Happy Valentines Day!

Hola!

Feliz dia a todos. :)  

So this week I tried really hard to remember any cool experiences that I had that I could share... so here are a few of my experiences that have happened here in Lazaro this past week. 

First off, these past weeks my comp and I have been working with some of our newer investigators, and some that have been progressing, or have really good potential to progress. I have been really excited about a few of our investigators, but this past week things just kind of fell through.. not all the way, haha but we are working hard. 

On wednesday (i think..) we ended up walking a lot.  A lot of people weren't in their houses, and I have decided that I wasn't very happy, or more than anything grateful for the opportunity I have to serve.  Then close to the end of the night we passed by one of our investigators Hermano G., and we had to wait 20 minutes for him to finish what he was doing, and it was at the end of the day.. but then when he finished his project, he sat down, and we asked who he would like to give the opening prayer.  And he said, 'Ill do it.'  Totally serious, and gave a prayer that was super good!  (he NEVER likes to offer the prayer).  We also had a recent convert with us who is going to complete one year in April, and the lesson we were able to share ended up to be super good. The member was able to share his testimony about how scripture study has helped his life, and how he has changed his life to be a better father, and the lesson just ended up super good. :)  So I learned that I need to be more grateful for the lessons that I have had.. and the people that I do have to teach.  

THEN, here we go.  Friday the 13th, we kind of knew that something bad would happen this day.. It turns out this this past friday we had a zone conference with our mission president and the assistents.  We were informed before that it would start at 8-30 in the morning, and finish at 2.  Well, we were still in our house at 8-15 ready to leave when got a message from the STLs asking where we were at, because the meeting had already started.  Holy cow, we booked it from our house and arrived 30 minutes late... everyone was already there, and we were pretty embarrassed.  We didn't receive any message that had said when we had to be in the church, because it had changed so that we should have gotten there at 7-30, and the meeting started at 8 o clock.  But, in the end the meeting turned out really good.  We had the opportunity to invite members, and do practices with them, and we actually had about 25 members show up!! And 26 missionaries.  That was more members than any of the other conferences, so that was awesome. :)  

With that, today we also had our district activity!  We played soccer, and ate... but it was all super good. :)  

Hope you all have a great week! (and had a great Valentine's Day!)

Hermana Zimmerman

 Feliz Dia del Amor y la Amistad!! (Happy Valentine's Day) 

 We sent our missionary name tags with our district leader so that he could take a pic in the beach..:)  that is 15 minutes from my area.. Gracias a Elder Fonseca!

 another pic of the beach!

 District Activity - played soccer :D

District Activity!

Este Semana

Hola everyone!!! :)

So this week, we worked.  Haha about 2 weeks ago we received the newsletter from Pte. Camarillo, that talked a lot about faith.  In a stake conference that they assisted as of a few weeks, one of the speakers talked about when he served as a mission president.  While he was a mission president he had a sister missionary who was a little desanimated.  For 3 weeks in a row none of her investigators showed up to church.  So she talked with her mission pres. and he talked to her a lot about how her faith could help her bring her 9 investigators to church.  So she studied more about faith and then with confidence said that she had faith that she would bring 9 investigators to church the next Sunday.  So... Sunday came, and the Pte, receieved a phone call, and asked if she brought the 9 investigators to church and she said no... they had 11.  2 of their investigators brought a friend. :)

SO with that story, this week my comp and I set a goal of 7 investigators in church, we made plans every day so that they could assist, and when sunday came.. we had 2.  haha, didn't see that coming. We don't know what happened, but we will be working hard this week to bring our investigators to church. :)  

This week in my personal study I studied a talk from Pte. Dieter F. Uchtdorf about missionary work that I actually heard in the MTC.  He shares a story about Elder Green and Elder Strong, and basically I now feel reenergized to be a missionary, and hope that I can work harder..

I hope everyone is doing well! :)

Love,

Hermana Zimmerman

 I DID IT!!! Un tomal. :) 

my comp and I. :)

 

Sigo.. translation (I follow)

Hi everyone!!

This week in Palmas was pretty good.  Well, this week could have gone a little bit better if more pepole had gone to church.. haha agency, but it did go well.  We did have 2 investigators at church, but they aren't married, so we are working so that they can get married soon. :)  

One of our investigators is doing really well though, and I am so happy that my comp and I get to teach her.  Hermana M., is a lady who we had talked with her in the streets, and offered our help.  She was really skeptical at first, but then she let us in, and all of the lessons so far have been great!  She is reading the Book of Mormon, has prayed to know that this church is true, and says that it is, the only problem is that because she babysits her grandkids on sunday it is hard for her to come to church.  But we are working on it. :)  She went to a baptism of the elders this past week and New Beginnings for the Young Women's program, and loved it all.  She will also be going to a Family Home Evening activity tonight so that is all exciting. :)  

This past week we also had our zone meeting, and that was great!! We reviewed our goals, and if we completed them (with our baptisms), and we didn't meet our goal. :/  So we did an activity where we had to blow up balloons as fast as we could, (before that we put a goal as to how many we could blow up), and then we blew them up in a minute, and were all able to complete our goals!  So we all raised our goals, and were able to blow up even more! (about 120 or so) in one minute, with all of the companionships.  So I learned more about how we have to have the drive and the energy to complete our goals. 

I hope that everyone is doing well, and have a great week! :)

Hermana Zimmerman

 I completed 10 months in the mission today!

Good ole sunset here in Lazaro. :)

 

Lazaro...

Hey everyone!!

So this week was pretty good.  We actually had a great week finding new investigators that I feel are really going to progress, so I hope all goes well!  Here are a few of their stories..

The first was a reference from a member of the other ward.  He told us that he knew a woman who had her family (not all.)  die in an accident about 4 months ago.  So we were able to stop by and share with her more about the Plan of Salvation, and the lesson went really well.  She started to cry, and the spirit there was strong.  (Hermana I)

Another-  Was a lady that I had talked with with my other comp, and we finally stopped by and she let us in!   What was cool there is that she told us that never before in her life had she let anyone into her house (like missionaries..)  but when we had talked with her she felt something different, and wanted to know more.  It was great becuase she said. 'i really don't know why i said that you could come back..'  but- it's because we brought the restored gospel into her life. :)

Then some more is a family that we met on saturday.  We found them because we got a little lost in one of the neighborhoods and had to ask for direction... BUT  it turns out that other misionaries had talked with them and had given them a pamphlet about 'The Family', and during this time they had been having a few family problems, and said that they had been waiting for us to show up for an appointment, but the other missionaries never went... I'm pretty sure they got lost too. Haha, but then we were able to find them, and they are pretty receptive, and a very great family of 5. :) 

 

 

One last story... we went to visit a less-active family this past week, who are really great.  The family has a testimony in the church, but hardly go to church.  So when we visited them of course we invited them to church, and the mom said 'Si Dios Quiere..'  Which means- 'if it's God's Will.'  it is a phrase that most of the people use here, which means that they won't be coming... BUT  she and her family showed up to church!! :)  And she started talking to be about how they really didn't have money in the  past week, and so they didn't think that they could go to church, but then friday or saturday they receieved a paycheck, and were able to buy all the things for the house, and were able to go to church. :)  So that was awesome, and it really shows that God works miracles.  haha the mom was kind of laughing because she reminded me that she had said 'si Dios quiere' and it turns out that He did want her at church.

 

Today in my study I found this scripture that I really liked.. and thought I would share. :)

 

 38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

 

Love and miss you all, and have a great week!! :)

 

Hermana Zimmerman

I'M STAYING !

Hey everyone!

This week was pretty great.  The best thing I think was the work with the members!!!

Here in the mission we all have goals, and goal for lessons with the members is 14 every week (and 0 without a member), I have had a hard time meeting this goal for my entire mission,  but this week we had 11 lessons with members, and 0 without!!!WOOHOO!  So that was pretty great. :)  

This week we also have been working with some less actives that we found, and one of them is 22 years old.  In our lesson last week my comp started talking about how he could go on a mission (they have been less active for about 8 years..) and he said he wants to go!!! So we are going to be working lots with him, and try to get him to come to church.  

We have also been working a lot with some investigators that we have been teaching since before I got here, and this week the mom went to church with us!!!! WOOHOO!!!!! Her husband has been about 3 times, and likes the church a lot, but the mom never went.  So we will be working super hard with them so that they keep coming to church, and that we can baptize them in this transfer. Speaking of which... 

I'M STAYING IN PALMAS!!!! YAYA!!!! :) We got our calls yesterday, and my comp and I are staying in Palmas!! That means that she will 'die' here (figuratively) because this is her last transfer.  So most likely I will be here for about 3 more months.  I am actually pretty happy to stay here, :)  

Hope you all have a great week, and miss you all!!

Love,

Hermana Zimmerman

 A little girl in our ward got baptized this last saturday :)

 my little buddy Hermanita K. :) I did her hair so that we could be twinners.

 members in our ward ;D

 more ward member I love :)

 a few weeks ago we made oreo truffles (i taught them) with some members in the ward :)

 

 happy new years!

me with 4 chocolate bananas.....

 

Feliz Dia de Reyes!!‏

Hey everyone!! :)  I hope everyone is doing well.

This week we didn't have much time to work but....

WE CHANGED HOUSES!!! We were able to find a house, that is very beautiful, and we like it a lot, and our neighbor's sell hamburgers,so maybe one night we are going to try them. :)

We also had interviews with our mission president, so that was good also. He is a great man, and his wife, and they will actually be leaving in July :(  We just received a picture of our new mission president and his wife, which I am excited to meet them, but it will be sad to see Presidente Camarrillo go. 

This week was great because WE FOUND A FAMILY!!!  We had talked with a mom a few weeks ago, and she said she had had the missionaries at her house before, then a few weeks later we ran into her son, and we invited them to an activity last week, and the son said 'oh, right now I don't have money to go, but if you tell me with time, I will go.'  So of course, we had to visit them.  This last week we went to visit them, and all of them accepted Baptism Dates!!! :)  2 of them don't live in our area, but the 4 that do, we visited them later that week.  What was even cooler, was that in our fist visit we left a phamphlet about the Restoration, and on the back is a pic of the Book of Mormon, so the boy (13 years old) asked if he could have that book, so we gave him a copy, and when we went for the second visit he had already read the Introduction, Joseph Smith's testimony, and more until the first chapter of Nephi. :)  WOOHOO!!  Then we set plans to go with them to church, so we went with them early, and they were all ready and prepared, and it was all great. :)  YAY!!!!!!  

What was even greater is that lately we have been having a lot of instruction from our leaders on how to teach, and a few weeks ago we had a conference with Elder Pieper, about how we can help our investigators be self-sufficient.  So we put into practice what we learned, and the family is progressing. :)  

Love you all tons, 

Hermana Zimmerman :)

 reparting la rosca, with my district! :) DIA DE REYES (King's Day)here they celbrate 'dia de reyes', King's day, (when the kings or wise men went to jerusalem to bring the gifts to jesus, its celebrated here more than christmas.  and they eat a 'rosca', and inside are little babies.. (baby jesus), and if you get one, you have to bring tamales February 2. :) 

 Another Rosca with some members.:)

 I hope this piece has a baby Jesus :D

 Cleaning our apt. Haley style:D

my comp and i after we finished cleaning last monday.. :) 

Pizza with just about everything on it. 

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!‏

Hola everyone,

Ok, so the work still progresses... haha this past week because of New Years Eve we had to be in our house at 7, instead of 9, but that all was well.  The same with Christmas, and Christmas Eve.  Woohoo!

The work continues here in Mexico.. Here in Lazaro I am learning lots, and am super grateful because this past month wasnt that hot.  Yay!  

I really dont have much to say.. but i was super happy because this sunday one of our investigators came to church, Hermano G.  He went to church once before, but with the work of his family, and stuff he hasnt been able to come.  But he came yesterday, so that was great!  

Right now we are in the process of changing our house, because.. well of a few things.  So I am hoping that everything goes well and we can change houses this week.  I felt a little funny though, because we had to go House Hunting, and had to make sure the houses we were looking at were clean, and basically I felt like an adult.  Haha, I guess that really is something that I can apply for when I get back from the mission if I ever have to buy a house.  :)

I also completed 9 months this past week, so Im now on the countdown!!! Pretty weird. :)

We also had our Zone Meeting, and talked a lot about what changes we need to make here in the mission.  It helped me renew my energy, and I am now recharged and ready to continue the work. 

Love you all, and wish you a happy new year!!!

Hermana Zimmerman

-COMPLETED 9 MONTHS IN THE MISSION! the first half is over.