From an e-mail dated October 31, 2005: Shoot, I just deleted this e-mail accidentally.  I will rewrite- but it will be shorter.

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Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Xangans,
 
I'm still in Glendale, though there have been some major changes today.  An Elder in Pasadena was sent home sick, so Elder Peterson left our ward/area to fill his place.  This leaves Elder Parry and I with Elder Lord as a threesome.  We are not thrilled for 2 reasons.  One, Elder Peterson was a great missionary, and an amazing person.  I have more respect for him than any other missionary in the mission right now.  Two, three people.  Ugh.  We will have fun together- but I worry it will be overwhelming at dinners, appointments, and doorsteps.  How would you like three strangers in neckties showing up on your door?  I think the work will be harder because of that.
 
Happy Halloween, by the way.  We missionaries are still cool enough to dress up.  We switched nametags.  lol.  Actually, Elder Parry and I bought stick-on horns.  You know, cause everybody knows Mormons have horns.  (I thought it was cute at least.)
 
Anyway.  Trunk-or-Treat on Sunday was great.  Made me homesick.  I love being a missionary though.  It is the most rewarding thing I've ever done.  The lessons I've learned about myself and others are priceless.  I want you to know that I know Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.  He has sustained through His eternal empathy, mercy, and power.  His work is to bring about our Eternal Life and Immortality- and I would add our joy.  I believe I am a part of that work now as I help people receive His restored Gospel.
 
Take care,
Elder Embree

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From an e-mail dated Oct. 24:
"I'm trying to be like Jesus, I'm following in His ways.  I'm trying to love as He did in all that I do and say.  At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice, but I try to listen as the still small voices whispers, . . ."

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Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Xangans,
 
I'm doing well.  I'm still in the Glendale 2nd ward, though I have moved apartments and have a new companion.  His name is Elder Parry- he's from Idaho.  There is also a second set of Elders in this ward- Elders Lord and Peterson.
 
I have grown to love the people who live here so much.  In Glendale almost everyone is Armenian.  Recently I've been learning how deep and beautiful their culture is.  The other day we met a woman walking her beautiful baby.  Her name was Anoush.  (Anoush and Armen are the most common names here) Talking with her was like talking with an old friend I've known for eternity.  I felt an instant connection with her as we talked about the missionaries in Armenia, American history and scenery, the Church, Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, Michalangelo's Pieta, and Thorvaldsen's Christus in Santa Monica.
 
The next day we visited Armen and his mom.  They are members of the Church.  While we were there they had so much family and friends there.  They all wanted to talk with us.  They showed us the video of an Armenian wedding and them all dancing.  We talked about the importance of marriage and its eternal nature.  We also, of course talked about Armenians being the first Christians.  Every Armenian we meet tells us their history about being the first Christians.  It is funny.  These are great people.  (Though some are a little rough on the edges.  Not all of them are very happy to see you ).
 
One thing that's cool about Armenians is that they all sit around tables on their porch every evening.  They all live with their families and they all spend time with their families.  It is very cool.  Anyway, just thought I'd share that.
 
Stay in touch.  (All of my contact info is on the left.),
Elder Embree

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". . . 'Love one another as Jesus loves you.  Try to show kindness in all that you do.  Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, for these are the things Jesus taught.'"

From an e-mail dated Oct. 11, 2005:

"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Hear's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above" (Come Thou Fount).

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Greetings from LA, Last night we met with one of our investigators, Darnell, who is going to be baptized on Oct. 23. I realized all of a sudden as he was talking how much I cared for him. I had never cared about a person that much before. It was unsettling. He was not family. He was only a new friend. And yet I felt a bond to him and his wife too immense to describe. I cared so deeply that his wife overcome her sickness and suffering. Gah- I just can't describe it.

On a lighter note- I want you all to know that I have become liberal. Being around all these other missionaries from rural parts of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, even Alberta Canada- all (except Canada) which represent Red America, I have come to the conclusion that I am liberal. Now, in terms of political economic policy I am still very Republican, but socially I feel left wing. This is because I am put next to these . . . people. Lets just say that by the way they talk about immigration, welfare, homosexuality, guns, child-rearing, etc. Man. You may think me conservatively moderate, but next to some other missionaries you would call me a leftist. Who'd have thought?

Suggested reading for the week: Alma 32 in the Book of Mormon. And read it to the end of the chapter. That last part hit me hard this past week. Take Care, Elder Embree

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"Master with anguish of spirit, I bow in my grief today. The depths of my sad heart are troubled, Oh waken and save, I pray! Torrents of sin and of anguish sweep over my sinking soul. And I perish, I perish! Dear Master, oh hasten and take control." (Hymn #105, Master the Tempest is Raging).

Based off an e-mail dated October 3, 2005:

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Dear Fellow Xangans, Family, and Friends,

This past weekend was General Conference, when the Prophets and Apostles of modern day speak to the Church. For me this one was completely different than any other Conference. As a missionary, I found that I craved these speeches. I needed instructions. I was desperate for consel from the prophets. I needed to be uplifted, and I was. I was very edified. Specifically on Saturday night, President Thomas S. Monson spoke directly to me. I wondered if I was hearing the same words as everybody else because the message was exactly what I needed to hear. I encourage everybody to look up the conference talks on www.lds.org and read them if you didn't get a chance to hear them live. This is the chance to hear from living prophets.

You know, one thing that has had me baffled lately is the way so many Christians respond to the Book of Mormon. If you believe in Jesus Christ- If you love reading the Biblical accounts of Him- If you want to come to know Him as intimately as you can, then why not read another testament of Him. I would eat up eagerly more words of Christ if they were suddenly made available to me. I love the words I have, but I would love to know more.

John the beloved said, after giving an account of the gospel, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." Here we are saying that some of those other things that Jesus did were written down, and we have a Book that contains an account of those things. It is the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Come read for yourself the things that it contains, and discover on your own that they are true. That is our invitation.

Well, I don't think I have too many cool stories to tell this week. Not here at least. There were some crazy forest fires near by, but we as missionaries have not been sent to help out yet. And that's it. So with that, take care.

Until next p-day,
Elder Embree

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P.S. I have pictures. (I hope they work) They will be up next Monday (cross your fingers)