15 November 2016 - Leadership Counsel

All Zone leaders and Hermana leaders

Hermana Stewart and Hermana Pineda

Hermana Leaders

All Zone leaders and Herman leaders

15 November 2016 - Mi Chulita

Pictures of sugar can in the Gomera and the sunset.

15 November 2016

This last week was full of lots of ups and downs but also some great miracles. Sometimes the mission though gives you a hard blow or 2.. which sure happened but we just have to get back up and keep walking. And by doing that we have seen some great miracles. This Sunday we had 2 new investigators go to church!!! Who-hoo!!! That was a miracle. And we are going to keep giving them follow up to see what happens but we hope that they will be able to get baptized this month. And we are working hard in our area... there are so many people that need this message here in the Gomera but it has been a little hard to find them in the last few weeks but in the last few days we have been finding some really positive people that with help they will start to progress more and more. Here in the Gomera it is really really hot... which has been fun... but actually it could be a lot worse. I love the mission with all my heart and I love this time to serve the Lord. Really cannot think of anything else to write... sorry that my mind has been so here and there in the last few weeks but when it comes to the hour to write I always forget everything. Sorry!!! Les amo mucho!!! Hermana Stewart

15 November 2016

This last week was full of lots of ups and downs but also some great miracles. Sometimes the mission though gives you a hard blow or 2.. which sure happened but we just have to get back up and keep walking. And by doing that we have seen some great miracles. This Sunday we had 2 new investigators go to church!!! Who-hoo!!! That was a miracle. And we are going to keep giving them follow up to see what happens but we hope that they will be able to get baptized this month. And we are working hard in our area... there are so many people that need this message here in the Gomera but it has been a little hard to find them in the last few weeks but in the last few days we have been finding some really positive people that with help they will start to progress more and more. Here in the Gomera it is really really hot... which has been fun... but actually it could be a lot worse. I love the mission with all my heart and I love this time to serve the Lord. Really cannot think of anything else to write... sorry that my mind has been so here and there in the last few weeks but when it comes to the hour to write I always forget everything. Sorry!!! Les amo mucho!!! Hermana Stewart

26 October 2016

This week was a good week. We had changes... I am still here in La Gomera but I have a new companion. Hermana Pineda. She is from Mexico like Hermana Ruiz. We only have 1 day together but things are going great here. It was sad saying good bye to Hermana Ruiz knowing that I do not know when I will see her again. She has been one of the best companions I have had and I learned so much from her. She changed my mission in so many ways. Really going to miss being able to see her. But fun things... well since Hermana Ruiz was going to finish her mission we had permission to go and visit one of her areas... Well she choose to go visit Petapa (my first area and the area in which we were companions before). And so on Monday we got up super early and traveled 3 hours in a buses to get to Petapa and then spent the whole day visiting members and converts. It really was quite the experience. Some of them knew that we were coming before hand but we passed by to surprise a few of them. It was really funny to see their faces of surprise. One of the greatest joys that I had was that we surprised my first convert in the mission Juan Jose. And when he opened the door he just let out a big gasp and was so so so happy. And to know that he is still going to church made me super happy. Really it was a great day. Also yesterday in changes I was able to see Hermana Traveller (my companion from the CCM) again after about 9 months of not seeing each other and she now is a hermana leader too so I am going to be able to see her a little more this change. Crazy all the things that are happening here in the mission... but I am so so happy and we are working hard here in our area. We hope that in a few weeks we will be having baptisms and maybe a wedding... but every day we are trying to put our trust in the Lord and work to help His children know the truth. Hope that all is great with you guys! Les amo mucho! Hermana Stewart

18 Oct 2016

Interviews with Presidente Markham

We got a perfect score on the area book!!!

18 October 2016

Well time keeps flying by way to fast. Can not believe that another week has come and gone already. This is the last week of the change... which also means it is Hermana Ruiz´s last week in the mission... how crazy... this change has flown by in the blink of an eye. And well on Tuesday I will be recieving a new companion here in the Gomera... crazy... But I am loving the mission and trying to enjoy every second as it flies by. This week we had interviews with President. I love having interviews and being able to sit down and talk with Presidente Markham. And I had the chance to get to know Hermana Markham a little better too. Really they are amazing. They were divinely called to direct this mission and to help us to be better. Talking with President just helps me to be able to be a little more focused on the work and what I can do to be better. And in these interviews it helped me to be able to focus a little more in how I can help the Hermanas too. And then we had divisions after interviews which were good. Always learn something new every time we do divisions. And well yay... then we were back in the area together and hit the ground running trying to do all that we needed too. We are seeing miracles little by little every day. The Lord is helping us little by little and every day I am trying to change and to be better. Don't really know what else to write... so yay.... Les amo mucho! Hermana Stewart p.s. We have changes on Tuesday so I will be writing on Wednesday after our district meetings.

11 Oct 2016

Look what someone gave me last week for always telling people that my name is Stewart like Stuart little 😁

11 Oct 2016

Buenas! Well hope that all is super well with the Family. Things are going well here in Guatemala... just loving the mission and the work. This week was a little bit of a hard week. We felt very decieved by one of our investigators that was baptized last week. Before her baptism she had been living with a man that was married to someone else and did not want to be divorced. Well he cheated on her and she found out and he left her... but on Sunday night after her baptism they started their relationship again... and she did not tell us until Friday night that they had been living together again. And well for that she had broken the law of Chastity she was not able to be confirmed. And really it was sad because as we talked with her well she really did not have a desire to repent... And really it is sad to see how Satan tricks people into sinning. Really sad. And well on Friday I was just thinking a lot about the Atonement and how much Christ suffered for each of us... and I am always thinking about if I am making it so that sacrifice was in vain. We have to keep being better every single day and we have to make it so that Christ sacrifice is not in vain. He suffered so much and I am so thankful for that sacrifice because it makes it possible for us to be better too. But yeah last week we almost were not in our area but we made the little time that we had together count and we have been changing and being better every day. Hope you all have a great week! Love ya! Hermana Stewart

4 October 2016 - Time Keeps Flying By Super Fast

Wow this week just flew by again. Really life here in the mission is crazy. So much is happening. It was so great this week to be able to listen to gerneral conference. So crazy that it was my 3rd and last conference here in the mission. That blows my mind. But the messages were so inspired and amazing. I loved how much the talked about the Doctrine of Christ; faith, repentance, baptism, recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. And about the Atonement and how we can have real lasting JOY in living the Gospel, repenting and doing the things that God wants us to do. It is somethings so fundamental but it makes all the difference in our lives. And this week we had 2 baptisms! Hermana Paula and Hermana Martita! Was a great experience to be able to teach them and help them in their conversion and to be able to watch them take this huge step of faith in their lives. I have been learning more and more about my responsiblities as an Hermana Leader and today we had the chance to share a message in Zone Conference. It felt really strange to be a part of the teaching in that meeting but it was a good chance to be able to help the zone keep growing and being better. We are really trying to meet the vision that God has for us as a mission but we all need to be one the same page to be able to complete our goals. And they are really high goals but with the help of the Lord we can do all things. Really I love the mission so much. And I am so happy for this chance that I have to be here and to keep working. The time keeps flying by faster and faster. It is crazy. Hermana Ruiz only has 3 weeks left in her mission and it has made me reflect a lot in what I want and need to do in the 3 changes that I will have left in my mission. But really this Gospel is so amazing. I love being able to learn about it and to share it with everyone. Hope you have a great week! God lives and loves you! Les amo mucho! Hermana Stewart

27 Sep 2016 - Experiences with the Spirit

Another week just come and gone. Wow is time flying by fast. This week was a little weird because we had our first divisions in this change. Which meant that for 2 days in a row I was not with my companion... and I hardly talked to her in those 2 days. Because of where we are in the Coast here it is easy to do divisions back to back because it means that we do not spend so much money in travels. So this week I had the chance to do some divisions that were really special. First off the life is a little weird because I was able to do divisions with Hermana Chavez who was my companion in Linda Vista. I went to her area and we had a really neat experience with the Spirit. But first off a little background. Last Tuesday we were in our district meeting with Elder and Hermana Fillmore (the mission english specialist). And we were talking about the Spirit. Well Elder Fillmore told us something that changed my perspective a lot. He told us that we are worthy to have the Spirit. To be missionaries and to do all that we are doing we are worthy to have the Spirit. We just need to take charge of that right. And so well with that in my mind still I was in these divisions. And the hermanas in that area had an investigator Luis Morales. Well he had a baptismal date for the 25th of September but he started to have lots of doubts and to think that he needed to wait another week to read more of the Book of Mormon and all. So we went to visit him. And in the course of the lesson I had a great impression to read Alma 32:21 about the faith. In this scripture it says that to have faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of all things. And I asked him what is faith for you. He told us it was to believe in something that you can not see. Well that is right but he was missing a big part. To have faith means that we do not have a perfect knowledge. And really in that moment the Spirit was really strong in that lesson. And we invited him to pray that night and to ask God if he should be baptized the 25th. And well from what I know he was baptized on Sunday. Really it was a powerful experience. And I also had the chance to do divisions with Hermana Jorgensen. She entered the mission with me! I have not seen her since we finished our training about 9 months ago. How crazy! But it was way fun to catch up and to see everything that has happened in our missions. Really I just love the miracles and the experiences that we have here in the mission. This is an experience that I would not trade for anything. And these experiences are life changing. Really just trying to make every day count and to enjoy every moment because this time goes by way to fast. Les amo mucho! Hermana Stewart

20 Sep 2016 - Quick Life Update

Just a quick little letter. All is going well in my new area... super hot but it is super good. Learning more every single day and just being better every day. I love the mission with all my heart and the chance that we have to learn more and help others learn more and to be better every single day. Loving having experiences with the Spirit and just feeling the love that God has for his children in every moment. Love this Gospel and I know with all my heart that it is true and it blesses and changes lives. Hope you all have a great week and that you'll enjoyed the pictures that I was finally able to send after a long time. Les amo un monton! Hermana Stewart

20 Sep 2016 - Changes

1. One last picture with Hermana Christiansen and Hermana Kathy. 2. Hermana Ruiz!!! Love her so much! Glad to be here companion again.

20 Sep 2016 - Goodbyes are Hard take 2

1. Hermana Kathy! Love this girl so much. She was the first person I met in Linda Vista and was at my side when I recieved changes and well we saw a huge miracle with her and Luis and Olga. Love this family so much. 2. Cesar, Mariela, Jose, Emma Diaz. Knowing this family changed my life and my mission. Love them so much and I am so grateful for the chance that I had to be a part of this great process with them.

20 Sep 2016 - Goodbyes are hard

The familia Salazar... Orlando and Dorita. I love this family so much. They are faithful member that gave us lunch every Friday in Linda Vista and well they are like parents to me. Really amazing people who love the Gospel so much and work hard to help others.

20 Sep 2016 - Baptisms Linda Vista

1. Baptism of Valentina 2. Baptism of Cesar Diaz. I love this family so much and the great faith that they have. They have strong testimonies of this Gospel and the Plan of Salvation and how families can be together forever. Really this baptism was a huge miracle of my mission and I was so glad to be able to watch Hermano Cesar enter the waters of baptism after months and even years of investigating the true Church.

14 Sep 2016 - BIG Changes :)

Well this week was a little interesting. First off we had a HUGE miracles. Every since I got to Linda Vista we have been teaching an hermano, Cesar Diaz. And well at first he really did not want much... but little by little and with lots of persistence we put a baptismal date for the 4th of September... well for health reasons and just lots of other stuff we had to postpone his baptism for a week. Well on Sunday after months and I think even years of preparation Hermano Cesar entered into the waters of baptism. It was amazing to see it. He has such a strong testimony and being able to know him and his family has changed my mission and my life. They have so much faith and they understand that God has a great plan for their lives. Now they are going to keep enduring so that in a year they can enter into the temple and be sealed as a family for time and all eternity. And well on Sunday night I got a call from President Markham... the result of that call though was one that I was not expecting. Well after a year in the zones of the capital I finally left... and now I am roasting a little bit here in the Coast... about 3 hours from Linda Vista... And to make things a little more intersting... well I was called to be a sister training leader... which means that now I will be doing divisions with lots of other hermanas here in the coast. Really I do not even know exactly what my responsibilites are but I am excited for this chance to be able to help other hermanas and to be able to learn from them too. Oh yay and could you guess who my companion is! It's Hermana Ruiz... again! She was my last companion in Petapa. And well this change she is going to finish her mission. But she is great and I am super excited to be her companion again. And well yay... I know more happened last week but with changes and everything I kind of forgot about a lot of it. But yeah... just loving life and loving the mission! Les amo mucho! Hermana Stewart

14 Sep 2016 - Viaje al templo

On Saturday we went to the temple with all the converts in Linda Vista. What a neat experience.

6 Sep 2016 - 4 Zones of the Capital Multi Zone Conference

30 August 2016 - Time is Flying By

Lets see.... well another week has come and gone way to fast. This last week was a good one. We had a baptism of a little girl named Valentina... she is 10. Her mom is a member but they left attending church for a time but we found them again and she wanted to be baptized so we began preparing and getting everything ready. And she had a big fear of water but she was able to overcome it and everything went really well for her baptism. And we have another hermano that is preparing to be baptized on Sunday. His name is Cesar Diaz. His wife is a member but has been more or less active for years. Well they have been going to church on and off again. But this last week he finally made the decision to be baptized and put his own baptismal date for Sunday! Yay! Really it is a huge miracle and I am very excited for this family. And we are working really hard to be able to find others that are going to progress and that are going to be ready to be baptized. The work is moving forward.... really it is so special and it goes by way to fast but we are here trying to do everything that we can in the timing of the Lord. Really I love the mission and this time to serve and it is really changing my life and helping me to be a better person. Les amo mucho!!! Hermana Stewart

23 August 2016 - Not My Will but Thine Be Done

Buenas! Well this week was a bit of a long one for us. But it has made me reflect a lot on many things that have happened in my mission. Really sometimes it is so hard but God has a purpose in everything. Saturday was one of the longest days that I have had in my mission. We had investigator that was scheduled to have his baptismal interview on Saturday... Hermano Mynor... but he never showed up and he did not pick up his phone and he was not home... it was a little like he fell off the face of the plant. And he did not come to church on Sunday and we still have not had contact with him. Really we have no idea what happened with him but we feel that right now is not his time to fully be able to accept the Gospel in his life. And on Saturday afternoon we went to visit a family that we have been teaching Erick and Dorcus... I think that I wrote about them last week... well they were not home. So I called Hermano Erick to see what happened and when we could visit them... and well he told me that they had moved the day before and would not be returning to Linda Vista again... So in the space of 1 day we had 3 baptisms fall. And it was really hard... but I learned a really important lesson from this. During that afternoon which was one of the longest afternoons of my mission I reflected a lot and I had one thought over and over again. This is Gods will. He needed us to learn something from that experience. And it made me think a lot about just everything that has happened in my mission... and how really everything is Gods will. And on Sunday in Church the Bishop gave a talk about the will of God. And he used a lot from a article in the Liahona this month... August from Elder Bednar. And really just listening to that I felt completely at peace. Knowing that I had done all that I needed to but that it was God's will that these people were not baptized in that time. Really I know that we just need to submit our will to God's will and do the things that God wants us to do. Like Christ in the Garden of Gethsamne when he suffered for all of our sins he said ´Not my will but thine be done¨ Really that is why we are here.... to do God's will and by doing that we can grow. Really I am thankful for those experiences that I had this week and for the things that I learned that will not only apply to my mission but also to my life. And that the Atonement really is becoming real to me. It has to be personal for us and really in the last week I have come to understand it a lot better and to really feel that I am closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. And on a lighter note we are going to have a baptism this week. Hermana Valentina. She is 10 and her mom is a less active member that is reactivating. She was never baptized because her grandma got sick and so they stopped going to Church. But she is great and she has a HUGE desire to learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and follow them. Yesterday she told us that she wants to be baptized on Thursday so we will be running around a little this week trying to get everything set up and ready especially because we have divisions with the Hermana Leaders today. But it will be really good. I just hope that everything goes really well because she has a huge fear of water and drowning but I know with lots of faith and prayers that everything will go really well... But I hope that you all have a great week! God loves each of you! Les amo mucho!!! Hermana Stewart

16 Aug 2016 - So We Climbed a Volcano