Week 12

One more week gone by..  It's weird to think that tomorrow I will have been in the mission for 3 months! 

This past week was kind of boring... a lot of our appointments fell through, I think it's because right now is the soccer world cup so a lot of people are.. not in their houses.  Or something, but when we don't have lessons we have the opportunity to talk with people in the street, so that is good!  :) 

Also, this week in my personal study I had a pretty cool experience with the story of Joseph Smith.  I was reading the testimony of Joseph Smith in the front part of the Book of Mormon, and I  had the spirit bear witness to me that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  And that literally through him we have the restaured gospel.  It was so cool, haha I started crying.  But it was very cool to read and imagine that this actually happened. 

  Sorry this is so short.. but I am ok.  When it rains, it pours.  But I bought boots last week  so I am ok there. :)  haha ok, so it rained practically every day last week except  one or two, and I didn't wear sunscreen, so right now I am pretty fried... but it's ok. :)  Oh and my espanol is super good!  I think :) yay!

Love you tons!

Hermana Zimmerman

 

 

 Call me Hermana Pan (Peter Pan, I feel like I looked like peter pan this day with my green cardigan and  my boots)

 A daughter of a member family in the ward wanted to do my hair... Don't judge :)

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!

Week 2 in Mexico

This week was a lot better.  I am settling into the lovely Mexican lifestyle and have decided that when I return 16 months from now, and when I have kids, once a week we are going to have 'The Day of Mexico' where one day a week we eat Mexican food.  Wash our clothes by hand, shower with a bucket... the whole deal.  Can't wait! 

The food is actually pretty good.. they pretty much each everything with salsa, so I need to get used to hot food, but that will come... I hope..

The people here are wonderful!!  All so nice, we have some baptisms coming up soon I hope, but we will see.  The people really are just the best.  
It is really hot some days.. but I seem to not feel it.  Sure I sweat as I am climbing the steep hills in our area, but I don't feel it that much, which is definitely a blessing of the Lord.
 Every day I think about the people I love and miss from home.  Then also think of the missionary quote- what a missionary is.  (someone who leaves their family for 2 years (or 18 months) so that others can live with their families for eternity).  And this is  what keeps me going.     So that these people here can live with their families for eternity.  Also, because there are so many families here it really makes me want to be a mom... hahaha  my companion keeps telling me 'in 18 months!'  haha but the Mexican children are too cute.  I want them.. :)
Also, it was kind of funny... 2 days ago when we went to eat with a family, their son had some bumps on his arms, so they asked if I had ever had this disease that the  child had, and I couldn't really  understand the question, so just said no.. anyway, yesterday I found a nice little bump on my arm, and my companion started to act a little weird..  basically it might be chicken pox.  So if it is, I have to be quarentined in our house for the next 2 weeks, but we aren't sure, yet, but we'll find out today!
I want to write real quick some things I am thankful for:
1-hot, running water for the shower.  Sure, buckets are nice, but you know...
2-washing machines.  oh how I miss washing machines!  My hands bled a little today from trying to wash my clothes, that I kind of dread p-day because of this.  But besides having to do my own laundry with my hands, things are good.
 3-hmmm... my mom. :) and my family of course, but especially you mom! 

The name of the city I'm serving in is Tarimbaro, Michoacan !  I think, our area is Aeropuerto.  haha sorry.  Also, my area is basically  (I think) the far North-East part of the mission.

Haha and sorry about forgetting to mention my companions name... haha Yup!  Hermana Garcia, she has been her 9 months now and never wants to leave the mission.   She is from Mexico City, and is 22 years old!  She really has been a lifesaver with my doubts.  Her english is decent, more than most people, because she had another  'gringa' companion.  When I first met my companion here she said that I am the first 'gringa' in the area, so she was super excited :)  and I am her 2nd gringa companion, and 3rd companion that is a twin!  so that is pretty cool. :)

That is my week.  Life moves on, I hope to focus each day and work hard.   This opportunity is once in a lifetime and I probably won't be coming back here after the mission... so I need to enjoy these next 16 months that I have here in Mexico.  Also, I will most likely be stayin here for the next 6 months!

Here are some  pics from the mish!  My companion really is the best.  Also, we did divisions (splits?) a day last week and I was with 2 other hermanas, and they had grafitti of chicken little!  So of course I had to take a pic. :)

 First Area Tarimbara Michoacan

 going on splits with another Hermana

 I think the Laundry room??

Beautiful sunset :D

I made it through my first week in Mexico!!

Haley had only a small amount of time to write this week and apologizes for not having any time to write or e-mail friends. She really must have been rushed. I know that is must be hard getting use to a different key board and trying to upload pictures in short amount of time. This left her mom with lots of questions that will need to be answered next week. :D For instance the name of town "Aeropuerto" she said she is serving in, translated means airport. So googleing it was completely worthless, unless their is a town named airport. Our searches only came up with actual international airports. I'll try to get more info. from her for next week. I am just grateful that with pictures I could zoom in to see what her companion's name is. It is Hermana Garcia and she looks very kind and I'm sure she is taking good care of my Haley. Here is her week:

I have officially made it to Mexico!!! It is exciting but there is a lot of work to do.  In my area of Aeropuerto 2 there are lots of hills.  And I mean lots.  Well actually just like 4, but considering that just my area is hills it is a lot to take in and to walk every day.  We have taken the bus a few times this past week.  Also, my area is about 3 1-2 hours outside of Guadalajara.  So my first day we rook  3 hour bus ride to our area.  

Most days are super hot, but it is supposed to rain soon which is not something that I am looking forward to. Because there are lots of hills I feel that I am going to slip most of the time.  When it will rain... 

Besides that I bet you would like to know my situation of living. :)  We do have a shower that has running water, along with a toilet.. but it is cool.  So every morning we heat up water on our nice little stove and microwave and shower with a bucket.   It really isn´t that bad, just really different.  Another awesome part of the mission is how we wash our clothes.  We have an awesome sink thing that we take a handful of soap and scrub our clothes with.  Then we hang our clothes outside, so it is actually a pretty cool experience.   Also, we have about 2 meals a day here, one  when we wake up, and then one with members usually around 3.  The food honestly hasn´t been bad. It really hasn´t, it´s just different.  I haven´t really finished a meal, but at the same time I´m completely not sure what I have eaten.. usually chicken I think.  

The first night I think I only received about 7 mosquito bites, so that is also good.  hahaha and I am sunburned now on my neck, but it isn´t bad!  

The language is definitely coming along.  I feel like I learned a lot in the CCM, but here is a lot different.  My companion is from Mexico City I believe and has been in the mission for about 8 months I think!  She really is SUCH a hard worker.  This past week we´ve fallen short of most of our goals, but this week hopefully my legs will be ok running everywhere.  Without her I really feel like I would be lost, because she is the best.  Really, the best missionary out there.

I think the best part of the mission so far is the people.  All of the women always greet each other with a quick handshake and a kiss on the cheek, which I thought was super weird at first, but now I really like it.  It shows a lot of respect everyone has for each other.  

I think this area is really beautiful, the houses are very colorful which I think is awesome!  However, it´s kind of funny because a lot of people ask what I think of it and when I say I think it is beautiful they start to laugh.  Apparently other parts of the mission are prettier.  But it doesn´t matter, this is all I know.  :)

Mexicans also have a hard time saying my name, so one the 2nd day I was here we were talking with a family and the boy said ¨Hermana Superman¨ , so that is my name.  Hermana Superman.  It´s pretty funny.

The people here really are the best though.  I don´t know what I expected from the mission, but this wasn´t it. It is difficult work, but knowing all the Jesu Cristo did for me makes it worth it.  My companion reminds me of this every day.  

One funny story real quick.. we were having a lesson with a woman and this man started talking with us.  Basically he kept asking me questions over and over again, and I didn´t quite understand.  So my companion wrote in English so I could understand his intentions ¨he just wants to talk to you because he thinks you beautiful.¨ hahahaha oh man.  

With that I say goodbye|

 First day in Guadalajara with Pres. and Hermana Camarillo

 New Companion Hermana Garcia

 My First area!! Yea! somewhere 3 1/2 from Guadalajara