Monday, November 10, 2014

The Stone Cut Out of the Mountain Without Hands - Elder Jacob Avery

Written by Elder Jacob Avery, serving in the Peru Lima West Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Elder Avery is on the ladder (Peru Lima West Mission)
Before I start complaining about how many more baptisms I'd like to see, I need to remember people like Joseph Fielding Smith and Gordan B. Hinkley. They had zero and one baptism in their whole mission. My mission president's wife baptized 16 people in 18 months, while most good elders in her mission baptized 2 or 3 people their whole mission. President explained this to us in our training a few months back. I realize numbers of baptisms are not the whole reason we are here, but it is measurable, so it's hard to not think about that.

President also told us about a fireside (devotional meeting) he assisted years ago, and the only thing he remembered from the talk was ''God loves a champion.'' President explained to us that we can be normal, or we can be amazing. He told us that he hopes none of us left our houses thinking that we were going to be normal missionaries or normal people in general. Some people are born with this drive, but the majority of people who have this drive develop it during their lives.


I think one of my favorite examples if this is Caleb. That guy was 85 years old, but as he entered the promised land he said that he felt as strong as he was when he had first entered 40 years earlier. Of all the land in Palestine, he found a mountain that was still inhabited by many cities and said, ''Give me this mountain!'' Sure enough, that 85 year old and his small army defeated the previous occupants of the mountain. The thing is, some people just have a drive and desire to be champions, and sometimes we need to dig for it inside of ourselves. But I'm convinced that anyone can be a champion if they want to be.

Jesus said that we are the light of the world and that we are the yeast in bread. In other words, He told us, ''I want my disciples to be champions!''

Well, that's my spiritual thought for the week. I just want to let everyone know that I love you guys and I'm grateful for the overwhelming love and support I feel from home. We're doing our best here to get the ball rolling and see that stone cut without hands come rolling down the mountain. Have a great week! :)

Love, Elder Jake Avery

Our Course Towards Home (November 3, 2014)

Setting Goals  (November 17, 2014)

The Stone Cut out of the Mountain by Gordan B. Hinkley


15 Months - Sister Hannah Avery

Written by Sister Hannah Avery, serving in the Chile Vina del Mar Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Hello friends and family!

Well, 3 months from TODAY I will be back to the USA.... crazy! I feel like I just started my mission, blinked, and the time is gone. We are working our tails off everyday and trying to do everything that we can before we leave Chile! My companion, Hermana Martinez, goes home in 6 weeks! Crazy! We both are on edge and just working like crazy! And, we are seeing results! :)

We had a great week and found some great investigators this week! :) We found a man named L**, who is 85 years old and lives alone. We have to visit him with a married couple since we can't go in the house with him without another woman there. He came to church yesterday and loved it! He will be baptized on the 23rd of this month :) We are sooo happy and excited!

We did have a little bit of a scare with him, because he said that he had a contagious skin condition that was similar to herpes, but worse. Well, we called our mission nurse, mission president, and looked over his doctors' records and in the end, he was just confused :) He doesn't have anything like that, and doesn't have to be in isolation (away from contact with other people, etc.) like he thought! We almost DIED when he told us that, haha! Anyways, he is happy, healthy and received a priesthood blessing on Saturday to be healthy too. So we have lots of faith in him, and we're helping  him progress toward his baptism!

Our other 2 scheduled baptisms are for G & R, a mom of two recent converts who is about 40 years old, and her mom who is about 70 years old. They both didn't come to church yesterday because R**, the grandma, got really sick Saturday night and ended up in the hospital. She is doing better now, and we are going to go see them both tonight so that we can reschedule their baptisms for the 30th of this month. Please keep them all in your prayers!

We also had our monthly leadership meeting with our mission president, and all of the other Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders in the mission. It was AWESOME and I learned a lot! When I have more time, I will try to tell you all what we talked about :) But, the thing that was SUPER hard was that it was the last time I will see Hermana Mori and Hermana Puertas for a long time! They both go home NEXT Wednesday! AHH! We were all crying...blah! hahaha! But, they promised to take care of Jake, and take him treats, LOL! So happy to have such amazing companions that will take care of my baby brother! :)


I spoke in Sacrament Meeting again yesterday about the Book of Mormon and how we need to read it daily (not just once a year like many get in the habit of doing! haha!). It's the 4th time I have spoken in the branch in 6 weeks..... that's what happens when there are only 30 active members in the branch! And the crazy part is, that there are over 300 members registered in the area! Where are they?!?!? We have some serious work to do.....

Well guys, I hope that you all have a wonderful week! :) Always remember who you are, sons and daughters of the creator of the universe! It is too amazing for me to think about and fathom. You guys are the best! Talk to you next week! I love you!

xoxoxo Hermana Avery

I Can Be Superwoman (November 3, 2014)

God Be With You 'til We Meet Again (November 17, 2014)


Monday, November 3, 2014

I Can Be Superwoman - Sister Hannah Avery

Written by Sister Hannah Avery, serving in the Chile Vina del Mar Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Hello family and friends! :)

How are you guys?? I am doing much better and feeling healthier for sure! After a long, hard week of fighting off a nasty virus, I am feeling more like Hannah again (I mean.... Hermana Avery again :) It's amazing how the Lord's hand is in all things, and when you can't be resting at home to get better, that He blesses us with the little things along the way so that we heal not just physically, but spiritually too.

We had a really successful week this week! It has been our BEST week, as far as numbers go, since I got here to Chorrillos...and no, I am not the missionary who likes to think about numbers all of the time. But I DO love when I can see that our hard work is not going unnoticed! :) We were able to find 8 new investigators, 4 of which we think can progress, and handed out 10 Books of Mormon. Hermana Martinez and I are feeling GREAT and have lots of high hopes for this week's work!!

We did have a crazy day yesterday and were almost shredded to bits by a crazy dog, for the first time in my mission. I thought that I was going to die! I prayed out loud (in English, haha!) and asked that we could get away safely and quickly, and the Lord definitely helped us get out of there. We are never going back! haha!

I wanted to share with you guys a quick experience that I had this week that really made me feel like the Lord is always aware of us and our needs. Ever since I got here to Chorrillos, we have had a really hard time finding people to teach and it's been frustrating, after being in Ovalle and Mirador, where lessons and baptisms basically come without too much effort. It's a big change, for sure, and it's humbled me a lot and helped me to trust in the Lord and the guidance of the Spirit more. Anyways, I have been praying every single day to find the people who the Lord has prepared for us to teach, and I was feeling like maybe it's just not time, etc. Well, I was reading in my scriptures, in the Book of Mormon, and found a scripture in 2 Nephi 16:11 which says, " Lord, how long?" And he said, "Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate;"

All of these weeks that I have been thinking that we have been here not finding people, I have been thinking the same thing.... "Lord, how long will we be here working like this without success?" and this scripture spoke to me, just as if it were the Lord himself saying, "Hannah, until there is no one else and nothing else in the world." When the going gets rough, and I feel like I just can't do any more, I look to the Lord, and He helps me remember that I, alone, am just Hermana Avery. But with Him, I can be Superwoman! :)


Well guys, I hope that you all have a great week! :) Know that you all are in my every thought and prayer! I love you! Talk to you next week!

xoxooxxoo Hermana Avery

Miracles Come Through Prayer (October 27, 2014)

15 Months  (November 10, 2014)

Our Course Toward Home - Elder Jacob Avery

Written by Elder Jacob Avery, serving in the Peru Lima West Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Elder Avery as Superman
This week we're visiting a family of 6 who are working toward being baptized in the coming weeks. Because of their debt and large family, they need to work all day everyday. They work in transportation. The husband drives a city bus and the mom is the ticket taker. Work starts for them at about 9 in the morning, so we have to visit them at 7 a.m. to teach them the mission lessons and read their Book of Mormon. Let's just say, it's super tiring and super hard to get my companion up and ready, but we're almost finished because they're getting baptized really soon. We went through a scare where the bank almost foreclosed on their house and bus, but right now it seems like things are going better.

On other note, my last Halloween in Peru was okay. It wasn't super hot, but I've gotta say that the costumes here are pitiful. I smoke everyone in my Superman suit, haha!. Trick or treaters, instead of going house to house, go from tienda to tienda. Tiendas are stores that people put in the front of their houses. You don't get that much candy here, but it's a lot better that the children do Halloween than ''All Saints Day.''

I've come to the sad realization that my full time mission is not going to last my entire life. Today I'm finishing 16 months in the mission, and in a transfer all of the sister missionaries from my MTC (Missionary Training Center) group are going home. It's thoughts like this that make me really desperate to do more and reach goals. Sometimes I feel like Mormon when he said, ''I am no more than one man..'' (Moroni 9:18), but at the same time I know that as a missionary you're never really alone. You're always with your companion...a little alone time might be nice someday  :)

My companion may think I'm a bit of a taskmaster....
Anyway, we're hoping that L**, R & M's daughter, gets baptized on the 15th. She's a young single mom and isn't as interested in religion as her parents. But she's been coming to church several weeks now. I'd sure love it if a year from now the whole family can be sealed in the temple. But we're still missing R** Jr. By any means, we're progressing and praying for L**.

Well, before finishing my letter, I thought it necessary to share something I've learned this week. My companion and I had an unpleasant encounter with an evangelist. I'm more used to hearing their rants than my companion, so I just listened to the little old lady for a few minutes and walked away. My companion asked me why I didn't destroy her with true doctrine. I explained to him that the Lord's sheep hear His voice and that people who aren't prepared just aren't prepared. Some people just aren't ready to change and may never change in this life.

A very good way to say change is to say repent. I think that's the reason why repentance is second only to faith in the gospel. Repentance is when we change our bad behavior, ideas or beliefs based on what the Lord desires for us. I feel like our whole life we're like a pilot making adjustments to his bearings in order to make it safely home. With every new piece of instruction from the Lord, we should be willing to change our bearings in order to stay on course. Sometimes it's just a fine tuning, but it's completely necessary when we're traveling hundreds of miles to have exact bearings and directions. What this little old lady lacks is a compass (or maybe even a steering wheel ;). She just goes and goes and goes without much thought in changing course when the Lord presents new direction for her benefit. Sadly, people who don't learn how to change course when the Lord prompts us don't receive the blessings He wants to give them. So lets be teachable, friendly and repentant!!

I love you all!! Have a great week and make good choices!

Elder Jake Avery

Halloween is Complicated in Peru  (October 27, 2014)

The Stone Cut Out of the Mountain Without Hands  (November 10, 2014)

Carving pumpkins

Elder Avery is the mummy on the right



The Galloping Elder - Elder Joshua Avery

Written by Elder Joshua Avery, training at the Provo Missionary Training Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In December he will report to the Singapore Mission, speaking Mandarin Chinese.

Before Elder Wimmer left for Singapore (Elder Avery on right)
Hello Everyone!

This was a good week, but definitely the hardest. Everything was going pretty smoothly until an elder in my district had to go home because of anxiety. I kind of saw signs that he wasn't feeling good, but every time I asked him about it, he just said he was sick. He never ate much, he didn't sleep well, and he would go 5 days at a time without pooping. They are sending him back home for 6 weeks and will let him come back after that if he is doing better. He was definitely the elder I was the closest to, so it was really hard when he left. I love my district, but he was probably the only one that I felt like I was good friends with.

For some reason, that really got my stress level up. During the week my stress climbed to what I would consider an unhealthy level. Learning Chinese is really hard, and I want to push myself, but I've learned there is definitely a limit. Too much stress makes you feel sick and unproductive, but the right amount will push you and cause you to do your best.

On Tuesday my companion drank 14 glasses of apple juice for dinner. He was feeling pretty awful. I told him it wasn't a good idea and that he should stop, but he kept going. It probably didn't help that other elders were cheering him on. I ended up giving him a blessing and he felt better. After that I made it clear to my district that food challenges and food dares are not allowed. The last thing we need is someone else getting sick...or having the kind of gas that only 14 glasses of apple juice can give you!

This summer the Cambodian elders caught a spider and kept it in a jar. The spider was really small when they caught it. Long story short, that spider in the jar has been alive in the jar since the summer, and elders just pass it along before they leave. They would feed it often and it got to be huge! When it got passed down to some Mandarin elders, they let him go outside because in the handbook it says you can't have pets of any kind :)

For our devotional last night Elder Nelson's wife spoke. She shared some of the same stories she shared with you, Mom. I felt the spirit really strong.

At mission conference they spoke about Joseph Smith's first vision. I compared it to my mission. Satan knows that a huge spiritual experience is about to take place, that will bless my life and others. He tries to bind our body and tongue with stress and other tools. When I feel like I can't go further, I cry out for help and a "pillar of light" always comes.

I love you all. God is good. This week was hard, but I know things will get better. Even if they don't, I will still keep going and smile while I am at it.

Love, Feng Zhang Lao (Elder Avery)

P.S. If you Google this (Feng traditional Chinese character) you can see my surname definition. It means to gallop!

Missions Change People  (October 27, 2014)

The Fourth Missionary  (November 10, 2014)

Another photo of these friends. The next time they see each other will be in Singapore!



Deja Vu - Elder Kolby Madsen

Written by Elder Kolby Madsen, serving in the Denmark Copenhagen Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Danish.

This week was great.  We were able to have a couple meetings in København which meant that we could not work four out of the seven days in our area. It’s all good. Someone has to do it.

When we were in our area we went to meet with S** and had some great chats. He missed church again this week. It seemed to be a legit excuse, but we are still working with him. He is still willing to meet, and we are being patient. Things will pick up. I know it will.

Well, we had a Halloween party at the Kristiansen’s, and it was great. As missionaries we can only dress up in so many different ways. We decided to get fake mustaches and look like Mexicans. So just imagine Jake with a thick mustache, but then put my body with all his skin color and looks. It was funny! We had some good laughs. I will try to get some of the pictures for the members.

Toy swords
We also had a chance to go work with the Assistants (to the mission president) in Frederiksberg. It was way fun to be in my old area again. We actually went out to visit a couple people who I could remember. It was fun to talk to them. I was with Elder Ockey. He is great. He felt like we should go to a place I had not remembered visiting when I served there. So we went out there and, right as we pulled up in the parking lot, it clicked that I had been there before and Elder Ockey was about to tell me who we were visiting and before he could get his name out I said, "A***?" He said, "Yeah, how did you know?"  I told him the story. It was my first day in Denmark as missionary. My companion and I went out to visit this man who had been pretty positive. We walked out to the edge of our area and stopped by to visit him. I, being completely new at the time and only being able to say my name and the first vision in Danish, could not understand him at all. So I was just sitting back, listening to what my companion had to say. Elder Hansen told me, after their conversation was over, that the man was no longer interested and that he did not want to be visited again.

Now, back to when I was there with Elder Ockey this week. It was great. We walked up to the man and he told us that he did not like to be visited at random times, that he would still like to be visited, but just not right now. So we made an appointment. He kept looking at me like he had seen me before. Part of me wanted to tell him, but I just let it go and we made the appointment for a week's time. Now we wait.

It was so great to have that experience because now, over a year later, I can speak the language, understood 100% of what he said, and now he is positive about the church. It was great to be there.

The kilo burger!!
This week we also met with one of our friends who Elder Earl and I found. We taught her the second part of the second lesson and then invited her to be baptized. It was crazy because me and Elder Child had prayed for a date that we could invite her to be baptized on. In the beginning of our companionship, we'd felt impressed to invite her to the 29th of November. Then, as time went on, we had not felt like it was right anymore.

So, last night, the 2nd of November, almost a full month after we'd received the prompting, we invited her to be baptized on that date (Nov. 29). It was weird because at first we both felt like maybe we should suggest a different date, but then we both felt an instant confirmation that November 29 was the right day. Without hesitation, she said, "Yes!" We are looking forward to that. She is so prepared. We plan on teaching the rest of the lessons and then going over them again. She is so ready.

The Lord's work goes on, even here in Europe, despite all the non-believers. The Lord's work is for everyone. All His children. I know it and believe it.

Love ya,

Ældste Madsen!

Fulfilling Scripture  (October 27, 2014)

I May Have Done Some Flips and Stuff...I Don't Remember ;) (November 10, 2014)





Hola, mis queridos! - Elder Brian Burgess

Written by Elder Brian Burgess, serving in the Mexico Puebla North Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.

Classic missionary photo: Butterfly by the name tag
Hey gang!

I hope all is well in the USA! This week we had divisions with the Assistants (to the mission president) and it was a great day. My companion stayed in the area and I went with Elder Kenney to his area. Then the following day we went on divisions with Elder Hartvigsen and Elder Pluma. It was also a great day! We found a few new investigators, and set a baptismal date with an investigator.

It's a nice, humbling experience to be a missionary! I love every minute of it! I feel like weeks are days.... I love you all. I send my love and a hug to you all. Keep in touch!

Love,

Elder Burgess


Popocatepetl (October 27, 2014)

Hit by a Car, a Broken Window, and a Good Game of Soccer  (November 10, 2014)

Chilly November Days - Elder Dallin Remund

Written by Elder Dallin Remund, serving in the Virginia Chesapeake Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.
Hello everyone!

Elders Cannon and Remund
It's good to finally be writing an email to everyone! I've been busy responding to individual emails, which I like a lot. A lot more personal, but it is very time consuming!

I have been having the time of my life out here. Just an update, I'm in my 12th transfer in the mission field and my 7th transfer in Newport News, Virginia, in the Spanish branch. It is a lot of fun. I'm training my companion, Elder Cannon, although he acts like he's been out for months! Great missionary! You never know what happens in transfers, but I'm feeling like this is my last month out here in Newport News. I've been here for almost all of 2014! I could easily stay out here through the rest of my mission though. It is a great spot and it has become my home away from home. The people out here are wonderful.

Elder Cannon and I are having our first baptism in the field! JW passed his interview and he's getting baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. We are so so excited for him and the amazing progress he's made in quitting smoking and drinking. He's amazing! We are staying busy with planning for his baptism this week.

Newport News Spanish and Gloucester Missionaries
I've been having a lot of great studies on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I've also been studying a lot of scripture masteries and memorizing them in Spanish. My goal is to have all of them memorized by the end of the mission.

Amidst all the lessons and missionary work we have had a lot of parties, which is great for inviting nonmembers. Last week we had a big party up in the countryside of Gloucester and also had the whole branch over for a Family Home Evening at the stake president's house. The zone leaders and us had a really fun Halloween night at their apartment. We had pizza and played some games and took some Halloween photo shoot pictures. They're great!

We also went to the beach this morning. The sunrise was amazing.

I'm all out of things to write. Any questions y'all have for me? I love ya and I hope you're having a great week.

Con muchisimo amor,

Elder Remund
Jamestown, Virginia  (October 13, 2014)

Elder Remund's First Baptism  (November 10, 2014)

Branch Family Home Evening
Grandview Beach