Generosity of Members

Queibole Familia,

So today we get a half P-Day till 1, which means we get to e-mail! We will also have a P-Day on Thanksgiving, we might come back for e-mailing again. I'm not sure. But anyways this week was an alright week for us. Our area as it is right now doesn't have much going for it. We have some potential people to work with, but nothing too solid right now. The title says Day of the Turkey or it may be Turkey. (Guajolote is another word for Turkey in Mexico, they have a lot of names for it in Spanish) Oceanside is pretty cold compared to the rest of the areas I've served in. Where I'm located/our area isn't too hispanic. There are a lot of white people haha. I think I took for granted Escondido at times, because you could walk outside and there be hispanics everywhere. Here there's fewer and further between talking with hispanic people. We'll see what transfers brings in a week. This Saturday we'll find out who's getting moved out and if there are any changes in areas and stuff like that. All in All I like Oceanside, it has nice weather, good members, and its a good city. Right now there just isn't too much work to do. This week we were having dinner at the Vargas' and I got salsa all over my shirt. Hermana Vargas quickly ran to her room and brought me one of her husbands shirts. It was funny at the time because I thought everyone was making a big deal about it but it was good. I washed my shirt when I got home and it seems to be fine. Hispanics don't really celebrate Thanksgiving too much. They're kind of ignorant about the whole giving thanks day. They just think it's a day when Americans and Gringos get together to eat a bunch of food. They're not wrong, they just don't celebrate the specialness of giving thanks on that day. Por que los hispanos dan gracias a Dios cada dia jaja. Well we've had a lot of members invite us over for Thanksgiving so I don't think I'll go hungry that day. Elder Rodgriguez got two things in the mail. Both were wedding invites. One from his trainer, the other from his brother. The one from his brother completely took him by surprise. It was funny to see him open them. At least I won't have to worry about stuff like that for a while. A week or so back we had a General Authority come and give us some trainings/ insight on how we can become a better mission. He put a heavy push for re-activating people. After all finding through members, even the less active ones is the best way to find new people to teach. Not too much stuff to report on this week. I'll be sure to talk more about transfers next week. I'll tell you if I'm getting transfered out of the Carlsbad Zone (doubt it) or if our area gets changed. (plausible/likely) Anyways I'll send some pictures. Have a great Thanksgiving!!!

Elder Emerick

P.S. Solomente Recibi como 1 correo esta semana. Que paso? jaja

Me, Elder Rodriguez, Elder Romney, Elder Schow, Hermana Andrade, Hermana Adkins, Hermana Frei, Hermana Parker

Ocean Side View of Pier

Ocean Side View

Same old Same old

Querido Familia,

This past week we had just a normal week in the mission! We had an investigator drop us, so that stank. But we've got some potential this week so as President says, forget the last shot and move on! This week he sent us a particularly good e-mail. He told us that we need to stop worrying about results so much and start focusing on trying our hardest. And then when we try our hardest is when the Savior will do the rest. But if we're focusing mostly on what the turn out will be, then most likely we'll end up being disappointed with not reaching our expectations. So Elder Ramos is being transferred. I know how that feels! It felt like I just got into Escondido, then I got shipped out! I felt like all that work I put into that area, was just going to be reaped by another missionary. HaHa Elder Ellsworth is actually in that area now, he's companion's with Elder Banana. Anyways I got invited back for Lucy's baptism as you saw, and from what Elder Ellsworth told me Gloria is getting baptized in a couple weeks too. So I'll get invited back for that as well! I really did feel sad about leaving Escondido, but I knew that I would be able to go help other people in my next area. So you want a story? Ok, I'll tell you about this one missionary named Elder Stewart. He was Elder Rodriguez's (My current companion) last companion. He is a legend amongst Spanish missionarys for being the most ridiculous Spanish missionary out of all of us. All Spanish missionary's are cooler than your average Elder, but Elder Stewart is a legend. He's 26 yrs old, and he is crazy. He like's to knock doors all the time. He eats anything, and thinks the Jaredites were 8ft tall black people. Anyways this Elder has been an influence on many missionaries, just from being himself. One story is that while he was in Oceanside tracting a person asked him how much money he gets paid for each baptism. He replied by saying 'You want to know how much we get payed!? For each baptism we get payed.......... $0!!!!' Needless to say the man wasn't very happy with him and actually spit on him.  Have a great week!

Elder Emerick  

p.s.

Old Catholic Mission on Mission Road Ocean Side CA

Pastel de 3 leche's for Elder Rodriguez's 20th Birthday

Oceanside at night

Over looking Oceanside at night holding Spanish version of Book of Mormon

Me and Natalie Vargas

Also just as a side note, my Bishop is Brothers to the guy who was just made President of BYU-Hawaii. Obispo Tanner is my bishop he's a really straight forward guy. You can read the article of his brother being inaugurated on Deseret News.

The land of Milk and Honey

Hola Familia,

The land of milk and honey? Perhaps. That's the title. So, we went to the temple. That was awesome. So great to serve in the Temple and feel the spirit so strong. There I met Elder Ramos' brother. He's the Ward Mission Leader in the YSA ward. He said it was so weird talking to me because over the past couple of weeks he's heard about Dad and our family. He's says that Elder Ramos loves you guys and the branch. That was good to hear about considering the branch is historically a tough place for missionary work. But that's good to hear that you guys are being the missionaries' best friends. That's great. Also the weather here is crazy temperate. It's always in the 70's and the only time it gets hot is when the Sun gets strong. Other than that there's always a breeze and its super fresh. I finally feel like I'm in Southern California. So this week we have Spanish Conference, I'm so excited. It's when all the Spanish missionaries in the mission get together and talk about Spanish stuff. It's going to be great. Also we are going to have a Zone Conference with half the whole mission with a general authority. It'll be cool as well to see other missionaries and talk to a seventy. Dang hopefully Kaitlynn gets better. We picked up an awesome new investigator this week! Her name is Sonya and she has had a pretty tough past. Needless to say she needs the gospel in her life right now. She couldn't make it to church this past week but we'll meet again with her this Saturday. Also we went on Exchanges with the traveling AP Elder Smith. He was my Zone leader when I was back in Temecula and we were in Spanish Zones. He's a great teacher and spanish speaker. I can't even explain how much I learned from him in a short 24 hours that he came with Elder Rodriguez and me. Well I better get going hope you all have a great week!

Elder Emerick