Week 3 - Easter in the MTC :D

Hola Amigas/os!!!  Haha, so this week went by SOOO fast!  I can't believe it's P-day already.

But, I have to let you all in on some super cool news... so this week for our devotionals we not only got to hear from not one... not two... but THREE general authorities!!! Well within the past 2 weeks... The first, Neil L. Anderson, and then for Easter Sunday we got to hear from..... PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF!!!!!! Holy blessed!!!! Ahhh his message was so good, I want to share part of it:

He talked mainly about the Resurrection, and about missionary work, but focused on two missionaries.  The first being Peter, and how before Christ was resurrected he denied him 3 times.  THREE!  Then after the Resurrection, he had a change of heart, and denied him no more.  He became a stalwart missionary after that!!  Next he talked about a missionary from 30 years ago (?) Elder Richiardi (?) who served in England.  He was the ultimate missionary, and shared his message boldly!   Every morning he would say to himself in the mirror 

"I fear no man!"

Every morning.  One of his companion's thought he was working too hard and such, but ended up learning a ton from him.  Elder R.  Would share his message with anyone and everyone, never backing down!  

So President Uchtdorf asked us "What kind of witness are YOU going to be?"

Wow.  Haha, it made me realize that I need to study a lot more and be really focused on this gospel.  Also, one other thing he said was "When people know that your love, you can never be too bold."  So love all people, and then people will want to listen to you.  That doesn't apply only to missionaries. :)    

Also, I GOT TO SHAKE HANDS WITH PRESIDENT UCHTDORF TWICE!!!  I really feel so lucky.  I sang in the choir with my friends, and if I had been sitting one row closer to the front I would have been able to shake his hand right after the devotional.  However, while we were eating dinner on West Campus he came to visit us!  So I shook his hand twice. :)  

Then this past tuesday we had another special speaker, Elder Dallin H. Oaks!!!  3 apostles, in just under 2 weeks.  His message was of course also on missionary work.  One thing that I really liked was that part of the mission includes the "challenge to Become."  As in anyone can achieve stuff.  And do stuff that we are supposed to do.  But some people go on their missions and aren't changed in their hearts.  sooo, we need to Become missionaries.  

Also, one last quote for him "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies".   So, as missionaries, or just in our callings in the church or just in life... The Lord will help us qualify for our duty/job/calling.

With investigators... My companion and I keep getting more!! It's kind of a problem.. but a good problem.  We just have a lot of people to teach but not much time to study for them.. This probably doesn't sound like much, or maybe it does.  But we were supposed to teach 5 people yesterday!  And after one lesson, we were walking to class and ran into a "gold-tag investigator"  who started talking to us and wants us to teach him.  But we can't because we have class when he wants us to teach him... 

Anyway, the language is coming.  I really understand most everything, it's just putting sentences together in my head that make sense to respond is hard.... but I'm working on it!  3 weeks down!

Everything is good.  I am healthy.  And I leave to Mexico in 2.5 weeks. WAHOO! 

 

 Artistic rendering of my district

picture that inspired my drawing

The hand that shook Pres. Uchtdorf's hand!

Week 2

So.. I can't believe it's P-day!  So here is a quick summary:

Vocal Point came to sing to us last week... WOW!!! Ahhhh it was so good to hear them since we aren't allowed to listen to any music in the MTC (besides what we sing) 

My mission president's wife is actually coming to Provo because her daughter who goes to the Y is getting married next week! I don't know if I'll see her, but I thought it was cool.

For those of my friends who know I say "pause" a lot it is "pausa" in espanol :)

I feel like in the MTC all we do is eat, study, eat, teach a lesson, study, memorize some spanish, eat again, play volleyball or four-square, and then go to bed.  I really do love my district so much, we get along super well!  On sunday we said goodbye to 4 hermanas in our District who just left to Veracruz, but one of them got her foot caught in the gym door and it is still healing, so she is staying with us for the next week or so... and we just got another district of 6 hermanas yesterday!  

On Tuesday for the devotional we were able to hear from NEIL L. ANDERSEN!!! It was so good, he is amazing!!!! They also said we have some really good speakers coming up soon, so that is exciting :)  His talk was mainly on the Book of Mormon and how we need to use it in our lives!

Also, I'm only going to send this email (possibly) to those who are on missions and I know won't check my blog.. anyone else, please read my blog :) hermanahaleyzimmerman.blogspot.com 

Quick story:  

We taught our friend N.  a couple days ago (and my spanish is not very good so I try to improvise).  We were trying to explain about how the Lamanites were enemies, but we couldn't remember the word for "enemy" so instead I said "no amigas"... which is basically "no friends".  Oops, technically it works!  Our investigator started laughing really hard at my poor spanish and said hold on so she could write it in her quote book.. #ImFamous  Also, later we were trying to say 16 but once again my spanish fled my mind, so i said "kingsay (15) despues..."  basically 15 later.. oops. I'm getting there!

We didn't teach many investigators this last week, but it was still good.  Here are some pics from the week! 

 my district

 District before 4 Hermana's left to Veracruz

 Improvised Smartie holder :D

 

Hey missionary friends!  And those who I know are planning on serving missions.. This week during my personal study I came upon a chapter I really liked and wanted to share it with you. :)  If you don't have time to read it now, print it off and read it later!  All of these verses are in Mathew 10, with my thoughts next to the verse number:

5-7:  I loved this because as missionaries we are sent to the lost sheep.  Such as the story about Jesus being the Shephard with 100 lambs and one of them was lost.  So He went out and searched even for that one lamb.  Now he is sending us to find His sheep.  

14: Holy Cow.  I LOVE THIS!  missions are hard, and we will be rejected sometimes.  It's not our fault, people make their own decisions.    So we need to "shake off the dust" and move on.  Start again the next day, because every day is a new day where a miracle can happen.  Also, think about Abinidi, how many baptisms did he have?  Technically no one.. except Alma did hear him and baptized thousands.  So just do your best!

16:  We are sent out to all parts of the world, and especially now, pepole are cunning and deceiving.  They want to lead us away but we need to be smart, but also be respectful and teach with gentleness.

20: Since I have been set apart as a missionary, and at other times, I have felt like my mouth is not my own.  The lord is already putting words in my mouth and using me as a tool for His work.  We are his instruments.  Also, we are not our own as we have been set apart.  Whose name is on our nametags?  His, and we are His representatives.  

22, 39, 40:  Missions are hard, and people will hate us for what we are doing.  But we have to look at the eternal perspective.  In 22: don't quit or go home early, ENDURE TO THE END!! Heavenly Father needs us to.  

Oh and here is a super awesome quote my companion told me about!  "Do your duty, that is best.  Leave unto the Lord the rest."  How true!  We can only do so much, but we still need to do our best.  Study, look for opportunities, act in His name.  Be ready for experiences because Heavenly Father needs to use us to reach his people.  

Oh last story is from my companion that she heard.. ENJOY!  

Joshua 1:9

I FOUND MY FRIEND

 

The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during Sacrament Meeting and was told to me by a Regional Representative of the twelve, who was in the meeting.  A young man, just before leaving on his mission, stood in Sacrament Meeting and bore, in essence, the following testimony.

 

"My Brothers and Sisters, as you know, during the past few weeks I have been awaiting my mission call.  During the time I was waiting I had a dream I was in the pre-existence and was awaiting my call to come to earth.  I was filled with the same excitement and anticipation that I had before I received my mission call.  In my dream, I was talking to a friend.  He was a very dear friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life.  As we talked, a messenger came and gave me a letter.  I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud.  The letter said: You have been called to earth in a special time and to a special land.  You will be born into the true church, and you will have the priesthood of God in your home.  You will be raised with many advantages and many blessings.  You will be born in a land of plenty - a land of freedom.  You will go to earth in the United States of America.  My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call.  And while we rejoiced, the messenger returned.  This time he had a letter for my friend.  We knew it was his call to earth.  My friend gave me the letter to read aloud.  The letter said: You have been called to go to earth in circumstances of poverty and strife.  You will not be raised in the true church.  Many hardships will attend your life.  Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties which will hinder the word of the Lord.  You will be born in Costa Rica.  We wept, my friend and I as we read his call.  And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, come and find me."  Then this young missionary, with tears in his own eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call.  I am going to Costa Rica.

Love you all!  Stay strong!  :)

color coordinating companions
 

First Week Down - MTC Provo

Hi everyone!!! :)  I have officially completed my first week in the MTC!! Today is my first P-day... so i went without one last week technically!!  It has been so great!!! :)  Spanish is kind of hard to pick up on... french and spanish are not similar AT ALL!!  But my companion took 3 years of Italian and has lived all over the world (she grew up in the military so she's lived in Korea, Italy, Germany, South Carolina, Pennsylvania.. i don't even remember where else!)  So she is a blessing.  She understands so much more than I do and pretty much leads the lessons.. but I am slowly getting the hang of it!  I can pray and bear my testimony in spanish.. and I know the whole "Missionary Purpose" in spanish so that is good. :)

Ahh i don't even know what to say... haha we have already taught 5 investigators only in spanish so far.  So that is cool... haha our first lesson was rough.  And we hardly have a teacher for most of the time, but it is fun!  We have 2 investigators now and my favorite one is N.. I don't know if we are allowed to use names.  But she has so many questions and even though we have only talked with her once, SHE IS AMAZING!!! So loving, and always says hi to us and gives us hugs.. she is just the best..

So, I played what are the odds this week and ate a jalepino this week.... 

Here are some pics!! I just kind of selected random ones.. 

In my "district" there are 8 of us!! 4 sisters (all of us going to Guadalajara East) and 4 elders!  All of them are going to Monterrey West (mom is that where Elder Rollins is or Elder Curtis?? I forgot..) except one elder is going to my mission as well!!! So it is super fun.  My companion is from all over the world and she really is the best.  She is a hard working, caring, funny, and yeah... I just love my companeros/as all around!!  Oh and also someone should tell Hannah Scoresby that she should send me her wedding invitation.. that would be cool.  And that Aubree Matheson's friend and a kid in Taylor Stallings ward and I think Tyson Clark's ward is in my class!  Elder Kimball.  For those friends at USU i'm sending this email to..

Oh, today we don't really get a p-day because we have to travel to the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake to get our visas!!!  So I don't have much time to email.... but that is my week!!  All is awesome, i love mail, but really letters and DearElder is the best.. 

LOVE YOU ALL!

Oh and conference was wonderful.  I really liked Elder Holland's talk about standing as a witness even though you stand along.. WATCH CONFERENCE!!

 

Love,

Hermana Zimmerman :)

 My Companion Hermana Campbell

 Hermana's McBride, Buttars, Campbell & Haley

 

Studying Spanish !!

Last Post as a Pre-Missionary

A couple weeks ago I had my friend Carly take some mission pics.. one for my missionary plaque and then she decided to use some artistic freedom.

And I leave.... TOMORROW!!  Here is a quote I really like, so you get a little funny a little serious in my own last post. 

"The Fellowship of the Unashamed"  ~Henry B. Eyring

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed.  The dye has been cast! I have stepped over the line.  The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.  I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or be still.  My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure.  I’m finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.  I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits or popularity.  I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power.  My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven.  My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear! I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed.  I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.  I won’t give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up stored up, and paid up of the cause of Christ.  I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till I know, and work till He stops me.  And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.  My banner will be clear.

 



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