What's this, no letters from Home?

HEY!! I'm about to start Internet, you should write me!!! Just because I come home in 2 months doesn't mean you don't have to write me!!

VVB!!!
A presto!

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

Chapter Six: The 10th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

I don't countdown the days, I count the opportunities!

First things first, I'M IN SICILIA and it feels good to be home again!!! The first part of our road trip is over, we're at an Internet point right now doing e-mail and mission numbers.  It's always great to be able to come to Catania.  We did some exchanges in Napoli, Messina, and now as soon as we finish, in Catania.  Things are going well. 

It's nice to be able to just do missionary work and not worry about all the other things on your to do list.  But as far as preparation goes for the new Mission President, things are right on schedule, and time is going really quickly!  We're really excited for the change, maybe me in particular because this way I will have to finish my mission strong, I won't have another option.  Training him and helping him with everything, my last 3 weeks will be the busiest yet! A mission really is an endurance race.  So is conversion.  I read this earlier this week, "conversion isn't a step, it's a lifelong process in which we become more like Christ." 

I got 2 emails from "Abby Stewart"this week.  One from my sister Abby in the MTC and one from Abby in the Missouri Independence mission telling me I had the WRONG sister Abby Stewart. Ha-ha Oops!! What I don't understand is why she didn't say something earlier?  It's almost been a month that I have been sending emails to her....good thing thats been resolved.

I really like the idea that dad had to spend a week at the temple as a capstone to my mission.  As long as food, sleep, and maybe company.... are all organized, it'd be wonderful!  I also have another request that might work well with that idea.  Namalie and Kushan (a Sri Lankan couple in Messina that were baptized a about a year and a half ago are going to be sealed in the Swiss temple on August 26th and will be there the whole week with a large part of the ward of Messina.  I'd really like to be present.  Yesterday, they actually asked me of I could come and be one of the witnesses! I couldn't believe it! It's something that I'd really like to do.

Also, another idea that is floating around in my head is to find some cheap flights and go to Messina and Reggio Calabria for a couple days before I go back to school in the U.S. and visit members and new converts (there are a couple that could benefit from it.) Plus it's a great time of year to go, however it's kind of a pricey....let me know what you think about it.

Well, just one last thought before I go (sorry it's short... we don't have much time..) I was reading today in the Book of Mormon where Alma invites the people to be baptized and asks them basically why would you wait to be baptized? You know that it will bring the spirit in your lives even more strongly.  It made me think about what I can do or change to have the spirit stronger in my life.
I love you all very much, stammi bene!! VVB!!
--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King
Anziano Stewart

Chapter Six: The 9th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

 26 Maggio 2013

Hola... er ciao!!! Hows everyone doing?

The weeks are really speeding up and slowing down. It's weird.... But we are doing so much that the day seems like it will never end but the week just flies by!

Anyway, this week went really well, I spent a lot of time thinking about Matthew 13:33 where Jesus teaches the parable of the leaven.  We are the leaven (yeast) in the world, and the only way that we will be able to lift the world is through our influence.  We can't just sit at home and always read the scriptures and say that we have obtained salvation because we must act.  It comes back to the principle of how we are agents unto ourselves and we must act.

God put us here (in a family, job, on a mission, or calling) to act and to help "lift" the world.  If we fail to do this, we have failed.  I really like this parable because there are many people who will make suggestions and say "if only we did this as a church..."  or "the things you see nowadays are just terrible" .... do something about it.  Too often we under estimate our potential influence. I don't want to sound like I'm on a high horse I've just found that thinking about what Jesus was trying to teach has really motivated me to try and have a bigger and better influence.

I'm glad that Abby is doing well, it was a really long email that she wrote... I'm surprised that she got all that in in only 30 minutes! Impressive!  It sounds like the MTC is just treating her nicely!  I especially like the part on meetings... I've found that is one of the things that all new converts have to accept and adjust to..... meeting after meeting, ha, ha, ha!

Anziano Gemmell shared with me quotation that one of his friends found in "Pathways to Perfection" by Thomas S. Monson (Mattie, you should read this one!) anyway, it said,

"“A man without a purpose in life

Is as a ship without a rudder,

A waif, a nothing, a nobody.

Have a purpose in your life,

And having it, throw such

Strength and muscle and brain into your work

As God has given you.”

Thomas Carlyle

Then I thought about what my purpose is as a missionary, invite others to come to Christ.  There isn't a better cause to put all your strength, muscle, and brain into. 

This Sunday was so nice! the Bishop talked about becoming missionary minded members.  He shared the story of when Brigham Young at general conference called for people to help the Willie Martin handcart companies.  And how he needed them to leave right away, that same day.   They didn't have time to waste or to perfect a certain skill, only those who were prepared could go and help these lost souls "home".  It was such a great talk! The spirit was so strong.

As a ward we have a goal to have 70 baptisms from the start of this year to the dedication of the temple, so far we are doing pretty well but there is still a long way to go.  I'm so excited to be assigned here.  I can't remember if I've told you but we have a "zona magica" where we try to focus our work because it is near the temple and we are seeing a ton of success! Last year the ward was split in half and we are back to the numbers that we were at last year.  It's incredible!  I love this work!

I can't wait to hear from you, maybe you'll catch me still on... Have a great week!!! 

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

p.s. I might not be able to write next week until Friday or so... we're going to be driving to Sicily and then to Bari to drop off supplies, do exchanges and have Zone Conferences.  We'll be out for about a week or so, just thought I should let you know so that if I don't write on Sunday you don't start fretting.

Chapter Six: The 8th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

From Rome with Love

Hope that all is well!  It feels like forever since we Skyped!! Holy Cow! 

First things first, Abby, how are you liking the MTC? How's your comp, your district, your teachers, etc.???  How are the lines? Is it as bad as they say?  You should stop by the Italian rooms some time and say hi and tell them that I’ll be greeting them on their first day in Rome. Ha-ha just kidding, but really think about it because the Italian missionaries are always the coolest.

Well, as you can see in the pictures, we ate at an American family's house.  They are way cool.  They are called the Gillespie family.  And they actually lived in Miesenbach from 1999-2001, so we were almost in there the same time! They are way sweet; there are 5 sisters and 1 brother who is the oldest, sounds like home, ha-ha! Crazy.

We also had the Roma/Napoli Specialized Training Meeting.  It went really well, it's honestly pretty sad because it's President and Sister Kelly's last round of conferences, it's going to be really hard to say goodbye to them. They are such a wonderful couple.  

We are working with Teresa right now, she's a newly baptized member who is actually having a little trouble with old habits, hopefully we'll be able to help her have the courage to do everything that she needs to do to change and keep on the straight and narrow path.

We read a talk from President Monson from the April 1986 General Conference on Duty.  It definitely follows his "theme" on doing your duty.  I really liked it.  I'd recommend it to you.

Well, I need to go but I Hope that you are all well and that Aunt Carol’s surgery goes well. Cant' wait to hear from you.  

Psalms 139:23-24

--

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

Anziano Stewart

Create Success by Elder M. Russell Ballard (English and Italian)

Our time in the mission field is short but eternally important. As we examine the mission field, we see that some missionaries succeed to a great degree and others seem to stumble along, trying to stay enthusiastic, but somehow not obtaining the results which they desire. What makes the difference between a highly successful missionary that baptises regularly and a missionary that seldom baptises? Through examining the trends in the missions, we find that it is not the area, it is not the people, and it is not the time of year. Instead it is the attitude of the missionaries and their ability to utilize and apply the talents that they possess. We know that a missionary with a good attitude produces good results; fair attitude, fair results; poor attitude, poor results. The missionary with a good attitude works with the people and not through them.

Ability means nothing to a missionary if it is not used. The greatest men came to the top because of the strength that grew out of meeting resistance. Self-deceptions are responsible for more then three-fourths of all the so-called “unexplained failures” in the mission field. Many missionaries in the race for success explain their shortcomings as they do in the game of bowling. If they fail to win, something was wrong with the ally, the pins, their arms, their members, their companions, their areas, etc. etc. The trouble is never themselves. Of all the distinguished failures, those who deserve the least sympathy are the ones who gather in foolish little cliques, praise each other, deceive each other, criticize others, and fool themselves. They say, “I am not appreciated.” “I have had bad luck all my mission. Others have had a better chance.” “I wish I could have the fortune of Elder ‘success.’” A fireball missionary starts when an investigator says “no!” This is a plain and simple concept but very true.

Do not be a missionary who complains about his companion his leaders, and his burdens. Instead be a missionary who can be placed in any area and in any set of circumstances and be relied on to set things right. Become a creator of circumstances instead of a creature of circumstances.

Success does not depend on the message, but on the messenger. We each learn that failure and excuses go together, so we must learn to get away from excuses. Dull or slow months are for dull missionaries, so remember that sharp missionaries don’t have any.

This is why success is not luck. It can be predicted and followed each day into a successful week, year, and mission. Live one day at a time as though it where a building block. Do each day what should be done that day, and do not underwork, because that brings on the “bad luck” and slumps.

By being able to control what we put in this mind of ours, we determine our own lives. “as we sow, so shall we reap.” We can see how important it is to sow the right beginning thoughts. Another interesting fact about our minds is that we can only entertain one thought at a time. Therefore, your destiny may be determined by one single thought, and it is up to you whether you make it positive or negative. Think baptism and you will baptize. Your actions, attitude, mission, and life will be directed by your thoughts.

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. If you can’t see yourself baptizing, then you probably never will. A desire does not come from practical knowledge, but it comes from compulsions and obsessions. Desire leads to a goal, and it is the starting point of all achievement. The power of definite desire is beyond all practical goals that use no emotion. We need to get involved emotionally in our goal to baptize. Who will baptize next? The mission field is successful only to successful missionaries.

Creare Successo

L’anziano M. Russell Ballard

Il nostro tempo nel campo di missione è breve ma eternamente importante. Come esaminiamo il campo di missione, vediamo che alcuni missionari hanno successo in grande misura e altri sembrano di inciampare lungo, cercando di rimanere entusiasti, ma in qualche modo non ottengano i risultati che desiderano. Che cosa fa la differenza tra un missionario di grande successo che battezza regolarmente e un missionario che battezza raramente? Esaminando le tendenze nei missioni, troviamo che non è la zona, non è il popolo, e non è il periodo dell'anno. Invece è l'atteggiamento dei missionari e la loro capacità di utilizzare e applicare i talenti che possiedono. Sappiamo che un missionario con un buon atteggiamento produce buoni risultati, atteggiamento mediocre, risultati discreti; atteggiamento povero, scarsi risultati. Il missionario con un buon atteggiamento lavora con le persone e non attraverso di loro.

Capacità non significa nulla per un missionario, se non è utilizzato. I più grandi uomini giunsero alla cima, a causa della forza che nacque incontrando resistenza. Auto-inganni sono la causa per più di tre quarti di tutti i cosiddetti "fallimenti inspiegabili" nel campo di missione. Molti missionari in gara per il successo spiegano i loro difetti come fanno nel gioco del bowling. Se non riescono a vincere, qualcosa non andava con la pista, i perni, le loro braccia, i loro membri, i loro colleghi, le loro città, ecc ecc. Loro non sono mai il problema. Di tutti i fallimenti, quelli che meritano la minima simpatia sono quelli che si riuniscono in piccoli sciocchi groupetti, si lodano a vicenda, si ingannano, criticano gli altri e ingannano se stessi. Loro dicono: "Io non sono apprezzato." "Ho avuto la sfortuna tutta la mia missione. Altri hanno avuto una possibilità in più." "Solo se avessi potuto avere la fortuna di Anziano 'successo'... "  Una palla di fuoco missionario inizia quando un simpatizzante dice " no!"  Questo è un concetto chiaro e semplice, ma molto vero.

Non essere un missionario che si lamenta per il suo collega, i suoi dirigenti, e i suoi fardelli. Invece essere un missionario che può essere messo in qualsiasi città e in qualsiasi insieme di circostanze e di essere fatto valere per sistemare le cose. Diventa un creatore di circostanze, invece di una creatura delle circostanze.

Successo non dipende il messaggio, ma sul messaggero. Ognuno di noi apprendiamo che il fallimento e le scuse vanno insieme, quindi dobbiamo imparare a scappare dalle scuse. Mesi che sono acuto o lento sono per i missionari spenti, quindi ricordatevi che i missionari vivi non ne hanno.

Questo è il motivo per cui il successo non è fortuna. può essere previsto e seguita da giorno a girono, a settimama a settimana, l'anno a l’anno e per la missione. Vivete un giorno alla volta come se fosse un elemento costituivo. Fate ogni giorno ciò che dev essere fatto in quel giorno, e non sottrarsi vostri doveri , perché questo porta alla "sfortuna" e declini.

Contraollando ciò che mettiamo nella nostra mente, possiamo determinare la nostra vita. "Poichè quello che l’uomo avrà seminato, quello pure mieterà".  Vedeiamo quanto sia importante seminare i giusti pensieri al inizio. Un altro fatto interessante sulla nostra mente è che siamo in grado di intrattenere un solo pensiero alla volta. Pertanto, il tuo destino può essere determinato da un singolo pensiero, ed è a voi se è positivo o negativo. Pensate il battesimo e battezzarete. Le vostre azioni, atteggiamento, missione, e vita sarano indirizzati dai vostri pensieri.

Qualunque cosa la mente umana può concepire e credere, può raggiungere. Se non riesci a vedere te stesso che battezza, allora probabilmente non lo farai mai. Il desiderio non viene dalla conoscenza pratica, ma viene da compulsioni e le ossessioni. Un desiderio porta ad un obiettivo, ed è il punto di partenza di tutto il successo. Il potere di un desiderio sicuro è al di là di tutti gli obiettivi pratici che privo di emozione. Abbiamo bisogno di essere coinvolti emotivamente nel nostro obiettivo di battezzare. Chi battezzerà il prossimo? C’è il successo nel campo di missione solo a missionari di successo.

Chapter Six: The 7th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

Good News

First things first, I’m no longer the only assistant! I knew that President was going to make Anziano Bird the next assistant, I just didn't know when... After a couple days of confusion, not knowing what he was supposed to be doing exactly, President decided to just have him become an assistant right away.  The crazy thing is that he's only in his 6th transfer!!! He's not even been out for a year yet!  But its already improved one-week was enough! ha-ha President always says that if you get out alive of being assistant for the Italy Rome mission you can do anything and the longer I'm here, the more that I believe it.  

This last week we slept an average of like 5 hours per night.... Transfer weeks are always pretty rough, but it's amazing how every little detail works out.  The Lord really is watching over us! Transfers went pretty crazily, we had greenies loose planes and arrive late, the whole day was improvised.

Well it looks like you had a great trip to England!! I'm glad!  That's great that grandma and grandpa were able to come!  And Abby received her endowments in the London Temple! Oh yeah!!!!! That's great!  By the way, my luggage is holding up really well, it's looking like it'll last much longer that 2 years.  So that's good news!  

The bad news is I lost my camera!! I can't find it! I've been looking for it for about a week and I can't find it anywhere! =/ At least it lasted for a good 4 years or so.  But if you don't get any pictures at least you know it's not due to me being lazy! But thank you for all the pictures! You're the best! 

Sorry I don't have much more to say.  How are things looking for the fall? Did fafsa work out? Classes, apartment, work, etc... oh and one other thing if you have some extra time could you look into the air force ROTC at BYU and explain the requisites and requirements?  You’re the best!

Well, I'll tell you as soon as we know about the Skype call for Mother’s Day, we have webcams in the office so that makes things nice, we just need to set up a time.

I love you all!!!

--

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

Anziano Stewart

Chapter Six: The 6th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy

Transfer Week

Its great to hear from you all, I'm glad to hear that Abby made it home safely. 

This weekend we had the Rome stake conference, it went really well.  Elder Tad Callister was here to reorganize the Stake Presidency, seeing as the stake President was called to be an Area Seventy.  We were able to have a nice little morning side with him and his wife.  It was so great! He's such a great teacher!

We also got the transfer calls done.  It was very hectic because Elder Callister was here during the whole process, but we were able to figure out who should go where and let them know.  We didn't write yesterday because we were working on the travel plans, which honestly was maybe the most stressful thing that I've done as an assistant.  I think we should just hire a travel agent!  It would make things much more easy! But we should be done with those, whew!

This week my companion goes home.  It's too bad; I really liked serving with him.  He's one of the people that I really would like to hang out with after the mission.  About my new companion, his name is Anziano Bird, and he WON'T be an assistant.  He will be an office missionary and my driver (Camron has never had a drivers license). Pretty crazy eh??? I'm going to need your prayers being the only assistant.  

The reason there's only one is because there just aren't any good candidates.  Anziano Bird is a great missionary but he is still really young in the mission, he just passed his 6th month mark.  So I think that for a transfer he'll be "mission clerk" and then next transfer, he'll become Assistant.  

This week is going to be crazy! We are going to sleep in the mission home more than our home! We have greenies coming in on Tuesday and on Wednesday, transfers all Thursday (and also a bit on Friday), and the old missionaries going home on Friday!  OH YEAH!!!!! 

Well, we need to start working on some things to get ready for this crazy week.  I hope that you all have a great week!! And make sure to send some pictures!!

Do you remember Mozzarella di Bufala?!?!?

Good job on all the letters! You’re the best!!

And Mattie, take whichever language course you feel you should take... but I feel that Spanish is much more useful than German. All the people who speak German speak English already.