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!!!