Monday, January 31, 2011

1/31/2011

Hey there again!

I don't have a whole lot of time but I spill out as much as possible, I am really sorry about it being short. This week has literally been a roller coaster of spiritual emotions. The beginning of this week has been the usual, Contacting Recent coverts for no reason because there is nothing else to do. But on saturday, we went to this service center to do service of course as we do every saturday. The church was there doing some volunteer work and a member brought her friend that is insanely cute(don't hate, I am still human you know lol) and she kept looking at me so I decided to go talk to her, we got talking and she asked why I have a name tag and so forth so I explained to her why, then she asked a butt load of questions, from Temples to church to Marriage to Joseph Smith to The Book of Mormon.... I answered them all!!!! she was super interested in what I said so I offered her a Book of Mormon and she said of course! So I ran to the car to grab one and I gave it to her. She was very thankful for it. The bad new is that it turns out that she lives somewhere that is not in my area!!! Ugh!!!!

Other stuff that happened is that the lady that was sooner or later going to be baptised is now moving this tuesday to Missouri and another investigator came across some Anti-Mormon literature so she's not really interested anymore. It's so heart breaking but I cant let it get to me. The past is the past, all I can do is look forward to the future. The weather here is crazy, we are supposed to get a really bad storm in a bit. Hopefully everything will be okay. Unfortunally I cannot upload pictures today, there is a line for the computer and people are getting mad. Sorry... So, went to the doctor and he gave me some medicine and some hydros for some reason. Oh well. I think its if I have pain. Thanks for putting money in my account for me, helps me for emergency's. I love you all so much.

Well I got to go, Sorry for the short letter. Hope all is well. Take care!

Love, Elder Daniel Stuart

Monday, January 24, 2011

1/24/2011

Hey there!

How is everything going out there? How is the weather? Is it still cold?? The weather here is crazy... Its warm now, about in the 60's or so and also it changes to rain or snow. Depending on the weather. The week here was slowish. Our investigator that was going to be baptized keeps missing church so we have to keep moving her date back farther and farther. She has been really sick and the doctors found some sort of a cancer in her blood stream AND she is moving! so now we have to give her to other missionaries. We haven't had a investigator in church for a while now, We keep inviting them but they don't show up. This is just one big trial that I am facing and I know if I stay faithful to What the Lord wants me to do, Then I will be blessed. It may not be a blessing of investigators or church attendance, it could be a blessing of comfort knowing that I'm doing the right thing and it will bless my family as well.

I saw the pictures! They are great! I can't believe that Dungy is getting so big!! Dexter is a dwarf compared to him! Ha ha!! Once you go to the store, Tell everyone that I said hi and I miss them! There really isn't a whole lot to report this week. We were at a investigators house and I saw the play offs! Who's in the super bowl now? lol. The mission has been going by so fast I literally cannot believe it! I love the people that are in the ward here. At least once a week we have been going to a members house to help re build it, (There house burnt down to the ground last year) and I love going there and helping them! It's a great service to do and they are great people. So I've been hearing that the church is opening the China mission but they are just waiting for the OK from the Chinese government so we can go and once they get the OK then the church is sending most of the missionaries here in the states there! but it will mostly be a service mission for a while so we can soften there hearts so when other missionaries come in, they will preach the gospel! I'd think that it would be awesome If I had to go there! I already know the gospel, now I just need to know the language! I would already be a step ahead of other missionaries that just learn the language because that is all that they do!

Everything else is going good here, my clothes are holding up but I just keep getting dirty! hehe oh well. I've been getting a lot headaches quite frequently so I'm going to see a doctor today to see whats up. Oh, I also forgot my camera again! I'm sorry, I know its annoying that I keep forgetting but I'll try to remember next week. I hope that all is going good out there, I miss you all and love you all very much!

Take care! love,
Elder Daniel Stuart

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

1/18/2011

Hey there!

So that is incredibly weird that you already know people here that I have only known for 3 weeks! I was at the Egerton's house on Saturday night for dinner and she was telling me about you getting the job. That's great! I was so happy to hear that! So it only lasts until April? So how in the world did you find her!?!? She cannot remember so its driving me up the wall! hehe. So awesome that you guys talk about me. They are a great family. The talk in Sacrament went great! I talked on Obedience, It was like the easiest thing to talk on! Everyone loved it! That is the first talk that I have given so far and I guarantee that more is coming soon lol. So the weather here is warm, its so weird! its like a high of 50's or 60's and the humidity doesn't really effect me anymore which is a good thing.

I got the package the day I read the e-mail, I loved it! Thank you so much, the only thing I would disagree on is the Beef Jerky, its from Albertsons! That is a sin for me to have! besides, I know that Super one is cheaper, remember I used to work there haha. Lol Just kidding. Have you been there lately? Tell everyone that I said hello and I miss them! If you go into Super one tell Amy that I need her address, or just have her write me. Oh, and I did get Alan's letter and I haven't gotten the chance to write him yet, I feel bad. I'm behind on a lot of letters. I only got a chance to write off 5 letters Yesterday. The reason why I'm writing on a Tuesday again is because yesterday was MLK day and the Library was closed. So did you have a good birthday and Anniversary? I hope so.

So Amber is wanting to be baptized huh? that's great!!! What are Dwight's thoughts? So speaking of baptisms, we sorta do have one coming up in the farther future. She has had problems coming to church and other problems so we had to extend the baptism further. It's still awesome that she is wanting to be baptized!!!

Last week here went OK. A lot of people here have been sick lately so about 90% of our plans fell through because of that. In a way its a little disappointing but we did some more tracking, I'm not a huge fan of it but once I was doing it, I was in such a happier mood. Our whole purpose as a missionary is: "To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his Attonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." And tracking is a big part in that, even tho a lot of people are not interested in what we may have to say, I still feel great because we still "Invited others to come unto Christ" and for that, I'll be blessed and so will my family.

That's great that Corey found you! Shes a amazing person. I got a letter from her the other day, I was glad to know that she is doing well. Sorry that I haven't been up to date with the pictures, I'll try to send some next week. I hope that everyone is doing good. How is Lauren doing? I haven't heard from her in a long while, I know shes busy with work! I better get going, Take care Y'all!! Haha!

Love, Elder Daniel Stuart

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

1/11/2011

Hey momma.

IT'S COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey there!! how is everything going!? I'm going good here. I actually haven't been feeling well lately and neither has my companion. I'm getting better tho. I talked to the mission presidents wife about what is going on with me, I told her that I have been getting random headaches quite frequently, then on friday I had the biggest migrane in the world! I thought that I had a tumor and my head was going to explode! she did some research and asked me some questions and she said that I have a sinus headache. It totally makes sence! I always have sinus problems! ugh.. so she told me to go buy a certain medicine and try it out and if there is no improvement in a few days then go to the doctor. So far so good. I get small headaches every so often, but they don't last very long. She called me yesterday and asked how I was doing and I told her that. I told her that I'm just going to weigh it out and if anything bad happends, then I'll go to the doctor. Now, I have a freaking cold! hahaha! of geez. So, how are YOU feeling? are you geting over your Pneumonia symptoms? How is everyone else feeling?. My guess is that you went to the...Hospital? beacuse of your...asthma? right?

The weather here is pretty insane. It was nice and sunny and warm all last week and now this week feels like someone left the fridge open... It snowed on sunday night and it dropped about 2 maybe 3 inches if that and everyone here is freaking out! schools closed, stores closed, the library is closed! I didn't get to e-mail on my preparation day! good thing Wal mart and Taco bell was open. So I am now e-mailing on a tuesday! People here are driving like 20 under the limit while Elder Reilley and I are driving like we are in Nascar compared to them Its hilarious! I love being in Alma Arkansas! I'm drawing a southern accent, AHH!!!! Thats something that I didn't want! haha! I try to refrain myself from talking like that but it normally comes around when I'm around someone like that!! The people here are super nice and the ward is great! The work is a little slow right now but we're working on that. We have a baptism coming up on the 29th of this month. I'm so excited! we actually have 2 or 3 baptisms coming up soon but no dates yet. Its a working process.

I don't think I have ever done as much service then I have ever done in my life! Just about every other day we are at someones house doing something. Its great! I was digging holes at someones house the other day and putting together a tool shelf the other day. One time we went to a investigators house to give a lesson. Her husband wasn't home but we still went inside to teach her. Big mistake. I don't really know why we went in, but we did anyways. We taught her and helped her take down Christmas stuff then we left. The Spirit was not there... I felt sick to my stomach just being there when we weren't suposted to...We shouldn't of gone in. Lesson learned. I felt so bad.

So umm... yeah. My district leaders name is Elder Shaw, and he is in Clarksville. That is really weird that you said that. I thought you were stalking me or something... I'll let him know that our mothers are talking to each other. He's a really great missionary/district leader. I'm looking forward to getting to know him more.

I haven't gotten gotten any letters yet. From anyone. But I'll keep my eye open like you asked me to do so. That is so Great that Amber is preparing herself for getting babtized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited to hear that! I almost cried when I read that! Tell her that I am so proud of her!!! Well I better get going. Hope you have a Happy Birthday!! 40 isn't that old, my companions parents are in the 50 or more!! and I hope you had a Happy Aniversary!!!

Take care. Love, Elder Daniel Stuart

Monday, January 3, 2011

Happy New Year 2011

Mom,

Hey there, yeah I'm in Alma Arkansas. Its alright here. The people here are really nice and loving. Its a super small town! I think there is about 7,000 people that live here. Ugh it is so weird! lol. There is another town right next to Alma that is a population of 72 people. That is crazy! My companion's name is Elder Reilley and he is from Utah (of course) but I'm not sure what town it is He's a really cool Missionary. He's been out for a little over a year. So its been really warm here off and on last week. On Friday it was in the mid 60's and its starting to get colder. I think its now in the 20's? The weather is pretty random here. On Thursday it was pouring really hard and the clouds were black and it was warm outside, Then the Tornado alarms went off, it was pretty interesting and wasn't sure what to expect. We didn't do anything really we just stayed alert. In about 10 minutes the alarm turned off. The Tornado went right around us!!! So the weather is freezing out there huh? That is so cool. There isn't even a drop of snow on the ground here hehe.

Happy New Year!! how was your New Year? Good I hope. I didn't do anything here. Just went to bed. New Years eve was kinda slow for the missionary work and so was the day of. Not alot to report this last week. People were just getting ready for the parties and then recovering from the hangovers the day after. The ward here is tiny and so there isn't very many youth so they didn't have a dance, they just had some games to play and some Karaoke as well. We didn't get to go because it started at 9:00 and we have to be in by then :P but its all good here.

So what has everyone been up to? Has Lauren been Skiing lately? what have the girls been up to? Is Dwight Working? I hope so. It feels like I haven't talked to you in forever! Probably because I've been busy with Transfers. Oh, Before I forget, my address is: 100 Kings Pointe rd. Apt F. Alma Arkansas 72921 I'm in a apartment again. Not with members lol. Please tell my friends to WRITE ME!!! I'm getting kind of frustrated that they don't write me when they said that they would. Tell them if they don't have my current address they can always send it to my mission home Tulsa address, they will mail it directly to where I'm staying. I miss them and would love to hear how everyone has been.

So, Michael and Andrea moved to Wyoming? What job did he find? That's cool that he has a job tho. Not a lot people have one right now. Is Dillon preparing for his mission still? Is he still Excited? Well I better get going. I hope to report more next week. I am looking forward to a busy missionary week!!! Hope all is well. Take care! Love you all!

- Elder Daniel Stuart