Elder Harding and I did have a pretty sweet lesson a couple of days ago. We taught a bunch of people at the lesson. The grandma said she was going to Arizona in 15 days but she told her friend she wasn't going to go until after she got baptised. So that was cool. Then her 11 year old granddaughter who we just found out wasn't a member wants to be baptised. She likes going to the weekly youth activities and has been going for a while, so she'll be active. The lesson was on the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the spirit was really strong. One of the people had a doubt about something but after Elder Harding talked with her a bit, she understood. We sang the Spirit of God at the end of the lesson. One of the girls also said after the lesson "Wow, your spanish was good. It's like you learned how to speak in one day." And they said that our song was good. Which means the spirit must have been strong because I can't sing or speak Spanish.
The heat is coming over here. It is 98 today. At least im not in the desert, which in the summer Elder Harding says is like "the refiners fire". I'm starting to brown a bit. Mayble I'll look like a Mexican in the summer. All the members say that if I want to learn spanish better I need to eat peppers so my mouth will be really hot and I'll be able to speak spanish quickly. So at a dinner I ate two halepaneos at the same time. Wow! that was hot. But myth busted, my Spanish was about the same.
Hey, I don't know if I have my line of authority paper, so can you tell me what it is.
Until next Monday,
Elder Meiners
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
April 21, 2008
Family,
This is the end of our first transfer. Elder Harding and I are still together for the next transfer, it looks like i'll be the one to finish him off. This was Elder Hardings first area, he was here for 7 1/2 months at the beggining and now he'll spend the last three here. Some times we'll run into people who will remember him back from when he didn't speak any spanish. I think he will have some things he wont take home at the end of this next transfer that i'll inherit, like a passdown tie or something like that. Ha Ha He He He.
Church is getting easier to understand. The ward we are in is pretty new and there is a recent convert (7 months) that teaches one of the classes. The one that the missionaries and the investigatores go to. When he teaches he uses the missionaries a lot to explain things because he is pretty new. We were talking about the priesthood and he asked me a question. I thought he asked me how long ive had the priesthood, but i guess he asked me something else, so when i answered "doce" (12) it didnt really make much sense. But I am getting better. One of the members at church makes me practice talking to him in spanish that was fun, most of the them like trying to talk with me. I think they think its like a game or something. But all the children speak english so its fun talking to them.
We didn't have as many people at church (8), but things are still going well, some of them want to be baptised so things are still going forward. I was the senior companion and it was hard to keep track of everything and remind everyone to come to church, so if I had done that better more might have come.
Riverside has more english speaking than spanish, but in certain areas like Casa Blanca there are a lot of spanish. We get a lot of food like avacados and fruit from members, thats where California comes in handy.
Its good the be the junior companion again, just along for the ride. (Except for giving dinner thoughts, teaching lessons, contacting people,..etc)
Elder Meiners
This is the end of our first transfer. Elder Harding and I are still together for the next transfer, it looks like i'll be the one to finish him off. This was Elder Hardings first area, he was here for 7 1/2 months at the beggining and now he'll spend the last three here. Some times we'll run into people who will remember him back from when he didn't speak any spanish. I think he will have some things he wont take home at the end of this next transfer that i'll inherit, like a passdown tie or something like that. Ha Ha He He He.
Church is getting easier to understand. The ward we are in is pretty new and there is a recent convert (7 months) that teaches one of the classes. The one that the missionaries and the investigatores go to. When he teaches he uses the missionaries a lot to explain things because he is pretty new. We were talking about the priesthood and he asked me a question. I thought he asked me how long ive had the priesthood, but i guess he asked me something else, so when i answered "doce" (12) it didnt really make much sense. But I am getting better. One of the members at church makes me practice talking to him in spanish that was fun, most of the them like trying to talk with me. I think they think its like a game or something. But all the children speak english so its fun talking to them.
We didn't have as many people at church (8), but things are still going well, some of them want to be baptised so things are still going forward. I was the senior companion and it was hard to keep track of everything and remind everyone to come to church, so if I had done that better more might have come.
Riverside has more english speaking than spanish, but in certain areas like Casa Blanca there are a lot of spanish. We get a lot of food like avacados and fruit from members, thats where California comes in handy.
Its good the be the junior companion again, just along for the ride. (Except for giving dinner thoughts, teaching lessons, contacting people,..etc)
Elder Meiners
Saturday, April 19, 2008
From a friend in California
Hello Brother & Sister Meiner:
Hello from Riverside, California where your son is currently serving. I had the pleasure
of meeting him before the General Priesthood Session of Conference began. I have know his companion, Elder Harding all of the time he has served his mission and have been very blessed to have kept in contact with him. Your son is with an excellent Trainer. Elder Harding thinks very highly of your son and admires his obedience to the Gospel and his diligence to his mission.
Today, I took our own missionaries from my Ward along with Elder Harding and Elder Meiner to lunch at a favorite and fun restaurant in Riverside. We did have an enjoyable lunch and I already have a lot of respect for your son. He is a very polite young man with a terrific sense of humor. He looks healthy, fit as a fiddle and eager to learn all that he can. We talked a great deal about the Washington DC Temple and his experiences there. I am envious because I would love to do a session in this temple.
He spoke with love about his family, about your own missions to Italy and Oakland. He loves you and I know he will make you very proud. He's a good boy and I know the Lord is ever mindful of him and wants him to succeed on his mission. He will.
Proud to be a new friend of Elder Meiner,
(A member of
Riverside Arlington Ward)
Hello from Riverside, California where your son is currently serving. I had the pleasure
of meeting him before the General Priesthood Session of Conference began. I have know his companion, Elder Harding all of the time he has served his mission and have been very blessed to have kept in contact with him. Your son is with an excellent Trainer. Elder Harding thinks very highly of your son and admires his obedience to the Gospel and his diligence to his mission.
Today, I took our own missionaries from my Ward along with Elder Harding and Elder Meiner to lunch at a favorite and fun restaurant in Riverside. We did have an enjoyable lunch and I already have a lot of respect for your son. He is a very polite young man with a terrific sense of humor. He looks healthy, fit as a fiddle and eager to learn all that he can. We talked a great deal about the Washington DC Temple and his experiences there. I am envious because I would love to do a session in this temple.
He spoke with love about his family, about your own missions to Italy and Oakland. He loves you and I know he will make you very proud. He's a good boy and I know the Lord is ever mindful of him and wants him to succeed on his mission. He will.
Proud to be a new friend of Elder Meiner,
(A member of
Riverside Arlington Ward)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
This is the sixth week of the transfer. One week out of the six the junior companion gets to be the senior companion for the week. That started today. I drove and at the first stop sign when nobody was there I just rolled through it. Elder Harding said I was on my way to becoming a "California Driver".
I have two name tags, one for my shirt and one for my suit that pins on. About two weeks ago I lost the one for my shirt, and about one week ago I ordered another one. Ive been using the pin for everything and i called the office today to see if my tag was there. But they said that they missprinted it and their going to have to try again. If only I was Elder MELNERS then I'd be able to wear it.
I one of our investigators commited to be baptised this week, and at church we had 12investigators. As good as that is we are actually expecting more than that next week. All thanks to this one amazing member who always brings more people: Hermana Estrada.
The heat is starting to crank up over here. Its giving people new excuses at the doors, "I cant talk right now, it's too hot". Pretty soon I hear we'll be dripping wet.
I'll tell you next week how my reign as senior companion was.
Elder Meiners
I have two name tags, one for my shirt and one for my suit that pins on. About two weeks ago I lost the one for my shirt, and about one week ago I ordered another one. Ive been using the pin for everything and i called the office today to see if my tag was there. But they said that they missprinted it and their going to have to try again. If only I was Elder MELNERS then I'd be able to wear it.
I one of our investigators commited to be baptised this week, and at church we had 12investigators. As good as that is we are actually expecting more than that next week. All thanks to this one amazing member who always brings more people: Hermana Estrada.
The heat is starting to crank up over here. Its giving people new excuses at the doors, "I cant talk right now, it's too hot". Pretty soon I hear we'll be dripping wet.
I'll tell you next week how my reign as senior companion was.
Elder Meiners
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
April 7, 2008
Dear Family,
I eat with the members every night. There are four spanish elders in the ward so there are the four of us every night together. I eat the same thing every day, I feel weird if I eat something different. I eat oatmeal in the morning, then a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, and beans and rice for dinner(usually with some kind of meat).
Well our investigators are doing pretty good. I went on exchanges with the zone leaders(english elders). I went to some rich neighborhood and tracked for the day, which wasn't bad. But, when I came back that was the day we visited three of our investigators, and one read a lot, the other got an answer the her prayer and wants to be baptized, and the last appointment also went unusually good. Elder harding said his voice was tired becuase he was the only one talking for hours and hours. The funny thing was the zone leader he went with didn't know what had happened in any of the lessons, until he got the summary afterward. So one way or another our investigators are doing well, so I'll take it. The area's finally starting to come alive.
General Conference was really cool, Im glad I got to watch it in English. I really liked Hollands talk, and the solemn assembly was pretty cool. Worthlins was my other favorite.
Hope things are still going well over there.
Elder Meiners
I eat with the members every night. There are four spanish elders in the ward so there are the four of us every night together. I eat the same thing every day, I feel weird if I eat something different. I eat oatmeal in the morning, then a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, and beans and rice for dinner(usually with some kind of meat).
Well our investigators are doing pretty good. I went on exchanges with the zone leaders(english elders). I went to some rich neighborhood and tracked for the day, which wasn't bad. But, when I came back that was the day we visited three of our investigators, and one read a lot, the other got an answer the her prayer and wants to be baptized, and the last appointment also went unusually good. Elder harding said his voice was tired becuase he was the only one talking for hours and hours. The funny thing was the zone leader he went with didn't know what had happened in any of the lessons, until he got the summary afterward. So one way or another our investigators are doing well, so I'll take it. The area's finally starting to come alive.
General Conference was really cool, Im glad I got to watch it in English. I really liked Hollands talk, and the solemn assembly was pretty cool. Worthlins was my other favorite.
Hope things are still going well over there.
Elder Meiners
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