Hey Everyone,


We had two baptisms last week! Everything went off without a hitch. João Baptista and Augusto were both baptized and confirmed members of the church last week. Hopefully in May we will see the baptism of Cesarina (wife of Augusto). She really wants to be baptized, but just needs a little more preparation. This last week I had a really cool experience. We´ve started teaching this woman named Paula. She has had a really difficult life. Paula is in here fifties and has struggled with alcoholism for many years. It got so bad that it resulted in an amputation of a toe on her foot. She is missing half of here teeth. She is only in her fifties, but she looks like she is in her late seventies. When the missionaries found her, she had already been reading a book from our church. She had the gospel principles book and would read it in her spare time. She has made so many changes since we´ve started teaching her. She has stopped drinking and is progressing really well. Every time we come to teach her, she has studied the reading we left, made notes, and can teach us about the chapter. It´s pretty awesome to see how the gospel is for everyone. It doesn´t matter how old or how young you are. The bottom line is the gospel changes people. It makes good people into better people. I love being a missionary and wouldn´t want to be anywhere else in this time of my life. I hope you all have a great week!


Love,

Elder Stewart

Hey Everyone,

This last week was my first full week here in Luanda. I´m also starting to adjust to the extremely hot and humid weather! We are going to have two baptisms this week. They should have been last week, but the chapel didn´t have water to fill up the font. Hopefully everything will run more smoothly this weekend. João Baptista and Augusto will be baptized. I don´t know if any of you recognized that first name, but it´s John the Baptist in english! hahaha Augusto is the father of a pretty big family and his wife should be baptized in the upcoming month along with three children. The work is definitely moving forward here in Luanda. It was a bit of a change entering a branch with 150 people in church on Sunday. I was really used to having a very small church meeting. I´m very grateful to have the opportunity to serve the Lord here in Angola. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know he saw our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and that they called him to do their work. I hope you all have a great week! 

Com amor,
Elder Stewart

Hey Everyone,

This was my first week in Luanda and things are going really well! It was pretty exciting getting to know so many members of the church here in Angola. Coming from a very small group, I wasn´t very used to seeing so many members in church. This last Sunday we had roughly 138 people in church. That is a big difference from 40 people. Just the priesthood alone is bigger than the group I came from. We weren´t able to see conference, because it´s not available here in Angola, but we will be watching it in two weeks. We did however see the priesthood session. There was a lot of great things shared with the brethren of the church. The responsibility that each priesthood holder carries is big! Each priesthood holder is a tool in the hands of the Lord. I really enjoyed President Dieter F. Uchtdorf´s talk, which spoke about the 4 titles each priesthood holder has. In particularly, Sons of a Heavenly Father, is a very important title we have. This title does not just apply to men, but to every person that lives on the face of the earth. We are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. He loves each and every one of us more than we can possibly comprehend. I know every person I see in the streets is a son or daughter of God. What we have to try to do is remember to love and see them the way that God loves and sees them. I hope you all have a great week!

Com amor,
Elder Stewart

Transferred to Luanda

Hey Everyone,

 

I will be transferred on Wednesday to Cassequel B, Luanda. My time is finally up here in Huambo. I can´t believe I´ve been in Huambo for 8 months. I´m pretty excited and nervous to go to Luanda. It will definitely be a lot different to what I´m used to. There is not a city in the world that is comparable to Luanda. I´m sure I will love it none the less! My new companion will be Elder Eckman. He´s been in the mission the same amount of time as my old companion Elder Harper. We´ve also heard some news that Huambo will become a branch in May. I´m a little sad I won´t be here for the organization of the branch, but I´m glad to hear Huambo will finally reach it´s goal. That´s about all the news I have for this week. I hope you all have a great week and I fill everyone in on my new area next week!

 

Com amor,

Elder Stewart

 

 

 

Great shirt I found!

The first entry.

This will be Jared's blog.  Excited to get going.  I will be posting information and his letters.