July 20, 2015

My new area is pretty cool, I cover two wards.  One is a family ward and one is a YSA (young single adult).  So it's cool to be around young people a lot.  

I live in a barn so my eyes itch a lot, and it gets hard to breathe sometimes.  Lots of horses in Norco!  The temperature is pretty crazy too! It'll be 80 something degrees we go to bed, and in the morning it will be in the 60's! Freezing! California has made me weak.

The one bummer is that I can't speak Chinese often, but I'm still working on it.  

One thing I have noticed, is that I'm being blessed with just tons of spiritual lessons.  I don't know if it's the language change or what, but all of the lessons I'm having are just great inspiring experiences, very spiritually enlightening.  My investigators are feeling it too!  The Book of Mormon can change people's hearts.

The nice part about this area is that we're getting blessed with lots of miracles.  On Sunday, my first day at church, a 14-year old walked up to me and asked "so what do I have to do if I want to be baptized?"  Not bad!  He's on date for the 1st of August.  

In Corona, it can sometimes be hard to find people to teach.  A lot of people kind of keep to themselves so it's hard to catch them outside or in their garage.  So when a brush fire broke out near a neighborhood, we obviously had to hit it up.  There were TONS of people out on the streets, it was great! No houses got burned and no one got hurt so it was all good.

I didn't send this picture last week, the last night before Murray went home, we (Chinese missionaries in the apartment) decided to take our mattresses out in the living room and "pangea" for the night, which was obviously a party! 

The barn 1

The barn 2

Fire is too hot for me 1

Fire is too hot for me 2

Fire fighting helicopter

Brush fire 1

Brush fire 2

How I'm greeted as I walk out to the car (I couldn't take a picture of the sound.. for some reason) 

He's not cute in case you're wondering

"Pangea" matress party

July 13, 2015

I moved. I'm in Corona with Elder Foy who loves baseball too, still a zone leader! I'm not in a Chinese area anymore which isn't that cool, but my new address is:

Elder Jacob Dyer

5398 Trail Street

Norco, CA 92860

Norco is "Horsetown USA" by the way and I somehow ended up with the original Mulan car - Chevy Cruze.

This past week was amazing.  It was Elder Murray's last week in my mission so all of the Chinese members in our ward invited us over to eat food.  By Thursday I was dying - too much good food.  

Pretty interesting thing happened this week.  We got a call from the Irvine missionaries saying they had a referral from Arcadia (Chinese missionaries).  She needed help translating something in Corona, so we headed over.  She was there with another Chinese woman and the woman’s older American husband.  They had us translating to help them give the ownership and business license of a massage place to the Chinese woman (the single one). 

So we were talking to the government employees and they said it was closed last week by the police for shady stuff happening, illegal stuff.  So they said they'll have an agent go check it again to see if it's approved to open again under the new owner.  Elder Murray, bless his heart (bless your heart Elder Murray), left our number so the person checking could call us and we could translate whether they passed or not.  So they left to their massage parlor store place and we left to meet them there to translate some utilities thing.  But I decided to go back and ask if we should be translating. 

After talking to the worker there, she said Corona has a lot of these massage places that get busted and try to reopen under a new owner.  So long story short after going there and telling them we couldn't go inside because we're missionaries, we took our phone number off the application and called them and told them we couldn't translate because they were involved in illegal activity, she asked "what activity, did the government people say?" And I told her, "you know what I'm talking about." because she did, so we got out of being the translators for a brothel.

We were meeting with a recent convert and his wife and talking about prayer.  They said they both prayed this week about a city inspection on their home (they're doing extensive renovations) to pass.  He prayed to God in the name of Jesus Christ, and she prayed to Buddha, and they passed!  And they were in an argument about "whose God answered their prayers?"  Selina said it's very important to know who helped them pass.  I thought it was a funny argument to have.

The week culminated in Sister Xiong's baptism.  Her husband was baptized last November.  At the start she was really standoffish, not really wanting a lot to do with the church, but we kept working with her, and she finally made it into the waters of baptism!  That was an awesome feeling, seeing their family together.

During the baptism, Sister Xiong started plugging her nose before her husband started the baptism prayer, so by the time he was saying “Amen” (which is only like 10 seconds), she was gasping and hitting him to tell him to go faster. It was funny.  Their three year old son, right before they started the prayer, reached down in the water and shouted "SO HOT" (in Chinese). At least we had warm water this time!  But it was an awesome experience to help her to be baptized.  Now on to the Temple!

We were saying bye to a lot of investigators this week and one of them, when it really sunk into her, started crying.  Not fun to have a grown woman start crying on you, so I just told her it'll be all right (her husband and son are in Beijing getting visas to come visit right now).  She wants to move to Utah which will all work out because Elder Murray's there to translate (have fun Murray).

Bye bye Elder Murray - have fun at BYU!

Our Chinese missionary cool club together for the last time

Our really ripped friend Luo Yuan and his family

Hiking with recent converts and investigators - I'm popping a squat at the top

Selina and Ryan - recent converts - you gotta love their smiles

Sister Xiong's baptism

Tony got a suit!

With the Liangs - a recent convert family - after English class

July 6, 2015

I'm probably getting transferred next week so here's my address until I know my new one:

Elder Jacob Dyer

5900 Grand Avenue

Riverside, CA 92504

We were talking to some recent converts this past week, and one was telling us how she's not a studying type of person - so she doesn't really like to study the scriptures.  She'll be all sad sometimes because she's in a new country and can't speak the language, but all she has to do is watch one of her favorite Chinese reality TV shows and she's happy again.  Her husband was telling her how that wasn't long term happiness and it won't last, but she said, "If I just keep watching them then I'll always be happy." I love the members here!

We were eating lunch with some investigators at their house, and it turns out my mom isn't the only one who doesn't like "cuts by Elder Dyer".  After lunch, our investigator said she wanted to cut my hair.  So I agreed to it.  She had this mini hair salon in her garage even with the cape/apron thing you wear to prevent hair from getting on you, I need to look into investing in one of those! Let the record show she cut it really weird and I had to shape it up at home, sorry mom.

One of the things you'll run into as a missionary in Southern California are door-to-door solar or pest killer salesmen try to sell to you.  When I say sell, I mean trying to hire us.  It's a pretty regular thing at this point. Apparently, Mormon door-to-door salesmen are really sought after.  One of the many we ran into last week had his whole sales pitch in under 2 minutes! I've gotten quite a few numbers from these kind of guys - lots of business cards.  Elder Murray is an especially good target because he's about to go home.  This one guy though, he brought out pictures of his brand new orange Lamborghini - pretty tempting I must say.  Summer sales.

We had a mission leadership conference/council (MLC) last week, which lasted a really long time - 8am until 4pm. Meetings are a hard part of missionary life!

For the 4th of July, we had a church activity car show to go to in the morning (lots of classic old cars) which our investigators loved a LOT, and a huge potluck for the Chinese members after.  Their food is too good! There were about 50 people in attendance.  Lots were members, lots were recent converts, and lots were investigators.  It's nice to see the fruits of your labors come together!

He's a big boy!

Tony in a 60's (?) Corvette in the church parking lot

With Tony and Tina at the church parking lot car show!

Finally a picture with our really buff investigator and his wife - he loved the 4th of July car show our church had

With recent convert who moved :( to an area with a Chinese ward

Mission leadership council

I'm getting into dish soap art (that's a very accurate portrait of Elder Murray)

New Mulan!!! 2015 Toyota Corolla

16 miles on it, not bad

new mulan > old mulan

June 29, 2015

Another baptism this week! We completed the couple - Tony and Tina, so now they're both members.  Can't wait to go to the Temple with them for their Temple sealing. As always, it was great listening to him sharing his testimony at the end of the meeting.  His wife gave a talk about the Holy Ghost.  They're going through a lot of trials right now, but she has a great outlook.  She said God gives her these trials to help her learn and grow.  That's how you succeed!

During a visit with one of our investigator families this week, he found out that sometimes our phone doesn't receive text messages.  So he tried to give us a phone, but we couldn't take it.  Sometimes Chinese people are too nice!  When he found out we had to help some people move houses, he tried to get us to use his truck that he just bought but doesn't drive, because it's not convenient.  Unfortunately we had to turn that offer down too.  

Recently, looking at all the recent converts we've been blessed with, I can't help but to comment on how people can change.  A lot of people will say, "oh no, people can't change," but that's totally opposite of reality.  I've seen it, people leaving their past behind, leaving their mistakes behind and changing, becoming a new person.  Just talking with one of our recent converts this past week, and comparing him to where he was months ago, they just have this light in their eyes and their countenance is so bright - the future seems limitless and they're just moving forward.

Introducing the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement to people is what has allowed them to get this light in their eyes, this joy in their homes, and this peace in their hearts.  It's just so incredible to witness firsthand and I'm so grateful to have this opportunity out here in 100+ degree Riverside

Husband's baptism makes for a complete member family

Elder Merriman, Elder Dyer, Tony, Elder Murray, Elder Zeng

June 22, 2015

We went to a Kindergarten orientation night with an investigator this past week.  It was fun reliving some childhood memories.  I really admire the teachers, can't believe they put up with not only the kids, but the parents!  The parents are more of a hassle than the kids!

David, one of our recent converts in Riverside was heading back to China, so he invited us over to his house to help him clean out his fridge... by eating all the food in it.  So huge meal with him.  Too stuffed.  

We got to go to the Temple too which is always fun.

We had lots of Chinese food, even meat sticks! It felt like I was back in Shanghai eating "lamb" (rat?) meat on the sidewalk.  

Sunday was Dragon Boat Festival so we got some Zong Zi's (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves] at the Chinese market.  So we cooked those up, and made some cold noodles.  I voted to just put them in the fridge to cool them, but Elder Zeng said I couldn't so I stood there with a mini fan cooling them down.

When we met with Tony and Tina this past week (Tina got baptized last month and Tony is getting baptized next Saturday), we talked about having a Temple sealing.  Tina especially, is really excited to go to the Temple.  It's the best feeling to see your investigators/recent converts have their own desire to do things like be sealed to allow them to be families together forever!

Davids' house - helping him clean out his refrigerator

David's house 2 

Temple with the Chinese-speaking missionaries

Meat sticks!!! am I back in Shanghai? 

Busy kitchen - cooling the noodles with a mini fan (Elder Zeng said we couldn't use a fridge)

Cold noodles and Zong Zi Party (and gross salty duck egg that Elder Zeng bought too)

Brown woo! - all the way in Eastvale, CA

June 15, 2015

During an English class we were teaching this past week, we reviewed some airport and airplane vocabulary.  Suffice it to say that I miss flying a lot.  I haven't been on a plane in almost a year!

We had a nice workout, climbing Mt. Rubidoux again, with some recent converts from Riverside.  It's fun to hang out with them.  It feels like we've created a social club with our members at UCR because they're all really good friends with each other!

Elder Murray and I were walking in a neighborhood the other day when this car pulls up and this young guy tells us, "I wouldn't go down that street if I were you."

"Why not" we ask.

"Because I live there."

So we're just kind of like what?... and he says Jesus Christ's teachings are bad and he doesn't have time to teach us how to be smart... Really weird.  So he drives off and we keep walking and he pulls back around and tells us using a lot of expletives to get out.  Kind of weird, but, whatever... 

Elder Murray being Elder Murray told him we'd call the cops and he was like "Do it, I don't care, write down my license plate." So I obviously thought, hey good idea, so I wrote it down.  I don't know what for, but... it was just a weird interaction with this guy.

At church on Sunday, Elder Murray was translating a talk of a recently returned missionary (from Guatemala).  At the end, she said she would bear her testimony in Spanish, so Elder Murray just said, sorry she's about to speak Spanish.  Thank you Mr. Capilla from SAS, because I grabbed the headset and translated it.  Not saying my translation was perfect, but she was using pretty easy Spanish words and I got most of it.  It was cool!

It's always fun talking to our investigators, who, while they're not baptized yet, they talk about the church using "our church." So "our church" does this or that.  Even defending it when other people are all like "CULT!!!"

We had a member of the Seventy (church general authority) come and visit.  It was amazing because [he] was just full of love and humility – [we felt] that he loved us and wanted to help us succeed.  We had a couple of special leadership meetings with him and he talked about how this training we get now will help us become effective ministering leaders in the church in the future.  He talked about how when you're on the stand, you should look into the eyes of all your members (missionaries in our case - he had us sit on the stand for a bit) and discern their needs/concerns.  He said in D&C 43:8-9 when it says act, it's not how to behave, it's to go out and DO.  We are beings that are meant to act not get acted upon.  He said to be quick to observe and quick to act.  He mentioned how enduring to the end is not simply hanging on - it's acting and continually using the enabling power of the Atonement to become better

One thing that showed his humility was sharing the stories that helped him learn a certain principle in his life.  For example, he told us not to wait for someone else to change the mission. "Don't hope that THEY will change it, THEY means US". He learned that through the mistake of not taking action with this certain temple building assignment. He shared his own weaknesses to help us be better.  

Something interesting that he mentioned was that oftentimes, missionaries are not assigned to a mission but to a mission president - to help him achieve.  

He also mentioned Elder Packer's "doctrine of proximity" – that sometimes you have to go to the place and be with the people to discern their needs. I loved his phrase "in the LDS church, we do hard things".

Beautiful Riverside!

Chillin' on a rock

So Chinese

With Elder Murray and David

With Li Tuo in front of the huge cross

June 8, 2015

So I've decided again, that instead of returning to Brown, I will be pursuing my lifetime dream of opening a bakery that doubles as a barbershop.  My cookies are getting even better because we've been blessed with so many baptisms recently! 

There can be miracles! If you believe! We had two miracle baptisms this past week.  Remember when we got a baptism "taken away" by the Irvine missionaries when one of our investigators moved there? Well we just got paid back two-fold, karma is real! The Liang family moved into Eastvale about three weeks ago.  The son was already baptized, but the parents hadn't been yet.  So we taught them two lessons, and the second one they told us, hey we're getting baptized on Sunday! So after a long process which involved our mission president talking with the Arcadia mission president, we got permission to go attend the baptism in Hacienda Heights on Sunday.  They have a Chinese ward and that place is SO Chinese. All the street signs and everything! It was cool seeing another mission, and the missionaries there, and their iPads!

I've found that the most fulfilling moments in the teaching process as a missionary, is when they share their testimonies at the baptisms.  It's kind of like seeing your children graduate (because I know what that feels like) when they get up there on their own and share about why they were baptized.  At Ryan's baptism, he talked about how at the start he just thought the missionaries were nice people that seemed a little "different" from normal 19/20 year olds in how willing we were to offer service.  Then he said we gave him the Book of Mormon and taught him about the church and now it's his desire to raise his son in a church family and have them get the blessings that come with being in the church as a family.  

Flipping scallion pancakes with my cookies cooling in the background and radish cakes in the other pan

Ready to flip

I'm opening a bakery in conjunction with my barbershop!

Ryan's baptism picture!

Hacienda Heights - mini China