Mission Accomplished!

Hello family. I'm so grateful. It was the best week yet! It was a battle to the finish; we went toe to toe with the adversary to help the D family come into the church, but what a blessing! And K was baptized too. That was my last baptism as a young full time missionary. I need to share this with you. I walked into the changing room alone after that baptism, took of my white tie, looked at my name tag, and dropped to my knees in prayer. That was a really sacred and memorable moment to me. I am so grateful to be able to extend myself in this service. I am so grateful for the priesthood, for the trust of the Lord, and for being able to see Him bless lives.

My overwhelming feeling at the end of this week is that I did what the Lord asked me to do. He gave me a commission when I came here to the Utah St. George Mission, and I have done what he commissioned me to do. I did what I came here for. I asked Coach Ludvigson to give me a blessing of comfort and counsel yesterday and one of the things he said to me is that there were people in the pre-existence that I promised I would find, and that I have found them. When those words were said I immediately thought of K and the D’s. They are really special connections. There were tears when I said goodbye to the D’s yesterday, and I gave them a picture of our companionship and another picture of the temple. It’s not goodbye though, it’s just see you later.

Well, I hop on the van in an hour and a half, get to talk with President Center tonight, and then I'm on an airplane tomorrow morning. What has been etched on my soul over the course of this mission is that I will serve the Lord daily. I will reach out and love and serve his children. That is where my joy and purpose comes from. It’s when I'm on my knees before Him, pleading with him for mercy, for help, and for the strength to serve each day. I don't know all the details of my next chapter in life, but I know I can still listen to and obey the voice of the Lord.  His promises are sure!

I love you so much. I love the Lord too. Thanks for your words and the song this morning. I feel him with me now more than ever. I can't wait to see you!

With all my love,

Elder Michael George Stewart

The Best Week Yet

Hello family,

Wow, didn’t I just write to you? What an amazing week it has been. The Lord answers the prayers of the faithful, and we are seeing so many miracles.

We had two great baptisms this week! And they were at an outdoor "warm spring" with snow on the ground. But they were a spiritual experience. C and B said that the water was much warmer than the surrounding air.

The D’s (our family of 7) are ready for baptism this weekend. We resolved some minor concerns with the help of the scriptures. Elder Joens brought out Psalm 23 and we promised all the kids that on their baptism day they would feel the Lord was with them and they would feel protected. The mom and dad are also doing great. They are really leading out in the gospel. And the dad got a job at a local farm! The Bishop promised him he would get temporal and spiritual blessings for obeying God's commandments. This is a whole family joining the church, it is a great miracle and a blessing.

K is doing very well too. She pretty much taught us the lesson on tithing and the 10 commandments. I am so grateful that she asked me to do the baptismal ordinance too. What motivation for the last week!

I just feel like sharing my testimony with all of you today. It’s been such an uplifting week. The promise that we may always have the Spirit to be with us is a real promise that I am hopefully realizing more and more these days. My heart is full. This is going to be the best week yet of my mission.

I testify of God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. I know they are real and that they are what the scriptures say they are: infinitely loving, powerful, and wise beings. I especially bear my testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. I have learned so much about him over these two years. It’s amazing to think about his mercy and grace and what he has done for all of us and especially for me. I know that when Jesus Christ suffered in Gethsemane and died on the cross, he took the penalty for our sins, and when he resurrected he overcame death for all of us. Because of his atonement, he understands us, and he can save us if we come unto him. He satisfied the demands of justice for us. As we have faith in Him, repent, and obey the Gospel, he can extend mercy to us. I look forward to that day when I will see him again. And I know that if I continue faithful, I will be able to lay claim on His mercy on the Judgment day. I want to live with God again, and I want to live like God does too.

I know that the Lord works through prophets to guide us. He always has from the beginning of time (Amos 3:7)! I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to be a prophet in our days, and that the LDS Church is the Lord’s Kingdom on the Earth. It is the only true and living church on the face of the earth because the true and living Savior guides it. I love the church, the quorum of the 12 apostles, President Monson, and all of my priesthood leaders.

I am so happy!  I have huge bags under my eyes, but every morning this week I have woken up at 630 and I have felt gratitude for all of my blessings. I love the Lord, I love his Gospel, and I love his children. I have been studying the Psalms recently, and I am grateful for King David's passion and poetry. Reading those words has really changed the way I pray and feel about prayer. Faith, prayer, and hard work really do create miracles.

Thanks mom and dad for your support and letters. I am grateful for your sacrifices for making my mission possible. All the lives and people who have been touched by my services are indebted to you for supporting me out here, and I hope you can share in the joy of conversions, retentions, and reactivations that have been going on in my mission. We serve for the Lord and we serve for his children. Our blessings are peace and joy in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.

So this week my goal is to have the best week yet. I want to wake up each day and serve the Lord and my companions selflessly. I want to have great studies that help me to become better and feel the Holy Ghost. To focus on the Doctrine, building brotherhoods, and reaching out to others. Witnessing the baptisms of the D Family and K at the end of this week will be a great capstone to my mission. Those converts mean everything to me.

I love you!

Elder Michael George Stewart

Just Grateful!

Hello Mom and Dad and Jeanie,

This week was just amazing; we changed our Pday today so that we could attend the temple with Elder Betham and Elder Campbell and their companions. It was so good to be in the celestial room with Elder Campbell and to talk about life, the mission, and the future. I can't wait for you all to meet him. I don't think I was ready to leave my mission two weeks ago, but now I am getting there. These weeks have been the best ones of my mission so far.

Here’s the highlights:

Brother S baptized his two kids, and his Grandpa confirmed them. That’s a family that has changed so much in the last few months.  Also a funny note, our pianist arrived late to the baptism so I played some prelude music. It went about as well as you could expect, but I can't wait for you to hear my new found "skills".

This week we saw miracle after miracle for the D family. J and V told us this week that while they have been taking lessons with us they have felt their lives change a lot. They were all at church again on Sunday. There were 11 of them and they took up two side pews. I am just so grateful to be teaching them. They are ready to be baptized. All of the older kids (9-14 years old) are reading the Book of Mormon too. And Juan, the 14 year old, said he is feeling more worthy. That’s a big deal for a kid coming from the gangs of Phoenix. So mark your calendars for the 15th! The whole district will be coming to their baptism.

We also kept teaching the K’s (C and B). They are getting baptized this Saturday. Their ward (the Fayette ward) does all their baptisms in an outdoor spring!  I hope they don't all freeze to death!

Also this week, S and S talked with us about attending the temple, and K made a program for her baptism on the 15th as well. 

So I am very grateful. I am very grateful for this mission. It’s the best! I’m sorry for anyone who serves in other places, southern Utah is the place to be. I am grateful for the people we are teaching and baptizing right now. It’s a huge motivation to have so many baptisms scheduled for these last weeks. I am grateful for all of the companions I've had, and I'm grateful to be able to make lifelong friends from this mission. I am grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ. These two years have taught me so much about Him and His Doctrine, and at this point I just want to serve him and do his will. Elder Becerra and I had a good moment the other day when he asked me "If they had let you extend for a year, would you have done it." I paused and thought for a second, and I am grateful to answer that I would have extended for longer if they had let me. It’s just the best thing I've ever done.

I have a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that this church is God's kingdom on the earth and that it safeguards the priesthood and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is God's word, and that it can prove to all men that this is the Lord's church.

I love you so much! Keep praying for us.

Love,

Elder Michael Stewart

The Power of Three!

It was a week with a lot of growing and learning. I am so happy to still be on my mission. The biggest motivator right now is that we have several baptisms scheduled for every weekend between now and when I go home. It’s a blessing that is sure to keep me motivated. 

This week was busy with a new companion, a wedding, and a baptism!

MONDAY: Right after I emailed you all, Elder Becerra and I went and taught a lesson to S, a new investigator we found a few weeks ago. He had wanted to be baptized, but he and his fiancé weren't married. They were talking about getting married "sometime this decade". We taught them the Law of Chastity and read to them from the "Family Proclamation" Those are some powerful words. And honestly, I still reverently remember the powerful spirit that filled that small room as we testified of the importance of them getting married. In that same lesson, they committed to be married on Friday so that S could be baptized on Saturday.  One of the most spiritual lessons I've ever been in. When we asked them "Will you all be married before Scott's baptism?" S immediately responded "Yes, definitely, we will do that." It just strengthened my testimony that when someone is ready and willing, the Lord can do miracles with them.

We called the bishop and ward mission leader right after that lesson, and asked them to take care of all the arrangements for the license and wedding. They did a great job, and I am so grateful for their help.

After that lesson, we packed some overnight bags and hurried to Salina so we could get on the van to St. George. The mission picked up all the missionaries who were in the MTC with me, they all left on Wednesday. I sat next to Elder Gomez and Elder Barboza on the way down. What a privilege to come full circle with those elders. In the MTC I sat by Elder Barboza every day, and we have served around each other several times. And Elder Gomez has been around me in one form or another my whole mission. I have a lot of strong feelings about these brothers and the experiences we have shared.

Monday night we proselyted in a walking area with the Sunset English Elders. I slept on a couch that night.

TUESDAY: Elder Lopez picked me up and we went to see all the missionaries boarding the transfer van.

Then all of the departing missionaries went to a temple session with President and Sister Center. There is a new movie again! That was a really spiritual experience for me. Brother Bott told us in mission prep, to "return and report" to the Lord at the end of our missions in the temple. And I took an opportunity to do that in the celestial room as I mentally reviewed all the areas, companions, and converts I have had. I felt clear and at peace about everything I've been able to do for 2 years. What a blessing. It’s not a sacrifice at all to serve the Lord; it’s my privilege and lifelong desire. It’s all about the people you’re with and the lives you’re able to touch.

After the session President and Sister Center answered some questions for us in the celestial room then we had a meeting with the temple president. He talked about making the temple a priority in post mission life. And MAKING TIME to be there. Definitely something I want to do in Provo, probably once a week.

My new companionship is Elder Becerra, Elder Joens, and yours truly. Elder Joens is a great missionary. Very diligent and he really wants to do a good job. He is the only active member in his family. I am always shocked at the missionaries who made big sacrifices to be on their missions. Also our combined weight in this companionship is almost 700lbs. We are all over 6ft tall.

WEDNESDAY: So after being trained, we loaded up on the transfer van and went all the way back up to Salina. I got to sit by Elder Campbell on the van and we talked the whole way up. Alma 17:2 "...and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord..." That’s the way I feel about that man. Eight months is a long time to serve together.  I am just so grateful that we will see each other every Pday and every district meeting each week till I leave. His example and service are big boosters to me, and I am grateful that I can be there for him too.

Wednesday night, we taught two great lessons, introduced Elder Joens to a bishop, and went to bed.

THURSDAY: This day was our District Meeting.  We learned about "How to Begin Teaching" principles from preach my gospel, got Elder Joens some groceries, went to lunch with Elder Campbell and his greenie, Elder Sanders. We taught the D family. The lesson was hectic; the kids were kind of unruly. They still want to be baptized though!

That night we had lessons with the S family (getting baptized on February 1st), K (Feb 15), the H’s (Feb. 8), and S (Jan 25). We had an awesome lesson with S about the Atonement and repentance. One of the biggest lessons I've learned on my mission is the importance of repenting and that we only can repent thanks to Jesus Christ. While it’s true we need to recognize our sins, confess them, stop sinning, make restitution and commit to keeping the commandments in order to repent---the most important step is the acknowledge the Savior's power to redeem and let that take effect in your life.

FRIDAY: Taught S about the restoration (or maybe we did that on Thursday, in any case he had all the lessons), introduced Elder Joens to President Rosenvall, taught the D family again about baptism, found a new investigator, and then we had S’s wedding The ward did a great job.

SATURDAY:  Reviewed S for his interview, interviewed him and baptized him. It was another spiritual day.

SUNDAY: Have I mentioned that our correlation meetings are Sundays at 6:30 a.m.? So we wake up at 5:30 a.m. to be ready on time. It’s fun. At 7:30 we got a call from a new Bishop, his whole sacrament meeting program had fallen through. So we offered to speak in his ward at 1 p.m. on top of our confirmation at 11 a.m. and our speaking assignment at 9 a.m. It was a great day. At the end of the day we had a lesson with K. She has asked me to baptize her which will be my first time baptizing someone personally in months! What a big motivator to keep me going for a few weeks.

I am so grateful for this week. It’s been an emotional roller coaster but at the end of it all, I know my head, heart, and feet are where they are supposed to be. I am so grateful we stayed so busy this week. Along with all that is listed here, we gave several priesthood blessings, had some run ins with drunken people, and managed to keep going to the gym every morning.  It has taken prayer, pondering, and good old fashioned hard work, but I know these last weeks will be my best ones yet.

I love you so much! Keep praying for us to find new investigators!

Love,

Elder Michael George Stewart.

This will just be a brief note today.

My companion and I will be staying together for my last 4 weeks! And we will be training a new missionary together! I am excited to have "the power of three" with us for a little. Even better news, Elder Campbell will be transferred to Snow College. So we will be in the same district for 4 weeks. All this is better than I could have hoped for. 

We kept the Richfield AP tradition going too. I trained Elder Campbell to be a ZL in Richfield, and then he was an AP (for 9 months by the way). And after I was transferred from Richfield, Elder Campbell trained Elder Captain to be a ZL, and now he will be the new AP. It’s a good life.

 I am going down to St. George in a couple hours to do the departing missionary activities, so all I can say now is that I love you.

I really love what I am doing. I feel so grateful to Heavenly Father for all of His blessings and for the work we have been able to do together. On my mission I have truly changed my life. I feel like for the first time I am doing EXACTLY the work that Father in Heaven has always wanted me to be doing. I am so grateful for the things that we have been able to do together.

I love you so much.
Love,

Elder Michael Stewart

This is why I extended!

We have been extremely blessed this week. One of our bishops referred us to a nonmember family of 11 to teach. The D family who are related to another family we are also teaching.  The D’s lived here in the summer and attended church a lot. They moved to Phoenix but, didn't like Phoenix for their family, and have moved back. The mother and father have been married for 17 yrs and there are 9 children. We met them on Friday, and then we went with father and one son to clean the chapel on Saturday. We had a lesson with the parents about baptism that day. They recognize that God wants their family to be in the Church, and they want a fresh start to their marriage and to their lives. On Sunday three children came to church with us (the rest committed to be there next week), and last night we also had a lesson with them about the Book of Mormon. THE WHOLE FAMILY was reverently seated, listened, and read scriptures when it was their turn. There is a very special spirit about them. They really love their bishop; he has done repairs around the house and helped them out quite a bit.

That is why I extended. To be blunt, this family is really close to baptism, and I know that Heavenly Father wants us to help them get there. It’s very exciting to teach families like that!

This week K was baptized by one of his cousins. Later that week K got hurt at a wrestling match, so we went to the High School. His coach carried him into a separate room, and my companion and I gave him a blessing. That was a very special experience. By the time he got to church on Sunday to be confirmed, he was walking, but it was still painful. He is a great kid! I can't wait for him to come on splits with us. Actually, I can't wait for him to go on his own full time mission.

There were just so many miracles! A grandma in Fayette called us and asked us to come help her get her grandkids ready for baptism. A bishop in Gunnison called us and told us an older man approached him about getting baptized. I definitely don't want to "count my chickens before they hatch" but I am just so grateful for Heavenly Father, my companion, the members, and everyone else who is making this work go forward. As Elder Campbell always said, "it’s a team concept", and none of this would be happening if any one piece was missing.

This week has been one of those "stand back and see the hand of the Lord" kind of weeks. We have been working so hard for so long! And there have definitely been fruits, but this week, the Lord definitely showed that he is able to do his own work. His children are in his hands, and he has all power to help them.

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's kingdom on the earth today. President Monson is a prophet of God, and he and the apostles are guided by Jesus Christ to lead the church today. There is "one Lord, one faith, on baptism" (Ephesians 4:5), and we have the priesthood authority to administer that to the world. I love being a missionary to echo God’s commandment "Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son" (2Nephi 31:11). Repentance is hard, but is joyful, and all men need to do it! And it is very exciting to partner with God to bring souls unto him--nothing could ever be more important or more fulfilling.

I love you so much! Take care, and do what you can to share the Gospel with others each day! Small and simple means are the best ways to do it.

Love,

Elder Michael George Stewart

Cheerfully do all things!

January 6, 2014

Thanks so much for the birthday package.  That sweater is VERY NICE! WOW! I don't think I've ever owned something like that before, thanks.  I was very well taken care of for my birth-day. Sister Judy made a chocolate sheet cake and the football coach invited us over for a New Year dinner featuring deep fried everything. It’s a good thing we've been going to the gym so much.  At the rate they are feeding us I hope you recognize me when I come home.

At N's baptism and then at his confirmation on Sunday Sister W shared her adopted son's conversion story and how it affected her and her family. She shared how the first couple of missionary lessons were pretty rough (he is from Ethiopia and had only been in the states for a week before met him, not much English there). Later as we kept coming back, she said her prayers were answered and she knew that the Spirit was able to convey the message of the Gospel to him according to his own understanding. It really is a miracle that as my companion and I prepare ourselves spiritually, and do our best, the Holy Ghost does all the work! Sister W shared how one night she asked N if he had been praying about our message. He said yes, and that he knew that it was good. The Gospel is for all men, young and old, bond and free! You don't need an education or a lot of experience for God to speak to you.

A few exciting highlights from the week.

J came to church again!  She is becoming a lot more active. Also, you might remember C who Elder Campbell and I taught in Richfield, he was baptized the week I transferred to Dixie. We met his younger brother in Richfield at that time, but he wasn't too interested back then. Well, it turns out that J is his biological mom, and he splits his weekends between Richfield and Mayfield, and we started teaching him up here. He is a much more interested now. It’s interesting how you can come full circle in teaching a family on your mission.

K is getting baptized on Tuesday! We had to do that day because it’s the only time they don't have a wrestling meet this week. His coaches are ending practice early and telling all the boys to go to his baptism. He has been fellowshipped very well! His cousin V will be able to baptize him too.

We got an amazing new investigator, and it’s the PERFECT story of member missionary work. The new investigator is named K S; she is 19, has 2 kids and is married to Z who is a less active member. She and her husband live with Z's parents who are active. C (the mother in law) has been slowly taking her to church, talking to her about the Gospel, and helping her over the years. This week C invited K to meet with us and K agreed! She is very ready and she wants the church to help her become a better mother. Love and serve your family and friends. Don't be afraid to invite them to church and to meet with the missionaries too. If those invitations are made out of love, they will never come off as being pushy.

There are so many great things going on. The Lord is really blessing us. And I feel like I am becoming the missionary that I had always dreamed and wanted to be. It took two years and I know that Heavenly Fathers expects me to stay converted and to keep serving Him and His children my whole life. As Elder Bednar taught us, we all need to become missionaries, not just go on missions.

I know that the Gospel is true and that the Lord restored it in our days through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I am always amazed at how the simple principles of the Gospel are so powerful. I have really only learned 5 principles on my mission: faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. But those principles and the Doctrine of Christ that they make up are in and through every part of the church and the Gospel. We pay tithing to show faith in Christ and to help us remain faithful to the church all through our lives. We read our scriptures to help us to repent of our sins and to receive the Spirit in our lives. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is in everything we do. Preach My Gospel teaches us to "Preach the first principles of the Gospel. Preach them again and again…" It’s kind of like chemistry, in that if you know the first principles and foundational laws, you can describe and solve almost any situation you encounter.

I am so happy with what I am doing right now. It’s going to be bittersweet saying goodbye to the mission. I have 6 weeks left. But right now my goal is just to "cheerfully do all things that lie in [my] power; and then stand still with the utmost assurance and see the salvation of God and for his arm to be revealed...." (D&C 123:17) I love you so much! And I love this Church. It definitely is the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Love,
Elder Michael George Stewart

Merry Missionary Christmas!

Hello Family!

This was probably one of the most FUN weeks of my mission. We got to do a ton of good work, we progressed and improved our companionship, and we had some good old fashioned fun. Elder Becerra and I also got to watch Kung Fu panda (one of my favorite movies) with the Judy family Christmas night. And it has a lot of Gospel principles in it. Just remember, "There is no secret ingredient, it’s just you!"

Let me give you some of the highlights I didn't get around to giving you in our phone call. It was great to see all of you! You're doing pretty good this year it looks like. I don't know why, but just seeing you was really joyful for me! It’s hard to believe it’s gone so fast---2 years? Well, at least I have 7 weeks left. And at this point I just want to make the most of every day and enjoy it. I am learning to apply all the lessons I have learned on my mission so far.

First a little bit of news from our area. The First Presidency decided to follow the recommendation of our Stake Presidency and they discontinued our Spanish Branch this Sunday. We had been briefed about this by President Rosenvall and President King (his 1st counselor who was also serving as interim Branch President), and so took steps to introduce all our Hispanic families to their new bishops and wards. We have accounted for every single individual and family attending the branch. Being so close to the men who recommended this decision, I know that it’s the will of God. Our families are already reacting positively to the change, and elder Becerra and I are excited to fellowship them now as a part of the regular wards. All I know is that I would follow the men in this Stake Presidency anywhere and do anything they asked us. We are going miss working so closely with President King. He has been another one of those great role models for us, but we will still see him around.

So on Sunday we spent all week attending church in the Axtell building. We went to the Axtell ward with R and C (a less active family we are teaching), spoke in the YSA branch, and then attended the Spanish Branch's last sacrament meeting.

And now for a non sequitur: we have been teaching the L family for about 2 transfers now. C came from a really active family, and she married R who was never active in the church. They had several kids, only one of whom is active and decided to go on a mission. Now all of their kids and grandkids, except the one that went on a mission, are on the "perimeter" of the Gospel. They are not enjoying temple blessings or any real activity in the Church. All because of a decision made in the past to raise a family outside of the church.

The good news is that they can repent, change their hearts and come back. And C, mostly thanks to her returned missionary daughter, is doing just that. R is having some trouble with some habits.  The Gospel is changing their hearts gradually but it’s so sad to see where they and their kids have come to, all because of past mistakes. I’m glad the bishop asked us to help teach this family.

Anyway, I hope we all do what we can to encourage our friends and family to be involved in the Gospel. The generational effect is way too huge. And I know that each of us can be saviors for our friends and family to bring them to the church.

In good news this week, N will be baptized on Saturday, and M will baptize his son B on Friday. Also, K finally committed to a date! We had to talk with the wrestling coaches (half of whom we teach, interestingly enough) to arrange a time when they could cancel practice to do his baptism. So on January 7th at 7pm K will be baptized! The 8-11th they have wrestling tournaments, so he wouldn't be able to be baptized then. He will be confirmed on the 12th in sacrament meeting. This 16 year-old kid is just too awesome; he lives with an active family, attends church weekly, and has a great testimony!

Well, I think that is all for this week. I really love what I am doing. There is way too much to cram it all into a small email. We see miracles every day. Couples deciding to get married, new investigators falling out of the sky, people repenting and changing, it’s the best!

This work is so true. We all need to have the VISION of what we can do and accomplish! I know that God loves all of his children and he wants them all to accept his church and his gospel. He has prepared a way for everyone to hear his voice and his gospel, and to decide for themselves. What excites me the most is that as his disciples we can be his voice to carry the gospel to them. Why in the world would we be unbelieving and think anyone is lost? We can do small things to serve and love those around us, and we can invite our friends and family to try out the gospel in simple ways. If we start with really praying for the welfare of those around us, and then we get up and act for them, God can do miracles with us, “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

I love you so much!

Elder Michael Stewart

It’s been a great week :)

Hello family! I got the Christmas package! Thanks so much! More candy?!? Ha,ha,ha,ha everyone here is trying to "fatten us up"! There seems to be no end to the baked goods, bread, take home meals, and treats everyone gives us. (D&C 84:89) We're just grateful that we have the problem of having to watch what we eat, and not the opposite problem. And we have plenty of food and to spare for this week, even to share.

Speaking of sharing food, Elder Becerra and I got the chance to help an unemployed transient worker from Europe this week. We tried to get a hold of his bishop and the transient bishop for this area, but we couldn't reach anyone. So we took him two cans of soup, a homemade pot pie, apples, rice, baked ham, steamed veggies, a dozen eggs, and a loaf of homemade bread that we had at home. He was very grateful for them. Right after we delivered our food, we did get a hold of the bishop, and he was able to help him with a job and a food order. I was grateful though that we had the chance to share what we had, tis the season after all.

This will be another short email. We are having some baptisms this weekend it! A and S will be baptized on Saturday. I remember when I was in Richfield a year ago, the Elders were already teaching them. It’s about time, and it’s been hard work. I guess the formula for success on the mission doesn't change no matter how long you've been out.

All of our investigators are doing great! Every time we teach J and J you can see the light increase in their faces. B and A came to the Spanish Branch party and loved it. And we are teaching some youth with less active parents too. I love teaching. We should see a lot of baptisms soon.

Here’s a story for you. Elder Becerra I have been teaching a family where the wife is active and the husband is inactive, and has been for years. He drinks and doesn't like coming to church, but he is doing really well in the lessons. Yesterday after we taught his family he walked outside with us, and shed some tears while he hugged us and thanked us for teaching him. We hope he makes it to church soon.  It was a good little pay day moment for working so hard with that family.

I love the mission. Thanks for supporting me out here. My encouragement this week is to rely on the atonement more. As we set a high vision and goals for ourselves, and rely on the Lord to help us in his work, I've seen that we can have peace of mind and assurance that all will go well. It seems like as I rely on the Lord more and more, he can teach me and help me more. It sure takes away my stress! I'm coming to realize that I don't have to be superman and do it all, because Jesus already did "do it all" in the atonement. I have to do my best and rely on him and those around me.

I love you so much! It’s going to be a great week!

Love,
Elder Michael Stewart

Making the Mission more Personal

Hello family,

 It’s a great winter day in Sanpete county Utah. There is about 6 inches of snow on the ground, ice on the roads, and lots of people to share the gospel with. It has snowed several times this week, but I only got stuck in the snow once trying to drive out of our driveway up a hill. We turned around and got out in no time though. We learned quickly. All is well!

This week was really good, it was great in fact. N, B, A and a few others committed to baptism. That’s one of the most spiritual times of the teaching process to me, when someone agrees to follow the promptings they are feeling and be baptized. It’s amazing and life changing every single time.

Dad, this week, I don't know why, but I've reflected a lot on your missionary experience. How you went through 12 sets of missionaries, how you didn't feel anything special the first time you read the Book of Mormon, and then your decision to live like Joseph Smith and his successors were prophets. And especially how you have gained your own testimony of the Gospel through the years. When we teach the Joseph Smith story to a family, and when we invite someone to be baptized, it makes me think of you and your choice to accept the Gospel. Remembering how your life, and therefore my life, have been changed and affected by the Restoration and the Gospel fills me with gratitude. I think I am just realizing how my life has been affected by missionaries (full time and member missionaries----THANKS MOM!) and I am so happy that I can offer that to other families. So, share the Gospel with your friends and family! Who knows who you will have affected 1 or 2 generations later? What could possibly be more important than that? See this website for simple ideas on sharing the gospel with others.

There were so many miracles this week! I think Elder Becerra and I saw so many miracles because we were on the same page more than ever before. We were praying for the same things, working for the same goals, and we taught in better unity. There is still a lot room for improvement though.

Let me tell you about 3 lessons.

We have been teaching a less active couple (though they are now coming to church) for a few weeks. They aren't married yet (they have plans to get married in April) and the future husband had a drinking problem. This week we taught him the Word of Wisdom and he told us "Yeah, I'll quit drinking. I've been waiting for you guys to tell me to quit drinking for a few weeks now." So that day we carried his last six pack of Bud Light out of his house, and dumped it in a dumpster. He sent us a text later thanking us for all we have done with him. Just goes to show that the real joy in missionary work comes when people repent (See Luke 15).

We also taught J and J the Word of Wisdom this week. They committed to quit smoking and drinking coffee. In just a couple days they have made so much progress! One went from a pack and a half to just 5 cigarettes, and the other is only smoking one a day. We fasted with them on Sunday, and we are going to give them priesthood blessings tonight. I really think that they can quit soon, and be baptized at the end of December. One amazing thing that happened with them this week, we asked the ward mission leader if members of the ward could stop by their home every day this week to offer support and fellowship. He talked to the relief society president, and she had assignments made before the end of church. So encourage the ward council to go out and visit investigators and less actives.  Your missionaries will love you.

We committed N (the kid who was just adopted from Ethiopia into an active family) to be baptized this week. We have been praying so hard for him to understand both English and the restored gospel in English. His language skills and understanding of the Gospel have really taken off in these weeks! I think mostly thanks to his mother’s help. After we watched the Joseph Smith story with him, we asked him how we felt about it and he said that he had already prayed about the church and gotten an answer from God. Well, the process is the same no matter how old you are. Read, pray, and trust God to answer you. That was an exciting lesson.

So again, thanks for everything! We are just having a great time. Oh, I almost forgot, yes we did get transfer calls, and Elder Becerra and I are staying together. It has been rare for me to be with a companion less than 12 weeks after all. So we have 6 more weeks together to see all of the reactivations and baptisms we have been working on. 

I know that this work is true, and that it’s the most important thing any of us can do. I love reading scriptures about missionary work. You probably already know this, but here is my inspiration as a missionary.

18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

There is so much in this scripture.  Jesus has the power to do His work, so what in the world do I need to fear? He has told me to teach, baptize, and teach some more, and that’s what I have loved to do as a missionary. President Monson has some great comments on this scripture if you look at last conference.  What I know though is that this commission from Jesus Christ is how we can change the world, in His own way, and one life at a time.

I love you! I love what I am doing!

Con Amorcito,

Elder Michael George Stewart

Spiritual Workout

We did it again this week! 7 days of more missionary work in Gunnison. I am probably the only man on earth this week who managed to lose weight during Thanksgiving week...I guess running and going to the gym every morning really pay off. Its a blessing being here in Gunnison...they give the missionaries a free gym membership and free key fob. So despite three sizeable dinners on Thursday, my Sunday pants still fit me a little looser this week. Go figure!

It was really a great week for us and our contacts this week. I am loving this area! A Payday moment came this week as M bore his testimony...what a blessing! We are still teaching him and his wife and 5 kids all together and he is preparing to baptize his 8 year old son on Christmas.  M and his family need that experience now of him using the Priesthood in his home and family. As a missionary...you can do so much to ensure that converts like M endure to the end!! It was exciting this week though just to be with and strengthen M. He is going strong!

Actually....H bore her testimony in sacrament meeting too this week!! Thats 2/2 on our converts from this area bearing testimony in fast and testimony meeting. So that was a good thing for us yesterday.  Here's a day by day highlights breakdown

Mon: Great lesson with J and J about the restoration...they are doing great! He should be baptized this month. They are really humble about this whole process and that is making all of the difference.

Tuesday: Taught J G again. Thats a long drive!! He doesn't think he will be ready for baptism in this month right now, but he kept reading and going to church. I learned a lot in that lesson. I hope he gets baptized so bad!!! He knows that the Book of Mormon is true and that this is the true church, he is just afraid of his boss. As fate has it...his boss is actually a member, but super less active. J told us in that lesson how he gets on his boss about not going to church or following the commandments. Every nonmember a missionary i guess!

Wed: Had a lesson with a man that came to church last week named B D. He is recovering from surgery, and he says that he has a testimony of the church. Wednesday was kind of a hard day for a variety of reasons...but we pushed through it. A piece of counsel that always helps me is "No matter how bad things are today, they will be better tomorrow if you serve the Lord today." If you apply that to yourself everyday and just conciously chose to serve the Lord, your life is happy and blessed. Trials don't disappear, but you become stronger to meet them. Thats what i learned this week.

Thur: Three dinners. Wow. We also put J on date for the 27th of December! Then in the evening we played basketball with missionaries in our district. I guess that was part of the mission initiative to help us not be so fat all the time.

Fri: What a miracle day! We went to a lesson with the butchers and A's boyfriend was there too. After the openning prayer, A looks at us and says, "by the way, B wants to get baptized too" WHAT!? This kid graduated from seminary and we thought he was a member. Turns out he just slipped through the cracks when he was a kid. He hasn't been taking the lessons as much, so they rechose a baptism date for the 21st of December for A, B, and  S. That was such a miracle.

I know that if we just do as Heavenly Father asks, he will provide every needful thing for us. Especially when our desires and our wills are lined up with him. I had a really sweet experience this week on Friday where I was shown how I have changed on my mission...even over this last year I have become more of who Heavenly Father wants me to be. I am grateful that I can actually say that I WANT others to come unto Christ and be baptized not for me but for God and for them. Its taken this last year to get that feeling deep down in my heart, but I know now that it is firmly there.

Sat: Had a great visit with B and his wife Liz . They basically dumped all of their feelings and thoughts on us when we were with them. They really want their kids to be baptized (L will take more time). But it looks like only H will be getting baptized from that family this month. I learned A LOT from talking with them this week.

1. People WANT missionaries to be bold with them. Deep down everyone wants to repent. B asked us to boldly commit him and his family to come to church on a specific date. So they are coming to church with us next week.

2. The most important things in life are the relationships we have with those around us. Think of the whole purpose of the Gospel--eternal families. We need to take time to nourish and develop the relationships we have by giving of ourselves and our time. Those relationships bring life's real joy.

3. Don't worry mom and dad....when you are older and can't take care of yourselves you can come live with me and my family if you want. ;-) Family first, right?

Also on saturday we ate lunch with our Stake President and took his 18 yo son who  on splits. I hope we have solidified that as a tradition in our area- Saturday lunch with the Stake Prez #WorkingWithMembers. President  is a great man, and I love being around him. His son served in the Alpine German speaking mission (funny how that same thing was true of my last stake president in the St. George YSA 1st stake). It was good to share the spirit, food, scriptures, and missionary work plans with that great man. As soon as he recovers from his surgery he will be coming out to teach with us too!

Sun: Had a great fast. Got 11 of our people to church. Sat next to the whole B Family in Sacrament meeting. Rejoiced in the Lord.

All in all....a great week. This week we have Zone Conference with a member of the 70. I hope I learn a lot. I am also focusing all of my efforts this week on building up Elder Becerra for whatever comes at the transfer. I know if I focus on taking care of Elder Becerra, Heavenly Father will take care of the area. He has show that time and time again.

I love you all so much. I cherish our relationships and I am glad that we can still strengthen each other and grow our friendships at a distance. I am realizing just how important you all are to me. As I draw to the close of my mission my heart really is full of not things...but people. I know that if we do our best to be a good friend and to help each other in the gospel our friends will be eternally with us. I think of the most treasured people from my mission....companions, converts, local members, etc and I can't wait to share all of that with you all face to face at the beginning of next year. You better mark your calendars for a mission tour in Summer 2014.

This is Gods true and living Church. It is lead by the living Son the of the living God, who has called servants to guide us. I love being one of his "swift messengers" to these people. I love you so much!!!

Con Amor,

Elder Michael Stewart

Loving it!

Hello family! It’s been a great, if a little cold, week here in Gunnison. We had snow and some wintery mix a few times this week. But thankfully Gunnison doesn't get hammered with snow like other towns in the area. Yes I am staying warm.  But I am also going to buy another sweater today!

This week Elder Becerra baptized M. We almost thought that M's baptism wasn't going to happen this week. His work took him all the way to Oregon to pick seed in the mountains. But he drove all the way back to Gunnison on Friday for his baptism on Saturday. He is such a humble man, and he felt that the Lord had great blessings in store for him if he decided to go through with his baptism. There was definitely a way provided for him to come back down to be baptized!

We also taught a young lady named H who was baptized this week.  Her dad was worthy to baptize her and they her family has have been really good about coming to church together, except for her mom who works on Sundays in the jail. They are probably in my favorite ward in this area, the bishop, ward mission leader, and a lot of the members work so hard to find and fellowship investigators.

We worked really hard this week. I am surprised at how much effort is still required for each baptism to take place. The formula doesn't change no matter how long you have been on your mission! Faith and Works are always the qualifications for miracles. I am just so happy that I still have the energy to go after it every day in this area.

Some highlights from the week: we went on a lot of splits to cover all of our lessons. Elder Becerra told me that he has grown a lot in this last month, and that was a little payday moment for me. I really love him and I want him to leave this area ready to tackle any challenge in the mission. Every day we study and practice so that we can each get better, and it is definitely paying off!

This week we also went all the way down to Central Valley (see that on a map of Sevier County) to teach a Peruvian man who is working as a sheepherder. That was a great experience. We are the only Spanish speaking missionaries right now that can cover this big area and so we got a ride all the way down to Richfield and then from Richfield to Central. We stopped in a field in front of a tiny, tiny trailer. Seriously, our dinner table would not fit inside of that trailer. My companion sat in front of J as we taught him the first lesson in that tiny space. He has been to church before, loved it, and his English teachers have given him a Book of Mormon in Spanish. I wouldn't be surprised if he got baptized soon. We are going back there this coming week to teach him again.

Also, we kept teaching the Bs. And the whole family came to church this Sunday! The Bishop and ward mission leader were kind of surprised to see them all there, and we were too honestly! The mom and dad are members, and their 19 and 24 year old daughters live with them and were never baptized. They don't read very much so we spend time reading from the Book of Mormon with them in the lessons.

We continued teaching the Ms too! That was such a great experience. All of their kids come and listen to the lessons as well, and they have read the Book of Mormon together and prayed together as a family. This week they came to church too! The mother said that she is surprised to see changes in herself to where now she WANTS to have us come over and she WANTS to go to church. The father is also coming along well (he is a nonmember); he said that he understands more about the Gospel than ever before.

Teaching families all together has been such a great blessing. We are teaching 5 families right now and a smattering of other individuals. Before I got transferred from St. George I had the impression that I would be focused on teaching families in this last part of my mission, and it’s so good to see that come true!

Thanks for your emails too! It’s so funny, here raking leaves is definitely not the process that it is back home. The trees are smaller and have smaller leaves too. Thanks for the details too about the return trip home. I won't be out of Utah very long!

I love you all so much! I definitely know that this gospel is true. I continue to learn more and more about faith, repentance, and baptism on my mission. As you preach the first principles of the gospel again and again, your understanding and conversion really grows. I am realizing that they are all inseparable. The gate to enter is repentance and baptism, not just baptism. We need to help our investigators endure to the end too. At the same time, we're not afraid or ashamed to teach the necessity of baptism either, after all the Savior commands us "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost". That scripture is still carrying me this day!

I love you so much!! Take care!

Elder Michael Stewart

What more can I give?

Hello mom and dad,

 This week I learned great lessons, I hope a lot of what the Lord has been teaching me for 2 years is getting internalized. Let me start by telling you of some of the impressions I had this week.

A young single father who is inactive and struggling with the Word of Wisdom asked us to come teach him and give him some help this week. He is divorced for several reasons, lives alone, and only gets to see his girls every other weekend. One impression that I had when I was in his home is that life, marriage, and companionships, are not about "What’s in it for me?" The world wants us to think about ourselves, about our own pleasure, achievement, health, and enjoyment, but that is backwards with God. Any human relationship does not last if we are just in it for ourselves. That was a pretty powerful lesson that was driven home to me.

This week was awesome! We had several lessons that were just flawless. We taught the Restoration to almost all of our investigators this week and it was great to see that Elder Becerra and I are getting to where we can really teach as a team. It’s taken a lot of work and practice to get there!

Let me tell you about one lesson that we had and then I have to go, sorry!

We were teaching a part member family (The N’s, they aren't active and their 15 year old B is an investigator).  Elder Becerra said the previous contacts with the N’s hadn't been too successful in the past. We were reading the first chapter of the Book of Mormon and a Spirit came into the room that was clear and sweet. The parents and the daughter who we were teaching had tears in their eyes as we testified simply of the Book of Mormon and they committed to read it every day! Just little simple experiences like that go a long way for me.

I love you! Gunnison is great! We are having a few baptisms next week! And we are inviting everyone else to be baptized too.

Con Amor,

Elder Michael Stewart

Sanpete for Life!

This week we had a baptism the missionaries had been working on for a while before I arrived. We have been focusing on the mother of a family, and this week I invited her to read the Book of Mormon.  She did!  I was so happy when she kept that commitment.  She is a less active member, but I was very happy when she decided to read the scriptures again. Reactivation is just as rewarding as converting.  This week we baptized her son.

 To give you some perspective, I feel good if we find 2-3 new investigators in a week because I expect about 1:3 of them to be baptized. This week we found 7 new investigators! I love finding new people to teach! It’s one of the most exciting things for me as a missionary. Thanks for your prayers for me to find! Keep praying! There are a lot of people waiting for us to give them the gospel up here.

Most of the new investigators are coming from referrals that the bishops have been giving us. It’s so good to know all of the bishops in this area and to have relationships with them. One new family we picked up this week is the H’s. B and E are each in their second marriage, he is a member and she isn’t, and they have a 12 year-old son and a 14 year-old   who aren't baptized. They are very kind and right now we are focusing hard on having them all read the Book of Mormon, especially E. One thing I know is that the Book of Mormon has the converting power we need as missionaries.

We also picked up a family named the B’s. Brother and Sister B want to come back to church, and their 19 year-old and 24 year-old daughters aren't baptized. When we went to contact the referral, the 19 year-old daughter opened the door, and said "I’m glad you came, we wanted to get my children blessed in the home." Right place at the right time! We took them on a church tour (just across the street from them!) and mom was making plans to attend the week after Stake Conference. She wants to come and wants her daughters to be baptized! They are an answer to prayers.

We also have been trying to teach K. He is 16 and lives with an active family. They are his aunt and uncle who are also his legal guardians too. He plays football and is really busy, but we really want to help him!

Last of all we this week we met A. That was a great miracle! Elder Becerra felt we needed to stop by a certain home and we started talking to a less active young adult who wants to come back, and pretty soon all the other roommates drifted in, and it turns out that one of them is a nonmember young lady, A, who wants to be baptized! We set a goal for everyone to read the Book of Mormon from the beginning, Elder Becerra and I had just finished our last read through, and they all wanted to start. Hopefully we will be able finish before I come home in February! That’s the goal!

This week we also kept teaching the B family, and H is ready to be baptized!  Dad is activated; we are just working on Mom! She works on Sundays at the prison, but she has a really good testimony.

Also, M committed to be baptized this week! He said he has been waiting for the invitation and really wants to do it! It will be good to have a Spanish Speaking baptism again! I haven’t been involved in one since last July.

At this point on my mission, it’s just so fulfilling to see things come full circle. This week I got several emails from people I have taught in other areas that are getting baptized soon. The work of God continues! I am really humbled that I can play a small part in the salvation of others. 

I know that this church is true! Being a member missionary should be such a privilege to all of us! It lets us share that which is most meaningful to us with family and friends who need us. This week think and pray about someone you need to share the gospel with. Then set a goal about WHAT you will do to help them and WHEN you will do it. I know that when we give Heavenly Father all of our heart, might, mind, and strength, he will help us to do his work and we can all successfully invite others to come unto Christ.

I love this work and I love what I am doing. I am constantly grateful that the relationships that I get to build here can last my whole life and into eternity. It is comforting to know that when we help someone be strengthened in the Gospel they become our true friend, and if we are faithful to the end, our family and friends are eternally with us.

Los quiero mucho!!

Elder Michael Stewart

Welcome to Gunnison!

Hello there mom and dad!! Writing you is a considerable more rested, more peaceful, and COLDER Elder Stewart. I am sitting in the city hall of Gunnison watching coal trucks rumble up and down Main Street. The coal trucks never stop up here!  I bet that’s a good thing economically, I’ve heard that the SUFCO mine is really good for this area. 

Oh Gunnison!  It’s a great place. Serving up here in the fall/winter reminds me of when I was in Richfield last year. Crisp air, fall leaves, and beautiful stone and brick chapels. All of our buildings are older. I'm with a Mexican companion too.  We cover 9 family wards (6 in Gunnison/Center field, 1 in Mayfield, Fayette, and Axtell each) and we also have a Spanish branch and a YSA branch. Our area is more or less on a straight line up highway 89. We cover all the Spanish work south to Salina and maybe soon to Richfield and Monroe. There is so much to do here! 

My companion is great! Elder Becerra was born in Puebla, Mexico and has been living in Salt Lake since he was 10. He is one month older than I am and he has been out for 4.5 months, serving in Gunnison the whole time. He is very humble and willing to work. He is pretty buff and people say we are an intimidating companionship.

This week we felt prompted to meet with all the Bishops to coordinate the work with them. We have gotten many referrals from those meetings. If there is one thing I have learned about how to do missionary work it is to work with the members. This week we are going to invite everyone that we found last week. If even half of them accept our invitations we will have a teaching pool of over 10 people. 

We are working with a young couple right now named the M. They are both nonmembers and just had a baby. He works on a farm so his work is slowing down this week and hopefully he will be able to have more consistent lessons. There is also a family from Guatemala, one from Mexico, and several Part-Member families that we are working with. There should be lots of baptismal dates soon!  

Well this will be my home for the next 4 months.  I want to do the best I can right up to the end of my mission. I am so grateful that whenever I need strength to keep going that I can just ask and I feel that the Savior is right there with me. Elder Stewart doesn’t really have the strength to do this work, but I know that the Savior can work through me. This church is true and I love to invite people to learn about it and live its doctrines every day.  

I love you so much! 

Con amorcito,

Elder Stewart

I'm Just Grateful

Well mom and dad, tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.  I will get on the transfer van and leave Utah's Dixie to go to Gunnison.  I'm not sure how I am going to handle those moments; I don't do goodbyes very well. The great thing is that this is a "see you later" for everyone here in St. George, but I'm not sure when I will see some of these missionaries again. Tears have came pretty easy this week as Elder Campbell and I have reflected on 7.5 months together.  I feel attached to these missionaries, to my companions, to the office staff, and to President and Sister Center.  I about lost it when Sister Center gave me some chocolate sheet cake (I told her it was my favorite) and she said "thanks for all you have taught me". Are you kidding me? She is the one with the vision, the energy, and the righteous example. I'm just a 20 year-old kid.  I know in my heart that I have done God's will in this assignment. It’s been super tough, but by every measure I look at I see that I am leaving this area, these missionaries and the whole mission better than I found it.  And I'm just grateful to Heavenly Father that I could play a small part. He has heard my pleas for these missionaries and for my President and He has always delivered. This week the mission had 53 baptisms. That is a single week record for the mission and it’s the most our office staff has ever seen. I feel like this scripture in D&C 128, “Therefore, that we should waste and  wear out our lives in bringing to light all the  hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven  ...  Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully  do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the  salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." 

I just want to do that! To waste and wear out my life in this work. I am still just learning how to "be still and know that he is God". He is so good to me, and yet I struggle trusting and having faith in his plans. I don't deserve this mission, and I definitely don't deserve the relationships and friendships that I have been blessed with among my missionaries, investigators and members in this area. My heart is just feeling very tied up. I love everyone here and I want them to succeed. And now my part that the Lord is asking me to do is to leave all that I love and get on a van to Gunnison. The amazing part about this work and this church is that because I know that I am following the Savior up to Sanpete county it is possible to leave all of this behind. And they will all be in great hands. 

This week was great.  J got baptized he drove down  to do the baptism with us which was great. 

Well, I got to go. Next time I write you will hear all about Gunnison and my new companion. 

Love you!

Elder Michael George Stewart

Relying on your Companion

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well, this letter is dedicated to Elder Campbell. I have been serving with this man for 7.5 months. This was probably our best week yet. We were firing on all cylinders. We didn't have to say much to each other in the office this week; we just passed paper and flash drives off to each other and got everything done super fast. We had a lesson Sunday night with two less active members who are coming back to church. Elder Campbell used a great analogy about the gospel being like a bag of M&M's (can't wait to share that one with you when I'm off the mission), and I followed him up with a simple testimony and commitment to read the Book of Mormon. The girls and the fellowshipper left with questions answered and feeling the Spirit. It just felt so natural.

The mission is doing better than ever now too. There are 252 people with baptismal dates in the mission!  I have never seen that before!  I credit the success to the unity of the members/missionaries and to all of the new District Leaders we have, and especially to President Center. Many hands make light work! We truly have great DLs out there. I am just so happy that I see all these changes take place. I love President Center. I would follow him and Elder Campbell to the ends of the earth.

 I am just so grateful for the Lord and for my companion. The other night we just laid awake after the lights were off and laughed about some of the fun/stupid moments we have shared together. Elder Campbell is learning Spanish, so that creates some fun moments as we try our best to speak to each other in that language. We have seen lots of opposition together too. I still remember our first week together in Richfield, we were in the little town of Glenwood together and nothing seemed to work that week. We had worked so hard, but we had no investigators to show for it. So we said a prayer together in the car and I remember feeling peace come over me. The very next day, we received 2 referrals for people who were baptized that same month. We worked hard, relied on the Lord, and he provided the miracle of conversion in other people's lives.

That experience has replicated itself month after month as we have served together. In total, we have 18 converts together. There has never been a month when we haven't met our baptismal goal, and we aren't done yet. I am filled with gratitude for the blessing of being able to serve with as good a man as Ryan Campbell.

So, this week may be our last full week together. I can't really describe how I feel about that. After this week, the week of the 21st we will train up a new AP together and then I am off to a new area for 4 months, and home in February. President Center will make all the decisions this week and so by this time next week I will know my fate (but I won't be able to share it with you). All I know is that I am going to miss Elder Campbell so much. He has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in me. But he has been so patient and loving with me and he has helped me become so much better. I can't tell you how big of an impact he has had on my life. He is truly a forever friend and a true brother. I hope I can always be worthy of his friendship and trust.

Well, that’s most of my thoughts this week. We had a great baptism last week, and will hopefully have some more great baptisms this week as well. C was baptized yesterday. He was introduced to the Gospel in Price when he was a kid, but his parents were less active. Then here in St. George his buddy at work challenged him to read the Book of Mormon and then to meet with the missionaries. It was a picture perfect "working with members" baptism. I hope that I can be that good of a missionary when I go home.

I really love this church and this Gospel. I know that nobody can follow the True and Living God in our days without following his true and living servants. I know that President Monson is God's mouthpiece on earth today. He has counseled all of us to do missionary work! To go to the rescue! And to boldly open our mouths and share the gospel. I urge you to really consider and follow his counsel; we are all called to the work. I know that this church is guided by Christ and that He will support us in all our righteous endeavors. I know he suffered for my sins. Repentance is truly a beautiful word to me and I know that through Christ I can be washed clean and return to live with him someday. That is what I truly want.

I love you all so much!  Thanks for your love and support of me. I am really grateful that you are providing me with the opportunity to serve this mission--it has changed my life. 

Con Amorcito,

Elder Michael Stewart

Is it really P-day again?

Where did this week go? We went on temple trips to St. George and Manti this week. The last time I did that it was with President Leonard and Elder Chidester was my companion, wow time flies.

This week we had three great baptisms: R, L, and S. All four of the people who have been baptized this month belonged to the same ward, and the three girls all live in the same dorms. The Spirit of God spreads like a fire. 

In other happenings this week we had three training meetings for the District Leaders across the mission. President Center halved the size of all of the districts in the mission and we have called twice as many District Leaders. Many hands will make the work of lifting this mission much lighter. It was so good to be among the missionaries and to train them. I am humbled by the opportunity to help other missionaries. I feel like the calling is way above me, but I know that the Lord prepares a way. 

One of the District Leader meetings was in Salina at the seminary building. I got to see President Monsen from Richfield after the meeting. It was good to see an old friend and to see him in his teaching element too. 

Wednesday we had exchanges as well. I went with Elder Ayala in Cedar City Spanish. He is a recent convert of 3 years and he is about to end his mission. He is 26 years old. He is a sincere and humble man. I felt extremely at ease around him.  It reminded me of the first time I was companions with Elder Fragoso, just how calm I felt around him. I learned so much on that exchange, and I really left with a lot of love and respect for Elder Ayala. 

Thursday we were out of our area all day at the Manti Temple and an exchange in Mt. Pleasant. They were good times. I had forgotten how many dogs exist outside of St. George. It seems like everyone in Mt. Pleasant has a dog. 

Well, it’s a busy P-day so I think this is all I can send. Today we are going out to Hatch with our High Councilman to check out his ranch. It should be a lot of fun. 

Love you all! 

Elder Michael Stewart

Lots of Lessons Learned

Well, this was a great week. Miracles rained down from above, people just showed up out of nowhere. And I learned a ton of lessons. 

Elder Campbell and I trained a new group of missionaries and their trainers. Then we finished the first week of the transfer. The highlight of the week was a kid named R. He is from California, and we were referred to him by the missionaries in Hurricane. He has been going to church for weeks, loves the Book of Mormon, and when we didn't give him a baptismal date the first lesson we had with him, he told us he wanted to be baptized. He will be baptized this Saturday. 

One thing I learned this week, show don't tell. It applies to writing, teaching, being a friend and leading. Show missionaries how to teach baptism, don't just tell. Show love; don't just say I love you. Show Heavenly Father by our works we want to repent, don't just ask for forgiveness. 

I feel like this week, my relationship with Heavenly Father was deepened. We went through a little rough patch this week, but I definitely felt the power of the atonement strengthen and help me. It was incredible. I am a different person this week than I was last week. Hopefully now I am more of a teammate, and more of an instrument in God's hands. This week in my prayers, I have really felt Heavenly Father teaching me things in my mind and in my heart. Evening prayers is like going to school now with the master teacher. It’s even more meaningful and powerful as I have applied the things to my work that I've learned on my knees. I know God lives. He will talk to you if you but come to Him. 

I love you so much! Pictures in white are coming soon. 

Love,

Elder Michael Stewart

Learning to....endure to the end

Well it was another week in Zion, the best mission in the world. Elder Campbell and I will have one more transfer together which will be a total of 7.5 months serving together! Many people have had shorter courtship + engagement time than we have had companionship time. All I know is the setting apart blessing President Bush gave me is coming true.  After these last six weeks in the office President Center expects to send me out to an area to finish the last three months (+one bonus month!) of my mission. I hope I can train. I also hope I can go to Moab! Actually, I just want to go where the Lord wants me to go. I know that doing his will is how we meet with real success, and I know that he has opportunities planned that I don't even know about. 

This week we had several brush fires erupt and one forest fire. President Center had mostly finished all of his transfer decisions early by Tuesday of this week. So we were finalizing all of the logistics and decisions for the transfer throughout the week, and then we lost two missionaries in the mission. But challenges notwithstanding we finished the transfer (losing two missionaries affects a great deal of other moves) and we look forward to a great week and a great transfer. The mission is baptizing more than ever. It is so rewarding to finally see the fruits of faith, labor, patience, and diligence in the mission. I honestly want to see these other missionaries baptizing more people than see a lot of success in my own area, but and we are getting there now! It is exciting. 

Last week I got to baptize C and Elder Campbell confirmed her. She is awesome. She will definitely be a life-long friend. Many of her friends from Sandy (who introduced her to missionaries up there) were present at her baptism, and some even stayed the next day for the confirmation. She is the perfect example of following the Spirit despite opposition. Her parents still don't support her being a member of the church. All of the most solid members and converts go through opposition. But I have come to realize that while we need to expect opposition, we need to push and strive for breakthroughs. Everyone we teach needs a breakthrough to receive conversion, and it’s our job to be there to help them. 

This week C helped us find and fellowship other investigators in her ward (she lives in the Dorms on campus).  We found three new investigators in her ward!  L, and two roommates  named M and S. Elder Campbell and I joke that because they are roommates, it’s like we are teaching a family.  So you can still find families even in an YSA area. 

S and M are amazing. They both have received strong testimonies of the Book of Mormon and the Church. M told us "I found out that the Book of Mormon was true on page 20" (See 1Ne11:17 for the exact verse that impacted her). However, they are both experiencing some opposition, S from friends here, and M from family back home. S will be baptized this month, but M will wait for next month. 

Also, they are splitting our area.  We are going to be joined in our stake by Sister Missionaries who will start covering 5 of our wards. They will also cover the Canyonlands Apartments, aka the biggest gold mine for investigators in the mission. 

This week Elder Woolley and Sister Woolley ended their missions too. Talk about determined people. They have probably been some of the most influential persons to me on my mission, and I sure will them. We had a DELICIOUS dinner with them on Sunday night, and Elder Woolley got one last chance at harassing us before he took off the name tag. He already has a 4-wheel drive trip planned. 

One thing that the Lord has been impressing upon me is lessons in leadership. I see clearly now that leadership is service to our fellowman. They need leaders to set the example and to lead and guide them; everyone needs a touchable hero, or an everyday Moroni to look to. The lesson I learned this week is Alma 50:1 "And it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites...." This is so true for us and relates to a conversation I had this week. I was talking with President Center the other day about training, retraining, and helping missionaries, it’s a lot of work! He said "the truth is that you can never just stop working." Well, that’s what I learned: to endure to the end. And I think that mission presidents are one of the greatest examples of consecration and work. We can never stop.  People need our help every day, and we can chose to serve and to love every day. 

Maybe, the hard part is just that, the giving of self. I wish that love and service came more natural to me, that I could help and lift more missionaries. But I know that I am where I am to give of myself freely and to learn. I haven't done this job perfectly...but I am doing my best. I look forward to another great 6 weeks with Elder RJ Campbell, and I think now I am looking forward to a lifetime of service. 

I love you all! Thanks for everything! 

Elder Michael George Stewart