Rancho Penasquitos 2

Hi Family,

How are you? It sounds like last week was busy, with mom and dad going down to utah and grandma and grandpa going up to seattle. I bet you're all settled back down again.

So, on to talking about the work here. Emily Tsai is now a progressing investigator, she's doing very well, and has expressed desire to be baptized after she gains more understanding about the church. We met her at her house 3 times last week to teach her, she came to english class where I taught with elder gibbons, and we went with her to church. She has a schedule conflict to come to the Chinese branch, so we went with her to the english ward by her house in Rancho Bernardo. We're going to try to get her coming to the Chinese branch one of these weeks, though. Not this week or next week because of general and stake conference, but it will happen. I think we're going to get her to come.

As for other investigators, well, we still don't have any. We have a lot of contacts and potential investigators, but arranging appointments is very hard: Chinese people, like everybody, don't really like to schedule stuff and always say they'll call you back when they have free time. So we're trying to figure out ways to stop by when they'll be home on weekends without scheduling. We have one reference in particular that we have called several times this week, and she hasn't been able to talk to her husband to set up a time yet. So, Elkington and Jensen went during english class on saturday to just try to stop by, and though they were headed out the door, it almost worked, and they at least were contacted face to face.

We have spent a lot of time organizing the area, making tracting cards, etc. The work needs to be organized so that we don't just waste time in unproductive areas. I think we are pretty much done with that organization, though, so we are starting into full-gear finding work now.

We have also been meeting weekly with 3 recent converts. Ronald and Calvin his son are really cool. Ronald's mom is also a recent convert, but she's not in our area. Ronald is trying to get his wife to join, and we think that we can probably get her mother too eventually, so the misisonaries have been meeting with them consistently. The other recent convert is ShuMing Cao, a young married woman with two kids. She's very nice and shy, but she has a testimony and is finishing the book of mormon this week. There are a lot of good people here.

Well, that's about all that's been happening this week. I am doing well and I have been happy. The weeks here go by so much faster than in the MTC. We often have a lot of fun.

That's really cool that your mentor at microsoft is from hong kong. Maybe he needs a book of mormon. Our chinese branch has probably more cantonese people than mandarin, so I am starting (but only starting) to understand a little bit of cantonese. All the talks and testimonies are given in one form of chinese and english, so that's helpful. I might need to learn some cantonese out here eventually. :P

Thanks for the letters, mom dad and michelle. I love all of you, and becky and lisa too, although I love them just a little bit less because they haven't written lately. Just kidding.

Have a good week,
Love, Elder Myers

Rancho Penasquitos

Hi Family,

I am sorry about last week's email. I will save messages before I send in the future.

I am allowed to receive emails from immediate family and grandparents, that's all. However, if people want to write you and you put it in the email, that's fine. I can receive as many emails as I need to.

We are in Rancho Penasquitos, known as PQ, which is a section of northern San Diego. We have divided up the area; my companion is Elder Elkington, and we're from Penasquitos north, as far as we need to go until about LA. Elder Gibbons and Elder Jensen are the other two Chinese missionaries, and they cover from Mira Mesa south, all the way to the border with Mexico.

When we arrived, we were "whitewashing" in, which means that we were a new companionship who both got transferred into a new area. Elder Elkington has spent the last six months in Orange County doing English work, so he's a little rusty but his chinese is coming back. Elder Jensen and his old companion who just went home and was replaced by Gibbons were in charge of the entire area, and now we've split it. We have yet to get an area book, and all the investigators were in their area, so Elkington and I basically had to start from the beginning in order to find investigators. We have a goal of 1 new investigator a week.

In order to find, we have a couple things we do. We sometimes tract and street contact, but that's not really that effective. For tracting, we get street directories at the library, look for asian names, and then write down the places with high concentrations of asians, then try to go find some chinese people. It works pretty well, since we know which houses to knock on. When we knock, they see two white boys and if they don't speak english they try to turn us away, then they're shocked when we start speaking chinese. But we haven't actually gotten in any doors that way.

The Branch is very much centered on missionary work, though. We meet in Penasquitos and have... maybe 40 people, give or take. I'm not sure. but there have been several baptisms by elder jensen in the last few months, so the branch is doing well. The Branch President, President Leung, is from Hong Kong (I think), and he speaks cantonese and english. He is very supportive, and helps plan activities that will bring investigators. Last Saturday we had the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, or the Moon Festival. It was the night of the full moon, and has kids carrying lanterns around and food and other festivities. There were a few non-members there that we met. One was a previous investigator that Elkington already knew, Jia Zhang. We are hoping to meet with her on Saturday, but she has to check her schedule. Another was a couple who Elkington and Gibbons helped move while Jensen and I taught English Class. They are in Gibbons and Jensen's area, so we don't have much to do with them.

But the final non-member we met was named Emily Tsai; she had been brought by some friends and had asked for a chinese book of mormon. so, we met her and she already had a book of mormon and gospel principles book in her hand. She wanted to meet with us. So we set up an appointment for yesterday. Yesterday we prepared lots for the lesson - we were hoping to turn her into an investigator.

And the lesson yesterday went very well. She felt the spirit, we taught her what that was, and taught her about God and prayer. she had been having doubts about their being a god, but said that she felt God close by when she came to the church and that there was a peace in her home when we came. We told her we would help her overcome doubt and develop faith and knowledge about god. We assigned her Alma 32, and had a really great lesson. We invited her to pray at the end, and she did and the spirit was very strong. We set up an appointment for tomorrow, and she asked us how often we could come, and wanted us to stay for two hours next time. We're only supposed to stay 45 minutes, or an hour tops, so we told her we couldn't stay quite that long, but it's great that this lady has such a desire to become close to God and it's very exciting. So, we're both feeling very good about her joining the church. we were very fortunate to find her. Oh, and we taught mostly in chinese, but she wants us to use english sometimes too cause she's working on her english.

Well, I had better wrap it up. I cannot give you my new address - I do not know it, and we are all supposed to use the mission office address. So, we get mail once a week on p-day. It's kind of hard to only get it once a week, but time is going fast.

Elder Elkington is from Federal Way.

I am doing very well. It's good to be doing the lord's work. I hope you are all doing well too.Keep writing; it's good to hear from you.

Love you all,

Elder Myers

First Night at Mission Home

Dear Family,

Today I arrived at my mission. Apparently there are 2 other Mandarin Missionaries here, though I haven't met them yet. I will get my new companion tomorrow.

President and Sister Garner, along with both APs, were waiting for us at the airport. They are very nice, and I believe President Garner will be a great mission president. He gave us mustard seeds in a bookmark; mustard seeds are very small, and the bookmark talks about how if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can expect miracles.

We were taken to the mission home in a big van; it was about an hour drive from the San Diego airport, on very scary freeways. Once here, we ate our first home-cooked meal in 3 months - tacos. They were very good. The other elders have been at the MTC only 3 weeks, so they're not quite as mature and humble as I am. I feel like the MTC has prepared me well. And I'm joking about the "mature & humble" thing.

It was good to hear your voices today! I hope you're all doing well; it sounds like you are. Sorry we didn't get to talk longer, but Christmas and Mothers Day will have to do.

I will write more tomorrow, which is P-Day, but they gave us some time tonight and I just wanted to say hi. Be safe! Love you!
Elder Myers

Mission Address

Elder Myers leaves the MTC and arrives in California on September 12. His new address is

Elder Andrew James Myers
California Carlsbad Missionary
785 Grand Ave Ste 202
Carlsbad, CA 92008

To California at Last!

Dear Family,

I hope you're receiving the letters I'm sending. I have been writing every week.

I'm flying on Monday the 12th at 6:30 pm. We have 14 missionaries. I've met a few; it should be interesting. I'm getting used to the MTC now, but sadly, and yet happily, it's almost over, and I'm about to have to pretty much start again getting used to everything. I'm not too worried though.

My new address, until I get an actual address, is what I used for a return address on this envelope. (Elder Andrew Myers, California Carlsbad Mission, 785 Grand Ave Ste 202, Carlsbad, CA 92008)

I'll call you on Monday; Grandma said she'll send a phone. I've been working on a tape to send you too.

I'm excited to get out into the field. I guess it's getting scarier, though, as it becomes more and more near. Yesterday during class we talked a lot about the practical parts of the mission with the teacher. He let us ask any questions we had, and it was very useful.

I've spent a lot of time at the RC this week, but didn't really have any inspiring experiences. I got hung up on on an inbound call, which was pretty silly; the lady got offended when I kindly asked if she was Christian while she called in for a Bible. I don't feel bad about it though; I didn't do anything wrong. Two of the 3 other inbound calls accepted missionaries, so I felt successful.

Sister Atkinson send me cookies and Summer sent me a pie this week. They were very delicious.

We learned something very important today. A pamphlet can speak Chinese and teach clearer than us missionaries, but we're there to bring the Spirit. Elder Huey came up with a motto: "Don't let a pamphlet beat you." I think that's a good slogan to strive to live by.

I must be off to dinner. Write back soon and have a great week.

Love,
Andy Myers

MTC week 8

Dear family,

Well, you're moved! How is Seattle? Are you getting close to closing on the house and registering for school? Is it still hectic?

Mom, I'm glad that you think that you are being blessed because I am serving. I hope the blessings keep coming and everybody stays happy.

I'm glad that you got to see Jesse and that he is doing well!

What is going to happen/has happened to Carefully, the minivan?

Lisa, thank you for the drawing of Jesus. It is very good and I'm hanging it up. Your hair is very cute.

I got my first name ("Hero") from a teacher that had the privelege of naming everyone. I didn't dare choose it myself. I will send some videos of me speaking Chinese soon.

Okay, so on to what I've been doing this week...

It took a little while to adjust to the new companion but he's very easy to get along with. He needs lots of help with gospel terms, but he's catching on fast. I think the threesome is definitely a good thing.

This week at the RC is one of transition. Instead of using the dialer, we're now able to make our own calls. However, we have to clear the database of bad numbers, so for now, we don't get to talk to many people. That, in a way, makes it more exciting to talk to someone; it's kind of like tracting.

We got a new teacher this week named hu laoshi. He is very good. We also had a substitute names li laoshi. Even though they were both brand new, they did a great job.

At gym, I have been lifting weights and making good progress. Of course, I do still allow for a little 4-square time during gym.

At the TRC this week, our "investigator" while introducing himself, told us he was baptized in 2002. That kind of ruined the sense that it was a real investigator, but it still went well. He was a very nice mainlander and it was exciting to meet him. That morning at the TRC was the first time we had ever gotten through the entire 2nd lesson (Plan of Salvation) in Chinese in only 20 minutes. It felt lika a great accomplishment.

I had heard that there had been a tragedy in a cave on Y mountain, but I was shocked when I saw the picture of the girl from my high school. I didn't know her well, but I did have a few classes with her and she was nice. It was sad that she died. I hope their families and friends are doing all right.

It finally rained a couple times this week! It was very welcome.

Mom, you remember that lady who has called you twice to get permission for medical care? Well, her parents are from Shanghai, China, and so she is fluent in Mandarin. While I was outside practicing contacting, she was walking by, so I got to contact her in Chinese. It was a great experience because I understood everything she said. I was very excited after that "contact."

So, all in all, it has been a good week. I hope you're all doing well. I love you.
Love,
Elder Myers

MTC Week 9

Dear Family,

I haven't heard from you at all this week, but it is understandable. I bet you've been extremely busy. I just hope you're all safe, healthy, and doing well.

I'm working on a tape for you with my Chinese. I will send it soon, once I put everything I can think of on it.

Mom, I got the book from Amazon. Thank you. It is very helpful and I am learning how to read and write at a good pace.

We got our flight plans today! Elder Huey is very jealous. He still has 12 weeks left. I am, on the other hand, very excited.

I got sick this week... most of the district had it and it just went epidemic on us. Yesterday was really bad, but I am feeling a lot better today than I was yesterday. I feel that it's due to the power of prayer that I'm recovering after only one bad day. I don't think I've ever had such a brief sickness. I know prayer works and that God is working on us missionaries extra hard to keep us safe, healthy and able to do His work. Thank you all for your prayers too.

I am enclosing finished temple cards, and will send the remaining ones next week, once done. Thanks for sending them to me.

So we've heard bits and snippets of the news about the hurricane. It sounds very bad. It's strange to be so cut off from the world.

Learning is going well. The days and weeks are going past very fast. I'm understanding more and more Chinese and speaking better and better. I'm anxious to get out into the field.

Well, I hope all is well. Write soon. I love you all!