Letter 60

August 27, 2012

Dearest Family!

I'm not going to lie I was a little disappointed that I was leaving Rio Grande at first but I definitely felt that it was time for a change. Haha I didn’t see ANY drugs in Rio Grande. I knew they were there... and I probably talked with a lot of people that dealt them/used them, but I never saw any haha.

I absolutely love my new area! I live in a NICE 4 man apartment and I am on the bicicleta again! Thank goodness... I'm not really gaining any weight... but I have lost basically all my muscle and am starting to develop a little pancita (or as Elder Doxey calls it, a gut). The other Elders in my apartment are Elder Aguilar (District Leader) and Elder Wilding (greenie). I have the most time in the mission in the apartment and I feel WAY OLD! We all get a long super great. I have come to see we are really service oriented in our apartment and that really helps to better relationships. I love it. The Spirit is so strong here. I have been in a good mood ever since I got here. I know that this is where I need to be and that Elder Eggli and I will have a lot of success together. I'm not sure exactly what social thing it is, but he's a great guy and I love him and I'm learning a lot about humility and kindness from him. He has the sweetest spirit.  I know that I am suppose to be here in Edinburg right now at this time. I've adjusted really well and Elder Eggli and I are working hard to find those prepared people in our area. We already have a few pretty solid investigators.

Samantha Garcia is a 20 year old college student that got into contact with us after she saw her friend's homecoming talk in McAllen. She told us that she felt the Spirit really strong there and wanted to find out how she can come closer to God. We have taught her everyday this weekend. We gave her a church tour, set a BD for the 23rd of Sept., she's completing reading assignments, and she came to church! AND she brought a friend, Elena, who also is preparing to be baptized on the same date! They both are really in tune with the Spirit and are progressing really well.  We also found a man, Thomas, that has a really strong desire to come to church and he really wants to be baptized just like Jesus Christ. He mentioned that one time while he was working up north he saw someone getting baptized in a river and he felt really good inside. We asked him if he wanted to be baptized the same way and he accepted. He couldn’t make it to church this week because his son was late picking him up, but I'm sure he'll be there next week!

That’s crazy that everyone is moved out of the house! I'm sorry.... haha how are Austin and Chase? I never hear stories about them anymore? Do you all still talk?! Also... When did you say that you were doing a front porch?! This is news to the ears of Elder Stewart! Man... keepin secrets from the kid on a mission. pshhh... I bet Chase and Austin have girl friends too and your just not tellin me! Hahaha nah.... That couldn’t happen. jk jk Happy Birthday Dad! You're the best!

I got a letter from Elder Rick J. Doxey this week which was very nice. I'll have a letter brewing for you today! I'll try to get one to Elder Brown as well for his birfday! Probably wont make it on time though... so Happy Birthday!

I love you all family and I am so happy to be a missionary right now! I hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Jordan Stewart

Letter 59

August 20, 2012

Hey Everyone!

It sounds like this week was pretty busy with all the changes going on in the Stewart family... Well except for Chase and Austin.. I don’t really hear very much about those two anymore haha. That’s nuts that Madi is moving up to college this week! Freak... She’s OLD! I can’t even believe she had a job! Now you want her to go and get a calling in her singles ward!? SHE'S JUST A BABY! haha don’t cry mom... soon enough you'll have me home to comfort you and then I'll convince Austin to move back in and then we'll never leave.

That is too bad Max Hill broke his leg in the first game... and against Lehi! Man... If you see him tell him I send my regards. Also tell Hannah Hill congratulations! Wow that’s so awesome she’s getting married! I'm really happy for her. That’s a great family right there.

BORAX and sugar did not work!! We found some Borax last Monday and made the mix and sprinkled it like it was hot ALL OVER the apartment. If cucarachas could laugh... they would. Gee wiz... I saw a roach on the table and BURRIED it in the stuff. 10 seconds later the little fella digs himself out and runs away unscathed! Maybe we didn’t mix it right or apply it right.... or maybe these roaches are some strange super breed... but either way we felt pretty foolish. We told the landlord and he sent a fumigator to the apartment and that worked a little better. We've started to see the results. But as for the Borax... I just use it in my laundry now. Thanks anyway though!

Well this week in Las Lomas we had a better week. We focused a lot on our goals, especially our daily goals. I can tell you that focusing centering our goals in our plans made all the difference. If something didn’t point to one of the goals we had that day, then we questioned whether or not it was worth our time. We were trying very hard to help God's children and each number was specifically attached with a name. It was a pretty good week with some new investigators and a pretty amazing spike in Member Presents... it’s amazing what you can do once you actually find solid investigators. BUT... Elder Montiel and I still struggled to get them to church. Only one of the 6 investigators we have, Rosa, was up and ready for church and waiting for her ride... THEN her sobrina from Houston stopped by to visit unexpectedly on her way to Mexico. She called and told us she couldn’t make it but she would come for sure the next Sunday... Rosa is a really awesome lady and I'm sure she will be baptized, we just need her to understand that church is essential. 

We also received a nice referral from a contact, for single mother who just lost her new born baby. We spent almost 2 days trying to find her and finally we sat down to talk. She is very humble and I think she realizes that this is a sign that she needs to come closer to her Heavenly Father. We bore testimony that her baby was safe and happy and he is waiting for them and that its now her responsibility to help the rest of her family do the things they need to be with him. She committed to be baptized and to learn more. Unfortunately she didn’t come to church and we don’t know why. I have a feeling it has something to do with her family. I'm actually like 99% sure. But we'll take care of it.

Well... first I would like to apologize for the short letter last week. I spent alot of time emailing President Trayner. I totally for got to tell you that I was getting transferred this week! haha OOPS! Yeah Elder Montiel found out last week that he was Training a new missionary so we knew that one of us was going to be transferred we just didn’t know who. And then we found out on Friday that it was yours truly! SO... tomorrow I'm being sent to Edinburg to work with Elder Egly. I've met him once and he’s a good kid with really sweet spirit. I'm excited to work with him. And I've always wanted to work in Edinburg. I've heard really good things about the members and the work there! SO I’M EXCITED! Sorry I didn’t tell you hahaha.

I think that’s pretty much it for now. I think we're going to play soccer today with the zone so I might need to spend some money to buy some soccer/running shoes! iQue tengan una buena semana y espero que ya sepan que les amo!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Jordan Stewart

Letter 58

August 13, 2012

Hey Everyone!

I'm glad to hear that everything is moving along nicely with the house project! Haha I cant wait to see it when I get home..... Apparently I have less than 300 days.... thanks for reminding me...... hahaha just for future reference missionaries don’t like it when you remind them of how much time they have left! hahaha! I'm in denial.

That’s pretty crazy about all those darn weddings too! Man... EVERYONE is getting hitched! I hope Drew gets to go on that Disney cruise with Darren... I don’t think I've ever heard of a chaperone on a honeymoon.... not sure how that would work.... hahahaha.

Apparently there are zero stores down here that sell BORAX! So we still haven’t done the experiment. I'm hoping to find some today. We found a GINORMOUS swarmmmmm.... of cucarachas behind our fridge today! I had the honor of masacuring them with the Raid... its not even fun anymore. haha. I've become desensitized to death... oh no....

The referral from Presidente Villegas still has not come to church. We dropped her this week. BUT Elder Montiel and I found some really cool people this week! La familia Beltran and Rosa! La familia Beltran live at the top of this huge hill that we had to walk up. We got to their door all sweaty and hot and Hno. Beltran let us right in and gave us water. He was really impressed that we would come all the way to his door in the heat on foot. We talked to him and his wife and they are pretty darn cool. We have another cita with them on Wed. Then Rosa is a lady we found who has family in Mexico that are members. We are teaching her tonight along with 3 members of her family! 3 new BD's!

That’s pretty much all I have time for! Sorry I love you and hope you have a great week!

Con Amor,

Elder Jordan Stewart

Letter 57

August 6, 2012

Hello everyone!

This week was another tough one unfortunately. Elder Montiel and I hardly found any new investigators. BUT there were a lot of lessons learned! That’s what I like about difficulties (haha its hard to imagine actually liking hard times) that if you have the maturity and mindset you can always get a lesson out of it. Mistakes are only mistakes if you don’t learn from them. E. Montiel and I are learning A LOT!

Many of the investigators that we found last week fell. The referral we received from Pres. Villegas fell tambien. She didn’t come to church and her baptismal date will have to be changed. But hopefully we can get her back this week along with a few of the others and new ones! We got some good referrals this week so we're looking forward to that!

I haven’t tried the BOROX thing yet but I'm buying some today and those roaches WILL DIE! We're almost out of Raid...

I was writing in my study journal today about what has been going on in our area and my mind was drawn to the Nephites in the Book of Mormon. Why were they destroyed? Why didn’t they remember the things that Christ and the prophets had told them? How could a people as great as them degenerate into such a savage civilization? While I was thinking of these things I remembered 2 Nephi 25:26 where it says, "and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." The only way they could help themselves remember the Lord and His commandments was by writing them down. No wonder we are encouraged to keep a journal... because THEY did! Can you imagine what would have happened if they didn’t keep a record? We wouldn’t have the scriptures! We wouldn’t be able to progress without records! I want to progress. I am sick and tired of ruts! I want to keep doing better instead of falling down, but I can’t build upon a foundation that just melts away with each passing day. I need to solidify the things that I have learned (my foundation) then and only then will I be able to progress. So I have made it a goal to write in my journal everyday about the lessons that I have learned. I encourage all of you that read this to go buy a journal and start your own record so you can remember and move forward as well.

Tonight we have a Noche de Hogar en la capilla. Hopefully we'll see lots of less active members and some investies there. The missionaries are in charge of the games! So that should be fun!

I filled up that memory card that you sent me. That’s why I wanted a new one, but maybe I'll just send it home and you can send it back.

Sorry this is a lame email but I spent a lot of time emailing President Trayner. I have to go though! I love you!

-Elder Jordan Stewart