16 April 2012

So this week has been really slow. We have been doing a lot of tracting. Which is funny, because both of my companions dislike tracting. But we get to meet a lot of interesting people. One for instance we were talking with an older gentleman and Hna. Chris mentioned that My Father was Catholic. Then the man kept telling me well you know how it is! He thought I was Catholic. I just kept nodding my head and humming. It was funny, but he was really nice!

The work continues onward though we keep receiving and giving referrals. People we meet and do not live in our area and express an interest. Or people that the members have referred. We are really excited though. We have a baptism this Saturday! She is so cute to. She is 9 and insisted that we invite everyone. She had invited her whole primary class weeks ago! We also have two other on dates that are very solid. and they really desire baptism. One of them fasted for three days to know if baptism was for him! Three days! He is very serious about it. And is now praying about a date that we gave him.

So we had zone interviews with President Palmer. He told us that we are the last zone that he will be doing these interviews with. His mission is ending in the end of June. The last thing we have with him is Zone conference next transfer. Which is really sad. I will miss him and Sister Palmer. Sister Palmer is wanting to plan a Sisters p-day with all the Sisters in the Valley. Not sure who is going to still be here. We have this week and next week till the end of the transfer. Oh which reminds me. We are going to the temple next week so you won't hear from me till Tuesday.

Well all is great here. Eric I got the Planner. I love the inside! especially capt.Moroni. I am making one for you now. I think you'll like it!

Nichole I love the Umbrella! It is huge! Thank you so much! And Thank you for the Journals. they will help so much! How are the Little ones?

Mariah how is everything? Well of course your excited for Madison to get here, So am I! well send pictures when you can.

Mom it is great to hear from you as always. Sounds like Nauvoo is pretty calm right now.

Daddy that is so exciting about finding those people. Just make sure and leave some work for me to do alright?

Well I love you all and hope that all is well,

Con amor,

Hna. Ziegler

p.s. Does anyone comment on the blog or my face book page?

9 April 2012

So Life has been busy. This week has not been as great (sadly)! But we are hanging in there. So we had a few people drop us. And almost all of them were not there in person to do so. One of them we got a weird/nice/interesting letter asking us to not come by anymore. Another had moved and we found out through his roommate that he was in another state. One nobody knows where they are. etc...... it has been weird and saddening. We truly only wish to help others on their way to Christ. But we are still going strong.

Right now we are working with four people who are truly desiring baptism two of them are on date one of them needs to pick out a date the other is praying about baptism. They all have grown so much since our first visit with them. One of them that we are teaching watches the BYU Channel and even ordered their program booklet. So funny! We are having our next appointment with them with the Bishop and truly hope that all goes well with that. Well we have a for sure baptism on the 21st and their whole family is planning on being there for support. It will be great. We are making invitations this week so that can invite all who want to come.

So it is great to hear that all is well. That the Family is being blessed. And mother I have already met the Sister. I met her at Sisters Training. A very sweet girl. I will have to remember to say Hi from Sister Miller next time.

Okay so my Companions get giggle fits every time I talk about growing up in a small town. They love that someone still has have had the experiences they only read about. They really got to Laughing when we were talking about growing up on a farm with one of our investigators. I mentioned having to milk the cow. He got a really sad face and said he was never allowed to milk the cow. They really started laughing about that because he was so disappointed and that we both had those similar experiences. (They are both city girls) But they love hearing about it and are amazed that someone could live on a farm in the middle of nowhere will no real modern commodities.

Oh so I got the "privilege of eating Saviche again" But this time with shrimp, crab, mussel and octopus. It was so gross. I felt queasy after wards. And I had a hard time getting it down. Way too much fish for my taste, thank you! I don't like fish but have a hard time eating it too. If it had been shrimp and salmon I would have been fine. But I ate because it was given to me and they took the time to make it. My companions thought that it was great, and really good. Yeah no not for me!

Oh went on an exchange last Tuesday. And it was a lot of fun. Mostly did allot of tracting in the other sisters area. But I talked allot. And it was so much fun just meeting people and talking about how their faith in Christ has helped through their life and how they can become even closer to him with the gospel. It was allot of fun and I got to learn so much. And I am still bad with time but I can now feel the passage of time. Which is a big plus so I know when I am taking longer than I should.

Oh awkward story-

So we are teaching allot of divorced, less-active men. Anyway anytime we talk to one of them he asks about the beautiful Ladies and how we are doing. And that is awkward enough. But then we had an appointment with one and luckily we brought our sole ward missionary. Well anyway. We walk into the door and look at the table where we usually meet and teach. Well there is a lit candle, red table cloth a dish of candies, cheese and crackers, four plates, and some sort of drink on the table. We were a little shocked and feeling a little awkward. Till we found out that it had been his mother who had set it all up. But it still felt awkward. Why oh why??????

We unfortunately get that allot. Especially with the older single men we teach. We do try and get them to go to the single activities though. Oh well. But it is time for me to write president.

Hope and pray all is well,

Con Amor,

Hna. Ziegler

2 April 2012

So this week has been great. General Confrence was just amazing! I loved it! and learned so much. I took alot of notes. I was barely looking at the screen because I was taking so many notes. Well for most of the sessions my companions and I were at the stake center. But before the last session on sunday we went over to the mission home to wish Sister Palmer a happy birthday. She was so cute. We were then invited to watch the last session with her and President Palmer. They are so sweet. So we stayed and ended up watching it with them and the Assistants and an Investigator that they are teaching. It truly was amazing. Sister Palmer has told us that we Sisters are the only missionaries to have seen the mission home so often.

Any way the rest of the week has gone by great. Despite the many cancelations, and people not answering their doors. We have been able to teach many people about Christ and how by following his example theirs lives can be so much more fulfilling. and the blessings that come from reading the Book of mormon. I have been doing the challenge given us by President Palmer to read the book of Mormon in 85 days. I am only in Alma 24: but It has been amazing. I don't want to put it down when personal study is over. I want to read it always. eating and sleeping just get in the way. But at the same time I want to treasure every moment I have while reading it.

So one of our on dates is so excited for her Baptism. She is 9 and very sharp. She understands what it means to be a mamber and really wants to be. We have planned her baptism so that her father can go. and her mother (who does not live with them) is planning on coming. She is amazing. she shows me the example of what Christ meant when he said "Be as a little child". They are so humble and so accepting, they also just know how they are to act and be that examaple of Christ to the rest of the World. How do we forget that as we grow up? Is it that we start caring more what the world thinks of us? or is it that we start drawing ourselves away, through distractions of music, clothing, friends, movies, etc...? Do we allow ourselves to be distracted from following the example of Christ.

We also have a man that we are teaching who is so humble that it amazes me. He knows that he is ready for Basptism, that it is the thing he needs to do to follow God. But he wants to wait. Not only to be sure that he will know that after the High of Going to General Confrence but so that all those who he wants to be there, can be there. He wants all of us to be there. and the Sister Missionary who began teaching him a year ago and helped through so much. I really want him to know that he can be baptized so much sooner than he thinks but he is praying for a specific date that we gave him and he will let us know how he feels about it. I truly hope and pray that it is soon because this man is amazing. His faith and knowledge of what he needs to do is simply astounding to me.

We got a shock the other night. One of the people that we are teaching told us that he has read the whole book of Mormon. and He has! He has questions written on the top of almost every page. We try to answer them but it is not always easy. Now try to answer his questions and also keep trying to get him to come to church. It has been hard but we are praying and hoping that he will come. He has been prepared and knows that he need to follow Christ. but he needs to come to Church!

Again it just has been amazing to be out here to learn so much about the gospel and spanish. Speaking of which I can now understand 75% of the time. So happy now if only I could remember how to respond to what their saying most of the time! grrr... It is coming though working hard and praying for the gift of tongues many times.

And it is so exciting to hear from Daddy his find! That is so exciting! The whole family is getting involved in missionary work! I love it! I pray that his search keeps on giving fruit and that he will find those ready to be found! I love you all so much and hope all is well. mariah I hope the Baby comes healthy and just plain cute! Nichole again thank you, and I love your family, the cute little ones and all those little quirky things they do. I thank you and Peter so much for the support. Kyle you'll be a great Dad!

Moma do You read the Book of Mormon everyday? There is a woman in the english ward that is teaching me so much by her example. She is taking the book of mormon verse by verse and not applying it to herself but trying to understand how each verse is important and what it means. Wow! She is now in Alma and preparing herself to go to the temple. She is amazing.

Well I love you all so much but I need to write President Palmer.

Con amor y te carino

Hermana Ziegler

Ps. I got to eat safiche con cameron. it was different!

26 March 2012

It is great to hear how life is back home. And Momma thanks for the snail mail. though the pic of Miriam got a little rubbed so it looks very pink! But I love having pictures of the little ones. Thank you and I will be sending off a thank you for the other item you sent. So this week has been pretty good. I was told by one of the members in our Spanish branch that my Spanish is getting better. And I had only said a prayer! It was great to hear that I am improving in my Spanish. I know I am understanding more and my confidence is growing daily so I am speaking all that much more. So I am excited to hear how everyone’s life is going because I want to be able to know what has happened in my families lives while I am out here. I love being here, but I do like to hear about my family. And so... Well this week has been busy. We are teaching and finding more and more people. Some have never heard of the church before others are in relationships with less-active members. But each are searching for the truth in their own way and we are striving to teach and help them along that path of finding. It is truly amazing to see the growth that happens in their lives as they begin to live the gospel. And you feel it within yourself as well. That change has you study the scriptures not only for your own benefit but to help others have a better understanding of the gospel. It truly amazes me! I am now such a different person that I truly don't know how I got to be this way but know it has to do with the Lord and his hand in helping so that I can teach those searching and ready to hear the message we share of Christ. Right now we are teaching a 9-yr-old that is so excited to be baptized that she told her whole primary class that she was going to be baptized. Now we just have to make sure that we have Dad's permission. Because she truly desires this and it will help I believe bring her father back to his faith in the Gospel. There are many who we are teaching that are preparing for baptism and we pray for them nightly so that they receive that answer they are looking for and so that they can truly be prepared for baptism in every whit. They are wonderful people and are just yearning to know how they can become closer to Christ. There are many times I look back and think if I had half the desire these people have in coming unto Christ how much different would my life have been? It is an interesting question and I am learning now to have such a desire and push forward with knowing that all that has promised will be mine if I keep the commandments and covenants I have made with God. On Saturday we watched the young woman’s broadcast. I loved every single one of those talks. I don't have my notes on me otherwise I would write a little about each that I loved but they were amazing and answered some doubts that I have had lately so I am very thankful for the chance to go. Well I need to write President Palmer but before I go...... I need rain stuff! It is getting very rainy out here. Not that I mind but don't exactly want to get sick from getting to wet. I am going to look for a hat today. Also my journal is about done I have ten pages left. And that will probably only last the week so if possible that would be great if you could send me one if not that's okay! I will write very tiny! With lots of love, te quiero, Hermana Ziegler

19 March, 2012

Hey Family, So this past week has been amazing. We are teaching alot of people right now. Most of them new to the lessons. We have been finding and recieving refferals like nothing. We are also finding while tracting. And following the spirit as we do so. But First I want to ask.... Is anybody doing the Book of Mormon challenge? It is reading the Book of Mormon in 85 days, while marking everytime Christ's name is mentioned (All of his names), his attributes,his words and his doctrine. A different color for each.We are doing this as a whole mission. And our last day mark is mothers day! So just doing it in 85 days and then writing about the experience and keeping it witht that Book of Mormon. I really reccomend doing the challenge. I have felt so much more understanding of the Book since I have been doing this and it is so much easier to read now that I am looking for specific things but you have to make sure you are actualy reading it and not just skimming for the things that need to be marked because there are a few times where you know that it is christ speaking only by context. Anyway on to the week. Well we found an Indian women one night by tracting let me tell you what happened. We were tracting in an apartment complex looking for a former, but we did not have the apartment number. So we were tracting when I felt that we should go across to the other side of the apartment complex. Across the parking area. So we did and we knocked a few doors till we came to a door that a women started yelling at us. Asking us what are we doing, who were we, and if we were nice. We convinced her that yes we are goosd people out doing the Work of the Lord and teaching others about Christ. She opened the Door and we talked for a bit and asked her some questions. She then let us in and she started crying and saying that she wanted help and she wanted to feel closer to God. We are going back and teaching her tonight I really hope that she finds tha peace and joy she desires. And then Last night we were teaching a hispanic man about the plan of salvation and he asked a question about acohol. We told him that we have a prophet today that has told us that it is not good for us. And he said that it made sence. Really..... I was amazed. Oh and I have been told that my spanish has improved so much since I came out. It is really amazing to me we have so much going on here we do not know what is going on in the world are sense of time is different then the rest of the Lord's and we love to go out and share what we love and know about Christ and his plan and Gospel. We even have funny moments like being cat called by 10-yr-olds or being told the oddest things by people. We do have some strange ones. But I have to go and write my Letter to Pres. Palmer. I wish all joy and hugs. Con amor, Hermana Zielger

12 March 2012

So next week is transfers. We will find out Sunday night who is getting transferred and who stays. So we are on kind of tender hooks because we have found allot of people these last few weeks and they are a amazing. We had 5 investigators at church. That is amazing for us because that has been hard for us to get them to come to church. Especially the Spanish people. Whose idea was it to have church at 9 in the morning for the Hispanics? Any way... But I am growing and learning so much. I keep being told by my companions that they admire my not complaining about things. I know that I did when I first came out but I found that I did not like the person I was when I was complaining so I quit. But they are such sweet sisters that if one of us are transferred I will be sad but know that all is in the Lord's hands. So Brother Church is now the stake president. He will do a great job. And Momma just do what you can and I am extremely grateful for it! Really I am. Just your support is great. Right now e-mails from you and Daddy are all that I am getting so it is great to hear from you. I bet Mariah is anxious about the Baby, I would be in her place! But she will be a great Mother. Nichole sounds like she is doing well. and the kids. How is life in Carthage treating you? Next time you see Joel tell I said Hello and wish him well. Same to his father-in-law. Okay So this week has been great and crazy. So I have received my second mission proposal. It was weird and kind of funny. It was a Russian man that was a potential. He lives in the same apartment complex as one of our current investigators so when he is not there we try him. Any way.... Well I had done my make-up a little different that day. He kept going on and on how beautiful my eyes were and actually asked me to take my glasses off. Then asked if I would marry him. Hhmmmm.... Yeah no!!!!! Not ever!!! But I don't get why I keep getting those. It is just awkward! But I would say the Highlight of the week is SISTERS TRAINING!!!! It was so much fun. we had an activity in the beginning to introduce each other and get to know the other sisters it was similar to speed dating and the Palmers participated. That was fun and noisy. Then we had a work shop on how to find, teach, keep, and work with investigators and Less-actives. We also did a group discussion on how to work with the ward and church tours and on how such an important tool they are to the mission. There was also a Brother from family services who came and taught us about stress how to recognize and relax from it. He also talked on communication. Then we had an open question session with the Palmers. It was so much fun and I learned allot about how I could work and teach more effectively as a Sister missionary. I will have to start sending some pictures but I am not sure when or how yet! Because I have no Idea how many pic's my memory card will hold! But I would love to send some your way. I don't have my cord with me today so..... Any way. I am learning so much. The challenge that we are doing as a mission is so amazing. I am learning so much and realizing just exactly how important Christ is. So far he is mentioned on every single page of the Book of Mormon and I am in Enos. And I am reading slower to make sure that I catch everything. It is simply amazing. I love you all so much but I do need to write Pres.Palmer So, Con amor Hermana Ziegler

5 March 2012

Alright this week has been amazing.

We taught 23 lessons and found 4 new investigators. We had a busy week. We taught alot and are so ready to go out and find more.

First off I will talk about a young man that we are teaching.

A. is very smart and is studying in college. We read with him 2 nephi 31: and he kept going on he wasn't ready for baptism because he was not doing as the scriptures said and repent. He said that the little things that we do through out our day are also included in the that. How can we be like Christ if we don't even do the little things in life. Like doing something just for doing something right not for regocnition or to be seen to be doing something. Just because we want to be doing it. And He knows that this church is true and that he has doubts that are being answered as we teach him but he knows what his answer will be when he is ready to be baptized.

We also taught a few less-actives and we found one who had also been going through some hard times and we told him the blessings that he would recieve if he came to church every sunday. and he argeed and bore his testimony of missionary work and told us that he would be there but might need a call to wake up in the morning because he worked till 5 in the morning. So we did and he told us how greatful he was that we did.

We had two investigators in Church yesterday! For the whole thing! And one of them brought his whole family with him who we have been trying to get involved with the lesson for awhile. yes!!!!

There is just so much going on here and I feel myself growing so much out here. I am talking so much more not just standing/sitting there silently. My spanish is growing thought sadly right now my writing is better than my speaking but it is getting there. For example I was writing in my journal earleir in the week and I looked back on what I was writing and the asked myself, "When did I start writing in spanish?" It is strange how that happens but I have been told that is one of the signs that you are starting to get the language. I am also wanting to talk more in spanish than english. I also did an entire phone contact on my own entirely in spanish. We have an appiontment with the gentlemen later on this week. Though I have not dreamed in the langauge yet. (my Journal is almost full, I only have twenty pages left in it)

But I am loving the growth that I am feeling out here. I may have gotten out of the shell while in the MTC but I now need to get used to actually talking and teaching lessons is helping so much. And I am amazed by how easily I handle the phone now.

But I truly wish to hear how everything is going on out there with the family. I haven't heard from Eric in awhile. What do you think you are doing buster not including me in the family e-mails. hmmm...... te queiro y te extrano.......

Mariah I got a shock the other day about how close you are to your due date. It's only two months away..... Wow how exciting... Are you having a baby shower anytime soon. If so send some pic's my way. And of course when the little one is born want a picture of that cute face.

Nichole it is so exciting to hear that Thomas got blessed. That must have been wonderful. Yesterday we had a baby blessing not only in our English ward but Spanish as well. It was very special. Your kids must be shooting up like weeds right now. Oh before I forget. I got Jessica's b-day card back so I am going to send it back via Mum and Dad. I hope that Works sorry it will be very late.

Mum I love hearing everything from you. It is great that you are feeling better. and able to get back to work.

So spring time is coming here. The robins are about and it smells like spring.

Oh so you are aware I am not eating anything but natural sugars anymore. The other stuff just makes me sick, and that means now more cake, cookies, ice cream, candy, some juices, anything with fructose really. So I don't eat desserts any more. But I am feeling so much better now. I am eating more fresh fruits and veggies.So don't send me any sweets it will just go to my companions or the Elders in my district.

Oh I have a favor to ask. I want to make Irish Soda bread for St. Patricks day But I need the recipe. Would you be willing to send that my way. It will not go to anyone else but I really want some. And Making it myself is easier and cheaper than buying it or having you send me some so please will you send the Irish Soda bread recipe to me?

Welll I need to write my Mission President now,

With much love and affection,

Hermana Ziegler

P.S. Are you taking the Book of Mormon Challenge. It is just doing wonders for me!