August 26th, 2013

You can all send Sayre packages and letters to the mission home. The U.S. Postal Service and the Correos de Chile do a good job of delivering mail and packages.

Elder Sayre Stewart

Misión Chile Concepción

Castellon 1063    Oficina Norte

Concepción, Chile

Casilla 2210

 You may also send letters (and only letters taped shut; no envelopes) via the "pouch.

                                              

  Elder Sayre Stewart

  Misión Chile Concepción

  POB 30150

  Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150 

This week all of the new missionaries had a conference in Concepcion for 2 days in the mission home and it was awesome (except the hour and a half bus ride down a bumpy road when you have to go to the bathroom really bad). I got to see all of my friends form the ccm and hear about their areas and crazy experiences. And also chow down on dunkin dounuts and pizza.

During the conference I learned a lot about how to improve as a missionary. They emphasized heavily working with the members and less actives. That truly is the key to missionary work. Plus Chile might pass a law saying we can’t go around knocking on doors anyway, because it’s an "invasion of privacy". Well look here Chile, I’m not going to stop invading their privacy to share with them the truth, which if accepted will lead to happiness in this life and for the eternities after, I’m sorry if I am trying to share the greatest message of ALL TIME to the people.

For the afternoon and night in-between the conferences I spent the night in Concepcion in a sector called Andleon. I went out with an elder there who was from Peru! He was way awesome and helped me with my Spanish a lot, but during our contacts he wouldn’t say anything! So there I was, looking like a fool at the doorstep of some random house, spluttering about the gospel of Christ. It was great.

Our ward had so many activities this week in preparation for the 28 of august! Which is kinda like our 4 of July but they go hard here. Football and comida, peliculas and comida, family night and comida, clean the church and eat comida. They really know how to throw a fiesta here in Quillon.

We have a baptism this Saturday!! Gerldine is going to be baptized! She is the first one in her family. The mother and all the kids believe that it is true but I think they are all just too nervous and don’t feel ready, but Gerldine is leading the way! I think once the family sees all the blessing that will follow her; they will jump in the fount as well.

So pretty much the fate of the stake rests in the hands of the branch of Quillon. We need to become a ward of else our stake will become a district. We have 30 days. This means we need to reactivate and baptize a lot more people to fill the requirements needed. It’s going to be close but I know with the lords help we can do it... it is a lot of pressure though.

 Love you and thanks for all the emails

August 19th, 2013

August 19^th 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!!

 I feel it necessary to start off with that. I love you and glad to hear your doing okay in nm! I’m sending you a letter tomorrow. (Because I’m not going in town today)

Any who...I am in Chile! And it is cold.

Okay to be honest the weather is not that bad, but at nights it is freezing. I sleep in sweats a jacket, my down sleeping bag, three giant wool blankets and a heated blanket. It’s great.

But first! The plane ride! I sat next to this guy (who I forgot his name because it was a different name and I have a horrible memory) and he is in college for music and advertising. We got to talking about our lives and eventually my mission and the gospel. He was raised catholic and went to a catholic school growing up but have some doubts about some things. I explained the restoration and the book of Mormon and we read the intro together. Then he read joseph smith history. All of it... then we read Moroni 10 together. It was such a great experience. I don’t know what will happen to this guy but I know he felt the spirit and felt the truthfulness of my message.

NEVER pass by an opportunity to share the gospel. You don’t know who is ready, or who is willing to listen until you get to know them.

Once we got to the mission home we met Presidente y Hermana Arrington. The parents of that sister who served in our ward! We got to the mission home, had a quick interview and testimony meeting and then we met our companions and were off to our area! My companion is elder barker, a bro from Utah. He has been out for a little over a year and I am his first trainee! He’s awesome and I am learning a lot every day.

My first area is in Quillon. A small town in between 2 big cities Chillon and Concepcion (both a little over an hour away by bus) it is a quite little town with a small branch. I am very excited to serve in this area. Already I see the potential for this town and I am eager to help further the work of the Lord in the area.

On my first day we had a lesson with a family the parents’ names are Magdalena and Alvarado and they have 4 kids Maria, Geroldine, Neftlie, and Nickolas! They are such a great family and were sop prepared to hear our message. They have been receiving the lessons for about a month now and they know the book of Mormon is true and that the gospel is true, but they don’t feel ready for baptism. (Just three of the kids can be baptized because the parents are not married and one of the kids is 6) in my broken Spanish I bore my testimony of families and of this gospel and then invited the 3 kids to baptism. They said yes and their baptism goal so for this Saturday! The spirit was so strong in the room and the family (especially the mom) had no dry eyes.

They still are not sure yet about Saturday so we are going to fast with them about it tomorrow!

 For the first 3 days in our house we didn’t have hot water. So what did I do? I didn’t take a shower. There was NO WAY I was going to put my whole naked body under a shower head that was shooting out icicles.  That’s not me. No way.

 I felt a little like Taylor for those three days without bathing.

The food here is great! We have lunch every day with the members I have yet to not enjoy a meal. The only bad thing is that a serving is approximately about how much my whole family eats in a day. I am not fat yet, but I need to watch myself... Chilean bread will be the death of me

Thursday night we were contacting and a sweet old couple let us in to their house! I thought it was great and we were going to have a nice little chat with this old couple and share the gospel. Oh but it wasn’t like that at all. He turned out to be a preacher for the evangelists and was also CRAZY. He told us those 3 days before the earthquake in Chile the voice of God talked to him personally and told him to RUN. I don’t know where he ran for 3 whole days before the earthquake to but apparently that saved his life. Also when we tried to have a closing prayer they started praying and shouting at the same time for like 15 min praising God and confessing their sins. It was pretty...different

Spanish is coming along pretty well. Even though I cannot understand anything. When the Chileans talk it sounds like when you used to rewind a vhs tape...it does not sound like Spanish. BUT I have faith that I will learn it.

This is definitely an adventure for me and I am loving every minute of it, the good times and the hard times. True not the whole two years is going to be fun and easy (actually it is never easy) but every moment is worth it and every moment is a learning experience.

I love you all and wish I had more time to talk to you!

Take a look the Mexico City MTC that Sayre has been at! You can see the back of his head when it cuts to the cafeteria.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XAWfJPPDsJA

Also, yesterday he arrived in his mission!  Don't forget to send him a quick email, he would LOVE to hear from you all! Here is his email address again...sayre.stewart@myldsmail.net

August 6th, 2013

6 days in counting!

It is crazy I have been a missionary for more than a month! 23 more to go! I have decided that I am going to miss Mexico. I like it here a lot. the people are great and the weather is perfect. but I am way more excited to head off to Chile. Our Latino roommates left yesterday and it was sad because they were hilarious. I’m sure they are going to be awesome missionaries.

Last prep day was such a blast! we going a huge group of missionaries to play capture the flag in the forbidden forest! (or the Sacred Grove....or Narnia because there was a light post in the center of the forest. I’m not sure which name I like better) it’s a little less than an acre of thick trees with grass and shrubs that at parts went up to my knees. while playing, I felt like a crazed missionary running through the jungles of Chile...which is probably what I will be doing in 6 months anyway...

but and after the fact we found out that the forbidden forest was actually forbidden. so were not really allowed to do that again... ha

This week has been great. I am really focusing on my teaching skills and Spanish grammar. the harder I study and the harder I work, the more blessings I will receive, and the more energy I have. I know that doesn’t really make sense but it sure is true.

Everything I have, everything I am, and everything I am capable of, needs to go to Christ and his work.

We watched a devotional of elder Holland this week and he made everyone laugh, cry and shake in fear like he always does.

But one thing he talked about really touched me.

The story is in john 21:15 -17

The savior has died and the tomb is empty. the apostles don’t know what to do. their leader, their friend and their savior was gone. So they went back to doing what they did before they knew Christ, and fished.

Long story short Christ came to them and asked Peter, do you love me more than these? Meaning the fish or fishing in general.

Peter said, yes I do Lord.

Again Christ asked, Do you love me? And again the same reply from peter

For the third time Christ asked,  Peter, do you love me?

Peter again with all his heart said, yes, yes I do Lord.

"Then feed my sheep"

This made me seriously reflect my relationship with the savior... and he has asked me and every one of you that question, do you love me?

When Christ said to the apostles "come follow me" it wasn’t for a couple months, it was for forever. When Christ asked me to be a missionary it is not for 2 years, it is for forever. When Christ asked all of us to follow him, it is not for when life is easy, it is forever. 

As disciples of Christ we have the responsibility to always love and follow the savior. To share the gospel, to feed his sheep.

Who do you love? How do you show your love?

I am so glad I have the opportunity to get to know my Savior, Redeemer and friend more through doing his work here on the earth. He is my missionary companion, and with him I can do anything.

I love you all and miss you!

(I don’t know when I will write next because next week I’ll be in Chile!)