Letter 17

October 10, 2011

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

Thats SO crazy that Tanner and Chrisitan are leaving this week! Oh boy I'm so happy for my friends! They are going to have a blast at the MTC. If you see Tanner of Christian before they leave tell them to smell the tree behind the Samuel Smith statue... just tell them... its important. Anyway that’s awesome! I miss having little get togethers with the Brown family. They are definitely a blessing to us and everyone that they come in contact with... just saying. I LOVE YOU AUNTIE TYE!! Send me a letter eh?

The weather here is actually changing a little bit. It’s now like in the 90's! haha but yeah its getting a little cooler. More clouds... a little rain here and there. I might need you to send me my sweater though. All the other missionaries have sweaters and Elder Wood said that I'll probably need it. If you want you can send it with goodies. Like... Chex Mix... or Dad's Strawberry Pop Corn stuff... Letters.... Kool Aid... More Ranch Powder (I made your dip all the time. Elder Hunt loves it)... and anything else you can think of to send me. I love ALL things. 

This week was... ok. Haha we have had a lot of investigators be really cool and then suddenly stink. We have this one investigator Deborah, who we have been working on since we got here. She’s 17 from Guatamala and she’s a house keeper for this family. It took a little while for her to warm up to us but then when she did we set a Baptism Date for the 30th of this month and set up a plan to help her stop smoking! She was really excited and was ready to stop smoking and everything. Then the next day she said "no puedo" and "no se que quiero hacer"  (I can’t and I don’t know what to do). haha in my head I was like yelling, "Yes you do! We've been telling you what to do for like 4 weeks!" hahaha BUT I have learned that patience is very important in missionary work. We're not giving up on her. Hopefully we can help her realize that this is worth it. She needs to understand that this is important.

Chris is another kid we were teaching. I think I already told you guys about him. He was trying to save up money so he could move to Provo, Utah with his wife and daughter. Because he worked so much we never even got to teach him the restoration... he came to church and we would talk a little when we saw him but we never had a sit down lesson until last night... the night before he left for Utah. We met at the church and gave him all of the pamphlets we would have gone through with him. We highlighted all the important parts. We gave them to him and told him to read them on his bus ride to Utah. Then we told him to get in touch with the missionaries there.

Well everything is good here... I just gotta go... haha sorry to cut it short! I love you and I'll try to get you pictures soon!

-Elder Stewart

Letter 16

October 3, 2011

Hello Everyone!

So the suitcase never got to our apartment... or it was stolen. haha nah just kidding I got it. BUT... even with those new tires and liners I STILL GOT A FLAT! haha no not really. They're great! I’m riding all over every thorn patch I see!! Its great! haha Thank you so much! I loved the treats and all my roommates appreciated the ChexMix... they are all from Utah (Hunt:PG, Peterson:AF) except for Elder Wood my companion. They haven’t tasted that stuff for a LONG time haha. And we ate like all the fruities during conference... thank you for that too. Did you know that fruities aren’t on the East coast? That’s what Elder Wood said... Anyway those tires are working great! Now I can spend more time teaching people instead of going to Walmart. haha I do enjoy shopping at Walmart though. Story time....

So last P-day we were shopping at Walmart and Elder Hunt and I finished before everyone else. We were just chillin’ on the bed of the Zone Leaders truck when these guys pull up in a van and park a little bit down the aisle from us. It was 2 black guys and a white guy. I noticed that the black guy in the passenger seat was wearing a headset... with a microphone and everything. I asked Elder Hunt "Is that guy from the future?" haha then they got out of the van and started walking towards the store. Me, being a friendly guy, said "Hello." and waved. The headset black man then said in a very loud voice "WHAT YA'LL ON BREAK?!" hahaha I said "No we're just waiting for the others inside." hahah then he said, still in a very loud voice "WELL YOU BETTER CHARGE 'EM!!" hahaha I was so scared and confused. Why was he wearing a headset?

I love getting my friends letters! Rick sounds like his good ol’ self there in Brazil! I laugh out loud reading about all his experiences... I can hear his voice in my head. Trent is a stud! I love hearing his inspiring letters. And Eric is SO dang close! haha he is probably teaching some of my investigators families! OR even my investigators when they cross over haha.

I loved Conference. I was looking forward to it for like 2 weeks! Never before have I been more excited to hear the words of the Prophet and the 12 Apostles. We watched them at the Chapel (which is in Elder Wood's and my area so its only like a few blocks away) and I learned SO much. I loved when the Prophet came out and said "Hello!" haha what a funny guy. I knew you guys would be excited for those two Temples they announced too! I wish I could have seen Grandma and Grandpa Thorpe's faces! "There's great fishing up there." haha maybe we can go to the dedication?

I really enjoyed the talk by Elder Carl B. Cook "Its Better to Look Up". It gave me so much hope and encouragement. I loved how he taught us to take all of our cares and problems and, like he did, tie them to a balloon and watch the Heavens take them away. When we cast our eyes and our hearts upward, letting the Lord take away our feelings of inadequacy and doubt, it really is easier. Like the children of Israel, we can be healed if we would simply listen to the prophets and LOOK to the Savior (brass snake). It’s so simple, and yet we sulk and look at our feet saying that its too easy, believing that we cannot be healed. I know with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and He has felt every pain, every affliction, and every sad and discouraging moment... for you. And he has promised that if we LOOK TO HIM He will take them away. I know that the Lord lives and loves us. If we will just look up, casting our burdens on Him, He will heal us and we will be filled with His love.

Nobody came to Conference with us... but I know that things are going to get better here in Laredo. I am looking up and I have faith that as I do the Lord will bless us. I expect great things in the weeks to come. Please pray for me and the work. I love you and I pray for you everyday.

-Elder Stewart

Letter 15

September 26, 2011

Hey everyone!

It’s me... Elder Stewart. Emailing from a community college in Laredo (Laredo Community College) hahaha. I was emailing in the Library like usual but then this lady came over and told us we only had 20 mins! So I was pretty upset. I read through most of my mail and then my time was up... so didn’t think that I was going to get to mail you at all. But I am now. So... it’s ok.

Tell Will Judy that I am SO proud of him for getting baptized. His Heavenly Father is happy with his decision to follow Him.  Now that he's passed through the gate of baptism he is on the straight and narrow path to heaven. Now all he needs to do is stay on. Just like all of us.

I can’t wait for my suitcase to get here! I got another flat last night... in a tube that I replaced like 1 hour before haha. Golly.... I have the worst luck. I have named my bike Lucy because she gives me grief... yes that makes me Charlie Brown... and yes I say "good grief". But I’m glad that now I’ll have tires that can hold up to bullets. Laredo thorns might be stronger than bullets though.... but we'll see.  Yeah everyone here basically has mountain bikes. They don’t have nearly as many problems as me haha.  And the shop was called Mad Dog Bike Shop? Did the guy you bought it from have tattoos? Oh! Or a leather vest? I need to know.

Also mom I didn’t really care if you gave me gummy worms or not haha! I forgot like the second I sent you that email... I just wanted you to send it so I just said whatever. Sorry you actually looked for them... haha I bet they'll taste even better now. hahaha gosh your such a worry wart... Speaking of which I am eating enough you don’t need to worry. And Texas Roadhouse was great. I didn’t get the Sirloin Beef Tips though... they were too much money.

I got some pictures printed out at the Walmart and I should be sending them soon. If not this week then next week.

Tell Chris... Wassup wassup wassup wassup wassup wassup wassup wassup! Congrats on the Eagle Bud! I love and miss you! Sorry I couldn’t be there.

Tanner I’m looking forward to your letter... hopefully I get it this week. I hear you did a good job on your talk bud! I was there in spirit. I love you man and you'll love the MTC!  Good luck!

Christian. You also will love the MTC and I was with you too in spirit during your talk. We basically talked on the same thing... so I think that’s why you’re coming you McAllen. haha gosh that’s so crazy. Can’t wait to see you here. It’s freaking hot! Buy a mountain bike.

Elder Hunt has taught me how to cook tortillas like a little Mexican lady. You take the raw tortilla on the hot pan and then just use your hands to move it around and flip it. "Sin miedo" como las abuelitas dicen.  I’m getting pretty good. AND they taste great. That’s pretty much the extent of my cooking skills. OH and I can make grilled cheese... but I could do that before. so... yeah that’s it.  I’ll learn more mexicano dishes and cook ‘em for you when I get back. Sin miedo.

Give the Bond family my condolences... Ewok was a great dog. He is in Heaven now though with a perfect doggy body. He can now see and breathe and walk straight. But he is missed I’m sure.

We usually always have baptisms lined up because we usually commit to be baptized on the first lessons. The problem is people following through with the commitments we leave them. Coming to Church is usually the big one. They have to come 3 times before they can be baptized... but... its tough to get them there. We just need to do our part to invite the spirit and help them receive a witness of how important it is.

Si estoy ensenado en Espanol. Yes mom I have been teaching in Spanish. I’m in Laredo... the Rio is like... right there. I’m pointing to it. haha I still remember what Brother Skinner told me,"Dont turn your back to the river... CAUSE THEY'LL GETCHA!" haha luckily that hasn’t happened... yet.

Yeah we get to see all sessions of General Conference.... AND I CAN’T FREAKING WAIT! We'll probably watch them at the church. I don’t think I've ever been so excited for Conference before. I need to get some investies there. I really want Alex to come and see. He is doing well we just need to meet with him more. Elder Wood and I hadn’t seem him for like 2 weeks... so we went to were he works and saw him there. He still remembered what we talked about 2 weeks ago! Haha most people cant remember what we talked about like 2 minutes ago. So we'll see where that goes.

Well that’s about it. I’m looking forward to all of those letters you said were on the way. Hopefully Shaylas gets here ok haha. Sorry about all that.... was it my fault or hers? I don’t think it was mine..... I sent Shae and Liza letters last week too.... so they should get them. I’m really trying to stay caught up.

Anyway.... I love you all and I am always praying for you. And I am also thankful for your prayers. I need them haha.

-Elder Stewart