Changes!

Well we got our changes... and again I have no change!  But I will be getting a new companion named Elder Lomeu, and he is from Brazil... So I am pretty excited for that, especially because he is from Brazil and well they know portuguese, and well maybe I will learn a little...  But I am pretty excited for that!  I have heard some pretty good things about him!  So I will be in Los Campos 2 again for another 6 weeks!

But this week was a little slow but it was a good week... Because Elder Falcon was leaving a lot of the members had invited him over for lunches and dinners, so we ate free for both meals this whole week, when usually we paid for lunch and didnt eat dinner... so that was good, but it took up a lot of time, so we werent able to visit a ton of new people, but we did have a lesson with a family that we were teaching and they were super interested, so we are excited to follow up with them this next week...  So yeah this week didnt have a ton of things that happened...

But one other thing that happened that was pretty cool is that we were able to have a lesson with an investigator about the book of mormon and things like that... and we had an x missionary that left with us to teach this person about the book of mormon and why we focus on it, and stuff like that... and it was really cool to see the way that this member taught the investigator, and we had been teaching this investigator for some time, but he never understood the importance of the book of mormon, but after this lesson, that we had on sunday, he understood the significance of the book of mormon and the bible and using them together... So that was a pretty cool learning experience for me...  

So yeah that is about all for this week and my scripture is 2Nephi 9... again it is the whole chapter, so that you guys are reading more in the  book of mormon...

Love you all

Elder Stuart

Another week in paradise

Well another week has already passed... The time just flys by here... but yeah things are going good here... Unluckly (not sure if I spelt that right) we had a little bit of bad luck this week... We were going to have a baptism on this past saturday, but well he drank coffee so he couldnt get baptized..  We thought that everything thing was good but when we passed by on thursday he told us that he had drinken coffee... because he is living in the house of a less active, and well this less active gave him coffee, and he drank it.  So yeah that was a bummer... but I believe that he will still be baptized some day... but not today... 

 

Also we have had a good time together me and Elder Falcon, everything is going good with us, but he will be leaving this next week so I am a little sad, but a little happy to be getting a new companion... I always like having the change of companions it is pretty fun...  So yeah but I hope that I will be staying in this area...

 

But yeah I am super excited for this next week I am ready to work for this next week, we have some good plans for ending the mission of Elder Falcon, and he is super ready to end working like chuchos... (Guatemalan slang for dog)  But yeah we are super excited for that...

 

And back home that is a super crazy week that passed, I hope that all is well and that you have fun!

 

And my scripture for this week is, well its a chapter, but I want you to read Alma 5... It is a little harsh, but it is my favorite chapter in the book of mormon... so yeah read it...

 

Love Elder Stuart

The Book of Mormon is Key

This week was an interesting... We had a lot of success in finding new investigators... That is the great thing about my area right now... we can find tons of investigators and teach tons of lessons, but at the last moment when the people want to get baptized, well they dont end up doing it... whether for laziness and not wanting to go to church, or just a lack of understanding...  or things like that....  But we have faith that the new investigators that we found this week are going to progress... This area is one of my favorite areas, of the two that Ive had... in my mission and I have learned a lot of lessons from it.. One is patience and the other is that people have their agency.... Bummer right...  But It is something that we cant really control as missionaries... We can visit the people a ton, but if they really dont have this desire to be baptized and do the things necesary to be baptized... well they arent going to be baptized...  But yeah it is something that I have learned a lot...  And It is something that Elder Falcon taught me a lot is that we need to baptize converts and not just people... Because a lot of missionaries baptize just people and these  people become inactives in like 2 days... and that we need to focus on baptizing the people that are going to go to church on their own without help....  It is a really great lesson that I have learned in this area....

Also something that I have learned this week is that the scriptures are important...  The book of mormon is the key of our religion!!  IT IS IMPORTANT!    For those that arent currently reading it... READ IT!  You can learn a ton from it!  I have learned literally a ton this week from the scriptures.  One thing that I found that was interesting is the story of Nehor and Amlici in the book of Alma...  And well they went to war with the Nephites because of the church... And this happens a lot in the book of mormon... and there are many times where it says that the nephites put their faith in Christ and won the battles...  This happens a lot with us in the church, and when it gives a description of Nehor it says that he had studied and worked hard to bring down the church but he failed...  We need to prepare ourselves spiritually so that we can overpower (teach the truth) to the people who arent members of the church... And the only way that we are going to have sufficient knowlege to do it is through reading the Scriptures!  So that was something that I learned this week that I wanted to share with you guys!  And that includes my scriptures for the week!  (Alma 1 and 2)!  Good luck!!!

Love Elder Stuart

Photos!

We cleaned our house deeply this week,  we worked a little to hard that we forgot to clean... Oops...  

Me and Elder Falcon at Elmers house, a member. 

Hello

This week was pretty good... It seems like every time I write my mind goes blank about the things that we did throughout the week... but yeah I guess that Ill try to remember.. The big thing that happened this week is that we were able to confirm a date for baptism for the 10th of may... and the only thing that this investagator has fear of is that one day he might not have the same desire to follow Christ, and/or he might move to an area in Guatemala that doesnt have a Chapel...  So he is super excited and we are helping him a ton to recognize that...  It helped me realize how important the 5th part of the doctrine of Christ is, Enduring to the End...  I have already talked about that a lot in letters in the past, but it really is one of the most important parts of the our lives...  And in my personal study I was able to find some good scriptures that I liked a lot about that...  In D&C 42:78 it says something like, every member of the church needs to follow the covenants of the church and the commandments... So that is a great responsibility... and also in Moroni 18:9 and 10 it tells us that by completing the commandment/covenant of baptism that we promise to be witnesses of Christ at all times...  So we as members have made a covenant to be a representative of Christ at all times, and in all things, and in all places...  So that was something Interesting that I found this week...  

Also this week It has been super hot... Which is kind of a bummer... But a kind of funny/embarassing story that happened this week is that we found a less active man and his wife and family who arent members, so he is the only member... and we went to visit him...  And we entered the house, and the wife sat us down and said, Ok perfect you guys can help me teach my son on of the lessons that he needs to be baptized(they are adventists) so then she said a prayer to start and taught a whole lesson to her son about faith in front of us, then finished with a prayer, and told us thanks and told us to leave... Im pretty sure we got out about 5 words in total...  So yeah she got one lesson with member, and 2 new investigators....  Which was us...  So yeah that was quite the experience...  

But yeah this week was much better for the work, it had been a little slow, but it is starting to pick back up again so that is good...  Me and Elder Falcon are working really hard to get this area back to life....  And it took us about 4 months but it is finally start to get back up to normal...  Which is really good...  And that reminded me of a scripture that is in Mosiah 21 verses 15 and 16... so yeah you should read that... it  is a good one.  para todos los chambones que no van a leer, it talks about how God will always answer prayers, but sometimes he is a little bit slow to answer us, because we were slow to remember him... so yeah we need to remember him always!  Ok I think that is all...  Thanks!  LOVE YOU ALL!

Elder Stuart

Easter

This week was a little slow, but good.  We were able to recognize many things as a companionship that we were doing good, and not.. and we are working hard to keep up the good work that we had from the last change..  I admire my companion Elder Falcon for the missionary that he is today...  He didnt start off his mission the way that he should have and it was until he had 21 months that he realized how big of a mistake that he had made, for the things that he did... and he is working the hardest he can to make up for this that he had done.. and well he is one of the best missionaries that I know.  He works super hard, and knows a lot about the gospel..  Also he is one on the only Latinos that can speak fluently in English.  So yeah I just wanted to put that in there to let you know how my companion is doing...

But with this week we had some good things happen...  We were able to find some people that are pretty interested, that we hope will progress...  Also we have been able to work hard.  We had a lot of lessons taught this week, one of the highest I had had in my mission, and we were able to help a lot of Less actives to church also...  So yeah it wasnt the best in the world with helping our investigators to church and stuff like that because of Easter here, which is super big for the Catholics, they have like processions the whole week and stuff like that.. So that was a little rough on us, but It was still a good Easter week!

Im am just really greatful for the time that I have had to be a missionary, and every day I recongnize a little more the importance of my calling... It really is one of the greatest things in the world and the oppurtunity that we have to serve the lord in the best in the world...  This is one of the things that me and Elder Falcon were studying this week, is our courage to share the gospel.  And we found some good Scriptures.  One of them is Romans 1:16, and the other is DyC 24:12.  So yeah those are my scriptures for you guys this week, and rembember that each one of us can share the gospel!  Thanks for everything!

Love Elder Stuart

Photos!

My district.... and a cake for the two that are going home!!  They finished this week, and yeah the cake was disgusting just in case you were wondering...

The entrance to the cave,

 and elders Falcon(my comp) and Cordova... 

and a little river... in the cave...

Me and elder Wilson... and a more photos of the cave... 

Me climbing on a members house, to see if they were home... oops...

Me, Elder Falcon (in front) and Elder Cordova in back with the Perez Family, who is literally the best family in the world

And us waiting for our changes...

Hows it going

Well this week was pretty great...  we were able to work super hard..  We were able to get a fecha for baptism for the 29th of march  so we are super excited for that.  We set some pretty high goals last week and we were able to complete almost all of them!  We had a goal to put a fecha and we did that, we also had a goal for 12 lessons with members and we had 15, and our goal for new investigators was 11 and we had 15.  So yeah that probably doesnt mean very much for you guys but it was really great to see the hard work pay off.  So things are going pretty good here in our area!  I dont want to leave it!  Also I dont have a ton of time this week but I will write a little more next week!

Love Elder Stuart

Puchigas vos Estuart!  Escribe un pocito más, huh?  Jaja

[The Older Elder Stuart]

Oops, pues tengo como cinco minutos mas entonces aqui esta...  Well yeah but we have been having success as a companionship...  Elder Falcon is a great guy, we have been working super hard this week and It is something that I am proud of...  Becasue the president told him that he was going to be my comp and that President wanted Elder Falcon to make his last three months the best that he could, and Elder Falcon took that to heart... I have learned many things from him, that when no one thinks you can change, you still can.  And that we should always try our best to change to be the best that we can be and that anñything is possible through the atonement of Jesus.  So yeah I guess that is a little more so that you guys arent all disappointed... Anyway, yeah see you later alligators

Love,

Elder Stuart (the elder, who is still younger)

ma sa la ch'ool

Well here i am again!  that phrase for my subject means how are you in kek chi.  So yeah im learning that a little bit, because a ton of people in my are speak in and somethimes they use the excuse that they only speak in kek chi so that they dont have to listen to us, so yeah we are learning a little bit..

Anyway this week was pretty good... We actually did end up having a change this week, my comp went to another area and I now have a new comp who is named Elder Falcon... He is from Peru.  He is a good guy and a pretty hard worker and also pretty funny.  So we get along pretty great!  Also he knows a bit of english so we talk a lot in english to help him out a bit because he leaves the mission in three months and wants to go to byu.  So yeah Im helping him out with that a little.  

Also this week we were able to find a bunch more people to teach by looking for less actives who are now older, that had kids that didnt get baptized..  so that is pretty fun because we are working in activating people then baptizing their kids.  So yeah that is going pretty great!  

But this week was a little bummerish, because our baptizm that we were going to have for this saturday was looking for a job was able to find a one which was great!  But it also kind of sucks because now she cant go to church each sunday because she has to work...  So that kind of sucks, but my comp said something that I liked a lot...  He said that God gave her a test, and it was a big test, but she ended up failing...  She need a job very badly but she was interested in the church, but with this job she now wont be able to go to church...  That is kind of sad to think about but it is true..  That she didnt really have the faith that everything would be ok if she joined the church...

So yeah that was kind of a long letter but a lot happened so yeah..  my scripture this week is 1st nefi 17:30.  

Love Elder Stuart!