Monday, September 17, 2012

Mis amados padres! (Dearest parents!)



Que los quiero muchisimo! Gracias por sus oraciones constantes, por su amor y apoyo para mi. Que buena semana tuvimos...y esperamos aun mas!
(I love you very much! Thank you for your continual prayers, for your love and your support. We had a great week … and we expect even more.) 

First thing...we did drive through some flooded streets last week, but in the safety of our four wheel drive Subaru. About 30 houses got really damaged by the flooding: 5-6 feet of mud in many of them. We do live in Santa Clara, but we weren't touched by the flooding. The great thing about St. George is that they had to turn away help because so many people showed up to dig people out. So we are fine!! 

And oh how much I have learned this week. I just want to share with you all my testimony really. I will be the first person to tell you that I have lived a flawed and imperfect life, but I cannot deny when I look back at the blessings in my life, that God has been an active part of my experiences. I know He lives and loves me despite my flaws, and He has placed in my path great friends and teachers who have really shaped my values and taught me to follow Him. He gave me great parents and siblings, and so many opportunities in my youth. He still is a God of miracles! It is hard for me sometimes to believe that Christ can help me in my situation (8 months is a long time in an area!!) but he can and does help me. Christ atoned for the world's sins, but he also atoned for me personally. He lives! This is his church! The Book of Mormon is true and testifies of Him! 
It has been great serving the Lord in this area for so long. This week we got to see some of my favorite investigators again, C and M. They have been reading the Book of Mormon! And they had questions about it! I love going to their home, and we really are going to help them progress towards baptism. We read 2 Ne 31 together, and you just cannot deny the Holy Ghost testifying that the words of the Book of Mormon are true. Read the Book of Mormon with your family! Read it with your friends! It really is just the best book ever, and it is our convincing evidence of the Restoration. 

We also taught O again this week. I just want to help her have more real intent! She comes to church, and prays, but she just sort of does them with a half hearted attitude. Please never keep the commandments like that! The Lord needs your heart first or any gift you offer him will do no good for you! I promise I am not frustrated with her...just sad more than anything! She needs to repent and be baptized, she just doesn't want to. Mom and Dad I apologize for anytime you were trying to get me to choose the right and I didn't want to. (Some childhood instances of going to church come to mind...) 

Right now I just feel like I do have the energy and determination to do whatever the Lord asks. I would stay in Snow Canyon for two years if  He asked me to. It’s actually funny though...the Branch President looks at me to confirm announcements in sacrament meeting; the Ward Mission Leaders wants me to tell him when to cut off during lessons. We have been in their homes, in their work, in their play...Sister M told me that they are building me a house here soon :) We will come visit together after all is said and done. But first, there are people to be found, taught, and baptized! 

Los quiero muchisimo! La iglesia es verdadera, familias realment pueden ser eternas, y espero anhelosamente estar con uds por las eternidades un dia! Guarden los mandamientos!
(I love you very much. The church is true, families can truly be eternal, and I hope to be with you for the eternities one day. Keep the commandments!) 

Que vayan con Dios,
Elder Michael George Stewart

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