26 Aug 2012 Teachin' is Pickin' up

 Hi  Ya all,

  The way I figures, I can have around 17-18 companions by the time I'm done with my mission. And yes, lots to learn from them. Elder Kimball is from Denton Texas, just north of Dallas. Tell A., see if he knows where it is. Ya, we'll both be at the airport when we fly home together ( Since they have both been out 1 year they will  probably leave it at the same time). He came from the top of the zone, Rocky Mount War Area, he got a member ride to the stake center in Greenville, and then our WML took us back to our apartment.

  "Pickin up" means were teaching more people/working harder. We had four lessons yesterday. :) That's a record for my mission. (Europe and The South have been dubbed the two hardest areas of The Work) Nonetheless, it rolls forth as David  told. Rural? Very...we drive past corn, cotton, tabacco (pronounced 'Backah here), soybean, and many other multitudes of crops all the time. The snakes come from service at Sister B's farm. We do live in "Norcalinea" it's just a part of life here. There is a Less active member that has 40 pet snakes...all caged though.

   Ya, as to learning from the mission, Pres. Baker told me to well... "Learn from it, it will bless your life tremendously." No doubt well keep teaching B. R., after all, "The whole need no physician, but they that are sick" We had an amazing lesson with him and S. We watched the restoration after a bit of explanation. He loved it, so we left him with the dvd and will talk about it this week. I like the analogy of "Spiritual High School" (ref from Dad's letter to A) Not to mention it seems like the whole world while your here, and when it's over, you completed it just like everybody else did, but what you got from it was different.

    Didn't know that about Aunt P.'s conversion story, I mentioned  to the other elders as we left today that you were a "Golden Contact" so I thought it interesting you mentioned that time frame. And yes, it is awesome teaching someone with my name. By the way, thanks for the epic name. :) We also gave a blessing to a part-member family wife, yesterday before she started teaching school today. The husband (nonmember) insisted his daughter get one too, so she got her first blessing. He will no doubt join The Church some day. He is really searching for it. Could you keep him in your Prayers? E. T. and family. He liked the Sister missionaries discussion with him about Eternal Families and Temples. He's definitely progressing. They are technically teaching him though. I'm just glad he's growing. He and I are kinda the same.

Thanks for the Email.

Take care, Elder Meyerink

2013 August 19 Transfer, teaching and snakes!!

 Aug 19, 2013

 

Transfer calls came. Elder Richardson is going to Gloucester VA, finally leaving Mt. Olive after  7 1/2 months since day one on his mission. Elder Kimball from the Raleigh side is coming here. He's been out about a year. Should be a good transfer. Things are pickin' up. Good to know what's going on back home, in the ward etc., Got the boots and the book,  two weeks ago. 

      Oh, we encountered two snakes this week. One 6 ft. black rat snake (non-venomous) and a 4 ft. Copperhead (venomous)  which I killed with a Bush axe.  I'll send picks :P So, thanks for the boots again. As for luggin' stuff around, I'm sending a box of stuff home soon. I should be good for a bit longer.
       As for people were teaching. It's mainly me. I'm feeling now more than ever that this Mission will be the highlight of my life and I will be learning so much from it to use later. I have learned more single points of tips for later on in life than people I have contacted. Not to mention the blessing of counsel a few weeks ago from Elder Bowes, district leader who finishes his mission tomorrow. He said "The reason you are here now and doing the things you are, will be revealed unto you at a later date."
      But, B. R. told us yesterday something he did when he was younger...so it might be a while before he can be near baptism. Aaron, a new investigator, is the boyfriend of a less-active lady. We had a good chat with them this week and shared a scripture about prayer and a Mormon Message from Pres. Hinckley about the two boys that put dollar coins in the farmers boots. It's called "Lessons I learned as a boy" Just for info. He liked it, and was glad we came and said, "Definitely" when he said, "We'll see ya later." We talked and figured this would reactivate her as well. We're gonna' text her to see if she thinks he's ready for the Missionary Lessons. So that's The Work here.
     Oh, and the P. from Sandbridge,  were baptized on the 14th and confirmed on Sunday!!! They're members now! The only Legitimate family with both parents and kids I have ever taught are members!! I'll send a pic when I get one.
      My story of the week comes from "Joseph Smith the Prophet." Brother Joseph leaned over to a brother in a meeting and said, "I'd take you if you were a bit bigger" (Meaning wrestling) He replied, "I recon' you can take me the way I am" So they started that instant and Joseph ended up breaking his leg, carried him home and gave him a blessing. His leg healed remarkably fast. This was in a leadership meeting I think. It's in the first few chapters somewhere.

  Thanks for the email. I bought some tapes today so Ill start recording soon.
Elder Meyerink

(He has sent 2 tapes home with more details of his mission.... some will be included here later or at earlier dates!!)

15 July 2013 Mt. Olive NC

 

  Ya, we figured Pres. Baker would shuffle the Mission. Mt. Olive is in the middle of nowhere...It rocks. Actually, we have a house, a small one right across the Highway from the Church. Our address is:

 

203 E Pine Forest Rd.

 Mt. Olive NC, 28365.

 

   Feel free to write or send goodies, pictures etc.,  like crazy, It's been a minute since I got anything from anyone. The District is us (Mt. Olive), Mt. Olive Spanish (whom we live with/District Leader) Mount Olive  sisters and Albertson  sisters. Not to mention the Proselyting Senior Couple in the ward, which makes 8 full-time in the ward...awesome. No idea on how many in the stake, but it's the Goldsboro Stake. Elder Richardson is from Farmville/Kaysville UT and has been here for 7 months, his first and only area.

    Lots of less-active work and teaching members. We have in investigator named B. R. that is coming along slow, but he'll get there. We  share the car with the Spanish speaking elders. Elder Richardson can't drive yet  so the District Leader and I switch off every once in a while. Oh, and tell A. there's Piggly Wigglys down here!!! Oh, and it rained for about 4 days straight last week

 

  P.a deacon? I feel old. Was Their house for Sale, the new family W.s, I don't remember? So much stuff going on here and back home it's hard to keep trackof everything. Ya, I always chuckle going through D&C reading R.C. stuff, knowing were related.

 

Thanks for the writins

 Elder Meyerink

In his cassette tape he mentions that the walls are so thin that  we just yell... hey Elders can we have the car on....time.... ok thanks.Then later comments that I gets to go apartment huntin again.... almost every area I get to do that.

8 July 2013 3 pics,Going to NC

Well. I got transferred. I will be going to NC on Thursday. They are shotgunning (moving both missionaries from the area) the elders from the Sandbridge ward. Elder Moffet is going to Newport News with my Ethiopian companion. I am going to the Mount Olive Ward in the Goldsboro stake. It looks like about a 30 minute drive to Raleigh...weird. By the way...the address of the Church is 130 Mormon Church Road. Show that one to A.. I find it AWESOME!

      Mission conference. 1st bit. No more backpacks...just our ipad minis, which we'll get soon. 2nd bit. We can't go to the Raleigh temple. President's vision for the Mission is the Book of Mormon. He is going to stress that and the help of the Lord hand in modern technology. His  was the first hand to shoot up to volunteering the his  Mission during the new mission pres seminar for facebook and mini ipads in the field. So we may be getting facebook access sometime soon.

     There will be a transfer van to NC like how I got here. The transfer building/mission office/HQ is the Portsmouth building, 1115 Cherokee Rd Portsmouth Virginia, 23701.  And yes, commmunications with the district do well with the phones. I'll try to mention B. to the . family, but keep in mind there are thousands of students at BYU-I. And I think it was a member, not Sister P.

      On the 4th of July, we could dress in proselyting clothes, but try not to hold appointments due to people wanting family time. We just spent the day with the members and watched some fireworks in the back yard.

      Ha ha, i miss the desert heat. It still rains way to much here. Not to mention 104 heat index this week. Hurricane season is coming up too, tell mom not to freak out, it just means lots of rain. Plus, I'll be more inland.

Thanks for the news.

Elder Meyerink  

Mom here at home always wondered how they transferred with bikes and bags.  The answer is this:  The mission owns enclosed trailers into which the missionaries put bags, bike helmets etc. The bikes go in the back of the pick ups which pull the trailer, then the missionaries get into regular "people vans" .  These rigs then caravan to each area dropping off or picking up missionaries as the go.  Then at the nearest  chapel to the new area,the missionaries are met by their new companions.  THen they go to the new apartments. So here are some examples of missionaries from the RVM being transferred by pictures from Sister Perry's FB page!!  Pretty cool system I think!!

2013 July 1- 3 pics-To finish in the NEW CVM!!

As of July 1st, I am in THE new mission. I will  finish my  mission in the brand new Chesapeake Virginia Mission. A Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church building is being remodeled into the mission home.  Here is the address for the new mission home if you want to write me letters or send post cards.  Missionaries love mail !!  If you want to send packages, call or email mom for my current address. Packages need to be sent to the current apartment address.

Chesapeake Virginia Mission
1115 Cherokee Road
Portsmouth VA 23701  

Once again mom found pictures from FB Sister Perry thanks.  These are setting up new apartments all across the mission.  They have so many new missionaries coming into both RVM & CVM that mission it takes many more apartments to be opened!!

2013 June 3 Transfers/ new CVM!!

   The Work goes well here. Transfer calls came. I am staying here in Sandbridge and the new Chesapeake Mission. Elder Pancheri is actually going to transfer to Meadowbrook B, the same area I was trained in... Epic. Sisters are coming into the area, which is being split, they take the car and cover the south and we bike the North. Elder Moffit, my new companion, is just done getting trained in the Waynseboro stake northwest of Richmond. I've heard he is quiet, kinda' like me. Should go over well, we'll see.

 Sister M., we saw her for dinner the other day and talked about grace and works. I'm going to show her the suggested chapters you said on Sunday. We taught a family yesterday, it was sweet.

Good to know all it well at home.

Thanks for the support, Love ya much

Elder Meyerink

2013 May 27 Letter to Pres. Perry also included

   Thanks for the tips. Got my package with the book. As for the pictures; I would like pictures of the house, Millcreek Gardens (where he worked before his mission) and said co-workers (tell them hi again and only one more season left ). Glad to hear  N. baptism was awesome. Tell the W. family  hi while they are there and good luck with the move to NJ. I've always remembered the story of Aaron Garder, he seems like an amazing man. I wish I knew him more.

I will just include me letter to Pres. as a debriefing this week:  Followed by a note from me.

PRESIDENT PERRY!!!

I figured it out! We had exchanges with the Zone Leaders this week, Elder Miller came down here. It's a long story, but I finally figured out, for myself-- of course, we're here to baptize! Not to mention running across Pres. Kimball's talk, "When the World will be converted." I knew it, but I didn't know it, if you know what I mean. While that confirmation was running through my head, I also realized subconsciously that I am ready for that stretch you were talking about. My natural man doesn't want to admit it, but I am. I'll do whatever the Lord wants me to do.This is different. My obedience to mission rules has exploded.

As for the District. All is well. The Elders have some people set for baptism, the Sisters have been getting referrals like crazy, and just had a baptism. As for us; Our recent converts (who was ordained an Elder on Sunday) son is reading the Book of Mormon now that we had a lesson with him about it and. Hope to see him soon and follow up. We also contacted a month old referral. She said to come back, but she wasn't home. She looks solid, but we'll try again.

  We had a cool finding experience in Wal Mart's parking lot today. Some guy needed a battery jump. Gave out a Restoration and P.O.S. pamphlet with our number. Praying he  will read and call us. So pretty much, this area and district are both growing and a lot better than I first found them. That part member said she likes Believing Christ, thanks for suggesting to let investigators read that. Were hoping she will read the Book of Mormon now.
Excited to bike, and get sisters to help the ward grow. Key indicators should double with more missionaries. It's gonna' be sweet!

 Elder Meyerink

Dad Mom

: Thanks for the love and guidance. I always knew I would someday figure out what you guys were teaching me was true. That day is now, on a mission. Thanks for the support and the opportunity.
 Love Ya'll.