What A Week!

  Hello Family!  Well, seems like we all had crazy weeks this week!  I seriously can`t believe what happened back home...  As I was reading your letter Mom, I was so scared, becuase I could see it all happening in my mind, because I know exactly where in the stage that is happening.  But as I kept reading, I knew that Ryan was going to be okay, and I am so grateful for the way that it happened.  (Not that he fell or anything...)  It really makes me so grateful for a family that is really close, and cares for one another, and knows what matters most in this life.  Also, I am so grateful for the friends that I have, and that we all have.  Without them, and them being ready at any moment to act in the Lord`s name, who knows what would have happened...  I don`t even want to think about it, but thankfully I don`t have to!  Thank you all so much for letting me know what happened at home, and I am so happy that Ryan is okay!

    Well, I had a somewhat crazy week here also, but not nearly as crazy as you guys!  So this week, all the people here in Guatemala (and I`m pretty sure all of Central America also) celebrate a Catholic holiday that is called "Semana Santa," or "Holy Week." It lasts from Thursday to Saturday, and basically what happens is that all the people commemorate the death of Christ.  Everyone gets together as families, and cook a lot of bread, and I mean a LOT!  I have eaten so much bread this week it isn`t even funny...  But it is just a tradition that everyone has grown to love.  The thing about it is, is that everyone is with their families, so they really don`t make time for us, which I totally understand.  Everyone was "busy" these past couple of days, so the work really slowed down this week.  But when we did get into a house to share something, it was really amazing and really spiritual.  We talked a lot about the ressurection about Christ, and how it blesses us.

    One thing that I came to realize this week, like REALLY realize, is how important the ressurection is for us.  One thing I love is that while all the Christian world wear crosses to commemorate the death of Christ (which is really important), we, as Latter Day Saints, really focus on the ressurection of Christ, and that He still lives!  How great it is to know that we have our Savior still living, so why shouldn`t we celebrate that?  It brings so much more meaning to me in my life, especially as a missionary, to know that my Savior still lives, and that he is continually watching over us!  

     We have a baptismal date!!!  Whoo Hoo!  And I am really excited about this one, because I know that it is going to follow through.  His name is Jimmy, and he is the 9 year old son of our investigator family we are teaching.  He has come to church twice now, and he seems really excited about being baptized!  The coolest thing though, is that he wants to be a missionary when he gets older, just like us!  When he said that, it really made me realize that this work is totally worth it!  All the hard times, the rejections, and all that bad things that happen don`t even come close to the blessings that we recieve, and the knowledge that we are helping the lives of the people here!  I love this work!!!

     That`s all for this week!  I hope that we can all enjoy General Conference this week, because I know that it is going to be great!  I love you all!!!!!  Until Next Time!

     - Elder Stuart

     P.S.  The scripture for this week is John 20:31.  The reason that we celebrate Easter is to celebrate the ressurection of Christ, and all that He did and gave to us.  He made it possible to have "life through his name," and for that we should be eternally grateful!