Jacob Emerick

Jacob Emerick
Jacob in Temecula

Monday, July 25, 2016

Elder Wockenfuss!

For those of you who don't know. Elder Wockenfuss is an Elder from Toadsuck ARK. He and Jacob became very close friends as he and Jacob came to the Mexico MTC together and were companions. They were also companions together again just a month ago. They are very close. Elder Wockenfuss lost his mother to blood clots in the lungs just this past Friday.  His Father passed 10 years ago to Cancer. He has come home for the funeral and will go back to CA to finish his mission. This is what this letter is referring to. We forget that these are young men and women in the Prime of their life leaving behind everything for what they believe in. They put that belief into action by taking to the world what is most precious to them. Their testimony that the Savior lives. Elder Wockenfuss knows he will see his mother again, because of the atonement. We believe that the Atonement is a sacrafice that not only overcomes sin but overcomes death. She will be ressurected some day. Patrick will see, hug, and be with his Mother and Father again.


Hola Familia,

Yes I knew of what happened the morning of. He called me in the morning and told me. It was a complete blindside, he told me he didn't know what to do. He said President Thomas called him at 6:30 and asked if he could meet with him. So he ended up going to his apartment a few minutes later, excused his companion to the bedroom and then told him of what happened. He said that he was shocked first, he didn't know how to react. Then he just gave President Thomas a huge hug and cried in his shoulder for a couple minutes. President Thomas then asked him whether or not he wished to stay, and Elder Wockenfuss told him that he would. So he's staying to finish. Then after we finished the call I felt impressed to go visit him and just talk for a bit. So later that day we went to Carlsbad and visited him for a bit. I felt that he needed it more than just a phone call or a pat on the back. People and especially members forget that we're real people as well. We're not just these emotionless people that have complete courage to do what we do every single day. We get sad, angry, tired, and sometimes don't want to work. Sometimes we feel that it gets too hard or that nothing is happening. Sometimes and especially when bad things happen is when we need to slow down and just relax. To think about ourselves and how to work through problems. After the visit he told me that he really needed someone to just sit and visit him, talk for a bit and stuff. I don't know if it has fully hit him yet the gravity of the situation because he seemed calm and a little shaken up but not too much. I definitely know that Heavenly Father is helping him right now to be calm and comforted. Us and our Hermanas put together a little package for him quick with a card to give to him and he enjoyed it. So that was a pretty full day, I hope that you can help his family out in anyway that you can. I know that he has a good Bishop and Ward that are helping them in every way possible as well. Also this week we found a new investigator! Her name is Teresa Herrera and she is pretty solid! She was able to come to the Pioneer activity on Saturday and church on Sunday. Hopefully we can help her progress towards a baptismal date on the 13th of August. Also I interviewed one of the sister's investigators and he's getting baptized on Saturday. My comp is getting things pretty quickly, he can already speak some but he needs a lot of work with his reading and understanding completely of each situation. Vista is still good. Pretty hot some days and some days its fine. Yes we probably aren't getting as much exercise as we could with full time bikes but now that we have a bike rack evreythings good and no matter what the situation we'll be able to be home on time no matter when. I haven't changed too much how I do things, I'm pretty much just treating it like he's a normal missionary, just with the extra teaching him stuff. I haven't started my Plan and won't until I'm almost finished. I'm glad that you all are still doing nothing and saving your money for when I get back. jaja But the carne asada jsut depends on what kind of meat you use. Some members use a cheaper kind that they get at the sketchy market down the street but somehow whenever the cook it it's delicious. Also eating it with good rice and beans helps as well. Just ask around from actual hispanics or look up different recipes online. Well that's the report for this week, and now this... 

A frog walks into a bank and says, "I'd like to get a loan."  The banker says, "you can't get a loan, you're a frog!"  The frog says, "Please, I really need a loan."  The banker, Mrs Wack says, "Well I doubt you can get a loan, but what is your name."  The frog says, "My name is Kermit."  The banker says, "You are not Kermit the frog!"   The frog says, "No, not that Kermit.  I'm actually named after the real Kermit the Frog.  My father is Mick Jagger and he married a frog and they had me.  I'm Kermit Jagger."  The banker said, "Oh ok, well my name is Patty."  The banker then says, "Well, if you want a loan you need collateral. What collateral do you have?"  The frog says, "I have this little pink ceramic elephant."  The banker takes the elephant and looks it over.  She says, "What the heck is this?  It's a pink ceramic elephant.  What am I supposed to do with this?"  The frog says, "That's my collateral.  Please, may I have a loan."  The banker says, "Look, I guess I'll talk to my manager, but he's not going to give you a loan."  The banker goes to the manager and says, "I have a frog here who is looking to get a loan.  His name is Kermit Jagger.  His collateral is this pink ceramic elephant.  I don't even know what this pink ceramic elephant is.  What should we tell him."  The bank manager takes the ceramic elephant and looks it over.  He then says... wait for it....

"It's a knick knack Patty Wack, give the frog a loan!"


Les quiero!

Elder Emerick

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

He's a DAD......

Hola Familia,

So lots of new things to talk about! My new companions name is Elder Hernandez. He is from Maryland close to the D.C. area. His dad is from Michoacan Mexico and his Mom was born in Washington but her family is from Nuevo leon Mexico. He's the oldest of 3 brothers. He is pretty solid and has a good testimony of the gospel. Things are going good at first he wasn't sure how to act or be as a missionary but after I taught him to just be himself he started to calm down. It definitely takes patience to be teaching someone how to do things and how to be a missionary, especially with myself. I think I've been stressing a little trying to make sure everything is good and doing things right. But I've calmed down myself a little as well. We're doing a good job making sure we're doing the right things and working. He knows parts of the language and can speak and share his thoughts better than when I came into the mission because he has a little of a language background, but I'm way ahead of him in terms of grammer and correct speech. He has a good foundational  understanding of the language but he needs help, so I'm teaching him as if he doesn't know anything and starting from scratch. Yes we still call new missionaries greenies. It'll be a good couple of transfers he knows why he's here and is willing to do anything. YES. My prayers were completely answered with President Thomas. I love President Kendrick but I never really felt he did things specifically for the hispanic culture and it felt as if he was more focused in the white work. But President Thomas LOVES the Mexican people. Did I tell you his first sacrament meeting was with our ward? He and Sister Thomas both bore their testimonies as well! You can tell he hasn't been able to speak Spanish as much as he'd have liked to but it's very good. He's going to be an awesome mission president. When we went by and visited a couple of the members they just loved him. They said they felt so loved and are very happy that he'll be our Mission President. In my interview with him (It was all in Spanish) he just asked me about myself and who I am as a missionary and stuff like that. He said that he's looking forward to being able to work with everyone and is happy that he'll be able to serve amongst the Spanish speaking people of the mission. In the beginning it looked like Sister Thomas may have been a little overwhelmed by things but now she's getting used to it. Everyone goes through an adjustment period. So this week we went to get a bike for E. Hernandez and he bought a bike from a missionary that just left for $20. It needs few repairs but it's in VERY good shape for $20. He was so scared when we first starting riding them. He said he didn't ride a bike since he was 12 so it was definitely an interesting experience. First he started off super slow but then as we started going he sped up a bit. He said that he was praying super hard that no one would hit him or he would lose his balance or anything like that. Needless to say it was everything I was expecting in a classic new missionary. He talked to a couple of people by himself which was a good step, this week I'm going to see if he can start doing other things on his own, but of course I'll be right there to help him if he needs it. The first time he left a message on the phone he kind of freaked out and didn't know what to say but it'll come in time. It's weird, it's kind of the opposite when I started. First I learned how to understand, then read, then speak. He already knows how to speak some, understands a little, and reads none. So we'll see how we can improve his skills. Well I guess about that's it for this week! Have a good week!

Elder Emerick  
district??? Not sure

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

A new President and a Temple Trip

Hola Familia,

So I'm training. It's going to be a new experience because I haven't had a companion so young because we haven't received many new spanish Elders since I've been on the mission. Or pretty much all the missionaries have been out like 2-4 months less than me. So it will be new to teach someone how to be a missionary. Also PRESIDENTE THOMAS HA LLEGADO!!!! He is soooooo cooool!!!!!! He came in on Friday and then he interviewed me personally on Saturday because I'm training. He did the interview in spanish too! He's such an awesome guy, he can laugh, have fun, and has a great testimony and understanding of the church and culture. He visited our ward for sacrament meeting for his first one in the mission and he AND HIS WIFE bore their testimonies in Spanish. He literally has been an answer to my prayers for guidance and leadership for us. We also got to go to the temple and it was good as always. It was a session that I hadn't seen before so it was interesting. Elder Wockenfuss is getting transferred and will be going to Carlsbad. There will only be 2 companionship's of spanish missionaries in the Vista Ward and the Oceanside Ward. So We'll cover half the stake which is super weird, we'll have a ton of work to do. Likewise with Elder Wockenfuss, they'll cover half of Carlsbad and Oceanside. Yesterday was the 4th of July and we had hamburgers and hot dogs! It's funny to see everyone dressed up like white guys. Backwards baseball hats, shirts with patriotic things on them, listening to Sweet Home Alabama and stuff like that. They understand the importance of it and are indeed very thankful as much as we are (If maybe not a little more) that we have a country that doesn't have as many problems as others. In Oaxaca Mexico right now there's a large disturbance and riots about education. Teachers are fighting for rights against the government and there is a huge uprising. Lots of people are being killed. We think that our government and nation is in a crisis, and in a sense it certainty is. BUT we are way better off than other places, for that we should be thankful! One member gave us homemade hamburgers with bacon and pineapple on it and it was SUPER GOOD. You should try that combination because it was surprisingly good.  It appears as if we will have success this transfer not only because of the area we're inheriting but also all the work we'll be able to do. I have no idea about Ipads. We won't know about any big mission changes or there won't be any till President Thomas gets accustomed to being a mission President. Poor Sister Thomas she seemed a little overwhelmed at the beginning because we were talking to her before I went in for the interview and she was talking about the full day and everything. They'll get used to it soon. jaja Well I'll get to sending some pictures. I hope you all have a good week!!

Elder Emerick
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Our District
The Reyes Family

The Marin Family

Mariano Family
Gomez Family

Elder Emerick and Elder Wackenfus at the San Diego Temple