Slow Week in Sherman!

Hi Mom

 

Not a lot really happened this week. We found and taught. I am loving the mission so much! I haven't seen much success in the way of baptisms, but I have seen so much success in my personal growth. I love helping other people come to church and come closer to Jesus Christ. The mission is the best place in the world!

 

Igor is doing fantastic! He is now keeping all the commandments, and wanting to be baptized very badly. He made the comment to us the other day that his eyesight is starting to get bad, so he needs to be baptized to heal his eyes. We had a good laugh about that. Igor works on Sundays, but he has been coming the other ward in the morning. The only thing holding him back now is our mission president wants him to be able to go to our ward, so that he can have fellow shippers in his ward. He is doing great, and he should be baptized with in the next couple of weeks, if we can find him a new job. In May he also will be able to change his schedule and not work Sundays. We are just waiting and being patient for now. We will see what happens.

This passed week, we had a lesson with some of our investigators who are strong in the Church of Christ. This organization doesn't believe in modern day revelation, which is so sad to me. This makes teaching them about the Book of Mormon, and restored gospel really hard. They have so many objections. My companion and I went into that lesson very unprepared. And by the end of the lesson, we had not really said anything to help them. They dominated the conversation, and I had a first hand experience of not being able to speak, because I had took no thought beforehand on what to say. I walked out of that lesson doubting my testimony as we all do. When Sunday came around, the first counselor in the Bishopric gave his testimony on the power of a testimony. It was so simple and yet so profound! The doubts I had were gone, and I am again ready to take on the challenges that will come. This helped strengthen my testimony on the importance of church attendance. We learn exactly what we need to learn when attending church. This is the true Church, and I am so excited to hear from our living prophet who DOES receive revelation that we need to hear. Conference is the super bowl for missionaries, so we are getting ready.

 

Thank you for your love and support. I hope y'all have a great weekend together listening to the prophet. I love you!

 

Love,

Elder Stewart

Another Week in Sherman!

Mom,

 

To start off the week, we hadn't been able to get a hold of Aaron G. He has lost interest in the church, and I am not sure why. He talked to one of the youth, and said, " I will come to church again, I just don't feel ready right now." Then one of the other youth said that he was becoming a really bad influence, and has began to make fun of the church. The next morning we got another text saying that we are probably going to lose Roberto (The recent convert we baptized) as well. I lost it. I have never felt so rejected in my life, and I couldn't believe that it all had to happen at the same time. I felt so sad, and discouraged. We had come into May thinking we would have three baptisms, and two of them have already fallen through. To describe the pain that I felt, it is like having a good friend go in-active, then another, then another. I felt so down that I cried. I have really come to love these people. And this was so hard.

Knowing that I still had to be a missionary, I tried hard to forget about it and go to work, and we were able to have a good day. I prayed a lot, and kept thinking why. The next day, we had a zone conference in which our mission President shared the most motivating thing I have ever heard. At this point I was mostly over what had happened the day before, and this talk helped me forget and move on. President Durrant wrote a story about a missionaries parents coming to visit their son during his mission. After visiting him, they wrote a letter to President Durrant about their experience. They weren't going to make themselves known, but just watch their son in action. This family consists of parents and an older brother of the missionary. As they watch, they see the missionary get up late, not study, leave the apartment late, not contact people, and the list goes on and on. This family feels so disappointed in their son and they even say that he wasn't the same missionary that they had prepared to serve all those years. The older brother begins to cry while watching his brother. At the end of the letter the family signs it, From your heavenly home, Father Mother Jesus Christ. We were all thinking about how we would feel if our parents were there. Would they be pleased? Would they be disappointed? Then we came to find out that it was our heavenly family and Jesus Christ. They really are watching my every move, and am I doing all I can in my mission. Am I working my hardest? When this story was shared, we all felt like we could do a lot more to please our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The room was so silent. My mission president is very inspired, and I believe this story he wrote will get every one motivated again.

  

I learned from this meeting that it doesn't matter if people get baptized, or if I am teaching everyone in the world. It doesn't matter if I have lot of investigators, and a great ward to support me. I have Jesus Christ and I will work hard no matter how tired I get to please him and give at least a sliver back to him. Jesus Christ is my motivation. I will do all I can, because he gave me all I have. It isn't about what I want, but what he wants. The baptisms might come, they might not, but I do know that the harder I work the more converted to the gospel I will be. Life won't be easy, and trials will happen. When they do we must remember that Jesus Christ already suffered everything, and he never quit. When we suffer we can't quit either. We must stay strong in the gospel for ever! I never want to fall away, and it hurts to see others falling away. I know that this church of Jesus Christ, and that is why I am willing to give everything that I have to Heavenly Father. I testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is the only true church, and that we need the priesthood power to help us have eternal life. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and I am so excited to hear from him in a few days. I love this church!

  

I have never worked this hard in this area, and I am planning on continuing to work harder and harder until I finish my mission. I feel so happy even through all of the trials I have. The gospel really does bring us peace. The work here is beginning to pick up again. I love serving the people here, and I am grateful that I have at least three more weeks here in Sherman. Thank you Mom for all that you have done to help me in my life in preparing me to serve a mission! I love you!

  

I like hearing about the family. Everyone is having fun. I miss you all, but I know I am where I need to be. I can't wait to come home and hear Chase on the drums! That will be really exciting!

Have a great week!

Love,

Kyle

 

Hi Dad!

 

I had a tough and yet a great week. I grew a lot, and this week is going to change my mission. I am still so happy. Looking back on my mission, it definitely took a lot of time before I came to love the mission, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I love my mission!

 

I haven't had as many experiences as you have with the gospel, but I have really come to appreciate it as well on my mission. Being in Utah, every one lives some of my standards, and I really never realized how much the gospel protects us. I feel so blessed every day to have been born into the church into a family that is active. Thank your for teaching me and preparing me to serve a mission. I am so thankful! I know that Christ lives and loves us! I know we have trials in this life to help us learn and grow. I am so grateful for revelation, and for the leaders of the church who are able to receive that revelation. I love my mission President, and he is so inspired. It is great to see his example, and learn from him. I love my mission, and I can't believe how much I have grown from it. Thank you for your love and support.

 

I hope that you make it through Tax season. That time of year never sounds fun, but I have always looked up to your example during this time of year. You have always been able to manage work with callings, and throw some family time in there as well. I want to be as hard a worker as you are. I have also learned so much from you being in the bishopric and now as bishop. Thank you for magnifying your calling, and inspiring me to do so too.

 

I love you!

 

Kyle

A Great and Trying Week!

Hi Mom,

 

We had a great and trying week this week. I have really come to understand that a mission has nothing to do with what I want. I don't lead the missionary work, but God does, and all we can do is what he asks us too. That being said, Aaron C never responded when we asked him again if we could come by when he was a little less busy, so we have decided to drop him. It was hard, and still is hard, but there is nothing we can do. I am going to write him a letter this week to let him know that we were grateful for the opportunity to meet him, and I will bear my testimony. I really didn't know why things happened the way they did, and I have been praying the whole week for the lesson that I was supposed to learn, and I have come to two conclusions: 1. Miracles don't create faith, faith creates miracles. The whole reason why Aaron started investigating the church was because of my last name, and that to me was a great miracle! It didn't however become a testimony to him. To gain the testimony or to have the miracle occur of changing his life should come from action and putting your faith to the test. 2. The second thing I learned is that Heavenly Father knows Aaron perfectly. I do not. I tried to look back on the situation saying, "What if we taught the Word of Wisdom instead of the class?" The thing is, that is the way that Heavenly Father knew it would happen, and I can't worry about it. I need to continue working hard to help other people come unto Christ. We at least left a good impression with Aaron about the church, and if he has another chance than maybe he will accept it later down the road. All I can do is not hang my head and continue to work hard.

 

Igor is doing great! He is not able to come to our ward because he works Sundays in the afternoon, so he attends the other ward. Yesterday he was telling everyone that he really wanted to be baptized. The members kept telling the sister missionaries in their ward, Wow he is such a great investigator! They unfortunately had to tell everyone that he wasn't theirs. Igor is ready once he starts living the commandments. We just need to find him a new job.

 

We haven't been able to meet with Aaron G this week. He hasn't been in contact with us, and we are a little worried. He told one of the youth that he was having second thoughts on if he wanted to be baptized or not. I really hope that he will at least let us teach one more time. He was so ready, and Satan must be working on him really hard. It is crazy to me how good investigators can go from really excited when you teach them to not even answering their phone. It is frustrating.

 

The hardest part of my mission by far has been that of investigators losing interest in the church. You come to love these investigators so much, and you are thinking of them all the time wondering what else they need, and how we can help them progress. I have definitely seen on my mission how it is preparing me for the rest of my life. It seems as though trial after trial comes, and honestly the trials have gotten easier as the mission goes on, because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. I promise and testify as his servant that he will never leave us alone. He will continue to ease our burdens, and carry our load when things get hard. I have never felt this as much as I am now, because I am his missionary and my calling is to share that with the world. I know that Jesus Christ has felt every single thing that we go through, and he knows exactly how to help us because of that. I know that he died for us, and most importantly I know that he lives today! Because he lives he will never leave us alone.

 

This week on finding was great! We found some prepared people for sure. We just need to see who will progress and who won't. This has become so normal to me now. We also taught quite a few lessons which was great! We are teaching a lot.

 

I am glad that Nate is still going on a mission. That made me so happy. Let him know that I love him, and that the mission will be the best thing for his life. Is Bryson going to come home from his mission later now? Or will he just have a shorter mission? I was so surprised last week to see him at our house. That was shocking. Please keep me updated on mission calls if anyone decides to go on a mission.

 

I love you so much!!!!! Thank you for your love and support!

 

Elder Stewart

Baptism Updates!!

Mom,

 

Sorry I guess I forgot to update y'all and tell you that we moved the baptismal dates back to the 22nd of March. Aaron G will be baptized either that date or the week after, so we will see what happens there. Igor on the other hand probably won't be baptized that day so we will try to get him ready for the first week of April. Aaron C texted us this morning, and said that he doesn't think he wants to do the whole church thing. He just doesn't agree with the Word of Wisdom. We are going to keep trying, but it is not looking to good. This is by far the hardest part about missionary work. I don't like the agency of other people, but I understand why it is necessary. I will keep you updated.

 

We don't ever make it up to Oklahoma. I have been up there twice, once to visit some less-active Spanish members, and once for an exchange, but besides that we don't really have the time or the miles to be driving up there. We did go up last preparation day to take some pictures and see the Lake. We are trying to have some fun here in Sherman, but there really isn't anything to do. I wouldn't really want to live here ever, but the members are great! I love them.

 

I don't really have much to write about this week, because it hasn't been very long since I emailed you last week. I have learned though how dumb Anti-Mormon literature is. We do have some investigators that gave us a paper that they printed out with really nit picky stuff. It makes my companion and I mad, and it does drive away the spirit. Besides that this week was just the same old same old. I am still loving the mission.

 

Have a good week!

Kyle

 

Hi Dad,

This week was the same as always. We had some good lessons, but nothing out of the ordinary. We are in the beginning stages with a lot of our investigators, so we will see what happens. Something exciting for today though was we went to hit some balls at Top Golf for winning McKinney madness. It was fun, but I am very rusty.

 

Answers:

1. Did the baptism go through this week?

No, but one will be coming up soon.

 

2. Are you happy that you are still with your same companion?

Yes, we have gotten along great.

 

3. How are the other investigators coming?

Like I said we are in the beginning stages with most of them. We still haven't made contact with Aaron C, but we are going to keep trying.

 

4. How did the visit with the General Authority go?

I loved it. I learned a lot on how I could improve, and I am trying to apply it as a missionary and District Leader.

 

5. Are you still speaking Spanish everyday and keeping up with the language?

I am keeping up with the language for sure, but we don't speak it as much as I would like.

 

Spiritual thought: I am not sure why but the theme for the passed couple of weeks for me has been the passage that Christ gave us which says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me... for my yoke is easy and my burden is light, and I will give you rest." When we need help through are trials all we have to do is ask for it, and live in a way that Christ will help us. The better we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more help we will receive. Christ will always come to succor His people.

 

I am doing great, and I hope you have a great, stress free week!

 

Kyle

Staying in Sherman!! (Pictures)

Hi Mom

 

A boat load of pictures on its way! 

 

I am staying in Sherman! Elder Lynn is still my companion. This week has been good, and we are continuing to help people progress in the gospel. We are getting close with Aaron G, and Igor M. They should have baptisms coming up soon.

 

As far as the family goes, I hope things get better for both Naylors. I will be praying for them. And I am excited for some great blessings that will be coming because of Brooklynn. Let her know that I am very thankful for her and I am glad she is my sister. I also wish I could have been there for Nate's plaly.

 

Not a whole lot has happened this week. Last monday we went to the Oklahoma border and we took some pictures. We won Mckinney Madness, and our prize is a trip to Top Golf to hit some balls. I am very excited! It has been a long time since I have picked up a golf club. Then came the crazy weekend. On Saturday, we were planning on helping out with a fundraiser. We were picking up old computers, TVs, and pretty much anythings that was going to be thrown away, and the organization sells it for money. We were working from 10 to 2. It was a little chilly to start out with, and when we were done a little after 2 it was 75 degrees. We were very hot. And I was sun burned. First one of the year! We also made the newspaper, so I will send you the links. After that hot day. We had a thunder ice storm the next day, and church was cancelled for the third time this year. The high for the day was 28 or so, and we were again stuck in side for two days. That is why I am now emailing instead of Monday. The weather in Dallas is crazy.

 

Things are going good still. I love you and hope you have a great week!

 

Elder Stewart

 

Hi Dad!

 

I am sorry that I haven't written you either. Things have been going great, with the trials that missionary work includes of course. We haven't been able to meet with Aaron C, mostly because he is really busy, so hopefully we will get a chance to go by his house and talk to him again. I would really hate for us to have to drop him. That would be so hard for me to do. I still have a good feeling about it though. We also had an ice storm come in again the passed couple of days which will be the third one we have had. Besides all that, we are doing good. We have lots of people to teach on the English side of things. Now we need to get some more Spanish investigators.

 

Questions:

1.  Are you staying in Sherman???

YES!!! I will be here for at least one more transfer, and I am so happy!

 

2. Are the investigators holding strong in their commitments?   

Igor M is doing great, and he should be baptized in the next couple of weeks, if we can find him and new job. Aaron G is also doing very well, and he should be baptized in the next couple of days. Now we just have to see if Aaron C will continue to progress. Unfortunately Church was cancelled this week, so we haven't seen him in more than a week.

 

3. Are you getting to do things on your p-days (mom got pictures at a church- do you get to play ball)

We do get to play basketball every once and a while when the priests in the ward don't have school.

 

4. Are you teaching Nicky the lessons now too?

Not regularly, we are having a hard time scheduling lessons with him.

 

5. How is being a District leader?

I love it. My first transfer, I don't feel like I really magnified my calling, but I have set out to do a lot better this transfer. We also has Elder Stanley G Ellis come a week ago or so, and he really motivated me to do more as a leader in the mission.

 

6. Are the members supportive when you bring someone new to church?

Some are. Others are not comfortable with stepping outside of their comfort zone.

 

7. Have you had to deal with people trying to challenge you or bash with you?

Yes. It really only happens at door approaches, because if they are bashing us there, we don't want to go in their house. There are some people that get really angry when you talk about religion.

 

8. Tell us about some of your members and how they are being missionaries.

We really haven't received and referrals from the ward except for the youth. The youth are the best missionaries we have here. They invite everyone, and talk about their church all the time at school and with their friends.

 

9. Did you win the madness challenge.

Yes! Our prize is going to be a trip to Top Golf with the zone leaders.

 

What are some of the activities that the youth are going to do for their missionary month, and how strict are they going to be on living the mission rules?

 

Here is my thought of the week?

 

 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his^asalvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath ^bgiven it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to ^crepentance.

33. ...and he ^ainviteth them ^ballto ^ccome unto him and partake of his goodness; and he ^ddeniethnone that come unto him, black and white, ^ebond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the ^fheathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

 

I was studying this this morning in 2 Nephi 27 and 33. I learned, and noticed how much God really does want all of his children to repent and come unto Christ. All men are alike unto God. Before my mission, I was very judgmental of the people that were smoking, doing drugs, or acting in a way they shouldn't. Heavenly Father helped me change that fast, because those are the people we teach. We have been called to go out to the sinners (just like ourselves) and help them come with us unto Christ to use his Atonement. The Atonement of Christ is for everyone. We are commanded to persuade men to repent. I have come to look as all people as equal, and everyone deserves the Atonement of Christ.

 

I love you Dad! Keep me updated on the Mission calls when they come in.

 

Elder Stewart

 

This picture is from a local paper, the Herald Democrat. That is Kyle's companion and Kyle is leaning down to pick stuff up.

 

Texoma Community Center holds annual recycling fundraiser NATE STRAUCH/HERALD DEMOCRAT Volunteer Elder Lynn places a box of used electronics on the loading gate of a freight truck Saturday during the Texoma Community Center’s annual recycling fundraiser, which raised more then $9,000 last year.