WA-TAC Week 3

This week was way way awesome!! I never know where to start with these. First of all I can't believe Jacob Nickerl has his mission call!!  (New Jersey Morristown mission, Korean language)  That's so exciting, and that mission sounds awesome!

There were some emergency transfers this week and we got a new elder in our companionship, Elder Sheehan!!

He is from Layton, Utah, has been out 6 months, he's a way cool guy and it's so much fun having 4 people in a companionship. We just split up everyday.

Our district is really fun, there are 3 other companionships in our district, one of which is sisters. They are all so much fun. P-days are a blast because all of the Elders get together and we just play random awesome games, it's so much fun. Mom I finally got your package, that was pretty awesome.

Sundays here are pretty long, our 2 wards start at 9 and 11 which means we split up and then as soon as the first one gets done we rush over to the other ward, and then if there are any meetings afterwards we stay even longer, but it's also pretty fun.

So here in our area we have been struggling with finding new investigators, we do so much finding with very little success. But we have a few investigators who are way awesome.

One of the only investigators that we have found since I've been here is Thomas, he is such a cool guy who just turned 18. He comes to mutual every week, is coming to church, and all we need to do is finish the lessons with him. He's just been so busy because this week is graduation, but I'm way excited for him.

All of our other investigators are people that have been taught for a long time. We literally have 3 different families that are on the edge of getting baptized but there is just something holding them back, (and some of these people have been taught for multiple years).

So we decided to have a special fast for these people who are ready to get baptized. Within a couple of days we visited Erick and Sarianne who have been seeing the missionariess for years but they were scared to get married. They told us that they decided to get married this month and then he is getting baptized literally the day after he gets back (sarrianne is already a member).

The Gibson's have been ready to be baptized for weeks but they wanted to wait for their friend who never is able to come up for the baptism. Finally she told us that she was getting baptized on the 20th whether her friend comes up or not.

It was amazing how quickly everything changed, there is a lot of power in prayer and fasting.

Anyways, I guess that is about it. I love you all so much,
Elder Chandler Hyer

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

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

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.  

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.

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.