I am finally trying to write for the blog again! We have so many blessings and things happening on a day to day basis I think I become overwhelmed when I think about putting those down on paper. Here goes a try!

We are down to our last group of ROTC cadets this Sunday. What a blessing it has been to get to know these great young men and women! About six weeks ago we had a very large group of cadets for our Saturday sacrament. 25 from BYU, 2 from USU and about 8 others from various Universities in the US. As we sang the opening song and had the prayer, I heard all 35 men and women start to sniffle. By the end of the prayer there wasn't a dry eye in the place. The spirit was so strong and none of us could deny it's presences. I had to pass around a roll of paper towels for us to be able to continue the service. All of them were so relieved to find a moment of peace in their stressful environment. They were so grateful for the opportunity to partake of the sacrament. The second time we see the cadets , we are at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. We have a chance to hear their testimonies there. Rest assured the church and the US Air Force will be in good hands. Just a wonderful group of saints! By the time we say good bye to them there we have grown to love them and it is very hard to say goodbye ! It is like saying goodbye to our kids!!! We take pictures of the group at Camp Shelby, then we send it to their wives, girlfriends, moms, dads. We have received some very nice emails back. They are thrilled to see their cadet alive and well. We have had quite a few visitors come. We have passed out many Books of Mormon. Usually the visitors come with a buddy from their flight. They leave with many buddies and many testimonies to remember their Sacrament meetings with the LDS. We do not get to see the end results but I know they feel the spirit!

We also have the privilege and opportunity to work with the local ward here in Montgomery. We have a few good experiences to share with you ;

A couple of weeks ago the Elders had a baptism. We were asked to pick up one of the family members because she was going to speak. Her brother was being baptized. She was a little self conscious about the shorts and shirt she had on, we told her not to worry, As she went to the front of the room to talk we noticed she had on a very unusual ankle bracelet! Black, with an electronic device attached! Apparently she is on parole and was being tracked with the bracelet.

She gave a very nice thought for her brother and told him she was proud of him for making this good choice to do right. I have to admit I was a little nervous about what she might say. In the car she wanted to know what I thought about blood sacrifice and what I knew about masons and other people that worship Satan! I told her the truth! I know nothing! She had seen all this on some TV show!

We had a baptism scheduled about three weeks ago. Three really cute kids, two 9 yr olds (Twins) and their 10 yr old sister. We had talked to them at great length about the word of wisdom. They weren't sure why they should give up tea.

In the baptism interview the brother told the Elders the 10 yr old sister was not following the word of wisdom. They talked to her and this is what she told them: She was so afraid she would not be able to wake up for church on Sunday. (She had a problem with not waking up the week before) she had stayed awake in her bed all night. She was so tired when it was time to get ready for church she had gone in the kitchen and fixed herself a cup of coffee and drank it to stay awake!

The Elders(Zone Leaders) told her they would like to see her following the word of wisdom for two weeks before she was baptized. So we went back these last two weeks and did a little remedial teaching. They will be baptized this Sat. the 14 of Aug.

They are such good cute kids. Their mom is a member. We are also trying to teach the new stepdad. It would be wonderful to see this family all members and heading for the temple. I believe in miracles and know it can happen!

We have been so blessed. Some of you may have heard that Rich had shingles a couple of weeks ago. When we found out what his problem was we were a little worried. The doctors said not much you can do and it usually last for several weeks! He had the pain and spots appear over the weekend, on Monday we talked with doctor and he saw him on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning Rich's whole left side if his face was swollen and red and hurt. Thursday morning we had the Elders come give him a blessing. Thursday night and Friday both of his eyes were swollen almost shut. By Saturday, the swelling was gone and we were able to drive the 5 hours to Mississippi. He still looked a little rough and felt

A little out of sorts but we were able to do our work there. It really was a miracle how fast he recovered. The Lord really blessed us.

One more quick story: We attend a bible study once a week with several black sisters in the other ward here in Montgomery. We love it. The other day we held it at a different Sisters house. We arrived and went in. One of the sisters who has knee problems was not there yet. Rich went on the front porch to wait for her and to help her in. I am in the house with two or three other sisters. The phone rings; "Lucy are you alright over there?" "There is a white man hanging around on your front porch I just wanted to make sure you were okay!!!!" Lucy assured her it was okay. We were at her house for bible study. We all cracked up. I guess this woman thought he was a criminal in a white shirt and slacks.

Well I will close. We love you all and appreciate all of you and what you have done to help us come on this mission. We love you and the Gospel is true!

Elder and Sister Stewart (aka the white man and his wife)

Zach and Jessie's families met at the beach in Gulf Shores Alabama last weekend. This is a picture of all the grandkids (except Jessie's new one coming) ready for bed. They had a great time being together!!

The "Sweet Home Alabama" couple hope you have the best of days and continue to honor Boyd and Syb - even thru the veil. They will be pleased.

And Mary and Brian - thanks for the challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 40 short days. We know the Lord will bless our effort to do this as a family, we know He will teach us specific things we all need to know at this time. We know we will feel each other's love and testimonies as we do this and we will be strengthened by and thru each other. Sue and I need that!

And as you honor our sleeping veterans, rest well knowing that on this Memorial Day a mighty crop of new Warriors is rising to accept the banner. We just returned from conducting Sacrament for the ROTC cadets on base (Sat evening - they can't leave base). They wear the whole armor of God and reflect the Savior in their countenances - can't ask for more than that! And we get to do this all summer!

We love you all, we respect you all and we're so grateful to be part of this great family. What a blessing to know it extends to both sides of the thin veil.

Elder RC and Sister Sue

Embarrassing Moment

Hello everyone,

Thought I would give you an update of the less spiritual nature of our mission!

I am titling this my most embarrassing missionary moment!( Yet!) We still have 6 months to go!

A couple of weeks ago Elder Stewart and I set out to inspect the missionary apartments. I was taking plastic eggs with candy for those that had clean apartments.

I realized when we were just outside Wetumpka I had eaten a few too many and it would be necessary to stop and buy some more! So we stopped at Walmart in Wetumpka, Al.

I ran to the plastic eggs grabbed a few with a couple of bags of candy. I ran through the checkout and then into the bathroom for a quick potty-break. As I walked out of the restroom, very quickly I turned left and headed for the exit. I heard this voice yelling " Ma'm , Ma'm so I turned to see a woman yelling, & motioning and telling me to pull my skirt down! Yes, in my haste a corner of my skirt stuck in my nylons! Best I can figure all six open check stands directly in front of the bathrooms, and all 30 people in line were able to see my right butt-cheek, nylons, G's etc. I pulled my skirt out as I quickly walked ,I turned again to thank the lady and Exit-ed Walmart! This incident may have cured me from a long motto of mine" Leave no good Walmart unshopped!" I'm pretty sure I will not return to the Wetumpka Walmart! At least I gave the folks in Wetumpka something new to talk about those Mormon missionaries. Bet their first thought won't be those guys in white shirts, riding bikes!

WE HAVE BEEN QUITE BUSY THE LAST THREE WEEKS. WE ARE TEACHING WITH THE YOUNGER ELDERS TWO OLDER GENTLEMAN. WE HAVE THEM OVER FOR DINNER AND A LESSON ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. THEY BOTH HAVE READ THE BOOK OF MORMON! FRONT TO BACK. THEY HAVE BOTH SAID THEY WILL BE BAPTIZED. NOW WE ARE JUST HELPING THE ONE WORK ON A PIPE SMOKING PROBLEM, AND THE OTHER TO DECIDE WHEN HE CAN BE BAPTIZED. BOTH ARE REALLY NICE GENTLEMAN AND WOULD BE AN ASSET TO THE WARD. PRAY FOR THEM.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR MISSIONARY WORK WE CONTINUE TO HAVE FAMILY HOME EVENING AT THE BASE FOR THE OFFICER TRAINEES ON TUESDAY NIGHTS. IT IS OUR FAVORITE TIME. WE GET TO KNOW THESE GREAT YOUNG MEN AND A LITTLE ABOUT THIER FAMILES. ANOTHER CLASS GRADUATES THIS NEXT WEEK. THAT IS THE HARD PART, SAYING GOOD BYE TO THEM!

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY A LITTLE TIME WITH ZACH AND RIKKI AND THE KIDS. FOR RICH'S BIRTHDAY THEY CAME OVER AND WE TOOK A P- DAY AND WENT TO THE ZOO. GREAT TIME.

THEN FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE WE WENT TO THIER HOUSE AND WATCHED ON BYUTV. WE WERE ABLE TO SEE ALL FOUR SESSIONS IN THIER HOME AND ZACH AND RICH WENT TO PRIESTHOOD TOGETHER. WE WERE TRULY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT! WE ALSO HAD TIME TO FIT IN DYING EASTER EGGS AND AN EASTER EGG HUNT. RICH WAS ALSO ABLE TO WALK WITH JAX, SHADE AND AYNSLEE TO THE HAUNTED HOUSE IN THIER BACK FIELD. THEY LOVE DOING THAT! THEY ALWAYS HEAR SOMETHING IN THE WOODS BUT HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET. THEY KNOW THE HOUSE IS HAUNTED ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE'NT SEEN ANYTHING THERE EITHER! WE ALSO HAD A GOOD GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK! LAST TIME I HID REALLY WELL IN THE BATHROOM BEHIND THE SHOWER CURTAIN. THEY THOUGHT I MIGHT TRY THAT AGAIN BUT I'M TOO SMART FOR THAT! IT IS GREAT TO SEE THEIR FACES AS I JUMP OUT AND SCARE THEM! WE HOPE TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE GAME NEXT TIME!

WE HAD WHAT WE CONSIDER GREAT SUCCESS YESTERDAY. WE VISITED A FAMILY THAT WE HAVE VISITED BEFORE. THE DAD IS A MEMBER. THE MOTHER IS REALLY NICE AND SHE SAID YESTERDAY

SHE WILL BE BRINGING HER TWO KIDS TO CHURCH. THE 5 YEAR OLD HAS ATTENDED PRIMARY WITH GRANDMA BEFORE THEY MOVED HERE. SHE WAS ASKING HER MOM IF SHE COULD GO AGAIN. WE WILL PICK THEM UP NEXT SUNDAY. WE ALSO VISTED A SINGLE SISTER WHO HAS NOT BEEN TO CHURCH IN QUITE SOME TIME. SHE CALLED THIS MORNING AND ASK IF WE COULD GET HER A RIDE FOR CHURCH THIS SUNDAY! WE WILL! THE LORD IS BLESSING US WITH LITTLE THINGS LIKE THIS EVERY DAY. WE ALSO VISITED ANOTHER FAMILY YESTERDAY. THE DAD IS VERY INTERESTED IN THE CHURCH. THE MOMS WORK SCHEDULE IS BAD. SHE WORKS NIGHT SHIFT AND DOEST GET HOME TILL 7:00 AM IN THE MORNINGS. SHE HAS NOT ATTENDED CHURCH FOR QUITE A WHILE. THIS WEEK IS HER THREE DAY OFF ON SUNDAY! SHE SAID SHE WOULD ATTEND! REALLY A GREAT FAMILY AND I KNOW THE HUSBAND COULD BE A REAL STRENGTH IN HIS HOME AND IN THE CHURCH WITH THE POWER OF THE PRieSTHOOD. WE HAVE COMMITED HIM TO BAPTISM BUT LIFE KEEPS GETTING IN THE WAY. PRAY THAT THIER LIFE CAN TURN AROUND AND THEY CAN GET BACK ON THE PATH!

WELL THAT IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLING OF THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE HAD WHILE ON THIS MISSION. WE WILL BE ATTENDING THE SERVICE MANS GROUP IN HUNTSVILLE THIS WEEKEND. WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE MISSION.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TRAVELING AROUND THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE MISSION IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF INSPECTING THE ELDERS APARTMENTS. WE LOVE THAT TOO. THERE ARE SOME FABULOUS MISSIONARIES OUT HERE! WE LOVE TALKING TO THEM AND HEARING ABOUT THE WORK. THEY ARE ALL ANXIOUSLY ENGAGED. AND FOR THE MOST PART CLEAN.

THE ZONE LEADER TOLD ME TO PLEASE REMIND THEM - THE SPIRIT CAN'T DWELL IN UNCLEAN PLACES! HE HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS WITH A FEW, AND THEY WERE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS!

WELL I WILL CLOSE FOR NOW. SORRY I DO NOT UPDATE THIS LIKE I SHOULD BUT WE ARE BUSY AND SOMETIMES AT NIGHT WHEN I GET HOME I HAVE THE TIME TO DO THIS BUT MY BRAIN IS USUALLY FRIED. SO I HAVE TO DO IT IN THE MORNING WHEN I AM FRESH! I WILL TRY TO DO BETTER!

WE LOVE ALL OF YOU AND WE FEEL SO BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THE MISSIONARY EFFORT OF THE CHURCH AT THIS TIME. PLEASE KEEP ALL THE PEOPLE I MENTIONED IN YOUR PRAYERS.

PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED! WE HAVE SEEN IT.

BYE FOR NOW!

LOVE ELDER AND SISTER STEWART,

(MOM,& DAD, RICH & SUE)

These past two weeks have been busy for us with District meeting and then Zone meeting. We feel very blessed that we are included in the meetings. We learn so much from the young leaders here in Montgomery. Before we arrived Elder Kakuchi came and taught them a few things about missionary work. We have all been asked to have our own sacred grove each morning. To think about the questions we have and go to the Lord prepared to ask him specifically for blessings or answers. We have had many of our prayer answered! We also have learned to take an investigator through the Sacred Grove at 15 MPH as opposed to speeding through at 50MPH. If you think about it one of the most important things we teach is why we believe we have the restored gospel! If we speed through that experience as we talk, they may never feel the spirit tell them it is true! Just two of the things we have learned.

We continue to love working with the military guys and gals. Our Family Home Evenings at the base are one of our favorite times!! We had 6 or 7 of the guys over for lunch yesterday after Stake conference. Rich said when they left," I have got to stop getting so attached to these guys. It is too hard to see them go!!!!" We look forward to keeping in touch with quite a few of them.

Our Mission President would like us to do a little traveling now to the other bases in the area. We will talk to the Stake Presidents and see if we can get something organized to help them keep track of the military. We are working on a plan right now and then we will start. Pray that we will be inspired to do what we need to do!

Nothing else going on right now. Just the usual daily things. Go to a house, no answer, go to the next! But when you finally find someone ! It is worth it. We are teaching two older guys right now. They are searching for the truth but are finding it a little hard to give up some old ideas. With the help of prayers I know they will be able to make the right choice!

We love our families. Thank you for all the love and support you give us. We could not do this without you! We meet so many people here who just do not have a relationship with their families. I do not understand it! Thank you for being so wonderful!

I will try to keep up on this blog with more exciting things. Missionary work is hard and not always exciting but the blessings are wonderful and I will write more about those in our next spot!!!!

Love you,

Sister and Elder Stewart

Another great week!

Just thought I'd let everyone know we have had another great week here in Montgomery! One of the highlights was the zone conference we attended. Lots of great speakers. Bruce Porter from BYU (Ancient History Proff) and an archeologist, Brother May. They were talking about the Book of Mormon, all the references to this land being the promised land. This land being here in America! The archeologist was an expert on the Hopewell Indians( algonquin, Iroquios) all the Indians on the east coast and in the mid west. Scientist have found DNA markers to link them to Mid-east ancestry(Israel) They have also found relics of Egyptian nature throughout all the mounds they have excavated. It was very interesting. The church has no official stand on this. But all the facts these two presented were very convincing that Lehi landed probably in the Gulf of Mexico and came up through, Alabama, Mississippi area, and moved north. The Mulekites and Jaredites probably came in through the St Lawrence and moved south and west through Missouri. They both stated it doesn't really matter. The Book of Mormon is true where ever it took place but it sure seemed right, that it would have taken place right here! In the United states of America. This was the promised Land!!!! By all indications! We will still need to build our testimonies on faith not facts!

We also had a recent convert speak to us. He was about 45-50. He had been raised in a good baptist home and even attended a bible college after high school. He head down the wrong path after a while and ended up involved in the KKK and The Aryan Nation. He was the Grand Dragon of KKK in Alabama. He was arrested several times and in Federal prison a few times(Firearms). He was also one of the Skin heads on the Geraldo Rivera show a few years ago when they threw a chair at him and busted his nose. (Some of you may remember this incident) He said he almost starved to death in solitary confinement in Alabama prison, but a little hispanic guard (LDS) would sneak him a little extra food which saved him. He remembered the kindness and that he was a mormon. Last year he was going around the country attracting Aryan brothers through heavy metal band concerts. He realized his life was going nowhere. He was tired of going to jail or prison every few months. He prayed that God would show him how to turn his life around. He said about 10 minutes later two elders knocked on his door. He let them in and made all the other young men at his house sit down and listen to them. He said he felt the spirit which he had not felt in a long time. He decided to have the Elders back. They invited him to church after the next visit. He went and hasn't missed a Sunday yet. He was baptzed after an interview with President Tate. He has had a total change of heart! That is what the gospel can do in our lives if we just let it. He remembers the Elders telling him to read about the iron rod. He did and he continues to hold to it! He has been given the Aaronic Priesthood and serves and blesses the Sacrament each Sunday with a young black priest. He has learned to love him and they are helping each other to prepare for the next step in the priesthood. The gospel is truly amazing. The Atonement is magnificent! It can change anyones Heart.(Alma 5:12,26).

As you can tell we are so blessed to be here at this time doing this mission. There are literally thousands just like the man above. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only answer! Please pray that we will be able to go out and share this message with everyone we meet! People are looking! New neighbor just moved in and we met him in the parking lot. He said the other neighbor had told him we were missionaires. He said "I would like to talk to you about your church!"

We said great. Pray for us to have the spirit to teach him. He is looking!



Bye for now. Thank you all for your prayers. We can feel them. We love you all.



Elder and Sister Stewart

Here is a quick update :

These last two weeks have been busy. Three classes graduated so we had to say good bye to a lot of new friends. Rich was able to commission two of the guys.(One was Chris!!!) We met their wives & Moms & Dads. Attended the pin on"s and the parades.

Really great to see.

New classes start this week so we will start to get to know the new students and then send them off in a few weeks.

We continue to work with the ward here too.

We Have 3 investigators we are teaching. And two more we hope to put into the pool(teaching first, baptism second) One is a student who called us and asked for help on a class project she was working on. We met with her and three other students and answered their questions about the church. This was for a class in spirituality for a social work class. She is a single Mom with three kids. She is from New York and knew some LDS people there. We plan to meet with her again and talk to her more. She was very interested in the family aspect of our church.

Two spiritual experiences we had this past week or so.

When we were talking with Chris(Student who needed the blessings) at one of our family home evenings he said when did you start thinking about coming here on this Military mission? We told him we started looking into it in April of last year. We knew we wanted to do the military mission and we talked to Tim who knew President Tate here in Birmingham. We talked with him and he needed a military person here. Chris said I would like to think you are an answer to my prayers. The end of April I found out I was coming here to Montgomery for this training. I started praying someone would be here that could help me. He said" when I met Elder Stewart that first night in the Chaplains office I knew my prayers were answered!" How can anyone think there is no GOD?? He answers our prayers! he puts us in places at the right time! He knows each and everyone of us!

One of the other guys here told us about his first week here at training:

He said as he was marching around he would see a guy in the upper class and he seemed familiar. He was not allowed to talk to them or even really look at them that first week. But the first Sunday when he was allowed to go to church, he walked to the area to meet the bus and there were the four or five guys he thought he knew. He talked with them and he didn't really know them from any where . But he seemed to know them through the spirit. He had unknowingly picked out all the LDS guys in the upper class. They were kindred spirits. These guys here are great. CREAM of The CROP! Our military leadership will one day be in great hands again!!!

Got to go. We love our mission and feel really blessed to be here. Thanks to all of you for your support.

Love Elder and Sister Stewart

Hello once again from LA ( lower Alabama),
Well we thought we would update you on our past week. It has been full of blessings and surprises. We have spent a large portion of the week helping sisters in need. Most of the single black sisters do not have reliable transportation so they call to ask for help. This week we helped a sister who's son is in jail. He has been in jail for over a year waiting for a trial date. The judge finally set a bail amount for him. She called to ask if we could take her to her bank. Silly us thought it was a real bank but it was Ace money express! We took her there last week so we were familiar with it but the bank comment threw us off!
But apparently she has all her disability checks sent there. This week it was income tax check so she had money for bail! We then took her to the bail bondsman JJ who had led her to believe if she had a portion of the money he could give her the bail . When we got there he said she would have to have two other people to sign on the bond (which happened to be a mere $30,000)! We told her sorry we can't do that as representatives of the church. And we definitely do not have the money! So we sadly left. She called her lawyer and he found another bonds lady who would help her out. This lady picked her up gave her the bail and stayed with her until 2 am when they finally released him to his mothers care. This sister has I believe 12 children. Not all biological. Several are adopted. This according to her is the first time any of them have been in jail. She is a very intelligent woman. She had several strokes and a heart attack a couple of years ago and so she is still recovering from the effects of those. She seems very willing to work. We have taken her several places and she always ask for applications and fills them out. She looks like she has a job with the census in a couple of weeks. I hope so. I also hope this son is as good as SHE SAYS AND THAT HE REALLY AND TRULY WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. Time will tell.
We then went from helping Sister Bernadette to helping a lady who called the church looking for help. The cute little Executive Secretary passed her along to Rich and I. She is a lady who has had a friend in the church. She said this lady had been very nice to her and alot of the members had too. But she no longer lives nearby. She said she would like to learn a little about the church. She is a smoker and says she will not give it up. ( She did stop while we were in her home.) Any way this is a strange situation. She is a single woman my age. She was in the air force and retired medically after a botched surgery. (at least this is the best we can figure out for now.) She is also suffering some long term health issues as a result of an "accidental" gunshot to the stomach. (We will also give updates on this as we get them). She moved here to take care of her MOM who passed away last year. Since then she has had more problems. We do not know all the extent of these yet. She called asking for help. Rich and I went to survey the situation. She lives in a new house with her dog and cat.
Her bed was breaking and she didn't have the strength to move it and put in a new bed frame. She wanted us to go by Wal-Mart and get her a new one on our way! I told her we would have to come see for ourselves first! We did and she seemed legit. We went to Wal-Mart purchased a bed frame and some food for her. Then took it home and fixed her bed. She was looking for someone who could come help her clean and help take care of her pets when she goes again for surgery. I called a sister who does cleaning and home health care. She has since called and asked if Rich and I could come back and talk to her about a few things in the church! We will go back. She really hit it off with Rich talking about Air Force, Rescue etc. She really just needs a friend. She obviously has a strong faith . She has Bibles all around and knows the scriptures. Pray that the spirit may touch her to know the truth.
I am so amazed at how many people we have met here that just do not have family or a relationship with family that would allow them to call for help. They simply have no one! Debbie was desperate enough to call the church and talk to anyone who might be willing to help her. She has money and can pay for cleaning and such but just didn't know anyone. We are so blessed to have such wonderful families. I almost can't fathom these people's lives. I know that the gospel can change their lives. I pray that Rich and I will be able to help them see the gospel is the answer.
As you might guess these two took up alot of our time this week. But it is okay. We feel this is why we are here. If not us - then who? We were told at the MTC there are no chance meetings!
We would also like to update you on Christy and Chris.
We taught another lesson to Christy. She is starting to recognize a lot more words when we read. We read the children's books again, then went to the scriptures and found the passages mentioned. I hope she will try to find and read these when we are not there. I think she might as her confidence grows. I do not believe she will ever comprehend what she reads but she definitely loves the pictures and knows they make her feel good. She and her brother also took us and the Elders on a tour of Montgomery this week. First White house of the Confederacy, the Capitol and the city government offices. It was fun.
Chris was able to come to family home evening this past week. He said his week was much improved from the week before. He was also able to come to Sacrament today. He was struggling again and asked for another blessing. He has three weeks left. Pray for him. We have several of the AF classes ending in the next two weeks so we will have to say goodbye to many good men. We will also be meeting a couple of new groups. The cycle will continue. We are so blessed to be here at this time.
I want to leave you on a happy note. We spoke with Thomas one of our investigators on Friday. He asked if we could come Monday Night and teach him about BAPTISM. He has attended church a couple of weeks and his wife is a member( but not active at the moment) This may be an opportunity to strengthen a family! We will need your prayers! Satan always knows when someone wants to accept the gospel and he will do everything to prevent it. Pray for us and Thomas!!!!
We love all of you and once again we so appreciate our family and friends. The gospel is true. We are so blessed!

Love Elder and Sister Stewart

At the right place at the right time

On new year's eve we met the sister of a recent convert. Darrel is the convert and his sister is Christy. She is very shy and has had a very hard life. They both grew up in foster homes. She asked me if I could help her read " that book of mormon bible". I told her I would love too.

Our first meeting was one to help me evaluate where to begin. I didn't know if she could read at all. We talked and set our next meeting. I took scriptures from Bible and Book of Mormon that talked about our being children of God and put them on cards. The reference and a couple of words with the scriptures meaning. She is able to read a few words about first or second grade level .(She doesn't comprehend what she can read.) We marked the scriptures and then put the cards in the scriptures for her to find and go over. On my way home I called Jessie and asked her to go the Citizen and find a couple of picture books with simple words about the scriptures. She did and sent to me a book about the Savior with Greg Olsen pictures and one called Nephi, Nephi the scriptures are true. Rich and I took the books over to Christy to look at before our next appointment. When we arrived she was very excited to get started. She wanted to start with the Savior book. I asked her why and she said because the pictures are so pretty! Rich said he wished he had a camera to capture her face and expressions as she looked at each picture, read a few words and then listened as we explained what we had read. One of her favorites was the Savior with John the Baptist being baptized. Another was the Savior holding the hand of a little boy and walking. But her very favorite was a mother kneeling with her little daughter, by the bed. I asked her why she liked this one so much. She said "cause it makes me feel good." She wanted to know how she could know that Heavenly Father really heard her prayers. We felt the spirit there and so did she. If we do not teach another lesson while we are here, I feel that we were able to be instruments in the Lords hands that one afternoon last week. We were able to communicate spirit to spirit with Christy. A forty year old women now knows her Father in Heaven loves her. She felt his love through those pictures and a few simple words.

We have now requested Jess send us a book about Joseph Smith. We will continue to read with Christy each week. I know the spirit will guide us to be able to teach her the gospel. The worth of even one soul is great in the sight of the Lord!

Rich had an interesting experience this last week also. ( In addition to this one with me) On Tuesday evenings we hold Family Home Evening on base for the Officer training Cadets. They are not allowed to leave their training facility, but they have a few minutes to come by a room the Chaplains have set up for Religious study, meditation, a break! I had the bug Tuesday so Rich went alone. He dropped by the Chaplains office to thank him for the use of the room. There in the Chaplains office was a young LDS man from the Air Guard training. He was at the end of his rope. The Chaplain had sent him there to call his wife. (The Army Training for this course is apparently even more intense than all other services.) Any way he had been here for two weeks under tremendous pressure and stress. He left a wife and 4 kids at home and no contact with them. He also had not recieved word on church services or had not been given time to worship. He was feeling very alone. Rich was able to talk with him a few minutes. Chris was able to realize he was not alone. Rich said, Chris was in tears. He didn't know if he could make it . Rich gave him a blessing and mentioned the atonement in that blessing By the time Rich left him he was feeling much better He said he never really look at the Atonement as something to help him with his everyday trials.( Rich has a way of talking with people and making them feel important. He also knows just what to say!) He was also able to relay to him he wasn't alone. Isn't it amazing how the Lord works. He knows our every need and he does answer our prayers! So like I said if Rich and I do not touch another person's life while we are here, we will still know that our being here has been totally worth it. We have met Christy and Chris at just the right moment in their life. We were told in the MTC:" as missionaries on the Lords errand there are no chance meetings!" Heavenly Father loves us and has a plan for each of us! I know this is true.

The Gospel is true! I see the evidences everyday in my life. I know you do too. Let us all live our lives so we can live the eternities together as family!!!