I checked a man's pulse...

pictures:

*teaching

*2 rats (in the past week, while they were teaching at 3 different homes, rats ran across the kitchen counters)

*doing service...she's now a laundry expert (all by hand in tubs)

Drop her an email or letter:

sydney.stewart@missionary.org

Sister Sydney Stewart

Antipolo Mission Office

Ligtasan St., Brgy. San Roque

Antipolo City 1870

Philippines

Good morning! And in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, goodevening, and goodnight! (Truman Show) How are yall doing? I'm just chilling here with a fever in the Philippines;)

So last night, we were walking back from a lesson on this thin road in between rice fields and it was pretty dark. I saw this weird pile of something in the distance and we were like what is that? When I realized it was a man and a bike, I ran over (thinking he was either dead or dying because he got hit by a tricycle or something) and screamed "CALL 911!" and then rushed and checked his pulse. Then I had two realizations... First, calling 911 is only in America. Second, this man was breathing and had a pulse, he had just gotten completely drunk and passed out on his bike ride home. The member who was working with us knew him, woke him up, and dragged him to the side of the road. As she was lecturing him for his stupid decisions, he smiles and just says "Hi Sisters!" like it was completely a normal thing to be laying in the middle of the road. We encounter drunk people every day here in the Philippines. Another time we had this man just keep shouting to us "I wanna be a Mormon!!" and so we invited him to church! It keeps things entertaining.

One amazing experience I had yesterday was in the middle of Sacrament. I came to church completely sick and I could barely talk like a normal person, so I was just really looking forward to seeing all the people we are teaching come to church to lift my spirits. But, as missionary work tends to slap you in the face, not a single person came to church. We had 9 people almost guaranteed to come. SO at first feeling frustrated, heart broken, sad, and utterly exhausted and sick, we sat next to our recent converts, Rheysa (10 years old) and Leonisa (her mom). It was testimony meeting and the Spirit was really strong. The AirCon was on so low and we all got so cold where we were sitting so I put my arm around Rheysa and Leonisa (with my face in the other direction because I didn't want to get them sick haha) and I had an incredible realization! The Spirit whispered to me that these two girls are what is important. I realized why I'm on my mission... not to find and baptize this amount of people or to hit a certain number of people who attend church, but for these two daughters of God right next to me. I am finding scattered Israel. People who are ready for the Gospel of Jesus Christ come to church. I brought these two amazing people back to the fold and I can look forward to seeing them and celebrating with them in heaven.

Love,

Sister Stewart