tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158922255204942432024-02-07T00:23:23.555-06:00the whittle myers familythe whittle myers familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14708938621323790791noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-7073367378559204682015-06-14T18:20:00.001-05:002015-06-14T19:45:42.367-05:00June 8, 2015 Emma back in Neuquen, Argentina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Hola de Argentina! </span></div>
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This week, or few days really, has been like 2 weeks long haha. BUT, I made it here safely after three days, lots of fog and some alone time in a hotel in Buenos Aires. I got to Neuquen finally on Saturday afternoon and went to get salmon (aprovechar while I could) with Presidente and Hermana Lovell and the APs. Then they dropped me off at my pension to meet my two new comps (yay trios!) I'm in Villa Ceferino, a barrio in Neuquen, so essentially the city, or part of it at least. It is cool, bigger than where I was before in Allen but so much is the same. It's kinda crazy haha to remember all of it again. My comps are Hermana Huisar from Tihuana Mexico (her ward is close to San Diego haha) so she speaks a lot more English than Hermana Cornejo. And, her grandma lives in Rockford, IL!!! Small world! Her parents speak some english too because they used to live in Chicago! She has visited Chicago many times and knows the Bean and stuff. She is super great. She understands more English than speaks but she wants to learn more. She is so sweet and like a mom, put my sheets on my bed the first night and everything! She will probably stay with me here, we think, (transfers are this Saturday bc Pres is leaving and so this one is only 4 weeks and the next one will be 10 weeks) so I hope we stay together here bc 10 weeks is a long time haha and I like her. She has only been here this transfer too and my other comp Hermana Florence from Ogden has already been here 2 transfers. Herman Huisar got here in January and Florence in April so we will be going home together in August 2016. We have the same time total in the mission! So, that's cool. But, we are all pretty new haha but with one native speaker, so that's super helpful. Herman Florence and I are probably about the same speaking Spanish. I feel like for the most part, I just need practice speaking...but so much has come back! Conjugations are still taking a little longer than they were when I left but I really don't feel much different than Hermana Florence so that's good. (My accent is better shhhhh but she is more fluid speaking and she is more used to the mission haha.- I'm very new again!)<br />
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<span style="color: #222222;">Saturday was good, some funny moments walking around. It rained and was kinda cold yesterday and today. Stake conference was yesterday, and it was cool to be in a room with like 300 members!! The most I've seen in the mission. Some from far away but still 300! It was President Lovell's last stake conf here! And Hermana Farrow (from the MTC) is in my zone so i got to talk to her. It was amazing!!! She is so great and is training now for the first time and doing well. </span></div>
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Also, I saw Hermana Bitton (with broken foot prob thing). She ended up not going home when I did, so she is also at like 9 months. She went to Allen right after me and she gave me a full report! Right after I left, Nicole got baptized whom I taugh just a little at the beginning of her learning and then later her sister in law that we knew well from gamilia echeguray and then her husband. Nicole's brother and now her mom almost too!!! So happy for them and Hermana Bitton told me I should know and feel like I did actually do something to help in that short time! Made me grateful! It was hard to not feel a little down at seeing them so far into their missions and totally used to things and the language and everything--- I'm not going to lie. But, it's ok and I know ill get there, trying not to focus on that. </div>
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Yesterday afternoon we had lunch with Obispo, his wife and young son. They are like 30 something so that's cool and they are great. I did have a moment of internal panic when I realized how hard it is to mentally give of yourself all the time, doubting if I have the strength to be that person, who is so open and concerend every moment about others. It was daunting. But, my comps helped a lot after we talked and Hna Florence reminded me (of course) that that is normal and that she asked Pres for a blessing in interviews after her first week and that helped a ton. And interviews are this week, so i will! Pretty much my first and last with Pres Lovell, which was super saddening to realize! They really are something special here in Neuquen the bishop of our ward said.</div>
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We had a lesson last night where we had to drop an investigator. He has addiction issues and has been with missionaries for awhile but isn't changing really very much. So, he needs more desire. Everyone (besides me oops) was crying like crazy and my comps were really upset by it but it hit me all over again just how real and hard people lives are and this work too. It really changes lives.</div>
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I am comfortable in our pension and with walking so far and stuff. The first night, I couldn't sleep so S<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_142336417" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">unday</span></span> was hard (haha) but last night was better. I got some stuff unpacked, so I feel less flustered. We are going to stay in from the rain this afternoon and watch 17 Milagros (finally I get to see it haha) and then we'll get ice cream with the family of our ward mission leader, Miguel. He is 19 and so great! It literally feels like going with another elder when we go teach with him like last night. He is preparing for a mission and will be SO great! Elder Myers is in my district and in my ward, hahhaha! I met him once before leaving and everyone jokes that we are siblings. And his dad's name is Mark and his comp is from BA. </div>
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It's kind of weird being in a trio, but really nice for the beginning, because they know everyone already. Just like you said mom, I'm able to meet people, share my trestimony when I can, observe, listen and try to learn. It's a good thing I think! </div>
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I love you and miss you guys so much!!!! I showed pics of you today to my comps! I am trying to be patient with myself. I'll try to send my voice recording from the hotel if I can! ha</div>
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Im so greatful for this gospel and to be here and for you guys! Sorry for typos! </div>
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Besos y abrazos- </div>
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Hermana Emma Myers</div>
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<br />mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-55986863534173127092015-06-07T19:35:00.000-05:002015-06-14T19:36:14.834-05:00June 4, 2015 Emma heads back to Argentina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">24 hours later...</span></h2>
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<br />mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comBuenos Aires, Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina-34.6036844 -58.381559100000004-34.8127694 -58.704282600000006 -34.3945994 -58.0588356tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-60052744373109396132014-10-25T16:33:00.001-05:002015-06-14T19:46:56.282-05:00October 24, 2014 Emma in the Neuquen Mission Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMWjh_6AcJhlY0RMWLp1WfcZN9Lf8XZEWq6fSXd7aoX7RAQ7rVTVXUIHCQOqR9hv-QD8w8bFLpjnohkCPSk-7a8lzt1gIG0vD3whr3denuMIkqnyoMqvd1HIhxm-nafVEZItlgMsIjck/s1600/Emma+at+mision+home.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMWjh_6AcJhlY0RMWLp1WfcZN9Lf8XZEWq6fSXd7aoX7RAQ7rVTVXUIHCQOqR9hv-QD8w8bFLpjnohkCPSk-7a8lzt1gIG0vD3whr3denuMIkqnyoMqvd1HIhxm-nafVEZItlgMsIjck/s1600/Emma+at+mision+home.JPG" width="253" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma meeting her new companion</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma and President and Sister Lovell</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11 missionaries that arrived in Neuquen with Emma -- 2 elders and 9 sisters</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new missionaries in Emma's group with their new trainer companions</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma and companion<br />
leaving mission home and heading off to first area</td></tr>
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<br />mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-13213561719836396292014-10-21T22:25:00.001-05:002014-10-21T22:25:33.837-05:00October 21, 2014 -- Emma made it to Neuquen safely today!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-73234625481244260042014-10-18T10:56:00.001-05:002015-06-14T19:05:52.740-05:00October 11, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A week full of highs and lows, but mostly highs :) </span><br />
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Another BOMB tuesday devo: the Nielsons came (hes in the 70). Sister Nielson spoke on the significance of the pruning process we all go through as missionaries. as missionies we are pruned and stripped of everything from our old life that made us "Us" just like a rose bush each year has to be pruned. Christ the vine is continually offering us grace and truth as a means of help. this is a process of growth. This helped me bc I know that as I become my "new" self or a disciple of Christ I will receive strength from the vine. </div>
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Elder Nielson spoke on the lessons he wishes he had knowns in the MTC. Things that stood out to me:</div>
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<li style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Remember Christ's words as he was in agony and said "Nervertheless, not my will, but thine be done" we should follow this pattern in our deepest struggles</li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The atonement took the blood of the very best man that ever walked this Earth. we can do hard things, this life isn't meant to be easy. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My companion is on my team; she can be my best friend and ally, she chose to come here too to work at the same purpose as me.... </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Heavens are open to everyone! Matthew 16: 13-16 . our job as missionaries is to help everyone feel a connection to heaven by always inviting. the words we should most often speak are "will you?" then they exercise faith and agency and feel God's love and their rite to personal revelation! </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Our efforts produce eternal results, the people we touch in turn thouch others and families are blessed and it just keeps going</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sometimes it's hard to know how to become? but Christ said. "do the things ye have seen me do" this helps me feel comforted bc in every single moment I don't have to worry here about hwat to do or what is most effective if I try my best to do as He would do to serve and lift others. We all have the opportunity to begin a process of becoming like Christ on this earth. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Think less about yourself, then Hermana Myers will officially arrive. he said it's not about you, but if you make it not about you then in the end it's all about you, I liked this a lot. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Reminds me of Bednar's conference talk for nonmembers. how when we are turning to Christ, we are also simultaneously turning outward and want, like Lehi wanted, for all those we know to taste of the fruit, this is why we want to share the gospel. we have expereinced and tasted as we have turned to Christ. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>Other thoughts from this week: </b></span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">covenants are important because they allow us to show love for God and bring us to repentance each day. they also are necessary so God can let us back in! help investigators see this beacuse convenants, like baptism are goals to reach for and provide purpose and perspective that they cannot see from the beginning like the missinoaries can. </span></li>
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<b>Scriptures I found myself using a lot this week in lessons: </b></div>
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<li>Alma 34:32 purpose of this life is to prepare to meet God</li>
<li>Moroni 7: 33-34 with faith we have the power to decide to go to church or baptism or anything really, our steps are laid out for us in verse 34. same as steps in missionary purpose statement... cool</li>
<li>1 Tim <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1003280746" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">4:12</span></span> be an example of a believer! </li>
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This week I had some low points too. It has finally hit that's it's not easy being a girl in a district with 4 elders. really for the most part they are actually very mature but Thursday was hard to focus with them and I wasted a lot of time being distracted and they were watching mormon messages and being goofy and I really wanted to work so hard this week bc we are almost leaving. I know they have a desire to work but it's just different. I was frsutrated that in the moment I didn't know how to be a better leader and example amd allowed myself to get distracted too for too long before removing myself to go and try to study. they already jokingly tease me that I wil be a good mom one day bc I am disciplined and also they joke that I work too hard ha... for me it's funny bc It is actually harder for me here to be as focused as I was in high school even. it's just a different kind of studying and working. I don't want to be the bossy sister but at the same time I know I can be a good influence and taht we should be working harder at times for sure. they came in teh other room thursday nighat the end and apologized and shook my hands and promised that that was the last party until the end hah. it was sweet. sometimes it would be nive to have another female voice... but this week will be better and the high points of the week definitely drowned out the lows. I know I will be wanting elder time when I am with a drama queen companion in the field lol. </div>
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<b>Awesome investigator story: </b></div>
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taught a TRC investigator named Marco (shoutout to Dad, bring you back to Buenos Aires a bit?) </div>
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He is awesome, he was acting like a nonmember and we taught him a little each night. BUt last night it was our last lesson and he totally opened up when Elder Smith asked what we could pray for him? He broke down and described how his wife is a member but not strong and he wants her more than anything to love the Lord how he does because heh knows it will help her and their family so much. he was hurting a lot. and elder Osgood and I were able to relate well and he kept talking about how the temple was so important to him bc he knows that if we are obedient and love God more than anything than we will receive blessings. He has polio also and wasn't able to serve a full time mission like he wanted. I told him that he blessed our lives though and that God is aware of all the service he gives. He strengthened each of our testimonies. one thing I loved that he said "we each have the same power to receive revelation liek a prophet. He said when you speak it is you speaking but I hear 3 little prophets speaking" so neat to think about the power of our calling and how we have the ability in a sense like a prophet to bless, serve and direct. Towards the end, the Spirit was strong and Elder Smith felt prompted to ask him if he wanted a blessing for comfort. I got to witness Elder Osgood and SMith give Marco a blessing. Super cool experience. Elder Osgood said after that he felt the SPirit more strongly when he laid his hands on Marco's head than ever before. the words were simple but elder smith said that it happened like everyone says and he knew what to say and i knew that Marco needed to hear that. A strong testimony builder of the power of the priesthood. it is on this earth to bless and serve eveyone. </div>
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I hope you have an amazing week. one pday left in the MTC, so crazy! I Love you all. thanks for your prayers and support and faith in me. </div>
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almost in another country.... weird. </div>
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Te Querido, </div>
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Hermana Myers </div>
mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-16216581357329514802014-10-04T12:27:00.000-05:002015-06-14T19:06:03.189-05:00October 4, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just got to main campus this morning for confernce. GUESS WHO I JUST RAN INTO??? DAVE!!!! </div>
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I can't get my pictures to upload right now but we took pics and I will for sure send them later and you can pass them on to everybody!!! I looked for him forever <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1473829735" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span> and <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1473829736" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> and then just got here and ran into him! So happy. He says korean is hard but he is doing well. He just learned all about the tsunami season and acid rain yay! </div>
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So excited for conference. We will try to get online later this afternoon between sessions after lunch to finish our computer time and hopefully we can chat then so just please keep checking your emails! If it is too busy between sessions it will be right after afternoon session. </div>
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This week flew by again. Great moments and hardest ones yet too I think. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1473829738" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> we got two new investigators. Maria and Adrian. They are both at TRC and so we don't know if they are members, less actives or investigators. Well, after this week I can surely say that they are not members, or else they are phenomenal actors. Their questions are amazing and crazy hard to answer and make us so motivated to find answers for them and to plan so hard. Maria was really hard to get to open up and she didn't reallly want to be there it felt like. She is from Venezuela studying english here at BYU and has Mormon roommates. In the first lesson we were brielfy talking about the Holy Ghost and how it brings feelings of peace. She brought up Nephi and Laban and how he was commanded to kill Laban and why would the Holy Ghost tell him that? She has read the first few parts of the BOM and we were like "ok, yeah that's like one expection haha that of course she brought up". We did our best to explain that it was a commandment from God and that the Holy Ghost tells us things from God. We got her to open up a little more though and she told us yesterday that she just doesn't feel like she needs to believe in the priesthood or the BOM because she is evangelical and believes that there are lots of prophets or inspired people on the earth. She has had a TON of great questions about the priesthood, the BOM and about miracles on the earth from people without the priesthood and we are really trying to just personalize the lessons to her so she can see the relevance. But, it's hard because we don't get through much of lesson because of all her great questions. But we have told her several times that we love her questions and will look for better answers and then get back to her. We bore strong testimonies last night and she said that she can see that we felt the power of God or the Spirit. It was pretty great that she said that and she too must have felt something. She is going to conference this morning in Salt Lake City with her roommates and I challenged her to write down 3 questions and ponder and pray and have a desire to listen and record thoughts and feelings so hopefully she does!!!! I have faith that her questions can be answered like mine were last April Conference, if she has the desire and intent. We need to do everything we can to strengthen her faith because she doesn't really have the kind of faith to act yet. She hasn't received an answer to her prayers yet because she doesn't have an intent to act if she does receive a confirmation. She doesn't really want to know if the BOM is true it seems. So we are praying for help with that. </div>
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Adrian is our other investigator. He is a soccer player at BYU. His family is LDS in peru and his sister teaches spanish at BYU. He has already taken all the lessons and has lessons each day with 8 companionships but he said yesterday that some of them are pretty bad teachers. They can't speak Spanish well or just teach the pamphlet and then talk about it. He said he can read it on his own and that he has and he believes in a lot, but he wants to have discussions and his questions answered not just be "taught at". He said it's not just that they can't speak Spanish well, it's that they aren't listenitng to his questions. So that was great to find out because now we know how to better reach him. He had 3 amazing questions yesterday:</div>
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<li>Why does President Monson have 2 counselors and 12 apostles when Jesus only had 12 apostles and we claim that this is the same gospel and restored church? </li>
<li>Why did Joseph Smith receieve priesthood before he was baptized when that's not what we do today? </li>
<li>Why did the apostles of Christ not give the priesthood to others if they knew they were going to die? Why didn't they share their precious gift? </li>
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The first two we sort of answered and said they were great questions and that we would find out more if he searched too (esp in conference for answers - he is also going with his sister.) The last question he asked I just went for and explained that the priesthood is only on the earth when there are peopple to listen and follow a prophet. Otherwise God takes it away and it's an Apostasy. The people were not prepared to listen and follow therefore, they could not have received the priesthood and hence they killed the Apostles. This is the same througout history and it's the way God works. Also they were not called by Christ to ordain anyone else bc God knew there needed to be an apostasy until the people were ready again. Adrian totally liked the answer and said "tenia sentido" or it makes sense. He thanked me and I felt awesome. I knew it wasn't all just me but I am glad that we could give him something so he trusts us. </div>
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He told us at the end that he was grateful that I was able to explain it and that that is what he hopes to gain from our conversations. I told him I felt the same way and that every time I teach I want to learn something too. It's not just us teaching AT him but a discussion where we should all come away edified and strengthened. </div>
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We said to both investigators that we don't know all the answers but we have faith that we can find some answers and that we can feel comfortable with the ones that we won't know in this life. Faith is KEY!!! Adrian said that he knows that the aspostle thing is being particular and that it isn't life shattering but his beef is that if this is Christ's church why isn't everything the same? This is really interesting to think about but for me it just comes down to God knows us in this time. The church is larger and we need certain things to be different.</div>
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I know God knows me. He knows my worries and how I always want to be prepared. I know that he is here for me and gave me these investigators so that I can feel prepared for the field where I know I will be asked these questions. He knows how we each learn. I am grateful for these challenging investigators. We are motivated to studfy harder and I def worked harder this week than last week.... It felt more like real missionary work. </div>
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Had my week 4 one on one Spanish evaluation last night with a teacher. I was nervous beforehand but I got to talk to him for awhile about the lessons we had just taught in Spanish and that helped me feel more comfortable. I answered 4 teaching questions in Spanish and it went well. He listened and took notes and told me at the end "bien hecho" like 10 times (good work) so that helped my confidence. It is hard to tell if my Spanish is improving always but, he said I could go to the field and communicate right now and he was impressed I used subjunctive in week 4, so yay! </div>
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More to come but here is the first (most of it) part. So stay tuned and please please try to be on later and I LOVE YOUUUUU! Talk to you later today after one of the conference sessions. </div>
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Her. Myers<br />
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Hi again,<br />
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I have always got more to say!!! </div>
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First off: nurf gun fight: yes it happened. Her albach;s mom sent mini ones and we loved it, even if it only lasted 5 mins it was epic and made us laugh. already planning plot to ambush my elders, </div>
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Tues devo: </div>
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The schwitzers. fav quotes: </div>
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<li>always be someone that Jesus can count as a soldier as described in 2 Tim 2:3 </li>
<li>hard things help you to have less fear for later, (sis schwitzer) said that after hard things you can replace fear with faith and be able to testify boldy to your children when you are going throuhg future trials. I hope that I can do this and I know my mission will help me to testify boldly throughout life. what a blessing. </li>
<li>" the commandments are teh schoolmasters of exaltation" God knows how we learn, we llearn by doing and acting and following the commandments is how we learn and achieve exaltation. really cool insight for me</li>
<li>savior carried his lamb, great imagery here, "pack the lamb" always remember this with others</li>
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Something that hit me after devo during district discussinon: like mom always says, we need to accept people for where they are at, everyone is at a diff stage in life and learning. Christ acccepts where we are at ALWAYS. Why would we not be expected to do the same. We need to love and build and uplift no matter where someone is at. It is our duty to follow Christ's example and he never turns us away or doesn't forgive us bc we aren't smart enough or humble enough. we can always count on him. be that person for soemone else. I am trying to do that. </div>
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Mint brownies at west campus! think of you each time mom, so delicicous. also ran in pouring rain last pday to eat at great harvest. so wroth it!!!!!! </div>
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Arm wrestled elder osgood and beat him. oh yeahhhhh all the elders in my distrcit were pretty much freaking out LOL,. Made me feel inlcuded and respected hahaha </div>
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LES AMO Mucho. until next week familia. you rock. tahnks for your examples and please keep up the "dear elder" letters. They are much appreaciated. </div>
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Hermana Myers</div>
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mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-78174074210322572252014-09-27T16:00:00.000-05:002015-06-14T19:06:16.823-05:00September 27, 2014<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
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HOLA to all!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">WOW this week went by so fast. Seriously, it feels like I was just writing you. It's scary thinking I am half way done with MTC already but exciting too. Not going to lie it is comforting to know that time is going by so fast, not because i am not enjoying it, is just means I am busy and don't have to worry about the days and weeks and months ahead as much. </span><br />
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Elder Ballard came to devo this Tues! We are super lucky to have gotten two apostles in a row! Awesome. Sang in the choir again for devotional, Joseph Smith's first prayer. it was really pretty, even though you couldn't prob hear my voice if everyone stoppeed signing... .haha oops. But I am working on at least looking better when I sing hahaha. He talked about his mission and what he wished he would have known before leaving and it was so great!!!! some of my fave quotes:</div>
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"decide to live in a way that allows you to be in a position to always be able to tdo what the Lord needs you to do and be able to say like CHrist, Here am I, send me" </div>
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<li>Learn how to relate to people, for your mission and for life</li>
<li>Life is a process of setting goals- really every day, think of a mission for life not just 18 months</li>
<li>Decide before you leave each morning what your objectives are that day, know what youre after!</li>
<li>Every human soul is precious</li>
<li>The atonement is a great umbrella of love</li>
<li>Once you know the doctrine you wont ever not want to express yourself or your purpose, talk to everyone, YOU matter in their conversion. </li>
<li>"Get up, even when it is hard, get up and do the best you can every single day and let the power of heaven fall upon you" -- loved this one at the end!</li>
<li>The atonement can make anything right in this world-- ( really think about that one guys) </li>
<li>He stressed how there isnt much time left and we, this generation, needs to reach our potential for the sake of everyone and we are the ones who will carry this kingdom off. learn all you can and work until the Lord comes and says "that's enough" </li>
<li>"Be accountable" is what I was thinking by the end, really powerful</li>
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He shared so many good things but that's all I can spend time on now ha. SOO good and up lifting. He is truly inspired. He just stood there and talked without writing things down he said and he just shared and everything he said was what someone needed to hear. </div>
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We got newbies this week in our Zone!! 5 hermanas and 6 elders. 4 in intermediate district (2 boys 2 girls) and the rest in beginner district. So now we are back to 4 districts and a full zone. It is hard but fun trying to fill them in on the MTC ways here without overwhelming their lil heads. We don't see them a ton but every night we do and at church and meals usually. One of the intermediate Hermanas is 22 like Hermana Albach. She just finished the Masters of Accounting program at BYU and told Cole good luck with it hahaha. But she is prob my fave. (The younger ones are a lil more reserved or, idk, just not as willing to ask questions and learn from us in a way it seems like, but they are all nice.) 3 elders are from Calgary Alberta Canada area. I couldn't remember exactly where Rochelle Bryan is from, but they are all going to SLC spanish. </div>
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Had a great lesson with Draut last Saturday night about adjusting to mission life, stress and his (horrible) companions. No joke they were pretty much all hard and didn't want to work at all besides his trainer. Hoping that's not what I will say March of 2016! But, either way, he shared something cool that I kind of already knew, but it was good to hear again: "Don't compare yourself to others because it's natural when things are bad to think that youre doing something wrong. When you compare it is a form of pride, even when you put yourself below others." So like you said this week mom: "Be patient with yourselves". I am working on that. I think what is actually hardest for me here is that there is so much you know that you need to learn and do but not a ton of time btw planning lessons for companions and such to really do it and when you have some time you think you should be doing something to help your investigator and you at the same time and you just don't know what to do. I have never really struggled with focusing and studying hard but it's really hard here. When you aren't teaching (4 lessons a day starting <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_443829116" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">next monday</span></span>) or in class with a teacher, it is so hard to not get distracted or to waste time actually just figuring out what the best use of time is. also personal time is when I am most sleepy: Ours is right after dinner so this week I was fighting to stay awake during it! Also in the temple this morning I was SO sleepy, which is sad because I heard they might be cleaning it for 2 weeks after conference this weekend so that may have been our last week for 18 months and it was the fist temple session that I could not stay awake. ahhhh dang it. </div>
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Not sure how pday will work <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_443829117" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">next sat</span></span> because of conference. Maybe we will have it Friday or maybe we will only just be allowed to email for an hour btw sessions. They better at least give us that!!!! So just check those emails often folks! They havent told us anything really about conference at all. I assume we get bused up to main campus, which is kind of a drag because we will have to stay all day and not be able to do anything really -- ha, but I am excited nontheless!!!</div>
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Last Sunday we got to watch the Ogden Temple rededication. So cool. We were all sleepy (On Saturday and Sunday we actually get the least amount of sleep because of service at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_443829118" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">6:15</span></span> Saturday and earlier schedule on Sunday) but it was still cool. Got the white hanky and all -- really neat expereince. </div>
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Also, we got to go to Brigham's landing last Sat and had a burger and fries and stopped at great harvest. Today we are going to Jamba Juice and Great Harvest. It's so nice to have real food and be out!!!!! We will be taking the newbies today. </div>
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Great scripture moment this week: Alma 32:33 ( I think) talks about how a seed will only produce fruit of its kind. Faith is compared to a seed, so faith will only produce more faith. Faith begets faith. So cyclical and awesome to think about each day: Act in faith and you will have more faith, assurance, action then evidence. There's a talk by Elder Bednar called "Seek Learning by Faith" READ it folks. </div>
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Also I want to learn more Spanish because I am getting more comfotable with saying the words I know in lessons but I want to expand my vocabulary. So far it's been a lot of working around words I don't know with ones that i do. that's ok I know and how it has to start but that's a goal of mine ffor this week: Learn some more phrases that I can incoorporate in lessons. </div>
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Also new investigator this week named Gabriel. We met him in the "garden of eden" outside. Pretty sure he is actually Catholic and just volunteers here. He is SO prepared. Loves God, prayer, Christ and has a strong testimony. We taught him about restoration and he was like "wow. ok well I believe in a limetless God so "porque no?" haha. Such a great guy and lesson and he said he will start the BOM. Hopefully he does because he is PRIME I tell ya!</div>
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Also Ariel our atheist guy is "coming to church" with us Sunday and is so much happier now and said he will be baptized if he comes to know if this is true! Wow talk about a change of heart... the gospel is true. The atonement really can bring a change of heart. Repentance is a hopeful word as it means we can change and come unto Christ. We had a great discussion as a district about that very thing last Sunday. </div>
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I only have a few mins left. I love you all so much. I am so blessed to have you in my life and I know Heavenly Father loves you too. I know He answers prayers so just keep praying. I know that other people need to know that God loves them too. I think that is one of the most powerful messages that I hope to express, convey and help others to feel. </div>
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Set some goals this week in your lives (I will do it too) and see how they help. Also read the scriptures and pray for the spirit of revelation; turn outward and remember that you are loved!!!!!! </div>
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LES AMOOOOOOO! </div>
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Hermana Myers</div>
mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-50705918909076546602014-09-21T11:58:00.001-05:002015-06-14T19:06:29.751-05:00September 20, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This week actually went by really fast! each day felt long but it's already saturday! </span><br />
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We have a new elder in our district as of <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1115833054" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span> afternoon. His name is elder christensen and he is from the bountiful bubble as he calls it. ha. he was in the advanced group somehow and didn't feel ready to go or something bc it was too hard for the first week so he moved into our class. So the dynamic has kind of changed. we will no longer teach all 4 of us. I will teach with two other eldders. most likely elder osgood and smith bc they say they need my spanish mre hahaa. so yeah We will each have to talk a lot more in the lessons and fallentine talked the most so it will be different. I don't think he was thrilled to have a new comp either bc we all got along super well... BUt it's getting better. he doesn't talk or laugh as much but we have gotten him to open up some more. He has a twin that is gay and hates the church and his family pretty much so that's hard. we all had a really deep convo yesterday afternoon about our families and church activity and lots of good stuff hah. more in common than we would have thought! </div>
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So I feel like I have learned a ton this week, esp spanish and abt teaching but I still feel really slow speaking. But when I journal at night and talk more spanish comes out haha. so it's def becoming more natural I have also been able to help my companions with their phrases and spanish and teaching which has been really cool and good. It's weird that they see each other all day and so they have a lot jokes and such from their awesome teacher and the other two girls in their class (one of tehm is absolutely hilarious and from north chicago by wisconsin but said Illinois with an S when she introduced herself in front of the whole group...) not sure what that's all about. I was like WHAT??? you even live there but yeah she is hilarious. (shes in the toilet picture with hermaman albach) </div>
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We finished teaching ana Maria our investigator this week. She accepted our invitation to be baptized! we didn't get to teach her everything but we have 3 new investigators starting <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1115833055" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">monday</span></span>. one of them will be at TRC which is volunteers taht come... members, less actives or non members and we aren't told beforehand so that will be more real and scary! but it's shorter too so hopefully it goes ok. Hermano Draut (teacher) is going to be Ariel a 25 yo atheist guy that we will start teaching. that should be tough. and Hermana Martinez will be another investigator that we know nothing about until we meet her (more realistic). What's cool is that Her. Martinez told us that twice while we taught her as Ana Maria she had questions answered or worries addressed for her own personal life (as her. martinez not our investigator) she said she honestly gfelt the Spirit and felt strengthened by our convos. that made us all smile and it was super cool to hear. </div>
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So as you can see in the pic we are all in one room now. pres said I cant be alone I guess hahaa... saw that coming. but it's ok .didn't even change beds and my noise machine helps. My companions are great. so sweet and uplifting and above all, normal. I hope since I started out with great comps that It doesn't mean I will have bad ones in the field haha. it's such a small but huge blessing. </div>
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So we discovered the greatness of the "sack lunches". we can finish gym time (started playing some volleyball with the elders and other hermanas which is really fun) and then go over and get a sandwhich or salad or bagel or peanut butter sammy and chips cookies and milk/juice/soda and take it to go back home. then we shower and eat and have much more time to get ready and it's great. we can eat at home or outside at tables and not at cafeteria for a change and it's not rushed and it's a really good break during the day before hours of more studying. It's the same food that BYU has in their to- go section in the cougar eat -- ot a ton of selection but healthier optinos and prettty darn good :) and then we eat less too so that we are actually somewhat hungry for a <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1115833056" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">4:30</span></span> dinner! </div>
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ELDER SCOTT CAME! there were rumors and sure enough he walked in the door T<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1115833057" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">uesday</span></span> night at main campus for devo! SOO good. spirit was so strong and I couldnt' help but keep smiling, despite my headache. He looked out at us (from his literally tiny short body) and was just so smily and happy looking. He talked on prayer and communcating with father in heaven.one of my fav parts was "your character and faith grow together" sp true! and also to pray in gratitidue and be grateful for the gift of prayer. also so much else but no time. I truly felt that he knows God when he walked in. he prays and he knows him. really neat expereince. also I sang in choir for the opening hymn be still my soul for that devo. LOL. it was fun though. also maybe sing in conference (ahhhh) but I will do what my comps want and it might not happen anyway. </div>
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Also <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1115833058" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">sunday</span></span> night after Brother Callister spoke for devo we watched an AWESOME life changing video that Elder Bednar gave as a talk in 2009 at MTC at xmas time, it was on the character of Christ and how we need to turn outward in our greatest moments of agony as christ always did. look in the scriptures, it's there. when he was being taken away by soldiers after suffering he didn't worry about himself but worried about the guards ear. He is a powerful speaker. I wish you could all watch it! SOOO good, just what we all needed. </div>
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Had a great scripture spanish study with class yesterday. MOSiah 24:14 we all have a responsibilty to witness of God just like alma and our investigators also can witness of HIm as they commit to be baptized! I taught SOLO Thurs to the other SOLO missionary sister in the other intermediate group. it was HARD. we had 5 mins to prepare and we introduced ourselves as investigators ( took on a friends personality) and then taught for 20 mins alone in spanish. I got stuck in the middle and got kind of stressed and I think that showed and hurt my teaching. smiling is better. but I made it through in spanish. and it was super disorganized. but she is leaving next week and I think our spanish was about the same so hopefully i will feel better by the time I leave here. But yeah it drains you to think and listen hard all the time. But I have only fought off sleepiness really twice this week, which isn't too bad. and not for too long. we have been better about getting to bed on time this week and that has helped a lot and more time to wind down.<br />
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There's so much more I want to tell you! but I LOVE you all and I loook forward to your many dear elders this week (hint hint) hehe. even if they are short., I know youre busy. but I miss you guys. it's weird to me to realize now that our goodbyes were for 18 months ya know. thinking back to the MTC i was distracted and should have hugged you tighter and memorized your faces haha. but it's ok. pictures are a good thing and I am doing well. </div>
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hanks for your love and support! keep on keeping on and I am sending you hugs and kisses RIGHt now! </div>
mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-8786089560205529442014-09-13T17:29:00.000-05:002014-10-04T17:43:31.387-05:00Hermana Emma Myers -- Week One -- September 13, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">HOLA! </span><br />
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ok SO much to share!! first of all I Love all of you and absolutley loved the package and pictures!!!! perfect boost! and I just picked up all the letters from "dear elders" because our district leader has to get them for us :( so he just did and i loved reading them!!! so keep em coming por favor</div>
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<b>Mis companeros: </b></div>
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I am in a trio!!!! Hermana Albach from Orem (2 mins away) and Hermana Farrow from San Diego!</div>
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They are amazing! seriously so blessed and lucky to get them. We are all normal and get along super well, seriously dont even know what we will fight about in the future lol. Albach is 22 and just finished nursing school at UVU! She is the mission nurse in Posario (Sp?) Argentina which is way north east. Farrow just turned 19 in July and is going to my mission. Awesome I know! she is super cute and has a boyfriend back home and super excited. We all have laughed a ton so far and talk all the time. </div>
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<b>Interesting part:</b></div>
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I am what's called a "solo" missionary. I have a special sticker on my name tag and everything that says solo. it means I am the only sister that is in intermediate spanish right now. Elders can be solos too but I only know of one other solo and she is a sister from idaho that got here a few weeks ago. she has 6 elders with her and I have only 3 (one didn't ever show... so they are a trio too now) They are HILARIOUS and really cool guys. like not nerdy and quiet at all. Elders Fallentine from san diego (knows sis farrow a little actually, common friends) (pronounced Fashiontinay) in argentina bc of the accent! elder smith from tennessee (18 years old stright out of hihg school) and elder Osgood from North California (went to UCLA for a year) fallentine is going to nahia blanca and the other two are going to ecuador guacil( no idea how to spell) south mission. Fallentine and I are the best at spanish but I undertand a lil more than him and he speaks much quicker than me and just more fluifdly but we both help the other two out and they aren't bad at all either haha. It's definitely different but really fun actually. </div>
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<b>Teachers:</b></div>
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Maestro Draut from michigan studying at BYU. he is super caring and nice and great spanish and lets us take walks with him while we study and speak spanish bc there are only 4 of us and it's gorgeous outside here and hard to stay in one room. He went to my mmission so he has an Argentine accent and has already given me tips! like they say la anana for pineapple instead of la pina haha. So cool that he went there! Maestra Martinez is from Mexico. She is super sweet and to be honest we have been taught by her a lot yet bc she comes in morning and we taught her as our investigator yesterday morning. I am not allowed to teach with just one of them so all 4 of teach together. We plan a lot for our investigator lessons. We had our firist yesterday and it was so cool. we al felt the spirit and had non problem going for 40 mins (granted there are 4 of us haha) but she cried as our our investigator and it was cool. she promised to read BOM and pray. we taught her how to pray in spanish even though we just learned and it was hard speaking spanish but we all bore testimony fine and just took it slow. </div>
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We are at west campus all the time expect for sat morning for temple and tues and <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_423339211" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">sunday</span></span> nights for devotionals. we take a bus up there. temple was so great this morning. I will send pics. sprit is so strong here. I know every one says that but really haha. happier than I thought I would be. branch pres is nice and all teh presidency wives are so nice and cute gmas and want to hug all the time which is great :) don't worry mom. we live in own apartments. with bathroom and 2 rooms, so yeah I have my own room. how weird and lucky. I am prob not supposed to be sleeping in my own room is my guess but no room to move mattress and so we just keep doors open. anyway so first night was hard to fall asleep but past nights have been great. just confsing to wake up in the dark again hahah! but don't worry mom. so much nicer than sharing with everyone in hall bathrpom. and I have TONS of space for stuff... like can't even fill the space with my stuff. but yeah it is just like living at new heritage. we dont cook but we have a fridge and ice! </div>
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food is kinda bad. not horribble but diff than main campus. less salad bar options. but not disgusting tasting -- just not great for you, but I have my energy bars for night time because we eat dinner at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_423339212" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">4:30</span></span> and I'm always hungry by <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_423339213" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:30</span></span> again haha.... so thanks mom. Also I would gain way more weight over there bc all the options. </div>
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I will think of more things but ill try to catch you guys right now. "Pon Tu hombre a la lid!" first hymn in espanol I sang! it's a good one. we sign it with whole zone..</div>
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My brain feels like mush sometimes and hard to prioritize time bc way more independent time than I was expeting and lots to do but it's good work. </div>
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Also we can walk oto brighamns landing with supremem burger and jamba and great harvest on pdays and stuff (in missionary clothes) and so thats awesome. going tonight with the district and zone peeps. cant do taht at main campus haha. thought of you mom when you said you loved going to store and stuff. also creamery here at yview. sorry for all the typos. figure you can decipher and I am speeding! </div>
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LOVE you guys!! miss you but not crying every night (like I kind of expected haha) so don't worry. i think it </div>
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will be more homesick when going to Argentina. </div>
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Oh yeah so my comps are in beginner spanish so I just meet them and we walk everywhere together and just separate for class (whivh is most of the day) but it's fine! just have to have at least 2 of the elders with me in a room and stick with comps for the rest. also exercise time is great. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_423339214" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:30</span></span> in morning and they have one machine liekthe EAC ones. SO HAPPY bout htat! I go on that :) they have big huge bubble looking gyms set up (3) with courts and stuff and some weights and machines for us. Just like your modgual gym too jack!!!!! </div>
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"I think of you every time I go to bed" ! glad you like my blankie, made my so happy to hear that. You're awesome (Jack) and I love reading your email and your AWESOME picture (except your frowny face. smile more bc I love you and it helps) </div>
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XOOXOX em </div>
mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-7803344650910555632011-07-18T13:18:00.000-05:002011-07-19T13:18:54.928-05:00Elder Myers July 18, 2011<div>heyyyyyyyyyyyyy</div> <div> </div> <div>first off we went to Hollywood after temple pday last wed! it was soooo cool! we just walked up the avenue of the stars and took a lot of pics! we even got a free pic with barney! there are a lot of people dressed up as movie characters and stuff- like we saw michael jackson, darth vader, playboy bunnies, chip n dales guys, jack sparrow, freddy kruger, bumblebee from transformers and the joker and more! it was so cool! I cant wait to go up there with you guys!</div> <div> </div> <div> <div>well here is an update on da hood!</div> <div> </div> <div>villanueva</div> <div>they are now confirmed members and are loving life! they love the missionaries and the church. they always do their reading asignments and we are BLOWN away at how much they comprehend and retain! they have amazing questions. The only problem is that Isela, the youngest daughter age 10, is VERY VERY VERY VERY shy and insecure (she has cried a couple of times when she only read the asignment once and not 3-4 times as they all usually do or when her mom calls on her to say the closing prayer in lessons...) and does not want to go to primary. It is so weird bc she is really tall and kinda big and acts really mature so i am laughing in my head bc it is like convincing a 14 yr old she has to go to primary for two more years haha</div> <div> </div> <div>raul aliaga and his family</div> <div>they are still having trouble coming to church every week- he and his daughter alternate weeks while the other one takes care of the shop in the alley (think canal st but in LA) it is really cool! anyway also angela the 26yr old daughter who recently returned to activity is having some problems deciding to take back her husband after they seperated... he is dating a 16yr old crack adddict gang girl (pandillera en espanol) and he is afraid to break up with her bc her brothers and family might come after him and even angela</div> <div> </div> <div>maritza mecias/la familia moya</div> <div>i knew her family when i used to go to inglewood... she is the only unbaptized person in her family. she LOVES the church and believes its all true and comes just about every week.,... slight problem: she is 16 has a baby from a gang banger who wants nothing to do with her or the other 3 girls he has had kids from. and to add to it all she is currently dating a girl who is 22. and she wont really admit anything or talk about it with us, despite our very open and strong relationship with her and her family. her 22 yr old girlfriends name is babera, she is from Argentina so that is cool, she comes to church too....</div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div>we are teaching some other people and have 2 baptismal dates but besides that there is not too many solid stuff to aupdate you about...</div> <div> </div> <div>just trying to put my head down and work! and fight off all the cockroaches in our apartment... they seem to be getting smarter and they seem to have bolder tactics now aka they come out more during the day haha</div> </div> <span><span style="color:#666666;"><br /></span></span>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-32630445262002685232011-05-29T11:40:00.001-05:002011-05-29T11:46:04.530-05:00May 29, 2011 Pictures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJT9UzfR7IgyWwwoQFfr1oj3veQIsqsTYX7Gq2hM2yvJ13tEIzcTYmdESaiM15Zv006Ix2uwEEwAtxs_qXNqpMvQzj483ntFGrVkbLSJb3ucH4lGUhF47zL40YUiDpkpTo-yzep5yOV0/s1600/P1100700.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJT9UzfR7IgyWwwoQFfr1oj3veQIsqsTYX7Gq2hM2yvJ13tEIzcTYmdESaiM15Zv006Ix2uwEEwAtxs_qXNqpMvQzj483ntFGrVkbLSJb3ucH4lGUhF47zL40YUiDpkpTo-yzep5yOV0/s320/P1100700.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612179031438386626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2Z55wMslncspgbEGA-yk1t4RMl0X1xkAQvL_94t3yUam75EC0-EBANwmEqluV-Ctv0kjTqb5jZojnuB5Qd4M1vEsnzQsm-R0f3XyS_RDBgVnFODhdCWw9W71B29OsuJMPXzomGTjtVc/s1600/Penninsula.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2Z55wMslncspgbEGA-yk1t4RMl0X1xkAQvL_94t3yUam75EC0-EBANwmEqluV-Ctv0kjTqb5jZojnuB5Qd4M1vEsnzQsm-R0f3XyS_RDBgVnFODhdCWw9W71B29OsuJMPXzomGTjtVc/s320/Penninsula.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612179026510759730" border="0" /></a>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-50855302371261373992011-05-16T11:43:00.000-05:002011-05-29T11:45:01.138-05:00May 16, 2011INVESTIGATORS<br />Amada<br />Amada is doing pretty well. She is still progressing slowly but surely. Long story short she came to church last Sunday but was not able to stay because of her brothers health complications... We are still trying to help her get/recognize her answer to her prayers so that she can be baptized.<br /><br />Eric and Heidi (siblings)<br />They both came to church this past Sunday and liked it. This was a big step for Eric because as of right now he still claims to be atheist, who doesn't see the need or benefit of faith (or according to the dictionary a belief in something without any evidence) in someone's life. He is changing though-his mom ran into our Branch President because they both work at the same hospital and long story short, his mom is noticing that Eric has much better manners towards his mom and the rest of the family since we have started to teach him. She also thought a lot of false doctrine about our church and President explained it all to her and so she is much more open to us coming over now. Heidi has just started listening in on our lessons with Eric. She claims that Eric is not truly atheist and that this is just a phase/something to do for attention.<br /><br />Jose Luis<br />is a Seventh-Day Adventist that we teach once a week. We have been praying for the spirit of discernment a lot recently to understand how we should move forward with him. We cant tell if he sincerely wants to find the truth and that is why he is keeping his reading commitments or if he just trying to measure our religion against his.<br /><br />Besides that we are just trying to build up our teaching pool full of people who want to be baptized as fully converted members.<br /><br />LESS-ACTIVES<br />Marina<br />She is still going well although she unfortunately missed her first Sunday in about a month and a half. We are still trying to start working with her husband.<br /><br />Zorayda Bowman<br />We are still trying to work with her non-member kids. One of them, Harold 15, seems fairly receptive. She accepted the challenge to read a chapter out of the Book of Mormon everyday. She did not however, attend church this past Sunday.<br /><br />Familia Aguirre<br />Angie and her two sons Kevin and Steve are doing pretty well as well. Angie is doing ok on her commitment to read a chapter of the Book of Mormon everyday, she is on Chapter 6. Steve still doesn't really have an interest in the gospel or going to church. We have recently started working with the YM President to help Kevin and Steve come to mutual every week. They did not go to church this past Sunday.<br /><br />Hno Alejandro Campuzano<br />is really excited about receiving the priesthood as soon as he quits smoking. He is really learning a lot from re-learning the missionary lessons in preparation to teach the rest of his non-member and less-active family with us!<br /><br />Familia Burga<br />Interestingly enough they are always very committed and interested when we have our weekly appointment but so far all the work we have done has brought forth Hermano Burga coming to church alone every week.<br /><br />That is pretty much it.<br /><br />STUDIES/GOALS<br />I am still working on my goal of completing both Predicad Mi Evangelio and El Libro de Mormon before i go home! I feel like this week we could work even harder, especially on the other lessons and member present lessons taught. We are still working on setting a solid baptismal date!mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-2324106824800424432011-05-09T11:46:00.000-05:002011-05-29T11:47:26.788-05:00May 9, 2011<p>We are working well down here in South Harbor. We are almost done with transitioning from filtering out all the investigators that are not progressing towards baptism and keeping the ones who are progressing. We are seeking the Lord's help as we undertake this often difficult process of evaluting your investigators and keeping only the ones who have already been prepared by the Lord to be baptized. </p> <p>Eric is making huge progress for an athiest. He is reading the Book of Mormon every day and he even prayed about it! This is obviously a huge step for someone who has very very minimal faith left in God. He really does have a sincere desire to know the truth. We are helping him to relight the faith that he had growing up. We also just started teaching his sister, who is not an athiest. We will see how that goes. </p> <p>Hermana Marina Suazo is still doing very well and coming to church every Sunday. We hope to work with her non member husband soon! She is one more member closer to the El Cabrillo branch becoming a ward!</p> <p>Hermano Alejandro Campuzano is another less active we are working with. He has recently started coming back to church. President Jorgenson and we are helping him to quit smoking. This is the only thing that is holding him back from recieving the Melchezidek priesthood. We are helping the branch get the 20 active tithe paying Melchezidek priesthood holders that the Stake has said the Branch needs for it to become a ward. </p> <p>I am reading through the Book of Mormon in Spanish right now and studying Preach My Gospel cover to cover. I hope to complete my goal of finishing both before the end of my mission!</p> <div>love, </div> <div>Elder Myers</div>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-53602579442067659372011-04-18T03:46:00.003-05:002011-04-21T03:50:00.690-05:00Elder Myers April 18, 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7EQhZ3npT_71gtUUl9LSNTZL4z37_xC7r3ZnNWyaj1Oa1Yk2nJN0y2bGfSVT1kNYtd6CiaTipFKZH3_sPbIuYmr-c_cR4a2Ljb7V9PXGd7JkNhPE6PiKE0k5P4PE5TiNNdHcSgub8Sg/s1600/Penninsula+zone.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7EQhZ3npT_71gtUUl9LSNTZL4z37_xC7r3ZnNWyaj1Oa1Yk2nJN0y2bGfSVT1kNYtd6CiaTipFKZH3_sPbIuYmr-c_cR4a2Ljb7V9PXGd7JkNhPE6PiKE0k5P4PE5TiNNdHcSgub8Sg/s320/Penninsula+zone.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597955783065114946" border="0" /></a>We had beach p day today! It was fun and a lot of good excersize! We played a lot of ultimate frisbee and a game similar to that called Air Force. It was the first day in like a week that it was not 85 and sunny though so that was a little bummer. I am getting very excited for next Friday's conference with the Arcadia mission and Elder Perry or Elder Nelson I forget which... We have temple p day next Wednesday so that should be great as well. I feel like I just went to the temple with Jorge for his first time Feb 16th.<br /><br />Things are going great down here! We are working very hard and I am being more obedient and diligent than perhaps I have ever been on my mission.<br /><br />Amada is progressing, albeit slowly, but progressing. She is still praying for her answer on when or if she should be baptized. She came to church the week before last. (this past week she said she was going to come late because she was going to go to a family members first communion) We plan to take her up to the Visitor's Center to help her receive her answer in a quicker more efficient way.<br /><br />We are working with a lot of other people that are showing some potential, like two new former investigator families.<br />-We finally (after one and a half transfers of going every once and a while) got in touch with Ana and Rodney as the last thing we did with our "mini misionero" Alan Rodriguez. (We recognized each other because he attends the South Gate ward, where I just got transferred from. I did the mini mission with the Santa Monica stake last year. It is always a good way to see a little bit of just how different missionaries are and it helps me to remember back to how I used to be and how much I have grown.) They are excited to start learning again! They were taught by Elder Lovelace first and then Elder Tuttle.<br />-We also set up a return appointment with the Calderon family. They have been through eight or so sets of missionaries, but show some great potential as well.<br />-We are also working with Maria, a referral from the Harbor City sisters. She accepted the invitation to be baptized but said she felt too rushed to accept a date. She also said she would have to talk to her husband, whom she said was not too supportive of her religious endevours.<br /><br />We are also teaching and being blessed with some success on the Less-Active front.<br />-Marina Suazo came to church after around 45 years of inactivity. She was baptized in Honduras a long time ago but has never been here in the States. She lives in an extremely small and humble apartment. It was a miracle of how we came into contact with her a few weeks ago. She was praying with a lot of faith that God would provide food for her. I had been thinking in the previous few days about what to do with the inordinate amounts of food we are blessed with from an Hermana in the branch. We came by 20 minutes after her prayer and she told us about it and I offered to drive home and get it and she gladly accepted. I love being an instrument in God's hands to answer his children's prayers. I have been thinking a lot about the recent service and charity focused General Conference.<br />-Zorayda Bowman drove the long trip to General Conference at the Stake Center and loved it. She has 2 unbaptized sons.mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-81213540640913946922011-03-28T18:12:00.001-05:002011-04-21T03:51:56.701-05:00Elder Myers March 28, 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNu61_LnRrehQ-Ouqc0vM3Gi84jxlBxftbGFOQBMhqWVhrhltPaJyzWi1DxBqGeeomuQknVyBuY48ZPI_1xZYYt44gX_k9nDGI9a4W24ooZAC3qp0hnmZCaTSA-KL1tglixGjgMAo4H5w/s1600/SDC10955.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNu61_LnRrehQ-Ouqc0vM3Gi84jxlBxftbGFOQBMhqWVhrhltPaJyzWi1DxBqGeeomuQknVyBuY48ZPI_1xZYYt44gX_k9nDGI9a4W24ooZAC3qp0hnmZCaTSA-KL1tglixGjgMAo4H5w/s320/SDC10955.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591870856343128850" border="0" /></a>We had a pretty good week except that all four of our investigators we were trying to get to church did not come. Balbina, Amada, Teresa (member referral) and Gabriela (new member referral) did not show. We will find out what happened at our next appointments with them. Besides Gabriela no one is progressing very well.<br /><br />Amada is kind of at a stand still because she is distracted from her journey to receive an answer to her prayers about Joseph Smith because she is taking care of her brother who just received a chemotherapy treatment for his cancer. He is in the hospital now and not doing so well. He is a very less-active member that we were starting to work with before this happened.<br /><br />We have only had two appointments with Gabriela but she seems very interested and committed. We haven't figured out the interest and commitment level of her husband.<br /><br />We are still struggling to contact Teresa on a consistent basis and to figure out the best way to help her progress because she can't read. She is a referral from her semi-active member neighbor- who has given us and other missionaries a lot of good referrals!<br /><br />Balbina and her boyfriend Juan are most likely switching jobs and will hopefully have Sunday off. I dont think this is a switch on behalf of a desire to attend church, although Balbina has a strong sincere desire to attend church and progress but with her three kids and her boyfriend with a very demanding work schedule it has been difficult to figure out an appropriate solution.<br /><br />As for me, I am fairly close to being fully decided on leaving early to attend fall semester at BYU. Again I am doing this because if I did block I would lose out on $1,200 of scholarship money and because waiting until winter seems like too much time for me. I want to progress in my own life after the mission not come to a stand still. I am still feeling very uneasy about leaving before my full 24 month service time, despite what you told me in interviews. I am working on those feelings with the Lord in prayer before I make my final decision on when to leave. I will probably be contacting you soon if that is OK with you.<br /><br /><span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></span>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-5550238484642272462011-03-08T18:17:00.001-06:002011-04-04T18:49:37.780-05:00Elder Myers March 8, 2001<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6hDg9BJZ2ZFop0WNsFUJULk2ADzKLFfCdP4ed6YleZPJPa0AsN2uXc6KLldK_M3T1jLpMJ9jl4A78nh6021aTh1bpTHNTMltnfsz2nuWKMnnY8CkIsx45NrmmC8itoJRRYIFZnkAuDM/s1600/Penninsula%252BZone%252B2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6hDg9BJZ2ZFop0WNsFUJULk2ADzKLFfCdP4ed6YleZPJPa0AsN2uXc6KLldK_M3T1jLpMJ9jl4A78nh6021aTh1bpTHNTMltnfsz2nuWKMnnY8CkIsx45NrmmC8itoJRRYIFZnkAuDM/s320/Penninsula%252BZone%252B2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591872654706137794" border="0" /></a>I am doing well down here in South Harbor with Elder Tuttle. I am trying to learn from him before he goes home. Right now I am working on trying to comport myself in a more professional manner. It is taking self control so that I am not as loud as I otherwise would have been while still being myself.<br /><br />The only update from our area from last email is that we are continuing to try to contact some people (including Miguel who has a baptismal date....) We are also still working with Amada. She didn't come to church last Sunday because her son was in town last Sunday from Brazil. We will teach her about the importance of the Sabbath.<br /><br />A new update is Teresa and her two sons Javier (6) and Emiliano (4). Her husband is waiting on the courts to decide if he will be deported back to MEX because he was caught as an illegal immigrant because he didn't pay a ticket and didn't go to court. She is a member referral and we are really excited to start teaching her. She is excited too. She is really interested in how family centered the gospel and the ward organization is. The only thing is that she can't read, so we will see how that goes.mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-23224087957012183552011-02-28T18:28:00.003-06:002011-04-04T19:12:52.158-05:00Elder Myers Feb. 28, 2011i am doing great! i am trying to learn as much as i can from ex AP elder tuttle before i send him home at the end of march! We work well together. He is pretty obedient. I think i need to learn a thing or two from him in that department.<br /><br />We got to president (not really a pres in the church just because he is pres of sunrider corp....) chen's MANSION today..... aka the second <span>richest</span> member in the world is right outside of our area (we cover parts of palos verdes and rancho pv,,,,) we wenr tto the members house today for p day as a zone! it is a tradition... we played tennis and went bowling and ping pong and pool., his house was gorgeous!!!!!! we werent allowed to take pics tho.... :(....<br /><i><br />the people</i><br />AMADA<br />she is a 60ish year old lady from Peru, where she had been to church with the missionaries a LONG time ago. She came to church last week! The branch (no dad that building in the pic was the english ward in our area- the san pedro building- there is anothe pic of elder tuttle and i standing in front of the cabrillo branch where we go.... but yeas the san pedro building is very nice!) was so warm and open with her! We are excited fro her! The only thing is that her husband doesnt want tolearn... He took her to church and is open to her learning but is not excited himself. We ahvent asked his permission (yet) for her to be baptized, just if we could teach her. We plan to go up to the VC asap with her!<br /><br />JUAN AND BALBINA<br />She is the 19 yr old that already has 3 kids. We are currently working on a way to get them all to church because juan works and balbina says that it will be too much to handle her very crazy kids alone... they are progressing though- they read 3nephi11.... So we are excited for them!<br /><br />MIGUEL<br />set a baptismal date with him. We had an amazing lesson with him and he doesnt have any issues with any of the commandments but we have lost contact with him and are desperately trying to recontact him. He said we werent allowed to go by his house though bc his mom hates our church....<br /><br />JULIO<br />drunk guy trying to help him turn his life around before he gets deported when the cops find him. Has 2 kids. gf works. live in the ghetto.... He would def get baptized if he wasnt drunk all the time<br /><br />CARLOS<br />julios neighbor (sadly enough he is pretty much the only reason we stop by juliuo because he is just not progressing. I hate thaat about the nmission because he really needs us... slash help in general slash a good influence....) he is progressing pretty well. HAs a problem with going to any and all churches though. That will change when he truly knows how different and true ours is....<br /><span style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);"> -- </span>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-77144312530235730932011-02-21T18:56:00.001-06:002011-04-04T19:09:16.241-05:00Elder myers Feb. 21, 2011As I said we are doing great down here! I love the El Cabrillo branch! It seems more tight-knit than any of the wards I have served in (besides Pacific Palisades ward which is awesome) I love how it is more personable, especially with missionaries and investigators. I feel like I work better as a missionary with these kinds of relationships.<br /><br />I went through the temple with Jorge as he received his endowments for the first time. It was such an amazing experience! I hope to do it again with my other RCs! I def know from first hand experience that the temple is the goal of the gospel/missionary work.<br /><br />oh to add to that: I went through in Spanish! It was really neat!!!<br /><br />also we have an investigator who is 19 and she has 3 kids with her BF!!! She droppedout of HS halfway through soph year and had a kid at 16... I meet a ton of girls like this but she is only the second I have really talked to... so emma and lucy- how would you like to have kids now? DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!! lolmark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-74917711271533511792011-02-14T18:49:00.000-06:002011-04-04T18:54:07.269-05:00Elder Myers Feb 14, 2011<div>Well the transfer is coming to a close. I am doing great. It was nice being companions with elder Cazier. Among other things I know that the Lord is helping me to learn patience and focus by being companions with a departing missionary. It has been a little hard to send home a missionary this late into my own mission. I am still working on not being to hard on myself while constructively trying to be better. I honestly believe that getting excersise and being in a bike area is really helping...</div> <div><br /></div><div>As for the people:</div><div>-Maricruz continues to have a lot of problems. Perhaps more than I have seen in a single person on my whole mission. Thats ok, I know that it will work out in the end, in the Lord's time. Right now here not being comfortable in the south gate ward is actually on the back burner. The biggest issue is that she committed to live the law of chastity after having it explained very clearly to her (I even used the phrase legally married to) but then we asked and found out the man she has been living with for the past 27 years is not legally her husband. She seems to think, besides her having no desire to marry him, that if she does she will owe the IRS 20,000... we are still confused on that one. We are also working with her to completely give up smoking (only smoked 3 times since she has met with the missionaries and give up drinking coffee. Oh and her baptismal date is feb 28, so yeah we dont have a lot of time!</div> <div><br /></div><div>antonio- </div><div>he is a referral that we had received a while ago. We had taught him twice and then for the most part lost contact with him. He has a very busy work schedule. Anyway we called him sat and invited him to church and then he came! and loved it, he participated a lot and met a lot of people. (elders quorum is a lot more friendly after last weeks lesson on basically fellowshipping at church...) The only thing with him is that we are not allowed to teach him at his home because the owner of the house does not allow too many visitors esp missionaries esp mormon missionaries...</div> <div><br /></div><div>besides that we went to the visitors center twice last week: </div><div>familia ferrer</div><div>Once with the less active family that is on the steps to activity again (been once with us and to a few devotionals...) Their potential-investigator neighbor friend (whom we have met with once and went to the elder clayton devotional) was supposed to come but couldnt. </div> <div><br /></div><div>noemi and co.</div><div>she is the daughter of an active member of the ward. She has two kids. They all LOVED it. We will be asking her if she would like to attend spanish or english church (her kids dont speak spanish that well) and then give a ref if necessary. </div> <div><br /></div><div>This being south gate we have a lot of other people that are on the radar but i will tell you guys more about them later</div>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-22230453222841217302011-01-26T18:41:00.000-06:002011-04-04T18:46:43.736-05:00Elder Myers Jan 26 2001i am great! i love being on a bike and getting excersise- i think it really helps my mental health to get that much excersise. I also love the area- we are really busy, which is good! This past week (and as of today we are almost done) we undertook the gargantuan project of cleaning up the southgate ward list! Spearheaded by elder bluth the south gate missionaries took on the 590ish names (34%of whom do not live within the ward bounderies...) We have 85 members who live in our area so we had a lot of work to do. We are just seeing the activity and PMF status of everyone as well as moving out all the people that didnt belong/have moved. <p>As a result of us cleaning up the ward list we havent really had much time to do anything else between the trainings etc so we have been doing that and keeping our progressing investigators/LA families going. </p> <div>Marie</div> <div>our progressing investigator- has a tentative baptismal date for 20th of feb. There is an interesting thing going on though. She knows a couple of people from hermosa liahona and feels more comfortable over there. That combined with the her extremely demanding work schedule (hermosa's times fit in better) make her wnat to go over there. As a result of that the missionaries have made contact and taught her a few times at her member friend's house down there. They all went up to the VC together. I dont say this because I am jealous or am number hungry its just that this is going to turn into a big mess. WE have tried working it out but the best we can come up with is that we both teach her (bc that is what she wants) we have invited her to our ward and she has been once and 3 times over there... yeah and what makes it worse is that we tried to put our foot down and tell her the churches policy but it only wound up making her tthink we are the bad guys and the other ward and mish are the good guys which obvvi made the dituation worse....</div> <div> </div> <div>daniel and alberto</div> <div>as of right now, we cant teach them anymore bc the mom said that because they are in religion class at catholic school and have to go to church there too because of school policy they are getting confused. she has nothing against the church but says she feels it is best to wait until alberto (older one) gets into high school in two years.... shame! they are solid and would 100% for sure be baptized- one step closer to completing the PMF! the grandma sis rivas (lady holding the dogs) is the sweetest lady ever! loves to feed us! huge testimony- elder webers RC of 9months.... btw</div>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-6825075692201604212011-01-10T17:05:00.003-06:002011-01-10T18:08:54.611-06:00Elder Myers Jan. 10, 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJRkzmcG15QnyyzHrhGn-IIePvxbxI0DMEIJyaGz5qAJrwevVys6qKdy2hhvxAIPjCAykNWJUeI7pZ-ZFCHNW2CzCifUKvJsok5Mfmk8b4qeLDAInblWenL7a_Fe5yvx4XA6ozls7u9s/s1600/SDC10793.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJRkzmcG15QnyyzHrhGn-IIePvxbxI0DMEIJyaGz5qAJrwevVys6qKdy2hhvxAIPjCAykNWJUeI7pZ-ZFCHNW2CzCifUKvJsok5Mfmk8b4qeLDAInblWenL7a_Fe5yvx4XA6ozls7u9s/s320/SDC10793.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560707441850632034" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMcWbw31XQluj6RwBx3WE3AGD-sPT0QKr_HggTCZrSO7UAEDGsZaHvaH_YDaTYyD9IeXAITW_Q5sxi8SIqMpBOkJlD8FQueS6qCKd06fW-64QAC8mlhC7oWoeRVO3418W2qNpKkY6jDo/s1600/SDC10776.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMcWbw31XQluj6RwBx3WE3AGD-sPT0QKr_HggTCZrSO7UAEDGsZaHvaH_YDaTYyD9IeXAITW_Q5sxi8SIqMpBOkJlD8FQueS6qCKd06fW-64QAC8mlhC7oWoeRVO3418W2qNpKkY6jDo/s320/SDC10776.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560707434557230098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeMOu5rXhfT_lafIDWvFAbrUx5moec8rXj3E1BuPYPv2V3b41dXBbcnhdnoOCXWnZb7CYa7lw_ObiimG8k_4E9kPNr9obkX-knAWEXUa0cwg6gUSC_WxVIoNEYQLvwIVUQXq8dmedPzM/s1600/SDC10771.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeMOu5rXhfT_lafIDWvFAbrUx5moec8rXj3E1BuPYPv2V3b41dXBbcnhdnoOCXWnZb7CYa7lw_ObiimG8k_4E9kPNr9obkX-knAWEXUa0cwg6gUSC_WxVIoNEYQLvwIVUQXq8dmedPzM/s320/SDC10771.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560699159507429954" border="0" /></a>I love the new area! It is great to have a lot of people with potential to work with. We didnt have really too many solid people that the previous elders had been working with so we have been checking a lot of potentials and formers- and setting a lot of return appointments! We are also doing some tracting here and there, but as for right now it seems like the formers etc is a more productive route.<br /><div><br /></div> <div> </div> <div>Two people in particular are worth mentioning: Daniel and Alberto. They are 10-12ish year old brothers and grandsons to an active recent-convert member (they live with their non member mom and RC grandma). They are both very interested in reading the BoM/the missionary lessons. They have kept their commitments to read 3 chapters in the BoM and are eager to learn more. The only issue is that the divorced dad has custody of them on the weekends and the grandma said that he will not be too keen on them going to church (they usually go to chuckie-cheeses or something). We did get permission to teach etc the kids from their mother though.</div> <div> </div> <div>We have already been to the VC twice. We went once with a semi-active family and their investigator relative who is now going back to Chicago where she lives after having been here for a month or so. We also went with a less-active family and their non member dad. The family, previous to the VC trip, was not very open or close with us but they commented on how good we and the Sisters were with their young kids. The non-member dad rrandomely commented on how he felt a real special spirit and that he wants to go back with us to see the God's plan for families room etc. He seemed more open to baptism/recieving missionary lessons after the trip. We are also planning to use this as a springboard so they can all return to full activity. We are also hoping to go there with two other people/families in the coming weeks.<br /><br /></div> <div> </div> I love being on bike and I am worrying a lot less! I think a huge part of the problem was being in my last area for so long and not excersising etc. We eat with the members pretty much every night... They are so nice and giving. I love having a lot of work to do and I am working a lot harder- partially because I am the senior and partially becuase of the area. I do seem to pulling a lot of the weight though, which is fine...mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-75302499973918865592010-12-27T17:13:00.003-06:002011-01-10T17:40:22.760-06:00Elder Myers Christmas 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYzitAJkfjKCbgXTkC8NA1ffjU0YuyTEpp_OO7d2l-2ilIv1zYcLQ67yFhMNxWUggyQIbzSo6QLkgR_fcpp1MgTMFnl1Rai7wJ23bJDPBqaEECmWbmeHYlUtnLG6cCCM-aNedHEyU4vY/s1600/SDC10558.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYzitAJkfjKCbgXTkC8NA1ffjU0YuyTEpp_OO7d2l-2ilIv1zYcLQ67yFhMNxWUggyQIbzSo6QLkgR_fcpp1MgTMFnl1Rai7wJ23bJDPBqaEECmWbmeHYlUtnLG6cCCM-aNedHEyU4vY/s320/SDC10558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560702683072039426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS0JcV5Cir-0vnlgDtfmcuAviIEe4NivrOY9JwInnDgkCskSjiQQwNYGVjaPKOslfpxwrnk793se0q5BRW4bLq-eR5N_85btVMhMbKIfAYORmbfRhtRbyZvjocUO_7hSkD3CTPQf-qd8/s1600/SDC10554.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS0JcV5Cir-0vnlgDtfmcuAviIEe4NivrOY9JwInnDgkCskSjiQQwNYGVjaPKOslfpxwrnk793se0q5BRW4bLq-eR5N_85btVMhMbKIfAYORmbfRhtRbyZvjocUO_7hSkD3CTPQf-qd8/s320/SDC10554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560702676491888242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1ojN9Wp2mCP7LsCjkZ3dujRTgJ5DXAog2ZydfbsrvtTw2sptiEr_yRGQu3K7Xaet0ilK55-4Mro1qOGF4jp1EROi4gyb0U6-JWg0mirJIIQj_mXp0CEW3EHHVowL0jHtJqOG6fBu-F4/s1600/SDC10562.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1ojN9Wp2mCP7LsCjkZ3dujRTgJ5DXAog2ZydfbsrvtTw2sptiEr_yRGQu3K7Xaet0ilK55-4Mro1qOGF4jp1EROi4gyb0U6-JWg0mirJIIQj_mXp0CEW3EHHVowL0jHtJqOG6fBu-F4/s320/SDC10562.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560702669123028130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTP9bOaQJYe0f-aZZr8xAA-mlOjG8vjt_Il4AccLVhDQ68ikHO27pgyIXJWxaxapGPCHXbfn2_L89Gj4jd_AbXQGcLp8GRJeT5pBByhjFx9pNA6IRkGe-K5kXCPUFX4-6YR0FLOFpIlKA/s1600/SDC10758.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTP9bOaQJYe0f-aZZr8xAA-mlOjG8vjt_Il4AccLVhDQ68ikHO27pgyIXJWxaxapGPCHXbfn2_L89Gj4jd_AbXQGcLp8GRJeT5pBByhjFx9pNA6IRkGe-K5kXCPUFX4-6YR0FLOFpIlKA/s320/SDC10758.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560702666448218306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ8ID4qVlbbsH48N2DemGog2VHQUooNySVtZvQNeVCk7apRuZv1pjcfVl26zDEer6dYkqLoxTD5h8zs23cFtqQJLFkUR8Bncy_9DhC1xcSb60FrBG4FaCtGG0RflcU-LUkz0dQk5dSaE/s1600/107_0723.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ8ID4qVlbbsH48N2DemGog2VHQUooNySVtZvQNeVCk7apRuZv1pjcfVl26zDEer6dYkqLoxTD5h8zs23cFtqQJLFkUR8Bncy_9DhC1xcSb60FrBG4FaCtGG0RflcU-LUkz0dQk5dSaE/s320/107_0723.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560700567430804802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wF3gUVjBmsm9ytGZ1MX_TQufJQ4AC5dBcHL1Uy4SmL8goF56vyiBMEdURp4N8RIaUGXq4SuhsG_yfq_MQ5K0zuqAejI-OzDL_djEuGo0gQbZZNCWRMvege9faq-h5CIH2xe_xrKQfGw/s1600/SDC10725.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wF3gUVjBmsm9ytGZ1MX_TQufJQ4AC5dBcHL1Uy4SmL8goF56vyiBMEdURp4N8RIaUGXq4SuhsG_yfq_MQ5K0zuqAejI-OzDL_djEuGo0gQbZZNCWRMvege9faq-h5CIH2xe_xrKQfGw/s320/SDC10725.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560700069282495762" border="0" /></a>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-69420274015958009662010-12-13T09:50:00.000-06:002010-12-20T09:54:48.721-06:00Elder Myers Dec. 13, 2010<span style="font-family:Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Hello one and all! I hope everyone is doing ok and enjoying the holiday season!<br /><br /><b>Christmas Service<br /></b>This past Saturday our zone had the opportunity of handing out bags of canned food donated from the bishops storehouse. The pulblic affairs director for the LA area was there and he told us that this was a very unique opportunity because the church usually doesnt do this type of service- welfare style/handing out food for free... He explained that in the churches welfare you dont get stuff for free- you have to trade your skills/whatever you can do etc so that everyone grows. Anyway it was at this African- American church in South Central LA. There was a huge turn out- around 5,000 people. One of the reasons the Public Affairs guy said that we were doing this was to increase awareness/acceptance of missionaries in this area because it was going to be a very well publicized event. We had the opportunity to meet and take pictures with: the mayor of LA' Danny Trejo- movie star in Spy Kids, Machete and others, Beyonce's sister, a VH1 football model lday, another young famous black supermodel, director Robert Townshend and some other people that I cant remember who they were haha. It was quite an expierence doing service (which I have really come to love on my mission) and meeting famous people all at once!<br /><br /><b>Random Stories</b><br />As part of working hard at not having unrealistic expectations of myself/being too hard on myself- I am beginning to recognize the small examples of the Lord's hand in my life/the promptings of the Spirit.<br /><br />One example is last week when we were out tracting I saw this black lady across the street putting up Christmas lights. She looked busy with that and taking care of three or so little, energetic kids. I thought to myself we should go help with the lights and talk to her. I brushed it off saying nahhh she looks like she doesn't want our help, we are tracting this side of the street, she doesn't speak Spanish and we had just talked to a Latin family on this side of the street etc. But then the thought came again and so after the next house I told Elder Franson we should go help. After a short convo we found out Ms. Watkins wasn't really interested in the gospel and didn't need our help, she was polite but not overly friendly. For some reason we kept talking and we found out she wanted us to pray for her uncle who was very sick in the hospital (this is not unusual for random people to ask us to pray for them- even hobos on the street sometimes ask us to pray for someone) but then we said we could do it right then (more unusual- I have only done that a handful of times...) Anyway she invited us in and we met the family and said the prayer with her mother (whose only brother is the sick uncle) in the prayer the mother started crying and I felt the Spirit a lot. I know that this was God directing the work through me even though they didnt even accept a return appointment let alone were that "golden investigator" ready for baptism three weeks after you meet them. I have no idea what the affect of that visit/prayer was- whether small or life changing that leads them to accept the Gospel later on- but I do know we were lead by the Lord to meet them.<br /><br />Another one was a miracle we witnessed. A couple of weeks ago one part member family we are sort of working with asked us to give her two year old daughter a blessing so she could sleep through the night without nightmares. I could see how much faith they had in the Lord and even Priesthood blessings even though the very inactive dad could hardly remember what they were called etc... I relied on that strong faith as I voiced the blessing... A week or so later we asked them how she was sleeping and the were very relieved as they told us that she is sleeping very well with no more nightmares thanks to the blessing. Even though they haven't come to church and are pretty hard to contact/teach this was another example of the kinds of things I hope I can be more receptive to and recognize.<br /><br />I know that I have probably missed a lot of these kinds of things because I was looking for a bigger, more grand miracle/display of the Lord's hand in my life.<br /><br /><b>The Area</b>/<b>My Thoughts<br /></b>As I alluded to above- I am realizing that my efforts and desire to serve the Lord and follow his direction through the Spirit is more connected with successfully accomplishing my purpose than I thought. I have been measuring my success as a missionary in comparison to others/outward fruits of our labors- not necessarily baptisms but things like that. I know baptism, church attendance, number of progressing investigators are all part of my purpose but I know that as long as I am honestly doing my best to invite people to come unto Christ- through a return appointment, baptismal commitment, or some other way act on or hear the Gospel I am doing my purpose... It has been hard because I have been in tough areas in terms of outward results of following my purpose. I have alternately beat myself up over not seeing results and used it as a mental excuse to not try as hard- sometimes both at the same time haha.<br /><br />Anyway we are still doing a lot of finding- mostly through tracting and checking former investigators/less active/part member families... We found a couple of people that have some potential but not too much else is going on. I am doing a lot better at not judging myself when I go on splits and see how much work the other missionaries have... or when I go to a baptism of 6 people for two companionships. I know I just need to work hard and do my best. I am very happy for the other missionaries though by the way... I know that I am here to learn patience with myself among other things. An Elder talked in a District Meeting about President Uchtdorf'sconference talk "Continue in Patience". I loved it.<br /><br />We are probably going to drop the Flores family (Jorge, Manuel and Elsa) even though they are very nice and love having us over even after some heated discussions about his unwillingness to accept some new and different things. ) He is not very accepting of the Book of Mormon and said that as for him- the only way to "prove" the Bible is true is because it has changed his life and others... I loved it because I was able to bear strong testimony that the Book of Mormon changed my life/is the reason why I repented and went on a mission. He still was pretty hard heated even though I bore powerful testimony and provided his method of "proof" in a very specific way. Nevertheless Jorge (Elsa cant read and Manuel is mentally challenged) said that he will read the Book of Mormon and pray about it but on his own time and would like us not to come by and ask him how it is going- which is what missionaries do... : We will see what happens because they invited us over for Christmas dinner hahaha<br /><br />I am working hard to catch up on the mission goal of finishing the Book of Mormon in 2010... I am on page 205ish and I am loving reading it! It is amazing how much it seems to change, even since I have been on my mission, as we receive different revelation for different times in our life. Awesome. Good scriptures Mosiah 4:3. Mosiah 26:30, King Benjamin's address, 2 Nephi chapters 2, 4, 9.<br /><br />Still haven't seen the Christmas devotional which I am sad about...<br /><br />I am still trying to focus my goals and not worry too much about other things because it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the different ways to grow and change personally that the mission makes apparent in oneself. I am doing very well at not feeding my doubts, and anxieties by thinking about them and instead feeding faith etc by acting like reading the BoM and saying better prayers...<br /><br /><b>From Our Old Area<br /></b>We found out from the new missionaries in our old area that Sergio broke the Law of Chastity again this past weekend... They are trying to get him to church, he has only been to a Fireside since Thanksgiving...<br /><br />We also found out that the twins, Kaela and Korey, are getting baptized after the Holidays and they want us to perform the baptism!<br /><br />Alex Ortiz is solid and active with his family, his brother is now accepting missionary lessons after we got to know him very well and tried to teach him...<br /></span></span>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-30992342687412700682010-12-06T09:49:00.000-06:002010-12-20T09:50:16.096-06:00Elder Myers Dec. 6, 2010<span style="font-family:Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I love you all!<br /><br />Today we had a really fun, intense dodgeball game as a zone that Elder Franson and I organized in the church parking lot (I was hot in my shorts and a t shirt- I just thought I would rub in the weather here because I love doing that....) I love doing sports, I have really come to realize how much I need a good excersice... and it is amazing how much you start to love P day when you get out over a year haha<br /><br /><b>The area<br /></b>Well the area is tough and I know the only thing to do is not complain and get to work. I know that I am still struggling to work my very hardest despite my trials at enduring to the end. However I know that this is where it counts and that just because its tough I will not give up. I know that I will learn a lot from this transfer.<br /><br />As for the people, we basically have no one worth reporting in terms of their progression but I have faith that that will change! I know that if I work hard the Lord will bless us with a miracle- and that is what this area will need! The Segura's canceled on us for the second time on the Visitor's center. We did start teaching their extremely less active (hasnt been to church since she was baptized...) 17 year old cousin named Sally. She isn't super committed though. We are doing some tracting/checking formers. We have only gotten some nibbles, no one has really caught on... wow that was a lame fishing joke... I don't even like fishing...<br /><br /><b>my thoughts<br /></b>well i dont have time for that, until next week<br />I am happy but struggling I would say</span></span>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-915892225520494243.post-34547807150913313012010-11-29T09:46:00.005-06:002010-12-20T09:55:33.849-06:00Elder Myers Nov. 29, 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2IwfcyzLaiiEi5nEaM_eFevD0uLSIraIFk5PGkBaBh6esRH3rYjSNa8LGcdF7E4FG-vWH0XTuSsrrQqNk2M34cu0tdWMvHqnGQkSQa6A0Q9FdXEupVxYqdBFxQ0zY-G1JqEqYsEapFU/s1600/South%252BBay%252BZone.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2IwfcyzLaiiEi5nEaM_eFevD0uLSIraIFk5PGkBaBh6esRH3rYjSNa8LGcdF7E4FG-vWH0XTuSsrrQqNk2M34cu0tdWMvHqnGQkSQa6A0Q9FdXEupVxYqdBFxQ0zY-G1JqEqYsEapFU/s320/South%252BBay%252BZone.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552793658220011250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Hello everyone! I love you and hope you had a great Thanksgiving break!!<br /><br /><b>Thanksgiving<br /></b>We got permission from President (which was a little bit of a surprise) to leave our zone to eat dinner with the really nice member family from our old area that we had already signed up with. It was a really nice dinner and we had a great time! It was very rushed though because we were coming from a baptismal interview in the Knolls/South Central area (like 80ish streets N/closer to the city...) so we were a little late (we called before dont worry mom haha) but that didnt matter because we diddnt start eating until like 30-45 mins after we got there. Anyway we had to rush out before dessert to get Elder Franson to a leadership meeting. Besides that we spent the morning playing some cool games with the other Elders in our zone (there are no Sisters in our zone which is a first for me...) anyway while some Elders did some baking. Then we took the cookies and what not over to a Senior Care Home thing or whatever they are called. It was pretty awkward not going to lie. I'm not sure they really understood why we were there... most of the people I talked to did not really get entirely that it was Thanksgiving haha. It was a little bit sad but felt nice and warm to give them some love! It just reaffirmed my desire to never get older than 75ish or until my organs/brain stops working, whichever comes first haha<br /><br /><b>The new boundaries to my old area<br /></b>The new (well because we are splitting the area with other elders we don't get any new parts, so basically we have the same area as last time just 75% smaller...) area is a little tough to be honest, but I have never said no to a good challenge! The other missionaries (including us) didn't really work in this part of the area. As a result there are only 9 former investigators in the area book and we have already contacted/tried to contact all of them. So it looks like we will be doing a lot of tracting! We were/are working with three families though so that is good! They are not super solid in terms of baptisms etc but especially with the part mem families- we are working on developing really good relationships with them... They are all very nice though!<br />Manuel's parents surprised us by going to church last Sunday. I don't know how much they liked it though. They kept making comments that there weren't any "alabanzas". They come from a heavy Christian background and as a result love all the singing, dancing, praising and preaching done by the preacher. We will continue to work with them as long as they keep commitments (which they are doing better at as of late).<br /><br />The other two families are part member and less active families. They are very nice and things are going very well, if a little slow with them. The Segura family (9 year old daughter is a recent convert and the parents aren't members) are coming with us to the VC tomorrow.<br /><br /><b>my thoughts<br /></b>Nothing really new to report besides that I am continuing my attitude of worry less and do more! Still trying to endure to the end and keep that diligence and enthusiasm up. I am still discovering that there really is no secret/formula/"way" for missionary work. Its just go and do, charity and the Spirit!<br /><br />I am still loving the Book of Mormon challenge read thing... I love 2 Nephi 4, I forgot how amazing that chapter is...<br />--<br />Love!<br />Elder Myers<br /></span></span>mark myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08946553939119400367noreply@blogger.com