September 20, 2014

This week actually went by really fast! each day felt long but it's already saturday! 

We have a new elder in our district as of Thursday 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! 

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) 

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 monday. 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. 

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. 

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 4:30 dinner! 

ELDER SCOTT CAME! there were rumors and sure enough he walked in the door Tuesday 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. 

Also sunday 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. 

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.

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. 

T


hanks for your love and support! keep on keeping on and I am sending you hugs and kisses RIGHt now! 

Hermana Emma Myers -- Week One -- September 13, 2014

HOLA! 

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

Mis companeros: 

I am in a trio!!!! Hermana Albach from Orem (2 mins away) and Hermana Farrow from San Diego!

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. 

Interesting part:

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. 

Teachers:

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. 

We are at west campus all the time expect for sat morning for temple and tues and sunday 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! 

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 4:30 and I'm always hungry by 10:30 again haha.... so thanks mom. Also I would gain way more weight over there bc all the options. 

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..

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. 

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! 

LOVE you guys!! miss you but not crying every night (like I kind of expected haha) so don't worry. i think it 

will be more homesick when going to Argentina. 

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. 10:30 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!!!!! 

"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) 

XOOXOX em 

Elder Myers July 18, 2011

heyyyyyyyyyyyyy

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!

well here is an update on da hood!

villanueva

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

raul aliaga and his family

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

maritza mecias/la familia moya

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....

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...

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

May 29, 2011 Pictures

May 16, 2011

INVESTIGATORS
Amada
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.

Eric and Heidi (siblings)
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.

Jose Luis
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.

Besides that we are just trying to build up our teaching pool full of people who want to be baptized as fully converted members.

LESS-ACTIVES
Marina
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.

Zorayda Bowman
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.

Familia Aguirre
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.

Hno Alejandro Campuzano
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!

Familia Burga
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.

That is pretty much it.

STUDIES/GOALS
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!

May 9, 2011

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

love,

Elder Myers

Elder Myers April 18, 2011

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.

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.

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.

We are working with a lot of other people that are showing some potential, like two new former investigator families.
-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.
-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.
-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.

We are also teaching and being blessed with some success on the Less-Active front.
-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.
-Zorayda Bowman drove the long trip to General Conference at the Stake Center and loved it. She has 2 unbaptized sons.