Grand Prairie

Hi Mom,

We had a good week here in Grand Prairie. And we had a baptism! It was a great baptism, probably one of the best I have ever been to. I will send you the pictures next week. Her name is Lucero, and she has only been in the United States for a few weeks, and she is already baptized. After she was baptized I could see the difference in her face, and the spirit was so strong. She couldn't stop crying. She then gave a great testimony. The gospel really does change lives.

Igor also got baptized!

I loved seeing this picture of him.(picture didn't load) He is going to make such a great member. I loved the opportunity that I have had to teach him, get to know him, and help him be baptized. I was sad that I couldn't be there, but it is all good. I will still be able to email him on this mission. The mission is so great!

I love Grand Prairie! The area that we are in is run down for sure, but it is home. Our apartment is even more run down. We find cockroaches on the ground at times, and there isn't any carpet, but like I said, it is home. I love being in a Spanish Branch again! My Spanish is improving greatly, and the people are great!

We have some investigators that are getting a little close. One named Carlos whose obstacle is working Sundays. We are also teaching the familia Delarosa, and they are interested, but not progressing to great. I will let you know how it goes. Our mission this week is going to do a concert with Gladys Knight and her SUV choir. I am so excited to go, and we are going to bring the Delarosa family with us. It should be great. We then plan on going to the temple afterwords.

Thank you so much for the package! I loved it. And my companion wants to Thank you as well for Subway and Wendy's.

I love you!

Kyle

 

Hi Dad,

I am doing great! We had a really good week and I am getting used to the area, and riding a bike all day. We also had a baptism this Saturday, and I will send the pictures to you next week. It was for Lucero, and it was honestly on of the best baptisms I have ever been to. It was short sweet, and the spirit was so strong. I could definitely tell that there was a difference in her after the baptism. Experiences like this make the mission so worth it. I am so glad that I have the opportunity to help others come unto Christ and be baptized.

Questions for the week:

1. How are doing this week?

I am doing great. I love the mission so much!

 

2. How is the new area?

It is good. There are a lot of people to teach, and we are having a good time.

 

3. Did you get the package?

 Yes, I did get the package. Thank you very much!

 

4. How is your companion?

He is great! I am glad to have him as my companion.

 

5. Did Igor get Baptized?

Yes! He did, I will be sending you the pictures for his baptism. He looks great, and I as so grateful that I could help him in his life. I love Igor, and I hope I can keep in touch.

 

6. Is it different speaking Spanish all the time?

Not very different. In Sherman we tried to find Spanish investigators, so I was still speaking Spanish a lot, but my Spanish is improving for sure here a lot more than in any of my other areas.

 

7. How are the investigators in this area?

They are doing good. We have some investigators that are really close to accepting a date, the only problem is that they have some problems that they need to work out.

 

8. How many miles a day do you ride your bike?

About 10-20 miles a day. I am in great shape!

 

9. Do you find time to have fun - are you having fun each day?

Yes, I personally think that missionary work itself is fun in some ways. Because I am in the city now, I also have the chance to play basketball on Preperation days. I am having fun for sure!

 

10. Did your investigator in your new area get baptized?

Yes. She was baptized yesterday, and just like my first baptism, the water was very hot. We were smarter though this time, and we blasted the cold water for a few senconds so that it would be bareable.

I am loving Grand Prairie and the mission. We are working hard and having fun. I love teaching people and helping them keep commitments. And the bike really isn't too bad. There are lots of opportunities for us to contact, and the day goes by so much faster. On top of that I am getting a good work out everyday. I am excited to continue to work here in Grand Prairie.

Thank you for your love and support. I am grateful for all you have done to motivate me to serve a mission. I love you!

Elder Stewart

First Week in Grand Prairie!!

Hi Mom!

I am doing great! I am loving the new area, and the opportunity that I have to pull out and ride the bike. I have been sleeping really well because of it. I told you all that I had gained 20 pounds, but I found out a little later that the scale I had used was off and I had only gained 10. Now on the bike, I am sure that I am going to have the opportunity to lose all of that weight. We will see.

My new companion is Elder Wells. He is from Spanish Fork, UT and he has been out on his mission now for 18 months or so. We are getting along great, and I am loving the new area that I have the privilege of serving in. I am not the district leader, and we have 6 missionaries in our district again. The district meetings now are in Spanish though, so I will have another opportunity to practice my Spanish. My Spanish will start improving a lot again.

The work here is OK. We don't have a lot of investigators, but we have a baptism that will either happen this Sunday or the next. Her name is Lucero and she is very ready I believe.

Easter (yesterday), I had quite the day. First of all we were riding around in our suits for most of the day, and at 7:00 last night it began to pour. We walked back to our bikes, and within 10 seconds of walking, we were drenched. We then kept riding in the rain in our suits, so hopefully the suit will be good to wear. Then to end the day, or should I say night, while we were sleeping we got a knock on our door at about 2:00 in the morning. When we woke up we saw a lot of red flashing lights. My companion answered the door, and a fireman told us we needed to evacuate the building immediately. He said there was an electrical problem. So, we left the apartment and stood around for and hour and a half before we were told that we could go back inside. It was a long night.

I am loving my new area and companion! Good luck with school Mom! I hope you score well on your finals. Thank you for the package. I haven't gotten it yet, but I know I will love it. Have a great week!

Love Kyle

Hi Dad,

I am happy that you made it through tax season! I am sure that life is a lot better for you now. I want to again thank you for all that you have done for me, and the great example that you have been to me in how to prioritize your life. You had a crazy work schedule at times, you were in the bishopric, and you still were able to find time to spend with the family. I love you!

Questions:
1. How did transfers go?

Good, I am all settled in the new area that I am in, and I am ready to go.

2. How is your new companion?

Great! His name is Elder Wells, and he is 22.

3. What is the new area like?

The new area is great. It is a little old and run down, but there are plenty of hispanics here, so I am doing so good.

4. Did Igor end up getting baptized

I am not sure. My old companion hasn't sent me an email, so I will let you know next week hopefully.

5. What are the investigators like in your new area?

We have a baptism coming up for Lucero. As well as we are teaching the Delarosa family who is showing interest but not progressing quite yet. We are teaching Carlos who is really close, he just needs to come to church which has been a little difficult for him because of work.

6. Have you gotten a chance to meet the new members yet what are they like?

They are great! From what I have seen. It is a little different being here, because we have three sets of missionaries here including us, so I am not going to be able to get to know all of them as well as I did in Sherman.

7. Are you still a district leader?

No, I am not.

8. How many are in your district now?

2 Sisters, and 4 Elders

9. Did your last companion get transferred to or is he still in Sherman?

He is still in Sherman

10. How is riding a bike?
I actually really enjoy it! Being on a bike has allowed me to be in better shape, and contact a lot of people. It is also more fun to be on a bike in my opinion. Being on a bike makes the day go by so much faster.

I am doing really good, and I love being a missionary! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. My love for the gospel and for Jesus Christ has grown so much. I am really looking forward to this new area and transfer, and to how I am going to grow personally. Thanks for the updates on BYU. I hope that you enjoy the post tax-season. I love you!

Love, Elder Stewart

Goodbye to Sherman!! First Baptism!! (Pictures)

Howdy!

I have some good news, and some bad news. And more good news. First, I am being transferred to Grand Prairie Texas. There is a Spanish ward in Grand Prairie, so I will really be able to improve my Spanish. I have gotten to the point where I can say pretty much anything I want to during the lessons. Now I just need to work on the verbs and words that aren't as common. I am very excited for this next transfer. I will also be pulling out the bike that I haven't used. Hopefully it still works. I am excited for that as well.

That was both good and bad news, so now for some more good news. Igor is getting baptized next Saturday!!!!! I am so happy for him, and he has honestly been my best friend in the mission. We have really gotten along, and I am so excited that he is good to go. Now the bad news. We have a rule here in the mission field that if you have a baptism in another area, you can go only if it is a 45 minute drive or less, and Grand Prairie is more than an hour away, so I won't be able to go to the baptism. Honesty I would like to go, but I am not disappointed. I am still so happy that he is going to be baptized that it is OK if I can't go. I will at least still be able to see the pictures of him in white. I can't wait!

This past week has been a really good one. We found several Spanish investigators which has been a real struggle for us in this area. The work in this area is continuing to pick up, and I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of that. I have loved so much getting to serve here in Sherman, and serve the ward here. I have met some great people, and I have learned so much. I am also looking forward to this next transfer and a change in scenery. I have had so much fun, and I will continue to have fun and be happy.

I love y'all and I will let you know how my new area is. I am definitely looking forward to it!

Have a great week! Love, Kyle

 

 

 

 

Conference Weekend!

Hi Mom!

 

Thank you for the package. The package was probably delivered to the apartment at around Friday, but it sat in the office, because the mail man didn't leave a note or anything. We did pick it up today however, so it will be my post-conference snack!

 

Tornadoes. We did have a tornado warning about 20 miles South of where we are, but we were just fine. There wasn't really any hail either, but in some areas nearby it was huge I heard. That doesn't sound like much fun. Our plan for tornadoes, is to get inside as fast as possible. After we are inside, we are told to be away from all windows and to go towards the center of the building, under a big piece of furniture. And that is about it. Oh, and pray!

 

We had a pretty good week this week! We taught some good lessons, and we were able to help a lot of people. Now we just need to keep on going. We have again started teaching Bethany, who is beginning to progress really well now. She has been coming to church activities for years, and now she is coming regularly to church. She is slowly building up her faith to the point where she will commit to baptism. We will see how it goes, but she is looking good.

 

Preach My Gospel thought of the week:

On behalf of the talk given by Elder Ballard, I decided to start sharing things from Preach my Gospel. I did not however come prepared on anything to share, so I will just bare my testimony on it. Preach my Gospel has helped me so much as a missionary and a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is preparing for me for the rest of my life, and it definitely doesn't just apply to missionary work. I have loved improving myself daily through studying it. It has helped me become more Christ like, plan better, recognize the spirit, and it has strengthened my testimony of the Gospel. It lays it all out very nicely and simply. I would recommend that y'all start to study PMG at least a little to know how you can help hasten the work of salvation.

 

Thank you for your love and support. And for the conference package. I love y'all and look forward to the next transfer where ever it takes me. The transfer ends next week by the way, and we get our calls on Saturday.

 

Love, Kyle

 

Hi Dad,

We had a good week this week. We saw some miracles, and I really enjoyed watching conference. It really gave me a desire to act and change somethings to improve my life.

 

Answers

1. Where did you get to watch conference?

We watched conference at the church building for all of the sessions. Our bishop and his family always watch it their as well, and they had lunch for us both days. I really enjoyed this weekend.

 

2. What was your favorite Talk and why?

My favorite talk was Elder Bednar's talk on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He really gave me a better understanding of how I can use the Atonement in my life, and the need for trials.

 

3. What did you think about your Mission President getting Called?

I was a little shocked for sure. He sent us a text about 5 minutes before the meeting telling us to be on time and attentive to the sustaining of Church leaders. From that we knew that something was going to happen, we just didn't know what. I feel so blessed to have him as my Mission President!

 

4. How is Igor?

Igor is still doing great. Really the only obstacle for him now, is his room-mate is female. He will probably be baptized in the next couple of weeks.

 

5. Was he able to change his work schedule?

No, but we got permission from President to baptize him if he overcomes his other obstacle.

 

6. How is the teenager that was close and then backed away?  Have you had contact with him?

We haven't been able to contact him since. The youth have told us that he isn't very interested anymore, and he has really become a bad influence for everyone else.

 

7. Are you ready to be transferred to a new place?

Yes and No. I love serving here in Sherman, but I would also be OK with serving in another area. I would like to serve in a highly populated Hispanic area, so that I could really improve my Spanish.

 

8. Are you and your companion still getting along well?

Yes we are for sure. I would be OK another transfer with him, if that is what happens.

 

9. Are you picking up some new investigators?

We found a new investigator this week that lives about 30 miles away from the Church in Durant, Oklahoma. My companion contacted here while on exchanges with the English Elders. She was so excited that he spoke Spanish, that when he invited her to church she said yes. We called her yesterday morning to see if she would come to conference, and she was planning on it. She came to the morning session with us, ate lunch with us during the break in between sessions, and started working on family history in between sessions with some of the members. She then watched the final session and went home. She was so happy that she had come, and she is already best friends with our small Spanish group. When she was doing family history as well with the help from the ward, she found four generations back. We are very blessed to have met her, and we hope to help her progress in the gospel! She seems very prepared.

 

10. Are you happy?

YES!!!!

 

It was a great week for us here in Sherman. We are working hard and trying to be obedient. I hope that this area will have some success soon. It has been a great place to serve!

 

I love y'all and hope that you enjoyed your time together for conference. Good luck finishing out Tax season!

 

Kyle