Made it to the DR!

I just got picked up from the airport by these chill missionaries and they are dropping me off at the mtc here to stay the night. Taught my first investigator on the plane haha. Taught her about temples! She’s from punta cana. She was really nice. Welp gotta get back to the work! ¡Buenas noches!

JFK International Airport

Elder Stewart is on his last leg of his journey to the Dominican Republic. He met this Elder on his way to the Brazil MTC and this Sister who is on her way to the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo 'West' Mission. I received this random email from a wonderful stranger with this photo attached this afternoon. This photo made my day! 

Headed to the DR!

The MTC has been a great experience and I have made a lot of new friends and had a lot of spiritual experiences. But now it's time to put all of it to use! I'm headed to the DR Monday morning at 3:50 AM! I'll get there by midnight and I'm flying alone so that should be fun haha. Can't wait to start this new chapter in my life. I'm a little nervous but I know with the Lord's help, he'll help me to learn Spanish. I hope you all had an awesome Halloween! I love you all!

Elder Stewart

This is our wall we worked on for 6 weeks

My companion Elder Wilson's best friend came into the MTC and guess where he's going on his mission... Rancho Cucamonga California! All three of these guys are going to Rancho in like 2 weeks so be ready for them and feed them well haha.

Got my Travel Plans!

Floral Friday

Hey everybody it's Elder Stewart! Not much has happened this week. Pretty much like the last 

couple weeks but not for much longer. Next week is my last week in the MTC! I will be leaving the MTC the following Monday at 3:50 AM and head out to New York Kennedy, New York be there for a couple of hours and then head out to the DR! I'll also be alone which will be weird because I was the only person in the MTC going to the DR. I should make it there by midnight and I couldn't be more excited! Can't wait to get out there and serve! Love you all!

Elder Stewart

First MTC Haircut

Hey Everybody! Not much has happened this week. I got my first haircut in the MTC today and it's so short! I love our investigator Rolando. It's so cool that I can understand everything that the investigators are saying! I just wish they could understand me more haha. The spirit is super strong up here and I love feeling the inspiration to say things in lessons with investigators. I can't wait to get in the field! I love you guys!

Elder Stewart

Comments from other emails:

-"I'm bald mom! haha I feel so light! I just went and played frisbee alone in the field with my companion cause everyone else said it was too cold soo we had the entire huge field to ourselves. It was a fun 15 mins haha!"

How many people are in your district? How many of them are girls?

12 people in my district and 4 of them are girls

Are they all leaving November 7 like you?

November 7 or november 6 yup yup

Prayer

     

This week was awesome! I got to see 3 apostles! Elder Christofferson came and talked to us about the Book of Mormon and the history of it and brought one of the first ones ever published from the church historical center. Also Elder Oaks and President Eyring came to dedicate the new classroom buildings here at the MTC. It was so cool seeing them all and you could really feel the spirit. Also, I have a lil story for you all.

This is the story of my companion Elder Wilson and an example of the power of prayer...(Told in his point of view).

"This last Monday night, I had been pretty down on myself because I felt like I was lacking faith where everyone else had it. I had been praying every night for something to help build my faith, but after almost a week, still nothing. The trivial details of the day had gotten me in a really bad mood and the Spanish was stressing me out. After dinner, I went to grab my jacket from off the back of my chair and my name tag went flying across the lunch room somehow. I went and picked up my tag, but the neon green magnetic back was nowhere to be found. Me, my companion, and a few other Elders helped me look for it for almost twenty minutes. Finally, I decided that I'll just figure out how to order a new one and wait a while to get it. After talking to some of my friends, I asked my companion if we could go back and look one more time. We went, and he asked me if we should say a prayer about it. I was thinking, yeah no that's dumb, it's just a tag. I said that we should just look a little longer. We looked absolutely everywhere. In my pockets, the lining of my jacket, in my shoes haha. It wasn't under the table, on a chair, or laying on the ground. The whole time, Elder Steward kept mentioning that we should just pray about it. Finally, I caved in. I offered to say it just to make Stewart happy. We knelt down in a crowded lunch room, and I looked around the floor one last time in desperation. I closed my eyes and half heartedly offered a prayer to find my tag. I closed the prayer, and stood up. Stewart went to keep looking, and I looked at the floor, two feet away from where I was just kneeling. In the middle of the aisle was my bright green name tag backing. I took a second glance just to make sure I wasn't imagining it, and then went and picked it up. There was no possible way we could have overlooked that spot. The tag was laying in the spot that I had checked 30 seconds before. THAT was the help from God that I was looking for. I spent the rest of the week piecing together every second of that night, but I still can't explain how the tag was there. 

That experience told me that God isn't someone that you can only go to when you have serious problems. He hears everything. Even the stupid cries for help with a nametag. More importantly, it showed me that God is there, and everything I'm teaching isn't just philosophy of men, but it is the teachings from God. 

My nametag means so much more to me than it did before. Not only does it say that I'm one of God's missionaries, but it says that I have faith in Him..."

It was so cool seeing his eyes light up knowing that God hears and answers prayers. I have a testimony of the power of prayer and that God is always listening and wants to talk to you. You just have to reach out and talk to Him. I love you all!

Extras from additional emails:

-We taught 45 min discussions this week to investigators and it was really cool! Also we keep finding birds everywhere not being able to fly cause they are so cold. We keep finding dead birds everywhere and I saw one drop out of the sky and hit the ground:( But it was cool taking those pics of the one still alive.

I'm Alive!

Hey everybody! 

I feel like I've been brainwashed here at the MTC haha. The spirit is so strong here and I feel it everyday. My Spanish is getting better and better but my English is also getting worse so bear with me haha. This week we taught an "investigator" Horacio a bunch of lessons and some were good and some were bad. The food is... alright. Not the best I've ever had but It's not the worst. I'm starting to get used to the routine of things around here and it's getting easier. My roommates and I are the "chillmasters" of our district cause we don't freak out about everything and are normal guys to hangout with. Also we are taping quotes and drawings to the wall and I will figure out how to send these pics so you guys can see them eventually haha. I love you all!

Elder Stewart

**Additional comments from Noah's emails:

-I learned so much in conference and the spirit hits me so hard here. The days are hard but the nights are the best. I love my roommates and my companion. Everyone in our district says that Elder Wilson and I are the possums from Ice Age haha.

Where is everyone in your district going?

-Elder Wilson Ecuador, Elder Johnson Uruguay, Elder Adams Bolivia, Elder Turley Costa Rica, Elder Farlee Costa Rica, Elder Benincosa Argentina, Elder Harrison Argentina, Hermana Grigg Nicaragua, Hermana Hawkins Nicaragua, Hermana Wymann Argentina, Hermana Lyndde Argentina

Thank you so much for the cinnamon rolls! Mi compañero y los otros misioneros enjoyed them very much.