Night in the Airport

Boy, it does seem like an awful long time ago since I left. I was looking at a picture I had taken in the airport on my first day gone and now that seems like MONTHS ago. So I have some really exciting news! I left the MTC YESTERDAY! Yeah, because of flights it turns out I was the first one to leave - so I really only spent 10 days in there! But it feels like half a lifetime, haha. So I caught my first flight last night, it was delayed two hours so I left at midnight and flew for 6 hours to Johannesburg. Once here I was supposed to catch a flight to Madagascar and meet my mission president in the airport during my four hour layover before catching another flight to Reunion. Alas. There have been some bumps in the road. I made it to Johannesburg, South Africa and was notified that my flight to Madagascar had been canceled. Completely. 100%. I don't know why. But the next time they can send me on a flight is tomorrow! So I have to stay the night in the airport transit hotel and then catch the flight in the morning. I'm working on contacting my mission president but I don't have his number and also have to convince them to let me call out of the country...I am working on finding his number online but it's not even listen on the missionary website. Luckily, I do have a few travel numbers, even of someone in south Africa so if needbe I can call them and have them call the mission president. Good thing I packed a change of clothes and my toothbrush in my carry on! No hair supplies but hey, I guess that's what a bun and a headband are for right? Don't worry about me though because I know that I will make it to my destination. Even if worse case scenario I go out to Reunion without them expecting me I have an address and can find my way. I was originally panicked but then I thought of Paul - one of the greatest missionaries of all time. In 2 Corinthians he says "And thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep" and I thought of all the other missionaries of the church, like the early saints who left with nothing and made it through their journeys. If Paul can be shipwrecked three times while on the Lord's errand - I think I can endure a canceled flight and one night in an airport hotel and two meals and a new flight. The Lord has given a promise in D&C 84:88 - and it has become one of my favorite verses:

"For I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and y Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." And I know that is absolutely true. Now since leaving the MTC I fully appreciate and recognize my purpose. I am a servant of the Lord. I am here to do His work. I speak the words of His gospel and He will protect me and uphold me. Of this I am sure - for "faith replaces fear". I've been working on that. Replacing my fear with faith. And that's what I'm doing now - "The Lord is my light, so why should I fear" I know I'll make it to Reunion. Right now it's just a matter of time and of flights.

I have already learned so many lessons, not really from the classes (though I've learned a lot their too) but about faith in the Lord and the significance of missionary work. Attached to my electronic ticket was a small receipt with sum and total - and my mind was flabbergasted by the amount the Church has paid to send me out to Reunion. For ONE trip. Not even my return trip home. I pondered all that the Church does and all the resources it expends to send us missionaries out - for no monetary gain. What work is soo crucial that the Church spends thousands of dollars and two years of mens' lives? They send missionaries out from all over the world to other parts of the world. It would have been thousands of dollars cheaper for me to stay in the States - why, if it was only about "selling" as many people on the gospel - would they have chosen to send me somewhere so financially inconvenient? Because it is not the work of men but the work of the Lord. Because I was called of God to go to a specific place to teach a specific people. Because the Lord cherishes his children SO much that He will do everything - including sending a young girl from the United States all the way to Africa because there are people there that it is VITAL that I find and teach. D&C 18:10. I can not wait to meet and love and teach these people. Because as I come to see how much the Lord cares about them - I care for them, even though I haven't even met them yet!

I'm not going to pretend that everyday has been easy. It's been ups and downs, a bit of a rollercoaster for emotions but at the end of the day, I will push on. Because I have the strength of the Savior and because this is where I'm meant to be. Gordon B. Hinckley said "Try everyday a little harder to be a little better" That's my challenge to myself and my challenge to all of you.

Leaving the MTC was actually very bittersweet for me. One week ago Sister Graham (the president’s wife) stood up and told us that we would be sad to leave the MTC and that we would feel like family. I thought that I would be quite the exception as my couple of days there had left me with only a strong desire to leave. However. She was right. I have talked to almost all of the Elders and gotten to really know most of them. I have made friends and the missionaries have touched my heart. When my district said goodbye to me, each of them gave a little 30 second message of advice or encouragement in our last class. My eyes began tearing up, especially when Elder Randrainosolo who is from Madagascar and speaks NO French, read a scripture since he couldn’t communicate otherwise. It was Helaman 5:12, a favorite scripture mastery of mine. Even that Elder who couldn’t even talk in French, left me with a message. I began crying in earnest when my companion Soeur Teuira began to say her goodbye. Saying goodbye to a companion felt like saying goodbye to a leg or an arm at this point. Even though we have only been together for 10 days we are ALWAYS together. We do everything together. We eat together, we sit together, we share a room together, we even make trips to the bathroom together. We have each been there for support and encouragement. They feel like a part of your own self. Some of the other Elders from the MTC lined the hallway to shake my hand goodbye before I left. And my little district followed me all the way to the entrance and outside to the car to see me off. These people, these missionaries have been a part of my life, a part of my MTC memories forever. And it is likely that I may not see any of them again. But I know that I go one to the next chapter the Lord has waiting for me. I am sad to close this last one and say goodbye to some amazing people but I know that the Lord has great things that lie ahead.

“Shall we not go on in so great a work?”

The plane that took me out here was AMAZING!!!!  First off it was HUGE and second off it was luxurious. Even for economy. Each seat had its own individual screen. And not just any screen. But a TOUCH screen. With a selection of movies and music and TV shows. And even an interactive map so you could look at any place on the globe or track the planes progress. And the TVs had these little detachable remotes?! And on the side was this little knob meant for hanging a shirt or suit coat or something. All in Economy! Oh and the seats really reclined! They didn’t become beds but they did do a good 45% angle back. I mean…. WHAT?!? I know you might not be able to picture how amazing it was – but just try. In addition I was in the middle group of seats (it went 2 by 4 by 2) and NO ONE else was in my row?!? Best. Flight. Ever. Except of course I couldn’t use the TV for anything other than the map – strict obedience bring miracles. But the fact that it was there made me so happy. Plus the food was delicious and the blankets were big enough to cover your entire body and were actually nice and made of warm cloth instead of the normal ones that feel about as warm and thick as Saran Wrap. And you know what made the flight even better?! There was a guy sitting behind me and we started talking (no not like THAT) and of course I told him I was a missionary and then later on he wanted to see my scriptures since I was reading out of the huge hulking quad. (Which P.S. has been the best gift ever because I can carry it around in my purse and use it for English references since I also carry around a large set of the two in Book of Mormon. But especially because the French books don’t have a topical guide or Bible dictionary!!!!! I have NO idea how they find anything. I think they are all miny scriptorians because you just have to memorize references and verses. You can’t be like – oh I’ll just look under this topic or key word to find that scripture on “other sheep”. No! They have to know them off the top of their heads. I’m so impressed. I still cheat with my English scriptures.) But the guy started talking to me about religion and I was able to tell him all about what we believe! He was from Ghana and his name was Fausta, and I told him all about the Book of Mormon and the Plan of Salvation and he said he will look up and try and get a Book of Mormon when he gets home!!!! I hope he does because I want him to be able to read and pray himself to know if it is true. I told him that I couldn’t tell him what to believe, and that I couldn’t make him believe what I say is true – nor would I want to. That’s why it’s so wonderful that God has promised everyone and anyone that they can read and pray directly to Him and receive an answer. I just thought what a great blessing that was to already be able to talk to people. Although I was pretty nervous! My first real time talking to someone and without a companion!

Blessings. Blessings. Blessings. I hope I am always able to appreciate the blessings the Lord gives us ESPECIALLY in times of trouble and difficulty. Cause I know they’re coming. I know there will be times when things will get hard. And then things will get even HARDER. But I pray that I’ll still put 100% of my faith in the Lord and accept and learn from the tribulations with patience. But I’m working on the patience. That might be why my flight is canceled and I have to wait a day. The Lord’s helping me practice my patience.

I love you all. 

All my love,

Soeur Stewar