A Week of Miracles, Las Cruses, NM

My dear family -

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are all having a splendid week- I know I surely have had one! This week, I made it a point to write in my journal every night and write down one miracle that I saw or one thing that strengthened my testimony and i tell you what - it has done a number on my attitude! I couldn't tell you anything that went wrong this week! okay that is a lie.. I could do that. But I won't because what good will that do? none.So instead - let me tell you the highlights.

Last Friday - we had a lesson with a less active member of the ward and we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ (I just love that lesson so very much! it is the best! it is bad to have a favorite lesson? just like is it bad to have a favorite child? I learned in my studying this week that it is not! Do you want to know why? becasue Heavenly Father does. and that is Jesus Christ. He is always calling Him His Well Beloved.. so it is okay mum and dad to admit I am your favorite.. sorry about that side note..) and we taught it straight out of the Book of Mormon and the lesson morphed into a lesson on that Book and the power that comes from reading it - something she has not been doing. So we committed her to do so and it was just a very positive lesson! but that is not where it ends - a few hours later - this same less active came to an investigator lesson with us that ended up being on the Book of Mormon as well - which is not what we planned for! but Eva, the member who is less active currently, bore a very powerful testimony on the Book of Mormon and the power it has in our lives and it brought the spirit so strong that we committed our investigator to baptism! it was so neat! oh the power of the Book of Mormon. if you aren't reading it right now.. I suggest you start.

Another miracle of this week would have to be the miracle of the priesthood! but first - in FHE on sunday night, the lesson was on faith and how faith is the power behind the priesthood - so while only worthy males can hold the priesthood the POWER of the priesthood lies within all of us - man woman and child. It was a really cool insight! Back to the miracle though.. last tuesday, sister M and I bought us some barbecue potato chips - moms favorite! and we emptied 3/4 of the bag that day! they are just so good! and then on Wednesday - I was not feeling so hot - and by the afternoon, I was crippled over in pain! why? I hadn't eaten anything bad - or so I thought! While I was in bed - Sister M pulls the bag out of the garbage and exlaims "aha! Barley flour! in the potato chips!" dang lays. why do you put barley in your chips?? so my dear companion humbled me by calling the elders over to give me a priesthood blessing - and in the blessing, he blessed that I would be able to have a restful night where my body would be able to heal itself and repair any damage that had been made. how cool is that? and it worked! by the next morning I was ready to go! and it was a good thing I was becasue we had some wonderful lessons that day with a recent convert and a less active and an investigator. I love the priesthood. Thank you dad for holding it and so willingly giving blessings to your daughters when we needed them.

I will now be perfectly honest - this last week was probably one of the harder ones of my mission, but I know becasue I took the time and the effort to look for the little miracles each day - I found them! and boy they make the week look so good! so I encourage all of you to do the same. and I would ask you to let me know how it goes.. but no one ever does so I won't ask for feedback - just do it! and know that I love you!

Love Sister Stuart

The Stupor Returned...., Las Cruses, NM

It has been a good week here in the Land of Enchantment! I had the opportunity to serve in Hatch New Mexico for just 24 hours and in Spanish! and it was so exciting! I learned so much and was told that my Spanish actually sounds good and I have a good accent! now I just need to learn the words... maybe one day.

But our area is thriving! We are getting all kinds of new investigators from members and their friends and their is just a whole lot of exciting things happening- but sitting here at the computer, i couldn't tell you of a one ha! Writers block. it is a real thing. maybe it is more like a stupor of thought though. or maybe it is just paranoia becasue my companion is done emailing and is just sitting next to me waiting for me to be done.. yep that could be it too.

Despite the crummy email - I am well, the work is hastening and whom the Lord loves He is chastening. So I am getting my rear in gear! and not beeing apostate and not being lazy so we can convert like crazy!

I love you all!

it had a lot of potential, Las Cruses NM

i don't know if I sent these pictures to you already- so you may be enjoying them again! 

- This explains elder sister relations in my mission perfectly!

- The second is the crew at the mission home for MLC in December

This is how Sister Montini and I study! not really - usually my desk is very clean.. this was the day we reaaranged out entire apartment- moving our beds into the living room and our desks into the bedroom and we created new planners this day- so full of movement and creativity! but I promise - I am quite tidy now - we actually had cleaning inspections yesterday and they were very impressed at Sister M and I - actually making our apartment liveable now ha! I guess that is what happens when you take over an elders apartment..

And I saw my dear mother/trainer at transfer meeting last week. i love Sister Brown.

 My dear family - and those of you reading this who aren't family- remember that you actually are! for we are all children of the same divine parentage. is that a real word? i don't think so.. but I will use it anyway - our assistant ward mission leader likes to make up his own words (importancy, clarificating, etc..) and I guess it is really rubbing off on me - ooh forget it!

Here we are into another transfer and this one is monumental! Wondering why? It is the first one that has not included a change for me! Yahoo! My first second third and fourth transfers included new companions, my fourth and fifth included new areas and now sister montini and i are still together in the university ward- and school starts this week so we really are pumped! and they start on a thursday - weird.

I have again changed my mind on a career path for the future. I have decided I should become a firefighter. Sister M and I have been extinguishing fires all week long. Maybe more in the figurative sense than the literal sense - but it is still exhausting!

As missionaries- we keep what is called the area book and it has all the information in it that any missionary should ever need about the area(that is if they are maintained- but that is another story in and of itself!), who is being taught, what they have been taught, who could be potentially being taught, who the members are, and so forth. The section that contains the information on who could potentially be taught can be a real gold mine or a real flop- it has been somewhat of a flop for us recently.. it is a whole bunch of people who missionaries contacted in the street once - maybe knocked on their door once and weren't immediately rejected - so their name and information gets jotted for some later missionaries to attempt to bring to their attention this wonderful gospel that could be theirs! It is not always as successful as one would hope - rarely is it actually... but not this week! We took a member out teaching with us to an appointment who bailed - blah. But that is why we set backups! who also weren't there. blah. so we pull out the area book! and go to a potential Josue. Now mind you- we have tried him before. He would stick his head out the door and say- oh not right now- I am busy maybe another time but will he set another time.. no no. that would be preposterous. So as you may understand, i was not to hopeful. but we went with faith anyway! and we caught him when he was just stepping outside. We talked to him for a little while asked how he was and how he was introduced to the missionaries in the past and he told us they gave hima book of mormon and he is reading it!! what?? He is almost done with Mosiah. what?? So we were able to bear testimony on the truthfullness of the book and set a return appointment. oh my word it was a miracle! and there you have it.. a sister stuart story. they are still alive and well! 
and I think I will end on that note.. I even baffled myself with that one..

 The work is alive and well and will really be thriving in a few weeks- I'll be sure to keep you posted!

I love you all!

Sister Stuart

and parentage is a real word! speaking of - if anyone feels inclined to send me a dictionary - I would love them forever!

looking for success? look no further! Las Cruses, NM

the ten steps to being successful on a mission, in school, in a career, in a marriage, in life- as told by president Steve Miller

1.. Know what your mission is.

  each of us have a mission- what is yours right now? what is it that you are doing? think about it- thankfully Preach My Gospel has defined my mission right now so I don't have to think about it too hard - I am inviting others to come unto Christ. What are you doing?

2.. Have a vision.

  now that you have a mission- what is your vision? You are looking past the table of the present and through the window to your future-what do you see? Where is it that you want to be? How is your mission aiding your quest for your vision?

3.. Be goal oriented.

  the goals are one of the most important things- they keep us headed in the right direction - you may see your vision and have a mission for what you are doing right now - but if you have no goals it will be awfully hard to accomplish what you want to. Goals keep us going down the right track without so many detours...

4.. Be competent. 

  Know what you are doing - don't go try to draft new players for a professional team if you have no idea what you are looking for- get educated and learn! Be knowledgeable and able. Be level headed and competent.

5.. Have a strong team.

  work together with your companion, associate, mentor, spouse, whoever it may be- work together! Don't focus on the little things- they don't matter- don't get caught up and don't get dragged down. You are obviously with your team mate for a reason and there is a purpose for your being together - don't mock the Lord in bringing one another down- He will strengthen you as you seek Him and His will together.

6.. Have communication skills. 

  if you can't communicate the first five steps don't matter all that much.. we live in a world full of people and if you cannot communicate with them- good luck! but as I have learned, from experience, all is not lost if your communicationskills are subpar - you can improve! and all it takes is practice! like roleplays! (blech..) but first - set yourself up for success - square your shoulders to them and look them in the eyeballs - they are the windows to the soul. and follow the counsel of that great man (I cannot remember who it was that said this.. I just remember what he said.. possibly a Roosevelt? maybe a different president? maybe a prophet? I don't remember...) "Speak not so everyone can understand but rather, so no one can misunderstand!" This can be done when you speak the words the spirit telss you too.. learned that one too!

7.. Develop interpersonal skills.

  have the eyes to see and the ears to hear - notice things that you can talk to people about - if they have a fancy painting in their office, ask them about it. If they have pictures of their family on their desk -ask them about them. Be more concerned with being interested in them than being interesting to them. but when they ask- don't be afraid to tell them about yourself- take that opportunity.

8.. Have a can-do, get-it-done attitude.

  you WILL open doors if you have a positive attitude about it! I truly believe Heavenly Father recognizes our attitudes and our willingness to do things and when He sees that He blesses us with the things we need - if it be in accordance with His will of course.. people will notice this attitude and they will love it. they will want you to be part of their team!

9.. Seek and be open to receive inspiration.

  we know Heavenly Father is the true author of our lives and He only wants the best for us - so why not ask Him? He will answer. Be ready for it. and then when you receive that inspiration, don't sit there questioning whether it is just you or if it is the spirit - take Elder Bednar's advice and don't worry about it! If it a good thing - the spirit is likely behind it and you probably won't recognize that until long after the fact. if you are being obedient and living worthy - the spirit will be with you and He will prompt you to act - not to be acted upon.

10.. Be ambitious.

  go for it! Develop the desire to get out there and claim what is yours - or what can be yours. have the drive that propels you forward - to get out of bed in the morning and to BE! Don't set your sights low- you can accomplish wonders!

MLC is the most wonderful meeting ever - that happened this week in ABQ and I left so edified and feeling like I can conquer the world! those are the best feelings ever! and then we got to los lunas which is 40 miles southbound and I realized I left my coat at the mission home. bother. so I text President Miller and asked if He would be so kind as to bring it down to LC the next time he came for meetings - little did I know that would be the very same weekend for Stake meetings in El Paso - but I learned this as he walked in during Zone Training as Sister Montini and I were giving our training - talk about intimidating! but he did bring my coat which I was thankful for..

and that about concludes this week- oh but y'all need to watch the video on lds.org called "look not behind thee" that is what we did our training on - it is just so great! 

look forward to success! and trust Heavenly Father has something greater in store for you than what you have left behind!

I love you all

Sister Stuart

oh and ps.. I am not being transferred! sticking around the Aggies for another 6 weeks

you will have time for this one..

Happy new year all! 

What a wonderful time of year this is - truly it is no coincidence that we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and then a week later we celebrate a new beginning full of resolutions and goals to become better! and how perfect that our thoughts were so focused on Christ - that should not change in setting goals for 2014 - so my challenge to you all- amongst all your other resolutions - set one that will strengthen your relationship with your older brother mmkay? 

We had an exciting week this week mostly - it is hard with all the students gone still but we are still working hard and doing what we can - remember I told you about Carlos and Yumi? well they are still fantastic as ever! they even came to church on sunday - and brought another friend-  brian - and they are just so wonderful! teaching them is so great! we taught the plan of salvation a couple days ago and we had 2 members with us who have both returned form their missions in the last 6 months - anyway- as we are talking about the pre earth life carlos asks where the devil comes from - hmmm... and one of our members wanted to wexplain it! that probably shouldn't have happened.... he went into a little more depth than you normally would go into in teaching the plan of salvation for the first time... I was geetting confused myself! but thankfully carlos said it made perfect sense to him! oh thank goodness the spirit was working in that lesson! 

I can't really think of anything else exciting that happened this last week.. see this is what happens when I don't make a list! I am way too young to be experiencing this level of dimensia!! I hope you are all looking forward to taking care of me in my old age when I can't find the cell pohone that is still in my hand! 

Know that I love you all and am looking forward to hearing of your resolutions for the new year! (that means you can email me back and let me know..)

Love Sister STuyart - i don't know why it is so hard for me to type stuart.. but it rarely comes out right on the first try...

this is what santa clause looks like in new mexico -who knew??

and this is the Heiner clan that hosted us for christmas eve- such a great family!

this is where we spent christmas eve - in Old mesilla and we felt like singing the song the whos sing around the christmas treee- but instead we sang silent night.. much better!