February 1, 2016

Aloha Mom!

Well, you'll be pleased to hear that the dried mangos you sent....well, I pretty much ate them all already. I had forgotten how fruit other than apples tasted like, and I must say they were probably the treat of the week! 

I now feel a little inspired myself to prepare for the Sabbath as well. Granted what we do as missionaries is pretty spiritual in and of itself, I still try to take some time aside and prepare myself for the holy ordinance of the sacrament.

But, ohhhh mah golly, this week was outstanding. We had more new investigators come in that we are teaching now. I don't know if there's a difference between comfort and work load, but I'm seeing both pretty parallel. Still, I can probably describe this past week with four experiences.

First, we tracted into a gay guy named Andy. Talked with him on the doorstep for a little while. In the end he told both of us we were pretty cute. Riiigghhhtttt, I don't know how to respond to that. 

Ok, so the first serious event occurred on Saturday. We are teaching a former member named Bro. Slade. He served a mission and all that, but was excommunicated for some time. He's coming back now. But we learned that he has some major depression issues. When Elder Vajner first met him, we just talked with him. We found that sometimes holding casual conversation with folks is the best way to communicate with them. It was a good meeting. After that we met with Jessica. Her mother had a heart attack, and Jessica's really grown in testimony about prayer as she's seen her mom recover. After we talked with her, Theodis, Gabi, and Lily, her three adult children,  just joined in with the lesson (they had excused themselves earlier), and we had a giant Q&A session with them. During it, Jessica actually stood up and defended the Book of Mormon whenever questions of it's divinity (which it is) were brought up. It really made us feel well to see her developing a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. We think talking with them definitely helped build trust with her family. Jessica's going down to San Francisco to stay with her mom for two months, but she gave us her address and we are going to pass that along to the elders down there.

The next day we got a text from Bro. Slade that asked me to tell Elder Beatty that it was a pleasure knowing him. That was a red flag. We called him and scheduled a time to see him that day, he asked for a priesthood blessing. We went with another member, Bro. Unsicker, and visited him. The two connected right away, and the blessing served him well. The next day we got a text from Bro. Slade telling us that bringing Bro. Unsicker was inspired.

The second big thing that happened was with a less active named Bro. Ayling. He's an army veteran who saw combat with the Rangers back in the day. But he's good to us and always lets us come by. Recently he's been coming back to church to! But we were going to read Alma 17 with him, and while explaining the background, I got the impression that perhaps we should actually read Mosiah 27 instead. I had prayed to Heavenly Father to let us open to a specific chapter that would help him the most, and Alma 17 is what we opened to, but I followed what I felt anyway. We started reading in a circle about the conversion of Alma, and Bro. Ayling got to read the verses where Alma glories in his redemption. That's when the spirit hit pretty hard. Bro. Ayling got really choked up as he read it. He told us he was the exact same way when he was younger. We bore testimony and we could tell something even more deeper now resided in his heart than any other thing before. Geeze, that was fantastic.

The last great experience that occurred happened yesterday. It was a beautiful Sunday, and our appointments were falling through again. We were facing an area-long ride to a potential. I usually try to avoid riding to too long, particularly if the appointment isn't set. Oddly though, I felt at peace with the ride. So we started going across town on our usual route that cuts through the cemetery. But while we were going, we noticed a single lady sitting in front of a single tombstone off the path. I felt like we should go visit her. So we detoured to go talk to her. Her name is Birda, and she was paying her respects to her grandson who committed suicide 15 years ago. She asked us what happens to us after we die, particularly under his circumstances. Come to find out that every evangelist she had talked to had told her he had gone to hell because of he committed suicide. We told her that we are all God's children, and that He provides a way for all of us to know more concerning him, whether in this life or the next. This really comforted her, so much so she said that she felt more hope around us than any other preacher she had talked to in the past year. The spirit was strong, and I could tell that her grandson was watching. She agreed to meet us again there at that spot later on in the week. 

We were truly blessed this past week. I've come to know more about the divinity of God and His glorious, yet so simply gospel. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that God still reveals to man His will and His knowledge to His prophet, Thomas S. Monson. 

Yeah, it was a great week. You know, the only thing I can think of asking for is an English to Spanish dictionary, or language learning device of some kind. In the end, your emails are great enough! Anyway, love you guys, hope all is going well in Hawaii!

Happy Birthday Paul! Great Gatsby said that 30 years old is the prime of life or something like that!

Take care!

Elder Michael Camit

January 25, 2016

Hello Mom!

This week:

The baptisms, the sun, effective finding, overall work, and other things!

The baptisms did happen! We were so blessed by it. We had a really good turn-out to it too, President Lewis and his wife came as a matter of fact. But the spirit was so strong there, I could tell it. Sorry to say but I found myself a little over-stressed about it. I didn't really delegate the event out in the best way that I could. But looking back, I guess I was just over-concerned about having enough chairs and the font filling up on time. Still, despite that, the baptisms themselves were so strong and powerful. It got super quiet when Brandon, Tyson, and Lily were baptized. Like SUPER quiet. And I knew that the spirit was present there. Two of the priests in the ward performed the baptism, and I know that it will be an experience they probably never will forget. I remember when I told the one of the mothers, who was Sis. Van de Venter actually, that her son would be baptizing and she just about broke down in tears. Hoorah for Israel!

Also, the sun came out! It's been out for the past three days, which is more sun than I've seen in the past two months! Don't worry, I'm not going blue because of it. Whenever I start thinking about the want for sunlight, I just think back to the average day in the Vegas mission and suddenly I'm not so sad anymore! Still, it was beauuuutiful weather for biking! Which we were actually able to do, finally. We were blessed to have four new investigators this past week, and I know that God has prepared them to at least hear of His message. One is Jessica's daughter, who voiced her mother's concern to us that she doesn't want to feel pushed in any way towards baptism. We re-assured her that we were there to help her draw closer to God at the rate that they know. Funny, she actually had more questions about Mormon stereotypes, which transitioned into what we do as missionaries. She was really shocked, and I mean really shocked when she heard we can't go swimming, movies, games, TV, etc. 

We also met a lady by the name of Ilene this past week too! Last Tuesday before the sun came out, we were hit with a massive rain-turn-snow-turn-rain-turn-snow-and finally rain storm that we were out in the middle of. We had plans to go see a Less Active member, but it fell through, but due to a recent training, decided that the Lord had us down here for a reason. So we started tracting, and the first door we knock on, we meet Ilene, who invited us back! All doors after that were Spanish speaking or put-on-nice-face contacts. By then it had turned snow. 

Still, we went back a few days later, and whaddya know, Ilene lets us in! We get around to teaching her about the Restoration, and she liked it! We hope we can continue to teach her.

The last two people we met were a 17 year old guy and his girlfriend. They were referrals, and he wanted to start coming to an LDS  church. We taught them a shorter lesson, and were able to get to know them more. His name's Jared, her's is Crystal. They live with his brother, who is turned off to religion, so hopefully we can work around that. 

Yeah, not too much else happened this week. We had dinner with a recent move-in family. They have four children all ages five and under. The five year old girl they have is absolutely adorable. When we were leaving, she was dragging my shoulder bag, which probably weighs as much as she, across the floor towards me, saying something along the lines of "I got your bag for you Elder Camit!"

Gee, I could just hear Toefaeono, Delph, and Wilder doing that feminine "awww" just watching that. 

I am very sorry to say, but I am unable to send pictures right now of the baptism and the sun. The computer I'm working at isn't reading my camera's USB plug in. Oh well, we'll figure it out. Oh yeah, Broncos are going to the Super Bowl! Hooray for that! I really hoped I didn't just jinx it.

Anyway, you guys have a safe flight over to Hawaii, tell Paul I said hello! Ask him if he got my letter from Christmas, hope it wasn't too sentimental. Still, the mean white shirt and tag machine rolls onward. I hope to hear from all you guys real soon! Know that I love all of you!

Love you!

Michael  

January 18, 2016

Hey Dad!

That's some real great insight from Pres. Hunter. I've often found myself thinking about the definition of peace, and how we see it vs. how the world sees it. One of the biggest connections I've made is that it seems like worldly peace only lasts for so long, but the tranquility that comes through the spirit lasts for eternity. Heh, now I just realized that's one of the things we do out here, be peacemakers. Offering the only peace that lasts beyond death. 

I believe it was Harold B. Lee who said something along the lines on how the Gospel is the only thing that can unite men of all cultures and backgrounds together in harmony. Looking around the world, I see how that is so. Devout Latter Day Saints all over the world seem like the most unified of any organization on Earth. Treaties and whatnot eventually are locked up in some glass case, but the gospel is proclaimed for the rest of the Earth's life. That's the beautiful thing (one of the many) the gospel of Christ does; helps us look beyond flags and rather at family. I guess the thing to do now is to continue to preach it to all of God's children!

We had a lot of Member-present (MP/LTM) lessons this past week. As a matter of fact, all lessons taught were with a member present, so we are making good progress with using members more often! 

Yeah, it's definitely a little challenging taking over the area, you should know. Elder Vajner's only been out 4 and a half months, but we are making do anyhow! I feel like I'm back in Staff to a certain extent, every day there's a plan to be carried out and all that jazz. Feels good actually, being back in the scene. But still, I shouldn't worry too much. 

Anyway, thanks for the email! Yours are always the more spiritual ones that I get every week, and I always appreciate the insight/reminders you give. Thanks for all you did to teach and provide for me!

Love you,

Michael

January 11, 2016

Hello Mom!

This week:

Goodbye Elder Beatty, slower days, a friend named Thomas, and good ole' lunch trips!

Funny to think about moving buildings to the stake center. You know it's also funny, I'm finding Yakima more and more home-feeling. It's a little hard to think about the differences between here and Vegas and then to think about my home in Vegas. I kind of feel like I'm at home here. And......that's where I stop talking. Don't worry, I still know where home truly is.

Still, we had a slow week this week. Contrasted the out-standingness of last week, Elder Beatty was down and out of it last Monday and Tuesday. But we got to work afterward, and although few, saw many blessings along the way. Elder Beatty is getting transferred down to Oregon, and I will be receiving a certain Elder Vaejner (pronounced Vainer) from Colorado. 

Yesterday at church we were talking to Bishop. The whole ward was really sad to hear that Beatty is leaving. So am I. We have accomplished so much together in the Randall Park ward, and the members have noticed this. But Bishop took a minute to come and talk to us about how grateful he is about what we have accomplished. I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of nervous for this. Vaejner has been out not as long as me, so I'll be the senior. But I remember that this is the Lord's work and that I am perfectly capable of leading this. Besides, I got this. If there's one thing Staff is going to help me out with, along with the mission this far, it's leading this part of the area!

But we had the most people in church in a long time come yesterday! Including five Investigators. Three of them are set for baptism on 23rd January! Hooray!

Good experience though, during tracting this week we ran into this fellow by the name of Thomas. He asked us a question regarding the validity of certain aspects of the gospel. I didn't want this to descend into arguing, so I said a quick prayer in my head and started talking. I told him about how the Lord reveals his Gospel to the extent that his people will understand and obey it. He really liked that! We then got talking about how no one is greater than the other in God's perspective,  and that we all have a charge to be good Christians to everybody we meet! We really got to like Thomas. He wasn't interested in what we had to say, but I think both of us were really pleased that we built common ground on Christ Jesus our Lord. Why can't everyone else be like that!

Sorry, not too many other things happened this week. A less active family took us out to Red Robin for lunch, and that was great! But other than that, nothing else too much happened. Still, got to hear from you guys right? That's motivation in and of itself to continue on stronger than ever! Hoorah for Israel!

Anyway, please remember us in your prayers. I hope that Elder Vaejner and I get along well, but I guess that's all part of the journey. And right now I'm in the greatest part of that journey, with the greatest family ever backing me up!

Love you all!

Michael

January 4, 2016

Hello Mom!

This week:

2K(0)16! having an ice day, playing racquetball, familiar tools and different scenarios, Jessica and Chaplain Wiberg, the threat of taco bell, meeting thugs, and the day the church boilers went out!

First off, Happy belated birthday! It's incredible to think that another year has gone by. 2016?! Who would've known! Mission year!

Those pictures were awesome! I always love it when you guys send pictures in, really helps me feel like we're not separated by a couple states. Even then, if the spirit can span the eternities, then we're practically next door neighbors right?

But, I can definitely relate to the cold/ice of your holiday experience. Yakima has been getting blasted with cold, cold cold weather. Ice in abundance too. One member put it well. In Yakima, the plowing job's on the main roads aren't the greatest, so everyone drives extremely slow and extremely cautious. And still, people get in wrecks. I guess I can't really blame them. Mother Nature's pretty dastardly about that. But anyway, he was saying that everyone just drives over the ice and it packs it down until the road's practically an ice rink. I didn't really take much note of it until Elder Beatty and I were walking the other day and slipping all over on the side roads! No one biffed it, but we did have to jerk/catch our balance. Still, good times!

Last P-day a family in the ward was kind enough to take us to the local rec-center to play racquetball. I'm not going to lie, it's.....fun, I guess. I mean, apart from the fact that the only one getting hit by the ball was me, it was a new sport to kill time. But I was able to do something more up-my-alley when we helped a member break ice off his driveway. Using the tamp-bar doing that brought back memories of cutting out wall trenches in the side of hills, only except for dirt and clay hitting me in the face, it was ice and snow instead.

But man, this week was fantastic for missionary work! We had the extreme blessing of teaching 3 new investigators this week! And we were also able to exceed our goal of other lessons taught. Truly the good Lord has blessed us in this regard. We are doing His work after all. It's incredible to think about just how much He has blessed me in my life with awesome family like you guys! But fun work story for the week; One of our new investigators is named Jessica, she is in her late 30's and has a cousin who's a member. The first lesson we taught with her was super powerful. She told us that she hadn't felt the holy spirit like she did then in years, and when we asked her if she would read the Book of Mormon, she just opened the book, looking into the ceiling, telling us that's how she reads the Bible. And, whaddya know, she opens to Alma 5! Great chapter. So for the next meeting, we brought a member in the ward who in a chaplain in the Army, Brother Wiberg, and he connected perfectly with Jessica! Turns out he is also a counselor too! We began the lesson by reading Alma 5  with her (she hadn't got the chance to yet), and about v. 18 then her son asked us a question about pride. Well, we started to talk about it, and we spent the rest of the lesson just discussing their needs. Chaplain Wiberg did an amazing job connecting how important the Gospel is to them, and he was able to also relate it to Jessica's past religious experiences as well! In the end, Jessica said "I am so glad I opened to Alma 5!" It was awesome, the spirit was so strong! and then we learned that she attended church that Sunday with her cousin in a different ward! 

God is Good! Fun fact about Bro. Wiberg I learned is that he served his mission in Milan. How cool is that! 

That was the pinnacle of the week. The rest of the week was spent going about our business. I learned that you could buy Cruchwraps at Taco Bell for only $1.08, so we are staying away from that place for the sake of health. Along the lines of street contacting some people, we ran into a couple of thug-like folks walking down the street, in an attempt to street contact them, they just kept walking one went off on a prepared speech on why he doesn't need Jesus. Sad, but I thought that was pretty funny. Good ole' Yakima!

And on a chronologically final note, the boilers at the church broke down Saturday night. So we arrive at church Sunday morning for ward council, and it's 48 Fahrenheit in the chapel. So bishop Oplinger reversed the schedule and we had Priesthood first, and when the boilers showed no signs of fixing, we just decided to bless and pass the sacrament during second hour when everyone's in either one room or the other. Goes to show how helpful the intercom system is. Still, despite cutting church an hour short, we still managed to make do. And we taught a lesson to the kids we have on-date afterwards. Awesome!

Yeah, that was the week pretty much. I would argue the best week of the mission so far. I can already tell 2016 is going to be an amazing year! We just need to make it that! I love to hear from all of you guys back home, and I know that this is the Lord's work we are involved in. Stay tenacious, and He will bless us beyond any of our reason. Love you all and remember to thank God for all that He has blessed you with, no matter how great or small it is!

Love you!

Michael

December 28, 2015

(We were able to Skype with Michael on Christmas day, and it was the highlight of our Christmas!)


I must say, its rather fun to be writing a simple note to you without the formality of a letter. I'm doing this because I still have an hour on the computer, and all of my mail's been taken care of. Man, it was so awesome to see you all! Sorry if I was a little straight-faced about it, but gee, that was like the highlight of the holiday so far!

So, funny thing happened. After we got done talking to you guys, we went to visit Christmas evening with a wonderful family in the ward named the Kloepfers. Bro. Kloepfer is the manager at the local Toys 'r Us, so it has been super busy for him. Still, they were kind enough to give us some nerf guns for Christmas! Sweet!

Anyway, that's really all that has happened so far. I'll let you guys konw what goes on the next week.

Love you though! Like a lot!

Michael

December 21, 2015

Hello Mom!

(and everyone else)

So, I can probably sum up the actions of this past week in a simple albeit-there's-no-such-thing-as-sympathy way:

We lost Korra. Our car.

It went to some elders who covered an area about 5 miles away from where they lived. Evidently one of them had a busted ankle, or so he said.  We got their bikes. You see, it's not so much the action than it was the timing that caught us. The night we performed the exchange the temperature plummeted to about 26. So we rode to a member's home in about 25 minutes, and when we got there, Beatty's water bottle was frozen, and there was frost on my coat. And you know those moments that even after you take your gloves off, stupid hot water feels pretty numb? Yeah, it was one of those. Fortunately the member we visited had a bike rack and was more than happy to give us a ride back home.

The other times we biked were awesome. Other than the fact that the road had frozen over, and our tires are not built for snow. Anyway, we decided to start coordinating with members for rides. It's been a real help since that allows us to get a member out with us to every lesson, so we adapt and overcome! I just pack around my first-aid kit now.

Funny, I don't recall eating out that much in November. We go home for lunch, and I use MSF funds for most quick lunches. I'll...look into that. It's probably not fraud, but then again, someone did break into the church a few nights ago. Lost some TV's and projectors, and the keys to the building. Yeah, it's been an interesting week.

So, I guess I’ll just hear from you come Friday! I've already told Dad, but they allow us to call for a little bit Christmas Eve to coordinate times for calling Christmas day, or skyping I guess. Glad to hear that Brooke's on the case for the whole tech deal. She is the smartest one of us all after all!

I forgot to mention, but it's snowing out right now! I love the snow! Or at least love it until we're forced to crawl through it. It's always so peaceful and nice just to stand outside when it's snowing, and then to wake up the next day and see the flesh blanket that covers the ground. Snow always seemed so pure. Or at least the snow I've grown used to. Such a perfect accommodation to the celebration of the birth of He who is pure and loving. I love the Savior, I know he has a plan for us. All of us. Whether in this life or the next, He's provided a way for us to continue to grow and learn more, even as much as He knows. Definitely a long-term process, but I know that one day, we can be even as He is, and get to live in the presence of our Perfect Master and Friend. I love Christmas, and I know that one day the world will know without question of the divinity of the Savior.

And...there we go, I just realized how much testimonies break the rules of romantic writing. Joy during the winter?! Ha! Who would've known! God's ways are HIGHER than man's ways! And that includes writing too!

Anyhoo, I guess we'll hear/see you guys on Friday! And a little on Thursday! Love you all, stay amazing!

Love,

Michael

Hey Mom! So this was a message I sent to Mckay, and I felt like I should send it to you to post on the blog. Just probably the biggest take-away I have gotten from the holiday.

You oughta have a blast this holiday season! But promise me Friend that you'll take time to remember the true meaning of the holiday.

I had a fun thought about Christmas I felt like I oughta share with you though. You ever notice how people say that despite all the Santa-ness of the holiday that Christmas is still considered a religious holiday? It's true it is. But really think about it. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, of the miracle of a being such as He to be brought into the world, to suffer, bleed, and die for us. He underwent all the sins of everyone. Think about that! Everyone who had ever lived, lives, and will live, He felt for them. Those drops of blood had everyone's name written on it. Everyone.

Why should only Christians celebrate Christmas? It doesn't matter what you believe in terms of faith, Christ feels for all of us. He lifts us up, and whether it be in this life or the other, there is a way for us to come to know. And a way for all of us to repent and become clean again. Without that, where would we be?

I can't wait for the day that we will sustain Christ Himself as our perfect Ruler and Leader. Master and Friend. Judge and Mediator. Messiah and Savior. Every knee, every tongue.

So, I say to you friends, Merry Christmas. Let us celebrate our ability to be redeemed, our chance to overcome sin and death, through He that was born to save us all, even Jesus Christ out Lord.