Of Missing Letters and Missionaries

January 21^st, 2013

Hey family, 

I'm so sorry I didn't email last week. This last week has been super crazy. We have transfers coming up and I'm staying with Elder Xiong in Pioneer Park East.

Hope inauguration day is going well for all of you. Not going to lie. I'm pretty bummed out about the Caps losing. Bro. Peshel told me (he's a member of the ward council) and he told me at 7ish in the morning at Ward council. Church now starts at 9 so it’s pretty tough.

Also, on the note of other depressing news; Elder Doane is being transferred up to Atwater. Super sad! (Elder Doane was Scott's companion in the MTC and he was in Fresno West so he would see him every day, so this is a big change...a member texted me these pictures of them + another Elder who I don't know and can't read the tag)

Just to explain how transfers work. The zone leaders and district leaders fill out a stewardship report which goes to the assistants and president. They then take a few weeks and map out transfer boards (usually 2-4 transfers ahead). Then the Saturday before the next Wednesday transfer, each zone receives a mass voice mail about who will be transferred in the zone. 

Answers to your questions: 

I saw baby pics of me in the movie montage at Christmas. Super funny! For service we do everything. We help people move, remodel, clean up apartments, go farming (lemon grass and peppers). More recently we cleaned leaves off a roof at an apartment complex. Work is going really well. We had 3 kids (part-member family) baptized on the 9th. We are still continuing to contact all the Hmong New Year’s referrals. We're finding a lot of families and it’s going really well. 

Spiritual Thought: 

“Faith precedes the miracle. It has ever been so and shall ever be. It was not raining when Noah was commanded to build an ark. There was no visible ram in the thicket when Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Two heavenly personages were not yet seen when Joseph knelt and prayed. First came the test of faith–and then the miracle. Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. Cast out doubt. Cultivate faith.” - President Thomas S. Monson

I love you all so much! Continue to ask me questions and I'll be sure to write you back :)

LOVE YA ALL!!! 

TSEEM FWV LEEM! 

Cold Fresno Days

January 8^th, 2013

Nyob Zoo (Hi!)

Tsev Neeg (Dear Family),

So we had our quarterly temple trip today and that's why I'm not emailing until today. Usually preparation day is moved to the temple trip day just for your information.  We have about 14 pages of names from Hmong New Year’s so we're working on that list now. It’s crazy how many Hmong people are all over the world. For instance, we met people from Canada and France. SO COOL! 

So exciting to hear that Jill got to go over to Stornoway and check out all the cool sites. We definitely have to go do that as a family when I get back. 

Is Ray excited for college? Tell her to get ready for the cold. Speaking of, Fresno has been pretty chilly lately. Every morning when we do our run, we almost die because its so stinkin' cold outside. 

I'm sad to hear Hockey is starting. I was secretly happy that it was going to be one less season I miss. Keep me posted! hahaha 

Random A.D.D. questions: 

When does Andrew get home? Did it snow in good ol' VA? Did Ray get a job? How did the Redskins do this year? 

SPIRITUAL MESSAGE: 

“Courage is the word we need to hear and hold near our hearts – courage to turn our backs on temptation, courage to lift up our voices in testimony to all whom we meet, remember that everyone must have an opportunity to hear the message.” - President Thomas S. Monson

I really like this quote. President Gelwix included in his weekly letter. Heavenly Father asks us to have courage and share the gospel with everyone. Have the courage to do good and be good! I love it! Let us all have more courage to do what we know to be right in this new year. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you. 

LOVE,
Elder TSEEM FWV LEEM XAI YOB VAJ 

Xyoo Tshiab Zoo (Happy New Year)!

NYOB  ZOO!!! (Hello Family)

Thov txim (I'm sorry). I know its Wednesday and you're just getting this...  With Hmong New Year, the Hmong elders got permission to move preparation day to Wednesday so that's why you’re getting a late letter. 

HMONG NEW YEARS: 

SUCCESS! It lasted from the Dec 26th-Jan 1st. We went everyday from about 8ish-5pm. We had a booth set up and we were talking to everyone... literally thousands of people. I got sick and lost my voice because it was freezing cold out there but it was all good. We have a few hundred names of people were going to go visit so that is super exciting as well. There was a lot of food there...but we stuck with our Hmong "roots" (Hmong sausage, sticky rice, pepper etc.). I bought some stuff so I’ll be getting a package off soon. 

Otherwise, Hmong New Year’s was really exhausting. You are on your feet all day so it gets tiring. However at the end of the day, it’s SUPER rewarding to see how many people you talked to and were able to teach. 

 Scott says that this is his 'Hmong pose'

JANUARY 31st: 

We had to have our car parked at the apartment at 6 pm so a member drove us out to dinner. We went to a Korean restaurant with some Young Single Adults that are home for the holidays. Then, we had a very uneventful "in bed at 10:30" evening...so HAPPY 2013!!!!! Hahaha

Also, I forgot to let you know but on Christmas we watched "Brave" so that was amazing! (Really good movie, and I loved the Scottish accents.) 

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT: 

I read this quote is Spencer W. Kimball's book; Miracle of Forgiveness. "The real tragedy is the tragedy of the man who never in his life braces himself for his one supreme effort, who never stretches to his full capacity, never stands up to his full stature." -Arnold Bennett 

I thought about this and I realized that we have so much divine potential. We have so much we can achieve. But we must make the decision to achieve it. To really just go and do it. It is the same in the gospel. We just have to do it! Not merely try. Not just try our best. But really do it. I know that we can do it through the strength and power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father is simply waiting on us to realize it.

LOVE YA ALL SOO MUCH! Hope everything is going well. Keep asking me questions! 

Elder Tseem Fwv Leem 'Xai Yob' Vaj