Tuesday, July 23, 2013
email 7.22.13
Familia-
I have officially arrived, and I love it
here. This place is amazing, it is beautiful. Everything is green and
filled with trees and they have the cutest little houses. It is
perfect. So much has happened and I won't be able to explain
everything, but here it goes.
So when we first arrived they took us to a stake
center and fed us and oriented us and so forth. They had all the sister
stay at the mission home, and they sent the elders to sleep on some
members floors, oops. On Thursday
we had a transfer meeting where we met our trainers. My trainers name
is Camrie George, and she is simply lovely. She is darling, she has
cute freckles, and is a sweetheart. She actually looks a little like
Sammy Cummings, if you squint. We get along swimmingly, and good news
she has been here for 14 months so the spanish is good for her. So
Hermana George and I got assigned to Harrisonburg, and we are opening a
new area. It is so funny everyone says that Harrisonburg is in the
mountains, which are actually more like hills, either way it is
beautiful here and I was really excited to come out here. There is only
a small branch, which already had a set of Elders in it, but we
basically have to start from scratch. But we were both really excited.
But because we are opening the area they didn't exactly have the
apartment ready on Thursday so we spent the night with some sisters in Waynesboro. Anyway, Friday
we came up here and got the apartment (it still has no furniture, or
any thing at all in it besides our stuff), met with the Elders in our
ward, and then got to work. They told us they had about thirty people
that came to the branch and gave us a bunch of members and less actives
to visit. So we just started out, and I love it.
Before we met the Elders we went to Wendy's to grab
some lunch. When we were there we overheard two men talking in Spanish,
Hmmm. George said that I had to go contact them while they were sitting
at their table, I of corse was freaking out, forgot all the Spanish I
knew, but not wanting to be lame I said I would do it. So we walk over
there and by a miracle I get something out about where are you from and I
am a representative of Christ, want to come to church? One of the men,
Ceasar, said yes he would love to come and gave me his number on a
napkin. I was in awe. I just kept thinking wow I have no idea how that
happened, but I just knew he would come to church. My trainer told me
not to get my hopes up because people don't come to church all the time
when they say they will. But I said pooh pooh, I decided I am having
faith no matter what.
Saturday
we had a Hermana get emergency transferred to us, she is a visa waiter
and they wanted her to be in a Spanish companionship. She is awesome,
her name is Hermana Olsen and I love her, she is calm but super funny.
We all work great together.
So our game plan so far is to visit all the members
and less actives and get to know the ward. We have an awesome branch
president, Presedente Lagos. And I LOVE the people. We have people
from all over, Guatamala, El Salvador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, you
name it. They are the greatest people, they just want to love you, and
mostly they just want to love sister missionaries. They are all really
excited to have us here, almost as excited as we are!
Sunday
was probably one of the best days of my life. We had a meeting before
church with Presedente Lagos and the Elders. We finished just a couple
of mins before church started so everyone was already sitting down.
When I walked in the door Elder Burbank came over to me with the wide
eyes and said, "HE IS HERE, YOUR WENDY'S GUY CAME" And there he was on
the back row with his friend Javier. I had no clue what to do, all I
could do was smile. I could not have been happier, I was just beaming
and I sat down next to him and we had a lovely meeting. He was just so
happy to be there and trying to sing and loved reading the book of
Mormon. After Sunday
school he said they were going to stay for the last hour even. I could
have died right there. And on top of that he invited me to come and
teach him on Saturday.
Lucky for me I understood that. Can you say prepared? I was floored
by the power that my faith had had. Best. Also there were actually
only nine members at church, so it was alot smaller than we had
anticipated. There are six women in the relief society, and they all
love us to death. I am so excited to get this branch moving. Also come
to find out that Javier is a member...which was a little weird, but we
found a new investigator and a less active all in one whammy! Oh I am
just so thrilled.
I love being a missionary, it is the very best of
times. I know that Heavenly Father cares about three little Hermanas in
Harrisonburg Virginia. I know that he answers prayers and I know that
he is preparing people all around us.
Also we have the best elders, the Spanish ones are
awesome, they are always making sure we have everything we need. It is
so funny to imagine my friends (used to be) out there being nice to
sister missionaries, they really are the best. Actually they somehow
managed to get two twin sized mattresses in their little car so that we
didn't have to sleep on the floor. I think we are supposed to get
furniture on Friday? But who knows!
I do need a couple of things. I am wondering if you
can do some research on a portable GPS. Nothing fancy, just really
easy, but maps are hard. I just don't have the technology or the time
to do research. Also If you could send me some work out DVDs, maybe a
zumba? We have a little DVD player. And also some Spanish CDs...maybe
some Christian Spanish music? I don't know the music rules are pretty
light as long as they aren't about love...our address is
228-D Rocco Ave
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Tell people to send me letters not emails and to that address. Thank you!
I
love you very much. I am glad that your summer is going so well! That
is so fun that Weston is home, give him a hug for me! I am glad that
Luke is going to send me a letter. Tell Kenna to send me one too, and
Alyse and Chad. Also tell Rachel to write me back. Also tell Troy to
write me. Love the missionaries for me!
xoxo Hermana Myer
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Riquisimo
I forgot to explain the title of my email. Riquisimo is my new favorite word, it means like yummy. We got to get everyone saying that.
love you.
email 7.16.13
My dearest family,
This week has been crazy! Everyone in our district left early Monday
morning, except Myself, Hermana Wilkins, and Hermana Bingham. So it is
a little triste over here without my right hand hermana, we still have
classes and normal studying, and no time to pack. It is very crazy.
Also I am in a trio, and boy it is hard to get three people everywhere
you need to be. But it is good. During our classes yesterday we had
some intense one on one times, but I am glad we did, we learned so
much. I am so excited to get to Virginia!
I am going to buy a calling card today so I will call early on wednesday morning. I would assume around 6:00 Utah time, our flight leaves at 7:08. So be ready for that!
Elder Cook, one of the elders in my district, gave me a blessing on Sunday.
I am so grateful for the priesthood in my life. He blessed me to know
that Heavenly Father is proud of me. And I truly feel like he is. He
blessed me to remember that Heavenly Father is preparing people right
now, and as I ask him for direction he will lead me to their doors. I
am so happy and ready to start teaching.
I love you all very much, I am grateful to have supportive family and friends. My mission home address is:
Virginia Richmond Mission
9327 Midlothian Tpke Ste 1-B
Richmond, VA 23235-4944
I am not sure how mail and all
that will work, I may just get it once a week? Thats mostly what I
hear, so family please send me emails. I have no idea when my p-day is
or anything like that, but just send me a few after you talk to me on Wednesday
and that way I will have something to read. I am sure my next email
will be scattered and crazy, but get excited, its about to be the best
17 months ever.
Go to the temple for me! I miss it already. And tell
Ian I am waiting for his letter! I am glad he is home and safe and
doing well.
xoxo Hermana Myer
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
email 7.10.13
My dearest familia-
Thank you thank you thank
you for everything you did for me on my birthday. Everything was
perfect. The birthday box was the best ever. Everything inside of it
was perfect. I was suprised and happy and loved on my birthday, and you
know how much that means to me. The Lord really does take care of us
when we ask. Thank you to everyone who sent me letters and packages, I
am serious when I say it was the best birthday ever. We had just a wee
of a time studying with party hats on, even though the elders were a
little mad becasue they had sparkels on them all day, but they love me,
so it was worth it. I have the best district ever. Anyways, I am
offically 21, yay!
I
also have one last request, I meant to take care of this before I left,
but I forgot. I need some kind of thing that I can hook my smallest
suitcase onto one of my bigger ones so I can roll them all in the
airport. I don't know if there is something on amazon that would work,
or maybe some good old fashioned rope? Maybe dad would have a better
idea, but I am nervous for the airport, I will send a picture of my
suitcases so you can see what might work. I am sorry to make you send
me another package! Also about the airport, we have our travel plans
and I am allowed to call you from the airport but I have a few options.
I am going to lay out the situation and options and I just want you to
send me a dear elder and let me know what you want me to do!
Okay so our flight leaves Salt Lake at 7:08 am on Wednesday the 17th, We will probably be available to talk around 5:30-6,
which is an hour earlier for you, so I could just buy a calling card
and call you, but it will be early. We have a layover in Atlanta at 12:45, and then our flight to richmond leaves at 2:12,
so we have way less time, and I am not sure if we will really be able
to stop at pay phones, so if I am going to call you from a payphone it
would be better to do it at Salt lake. There is another option, my
companion's mom sent her one of those pay as you go phones I think it is
called a trac phone. She got one that was just like 10$ with 120 mins
on it...that way she can just call her where ever she is and whatnot,
and then she is just going to throw it away or send it home. So that is
an option, if you wanted me to do that you would have to send me a
phone, but I could call you from atlanta and not at 4:30.
I have the ability to buy a calling card here, I just want to do
whatever would be the best for you guys though. Also tell me which
number you want me to call!
Sharla's lesson sounds great, we actually talked about
just that when we were learning how to teach the word of wisdom. Sharla
is the best, tell her I love her.
I wrote luke a letter, so tell him to write me back some day!
I am happy that Alyse and Ryder get to vistit, take pictures for me.
Also
Elder Barton sent me some cookies and a letter for my birthday, they
were very yummy, and it was so nice of him to think of me. Will you
please send me his address so I can thank him!
So many things have happened this week, I don't know
where to start! The fourth of July was just awesome. We had a special
devotional, then watched 17 miracles, then they let us stay up past 10:30
and watch fireworks and eat magnum bars, can we say living on the
edge? It was so fun, the next morning it was a little harder to get up,
but very worth it. The 4th is always one of my favorite holidays, I
was sad not to be swimming in Diet Coke with my bestest friends, but the
MTC is pretty great non the less. Also 17 miracles, can you say tear
jerker? I died, it was the best ever, please watch it. Actually I had a
really neat experience while I was watching it...the couple of days
before that I was starting to feel kind of homesick, just a little,
mostly just missing seeing people aka Ian and my friend Brad who just
come home from his mission, nothing extreme. But when I was watching
the movie I realized how silly that all is, I have been given this
amazing opportunity to forget myself and serve the Lord 100% and that is
what I need to do. I immediatly felt peace about being where I was.
We had an awesome speaker on Sunday
night, his name was George Durrant, he was hilarious. He talked about
being bold, how being bold does not mean being loud. He talked about
how important it is to be bold, because it is not our name on the line,
it is the Lords name and with his name, we have nothing to fear. Isnt
that just the best feeling ever? I loved his talk, he helped me to feel
confident about the work that I am about to do. Giving 100% of myself
to the Lord has truly taken on a new meaning. I have realized that I
cannot do this, or anything in my life, without the help of my savior.
The best thing is I can't, but also, I am not required to. He wants to
help us, he wants to hear from us, he is just waiting to pour out
blessings, if we simply ask. Last night at our devotional we had a
speaker who talked all about personal revelation. He said that in order
to receive personal revelation we need to have faith and humble our
soul. The way that the spirit propmts us and gives us revelation is
directly to our soul. I have been thinking alot about souls, I think
becuase my soul was mentioned quite a few times when I was set apart.
When our souls are pure, and christ like, we are then in a position to
recieve revelation. This week during my personal study I have been
studying about Christ-like attributes. I have been growing closer to my
Savior every day. I have never been so close to my Savior, and in turn
so close to the spirit. This is such a unique opportunity, one that I
will never have again and I am so grateful for it. My testimony has
grown exponentially, as well my love for the Book of Mormon and the
truthfullness of its teachings. I can say that I came into the MTC
believeing, but I am leaving converted, and I have never been happier.
Or more tired for that matter, but its the best.
I love you so very much. Thank you for supporting me.
I am so excited to get to Virginia and start using all of my skills! I
love you and pray for you every single night. Hasta Luego CCM!
xoxo, Hermana Myer
Friday, July 5, 2013
email 7.3.13
Familia-
So I guess you guys heard we got to
go on a super fun field trip to the podiatrist so I could get some good
old warts removed, I hope the message didn't freak you out mom, and Dad I
hear your voice over the phone and shed a tear or two. But all is well
hopefully the warts go away...yikes. My toes are hanging in there, I
have iced them a couple of times which helps! I am not sure what I want
to do about pictures I have an external jump drive thing so I can put
them on there, but I'll keep you updated on that.
Thank you for all your letter and things this week, you
are the best family ever. It sounds like you have been busy! Kenna
why do you have to go and crush mom's dream of you marrying elder
barton? That could have been really fun! Youth conference sounded like
fun, McKenna said she felt like a missionary, and I love the sound of
that, and of course Luke would make the pass along cards into paper
airplanes-classic. I hope that you guys had fun! Is John Calkins
coming to this MTC? I will keep my eyes peeled for him. I am sorry for
the recent vehicle trouble, I am glad that Dora could be of
assistance. IAN IS HOME! Alyse sent me picture of him, tell him to
write me, or just tell him I say Hi and that I am a real live
missionary.
As for the MTC, we are still alive and well in here. I
can't remember what I said in my email last week...but both mom and dad
said they could tell I was having a hard time. I didn't want to say
too much, but I was having a hard time...you guys are so on the ball.
Nothing major, but this stuff is not easy. We had a speaker yesterday
who read us his journal entries from his mission and his were very up
and down, it made me feel better about not every day being the best day
ever. I don't want you to get me wrong, because I LOVE being a
missionary. I love learning and speaking Spanish and teaching and
mostly I love coming closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
The past week we have learned alot about receiving revelation. We got to hear from Sheri Dew on Sunday
for Relief Society. It was the best ever. She challenged us to ask
the Lord to teach us what it sounds like for us personally to hear the
Spirit. I had never thought about that, but it is the perfect idea. I
took the challenge and started praying to learn how I can hear the
spirit. On Monday
during our lesson we were teaching about prayer and having a
relationship with our Father in Heaven. Our investigator is Catholic
and she told us that she is still going to pray to the Virgin Mary
because God will listen to the Virgin because she is pure. I sat there
for a second and then I told her that through Christ she can be pure too
and speak directly with God. I know that was not my thought, and on
top of that it was in Spanish. It was the best ever. I know that when
we ask for the spirit to teach through us he will. I love being a
missionary. Sister Dew also taught us about our power. The power that
we have been set apart to use, she told us that the more we learn about
the power that God has given us, the harder it is for the adversary to
win. Which reminds me, will you send me a copy of my call? I didn't
bring it with me...ooops. It is in my mission handbook thing on my
bookshelf.
We watched a pre-recorded talk from Elder Bednar on Sunday
night, it was amazing. I have heard that they only place they show it
is in the MTC, which is too bad because it was so great. The talk is
called the Character of Christ. He talked about putting off the natural
man, and turning to Christ. It was one of the most life changing
talks. It really made me think about what it mean to turn to Christ,
what it means to be a disciple. He told us that when we turn outward
and become less selfish, we become more like Christ. It made me think
Mom, she is one of the best example of Christ like charity out there.
Tomorrow is the 4th of July so we get to watch the
fireworks, which is going to be the best. The 4th of July is one of my
top three favorite holidays, you could say I'll be wearing my red,
white, and blue plaid bow and red lipstick. I am excited for our outing
to the field to watch. It should be epic.
I love being a missionary, I love teaching, I love you
guys, mostly I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father. I know that this
is where I am supposed to be and I am getting really excited to go out
to Virginia, I am so excited for the people that the Lord is preparing
for me.
A couple more things, can you please send me a hard
copy of my call asap? That would be wonderful. And thank you for all
the early birthday wishes, I am sure it will be a fabulous day!
Sorry I just saw your email, here is a fresh one, I will do that from now on. TELL IAN TO WRITE ME. love you.
xoxo, Hermana Myer
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