Hola Family!
It's crazy how time can be a countdown OR a motivator. Four weeks down, TWO TO GO! Time to step up the game and get to work! This week has flown by (starting to seem pretty typical....) but it was a great one! This letter might be kind of scattered and not very cohessive - sorry in advance!:)
Two Elders in my district went to Las Vegas last week to get their Visas and were super pumped to have some real missionary moments. They left with a backpack full of copies of the Book of Mormon and actually gave out two! I was especially excited at how pumped Elder Dunn was. He has a hard time with the language and needed that little push to keep him going to know all the work will be worth it and now he (all of us) can't wait to get out into the field! We found out last week that one of the zone teachers that doesn't have a district yet (Hermano Talataina) was asked if he would choose a district to have teach him as an investigator and film the teaching for something in the future....and he chose my district. He was impressed with us and said we could set the bar for other missionaries that would see the videos! So last week we received a "referral" of a man named Jose. Now we have THREE investigators!
Teaching this week has been amazing. We taught Leonardo on Friday and took a "member" with us to the lesson. It went so well that HE asked US what day he could get baptized. Hma Richards and I were a little caught off guard and probably spent a good 10 seconds looking at each other before we said June 25th. haha I now have such a strong testimony of member present lessons! We took Pollo on a walk up to the temple while we discussed the Plan of Salvation and it was awesome. Seriously seeing HUGE steps!
OH! Coolest story. During language study on Saturday, Hma Richards and I wanted to shake things up so we went outside and "contacted". We were teaching some sisters and just doing introductions - where we're from, where we're going, etc. Anyways, when I said Tucson Arizona one of the sisters said, "Oh my gosh! I have a friend that lives there that was baptized a few years ago but has gone inactive - you have to find her!" She wrote down her name and contact info and it's sitting in my scriptures waiting for Arizona! FIRST REFERRAL FOR THE FIELD!
The Hermanas of my zone combined Brightly Beams and Come Thou Fount to perform in church and it was gorgeous. I love the talent that comes with Mormon culture:) Also, Hermana Richards and I got asked to teach our district lesson on Sunday with the topic "Faith in Christ". If anyone has suggestions/thoughts/stories/
In my personal study one day I came across D&C 8:2-3. At first I was confused why the story of Moses was used as the comparison. I think it's because not only the magnitude and grand scale of the miracle but also because in the story of Moses parting the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites were actually IN the water (Moses had water up to his sholders) before the sea parted. For all miracles to happen, faith must preceed but so must action! We have to demonstrate our faith through our willingness to act on spiritual promptings. It was a little bit of a light bulb moment. You have to hope, trust, have faith, and ACT for miracles to happen!
Tonight is the first night Tuesday night devotionals are going to be held in the BYU Marriot Center! History in the making everyone! All 2,500 MTC missionaries taking a field trip to BYU. It's going to be similar to Moses leading the Israelites - pretty sure it's going to take a miracle too. I seriously came to the MTC at the PERFECT time - the west MTC campus opened and Tuesday devotionals moved to the marriot during my time here (that makes it sound like i'm in jail...ironic?:)) and I leave a DAY after the massive June 23rd Mission President Conference where the First Presidency and the 12 will be in attendance! Blessed!
My roommate Miya came into the MTC this last week!! I've seen her a couple times and it's been crazy. It's nuts to think three of the six girls in my apartment are in the MTC together, going to Arizona, Japan, and Africa! The work is moving forward! I also saw Brigham this last week and he actually helped us plan a lesson! He said to make sure Camron gets to Provo before September because that's when he heads to the Mexico MTC. AND Lillian is engaged! So happy!
One night at dinner, one of the options was pasta with shrimp. A few of the elders love shrimp and were trying to get Hermana Richards to eat it. She looked at them, eyebrow raised and said, "Oh no, I don't do no shrimp!" in that texan accent she has. Sass to the max - we're a great companionship:) Also, I am proud to tell you that even though we are inside for 9/10ths of our day, I have been blessed to be sporting a watch tan! I can feel it already - once I get to Arizona, I'll be back in black. AWW YEAH!
Happy Father's Day Pops!! One of my teachers said something the other day that I LOVE! He said, "Right now, while you're on you mission, you are set apart to literally act AS Christ. Then after the mission, when you get married and have children it is your time to act as Heavenly Father or Heavenly Mother." How well are we acting our part? Just food for thought. I think you're doing a pretty darn good job, dad!:)
Hermano Clarke shared this thought with us this week that applies to missionaries but I think it can be applied to everyone too! He said, "Don't be a 'liquid' misisonary. Don't let your companion/situation/area decide the kind of missionary you're going to be on YOUR ONLY MISSION!" Decide the person you want to be and then be that person! Set your standards and don't lower them for anything or anyone. Mom, I know you love the saying "Fake it til you make it" but I have a new one for you, "Act it til you are it!" On Saturday night, Hermano Clarke asked us to look out the window and tell us what we see. He said first he wanted to tell us what He saw. "I see everything. A beautiful mountain, clear sky, great weather and it's Saturday night - it's that time to kick back, relax and enjoy the weekend." Then he said "What do you see?" A world outside of your world. He asked "What on earth are you all doing here?! When you could be out there, in jeans and a t-shirt on a Saturday night, what are you doing inside a classroom, dressed in church clothes? You are all CRAZY." He then told us how loved we are by Heavenly Father. He sees our willingness to give up that outside world for 18-24 months and He is SO proud. Elder Parker then told us all how he felt - basicall put into words how we all feel. He said before the mission he was struggling with the fact that when he got back from his mission, everything would be different - he siblings would be grown up, people would be married/have kids, etc. But then he realized that in the end it will all be worth it! Its hard to think how much I"m missing and how different everything is going to be when I get back but I wouldn't rather be ANYWHERE else in the world or doing anything else because this work I am blessed to have a part in the MOST important work we can do. I have already felt a little bit of the love the Lord has for his children in just the 4 weeks I've been here and I feel like my hear can just burst with that love. This work is amazing and I am so happy to wear a skirt, in a classroom on a Saturday night, preparing to be the best instrument for the Lord that I can be. I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK. Todo sera vale la pena!
"Schoooool's out for summer", huh?! What are the plan? Nothing? Good. Study you Preach My Gospels and read your scriptures! Thanks for all the letters this week and I'm glad you go mine! (I wasn't sure it would make it with only one stamp even if it was heading to "America"...I grew up in Europe, cut me some slack.) Oh, and thanks for Brynn's letter! It was crazy reading about her adventures in the field! Keep them coming please! (maybe have the Roth's add me to her email list so I could just get them every week...?) Happy birthday again Sara! I'm so pumped you get to go do baptisms THIS WEEKEND! The temple is the greatest place on earth! Mom, are you still bagging at the commissary? I love you all family and pray for you everyday! You are the BEST!
Hermana Stewart
Que el Senor la siga bendiciendo a ustedes! Les amo muchisimo!
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