Elder Sommer's Letters April 9&16

Elder Maguel Jarom Sommer
India Bangalore Mission
     493 C.M.H. Road, Indiranagar
     Bangalore -- 560 038, INDIA

April 9, 2012

Dear, Family

It is so great to hear from all of you I always enjoy reading your words and thinking of the great examples that each of you are to me in my life. This week has been very busy with Leadership training meetings for my companion, so we did not have the opportunity to teach very many lessons in our area this week, but I did have the opportunity to go on exchange with one of the Elders from my MTC district, it was a very spiritual, and fun experience. Also my companion Elder Sodadasi, was unexpectedly transferred this week, because he was needed in Hyderabad, which came as a surprise because I still have two weeks of training and there are 3 more weeks until transfers, so I now get to completely lead in our area, but I am excited and know that with the Lord's help that we can do all things. Elder Sodadasi did want me to say that he sends his regards to the family, and especially to Grandpa Sommer, and to you Dad, I use your sayings, quotes, and poems all the time which he and the other Elders really enjoy. General Conference was such an amazing experience, I am sad to say that I truly never watched conference in such a way before in my life. The Spirit as we watched conference was so strong, and the messages had such great meaning to me as I look at how I can become a better disciple of Jesus Christ, and also in how I can better help our Heavenly Father's Children to gain a testimony of the Restored Gospel. The Messages of Family also rang so true, as I thought of what mom and dad have taught us and more importantly the living example they have set. I truly can say that in my own life because I was taught and saw the examples of living the gospel and saw the joy that it brought to our lives that I never had the desire to go and do bad things. Also I am grateful for the opportunity that mom and Dad have given us of using our Agency, and of working with our wills. I have truly felt that I was always taught the gospel so that I would understand how it was important in my life I remember many teaching moments in my life, Dad teaching me of the importance of weeding the garden and its relation to sin, the importance of the temple which has always stuck with me even though I was only 2or 3 years old, I still remember the talk he had with me. Mom teaching me of having faith, Both Mom and Dad have taught us countless examples of all of the gospel principles, and their application in our lives, and perhaps most important of all learning to accept the Lord's will in our life, and for us to remember what the Savior has done for us and his example of "not my will but thine be done" those words have stuck with me all my life and have given me strength and the courage and faith to say them in my darkest hour and even when they were not the words that I wanted to say. I am grateful for the spirit and the warmth, peace and joy that his presence brings to our lives. Also I am grateful that as we were taught correct principles we were allowed to in many ways govern ourselves, and I truly always felt that mom and dad had confidence that I would choose the right. As stated in conference I know that, that has brought strength to my life and has allowed me not to be crippled. I would encourage you all to read th Conference talks, and apply them,I know and have seen from personal and from our investigators perspective that that is the only time real changes can be made. I love you all so much and I am so grateful for our living prophet even Thomas S Monson and his counselors and the twelve. I know that they are called of God, and that President Monson holds all the Keys of the Priesthood, as restored to the prophet Joseph Smith, through Christs direction.

It sounds like you are all doing good. Anna sounds like you had fun at the Cabin, and that you are doing great. Camille sounds like you made it through Trig, and are doing well in reading your scriptures. Kent sounds like you had a lot of fun at the cabin, I would encourage you to read the talks about the Priesthood, never live beneath your privileges, recognize that you hold the priesthood of God, and continue to be a good example to your friends that I know that you already are. Laura sounds like you also had so much fun at the cabin, keep up the good work in school and in young womens. Brenen thanks for your love buddy I really missed you to as I entered the MTC, but like you said I know that I am doing what Heavenly Faher and Jesus want me to. Dad thank you for your example of always being a worthy priesthood holder. I am so grateful for your example, to me and for all your love

I love you all more than I could ever tell, Remember our Savior's sacrifice, and what it means for us individually and as a family

Love

Elder Sommer

April 16, 2012

Dear, Family

So good to hear from all of you, I can't believe how fast the time has gone hear. My mission seems to be flying buy, but I am learning so much and I am seeking to become a better missionary. My new companion is Elder Chelladurai he is a great Elder and we are working hard to help our area. We found one family this Saturday, and I was truly lead by the Spirit to their home, I went to walk past one road and felt impressed to stop and to go back on that road, and the first door we knocked the family happy let us in, they were very receptive to the message of the restoration, and have asked us some very good questions about the restored gospel. My new companion is amazing, as I said and I have learned many great things from him, I feel that we are really beginning to see even more the vision of our purpose as missionaries.   Please send the picture of our family when the girls are in the blue and red dresses. I would also like to be sent the Living Sermon Poem , and the Crossroads poem and the stories that you sent in the last few weeks letters. I am amazed that Annalee will be graduating so soon, I am happy to hear that you are doing well and staying happy. I don't have much time this week to write, but know that I love you all so much, and that I care for each of you so much. I think about you often, and pray for each of you all the time. I have truly seen the importance of listening to the Spirit, even when I can't totally understand the language the Spirit has truly helped me to be able to understand what they are saying. I know that this is the lord's work, keep the work up their at home I know that if we each continue to do our part that we will be a family together forever. Please tell Kirk, congratulations, and wish him the best on his mission. Please watch the Mormon Message "Moments that Matter Most" by President Uchtdorf

May the Lord bless all of you thank you for all your support.

Love Elder Sommer

Book Recommendation

Sarah called this morning and while we were visiting she asked if I had read any good books lately.  I thought later---this is something to put on the blog.

I am currently reading THE LEMON TREE, by Sandy Tolan.  I have copied a blurb from Amazon that tells about the book.   I am about half way through and am learning so much and enjoying it too!  I hope it was ok to include the review!!
Happy Reading--I love my Kindle---I read so much more now!!!  Love, Jo

*Starred Review* To see in human scale the tragic collision of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, Tolan focuses on one small stone house in Ramla--once an Arab community but now Jewish. Built in 1936 by an Arab family but acquired by a Jewish family after the Israelis captured the city in 1948, this simple stone house has anchored for decades the hopes of both its displaced former owners and its new Jewish occupants. With remarkable sensitivity to both families' grievances, Tolan chronicles the unlikely chain of events that in 1967 brought a long-dispossessed Palestinian son to the threshold of his former home, where he unexpectedly finds himself being welcomed by the daughter of Bulgarian Jewish immigrants. Though that visit exposes bitterly opposed interpretations of the past, it opens a real--albeit painful--dialogue about possibilities for the future. As he establishes the context for that dialogue, Tolan frankly details the interethnic hostilities that have scarred both families. Yet he also allows readers to see the courage of families sincerely trying to understand their enemy. Only such courage has made possible the surprising conversion of the contested stone house into a kindergarten for Arab children and a center for Jewish-Arab coexistence. What has been achieved in one small stone building remains fragile in a land where peacemaking looks increasingly futile. But Tolan opens the prospect of a new beginning in a concluding account of how Jewish and Arab children have together planted seeds salvaged from one desiccated lemon tree planted long ago behind one stone house. A much-needed antidote to the cynicism of realpolitik. Bryce Christensen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Elder Maguel Sommers' Mission Letters

Hey Everybody!  

Raymond is awesome and has been forwarding Elder Sommers' letters to our parents each week.  My mother isn't so great at forwarding them on to us children, so we talked and thought it would be a good idea to post them on the blog so that they were available for everyone!  We are very proud of Elder Sommers' and his service!

April 2, 2012

Dear, Family

It is so great to hear from all of you. Just so you know we don't get to watch Conference until this next Sunday the church sends DVDs for us to watch, so I am very excited to be able to have the chance to hear the voice of our living prophets again this week. That is also great to hear that you are trying to focus on getting more sleep and eating healthy dad, I felt impressed this week to mention to all of you the benefits I have seen in my life from good sleep and in eating a good diet, so many people here have diabetes from eating, so much rice, and also from the new foods like soda, and all the sugar coated processed food there is now day, so I would encourage you all to eat healthy, and to exercise regularly. Even though I am very tired everyday after a long day of walking teaching, and planning, especially in the sun, I truly feel the Lord's strength in me, helping me to be able to continuously do his work with all my heart, mind and soul. This week in study I was reading the book Our Search for Happiness and read from the book the passage of scripture that speaks of the 2000 strippling warriors, and I recalled the night that I gained my sure witness by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true, I feel the Spirits influence so much in my life, as I and my companion seek to discern the needs of our investigators. This week we met one brother who we watched the Movie Finding Faith in Christ with the Movie was in Tamil and I understood only about 5 words in the whole film, but the Spirit bore powerful witness to me as it has so many times in the past of the life and mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This Brother then came forward with a concern, about how he felt burdened by the weight of sin and I shared with him the scripture I had Just previously read that morning from personal study where King Benjamin said "are we not all beggars", and also shared with him the scripture from Mathew 11 vs. 28-30 where Christ invites all to come unto him. The Spirit bore powerful testimony to us as missionaries and to this Brother of our Savior Jesus Christ. We are now working with helping him, because he works for the church he belongs to and it is his only source of income, and he has a very weak body so he cannot do anything very labor intensive. We also were lead to another family this week who we are very excited about getting to work with they have a strong desire to follow Christ, and told us even before we began teaching them that to many people blindly follow their pastors we are very excited to work with them. Well Anna that's awesome you got a job at Snoasis, to bad that guy was already asked to the dance. Keep up the good work in school and know that your testimony has always been a power and strength to me. Also Camille I am surprised to hear that you are trying to rob the cradle, I never would have

thought that of you, but no problem keep up the good work in Trig. Kent sounds like you are doing good bro, keep up the good work and have fun driving I know you will be a great missionary someday. Laura sounds like you are having fun your Bubba No always makes me laugh, keep working hard in school. Brenen so good to hear from you buddy, I know that you will be a great missionary someday to.My companion said

to say thanks for the nice words you said. Please tell Aj Hi he emailed me, and please tell Aunt Katie Thanks for her letter. As I read an account from Preach My Gospel and Grandpa Sommers' account about the importance of Family History work I felt the Spirit bear testimony to me of the importance of the work for our ancestors, I would encourage you all to seek to find the names of our ancestors who have not yet had that privilege. Well have fun at the Cabin, I will say I miss the Mountain, fields and pine trees from home I have always loved that scenery. Dad thank you for your great example I share quotes and poems from you always, thank you for all your love and support.

I love you

Love Elder Sommer