March 30, 2008

Hey Family,

Its hard to write in English because im so good at spanish. Just kidding. We play basketball every p-day at the church, im one of the worst players so when i take shots they usually dont even bother trying to block me, but its really fun to relax a bit on p-day. Another Elder, Elder Ealy and i were going some gymnastic stuff on the field. We got it so i was standing on his shoulders and we both had are hands out, then Elder Lopez the one from spain was going back hand spring. He joked saying "Hey dad, look what i learned on my mission" (his dad used to be the mission president in spain).

Elder Harding and I are getting along really well. We are alot the same, we both talk in our sleep, we both lose are planners at night, (one night the district leader called asking for our numbers but we told him we would have to call him back because we didnt know where our planners were. Mine was in my dresser, and i had put a tortilla over his.)And we both are hard workers. His birthday is my 1/2 birthday (June 28) So in that we are opposites.

Thats cools how erika and I are having parallel experiences.
I actually had chinese food the other day. Every once in a while its fun to change things up from beans and rice.

We run into a lot of crazy people out here, but its a lot of fun.

Hope everyones doing ok.

Elders Meiners

First Area, Riverside, CA

Dear Family.

I am writing from the public library of Riverside California. Riverside is my first area, there are 12 areas but im in riverside. It sounds like its the most alive area next to Corona. It is monday the 24th, it is my second P day, P days are on Monday. I wrote a letter last week but didnt get around to sending it ill send two today. Some of this is in my other letter but ill say it here again. Elder Harding is my trainer. He is one of the best missonaries out here. He was a zone leader right before he started training me. He only has this transfer and one more left, so about 2 and a 1/2 more months. He is from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He likes to surf.

We live in a small house. There are 6 Elders in there. It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a main room. Elder Lopez(spain) and Elder Russel(Virgina) sleep in one, while Elder Ealy(Pennsylavia) and Elder Lund(Texas) sleep in the other. Elder Harding(Virgina) and I sleep on the floor in the main room, it will probably be like that at least for the next month.

There were some investigators that the other Elders gave to us when we came in. They are Arturo and Max. And then Zaidi and her son Wilson. We commited them all to baptism on the 15th, which was my fourth day out. (Max wasnt there so we actually commited him a little later) They are all really cool. They had already came to church 5 times before we got there. The first three times they just came on their own and the missionaries thought they were members.
Elder Harding and I have taught a lot already, thats the best part.

I can understand pretty well what is going on, but most people think im oblivious. There a joke that whenever you dont know whats going on just nod and say "si". A member will ask me something and whenever i nod and say si they laugh because they think i dont know what they said.

Elder Harding and I go to the Spanish branch along with two other Elders, Elder Price and Blackburn. Church can be very hard to stay awake for because we are really tired, and trying to understand takes a lot of energy.

I got my bike one of the office Elders put together my bike so and first it was not working so well, but then a Mexican saw it and fixed it for me. Now it works really well its got big smooth tires and is really fast. When we go down hills I hunch over and get aerodynmic while Elder Harding is peddaling and I pass him, its really fun riding a bike. We just got a car on Saturday, for when dinners are far away and things like that. But bikes are really fun, you can talk to a lot of people, and they keep you in shape. All the other Elders are telling me im going to gain a lot of weight but i dont think I will.

Well I hope things are going well over there.

Elder James Meiners

The Mission Home, Riverside CA

Last week we received a letter from James' Mission President and wife, the Ewers. They reported that he arrived safely on March 11, and is now working in his area. We can't wait to hear more and find out where he is.

Flight to California

James was allowed to call home yesterday, March 11,from the Salt Lake City airport as he and his companion, Elder Rogers, flew to sunny California at 11:20 AM. James enjoyed the MTC, but was anxious to begin the "awesome part" of his mission in California.

Friday, March 7, 2008

vini, vidi, vici



Familia,

I came, I saw, I conquered. The MTC is behind me. At least it will be by the time you get this letter. As I wrote before I'll be in the airport the 11th. And my plane leaves at 11:30, or 1:20 your time. I think I get to make a call to you at the airport.

At the reference center I did a call in Spanish. We could actually understand each other. I got a hold of some lady and asked if so and so Garcia was there. She said in Spanish something about how he didn't live there. And then I said thanks and bye. Obviously this means I can speak Spanish and don't have anything to worry about.

Our teacher Hermana Thomas is having us write to people who she taught on her mission. I picked the Hermoso family. Hermoso means handsome or pretty, so that means that I picked the good-looking family. The letter will be in all Spanish, but I bet something good will come out of it.

I went to the health clinic to get my unusual rash checked out. He said it was pyteralysis rosa. Whatever that is. I can't feel it at all, It doesn't hurt, or itch, or burn, but he gave me some hydrocortisone lotion. I haven't used the lotion yet, but I might. It was only $5. When I asked what "pyteralysis" meant, he said that it was leprosy, then he said "just kidding". At least it's not leprosy.

For our devotional we had an apostle. It was one of the more loud-spoken and energetic apostles. It was...Jeffery R. Holland. He was really good. He got us all pumped to go. He said that missionaries were pretty much superheroes without capes. And other things about not having regrets.

I can't wait to see how I fare in the field with my limited Spanish. It will be interesting the first while.

Hope things are doing well at home.


--Elder James Meiners

Friday, February 29, 2008

Elder Rogers and I at the Temple [Elder Meiners is on the left.]


The mountains

[From Left to right starting at the top,] Gardner, Rogers, Cox, Narcross, Martin, Meiners, Riley, Cope










Familia,

We get our flight plans today which will tell us exactly when we leave. Oh, we got then. I'm the travel leader. My travel group is Elder Rogers and I. I'm leaving for a 11:20am March 11, '08 flight.

There is another Elder in my zone who is really into chess and we've played and we are 2 and 2.
The weather is starting to warm up.

I've gotten really good at reading Spanish, but my talking is still pretty shabby. Things are coming along pretty well. We've been counting down the days until our flight plans.

I got a haircut today. It was almost a straight buzz.

One more week until I conquer the MTC.

--Elder James Meiners

Feb 22, 2008

This letter arrived with the next letter.
Dear Family,

It doesn't seem long now until I leave the MTC. By the time you get this it will only be two weeks left. I've made a goal to have those thirteen scriptures about the first lesson memorized in Spanish. And our Branch President wants us to have all the ordinances memorized in Spanish, too, which is about ten flashcards front and back with things to memorize. That way when I don't know any Spanish and I'm talking to a native when I draw a blank I'll just quote a scripture and walk away.

I passed Jay (Miller) on the way over here and he was speaking much better Spanish than me. He's in the intermediate group.

Here we have a game every week called Family Home Verbos. We put motions to the Spanish verbs we need to know then we see how may we can get in the time period. Our district has won three weeks in a row. We also play a game where every day one person is the native and they have to speak Spanish all day. Elder Rogers and I are the only ones that haven't been the native yet.

The other Sunday me and another person named Elder Villsenor traded ties. Then at Devotional that night Elder Villsenor said something at the devitional, and you could see him wearing my tie. It was the green striped one you got me for Christmas, it's famous now.

Now that I'm in the oldest district there are a lot of other Elders that look up to us. It feels cool to walk down the hall and hear from the younger districts, "Elder Meiners, how's it going?" Our whole district are all good friends with each other by now.

Believe it or not it's snowing right now.

Here are some pictures. I haven't sent any yet. (Sorry they're on the floor somewhere and I can't find them).

Elder James Meiners