Week 26

FAMILY!!!!!

How are you all doing??? I`m sure you`re doing great. You`re being dumped with double-missionary blessings right now. What else are you looking for? ;_).

So... Haha. Let`s start out this letter with how Elder Ramirez and I started out our day today. We walked out of the house, and as we opened the gate TARZAN walked by. Mom, don`t laugh. I tried not to when you told me you beleive in bigfoot. And I`m being serious. We both stopped, not knowing what to do, as a wild man walked briskly by wearing nothing but a sweater tied around his waist.

Elder Ramirez looked at me, I looked at him, we nodded, and kept on walking. Later, he told me, “Elder Stewart. We`re not in the United States anymore.”

On that note, guess who`s having a BAPTISM this week????!!!! After 5 weeks of really re-working the work here in Ybatè, we`re FINALLY seeing the beginnings of the fruits of our labors. We`re working to have these fruits turning over at a consistent rate.

Meet Luis. Luis will be baptized the 5^th of February. He`s a 30 ish year old man, with a wife and 3 kids. What an investigator he is! A few highlights:

1. He doesn`t LOVE us, the missionaries. It`s great. Let me explain. He`s happy to have us over, and he`s happy to listen to us, but his happy place is the church. He`s friends with ALL of the members. He`s been four times, and just loves to meet new people, chat with them, and after 5 minutes they`re best friends. It`s quite fun to sit back and watch him work. ;_). A lot of times the conversion is really hard on people, changing from their weekend-party lifestyle friends, to friends in the church. It can be uncomfortable and awkward. Recent converts are usually good friends with the missionaries, and stay that way for a while as they ease into the groove of things. Haha, Luis just dove in, head first, and is basking in it.

2. We taught him about Joseph Smith, and praying to know, and really stressed that he needed to get an answer. He quietly listened to us... and then, when we were finished, he said, “Well... I think you`re right. But I think for some people, they just... know.... you know?” And he... just knew! It was really neat. He`s never doubted that Joseph Smith was a profeta, from the first time that we taught it to him.

3. We left him a Word of Wisdom pamphlet this week, and came back to teach him. He told that that morning, he had put his water on to heat up for his Coffe, and then went to read the pamphlet, read that you can`t drink coffe, and went and took his water off the stove. SOLID!!!! I asked him why. Why didn`t he question it? He`s been drinking coffe his whole life. Everyone drinks coffe here. So why not question it? Haha, he just responded with, “Well, like you said, if Joseph Smith was a prophet, and this commandment came from him... then I shouldn`t drink coffe.”

The Lord lead us to an incredible investigator. One of his daughters skipped the church that she`s been going to and came with us to church this week, and found a new best friend in one of the members. His other daughter is coming with us to church next week. We`re still working on the wife, and the one year old baby... they`re being a tiny bit stubborn. ;_). The Lord`s working, sleeves rolled up, right alongside us here in Ybatè.

Mom, I really loved that quote by Sister Hinkley. I honestly cannot wait to get home and sit and chat over a nice frozen yogurt. It will be a little strange to have an adult relationship with my parents, but I`m kind of looking forward to it! And besides... it won`t be too grown up. There`s still lots of life lessons to learn for a 21 year old RM. That`s how I imagine it at least.

Thanks for the updates. I think we`re going to go Jimmer some of our investigators this week. ;_). The work is really going well here. I think you`d be proud of your little boy with his missionary plaque on. ;_). The work`s swallowed me up here. I`m loving it. The past few weeks have just FLOWN by. It really seems like every other day or so is already another Sunday. Everything we do all week leads up to who shows up in Sacrament meeting. I`m trying to give the Lord all of my Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength. And it`s working. Haha, I can`t lie though, I was pretty happy thinking about P day as we were walking home last night at 9:30. I was tired. ;_¨). Even Elder Ramirez mentioned it this week. Haha, he said, “Man... I`ve been really tired this change. Elder, I think this is the hardest I`ve worked in my whole mission.” I hope you`re proud, my dear pop. I love you a lot. There`s that scripture that talks about a parent not having a greater joy than to watch their child grow in righteousness. I hope this doesn`t come across as arrogant. I know I`ve still got a ton to work on. I just want you to know that I`m working. ;_). I love you. I hope that things are going well for you. You always worked your tail off,trying to provide the very best for me. I appreciate it.

Love you all,

Elder Joshua Stewart