Elder Eckman goes home

Hey Everyone,

It was the last week of the transfer and everything ran really well. Elder Eckman will be going home on Wednesday and I will be companions with Elder Merkley. It will be the first time I am senior companion. I don´t feel like I´ve been on the mission that long! We will be in charge of both Cassequel B and Cassequel C, because they took two missionaries out of our branch. The area of Elder Merkley and I will be twice the normal size, but all that means is more work to keep us busy! This upcoming Saturday we will have 6 baptisms. The work is moving pretty fast in our branch. I´m very excited to see the progression in our area! I love being a missionary and I know I´m where I need to be at this time. I hope you all have a great week.

Com amor,

Elder Stewart

Filling the tank n Cassequel

Hey Everyone, 
 
This last week was pretty normal. We had to bucket water on Saturday 
from the water tank we have, at the chapel, to fill the baptismal 
font. The five branches in Luanda use our chapel for baptisms every 
other Saturday. Since we are the closest Elders to the building, we 
have to bucket and fill the baptismal font every other weekend. We are 
still working very closely with those six men who will be baptized on 
June 29th. They are all future priesthood holders and will help the 
branch greatly! I´m very excited to see them as they continue to 
progress in the gospel. Elder Eckman and I feel very blessed by the 
Lord. We truly can see His hand in this work. Without the help of the 
Lord, the work wouldn´t move forward. I know the work we are doing is 
guided by the hand of the Lord, and I feel very blessed to take just a 
little part in it. I hope you all have a great week! 
 
Com amor, 
Elder Stewart 

Lots of growth in Cassequel

Hey Everyone,

This last week was full of many miracles! We managed to teach a very large number of lessons and we marked 3 more baptismal dates! There are a lot of miracles happening in Angola. On June 29th we have 6 people planned for baptism. One of the people we marked for the 29th is Admir. He is the spouse of a less-active member. He is a very humble man and has progressed very rapidly! It will be very cool to see another family enter into the branch of Cassequel. The area I'm in right now is growing very fast. Hopefully we will continuing finding more and more people so that we don't go through anymore slow phases, where we don't have a lot of people to teach. I translated into English for the second time in church on Sunday. It definitely went a lot better than the first time. The missionary work is growing little by little here in Angola. I'm very excited to see President Merrill's vision when he arrives in July. I know this is the Lord's work and that He is always watching over it. I hope you all have a great week!

Com amor,

Elder Stewart

Augusto and Cesarina

Cesarina, Augusto, Rosa, Pres. & Sis. Kretly, Elder Eckman, and Me

President Kretly's last visit to Angola

Hey Everyone, 
 
Last week was a very busy week. We had a visit from President and 
Sister Kretly for the last time. This last friday we had a Zone 
Conference with President Kretly. The conference ran really well and 
President Kretly had a lot to share with us. He gave us some words of 
advice on how to continue with the goal we have to establish the 
church here in Angola. With the switch of presidents and all he wants 
to make sure we are going to accept President Merrill with open arms. 
I don´t think there will be any problems because the missionaries here 
are super excited to become a mission and to meet President Merrill. 
The day after the conference we had baptisms. Cesarina (wife of 
Augusto) was finally baptized on Saturday. Augusto baptized his wife 
and it was a very touching experience to witness. I´m very happy for 
their family and the choices they are making. Augusto went from being 
a partying, drinking, and irresponsible father, to being a Melchizedek 
Priesthood holder and Executive Secretary of the branch. It´s crazy to 
see the changes that people are able to make in such a short time. I 
feel very blessed to have the opportunity to serve the Lord at this 
time in my life. I wouldn´t want to be anywhere else. I love you all 
and hope you all have a great week! 
 
Com amor, 
Elder Stewart 

Huambo becomes a branch

Hey Everyone,

This last week was a very interesting week. We had a lot of lessons
and found some new people. Sunday I did the translating for the
congregation. The branch I´m in offers translating into English, so
every Sunday the missionaries switch off translating. It was my first
time translating and I think I did okay. Our recent convert Augusto,
whom I have talked about a lot, received his first calling after just
a month in the church. He was called to be the Executive Secretary of
the Branch. He also received the Melchizedek Priesthood! It was cool
to see him doing so well. I also have some more exciting news. The
last area I served in was made into a branch this last weekend!
President Kretly arrived here in Angola and immediately went down to
Huambo to organize the branch. I´m very happy that they have made this
first big step! The church is growing very fast here in Angola. I´m
very grateful to have been able to see the hand of the Lord in this
beautiful country. I know the Lord is watching over His missionary
work. I love being a missionary and I´m grateful for the opportunity I
have been given to see the beginnings of the church here in this
country. I hope you all have a great week!

Com amor,
Elder Stewart