Snail Mail from Camp Hill

We were excited to open the mailbox and find not 1, but 3 letters from Elder Muir.  He sent a package home with stuff from the MTC and Meg and Boris got their own letters. 

Here's what he had to say with a few pictures...

Monday, June 24, 2013

     I hope you enjoyed the e-mails!  Can't wait to hear back from you.  I'm pretty much sending this because I needed to send my SD card  because I couldn't load the pictures for some reason. 

     After I sent the e-mails from the library we went shopping and then to the church to play b-ball and card games with some of the other Elders and Sisters.  It was fun, but unfortunately the Sisters from our area had a dinner appt. by the church so they could only drive us half way.  We had to walk the rest of the way home and it took about 45 minutes.  All this walking has made me really appreciate the fact that I have a car to drive at home.  Hopefully we will get bikes soon.  The area is really slow and walking is the majority of  our day. 

     If you can't tell, I'm anxiously awaiting letters.  Love you and miss you. 

Love, Elder Muir
XOXOXO

Dear Meggy,

     I hope your summer has been fun so far.  I know it has been lonely, but remember Derek is almost home :)  If you are really bored remember I am just an email away.  I know it may be hard having me gone, but I know this is where I am supposed to be.  Heavenly Father is blessing you and the family so much while I'm away.  I would love to hear from you.  Letters and e-mails would make me so happy.  I love you and miss you.

Love, Elder Muir
XOXOXO

Dear Boris,

     I hope you had a fabulous time in Germany.  I would love to hear from you and see pictures from Germany.  I want to hear about everything you did and saw.  I want everything since I have not heard from you once since I have been gone.  I want you to know that when it is your time to serve a mission you will be blessed and you will grow immensely.  This decision is the best thing I've done.  It might be hard in the beginning, but I promise it gets better.  Remember prayer is powerful and can answer all of your questions.  Also, continue to read the BOM, it is an amazing book.  I love you and miss you.  I hope to hear about Deutschland.

Love, Elder Muir
XOXOXO 

 

Map of Camp Hill district

 

Elder Muir's poor blistery foot

Elder Muir and Elder J having a photo-shoot

 

Camp Hill Apartment

MTC Pictures

So we got some snail mail with Elder Muir's camera card and we loved getting a glimpse of what MTC life was like for him. 

 

 

Elder Muir and Elder L...MTC companions

 



Pictures at the Provo Temple, he was excited to go to the

temple before he left.

 



 

The other two elders who were his MTC roommates.

 

 

Elder Muir's district...all going to Pittsburgh

 

Beautiful picture of the flag at the temple and we all

know how he loves flags.

 

More pictures of his district with his MTC teacher.

 

District with branch presidents

 

Elder Muir and Elder L

Week 3...Greetings from Camp Hill

Hi Family…

Hope all is well.  I am loving the mission. The first few days were rough trying to get into the swing of things. I was really kind of homesick without having any contact for a week, not knowing the status of home.  But now that you have my address you can start sending me stuff.  I suggest not using Dear Elder anymore unless you can find a spot to put my direct address because when stuff goes to the mission office it takes forever to get here. 

We helped move a family on Saturday.  They are moving to Orem and they were way nice.  I hope you were able to see the broadcast on Sunday, I would love to know some of your thoughts on it.  I loved it.  I loved how they really pushed for the members to get involved.  That is what is really needed out here.  Also, now I know what dad feels like going to meetings all day on Sunday.  Yesterday I went to ward council and met with the ward mission leader.  Holy cow, ward council was murder not knowing anyone and being brand new and not knowing what was going on. 

 Also I have pretty much been fed by members every night.  The food has been good and normal.  So take every opportunity you get to feed the missionaries at home because it really makes life a whole lot easier at night.  Also, really try and think of people you can send them to when they ask because that also makes life easier for them to find people and as you learned last night that really is your job. 

Well the picture thing did not work.  So I am going to have to mail them home so I will do that later.  Just remember to mail me a card back so I can get more pics.  Remember for next week I will be on around 9ish so I would love to have little chat sessions with you. 

Well, I got to go I will try and get pictures to you next week.  Love you and I would love to get more letters and packages.  Tell everyone that I love them and want to hear from them. 

Love,

Elder Muir
xoxoxo

We came up with a system to make the most efficient use of his computer time.  I will be sending my letters to him with the info from home in the mail so he doesn't have to use his computer time to read my letters, also he will get letters more often (not just on Mondays at the computer).  I will email all of my questions to him and then he will just reply and answer the questions and hopefully add some more info.  So far, so good :)  We will see how it goes.

• Tell us about Elder "J"...where is he from, how long has he been serving and how are things going with him?  Elder J is from Pleasant Grove but went to Am. Fork High School.  He has been out for about 7 months and has really loved it.  He apparently lives over behind the temple kind of by Andrea, but he didn't think he knew them.  He has been good… very nice and helpful with the training.
•  
• Sis. B said that one of her favorite sister missionaries is in your district...Sister A, have you met her? Where is she from?  Yes, she is in my district, she gives us rides everywhere.  She is from Bountiful.  She is super nice
•  So when you left the mission home on Tuesday how did you get to Camp Hill, did Elder J drive on his own or did you carpool with others? How long did it take? Sis. B said that it's about 31/2 to 4 hours east of Pittsburgh.  We drove and it was Elder Johnson and me, but it was with someone heading to Lancaster. Yes, the drive was about 4 hours
• Do you have a car or do you walk?  Unfortunately we walk everywhere.  Apparently our mission has one of the biggest car fleets and of course I end up in a walk area for the first 3 months (all summer long).  Don't worry we may get bikes from ward members but I will keep you posted.  The Sisters in our area give us a ride to church and other far away places, thank goodness!  So we pretty much spend most of our day walking.  Friday I probably walked somewhere between 10 and 15 miles, I think that is the most I have ever walked in a day.  Very tiring and lots of blisters L 
• Do you like the borough or town of Camp Hill? I understand it's kind of like a suburb of Harrisburg and that you are right on the river. Sounds pretty, Bro. Barton said that it's a very affluent/nice area.  Yes, I like Camp Hill.  Like you said pretty much a suburb of Harrisburg, which is about 10 minutes away driving. 
• So you're apartment looks nice, how is it? Do just the 2 of you live there or do other elders live with you? If there are more elders, who are they and where are they from?  Yes, the apartment is nice, it meets the needs of what we need.
• How were the B's and your mission president? Probably hard to tell because you weren't with them too long. Do you have to email your mission presidents each week?  Yes, I email him each week and like you said I didn't talk with him much but from what I saw he seemed nice
• When you got to the mission home where did you all take your nap and where did you all sleep? Lots of people for one house, did the sisters and elders separate? How did you get from the airport?  Well the AP's and mission president came with some vans and a trailer for luggage.  Yes we napped, all of the elders stayed downstairs in the basement on bunks and mattresses and that is where we stayed the night.  Some sisters stayed up stairs and the rest either went to members or the B's or the other couples house in the office.
• How's the weather/humidity where you are?  Really hot and supposedly humid, but can't really feel much.  It’s better than Mexico’s humidity. 
• What are the highlights and lowlights of your week?  Highs were probably church and watching the broadcast.  Low was probably walking really far on Friday.  I have had a cold for the last few days.  I think the stress got me sick and also we visited a family that was just getting over colds, finally starting to feel better though.  Elder J kind of has a cold too.
• Are you teaching anyone right now and how did the first week go?  No we are not really teaching anyone right now.  Not really any new investigators and haven't done much tracting.  That is because tracting is not the most effective thing.  Really, it comes down to members like the broadcast said.  We try to contact a lot of  less actives, but can't really get in contact with them.  There is the M family, a less active family from Africa.  We will visit them about once a week.  They are trying to come back to church as much as possible.  Unforunately, they live like 1 hr 45 min. away walking so that takes up most of the day. 
• I'm assuming Monday is your Pday.  Yes,  it is.
• What/who can we specifically pray for to help you and Elder J?  Just to be able to find people and have success because right now it is very slow. 
• What were your first impressions of Pittsburgh?   Pittsburgh is awesome even though I did not see much of it. 
• What about your church? How was the ward? How far do you have to go? Dad said that he thought it was about 25 minutes away. How was your first Sunday?   The church is about 15 minutes away driving, so the sisters will pick us up and take us each Sunday.  The ward is a pretty big ward with lots of young people.  My first Sunday was good,  lots of nice people.   

For Elder Muir's address...email Kristen @ muirutah@yahoo.com

 

Please send me letters, I loving hearing from you other than on pday

Home Sweet Home...Camp Hill, PA

I thought it would be a long dry spell (at least a week) before I got any new information or an email from Elder Muir.  Of course, it wasn't long before I got another text from my friend telling me to check my email.  We took a quick overnight trip to Vernal (yes Vernal) to go to the temple and drive around Dinosaur National Monument.  I was totally bummed that I didn't have a computer to check my email but Dave saved the day with his Samsung tablet and we were able to get a Birdseye view of Elder Muir's new living quarters.  Below is the email and pics that she sent.

 

Hi,

I realized today that the apartment Elder Muir went to was one of the new ones I found last transfer so I had some pictures of it.  I always have the moving Elders take pictures when they move things in so I can get an idea of what the apartment was like since I never see them.

Don't get too excited, they are just random pictures with all the stuff lying around but you get the idea.  It's actually a dang nice apartment, better than most of them.  Anyway thought it would be fun for his mom to see where he is living.

Also, realized today that one of my all time favorite sister missionaries is in his District, Sister Andreason, she is awesome and will be a good friend to him.
 

See ya,

Sis. B

 

All is Well...Safe Arrival in Pittsburgh

We knew Elder Muir and his missionary posse would arrive in Pittsburgh around 9:00 am; however, we didn't receive word until Monday night that he had arrived safely.  Monday night we got a short but sweet confirmation that our son had arrived in Pittsburgh.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Hi Muir family,
Just a quick note to let you know your missionary arrived safe and sound.
We are so excited to have him here with us in PA.
Thanks for sharing him with us for a little while.

Much love,
Sister Topham

Tuesday I received another text to check my email and our sweet guardian angel sent another email with insider info and photos.  It feels like we are looking into the future when we hear from her.  We know things before Elder Muir even tells us and this mom is not complaining.  Loved, loved, loved see the pictures of our missionary and seeing his smile.  The smile tells me he's happy and excited to serve.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Finally, I'm getting back to you.  So we met Zach today.  He said to me, "So I bet your glad to finally meet me since you have heard so much about me lately" and it sure was nice.  He is a great guy.    He got a great companion, Elder "J".  He's a very low key, calm kind of guy and so nice.  He is going to a place called Camp Hill which is a long ways from Pittsburgh (about a 3 1/2 to 4 hour drive) so we probably won't see him again until he gets transferred.

We got some great pictures to send along to his mom so she can see he is all smiles.  The one at the table is pretty blurry but it's good enough to see him. He was the one that suggested we take one with us so his mom could see who we were.  Anyway, he was in great spirits and I'm sure he will be just fine.

Have a wonderful night.

Love ya,

Sis B

 

 At the church in Pittsburgh helping set up/take down for the meetings

 

 

 Jimmy John's lunch as promised by Sister B

 

 

Elder Muir with Bro. & Sis. B (insider informants)

 

Elder Muir and his new companion, Elder "J"

One Call That's All

So Father's Day ended up having an extra perk...we got a phone call from our missionary.  After we got home from gma's & gpa's for dinner we still had some time to pass before we got our call.  We went on a leisure walk and returned home to wait and wait. 

About 10:15 pm I got a text from a sister in our ward that I should check my email. Some of you know that we have insider information in Elder Muir's mission.  A couple in our ward has a brother & sister in law who are serving in the mission office.  The sister in our ward keeps us up to date on the info in the mission.  She talked with her sis in law the night that Elder Muir was supposed to call and she sent her this info about what would happen when the missionaries arrived in Pittsburgh on Monday morning.

 

Below is the email from the sister missionary in the office...

 

OK so Zach is right, they fly all night and arrive here BEAT.  They take them to the mission home and the Mission President's wife feeds them breakfast (including Sis Buehner’s amazingly wonderful cinnamon rolls) and then they let them have a much deserved NAP.  After that they take them all to the Overlook of Pittsburgh that you saw in my blog and then they are off to the church for meetings and dinner.  After that it's back the mission home for interviews, which with this many missionaries will probably go until after midnight, then they are off to bed.  They have about 6 bunk beds at the mission home along with blow up mattresses.  Also there are a few bedrooms up stairs that they usually give to the Sister missionaries, but lately there have been too many to sleep there so they bring a few of them over to our house and the other office couple to spend the night.  

Next morning they have breakfast at 7:30 am and then out by 8:15 am to go back to the church for meetings that go from 9:00 am to 12, then they stop for lunch, which is Jimmy Johns box lunches (which yours truly has arranged for).  After lunch the mission President and the AP's have another one hour meeting and make final changes as to where everyone is going.  They have already decided on it last week but sometimes after he interviews some of them he changes his mind.  Then at 2:00 they meet in the Chapel and he announces where everyone is going and who their companion is, when he announces it they just get up, hug each other and then they are out of there.

I have looked on the list and have seen where Zach is going (that is if Pres. Topham doesn't change his mind.)  I’ll email you tomorrow after everything is finalized.  I'm sure I will get to talk to him so I'll make sure he knows that all Buehners are weird, but some of us are pretty nice.

 

We were lucky that we got the email right before we talked to our missionary.  The call finally came around 10:30 pm  and it was the BEST!!!  He sounded FABULOUS and so happy.  We talked for 30 minutes and none of us even cried...YAY!  He's so happy and said that he's learned so many things and grown so much.  He said he's done and accomplished things that he never thought were possible.  We recorded the conversation so if you want to hear it let us know.  Words can't even express how grateful we are that he is doing well.  We are definitely already seeing many blessings & miracles and feel so blessed to have a missionary during this historic wave of missionaries. 

 

Best Father's Day ever!!!

It's not normal protocol to get a call from your missionary on Father's Day, but there's a first for everything.  We thought Zach (whoops, Elder Muir :) was scheduled to leave the MTC on Monday, June 17th, but we are learning that there's nothing more certain than change.  He sent an email & letter to make sure we had his travel information.  He was quick to note that he purchased a calling card at the MTC bookstore and he would be calling us sometime between 10 & 11 pm on Sunday night.  Below is the crazy travel schedule for the 21 missionaries in his district that all went to Pittsburgh.  He said they were the first ones to leave the MTC for the airport that week. 

Hi Family,

I sent you a letter with travel info on it and more.  But I am afraid the mail won’t make it to you before I leave.  So here is the info.  I have to be at the MTC travel office at 9pm Sunday night.  So I do get to call you at the airport Sunday night and it will probably be around 10 or 11 pm.  I have a calling card that I bought here at the book store.  So I am covered on the money situation for it.  Here is the info on the flights.  I leave here at 1:00 am and arrive in Atlanta at 6:28am.  Then I leave Atlanta at 7:25 am and arrive in Pittsburgh at 9:02am Monday morning.  My flights numbers are SLC to ATL Delta 2324 and ATL to Pit Delta 1383.  So there is that info.  Please Dear Elder me asap so I know you got this message.  Like I said I sent you a letter with more info on other things about my stay here over the past few weeks. I just was not sure if it would make it in time. 

Love you,

Elder Muir

 

An additional letter coming in the mail was great news for this fresh missionary mom who hadn't heard anything from her missionary for 7 days :)  Let's just say that getting the mail is now the high and low of my day...fantastic if there is a little cream envelope and heartbreaking when there's not. 

 

I knew the mail should only take 1 day to arrive from Provo so I waited and waited for the mail to come on Friday.  Dave got the mail and of course told me there was nothing but junk; however, he likes to pull at my heartstrings and overactive tear ducts.  Indeed, there was a coveted cream envelope, but  Dave didn't realize the letter was addressed to him.  It was a Father's Day greeting just for him and it was the best gift that he got.

 

June 13, 2013

Dear Dad,

 

This is your Father's Day card/letter.  You may get it before Sunday and you may get it after.  I really don't care when you open it either.

 

So this has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life.  I honestly don't know how you survived puking all night in the MTC (side note is that Dave got really sick from eating turkey tetrazzini at the MTC or so he says :) and he warned Zach to stay away from it).  I would have wanted out immediately.  But I know since you stuck through it that is why you became such a great missionary.

 

I know we may not always see eye to eye, but I truly look up to you as a great example in my life.  I love how you magnify your calling and honor your priesthood.  I really love how you do those two things. 

 

Ultimately, you are the greatest father I could ever ask for.  Thanks for your great example!!!

 

SO HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

 

Love,

Elder Muir

 

It was great to hear from Elder Muir and Dave was touched by the letter.  I, on the other hand, was elated because I knew that was not the letter that he referred to in his email.  I knew there would be something else with a little more info coming in the mail tomorrow :)  The letters were both dated June 13th but somehow they got separated in the mail...go figure.

 

June 13, 2013

Dear Family,

 

Well I have survived the first week.  As you probably have seen in the email, I have had a lot of up's and down's which you probably figured I would.  I have also struggled a little with getting out of my comfort zone.  But I know over time it will get better.  Elder L (companion) has been awesome.  but sometimes he is really slow @ getting ready or eating dinner.  That makes it hard sometimes to be on time to things.  Unfortunately, I sometimes am homesick but I think I was expecting that and you probably were too.  Elder L & Elder W are the other elders in our room.  Elder L is a cousin to the J's in our ward.  I was reminded of that when you told me they were moving.  Everybody in our zone is going to Pittsburgh.  Yesterday the elders in our district gave a sister in our district a blessing because she was really struggling with homesickness, that was really cool. 

 

I want to know how you are holding up with no one home and how it went after you dropped me off at the MTC.  I'm glad Derek is enjoying Germany.  Honestly, sometimes I feel like this is prison because you can't really see outside much.  Like I said before, we went to the MTC for the first time in history for the devotional.  Look it up on KSL, you'll probably see the story there because all the news people were here because it was historic.  I saw Elder W from our ward at dinner last night and he seemed like he was doing good. 

 

I love you and miss you and can't wait to hear your voices on Sunday night even though it will be short.  Also no more packages with food, I have tons left and I don't really have time to eat it.  You can send stuff when I get to PA.  I just don't want to pack anymore than I have to.  I love you!!!

 

Love, Elder Muir

xoxoxo

 

P.S.  Also, the walk to the Marriott Center was awesome because I could see the valley.

 

It was great to hear from him; however, I was a little worried that talking to him on Sunday night might make him more homesick and I didn't want that to happen and it's hard to tell how he's really feeling through a letter.  However, at least he didn't tell us that he had asked for a blessing to help him with his homesickness so it couldn't be that bad....right???  As far as holding up goes, we are holding up and yes it is lonely in our house right now.  Megan went to girls' camp for 4 days last week and it was really lonely.  She is the one that is really suffering and has decided that being an only child is not all that it might have been cracked up to be.  Luckily, the ride home from the MTC wasn't too bad because we immediately had to start focusing on getting ready to get Derek out the door and to the airport the next morning at 6:30 am.  He headed to Germany for 3 weeks for a school foreign exchange trip.  As we told Zach, staying busy is the best cure for homesickness and we've been very busy at our house for the past 2 weeks.  Our busy stuff is mostly over now and summer can officially start; however, it's just plain WEIRD!!!  Never though our nest would empty so quickly, but we are 2 weeks down, only 102 weeks to go...YIPEE!!!  In 2 weeks will be able to start singing 99 weeks of the mission left as our countdown....and then we'll have to start over again.  Life is good!

 

Made it Through the First Week...Barely

Hello to all…

I hope you are all doing well.  Well it has officially been a week and it has been the most stressful but spiritual week of my life.  The schedule has been so crazy, you pull 16 hour days and by about day 4 it really begins to hit you with burn out and exhaustion.  The schedule has been insane.  Think of your most crammed packed scheduled day ever then times it by like a 100.  With that you sometimes really get so physically spiritually and emotionally exhausted you feel like you have been run over by a freight train. Before I forget I had a really crappy first night sleep but that is expected. 

My companion has been awesome.  His name is Elder Larsen and he is from Everett, Washington.  The other 2 that are in my room are Elder Whipple from Minersville, UT and his companion is Elder Lewis from Spanish Fork. 

Class has been a real struggle for me the past few days.  It is 6 hours a day broken up into 3 hour blocks.  Our teachers are Brother Lisonbee and Brother Godfrey.  They are really nice.  The first few days were pretty easy because I was not really tired and I was able to focus and I was not really homesick.  But now that exhaustion and homesickness are setting in it has been really hard to try and focus. 

In class we have really been focusing on how to meet peoples’ needs and apply the lessons to their needs.  That has been one of the biggest challenges for me to overcome.  Brother Lisonbee has really been trying to push me out of my comfort zone to try and get me to do that.  I have prayed really hard to Heavenly Father to help me with that but it is still my biggest challenge.  I know eventually it will come over time and Heavenly Father will help me get better at that. 

We have been doing tons of role plays which have been fun, but unfortunately they kind of get boring after a while.  Also, as a companionship we have been teaching investigators.  Our investigator is John (really it is Brother Lisonbee role playing someone.)  That is where I really struggle when I get into that situation.  I have been really good at bearing testimony and teaching the doctrine, but I struggle with asking questions to get to know his needs. 

As I was getting stressed out and homesick I was told by the zone leaders just to make it to Sunday for church and make it to sacrament and then I would have time to relax.  That reminded me of a talk by Elder Wirthlin called Sunday Will Come.  In it he talked about Christ and how on that Friday as he was crucified, he was humiliated and bruised. I think about how terribly hard it must have been for Him.  But His despair did not linger because Sunday came and he was resurrected.  He uses that in the context of how we all have our own Fridays in life and our world may be shattered into a million little pieces and it may seem really hard, but Sunday really will come.  That is how I felt before Sunday but after Sunday I felt so much better. 

The devotionals have been really amazing.  We had one Sunday night and then one on Tuesday.  The one on Tuesday was the first devotional in the MTC history held at the Marriott Center.  You may have seen something about it on the news.  That walk over there was amazing.  Getting out of the confinement of the MTC was good and it was amazing to walk over there.  Unfortunately I don't really have time to talk about them.  However, on the way back the soccer camp kids were walking around and they were so excited to see 3000 missionaries walking…seeing the smiles on their faces made my day and was probably one of the highlights of my week.

Well I am out of time, so I love you all.

Love,

Elder Muir

Update...Zach has to be at the MTC travel office at 9:00 pm on Sunday, June 16th.  We hope to hear from him by phone around 10 or 11 pm that night.  His flight leaves @ 1:00 am (ouch) and goes through Atlanta.  He arrives in Pittsburgh Monday morning at 9:00 am. 

Today (Friday, June 14th) is the last day to use DearElder.com to send him a letter at the MTC.  Letters have to be submitted to DearElder.com by noon in order to be delivered.  He would love to hear from you before he leaves. 

Finally We Made Contact...The Very First Letter

     Finally...we got a letter.  As I was looking through the mail I found a letter and it was from Elder Muir!  Mom was so excited and that was the first thing we opened.  Even though it's short and sweet we were so happy to hear that he was happy and doing well.
     Today as Mom and I were running errands Sister Barton called and said that she got a letter from Kara.  Kara said that she saw Zach and talked to him for a few minutes and she said that he looked happy and excited and he said that he didn't sleep well the first night.

June 5, 2013

Dear Family,

     Today has been an exhausting but awesome first day.  I have had a blast.  You guys were right if you stay busy time flies and I won't be homesick.  And I have been busy ever since I walked in the door.  All the people in my district are going to Pittsburgh.  Whoever guessed my companion was from Washington you were right (Mom picked Washington).  His name is Elder Larsen.  He is awesome.  The spirit is so strong here.  Everybody is so nice and welcoming.  I love you all and I miss you.

Love,
Elder Muir
XOXO