Oct 15,2013

 Well Ladies and Gentleman, I am legal! My visa stuff is completed and my Chilean ID is on the way! I am officially a Chilean citizen for a year (kinda).

As happy as this is the experience was horrible. We had to go to some governmental building and wait for like 2 and a half hours in a small room that smelled like rotten asparagus. It was like 10 times worse than the DMV. Definitely not looking forward to that in a year when I have to renew my id.

For some great news, WE HAD A BAPTISM this past Saturday! Estefany was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How great is that.
 She asked me to baptize her and I was a little nervous because her name was like 10 words long... but I got through it.
I am so happy for her decision, there is brightness about her now, I felt it, she feels it, and her family noticed it. Now her mother is more interested in hearing our message.
I am excited to see the blessings that the Lord has in store for her and her family. She is a leader, and I know that many of her friends and family will follow her example in the future.

Apart from the baptism however, we have had just about 0 successes. People always say the week of a baptism is very hard, and that is so true. But my companion had an intense weekly planning session, and set goals and plans for this week. Now we have just have to follow our plans, follow the spirit, and stay diligent.

I have learned that if I demonstrate to the Lord that I am willing to put in all of my effort, he will bless me with those people he has prepared to hear of his gospel.
I always this of this promise, if we give our all to him, he will give all that he has to us.

I fell off my bike 2 times in a row Wednesday night...I don’t really want to say more about the matter.

The church here in Quillion newly defines a newlywed, nearly dead ward. A lot of our converts who now hold the priesthood is ancient, so the sacrament portion of our meetings is quite slow. It’s like a retirement home line up. One is in a wheel chair, so he is pretty quick with a missionary helping him, but our other new convert just has a cane, but can’t use the cane while holding the sacrament tray. He nearly fell during the meeting and dumped half the tray of water on my suit. GOOD THING ITS A WASHABLE SUIT... score for Elder Stewart

Then all of the parents in the ward think is a good idea to just let their kids run wild around the church like it’s a McDonald play place...but always the spirit somehow his way into the meetings, maybe He is louder here in Chile...Not sure

Everything else is just grand here in Chile. Spanish is improving; we cleaned our house, AND JEFFERY R: HOLLAND IS COMING TO OUR MISSION NOV, 10!

Love you family and friends! Thanks for your emails and your updates. Email me if you have any questions for me and I will answer them in my next post