Romans 1:15

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Romans 1:15

30 January 2013

Chapter Five: The 17th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians

Ciao a Tutti!!!


Alrighty.  This was quite a good week.  I’m not really sure where to start.  Well on Thursday, we went to Milazzo and we visited with some of the members there.  We had lunch with a family that are all members except for their dad.  Things went pretty well.  Sadly however, we didn't get the opportunity to teach the lesson that we had planned due to a couple people being late, so we didn't have enough time.  We did however have a good conversation and a nice spiritual thought.

Then on Friday, Anziano Davis and me went to Siracusa to do an exchange with the Anziani there.  It was pretty cool because an investigator of the sisters decided that she was ready to get baptized just a couple days before and so while we were there we were able to see a baptism.  It was a girl who was born in Germany but she's lived in Italy her whole life, her name's Federica.  It was a beautiful baptism ceremony.  Then afterwards we were able to do some finding and at the same time we did some inactive hunting.  It went pretty well.  The church there is very strong.

Then on Sunday, we had ward conference. It went really well.  Presidente Nudo (Stake Pres.) did a wonderful lesson on why ward council is important and then after Church (and lunch (obviously!! were in sicily)) they did a 3-hour training on how to carry out a good ward council with all of the people who should participate in it in the ward.

Then on Tuesday (yesterday) we had Zone conference.  It went really well.  I did my first training as a zone leader.  We talked about the little things that we can do to improve.  Such as just stopping one more person each day or making an added effort to write good information in the area book.  Then we talked about how these little things add up and become great things Alma 37:6-7 , even miracles Alma 37:41.  For example just by stopping one more person each day in the course of a mission that's almost 700 more people who have the chance to hear the gospel.   It went really well.

Sadly, I didn't get the package.  The Sigonella Branch Pres. picked it up but didn’t get it to the senior couple in time.  But you don't have to worry; I’m 95% positive that I’m going to stay in Messina for at least one more transfer. (Mainly because President told me that I was staying for sure.  But knowing him there's always that chance that he is inspired to do something else.)  He also told me that he will put another companionship in Messina starting this next transfer!!!!! I am so excited!!!! This will help us out soooooo much!!!  Then by the end of summer there will be a companionship of sisters as well!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!!  We need it so badly, we have so much to do I feel like we're barely keeping our head above water.

This week we had a talk from a member of the Stake Presidency, and he said something that really has made me think.  He said "we know too much and we do too little".  It is soooo true!  What really matters is what we do.  Our knowledge is very helpful, if we know how to use it.  If we don't put it into practice it doesn't help us at all.  The gospel is a gospel of action.  It doesn't matter if we know the names and birthplaces of every king in ancient Judea.  What matters is if we are willing to forgive those who hurt us.

I love you all very much.  Have a great week!!

--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 
Anziano Stewart

23 January 2013

Chapter Five: The 16th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians


Hey, Hey!!  It's great to be here once again to talk to my wonderful family! Thanks so much for your letters!  I'm glad that you re all good.  The weather there in Germany sounds crazy! Ice rain, snow and wind.  You guys are having more time outside of school than in school!!! Make the most of it. =)  

J your birthday sounds like a blast!  Too bad you didn't eat some of the cake though.  I saw some of the pictures; it was quite the Princess party!!!  I'm glad you had fun.  Now your 6!!!! I can't believe it! Your sooooooo old! =P

Sara, that's too bad about dad's back.... hopefully everyone had fun up to that point at least.  How's the trumpet going?  Are you still playing it?  How's the no sugar challenge going???  I don't think you can finish it!!! 

Mattie you read too much.  How was the winter ball? Did you have a date?! I hope not!  You should send me a picture with your hair all done up and twisted!  Good luck with your recital, take some videos!!!

Abby, thanks for the help with the apartment!! Mom told me that your papers are officially in. Holy cow!!!!!!!  My guess is Madrid Spain or Seattle Washington.  Let me know RIGHT AWAY once you know, ok!!! Also, I had a couple of questions for you... How did you find your work? I'm going to need a place to work and I have no idea where to start.... 2nd ....what are you planning on doing with your computer and phone during your mission........ ha-ha, I think my motives are clear enough... and 3rd, have you heard of "cross fit" courses offered at the RB on campus?

And what is this $3000.00 that dad says I have?! Are you sure? I don't remember this money...  

And once again, thanks for the package, I'm pretty excited, but I'm not sure if I'm quite as excited as some of the people in our district!! The next district meeting is going to be great!  Thanks again.  About the fudge recipe, there is a person here that wants to make it.  Thanks for the special ingredient; I think that she'll have a good time making it... (Hopefully it goes well)

This week we saw a pretty great miracle.  There is a new convert/less active member who for 9 months or so he hasn't come to church and has been pretty against it.  But 2 Sundays ago, he just kind of showed up and we met with him afterwards and he came again this last Sunday then he just out of no where decided that he wanted to start exercising his faith and he paid tithing for the first time in his life.  It's amazing because almost out of nowhere he just completely turned around.  

I'm very excited to see how far he goes.  If I've learned one thing from this it would be that our role as missionaries is really pretty small, like it says in our purpose, we are to invite and help.  It doesn't even say teach, and it certainly doesn't say convert, or convince, simply invite people to repent and help them to do so.  The relationship that people have with the Lord is very personal and we can't put ourselves in the middle of them and God, otherwise they will just be blocked and they won't be truly converted.

"What you choose to think and do when you're alone is a strong measure of your virtue." Preach My Gospel

I love you!!!!!! 
--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 
Anziano Stewart

16 January 2013

Chapter Five: The 15th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians

 
ALLORA!!! Come state, bene spero. Grazie per le vostre lettere!  
I loved the good news!  That's great about Brynn going on a mission!! Tell her I'm excited for her!  And in Germany you guys got snow?!?!? Finally!!!! Make sure everyone knows to throw a snowball at Sara for me! ;)  I loved the pictures from J's party; it looks like it was a great success!!!!! I'm glad =)  But J in your email you didn't tell me what you got for your birthday, is it true that you got an iPhone?!?
Sara, that's sweet about the snow day!  Are you going to read all day like Mattie? (I hope not, I don't think it's too healthy to just read all day....) weren't you learning the trumpet?  How’s that going?
Mattie, well I guess you just read the part to Sara so you know how I feel.... it's great that you love to read but it's a good thing to be well rounded, find a couple other hobbies to accompany your love of reading…like karate, or photography. =)  
I'm excited to read the book that you and Sara are writing.  Real quick, the next transfer cycle is on the 7th of Feb and we get the calls on the 2nd.
Messina is doing great!  We are working right now with a nice investigator pool that is slowly growing, we have a lot of former investigators and we are slowly going through them because it hasn't been done.  There are some that are from 10 years ago!!! We've found that it's a very successful way to find people to teach, only time will tell if it leads to many baptisms...last week we found a man named "Danilo" at least in Italian that's what his name is... he's Serbian, but only because his parents moved there before he was born, his parents are both from Israel.  He’s got a big part of the bible memorized and more or less he's like a 7th day Adventist.  He just worships on his own.  We've met him a couple times but he just won't accept that we have our "Sabbath" on Sunday and not on Saturday... we're really hoping our next lesson goes well, if not then I think that we wont see him anymore.  Man, there is just too much to talk about in just 1 hour..... ummm  we also did exchanges this week with Reggio.  It went really well! I have to say, my favorite part was being able to see people that I knew while I served there. (There’s a man that Anziano Malan and I found that is about to get baptized!!)

"To worry is to forfeit faith."  A good friend of mine.

I love you all!! keep up all the good work!

--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 
Anziano Stewart

09 January 2013

Chapter Five: The 14th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians

 
Allora.... It's so great to hear from all of you, I’m glad that everyone is doing well.  I can't believe that J is going to be having her 1st official birthday party, how exciting!!! And it's going to be princess themed, complete with a castle cake?!?!?!? Mama mia! If you can, save a piece for me. =P  Make sure you take a lot of pictures!! This needs to be documented.

J, I'm not sure if you have figured it out yet or not, but someone has to tell you.... we aren't a normal family.  We never have been and chances are we won't ever be one... BUT that is a good thing; we can be an extraordinary family.  How does that sound?!?! Also, you drew a GREAT reindeer, mama mia!! have you considered moving up to oil based paints?  See what mom thinks. =)

As far as work goes, things are kind of returning to normality, thankfully. We have a ton (like 14) of really solid potential investigators.  They will really help grow our teaching pool.  But the best part is that if everything goes according to plan we'll be teaching 3 part member families!!! OHHH YESSS!  That is so exciting!  The individuals that are baptized are great members but from what I've seen, it's very easy for them to fall away.  Families on the other hand once they are baptized (which takes an added effort) are able to be very strong and it is hard for them to fall away.

As far as everything else, things are going great.  Mom, don't worry about me slowing down.  At the end of the runway, the planes are going the fastest.  But all that aside, I'm not even nearing the end of the runway I still have 7 months!!!!! Basta with talk like that!

That is crazy that they are going to add 2 new sets of elders to the ward!!!! Hopefully that will make it possible in a couple years for a branch in Trier!!! The same thing is going to happen in our mission.  Right now there are 85 Anziani and 20 Sorelle and by the end of summer we will have 125 Anziani and 55 Sorelle.  Things are going to EXPLODE!!!! It is crazy!

Well, that's all for this week, it would be longer but I was chatting quite a bit.... MOM! =P  Just a reminder: there are a couple people here who are waiting for you to accept them as my friends on facebook...
Have a wonderful week!!!!!
--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King
Anziano Stewart

02 January 2013

Chapter Five: The 13th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians


Hey, it's 2013 now!

Allora, how’s everyone doing? Well, I hope!  These breaks are the best (at least outside of the mission)  I hope that you all took advantage of all the great opportunities you've had in these couple of weeks.

I really liked your new years resolutions!  They were pretty well thought out.  Mine are... first, to improve my self-control by working on denying myself what i want but isn't necessary or important. Second to work on finding as many families to teach as possible.  Third, to work on my bucket list, lately it's been growing faster than I'm a checking thing off.  And lastly, to do all I can to spend more time with loved ones.  we'll see how it goes, I tried to find a nice balance because for part of the year I'll be a missionary but for the other half I'll be a "normal person" =P  

About the gratitude journal, I already do that every night. I pick 3-4 things and talk about how they are blessings in my life or miracles that have happened.  It's
honestly a great thing to do to help put things into focus, as well as follow the council that President Monson gave at the October General Conference.  Since I've been doing it I've seen more and more great blessings in my life.

This past week has been pretty slow to tell the truth... we've been meeting a lot with less actives and with new converts.  now that le feste are almost over (6 Jan, is la Befana), we need to find more investigators!  But yesterday was nice we were under Pres. Kelly's order to clean the house all day. !!!!!!!!! WHOOO! yeah! it wasn't too much fun but it's great to have a nice, clean and organized place.

Man, our neighbors were up all night blasting music until 7 in the morning.  Thankfully we were able to sleep through it.  We also slept through the fireworks and the shouting and screaming at midnight.

Well, sorry this one is short... but we need to go.  I hope that all is well, and have fun shopping! =P

Sorry about no pictures... there's something wrong with this computer...

--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember
who you are."  The Lion King
Anziano Stewart