Prepare for The Week of Lasts

Hey Family. Welcome, this next week will be the "Week of Lasts." Already I have had my last "normal Sunday" since General Conference next week. I'm excited, are you?

Everyone asks me if I'm nervous or scared. Truth is it all feels surreal. I can hardly imagine living in Mesa again. I've lived out of suitcases for so long, what will a closet feel like? It'll be interesting. Especially since I'm not the same person. I'll be a returned missionary, and I imagine that is quite a different person than a full-time missionary or someone who has never served. But no matter what I am glad I came.

Things to tell about this week. No investigators came to church this week. New jobs got in the way. But the 8 year old daughter of one of our investigators came to the Women's Broadcast with Sister Walker, Sister Goletz, and me. I loved that broadcast. I was able to visit lots of old friends from my time in Brownlee at the pre-dinner that was the Bossier Ward and Brownlee Wards combined. And as excited as I was to see them, my fears were met. I feared that our relationship might have changed in the year apart, and it's true. But I'm still glad I got to see them.

Friday night Sister Walker and I helped the Spanish Sisters help another sister in the ward paint an extra room in her house. It was so much fun to spend time with all those sisters. I was covered in dust and my shirt got some paint on it, as did my chin. It felt good to have a brush in my hand, to rub the dried paint off my skin, it felt so familiar. I also got to help serve by making planner covers for my fellow missionaries. I've been doing this my entire mission but the last 2 weeks have been a major act for me. I counted this morning. I made 17 custom planner covers and 14 extras for missionaries I might not know but still need that touch--that spark--of something beautiful in their life to make them smile each day. I've seen my planner covers do that in the past and until the mission gets I-pads, I will make it continue happening. This is my joy.

The Lord has been blessing our prayers by giving us answers. This week as we tracted, I met a man who had read the Book of Mormon a little and determined our belief in Jesus Christ was wrong and we didn't believe as other Christians. I testified to him and explained the history that explains the Bible compared to the Book of Mormon and we challenged him to pick it up again and give it a second chance, sharing with him 3 Nephi 11. We also met a Methodist woman that had read many books about Mormons and those who have dissented from the church but refuses to read the Book of Mormon because the "bible is enough." Please See 2 Nephi 29. The Lord never said the Bible was enough. He never said he couldn't talk to man any more. Don't let your mind ever think that the Book of Mormon is just a good story. It is holy scripture. Another man we met does not believe in God and does not desire to work towards that relationship. You could tell he was stoned, when we asked if he did anything he said no, that he just waits for the next day and the next day after that. He had no accomplishments, no fulfillment in his life. The Lord has said to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause" (D&C 58:27). I have broken this commandment in my life. I wonder who I would be if I had kept myself more "anxious" and zealous to the Lord. We challenged this young man to say just one prayer every day. We'll visit him again on Thursday. Every time we have opened our mouths we have testified of our Savior, the Book of Mormon, and our purposes as missionaries. This is a mission.

Kent only has one more day in the South and then he gets to meet the black top of Arizona. 7 hours of tracting left. We are scheduling people for next week we have been so busy. Only 9 days till I see Mom and Dad. Only 12 till I see everyone else. I hope you have those paper chains up, because it's time to take them down. I'm not sure how much work we'll be able to accomplish with Conference at 11 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday, but we will certainly do our best.

Are you excited as I am?

I love you.

I can't wait to see you soon.

Love,

Sister Stewart

Philippians 1:3 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."

 This is the local lake. Due to a plant that has been growing in the lake, the state drains it every year for winter to try and kill it. 7 years and it hasn't worked yet but you can see how low it goes.

 Happy Birthday Sister Walker (September 23th).

 Sister Curran's daughter has chickens who had chicks!

 A little painted.

 What my pants looked like after crawling in the plaster dust to paint the bottom of the walls.

 So the study door broke as I tried to close it, the screws came out of the wood. Yikes.

All the planners I made in the last 2 weeks. About 31--WOW!

2nd to Last

Well Hey there!

So its been an exciting week. Let's list the events:

1. Visited a Kingdom Hall (Jehovah Witness). While tracting on Wednesday we met 5 young girls that immediately showed us their missionary skills and we were invited to come to their bible study class Thursday. Finally given an invitation, we went. We were a little late due to a previous appointment but it was really neat to visit and see what the inside of another church is like. It was essentially what it sounds like, a hall. It was very simple in its decorations, just some flowers and a sign with a scripture. But it was also sad to see what their focus was, the sorrow of their doctrine, and the rarity of truth. Before we walked in, Sister Walker and I prayed to be shown the truth as it was spoken. We noticed that when something said wasn't truth, we would get distracted and start flipping through our scriptures or the little book we had been given. But when something was the truth of the Lord we would become alert and focused. Sadly, I read my scriptures a lot during the hour and a half we were there. But I learned just how true the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is.

2. They changed the code to the maintenance lock so we couldn't get a key to get in the church building so District Meeting was held at the nearby Brownlee Park. It was a little warm but not unbearable and it really brought our district together to focus more on the lesson and not on our circumstances. We discussed the simpleness of the Liahona and the testimony of everything around us. "All things Denote there is a God" (Watch Alma's experience: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-08-2257-all-things-denote-there-is-a-god?lang=eng )

3. We heard the funniest doorbell while tracting, and it was long enough to dance to.

4. Elder Jarret (one of our zone leaders) was just called to be Assistant to the President. That's 2 in a row from Shreveport Zone. I knew he would be called as one, it was all a matter of when.

5. We have a very wise and knowledgeable member in our ward and last night he taught Sister Walker and I some grand knowledge we never would have learned so easily on our own. It was amazing the understanding and faith building from our discussion. As we drove home, mind still blown, I realized how little I knew before and the last 18 months have been a build up to being able to comprehend the new things I learned. I testify that "line upon line, precept upon precept" (D&C 98:12) is truly the only way to know all the God can share with you, with faith and acceptance. I know that this gospel is true and I pray that everyone know it. Prepare for a mission, go to the temple, read and study and feast on the scriptures--the words of god. They will teach you all things (2 Nephi 32:3). In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Two weeks. Family, please prepare for (1) a Southern Kick, (2) a "Frozen"-athon, and (3) lots of hugs. I love yall.

"Your Sister" Stewart

 Combined District Meeting at the park :)

 Minden Church of Christ supports us. Too bad it's more like "leaving" the field.

 Oh the things you can find in Minden.

At least they know who's knocking.

When in Doubt - Shepard Pie

So in a week when I forgot to write in my journal it could be a little difficult to remember what all happened but I will try my best.

First off. We have 9 investigators with baptism dates. And all of them are for October and November, so I won't be having anymore baptisms on my mission. But that's ok because it's the teaching that is the real fun. Last week I got to watch the light bud in an investigator's eyes as she began to understand more the power of the gospel and the purpose in Joseph Smith and how much he is an example for prayer and understanding God.

What has been most interesting on my mission are the themes that happen from time to time and can last anywhere from a day to a week. A couple weeks ago was the theme "Trinity vs. Godhead." We had several investigators tell us about how the Trinity was true and then as discussed how the Godhead was true, it was interesting to see their reactions. One man stuttered in his words but wouldn't deny the Trinity. A woman began our lesson saying we were wrong then ended it by correcting herself when she said "Trinity." This week has been the disbelief that Christ came to the people in America and that the Book of Mormon is true. I haven't changed anyone's opinions--that's part of their agency--but I have many an opportunity to testify and to calm fires that began to rage by explaining why we use the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon. I know that the gospel is true, I am converted.

Every night Sister Walker asks me two questions: "What did you learn today?" and "What did you do good today?" She always answers to the first, "This church is so true." Amen. I can not doubt.

Other exciting things:

1. Sister Walker got hit on by a 42 year old black man that told us a very interesting story of how he was faced with the devil.

2. I got to serve for one day in Shreveport with Sister White! It was a lot of fun and I feel like we worked really well together even after all these months.

3. It was an Arizona winter during a Louisiana summer. All day Saturday it was cloudy and about 62-degrees. Sister White was freezing. It felt great to me.

4. I met my best friends', Lara and Haley, doppelganger. She's a 14 year old less active here. Seriously, she acts and looks just like them.

5. I made Shepard's Pie. Everything from scratch, and it was so good. We didn't have green beans so I used frozen mixed vegetables and I think it made it even better.

Still working on collecting some good Southern recipes to share with everyone. Are you excited? What would you like to try most? No I will not cook alligator, squirrel, or frog legs. You'll have to get those yourself. If there is any souvenir you would like, let me know. I can't promise anything but I'll see what I can do.

To everyone I pray a happy week. You have my permission to start counting down now.

Love

Sister Lara Stewart

I Love the Scriptures​.

So another week has gone by and the end is in sight. I have a month of work left to do. Sister Walker plans on putting me to work this last month. I wonder which I am, a missionary or an ox? Either way, it should make an interesting month!

A less active calls me "begat girl" because I told her I made a family tree that covers the book of Genesis. That's where her scripture studies have been so whenever we visit she has a good number of questions for me about who "begat" who.

We had 2 lessons during some pretty good thunder storms. The first was early Tuesday afternoon with Martell. His sister wasn't home so we had to meet outside. We stood under our umbrellas as he said the opening prayer and as soon as we said "amen", the clouds opened up and a boom shook us. We took shelter in a near by shed and taught about Alma the Younger's conversion. By the time we finished, the rain had calmed down but we were cold. Then on Saturday, we were threatened by some dark clouds all day. Finally as we made our way to an evening appointment it started to sprinkle and just as we reached the porch, there was a great clap of thunder and lightning simultaneously. We were shouting to be heard and I couldn't hear half the conversation because I was on the edge of the porch. They didn't invite us inside but that's ok, it was a short lesson any ways. And in the 20 seconds from the porch to the car as we left, Sister Walker and I were drenched. It was funny as we kicked up the heat and the fan in our car to dry off and warm back up before our next appointment.

We were certainly kept on our feet this week.

Right after that last lesson I mentioned, we had a great opportunity to go to a member's house in Bossier for a lesson and dinner. When Justin and Ava came to church last week, the Betteridge's stepped up to fellowship them and asked if we would mind having a lesson in their home. It was amazing! Both of the Betteridge's have served missions, in fact that's where they met, on the mission in France. They have 2 kids who interacted with Justin and Ava's 1 year old daughter. The lesson after dinner was so filled with the Spirit. It was scratchy at first as each of us began to establish our bearings. And then we all clicked and the topic and need that Justin had clicked and the Spirit spoke so loud! The steps of the gospel are key to the success of each individual. My favorite step is "enduring to the end." I have learned that it is the step that most people forget, but it's what makes us keep changing, keep going and keep exercising the faith that starts the process over each day and every week. The Betteridge's helped Justin to accept to pray about a date for baptism. Their influence was the best thing for Justin, and hopefully a friendship will blossom.

First hand, I have been able to see the importance of us members in this work. This work is divine. It is not for the Ammon's of the mission field but the Amulek's just trying to manage a house and family in the midst of wicked people. As I have been reading in Alma I have counted the number of times Mormon in his abridgment used the word "astonish." Already I have counted 10 times, and I have quite a few chapters left to read. Each of these accounted have testified to the reaction of "non-members" to the power of God. Truly he is all powerful and we can know it. Just like King Lamoni, we can feel the immense joy that the gospel brings and like Ammon in Alma 26, we can cry loud and rejoice in praise to our God.

I love the scriptures. It's hurt so many times whenever in our return appointments, investigators, less actives, and members say they have not read. They justify they are doing good telling us the truth that they have not read but they forget that it would have been so much better if they had just given that little bit of time. I feel guilty for all those years I, myself, did not give to the Lord and his scriptures. But I look forward so much more to the years of "feasting" I get to do.

So, what have you filled up on lately?

Sadly, I have forsaken my camera this week, so there are no pictures that I can share. I was trying to take a selfie this morning of how long my hair is getting, almost to my collar bone, but none of them are worth sharing.

Mom, Dad, today is one month to the day that we will see each other again. Family, it'll only be a few days more, but it is sooner than ever before. I remember how amazed I was that I had been out a month in April last year, now I'm similarly amazed. I am grateful for what God has helped me to do. I'm grateful for who I have become. And I am grateful for the potential I am learning I have.

I love you all.

See you Soon.

Love,

Sister "Lucky" Stewart

Sweet Home Arizona!

Well this is a late letter. Because of Labor Day, the library was closed today and we had lots of appointments this morning so we had to wait 'till this afternoon to email. But we made it.

This week has been crazy but good. It's been a struggle trying to keep the good going from my time with Sister Cottrell and Sister Boehula. Sister Walker and I have had to almost start fresh a bit. Or at least that's what it feels like. But I think something a little fresher is good. We've been trying to contact as many potentials as we can and if they aren't there, talk to whoever told us they aren't. You never know who the Lord has prepared for you at this time.

Kent has finally seen action again. Two days in a row, too. We ran out of miles and were walking but that's too slow for Sister Walker so we dragged out the old 2-wheelers and put our feet to the petal. We went almost 7 miles Saturday and it felt pretty good except I found out just how dangerous these streets can be. There seems to be an overabundance of bushes and trees right at the edge of corners so 2-ways stops are super dangerous. But I managed to walk down most hills and make smooth curves to stay out of harm's way. And I got first hand the memory of what it feels like to have a bike be your only mode of transportation. My rear end was not happy come Sunday and Day 2 of straining the legs and seeing how far I could go. Luckily my thighs seemed to remember the rhythm from all those months of biking in Wesson.

And we accomplished a lot of work. By the evening time on Sunday, we had passed out 8 Books of Mormon, had 8 new investigators and tracted 7 hours and 15 minutes. It was neat seeing people open up and respond to Sister Walker too. For example, down on McIntyre Street there was a house I was told never to go to because the people there had been so mean. Well we didn't go to that house but the woman was at a friend's a couple houses down. At first she was very closed off but as we continued being light and open and happy with her friend she started to included herself into the conversation, eventually accepting a return appointment and even asked for a Book of Mormon after we shared a scripture from it. Whoo-who! Little miracles like these have been happening all week. The only concern is memories, because people have to rekindle that excitement often times to read the Book of Mormon when we aren't there. And with so much going on in life each day that can be a challenge to remember. But that's where the benefits come in to see people when they have read and their hearts begin to open and change. It's beautiful.

Lately I've been saying "Missionary work is my job. I have the best boss in the world who is Jesus Christ. And I receive my paycheck everyday as I watch people come unto Christ." Ain't that neat?

*NOTE: The Southern accent has been growing on me. It isn't so thick I sound like Brother Glidewell but my companion laughs whenever I talk but I've developed the slang and a slight twang.

Also I got the chance to talk in church yesterday. The ward clerk as Sister Boehula last week and she had to tell him she was being transferred. So his eyes turned to me and I was assigned. My topic was "Following the Counsel of Church Leaders" based on our recent Stake Conference. I also talked about how counsel can be given through our actions and quoted from Elder William R. Walker of the 70's talk "Follow the Prophet" that was in this year's April Ensign. I love that he teaches us how we can be like our Savior as we follow the example of our Prophet. I love his story about hearing President Monson whistling through the halls of the Church Administrative building. Can't you just picture President Monson so cheery and giddy, almost like a little kid I imagine.

Oh and I turned one year older. I forgot again. I mean of course I remembered my birthday but with all the work we did Wednesday I only really had time to think "It's my birthday" when my workout was opening my presents from an amazing family and blowing out the candles from a kind and brand new companion. Thank you family for everything! The earrings are great , as well as the container to keep them in--thanks Mom. I've been experimenting every morning with the styles to what I'm wearing. I haven't worn many yet but I'm planning on it, incorporating them somehow.

I suppose I should also tell you a bit about my new companion. (I keep typing a "s" at the end of that word. Still adjusting to only having one companion.) Her name is Sister Walker. She from a tiny town called Morgan, UT about an 1 1/2 hour north of Provo. She's 21 and her birthday is coming up this month so that's exciting. She's the 3rd of 4 kids, with her younger brother serving in the Chiahua Mexico Mission. (I hope I spelled that right.) She came out with Sister Eyre, Baker, and Cooper and has served with Sister Cooper, too, so we talk about her a lot. She's a dancer, yes she is crazy, but she is a fabulous missionary. I think she will do wonders for Minden.

That's been my week. 5 left. Oy. That's one hand.....

Love ya all. I'll be home soon. "Sweet Home Arizona!"

Sister Stewart

 Elder Rowley can be really easy to tease. So his companion made a contract on a McDonald's napkin that he'd be nice to him for one day. Note insult in contract...

 I seriously love the skies here. This is the sunrise from the Bossier Sister's Apartment.

 I need me this statue.

 Happy Birthday to me!

 There was a lizard on the road and Sister Walker caught it!

This doggie's bark was pretty bad.