Hola Buenas Tardes!
Que tal están?
WOW. Weeks are turning into days! I feel incredibly happy to be where I am and doing the things that I am doing. It is getting hot! Really hot!
Speaking of the things that I am doing, my mother asked me to write about what a normal day looks like for us, so let me write about this past Thursday:
Normal Incredible Day of Missionary Work:
6:25 - Alarm sounds, Elder Gubler groans
6:30 - Start exercising
8:00 - Plan out our day and our studies for the people we will visit and lessons we will teach
8:30 - Start our personal study, focus on people and their needs, Read from the Book of Mormon
10:00 - Leave the apartment and start proselyting!
We went straight to the home of one of our investigators to see if she was home. We knocked on her door a few times with no reply. All of the sudden we heard someone shout from the other side of the neighborhood, "They ain' t home!". We ran across the street and met a man named Leon! When he found out that we were "spreadin' the Word" he opened up to us about some recent deaths in his family. We asked if we could say a prayer with him in his home and ended up teaching him a incredible lesson, and setting up a return appointment for the English Elders.
12:00 - Eat Lunch!
12:30 - Study as a companionship for the lessons that we want to teach throughout the day, do practices on how we can improve our teaching/contacting
On our way home we saw one of our investigators outside working on bricking his driveway, so we went home, changed into service clothes and cruzed over there to help him. He is from Colombia, super cool man! It was time well spent removing brick and doing service.
Our day became a blur and at some point we studied Spanish for a little less than an hour, and then went back out into the streets to start talking and serving more people!
We met a man named Armando on his porch and sat with him talking and teaching. He is the nicest 65 year old mexican man ever (see picture). He was so grateful to recieve us and while we read the scriptures with him he burst into tears...he said, "Now you've made me cry, but men cry to, right?" as he was laughing and wiping his tears. Sharing spiritual experiences with people happens often. It is a huge blessing.
Later we went to teach an incredible 9 year old whose family has recently started coming back to church with our efforts. This was our first lesson with her and we are super excited, her family really wants to be active in the church and wants their daughter to be baptized, her names is Melanie.
So between flying from these appointments, and talking to everyone we see in the streets, we find ourselves pretty busy. I have never felt so much love for so many people as I do when I serve them with all of my heart. Everyday is different from the last.
Some days have people that accept more than others! All in God's timing. For example, last week we were lead into some what of a trap when one of our investigators set up a lesson for us to come over while he invited his pastor and other bible study companions to "happen" to be there at the same time.
We couldn't leave, they were asking questions.
We defended our faith like lions.
Poor Elder Gubler wasn't understanding too much of what was happening but ended with powerful testimony and we left them with a Book of Mormon.
All is incredible in the mission field. I love my life and wouldn't have it any other way,
The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings me peace.
I love you all!
Con mucho amor,
*besitos*
Elder Stewart-Chester
A service project we did for an investigator!
Weird to find something so rural close to the city!
Que tal están?
WOW. Weeks are turning into days! I feel incredibly happy to be where I am and doing the things that I am doing. It is getting hot! Really hot!
Speaking of the things that I am doing, my mother asked me to write about what a normal day looks like for us, so let me write about this past Thursday:
Normal Incredible Day of Missionary Work:
6:25 - Alarm sounds, Elder Gubler groans
6:30 - Start exercising
8:00 - Plan out our day and our studies for the people we will visit and lessons we will teach
8:30 - Start our personal study, focus on people and their needs, Read from the Book of Mormon
10:00 - Leave the apartment and start proselyting!
We went straight to the home of one of our investigators to see if she was home. We knocked on her door a few times with no reply. All of the sudden we heard someone shout from the other side of the neighborhood, "They ain' t home!". We ran across the street and met a man named Leon! When he found out that we were "spreadin' the Word" he opened up to us about some recent deaths in his family. We asked if we could say a prayer with him in his home and ended up teaching him a incredible lesson, and setting up a return appointment for the English Elders.
12:00 - Eat Lunch!
12:30 - Study as a companionship for the lessons that we want to teach throughout the day, do practices on how we can improve our teaching/contacting
On our way home we saw one of our investigators outside working on bricking his driveway, so we went home, changed into service clothes and cruzed over there to help him. He is from Colombia, super cool man! It was time well spent removing brick and doing service.
Our day became a blur and at some point we studied Spanish for a little less than an hour, and then went back out into the streets to start talking and serving more people!
We met a man named Armando on his porch and sat with him talking and teaching. He is the nicest 65 year old mexican man ever (see picture). He was so grateful to recieve us and while we read the scriptures with him he burst into tears...he said, "Now you've made me cry, but men cry to, right?" as he was laughing and wiping his tears. Sharing spiritual experiences with people happens often. It is a huge blessing.
Later we went to teach an incredible 9 year old whose family has recently started coming back to church with our efforts. This was our first lesson with her and we are super excited, her family really wants to be active in the church and wants their daughter to be baptized, her names is Melanie.
So between flying from these appointments, and talking to everyone we see in the streets, we find ourselves pretty busy. I have never felt so much love for so many people as I do when I serve them with all of my heart. Everyday is different from the last.
Some days have people that accept more than others! All in God's timing. For example, last week we were lead into some what of a trap when one of our investigators set up a lesson for us to come over while he invited his pastor and other bible study companions to "happen" to be there at the same time.
We couldn't leave, they were asking questions.
We defended our faith like lions.
Poor Elder Gubler wasn't understanding too much of what was happening but ended with powerful testimony and we left them with a Book of Mormon.
All is incredible in the mission field. I love my life and wouldn't have it any other way,
The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings me peace.
I love you all!
Con mucho amor,
*besitos*
Elder Stewart-Chester
A service project we did for an investigator!
Weird to find something so rural close to the city!