July 24, 2012
Family,
Sounds like Rosie is having fun with the procedure of getting her wisdom teeth taken out. I am betting she gets dry socket and is out on the couch for a week. Better now than at Christmas. I still haven't heard from Jon yet. Did he break his hand? Can he not write? It would be cool if he and Matt and Dad sent some stories from their missions. Things here are great. It's sad that I missed Pageant this year, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it when I get home. (Hopefully!) My companion leaves in a week from today for San Jose. He's a great guy and he'll do well there with the Vietnamese people. I would guess that the average Viet is about half his size...
This past week has been really good. It's nice getting letters. I'm thinking if you want to hear about all the cool experiences I'm having, send me a letter or Dear-Elder and I can tell you in a handwritten letter! I will share one experience from this past week, though. This is about a member who comes to the TRC almost every week, and my companion and I got to teach her this last week on Saturday. The past 10 weeks have been filled with learning, teaching, evaluation, improvement, planning, goals, etc. Over the course of this time I have learned the importance of teaching to the needs of others and teaching by the Spirit. It is impossible to convey a message in just Vietnamese. Try it, I know you won't be able to do it. But teach with love for the people you are teaching, teach with the love that God has for each of His children, and you can help others feel of His Spirit and know that He lives. While preparing to teach at the TRC, I was reading through the Book of Mormon trying to find a favorite scripture. We don't have the Bible in Vietnamese, so we're more limited than not. Anyway, I had found a great scripture about how God rejoices when we obey Him and do what's right. I think it was in Mosiah 2? Maybe? I had planned on talking about the immediate blessings we get for keeping the commandments of God. At the last minute, though, I flipped to a random page as I was searching through the book of Alma. I started reading in chapter 26. Chapter 26 talks about the missionary experience of the sons of Mosiah (I think? I don't have a book to reference right here), but toward the end becomes more broad and talks to more than just the sons of Mosiah. Verses 39-41 seemed at that moment to pop out of the page. I thought of Vietnam and the people there. I thought of all the Vietnamese people in the United States right now, some of which will have to eventually return to Vietnam. The country of Vietnam has two brances. That's it. There are between 80 and 90 million people there, too. It is geographically pretty large. I realized that those verses were probably important to someone I was going to teach. A little less than an hour later, we began to share our favorite scriptures. (All in Vietnamese). We read several verses from Alma 26 and discussed their importance. The Spirit was very strong in that room. Any silence was strong silence. Anything that was spoken was really precious and meaningful. I forgot about my inadequecies with the language. We spoke and discussed how even in Vietnam [where the nearest church building is up to several hours away and where the government will fire you if you're a member of the LDS Church] the Lord still loves you and will still bless you. He knows each of His children perfectly. He loves each of His children just as perfectly and He wants each of them to return to Him. His work is a true work. His Church on the Earth today is the true Church, established by Christ.
I love you all! Thank you for the continued support!
Elder Steele
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July 17, 2012
Family,
Sounds like Pageant is amazing. It makes me miss it. Oh well. Please remember to take many pictures and send them to me in hard-form when I reach California. Rosie, I gave you some specific instructions in a letter today. Please follow them exactly. Don't be afraid to get random cool people to write me. :)
On Sunday we heard from Jenny Oaks Baker. She is the daughter of Dallin H. Oaks and she played the violin for us. She is one of the best violinists in the World. It was awesome. Her kids even played. Their ages range from daughter 10 violin, daughter 8 piano, daughter 6 cello, son 5 guitar. They played a song for us. They were AMAZING. They even had the music memorized. I'm sure every one here has emailed home about it. Jenny Baker graduated from Juilliard's in NYC. She's way good. She was nominated for a grammy once, too.
I don't have much to say today, sorry. Things are good here. My companion leaves in two weeks and he is getting really excited for that. I leave in three, which is coming up quick. I am still learning the language well. It is still not very easy. Another one of my teachers left to do humanitarian work in Vietnam. That is something I want to do when I get home, and I am pretty sure I can somehow be sponsored by the Church in a group they send there every summer. It would be awesome.
And lastly, I would share a quote with you, which kind of makes me want to step it up a notch and work harder, which is "Any excuse, no matter how valid, weakens the character." Do your work and do it diligently.
** Family: I do have some requests, though. When you go to Niagara Falls like you do every summer, could you get me a case of Nestle Smarties? Maybe you could just ship some when I get to California because I don't have room in my suitcases. They are delicious.
Mom: I love you.
Dad: I love you equally.
Matt: What are your plans with Pipeline? When do you think you'll start marketing it? Love you!
Erin: Thanks for all the letters! I love them. I got the picture of Sicily, too! It's great! Love you!
Ella: Thanks for the drawings and the dearElder! Love you!
Delainey: Thanks also for the drawings and the dearElder! French fries are yummy. Love you!
Zac: How are the car sales going? I haven't heard much from you. Love you!
Sarah: Thanks for the letters and updates! It's great to hear from the kids, too! Love you!
Logan: Cookies would be great. Will you help mommy make some? :) Love you, Bud!
Kaylee: Thanks for the letter. Do you like babies? After you're married in the temple you can have some! Love you!
Liz: How are you? How's the pregnancy? Don't forget to write me with that pregnancy brain thing! Love you!
Jesse: How is work? Are you still doing frisbee weekly? Keep me posted. Love you!
Jon: Are you still working with Chuck? Tell him I haven't gotten any of his letters either. I think that's a home teacher thing, even if he isn't still my home teacher. It would be cool to hear from him. Let me know how the work is going. Also have you picked any one out? Everything is gerat here, about the same as last week. Love you, bro. Also I am getting smaller but at the same time getting bigger. You know what I mean. I will be able to take you when I get home. Probably.
Rosie: I sent you a letter. You should have my address. Could you have all the girls in your cast team write me? That would be a cool cast team activity. ;) Why don't you try that tomorrow. Thanks :) Love you! Don't forget this.
Hunter: Don't kiss any girls. Kate said you were good when you went to North Carolina. Good work. Make sure you have an extra cool fight scene. Are your friends all doing pageant this year? Neat. Send me a letter or email! Love you!
Madi: How is pageant for you? What did you get to be? I'm sure you are having fun with all your friends. Be good! Smile! Love you!
Have a great week! Tell Aunt Debb hello and give her a big hug from me! Someone please give her my address and invite her to write me, too. Rosie should have both addresses for the MTC (until Aug. 7) and the Field, Elder Remington Steele, California Anaheim Mission, 2500 N. Bristol St. Santa Ana, CA 92706. I think the zip code is right, I'm not positive.
Love you all!
Elder Steele
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July 10, 2012
Sounds great. I am jealous of you all. I wish I could have delayed my call to be in Pageant! I miss it. I actually wish I could have just done Pageant and only have been here for 3 weeks with the Vietnamese. California is fast approaching. My companion leaves in 3 weeks, which will feel like 3 days... Who is in Pageant this year that we know? A lot of locals/return participants?
I continue to get letters from people. Please make sure that I am keeping my average above one letter per day here! I like the weekly updates from Grandma, Erin, Savannah and Sarah, etc. Thank you for those!
Last week was the Fourth of July. I was expecting a special event, and that's just what we got. We had a program which started around 8:30 and ended at 9:30 (usual residence time). We were then permitted to "hang out" with our companions and all the other missionaries here until the fireworks from Stadium of Fire finished. We got in around 11:30 something. It was a lot of fun. I like how I came at the right time to get all the special privileges. We heard from L. Tom Perry the week before, I think I told you that. And then we had the 4th of July "festivities". While there are people here representing 50+ nations, the meeting was focused on all countries' independence and religious freedoms in those countries. There are a few missionaries here from Brazil, maybe a dozen/ dozen.5 . They don't understand me when I say "Beleize" (sp?). Most of them understand English, though.
My Vietnamese name. First off, I'll let you know that I will go by this name for the rest of my life interacting with Vietnamese speaking people. It is a first name. It's like you're saying "Hi", but held out and with a tone. The tone goes like this: It starts at middle tone, falls, and then returns to the middle tone. This is a Southern Vietnamese dau hỏi. The d's here actually sound like "y"'s. And they have a "hard" Đ, which makes the English D sound. I hope that helps. Can you see the Vietnamese texts on here?
Tôi tên là Hải. Tôi đen từ New York... Tôi có thể viết bằng Tiếng Việt luôn luôn, nhưng Tôi muốn các người biết các điều này Tôi viết.
Anyway, the story for the week comes from breakfast the other day. I was in line waiting to get some Cream of Wheat, when an Elder next to me in line began to ask me about my name, and if I knew a Remington Steele. He said he met one in Palmyra about a year ago. He was speaking with an English accent, and I knew exactly who he was and where I had met him. He said he remembered me and BJ King helping he and his brother and dad find a place to stay when their campground was closed. We helped them set up tents and prepare for the night in Zion's Camp on the very East end, and then helped them make some friends. I remember the boy talking about how he was saving up to go on a mission at the time. It's funny, though. That event had completely slipped my mind. I didn't see it as important, and I didn't think it meant anything to the small family, either. It just goes to show, though, that everything you do has a consequence. I am determined to focus my life more on setting a good example for others, and to always do the right thing. No one may be watching. No one may appear to be affected, but everything we do can change how we live our lives and how we influence the lives of others. I don't know who all is reading this; I may not know your background, but be willing always to help and serve others without seeking a reward. If you have to, just be someone's friend. Set a good example to them of how to live and how to be happy. The reward may not be instant. The reward may not appear in your life, either. But someone, somewhere is asking and pleading for your help. Be prepared to serve them. I would remind you, "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are in the service of your God."
Smile, be happy, work hard at Pageant, family!
I love you all! See if we can't get Jon, Dad, Zac, Jesse and Brandon to send more this way. I haven't heard much from them. Matt sent me some things already. Maybe you could make it a competition to see who can send the most. How are the car sales? How are the insurance sales? Has Jon talked to uncle Ricky about the tax classes? I think that would be beneficial. Pay your fast offerings, too. Love you
Elder Steele
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July 3, 2012
Thanks for the e-mail. Can you get me a Medium-Tall shirt? Thanks. If not, see what fits Jon best and send me one of those! Thanks :)
How is Hunter doing? What else did he do in Outer Banks?
Tell Rosie if she has Lasik's, she won't need glasses any more. And tell Jon that Rosie is his sister...
I remember going to Watkins Glen last year. Dad and Hunter and I went to the prelims for the Toshiba car and got to go in one of the pace cars. I remember Hunter claimed to have a bad time, but I know he enjoyed it.
Does everyone have meal plans at the Hill again? And is Dad going to do it or will he be working and doing concessions?
I have been writing a lot today. 16, 17 letters or something like that. Continue to tell people to write me! I think I'm still averaging one letter per day here at the MTC. Thanks! Keep it up. :)
We had "transfers" today. Really, they finished renovating one of the residence buildings here and we were the beneficiaries and some of the Sister missionaries have to move in to our old "Residences". We have new beds, so tonight's sleep should be nice. In the move, we lost our roommates, but we have what all the missionaries call the "Narnia" room, because the walls are wooden and walking in is supposed to be like walking into a wardrobe. I don't know. It's neat.
Thanks for the package. I didn't get it yet, but I'm sure it will be good.
Tomorrow should be good. 4th of July. Extra holiday devotional, supposedly going to be talked to by DIETER F. UCHTDORF. No biggie. Awesome :) And maybe afterwards they might let the missionaries go "hang out" on the playing fields and watch the fireworks from the stadium of fire at BYU. Neat stuff. I'm excited.
The language is coming along well. I find that I really like doing TRC's, which are when we have Vietnamese and Viet speaking people come in and we teach them. I love being able to invite the Spirit into their lives and help them learn and grow. It is a great opportunity which leaves me, my companion and the people we teach smiling.
Week 7. 5 Weeks left. It'll go by fast; I'm excited. A few things from the past week:
1.) Was there a fire in Provo? East/ SE of Y mountain? It smelled like smoke and we had ash falling like rain everywhere.
2.) Children in Viet are referred to as "It". Slightly disrespectful, but kind of funny. I can picture a parent saying, "Come here, It."
3.) We received our new Viet names on Saturday. Mine is Anh Ca? (* The question mark is a tone marker which is meant to go above the 'a', this word Anh Ca? meaning Elder) Hai?. It means Ocean/Port. Cool stuff. I'll have name tags later this week!
4.) Over this month, the number of missionaries in here will jump from 2000 to 2900. Wow.
5.) Dad, the shell you were wondering about I believe is called the Tu'u Fai shell. (from Johnny Lingo). You can watch Johnny Lingo on the church website. Have Hunter help you find it and you can watch it on the TV.
Love you all! I don't have any more time to write, but keep me posted through mail, everyone! Including non-family! :)
Elder Steele
