One Hot Cold

Taylor Gemperline	1:09 PM (58 minutes ago)
to me, Andrew, Allison, Daniel, Heather, Hanna, Lorene, sam, Sharlie

Well this week was another busy good week. We meet with almost every one of our investigators which doesn't ever really happen since most of them are so busy! The greatest thing is I wasn't even there for half of them. I had planned an exchange for Wednesday to Thursday and during that exchange Elder V was able to take lead in 3 Lessons with investigators without me there. It was great and he handled it like a champion so I was proud and know that now we are done with his training it is time for me to leave and him to step up to the responsibility. It will be fun to see.

During a Zone Conference on Wednesday in which we got to see President Orgill Teach for the first time to us I began to really get a headache. It grew to the point where I began to get dizzy and since the meeting is 7 hours long almost by the end of it I could tell it was too late for Emergen-c and I was sick. Just a common cold I'm sure but I've been about sniffing and swallowing funny in the middle of a heat streak. Its really just been an annoyance and I've continued to work just as hard. Sunday I couldn't speak much cause my voice has been going but today Ill get some good rest and see if it helps. 

When I got home from the exchange with Elder Chlarson from Kanosh UT I came into the presence of an excited  Elder VanQ. Haha I guess he was trying to find a male over the age 16 to come with us to the appointment. It was an important one cause this is the family who came from Mexico who is really ready to hear the gospel. Well the reason he couldn't get anyone he explains to me was because it was Mutual night. As soon as he told me this the phone rang and a member of the ward explains to Elder VanQ that he should just take the investigators to mutual instead because they have the 13 yr old daughter who needs to meet the girls.  We got the Webber father and twins to come with us and we picked up the family from the apartments and walked to the church all together. We did our best to make sure the family was comfortable and as we got to the church tension became pretty tangible. Especially when we walked into the room oh combined young women. There was this awkward 15 seconds of silence and me saying hi to people while everyone just stared at us until Dear Sister Elliot ran across the room and just gave them a big hug and then it was all over. We got some Lego's for their 9 yr old son and played with him while the mother and daughter were engrossed in the activity and message of the young women. We walked away having showed them the church and establishing new friendships. She never stopped thanking us as we walked home and it was honestly one of the sweetest success of my mission for some reason. I just hadn't heard a sincere thank you for my efforts in a loonnnnggg time from someone I've been trying to help. 

Other than that I'm just realizing my time in this ward is far spent and there is little remaining. Getting permission from President Soon to look and see if I need to do anything to keep my schooling in order online. Applications for Fall semester when I'm home are coming up. Time is just flying way too fast sometimes isn't it? These are things I pondered as last P-day I made the impulsive decision to buy a new suit from H&M. I love it so much. It fits nice and snug and is gray instead of black and basically I can now say I'm one step closer to Californian.

 Stay cool everyone. 

Just Leave NOW!

2 Nephi 28:16   Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth?  For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth: and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish." "Knocking out my Best Two Years" "Lets Get out of Here, Elder"	Aug 5 2013)

Well this week we had a fun experience with a member of the Las FLores HOA. Saturday night we were tracting a street up the hill near our bishops home and for some reason everyone was just being super friendly. Lots of good smiles and I was just loving to talk to everyone. Then we came across a lady as we knocked on her door who came out and just scowled at us. We greet her and she stays silent for a few seconds and says "You can leave" just under her breath. We say that is fine have a nice day, smile and turn around to walk away. We make it a few steps and she says the same thing just a little louder. I turn around and say "Excuse me, mam?" 

"I told you, you can leave, we are all born-again christians here so don't waste your time and get out of our neighborhood."

"Mam, There may be someone on this street who is having a really hard time right now and they may just need to see someone smile and there is nothing you can say that is going to stop me from trying to find that person so I can let them know someone cares"

As this is happening there are 4 little girls playing in the street and another neighbor gets up and walks over and ushers them away, thank goodness! You don't need to do this in front of the kids. 

"You cultists! You disturbers of all that is right! Get out of our neighborhood and take your evil ideas with you! You don't follow Christ!" 

We promptly left it at that and walked away, continuing down the road to knock doors. 10 minutes later we have finished the street and we begin walking to the next appointment when we contact a lady. She explains to us that she is actually meeting with Mormon Missionaries that night! We ask where she lives and she points to a house across the way and it clues in that some other missionaries were trying to teach people in OUR area. Well we quickly get her information and the info on the Elders that were coming so we can figure it out. We say our goodbye and began to keep walking when the inevitable happens.  A car pulls up and there sits the lady who we met earlier who looks much like the lady on "Over the Hedge."

"We pay 1.3 million dollars each for our homes with an additional 1500 dollars a year to the HOA to live in this neighborhood so that we don't have to deal with satanist, cultist scum like you. When I tell you that you need to leave the neighborhood you better do it because I'm on a neighborhood watch program and my neighbors are...."

"SEE YA LATER MAM!" We say mid sentence and begin to walk away. We instantly hear this piercing scream and the call of vulgarities proceed from the car as she began to curse us in every way imaginable. We quickly had members pick us up and drive us to safety. Best part is, those other elders are going to let us teach the person they were going to steal. Its so fun to be a missionary sometimes :D!

Well love you all! 

Elder Gemperline

P.S. to Mother - I promise I'm totally safe and there was never any cause for alarm. Sticks and stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me and there were plenty of people around to defend us if something physical came up. 

Makes you wonder what i ACTUALLY leave out in emails doesn't it? Uh oh. I might get in trouble for that comment. 

--Elder Gemperline

 District and Assistants

Well this week was pretty cool! I went to district meeting with my Brother  tie on which Elder D Gemperline has his Brother tie on his mission. I had my Tie Clip from Elder T and I was feeling grand and happy for my brother to leave into the MTC that day! As I was pondering this thought the Zone Leaders burst into my district meeting and said quick set up two more chairs! Then the Assistants to the President walked in. So it was fun to be able to have them a part of my district meeting and things went very smoothly. Afterwards they pulled me aside with the zone leaders and gave me a whole bunch of different ways I could improve. Great suggestions on better demonstrations and time management, but especially on holding my calling and the power that comes with it to the best of my abilities. 

Then we had a pretty slow week because there were just a lot of last second cancellations with investigators sadly. We have had a lot of members in the ward inviting friends to hear missionaries or come to dinner with them and stuff like that and it has been really really exciting to see that and I was just so happy to see the small miracles throughout the entire week. 

Transfer calls came in and I'm not getting moved and neither is my companion! We will be together a total of 15 weeks at the end of this transfer. 

I benched the most I've ever benched in my life yesterday. I felt so buff until I went and saw the Polynesian Fire Knife dancers. I want to look like them someday 0.o. Then I realized my trainer looked like them. He so did. ... just minus all the muscle and scary. :D Nah but it was a really big stress reliever. We had to have a Less active recent convert or investigator there for us to be there and see the show and just minutes before hand we still had no one sadly. I said a silent prayer that someone would show and Rob gave us a call upon saying Amen. He came and we were able to convince him to stay for at least half the show. Then a random lady approached us and explained she was alone and lost! It was Elder Gremillion, a good friend of mines, recent convert and I am just so glad she said something cause we enjoyed her presence throughout the rest of the show. there are some strong people who are willing to act in faith just as she did. Her conversion story is FANTASTIC! She was playing a star wars video game online when she found a clan or group called the gadianton robbers. She joined that group because of their no mature content policy. Soon enough she was asking questions to who the names were like Korihor and Corianton. Then she asked who the Strippling Warriors were whom was their rival clan. These two clans consisted of about 70% return missionares. She is now baptized. :) Video game technology win for GOD! Anyway, the PCC dances were really cool and I love that place and their people and shows. 

Alright well I'm out of time because of transfers today but I must also let you know that Elder V discovered yesterday that when a mexican says a food is hot IT'S HOT!  and so delicious to me :DDDD

Alright Chill, Love everyone. Ha be with you 

--Elder Gemperline

Brother's Tie

Taylor Gemperline    Pump It UP  July 16 2013

This week has been fantastic. I actually have a lot I want to talk about but I will throw the shock and awe line first! We taught the Peter Pan and Wendy at Disneyland! He's really cool! hahaha The main actors at Disney Land for Peter Pan and Wendy are a part member family in our ward. I didn't know it until a member told us the other day. Then I realized they were totally right and they did look like Peter Pan and Wendy. :P Gotta get a picture. 

Anyway, This week we saw many many miracles. We went by on Sunday a members house just on a whim as we past by their street to find a Lock Box on their door. For fear that they unexpectedly moved we saw their nieghbor was sweeping out his garage and we went to go ask him about the box. We began to just talk about life and he began to express that he saw small miracles every day from prayer. His wife and children came out and after small talking for about 15 minutes we were able to get the conversation even more and more gospel oriented until we had taught the entire first lesson. This couple committed to reading the Book of Mormon together at night and praying to know if it is true and it was really cool! We even got a return appointment! Yayayayay what a miracle! FInally some new people to teach and help :)

We have been doing a lot of tracting and finding on our own and it has been successful in picking up a few potentials and I've just been trying to smile more and I really just enjoyed this last week. I love love love the people in this ward and I want to help them so much and see people REPENT! 

This last week we had a Zone Training meeting where we talked about how we need to be calling repentance more. We love the wards we live in and they love us back, but we are also not here to just make friends but we need to be challenging families. Asking them to do the hard things and the hard questions. With Tact, Kindness and love of course but I feel I could definitely better myself in that way. TIme to "Be a little Bolder."

This last week we also got 1 on 1 interviews with President and Sister Orgill. President Orgill is just so loving and happy. He reminds me a lot of Bishop Freeman to be honest. Just a loving man. We talked a lot about the people whom I know in the mission and a lot about my background. About home and what I did before I came. What i've done on my mission and what I plan to do. It was such a short time but I really enjoyed getting to know him a little closer. We are making so many changes it is exciting. I only ran 3 times this last week! Instead we went to the appartment gym and we can lift on the machines there :) So now I'm trying to get big again! It feels fantastic. I don't want to stop running though! I just want to do it all! Being fit is funnnnnnnnn! (I'm sure Elder VanQ is pretty sick of my health kick at this point). 

Last but not least, I"M SO EXCITED FOR ELDER D GEMPELRINE! He is going to be set apart tonight and then he and I will have a bond in serving the Lord. I'm so so so excited for what he is about to experience. Ah I get all physically excited and upidy about it. I also have "Daniel My brother" stuck in my head and that Cats in the Craddle song stuck in my head. He will be such a fantastic missionary and I'm sure he'll be AP in no time... no i don't want to wish that on him. He'll be a trainer in no time. Ya that is so much better. Best of luck and prayers to him! 

<3 Elder Gemperlines

Elder Jones is going to the MTC the same day as Elder D Gemperline. He is leaving from the Las Flores ward where Taylor is.   He is transfering a  hug from one brother to another.  How sweet is that?

A new mission is Formed

           Forbidden Lands      July 9 2013

So we got to go up to the forbidden land of desolation that is in the land northward - Irvine. We all met as a mission for the first time in the Irvine Stake Center. It was great because we all walked in the room and they had Carlsbad Missionaries seperate from the Anaheim missionaries. Later on in the activities we left the room and went into another and upon returning everything just said Irvine missionaries on it. Cheesy but symbolic and it worked. I met a Chinese Speaking Elder from Anaheim who came up to me and knew basically everything about me. Frankly, I had never even heard his name before. Turns out he joined the Fencing Team at Davis the Month I left it because of the Demo's I would put on during lunch and the assemblies. 

President Orgill spoke to us giving us a good intro. HE SERVED IN TONGA UNDER ELDER GROBERG!!!! He has some of the most amazing stories I've ever heard. He only gave us a sneak peak but he said that the movie "Otherside of Heaven" is pretty darn accurate for every day occurances in his mission. He said that he has been in an 8 foot Canoe under the crest of a 70 foot wave praying that his family would be comforted because there was not way he was going home. Here he is though, the bubbly, lovable mission president and his wife in the Irvine mission. He really does seem like one of the most approachable loveable guys ever. Really kinda loose as well. He is basically the polar opposite of President Cook. 

We are trying to figure out what rules are actually rules and in the midst we discovered that the Carlsbad Mission was known by missions around it as a "strict" mission. I never thought it was and still don't, I just think everyone else was loose :P. We will have interviews 1 on 1 tomorrow with President Orgill. Should be good. 

This week we finally saw the great blessing of a new investigator! We a few weeks ago ran into a large black man who came out of his house yelling at us. Well this Saturday we were finally able to meet with him and teach him the Restoration. Well, we tried our best to do so. He has a really good friend from work whom he talks to a lot about the church so he has a general idea. We talked a lot during the appointment about blacks and the history of the church with allowing them to hold the Priesthood. It is a real stumbling block for him. Our response was limited but we promised an appointment with him where he could meet our Elders Quorum President whom is also black. So we hope to have that lesson tonight! 

Yesterday we walked about in the 100+ degree weather for 5 hours and were finally let into a home. A man whom is starting his own buisness with a product to naturally help diabetics was on a down moment and upon seeing us drenched in sweat and exhausted let us in. We had a short lesson which was cut off by an important phone call from an investor but we got 2 new investigators in a few days which is FANTASTIC! Maybe we will finally be able to get some people to teach!

This week I've also been on a health kick! I love salad and chicken. I had a BLT one day. Some members gave us a bag of fruit and peaches and I just can't stop eating them! MMMMmmmmm Scurvy be gone. It is the best for a missionary. 

Other than that i'm just SUPER tired because the heat is taking it out of me but I'm happy. Love the ward and I am afraid I may be transfered in 2 weeks from now but it is what it is. We will see what happens. 

--Elder Gemperline

Last Day as Carlsbad Missionary

Well yesterday we woke up and we were in the Irvine Mission. Felt weird. It was just really weird to think I wasn't a Carlsbad Missionary. I had been for so long. What the heck. 

Anyway! This last week I had one of the most emotional days of my mission. We had the mission wide farewell/transfer meeting for the Carlsbad Mission. It was goodbye to President and Sister Cook as well as Goodbye to many others whom I love. Of the hardest to say goodbye to was Elder Tetuanui. I am sure he is sitting shirtless on a beach in Tahiti right now sipping some lemonade. Hahaha he was so not ready to go home though. He can't remember any french or anything. He gave one of the most powerful testimonies if not the most powerful testimony I have ever heard in a parting opportunity and I tried my best to record it but I think the sound on my camera broke for that particular film or the room was just too loud. I'll have to amplify it later and write it down for him. It was really hard to say goodbye though! He left a last little tie clip with some Tahitian Symbols on it. One of those things I'll always keep proudly ya know. He really is going to be the greatest leader to ever come out of Tahiti someday. One in a million. 

Its come to my attention that its hard for me to not cry a lot. Is this something that happens when you get older or just when you become more in tune? IDK but its happening. :P

I got to see Elder Bunker again and he embraced me as a best friend despite a rough start to our companionship and it was just great to see what we were able to do for each other and others. I said goodbye to Elder Jacobsen my first born son in the wilderness and he is actually doing fantastic! He is a District Leader now and Elder Bunker a trainer! They'll keep things rocking down south. I'm pretty fortunate to have a lot of friends coming to Irvine though. 

Nothing else too remarkable happened this week. I got in a more extensive bash this last Saturday out of frustration of being told that I am wrong over and over and over. We were able to end with agreeing to disagree and no one was hurt but it is basically a good example of what happens a lot around here.

Oh I just thought of a first that happened this week for me!!! So we went to a members home where the Husband has only been a member for 9 moths. He is preparing to receive the Melchezidek Priesthood so we taught him a little lesson about it. Then at the end of the lesson he asked us to give his son a blessing. His son had fractured his foot and was going in the next day to see if it needed surgery or a cast or what. We ended the lesson with a great example and we gave him a blessing. On Sunday this father pulled us aside and told us that when they took his son to the doctor the next day they did a follow up x-ray and the foot was no longer fractured... Just bruised. It was a great testimony strengthener for me. 

I am happy and at peace. I'm working hard and having fun. I love the ward I live in and the people I work with. I love Rob and his fire as a new convert. He goes to the temple EVERY MORNING and prays and reads the Book of Mormon even though he doesn't have a temple recommend. He deserves much more than he has for sure. So humble. So awesome. So Rob. Love you all. Happy 4th of July! I'll tell you how Pres Orgill is next week. 

Congrats GRANDMA AND GRANDPA GEMPERLINE!

With Pres and Sister Cook

District from the MTC

Elder Tetuanui's Sons

Elder Gemperline with his "first born in the wilderness"   Elder Jacobsen and Van Quekebeke

Last week as a Carlsbad Missionary... :(:

Inbox

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Taylor Gemperline	12:30 PM (20 hours ago)

Well this will be my last week as a Carlsbad Missionary. We will be getting President Orgill in 6 days and the Irvine Mission will become a reality. TW are taking our last trip down to Vista to say goodbye to President and Sister Cook and anyone else we need to say goodbye to. It will truely be a sad occasion. I"M GOING TO MISS THEM SO MUCH! It makes me so sad. :( I love President and Sister Cook more than I can say. At the same time. I'm so excited to meet President Orgill! He sounds so awesome and I am sure I'll be able to help in some way somewhere down the road. It is going to be an awesome experience.

This last week was fantastic! We had our few non-commital investigators cancel on us and suddenly it looked like we were not going to be able to make our goals by any means for the week. We got down and showed the Lord though that we were willing to do anything for miracles to happen and to see our goals accomplished. We ended up getting 2 lessons with random people throughout the week. 

This week I also had a fantastic birthday thank you everyone! I Got up and had a most delightful run. Had a great District Meeting. Elder VanQ still had no idea it was my birhtday. Upon writing the schedule on the board I lower capsed everything Except "B""I"R"T"H"D"A"Y"2"1". He eventually figured it out and then we went to a restraunt for lunch as a district. Later on in the day we got to go to the Fantastic Webber home for dinner and a lesson. My mother had been in contact with her of course so I was not surprised to find she knew it was my birthday but It was definitely fantastic to have a homemade German Chocolate Cake! Mmmmmm. I also got super awesome presents. I felt very loved. The Webbers are awesome. I think our families would get along just swell. 

Lastly, I pulled a muscle in my back this last week. I can still function and it will fix as I stretch it but the really cool thing was I was able to offer Elder VanQ his first opportunity to ever give a blessing.

My sweet mother got me a tripod that can mount to pretty much anything and I mounted it to my bike and filmed a bike ride. Pretty fun and awesome. 

Well hoping to see miracles with the new Irvine Mission. Lets turn another leaf in the page shall we? Love you all much. Carry on. 

--Elder Gemperline