Letter 7

July 26, 2011

Hola mi familia y mis amigos! Les amo!

Sorry mom I had to wait until the end of the day to send this because I didn’t get my letters until 5. I would have gotten them yesterday if it wasn’t for Pioneer Day. So yeah... sorry haha don’t worry I didn’t forget you.

I’m so glad that you and Auntie Tye still hang out even though I’m gone. I never saw True Grit though... Richie took Tanner for his Birthday, but I wasn’t invited I think... I looked pretty good though. Dad next time you should choose Robin Hood a guy gets shot through the neck with an arrow! hahaha I'm sure mom and Auntie Tye would like that!

Tell Trevor and Kim congratulations! I can’t wait to see some pics of their new baby.  Does Kaz like him? It sounds like everything back home is really going well though! I’m glad to hear that Grandma Stewart is doing so well. I have been keeping her in my prayers.

Grandma has been sending me letters about all the stuff she and Grandpa have been doing haha and I love it. Those two are always arguing about something.... my money is on Grandpa with this one though. No one gets between that man and his TV, especially not a darn tree.

Dad I have been keeping you in my prayers every night too! Good luck with everything! Just do you best... that’s all the Lord ever asks of us. Elder Bednar said once "Just be a good boy" and the Lord will guide you. You wont have to worry about anything as long as you're doing all that you can do. And I’m not too worried about that for you.  You have always been one of the hardest workers I've ever known, and the Lord knows that too. And I also want to thank you for all of the letters that you have been writing me haha I laugh at your spelling sometimes... but I’m so blessed to have a Father like you. Thanks for everything.  Te amo muchisimo.

I’m glad that you like the pictures that I’ve been sending. I'm always looking for ideas so if you or anyone has one for me let me know and ill see what I can do. I get them laminated at a place here in the MTC I like to call the Lamination Station. It only costs like 20 cents haha its awesome! I’m drawing a new picture of Christ because I didn’t really like the last one, and also one of Peter and Christ on the water hugging. They both look pretty tight. I also drew a picture of the 3 kingdoms of glory and I’ve used it in the lessons that I teach my progressive investigators. Grandpa was right. I can tell it’s going to soften some hearts once I get out into the field.

Speaking of getting out into the field I can’t wait!  It’s been TOO long! Freak... haha we get our TRAVEL PLANS on THURSDAY!! That’s when I’ll figure out all that info about our flight and junk. I can’t wait!  And tomorrow we get to Host the new missionaries coming into the MTC. It’s so crazy that that was 7 weeks ago! I hope I don’t have an Elder chase his family down the street... haha jk I don’t think that happens... right? hopefully not! haha

Whats up with my brothers not writing me?  Did I write them? I can’t remember... I keep a stack of letters that I need to respond to on my desk and I didn’t see any from them... so I don’t know. And freakin’ Ashton still hasn’t sent me a letter! He can’t be THAT busy as a flower delivery guy... I mean who delivers flowers anyway? haha I got a package from Shayla this week with cookies and pictures in it with a letter.  I love that girl.  It seriously made my day. Any of you other girls reading this just know I like letters and pictures... you know... if you want to make my day too! hahaha.  Also Liza sent me a letter too. She's in NYC right now at some dance thing. It was nice to hear from her. I gotta find out how her brother Braden is though.

Mom's Questions:1. Elder Ayers is going to the same mission as me (everyone in my District except Elder Carlson is going to my mission)... why did you ask that? I thought that was random... Oh and he's from Idaho Falls. 2. Yes I had my suit dry cleaned like 2 weeks ago and I also got dads red white and blue tie dry cleaned today.

Could you send me my soccer jerseys? I want to wear my Chilean one for my teacher haha. Also maybe some colored pencils? Other than that I dont know... more pictures? haha

yo se que esta Iglesia es verdadero! Les amo muchisimo! Adios!

Pictures 2

All of the captions are what Jordan wrote on the back, some are pretty funny.

District- D

The McAllen Texas Elders
Murry, Hasler, Greenland, Ekenstam, Bice, Stewart, Ayers

Elder Ayers and I couldn't decide which acne cream to buy....
We asked a nice Hermana (sister) with clear skin and
she said to buy the one with exfoliating beads. So we did!
Now every night we have  exfoliating fiestas! Half our zone comes!
Exfoliation Sensation is sweeping the nation!

"Suspender Sunday" with Elder Ayers,  myself , Elder Carlson, and Elder Murray

Doin the creep with Elder Bruneil and Elder Wimmer
Elder Wimmer is from PG and he knows Trent, He actually was
in that Lip Synch thing I did, when we did Pussy Cat Dolls.

Mi Maestro: Hermano Rodriguez (his teacher, Brother Rodriguez)
I love this man! He's only been in the country for two months,
and he's pretty good at English. He's from Chile.

Jesus drawn by Jordan at the MTC

Joseph Smith drawn by Jordan at the MTC

Letter 6

July 19, 2011

Hola! ¿Cómo esta mi familia? Espero son bien. Bueno... um there´s just a little taste of the freakin’ awesome Spanish I am learning. Just a taste... there’s more where that came from! haha anyway.... I’m doing well here in the MTC just chillin’. I want to get out of here and teach though. I’m getting sick of the food and sick of TALL (a language study program) and I just want to teach some real people, not my teachers haha. But I know that I can’t because I still have a lot left to learn, and really I can’t wait to learn more. It’s pretty fun.

So like I said the language is going really well.  I don’t know what happened but all of a sudden it started making more sense to me.  I’m obviously not perfect, but its getting better.  Haha we had an Hermana substitute our class yesterday and she told us all these Chilean slang words! hahaha like ¿Cómo estay po?... Que bien... stuff like that haha and now my whole district is talking like that. We sound like a bunch of flaites (ghettos) haha I love it. She also taught us some Mexican slang haha but I kinda like the Chilean stuff better. Oh and I’m also learning REAL Spanish too! haha

Haha that so funny that Austin and Eden hung out hahaha ah man... that kid.

Tell Grandma Stewart Happy Birthday for me and also felicitaciones to Kim and Trevor! I want some pics of that baby!

I’ve heard good things about this Harry Potter character... but you know I need to keep focused so I don’t really care. Ok that’s definitely not true haha I am so freaking jealous of all of you. When Harry dies and goes to that Limbo place with Dumbledore is he naked? haha thats all I really need to know. I’m glad Tanner and Chris and Jake went though. Did they dress up?

Mom's Questions:1. Madi's new smile is so cute. She is going to have all the boys all over her... but she better not kiss ‘em... or hold hands... OR ELSE! haha jk do whatever you want Mad. 2. Yes there is a teller in here and I’ll figure out how to used it. 3. I got the spenders in the Book Store and Hermano Rodriguez was wearing my suspenders in that picture. 4. I have too much food haha no more snacks please... sorry I appreciate it but I don’t need any. 5. Madi's picture were really weird! haha I don’t really need pictures of my when I was 14 haha I guess I need to be more specific. I just want some pictures of what you guys are all doing. I like the ones of you at The Stadium of Fire a lot. Stuff like that. haha oh an the ones of my friends. but not at my farewell... maybe like some when we're all hanging out...I don’t know... haha

I want that llama tie really bad haha. I don’t know what you could send me besides food... I cant play with toys... I don’t know... sorry haha I am no help at all.. ever…

I love you but I have to get out of here and go to Breakfast! I’m starving! I'll write you more next week probably! I love you so much and I miss you every day but it’s getting easier!

Good luck with that waterfall project.

Love Elder Stewart




Letter 5

July 12, 2011

Hola mi Familia y mis amigos!

First of all I love you and thank you for reading about my mission.  I’m blessed to know that there are so many people that care about me and what I’m doing.... cause its so dang exciting haha kinda.

It sounds like life back home is just as exciting as ever.  I can totally picture Chase and Austin at that auction.... Austin doing some stupid voice and Chase holding up the items and gesturing to them... What HAMS hahaha.  I hope the reunion was fun though. We truly were blessed with an amazing family.  The Lord knew what he was doing when he put us all into our families.

Also mom your letter brought back a bunch of memories of my childhood. Going to Durango and getting black beans and cheese.... oh I loved that (the black beans here suck haha) and getting cheese corndogs with you and Madi, wishing in the fountain, Mrs. Friends Cookies (Mrs. Fields).... oh man good times. I’ve been blessed with an amazing childhood.

HOLY SMOKES when I got Christian Peterson's letter I was freaking out!! I was all, I bet he's telling me where his mission call is, wouldn’t it be awesome if he got called to McAllen, and then he FREAKING DID! haha oh man I was so excited! I love that kid! Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were compañeros? I can't wait he's going to love it. AND he comes in the same day as Tanner! Lucky feller.... He better take care of that big lug for me.  I sure do miss him. AND he better write me this week...I don’t care how busy you are Tanner I am  your freaking best friend!

Speaking of friends, I see Ryan Skousen around here all the time! I love it.  It’s so nice to have a friend I can talk to in here!  He's doing really well and his companion is really cool too. They found out that they have even kissed the same girl once... small world! hahaha. So he's fine.

Mom's Questions: 1. Yeah I like pretty much all the Tootie Frooties, except those lime coke ones... 2. Yes I am hording everything that I've gotten. My closet is basically full of food... haha it’s not that I don’t share... its just that I cant get rid of it fast enough haha. 3. I’ve only gotten packages from you, Tye and mamma Howard and Grandma 4. Your cookies were/are amazing. 5. I would like you to send me some ties in my next package... the ones that I have are getting really old... I want the red white and blue one, the checked one Madi gave me for Christmas (its fine there are a bunch of ties here just like them here) and whatever other ones you think you can send me. Oh and a really ugly one. Oh and maybe one of dad’s from his mission please. Thank you. I love you. 6. Maybe you could also send some letters from people in there... I don’t know who exactly... but I like letters so... yeah I don’t know…Oh! maybe my slide whistle?! yeah send that! 7. No I don’t have a fridge in my room... which kinda stinks. 8. Oh yeah you could send my hotsauce too if you want! 9. I loved the letters from Rick and Richie, and mamma Howard sent me one from Trent! Please keep sending those! 10. Yep I signed my Debit Card, but I don’t know what to do with the other one... so ill just hang on to it? maybe?

My Questions: 1 Could you keep me posted on dad's deal so I can pray for him? and also Chase..... that’s pretty much it.... I don’t have a lot of questions 2. Have you seen my friends around? My girl friends? Do they even care about me anymore? hahaha I haven’t got one letter from them?

Tell Austin "Happy B-DAY Thug" for me ok? It’s so weird not being able to do that for myself... I would have gone to Partyland and bought him a Sombrero and then to Animal Ark to get him Turancula. For sure...

I love you all and I pray for you every day... In Espanol. It’s going fine by the way mom! Love you! Pictures will be on the way!!

-Elder Stewart

Letter 4

July 5, 2011

Hola!

Ok mom I was not chewing you out last week! haha I was just letting you know that it's hard for me to read your emails and then write you cause it cuts into my writing time. I’m sorry if it seemed that way haha. 

Life back home seems pretty normal. You all are just hanging out doing your thang... Chase and Austin going to the rope swing, Madi going to EFY and stuff, you and dad walking at nights, going to family baseball games and preparing for the family reunion (tell everyone I say hi by the way) you all are getting along fine without me! haha jk ... I really miss it haha but don’t worry about me MTC life is great! Being a missionary is the absolute best thing i could be doing right now.

So this week was pretty great.  We are starting to get into the 2 lesson on the Plan of Salvation. I hope you all realized how blessed we are to have a perfect loving Heavenly Father that provided us with a perfect plan to return to Him.  There is definitely a reason why it is called the plan of happiness, because when you live by it you'll be blessed and you WILL be HAPPY.  I love it.  I cant wait to teach the people of Texas about it.... man i just want to get out right now.... but that would be problematic... considering my Spanish sucks hahaha. 

Speaking of Spanish... My tutor challenged me to speak todo Espanol all week until Saturday (she challenged me on Saturday) and I was like "alright. cool. I can do that".  Well it turns out speaking todo Espanol all day makes me very frustrated and mad all day long... and I don’t learn anything because I can’t ask any questions in class because I don’t know how to... so after like 2 hours I ended that challenge. I will find a better way to learn Spanish. And mom its not that I’m not getting Spanish... I’m fine haha.  I get everything that we've be learning I promise hahaha I know your still going to worry about that though....

Mom's Questions: 1. Yes I have been getting all of the packages and I appreciate all of them! The reason why I don’t mention that is because I forget every time (imagine that haha) 2. I've seen Elder Crawley like 5 times since he's come in. Its so weird to think we're this old... it seems like just yesterday we were playing in his backyard. 3. Yes Austin they did let the missionaries watch the Fireworks on Saturday.  I was really surprised haha... I was so freaking tired after too... 11 is late now haha. but they were great... it was cool to think you guys were all there just a little ways a way enjoying them with me. That’s cool that Shae and Shayla were there too. I miss those girls. 4. No I cannot listen to any music at all.  I don’t know, its just some rule that they have... a really dumb one haha.  And no I haven’t checked the speakers yet... I’m sure they're fine! 5. My teacher Hermano Rodriguez is from Conception Chile. He is so freaking funny.  He's only been in the country for like 2 months so he barely speaking English. Its awesome, and it helps a lot to have a teacher like that. 6. I got Auntie Tye’s letter and package and it was amazing! I love that woman so much! give her a giant hug for me please. and Tanner too. I miss that big lug.  Tell him to hang in there…and to write me about this Katie... is it Katie Bertram?  TANNER you sleeze bag... hahah I love you. 7. No I did not sign my card yet... I forgot. I’m so sorry I will do it right after the Devotional tonight... sorry haha

My Questions: 1. Can you please send me more pictures! You know I like my pics!  hahah of like all my friends: Braden, Liza Lanham, Chris, I don’t know... just more sorry that doesn’t really help.... 2. How is Christian Peterson doing?! Does he have his call yet? What a lazy bum hahaha. 3. You threw away that old, heavy, white bench? I could have sworn you said that was a family bench... handed down or something. And mom you throwing away anything is pretty amazing. 4. How is the garden doing? 5. I don’t have any requests for my box... except pictures. I still haven’t finished anything you have given me in the other packages haha except the cupcakes and the peanut butter bars (which were amazing)... also that was not a question.... so.... 7. Do I have a lot of followers on my blog? Do people still like me? hahaha jk

Ok well I’m running out of time so ill end this.  I love you all and I’m so glad that I have a family and friends like you and that I know that we can all be together forever someday! Never forget that! I’m looking forward to hearing from you again. Also some people might not get letters until next week.... sorry I just didn’t get around to it. LOVE YOU!!

Letter Number 3

June 28, 2011

Hey family!

Ok mom please stop sending me your email on Mondays... because I don’t get them until Tuesday night and in order for me to respond to them I have to read them when I get online and that takes away from the 30 minutes I have to write you.  I'm sorry I would rather have time to read them beforehand so I can know what to respond to... so just write them on Sunday. 

Last week things were pretty crazy. All the Mission Presidents needed to be trained; so like all the General Authorities have been here.  Every single one; I haven’t seen all of them, but I’ve heard it through the grape vine.  While I was in line for lunch Elder Oaks walked by and I waved to him like an idiot... but he waved back so its ok.  At a special Friday night devotional Elder Bednar spoke to us, Elders Scott, Nelson, Holland, Oaks, Anderson, and Ballard were in the stand! It was nuts! It’s so amazing to see how much they care about the missionaries. Elder Bednar talked to us on what it means to be a Preach My Gospel Missionary. It was amazing!

Being District leader is really cool.  I get the mail for all my elders after lunch and dinner. I run District meetings and junk like that... And I just look out for all my elders.  Its a great opportunity to serve them.  I love it.

Mom's Questions: 1. Yes I got my packages and my debit card....I just haven’t gotten around to signing it or sending you the other one. 2. Yes I have been getting pictures. I'll try to send some with Madi’s letter. 3. My knee is fine I’m 100% 4. Yeah I see a bunch of people I know from high school in here (Dave McCallister, Tragen Herrick, etc.)

My Questions: 1. How did you know Jon Crawley is coming  in? 2. When does Kyle Tucker get in? 3. How are Chase and Austin and Ashton? 4. Does Chase have a girl friend? Haha 5. Does Austin hang out with my friends? 6. Can you tell Porter I said Happy Birthday?

Please tell Grandma I love and appreciate her letters haha she makes me laugh. But also I don’t have a ton of time to write to people, so I might not get back to her on every one.  I love her to pieces though. Her stories about Grandpa kill me. hahaha

Tell Madi a letter is on the way... I sent one to Rick and Tanner today too. Don’t worry I sent Rick's to the CTM in Brazil.... With the right kind of stamp... hahaha

Tell Momma Howard that I really appreciated the Doughnuts she sent and I would have written her myself but I threw the address away on accident haha oops...

Tell the ward I’m doing fine and I miss them and they are the best.

   

The language is going well too.  I got a new teacher and he's from Chile.  He totally drops the ends of his words off haha its awesome and hard but I can understand him pretty well.  All of my teachers are really impressed at how well Elder Hasler and i teach in Spanish... I’m kind of surprised myself hahaha. 

Any way... I love you guys and I miss you but I know that this is where I need to be.  I’ve grown up so much already... and its only been like what? 20 days? shoot... hahaha I’m still the same Jordan though!

I love you!

-Elder Stewart

We Finally Got Pictures!

Masterful shot of me and the temple.

 Elder Relyea and I

My bed.

In Jordan's words; Companionships are stacked(I hope that makes sense)
L-R: Elders Bice & Ekenstam, Elders Stoker & Pierce,
Elders Murry& Greenland, Elders Stewart & Hasler, Elders Ayers & Carlson,
and Elders Owens & Winmill

My 1st zone leader, Elder Ames, and I at the temple

(Me, Elder Ayers, and Elder Carlson) Turns out these two Elders bought the same;
 belt, pants, and shoes as me. These two Elders are also some of my best friends in the
 MTC and in my district. They are so funny.

Elder Hasler and me at the map

Elders: Bice, Ekenstam, Stewart, Ayers, Carlson, and Hasler enjoying some doughnuts
sent to us from Momma Howard. She is the best.

Elder Hasler and I at the temple.