Sister's Conference, Elder Renlund, Transfers!!

Email Sister Stewart.  She'd love to hear from you: sydney.stewart@missionary.org 

pictures:

*Sister Baptista (one of her roommates who is being transferred😢)

*Sister's Conference

*Nanay Norm's BAPTISM!!!!

Hello everyone! Sorry for no email last week. I hope you all know how much I love you and please let me know if there's anything I can ever do for you!

This week was very busy. We had a sisters' conference which was so much fun! All the sisters in the whole mission came and we got to hear the senior sister missionaries and President and Sister Koster speak to us. They are such an inspiration to me and although they've been through hard things in their lives, the strength they have today testifies of why God puts us through those heart wrenching times. 

We had the privilege of hosting an Apostle of the Lord, Elder Dale G. Renlund. He spoke to us truly the words of God, you could feel it. Funny thing: when we got to shake hands with him, we were supposed to tell him our name and where we're from. As my hand was in his, I completely forgot my name, where I'm from, even his name!! It was funny I said "um" before almost every word I said. I'm such a dork.

We had Nanay Norma's baptism on Saturday!! Sobrang masaya. Ang cute niya! And yes, I am a giant. I found out that I am the tallest sister in the mission when we lined up for our mission picture. I'm probably the tallest woman in this part of the Philippines! Haha

This week is transfers week, and so I had to say goodbye to my beautiful Ilocana trainer, Sister Gaspar. But now I get to welcome Sister Gajete and lead the area! I am very excited. I haven't met her yet, but I'm sure she's awesome. She's from Bacolod, Philippines and she is only one transfer ahead of me. 

So Tagalog... Tagalog is a very difficult language. Haha it's definitely one of the biggest feats I've ever tried to conquer. But man oh man, my Heavenly Father has helped me so much! I don't feel nervous anymore and I can truly say the things I want to say. My vocabulary is very limited, but I can snake around the subject and eventually get to the point. I can understand so much better, too. I feel like I am way farther along in the language than I thought I would be at this point, and I know it is only because of Divine help that I receive every day. So just know, whatever challenge you are tackling right now, you can do it if you rely on Him! If I, Sister Stewart, can speak Tagalog, you can DEFINITELY do what you need to. God is waiting eagerly to bless us, all you've got to do is ask through prayer.

Mahal na mahal ko po kayong lahat,

Sister Stewart

Busy Sister Stewart

Sister Stewart had such a busy week, she didn't even get to email.  News in her life: 

*Nanay Norma is getting baptized on Friday.  It will be Sydney's first baptism and she is so happy for her.  It's really exciting that she has been able to teach her the whole time. 

*Tranfers are this week and her companion, Sister Gaspar, will be heading home. She's excited to meet her new companion and see if she will be staying in Taguig City or moving elsewhere.  

*Elder Renlund is coming to speak to them this week!

My favorite pictures this week are the last two.  They often travel by tricycles (motorcycles with a sidecar).  Sydney's long legs often hang out the side a bit.  HaHa At least she fit inside this one.  Most the time she is seated on the outside...I still don't really understand what that means.  😂 I just hope it's safe. My mama heart can't take it.  HaHa

Crazy Week!

*email sent 5/13/19

Pictures:

*They got to go to the Manila Temple!  

*Her companion, Sister Gaspar who goes home in 2 weeks

*Even in the Internet Cafe, she's a celebrity.  This boy, Pipoy, just stared at her and at her screen.  HaHa Funny fact, the old rule was that missionaries could only Skype twice a year, Mother's Day and Christmas.  That rule has changed and we can Skype every week if she wants to.  Yesterday, her camera and the headphones at the internet cafe didn't work.  She could only hear and see us, but we couldn't hear or see her.  She had to take this picture on her camera to send it to me.  HaHa I am soooo glad it wasn't my twice a year chance.  I would have been heartbroken!  

Hello beautiful people!!!! And guapo haha. Welcome to the Philippines through email! It's hot as ever, but it's rained a couple times. The streets are so busy because it's election day. We have had a crazy week filled with all sorts of activities. Zone conference, temple trip, Sister Gaspar had to get her departing chest Xray, we had a service project, etc! So many times this week we had to wake up at 4 or 5 am. Tiring for sure! 

I love the mission. There are some hard things, but I find so much joy in the work. I love that there's a temple in our mission! For those of you that have a temple recommend, go!!!! Go as much of you can. For those of you that don't have one, get one!! Whatever is holding you back, don't let it. Do what you need to do to get to the temple. "Do it now. Time is running out," as our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson said last conference. If you're just not old enough yet, stay worthy or get worthy. God has so many blessings right out in front of us and He's sad when we don't just let him bless us. 

I hope that you are all happy. Sorry, we didn't get to proselyte that much this week so there's not much that I have to say. Something that President Koster told us at zone conference was that "you get what you go for." You're the only one that holds you back! Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.

I love you and pray for you!!

Sister Stewart

Dead Pigs and Selfless People

 *Sydney isn't joking when she says she's followed around everywhere.  This is a typical throng of kids that gather to stare at 'Snow White'. HaHa

 *Cute little Jhorline

 *Nanay Norma's grandson

 *Sister Gaspar in front of Nanay Norma's house

 *Sydney got to reconnect with her MTC companion, Sister Vaiaoga!

*She also got to see Sister Doney again (from our home ward).

Hi everybody!!! I am so happy, as always. I had an awesome week.

First of all, we had 7 people at church! It keeps getting better!! We are so blessed! Nothing makes me happier. And we have hopefully two baptisms next week! Nanay Norma and her granddaughter Hannah.

First, I have a really sweet and simple story, and then just some interesting/weird things that I got to see haha!

So Hannah, mentioned above, we visited a couple days ago. It has been insanely hot of course. Over 90 degrees in our house. So anyways, as we were teaching them, Hannah had brought out some pieces of cardboard for us to fan ourselves with. I noticed that as she sat there, she did not even once fan herself. She had her little piece of cardboard facing everyone BUT herself. I thought that I was being thoughtful by occasionally turning mine towards Nanay Norma, but when I saw Hannah not even once think about her needs, I was stunned. The selfless act of this young girl was so simple but somehow so impactful sa akin. Let us all strive to be like Hannah who really was being like the Savior. Think of how much better the world would be if everyone was selfless like this. Don't be like me and occasionally fan your neighbor. Try to always fan your neighbor. Look outside yourself before you look in. Don't let it be a second thought, but your first.

SO on the complete opposite end haha, I saw some interesting things. I got to watch a VERY freshly killed pig be shaved in someone's backyard. I really wish I had a picture, but I was probably already weirding everyone out by how intrigued I was. We went and taught a lesson, and when we walked back by, they were now roasting the whole pig on a fire. It was so cool to me for some reason! Then, this is kinda gross so if you get grossed out easily maybe stop here haha! On a jeepney, this women got on with this little tiny new kitten in her arms. I thought oh my gosh, how cute! So of course, I was watching it. It started licking the woman's chin and it was still like awe cute... BUT to my absolute stunment (I know that's not a word) the woman then tilts her head and STICKS HER TONGUE OUT so that the kitten could kiss it! Oh my heavens, my companion and I were shocked. She then continued to French kiss her kitten the whole way. I have never seen anything like this. Everyone on the jeepney couldn't believe it. So yeah, super gross, but at least I warned you right?? Haha mom you can edit this story out if you think it's too much lol. I also got to see full on marching bands and fireworks for the elections coming up. Why aren't elections in America fun like this!?

Thank you for all your examples, emails, and prayers! Please remember who you are and don't forget to read that one book I'm always bugging you to read ;) It brings miracles, I'm telling you!

Love,

Sister Stewart