Things are Getting Better!!

Hi Mom!

Nooooooo! Not the Expedition. I love that car! There have been a couple of times on my mission where I have ridden in an Expedition, and it reminds me of home. I found out as well on my mission that an Expedition is a Hispanic car down in the south. So, we have always owned a Hispanic car. I hope they can fix it!

This week was so much better. We are beginning to teach a lot more people, mostly less-actives, and some of them have been coming to church. It will be a slow process to get this area up to the point where we want it to be, but we are seeing results quickly. On Tuesday we started teaching English Classes as a second language. Only one person showed up, but she was a non-member. On Wednesday we began to advertise the classes by putting fliers up in different areas in the city where lots of Hispanics go. We put about 20 fliers up on Wednesday, and with-in and hour we were getting phone calls from people wanting to come. We are very excited for these classes!

My companion is Elder Peck from Sandy, UT. He came out at the same time that I did, and we are getting along really well. Elder Peck also came out right after High School, so that makes him the first companion that I have had who is younger than me.

I am really enjoying this area. I really hope that I am able to do what Heavenly Father wants me to do here. I love the work! I am happy to hear that everything is still going well back home. I love y'all!

Love, Elder Stewart

Hi Dad!

This week was so much better than the last. We found some good people, and we are working with a lot of less-actives. I love this area and the ward here.

Answers:

1. How is the new companion?

He is good. I am trying really hard to get along with him.

2. Do you two get along?

Yes!

3. How long has he been out?

He came out the same time that I did. And he graduated in 2013 as well.

4. Are you the senior companion?

Yes I am.

5. How many spanish speaking missionaries are in your mission?

Around 70 I think.

6. Do you like the new area?

Yes! It is nice to have a car, and a nicer apartment, and the members feed us really well here.

7. How is the new ward and people that you are serving?

They are great. I was able to get to know them a lot quicker here, and I am looking forward to serving with all of them.

8. Picked up any new investigators?

Yes, we found an investigator named Teresa, and a few part member families to work with.

9. Are you able to do things as a district and zone?.

Yes, we will be. There is a place close by called Shananigan's where we can go for free to play mini-golf, laser tag, go-karts etc. Sounds like it will be fun.

10. What experiences did you have this week that helped your testimony.

We went out knocking a lot this week, since there weren't a lot of people for us to teach, and we found someone named Teresa. We rescheduled for another day, and we had to cancel on her twice, because we didn't have a man to bring with us to the lessons, but she still accepted. When we came by to teach the lesson, the lesson went OK, but she received it so well. She had just lost her job, and she lives all by herself. She believes that us coming to her house when we did was a gift from God. She committed to read, and she should be coming to Church soon!

Experiences like this always help me to know that God loves his children, and he answers prayers.

11. Are you working hard and looking to love the people?

Yes. I love Hispanic people! Especially the members. They are so nice and I love speaking Spanish to them. It is always a great time. And I am working very hard. We are always working, but now we just need to work more effectively through the members.

I also spoke in Church on Sunday on the Sacrament. I am getting use to speaking and teaching in front of lots of people, but the Spanish still scares me a lot of times. I always pray that I will be able to touch the hearts of others in teaching and speaking, and yesterday I could definately see the Lord's help in my talk. I was able to speak with very little trouble. I didn't really have to even think about translating into Spanish, it just came to me. The Lord always provides in the way that he needs to, and after the meeting many people complimented me on my Spanish. It has been such a blessing to learn how to speak Spanish, and I hope that I can find ways to speak it when I go home.

BYU! Yes! I am glad they won, hopefully they will beat Texas again so that more people will listen to the missionaries down here. It will be exciting to watch! Where is Texas University?

Thank you for all you do for me Dad. I love you very much, and I am so grateful that I have been able to watch your example for many years. Have a great week, and make sure you tell me how badly BYU beats Texas!

Love, Kyle

Rough start in Rowlett! Lots of pictures from Grand Prairie!

Hi Mom,

I have had quite  the first week here in Rowlett. It has been so frustrating and stressful, and yet this area seems to have a lot of potential. I feel so dumb right now, but I learned and grew from the experiences that happen, and they WON'T happen again. It was car trouble.

So, I arrived on Tuesday to Garland which is where we live. It is a small part of Garland that we cover, but the church is in Rowlett, so this is the Rowlett area. The  apartment here is so much better than the one in Grand Prairie. It isn't anything special, but it is a lot better. When I got here on Tuesday we didn't have a car, because my companion had crashed it about a month ago. He can't drive anymore, and we were going to get a car on Thursday, so for the first few day we were on foot and biking everywhere. When Thursday came, we got our brand new car and drove it home no thinking at all about a parking sticker. On Friday, one of our few investigators dropped, which started the terrible weekend. We enjoyed the car on Thursday, and all day Friday, but when we woke up Saturday, it wasn't there anymore. We were so confused, and we first thought that it had been stolen. We tried calling our vehicle coordinator, but he wasn't able to do anything about it, because he was out of town. We went over to the office, but the office was closed for the week end. On our way back, I realized that it had probably been towed. So, we found a number to call on our apartment complex, and it had been towed. So this was the first dumb thing we did, but it didn't end there. We called all our appointments that day, and again some of our investigators dropped. We continued to go out and work on bike, and by the time that we had rode up the first street, my tire popped. We worked on it for an hour to try and fix it, but it kept popping. So we went out again on foot. It was a long day, but we were trying hard not to get down on ourselves. When today came, we went to go pick up our car with the vehicle coordinator. It is going to cost us $400. That was frustrating, but nothing too terrible. The terrible part was when we drove the car back to the apartment complex, we asked the office manager for a sticker, and she said that she would have released the car if we had gone in before we picked it up. I had even said to my companion several times that we should go over to the office, and for some reason we didn't. So in other words, we are paying $400 for nothing. It was a terrible first week here in Rowlett.

As far as the actual area goes, the ward is great! We have people from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, y Peru. The members are very helpful from what I have seen, and we are getting ready to work with them to find investigators. The work here in Rowlett is very slow. We are down to two investigators, one of which we are thinking of dropping, so we have a lot of work to do. We will be knocking and visiting lots of less-actives for awhile.

I hope that all this bad stuff that is happened won't affect the work here in Rowlett. It will probably take me awhile to get over it. I just feel so frustrated and dumb for not thinking about these things, but I guess it was a lesson learned, and I don't plan on doing it again ever. I hope that we can now turn this area around to what it needs to be. I am ready to work hard!

I hope everyone continues to enjoy school. Sorry that my letter was so depressing, but I am now ready to work and not look back. Thank you for sending the picture of the mountains. I love y'all! Have a great week.

Love, Kyle

 

 

Transfers!! Leaving Grand Prairie for Rowlett!

Hi Mom,

I am being transferred. I am very sad to be leaving the people here in Grand Prairie. I have loved being able to serve them and work around them. This area has a lot of work going on, and I am glad that I was able to be the Lord's instrument in finding all of these prepared people. I am excited for what is next, and I am so grateful for all that I have learned here in Grand Prairie. I am also so grateful that I could help Sara be baptized.

This passed week we were able to help so many of the families that we had found. They are progressing really well, which makes it hard to leave. I think that this area will be having some baptisms in the near future, so I might be coming back soon. I have really loved serving here in Grand Prairie.

On Saturday, we went to the temple with some of the investigators and recent converts that we have been working with. They were able to feel of the spirit that comes from attending the temple, and we hope that they would be able to enter the temple on their own in the future. I am glad that you were able to see that video that one of our members took. I had no idea that she would be posting it on facebook. I loved being able to sing again. It was so great to be able to do that all the time when I was in school, so I was happy to be singing again! The temple trip over all was a great success, and Sara really wants to be able to enter. She will be able to do so very soon if she continues coming to church. I think that she is probably the best convert that I have helped on my mission so far. She was sharing her experience of her conversion, and she amazes me. She started by telling us about being in El Salvador, and how she was baptized into a Christian church there. It was a good experience she said, but she didn't really feel much. She then told us about when she was trying to stop smoking. There were several times when she walked out of her house to go by cigars, but came right back inside knowing that God would help her stop. Then one of her friends came by who usually gives her cigars, and she told him thanks for coming, but I have decided to stop. At this point of the story I was thinking Wow! She had such great faith, and such a desire to keep the commandments of God. She then continued to tell us about the great experience that she had with her baptism. Before she was baptized she felt so sad, and she didn't know why. However when she came out of the water she felt so clean and happy. And when she received the Holy Ghost, she was so content and happy. I am so grateful that I have been able to help her, and she has strengthened my testimony so much about how true this gospel is.

I know this church is true, and with every testimony I give, I am able to continue to strengthen the knowledge that I have. I know that Christ lives, and that I am participating in His work. I love serving the Lord, and helping His children come unto Him.

I love you Mom, and I will send the address of my new apartment next week. Thank you for all that you are doing for me. I hope that school goes well for everyone, and that y'all are able to adjust quickly. I miss you!

Love, Kyle 

 

Hi Favorite Dad!

We had a great last week to finish off the transfer! We taught some really good lessons, and we were able to help some people progress very well. I am very excited for all of these families we have found, but unfortunately I am being transferred. I am going to Rowlett, Texas, and I will send you the address next week. I really began to enjoy this area over the passed couple of weeks, because we had found some really good families to start working with. I learned a lot, and I am excited to be able to work in Rowlett.

This last week we went to the temple on Saturday with some of the people that we were working with. We toured around the temple, with our recent convert Sara. We started off by watching a video about families being together forever inside one of the visitors' rooms of the temple, then we walked around the temple and talked about what we do inside. After we stood on the steps and sang a song in Spanish which sounded really good. It was fun to be able to sing again. I miss not being able to do that as much. To end the tour we went back into the temple, and we had a testimony meeting. It was a great activity, and Sara is very excited to be able to enter.

My new companion is going to be Elder Peck. He came out on his mission about the same time that I did, and that is all that I really know about him. My new area though will be a car area, so my many days of biking (it really wasn't very many) are now over. We will have to see if I am put back on a bike or not before the end of my mission.

Elder McBride is now taking over the area. He has improved quite a bit in the two months we were together. I have realized how imperfect I am. Heavenly Father knows what he is doing in having allowed me to work with Elder McBride. I have become much more patient. I still have a long ways to come, but I learned a lot these last two transfers, and I am sad to be leaving. Elder McBride's new companion is going to be Elder Lynn who was my companion back in Sherman.

I am excited for the chance that I have to work with a new ward. There are a lot of things that I have learned from the ward that I am in that I want to implement in Rowlett. I love working with ward members, and I am going to continue to do that. I love serving a mission. It is hard, and it is very tiring, but I love it! Thank for your blessing to me, and even though you are not here with me, I can still feel your love. In the MTC, one of the guest speakers gave everyone in the MTC audience a blessing once without putting his hands on our heads, and the same thing happened right before we left with someone from our branch presidency in the MTC. I love you Dad, and I am grateful that I have been able to learn from your example. I hope I may continue to become like you!

Love, Kyle

P.S. Keep me updated on BYU. Only 2 weeks left right?

Loving Missionary Work!

Hi Mom!

The work here in Grand Prairie has really started picking up. We have found lots of investigators this transfer, and I am looking forward to seeing them progress. We have also been blessed to find families. I haven't really had the opportunity to teach families on my mission, so I am grateful for the great families that we are teaching now. Recently we found the Macias family. I am not sure if I have mentioned them before, but they are so great! There are 3 kids and the two parents. The kids of that family are so interested and excited when we come over to teach them. They always want to be the ones who read the scriptures and say the prayers, and they have told us that they really want to come to church. The conflict that they have, is that their Dad for some reason hasn't wanted to listen, and they haven't come to church yet. I really hope that they will start coming to church.

I have been surviving the heat, but I have definitely needed sunscreen. I usually survive fairly well, but after biking for long periods of time, my face is so red, and I am sweating so much. I knock on doors, and people probably think I am about to pass out. It must be funny to them to see someone at their door step with a super red face, drenched in sweat, and breathing really hard, and then to hear me say, "We are missionaries," in my very happy way. At least I am staying in good shape.

The package got here just fine. The chocolate was very melted, but I put it in the fridge and now I can eat it as big pieces. Thank you very much for sending it to me. It is always great to know that I have a family that loves and cares about me. I sewed up the hole in my other suit and it still fits, so I won't be needing another one yet. I haven't grown on the mission, I just thought that if I sewed the suit up, it might have been to tight. It is still working good though.

I have noticed as of lately how much I really love serving a mission. I love teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone. Missionary work is definitely more fun when there are people to teach, but I have realized recently that I really like every part of missionary work. I love working with the members, and I have come to love knocking doors. Most missionaries would probably think that I am crazy, but I really do like knocking doors. Probably because I am able to speak Spanish which still amazes me sometimes. I love Jesus Christ and his gospel, and I know it is true. I am so grateful that I have this great opportunity to give this great blessing to others. I love you Mom! Thank you for all that you do for me!

Love, Kyle 

 

Hi Dad!

The weeks here in Grand Prairie all seem to be the same. We teach just about the same number of lessons each week, and we are always finding lots of people to teach. I have liked being here in Grand Prairie quite a bit. It has been a great learning experience for me, and I have really started to work more with the members. I don't think I want to leave.

Answers:

1.  Are you ready for a transfer? or do you want to stay for one more?

I would like to stay for one more transfer. Most of our district is going to be leaving, so I feel like I am going to be staying and serving as District Leader. We will see if I am right.

2.  How is your less active man - is he coming to church?

I think that he was very unsure about coming to church, but his family who haven't ever heard of our church convinced him of going, so as a family they should be coming to church next Sunday.

3. Do you have to sing to investigators?

No we haven't had to.

 

4.  Are the members helping you find people to teach?

They are. Our ward mission leader recently has been inviting a friend of his to come to church and to the activities. They came to one activity we had, and they also came to church last Sunday.

5. What experience did you have this week?

I can't think of an experience this week that really stands out, but we do have some great people that we are teaching. We have found some really good families, and I am looking forward to seeing them progress.

6. Have you grown taller?

I don't think so.

7. Are you surviving the heat? (how hot - how high is the humidity)

I am surviving the heat for sure, as long as I have sun screen. The temperature as been barely over 100 this passed week, and it is only getting hotter. And to tell you the truth, in some ways I like the humidity better than the dry heat, because I don't burn as easy. It really isn't too bad except for the fact that we are on bikes. I knock on doors completely drenched in sweat after biking all over the place. The spirit really has to take over on my door approaches, because I look terrible.

8. Are the members keeping you fed? ( if not what do you eat?)

They are doing an OK job on feeding us, but we also have some no-members and investigators that make food for us, so it isn't too bad. When we eat on our own I usually eat pasta, or sandwiches, or sometimes soup, ya know all the good missionary meals.

9. Are you finding people that are ready for the gospel? and are progressing?

We have some great families that we are working with that have shown lots of interest in the church. We just need to help them start to progress.

10. Does your mission have i-pads? ( are they getting them?)

Our mission will be getting I-pads either at the end of this year, or by the beginning on next year. We will have to buy the I-pads when they come, so I will be able to bring it home. They are also going to the I-pad minis.

I am really enjoying this area and the work that we are starting to do. I really hope that I get to stay for one more transfer. I want to see some of the investigators that we have found start to progress. I haven't really put any names down for now, because I figure that I will wait until they are progressing. I really do enjoy missionary work. I even love knocking doors.

I love you Dad! Thanks for your love and support I hope you have a great week! I hope BYU plays well this year! Thank you for everything!

Love, Elder Stewart

Working Hard!!

Hi Mom,

I am excited to hear Chase on the drums! I love hearing someone that can play the drums really well. Is there a rule that y'all have set for how long he is allowed to play for? And Haley finally rode in a Camaro? I hope she enjoyed it.
 

The work here is very up and down. To start off the week, a lot of our investigators that we had found dropped us. They aren't ready. We did find a lot of new investigators again this week, so we will see how many of them will want to continue investigating the church. There are always people to find here, but we need to find the prepared. We are really trying to work with the members to find their friends as well, and yesterday one of the members in are area invited his friends to come to church and they came. They were a great family, and we are looking forward to teaching them.
 

Yesterday we found a member of the church that was baptized 30 years ago. He was a High Priest at the time, and he was serving on the high council. He was very active for 10 years, but than he went in-active when he came to the United States. He began doing things that aren't in accordance with the standards of the church, and because of that he fell away. He fell away hard. He was very interested when we went over to his house yesterday to teach his family, but I sense that he is very nervous of the road that lies ahead of him if he wants to come back to church. This was a very scary story that I heard from him. It really showed me that it doesn't matter how righteous you are or what calling you have, you can always fall away from the church and enter into temptation if you stop doing the simple things like praying, reading the scriptures, and going to church. His story has motivated me to do all I can to not enter into temptation. I am grateful for such great parents that have taught me this from a young age. Thank you Mom!
 

Recently we have been finding some good less-active members that are interested in having us share our message with them. We are always busy as missionaries, even if we aren't teaching all the time. I am grateful for my mission and for the things I have been learning. I have learned and grown so much, and not just in the gospel. A mission is so great for helping us communicate better, learn from all the people we talk to, learning to work hard, and so much more. I love the mission!
 

Good luck with your big assignment to finish of the semester. I hope you are able to find time for everything! I love you so much! I am doing great out here. If possible could you send me a new oil vile? Mine broke. I also think that I may need a new suit. I don't need it soon, but we can start thinking about it. I am going to see if I can repair the black suit I have, but it may be a little to small. Also, can you send me the email of Nate. I would love to start writing him. He will be a great missionary! I hope y'all have a great week!
 

Love, Kyle
 

A Bunch of New Investigators!

Hi Mom!

 

We found a bunch of new investigators this week. They were all pretty solid investigators, and we are looking forward to helping them progress. First we found the Macias family. This was a family that Elder Wells had been teaching while he was here. Before he left he suggested that we go visit them. After a long time of trying to schedule appointments, we were finally able to get in with them to teach a lesson. They are a great family! The obstacle that we have seen with them is getting them to church, but that is the problem with everyone. They are very interested in learning more!

 

We also found Andrew and Elizabeth. They have both recently been trying to change their lives around, and I know that the gospel can do it for them. It seems to me that the timing is perfect for them, they just need to act and commit themselves. I am very excited for this family as well.

 

Our biggest goal for this week is that we want to get as many of our investigators to church as we can. Hopefully the Lord will provide. I know he will.

 

In this area we are serving at another food charity. We do a lot of cleaning containers, organizing, and moving materials around. Also, this week has been the hottest week yet. We hit the 100s I think once, maybe more, and it wasn't too fun. I don't like the bike as much when I have to ride it in the hot sun. That is ok though, the mission is still great.

 

I'm glad that everything is going well with y'all. I am glad that I have such a great family who loves and supports me. Thanks for your example of how to be diligent in the things you do. I hope that I can be as diligent as you are. I love you! I hope y'all have a great week.

 

Love, Kyle

 

 just about melted here. To tell you the truth though, we have only hit the 100s one time so far. I thought it was going to be a lot worse, but it really isn't that bad. The humidity was hard when I first got here a year ago, but I have adjusted to that. I am really starting to like the city of Dallas. I haven't been able to go to the actual downtown area, but I will before I go home.

 

Questions of the week:

1. Are you happy?

I am happy. I love serving the Lord! I have even come to really enjoy knocking doors if that is even possible.

 

2. Do you feel like you are succeeding in your mission? 

Yes! The way that I measure success in the mission is how converted I am when I go home. I feel as though my mission has changed me, and is continuing to change me.

 

3. How was the confirmation Sunday?  ( I have no doubt that it was great)

It went really well. It was my first one ever, and it was in Spanish, so I was nervous, but I didn't mess up. Sara was so happy to receive that gift.

 

4. How is the work going?

We have no problem finding new investigators and teaching them. We are focusing now on getting as many investigators as we can at church. It is going well.

 

6. What are your P-days like?

We play basketball or volleyball early in the morning, then we come back study and do laundry. Afterwards we go eat somewhere with the other Elders here in Grand Prairie. Then we email, and what ever time we have left we relax.

 

7. Do you get along with your district and zone?

I get along with the District great! And the zone is good too, we just are never really around them much.

 

8. What is your biggest challenge?

Satan

 

9. What stories do you have for us?

The story or miracle that we have seen recently taught me how I really have no idea who is going to accept the message or not. We were knocking a street and we knocked on a door where a man came out who was holding a beer in his hand. Usually when someone like that comes out, I am not really sure if they are all there or not, but I know I need to contact everyone, so I contacted him anyways. He didn't actually live at the house where we contacted him, but he wanted us to come by his house on the other side of our area. I was very skeptical, and when the appointment came, I wondered if we should really bike all the way across our area. We decided to go anyway, and the lesson went great. Him and his girlfriend were looking to turn their lives around, and I believe that we are going to be able to help them do it. I am excited for them! Heavenly Father really is preparing people to hear his message!

 

10. Have you converted your downstairs neighbor yet?  ( the cop caller)

No. We tried to apologize to him, but he wouldn't even let us tell him everything we wanted to say before shutting the door.

 

11. What have you learned most on your mission?

That is a tough one. I have learned so much on my mission. For example I learned to roll my Rs, I learned how to whistle, and I learned how to juggle. I have come to love my Savior so much. Really what I have learned on my mission is how important it is to serve him at all time. That is how we get happiness. When we follow Christ we are happy. It doesn't matter if we have what we want or if we are happy in life, we have to serve Him. He never gave up when he was on the earth and he gave us everything, so why can't we give him something in return? I know he lives, and that we will be happy as we serve Him.

 

We are working very hard! I don't know if I like the bike as much in the 100 degree weather. It isn't as fun as when I first started. That doesn't matter though. I just love serving the Lord and working hard. The mission is not what I expected it to be, but I am growing so much, and looking back on this experience will be such a blessing.

 

I love you Dad! Thank you for your great example. I hope you are able to accomplish everything you have to do. Thank you for your love and support! Only one month to BYU football. I am getting a little excited too, and I am not going to watch any of it. BYU vs. Texas should be a fun one though since I am here in Texas. Keep me updated.

 

Con mucho amor, Kyle

Pictures from the Baptism!

Hello Mom!

We had a very normal week again here. Not very much happened. We had a nice little break from the heat for a couple of days, with cloudy weather, but the heat is back. Yesterday, Sara asked me to do the confirmation as well, so I performed my first confirmation. And it was in Spanish. Sara was very excited to be able to receive the Holy Ghost. She really has been such a great example to me in how I need to live. She has such great faith in God, and she knows that anything is possible with his help. She is going to be a great member. She continues to tell us how she knows that this church is the true church on the earth. That is such a testimony builder for me to hear the testimony of my recent convert. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today, and I know that he leads and guides us in all that we do. He has restored his Priesthood to the earth today so that we can perform these ordinances. I love Him so much!

There really haven't been any big changes with President Taylor here. He has really been pushing unity as a mission, and as a ward. Hopefully we will be able to start seeing the results of that soon.

I don't have much more to report about this week. The mission is really starting to pick up. The weeks are going by faster and faster. I am happy for this opportunity that I have to serve the Lord, and I am so grateful for all the lessons I have learned the easy way, and the hard way. The mission is hard, but it is so worth it. I really hope I can continue to learn, progress, and enjoy myself for the rest of my mission.

Thank you for all your love and support. I hope y'all are doing well back home. I will send a letter this week to Brooklynn for her birthday, so be on the look out for that. I hope y'all have a great week!

Love, Elder Stewart