2013 Dec 30 Members most important part of the Work!!

  Mission conference. We drove to our building (Kinston stake center) we watched "Muppet Christmas Carol" Had lunch, then went to the chapel to have hymns and musical numbers for Christmas. It was a lot less confer-ency than the one with Pres. Perry.

  What is the families name that's being taught? Where do they live? Is our family/ward fellow shipping them? This is huge! there's not that many nonmembers in our boundaries! We can't mess this up, members are more important in missionary work then missionaries!

   As for the work here, it's getting a tad faster. This Sunday was great. We both had the prompting to talk to Bishop after Sacrament meeting, so we did. He asked where we're planning to attend 3rd hour. We said we weren't sure. Found out he was teaching, asked if we could do a work of Salvation fireside sometime. He invited us to his office and long story short, he had us teach 3rd hour after deciding that's what the Lord wanted the combined members to hear. It was definitely what we all needed here. One more event in recent past that proves the Mater is the master behind this work.

 I love this. So far, were only teaching one couple from the referrals, but that is going to change soon! We are expecting miracles. We're counseling about a ward mission plan. The number 22 convert baptisms this year was brought up. Some members said too high, some said it could work. We'll get it all sorted out. I just can't wait to have Ipads to help the work move faster with coordinations between us and them.

Love ya'll, have a great week!

Elder Meyerink

23 Dec 2013 Happy Christmas Ya'll!!!

 

  Happy Christmas Ya'll!!!  Ya, it was 71 F here yesterday...not December. It's kind of is throwing my body off, but I"m use to it this season.

  This is my email to Pres. Baker,

 

 "This was a Great week. New Bern was very expounding. It was  interesting to observe conference calls. It helped me understand who really is in charge of this Work. We asked a member while following up with his stake referrals if he knew anyone else. Someone came to his mind! Awesome. I Love Revelation! We are teaching a wonderful young couple who is a returning-less actives stake referral in their home. Greatest thing ever. Hope to have a very amazing week, with Conference and Christmas."

 

  So that's the repost on the Work. How are Sarah and Josh? Tell her to see if they can find a Miller family in Yucipa CA. Elder Aaron Miller was my zone leader, he finished this summer. Ya, the areas pretty easy. Maps are nice, my GPS died and the one in the apartment is acting like a turtle that can find the top side of its shell. We biked a bit yesterday,  its warm by the way. We're going fishing today with that investigator :)

 

Oh, Elder Aitken is from Cedar City. He came from the Woodington ward, right south of us. And actually, New Bern is struggling. Kinston 1st is the fasting growing ward in the stake. the only reason their the zone leaders is because that area is central for the stake boundaries, for exchanges, but the zone split to two. Our zone leaders are in Greenville, Pres. Baker told me to go to New Bern though, his companion went to VA to be Assistant. It was a great exchange, I was a 4 day zone-leader! Got to listen in on a few conference calls with Mission/Stake President.

 

  We're going to do Christmas morning at a members house. I'll call the house around 10 there 12 here.

 

Love Ya'll Happy Christmas. Make sure Art is home so I can talk to him!!! By the way, I can't call Sarah, First Presidency said so, I asked Pres. Baker. But I'll see yall later.

 

  Remember who had the Birthday, and who gave the Gift.

Elder Meyerink

16 Dec 2013 Serving as Temporary ZL!

 

  Ya, I was hoping the Wedding would go well.  I figured you would be busy being the Bride's parents and all. Good to know the ward members are thinking of us.

 

  Elder Tenney's flight leaves today from Norfolk, VA to Atlanta, to Sau Paulo BZ to Forta Lesa BZ. He'll get to His mission about 4pm tomorrow. My New companion Elder Aitken is serving in Woodington, right south of us. He's been out about 4 months I think. I am in New Bern with the Kinston East Zone Leader because his companion is now the assistant in Portsmouth. It is fun here, the area itself reminds me of Outer Banks/Virgina Beach. So technically I am a temporary Zone Leader for four days. 

   The work in Kinston is going very well. We received/contacted/taught a couple that was a referral from a member at conference. They are both on board, yesterday was his 2nd and her 1st church attendance here. They like it. I was on exchanges when my District leader (Elder Foutz from Mapleton)and Elder Tenney taught them. They both accepted the big 3 invitations, Read, Pray, and Church as well as the Book of Mormon. They both want to change their life around. Turns out he has already investigated the Church before, had a Baptismal date, but stuff came up. So it will go well this time. We saw K., assigned her Alma 7 and she read it. We had our follow up visit with her, and told her the others in the house were invited. F.and D., her daughter and Fiance were happy to find out about the restoration. We testified of the Power of the Book of Mormon. D. asked, "How do you know this book is true?" It was awesome. He said they would come to Church, they didn't, but that's not going to stop us! Oh, all 5 of said people accepted a soft Baptismal date. The work here is amazing. Я рад, оставаясь Кинстон!! (I'm glad I'm remaining Kinston!!)

 

  Glad to know everything is going great back home.  We pray for strength and for the work here, it works.

 

Love, ya, talk to ya'll later.

 

Elder Meyerink

 

10 Dec 2013 New comp on 16th

  I just found out that Joshua is Elder Pancheris' cousin. He served in Sandbridge with me in June. So on that note. His parents are apparently going down for the wedding.

  Weather here is rain and never stopping. Oh, and it snowed 6 inches in St. George, Elder Tenneys' mom sent pics. 

  As for the Work, its going well.

  Ya, it's a bit differn't between here and there. For Conference, they came to NC. Goldsboro and Kinston met in Goldsboro. I'll send you my notes or something. Pres. Baker related Mission rules to a plumbob, if you know what it is. Old school level for vertical structures. "Don't be a half-bob off plumb." - Pres. Baker Its going well. That's neat that Bro. Nelson is Patriarch now. Elder Doxey sounds like a great teacher. By the way, I had the oppurtunity to have an interview with Elder Perkins, just to find out what the mission was like, what should improve, what to talk about. He had some great messages.

  Elder Tenney leaves for Brazil on the 16th. So I'll be getting a new companion, but won't find out who 'till transfer calls this Sunday. Other than that, all is wells.

  We have a Christmas tree, its great. No snow though. :( Have fun at the wedding, say Hi to the Pancheri family for me.

  Love Ya'll

Elder Meyerink

Mom says of course I know what a plumb bob is. Should be one or two in our tool box somewhere!! My father was a carpenter by second nature, uncles also. 

2 December 2013 New kind of work!!

  It's a bit cold here, barely. Not much new of food wise. Chicken pastry was good. It's just flat dough in a chicken-broth soup deal. It's good. We had dinner with the Bishop's family at the Church. He's pretty young, mid 30s. He served in Salt Lake. He was in the Olympus stake I believe. 

  Your thinking the standard referral...This is a new breed of missionary work. We have seen a handful of the referrals. We Pray with, check up on, and invite the members to talk to, invite, and contact their referrals. We teach them basically how to talk about the church. One day, they'll start inviting them for dinner sometime. We still have 58 of the referrals. Ya, this ain't normal missionary work, this is The Work of Salvation. 

  Elder Tenney will be leaving at transfers. Our WML was sick this week.Im gonna pick up a card  By the way, Elder Perkins of the First Quorum of the Seventy will be at mission conference Monday, so that's who's coming. Ill have a report on Tuesday, since our Preparation day is getting moved to tuesday for that week.

 I know you love teaching, of which I have picked up the trait,

  Funny, the quote is a basic restating of Paul's Romans 10:17. revelation is the rock of the Church. 

Love ya'll, Elder Meyerink