Le gustaria que mandemos misionaras que hablen Espanol?

Happy Tuesday everyone! and my goodness do I have a lot to say - It has been quite the busy week- and if any of y'all have read (or will read) the family christmas letter - I apparently say way too much already... but do you want to know what else? I am going to tell you anyway! so feel free to skim! -especially sorry to the missionary friends -you definitely don't have time to read this. and if you want to read only this paragraph- I am doing well and loving New Mexico!

First- our investigator Dallas is on date for baptismat the beginning of January! it would be december - but he is gong to Disneyland...  he is so prepared! and his girlfriend is coming back o church really strong which is so exciting o see!

 and her older sister who has also been less active for a really long time came to the ward party last friday  night and then came to church no sunday too! and brought her boyfriend nonmember too! oh it was so exciting! and now I am to sunday so I will tell you all the exciting news about who was there - we had 2 investigators there (we would have loved more- but all the students are off with their families...) 4 potential investigtors there and 10 less actives! it was so incredible to see! and you want to know how I know all of this- I was sitting on the stand becasue Sister Montini and I spoke in church and it was so good! not to toot my own horn or anything- but let me tell you about this talk... we were asked two weeks ago and naturally, I didn't start preparing until saturday night :) I was actually going to during lunch and dinner on friday and saturday becasue we did not have them set up with the ward but then something came up- aka- a nap - and we didn't get to that so finally at 9:30 on saturday night I figured i should write my talk (remember how long it took me to write my farewell talk? yeah one hour was not going to cut it..) so i pulled out my scriptures and my notebook and started writing - and I got 

READ 2Nephi 19:6 

Should have been born in a palace

but it was humble
READ luke 2:1-6

first visitors - humble shepherds

continue in Luke

wisemen in Matthew

and then I fell asleep - and we had ward council the next morning at 8:00 so no time to write in then either - so that is what I went to the pulpit with and guess what? I think it was the best talk I have ever given!
and sister montini gave a great talk on the gifts we have been given by heavenly father. it was just a great sacrament meeting- especailly with all the people who came! oh- and we also sang in the choir for the rest hymn and I led the music for the meeting and it took me till the third verse to figure out the timing on the opening hymn- how embarrasing!! oh well-

also this week sister montini and I went on two exchanges and i was in the spanish area! can you tell? but it was so cool becasue i really felt like I knew everything they were talking about! I couldn't say anything - but I felt like I knew what they were saying! and I also learned some phrases so if ever I meet a person who only speaks spanish -i can send them to the spanish missionaries - the first thing to say - no hablo espanol :) mucho gusto!

we also had zone conference yesterday and let me tell you what a spiritual feast that was! Elder Foster from the 70 came and man is he incredible or what! and so is President Miller - I just love hearing form him. but y'all are lucky today and saved by the bell! it is time to go -

sorry there isn't much christmas spirit in this one - I feel the Christ spirit every day- and with no snow here and no cold weather it feels no different - but Merry Christmas to all!

Know that I love you and love telling you all my exciting happenings!

Sister Stuart!

oh and I forgot to ask you... In teaching the plan of Salvation I was asked a hard question and despite my studying, I am still stumped- and that poses a problem.
 I was asked

"Why would God give a commandment that needed to be broken (to not eat of the fruit)? Isn't that setting them up to fail? God should never do that."

and I have not been able to find a sufficient answer.. any help?

A Stupor of Thought, Las Cruses, NM

I am experiencing a stupor of thought right about now.. maybe that means I am not supposed to write.

I love you all!

Love Sister Stuart


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Just kidding! But not about the stupor of thought.. that is really happening. I just can't seem to remember anything that happened this week..

oh we taught Ellen! Ellen is from Canada - she is here in Las Cruces on some mission trip with the Lutheran church that is providing her with some work experience in immigration law- and she is a very devout catholic.. explain that one.. I sure can't! anyway.. the elders had met and taught her some and she is really great! but not what most would call "golden" her boyfriend in Canada is a member and they have been talking marriage so she figured she had better learn some of the things he believes in - and not from him. She wanted from a reliable source - so she got a hold of the missionaries! she sounds golden to me! but she is more meeting with the missionaries on a strictly informational basis.. she does not want to be a mormon she told us - but I tell you what - this lesson was INCREDIBLE with her - I can't even remember what we taught - but we did ask her if she had prayed about the book of mormon - and she said not really - then she practically quoted moroni 10 3-5 which she has never even read! so we asked her why not and she said that she was scared that it would be right and she would have to give up her catholic beliefs - then sister montini asks this incredible question of "what are you willing to give up to know the savior?" to which she replies - all people- including family, her position in life, She just doesn't know if she is ready to give up her intellect and the belliefs and truths she hold so dear. we then promise that if she prays sincerely to know, with real intent to act upon that answer, she will get an answer and she will come to know the Lord and His love will be sufficient for her! and then committed her to baptism which she accepted! It was a very powerful lesson!

Also- we wnt to ABQ this week fot MLC and saw the Christensen's.. my goodness I love them. and we also saw Bobbie -and that was just incredible too! and the best part is - she got baptized on Saturday!! I have attached that picture - even though I wasn't there - I am so happy she did it! and look at her- she is just glowing!! I am so happy for her! and then we were definitely spiritually fed at MLC - I just love President Miller. He is so very inspired. and it snowed quite a bit in ABQ- but then we came back down to Cruces in the 75 degrees! it has dropped since then, but the sun is shining today!

This week is finals week here at NMSU - everyone is headed home. How exciting! for them.. not for the missionaries. It is quite difficult to tweach students when there are no students around.. we will just have to find some locals to teach! I look forward to it!

Have a wonderful week - I love you!

Sister Stuart

oh and the second picture is just north of Hatch NM - on our way to ABQ where sister montini says "it is so green!" you know you have been in a desert too long when sagebrush is green! it was hilarious- sorry bad picture though.. the green didn't last long.

one other thing I forgot to tell y'all... the miracle of the week- We contacted this referral that was left over from the elders here bfore us - some guy who we had absolutely no idea about and we didn't have his actual apartment number so we called and left a message and he texted us back saying he was interested! awesome! we are meeting with himtomorrow -

okay actually two things.. one super wonderful thing about being in the university ward is going to FHE on monday nights! yahoo! last night we went to flash mob (only not really...) the mall and the corbett center on campus (to be likened to the TSC) with Christmas carols! so we all met at the church first and practiced a few times and then we went over the mall. Sister Montini and I and a coupple other sisters in the ward started off the singing "oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining it is the night of our dear saviors birth. then something else (I seem to have forgotten the words) in sin and error pining" and then we were so rudely cut off by a mall security guard who said "you can't do that" to which one of the sisters in the ward asks "do what?" and he replies "sing." He was not very nice. So we left - and then everyone chickened out on campus because it is finals week and people are studying. It was a bummer of a flaash mob- but it was still heaps of fun!

Christmas Joys, Los Cruses, NM

Christmas came early for this girl! and man was I so incredible happy to see what was inside! I thank you all very much! I am so excited to pack it now to go to ABQ on Wednesday!

So the events for this week- first, you all are probably wondering (well - bnot those of you who served missions.. but the rest of you) how a missionary does Thanksgiving day. First, she goes to lunch at 2:00 and has the most wonderful spread of food laid before her and of course, indulges! -unfortunately not in GF pie though.. and then they sit and chat and talk about all the things they are thankful for for 2.5 HOURS!!! and then head off to the next appointment - yes, one of the eating variety where another enourmous spread is laid before you and your stomach is already so full but of course, they have been cooking for days so you have to eat.. But it was delicious again. the members here are just so nice and they just want to make sure their missionaries are well fed and happy. and we sure were!

Sister Montini and I are so happy to be here in the university ward! Our first dinner appointment was with a less active girl in the ward who invited us over just so we could start teaching her boyfriend! who already has a testimony about the importance of church! they had cgone for 2 weeks then missed one and he said his week was just so crummy and he sttributed it all to missing church! so prepared! So after dinner we taught the first lesson on the restoration which is simply a spiritual punch in the face! especially the first vision and then when you leave the power pause of silence after- you would be crazy to not feel the spirit! and this is the lesson we taught to Dallas.. but get this - I was sharing the first vision and he started laughing! LAUGHING!! can you believe it?? Okay so it was mnore like a chuckle - but it still frazzled me! So I sped up a little - which you aren't supposed to do- and then when I finished- we left time for the power pause so the spirit could fill the room again and what did he do? LAUGHED! oh my word! what is happening! and then he said - "this is weird.." oh no is what you are thinking right?? so was I. so we asked - what is so weird? to which he responded - "I have just never felt this way before.. I all of a sudden just feel encompassed by this warmth." and he laughed about it. silly boy. But he definitely felt the spirit and he commmitted to baptism! yahoo!

But - all is not fun and games and finding super prepared people in university wards - we found abother new investigator who does not quite fit that description.. he essentaily wants to teach us all this hokey stuff. we have a lesson tonight on the plan of salvation - where he wants to teach us all his knowledge about the new heaven and the new earth. needless to say, we will probably drop him..

We also had a lesson with a recent convert this last week - for our sakes- we haven't taught many lessons form PMG in the last month and a half - so we asked if we could teach her and have her give us feedback on how we can improve and what is well and the like.. so we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ - which just so happens to be my favorite lesson! and she only had good things to say - why is it that no one likes to tel you how to improve?? anyway - She extended a very wonderful complimet though that really boosted my confidence. We are really trying to teach more out of the Book of Mormon right now (that is why this lesson is my favorite becasue you can teach straight out of the book of mormon) and so we just used a bunch of different stories from the Book and she told us that she has never before been so excited to read er scriptures! I was so excited!@ that is how it should be!! great lesson there...

Also, I have to thank you Michael specifically for all those halloween stickers.. Sister Montini and I predicted our futures with them one day during lunch. Significant events are marked by each sticker and they will happen on the dates on which they fall. It was a riot! So if you want to know how my life is going to pan out - the key is on the bottom right and look for the stickers with a T next to them.

I am outta here! I love you all very much!