Week 44

Dear Family!!!!

Hey!!! How are you all!! There´s no question mark on my keyboard... you´ll have to excuse me.

Mother, I´m healthy and happy. We cook EVERY SINGLE MEAL for ourselves, and it is SOOOO FUN!!!!!!, and let´s be honest, there´s just not tons of time to plan out extravagant meals that cover every food group with perfection.

The weather here is getting cold. I think it was like 60 or so, and I was dying. People shake my hand and then shake the hand of elder Gleason and then ask me what´s wrong with me, because my hand´s frozen. I´m convinced that my core blood temperature has changed.

Father. It does my heart good to read your emails. When I read them I really do feel like I´m sitting in your car, going with you to buy groceries, and just having a good chat.

Matt Okelberry´s going to be one of the best missionaries I know. I had a list of 4 or 5 people that had certain qualities that I wanted to obtain before the mission. Along with Steven Stucki, Dan Mangelson, and McKay Smith, was Matt Okelberry. Matt is Firm, Steady, and Set in the decisions that he makes. Nothing and noone can shake his faith. If he feels that something´s right, he sticks to his guns. I´m just happy that I got to know him so well.

Yesterday Elder Gleason and I were fasting as a companionship to have better work con the members this month. Directly after church, the male, head of household members agreed to stay after church to hold the first OFFICIAL, in church, consejo de Barrio. Elder Snow, Elder Bazan, Elder Gleason and I, with Hnos. Wexel, Ugarte, y Pena. We discussed the future of Santa Rita, the Requirements to become a Branch, which is an assistance of 35 or more for 6 months, and the key role that those fathers have in making this dream come alive. We reaffirmed that every Friday night, the members are going to keep doing divisions with the missionaies to invite the best investigators to church. We talked about the families that weren´t in church this week, and commited Hnos. Wexel, Pena, and Ugarte to each go and talk with one of those families this week, and bring them to Church next week. Everyone left enlightened, and energized with the beautiful possibilites of the Church here in Santa Rita.

Elder Gleasons a champ. He´s not a trainee any more. I stopped training him a long time ago. We were teaching yesterday, having a rough day with the lessons. He was a little down as we were walking, and was quiet for a while. We got to a lesson, and started up, and he just took off. We taught a firey, emotional lesson, full of scriptures and testimony. The husband of Mariela, for the first time, REALLY understood what we were sharing. Elder Gleason brings the spirit with him where he goes. I love teaching with him.

Love you all!

Elder Stewart