Erianne, Andrea and Sister Mekini

Happy New Year!!!

I hope y'all have a great last day of 2012! Live it up. :) Do you have any fun plans for this week? I'm glad you made it to St. George and back safely. It makes me really sad to hear about Grandma and Grandpa. I am praying for them! Please keep me updated on them and if they move up closer to y'all. Was it a pretty quick trip down to St. George? Drive safely since the snow is so bad up there right now!

 

The weather here is getting cold!!!! I've been such a baby in the cold this past week. I think the coldest it's gotten is down to 39 degrees, but it feels so much colder since it's humid. The heater in the church was broken on sunday and everyone was frozen to death. I didn't think that it got cold in Texas. I am used to the heat, it's going to be sooo hard coming back to Utah weather. :( haha

 

So one of our Former investigators texted us last week to tell us she was getting baptized on Sunday (yesterday). She had been taking the lessons at her boyfriends house in the East mission and going to church there with him so we had to get permission from our mission president to leave our mission to go. Well yesterday morning President Ashton called us and told us he just got off the phone with the other mission president and he said that she would be a member of our ward since she lives in our ward boundaries!!! We were sooo excited to hear that because Sister Mekini and I prayed and set a goal for 2 baptisms together this transfer and we know that Andrea was an answer to that prayer. We went to her baptism in the east mission yesterday and she will be confirmed a member of the Church next sunday in our ward! She is so awesome. :)

On Saturday we also got a call of a baptism that was going on of Sister Mekini's former investigators in Alief area. So we brought one of our investigators named Alisia to the baptism and she LOVED it! It was probably one of the most informal baptisms I've been too, but Alisia was telling everyone there that she was getting baptized next month. She told us last lesson that she really wants to be prepared for her baptism, so we don't know if it'll be on the 12th of January like we had planned, but she is in this for the right reasons. Pray for her! She is going through a lot right now.

 

Rachel and her mom Sandy didn't come to church this week.... we are really sad cause Rachel keeps saying she'll do things but she isn't doing them anymore. Sandy told us she isn't looking to "switch churches" we asked her if she prayed about it and she hadn't. She is such a sweet lady, and I just hope she realizes the blessings she could get. It's so hard to see how much someone needs the gospel in their lives, and not see them exercise their faith in Jesus Christ to receive those blessings that wait in store for them. I think that is probably one of the most difficult things being a missionary is KNOWING without a doubt that the Gospel can carry these people through their problems in life and yet seeing them choose differently. We are just praying for people whose hearts are prepared, because I know there are people who are ready.

 

On Friday we felt really strong to pull out all the part member families in the ward boundaries and try to visit them. I was suprised when Sister Mekini told me her and Sister Peck hadn't tried any of them really. But we saw miracles when we went to visit these families!!! We got in to see 4 part member families and I am almost positive each of the members in the homes had been praying for us to come by for their family. I hope these families will come to church! We want to keep working with these families and more to bring them together in the gospel. There is still lots of work to do here.... I don't know how long I'll be in this area, but this ward definetly needs the Spirit of Missionary work. Right now we have 1 amazing sister in the ward who will come out with us whenever, but it's hard to get anyone else. I hope each one of you can find ways to help the missionaries and the missionary work in your ward. There is soooo much you can do! Just look around and find one family to focus on and befriend. :)

 

I love being a missionary! I was reading my patriartical blessing today and this opportunity I have really is a Privledge like my blessing says. :) I hope that Kailey and Alli will go and see what this is all about. It's shaped my life in a way nothing else could have.

 

I love y'all sooo much!!!! Please be safe and careful with all the snow!

 

Sister Avery.

Christmas 2012 Pictures

Christmas 2012 -posted by mom and dad

HELLO!!! How are y'all?

I can't believe how quickly our call went yesterday.... I got off and went into the other room with the Lambs and Sister Mekini and I said..... Wow, did that just happen?! haha And then It hit me and I started to cry! I miss y'all sooo much! But it was so great to hear from you. :) Thanks for making my Christmas in the mission so fun and also my companions Christmas in the mission so great too with all the gifts you sent. You really did spoils us!!!

I was kinda upset at my companion yesterday morning cause she said she wasn't going to call her family anymore because she didn't recieve her package from them and I told her that it's probably delayed in the mail. She still was stubborn and said she wasn't going to call. So I told her, "Sister Mekini, your family is helping you to be here on a mission by paying for you... don't you think they deserve to hear from you?" She was quiet for an hour or two while we were out visiting people. But when she finally decided to call we had to go set it up with the Lambs cause the Mckays didn't have the calling card for Samoa. As she talked with her grandma and her cousins she was sooo happy and when she got off she told me thank you so much for getting mad at me to call my family. I told her I only got upset cause I knew how much her family needed it and her too! haha Oh man I love her. She and I laugh a lot together, I just feel bad for her family circumstances.... her mom and dad dropped her and her siblings to her grandma when they were young. And her mom got remarried without telling her while she was on her mission here. She spoke to her for about 2 minutes yesterday and even though I couldn't understand the language I can tell they don't have a good relationship. Her dad isn't a member and he is more supportive of her being here on a mission than her mom is. It's really sad, but It makes me so grateful for the home I have.

So as I was leaving the Lambs yesterday day I realized I didn't remember to tell you ANYTHING that I wanted to.... it's because I was so excited my brain was going too fast the whole time. So, I'm going to try to update you on things that happened this past week!

1. On Saturday most of the mission went to a HUGE arena in Houston and wore the yellow helping hands shirt and we prepared TONS of food for the homeless. They got to have a Christmas eve dinner and we carved so many turkeys, cut potatoes, made corn bread, and did veggies. It was so fun to help. There were also lots of people there volunteering who weren't members and they wanted to know who all these young people were with the shirts on. Me and some other sisters were next to a really nice couple about mom and dads age and they had so many questions about our missionary work and how we decide to come, what we teach, what we will do after our missions, etc. I loved it! That is probably my favorite way to do missionary work is through service where the people ask us what's up instead of us coming to them and telling them (I love that too.... but it's fun getting questions). We should make it a tradition to find service opportunities around Christmas time. :) It makes everything slow down a little.

2. On Monday at zone conference President gave us some new big news on what he knows we can achieve as a mission next year. He has prayed and prayed about it and he feels like we can baptize 1,000 people in our mission in the year 2013! That is why it is so important to boost our faith a little more. He talked a lot about faith and how we can rely more on our Savior as we try to hit this goal. (The most baptisms we've had in this mission since it opened in 1998 is 480) So we will be doubling the number. He talked a lot about letting our faith rub off onto everyone we come in contact with, just like smiles, but faith! haha So, in order for this to happen each companionship will need to have the faith to baptize at least one person each month. Pray for us!!!!

3. We are teaching Sandy, I told you a little about her yesterday. She can't really read, she is at a 2nd grade reading level and so we volunteered to come read with her out of the Book of Mormon each week. I can't wait to help her! We are also teaching her daughter Rachel and her 2 kids. Rachels kids are 6 and 4 and they are like sponges when we talk about Jesus. They LOVE Him! On sunday morning we got a call from Rachel telling us she had a dilema. Her pastor bought the kids all these Christmas presents and she felt obligated to go thank him, but she told us that she knew she promised us she'd come to our church too. She ended up not coming which made us really sad, but when we went over there that night she told us she told her pastor she needed to bare her testimony to her congregation. (Her son almost OD'ed on medication last week and the church didn't do anything for her) She got up and told each of the people what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints did for her and she told the young kids about staying away from drugs. She told us she would come to church with us next week! Pray for her. :)

So last night after getting off Skpe with y'all we went straight over to Noo's house! She was soo excited and so was I!!! She told me Sister Moreno or Evens had only been over one time since I left...... I was so upset! I hope that They take care of these people for me. But Noo fed us and before we ate she prayed and said how much she wants to keep coming closer to Christ. I love that! She has come so far and I hope that she continues on.

We also went to Daniels after. He got me a really nice leather coat for Christmas. Then him and his mom gave us sooo much food to take home. We won't have to go shopping today. :) Daniel said he is going to load people up in his car next sunday and come visit our new ward in Memorial haha. We'll see if it happens!

Ah I loved Christmas in the mission. It was so much fun! I hope that you guys had a great Christmas! I miss you so much!

I love you!!!!!

Sister Avery

P.S. Tell Debbie and Norene I got their packages and LOVED THEM!!! I am going to send out cards today for them, but make sure they know I love them and am so grateful! :)

Erianne has a new nephew named James Avery

Merry (early) Christmas

The next time I speak to y'all it'll be on Christmas cause next week our P-day is getting moved to wedesnday! I can't wait to talk to my family. :) It sounds like everyone is doing great in Utah! Thanks to everyone for the birthday letters, emails, and packages!!! I love them all. I have lots of letters to respond to so you'll have to be patient with me... haha

 

As for Christmas and Skyping.... we found a family that will let us use their computers.... I'm thinking it'll be around 6:30-7:00 pm Texas time on Christmas, but we need to figure out the details with them and I'll have them give y'all a call so they can set it up with you before. Their last name is the Mckay family! (Just so you'll know when they call)

 

First of all..... yep Sister Atterton was right. I am in the Memorial West area with Sister Mekini from Samoa. She is so funny and we laugh a lot. I'm grateful for Sister Moreno to loosen me up a little so I can have more fun on my mission rather than being stressed all the time. But Memorial is sooo different than Maplewood. I miss Maplewood soo much, but I know God needs me here now. The ward dynamics are so different and I'm just hoping we can get this ward as excited about missionary work as Maplewood was. In Maplewood we had dinner appointments every night, but here they have them once or twice a week. It'll be a fun transition. But I've met some great people already. There are 2 familes in this ward who speak Spanish and English and I told them when I first met them that they need to speak to me only in Spanish so I can keep learning. So far so good! :) Sister Mekini and I also listen to these spanish CD's that help us. I love it! Anyways.... enough about Spanish.

 

My birthday was fun, but it didn't really feel like my birthday until last night. All day we were looking for someone to take with us to an investigator devotional that was being held for the WHOLE mission. Before I left Maplewood I told everyone that they needed to be there so that I could see them again. So we're only able to go if we have an investigator with us. Both of the people we planned on having with us bailed last minute. I was not going to miss out on this. haha So Sister Mekini and I prayed and thought of this brand new guy we met this week named Lloyd.  We called him and he told us he'd love to come! Turns out he loved it so much he is coming to another fireside with us tonight!!! But Oh man you guys.... I can't tell you how happy I was walking into the chapel to see Noo, Paula, Daniel, and Yeni from the Maplewood ward! I literally couldn't help but run to them and hug them for so long. They are like my family and I didn't realize how much I loved and missed them till I was gone. I cried as I hugged Noo and Paula and Yeni. I felt like Alma in the Book of Mormon as he expressed his joy to see his 'bretheren' again. It was the best birthday gift Heavenly Father could have given to me to see them again. Daniel got a birthday present, it was really nice of him. I think Sister Moreno got a gift from him every single time we went over to his house. haha He spoils us.

I couldn't even concentrate on the fireside I was so happy to see all them there haha. But really, even knowing all the hard times, the things I've given up to be on a mission, and the people I thought were friends that I lost while being here I would come to Texas again to feel this joy. It's the best thing in the world! I realized that I can't take anything or anyone for granted. Live in the moment!

 

I'm trying to remember what all else happened this week....

 

We met a family that we are teaching now that are awesome! Sandy is the grandma, Rachel is the mom, and she has 3 kids. When we went over there the first day I was here I didn't really get along with Rachel cause she was telling us things that we believed that were all wrong... but we went back over there again and her mom was there. Sandy had met with missionaries several years ago and LOVED meeting with them. She asked us question after question from the Bible and it was cool to be able to answer them because my mission president has been having us read through the Bible while we are on our mission. She told us her Pastor hasn't even answered her questions. They loved meeting with us and she wants to invite all her friends over to have lessons each week! Rachels kids swarmed us as we told them about Jesus Christ and how he came to visit the kids in the Americas. They got so excited to read out of the scriptures and pray. :) This family is one of the familes that was supposed to come with us to the devotional last night, but Rachel called us after church and said her sone over dosed on pain medication and he is now in the intensive care unit.... Please keep her son in your prayers!

 

We just got out of Choir practice here in Sugar land. We are going to be singing next week on Christmas Eve for our Mission Conference! It'll be fun to be together as a mission, and then afterwards we were invited to a family party of someone in our ward. It should be fun!

 

I love y'all so much! You mean the world to me!  :) I can't wait till next week!!!!!

 

 

Sister Avery

 

 

December 10, 2012

Hello my beautiful family!

I got BOTH packages from you this week mom! I loved the St. Nick package and so did my companion. :) She said she has never had such good American chocolate... I'm glad you converted her to our tradition of Orange Chocolates. AND this morning I got my birthday package! Thank you sooooo much! You don't know how much I needed new g’s. I am so lucky to have a family like you guys!!!! I don't know what my new address will be yet, but yes... I am getting transferred... :( I'm so sad! Especially right before Christmas, but I'll be ok.

As for the Christmas packages.... you can send them to our mission office address. They will be collecting all the Christmas packages and handing them out on Christmas Eve at our mission conference. The address is 602 Eldridge Road Sugar Land, Texas 77478.

I'm still not sure about what will be going on Christmas day, but as soon as I know the schedule I'll let you know!

Man, I have so much to tell you from this past week and I don't have much time... but I'll try to fit it all in.

First things first! Paula got baptized on Saturday! It was such a great day. Really, every hard thing from the mission is erased from our minds on days like those. I can't explain the feeling, but its so sweet. As soon as she came out of the water she walked up the stairs to Sister Moreno and me and told us, "I feel so warm and Clean!" She was so happy. And it was great because her two teenage sons came.

Last night we got a call from her and this is what she said, "I just wanted to call and tell you Thank you! You never once gave up on me and you brought me out of the darkness into the light. Thank you for bringing me onto the path that leads me to the celestial kingdom!" If that doesn't make you want to be a missionary I don't know what will. Seriously, a mission is hard. The hardest thing I've done. BUT these experiences make every hard thing worth it. I hope that anyone who is reading this email will want to serve so they can experience this! These people are changing my life more than I'll ever change their and I'm so grateful for it.

I got a taste of what it's going to be like to leave my mission, and I don't like it! I found out when I was on exchanges on Thursday that I am going to be transferred on this Wednesday. I am so bummed. I've been running around to everyone possible to say goodbye, and church yesterday was tough. This ward has been so great to work in. I think we have 10-15 visits with people here before I leave haha!

Speaking of Church yesterday... we got to go into the Primary and speak for a bit in sharing time about missionary work. It was fun to get the kids excited about doing missionary work and preparing to be a missionary one day. We left them with pass along cards to give out to their friends and family who aren't members.

Last week we got to go to the temple on Wednesday! It is always refreshing to go to the temple and take a break from the world.

On Wednesday night we went on our exchanges and I got to go to Sunny Side with Sister Atterton... my trainer! She leaves this week so it was so much fun to serve one more day with her before she leaves. We stayed up a little bit too late talking.... haha whoops!

Sunny Side is the most ghetto place in our mission I'm pretty sure. While I was there I met 2 people who had been apart of the biggest gang in the world and they were telling me all about it. haha I'm crossing my fingers I don't got there!

Oh! Also, last week on tuesday before Paula's baptism Daniel was able to come out teaching with us to her house. Oh man! It was the best lesson EVER! Having a brand new recent convert testifying of truth to someone who will be baptized in just a few days was the coolest thing to sit back and realized how great it is to be a witness of these people coming closer to Christ.

On Saturday night Gona and Sirvan invited us over to their house for dinner before I leave. They prepared us Iranian food. It was really good! I think I say this in every email but It's so fun to see and learn about all the different cultures and religions from all over the world. We taught them a lesson about Faith in Jesus Christ. They have lots of questions. We hope that one day they will open their hearts all the way to be baptized! They shared a lot of the muslim beliefs with us and the muslims are such kind people. I never realized all their standards and what they are striving for.

I know this email is super scattered.... I want to share everything, but I don't have time! I hope this email finds you all doing well! I'll write again next week.

I love you so much!

Erianne

It's December! It's December?!

December 3, 2012

Well I can't believe that It's December already, especially since we had our A/C on this morning in our apartment.... It's so strange! But I'm loving the Heat so I'm not going to complain. :) We took some fun pictures out in front of Paula’s house the other night with her Christmas lights and us in our SHORT sleeve shirts! I'll try to send them.

Mom, I'm so grateful that you shared your experience with the Ruiz De Castilla family! You know exactly how us missionaries feel. :) It's the best feeling in the world, especially seeing a family come together. I'm so proud of you! Thanks for being a missionary with me. :) Also, thank you sooooo much for the package!!!!! I got it this morning and it made my day! Sister Moreno LOVES you too. She said to say thank you so much! I have the best family in the world. :)

This week has been so great! I will try to write all I can in the time that I have....

1. DANIEL GOT BAPTIZED ON FRIDAY! His baptism was so great. The Spirit was so strong there and we were able to have 3 investigators there, plus lots of Daniels non member friends and family who showed lots of interest. Baptisms are the best place to bring people who are learning about the church because then they can feel of the Spirit for themselves. Sister Moreno and I played a musical duet of I am a Child of God. I was super nervous but I played the piano and she played her flute. On Sunday Daniel received the Holy Ghost and also the Aaronic Priesthood. He is going to be such a solid Priesthood holder and member of the church!

2. Paula had her baptismal interview on Friday after Daniels baptism and she passed! She is so excited. She memorized all the Books in the Book of Mormon in order. Haha I love her! Her baptism will be this coming Saturday! Pray for her. :)

She continues to amaze us. On Saturday she told us she didn't need a ride to church cause she got her car back from the shop, but on Sunday morning I checked our phone after PEC and she had called and left a message saying that her son took her car. By this time it was already 9 so we had to run into sacrament meeting. She showed up right before Sacrament because she decided to take the bus! She is so aware of Satan’s distractions, and she has a strong will to resist the temptations.

Daniel and Paula are going to make such a great contribution to this ward and also to the church! Teaching them has really taught me a lesson that our Heavenly Father has these people’s hearts prepared. All He needs is for them to run into His messengers so they can accept His gospel.

3. On Saturday night we got called at 8:45 pm to go on an emergency exchange with some sisters that were having a rough time together. So we rushed home and packed Sister Moreno up. Sister Crumpton came with me to Maplewood for the night and for all of Sunday. She has only been out on the mission for 5 weeks. Although Sister Moreno and I were not the happiest about having this exchange at first because of having no notice I'm grateful for it because it made me realize a lot of things that 1. I've learned so far on my mission and 2. This I need to change so I can be a better missionary. A lot of the sisters’ arguments were about petty little things that were not worth a fight. Sister Moreno and I had a few of those our first transfer together and it really affects the work. Satan will do all he can to put a hault to Gods work. Almost all the arguments we have been in were because of our own Pride, but I learned that these past 3 transfers of being together we were able to forget our personal wills and submit them to Gods. Because it is only then that we can be unified. I hope I was help to Sister Crumpton. I feel like I needed the talk I gave to her at the beginning of my mission. But it's good to look back and see what I've learned so far. :) Pride can't rule our wills! But if we just put our will on the alter and ask for His will things turn out lots better. Another thing I am still trying to learn in that it is more important to love and show concern than to be exactly obedient. I stress so much about being out of the apartment exactly when we need to be, not one minute late. But when I stress about being 1 or 2 minutes late then there is stress in our companionship. Same thing goes when we're in lessons. I am trying to learn Love is the most important thing.

4. At church on Sunday Gracie Romero got up to bare her testimony. She is a 14 year old Young Women that we've gotten really close to since I've been serving here. We've had dinner several times with her family and gotten really close to them! She said in her testimony that us sister missionaries were her greatest example and she wants to be a sister missionary like us. If every other great experience was laid aside from my mission, that right there made my mission worth it. No we didn't teach her, we didn't baptize her, or reactivate her family, but just helping her to want to serve a mission and keep her life on the straight and narrow made my mission worth it. She is a great girl!

I am so grateful for my mission and for the chance that I have to change my life because of all these great people. Seriously, It's not us missionaries changing lives.... it's the Spirit! And these people here are changing our lives.

I love you all soo much! Please pray for the people here. :)

Sister Avery

P.S. This week I get to go to the temple! AND I get to go on a 24 hour exchange with Sister Atterton in Sunny Side before she leaves to go home next week. :)