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!)

July 30, 2013

2 more weeks until winter!

I cannot believe I only have 2 weeks left here at the ccm. It is going by so fast. And I have so much more to learn!

Oh and they just told me that I have to learn 2 languages instead of just one! How crazy is that! We are learning Spanish and the language of the spirit.

Both are absolutely essential in talking to Chileans about the gospel.

Both are coming along just fine thanks for asking (I’m sure you would ask me if this was a face to face conversation)

I am now speaking Spanish 93% of the time.

This week we had an amazing lesson with an investor named Renne. We just explained a little about the restoration and the book of Mormon and what blessing we can receive in this life and in the life to come. The spirit directed me to talk about eternal families so I did and the spirit came upon all of us like a punch in the face. I am so glad for the knowledge that we in this gospel have. I love you family and I am glad that I can be with you forever. I am also so glad that I can help others come to that knowledge. Giving people that hope and knowledge is a wonderful sight to behold.

I want to talk about the atonement a little bit because I have been studying it a lot this week. The more I study and the more I try to comprehend it the more I am just in awe of the love Jesus has for us. And even more so, the love of our Heavenly Father.

It is amazing to me that God knows us perfectly, our faults and our weaknesses and still loves us perfectly. There is nothing about us that he doesn’t know...and he is still willing to love us hear our prayers and help us. He does not condemn us because of our sins, instead he fights for us. He is on our side. He is our advocate (D&C 45: 3-5 I think)

Through the atonement we have hope. We can one day be perfect. But we have to work for that. True we need grace, but we also need action on our parts. "Repentance is hope, and there is no fear in becoming clean" Scott

I have learned that it is so essential to keep looking towards and striving for the lord daily. I need  keep repenting and  keep improving until that day when the Lord my savior will take me by the hand and say to me " well done they good and faithful servant, come into my rest"

Words cannot describe how excited I am for that day.

BUT today is not a day of rest. It is a day of ACTION. And we all need to take action.

I love being a missionary. I don’t like wearing clothes, I don’t like waking up early but that’s not was a missionary is, that just what we do. We are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. And every day we strive to be like him "feeling as he feels, teaching as he taught, and loving as he loves"

I have come to the realization that our lives are miracles. The greatest miracle of all. But just like any other miracle we will not recognize it or realize it until you truly believe and have faith in the one that provided the miracle. Brothers and sisters have faith and see the miracle that is your life.

John 14 is great. It is such a comfort to me that I am not alone. Ever. (I’m not alone ever anyway because I have a companion that follows me EVERYWHERE...but you get the point)

 There are so many great promises and doctrines in that chapter.

"That where I am, there ye may be also"

"I am the way the truth and the light"

"If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it"

"I will not leave you comfortless"

"I am in the father, and he in me, and I in you"

"Peace I leave with you"

 Never forget that the lord is not far away.

Never forget your potential. Alma 26:12 "for in his strength I can do all things"

This week my companion and I sat with some Latinos at lunch... and for somereason they had a particular intrest in me. The thought I was someone famous. First they asked what TV show I was in. I said I wasn’t on TV. They then asked what movie I was in instead. I tried to explain I wasn’t an actor. They then asked me if I was a singer (in a band like one direction) and I said no... My hair isn’t grand enough be in one direction. They concluded that I had to be a model in the strength of youth pamphlet or in the ensign or something. I don’t understand.

I love you all and miss you only a little bit. (I’m really busy)

Just kidding I think about you all the time. Every morning along with whatever they make I have a bowl of fruit loop (Mychal's favorite)

 Every time there is food I don’t like for a meal I think "WHY IS THERE NO FOOD IN THIS HOUSE" quote McKay. (Even though there’s plenty of food)

I see the sister missionaries and think of Taylor. And how marvelous of a missionary she would be. And every time I am having fun I just I just want you there with me.

I think of Cayleb all the time because I act like him. Oh and I climbed a tree.

Love you family!

Some favorite quotes and they could also go on the plaque if you deem it necessary. I don’t care much I’m not going to see it for 2 years.

"Come to the full thrill of the church"--Holland

"I know Christ lives, because I know Him"--Scott

"Tool up"--Nelson

Oh and Taylor I have some advice. Someone asked during a devotional, "What should we do if we hit a speed bump in our language learning?"

Our wise President Pratt (who is a direct descendant of Parley P. Pratt. he’s great) said, "Do what I do when I’m driving, hit the gas and go full speed ahead"

"Curiosity may have killed the cat but it will help you learn Spanish faster"

 Pres. Pratt

And with those words of wisdom I bid you all and good week.

July 23, 2013

(Just to remind everyone, you can mail Elder Stewart letters and care packages AND you can also email him! Send Sayre an email just to tell him hey. Its  sayre.stewart@myldsmail.net)

This Guy.

 

Creeping on  the taco shop

Safety circle.. not sure why but they are all over the ccm campus.. I think they are just in case a sea bear attacks

Latino Elders leaving for their missions! they only have to be there for 2 weeks

Missionary duck face..classic

Temple trip number 2 (got in trouble in this picture because apparently you are not supposed to take a picture with only another girl in it..good thing there was 2 photo bombers...)

HALF WAY DONE! At the CCM

Well there goes another week. Man half way done already? Really; three more weeks until Chile? I CANT WAIT

Yesterday we watched our Latino roommates leave to go out to missions (Elder Gonzalez and Elder Poloma)   the night before they left we stayed up taking with them (later then I should have) and one of them told us his life story and it is amazing.

Elder Gonzalez was born in Mexico but when He was three his parents snuck across the border and ended up in Utah. His parents used to hide from the missionaries (which are pretty understandable for illegal immigrants to hide from men in a suit and tie coming up to your house) but soon accepted the discussions and got baptized. Elder Gonzalez never did though because he was a teenager at the time and wanted to live his life.

One day he got a heavy speeding ticket and the cop asked for his papers... and he didn't have them so he went to jail for three months then they shipped him to Mexico!

This guy’s barely spoke Spanish and he has lived in America his whole life!

Anyway his cell mate for those three months was Mormon (who obviously made some bad choices) and made him go to church classes while in jail. He was converted then. Once shipped to Mexico he lived with a lot of distant family but then moved in with a friend’s family who was LDS. There he decided to go on a mission. And now he is preaching the truth to the world!

It is amazing to see how the lord works through people. Sometimes what seems like a horrible thing turns into a blessing. In America he probably would have never been converted. And he couldn't have gone on a mission because he wasn't a legal citizen. But he feels so privileged and blessed for all of the trials he went through.

Mom thanks so much for that tide pen I have used it countless times (I can’t even count how many times. And I also can’t count very well in Spanish) but the whole ccm thanks you as well because I think the whole place has used it at least one time haha.

During our gym time last week it was raining. Hard. I’m pretty sure it was a hurricane. Everybody was going inside and being boring and I just wasn't going to have that, so a couple of us started a volley ball game outside in the rain. The sand pit was more like a lake and the ball hurt so bad when you hit it because of the mud but it was all worth it. Towards the end of the game it turned into a mud fight and by the end of gym we were all drenched in mud and water.

I’m pretty sure all the mosquitoes in the universe decided to have a house party in my room last night. I put on bug stray but my companion was not as lucky. One of his arms looks like he has chicken pox. I guess one of our roommates kept the door open all night and the smell of our blood attracted mosquitoes from miles. In the morning during their after party in my closet, we had our revenge and massacred them all.

This past week has really been a good one. My faith and testimony in this work has grown so much.

 AND the book of Mormon is true. I know it with all my heart. I want so much for everyone else to know it as well and they can if they just read and ask the lord through prayer, with a sincere heart and real intent, having faith in Christ you can know of the truth. That is a promise. Everyone who is reading this, whether you already have a testimony of the book of Mormon or not. Read it (or read it again)

You have nothing to lose, and an eternity of happiness to gain.

This gospel is true. And it is so wonderful. I have such a stronger relationship with Christ than ever before. He knows me, and I am striving to be like him. And he is not far away from any of us.

I love you and miss you all. But I am also glad to be here...so I don’t know where that put us.

"The purpose of the gospel is to make bad men good, good men better, and change human nature" David o McKay