staying where he is

Dear Mom

I have not been transferred! I am still in Guam with the same companion.  I have been good!

We had a really good week, we found this girl named Tioni. She was a refferal from a member and part member family. She was almost baptized a while ago but she moved and then the Elders who were teaching her got transferred! She has accepted a date and she is really excited. We also started teaching Connie at the Young Mens President's house and it was really good because ahe is really good friends with the daughter of the family and the whole family is excited for her! We also have been bringing different fellowshippers along with us. We brought this old chuukese couple with us to go see Ermina. She came to church with us yesterday, so we were pleased about that.

I really love you,  I gotta go, love you
Elder Kearl

sidenote:  Tioni later got baptized after I left the area.  dan

he's doing fine!

Hey Mom

How are you? I am doing good. It was so good to talk to you guys last week.  Transfers haven't happened yet, they will this Wednesday they will happen.  That's really crazy you are doing 12 hours shifts for clinical. I am really happy you are doing something you like!

Good to know it was Parker and Peters farewell today. I hope they have fun on their missions.
Also crazy its Emily's grad on Thursday and Scott's Birthday so soon! Everyone is getting really old!

The work is going really well. We have some really good part member work going on and Ermina is progressing little by little. She has some faith and testimony concerns! She wants to get baptized but wants to know about tithing and everything else again! Also we have been getting alot more members coming with us and starting to have lessons at the fellow-shippers houses!

We have been having a good week. Elder Kata is very different from me. He is the nicest most patient, kindest guy you will every meet. I love you guys,

Love Elder Kearl

happy mother's day

sidenote:  it was mother's day today and the last time i will be talking to dan before him coming home in 6 months. luckily, dan gave me the right phone number this time. we had a nice talk with him and he was in great spirits. he shared that he can't believe he will be coming home so soon, he feels like the time has flied by.

we talked about his plans when he gets home in november. he will work for a few months then head to BYU in january. he is really looking forward to going to school.

it has been such a thrill having dan on a mission. i look forward to seeing him when he gets home. it will be here soon.  mother's day is still very bittersweet for me. i miss my mom so much it hurts. she loved dan to pieces. i love this picture of her and dan. her face shows just how much she loves him. she was a wonderful mom to me. for that i'm so grateful!! julie

overzealous with the rules, mastering laundry and feeling good about himself

sidenote: the last couple weeks dan has been sending very short emails which i'm kind of okay with because all i really care to hear is that he is happy and he is being a good missionary. however, derek obviously noted my longing for a little more detail. derek wrote him and told him that he needs to send his mom a longer email this week and he did. good boy! the top picture is of aunt liana in front of the house dan lives in now. she lived there 25 years ago when she was a missionary. i laughed out loud when i read his response about doing his own laundry. before dan left on his mission i was teaching him how to do his own laundry including his bedding. the next week when he did it on his own, i glanced over and saw him shoving his actual pillow into the washing machine. all i had to say was 'really dan? the pillow?'. again, i could write a book on raising this kid, the good the bad and the ugly. i love him so much, i laughed again when he told me what his mission president said to him about being overzealous with the rules, only dan. interesting his mission president told him exactly what his patriarchal blessing says; that he will be recognized throughout his whole mission for obedience, diligence and knowledge of the gospel. the night before he went into the MTC we were packing and i noticed his missionary rule book looked all ratty and worn as if it had been to micronesia and back already, he had obviously been studying it very hard before he left. 6 months tomorrow and he'll be home. yipee!

Hey mom

How are you mom? I am sorry about the really short letter last week (good apology dan).  It has been a really crazy week but really fun. We took 2 pictures today including one in front of the house where liana lived and one with Elder Kata. I don't really have a lot of time to take pictures so bear with me if I don't send very many!  That is crazy you are almost done nursing school and that I hit my 18 month mark tomorrow and that I have my last phone call with you next week!

Missionary work was tough this week but we had some good moments. Ermina, an investigator recognized the Holy Ghost at church. Ermina is chuukese and still has some family concerns but she really wants to get baptized! We are really busy, our area is so huge! Also we fasted with another investigator Connie so that SHE COULD GET PERMISSION FROM HER PARENTS to get baptized!

I really like this area. Elder Kata is a great missionary. It's been a little difficult with him but we are working it out just fine. We are patiently learning each others languages; he speaks chuukese. weird!

Crazy that Johno is married now, i'm happy it was in the temple. What BYU is Emily going too?

I met someone who remembers Liana but I forget her name! I think all the connections with aunt liana are pretty cool!

The week before we had interviews with President Mecham. Mine went really well like usual. He said to me, "Elder Kearl, I don't worry about you, I know you are keeping the rules, but you are the only missionary I have ever said this too, don't obsess over the rules!" I thought that was funny and then he talked about how alot of missionaries admire me for my obedience and diligence. It was cool and makes me feel good inside!

I find that as I get older in the mission, I realize how much I have learned. I look back and think I wish I would have learned that sooner. It has also been amazing to me how much I have grown. Who would have known I could do my own laundry without mom bugging me to do it! Also, its amazing how different each companion has been and how different I am too. But you realize how much each of them help you grow and stretch! I have come to the conclusion that I would not like to be companions with someone who is exactly like me, that would be extremely frustrating!

Love Elder Kearl

Connie later got baptised after I left the area - dan