Finally in Paraguay!

Que tal familia

There is nothing like a good first P-day In Paraguay. So we got here around noon on tuesday after some of the longest flights of my life. Actually they were the only flights of my life, haha. But anyway, we got here and the temperature was so hot. And the humidity here is a killer. The first day here we met our mission president and his wife and the office elders. We have a great group of missionaries here. Then for lunch we had enpanadas, they are pretty much just like hot pockets. After this we learned all about how things in the mission work, and thenwe had interviews with the president. After this we ate dinner (it was like chicken fried chicken con red sauce, y tambien papas de crema, or mashed potatoes. Yummmm. And we had some ice cream and fruit for dessert. Then we all had a testimony meeting with Our mission president and his wife.

O by the way there was 10 elderes and 3 hermanas that came in with me. We met 2 of the elderes and 1 hermana in buenos Aires. They all went to the Buenos Aires MTC, and they are from Peru and Honduras. Anyways, after this los elderes stayed at the mission office and slept there and las hermanas went to the mission home and slept there.

we ate some fruit in the morning and then went into the city to sign some papers, finally around 10 or so on wednesday we met our trainers. My trainers name is Elder Faas from San Diego California. He is an awesome Elder, and he has been here for around five or six months. We then all got pictures, said our goodbyes and left. We jumped in our taxi and headed four our area called Tres Bocas. In is part of the city of Asuncion, pero it probably is in the poorest part of town.

We arrived at our apartment that isnt in our area. But it is close. We dropped my stuff off and left. My apartment is above a sstore. It is actually pretty descent. We dont have any air conditioning but we have a fan in our bedroom, and that is delightful. I only slept with a sheet and it was perfect. The bathroom is fine except for ahaving a light that works. But my companion said that we actually have a very nice house

Anyways, we went and tried to meet with some contacts but we didnt have much success. We swung by a members house to have some lunch. We ate some noodles with some vegetables on it, i dont know what vegetables, and some meat, i dont know what meat, but it was delicious.

Then we started our real work. I dont have much time but i will tell you the highlights of my day. We got 6 people that commited to a baptismal date, that is the most my companion has ever gotten.

Also, it was funny because I can understand most everything, for the most part, and i was actually teaching about 10% of the lessons, but it was funny to hear people talk about me like i dint know what was going on. Haha. When people asked where I was from, i would say Los Estados Unidos, and they would ask what part. When I said Idaho, they never knew where that was. But they knew where utah was, so I would say above Utah. But anyways, it was hard to say my name in spanish. They pronounce it here estaywart. Pero esta bien

The real highlight of my day was when we had a few extra minutes so we went door contacting, we clap instead of knock here, but anyways my companion did the first couple and then it was my turn. So i clapped at the gate and a lady came. I shared a little and
then she invited us on. her name is maria by the way. This particular family lived in an old small wood working shop. We taught her the first lesson. Maria has tons of faith which was awesome. but then, we commited her to be baptized and she said yes!!!! My first contact and she accepted baptism. How great is the Lord!! This woman is incredibl and I have tons of faith that she will be baptized.

We ate dinner at a members pizza place and it was awesome. It had ham and anchovies and tomatoes and peppers and cheese and some kind of this chewy stuff, and this weird white stuff, but I dont know what it was. It was good but I was stuffed. O ya, it also had some half cooked eggs on it. YUMMMY

Then last night, we taught two familys. There is alot of kids. Half of them are members. But there were two boys Ramon is 18 and Miguel is 17. They are studs and they both receibed an aswer about the BOM, and they both commited on a baptismal date. Ramons dad was there and he was sooooo drunk. He kept yelling random things during the lesson. When i said my prayer he kept yelling. It was actually pretty funny.

But the area here is great, but like I said, these people are really poor. There is trash everywhere and the houses here are not houses. It is sad, but because these people are poor, they are humble. And they are all ready for the gospel. I already have a love for the people here. I just want to go and teach them now. The Lord has prepared them for us, and now we jsut need to give them the gospel.

I dont have my address with me, but I will send you it on Monday when I email again. Soo sorry. And when you write me letters, make sure you put Elder >Chase Stewart, because we have three >Elder Stewarts here. Also you guys can write me DearElders still. I wont get them everyday, but i will get them

Love you Guys
Con Much Amor
Elder Stewart