Chapter Six: The 2nd Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

Buona Pasqua! (Happy Easter!)

Buona Pasqua a tutti!! Spero che oggi è stato veramente bello, qua lo è stato.  Church was packed with investigators and visiting families, the 5th week training was on the priesthood in the home (they used those new videos that the church came out with), and there were some really great talks in Sacrament meeting.  Then later tonight we are going to a new converts house for Easter dinner.

This week has been very tiring and time is moving faster than ever!!!  Basically as assistants we are the problem solvers and taxi drivers of the mission.  Plus we have zone conferences to do and then we deliver materials and do exchanges where they are needed.  

This week we've been to the airport 8 times, three of which were before 0630.  Then we went to Napoli for zone conference, and for 3 nights we slept in the mission home.  Whew!  Then there’s the office work and the other little errands that we have to run! Mamma Mia! Siamo impegnatissssimi!  This next week should be pretty fun, I'm going to Sardegna with President for zone conference, we have a new missionary coming in, we're going to Napoli to drop off copies of the Book of Mormon at the Marriott there, we have the Roma zone conference, for which the Malta missionaries and the senior couple are coming up.  And this is all before Friday. It's going to be a good week.

My companion doesn't know the Ramstein Linda Longhurst but he does have an aunt who has the same name, ha-ha!  How's Abby doing? When is she planning on going to the temple? I recommend going a.s.a.p, that way while she's in Utah she can go often.  That is one of the things that I wish I had done; gone to the temple more before the mission training center.

One of the things that I learned this week was from President Kelly.  In EVERY decision that he makes he 1) prays and 2) he sticks as close as possible to what the scriptures/leaders/ and manuals say.  That really is righteous leadership; leaders have to be obedient as well and as soon as that goes away, it becomes unrighteous dominion.

There's another things Pres. said "the quest for perfection is the enemy of the good” It’s definitely something to search for and aim for but if we become obsessed with it, it really does become an enemy of the good.

On Tuesday I’ll be in Sardegna so if you could sign me up for classes it would be wonderful!!!

Thanks so much you all are great!!!

--

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

Anziano Stewart

Chapter Six: The 1.1st Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

Quickly

Hey, so just a couple things, first, I got to Roma safely.  Second, we do our e-mail on Sunday evening because p-day doesn't really exist for us, so just a heads up for that.

I saw the temple today, it's looking great! The granite looks like the Salt Lake temple.

OK, that's all, ci sentiamo per domenica sera.

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

Chapter Six: The 1st Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

Romans 1:15-16

I never thought that I'd serve in Rome to tell the truth.  Ha-ha, just goes to show that that's how the Lord works -- what you don't expect, is what he gives you.

I still don't know how I feel about being assigned to serve as an assistant.  I guess I'll figure it out as we go, like they say here "vedendo facendo".  I'm sure that it will teach me very much and that I'll have great opportunities.  I'm excited to be able to spend so much time with and be so close to President Kelly.  

I am however, really bummed to leave Messina.  I have really developed a love for the people here, members, non-members and everybody in between. =P  7.5 months in a city is a long time and you can make a lot happen in those 7 months.  I've had the privilege to see 6 people baptized and 3 reactivated.  Our English course has grown a lot and they are all great people.  The list just goes on and on.  

Life brings change and now I have all my bags packed and ready to go.  We're going to say goodbye to the last couple of people and then we have to take a bus to Catania so I can take a night bus to Rome and I'll get there tomorrow morning at 6.  

This week has been a week of lasts and goodbyes.  It is really incredible how strong of a love you can develop in such a short amount of time while you are serving.  You always hear people say,  "I absolutely love the people in the country where I served."  And up until now I didn’t understand it.... but now I do.  If you give 100% like it says in D&C 4, not only does the Lord make miracles happen but he also makes something incredible happen inside of you.  Like it says in Mosiah 4 our very natures are changed and if we allow it to happen, we become more like him.  I don't want to sound like I’m boasting but it's something that I’ve seen in me and many other missionaries.  

This week I’ve been studying a lot, what it means to have a pure heart, and how to obtain a pure heart.  From what I’ve found, the key is to be humble.  Once we humble ourselves enough, then we can be instruments for the Lord.  It is then, while He is using us, that our natures are changed.  Then, like it says in the scriptures, we receive a new heart, a purer heart.

It's interesting how like in Psalms it says, only those who have clean hands and a pure heart can ascend to the hill of the Lord.  We focus very much on the clean hands part but not enough on the pure heart part.  Many people are worried about doing what’s right and being saved, but very few people work on BECOMING better.  I feel like this is the next step.  It’s like going from college ball to the pros.  This is what will qualify us for eternal life.

Say hello to everyone, I love you, and wish you well.  Make sure to keep writing me, don't forget about  me =P  You’re the best. =)

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--

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

Anziano Stewart

P.S.  As far as classes go, if it's not too much of a pain, could you handle it, I have permission to do it but I don’t like to think about these kind of things...  The classes that I’d like are Chem 105, ExSc 320, Psych 111, Rel C 325 (with your seminary teacher from Logan as the prof.),  PdBio 120, and Civ 1.  Let me know what you say/think.

Chapter Five: The 23rd Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians

Is it Summer, Winter, or Spring?

Hello!!! How’s everyone doing?? I hope that everything is going well even if there is a bit of snow... I'm sorry that things aren’t the best as far as health goes... drink some orange juice. =)  

I forgot to ask last week, how is Thede doing? Is she planning on going on a mission also? Tell her and Brigham hi for me.

Sorry if there are a lot of spelling mistakes, the computer I’m on is not the best and all the others are taken... and there is a man next to me that has no idea how to use a computer and about once every minute he asks me for some of help.  

Anyway, this week was surprisingly a little bit slower than previous weeks!!  Things are a lot more tranquillo =) BUT we are still working hard.  Transfer calls are this Saturday... I’m not sure what's going to happen.  A part of me wants to stay, but there is also part of me that feels ready to go to a new city... it's strange thinking that most likely my new city will be my last.  

I'm studying the genesis and reading it together with the Pearl of Great Price and the JST (Joseph Smith Translation) is great I’m learning a lot.  

Once again, I’m sorry if there are a lot of jumps or breaks in the letter, this man is convinced that there is a site for selling used cars that in reality doesn’t exist.

Oh I forgot to tell you about last week, we went to Reggio di Calabria to eat Chinese food and to see a little of Reggio and I found a suit for 30 euro.  Nice!

  

This week I’ve really focused on following the promptings of the Holy Ghost and it has made a big difference not only in lessons but also in my life.  There is more peace and I feel often it's influence, even for little things, such as to say something to my comp.  

Anyways, things are going well.  Sadly, we've had to leave a couple of investigators so that has shrunk our teaching pool a bit, but things are going well and we are getting a lot of help from the members.  Hopefully in a couple weeks/months these people that we've left will mature and "ripen" and will be ready to make baptismal covenants.

This week "Pina" (who we haven’t seen for like 3 months)  called us and said that she needed to meet with us.  She said that she thought that she was in a mess 3 months ago, but now it is 10 times worse.  She told us that she has finally realized that she must show God her faith and then the blessings will come.  It's hard to see people have to be humbled like this because she is really at her ropes end, but too often we are too prideful and God has to allow these things to happen to us so that we can learn.

Well, I've got to go, sorry again if it's short, but please know that a old Sicilian man is content because he was helped. =) 

About registering for classes... I’ll let you know next week how we'll do it.

Thanks for everything, you’re the best, I love you all.  CHEEEEAOOOOWWWW! =)

--

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

Anziano Stewart

Chapter Five: The 22nd Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Sicilians

6 March 2013

Hey, Hey!! Sorry this is late... we ran into a couple problems with our p-day plans.... but anyway, I'm so glad that you are having good weather! You must have sent the bad stuff down here!!! Hopefully it'll go away soon.

First a couple questions.... how’s Stephen Carlson, Devin Shirley, Jo Fahl? Also I wanted to ask if one of you could find and send me the quote (and citation) that mom talked about the other week about how when Henry B. Eyring feels like he can’t do anymore he thinks about the Savior? And finally I wanted to remind mom about FAFSA and I wanted to ask if one of you know when I signup for classes......  

Thanks for all your help you're the best family in the world! =)

Ok so, how are things going? Things are going great! Me and Anziano Cremonesi are finding our rhythm together and we are getting a lot of good work done.  We are now doing our best to prepare the work and ward for when new companionships of missionaries arrive.  So we've let a couple of investigators go that maybe need a little more time and we are looking for new ones so that there will be work for 2 or even 3 companionships.  

Our English course is also having a hard time in the sense that I'm the only missionary who knows English so we've had to make some changes and adjustments etc., but the students are spectacular, they especially like our spiritual thoughts.

I have a suggestion for you.  In your personal scripture study, instead of just reading 2-3 chapters.  Find/pray about/think of a question that you have and want to be answered, then search.  Use the bible dictionary, topical guide, PMG, Conference and other talks, and most importantly prayer to find your answers.  

It is really changing my study.  Before, I was very productive and did my best to learn, but now it's much more effective.  The answers that I receive are received much more through the spirit and not as much through logic, however both have an important role.  Also, it often happens to me that one question leads to another question and so on and so forth.  For example, I was studying temperance to understand it a little better, but then I ended up studying why it's important and now we can get it etc.

Well that's all folks.  =) Thanks for coming, we'll see you on the next episode, don't change the channel!!!

We don't escape out of trials, we escape THROUGH them.

--

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

Anziano Stewart