Week 37

Hello, Family!!!!

This week has been a great one. Wow.

Jorge´s getting baptized!!! No, not you, George, even though you´re going to be home, sitting around the Sunday dinner table, reading this with the family. I still haven´t been able to get my mind wrapped around that one yet. I thought about it, and it seemed so very not real that I simply had to dismiss the thought. In my mind, you´ll still be out on a mission for a while.

But! The other Jorge and or George is getting baptized this week! He´s a sixteen year old kid, the brother of a couple that were going to get married and baptized, se llama Amadeu y Sonia. Amadeu was previously married in Brazil, and that´s going to take a while to work out, but meanwhile, Jorge, Sonia´s brother, is on fire. He´s super faithful about going to church, and I think he comes to more Wednesday night activities than most of the members here!

The next week, the 30th, Mariela and Diego are getting married and baptized. Mariela is a miracle. I can´t remember if you´ve heard about her and her smoking deal. Tell me if I forgot to tell you. Anyways, that´s passed, she´s all of a sudden gone almost two weeks without smoking, and she´s really finding herself in the Gospel. That has been a beautiful change to watch. Her husband is a SUPER humble guy, and just wants to follow the commandments. He was VERY against getting married, until we passed by with Hna. Insaurralde yesterday. Hermana came in and just bore a very sincere, heartfelt testimony of the Law of Chastity, and the blessings that she´s recieved for following it, and being married. At the end of the lesson, Diego said, *Bueno. Si es un mandamiento de Dios, tengo que cumplir*. No fight. No pride. Just a humble submission to a commandment of God. Incredible.

Also, a 13 year old boy named Reinaldo is getting baptized with Mariela and Diego on the 30th. He´s the son of a member inactivo hace mas que 10 a~nos. We´re getting her back to church, and she´s super supportive of her son getting baptized, and it´s just going to be a beautiful thing.

This past Tuesday I got to have an Interview with el Presidente Foster, of the second quorom of the 70. Incredible experience. We had a leadership training meeting in Asunción, where he taught us for a few hours. Afterwards, he had time for interviews, and they invited anyone who wanted an interview to come to President´s office. I didn´t have to be asked twice. It was a short, 4 or 5 minute interview, but one that I´ll never forget. The second I stepped into the room, I knew that I was with a General Authority of God. The spirit was dense. Every outside noise left, and it was just President Foster and I. He gave me some very precious counsel to a question that I had had, wisdom that was written down to never be forgotten. Really neat.

Mother, Thanks a ton for the candy!!! It hasn´t gotten here yet, but you know, the thought is what counts. And the thought is also what makes my mouth water. Starbursts. That´s a faint memory if there ever was one. J. I´ll really enjoy that. Thanks for thinking of me mom.

Did I ever tell you how much I love president%. We were sitting in the Chapel, waiting for the meeting to start with the Leaders, and President walks in. He´s a great President. I really respect him a lot.

Rach, you´re the bomb. I´ve been stoked all week about you being an SBO. You would have served and loved your friends and the school with or without a sweater, I don´t doubt that. Now it´s your responsibility. Really look out for the kids. Really love them. Give em some charity! I love you a lot. More than anything, have fun. If you´re having fun, you´re helping others around you to smile and have fun too. Elder Gleason does that for me. When I´m a little bit stressed about the work, he´ll bust out in a hymn, or just smile real big and tell me something ridiculous to get my mood up. Do it for your Student council buds too.

Ashley and Alex, you two are great. Make sure George takes you to get a milkshake soon. He did it for me. He owes you.

Love you all!

Elder Stewart