Feliz Navidad!

This is our "normal" picture.

Playing.

I love Christmas and she is the Grinch!

Classic.

Our scary snowman... Hermana Penaloza threw a snowball at me right when she took the picture, classic.

This is a terrible picture of me, but this is our investigator Henry, he rocks, also he wants to marry me... its kinda hilarious, but I think we are going to give him to the elders!

When you don't have a fireplace, or stockings, draw them! We are just the most festive!

Mini houses!

email 12.16.13

Mi familia! 

 

I am just filled with love and joy and all the good things rights now.  I got the stomach flu this week, really bad, so we had to stay in for a couple of days, but it gave me lots of time to think and read and pray and also nap.  The good news is I ate real food this morning.  Also something very shocking happened...get ready.  So I called the mission nurse and told her I was sick and she said that 20 other missionaries had called in the last two days with the same thing, I guess there is a really contagious virus going around...so she said to get some fluids and easy things to eat.  My companion, being Mexican, asked me if I wanted bread or rice...I chose rice!  I am really becoming Hispanic, its the best.  But the good news is I am all better now! 

 

Like I said, I have been doing a lot of thinking this week about so many things, and they are all random and scattered.  First and foremost one of our progressing investigators, who rocks, Jesus Castro, called us and told us that he didn't believe the Book of Mormon was true, or that Joseph Smith was a prophet...so that was a dagger to my soul.  But after we had a good cry and ate some chocolate I decided I needed to read my scriptures.  I continued my reading in John, and I had a revelation.  How many times was Christ rejected?  Literally every day.  Even right after he raised Lazurath from the dead, people would not accept him as the Christ.  There are people who rejected Christ, and there are people who are going to/have rejected me.  But the good news is, its okay.  It is there choice, it doesn't make the things I teach any less true, its their agency.  Of coarse I will do all I can do to share what I know, and promise blessings, and all that good stuff, but when It comes down to it, its all okay! 

 

We had a Zone conference this week, which are sometimes hard for me because they are ALL DAY long, but such is life, I am getting really good at meetings.  But we had a training about prayer.  And I decided to try a little experiment.  I have started saying my personal prayers out loud.  It has changed everything.  Sometimes in the past I have said them out loud if I really need help or I am really emotional, or whatever, but it has really helped me turn my prayers into an open conversation with my Heavenly Father.  Best. 

 

We have really been gearing up for Christmas in our neck of the woods.  First of all it snowed two more days this week, and it is freezing!  So that is really Christmasy.  We took advantage of this and took some awesome Christmas pictures, that I will send you, and also made a Snowman...best day ever.   The snow melts pretty quickly here, but there is some lingering patches...so that's fun.  We also made gingerbread houses, which are just simply adorable, and this morning I made a giant batch of sugar cookies to take to zone p-day, so that will be the best of times.  Thank you for all the Christmas stuff mom!  I will show you a picture of our apartment, we put together the whole Christmas chain, it is just so festive in there. 

 

As for Christmas, I am getting really excited to see you!  I am still planning on 12:00 my time!  And I don't know if they have a Skype account, it might be better if you can just set one up for me and then send me the info.  We have been invited to a bunch of people's homes so we are going to go party hopping and deliver treats and put bows on our head, its going to be very classic don't worry.  Also we are going to read the nativity together and sing and mostly just be cozy.  The sad news is that Hermana Wyeth is leaving for Argentina, she has just been waiting for her visa, so she wont be here.  But Hermana Penaloza is going to hang with us and we are going to be a trio for two weeks.  So that will be really good! 

 

Also I got the package from Alyse and Chad, but I didn't open it yet, but thank you in advance!

 

And yes next Monday we will email and grocery shop, but only for like half the day, and then our real pday is on Tuesday, I think so we can romp around and have a good times, and then Christmas is also for enjoying.  It will be the very best!

 

I love love love you guys!  I am so grateful for you and your examples.  I am so happy to be a missionary.  Thank you for supporting me in this.  Thank you for helping me have a merry Christmas, even from across the country.  I am so grateful for my savior.  For his atonement.  For the opportunity that I have every day to be better, to be more like him.  I have figured out that it really is a choice.  I can choose to be more like him, change my desires, give him my will, let him mold me, or I can do it on my on and struggle miserably.  I really think it is as simple as that, its our choice.  I love my savior very much, and I love this time of year that we have to focus on him, on his life, and share that with everyone.  Have the best week ever!

 

I love love love you!

 

xoxo Hermana Riley Jane 

email 12.12.13

Mi Familia-

FELIZ NAVIDAD!  this is just the best time of the year, you all know how I feel about christmas time, I am in heaven.  Not my average year, but better in different ways. 

For Christmas we can skype or google or whatever!  We are going over to a members house at noon, so it will either be around 12 or around 1, depending on who goes first.  I don't remember my skype or anything, so if you want to set it up and email me next week with log in info/instructions that would be awesome.  

The craziest news is that I have officially been on my mission for six months!  De verdad!  I have no idea where the time went and it is still flying by.  Mostly I love it.  

This week we had a challenge to find new investigators, as many as we could, so we did A TON of trackting.  Which i LOVE.  It is so fun to meet new people and find people who are ready.  I think we found 15 new investigators this week, so we have our hands full.  One who is particularly prepared is Teresa.  She is just the cutest.  She has two daughters and is BFF with one of our members.  She saw us walking down the street and called us in and wanted to be taught, so that was a miracle!  

There was a "huge" storm here, which didn't end up being so huge...but it did snow a little.  Yesterday church was cancelled and we weren't allowed to drive, it was a little over-kill, but made for an adventure.  We walked to our hood and taught some lessons and found some new investigators, and someone even fed us dinner.  It was a great little adventure.  We did freeze on the way home, but we had a lovely time singing Christmas songs.  

I have been thinking alot about repentance this week.  I was reading in Helaman 13, and it hit me.  We are not asked to be perfect, we are asked to repent.  We will always be able to repent, always be able to be better.  As long as we are trying, and repenting, and changing, there is not much more we can do!  

Also the good news is I ate tongue tocas, he the tongue of a cow was on my taco, and I ate it.  It kinda just tasted like meat, but more chewy and with taste buds...

Happy Christmas everyone!  I hope you are all doing really festive things, because you know how that makes me feel.  Sorry this letter was so scattered.  I love love love you! 

xoxo Hermana Riley Jane

hiii

My sweet baby Genesis!

Tongue tacos, yum!

Happy six months ice cream palooza!

Our investigator Ivan, he lives with Flor and Jose, he is the best!

the HUGE storm....

I am Grateful!

Grandma and Grandpa! (they are on a service mission teaching at Southern Virginia University so they were able to schedule a time to go visit Riley!)

SNOW!

CHEESEBALL- Thank you LeAnn!

Grateful list

Sister Seegmiller!

email 12.2.13

This past week was the best!  I am so thankful for everything.  Mostly I am just thankful that I am here in Virginia being a missionary.

It sounds like Thanksgiving was fun!  I am glad you got to go up to the Cabin with the cousins.  And thank you for the pictures kenna!

Thanksgiving was interesting...Hermana Sevilla was sick, with 102 fever, so we ended up staying in all day.  BUT we had the best day!  LeeAnn Goettle is an angle, she mailed me a CHEESEBALL!  That is right, she mailed me a cooler with a cheesball in it, AND all the things to make my very own cheeseballs!  I cried, she is a saint.  So on Thanksgiving I decided that I was just going to cook/bake, and then we would deliver.  So I pulled H. Sevillas mattress out to the front room, turned on Christmas music (thank you mom!) and I made cheeseballs, and cake, and chicken, and all manner of yummy things.  We also made a giant grateful list (ill send the picture), watched some cheese mo tab Christmas movies (thank you mom), and the best Zone Leaders in the whole world dropped off Ice Cream.  It was so much fun!  We made some deliveries, and then ate dinner with the Del Fins.  It was such a happy day!  

Lunch with Grandma and Grandpa was the BEST.  They are just so darling.  H. Sevilla loved them too!  It was nice to see a familiar face and get some real good love-filled hugs.  They are just so fun, having all their adventures.  Also Grandma gave me some essential oils for headaches and sleeping, what a gem.  And we got to see the finished book!  And also eat Panera, so there is nothing more I could ask for.  I love them!  Also the day they were here it snowed!  Like real life snow.  It all melted, but still it was fun.  

Also I have really really good news!  I started dreaming in Spanish this week! It is real life, I have had two dreams completly in spanish, I could just cry I am so happy.  The first one was a couple of days ago.  We went on exchanges with the a set of english sisters, who I love, and that night I dreamed in spanish.  The exchange was so fun.  I was with Sister Seegmiller, she is my favorite, she is friends with my old roommate Abbey. It was neat to help someone else with their area and also in English.  We had a wee of a time.  

On Friday we had another Epic Zone meeting.  Elder Harris trained on sanctifying ourselves.  He talked about letting out trials set us on fire.  We are going to have them regaurdless, so why not let them change us.  He talked about setting ourselves on fire with our missionary work, and let others see how bright we can burn.  Very inspirational as always.  

We have not made cookies yet, but today is p-day so hurray!  And yes I have been decorating!  Next week we will send pictures!  

As far as Christmas I don't know yet.  We need to talk to some people so I will get on that this week!  But you know we are listening to Christmas music around the clock.  My compy comp is being good to me and getting in the christmas spirit...she used to be grinchy before, but she is on her way!  

I can't believe I almost forgot!  Yesterday was the biggest miracle of my whole life! We had 7 of our investigators at church, and we didn't even have to beg anyone!  Yes, we reminded them, but 7 came!  I almost cried.  The Lord is really working with these people.  We are working hard and trying to love our guts out.  Christmas time is the best for that.  So life is good here in da burg!  

I love being a missionary.  I am so grateful for you and for your love and support.  I am happy.  I love love love you all! 

xoxo Hermana Riley Jane

Happy Turkey Week!

email 11.25.13

Mi Familia-

Estoy aqui, en Harrisonburg todavia, este semana era bien loco!  

Just thought I would remind you all that I love spanish.  Because I really really do!  It is just the most fun.  This week was nuts, as usual, but the very very best.  

For Thanksgiving we are going to a members house, at 7...she wont let us bring anything, but it should be a good time.  It is Hermana Delfin, she has the three Daughters, one of them is Sandy!  They are the best!  And all us missionaries (6) get to go together, so it should be good.  I am excited for your box!  

As far as Christmas goes, I don't know...my camera is braking, just my little one.  But other than that maybe a heated blanket?  I am freezing always!  or maybe just stamps.  Also just letters.  Also I lost my black bow and I am so sad, so if you could make me a new one.  It was not the one that you sewed, it was a big one with ribbon on a barrette.  Also maybe razor heads.  But mostly just to talk to you will be the best.  

I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THE BABY!  HURRAY FOR BOYS! 

I will take a picture for you and send it to you this week!  

I have the best news ever!  Flor had her baby, she came early.  On Wednesday we got a call from Jose, her husband, he said that she was going to have an emergency C-section, but he was actually just getting in the car to drive home from Texas.  So he asked us if we would go over there and distract her while she waited.  So we did all kinds of fun things, and then she asked me to go in with her!  It was nuts...I saw all her organs and the baby as he just pulled her out.  It was crazy.  Mostly I was just holding Flors hands and we were both bawling and it was the neatest experience.  I kept thinking about how Dad always talks about how close to the veil you are when a baby is born, it was amazing.  And Flor told me that I am her mom too now because I was there when she was born, so that was probably the happiest moment of my life.  The baby's name is Genesis, and she is perfect.  

More good news.  We found this new investigator on Saturday, named Miguel.  He just moved in with some of our cute cuban investigators, and so naturally we started sharing the good word with him.  I think he might be golden,  He is 19 years old, has been here for 7 months and is just so funny.  We met him Saturday morning, taught him the first lesson, he gave us a referral, he came to our Thanksgiving activity that night, stayed late to clean up, came to church, accepted a baptismal date, and then to top it all off he came with us to visit Flor last night because, "the Pastor said we need to visit the lady who just had a baby, so when can we go?".  He is just this funny little guy, and a miracle, so pray for us!  

ALSO THE BEST NEWS EVER!  President called last night, and we get to have lunch on Wednesday with Grandma and Grandpa!  I am so excited!  I will fill you in on what happens!  

Mom, I am glad you are wearing my Jacket, it is a really good one.  Thank you for you love and support.  Thank you for your testimonies.  I love you all very much.  I hope you guys have fun this week.  I want pictures next week of all the festivities!  I love love love you!

xoxo Hermana Myer

email 11.18.13

subject: Gordita

Mi Familia!

HURRAY for staying in Harrisonburg!  I am so happy!  Mostly because I get to see Flor's baby and also all my cute investigators and also Christmas! Also someone tell Grandma and Grandpa to come and see me!   

This week we have been all over the place!  But it is always good to shake up the environment a little, not that I dont love Harrisonburg, because I do, but you know.  

We had another meeting down in Richmond that was just for Spanish speaking missionaries, it was the best!  I got to see all my cute missionary friends and we all talked about our feelings openly, and we understood.  Like how it feels when one of your investigators calls you a gordita...and how you just smile and give them a big hug after instead of crying later when you get home.  Essentially a gordita means "littly fatty", but in the hispanic culture it is endearing, and not rude, and every singly one of us Hermanas had been called a gordita, so we bonded.  It was the best.  We also got some good advice on finding and how to sneakly eat less food, just the basics of the spanish program.  

We had stake conference this weekend and all of us missionaries went down to Waynesboro for the Audult session to sing Called to Serve as a special musical number.  President Wilson and Sister Wilson spoke and the whole meeting was about missionary work.  How fun!  I love being a missionary, it is the very best ever.  I am just hoping that everyone is starting to catch the vision.  What is it like you your neck of the woods?  We are still working to get members motivated...any new ideas to try?  It was an awesome meeting.  Sister Wilson is one of my favorite humans on the planet, she just got up and said it like it was, called them to repentance a little, and told them to start finding!  

I have been thinking this past week about what it means to be a "successful missionary"  and I have come to a conclusion, the only thing that really matters is love.  If I can honestly say I love everyone I meet/talk to/teach/whatever, I will be a successful missionary.  Baptisms are not everything.  I mean yes, when a soul joins the ranks, that is amazing, but there is so much more to this work!  

We told one of our investigators, Henry, that we were getting transfer calls and we might be leaving.  He was really scared that we would go and he wanted to take us out to eat.  We went to this really yummy mexican restaurant and had a lovely time.  Also we taught him the plan of salvation over some flan, it was the best.  When people start to understand why this is different, there is just a change in their eyes.  The good news is neither of us got transferred so we get to keep teaching him!  

Being a missionary is the best of times.  I love you all very very much!  Thank you for your love and support.  And don't forget to be missionaries too!  I love love love you!

con amor, Hermana Myer

the seed will grow!

It's beautiful here!

Tree of Life!

Me and my sweet Darlin.

Rita, Vladamir, Elder Gonzales

Cute sister Segmiller and our matching water bottles!

Our investigator Juan, he is always freezing, but we have to teach him outside always because there is not another woman.

email 11.12.13

Mi familia!  

As always this week has been crazy, but full of the best things ever!  

The week started out with the best district/zone meeting EVER.  We have the best leaders in the whole wide mission.  There were three different rooms, and we all rotated through and listened to the different lessons, and then ended with a testimony meeting.  Their goal was a faith building/atonement understanding boost, I guess, and boy did it work.  I have been learning what it means to really change, what it really means to accept the atonement.  We had an object lesson about the atonement.  We all had these weigh type things and one of the elders came around and asked us to give him our weights.  I gave mine away pretty willingly, but watching him sweat and shake as he took everybodys weights really got to me.  For a moment I felt bad, that I do that to the savior, but then I realized that really I should feel bad if I dont use the atonement, because he already suffered, so really I show my gratitude/respect/love for him, by using the gift he already gave me.  best.  We talked about replacing fear with faith, because the two cannot co-exist.  And about how we can openly give of our love the every one we meet.  It was the best.  

We started teaching this cuban couple (a referral from luis y merta), and they are the funniest ever.  Vladmir has a ginormous mustache, and is just this nice smily guy.  Rita is a little nuts, and talks our ears off, but they are both so prepared!  She is obsessed with the Book of Mormon, she made us write our testimonies on the inside and sign and date it for her.  She treats it like gold. 

Our investigator Juan, who is schizophrenic, went the hospital this weekend, so that was sad.  Mostly he is just crazy, and we are not sure what we are going to do about teaching him, but we went and visited him, and as far as I am concerned we will keep visiting him.  Because he knows that the things of God are good and he wants to be better, and when we are there he is happy.  He is one of my favorites!

We also started teaching this senor named Ricardo, he is the son of one of our investigators Maria.  We met him a couple of weeks ago when we went to visit Maria, but it was really awkward because he just started confessing his love for me and wanted me to go dancing with him and also told me I was too pretty to be a nun.  Mostly it was funny, but we were going to proceed with caution with him...but we ran into him one afternoon and started talking to him and ended up teaching him a lesson.  He is not very educated, cant read or write, and just got here from mexico a couple of weeks ago.  We also told him we would help him learn to read and write!  The lessons are going great, and he has really humbled himself and is asking the Lord for help, and he is helping him!  It is the coolest to see.  

We had an epic activity on Saturday night!  We set up a tree of life/lehi dream scenario, and had the members try and make it to the tree!  We had distractions complete with donuts, movies, and games.  It was so much fun.  We were trying to help get the missionary fire going, and also strengthen the members.  It went really well, I wish more people could have been there, but Rita and Vladamir came, so that was awesome.  

Also, Mom, in answer to your question, yes I LOVE the members here.  One of my favorites is Flor.  She has been a convert for just over a year and is the cutest ever.  Her husband is Jose, and she has the cutest little boy Joshua.  She is my inspiration.  She just understands the gospel.  She has the strongest testimony and always wants to help.  She is the one who taught me how to make poupusas and tortillas and tacos.  She is also pregnant and always lets me feel her baby, and I told her to name her after me, but she said she cant because her mom wont be able to pronounce "riley jane".  So that was hilarious.  We are having a baby shower for her soon, so I will send pictures! I am sure it will be very different than the jungle theme one for Sharon, send me pictures!  

Yesterday we had the best/most inspirational meeting I have ever been to! (we did have to get up at 4 to go to Richmond, but it was worth it!)  Elder Sitati from the 70 came and talked to us.  He is awesome, he is from Kenya and he and his wife are rocks in the gospel.  We essentially broke down "our purpose" as missionaries, and applied to our real lives as well.  He taught us a new way to study the scriptures/gospel.  He had us find scriptures that explained the "how" and "why", of certain gospel principals.  It was very eye opening.  He talked alot about receiving revelation.  He said that receiving revelation is like planting a garden.  We have to first prepare the soil, we have to be trying to live a righteous life, following the commandment.  Then we plant the seed, ask a question.  Help the plant to grow, give it water and sunlight, read the scriptures, pray, go to church.  And then we have the faith that the seed will grow, every morning we check the plant and if it hasn't sprouted yet, if we haven't received the answer yet, check back tomorrow.  It will grow!    He said that the spirit is what changes us, through the power of the atonement.  The spirit is what leads us to truth, to do the good things, and we can do every good thing with Christ's help!  

The area is great!  I love being a missionary.  I think I failed to mention that is is freezing here, every day I think I am going to die, and its a different kind of cold than utah, it's really penetrating.  It is also supposed to snow this week so that should be all kinds of fun adventures.  Also I have been sleeping all through the night all week!  YAY! We have transfers next week, so I won't know what is happening for thanksgiving until after then!  I am happy!  Keep being missionaries, I love you!

con amor, Hermana Riley Jane

email 11.4.13

Mi familia-

It is always so good to hear from you!  The gospel is still true, and we are all still alive, and mostly that is what is important.  

We had another emotional week, I guess every week is probably going to be like this...I feel like life is more concentrated on my mission.  There are lots of things that I do not have to worry about, but there are a lot of things that I have to face, work on, improve...etc.  It is the best!  

Last p-day we had a zone p-day, which was the best of times.  We played capture the flag, kickball, and tag ALL day long.  We were all exhausted after, literally we were all sore the next day.  Mostly I just love to have time to run around outside, be normal for a second.  We have some really awesome missionaries here, just really good little guys.  

Halloween was good times.  We had to come in at 6, so we got all of our treats together, colored (I, Mom,  had sent her a Disney Princess coloring book in Spanish so they could have a Halloween coloring contest!), made pumpkin bread, and watched Legacy!  Hurray! We also had a visit from our district leader, which was a lovely suprise.  They brought us candy!  We have SO MUCH candy!  

On Friday Hermana Sevilla and I gave a training at zone meeting.  I was really nervous about it, but we were prepared to give it.  We talked about patience and motivation.  The few days before the training we had been having a rough time.  Things just weren't working out, we weren't getting along, just rough.  But our experiences helped us to be able to train.  It was a really neat experience.  I shared a little analogy that I came up with.  So the few days before were just weird.  We got dropped by an investigator, told we were condemned, told that God only forgives 7x70, we got chased by a dog, everything was just out of control.  We got into the car and I asked Hermana Sevilla what we should do next, and without hesitation she said "get ice cream, the only option is to get ice cream".  So we went downtown to Klines!  As I was sitting there eating my pumpkin ice cream, the sun was shinning, there were pretty flowers, and butterflies, and we were just happy.  I realized, there is always ice cream, Klines is always just down town.  The ice cream is like the savior, like his atonement.  Our lives may be crazy, but there is always goodness in the world, we just need to recognize it, seek it.  Much like the atonement, Christ is always waiting for us, all we have to do it decide that enough is enough, and we are going to drive down town, and partake of his goodness.  Life is hard, we have trials, but Christ is always good, we choose to accept his atonement.  

I have learned so much this past week, this past five months really, sometimes is makes my head hurt.  But I am so grateful to be here, to be learning, to be growing.  I love love love every thing about being a missionary.  Also I am really starting to understand spanish now, and it is the BEST!  I love my Savior, and all of you!

xoxo mana myer

Prayer is Real!

FHE, making popusas!

Laundromat adventures

email 10.28.13

Mi familia! 

This week has been nuts, again, I am starting to realize that this is the way it is going to be, but I love it, I love being busy.  Turns out we did have bed bugs...it was a nightmare!  We had to wash everything EVERTHING, and if we couldn't wash it we had to put it in bags for a week, so we are still not put back together.  But the good news is they exterminated those pesky little guys!  We also had an adventure at the Laundromat, and even found some potentials...so hurray! 

I didn't get your package, so hopefully it comes today!  I am excited, packages are the BEST.  Sweet Sister McCraney sent me a Halloween package this week, it was the best.  And thank you for sending the insurance info...I don't know what happened to the copy that I had in the MTC, but I have it now, so that is great.  I still haven't talked to the doctor about sleeping, but I probably should soon because this week I have really been exhausted. 

This week has been full of answers to prayers.  Last week I was struggling with feeling like a "successful missionary", it is sometimes hard when things fall through, people to come to church...ect!  I just really want someone to really want this gospel.  But we had an awesome district meeting last week and I made the resolve to talk to everyone...and just keep doing everything in my power, and praying, and it worked!  When I say everyone, I mean everyone, even people that speak English!  It is really fun times. 

So back to prayer...One of the other sets of sisters lost their keys at the district meeting, they thought they locked them in the car, but we started searching just in case.  We stopped, said a prayer, and found them in the trash can in the bathroom...simple experience, but powerful.  We asked to know where to find them, and he told us.  We all cried...its been an emotional week. 

Yesterday we decided that we were really going to do everything in our power to help our investigators come to church (the past two weeks no one has come), drastic times call for drastic measures...so we decided to hang out on Norwood (the hood, where the majority of our investigators live) and get everybody moving.  It was the best, just going from door to door, helping with kids, picking out outfits, sharing a scripture here and there...it was so much fun.  Although, by the time we got to church, we were exhausted!  But it was worth it.  Maria was there, and she participated, and we had an awesome lesson in Relief Society about strong women and how we can influence the world, and she loved it!  Moral of the story is, we literally did everything we could, prayed, and the lord made up the difference! 

I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers, it is up to us if we use the resource or not!  This week has been great, things are starting to roll.  Life is good.  I love you all very very much, thank you for always thinking of me.  Don't forget to be missionaries! 

xoxo Riley Jane

we could always use a little more faith!

The sweet pillow case that Leann sent me! Love that woman.

Mana Sevilla, in our hood. It is still freezing, but there have been a couple of sunny days, its the best!

Halloween party.

This is Heidy, she is in our branch, and she is the cutest thing ever. We had a Halloween party.

email 10.21.13

Mi familia!

 

Hola!  It looks like you guys have had another crazy week, as have I!  As always, I just wonder if I will ever feel like I have a normal day here.  I think there is something in the water, because the people in Harrisonburg are nuts.  I love them, but they are crazy!  But mostly it is the best of times. 

 

This week we have been so blessed, we have been teaching lessons like crazy, and finding so many people to teach.  We are starting to feel adjusted to each other, my new companion and I, and learning how we teach together.  We have been really busy, but I like it better that way, less time to sit around and dwell. 

 

I have started reading Matthew and I love it.  I am also only on like chapter 14, because I have too many things that I want to study!  But I love reading all about the parables and the things that Christ did.  One thing that really stuck out to me, and that I have been thinking about all weeks is when Christ walks on water and calls Peter out to meet him.  It says that he notices how stormy and scary the water is, and he starts to falter, but then Christ reaches out and helps him back up.  At first he had the faith to start going and was taking steps on his own, but when he paid attention to the world around him he started to doubt.  I feel like this is what I do all too often.  I am really good at starting out with faith, but sometimes I have moments when I doubt and think I must be crazy for believing that some things can happen.  Sometimes I sink further down, but Christ always pulls me back up.  But I was thinking this morning, why ever doubt, it is just a waste of time!  And I know that Christ is always there, and he will pull me back up, but if I know that, then there is no need to fall anyways.  Working on happiness always over here!  There are so many things that are out of my control, which can be hard at times.  But I was thinking about some advice that Ian Blackwelder gave Nicole and I at Christmas.  He said that sometimes missionaries lose their fire, even with a short time here on my mission I have seen a lot of missionaries that have lost their fire.  Sometimes we just get into the routine and stop caring about the things we are doing.  I have found that if I can have faith, never doubt, and just be happy, it helps other missionaries, and myself to keep that fire.  I love Ian, he is so wise. 

 

With that being said, life couldn't be better.  Seriously.  We are working on helping our investigators progress, and I have been crying like crazy, I just love them so much.  Mostly in our lessons with Ramon and Maria.  They are on their way!  We taught them about temples and eternal marriage, and they loved it.  We also gave them a talk by President Monson, well the whole Liahona, and they read the whole thing together.  Nothing makes me happier than seeing them change, seeing them learn about and accept the gospel.

 

I almost forgot we had a fun Bed Bug adventure this week!  I started noticing these little bug bites on my hands/wrist mid week.  I didn't think much of them, but then I started getting more, and they spread up my neck and on my face.  So I called Sister Wilson and she said we probably had bed bugs.  They are pretty nasty little guys I guess, so we had to tear apart our apartment looking for them, then buy this spray, vacuumed everything, wash all our bedding, it was a huge ordeal.  We didn't find any bugs, and the zone leaders had to come over and inspect too...but I still have the bites...we are not sure what they are but now our apartment is really clean! 

 

Life is good here in Virginia.  I think about you often, about how much I love you and how grateful I am for you.  Thank you for being supportive!  Have the best week ever! 

Changes

Just everybody.

Twinning! This is Hermana Sevilla!

email 10.13.14

Mi Familia-

 

It sounds like you have been having great adventures in Utah, it all sounds like the best of times!  I am so happy for Uncle Aaron, he deserves it.  Kenna sounds like a regular old college kid!  And I can't wait to see Ryder at Christmas! 

 

This week has been great!  I am still here in Harrisonburg, but everything has changed!  I have the most awesome new companion, her name is Hermana Sevilla, she is from Mexico/Arizonia, and she is the funnest.  We have already had some pretty good gut rolls, and also matched outfits, so you know it was a match made in Heaven.  This week was crazy.  We were running around trying to say goodbye to everyone for Hermana George, and cleaning, and packing, and all that good stuff.  It was sad.  As we were visiting everyone I started to feel really overwhelmed, just a lot of responsibility to know the area and the people and the investigators and all that good stuff.  On Thursday we went down to Charlottesville to drop off and pick up companions.  I got to see Hermana Olsen, she is serving in Charlottesville now, so that was the best!  And then Friday we had weekly planning which took forever, but it is good now, everything is starting to be normal. 

 

On Wednesday it started raining, and it still hasn't stopped, so that makes everything exciting.  Thank you for sending the jackets, It has been freezing all week!  And I loved the one from Costco, so I will send yours back to you.  Thank you thank you thank you!  And Thank you for the water bottle, it is all I ever dreamed it would be!

 

This week I started reading Jesus The Christ.  It is huge, and uses a lot of big words, but I am loving it.  This morning I was reading about our need for a Redeemer, how Christ is part of the plan.   Our Heavenly Father knew that we would not be able to do it on our own, he knew that we would fall, but he gave us the hand to help us get back up.  It talked about how Christ was the only candidate to be the redeemer, he is the only one without sin, and who literally had the ability to keep his life (unlike us, we are subject to death) and the ability to give it up for our sakes.  Sometimes the atonement is hard for me to understand, but I am loving learning all about Christ. 

 

We have found some new people to teach this week, which is always exciting.  Last night we passed by some potential investigators and had an awesome lesson with them.  They are this cute older couple from Cuba, who are political refugees.  We just talked about God's love for us, and how we can strengthen our relationship with him.  They have had some pretty rough times, but they are here now trying to figure out life.  I love them so much.  This morning we went to the Eye Doctor with them to help translate, which was exciting.  Lucky that I have Hermana Sevilla, because I have no idea how to say Retina en Español! 

 

Tell Grandpa and Grandma to come visit me!  That would be the best ever!  I will send them an email! 

 

I love being a missionary, I love sharing the gospel, and more than anything I just love talking to people.  Getting to know them.  I think I love more people than I every thought I could.  It is the best!  I love you all very much, thank you for your love and support!  I hope you have a great week.    

 

xoxo Hermana Myer

Conference and Craziness

From our hike last week.

Jeep with the zone leaders, they are funny.

Us and Alex, he is one of our neighborhood friends.

We went on a bike ride for pday last week!

More neighborhood ninos!

Reina, the gordita, she is obsessed with us and we are with her too... she's perfect.

email 10.7.13

Mi familia!

 

Hola!  This week has been so full of so many good things that I don't even know where to start! 

 

At the beginning of the week I was feeling a little homesick, I don't know why...we were really busy, and everything was good, but I was just missing normal people that love me I guess.  But of coarse Heavenly Father sends his tender mercies.  The next day I got a letter and a CD in the mail from my dearest Anna.  It was exactly what I needed, she is my number one in the whole world.  And the next day I got the package from you guys, and it was just too perfect.  Just small reminders that you are all still out there and love me!  So thank you, I needed that! 

 

With the letter that Anna sent me she sent me a story about a missionary who was confused as to how come he didn't have the power that he wanted to be teaching with.  Sometimes its hard to be completely focused and in the state of mind to have the full power that we have the ability to have.  He was instructed to do a "40 day fast", from all the things that he did that were "gray areas", rules that he didn't follow exactly, but more than that, thoughts that he needed to stop.  I have found that that is the hardest part for me.  I can do/say/work as hard as I can, and can be doing the things that I am supposed to, but its my thoughts and my deepest desires that are harder to control.  So I decided to do the same thing.  It was actually pretty hard to start it off, but I wrote down a list of all the negative thoughts/though subjects I sometimes have, and pray specifically for those things daily, that I will have the self control to not.  So pretty much, I am working on changing my desires, its harder than I had expected, but I am excited! 

 

We had the most awesome miracle this week!  We had a zone meeting on Friday, where we talked about "obedience October" (we are studying our temple covenants).  Later Friday night we had an appointment with a new investigator.  It has been really hard to get a hold of him, and be able to teach him because he lives with all men, or is home alone, so we have to have a third female to go into his home and teach him.  Friday night we were planning on just teaching him outside, or taking him a couple of doors down to our members house.  (the member is a woman but refuses to ever really leave her house or associate with humans, but she was just going to stay in her room, just so we had someone else in the apartment)...so we got to the appointment and explained to Jesus what our plan was, but he told us that in his culture it is rude to not receive people in your house when they come to visit you, so we would have to reschedule...we were devastated!  But we have a few female member that live close and we knew that if we were being obedient to this rule, the Lord would bless us with a way to accomplish it.  So we started running around asking all our member if they could run down with us, and calling everyone we could think of, to no avail.  We were getting frustrated, but then decided to pray.  As soon as we were done praying the Spanish elders drove past us.  We flagged them down, and they agreed to teach the lesson for us!  It was a miracle! 

 

Conference was the BEST ever.  I loved every minute of it.  I am still trying to process everything, because it was all soo good.  I loved all the talks about missionary work, it is something that we are struggling with up here.  Getting the member excited and involved in helping us.  With such few members here, we really do need their help. I loved Elder Holland's talk, I cried.  I thought about Grandma Marie and the strength she had.  I thought about her being perfected, and when I see her again, I know we will rejoice together!  There was quite a few references to the fact that the decisions we make daily will affect our eternity...which is scary, but true.  Sometimes it seems like a lot of responsibility, but we can do it!  I loved D. Todd Christofferson's talk about women, we rock.  But seriously I thought that it was a good reminded of the power that we have.  And I loved the references to the fact that we do have priesthood power in our lives, even if we are not the carriers of it.  Mostly I loved everything.  We watched it at the church, so that was new for me, but it is always the same.  I was thinking about you guys too, it is amazing how many people were able to partake of the conference together! More thoughts to come!

 

In between sessions yesterday we went to visit Maria (of Maria and Ramon) she is still on date for baptism, but is praying to know what date.  We were just passing by to see how she was, we didn't have a lesson or anything.  After we sang we asked her how she was feeling about everything, the church, her baptism, what was on her mind.  She told us that she knows the church is true, it fills the emptiness in her heart that she has felt in every other church.  It was the first time that I have really felt like someone is getting it, I am helping someone on the path.  The spirit was so strong, and I love her so much.  Hopefully she will be baptized on the 19th!  Pray for her, that she will receive the answer to her prayers!

 

I am not getting transferred, but Hermana George it.  It is sad times over here!  I have just gotten comfortable and into a routine, so I guess its time for a change.  We are also getting another set of hermanas in our branch, so there will be a whole new set of missionaries in the area.  I am excited, it should be good!  And I am really happy I am staying!

 

I love you all very much.  Thank you for your love and support!  I want updates on all your missionary experiences, start praying for those!  I love my Savior, and I love being a missionary!

 

xoxo Hermana Myer!

email 9.30.13

Mi familia!  

Mom, you got released!  162 weeks, is a lot of weeks!  But I am so proud of you for going to the temple every single week, you are an inspiration to me.  Also could not be happier about you being a ward missionary, you rock, I am sure they love you.  I wish we had a couple or ward missionaries, that would rock, but we are working on it!  Dad, I am glad all went well with the Primary program, I wish I could have been there!  Someone make Luke write me a letter, how is high school?  

Mom, I love what President Lamprecht in ward council shared about going deeper with people, to the root of their problems.  We have been trying to do that with everyone that we meet with.  Instead of teaching less actives about church attendance, teaching them about faith in Christ, or the importance of Book of Mormon study.  

As far as ward council, I am sure it is very very different!  We meet every sunday (except fast sunday) with Presedente, and the first counselor, and the other set of missionaries.  We have tried to get the relief society president to come, but its a work in progress!  I guess its way more organized than before we came, so thats good news.  

This week, we worked, really hard.  It was the best!  Crazy, but the best!  It was a pretty normal week's work load, but we had some meetings/other events, so we had to cram all our appointments on just a couple of working days. And Cindy sent me the cutest Plan of Salvation images/walk through, she said if I want I can send her the spanish translation and she will make me in in spanish.  She is the best ever!

We did an exchange from Monday to Tuesday, with the Charlottesville Hermanas, and it was awesome.  Hermana Carn came up to Harrisonburg, and it was fun to get a taste of a different missionary.  She is the sweetest, and she helped me to focus on teaching people, not lessons, everything went swimmingly.  

Maria and Ramon invited us over for dinner on Wednesday night, and it was the best.  I hear that when the investigators make food for you it really means they love you.  

I taught Word of Wisdom twice, for the first time in Spanish.  After that lesson, one of our investigators dropped us, and they other dropped her coffee...soo mixed reviews.  But still good.  The word of wisdom just makes so much sense.  

We had Zone conference on Thursday, all day!  We rode with the Zone leaders, so we had to go early (6:30), and didn't get home until 7!  But it was good, President Wilson was there, and we had lots of good trainings and role plays.  We got to role play with another set of spanish elders, and I got alot of good spanish practice.  One of the Elders, Elder Guzman, he is from mexico, and he is the hispanic clone of Boy Riley, so that was funny.  

On Saturday we had the international fair.  We (with all the Harrisonburg missionaries) set up a table and just talked to everyone.  The fair is a community thing where they have all kinds of music/food/booths/activites from all the countries.  It was a good change of pace.  

Saturday night we went to Waynesboro to have dinner and watch the Broadcast with all the stake.  We had three of our hermanas come, and we had the best time.  I loved all the talks.  One thing that I keep thinking about is when the Prophet said that Heavenly Father just loves us.  Its that simple, it does not matter who we are, where we are, how much money we have, he just loves us.  

Sometimes as a missionary things can get overwhelming, there is just so much to do, say, be, remember, and after the zone conference I was feeling a little inadequate.  But one of the zone leaders said something that I loved.  He said, you know what, all you have to do is go outside, move you feet, move your hand (to knock a door), open your mouth and say something that you know that is true.  That is how you share the gospel.  It is just that simple.  I love being a missionary and being able to study to simple doctrine and principals.  

This week I have felt especially grateful for the prophet.  When I heard him speak on Saturday i just started crying.  I feel so blessed to be able to know who he is and have guidance from him.  I am so so so excited for conference, it is going to be the best ever!  

I love you all very much!  

xoxo, Hermana Myer

Happy

Just a little rain storm.

The crew.

Franklin, West Virginia.

email 9.23.13

My dearest family,

I did get your package, and I am so so so so sorry about tasha.  I may have even shed a tear in your behalf.  She was a good little guy.  I hope you are all feeling better!  And I hope you don't accidentally get a new dog...!  And yes, I do have a credit card, thank you! 

Tell Aunt Julie thank you for the beads, we have already busted them out, its even a little therapeutic...its fun to have a little something to mix life up. 

This week has been all kinds of happy! 

We got to go on a little trip through the mountains to West Virginia!  We have two sets of Elders who serve in Franklin West Virginia, and the had set up a booth at a festival that was going on, and of coarse they wanted sister to come up and be the face of the church.  So we took the opportunity and it was so much fun.  It is just this tiny little town, filled of hicks, and giant pig cookers.  We had a wee of a time.  We took turns sitting at the booth and just walking around the festival talking to everyone.  We even helped them find some potential investigators.  Also we had a downpour rain storm for about 20 minuets, which was all kinds of fun.  It was fun to switch it up a little. 

On Saturday we had the baptism of Sandy Delfin.  She is nine years old, and just the sweatest.  Her mom and sister are both members too.  Naturally we had a full meal after the baptism, and it was just perfect.  She was so happy.  We are so happy. 

On Sunday I gave my first real live talk in sacrament meeting, in spanish.  It was nuts!  It was about the Book of Mormon, and it was a whole ten minuets long, and I was so nervous.  But I did it!  It was cool to be able to see that I actually could do it, I mean I'm no pro, but I am saying something!  Also I got to go to primary on Sunday, which was the best ever.  We now have three recent converts in Primary, and we were thinking they needed a little support.  Mostly I just wanted to do sharing time and of coarse singing time.  I thought about you the whole time Dad! 

We are still eating lots of hispanic food, not as much as other weeks, but I have had a few tummy aches this week.  Mostly we just have been blessed with some really awesome investigators.  We have had so many opportunities to share the gospel, it is the best ever.   Ramon and Maria came to church again, and loved it.  They are the cute ones with a scooter.  They also invited us over for dinner this week, which always means they love us, so we are excited for that. 

This week I have been studying in the end of Alma.  Sometimes the war chapters are hard for me, but I started obsessing over the 200 stripling warriors.  I don't have my scriptures on me, but I think in chapter 57 it says that they fought desperately.  I love the wording there.  Sometimes I feel like that, that I am just fighting desperately.  They talk about how they had never learned to fight, but they keep their covenants, followed the commandments, and had faith.  I think that is so perfect for what I am doing here, right now.  Sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, and I am just trying desperately to do whats right, to go where I should, to speak spanish, to have faith, to keep being obediant, whatever it may be.  But just like them, my parents taught me to always have faith, to always trust that as long as you are doing what the Lord asks you to do, you will be able to do what you need to do.  Sometimes its hard to do, but I have been able to find comfort in the fact that I can put my all in, and he will make up the rest. 

I love being a missionary.  I am so happy.  I love Virginia.  This morning we went on a hike, and it was the best ever.  I will send pictures.  I love you all very much.  Thank you for being the best ever! 

xoxo Hermana Myer

email 9.16.13

Family!

It is always so good to hear from all of you.  Alyse and Chad- Thank you for the letter and all the pictures.  Everything looks really good, I am glad that you guys had mom and dad there to help you out!  Luke and Kenna sound like you are having quite the adventures starting new schools and trying to figure out your new lives!  That is just so fun.  

This week has been the BEST.  We have had so many opportunities to share the gospel and teach people who are just so prepared.  In the beginning of the week we has sisters meeting.  It was so fun, I got to see my friends from the MTC, and sister Rosen, and Sister Olsen, so there is nothing better than that.  They had all these mini classes on strength for women, in all the different ways we can have it, spiritual, physical, communication, even make-up.  Always gotta throw that last one in there for kicks.  Also they fed us 100 different kinds of salad for lunch, it was the best.  

We also had the sister training leaders come and stay this week, which was all sorts of interesting.  For some reason our sister training leaders got switched to english ones, so it was pretty much just me pretending to speak spanish all day.  Also it was car fast, so we rode the bus. Quite the adventure.  It was good though, it showed me how much I could really do with my spanish!  I did a million contacts, taught 2 lessons, and also chatted with everyone.  We have some Cuban investigators, and they are super hard to understand.  We just passed by, but I ended up talking to her for a whole 30 mins, and understood the whole conversation, it was the best!  

We have this cute older couple from the Dominican Republic who ride the scooter, Maria and Ramon, and we got to teach them a couple of times this week, and they came to church again!  Also we passed by for daily contact, and Ramon said I looked really "elegant"  in my skirt, too funny.  We love them!  

We also started teaching two men this week, different occasions, but we found them both just walking down the street, who both are set with baptismal dates.  Juan is this happy little guy from Puerto Rico, and as soon as we got finished teaching authority, he asked when and how he could be baptized with it.  Carlos is from the Dominican Republic, and when we first met him he was cutting hair in his apartment and yelled for us to come it.  He told us that in his country he had a lot of "friends" who were mormon...these friends just happened to be little guys in white shirts and ties that ride bikes.  Yes, it was the missionaries.  He told us that he just moved here and he knows that our church is the right one, he has been experimenting with others, but they are "empty".  They both came to church on sunday!  It was the best.  

This week I have been thinking a lot about a simple way to be happy.  It keeps coming back to doing what Jesus would do, always.  Which can be hard at times.  But for whatever reason all week I just kept coming back to "what would Jesus Do?".  I have been able to be involved in people's lives, who are really struggling.  These people have trials that I never even knew existed, sometimes I get sad when I try and think about how I really don't have any material ways to help them.  And in the moment it seems like material things are what they need.  But in reality I have the best present in the world, I have the gospel, and all I can do, and all I need to do is share it with them.  I know how they can be happy, I know the answer!  Heavenly Father really loves every single one of his children, he wants them all to have the blessings that they deserve, I just have to open my mouth!  I feel so lucky to be here, to be able to do that every day! 

I love you all very much!

xoxo Hermana Myer

FIESTA

Darlin and Yuleili: we taught them about missionary work and we make them do a fake day in the life of a missionary, it was so much fun!

Christian, he is the most unreal.

The Fiesta! She hand braided all the streamers, too funny.

Hemrana Flor, really enjoying herself!

email 9.9.13

Mi familia-

Thank you for all your letters, I love to hear what is going on in normalish life!  It sounds like school has started, and I hope that by now things have calmed down!  Mom, I was dying laughing in the library about the proposal thing for Ryan, that is seriously too funny, I wish I could have seen the whole thing. 

This past week has been pretty good, a little crazy as usual.  Both me and my companion are sick, so that sometimes throws a wrench in things, but its all good.  

Saturday was the FIESTA of a lifetime.  It was for a 9 year old in our rama, Christian, and Mirna has been planning it since we arrived for the first transfer in Harrisonburg.  Needless to say, it was a fiesta to remember.  She went all out on everything, it was ninja turtle themed and there was even a pinata!  They had literal buckets and buckets of food, and naturally the whole rama was invited.  It was so much fun, and we also had three investigators there, which was the luckiest ever.  Also before the fiesta Hermana Flor asked us if we could help her hand make tortillas for the party, which is the best because the are SO GOOD.  Its really easy to do actually, you just use this press thing.  And good news, my tortillas puffed up in the middle when they were on the stove, which means that I am ready to get married, so thats a relief.

Church was so good yesterday!  We have the two cutest investigators, Maria and Ramon.  We found them outside a members house about a week ago.  They were hopping on a scooter to go on a date (they are probably in their 60's), so naturally I had to strike up a conversation.  They are from the Dominican Republic and they are the nicest ever.  We have taught them twice and she gets it, she totally understands and said that she will be baptized when she knows.  Whenever we stop by for daily contact they are always blasting latino music and dancing and they are just the cutest.  They came to church yesterday!  She was really concerned about coming to church because they only have the scooter but she wanted to wear a dress, but I told her I used to do that all the time, and waaawhooo, they came!  They only stayed for sacrament meeting, but baby steps!  

This month our whole mission is studying sacrifice.  President Wilson made us these little packets with talks and study materials.  I have learned so much, and realized the importance our sacrifices to the Lord.  The only thing that we as humans really have is our will, so when we sacrifice our will the Lord, he blesses us.  I think it is as simply as that.  As I was reading one of the talks (dont remember which one) I kept thinking about you Mom and Dad, and all that you sacrifice not only for the church but for our family.  Thank you for always being such good examples to me!  

This morning I was reading my patriarchal blessing and something in it made me think of the story of Esther.  So I decided to read that.  I forgot how much I love her!  She is such a good example of courage, and standing up for who you are.  I hope that I can have as much faith as she did and stand up for what I know to be true.  Not only that but not be afraid to be myself.  I figure there is not use in being a missionary robot...because who wants that?  

This week has been good, I have been about to learn alot about myself and about how I am fitting in to this missionary life.  It is all good stuff!  Thank you for everything!  I love you all very much.  

xoxo mana myer

Labor Day

Darlin and Yuleili

This is Flor, she is a member in our ward and she is obsessed with missionaries. We love her too, and she makes the best tres leches on the planet. She has already taught us how to make popusas, which are the best and she has invited us to come make tres leches this weekend. BEST.