Sunday, July 5, 2015

June 29,2015

The miracles just keep coming

June 22, 2015

I decided to write things out a little different today. I brought my journal and typed up a few things from it so you can hear things that happened each day. 

Monday-
Today was a great day! (despite the emotional breakdown of my companion but she was able to snap out of it and we got to work! We had a great lesson with our investigator Luis he is so funny! He repeats everything we say and he is super excited for his baptism this Saturday! His only question when we asked him if he had questions was what clothes he should wear to his baptism! He is also already planning a trip to go to the cordaba Temple in February to do baptisms! I love it! Afterwards we went to visit our golden investigator Gisela. Shes 19 and amazing! She is reading the BOM like crazy and keeps all her commitments. We hadn’t visited her for aq week since we were gone so we asked her if she had any questions for us to start off and she pulled out her ficha (I don’t remember what its called in English but its like a form we fill out before someone gets baptized) we had given it to her to look at and she had filled it out! She wants to be baptized so bad! I asked her why she wanted to be baptized and she said because for a long time shes been looking for a church and never found one that she felt was right until she walked into the Church of Jesus Christ. Shes been praying and reading and she knows its true! Hearing that really touched my heart. Her only challenge is she works with her family on Sunday! But she has such a strong desire to go to church so we will be praying that she can stop working on Sunday. We also did our 30 contacts in the street on our way home. Its rough trying to contact 30 people when we are in a hurry to get home or get to an appointment. We usually do 20 a day but we decided to do more this week and its gonna be a challenge with time! But one guy we contacted said “wow youre beautiful!” and my companion quickly stepped back and said “beautiful in the gospel” hahah I love that line im gonna use it from now on!
Tuesday-
Today we ate so much my stomach hurts! People here hardly ever offer us food during lessons but today in every single lesson we either had to eat something or drink mate or pop. It was horrible! But we had some good experiences. We went and visited Veronica with one of the returned missionaries in our branch. She really helped us because Veronica has been struggling to get to her baptismal dates! But little by little she is changing and today by the end of the lesson we were even talking about who is going to  baptize her! So now we just pray that her anxiety doesn’t get in the way and she can put her trust in the lord. My favorite part of the day was drinking Mate with my two favorite old people after our lesson ( luis our future convert and his “girlfriend”) I felt like I was hanging out at a retirement home. We found 2 new investigators today. They are super prepared to accept the gospel. We talked to lots of Catholics today. But that’s nothing new.
Wednesday-
Woke up bright and early this morning to head to our zone conference with president. It was a super good conference except when we had to do role plays and president made us be with him! It was scary but he helped us know what we could work on. After the conference, we had a super yummy lunch and got to watch meet the Mormons in Spanish!!! I loved it! Also it was great because I got a package from my awesome family! I´ll be eating fruit snacks for days! In the conference we learned a lot about following the spirit and how to use our time more wisely and plan better and I learned so much that I never knew! The president made us a promise that if we learn to dominate the principle of setting goals and planning, we can quadruple our work. He also made us a promise that we will never be unemployed! Those are some good promises right?! We put some of the things in practice tonight in our nightly planning and it amazed me how different it was! We didn’t have much time to work tonight, but we did have a cool experience. We were walking out of one of our areas and I saw a lady with 2 little girls walking and decided to talk to them. She was super nice and gave us her direction so that we could pass by another day. We were getting ready to walk away and the little girl said somethingto her mom and the mom says “oh youre Hermana stewart?!” and I asked how she knew because I had forgotten to introduce myself she said her little girl met us one day in a huge group of little kids playing in the streets and ever since she hasn’t stopped talking about Hermana stewart and Hermana hooke. Ah it just touched me that a little girl remembered me! I have no idea how because my name isn’t easy here. But im excited to go back and visit them! I think the mom will have more interest to know more now that she knows who this “Hermana Stewart” is that her daughter wont stop talking about.
Thursday-
Today was the coldest day of my life! Ok that’s a lie but it was pretty cold which not gonna lie, makes it a little harder to get up and get going. But once we were out working it get a little better. Really nothing too exciting happened today. Oh except that the Branch president told us he already wants to be released…he just got called as president 2 months ago! So we hadto counsel him and everything. That’s interesting right? I just cant see our bishop getting counseled by the missionaries haha it’s a little scary how much the members depend of the missionaries here. But that’s why we are here J But everything is all good, we got him excited again and I have faith that with time things will improve. Oh did you guys know that missionaries are also marriage and family counselors? Neither did I. but here I am 22 years old and trying to fix broken families. Its exhausting. But if its teaching me anything its that the gospel is the only answer. And maybe I wont have much to do with helping the families here, but I know that the things I am learning here will help me in the future with my kids and husband. So I try to just stay calm and put things in the lords hands and just learn.
Friday-
This morning Luis had his baptism interview and is all ready to go for tomorrow! We are super excited. We found 2 new investigators but they don’t talk much so that made it a little difficult to teach. I´ll admit that’s one of my weaknesses is teaching people who are shy! In the afternoon we visited Adrian our super difficult investigator. Today he decided to put us to the test and pulled out just about every doubt in the books. But we stayes firm and testified and in the end we invited him to say the prayer. We knelt down with him and he said he didn’t want to do it, but I stayed on my knees with my head bowed and about a minute later he started to say the most sincere prayer and really asked if the things we are teaching him are true. The spirit was finally there. Afterward he basically tod us he put us to a test to see if we would act nervous or doubt what we are teaching but he thanked us for testifying and being strong in our beliefs. Tonight was the birthday of our branch so they had an asado BBQ in the church and ive never eaten so much good meat! My tummy is killing me! But so worth it. And a family that we are reactivating came!
Saturday-
Today was the best day! We had our baptism and everything turned out great! Luis was a little confused when he came out of the water haha but other than that he was super happy. And my companion had her first baptism and shes on cloud nine. Now we have lots of excitement to get to work and find more! I know that there are people that god has prepared for us to find.
Sunday-
Another great day! The spirit was strong in church today which always makes things better even if there aren’t many memenbers. Luis got confirmed todey and we announced the baptism of Veronica for this Saturday! FINALLY! If she doesn’t get baptized this Saturday we have to drop her which will break my heart because I have worked so hard on her! But she was sitting next to me when president announced her baptism and she didn’t say anything so I think that’s a good sign. Gisella also came to church today and I overheard her saying shes excited for her baptism the 4th of july! So we are praying that we will have baptisms the next 2 Saturdays! So we are sick and it was super tough to get out to work tonight but we said a prayer and asked for strength and we got out and work and found 5 new investigators just in a couple of hours! It was amazing! Even though it was fathers day and everyone was drunk or didn’t want to let us in! yeah for miracles!

June 15, 2015

 

June 8, 2015


June 1, 2015

Call yourself on a mission!

IM EXHAUSTED!!! this has been a week of pure hard work. We havent stopped working all week. my mind doesnt even give me a break from the missionary work because when Im sleeping im teaching lessons or talking to people about the gospel haha its exhausting but amazingly rewarding at the same time. I found a scripture this week that made me laugh."Any any man that shall go and preach this gospel and fail not to continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither in body, limb nor joint and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground. And they shall not go hungry, neither thirst" What am I doing wrong?! maybe its because it is addressing men and im a sister missionary but im weary in mind, my body hurts all the day long, my hair is falling out like crazy and im hungry ALL THE TIME! haha but I guess thats why i have to continue faithful. 
It was a satisfying week because we reached almost every goal that we set for the week! we worked so hard to find new investigators, set baptismal dates, and commit everyone to come to church. Saturday we literally passed by for everyone, in the night we called every single less active and investigator. We had 8 investigators committed to come to church sunday. We left at 7:30 AM to pass by for everyone. Everyone told us they would come. I was convinced that we would increase the church assistance this week by a long shot. We were so determined. And when we passed by the houses sunday morning no one answered. We only had 3 of the 8 investigators in the church. And the church assistence was the same as it was last week! I was super bummed. Mainly because we worked our tails off! but I had to stay positive because I really dont want my companion to feel discouraged. After church in my personal study I opened up my scriptures to the perfect verse and I read it like this "And if they dont go to church it mattereth not unto thee, though hast been faithful wherefore thy garments shall be made clean."
I really feel like heavenly father is pleased with me this week and im pleased with our work. So I try to not let the numbers get me down . Its a real fight the missionary work. But something that every member needs to know is that even if you dont wear a missionary badge on your shirt, you need to paint one on your heart. you are all missionaries. We are supposed to be doing this together! Im learning that we cant do this without the members. Sharing the gospel doesnt mean you have to have the power to do it, it GIVES you the power. So CALL YOURSELF ON A MISSION! thats my advice for all of you this week! we need help our here in Argentina and im sure that the missionaries there in the US need it as well. 
I love this gospel, and I love the mission. I love what it is doing to me. Its flying by and I just want it to slow down because I still have so much to do! thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. I love you all! 

 hermana stewart 
So this is my friend kevin. and look at his shirt!!! we were eating lunch at their house and all the sudden he turned around and when I saw his shirt I about died! you have to show dr vranes! I have no idea how brigham city chiropractic got all the way to san pedro argentina but I died when I saw this! 
May 25, 2015

Im a mommy!

So I think Im getting a little taste of what its like to be a new mom! It kind of hits you like a ton of bricks how much you dont know huh? I still feel so inadequate for this calling. I lfet tuesday night to go to Salta. I was so nervous! and it didnt help that I was traveling all alone. When I showed up, there was 7 other missionaries who were going to train and I have at least 3 months less than them in the mission! And that made me feel even more incapable. We slept in the hermanas house that night-well I didnt sleep at all! In the morning we went to the mission offices and had a conference with the President which was super good. During the conference he looked right at me and says "some of you are probably wondering what the heck I was thinking when I called you to train" haha but he assured us that he recieves revelation way in advance of who is going to train and who we are going to train. I was relieved when all the new missionaries walked in and they were all Latins because I was soo nervous I would get put with a north american who doesnt speak english) So I was leading the opening hymn and I looked up and made eye contact with one of the hermanas and I knew she was going to be my companion. I had a super strong spiritual impression. So it wasnt a surprise when the president said I would be training Hermana Melo. So she comes and sits down by me and I ask her where shes from...she from BRASIL and speaks PORTUGUESE! haha here I was all worried to have a companion that speaks english and now I have a companion who doesnt speak either spanish or english! haha but im learning portuguese so thats super exciting for me!
Hermana Melo is amazing! I dont doubt for one second that it was revelation to be together. I really feel that I am with her to learn from her more than she is with me to learn from me. Ive learned so much in just the few short days we have been together. Shes a convert of exactly 1 year so she still doesnt know much of the doctrine but wow she has a lot of love and a strong testimony. I am really grateful for this time to be her trainer. But its been a rough stressful few days because I really do have to do everything! I sometimes forget that she doesnt know how everything goes and is still trying to adjust. Im just like go go go and I forget that I have to give her time to get adjusted. So its a good time to learn patience and love. She still cant speak much spanish but luckily spanish and portuguese are similar but she sometimes looks at me when people ask her a question and I have to try and explain it haha.
I really feel like these 3 months are going to be a huge growing opportunity for me. I have been studying alot of how christ gave us the perfect example of leadership and I am going to try and develop those atributes of christ in these 3 months I have with her. Something I promised myself I would not do is speak negatively about our area or members or other missionaries. I want her to think we are in the best area in the mission! And I know if she thinks that way, she will work as if its the best area. I know we will have miracles this transfer. I have already seen a big change in the branch and we are really motivated to talk to everyone and find new investigators. Im just really excited to get to work! But I will need some extra prayers sent my way! I will be sure to have some miracles to tell for the next week! 
love you! 
 
hermana stewart


 
May 18, 2015

Big news!

What a week it has been! Hermana Hooke and I finished off the transfer strong! im super sad that its over! She left this morning for her new area. I am still here in San Pedro. I will be working with a member until wednesday because wednesday Im headed to Salta to pick up my HIJA! thats right, I am going to be training! Im freaking out! I literally didnt sleep last night. Im so nervous. I feel like Im still in my training! buts its interesting because about a week ago I was really feeling like I wasnt progressing anymore and that I had hit the point in the mission where everyday was starting to feel the same. I felt like I had hit a plateu. So I was praying really hard one day to know what I could do to progress again and it came to my mind that I should find my 12 week training booklet and start over again studying it. So I was studying that in my personal study for a week and in a way it helped me prepare for this big responsibility! When I prayed I never expected to recieve this answer! But it will help me get back in focus. I have alot of really good ideas that I think will help us with our area because it is really struggling. So please pray for me because I just want my Hija to enjoy her first few months and now suffer like I did haha. 
So we got to watch the Cordaba temple dedication and it was amazing! I was crying through the whole thing! maybe it makes me more emotional that my little brother is there but it was a once in a lifetime experience! also my mission president sent me a picture of him and his wife with dallin! I was jealous! I wish I could see him! But my president said he is doing good so that makes me happy. Anyways I have to tell you about the crazy adventures we had just to get to the temple dedication. So we couldnt watch it here in San pedro because the screen was broken so we had to travel to Jujuy. Well we have some young recient converts that wanted to go but had no way of getting there and we dont have money to pay for them to go in bus. So we were praying really hard saturday to be able to find a way to get them there. After the prayer I felt impressed to call the Branch presdient. When I called him he said it was a miracle because him and his wife were currently looking to fill up their truck with members to go all together. And by truck I mean sketchy! it was a really old pick up truck with a hard cover. and when they came to pick us up at 6:30 am sunday and opened the back I about died haha. they have benches in the back and we stuffed about 12 of us back there and had an hour ride. it was a blast. super super sketchy but we loved it. And it made me so happy that the youth were able to go and fill the spirit so strongly. I loved the words of the apostles. President uchtdorf left us with a profound promise that everytime a temple is dedicated, satan has less and less power and he promised us that the spirituality of Argentina will now increase and that we will be able to feel of the power of the temple! how cool is that! we are going to see miracles now! it really made me excited to start finding families and helping the less actives set the goal to go to the temple! 
I love this work. its dang hard but I wouldnt want it any other way! Elder Holland said "I had a missionary ask me once if I would give my life for the church. I said, Elder I am giving my life for the church. I know what he meant. What he meant was would you die for the church? well thats the easy part. thats a snap! on some days it looks really appealing. Thats the easy part, to die for it. Well what God needs is people who live for it."
I hope that we can all continue to LIVE for the church. As we become swallowed up in the will of the father, we will all become missionaries. We will witness miracles. That is my testimony. and I know it is true!
 
thank you for all the love and support! have a great week!
hermana stewart