January 25, 2016

I am not being transferred so I am staying in Del Norte. I really love it here in the Valley. It is so great being a missionary I love working with the people here and helping them draw closer to our Father in Heaven.

There was a missionary broadcast from salt lake this week it was all about how as missionary’s we are to teach repentance and baptize converts. It was a great reminder to me that this work is not about anything other than how much God loves His children. He has given us a sure way to become better and to be happy with who we can become.

We had a really awesome experience this week helping one of the Baptist churches clean their building after their fount flooded everything. It was great to work side by side with them. The people were very grateful for the help and we got to meet a lot of new people.

President Monson in the October conference said

God’s commandments are not given to frustrate us or to become obstacles to our happiness. Just the opposite is true. He who created us and who loves us perfectly knows just how we need to live our lives in order to obtain the greatest happiness possible. He has provided us with guidelines which, if we follow them, will see us safely through this often treacherous mortal journey. We remember the words of the familiar hymn: “Keep the commandments! In this there is safety; in this there is peace.”

I want to reaffirm that what he said is true. When we follow the commandments of God we can find peace that will last.

I know that the Words of God are said to protect us from the true dangers that can come in to our lives when we do not follow the simple truths of the Gospel.

Love you all! 

Elder Stewart 

January 18th, 2016

Hello everyone! I hope that you are all doing well and are having a wonderful time!

Colorado is great! It is a fantastic adventure being a missionary.

This week we have gone back wood sledding, hiking and watched a hockey tournament in Creede. Also we taught people about Christ and why we have scriptures.

On P-day we found drove up this canyon and went sledding down it! Going down was really easy and fun going up however was not easy or fun there was a good 3-4 ft. of powder and it was really steep and so that was a good workout I think. I would recommend it to everyone.

On Saturday we heard about a community hockey tournament in our area so we decided to go proselyting up there and it was great we talked to a lot of new people and I learned a little bit about hockey. I also learned if a team does keg stands right before a game it makes everything more interesting.

I have gained a deeper appreciation for the Word of wisdom from watching people try and play hockey while drunk. It would make for a really funny YouTube video that is true; however, it does not make for a very fun lifestyle.

We have been going through the Book of Mormon with our investigators. It is amazing to see how the Lord Speaks to different people, in the Vision of the Tree of life found in 1Nephi one person might see the tree and how it does represent the Love of God being Christ, where another might see how dangerous the river of dirty water really is to our souls. But each person will gain something new from the same story.

I have come to find this week that no matter where we are in life God really does speak to us as individuals. Some are ready for more but to every one of us Our Father speaks in a way that we will understand. I am grateful the world has not gone dark but is still growing brighter everyday as we all seek to find our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

I am grateful for all of you and I look forward to hearing from you next time!

Elder Stewart

January 11th, 2016

This week I have learned to be patient with others. Everyone is in a different situation than us and we just need to see them as Christ does.

Thank you Uncle Shad for your testimony of the Sacrament. It really is a very personal experience to partake of the sacrament.

Last Monday we went hiking to a frozen water fall named Zaoata falls it was so amazing the water fall was frozen almost all the way through but was running a little behind the ice! It was great to see other missionary’s and to go on a really fun hike!

We have a new investigator who came to church with a friend. He has been prepared to hear the gospel, however he would have never heard it if not for the invitation from a friend. Don't be afraid to invite people to church. This will make them happy and it will allow others to be with their families for all of eternity. We have no right to keep that from those we love.

On Friday we had a snow storm and it was so pretty! We got about 2ft in our area. I am enjoying learning how to drive on ice and am very grateful for the protection of the spirit as I do.

Remember that we are all children of the same Father in Heaven who is God and He loves us more than we can really understand. He has put us where we will grow.

I love you all and I pray you will all stay warm this winter!

Elder Stewart

January 4th, 2016

Happy New Year everyone! I Hope that 2015 was a good years for you all and that 2016 will be a great year as well. I know that if you set good goals for yourselves that as long as you work towards them you will be able to do all that you want. Set good goals that are achievable and then make a plan to reach them.

We helped some people move this week we though that it would take just an hour or 2 so we only were in light jackets and then it took all day and it was 8 degrees by the time we finished but it was a really fun move. We got to know the people pretty well and we are looking forward to meeting with them more as time goes on.

Some advice to everyone though if you are about to move really ask yourself if you need what you are taking, it is really easy to hold on to things but it is much easier to live if you learn to let go.

I went ice fishing this week! We walked out on to this lake and just drilled a hole in the ice, it was really thick ice. I didn't catch anything but I had a lot of time to think about the upcoming year and life in general.

Fishing thoughts:

If all you do is sit around doing nothing and talk about doing something you allow yourself to drift away from what you really want to do.

Setting goals is something anyone can do but reaching them is only done by those who take action.

The more you complain the more you will find to complain about.

The choices that we make every day will affect the life that we live forever.

I am really enjoying being on mission I know that this is where Heavenly Father wants me and I am so grateful to be able to go to people and let them know that God has not forgotten them and He has been there the whole time. Do not forget that you are all loved and looked after.

Elder Stewart 

December 28th, 2015

Happy New Year’s everyone! I hope that you all had a great Christmas and if you are traveling I hope that you are safe and that the roads are not covered in snow.

I had a white Christmas this year! There was about 4-5in of snow I think not really sure to be honest but it was a lot to me so yea. It was great to see my Family on skype they are the best! I have learned so much from all of them!

I think I am finally getting used to driving in the snow. It is not too bad a lot of the members have given me some advice on how to drive on ice and it has helped a lot!

Elder West and I built a fence for an older man this week and it was a good experience we ripped out the old on and put a bunch of logs on to some posts and built a pretty awesome fence! I had not realized how hard the ground could get in the winter. But driving in posts is not a very fun thing to do when the ground is frozen over.

I have come to find this past week that no matter who you are the Lord is putting people and experiences in your life so that you will know he is there. God has never abandoned his children and he never will, He loves us and wants the very best for us, all we have to do is trust him and try to be a better person than we were yesterday. We have to do our little part and He will do everything else.

I hope that you all had a great Christmas and I pray that you will have a fantastic New Year!

Happy 2016!!

December 21, 2015

This has been a very eventful week. Elder Bennett was transferred out and because we are so far away we spent all of Tuesday driving to Colorado Springs to transfer meeting. I was made senior companion. My new comp is Elder West who is a red head as well. He is really cool this morning we cut down a Christmas tree it was great!

The cold is not as bad as it used to be I think I am getting used to it now. Del Norte is so beautiful I really love it here, and the best part is you will never hear "happy holidays" everyone says Merry Christmas! Because it is Christmas!

I am writing a talk so this will be a bit shorter of an Email I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and truly remember why we celebrate this time of year, it is the Birth of our savior who provided a way to return to our true and eternal home.

I love you all thank you for your emails and prayers

With Christmas Joy

Elder Stewart!

December 14, 2015

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Brown for the Cookies! They are Fantastic I really like ginger snaps.

I am staying in Del Norte! Elder Bennett is being transferred out and Elder West is coming down I look forward to meeting him tomorrow at transfer meeting and working with him.

We had Zone conference this week and President Rehm talked about something I really liked and have been pondering this past week. Doubts tear down what we know to be true were as questions help to build up what we know and find answers to what we do not know.

To quote President Uchtdorf "doubt your doubt before you doubt your faith"

At zone conference we also had our car inspected and we got two greats! Meaning we have a really clean car. (The secret is that you clean in between the door and the car frame)

I am now finished with training. It has been 3 months that I have been here in The San Luis Valley. I really love the people and the work. I have seen so many times the tender mercies of the Lord.

Tomorrow I am driving up to Colorado Springs to drop off Elder Bennett and pick up Elder West my new companion. Driving on ice roads will be a new experience but I know that the Lord protects his servants, also just not going faster than I am able will be a huge help.

We went sledding last week and it was really fun but then I couldn't just go home and enjoy the 75 degrees that Tucson is but it was still a blast!

I want to just let you all know how grateful I am for all of your Emails and prayers I can feel your faith strengthen me in the work.

I am also grateful that we have the Book of Mormon it gives us so much. With the bible there is Hebrews 11 on faith but with the Book of Mormon we have Either 12, Alma 32, and so much more. Let it never be said that the Bible is not important because it is still the word of God. We just have more that helps us know how much we mean to our Father in Heaven.

I love you all and I am so blessed to have learned from your faith and example. 

Elder Stewart