Elder Chandler Hyer

Elder Chandler Hyer
Elder Chandler Hyer

Monday, May 25, 2015

WA-TAC Week 2

Ok, so first of all this week has been really great, the weather this week was amazing almost all week and when the sun actually comes out here it is beautiful! Today we are back to overcast but whatever. So P-day's are sooo much fun! After I got done emailing last Monday all of the elders from the zone came to the church building and we played kurnsball (it's a made-up game, it's basically soccer with volleyball rules, and a line of chairs is the net, it's a blast) and then we played an intense game of handball it was a blast.

People still hate us :)  But we also have some really great people that we're teaching. We recently knocked into this 17 year old kid named Thomas. His hand is deformed (I think he was born that way) but he is just a normal, smart kid who is seeking answers. We set up an appointment for the next day, and that day we had to go on splits with the elders quorum. So what happened was I ended up teaching the first lesson to Thomas by myself with the Ward Mission Leader, which meant that I had to teach the first lesson by myself basically. But it actually went really well and he came to church this Sunday and he is going to mutual this Thursday with the youth here. I'm really excited for him.


A couple of days ago we were walking down the street, knocking doors, (we do a lot of knocking here) and this guy stopped his car next to us and told us he wants to talk to us and that he lives 5 houses down. So we walk over there and by this time he had run inside, grabbed his bible, Book of Mormon, and his notes and he is just ready to bash with us. It was pretty funny. (On a side note Elder Marsh has told me that he used to be really into bashing so he actually knows his scriptures pretty well) anyways in the end Elder Marsh just shuts this guy down, in a positive way, and it ended up being pretty funny.

The other thing about Washington is there are a lot of pot-heads and meth addicts. Sometimes we will knock on a door and when they answer they have no teeth, it smells, and well it's just really awful.

Two days ago we had a pretty neat experience. We had a couple appointments set up but they all fell through and nothing that we were doing really felt right, knocking felt like a waste of time because no-one was home, and nothing was working. So we said a prayer and a few minutes later the bishop of the Brownsville ward texted us wanting us to go visit this young unmarried couple, Erick and Sarianne, Erick is a non-member who was an alcoholic, did every drug you can imagine but for 2 years now has been clean since taking the missionary discussions. He wants to get baptized so bad but they are not married, and she is just a little nervous. This has been going on for a long time. So we went over there, got to know them, and ended up getting into the problem and it was super spiritual. Finally she turned to Erick and said "set a date for your baptism" so that was crazy. We are going to continue to work with them and hopefully that will be fruitful.  But amazingly that day went from seemingly useless to having helped someone out and that was awesome.

Yesterday we had a missionary fireside which was AMAZING!! it was new converts bearing their testimony's interspersed with the missionary choir (us) singing our versions of certain hymns and I love the way we sing them so so much. If I end up getting the opportunity to go to another transfer meeting to hear the music again I'm recording it because it's amazing.



Also the Elders Quorum President here is brother Snyder who apparently knows Krista Maurer and Brother Brad Gaynier. Apparently Brother Gaynier and Brother Snyder were MTC comps, so that's crazy.

Anyways I think that's it for this week. Everything is really great here, I love this mission a lot. there are already things that I'm going to miss when I go to Brazil.  But at the same time I'm slowly losing my portuguese so it would be nice to go pretty soon. :)

I love you all so much, thanks for all the amazing support you give me

Love,
Elder Chandler Hyer

Monday, May 18, 2015

Tacoma Washington Week 1

WOW!  So I don't even know where to start... I guess I'll mention that I'm now here in the Washington Tacoma Mission otherwise known as the WA-TAC, and I am loving it here. 
When I flew in to Washington it was overcast, drizzling, and very green (and vampires were running everywhere! hopefully none of you got that joke). I met the Mission President and AP's who are really cool. Then after some pictures and other stuff I met my trainers, I'm in a trio with two companions. Elder Marsh is from Linden Utah, he is way cool, he works super hard, knows the scriptures front and back, loves to scare Elder Irava, and loves, loves Avatar the last Airbender, so that's fun. I'm also in a companionship with Elder Irava who is actually from Fiji which is cool.
He is way humble, gets scared super easily, but is also just a fantastic missionary, I'm going to learn a lot from both of them. I think the funniest thing is when Elder Marsh and I get talking about Avatar throwing around words like "Earth-bending", "the spirit world", "Iroh", "Aang" and he'll just bust out laughing because it sounds so funny to him, and it's even better because he's just Fijian. But anyways I'm having a blast!!
After I met them they said to me "Okay so the AP (Assistant to the President), will introduce you. Just stand up and stay standing until someone picks you up but just go with it..." I had no idea what to think so I did as I was told.  When he called my name I stood up and a bunch of the Elders did this crazy skit involving the Fijian king, a horse head, and lion king. I wish I could explain it better but I really can't. 

So here they plan out skits for each new missionary lined with a bunch of inside jokes and they're pretty hilarious, I was laughing pretty hard, anyways after that all of the missionaries that are leaving gave their final testimonies intermixed with truly fantastic musical pieces (there are some amazing music directors, and one incredible piano player) anyways it was pretty awesome and then we left for the Silverdale 1st and Brownsville area. (Our companionship covers two wards which can be a little confusing).
That night we went and knocked doors.. in the rain that was fun.
The next day it literally was drizzling all day and we were outside a lot. The mission has a rule that from 5:00 - 7:00 every day the missionaries knock doors. After Wednesday, every day has been sunny and beautiful, it's actually getting to be really nice here, I came in for the perfect time.
So I just want to point out that missionary work is pretty hard. Not physically but because everyone sort of hates you, on Thursday we ran into some really nice people. One of them took a Book of Mormon (this really nice non-denominational Christian lady) and we set up an appointment to meet with her on Saturday. When we went back we found the Book of Mormon outside with a note in it telling us all this stuff about how we are wrong and, well, she didn't like us very much, the note was kind of funny. While that was sad on the other hand we've also had some success. The Svevcheck family (that is spelled completely wrong) are all on date to be baptized towards the end of May, they're an awesome family and I'm pretty excited.
I'm so glad Seth is out of the hospital I was worried about him. Bailey, the Seattle Washington Mission is basically our rival mission :) so that's pretty funny. Your going to love Washington though it is beautiful here, flowers everywhere.
I'm not exactly sure what else to say, it's amazing here. the work is good although I have a lot to learn. I'm still studying Portuguese when I have time but to be honest I'm hoping that I stay here for at least a transfer before I get my Visa but we will see.
Anyways I love you all so much I have so many blessings to be thankful for, we all do. This week I would challenge every single one to you to read your scriptures every single day, even if it's only five minutes. I would encourage you all to start your reading with a prayer, read and think of how your reading relates to your life right now and then do the same thing tomorrow. I promise that you will see immediate blessings from it.
Anyways the Mission is amazing, I'm so excited to be here, love you all
Elder Chandler Hyer

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Arrived in Tacoma, Washington (mom post)

We received an email from the Mission Secretary letting us know our son arrived safe and would be in good hands while there.  Here is a picture in front of the Puget Sound with the Mission President, President Blatter and his wife along with 3 other missionaries who's are starting there missions in Tacoma, he had not met these other three before today.

Leaving MTC (Mom Post)

Chandler has had a busy last week in the MTC. His temporary reassignment came Friday.  All that were left in his district that were waiting on Visa's got reassignments.  At this point about half the visa's had come through.  They had a huge class of 14-15 kids normally there is 6-8.  Monday, his last day, there were only 3 of them left in class.  He got a lot of one-on-one time with his teachers and mapped out a detailed study plan to continue his Portuguese.  He will get an extra hour a day for language study while in Tacoma.  

He was super exited to have the opportunity to teach in English for a little while.  He looks like he has put a lot of work into his English Scriptures...so that will be nice to be able to teach from them.


 He was much more excited than his mother was to find out that Mt. Rainier was an active volcano....However it does look like a beautiful place. 

He didn't get his Tuesday Prep. day because he flew out...but we got a quick Mother's Day phone call and a bonus call from the airport this morning.   He couldn't be happier which makes his mom miss him a lot less.  

Lets all add Mt Rainier not erupting to our prayers:)

Chandler's Prep days to email home will go to Monday's and we'll get to go back to hearing from him.  

Friday, May 8, 2015

Reassignment message

Ok so I'm supposed to give you my flight information:

So I'm waking up at 3:35 AM to report to the travel office and then my flight leaves May 12th at 8:30 AM from Salt Lake City, and I arrive at 9:29 AM at the Seattle/Tacoma airport, that's it.
I'm super excited! Only a few more days and then I'll be in the field! Anyways I love you all and I'm so excited to serve. I don't know my new address yet but I'll let you know everything later and of course I'll talk to you on Sunday, love you bye.

Tacoma, Washington!



P.S. I know nothing about Tacoma, Washington, you should look up a few things for me.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

My Testimony

I know this church is true, I knew it before my mission and my faith and testimony grows stronger here every single day from reading the scriptures and praying about what I've read. I know that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I know that he received the priesthood authority and restored Jesus Christ's church to the earth in the latter days.
I know for a surety that the Book of Mormon is true, because, as taught in Moroni 10: 5 "By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may now the truth of all things" I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the blessing I have to feel his guidance every day. I know my purpose on this earth, and while life can be hard Alma teaches in Alma 36:3 "... for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." I know that I am supported in my trails and I know that this help comes from putting my trust in god and striving to build up his kingdom. I am so grateful for our Savior's atonement and the amazing blessing of repentance that we all receive because of His eternal and infinite sacrifice. I love the gospel, I love the wonderful plan that our Heavenly Father has set up for all of us to return to His presence again, just as we all lived with Him before this life. It is a perfect plan. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God capable of receiving revelation. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Eu sei que este a Igreja é verdedeiro, Eu soube antes minha missão e meu fé e testomunho crescer muito todos dias de lendo escrituras e orando sobre o que eu li. Eu sei que José Smith vi o Pai Celestial e Jesus Cristo, Eu sei que ele recebi o sacerdocio autoridade e restorado Jesus Cristo igreja para a Terra em o ultimos dias. Eu sei O Livro de Mormon e verdedeiro, e como moroni ensinei em moroni 10:5 "E pelo poder do Espírito Santo podeis saber a verdade de todas as coisas." Eu estou grato por a dom do Espírito Santo e o benção eu tenho para sento suas oríentação todos dias. Eu sei meu proposíto em a Terra. Vida pode ser díficil alma ensines em Alma 36:3 "porque sei que aqueles que confiarem em Deus serão auxiliados em suas tribulaçcões e em suas aflições, e serão elevados no último dia." Eu sei eu sou ajuda em meu provaçãos. Eu tenho confiança em Deus e eu tento para (build His) reino. Eu estou grato por nosso Salvador expiação e o otímo benção de arrependimento no recebemos porque de Sua eterna e (infinite) sacrifice. Eu amo o Evangelho, eu amo o plano de salvação porque nos podemos voltar para Sua presençía. Eu seí que Thomas S. Monson e o propheta de Deus e ele recebe reveleção. Eu digo estes coizas, em o nome de Jesus Cristo, amem.

MTC Week 5

Wow, it's crazy to think that this is the last week I have here at the MTC.  I should be getting my reassignment tomorrow or the next day, and when I get it I should be allowed to email home to let you all know where I'm going and whatever other information they give me.  I'm really excited!!

This week has been really great, in fact the MTC only gets better and better. This week Elder Belcher and I had a really neat experience.  On Friday we had the opportunity to Skype a member in Brazil to teach a lesson, we were so scared!  So Elder Belcher and I are trying to figure out what to teach during planning and I suggested that we teach a Christ-like attribute, Elder Belcher agreed and eventually we decided that we should teach about Hope.  So the time came to teach and we started the Skype call.  The member was really cool although there were a lot of technical issues with the sound.  In the end we were able to teach a lesson about hope and during the lesson he started crying.  That surprised us a little but eventually we all teared up a little bit.  He said this was exactly the message he needed, he told us how hard it is to raise a family of three kids, financially, and he asked us to pray for his family.  It really made me realize that just because these people are members doesn't mean that they have perfect lives.  That was a really cool experience.

A lot of people are getting their visas, like half of our district has them, and two sisters who were supposed to leave this morning to California (for their reassignment) were told that their visas came and that they had new flight plans.  So I actually think I might be getting mine pretty soon, even if I am reassigned for a bit, so that's pretty exciting!

The language is still coming along alright, I'm learning faster than most but by no means am I the fastest learner, that title goes to Elder Bishop, but I'm surprised how much I'm able to understand.

On Sunday we had a mission conference and our devotional was given by Elder Holland's son who is the president of UVU (I feel a little bad calling him Elder Holland's son).  But his talk was actually really good, the entire day was about Joseph Smith and there were some amazing talks given.

I want you all to know that I love you so much and that this Gospel is amazing.  Again, I love you all so much, keep up the letters.

Elder Chandler Hyer

Saturday, May 2, 2015

MTC Week 4

Well I made it 4 weeks, or according to Elder Leonardo we only have 100 weeks left on our mission, not sure which is the better way to look at it. :)

Nana and aunt Julie, thanks for the cookies, they were awesome.  I'm still the only Elder in our district to get homemade cookies and they just love them.  Mom, holy cow, that package was insane.  It was pretty hilarious when I opened it everyone was crowding around looking at what I got, ready to mooch (which there's plenty for mooching) and then when they saw it was all organic treats half of them like physically backed away.  I found that to be pretty funny.  Oh and the clown noses were perfect.  But seriously that was awesome.  I'm basically never going to stop eating.  The song Lindsay recorded was awesome I really enjoyed it, you're really talented.

Also I weighed myself the other day and I would like to brag to everyone that I now weigh more than 150 lbs!! so that's exciting.
Everyone ahead of us in our zone left yesterday, we did get a new district of 2 sisters and 2 elders which is fun, and we should be getting another district tomorrow, so that's cool.  We also got a new teacher to replace Irmao (brother) Henry who left, her name is Irma (sister) Cowan, she's super cool.  I'll make sure to get a picture with her and Irmao Read before I leave.

Yesterday I was talking to one of the cafeteria employees at the salad/wrap station (I spend a lot of time there) and he asked me if I knew any Hyer's who had recently completed their missions, I said just my grandparents and when we figured out it was the same people from his mission he was excited.  He said he had dinner with Nana and Grandpa which was pretty funny.  I think he said his last name is Craner or Cramer? something like that.

Anyways this week Vai Sikahema, a stake president somewhere, gave our Sunday devotional which was really good, he was pretty funny.

So here at the MTC they have volunteers who hang around the MTC for the English missionaries to teach and they are all either investigators or new converts.  Elder Bishop and I met this girl named Lisa while we were on splits and set up an appointment.  We went and taught her and it was so cool.  We taught her in English which makes things so much easier and it was really nice to teach someone who wasn't simply pretending to be an investigator.  Sometimes I get a little frustrated with my ability to explain things in Portuguese so it was really refreshing to teach someone in English.

Every week all the missionaries are supposed to write a 5-minute talk in Portuguese and then during sacrament meeting 2-3 missionaries are called up to speak without knowing who it's going to be beforehand.  So far I've dodged the draft but we'll see what happens, it's always pretty scary.

I've been taking a break from family history because I wanted to finish "Our Search for Happiness" which was an excellent book.  Grandma, the family history you sent me is so cool, I had no idea we were related to settlers on the Mayflower, and I love the stories of Julia Rawlins and the car, that was hilarious.

The Field is finally opened up for gym time now that it's warm.  I've been playing quite a bit of soccer (I'm really really bad). Hopefully I can get a little better so the Brazilians don't completely hate me.  The other day we had TRC which is where we teach in Portuguese to members who volunteer.  We taught a newly returned missionary who complemented me on not using Spanish, so maybe I failed those finals for a reason...:)

Sorry not a whole lot more to say, everything is still great on my end, just lots of studying which is a lot better than it sounds.

I love you all so much,
Elder Chandler Hyer