September 30, 2014

YUP I'M ALIVE :) I am now here in California. California is great! I am serving in the Santa Clarita area. My companions name is Elder Fuller. He is from Arizona and has 7 months left in the mission. He has been such a wonderful trainer to me. He has taught so many things. He is so responsible. 

It's nice being able to talk to real people that have no idea who we are! I have experienced many slammed doors now J. It makes me sad to be rejected because I know our message can seriously change their lives, but the time will come when they will be more prepared to know more about the gospel. 

The church here is great! J We are assigned  to the Spanish branch. This Sunday there were about 25 people in attendance. I am not used to seeing such small number at church :).  I was asked to share my testimony during testimony meeting. I tried so hard to speak as well as possible, but regardless, I still sounded like a 7-year old bearing his testimony for the first time. But I have been catching on so much now!

We stayed at the assistants place for the first days because our apartment was being prepared to be opened. We moved in on Saturday! And let me tell you, we got one of the nicest apartments in the mission! It has a washer and dryer and a dish washer! The other missionaries don't have this. And we have a free gym in our area as well! :) So, I'm basically living the life! J

This past week, Elder Fuller and I didn't get any investigators or potential investigators. It kind of made me feel hopeless that no one wanted to hear our message. Well, the other day we decided prayed about where to to go contact (since we are both new to the Santa Clarita area). We felt inspired to choose a specific street. We drove to the area and it was a small apartment building complex. We knocked the doors, and, believe or not, the first person we talked to was interested in hearing more! I felt so happy inside! And then, at the next door, they were interested as well! And the next door as well! We now have 7 lesson appointments planned for this week! It was truly by listening to the spirit that we were able to find these people! I pray that they continue to grow an interest in the Church.

I hope all is well back home! I would send pictures but my camera needs to have a software downloaded and these library computers won't let you. So I'm going to but an SD card USB converter. By next week you will have pictures!

My favorite scripture:

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

(Alma 26:12)

Santa Clarita Valley, California

Email: mattias.malzl@myldsmail.net

Mailing address for letters and packages until Nov. 3, 2014:

California San Fernando Mission

Attn: Elder Mattias Malzl

23504 Lyons Avenue

Suite 107

Santa Clarita, CA 91321

USA

September 24, 2014

Well, I'm here in San Fernando, California! It's great! Super hot, though. I did not get any sleep yet. I have been up for more than 24 hours. But don't worry, I will get plenty of sleep tonight. I just barely got back from trackting. Man, I love it! We already witnessed a miracle. I will write more on Monday.  I will be assigned a mission companion tomorrow. 

I already love the people here. The mission field is so much greater than the MTC. We found a man named Manuel and we got into a good conversation with him. He has faith in Jesus Christ but he doesn't believe that there is a church that is true. But he is impressed with us and is interested in learning more. 

I will keep you up-to-date on Monday (P-day). All is well!

Email: mattias.malzl@myldsmail.net

Mailing address for letters and packages until Nov. 3, 2014:

California San Fernando Mission

Attn: Elder Mattias Malzl

23504 Lyons Avenue

Suite 107

Santa Clarita, CA 91321

USA

September 23, 2014

It's been a long day for our new missionaries.  Up super early this morning (or late last night) airplanes, pizza and sunny California.  We've sent them off to bed early tonight and hopefully tomorrow they will be a little less sleep deprived and a little less overwhelmed.

There is an approximation of today here http://kenanddi.blogspot.com/2013/05/incomings.html  that can give you a feel of what it is like for your missionary on day one.  The only real difference is the flights now arrive in the morning instead of at noon.  

We are so excited to serve with your missionary.  Arrival day always is a bit nerve wracking for both missionary and parent.  But we have great confidence that you parent will survive and adjust quickly.  We know your missionaries will.

Some things to know:  

Missionaries are amazing.  They do hard things all day long with a smile and determination.  It is truly miraculous to behold.

Missions are hard.  Good hard, but hard.  It takes about six weeks to adjust to a new area/surroundings and co-incidentally that is the length of a transfer cycle.  Most missionaries will be with their first companion (trainer) for the first 12 weeks.  The trainers have been called by revelation and tonight President Hall will seek out the Lord's guidance in assigning which new missionary to which trainer.  (Just a head's up, we don't use the term Greenie--President Eyring personally asked us not to, so we don't.) 

Missionaries love receiving emails and letters.  Letters sent snail-mail are especially prized because printing out email is not always possible and so can't be re-read.  When you write, please share your love of the gospel.  What missionaries want most is to know that their families think that what they are doing is important and valuable.  You can keep them up on family news, but try and focus on how God is working in your life.  This will also help them tell you about their miracles.

Missionaries may have struggles with companions.  Living 24/7 with someone who is never out of sight or hearing (except the bathroom) is stressful under the best of circumstances.  One of the best life skills a missionary can learn is how to be a companion.  We ask parents to help by working on their companionships.  You have 18-24 months to improve the relationships you have with spouse, children, parents, co-workers.  Share what you are learning with your missionary. You'll have a greater influence is you show instead of just tell. 

Missionaries are not on Facebook or other forms of online proselyting--yet.  We are still waiting for news of when The Great California San Fernando Mission goes digital.  We'll keep you posted.  However, you have no such restrictions so we invite you to follow Elder Bednar's counsel and #sharegoodness  (https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/to-sweep-the-earth-as-with-a-flood?lang=eng) Let your friends and family know that you have a missionary and it's awesome! There is a mission facebook group for returned missionaries and current parents.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/413926391976459/ We post Zone Conference pictures and things like that.  

We do have four missionaries with us temporarily while they wait for visas to Argentina.  We LOVE visa-waiters.  They are such a blessing to the work and we claim them forever!

We love your missionaries--thank you for sending them.

Love,

Sister Dianna Hall

September 21, 2014

Things have been a little confusing with the visa situation. On September 17th I received another flight plan in my mail for the California San Fernando mission. It said: "We have not yet received your visa to travel to your mission." This confused me because I had already received plans for Mendoza, Argentina a few days earlier. The following day I received official notice that I will be assigned to serve in the California San Fernando for 6 weeks until November 3rd. By then my visa for Argentina should be ready. I will be leaving to San Fernando, California on Monday, September 22^nd.

Email: mattias.malzl@myldsmail.net

Mailing address for letters and packages until Nov. 3, 2014:

San Fernando Mission

Attn: Elder Mattias Malzl

23504 Lyons Avenue

Suite 107

Santa Clarita, CA 91321

USA

September 17, 2014

September 16, 2014

So I got my mission assignment.... I'm going to serve in....Mendoza, Argentina!!! Everything worked out :) I leave on Monday. I will traveling with the rest of my District :) So that's exciting!!!!!!

Parque General San Martin, Mendoza, Argentina

mattias.malzl@myldsmail.net

September 15, 2014

"The stake mission preparation class took a field trip to the MTC today and happened to bump into this good elder!  He looks great!!"

Brother Kelend Mills

Director, International Missionary Training Centers

(Mattias was one of Brother Mill's students of his Mapleton Utah Stake Mission Preparation Class last Spring/Summer.)

September 12, 2014

I have some news... Today we got our flight plans! I have been waiting so long for this day! As our district leader was handing out all the flight plans, he handed me a paper. On this paper it read: "We have not received your visa for Argentina. Your name will be turned in for a temporary assignment. You will receive that assignment Thursday or Friday next week." This was a shock to me. Another hermana in my district received the same paper. She is trying to make the best of it. We both are. I will let you know right away where I am assigned to next week. It saddens me that I will not be on the same flight with my district and be serving somewhere else for a little bit. But I know that wherever I am temporarily assigned to is where the Lord needs me to serve. 

I will inform you more when I receive further information. All we can do right now is pray that my visa can make it through. Because if my visa does not go through, I will be re-assigned elsewhere permanently. And I know that wherever I am called to serve is where the Lord needs me. He has people that need to the message of the gospel from me. 

Love you all, 

Elder Mattias Malzl

mattias.malzl@myldsmail.net

Entry 6: September 10, 2014

I am almost there! A week and a half more and I will be on my way to Argentina! I honestly can't wait! I am so ready to teach the people of Mendoza. I know that I have been assigned to this mission for a reason. I know as I continue to stay faithful, the Lord will put people in my path who need to hear the gospel. The MTC has been great, although it does get repetitive. I have learned so much here. 

One thing that really has stood out to me is loving your investigators. I have realized that I am teaching people, not lessons. I will be teaching people that have never heard anything about the gospel, and it will be so new to them. So I have come to understand that I have to be patient and loving to guide them to the straight and narrow path.  As I observe people that have rejected the gospel, I realize that most of the time it's because of how it was brought to them. Sometimes we may think we are helping them, but really we may be actually shoving it down their throats. We have to realize that we have to be patient and loving when teach the gospel. It may frustrate us that others may not understand the teaching of Jesus Christ like we do. 

I like to think of it like this: Imagine a man found a lost dog on the street. The dog is starving, covered in dirt, and feels rejected. The man takes the dog into his arms and brings the animal into his home. He loves and cares for the dog. He washes him until he is clean. He feeds him until he is well nourished. He loves the animal so it can feel loved. 

This is what I think missionary work is like. We find people who are lost, and we love and care for them. We spiritually feed them the teachings of Christ. With time and patience, they will accept the gospel and they will become a completely changed person. 

I know and testify that if we love and care for those who are lost, they will feel the love of Christ and they will crave the gospel in their lives. 

Being a missionary is being Christ like. We are teaching people, not lessons. 

Here are some pictures of the week :)


Mailing Address:

Elder Mattias Malzl
Provo MTC
2023 N. 900 E. Unit 804
Provo, UT 84602

Email:
mattias.malzl@myldsmail.net

]

The are some of the new Elders! They are both companions and so short! They have become really close friends of mine already. 

With my companion Elder Jensen at the Provo Temple.

Entry 5: September 3, 2014

I am now halfway done with the MTC! Only have 3 weeks left! The MTC is so incredible! A TON has happened! I love it! I have learned so much Spanish! My language skills are progressing so much. I have already taught 4 lessons in complete Spanish, including the whole Joseph Smith story. I can personally testify that the gift of tongues is so real. It is an incredible gift.

I am running so low on email time. I will write an extra long email next week but it's easier for me to write back with letters. So please send me letters. I can receive and reply to them throughout the week!