going on and as he and his family were walking down the street they observed two missionaries. He made a point to go over and talk to them. After visiting with Sean and Elder Yates, he asked Sean if he would mind if he (Bro. Osborne) called home to let his family know that he had seen him and to let us know that Sean was doing well. He also called Elder Yates' family. He said Sean quickly agreed and gave him our phone number. (I was glad he remembered it). He said that Sean was a very, very good looking missionary, very kind and respectful. He said he had an incredible spirit about him. He told me that he wasn't just saying that, that he really could feel it. He said that they often talk to the missionaries when they see them and he doesn't always feel such a strong spirit. Bro. Osborne and I visited for about 10 minutes or so and he couldn't say enough wonderful things about Sean. I asked him if Sean seemed shy. His reply was "a little," but that he fully participated in the conversation and became more talkative as they visited. He said that my husband and I should be very proud of the wonderful young man that we had raised. AND WE ARE! I was sad that Robert had missed the call. He and Jake were on a scout hike for 3 days. Anyway, Bro. Osborne from Boise, Idaho made one missionary's mother very happy. I hope he knows how grateful I am to him for taking the time to call.

Transfer to Wasilla

Sean received his first transfer on June 22. He will be serving in Wasilla. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the state. About a 45 minute drive North of Anchorage. Wasilla is the 4th largest city in Alaska. The city's population was 10,256 in 2008.

He flew out of Cordova at 1:00 p.m. Alaska time. I'm sure he didn't miss the 12 hour ferry ride/drive to Anchorage. He was being picked up by his new companion, Elder Zach Yates in Eagle River, which is the shopping hub between Anchorage, Palmer, and Wasilla. Elder Giles will be getting a new companion and will remain in Cordova until they close it up in 6 weeks, at which time Elder Giles will be going home. Sean said he was able to say his goodbyes to the Cordova people. I know he is going to miss it and them, but is looking forward to a new area.

We received this letter from Sean on June 27th:
Hello everyone, I am not sure when you will get this, but I arrived in Wasilla. It looks a lot like Salt Lake or Provo here with the mountains. After I got picked up from the airport and met Elder Yates we went to Wal-Mart. I felt lost and confused. Things are so much cheaper here than in Cordova. The apartment we live in is pretty nice.... We are going to try and tract Sarah Palin's house sometime this week. That will be interesting.

Today we had district meeting for the first time with actual missionaries being there. It was cool to be around other people and then we went to lunch after it was over. I think I will be here for longer than I was in Cordova, so I guess you can give people the address here, but it would be just as easy to send it to the mission office, because it will only be about a days difference to receive mail.

Well I hope life is going well. I have heard a ton of rumors about Utah going into a different conference. So if that is true I would like to maybe get a story or article about it. Also, I would love to see the new Jazz logos and colors. I will talk to you later. Thanks for everything.

Love, Elder Sean

Well...so noone panics. Jake had already told him that stuff in his weekly email, Sean just hadn't receieved it when he mailed the letter. And, I did send Sean the Utes/Pac 10 update and pictures of the new Jazz logos. So that is all taken care of.

This transfer has a story behind it. Sean actually knew Elder Yates when he was around 5 or 6 years old. Elder Yates lived next door to Sean's Aunt Susie here in St. George until he moved to Logan when he was about 8. They hung out a little when Sean was with his Cousin, Mitch. When Sean received his mission call, I was visiting with my friend, Mikelle, who is also in young women with me and the school counselor at Little Valley, and she told me that her little brother was serving in Alaska, who we found out was the Zach that lived next door to Susie. So we reminded Sean and Zach that they knew each other when they were younger and hoped that they might run into each other sometime. But...what is the chance they would ever end up serving together. Well it happened...how crazy is that. I was so excited. From what Mikelle has told me, his personality is alot like Sean's. Very quiet and reserved. Sean said Elder Yates is a going to be a great companion. Sean has already done service work at a musk ox farm and said that was really cool. (Not exactly sure what kind of service yet...waiting to hear about that still). He seems to be adjusting well.

Left to Right: Sean, Mitch (Sean's cousin) and Zach (Elder Yates) at Mitchell's birthday party in 1996. Obviously as they are standing there, they would have never dreamed they would be serving a mission together 13 years later.