HAPPY BIRTHDAY...MERRY CHRISTMAS...HAPPY THANKSGIVING??? (Nov 23, 2015)

MOM! GUESS WHAT! I got my birthday package this week! It made me so happy! I loved the "birthday in an envelope." It was funny because the front was stamped September 8th and I got it November 17. Also, I got a Christmas package from Aunt Julie. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!! I've started sharing the goodies with the kids we visit and they just love it! I also gave the stocking to my comp. She took out the doTerra oils and got so confused about what they were. It was a really funny conversation trying to explain what they are. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

GRANDMA!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! 29 is still lookin good on you! I love you sooooo much and think about you every time I load up my laundry bag and head over to the lady who washes our clothes. I am so grateful for you and all that you have done and do for me. LOVE YOU!!!!

Next week is cambios again, so I probs won't write until Tuesday. Heads up! There is a possibility that I will get transferred this time, so we will see...

Here is just a funny little thing from yesterday that lets you know I am in Peru. I was walking down the street yesterday and just see this guy crossing the street with a llama on a leash. In Lima that doesn't usually happen, but in the mountain area of our mission it does. It was just funny!

I'm gonna ponderize real quick here! Cole, I was so impressed with your scripture! I like how it talked about how we can prosper and have success. THe scriptures really do hold all the keys to help us be the best that we can be. When we can ready study and meditate on the things we read and apply them, Satan aint got no power!

This past week, I have been working really hard trying to help Cristian and Magaly work on Family History. We were able to help them find names and were able to go to the temple with these names on Saturday so that they could do baptisms and confirmations. It was awesome! Cristian did it for his Dad. He just came out with the biggest smile on his face and said that he felt the spirit so strongly. That made me so happy because of how hard we had to work to get him to be baptized. It was just an awesome morning! 

So here is a funny story to let you know how far off I am. Me and the gringas in my zone have been super excited for Thanksgiving. It's usually the 3rd week in Nov right? Which was this past week. We don't have a calendar to tell us otherwise, so we celebrated it this past week. We had a grand Peru version of el dia de gracias! It was legit. But I guess we will just have to celebrate it again!!! YAY!!!!!!

That's all I got time for this week! THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE GOODIES AND LOVE!!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Hermana Elise Joyner

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAYNERSSSS!!!!!!!!!! (Nov 16, 2015)

Dayne, as they say here in Peru, "IT'S YOUR HAPPY!!!!!!!" I recorded a spanish song for you but it is too big to send, so oh well! I may just record it again in bits and send it to you next week. Ya fue. I don't know.

First, I want to ponderize: I liked how the scripture says in your mind and in your heart. A lot of times, we think things through with our minds and come to conclusions. BUT the way that the Spirit works is through our minds and our hearts. AND when we open our hearts to the spirit, we can be converted. We read a talk by Elder Bednar before he came to prepare that talked about that. I think it was called "Learning By Faith." You should look it up. And that is where the part with verse 10 comes in. Faith. We gotta have faith to get anything done. Another talk by Elder Bednar, "Ask in Faith." Read it. It talks about this and is a pretty legit talk! As for "trifle not" refer to D&C 6:12. Trifle not with sacred things. Revelation is and should be a sacred thing.

I don't have any stories this week (or time). We are working hard and trying our best to be exactly obedient. 2 more weeks of this transfer. HOW FAST!!!!!

Hermana Trejo and Hermana Joyner

LOVE YOU ALL!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Hermana Elise Joyner

Temple This Week (Nov 9. 2015)

Hey there family! 

First of all, I want to answer Mom's question. We have one hour to report our weekly numbers, read the pres letter, write presidente, read our own email, write our family. The hour goes fast, so that's why I don't usually have long letters. That's not to say that you should stop writing me or write less, because I love it and it makes me happy to hear from you. It's only that I dont have a lot of time to share everything that I want to. I'll fill in the details on Christmas when I can talk faster than I can type. Plus, when you compare it to Alex who writes a book because he can read the emails all week, yeah, I don't write like anything. SORRY!

Sounds like everyone is keeping busy! Especially Dayne. Remember, slow down every once and a while and don't forget to eat dinner. You have time to do that, even if you think you don't. 

I want to share an experience we had this past Saturday. We went to go set an appointment with an active family in the morning (we are going around the ward members and sharing the first vision with them to try to excite the ward more with regards to the work). When we went, the active members weren't there, but the mom, Nelly, who is less active was. We went in and shared about faith. We asked her to say the closing prayer, and she just started crying. Her daughter just moved to go to school, and the mom is having a really rough time with it. In Peru, the families live together basically always until they have been married for a few years and need to move to their own home. So, her daughter leaving is kinda a big thing for her. She said that she hasn't been in the house much lately and that it was a miracle that we came at that moment when she was home and that we were able to share the message with her. It just shows me that the Lord is guiding us to people who need His help. His hand is in every part of this work when we do it His way.

PONDERIZE: Ok, so Mom's scripture from Alma.

42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

This scripure is something that I have been learning this transfer. Right now, we are planting seeds. We might not have a ton of appointments, we might have walked around for 7 hours straight without sitting yesterday, but we are developing faith. We are practicing diligence, patience, and long-suffering. And one day, we will see the fruits of our labors. It may not be within this transfer. It may be when I stop by San Juan on my way home next year. I don't know. But like Papa always says, "count no days lost." 

This week- the one Dayne picked from D&C!

Here's a fun fact for you- WE GET TO GO TO THE TEMPLE FRIDAY!!!! YAY!!!! The only thing is that we don't get pday today. Off to work we go! But it is so worth it! 

Sorry, that's all I have time for! I know it isn't much, but it's more than last week! And Mom, if you want to send me questions, do! I'll answer them within a month. One question per week sound good? I think I can do that.

Well, LES AMO MI FAMILIA!!!! Hasta la proxima semana,

Hermana Elise Joyner

It's a Short One! (Nov 2, 2015)

I have like 5 minutes, so sorry! 

These past two weeks have been... faith building. Heavenly Father is trying to teach me something. I just don't know what yet... We plan our days and have set appointments every day, and then we go out and NOBODY is home, except maybe one person. So basically, we have been just walking around our area every day for 5-7 hours every day without stopping. I'm learning. Poco a poco. And training is interesting... But it is good! And being a missionary is awesome!

I'm out of time, but I LOVE YOU!!! I'm gonna ponderize mom's Alma 32:42-43 this week.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Hermana Elise Joyner

The Hardest Thing I Ever Loved to Do (Oct 26, 2015)

Good Monday to all! Once again, I don't have a ton of time (sorry mom).

First of all, the thing that I am most excited about... Remember the second week of August when our shower broke. Well, we have been showering from the cup and a trashcan until three weeks ago when our stove top broke and we couldn't heat up water anymore. COLD! Well, this past Wednesday, someone came to fix it. WE HAVE HOT WATER!!! Oh happy day! I feel clean again! So that's cool.

The next thing that I gotta say is just that I have the best family ever, especially my mom! I walked into our zone meeting and the zone leaders gave my this box with my name on it. And in this box was such wonderful things with wonderful letters and goldfish and chocolate and cereal and just wonderful things! (I need a converter not an adapter) I was just soooo happy! It's the little things in life. Seeing the handwriting of my family, putting on a new shirt, eating some goldfish. THANK YOU!!!!

So. I'm a trainer. We picked up our companions last Tuesday and went straight to work. My comp is Hermana Yanes (but she is changing her name to Trejo and I'm not sure what to call her bc her name tag says Yanes). She is 21 and from Hondurus. She is so ready to work and hates wasting any time. Her Spanish accent is a little different, so I have a hard time understanding her. She is also not used to speaking to Gringas learning the language so she has a hard time understanding me. I love language barriers. It's actually really funny to watch us have a conversation. I want to send you pics but this computer is a little wonky so next week.

This week has been... a learning curve for me. Every day, we have had appointments lined up all day, and every day, all but one fall through. We go to every house and person I know and just nothing. There have been a lot of times when we are standing on the sidewalk while I try to figure out where to go and I just have no idea. But I know in these times, the Lord is just waiting for me to turn to Him. And when I do, He is there and will guide me and lift me. Being a trainer is hard, but we aren't alone. He is so mindful of us!

    

My thoughts on the scripture (it'll be short bc I ain't got time). What an amazing moment that will be when we finish our work here on this earth and can go to our Savior saying that what we have done is sufficient and that we have a place of rest of respite with Him. But first, we have to do all we can, declaring ALL our days. That is what I am in the midst of. Rejoicing in my Lord in Spanish in Peru. 

Well, I have no more time. Sorry! I'll answer those two questions next week mom. LOVE YA!

Have a great week! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!

Hermana Elise Joyner

Ponderize Ether 12:27 or the one Alex says

26 And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days, and have rejoiced in it above that of the world.

 27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.

Mom and Dad, I Have to Tell You Something.... (Oct 19, 2015)

I'M HAVING A DAUGHTER!!!(meaning she will be a trainer to a new missionary) That's why I'm writing today and not tomorrow. I go to pick her up tomorrow. We got the call on Saturday, and let's just say I didn't believe my DL at first. I JUST FINISHED MY TRAINING! I am going to be praying A LOT this week. As far as ponderizing the Corinthians scripture (2 Corinthians 2:9), I think it totally fits the situation I am in right now. God has stuff prepared for me that I can't (and wouldn't) even imagine! And I know that through His Atonement and with His help, I can do it. I just need to rely on Him. And I will. A LOT! Oh goodness me...

So I don't have that much time, but I do want to tell you about ______ and ______. THEY GOT BAPTIZED!!! They told us last Monday that they wanted to be baptized on Thursday, so we were working on getting that organized.  When they came for their baptism, they were just smiling so wide and were just shining! They bore their testimonies afterwards and I just felt the spirit and almost started crying because I was so happy that they took that decision. And in a year, they can be sealed as an eternal family!!!! AHHHH!!!!!!!

I'm legit out of time. An hour is so short to do all I have to do.

The scripture to ponderize this week: Enos 1:26-27. Alex pick one to share this next week. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Hermana Elise Joyner

Ama el Pastor sus Ovejas [The Shepherd Loves His Sheep] (Oct 12, 2015)

The Lord really does love His sheep! And He sends us missionaries out to declare and proclaim that message to the world. To Peru. To Lima South. TO SAN JUAN! Qué grandioso es nuestro llamamiento! YAHOOO!!!! We say that little phrase right there in Spanish every morning and it is just so true. How glorious is my calling!

First off before I forget, next week is transfers so I won't be writing until Tuesday. We will find out my new comp on Saturday. Now that I will be out of training, it's game for anything! AHHHHH!!!! I know that I will still be in San Juan since Hermana Zambrano is going home. The only question is who will be joining me... This transfer flew by! I feel like she just barely got here.

I don't have a lot of time today because I spent a good bit with the fam history (thanks everyone for helping me fill in my missing information. I greatly appreciate it!!! And the people I visit will be able to see the great importance of family history). So, the one bit of news that I do want to say is.... ______ AND _______ ARE GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Can I even tell you how excited I am?! After 10 months with countless missionaries, they have finally accepted to take this crucial step towards the celestial kingdom. AHHHHH!!!!!! THEY ARE JUST GONNA GO BE SEALED IN THE TEMPLE IN A YEAR AND BE A FOREVER FAMILY!!! We are still working on all the details on stuff so I will let you know how it goes next week. BUT I'M JUST SOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!

So last night, the young single adults asked Hermana Zambrano and I to speak and sing for a missionary fireside. She spoke. I sang. It was legit. I'll try to send you the video if it will go through. I sang Dear to The Heart of the Shepherd (but in Spanish).

I have so many things that I want to tell you, but I guess it will have to wait because I'm out of time. 

The one thing that I do want to say is, Mom, don't worry about me! Just send prayers this way and we got this. There have been some reported incidents, and we are being a lot more careful recently. I have the Lord on my side and I am His servant. I follow His Spirit and am safe. He protects me. We're all good!

And the last thing is PONDERIZE!!! Dayne has chosen the first scripture for this week. 1 Corinthians 2:9. I'm gonna do this one this week and then include in my email next week what I got out of it. You should do it too. We can connect some continents here through the scriptures and the spirit. 

I'm legit out of time now.  You are all lovely and loved greatly by ME! AND THE LORD!

LES AMO!!!!!!

Hermana Elise Joyner

P.S. Alex- you are about to go through a big transition! Just make it to Sunday and all will be well. And study study study and lean on the Atonement. I have a personal testimony that the Lord and His sacrifice will carry you through this part of your mission and then before you know it, you will have one more week of training! LOVE YA KID!