Her Bucket is Full to Go Out and Serve!

Hola familia!

First thing:

La Familia Rodriguez

(They were the ones who let her Skype and we are sending a Thank you but their address didn't need to be on the web)

Second:

I just sent Kara an email. I don't know if I can use Dear Elder... But I'll send her a note when I get home.

Third: The reason I'm emailing today is because we had an out-of-the-blue mission conference yesterday. Elder Richards of the second quorum of the 70 came and talked to us about teaching simply. Sounds easy to do, right? Well, it's not. It was really good though. We also talked about how important it is to teach truths with the Spirit. Bruce R. McConkie said something along the lines of "You can speak words that are true, but without the Spirit they aren't truth." I thought that was pretty cool. It was mentioned how the Holy Ghost is the only true teacher and if we don't have the Spirit with us, well, the people we're teaching will only listen, they won't learn. And if we start mixing truths with our own understanding/opinions the Spirit can't testify to that. There was a lot more we talked about, I'm just having trouble remembering it. President talked to us for a little bit about faith, hope and charity. He drew a parallel between those and the definition of repentance in the Bible Dictionary that roughly says that when we repent, we receive "a fresh view of God, ourselves, and the world." So when we have faith, that's our fresh view of God, hope is our fresh view of ourselves, and charity is the fresh view of the world, or others. Hmm... What else. Dang it. I knew I should've brought my notes...

Sister Richards talked a lot about our posterity. We keep having these odd little tid-bits about our future spouses and our posterity. It's funny. I think it makes some people a little uncomfortable. But she talked about how Nephi (I just typed Nefi, then corrected it. merh. Spanish) was thinking of his posterity chapters before he even got married. Apparently in President Eyring's biography he talks about when he got his patriarchal blessing. In his blessing it talks about the redheaded children he would have, so whenever he was about to make a decision, he would think about the redheads. Sister Richards talked about how in hers, it talked about her sons, so she would always think about them. In my blessing it says that I'll be blessed to become a mother of special spirits who will come into the world to be taught the gospel and to become warriors against the forces of evil. Or something along those lines. Either way, I've got some pretty epic children waiting for me so I better rise to the occasion. I'll think of my warriors.

Something that happened this last conference and the conference before it was a little surprising to me. I've always been the person that goes and looks for people when in large groups like that. No one ever needs to look for me because I find them first. At these last two conferences, I haven't had to go find people because they would come find me first. It's all the elders and sisters from my second transfer in the desert. We all were really good friends and it's just awesome to me to know that they care about me just as much as I care about them. That usually doesn't happen to me. Usually I'm the one that cares more or too much. Anywho, I thought it was cool. I think that was really all that happened at the conference.

Fourth: I miss the Operahouse. I'm still awaiting a reply from Mallory...

Fifth: I finally found my Christmas present! And guess what, I actually got a little more than planned because I found my sweatshirt in a store that was super cheap, so I got two more! The other two aren't California related, and they're thinner and more t-shirt like, but I love them!

Sixth: Sooo does the smoker mean I'm getting jerky soon? Or even the oven cooked jerky? Either one would be fine ;).

Seventh: Do they have the "Polly" soundtrack on CD? For some reason I've had the songs stuck in my head all day and I kind of want it. If not, no biggy. (Polly: A One-Woman Musical-The video adaptation of Steven and Janice Kapp Perry's stage musical based on the life of Utah settler Polly Matilda Merrill Colton (1816-1891). Many connections to family beside it being the name of her sister. It is a cute show too. And I found out I can get an MP3 file of the soundtrack for her) 

Well family, you all sound like you're doing great! I know I am.

Love ya!

Hermana Myers

Guess We Will Hear All About Her Week On Wednesday!

Hola Familia!

So... sorry, this email is going to be alittle short because I didn't do very well with writing all the stuff down that happened this week like I usually do, but I'll talk to you on Wednesday so I don't feel too terrible :).

I did get both my packages! The stockings are adorable! Sister Harris really loves all her gifts. Some of the stuff fell out of the stockings (mugs, Martinelli's, one of the wrapped gifts) but we just put them under our tree. We're having a big zone breakfast Christmas morning and opening presents together!

I knew Carter was smarter than me...

I am growing my hair out. I thought I told you that... Me and Hermana Fogg have been in competition to see who can grow it out the longest since July. I'm thinking it may just last 'till the end of my mission, though. I miss my short hair.

My memory card isn't full yet, but I'll probably send a package home before transfers just in case I do get transfered. I think I may start sending a little bit home every now and then of stuff I want to keep but don't necessarily need while I'm on my mission so packing for transfers is a little easier.

I actually got a Christmas card from the Mullers! It made me super happy! I'm excited to write them back today!

I think that's all...

Look who I saw at church on Sunday. Funny how I ended up in her hometown, serving in the same building as her home ward. I miss this girl.(Mel her former roommate at BYUI)

Mel and Hermana Myers in Redlands

And all of you!

See you on Wednesday! Oh, we moved Skype time to 2:00 our time. I hope that's okay. I'll be going first but I'll call right before just in case. See you then!

Love

Hermana Myers

Can't wait for Christmas at 4 our time!

Putting the Faith in Christmas

Hello Family!

 Buisness before I forget:

 

We're planning on going to a member's house to Skype at 3 on Christmas. We figured that would work best so it's not too late for those in VA (Thanks Polly and Dan ;)).

 

Also I have a few requests, and I'm really sorry that they're coming now because I know you just sent out the package (which I'll probably get today because I haven't gotten it yet) but can you send out my big coat (I'm getting used to warm weather so 30 degrees is freezing... bah dum chh), a new laundry bag (preferably something not mesh. The hooks in my skirts snag it all the time and rips big holes), and our Canciones Para Los Ninos book (I actually don't remember if we have one... but I want it for Christmas). And if you could send this package directly to my apartment, I need it soon!

 

Okay. Now on to the fun.

 

We're super duper excited for Christmas! We decided to try to make the most out of Christmas, we're going to go carolling (which is why I need the song book soon.. more Christmas songs to sing). We are going to try to visit every person in our area, member, investigator, former investigator. Everyone. And we're going to sing a song, tell them how much we love them, see if there's any kind of service we can give, sing another and leave. Flor (one of the young women) wants to come with us. Speaking of young women, Hna. Cuevas said she was going to send the letters today... But that's our plans for the holiday, besides Skyping. We're really excited! That way we're not invading too much on everyone's family time. We're slowly getting a little group to come with us.

 

The big story for the week:

 

We went to go visit our family of investigators, Jorge (53), Jenny (17), Gabi (15), and Katy (13). We were all ready to teach a lesson on faith with Jorge, using Elder Bednar's talk from a CES Fireside this last year about having faith to not be healed. We knocked on the door and Jenny answered. We could tell something was up right away so we asked what was going on and if we needed to come back at a better time. This is when we found out that Katy had ran away. Erm... Alright... So now what do we do? So Jorge came out and started talking to us about what was going on and we could tell he was super emotional so we just let him say what he needed to say. At the end of it he asked me what I thought. I asked him if he had prayed. He said he does morning and night. I asked if he prayed since Katy ran away and he said he didn't have time to yet. I asked him if it was okay if we said a prayer with him right then and if it'd be okay if I said it. We got Jenny to come in and sit with us but Gabi wouldn't. Okay. I felt a strong impression to do something along the lines of a harvest blessing (I don't know if I ever told you about those, but it's something we did in the Riverside mission) so I did. As soon as I said, "By the virtue of our calling as missionaries and representatives of Jesus Christ, the Spirit filled the room. It was super cool. There was nothing spectacular about the prayer, but the Spirit was really strong. I prayed that we would be able to find Katy and that the family would see Heavenly Father's love. As soon as I closed the prayer, the phone rang. It was a woman named Guadalupe. Her daughter was friends with Katy and Katy was at their house. Miracle!

The saddest part about this story is the fact that Jenny and Jorge didn't realize what just happened. Hermana Harris even explained to them what just happened and they still didn't think it was a miracle. Jorge just focused on how bad his girls were, then proceeded to drop us.

We know he was mostly acting out of high emotions, so we weren't too insulted by him dropping us, we were just completely shocked. We figure we're going to give them some time to cool down and then check back up in a week or so. It just amazed us on how oblivious they were. We realized that moments like that are why Heavenly Father doesn't always perform miracles at the drop of a hat.

The moral of this story is, even if it didn't for them, this experience was a huge testimony builder for me on prayer, how Heavenly Father answers the prayers of the faithful, and just how sacred our calling is.

 

Tell me about it on the whole halfway through the mission thing. My brain wants to explode every time I think about it. I really think the main reason I won't want to go home is because I'll still feel like I just got here.

 

Well! I love you all!

 

Hermana Myers

Seeing things in the Lord's Way

HOLA!!!

Need these answered:(questions I asked in my email)

1. Are you getting transferred?

2. Your companion’s name?

3. Did I give you all those mug recipes?

4. Names of your other roommates?

5. Should I just send your package directly to you at the Barton Rd. address.?

 

Questions answered
1. Nope! I did switch zones again though and Sister Mickleson is in my zone again!! Yaaay!!!

2.Hermana Harris

3. I think so... I don't know what mug recipes you're referring to exactly... I know I have a few.

4. Sisters Gillespie and Parkin

5. Please send it to the office. I don't want to get in "trouble" again... ;).

 

I love the nativity! Hermana Harris got a Peruvian one from her family. It's all knitted and cute. Spoiler alert. Hermana Harris and I are making a fireplace and Christmas tree out of construction paper. It'll be awesome!

 

Big news in the Lugonia branch! Our branch president got released! (Not that I'm excited to have Presidente Cuevas released, but I'm excited to see what happens with the new presidency). The new president is Hno. Green. I don't remember how much I've told you about him, but we love him! And Hno. Urena is the first counselor and Hno Cantu is the second. Hno Cantu is actually the brother of one of the members I knew in the desert that we would have breakfast every Sunday at his house. And his nephew was the branch secretary in the desert. They're great! I love the Cantus!

 

The super exciting thing about all of this is that Hermana Harris and I now get to go to all the less-actives we've been working our butts off to get back to church, but they said no because of the presidency, and call them out and say, "Hey! New branch president! This means you're coming back to church, right?" It'll be a good time.

 

I think the biggest thing this week was when we went and were teaching our investigators Jenny, Gabi, and Katy. They're all teenage girls and it's been a rollercoaster teaching them (I'm so glad I'm not a teenage girl anymore). They all go to another church, I believe it's Evangelical but I'm not 100% sure. They have a problem with the Book of Mormon and refuse to read it but they want to keep learning. We taught them a couple of weeks ago about the Plan of Salvation and they really liked it. This week we decided to talk about the priesthood because the idea of a patriarticle blessing (which was talked about in Young Womens one time) interested Jenny. With our lesson on the priesthood we emphasised how you can't really pick and choose what you want to believe. If you believe in the Plan of Salvation, then you must believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet to whom it was revealed, and if you believe that, then you should believe that the Book of Mormon is true, right? And then we told them to pray about it. They're progressing in their own way but we've made leaps and bounds with them. They also came to a baptism this Saturday so we're really hoping that that made an impression on them.

 

We also found a new investigator! Her name is Claudia. She's super nice and polite and doesn't talk a whole lot, so that's nice! She's really smart too, so it'll be interesting teaching her. She definitely has her head on straight. We're excited to get to know her a little bit more and hopefully help her make her way to baptism!

 

We talked to 31 people. Wasn't quite the awesomeness I was hoping for, BUT it's better than nothing. I pretty much did most of the talking anyway. Sister Harris is a little shy sometimes.

 

Oh yes, I learned how to make tamales... kind of. I didn't learn how to make the maiz, because that was already pre-made and apparently you can buy it at the store... but I know how to fold and cook them. (Best Christmas present from Hermana Myers to me, the knowledge of making tamales!!!!!)We did that on Wednesday.

 

GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT!!!!! After being in Redlands for 4 months, I FINALLY met the Borrowman's!(the parents of a former roommate at BYUI) And the best part was, it wasn't even really a lot of going out of our way and stuff to try to meet (or re-meet, I guess... I have met them once before) eachother, we just ran into eachother at church on Sunday. The Elders that know them told them I was here and they talked to our Elders who then found me! Yay! So that was super exciting! Apparently Mel(the former roommate) is coming home for Christmas! So maybe I'll see her too! But again, not going out of my way to see her and not completing my missionary purpose, but her parents conveniently go to the same church building as my branch.

 

Dad, that's awesome about the family history discovery! Ken's story: Dad here - I just had an amazing breakthrough on genealogy. My great great grandfather was in an orphanage in Wisconsin in the 1860s. I always assumed it was the result of a Civil War casualty. I have been researching this side (Hazen - my Dad’s mother’s side) since before you were born. Well a couple of weeks ago Mom and I went to the Temple and did his endowments. I mentioned that now I’d get help unraveling the mystery. Well today after Church, Mom was napping and Carter had a couple friends over. I was sitting at the computer and thought I’d try one more time (literally have done it a hundred times). What pops up? An entry from the 1930 census where he was living with his granddaughter in Las Vegas. I recognized her name since she was my grandmother’s sister. The next search took me to the 1910 census where I found him again, this time in Wisconsin with his wife’s name! I also found that both his parents were born in New York. His wife’s parents were born in England and France respectively. This is huge! It has taken me over 20 years to find this and it is all because the records have finally been indexed and searchable by computer. It is all part of God’s work. My daughter is bringing light and salvation to those living in SoCal and I am extending it to those who have passed on!  Love, Dad 

So if he was in an orphanage, are you finding his birth parents or his adopted parents? How does that work with family history? I'd like to get into it a little when I get home, but we shall see. It's always interesting hearing the stories, at least.

 

One more thing: I believe the youth are writing their letters this Wednesday. They should be sending a letter introducing themselves and a picture. Hope all goes well! I'll be able to see this out a little now that I'm staying in Redlands again.

 

Well, I love you all!!

 

See you in a little over 2 weeks :P.We get to Skype on Christmas day which will mark Hermana Myers 1/2 way point in her mission!

 

Hermana Myers

Another Week of Teaching, and Therefore Learning

Thanksgiving here was... good. I don't know. It kind of sucks being a missionary on Thanksgiving. Even though people say that you're welcome to come over, there's still that awkward, I-don't-really-want-you-to-come-because-I-want-to-spend-it-with-my-family-and-just-my-family-but-I'll-invite-you-to-be-nice vibe that went around. We had dinner at a member's house and it was super good!  We then went to a few other member's houses and visited for a little bit then went home and weekly planned. Super exciting.

The big lesson I think I learned from this week would probably be the difference between "know" and "believe". Believe is more of riding on the coat-tails of the testimonies of those around you where as knowing is that you've experienced it for yourself. I always knew that, but we were teaching Jenny about prayer last night and it was kind of solidified in my brain.

We also got the chance to teach the young women on Sunday. It was a really good lesson about the gifts of the spirit. We had a really open discussion and just went around the room and talked about what gifts each of them had. I love all the young women here. They're awesome! That reminds me, I talked to them and I talked to Hna. Cuevas (the YW president) about doing the pen pal thing and they're all super excited to do it. So lets get that going. How does Dad want to do it? send all the letters to our home address or their own personal addresses? Let me know! There'll probably be about 1 Iowa young woman to 4 of California young women because our young womens program is huge. And they're combining with the English ward in January. So it'll be twice as big. Super exciting!

This week Hermana Harris and I are going to work super hard on finding people. We've decided to keep track of all the people we talk to, like we did in the Riverside mission.  We're praying really hard for finding opportunities and the faith to actually talk to the people that we come in contact with. We'll see how it goes. Super excited though!

Well, I hope everything is peachy and amazing in Iowa! It was 70 degrees yesterday. How's the snow? :)

We're twins! This is Sister Gillespie, she's one of my roommates. It's her first transfer in the field. Cute.

Then it's me and Sister Harris on my birthday!

Sorry these pictures are a little late but my card reader doesn't work with these computers and Sister Gillespie is letting me use hers.

ALSO!!! I almost made contact with Mel the other day. As in the Elders from the Pioneer ward (which is the ward that Mel's parents go to) came up to me and was asking me about her. Apparently the talked to Brother Borrowman about it and he tried to call her but she didn't pick up. I thought it was funny.

Hermana Myers

I asked: Are the other sisters in your apartment English speakers or spanish?

Hermana Myers answer:They're English. It's really funny telling them stories because we are seriously serving in two different worlds.