His new address

His new address is:

5757 S. Staples Street #3406

Corpus Christi, TX  78413

Letter 27

December 19, 2011

Hola

Corpus Christi is definitely different than Laredo! There are SO many white people here... I feel weird. I miss the "Mexican" culture. But Corpus is cool. I think I'll like it here. My area is HUGE though... and guess what? I’m still on a bike! Darn Elder Vance lied to me and said I would be in a car... but no.... I’m on a bike in an area that’s like 8 miles long. I'll be so ripped at the end of these two years. In a way it’s good because I find that I’m eating a lot more here in Corpus. We've already had like 3 meal appointments. Hopefully I won’t get fat... I’m still sitting at my regular 160 lbs.

I saw Elder Peterson down in McAllen and I snuck up behind him and put my hands over his eyes. He started to freak out, "No way ELDER STEWART!!" hahaha we tenderly embraced and he asked me where I was going. I said,"Corpus Christi! What about you?" then he said,"IM GOIN TO CORPUS CHRISTI TOO!" We embraced again. I couldn’t believe it! What a blessing. The whole ride up to Corpus we talked.... I felt like I was breaking a rule talking with my friend. He's not in my district but I'll still see him on P-days I think. I’m planning on playing basketball with him today! It’s so crazy!!

Elder Wilde and I are getting along great. We're two peas in a pod. I really expect great things out of our companionship. Tomorrow we are teaching in a community center at an apartment complex. There should be a good show of people. I can’t even imagine teaching 20 people at the same time! It’s pretty awesome. Hopefully we don’t blow it! We're teaching about prophets and how God has always given us a prophet to lead and guide us. I think it’s going to be really good. Wish us luck!

I’m planning on taking my picture with Santa today... hopefully. Everybody that I talk to about it thinks that it’s weird that we do that every year... I tell them that it’s a tradition that's been going on for the last 25 years... but they still don’t seem to care. Hopefully it will all work out and I can get you the picture.

Nope I haven’t gotten my packages yet. But the apartment complex that we are in is cool and holds them for us. So no need to worry about theives.

I'll be calling home at 1:00 on Sunday Utah time. So just be waiting for that! I can’t wait to talk to you!

I love you all and I'll talk to you soon! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

-Elder Stewart

Letter 26

December 12, 2011

Hola mis queridos amigos y mi amoroso familia,

Deborah's baptism was amazing! The BEST experience I've ever had on my mission. She asked me to do the ordinance because I had never baptized anyone before. I was honored. I was really nervous to do it in Spanish.... mostly just because I thought I would forget her name. But I didn’t and everything went smoothly. Except I forgot to bring an extra shirt and I had to wear my wet one for the rest of the program afterwards... But it was ok. I’m so glad that I could leave Laredo with a baptism. Speaking of leaving Laredo......

Transfers......................................................ELDER STEWART is going to..........................................CORPUS CHRISTI! I leave tomorrow morning! I’m so dang nervous to be leaving my greenie area. I've made SO many awesome friends down here, but I know that the Lord needs me in Corpus right now. I’m SUPER stoked though. Corpus has a bunch of white people there..... so that’s going to be weird. Oh and black people too. And I guess perverts in some areas.... I can’t wait!! I'm gonna have some of Sis. Johnsons homemade Candy Apple Yams... straight from the Underground Railroad! (said in a black lady/Magic Johnson's voice) hahaha. Really though I'm excited. My new companion's name is Elder Wilde, and from what I've heard he’s pretty cool.  We'll do great! I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me in Corpus!

Also a little miracle. Since Laredo is only 3 hours from Corpus I would usually have to leave straight from here. BUT I guess it would be easier for some people if I went down to McAllen and then to Corpus! So I'll probably get to see Elder Peterson after all! WOO!

I have not found the coat... and I don’t know what to do.... I can just buy a coat down here at the mall though... You don’t need to send me one. That’s a waste of postage. Send me a puppy instead.

Yeah, Elder Hunt and I had a problem with Bed Bugs one time... but it’s taken care of. We had to strip our sheets off our beds and then spray ‘em with some crazy chemical stuff. No worries.. that was like a month or two ago. Haha Elder Hunt and I have gotten to be really great friends. We do some pretty crazy stuff together... It has been raining pretty hard the last few days and Elder Hunt and I went on exchanges together. We were so wet that no one would let us in, so we just drove through a bunch of puddles on our bikes! It was really cold! hahaha. Then we went to the Illescas's house and AB made us some Raman and we ate it in his garage on an ironing board. It was so funny. We kept saying "HOOOOLLLLD MEEEEEE!" haha Matt Decker....  Elder Hunt and I are definitely going to hang out after the mission.

My bike is working ship shape. I’m gonna be in a car area in Corpus though so I wont be riding it as much now. Of course the lights flash.....

I have not had the chance to take a picture with Santa yet BUT don’t worry I will! I wont ruin the tradition! Hopefully today I can do it! I have a nice Stewart Plaid bowtie I can wear....

Yeah Austin sent me an email about that part of my setting apart. I loved it. I had forgotten that he said that about me and my mission and I’m really glad that Austin remembered. Ever since he sent me that email I've been doing my best to smile at everyone that I can. Not the cheesy ones... the good ones haha. You never know what kind of a difference you can make on someone with such a simple act. Like it says in Alma 37 "...by small and simple means are great things brought to pass..."

One year someone asked President Monson what he wanted for his birthday. He said he would like for everyone around the world to show an act of kindness to someone else. At this Christmas season, the time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, let us give Him the same gift. Show an act of kindness to someone in need. This is how by small and simple means are great things brought to pass. So smile. Say hello. Tell someone you love them. If we would all do this the world would be a better place; full of love for the Savior and for each other. "By this shall men know ye are my desciples, If ye have love one to another."

I love you.

-Elder Stewart

Letter 25

December 5, 2011

Hey Everyone!

It is I, Elder Stewart. 6 months of my mission behind me and another beautiful year and a half left! Its so crazy how fast the time is going…and it’s just going to keep going faster and faster so I better make it count right? Yes.

Ok... lets take care of this jacket situation. The "little blue jacket" that I was talking about is my navy zip-up hoodie that I got at Old Navy (I love Old Navy). And no I did not receive this "overcoat" that you’re talking about... so... I’m thinking it’s lost. Maybe I’ll find it someday. But I’ve been staying pretty warm. There really isn’t a need to send me clothes... I can just buy them here if I need to. I’m really sorry to make you worry this week. haha everyone was waiting for me to finish last week (imagine that) and that’s why I had to leave so fast.

Elder Vance heard through the grapevine that he was going to be training again, so I looks like I'm going to be getting Transferred this next week... this will probably be my last week in good ol' Laredo. I have learned so much here and I will really miss my greenie area. I've had lots of good experiences here and have met SO many amazing people, but I know the Lord has prepared people for me in the other areas of South Texas. I can’t wait to meet them and bring them to the knowledge of the gospel. I LOVE YOU LAREDO! If I get Transferred to somewhere down in the valley there's a chance that I'll see Elder Christain Peterson! So I got that goin’ for me.

Something that makes me happy is that I won’t have to leave this area without a baptism. Deborah was talking to her fellowshipper Joanna Illescas and told her that she was going to be baptized on the 23rd. But Joanna said that she wasn’t going to be in town then so Deborah decided to move it up to the 11th! SO I'LL BE HERE FOR HER BAPTISM! Deborah passed her baptismal interview yesterday and next week on the 11th she'll be baptized!  I can’t wait! Christmas Miracle!  Yeah that door we knocked when we were trying to find Sis. Domiguez was the wrong door. That’s why it was a "Celestial Accident" haha. They're still pretty cool too.

So... Christmas Phone Call is coming up huh? Crazy... haha I don’t know what my schedule is going to be like on Christmas to be honest. This whole stupid Transfer thing kinda messes everything up. But I'll probably let you know more about it next Monday. I'll probably call around 11:00 or 2:00... I really don’t know. But now that you have that email from President you can stop asking me about SKYPE hahaha. I'd be glad to call the home phone too.

801-226-6091... that’s still our number right?

No mom my camera is not broken... hahaha gee wiz... I just don’t want to crash the server by plugging it in. It happened to Elder Vance twice the last time he tried so I don’t want to take any chances. I will send you pictures as soon as I can ok? Promise. And I’m going to the Mall hopefully today to take a picture with Santa. I want to send you a Christmas package so... I'll work on that.

I was really sick this last Saturday and I was throwing up... I threw up three times. It started when I woke up at 5 in the morning with "bowel problems" and that continued for a while and I basically had the flu. I was miserable and had to stay in bed all day. But the next day I was right as rain! No need to worry! Sis. Trayner said that it was just a 12 hour bug that was going around and that Elder Lybert had it a couple days before me... funny... I just went on EXCHANGES with Elder Lybert... jerk. Givin’ me his darn germs....

Well that’s basically everything I have this week! I love you and hope you are all filled with the Christmas Spirit! The Church is true and always will be! Love you!

-Elder Stewart

Letter 24

November 28, 2011

Queridos Familia y Amigos,

I am SO sorry that I didn’t write a good letter last week! I knew you would be disappointed... and on Thanksgiving week! What kind of son am I? So, I’m writing you first... I used to save your letter for last mom but now it comes first. Hopefully that will be better.

My Thanksgiving was really good! Elder Vance and I had two families invite us over to eat. La Familia Illescas (they are RELATED to the OTHER Illescas that I always talk about) invited us over for lunch and we ate turkey and pork and a bunch of other stuff. It was really good. After we played Jenga... (I think that’s how you spell it) and it was fun. Hermana Illesacas would scream everytime the tower almost fell and it reminded me of how Mom and Grandma Thorpe would scream. It made me miss you two haha. Oh well...  

Then we went over to the OTHER Familia Illescas and had dinner at there house. We had some crazy spicy shrimp soup that was good and then ribs and hot wings. It was also their son Johnathan's birthday so we got birthday cake too. nom nom nom. (haha Christain) It was really nice. I feel like part of their family. So welcome and loved. In the background there was Mexican music playing on their stereo haha It was really Mexican haha never before in my life have I felt more Mexican, even when I would put my mustache on. I loved it. There was a feeling of love and family in there home that I really miss. After dinner they decided to have a little dancing in the sala (living room) haha it was so cool. I want to learn how to dance like that... maybe when I get back Ill go to Zumba. Yeah... me and Rick! You down Rick? Everyone is invited! LETS DANCE!

Speaking of dancing did we buy JUST DANCE 4? We better. Oh and I'm pretty sure those missionaries shouldn’t be watching football or playing videogames... probably shouldn’t support that. Just saying.

Transfers are on December 13th. I’m really worried about them this time... I think I might be leaving. I really don’t want to because Deborah one of the investies Elder Wood and I found is finally on tract to be baptized on the 23rd of December! I really want to see her. AND we found another family too.... basically if I leave I will leave without a baptism. But cross your fingers that I'll stay.. I think that I’m just jynxing myself by talking about it so much. I just need to work hard and find some new investigators.

So this new family we found is really cool! Elder Vance and I were going to tract through these apartments and I knew that a member lived there so I decided, "Hey lets stop by Sister. Dominguez" and we went to her door. Elder Vance had never met her and so I was going to introduce him. We knocked and someone I didn’t know answered the door. So I said, "Hey we're missionaries and we have a message about Jesus Christ...." hahaha Elder Vance was so confused. But they let us right and we had a great lesson. Later we found out that right when we had knocked the door the mom had been praying for help and guidance with her daughter. Lo and behold we were there. She is amazing and we trying to help her with her daughter who has troubles believing in religion. We have a cita con ellos manana. Sorry sometimes Spanish is just easier haha.

Elder Hunt is still in the apartment and he's from PG. Elder Peterson was from AF. Elder Peterson's replacement, Elder Rumsey, is from Provo. He went to Timpview and was their Quarterback and won State 3 times. He is SO cool. I love him! He reminds me of Ashton. He's quiet but really funny, super chill, and a moocher hahaha jk Ashton. Love youuuuuu.

I have not asked about SKYPE but I hear its pretty sketchy... I'll email president and ask right after this I guess. Wish me luck.

I need a thick jacket and some gloves. Believe it or not it is pretty cold here. haha and on a bike its worse. But those would be great. Riding the bike heats me up pretty good, but my hands get cold. Also I would love pictures from my friends on their missions! I want to see how fat Rick is and how skinny Richie is hahaha. I love getting their letters. Rick's make me laugh so hard....

Anyway... I love you all so much and I’m so grateful for everything that my Heavenly Father has given me. We truly are so blessed to be apart of this gospel and to have the truth. We are blessed to have a loving Heavenly Father. Thinking of all of His wonderful creations, world and its beauty, the universe... and He made them all for us. We are so blessed.

Love, Elder Stewart