I Know That My Redeemer Lives!

Hello!!  This week was amazing!!!  Can y'all believe that this week i will have hit my 6 month mark.  ahh crazy sauce!  Its going way to fast!  im just having way to much fun being a missionary!  I love it!!  So our new companion is soo amazing!  Her name is hermana Meneses from Salt Lake City (la fabrica) and she is 19 and she is fluent already cus she is Mexican and she is just so adorable!  We are so happy to have her with us here in Chamblee.

Miracles time!!!!

 

Lucy: So we went and visited a less active this week.  She has a really complicated life and i was honestly really scared to go over there because i am not good at knowing what to say to people with hard situations or what to do.  So while we are in this lesson and she was talking to us, i was praying so hard for us to know what to say to her. It was so amazing because the Spirit was able to direct the conversation in a way that we were able to teach her something that she really needed to here that day.  The spirit enlightens our mind when we trust in it, we will know what we need to say.  It might not seem like much, but  like the scriptures teach us "nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail [us]." alma 4:15 i just have such a testimony of the Holy Ghost.  When we allow ourselves to be soly intruments, the holy ghost can relay the message through our mouths of what these people need to hear.  I know that to be true.

Less Actives: So we made a transfer goal as a companionship to visit ever less active member in the branch.  Wow since starting this goal, so much happiness has filled my heart meeting all of these wonderful people.  We were able to meet about 10 less active people this week, and that was a miracle.  These people are wonderful.  They are so loved by our Heavenly Father.  Im so thankful to have the privelage to see these people how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ sees them, lost children of our Heavenly Father.  What a miracle it was to build more relationships with these great people, and Heavenly Father definitely helped us in knowing which people we needed to visit and at what time so that we could catch them at home.  Wow just wonderful!

Bernal Refferals: We have this awesome old lady in our Branch Hermana Bernal and she came out with us on team ups for like 6 hours.  We were able to do service for her a couple weeks ago, and because of that she offered to come out with us!  service is amazing and brings miracles!  So anyway, we went and taught a few of our investigators with her and the lessons went really great!  Then we were getting ready to take her back home, and she asked if we had more appointments.  We hadnt had any set appointments only finding so we asked her why.  Then she said well i just wanted to take you around to meet some of my friends if you guys want.  A FREAKING DUH!!!  of course we want to visit your friends!!  she took us around to a bunch of her friends and we taught them and made return appointments.  Wow that was a huge blessing and miracle to us!!!  I know that without the help of members, we could not do this work.  They are key!

The Things!!!!

1. So when we are at members houses for dinner its kind of been awkward without Hermana Gallardo because me and Hermana Bringhurst are bomskee in spanish when it comes to Gospel talk, but normal everyday talk is kind of awkward for me still haha i mean you can only say "how is your family doing? and how was your day?" so many different times and ways and then it just gets awkward and i dont know what else to say!  BUT, we figured it out!!!  After we ask them how they are doing we just start talking about our people we are teaching!  Then the conversation is booming!  BAM!  no more awkward dinner conversations for us!  

I just want you all to know how much I love being a missionary!!  it is seriosly the best and i am so happy all the time!  i love wearing this name tag and representing my savior 24/7.  This is the best calling i could ever have.  "And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of the their Redeemer.  And how blessed are they!  for they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth." Mosiah 27:36-37.  While in my personal study this week i read this scripture and tears filled my eyes thinking about how blessed i am.  oh no, here come the tears again haha.. I mean it with all my heart when i say that i feel so blessed to be able to Represent my Savior and be an insturment to declare good news to all of Heavenly Fathers Children.  how blessed am i.  "I know that my Redeemer lives.  What comfort this sweet sentence gives.  He lives, he lives who once was dead.  I know, that my Redeemer lives."  Have an amazing week.  I love you all so much!

Love,

Hermana Stewart

Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day

Hello Everyone!!  Wow what a week!  It is just raining and raining and raining like crazy here.  I am sitting here in the library and im soaking wet from just walking in.  Gotta love Georgia, your never dry! 
So transfer are on Wednesday, and we got a lovely call this morning from our Mission President.  We are headed to transfers!  Hermana Gallardo(my mom) is going with the other two spanish sisters and Me and Hermana Bringhurst(my little sis) are staying here in Chamblee, but we are getting a new sister and training.  She is a visa waiter, so who knows how long she will be here.  Ahh its kind of scary not having our trainer here!  She is kind of our crutch, so let the comfort zone leave and let the growth and learning come.  Thank goodness i have Hermana Bringhurst!  We make a great team.  It will be fun!  So glad to be staying in Chamblee, theres so much work here to do still!  But the work continues where ever the Lord needs us.  

Alright im going to see if i can make these emails a little more organized so i got this idea of how to do my emails while in the Shower.  Im telling you, revelation best comes while in the bathroom.  That probably sounds so weird, but its true.  

Miracles:

1. Blue House

Me and Hermana Gallardo went english speaking for exchanges this week with Sister Alofipo, and Hermana Bringhurst stayed in Chamblee with Sister Creech.  So we were out visisting some less actives in their ward and we were in this getto neighbor hood and sister Alofipo decided to go knocking.  She looks at us and tells us each to pick a house to go knock.  So i thought about it for a minute or so with a prayer in my heart, and then i looked up and all the way down this street and down this big tall hill i pointed to a blue house and was said i wanted to knock that house.  They both looked at me thinking i was crazy cus it was quite a walk and down a big hill that we knew we would have to hike back up eventually to get back to the car.  But we went anyway.  We got to the house and knocked on the door.  It was HErmana Gallardos turn to start the conversation.  A black lady answered the door and Hermana Gallardo asked if we could say a prayer with her.  She let us in her house, and we each gave her a hug.  I was the last to hug her, and by the time we each hugged her she was in tears.  We talked to her for a few minutes and she just broke down and told us everything that was happening in her life.  I really wanted to share a scripture with her but i couldnt remember where it was the one i was thinking about, as clear as day the Holy Ghost wispered into my ear "alma 34:41".  while the other sisters were talking i flip open to alma 34:41 becaise i had no idea what that one was.  I had never even shared that scripture with anyone.  it said "But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day resst from your afflictions."  in my head i thought, "afflictions, hope, patience, sure why not!"  So then i read her that scripture.  We were talking to her, and the more we talked the more i realized that we were tuly guided to knock on her door.  We said a prayer with her and she was again back with tears streaming down her face.  This lady, her name is Sister Hines she just looked at us and said "i was thinking about giving up, but then i heard a knock on my door and i opened it saw you three girls."  sister Alofipo told her how I really felt prompted to knock on this door, and that Heavenly Father knew that she needed us.  So then we made a return appointment and we left.  We were walking back up the hill talking about how cool of an experience that was.  Then Both Hermana Alofipo and Gallardo turned to me at like the exact same time and said "Hermana Stewart how did you know to share that scripture?"  I guess that they both thought of that scripture and they wanted to share it but couldnt remember where it was at.  Wow.  Can i just say that the Holy Ghost is amazing!  Without him, we couldnt do this work.  We wouldnt have known to go knock on Sister Hines door and be there when she most needed it and share the message that she most needed to hear. 

2. KFC Family

So we were eating lunch at KFC this week with my comps Hermana Gallardo and Hermana Bringhurst cus we really needed a break from tortillas and beans and rice.  So we were sitting in a booth and in front of us there was a hispanic family and then sitting behind us there was another hispanic family.  Boo yah!  we were going to pass out two pass along cards when we finished eating.  Well one of the families left really fast so we missed out on that opportunity.  Then we were talking and we started talking about something i cant remember but we ended up like getting upset at each other....three girls living with each other 24/7. haha we love each other :).  but anyway so then we stopped talking and then were going to leave cus we were done eating.  We got up to walk out the door and in my head i was thinking how awkward this was so just not going to give them the pass along card.  Nothing ever comes from pass along cards.   I was just being a downer Hermana Stewart.  So both of my companions were out the door, but the spirit was so strong and just told me like "dont you dare walk out that door Hermana Stewart without giving that pass along card to that family."  So then i grabbed one of the pass along cards from Hermana Gallardos hand and just looked at my comps "well are you coming?" and then we went up to the family.  and i kid you not all we said to them was "hi we are missionarys.  Here is card of Jesus Christ.  Have a great day."  Then we left.  Didnt think anything of it.  And then later i felt dumb that i didnt even ask them for their number or anything! Then we were back in our house later that day.  this was Halloween and we had to be in our house at 7.  So we were just making a bunch of calls inviting people to church.  I had the phone and we got a text from a number we didnt know.  It said "hi you gave me a gard in the KFC on Bufford highway.  Where is your church?"  LIKE WHAT THE HECK!!!!  Ok so that does not happen!  People do not text us haha!  We were jumping up and down and screaming and crying we were so happy and said a thankful prayer!  So it was the family from KFC and we had a whole text confersation and we invited them to church and they said they were going to try and make and then the last text was "thank you three."  Wow what a huge miracle.  And once again the credit all goes to the Holy Ghost for giving stubborn Hermana Stewart a little kick in the bum. 

Rain rain!

Funny Stories/lessons learned:

1.So on exchanges in english speaking i was driving the car and we went to go into this appartment complex but it was gated and had a swing down arm gaurd thingy.  So we were really bumbed but then i told them to trust me and i followed a car in through the gates, even though it said "no tail gating", but there was people to save and lessons to teach within those gates.  We needed to get in.  so i folled the car and we had a very very smaill window of time to make it threw.  The gates started closing when we were like half way through and the arm guard was coming down, and the car in front was driving so slow!!  Phew.  I made it but it was really close.  Like within inches from coming down on the car.  Well lesson leaerned is that i can tell you for sure that most likely i will never try doing that again!

The Things:

1. So we were talking the other day as a companionship about what things/ sayings do we contribute to one another or have picked up from one another.  Becuase you know when you live with eachother 24/7 you start becoming more like each other.  That could be good or bad haha ;) So here are our conclusions.

Hermana Gallardo: She says "freak!" all the time also she says "you get me?" all the time when she is talking so that is something that we have picked up from her because now me and Hermana Bringhurst say "freak" and "you get me?" all the time.

Hermana Bringhurst: she says "poop" and calls us "bumbsticks" all the time.  and also she says "you know what im saying?"  So that is something that me and Hermana Gallardo have picked up from her.

Hermana Stewart: so my companions say that i say "como rudo" (how rude) all the time, especially when we are knocking doors and when they slam the door on our face.  I do my little "wink click" thing all the time and they do it now too haha.  And then the last thing i have contributed is "Amen sister friend." or just "amen" in general.  I think that is a south think that i have picked up.  I say amen all the time though.  When we went english speaking this last exchange as we were praying together for the food or something i said "Amen" in the middle of the prayer under my breath. haha i dont know why but i just want to say amen all the time!

Til next week:

Well my wonderful family, i sure do love you alot!!  Being a missionary is still the best thing ever, and i am still enjoying everyminute of it.  THe Holy Ghost is so powerful and it can always lead us to where we need to go or what we need to do.  Something i have learned is to continually having a prayer in my heart always go to the Lord in any moment because i want to only be his instrument.  We need to forget about our wants and desires and not let them get in the way of the Lords will.  "counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good." alma 37:37.  When in doubt, go to the Lord.  When sad, go to the Lord.  When confused, go to the Lord.  When troubled, go to the Lord.  When thankful, go to the Lord.  When happy, go to the Lord.  Go to the Lord all of thy days.  This is my prayer and testimony always in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  Have an amazing week!  Be safe and know how much I love you all!!

All my prayers and love,

Hermana Stewart

Georgia Curls!

me with a big sword in the Garcia home

Chicken Feet vs. Chicken Gizzards....which would you rather??

me and my awesome comps

​bottom of my awesome camo cake 

(October 26th 2015)

Hi Everyone!!! 

High Five from Georgia!  Did you get it?  What a beautiful week we had here in Georgia!  Life is just wonderful!

Lots of cool things happened this week.  So i will start with "the birthday miracle".  So i really wanted to get a big ol miracle on my birthday this week and i did!!  So we went to this members house for dinner and we wernt expecting to do service.  We didnt bring any of our service clothes, but that didnt stop three cool Hermanas from Mowing, raking, and leaf blowing the yard in skirts.  HAah so much fun!  Then her neighbor came over, his name is Mario and she invited him to eat dinner with us.  So after we finished we went in and ate dinner.  Then we did a little lesson with him.  So we invited him to read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon when he got home that night.  He agreed...they always agree...haha.  So then we went home that night and we finished planned so then we started eating my birthday cake Hermana Bringhurst made me, (yes it was camoflauge with four different colors brown, tan, bright green, and dark green, shes cool.) and we get this call, from who do you know, MARIO!  we huried and answered and he was like "hey hermanitas you wanted me to read the introduction right?" and we were like "Yes" we couldnt even believe it.  Then he asked if we were busy and said he didnt want to bother us but he asked if we would read it with him over the phone, and we were like are you kidding we are missionaries this is what we do, this is what we live for, the cake can wait!  So we read it and then we taught him how to pray!  and then he prayed!!!  it was like such a cool miracle!  He called us!  he actaully wanted to read what we invited him to do!  he prayed!  Mario is "the birthday miracle."  

We made little goody bags (other wise known as "buendies bolsas" haha)  for every member and less active member.  And we made it a goal of ours to visit ever person on the ward roster because there are so many people we dont even know because they probably havent been to church in such a long time.  We really need to get this Branch Reactivated!!  so we did alot of visiting less actives this week and we are going to do that this week too because this Branch has so much potential and Elder Zuick (of the seventy) has really been stressing working with members!  The members in this branch are really amazing and we definitely need there help in this work too!  Its really fun to visit all these people that ive never even met and be able to establish a realationship with them!  Its wonderful!  I really do have a testimony of the power of members in this work.  If it werent for our wonderful members there is no way that Sally, Jessy, Ana, Edwin, and Arari would have been baptized!  Members are amazing!

the familia Mata took us out for my Bday at Pollo del Rey and Then Alejandro took us to Ihop for my bday.  Aweosome members!!

One of my most favorite things to do with my companions is when we are driving or walking is play "would you rather".  haha pretty fun!  We have some good ones too.  So i asked this one the other day, "would you rather eat a bucket of chicken feet or a bucket of chicken gizzards?"  i dont personally fansy either of those, both are quit hard to choke down.  But i would pick a bucket of Chicken Feet any day!  All you have to do is slurp off the fat and the bone is left and it doesnt taste like anything, just has a really weird texture.  And for the chicken gizzards, oh boy those i have to have tortillas and chile to get those things down.  Imagine eating a bouncy ball.  Yep thats what its like to eat a chicken gizzard, but tastes like, well chile haha just i just drown it it to put the taste away.  So would you rather eat a bucket of chicken feet or a bucket of chicken gizzards?  take your pick.

So here is a funny story for yall.  A funny story for yall and a learning experience for me.  So we went to visit one of our members this week.  He is a high counselman for the stake and he is really cool.  So we went and i thought it would be funny to scare him, because hes kind of a jokester and so i thought i would get him.  So i stood beside his door where he couldnt see me and i rang the door bell.  I was standing behind a little like 1 foot high garden fence thing, but didnt really think anything of it.  So then he opened the door and i went to scare him, tripped on that little fence thing and just pankaked it on the ground.  Oh my gosh!  so embarrasing!  He just stood there looking down on me and probably just thinking how stupid i was and the Spanish elders were sitting on the couch in his house and just trying not to laugh.  It hurt so bad!  So what did i get out of this experience, a bloody cut up elbow, a knee that turned into like the size of 3 knees (it was my left knee and yall know me and my left knee, its always the left knee.  I dont think that knee will ever look normal haha), and a great learning experience.  Think Hermana Stewart!  Sometimes i just dont make the wisest of choices, but you learn and move on right.  Dont worry dad, i didnt cry, just rubbed a lil dirt in it ;) 

Service in skirts

We had zone conference this week with Elder Zuick.  And let me tell you, we got talked to in plain words.  It was great!  I learned so much, and by the end of the night (because it went from 9 am-9:30 at night cus there was a devotional) i was spriritual exhausted!  I dont think i could have handeled any more revelation or i would have exploaded.  It was amazing and we are so lucky to have such wise leaders in this chuch that can lead and guide us.  

One of my goals here is not only knowing the Atonement being able to teach about it, but knowing and having written it it my heart and not just my head. I have learned alot since being on the Lord's mission for me, and im still learning alot.  If there is one are in which my testimony has grown the most, i would have to say The Atonement.  As i come to better know my Savior each and every day, the Atonenment is something i have come to appritiate, love, and excersise every single day.  I have seen the change in my life as i excersice and use the Atonement ever day and as I make Christ the center of my life.  My life is filled with more purpose, meaning, and happiness.  I know that it is only through The Savior Jesus Christ that we can be perfected and make it back to our heavenly Father.  Wow how blessed are we to have such a loving savior in our lives that through him we can become better and better ever day.  "And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spriritually befotten you; for ye say that your hears are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him, and have become his sons and daughters.  therefore, i would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of hi8m who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen" mosiah 5:8,15.  I know that as we with the Savior we can acomplish whatever thing.  It can litterally be the smaillest thing.  I know that the Atonement is true.  I can say that and mean it.  I love my Savior and im thankful for his Grand Sacrifice. I know that if we remember why we are here, where we are going, and what we need to do TODAY to get there, we can become the best!  I love you all so much!  I hope you have an amazing week. 

All my love and prayers

Hermana Abby Jean Stewart

xoxoxoxo

Fancy Restaurant

Go and Do

                                                       ​us and coke world

(October 19th 2015)

Hola como están mi familia?  les extrano mucho, pero me encanta a ser una misionera.  todo esta bien aqui, estamos trabajando duro como siempre.  bueno, voy a escribir en ingles ahora jaja.

HI family!  Wow que rapido this week went way fast!  i didnt even have time to blink it went so fast!  A lot of cool things happened this week!  

Ok so to start off last Pday we went to World of Coca Cola!  so so cool!!  it was really fun!  All the missionaries in Atlanta said we needed to go so we checked it out.  They had us go into this room to watch a coco cola commercial and i felt like i was in a movie theature cus thats what it looked like!  It was so good, i was like crying throughout the whole thing!  We met two LDS families that came up and said hello to us!  that was cool!  no one ever knows who we are or are even members!  Rare occasion.  Then they had 104 different types of cocoa cola products from all around the world.  Me and my companions tried every single one except the teas of course.  THat was a lot of soda!!  so fun though!

Holy moly my brain cant even think right now!  Missionary brain and Add does not go well together.  Bare with me this is going to be an all over the place email today!

Us eating cheese cake bites from the Bringhurst

So we taught Juan the one from El Salvador again monday night.  invited him to get baptized. He said everything is the Book of Mormon, joseph smith, even our church, but sais hes catholic and so ya, we are teaching him again tonight so that will go good and we will teach him more about baptism. Woot woot hes awesome though!

So remember that rerferal Maria we got well she doesnt like us haha but because of her we got another referal and met Lupe!  She is golden!  Not quite as golden as Ana and her family.  i mean Ana was so golden she made Budah look Black!  But she is pretty amazing!  We knocked on her door and she was a llittle hesitant at first but we finally got our way into her house to say a prayer but then we thought her a lesson and it was mostly all about the Book of Mormon.  So when we were talking to her she said we were an answer to her prayers.  She prayed that morning to find happiness, and then she knew she had found it when she opened the door and saw us.  Anyway it was a cool little moment.  Then we came back the next day and she wasnt there but then the next day she was there and we only could talk to her for a few minutes because then we had to go to another appointment but she wanted to just talk to us and tell us about all these cool experiences she has had since she met us.  She said that day that her friends said that there was something different about her then she told some other weird stories haha but at least she regognizes that we have something different, THE SPIRIT!  We are really excited to meet with her again next week.  oh well this week i guess haha.  

Me and Hermana Bringhurst

Ok so funny story real quick.  So we went to an appointment and this lady Guadelupe fed us Watermelon then i drake a whole water bottle.  Then after that we went to QT (a gas station we go to and get soda..you gotta reward yourself somethimes.) but then we go to another appointment.  OH. my heck!  I had to go to the bathroom so baddly!  Like it wasnt even funny, at the time, but my comps sure thought it was funny!  I litterally almost couldnt hold it!  We hurry and drove to the closest gas staion, and i just bolted out of the car running into the  gas station saying "praying in your hearts sisters!"  and they didnt have a bathroom!!  It was just so terrible and i just thought i wasnt going to make it.  Finally we find a Publix grocery store and thank goodness it had a bathroom.  i was not about to pee my skirt at almost 20 years old.  I just wasnt gonna let that happen!  phew glad i made it.  ANyway that was a weird story, dont know why i just told that.  Well what ever i still got the awkward badge on for 13 more months.  

Mata Family

our cake

Now i just want to talk about sunday because it was incredible!  We had Elder Ulises Shuadi come (dont know how to spell sorry) from the seventy and speak to our little spanish branch along with President Sulevan (from meet the mormons hes the black bishop) sooo cool!!  it was so amazing!  They talked about the sacrament and sunday day of rest.  We had 135 people there!!!!!  That is like a record for Chamblee.  First sunday here was like 30 people!  WOw so awesome!  We even had to open the overflow, haha me and my comps were just crying we were so happy!  Plus we had like 9 less actives there!  That was awesome and one investigator that just randomly showed up that we havent seen since like the first transfer i was here!  boo yahh.  Miracles just pouring down on the Chamblee Branch!  See, i knew they would be coming!  They'll be coming round the mountain when they come!

                                                Celebrating our BDAys

Sorry this email is just probably really boring this week.  My brain is not working very well ha.  It was a really good week though!  oh we got Guadelupe on date for 21 next month!  That was a miracle!  she was a member refferal from my first trasnfer.  She is progrossing now and so that is pretty cool!  We are working with some amazing people right now.  All of our progressing investigators are mostly people we have found knocking!  Life is really great right now!  but time is flying so fast i cant even wrap my mind on things.  The days just moosh together, and i wish for it to slow down just for a second but i have a feeling thats not going to happen.  Being a missionary is absolutely wonderful.  Im just so darn happy always!  The Lord is wonderful and i can truly feel him blessing us and working right beside us everyday.  "and moreover, i would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they many dwell with God in a state of NEVER-ENDING HAPPINESS.  o rememember, remember, that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." mosiah 2:41.  I have a testimony of this.  Of obedience and happiness!!  As a missionary, i have never felt so close to the spirit, so close to my Savior, and so so happy.  I am smiling write now thinking of how blessed i am.  Its so much easier for us to be obiedient.  Its the way to go.  We will be happy and if we always hold out faithful to the end, we will dweel with God in a state of never-ending happiness.  Wow.  That is incredible.  Just wonderful.  Even in the hardest of times we can choose, choose to keep smiling, choose to keep going, choose to be happy.  And Go and Do.  I love you all so much!  Thanks for being my happiness.  Have a peachy week!

All my love and prayers always,

Hermana Stewart :)

Me and Hermana Bringurst are the best cockroach catchers in town!  Who do you call...sister missionaries!

 and 45 minutes later....boiled cockroach. 

One Step At A Time

Happy Columbus Day!  In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.  I hope thats the right date haha, all i remember is that it rymns.  Well i hope everyone had a splendid week!  There is so much i want to talk about in this email so i will just start with last monday.

Last monday we had an amazing appointment with our investigator named Juan.  He is from El Salvador.  He is about 30 years old and he is amazing.  My comps actually found him knocking on exchanges english speaking and this was the first time i was actaully able to meet him and not just on the phone.  We taught him the Restoration.  Before we started the lesson i told him he was about to feel something very special.  it went so amazingly!  Our companionship is awesome.  we all just know how to teach in unity and the spirtit just works within us so well.  we all just feed off of each other and everything just flows so well.  I have taught the Restoration so many times, but everytime we teach it, i just fall more and more in love with the message knowing that these people are hearing this wonderful message for the first time.  In the end of the lesson he said the prayer and asked if the book of mormon is true and if Joseph smith is a prophet.  After the prayer we asked him how he feeled, and he said "i feel something special in my heart and there just arent words to describe it."  But in spanish obviously haha.  It was so amazing!  When you teach with the spirit you have power and authority to promise things and it was really cool to see the holy ghost working and testifing in his heart.  We are teaching Juan again tonight and we have awesome members coming with us tonight so i am super excited about that.  After we got home that night we got a text saying we have a refferal.  We hardly ever get refferals, so this was a miracle.  After our lesson with Juan, we earned Heavenly Fathers trust with one of his children.  We are meeting with Maria (the refferal) tommorow :).  

So on Wednesday i had the coolest experience, in fact i think it probably is the most coolest spiritual experiece i have had so far on my mission.  We have these investigators named Abraham and Milagros and they are a cute peruvian old couple.  They are super into the Bible.  they have never been progressing investigators but we had a appointment with them on Wednesday.  he does not really believe in the book of mormon so we planned to teach them the restoration.  We watched the restoration video and then read 2 nephi 29:7-14 and some other scriptures from the bible and stuff.  Then we had a testimony meeting.  As me and my companions each bore testimony of the Book of mormon i was overwhelmed with the spirit.  It was so strong in their house.  Then each of them took a turn bearing testimony.  He told us he was going to start reading the Book of mormon.  He told us the reason they keep having us back over.  he said "you three just glow.  you have something about you that is just different. everytime you come over, i feel so happy to be around your pressence.  When you leave i cant feel it anymore.  That is why we keep having you over.  you are three angels sent from god."  This is the coolest part.  We invited Abraham to close us with a prayer and like usual we invited him to ask god if these things we have talked about are true.  He never does that when we invite him.  but in this prayer he asked God if the Book of mormon is true and if Joseph smith is a true prophet.  He told god he really wanted to know if this is the correct path for him because he wants to do what is right.  It was the most powerfullest most sincere with real intent prayer i have ever heard.  i was kneeling right across from him and i will never forget this moment.  He sat there and looked at me with the biggest eyes that were teary like he had just seen something miraculous.  I asked him how he feels and he sat there for a good 2 minutes.  It was like he forgot how to talk.  He looked at me and all he said was "gracias por venir" "thank you for coming."  I know that he recieved his answer right there in that moment.  i know that he knows it and He knows that God knows it.  The Holy Ghost can soften the hardest of hearts.  Coolest moment thus far of my mission.  A moment i will never forget the way he looked into my eyes as the Holy Ghost bore testimony that this is the true church and that the Book of Mormon truly is the word of God.  Wow just wonderful.

So our recent convert family Ana, Edwin, and Ayari they moved to Texas this week.  Many many tears were shed.  Ana and Edwin we even getting ready to head to the temple and do baptisms too.  but this is what is best for their family.  They accomplished what they needed to accomplish here in Georgia and that was to find the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  Now they are living with Ana's Brother in a house and the living condition is so much better there.  We all feel completely at peace with this new change in their lives.  The oportunites are just awaiting them there in Texas.  They are in a wonderful spanish ward and the missionaries there are taking good care of them and going to make sure they recieve the rest of the lessons for after baptisms.  They will make it to the temple there is Texas and Edwin has the priestood now.  Their faith is incredible.  They are so strong, and the Lord will provide a way and take good care of them.  This family is my family.  They will always have a special place in my heart.  We were able to talk to them yesterday and all is well with them.  It is sad, but we know that this is what is best for them.

So another really cool story for yall is we met this amazing lady last thursday.  We go to the church every thursday night and teach english class.  usually no one shows up maybe one or 2 people if we are lucky, but i dont blame them because we probably arent the best english teachers out there haha.  But we met this lady from the Atlanta ward named Sister Butler.  She is like a 6 foot 8 inches black lady.  She is incredibly hilarious!  We got talking to her for a little bit and she was telling us her conversion story.  She was talking and right in the middle she just stopped and looked at me.  She is like "do i know you?  you look so incredibly familiar."  I told her where i was from and we just couldnt figure out where she might know me from.  heck, ive never been to georgia before my mission and she doesnt drive up to lil rigby idaho every other weekend either.  So we just couldnt figure it out.  She then just said to me, "i dont know where i know you from but i just get the warm fuzzies when i look at your sweet face darlin."  it was just a neat little experience because maybe i know her from the pre existence.  I dont know, but its possible!  That would be really cool and wouldnt doubt it for a second.  Anyway she gave us a bunch of coupons for Publix.  So we went and bought cake mixes, hot dogs, and juice boxes, and saved 21 dollars, thank you sister Butler!  Ive never done couponing but it was pretty cool to hand a bunch of coupons over to the cashier and then walk away only paying 7 dollars!  HotDog!

This week was pretty good.  The lord is definitely testing our faith with the trials we are facing right now.  We have worked harder than we ever have and been obedient to the T!  With much praying and planning and coordinating we had a member team up planned for everyday this week, only 2 of the seven not cancel on us.  We have never had so many appointments fall through, so many doors slammed in our face.  We had to drop some of our amazing investigators.  The ocean has never been so empty in our area.  But we are not loosing hope.  We are going to keep being obedient exactly and keep working our tails off and keep our heads held high, because there is a wave coming in the distance.  Life can be so hard, but you just have to keep taking one step at a time in the right direction.  I like to think of us all as pizza.  You cant just expect to eat a pizza without any work.  We are all start out as just a blob of dough.  You have to get beaten and kneeded and tossed into the air.  You have to get stretched and rolled out.  Then you get thrown into a fire.  But when you take a bite of that pizza at the end it makes it all worth it.  The Lord is the Pizza maker.  He knows our potential.  We just have to trust in him, and if we do we can all become pizzas.  "i have refined thee, i have chose thee in the furnace of affliction." 1 nephi 20:10  He knows our limits.  He knows what we can become.  Sometimes its not always fun to be stretched out and burned.  But what i do know is that every trial and hardship we ever go through is him refining us.  It is him making us better.  He is always with us every step of the way.  He cant leave us astray.  He wont ever let us burn or go through more than we can handle. "for behold, thus saith the lord God: i will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little, and blessed are those who harken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth i will give more; and from them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." 2 nehi 28:30. 

We all have amazing potentiol and if we just give ourselves to the Lord, always live worthy of the spirit, and always hearken unto the Lord, we can achieve our potention.  We are all becoming yummy pizzas.  You are all amazing and dont ever forget that.  Keep your lives always centered on Christ and trust in him.  It isn't as hard as you think it is when you know the promised blessings that awaits us all.  Eternal life with my family and God and Jesus.  It is worth it.  I love you all so much!  I hope you have an amazing week.  Remember you are a children of God who loves you each more than imanginable.  Til next week

Hermana Stewart

xoxoxo

p.s. order up!  Pizza time! :)

Pictures!!

Temple!

 My companions said i looked like a grandma in this sweater but it was cold and sometimes its better to be unattractive in scary areas 

I Feel My Saviors Love

Hola Y'all!

Wasn't conference awesome!!!!  So inspiring!  I know that each of those new appostels are men called of God, and I could feel their love of the Savior in their testimonies!  I thought alot about my wonderful family while listening to conference knowing that we were all listening at the exact same time.  Mom i weapt like a little baby during Elder Hollands talk thinking about the love you have for me and for my family.  There are no words to describe of my appritiation for you.  You are my example momma, and i wouldnt be who i am today if it weren't for you always being there for me, leading and guiding me with your selfless christlike love.  I love you alot mom.  We had a crazy conference experience.  We went to our church building because it was supposed to be in spanish and english and me and my companions all were in  agreence of watching it in english.  So we got the the building at 11:30 saturday knowing that it would start at 12 but no one was there and then the spanish elders came and we all tried figuring out how to hook it up...but no luck so at like 12:45 we bagged and tagged to the Stake center and caught the last hour of conference there luckily :) Then Sunday morning our correlation meeting went until 12:02 and then we dashed to the car because it wasnt even set up in spanish or english in our building and then we went to the Brocket building again and walked in right as President Monson was bearing his testimony.  Wow what an amazing testimony.  

There were so many amazing talks and i could definitely feel my saviors love the whole time.  Its amazing what you can get out of conference!  That was probably the first time i actually listended and took notes and kept listened and didnt fall asleep haha!  Wow it was just amazing!  i feel like there was a theam to it!!  It talked alot about temples, temple covenants, and ALWAYS having the spirit with us!  Thats definitely what i want to strive for is always having the spirt and staying close to the temple!  There was a statement that was said in one of the prayers something like "close the gap between what you know to what you feel to what you do." i really like that!  We all know this church is true, and yesterday and saturday we felt the holy ghost whisper to us of the truth of the wonderful messages and of things we many need to work on and improve on.  Now we just need to DO IT!!  I am defintely going to strive to be better than i was yesterday and tomorrow be a little better than i was today...and continue that even when times of hardships come.  I will hold firmer and firmer the that iron rod.  I will stand strong.  i will do these things because i know this church is true.  I love my Savior and because i love him i will strive to keep his commandments.  i am thankful that through the Atonement i can be forgiven of my short coming and mistakes and be what Heavenly Father wants me to become.  I know that if we just keep on trying, and dont give up, the award that awaits us is oh so worth it!

So funny story.  So first of all, i got permission to write the following things from Hermana Bringhurst.  Me and my companion Hermana Bringhurst (the white one from Utah "la fabrica") we have started a little competion...of who can burp the loudest...ah im so ashamed :/ but a mission changes you..better yet, my companions have changed me. haha but of course hands down she wins every time!  She a vocal major for pete sake so i swear its something to do with her vocal cords that she can just make them so loud.  Oh and btw Hermana Gallardo does not participate in these.  Anyway so she burps more than any person i have ever met and she burps louder than anyone i have ever met.  You know that part off of the Movie "elf" well she puts will farrell to shame!  Any way so i always tease her about how one of these days she is going to accidentally burp in a lesson and i will just laugh at her....hahhaha it came true this week!  We were at a less actives house and we were teaching the restoration and hermana bringhurst shared a scriptured she then did a little cough to clear her throat and the most BIGGEST AND LOUDEST burp came out!!!!  oh my heck we were all crying it was so funny!  yikes! Real dignifiied haha, luckily it was a member and not an investigator!  It was a good laugh though!

  

We went with a return missionary for a few hours on Thursday.  She just got back from serving in California spanish speaking!  That was way fun!  We had some great lessons with her.  We went to the temple and did a session Wednesday!  I love being in the temple.  We sat in there for ever because we didnt want to leave.  The peace i feel in the temple is just indescribable.  

We had a crazy great week!  Let me just tell you in detain how one of those days went down.  I would call this day "alot of try and alot of no one liking us." so we had amazing studies in the morning and we were ready to tackle on the day and see amazing success and lots of appointments planned.  So we went to our first appointment, we heard them in there house, knocked..no answere.  So we went to another appartment saw her walking in her house, knocked on her door...no answer.  We got out of the car to knock another persons door saw her in the window and smiled at her, kncoked...no answer.  Then we parked in some parking lot on bufford highway so that we could walk to our investigator Walters house because its a good finding oppertunitly when we walk and hand out pass along cards.  So we got to walters house and saw him drive in, park the car and go into his house.  We were so excited to see him!  we knock on the door, no answer...then finally his daughter answered and said her dad wasnt there!  Sometimes people just dont like us i guess haha!  so we were walking back to our car on the bufford and we stopped to talk to this guy, he was pretty drunk.  We asked if we could say a prayer with him, and i wish i could just draw this image for you, weirdest prayer of my life.  We were on the side of the most busiest road, and he said we could say a prayer and he just stuck his hand out with his palm facing towards the ground.  I looked at Hermana Gallardo like what the heck is he doing!  under her breath she said "just put your hand there." so all cheer lead style "go team go" we said a prayer like that.  It just felt weird and so awkward.  One of the most awkward moments so far because there were so many cars driving by and we looked like we were doing some weird basketball cheer, BUT.  when the prayer was over he had tears in his eyes.  It was pretty cool.  I know that Heavenly Father was listening to our prayer even though it looked really weird.  Then we got his info and gave him a BOM then we saw him walking in to get more beer, oh boy.  When he sobers up though he will look at that book and hopefully read it and feel the spirit!  Then we got back to the car and a homeless guy comes up to us and asks us for money or food.  We told him we didnt have no money because we are missionaries and he asked if we had food and we said no all i had was my bag of sour patch kids.  Well he stole my sour patch kids..haha sad day.  

Then we had a dinner appointment all the way in East point the other side of Altanta.  2 hours of traffic later we ate a delishous plate of enchelatas!   and we had a rockin member pressent lesson with the family that fed us they had friends over!  It was a really cool experience!  Somedays are better than others, but everyday is good if you look at the bright side!  Sometimes we wont always see success in our efforts but we can sure plant seeds.    

Here is a cool story now of someone that planted a seed in a gentlemens heart a while back in El Salvador.  The missionary in El Salvador didnt get to see the success, but other people will.  And whoever that missionary was, i am thankful for them and there efforts.  We have an investigator named Juan and he heard missionaries talking to his brother in el Salvador a long time ago.  He never took the discussions but he remembers feeling something.  We met him knocking.  We gave him the Book of Mormon and ever since then he has been reading from it.  He knows its true and it wasnt by coiinsidnece that we found him.  We are meeting with him tonight and i am really excited!!  So to be continued on the guy from El Salvador!  haha wouldnt that be cool if you taught his brother Tyler!!   Haha that would be cool.

Anyways it was a good week!  I am pumped with the spirit and ready to have another rocking week!!  i hope you all enjoyed conference!  I sure do love my Savior and I feel his love for me and for all of you every single day.  "im trying to be like jesus; im  following in his ways. im trying to love as he did, in all that i do and say.  at times i am tempted to make a wrong choce, but i try to listen as the still small voice whispers, love one another as jesus loves you. try to show kindness in all that you do. be gentle and loving in dead and in thought, for these are the things jesus taught.  im trying to love my neighbor; im learning to serve my friends.  i watch for the day of gladness when jesus will come again. i try to remember the lessons he taught then the holy spirit whispers into my thoughtys saying love one another as jesus loves you. try to show kindness in all that you do. be gentle and loving in dead and in thought, for these are the things jesus taught."  I hope we can all strive to not only do as Jesus does, but to be as Jesus is.  I love you all so much my wonderful family!

Love,

Hermana Stewart