COVID-19 (The Hysterical Post) - 21 March 2020

Michael made a video of "Day 4 of the Quarantine". Too funny!

This is a quote by President Russell M. Nelson, the Prophet and Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is quite prophetic with the situation of the world right now.

COVID-19 Quarantine - 19 March 2020

Southern California went into quarantine pretty early as a result of COVID-19. The Church had all of the missionaries stop going door-to-door and to work from their apartment.  Here is a video of Michael and his reaction to the quarantine...

This was a message that Michael shared with us. Quite comforting.

COVID Continuation - 18 March 2020

Southern California was one of the first areas in the US that had increased numbers of COVID-19. The Church and the state/local governments were proactive and serious about this virus and instigated stay-at-home recommendations very quickly. All missionaries in Michael's mission were required to wear masks whenever they left their apartment.

Michael shared this with us and I thought it was very appropriate and timely with the fears of COVID and unrest that is/was occurring. We must always remember to slow down and listen so we can hear Him!

COVID-19 - 16 March 2020

COVID-19 has struck and Michael ventured out on his P-Day to go grocery shopping to discover what is going on. Grocery stores were extremely low on food and he had to buy plant-based milk. What is plant-based milk?

20th Birthday - 13 March 2020

Michael turned 20 while serving on his mission. We sent out messages to invite people to send him birthday cards. We wanted to flood him with card on his last birthday while on his mission. Thank you to everyone that sent him a card. He was flooded with cards and love.

Mission Tour - 10 March 2020

This is a picture of all the missionaries serving in the northern part of the California Newport Beach Mission. This is from the Mission Tour - Northern Zones. Can you find Michael?

California License - 9 March 2020

Michael's ND driver's license expired while he was out on his mission. He now is an official CA resident. Looks like he has grown up a bit more.

Foot Massage - 27 February 2020

This video made me laugh. Michael tried the foot massage machine that Elder Huang had and asked him where he got it. The answer was...trash. HA!

Weekly Email - 24 February 2020

 Hi,

This week was super awesome! We have started teaching 2 new people. Both of them we knocked on their door and they both let us in and we taught them the Restoration which was super awesome and 1 of them we taught again that week and the other we had at church and he is super promising! Ut was really awesome to see the Lords hand in His work! We had a really good week and we are excited to see the miracles continue. I know this is His work. The joy I see in people and the spirit that enters their lives is so incredible!

Love Elder West

Church Member Message - 12 February 2020

Your sons bearing testimony to us tonight at Chamberlin family FHE. Elder Huang, Elder Esplin, Elder Roberts, Elder West. We love them. They are so happy - they are teaching some remarkable seekers of truth & they each bore powerful testimonies tonight. Thank you for sharing your sons with us.

David & Jenny Chamberlin

Mission Viejo CA Stake

That was Easy - 10 February 2020

No real explanation for this video...

Weekly Email - 10 February 2020

Hello Friends!

This week was super great! We saw some cool miracles! One miracle we saw was right before we were about to go to a lesson we knock on one more door and a guy opens it and talks to us and tells us his aunt is a member and that the Elders had come before and gave his sister a blessing since she is always sick. So we said we would be happy to as well if she would like. So he asked and she said yes! So we went in and talked to them and the spirit was very present we talked about the priesthood, and about the spirit and then we gave her a blessing and they said they would love to have us back to share more with them! It was super cool and got us super excited! Then the other big one was my companion and I were planning out our next week in the computer lab at our apartment and then a woman walks in a asks if we are using the computer. We said yes and then she asked if we work here and we said no we are missionaries. Then she asked us what church and we told her and she got so excited and sat down and started telling us about her family that she wanted us to pray for and that we were her 2 "angels" it was awesome. So we prayed for her family and then she asked who she could pray for and she prayed for our families and for us to be made instruments in Gods hands! It was so awesome! It's cool to see how God works in ways we dint even understand at 1st. And then we see the great incredible and unexplainable things that come. And it doesn't just happen to missionaries, we can all feel and experience those kind of things in our lives!

Love Elder West

Weekly Email - 3 February 2020

Hey!

This week was a super! We went finding a lot this week and made it a extra point to testify at every door. We went tracting on super bowl Sunday and there were not a lot of people that were happy to see us. Eventually we decided to ask how the game was as our conversation starter. We had a slow week but we still had a lot of cool things happen too. We had a cool lesson with some of our friends and we had planned to teach the restoration but we asked then what they wanted to learn and ended up teach about the Liahona, faith, and commitment!

Have a great week!

Love Elder West

Zone Conference - 30 January 2020

Michael is still in the Mission Viejo district within the Newport Beach Mission. I was excited to see him in a video that was made of all the missionaries singing. He is front and center.

Looking Cool - 28 January 2020

Michael was out on exchanges (trade companions) today with Elder Huang and they were out looking pretty cool!

Weekly Email - 27 January 2020

Hello everyone,

I am sorry for not being consistent in my emails sometimes I forget and and am too lazy hahaha. Thus week went by really fast and I cant think of anything in particular that happened that was super amazing except that I receive great strength from the Lord to do whatever He needs me to do. Not just as full-time missionaries are able to have this great power. In the scriptures in multiple places it tells us to keep the commandments and you will prosper and it also tells us that through faith we are able to work mighty miracles by the power of God. I know this is true I have seen it! I live you and and am so grateful for your support.

Love Elder West

Pants Don't Last Forever - 11 January 2020

When you wear dress clothes 7 days a week, they tend to wear out. Here is a pic Michael sent of one of his pair of pants that bit the dust. He has been able to mend small holes but I think this one is beyond fixing with sewing. Good thing we sent him new ones for Christmas!

Weekly Email - 6 January 2020

Tomorrow is the Worst Day Ever

 

Hi everyone I hope you all had a good week I had a really great week. We saw a lot of cool miracles and saw the Lords hand in our days for sure. I just wanted to share the main really cool experience that we had. Elder Roberts and I were finding in this housing complex and we were about to leave to go to a lesson but we decide to knock 1 more door. We knock, no answer. So we ring their Ring doorbell and a woman answers through it and says that she is good and that she's catholic. So we tell her that's great and that we are here to strengthen her faith in Jesus Christ. And then I kid you not she says "well I'm having a pretty bad day, do you guys wanna come in?" And we said sure! So we went in and she was crying on the floor and we talked to her and her boyfriend about trials and faith in Jesus Christ! Then we met with them again the next day and she had read the intro, testimonies, and part of the start of the Book of Mormon! And she and her boyfriend asked us a lot of good questions and they want to here more about the Restoration and Plan of Salvation which we responded "I think we can do that!" It was an awesome miracle and such a blessing from the Lord to have this privilege to share what is in our hearts with these people. Then Sunday was probably the best Sunday I've had on my mission. The members were all super excited and we have a great relationship with them so it's really starting to catch missionary work excitement here! 

 

As for the subject of my email tomorrow is the worst day ever because that will officially be my 18 month mark and though I do still have a ways to go I really wish I had more time because I love love love my mission! And I love you all too!

 

Love Elder West 

Christmas - 25 December 2019

This was Michael's last Christmas on his mission. The Church members in his wards are amazing. They had him and his companion, Elder Roberts over for lunch and dinner. We were able to Skype with him. He said he would wait to open his gifts until we did Skype. Typical Michael, he couldn't wait. Too funny.

Weekly Email - 23 December 2019

Hey ladies and gents, 

We had a great week we are really starting to get this place up and running! I'm really excited to see where this is all going to lead. We focus on inviting. The more you invite people the more people will accept! So invite invite invite that's all you have to do, invite! We have been getting a lot of referrals and it has been hastening the work and the members are happier too! So if you want increased happiness WORK WITH THE MISSIONARIES. Invite people to things! Love your neighbors! 

I know it will help and bless you!

Here is a little spiritual thought for the day too.

One of my favorite verses in the Book of Mormon is 

"And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; 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." - Alma 36:3

I bolded trials, troubles, and afflictions because when I was thinking about this verse I thought it was interesting how these 3 words were all used because they all are pretty much the same I thought so i looked up each of their definitions and it was a eye opening experience for me.

Affliction- pain; suffering, anything causing pain or distress; calamity.

Trial - the act or process of trying, testing, or putting to the proof; test; testing of qualifications, attainments, or progress; the fact or state or being tried by suffering, temptation that tries ones endurance.

Trouble - to disturb or agitate, to cause mental agitation to; worry; harass; perturb; vex; to cause pain, discomfort, or inconvenience to.

So each definition is close but not the same which really grew my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how this prophet used 3 different words I would have made mean the same thing but they each have slightly different and profound meanings to show how ever encompassing the Atonement of Jesus Christ really is it helps us in ALL our hard times! 

Love Elder West

1st pic - Christmas tree from members

2nd pic - visited San Clemente!

3rd pic - weekly planning