A Lot of Food and Finding

Familia!!!

First off, SUE congrats on a healthy baby boy! I so wish I could be there to meet him. I would love to see some pics! And I also want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas back home! I have felt tremendous love between varying packages and letters. But I have felt that through the week my greatest source of strength has been through the prayers offered for the comfort, safety, and happiness for the missionaries. I appreciate anyone who has kept me (named or unnamed) in their thoughts at this time- I feel so loved and empowered.

Time here is so weird. Just a couple days ago I was speaking to my companion about how much progress we have made in the last 3 weeks that we have been together when I pulled out the calendar to only see that it had been barely a week and a half! I feel like I have been here forever but never want to leave. I also feel like I arrived fresh faced yesterday, but couldn’t tell you what I had for breakfast this morning either.

As far as teaching is concerned, this week has been difficult as everyone insists they are busy with the holidays so no one can make any appointments, and the appointments that we do have are being cancelled. Our current teaching pool is small with 4 Investigators, but the contacts that we have found this week are really encouraging. Our District Leader has encouraged us to reach out to the less actives in the area (there are a lot of them), and though we have tried, I really would rather use our time to find and teach- especially since the less actives are never thrilled to see the new set of missionaries at their door (if we call them to let them know we having been thinking about them they avoid us like the plague). Oh well. I am hoping that with the holidays ending, people will consider more the importance of our message- time will tell! One of the great things about FL is that everyone is Christian. It is easy to find common ground quickly here. But once you mention faith in Jesus Christ, many wish to talk over you expressing that “Jesus has made everything possible” and “I have already baptized so I don’t need to go to church but I know that Jesus gives me everything”. I think it is interesting that after having so many of these conversations that though many people have complete faith in Christ, many don’t understand how Christ has indeed already bought the price of our soul- and the effort it takes to progress.

Christmas was really good. We woke up as normal, exercised, studied for an hour, did companionship study, but then opened presents. My companion thought it was so thoughtful that you gave her a little something! My favorite part of the packages that yall sent where the letters. I felt so much love, support, and prayers sent to the missionaries this week. Consequently, the members here have felt the need to feed assumingly starved and home-sick missionaries. Haha, though I certainly don’t fit in the category, I was fed quite a lot this week.  After 15 meals in 3 days (Christmas eve eve, Christmas eve, and Christmas day) I have learned that tums and laxatives are missionaries’ best secret weapon. Haha, but it really is so encouraging knowing that people desire to make sure missionaries feel taken care of.  I loved skyping the family! I feel I had to use my “Get Out of Jail Free” card early, but it was still rejuvenating to see your faces and hear of your Christmas. It certainly helped some that a FL Christmas looks and feels very different than a FL one.

Mom- the church just released a new program to promote family history. It goes along with a pamphlet called “My Family- Stories That Bring Us Together”. This pamphlet is something our area is wanting missionaries to complete asap. I am needing the Name, Any notable stories or Memories, birth date/place, death date/place, marriage place, and a picture with my Mother, Father, Siblings, Grandparents, and Great-Grandparents. I will also need to know if they have been added to Family Search and if they have their Temple Work Completed. I know there are quite a bit of steps here, but I am hoping with Grandma Vance and town and Grandma Kathy so near that I can be sent this info asap. Can you check into this for me?

Dad- the address of my apartment is 1603 Brendon Lake Drive #206 Orange City, FL 32763. But I serve in Lake Helen and Deltona. I really think it is beautiful. The homes here are very humble, and it is very common to hear ambulances and police sirens- nevertheless I feel very safe here.

One miracle that we saw this week just happened yesterday when we were on our bike to our first appointment after church. By the time we were already an hour into biking, all of our appointments for the day, including dinner cancelled. We were now stuck in an area that would be very hard to get home from with no plans. However, trying to make the most of our time, we continued biking and eventually stopped because there was a huge tv in the middle of our side walk. We hoped off our bikes when we saw many devices outside a humble home, including a c.d. player. We approached the home (as me and my companion had just discussed the need for one of the families in our ward), when the owner of the home came out to speak with us. His name was Chris, and we ended up taking for an hour. He was a very intelligent, charming father who was selling many of his things to cover the expense of Christmas. After we expressed to him the “coincidence” of finding this needed cd player, he offered it to us without charge (good thing I had my basket on my bike ;) haha). The real blessing though was how prepared he obviously was to hear and accept the gospel. We gave him an on the spot lesson of the restored gospel, to have a return appointment very soon. He was an incredible father, with a fascinating story. I have been praying and praying to find those whose hearts are being prepared so that I can maximize my time by speaking to those who are ready to hear the gospel and act on it’s teachings. Chris is one great example of this.

Times out. Got to go. But I love you all. I love being a missionary. When there have been hard moments I have had a small voice whisper that there was someone praying for me. When my legs have screamed for having to bike up one more hill, I have been able to recognize the beauty in the FL weather with diverse people. I love the work that I am a part of, and feel such a sense of urgency and importance to find those who need the truth that I have an undeniable testimony of. Until next week!

First Week in Sunny Orlando!!

FAMILY and FRIENDS!!

It has been a very full week! I can not believe that Christmas is this Thursday! AND that despite leaving only a couple weeks ago, and having a long conversation with Mom on the phone at the air port, I also get to Skype with you in just a few days. Time flies here. First of all I just have some business:

- The address that you will need to send any letters and packages through will be the mission home address that you should already have. I guess a lot of stuff has gone missing never to be found again if things are sent to specific addresses.

- Along with that first point, our mission leaders and senior couples made a point of saying that when you mail something, they try really hard to make sure we get what is sent asap. The senior couples here are so awesome. Many of them help (especially this time of year) to make sure that the missionaries receive whatever may be. However they did mention that despite many families using FedEx and UPS (wanting to get packages out quickly to their missionaries), it is actually a lot faster for you to just send everything through the US Postal Service- I don't remember the reasoning behind it.

- Skype- So, we have a really great family in our ward who wants to make sure that we get to Skype our families and everything will go smoothly. Though we can't Skype from any of their own devices, me and my companion will go over to their house to Skype everyone. The plan is that 10:00 am (Utah time), I will call you. There is a time restriction of 30-40 min. And to ensure that all goes well, this family (the Wards) have offered to be in contact with you before hand so that we know there won't be any tech issues. They want to help you set up an account and do a trial run before Christmas Day.  They are so wonderful. They didn't give me a time or day for you to contact them, but I would think that before Christmas Eve would be best.

Alrighty. Well, I have been assigned to the DeLand Area! It is a really green place with a lot of really thick tropical trees everywhere. My companion is so fantastic. Her name is Sis Arsenault, and is originally from TX but her family is currently living in CO. She is fun lovin', hard workin', and southern twainin'.  She has only been in the mission for 5 months, but is that good that she has been assigned to be a trainer. She is very bubbly, so I haven't had a problem meeting the ward. There are 2 sets of missionaries in each ward- 1 group of elders and sisters. This is a BIKING MISSION! So, despite us having a car share (1 week on, 1 week off (sharing with other sisters near our area)), they want us biking as much as possible. This week was bike week. I am so sore. But I love being able to speak with so many people. Between the confidence, and speaking skills of me and my comp, we have been able to meet a lot of people this week. So good.

I am short on time so here are some quick fun facts:

- FOM is also an Ipad and Facebook mission- but those I don't get till I am done training.

- I now completely understand why people gain weight on the missions- EVERYONE wants to feed the missionaries and give them so much food that we are required to eat. Especially around Christmas time. I suppose people may feel less empathetic in January though. Haha

- My apartment is sweet. The mission is actually pretty rural, but our not-so-humble-abode is really nice, and updated. I will send you pics next week.

- I am the only one in the ward that can play the piano. I have been unofficially invited to prepare all the music now :) I am just excited for the excuse to play!

- The ward is really great. Since my comp has been there her whole mission, and she is so fun to talk to, everyone really embraces the missionaries.

Really fast experience:

We have a fantastic family my comp has been working with the last 3 months. We have been particularly working with the wife, Diane. Though I haven't seen her whole transformation, it was incredible to see the change in her eyes and her families actions after we brought her to a temple tour. Without speaking to us first, she announced to the whole RS in church that she has received a confirmation of the truthfulness of this church and will be baptized on January 10th.

.........

I was shocked. After working at Vivint, and basically working people into buying a security system, I am amazed that the spirit truly can transform people- not my words. The change that has come upon their family in the last few days has been incredible- I feel privileged to have seen it happen.

I love being a missionary!!! I look forward to seeing you soon!

MTC Week 1!

Family!

What a week! I seriously don't even know where to start because so much has happened. Thank you for your letters! The minute you send a "Dear Elder" message, it is being printed and sent to my mail box within 30 minutes- I have loved receiving them! Also MOM, I loved the pics you put in my scriptures, it totally made my day. Also, I so appreciated the package you sent along with the hand written notes- I will try to get responses sent out today. I am short on time as I am leaving for the temple soon with my district, but even if it doesn't get sent today, know that it is written and will arrive soon. I want you to know that I am so happy here- I am prepared to be here, and though I miss you all, I haven't been home sick in the slightest- nor have I had time to.

As I reflect on my week, I can't even identify which days are which, but I love the work that I am doing. Being dropped off at the MTC seems forever ago, but I remember being quickly whisked away I was to have all my information validated. Everything was so fast, and around every corner I heard "Welcome to the MTC Sister!"  So much love- it was a little overwhelming. But after getting signed in I went to my classroom to meet my district. I have such a fantastic district. We have a total of 4 Sisters going to Orlando, FL and 4 Elders going to Edmonton, AB. Everyone in my district works hard, keeps everyone accountable, contributes, and is pretty articulate. The things I have accomplished in our classroom have been incredible. My companion was assigned from that group of sisters. She is superb. Her name is Sis Quinton, and she is from Cardston AB (Mom, Do we have any family close?). She is gentle and kind, yet contributes a lot in our lessons- we make a really great team. The MTC is so great. The energy here is constant. Everyone welcomes each other with "Good morning Elders/Sisters", sisters sing in the showers, prayers are always been said, and the amount of resources that are provided here amaze me. We even had a General Authority come yesterday (Bro. Zwick from the Quorum of the 70). I love it here. 

I feel prepared in to be here. Mom and Dad- I am so grateful you have relayed to me how hard I should be expected to work, because it has made this adjustment much easier than it has with other missionaries. I am on fire. I feel so driven, excited, and a little unnerved of the gravity of what I am trying to do- but I love knowing as I look around at so many missionaries, that there is an army of us out there! My comp and I have also been assigned to act as Sister Training Leaders- and because there are not a lot of missionaries coming in this week (with holiday schedules) we don't have anybody to really give orientation to. So basically our only assignment is whenever someone has a melt down, we calm them down. Haha, it's been good though. If there is one thing that I have loved learning this week, it's how to love everyone. We have even begun teach both fake and real investigators. I can't believe how valuable my Vivint training is becoming. Lessons are going well. However, because the Holy Ghost is the real teacher, I have been so concerned with how to best discern what the investigator needs to be said and feel while we are teaching. We visited Elder Bednar's talk titled "The Twenty Mark Note" in our class. He explained that as long as you're being a good girl/boy, remembering your covenants, and keeping the commandments, it has been promised we will be at the right place at the right time, saying and doing the right things. He explained that though in the moment we may not recognize our actions as actions that were "promted" (it's a rare occasion that an overwhelming confirmation is received in short moments), but by reflecting back on those moments the hand of the Lord can be seen. 

I am so short on time today, and won't be able to send pics- but I'll be sure to send you double next week :) Also, my P-Day in the MTC is Wednesdays but in the field it will be on Mondays. I will be leaving for my flight to Orlando Florida this Monday. So Mom and Dad you can expect a call from me before 10 am. But I won't be able to email you till the following Monday. 

I am so happy here. I love being able to call everyone Sisters and Elders. I love being called Sister Earl. I love wearing my name tag- I now put it on when I first wake up. And I am so excited to enter the field with the fire I have developed here. I love you all- don't worry about me mom :)

Sister Earl

Well, this is it! I am signing off! For the purpose of documenting my experiences and allowing others to stay tuned according to their pleasure and convenience, I have created this blog to be updated by my family while I serve an LDS mission in Orlando Florida. I feel incredibly blessed for a million reasons, but most prevalent in my mind is how grateful I am for the confidence I feel in serving as it has been my personal desire and decision for quite some time now, meanwhile feeling overwhelming support from so many friends and family members. I feel strengthened, happy, purposeful, and ready to get to work!

Please keep in touch! For information on how to contact me, please contact my mom at mqearl@gmail.com. See ya’ in 18 months!