Words from Sister Hailey Overson in the MTC (Brazil)

My adorable district. Goodness we're so awesome;)

"Hi everyone!! Well, I've almost been here at the MTC for two weeks now. Weird. I never understood the saying "Days go by like weeks and weeks go by like days" until now. It's crazy. Every day is hard and long but looking back on my MTC experience so far, I feel like I just got here! 

We got eight new sisters in our zone!!! I was so stinking excited. Friends!!! This week has been so fun, but so tough. The language is weird and difficult. I understand now why some people said that there was some French in here. It's crazy! We got two more investigators this week. Me and Sis. Post are teaching them and I'm trying hard to keep up with her. She's got a lot more experience and confidence, but it's good because it gives me something to work toward! It's weird, but I really do love this language. It's beautiful. But I'm realizing more that the language of Portuguese is not as important as the language of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost is the one that does everything!

The MTC is basically just classes all day, so by the end of the day my brain feels totally fried. But gym time is so great. My zone is crazy into volleyball and I'm loving it! We have so much fun. I try to keep my competitive nature at bay, but sometimes things get a little heated;) But we all have a blast. The temple walks are also the bomb. The first one I went to, it was so sunny and happy. But this last time, it rained hard core. And I had the time of my life, jumping in puddles and whatnot. 

My district is awesome. I seriously can't tell you how much I love these people. The rest of my zone is cool, too. But we're all crazy. Everyone is a goofball and we're super obnoxious... except when we're supposed to be reverent. Don't worry;) Last night one of the Elders in my district tripped and hurt his ankle. The other elders gave him a blessing and he's doing well. It's crazy how close we've all become. Maybe it's because of being here at Christmas.. I don't know. But we're family:) 

Speaking of Christmas, I can't believe it's almost here!! I'm so excited to Christmas here at the MTC:) It's going to be so great! I hope everyone at home has a wonderful Christmas. Please don't forget what the true meaning of Christmas is. Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born and that is the most wonderful news!! Santa's awesome, too. But please remember Christ:) I love you all so much! Merry Christmas!!"

 

Words from Sister Hailey Overson in the MTC (Brazil)

"Hey everyone!! Sister Overson here:) Well this week has just been... fantastic. Seriously, I am absolutely loving it here!! But I'll start from the beginning.

So the first day I got to the MTC, I was with all the other missionaries, waiting to get our name tags and companions. I thought everything was great. And then I was pulled aside and given a name tag that read said "solo" on it. I've been a solo sister all week, which means that I'm the only sister missionary in my district. The first day was difficult. I felt super left out and alone because I didn't have a companion. But once we all figured out how solo sisters' rules work, everything's been great! I basically just hang out with the five elders in my district all the time. We've all grown so close. Everyone who knows how awkward I am is probably cracking up right now. And trust me, that first day was soo incredibly awkward. But now it's good! I've always wanted an older brother and now I have 5! Also, the elders in the district that came in right before us say they're my dad... so I guess we're all just an awkward family right now. There were three sisters that I roomed with but they all left today. I got a real companion yesterday.. So that was sad. But I love it here. 

We taught our first lesson on Friday IN PORTUGUESE!! It was insane. Elder Holeman, Elder Harrison and I had no idea what we were doing or saying. It's been so frustrating, but I'm so grateful for this chance I have to be here. I love this place. Our lessons have progressively gotten better. I mean, we still have no idea what our investigator is saying... but we handle it better now I guess? We work really hard to understand and to speak and have the Spirit. 

So the first Sunday I was here, they called me to be Sister Training Leader in our zone. A little overwhelming since I still have no idea where anything is and I haven't even been here for a week. I know it'll be ok though. The Lord is in charge, so whatever happens is supposed to happen. I just hope that I can do this. Also on Sunday, I was called on to give a talk. They do this thing here, where they tell everyone to be ready to give a talk and then right after the sacrament, they announce who's going to give it. When they announced my name, I almost killed over. Seriously. I was about ready to cry. But I gave my talk in English, since I'm allowed to do that because it's my first week, and I sat back down... still alive. Whoo hoo! Sunday was aweome though. So many wonderful talks and then the BYU Men's Chorus came and sang to us!! They were AMAZING! 

Yesterday, I got a real companion. She was here in October for a month, but had to get surgery on her shoulder. So now she's back. She knows way more about everything than me... so I kind of feel like an idiot for being the STL and stuff. But I'm working on it. She does a really good job of keeping me focused, since I seem to have a hard time doing that sometimes. But this is all for the better! 

Thank you all so much for your love and support. I'm so grateful for every one of you. I love this church and I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to go on a mission. The church is true!!! Also I would send pics, but my camera didn't have a memory stick until last night (Elder Brady gave me an extra one, so Mom, you don't need to send one). So I'll send pictures next week!! Tchau!!!"

Words from Elder Garrett Hollembek in West Virginia

"Merry Christmas!

It has been a great week to be a missionary in West Virginia. I think
this is the warmest December of my life, its hung out around the
fifties most of the week and we've only had one day that snowed. The
work in Charleston is going great, we found one of our part member
families this week and began teaching them. John Frazier and his
girlfriend came to church this week and had a great time. Our ward is
really great at fellowshipping and going the extra mile. We also set a
goal for a boy named Joenson to get baptized, his uncle Derrick and
his aunt Rose are from Micronesia and joined the church in the last
few months so we've started teaching Joenson the discussions and he's
really progressing. We're still teaching Bill Ratliff and he's come to
church every week for the last three weeks. We taught him the Word of
Wisdom this past week and he's hesitant about giving up his morning
cup of coffee but he's been making a lot of great strides so we aren't
too worried about it. A neat blessing from this week is one of our
less active members came out to teach with us and bore his testimony
about the importance of the Book of Mormon. When we started teaching
him he didn't believe that God existed but he was willing to read from
the Book of Mormon and pray each day. We've been visiting his family
for about a month now and his faith has grown a lot. We also had a
funny situation come up with one of our members. Since I first got
here we went over and taught Brother Beck, who we thought was less
active. Missionaries have been going over there for years trying to
get him to come back to church. A couple of weeks ago he started
coming but his records weren't in the ward. Side note here: he's got a
quad set of scriptures and grew up going to church and asks about
priesthood meeting and everything. So we're looking with the ward
clerk for Brother Beck's records and we can't find them so we text
Brother Beck and mention that Brother Lawrence, the ward clerk, can't
find his records. We get a call a half hour later from Brother
Lawrence and he tells us that Brother Beck isn't member of the church,
he grew up going to church up until he was twelve he just never had
gotten baptized. Brother Beck asked if Brother Lawrence would baptize
him and we're going to meet with Brother Beck and his family next week
at the Lawrence's house to have the discussions. It was a really
incredible miracle. We were really bummed that Brother Beck had missed
so much time without the gift of the Holy Ghost but we're excited that
God has him covered and he'll be getting baptized soon. I can't wait
to talk to you guys on Christmas. I hope you have an awesome week. I
love you so much."

Words from Sister Hannah Platt in Honduras

"Well, like always i have no time. So, thank you all soo much for your emails a

nd your sweet words!! I so wish i could reply to each one of you and express my gratitude! Just know that I love you all! You are all so amazing and my life is soo blessed because of you. So MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!! Also, happy anniversary to my dear amazing parents!!! And a very happy brithday to my dear sister in law laura and to my best friends, Abbie Waite and Kyla Crosby this week! I wish you all the best!!

So Christmas was soooo amazing!! I got to talk to my parents the 24th and the biggest miracle was i also got to talk to my dear sister brittany who is also on a mission! Talking to my family was the greatest present i have ever recieved. At first, my call wouldn´t go through because you have to have a code for the US and is was sooo complicated. I was bawling cuz i thought I wouldn´t be able to get through, but we found a code, and my call went through! I was only able to call through the phone and not skype, but i am just sooo grateful!!! That call was such a blessing to me and i know that the Lord gave me that gift. I also got another package and a letter this week! A package from my mom and sister in law and a letter from Elder Adam Otto! Thank you guys sooo much!! So for Christmas, we worked super hard!! But... our baptism for this week fell through... but next Saturday we have two and it is a miracle!! This Christmas was the first Christmas ever that i wasn´t focused on myself and the gifts that i recieved. Instead, i was given the gift of focusing on the sweet people here in Honduras. And it was incredible. We spent the day with all our investigadores and many members! We ate this dish called torrejas. It is super weird... but soo good! I am really not even sure what it is, but oh well :) So Christmas was also super hot here.. the 24th was the hottest day i have had yet... But it was good for me cuz it really didn´t even feel like Christmas so i didn´t feel homesick. haha

Weel, that´s all i have time fore... but i hope you all had the most wonderful Christmas and that your NEw YEar is incredible! Please remember that nothing is more important than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Make it your goal to serve Him this new year with your whole hearts!! I love you all soooo much!! Thanks for all your support of me and your many prayers!!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words from Elder Kyle James in Germany

"Hallo meine Familie!

Es war wunderbar meine Familie zu sehen. Ich habe es geliebt. Vielen Dank für alles! 

(It was wonderful to see my family. I loved it. Thanks for everything.)

I will keep this one short today:( Oh well haha. I am writing letters... so it is ok. Plus we talked face to face for a while this week:) Plus my letters are waaaaaaay longer than some I have seen. SO be thankful for your good son!

So for starters... I loved skyping. It was awesome. I met Elder Baders mom when he skyped. She was very thankful for me. She cried a little. It was sweet. We ate Lasagne at the Holland Letzs House. It was way good. They also gave us gifts. I love them. I laughed so hard when Bruder H talked to you guys in his practiced English. It was so funny. And then his daughter. They probably practiced for hours. He talked to you before I did!! That Kleiner Stinker! 

Anyway... Haha lets get writing.

Monday was alright. We played soccer with some Turks and Demass got hit in the head. I had to call the mission nurse and what not. It was fun! We then ate pizza in our Wohnung and then I had to split with Wuppertal!......................yeah.

Tuesday was in Wuppertal. The Elders in Wuppertal like going to goverment housing and teach people who don't speak German or English. Pretty much refugees from Africa.  So that was what we did. We taught refugees. There was a crazy guy in there. He laughed like a crazy man and stared at us... it was scary! haha yeah. Then I went home, back to Solingen... my home!

Wednesday was great. We went by on some people and then went to Burscheid. We had a great meeting with the Maaßs. They are great. We had an awesome dinner. We sang hymns and got into the Christmas spirit. Bruder Maaß told me to say hello, and to thank you for my good work or something like that haha. It was great. I loved it. The Maaßs don't give gifts because they don't need them... cuz they are already happy. That is really cool.

Thursday you know about... it was a great day. And you guys were a part of it! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Friday... we got a new investigator. Alfred. We gave him a BOM and he wans to learn more. Boom. Invesigator. Haha sweet! I can't wait to meet him again! We also met with Köster. We gave him gifts and wrote letters. He loved them.  It was a lot of fun. He was out of town on Sunday though. Schade. Oh well. I will get him to come. We will get him to come. He will come!

Saturday... we had weekly planning and ate with Matt and his friend. Matt is getting to crazy... we want to meet with his friend now. hhaha so yeah.

Sonntag was fun. We met a guy we never saw. Turns out... he was a referal from Wuppertal that we called last week. He is actually an excomminacted member that we are teaching now. We talked to him alone, and he cried to us. The spirit was very strong. He really wants to come back. I won't go into details cuz it is only for us to know!  But yeah... so... we got a new investigator that we will prepare for a baptism. Very cool. He is super nice.

Today we are going to Düsseldorf. Shopping and bowling! I need to buy a new winter hat. I am excited for one. Oh yeah! We got hammered with snow and ice. Like 3-4 inches. It is really cool! It is supposed to snow for a while! Now it is dangerous! Haha the roads are ice... and everywhere else too. It was negative 4 C yesterday. With 99% humitidy. Das ist nicht so Schön. (this is not so nice)

COLD

well that is all. I love you guys very much.

I am so excited to see Solingen explode with work. It takes hard work, faith, and love. It really does take love. We have to love the people enough to go outside and talk with them. They are children of our God, and brothers and sisters. I love this work. I challenge everyone who reads this... to read Enos in the Book of Mormon. Play close attention to "and my soul hungered" What does that mean to you? Hungered for what? How can we have that same hunger? How can we feed that hunger? Very good questions to ask. Please do so! Follow the example of Enos. Hunger.

I love you guys so much! I know the work I do is the work of God. I know its true. For myself, I know its true. I love saying so everyday.

You guys are the best!! LOVE YOU ALL!"

 

 

Words from Elder Chandon Herring in Washington DC

Hello family! Merry (late) Christmas!!!!!
Monday... Today was a super fun pday. We played Hockey all day! It was
great. I had a lot of fun. I did not too bad either. haha I am no good
by any means but I played ok and had a blast. I also got to text my
family to set up skype. That was fun! I also was able to give Elder
Springer a blessing. I absolutely love That I am able to hold the
priesthood and use it to bless peoples lives. It really is the power
of God. I was able to do some shopping and i
got all of the stuff i needed to make cinnamon rolls. YUM! They turned
out great.

Tuesday... 2 more sleeps until Christmas!!!!! That is something Jeff
Jex was doing and so i adopted it. haha. we had a great time re
enacting the Christmas story. It was super funny.  One of our ZLs named Elder Brimhall
had the best costume. He was the Angel so he was wrapped in white
plastic stuff on a super tall ladder and had the sun shining in behind
him. He was literally glowing. It was so fun! I will try to send a
picture. We had lunch with a member and he gave me a sweet jacket and
stuff. Cool guy. It was a beautifuul day to. There was super thick fog
and it smelled amazing out where we were. It was quiet and it felt
like Show Low after a rain storm. So nice! We took good pictures.

Wednesday... Christmas eve! For some odd reason people do not want to
meet with the missionaries the week of Christmas... hmmmm... But we
were able to meet with a few members today. We met with Brenna (a ward
missionary) and her sister Amanda. They are super funny and their home
is like an old ladies home in decor. We read the Christmas story with
them. Then we met with Lydia who is also a ward missionary who is in
need of frequent visits. She is doing a lot better and is going to be
going to the temple this Friday!!!!! So good! We were not allowed to
be out past 4 so i made cinnamon rolls. and boy did they turn out
good! :) Then I got my christmas package from home. WE played a game
and got in our PJs and bed. so excited!
Thursday... CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a spoiled brat. I
got just about everything i needed and wanted. My family is great! I
love you all and thank you so much for sending me letters, gifts, and
treats. You are the bomb dig! We went to the VC for the mission
Christmas party. We watched the 2nd how to train your dragon. It is a
great movie. The best one a lot of elders said they had seen all year
;) haha. We had a great lunch after and had a talent show. Our mission
is the best. If you look on FB you willl find a lot of the things that
they had done. One of them I shared and that was the cartoon.
Stevenson did a great job. The mission  gave us gifts of a T-shirt and
a water bottle. good quality to. We ate dinner with a member and it
was super good. They made green beans but with bacon and onion. It was
super weird but the best thing i ate all day. haha. 
Elder Sorensen got nerf guns for Christmas so we set up to play a kind
of game that is like Mummy that we played. We did it so good. Our
roommates did not expect it and were so scared when they came home and
there was scary music, the lights did not work or turn on, and the
house looked like a mess. It was so fun! 

Friday... We did not have a single lesson today because no one would
meet with us. So we re arranged our room, made a new map, which is so
much more difficult than it needs to be, and ya. We spent a lot of
time in the mission office trying to figure out our map. We ended up only printing 50ish sheeets to tape
together and that is less than half of our area. Needless to say we
have one of our walls dedicated to just our map. boring day but super
productive.

Saturday... day 200 on the mission! only like 530ish left. haha. But
today was not that good at all. A recently reactivated member has gone
crazy. He is a paranoid schizophrenic. He messaged our Assistant WML
and told him he no longer wanted to associate with the church.  He told of some crazy things. We were
sent ot talk to him and he did not listen. He is going to meet with
Bishop and he needs it. The real worry is his roommate Jose who is a
recent convert. He seems to be handling it well and he is "walking on
faith" He is awesome. He is trying so hard and I hope we dont lose
him. We wont though. That took a lot of time and was depressing
because of the total lack of spirit that we felt. But we were able to
listen to WIcked and go to Panda for dinner with a member. He is super
cool but a little weird.

Sunday... Today was just amazing. Sorensen was sick so I took Elder
Parker, our roommate, with me to church and appointments. We had a
great service and right after met with Sasha. He is Michaels home
teacher (crazy mike) and we explained what was happening and taught
about Goals and the temple. Sasha is a recent convert of about 3
months and is great. He wants to serve a mission. We next went with
Jason the WML to teach an investigator names Million. He has been
meeting with the missionaries for like 7 months and is not
progressing. So we were planning on giving him the drop talk. The
spirit said otherwise and we ended the lesson with him on date,
excited, and understanding more than ever before. He has a language
barrier but we have overcome that. We just need to simplify a lot
more. great lesson on the restoration. For dinner we went to the AF
base and ate with a member. He fed us super well and lets just say
that the AF spoils it people.
So this was an amazing week and I am so happy that I get to serve
here. The people are great and the work is progressing. We all need to
be more obedient and try harder. Go to the temple and dont do drugs.
haha LOVE YOU!

Words from Elder Eli Frazier in Peru

Hey everyone, another great christmas week here! heres some pics of the past week! had lots of fun playing around the world ping pong and we got to waatch Frozen! IN spanish of course which says ¨si hacemos un munequa? hahah which is do you want to build a snowman hahaha also some of the stuff i recieved.

I am now in Lima, in the area called Vallecito with my new campanion elder vasquez. Its all straight up hills where we proselite! like literally its stairs straight up a mountain to get to the house behind you! Im excited to be working here in this new area!