Week 11 - First Baptism !

This week was very special.  We had the baptism of R!!! (I'm not sure if I can say names.. haha so R :))  Background about him-

He has been investigating the church for about 2 years, and his wife is a member.  They have 2 little kids who are adorable, the eldest who is 3 is afraid of my eyes, and the youngest who is about 1 is the cutest thing ever.  For a long time he hasn't wanted to listen to the missionaries, but when I arrived, my first time visiting him and his family he let us in and invited us to have dinner with them another day.  My companion kept saying how this was such a miracle because before he didn't want to listen, but now he did!  So we continued to teach him, and a couple weeks ago during a lesson with his wife A, I said that I felt that he is ready to be baptized.  She was shocked, but it turns out that 2 days or so later we invited him to be baptized in the next 2 weeks, and he said yes!!  So this saturday was his baptism.  And he was sooo happy, and soo ready.  His wife gave a talk before the baptism and shared how she had been praying for a long time for this day, and it was finally here!  After R was baptized he shared how he has so many testimonies that this church is true.  And is honestly so happy, and ready to be a part of this church for the rest of his life.  There were tears shed. :)

That morning we also had an activity with the youth in the ward, a missionary activity! This was very fun, my comp. and I went with some young women leaders and 3 youth to visit a few families in the ward, and the other young men went with the elders in our ward.  It was a very fun experience for all of us, and afterwards we ate with the youth, and then also with another family.. haha whoops.  During the second meal I had to loosen my belt, which my companion thought was very funny.  I'm starting to eat a lot more- eat like a missionary.  :)

One thing that I really learned this week was about happiness.  That in this life there are a lot of things that make us 'happy' but there are different types of happiness.  I have experienced happiness a lot in my life, but the happiness I felt this week at the baptism and at church was a different kind of happiness.  The happiness that this gospel brings is SOOO much more than we other things brings us.  

Also, every Sunday at church I consider to be Christmas.  When our investigators show up to church it is the GREATEST gift ever!!!! This week we were especially happy because one of our investigators who we didn't think would come, came by himself!! He usually comes with a family in the ward, but they didn't come, so he came by himself and we didn't even remind him!!! 

About Mexico.. I really enjoy living here.  Also, today I broke my record of how long it took to wash all of my clothes!! ONLY 1 HOUR AND 25 MINUTES!!! Haha woohoo! :)  And my hands are only bleeding a little.  

Also, the rain is starting to come a lot.... but it will be a fun experience!  

Love you all tons, have a fantastic week!

Con el amor del TODO el mundo,

Hermana Zimmerman

1-Baptism of R with his family :)

2-selfie of me and my companion because we tend to match some days.. :)

 

Week 10

haha sorry for not emailing yesterday!!! I forgot to mention that I had to travel to Guadalajara yesterday for a check up on my 12 Weeks (first weeks, training). So we picked up 2 other Hermanas in Morelia Sunday night and then traveled to Guadalajara at 6 in the morning, so we woke up at 4:30. :)  Woohoo!  haha we were very tired.  But our trip was very fun, and I was able to see the amazing growth of the other Hermanas that arrived the same time as me!  Then because the other hermanas live so far away they stayed again with us last night.

This week I feel like I can finally remember what happened. :)  So I have some stories!

1-We are teaching a man I will call M.  He is older, but so receptive to the Gospel.  Anything we teach, he believes, and any time we stop by he says 'Hermanas, I was just thinking about you!'  And always thanks us for our visits.  This day we were teaching a few of the commandments, The Word of Wisdom.  As we were teaching this we told  him what he couldn't take anymore.  Including coffee.  It was pretty funny because he said 'I accept this completely.  I believe in this.  But.... why coffee?????'  He has been drinking coffee for years, and said that he wish he had known to stop drinking coffee earlier.  But he said 'I know that this is possible.'  Ahhh he was so awesome. :)  All things are possible when we have Faith in Christ!

2-  We have a thing here where we HCT (Hablar Con Todos or Talk With Everyone)  But since I am new I don't know who we've talked with, and my companion doesn't tell me.  So we were walking down the street and I started talking with a lady who was kind of shy, but she accepted to hear more, so I wrote down her address!  As we were walking about my comp. said that they had already talked with her and she didn't want to hear about the Gospel, BUT she had said yes to me!  So we went to visit her one day, and she opened the door a crack.  Just a little bit, so we knew we wouldn't be let in.  But, we decided to share a message at the door, by singing a hymn (I'm a Child of God (our go-to))  and asked to bless her home with a prayer, and asked if she had anything she would like us to bless her with.  As we were teaching for the short time, slowly she opened the door more.  And she had tears in her eyes, and started to smile more, because also she didn't seem very happy in the beginning.  At the end we asked her to give the closing prayer, which she did.  The spirit was SOOO strong in this lesson!  Oh, I felt soo good afterwards.  When we went to teach her again she was just leaving so we couldn't.  But she had a smile on her face when she saw it was us at the door!  Which was definitely different than before.  I already know that we are making a difference in her life. :)  

Oh, also this past week we had a Zone Conference which was very fun as well.   My zone is really awesome, and especially my mission president and his wife.  They know how to console and how to teach, and how to be obedient, and how... todo. :)  

This past week was also interesting because we had such spiritual highs, but at the same time my stomach was a mess.. haha it hurt so bad a couple days.  But, I am feeling better and it is not impeding the work.  :)

Love you all!!! Have an amazing week!!! 

 

Two months down :)

Actually, more than 2 months, but who's couting? ;)

This week was pretty interesting.  I learned a lot more about myself and about my companion.  I have been feeling like we haven't been working a lot, because our area is very big and we walk everywhere, so we don't have many lessons.  But the lessons that we did have were very awesome.

The best was this sunday we had a ton more members come to church than usual!!! The attendance this week was 92 and continues to increase. :)  

 

I want to share a scripture with y'all this week:  Mosiah 7:33 

ahhh this scripture is awesome!!! 

 33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, 
and serve him with all diligence of mind, if
ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.

 

Think about it. ;)  

 

I love you all!! Sorry this is soo short... oh!  But I do have to admit one thing.. the food here is actually pretty darn good.  I'm going to learn how to cook like the Mexicans so I can cook this in the U.S.  Because it is delicious.  :)  I know, not like me.  But it is good.  

Here are some pics from the week! :)

 

p.s.  family- we need to visit Morelia when I get back!!! It is SOOOO gorgeous!! Ahh man. 

 

Sorry, I have a super rough time remembering the week.. but I will do better next week and give you a more detailed email. :)  Until then, work hard, have faith, and know that I love you, the Lord loves you, and Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. 

 

Con mucho amor!

Hermana Zimmerman :)

 Hermana Garcia

 Tarimbaro

Morelia

Week 3 in Mexico

Hola everyone!  Sorry, I literally have no time to email today.  my companion and I had to make a little trek to Morelia, the center of Michoacan to get money, so I have basically no time to email.

Basically, being a missionary is hard work.  I hadn't felt much rejection until yesterday.   I feel like everyone we talked to yesterday said that they were Catholic and don't need anything else, and that they didn't want to listen to this message.But those in our ward who are active have such powerful testimonies. 

   Every day continues to be hot, but I would like to tell you a little about a family that we are teaching.  It is a young couple who has one daughter who is 1 year and a half old.  Man, haha the little girl makes me want kids sooo bad...  ;)  after the mission, clearly.  And she is pregnant with another daughter. The mom now has 5  times that she has been to church, and the last time we talked with her we invited her to be baptized again, AND SHE ACCEPTED!!! She has such faith, and wants to know the truth.  Her family and her husband's family is Catholic, so they clearly are not very supportive.. She has a baptismal date for next week and we are so excited!  At the end of that day my companion said ' este dia es el mejor dia de la mision!!'  'this is the best day of my mission!'  haha kinda those words... anyway, it was awesome.

Also, we talked to man yesterday who was Catholic, and he said that he would pray for us.. . so that's cool, I guess I'll be saved no matter what :)

 Other than that things are good.  My companion really is the best.  Her goal is for me to be a trainer after my 12 weeks of training is over.  But we'll see.

I really feel like my language is  really good.  I understand so much.    

Love you all , and know that God loves you more than you could ever know.   And that we are  so lucky to have been blessed with a knowledge of this Gospel.  Because we are so blessed, please share this message of the Gospel with those you come in contact with.

 Love you all!!!  Here are a few pics from the mission :)

   Con MUCHO AMOR!!!!

Hermana Zimmerman

p.s.  I DONT HAVE CHICKEN POX!! Haha it was from too much sun... so  I now have some special sun screen and special water I have to spray on my back and arms every 12  hours. :)

 Tarimbaro

Tarimbaro with the best comp. ever Hermana Garcia!