Hermanas Call and Hebdon

At the Hollywood Tri-Rail

At the Park

A Week with Changes

hey there. how yall doin. things are good in hollywood hills.. a week with changes but they were good ones! yesterday i finished reading the Book of Mormon. I love It. So much. I know it's true, and I love to testify of it multiple times a day, every single day. I am so lucky! I had a J - Dub this week LITERALLY BEG US TO CHANGE. She was almost in tears as I told her I never would. It was interesting to me to see someone who had that much love for their religion.. we dont meet too many of those. Hermana Hebdon and I wanted to set up a table at Sedano's (a Latin grocery store) with a sign for free Book of Mormon but they said no so we went to the park (see photo.. ) well that wasnt successful but it was fun. Friday late afternoon we got a call from the assistants who told us that Saturday Hermana Hebdon would be transfering to West Palm Beach. So my companion here is Hermana Lima. She was born in Brazil but grew up since she was 4 in Conneticut. I like having a comp that speaks Portugese! plus i like Brazil and am secretly rooting for them in the World cup.. well it was interesting the way the we were prepared for the transfer, becuase on thursday during weekly planning we updated so many things. it is scary being all in charge of this area, and its a very good thing i have my TomTom. i recieved a challenge this week from my district leader to offend someone with love. i am happy to announce that i sure did it. we met with Gerardo.. oh speaking of him my prayer list is Hector, Gerardo, and Oscar.. when we met with Gerardo I HAD to talk to him about baptism again. as i knew the time was coming in the lesson i said a prayer in my heart and then told him how much we love him.. and how much Heavenly Father loves him.. and basically tied it into faith and told him if he wouldn't get baptized he doesn't have faith. my heart was pounding as i said it all the nicest i could and as lovingly as i could. i also told him i would fast for him so he can recieve an answer. well he still didnt commit to baptism but the morning Hermana Hebdon left, he called and told her he'll get baptized. he hasnt told me that yet, but we have an appointment wednesday so i hope that we will set a date. that time was the fastest i've ever spoken spanish in my life.. haha it probably didnt even make sense but i think he could understand by the way I felt. well i am living my perfectly planned life as a missionary right now and love it, i sure dont look forward to changes but i know that for the future also Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for me. So I will trust in Him and focus on whats going on here and now. oscar and his 9 yr old nicole came to church yesterday, he still wont pray out loud but his MEGA DEATHLY shy daughter prayed, she repeated the prayer i wispered to her. also we met with hector yesterday and pushed back his bap date for july 11 he just wont be ready next sunday. but then halfway through the lesson he tried to break up with us (my way of saying he wanted to drop himself) but i told him no that he doesnt have that kind of control in this relationship (heavenly father does) and by the end is is excited again to be taught. yesterday at church since Hermana Hebdon left nobody can play piano so i would NOT play in sacrament but i did a little in primary and it was awful..wish i would've practiced more when i was 10..
i have learned that serving a mission wasnt really a sacrifice at all. i love it.
also i have this lovely scripture i will share with you.. Moroni 8:3.. it is the same way i feel about each of you!
have a good week. i love you so so sooooooooooo much!!!
Hermana Call

"Do They See Him in You" Ft. Lauderdale Mission Conference

Meryl and her MTC Elders

Friends

Meryl with President and Sister Lake

The Best Day

hey everyone! i hope all is good.. thanks for the emails. sounds like lots is going on where you are all at, and i am staying busy here in hollywood. saturday was possibly the best day of my mission ( or at least top 3) as i learned of my Savior Jesus Christ's love for me. I bore my testimony in front of the whole mission (SO SCARY- i never dreamed that i'd do it in a sports bra and tennis shoes) but it good. As I have spent time studying about the Atonement and what the heck that word even means, I found much of it making sense to me on Saturday and was able to bear my simple testimony of the love I have and feel from my best friend, Jesus Christ. I was so nervous. But He helped me as I stood there in front of the Great Ft Lauderdale Mission, in front of like 130 missionaries that are better than I am, but it wasn't for them that i was doing it.. it was for Him. I am pleased to give my time to Him (i am working on not saying the word "PROUD" i will trll you why later).. but it was good! i loved the National Treasure day we had, i could just picture dad the whole day loving it.. it was a day full of small and large miracles for Sister Call.. I recevied gifts beter than i could have imagine. i love you all so so much and testify to you that we are an eternal family because of Jesus Christ.. and i love that.
have good week!
hermana call

Sister's Exchange

Meryl with the Newlyweds

Meryl and Sister Fiala

Meryl with Hermana & Hermano Vargas

Hola Hola

hola hola how is everyone. i am writing quick! no mucho tiempo! i am mailing a box home today- mom dad watch for it, and feel free to open it when it comes but yes there are fathers day things in there. it is going to be fuill of books and will be heavy. the stewarts reception was great and i wanted to stay all night.. i loved every second of it.. i forgot how much i love the poeple in hialeah. we had 2 invest at church! i heard its been a long time since they have had 2..usually here in hollywood hills south they have 1 or 0. so that was good. gerardo is still praying about july 4 for baptism but i think he'll figure it out! he is great! every time we go he shows us the parts he read in the BOM they are marked in red and he takes notes during our lessons and has such good ?s and he calls us almost every day and tells us what he read that day. he is about 50 and from niguraga. he is single. today we are going over fror p-day he is teaching us how to make gio pinto (sorry cant spell). my spanish is a little better and gets us by. we had sisters exhanges on wed-fri. sis gardner came here, and it was interesting cause i dont really know the area and also she speaks no spanish so we had a good 2 days and i learned a lot a lot. the other guy at church we met on saturday while riding bikes. hector, about 30 yrs old from cuba. dont know him too well yet but he rode his bike miles to get to church sunday so i like him a lot already. on fri night walking down a main road we approched a man and he kneeled down and like was worshipping us it was freaky weird. he is from somewhere near pakastan. well then he was like kissing our hands and that was weird but i told him to GET UP and then he invited us to dunkin donuts for donuts and coffee well being me and i said ok before hermana hebdon could breathe.. i just really like adveentures so anyways we have a new friend but he is muslim so we'll see how that goes. i have been meeting so many russians and south africas and other places.. i met a man also saturday he was convinced he is Jesus Christ and that was weird.. i am trying to finish the BOM in the next few weeks i am in 3 nephi 20 and I LOVE IT also i love you all so soo much and sorry not longer
hermana call

At the Orlando Temple

With the Elders

With Oswaldo at Church

Hermana Call & Carlos

Call Street

Hollywood Hills South

hellloo from hollywood hills south.. hope you all had a good week (mom did i get an email from you? ..i dont think so young lady) and i sure had a good week.. i served before in hollywood hills north so i am getting to know new members although a lot of the ward is the same, its good to be back! i love this ward! we dont have any invest with baptismal dates right now, and not very many progressing. mostly just 1. so please pray for gerardo and jenifer! it was weird to leave my home in homestead..my bed for 5 1/2 months.. but i'm all settled in here in HH and love it. saying bye to a family in homestead (the smiths) President Smith (2 counselor in stake presidency) said he googled "south fl temple" and my blog was in the top 3 hahaha wow so he looked at my blog and that is so embarassing.. i hope i said good things! driving up from homstead to plantation last tuesday we got to see the sacred land where the temple will be built! yay!!! it'll be incredible! being in the orlando temple was..ohh dear i have no words.. it was beautiful. i loved it. what a special day that was. i learned so, so , soooooooo much and wish i could go again tomorrow! well i think the 3 elders thought i was dumb i cried so much that day haha but i loved it. ah. i am with hermana hebdon, she is from utah..oh my i forgot what part.somewhere near cache valley. she joined alpha (my sorority at the U) right after i left on my mission. so we have lots of friends in common. this is her 3 transfer in the mission. she had the same comp her 1 and 2, so it is fun to bring new ideas to the area and companionship. we are struggling with spanish together but hers is better than mine even haha. its good that we are both young in spanish and will learn together! tonight will be great.. elder stewart and hermana fiala aare here on their hunnymoon and they are having a reception in hialeah so tongiht i get to go with the hales to the reception! ! well that guy gerardo is legit and we have just taught him once but he's de nicuragua and super cool. on saturday we had something really awesome called la cena internacional. each country in the ward had a table and the members from the country brought food.. so i got SUCH GOOD FOOD that night, it was a fundraiser for boyscouts but missionaries ate free. there was probably 15 or 20 countries. yesterday at chruch i had to bear my testimony in spanish hahah soo embarassing.. it was the second time i did it in the ward and i proabably said the excat same things i did the first time. ha. i live with sister zitting and christensen and LOVE them, i am happy where I am at and look forward to the time i have to serve in hollywood hills sur.. have a good week my lovies and talk to you soon!
xoxoxoo hermana call

Homestead's Final Hours

hi family, how is everyone doing? i am in my final hours in homestead, i will go to the orlando temple tomorrow (that still hasn't sunk in yet), then off to my new area tomorrow evening. I dont know when I will find out where I am going, I guess I'll find out sometime tomorrow. it has been a really good week but sometimes its been really hard. one of the most difficult things for me is this.. when i am a little sad or hurting inside and poeple tell me allll their problems, and i have to be strong and help them and forget about myself.. i guess charity is a Christlike attribute that I am obviously not perfect at yet. this work is hard. frusterating. but sooo happy and wonderful at the same time. i have been brave this week and done something i've always wanted to and never had the guts to.. i pack a little zip lock with pass along cards and tuck it in my shorts when i go running every morning. i have met people this week that i've only said "hi" to for 5 1/2 months. i had one of the most embarassing awkward moments of my misson this week and will tell you about it later. just ask. not over emial. Aida was sweet telling me that we are sisters and i have had a hard time saying bye to these people but it has been ok cause i just say i'm just leaving for a few weeks then i will see them all at church :) we had a super cool thing with this lady teresa but its a long story too, maybe i will make a tape.. next p-day. still got some packing to do :) i know that all good things must come to an end.. and this bittersweet feeling of saying bye to homestead is just a beginning of whats coming soon and i am not too excited about that.. on sunday some of the elder's recent converts -a dad and his 2 sons (who got baptized same day as Aida) blessed and passed the sacrament.. what a special thing that was, and for the first time in my life i feel as if i might start to understand a ity bitty tiny fraction of the Atonement. I am so excited to be able to have the opportunity tomorrow to enter the temple, and do the work for a dear family member. I love missionary work, and i know that without temples this missionary work would not all get done. hope all is well, where ever you are. have a good week. i love you!
sister call