Well WELL Well Can I just say I love it here

I spent the entire afternoon in Brazil eating hotdogs looking through american food and drinking Guadiana it has been a good day. I really enjoy it here. It is the first area I have been in with 4 elders and one of the elders in my house is Elder Nord who is my buddy from the CCM from Alaska. It is just great we eat great things and it helps because you can brainstorm in 4 for activities and things a long those lines.

It is pretty crazy here because everyone speaks a mixture of portugues and spanish called portuñol that sometimes kills me and I have no idea what in the world they are saying. I really need to work on my portugues. Here in Rivera half of the city is in Brazil and the other half in Uruguay so all you do is cross in the middle of a plaza and you are in brazil we are aloud to go like 6 streets in I think. But talking to cashiers on the brazil side was wow tough stuff I felt like I had just arrived here in Uruguay and did not understand spanish anymore. Its really funny even their spanish has a funny accent.

I live a little bit out of the main part of the city but it is really nice sort of like my 2nd area in salto with lots of dirt streets but its nicer and no bikes. We are acually in a branch this time and it is pretty stong. The truth is it could use some good hard wor, but I am ready for that. Here they have lots of things from the states food, electroniocs etc and they have tons of things from brazil super cheap because it is a border town. So basically I just keep running around like a little girl hugging all these cheap great things.

My comp Elder Minter is from California a city called yucapa and he is a super good guy who knows why he is here and wants to serve the lord. I find myself filled with tons of excitement that I have feltt I have lacked and fasted for in past changes.We have not too much investigators so we are in finding mode but we have found some good people and our main goals are to build the ward leave this area booming filled with success and strength in the branch.

Wow I was trying to upload pictures but it is not working so I´ll have to work on that another day. I was sad to leave Montivideo after such a short short time but I find myself better here and feel more needed in the work. My spanish has really begun to amaze me how much the lord has blessed me I speak a lot lot better then many with more time than me and I really need to thank the Lord more. I have had a pretty rough last change but i have become a way better teacher I have a long way to go but I know the lord had a reason to give me every companion I have ever received.

It was so good to talk to my family.   I havent said anything yet.  Im  not going to lie I miss them. I miss all of them all of you but itI would take a lot of bullet wounds to make me think about going home hahaha. No I love you it scares me how much you have all changed and continue to do so I am getting more and more scared for Tate to be 17 becuase that just makes her sound too old. I think of her as a 4 or 5 year old telling me that she was going to tell mom on me.  I love you Tate.

Anyway time has no friends and niether do my typing skills.  I love you all!  Be safe, love the Lord study the scriptures and understand that God understands it all thank goodness we dont have too.

"Home is Behind the Wo---rld ahead and there are many paths to tread"

Elder Stewart-Chester

Well It has been a very long tiring week with way not enough sleep

First off My Change:

I´m already leaving!!!! can you believe it not going to lie I was pretty sad

I´m going up North to where its really Hot And well I will be on the border of Brasil and Uruguay in RIVERA 

My new comp is called ELder Minter he is from the states I am pretty stoked to work super hard with him up there not too exited for the heat but I´m going to buy a giant hat and loose myself in the work I am exited to make more of a difference It felt too much like my companion had everything under control here. I am actually oppening up the area. there was only 2 missionaries before for a really big area but now they are sending us up there. I really could not believe it but hey the lords in charge. 

I forgot to tell you all about a costom the children have here.... well maybe I already did but just incase so leading up to Christmas all the children begin to ask every passerby for money. The say "Coins for Judas" because what they do us they use that monet to buy tons of fireworks and every year they burn and put fireworks inside of a dummy(judas). so every year they burn Judas here..... Not really sure Jesus Christ would enjoy that custom.

I actually went to the offices to talk to presidente who gave me my change a little early so I was able to say goodbye to a lot more people and take some pictures. I am just bummed that I never get to spend any time in an area everyone is literally astounded by my changes my comp who is finishing his mission only has 5 areas. I cannot believe first that I will have been out here a year in 10 days and second that Tate will be 17 it scares me a lot to think of myself so old. 

I have decided that this next year all I want and desire is to think of others with all my heart and mind, and to feel the spirit every day through testifying and in the end haveing the grand change of heart that is described in the Book of MOrmon. 

 

 The trash from all the fireworks from the New Years Eve Spectacle.....

 

 

I have had a couple of pretty good days since we last talked Happy New years my Newyears was pretty good could´ve been better but cant complain lots and lots of fireworks. 

 

Today was a super crazy day I am in the heart of the city right now(i took pictures for another day) we went and ate at a place called California Burrito. here in the heart there are tons of people from the states and I talked to a bunch today. It was super strange they said I have an accent on my English how terrible.:) It was super strange good thing I am going back to the Campo!!! 

Wow all those people are married...... wierd.....

I love the mission I am so tired I am sick of packing and I know that tomorrow I am going to have little to no sleep again but I will find the strength and I wont let it slow me down. I am greatful to give the lord a small sacrifice such as this. He has given me so much. I am so grateful for all of you your words of wisdom I like Ben and Matt am touched often but what you all have written me. 

Just remember I think of you often even though I am terrible at writing letters but I am going to be better at that too this year!!!!

I love you next week I will be in Rivera burning alive!!!

Elder Stewart-Chester