Hey Everyone!

Thanks for e-mailing me, I really do enjoy receiving mail from you guys, it makes my week a hundred times better. And for the Letter that you sent me in the mail last week, Thank you SO much!!! Oh my goodness I had to take a double check to see what you gave me! I was just thinking that morning that we only have ten or eleven days until the first comes around again and I then we could get food. But now, we are going to the store right after this to grab some stuff! Thanks for the money, I really appreciate it you guys, I almost cried when I saw that. It's funny, it seemed like the day I got you letter, people called us up and asked if we need to be fed! Thank you again, and thank you for your prayers!!! Our ward mission leader here is awesome and he has literally been on a crusade for getting us dinner appointments and the Relief Society president is... strange, her mood swings are on and off like a light switch, and according to our WML, she is always like this. On Sunday, we went into the Relief Society room with our ward mission leader to give her the dinner calendar and asked if we could pass it around and she said yes, but as if it was some sort of a heavy cross to bare. Well after class, the three of us went back in there and a lot more people signed it and we thanked the RS president and she said "Oh yes! it's our pleasure and duty to help feed the Missionaries!! don't hesitate to give it to us next week and we will be pleased to help!" What the heck!?!? Ugh... I don't get women... I thought I did, but, you think you understand them for a minute and then they come around with some diversion and they bite you in the back! Anyways, On with the letter...

My week was okay. It rained a butt load this week, I thought I had to build an ark there for a second just to go and visit people! So the rain really put a damper on our work this week, not to mention it's spring break here so everyone and there dog was gone too. I remember earlier this week we had to bike to the library to print something off and we were not in there too long, well when we walked out, it was pouring, big time! I filmed it so I'll try to send it to you when we got home, we were soaked! and I didn't bring my rain coat. Stupid mistake on my part for sure. The skies have been clear for about two days now and that is when we taught the most. On Thursday we had interviews but on Wednesday, the other four missionaries from the district came over and spent the night for travel purposes. Man, six missionaries in one apartment was....a....blast!!! I had so much fun! I've been out the longest out of everyone there and I was in the other room and I heard someone mention my name so I walked in the main room and one missionary that has been out for six months asked me what are the things makes me most trunky out of anything. Well, I told him and everyone else that excluding family, its girls, sports, movies, video games, and driving alone. (In that order too ) They all laughed and we had a good time.

The interviews on Thursday with President Merkley went really well! The Merkleys actually go home in July so I'll have a new Mission President for the last two months of my mission. Bummer, right? Turns out his name is President Shumway and he is from Utah. No surprise there, and he has two children that are still in school and will be coming out with the Shumways. When I was speaking with President during interviews, he asked me how I'm enjoying training. I told him that I love it, but it is really hard a lot harder then I thought it was. The smart man he is, he then asked me: "Didn't you ask me a few months ago if you could train?" He practically said it word for word in the letter I sent him. I grinned and laughed and said yeah, you did. He laughed at me and told me to be careful what you wish for what you wish for next time! I honestly love training tho, but it really is a hard thing to do! especially if his last companion didn't do anything with him. President has a lot of trust in me and is very proud of what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. I think back to when I first came out to now and how much I've grown, matured experienced things that will benefit me for the rest of my life. I remember when I was really homesick, and I told President that I don't think I am fit for being a missionary and I would like to go home. He bluntly but lovingly told me that I will be homesick for the rest of my mission but if I work as hard as I can, it will be time for me to go home, and when that time comes, I won't want to go home. Well, so far, he is 100% correct. I love this work and I don't really want to go home, because I know that I will NEVER have a chance to do this ever again, even if I go on a mission with my future wife. To answer your question Mom, yes, I have been thinking about work and college a lot and I am still unsure of what I want to do. I think Garrett is going to BYU in the near future and he really wants me to go there too and I've heard nothing but good about that place, but, my grades... I talked to President Merkley and I told him that I am not really sure what I want to do in with my life in the future and it is literally scaring me to where I don't want to go home at all sometimes. He told me to not worry and to study and become most knowledgeable in things that I enjoy doing and also, The Lord will help me where to go and what to do. I swear, whenever I have interviews with President Merkley, it seems like he looks into my soul when he looks at me. It's like he can read you like a book, so don't bother lying to him because he will call your bluff. I wish you guys could meet him and Sister Merkley, they are wonderful people!! So, am I worried about the future? Yes. But know that The Lord will help me in return with what I've done for him.

Can you believe that General Conference is coming up already!?!? where does the time go? I'm looking forward to watching it again. Mom, if you can, could you find some way to round up tickets for next time or next year? You'll need to speak with the bishop, he can direct you towards the right direction. I'd love to go there! Oh, and yes, I did hear about Manning going to Denver. Not only am I mad about it, I'm also really worried about him, they don't even know if he can play and the opposing team will do what ever it takes to crush him to where he will be forced to retire. So I'm still a huge Manning fan, and a huge Colts fan! But I just don't like the Broncos... at all... Well, that's about it, nothing new or exciting really happened. I hope that you all have a great week and I will talk to you later!!!

Love always,
Elder Daniel Stuart

3/5/2012 and 3/12/2012

***Two more wonderful letters from Elder Stuart!! The first one is from March 5th and the second one is from March 12th! I will be more consistant now that the wedding is over. Hope you all enjoy :)****

March 5th,
Hey Everyone!!

So how the heck is everyone?!?! From the letter you sent me, it sounds like you all are super busy, with the wedding and all, I can see why. That's okay that you haven't sent off the package yet, as long as I get at least one letter a week from you, it's fine with me. Oh, speaking of mail, I got three letters last week! Woohoo!!! and to top it off, they are ALL from females!!! well, one is from Grandma, but still, YEAH!!!! Haha. Well I normally average one letter a week, from Grandma, and your right, I do need to write her back, I've been thinking about that for a while. I've been pretty busy tho! So, I hear that Ashlee Gay is married now? Woah, so many of my friends are getting married like it's some sort of fad-like thing to do now.

You all want to hear something nuts?!?! There was a tornado in Lebanon early Wednesday morning. Like 12:30 in the morning. But the night before, we were walking to a appointment and the weather felt really good, too good. Dwight will know what I'm talking about, when a tornado is about to come, the weather is warm in a comfortable way and I knew that it was tornado type material. I said to Elder Young, "Elder, I think we are going to get a tornado tonight" and I was just joking around. But around 12:30 at night, I was in a dead sleep and I heard the siren go on and off, I thought it was Elder Young Pulling a prank on me but it sounded too real. About 5 minutes later, a member called us and said "Elders there is a tornado heading right for Lebanon, you are more then welcome to come to my place, I have a basement. So discuss it with each other and I will some pick you both up." So we talked about it for like a second until we heard a huge gust of wind outside, It was loud. Real loud. So I called him and told him to come get us. About 2 minutes later, he was here. I threw on some street clothes, wallet and such stuff, I wanted to grab my camera and journal because I can't replace those, but I can always replace my Scriptures and suits. But I felt a prompting to leave everything and go! I heard it as if someone was gently, but boldly talking to me. So I left them and took off. When we were outside, it was hailing and the the wind was blowing hard, so we ran to his jeep and he sped off. When we got to his place, the storm actually started to calm down, and we stayed at his place for a hour or so. I wasn't really scared, but I did have adrenaline pumping through my veins big time. All in all, the storm was not that bad, we found out that it was on the east part of Lebanon and it barely got into town. I thing that it killed one person and it ripped off a bit of the roof to a Lowe's hardware store, there are a few trees ripped out of the ground and some fences are destroyed. But there is no reason to be worried, I'm perfectly fine, the Lord was defiantly watching over us.

So, we had a pretty good week. You know how I was telling you how Elder Young's last companion was really lazy? He never left the house and they would only teach like one or two lessons a week. I'm not bragging or boasting, But since I got here we have been working really hard together and was able to see a lot more people then that. I am still trying to get to know the area better and the members as well. This place has a lot of good potential. The other day, we met a man that is in a nursing home and he looked miserable there, I have been to a lot of nursing homes on my mission and they are all depressing to be in. Now I know why you guys tell me to NEVER put you in a nursing home. Well, this man was so miserable and in pain, I almost cried. No one deserves this, It made me think of the Resurrection that is mentioned in Alma 40. We will all have perfect bodies, no matter who you are. Its a free gift to everyone.

Well, other then all that shenanigans, Life is good, I'm staying in shape, and am loving the mission world, even tho I am getting cursed at almost everyday be teenagers driving by, If only they knew.... Well I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week! I'll be sure to write Lauren too. Bye!

Elder Daniel Stuart

MARCH 12th,
Hey Everyone!

I'm doing pretty good, the weather is defiantly warming up here, it's in the mid 70's right now. Crazy huh? But this weather wont make up it's mind to stay warm or cold. No tornado's here this week, thank heavens, I like it when that doesn't happen! When I do send off my package, I may just send it and when you see the price of it, you can just give me that much back, or something like that, I don't know yet. Speaking of package, did you get the one that I sent to Lauren yet? I sent it to you address. It's a small box.

So yeah, I was thinking about the wedding all day on Saturday, I keep forgetting that Lauren is married now. I really wish that I could of been there for the wedding and all but I love what I'm doing and I couldn't leave this place, even if I wanted to. Tell John and Katie that I said hello. I love them so much. I miss them too. So, Where did Lauren and Joey go for there honeymoon? I'm thrilled to hear that the wedding went well and the weather was fare. How wonderful it is to make those sacred covenants with the Lord for eternity. So who all came to the reception? Were the Rooks there? I bet a lot of Laurens friends were there? Who was her maid of honor? Who was the best man? Yes, please do send me pictures, I've been wanting some for a while now. Hopefully you all took a lot!

So that thing that you hear about my 'walking papers' are pretty true, I already know when I go home, It's September 18th or the 20th I think. Man, I have six months left! I can't believe it! Last time I checked, I just left the MTC. Where did the time go?! I had a pretty good week this week, We were still able to see some people. It's hard to travel around only on a bike when our area is so big, I talked to President Merkley about getting a vehicle and he said that we can't get one. There used to be one in this area but the missionaries wrecked it, and they also lived out of town. Now that we live in town, apparently there isn't a reason to have one now. I'm praying constantly for some sort of a way for us to see more people other than tracting, I'm sorry but tracting is so useless here. It may work in other areas of the country, but here, where everyone has a baptist religion doesn't want to hear from us at random hours in the day. I get so mad when the wards that I serve in don't want to help us with the work, they still think that missionaries tract all day long, and the way that members should help us is by feeding us once a month. NO!!!!! That is not how it works! Yes, it's fine and dandy for them to feed us, it really is a blessing, but, there is so much more then that. Every member has a non member friend, no matter who you are, It's not that hard to share the gospel with them, you won't lose them as a friend, the worst thing they will say is no. Ugh. Sorry, I've become very passionate about missionary work ever sense I've became one.

Anyways... The work is good. It may not be the best right now, investigators may not be coming to church like they said they will and other stuff like that, but it's good. I enjoy the work, I love what I do and what I do will bless me and others in the future. I Love you all and as you can see, I have a very strong testimony of this Gospel and Missionary work. I also know that through faith, prayer, your attitude, desire, and patience, a lot of patience, blessings will come. Have a great week everyone!

Much love,

Elder Daniel Stuart