16 January, 2012

So guess what we did this morning!!!!!!!!! we went out to our ward mission leaders ranch to take some photos with their big bull his name is Goliath and he is a giant. I also played with Maggie their dog I think I have a new friend. :)

well the glasses were well needed. I THANK YOU!!!!

well our week has been rather hard but that is a good thing. but it ended awesomely we had a less active part member family come to church the last two weeks and the husband really wants to learn and understand and it is really cool because he has not had much religion in his life and he want to make changes in his life. It's
just so awesome that we had tracked into them without really knowing that they were there but we stopped by to visit and they said that they wanted to come to church.

(our two baptismal dates dropped one wants nothing to do with us over the dress code and the other we have not been able to get a hold of).

Any way we had some awesome Q.G.C.'s this last week and we met some really nice people who said that they believed what we talked about but they are not interested in any religion but they are good people.

I have seen that I have opened up from when I have left. any way I have been reading a lot in preach my gospel about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and it is just been really interesting to see how perfect his teachings are. I have also been
reading in the Isiah chapters of 2nd Nephi and it is very interesting I have found so far that some of the parts that help you understand are not in the Bible but with study you can see what he is saying.

So the members here are really awesome they are still saying that we need to have a diner appointment every night they know there are blessings in that!!!! I will not deny them.

((so I have temporarily lost my camera so if you could pray with me to find it that would be very helpful on us both))

Now I want to send every one an E-mail so I will talk to you next week and let you know if I have been transferred then okay ;D

ttyl Love you more!!!!!!!!!! the MOST!!!!!!!!!!!!

9 January, 2012

Zone conference









My week was awesome the best I have ever had so far on my mission.

We found a lot of people to teach and two accepted baptism in the first lesson Trisha and Carmen (names have been changed) they are awesome we found them tracting in the rain. Yes we do have two baptismal dates however they were January
but no longer.(they didn't come to church) I am very confidante that
they will be baptized in February.

Other than that It has been an awesome week we are teaching almost every day and we are finding every day. We are getting closer and closer to achieving 70 Q.G.C's (Quality Gospel Conversation's) a week right now we are at 62 for last week. we
are so very excited for the area.

Elder smith and I are doing great we are working hard to help each other learn and grow and keep a fire under the seat of our pants to Find, Teach, and Invite. Invite was a big part of our last district meeting the point was brought up that if
we don't invite them they will never want to repent. and Yes I do feel
that we are unified in our desire to serve the lord and be the
sharpest sickle's we can be for the lord.

with love Elder Ziegler

I love you more

2 January, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well it has been a great year goodbye 2011.
so my new years was a great one we had awesome talks at church and
next week will be fast Sunday for us here.

Any way this last week we found out that our golden investigator is moving :.( and elder Smith and I became good friends with her and she told us that she would
invite us to her wedding (she is dating a member) she is great she
always asks us to give her reading assignments! how cool is that!??!!
any way she want to keep us updated on her progress in the church and
let us know how things are going for her.

I am doing a lot better now I have really worked on avoiding the things that trigger how I felt and it has helped allot.

Now I am not sure if I have told you or not but the district that I am in is 4 Sister Missionaries and myself and Elder Smith and yes I do my best to help my Sisters out when they need it like a good brother OK Mariah , Nichole and Diana you all can get off my back now if you want.

Looking back to the distant day I left home and seeing how much I have changed I see that I will never be able to be the same ever again. I have just learned so much and
knowledge ages you, changes you and shapes who you are and can become only if you strive to learn more and apply it to your life.

So one thing I have been introduced to here that I love so I want to use after my mission is called the Challenge it were you take a verse from the standard works and you have the missionaries make a spiritual thought out of it but there is a catch here is one I found and I challenge all 5 of you to make your own thought out of it and send it to me for next week. Job 7:12. so next week I want to see 5 new
E-mails with the subject Job 7:12. Okay?!?!?!?!?!?! good.

Now on with the e-mail. our ward mission leader owns a buffalo ranch here on the
Island and we set up an appointment to come and work there today and get some great pictures for you next week!

The area here is like popcorn we are finding people all over the place so its like
popcorn popping on the apricot tree. lol.

I love you all and I pray for you allot. thank you for all you do and don't worry on sending me "things" letters are fine.!!!

love Elder Ziegler

19 December, 2011

"So what did you do for your hump day?" well it is mission tradition to burn a shirt so that's what I did it was an old on with no pocket and most of the buttons were broken so I felt no remorse.

"How are your families doing that you are teaching?" They are doing really well and as they do progressing at their own pace some times I feel like "what's wrong you know it's true and the font only takes an
hour to fill!!!!"

so they are doing? great.

"How is the weather there?" I refer you to the attached photo!!!! it aint nothing like that!!!

"How are you and Elder Smith doing?" we are doing great we are working every day so that we can have a laugh and share the Gospel it is a lot of fun.

"Are you looking forward to Christmas?" yes I am. and the members here are as well. Elder smith and I are in the choir and we will be singing on Christmas day, and every member without fail has come up to
us and asked if we will be having diner that night and we do, but I
still think that it's so cool to see the love that a ward can have for
the missionaries.

"Are you going to be calling or skypeing?" I will be calling president Tilleman has said that is what we will be doing. and I have
derided that I will not be fighting with the lords servants.

well any way things are going really well for us here. I still look
forward to the time I become what the lord has planed for me but I
guess that I am a long term project. any way I see that Thomas was born
with a full head of hair that must have been funny! so what color is
his hair and his eyes?

I think that Diana... sorry Hermana Ziegler will come to see the
blessings that will come to her if she will look to this time with
great hope always looking to learn whatever she can. it will be a
great tool for her I know it. plus she will be in the MTC for
Christmas how cool is that I was there a year ago!!!!! tell here to
try out for the talent show she would be great I know she could think
of something fun to do!!

I love you all and I pray that all is well. Love Elder Ziegler Nos Vemos!!!!

12 December 2011

Hello well I am doing well and YES MOTHER I AM!!!!!!!!!! ( I asked him if he was keeping his apartment clean and other motherly questions)

I still can't believe how fast the time has gone I mean I was looking at the calender at the 1st of Dec. and I was thinking wow November flew and in only a few days till half way I don't want it to end.

well this week has been great we have had so many people actually speak with us
and not yell at us it was wonderful.

The ward is amazing they are so excited to do missionary work and are giving us ideas for finding people. I love it. (hey daddy & mommy) I would like to get a copy of your conversion story. I would like to be able to actually know how you felt as you learned the gospel and how it changed your life.

Well Elder Smith and I have a tree up and for decorations we have pass-along cards it is a true missionary tree. One of the members gave us a whole bunch of presents and they gave us scripture references as a clue to what they are so we are looking them up and putting on our thinking caps.

ESL is not going as of yet because we don't have any one to teach.

so far the work here is doing well we have some investigators that are progressing and seeking for the truth, it is so cool to see how their live have changed so far.

I have been studying about the life of Captain Moroni, seeing how it was and why he was the way he was and so far it has been very interesting because I am trying to see in my mind everything I read.

I have to go now but I want to let you know I love you and pray for you every day.
if there is any one you think I should write send me the address and I will write them asap.

5 December 2011

well Life here has been awesome rather cold the coldest it got as far
as I can remember is about -4 but I had my scarf to keep me warm.

I know it has flown by and tomorrow we will be looking back and thinking
were did 2012 go?

well any way I have been well and I might add I don't mind if I don't get a Christmas package I will be happy with simple cards and maybe some pictures and you can send them to the office and they will get them to me were ever I am.

It is rather weird to think that Diana might be there for longer I think it would be both good for her and a little saddening for her as well but as long as she keeps a
good attitude she will only ever get blessings. She told me about her hiccups it's funny that the elder can imitate them I also think it will be good for her to find out the cause. WE WILL FINALLY FIND THE ANSWER TO THE WESTERGREN HICCUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

any way right now things are awesome here I am Loving it I am really growing and
learning. I feel that Tomas is around me when ever I need a bit of a kick you could say!

I did get the journal and now I think that I have enough to last my whole mission I now have the one I bought which is very big the one Diana sent me and now aunt lee's. so I don't think I will need a new one for a long time.

Elder Smith and I are out talking to a lot of people and seeing the Lord work in several peoples lives and it is so wonderful.

The members here are awesome they are always giving to the missionaries, one of the
sisters took us shopping for food today. Then we helped a family move
some things after zone conference and we could see the gratitude in
their eyes. That is a wonderful feeling.

Well I have more to write
ttyl LYM (LOVE YOU MORE)

28 November 2011

It has been a great week 2 of our investigators set a baptismal date and they really are loving the Gospel so that is wonderful.

I haven't been here for very long and every one treats me like family and to answer your question Yes I had Thanksgiving diner 2 of them, one day after the other and the 2nd one turned into a member present:D.

I also made some Clam chowder my own recipe I'll send you a copy.! (I got your card on the 23)

well any way how is life back home??

mommy you know that when I get home I will be giving you and daddy such a big hug that you can hardly imagen.

I have been thinking a lot about the mountains lately, since every morning I wake up and watch an amazing sun rise on snow capt peaks it is so beautiful I love it. I feel that one day I will be living there. but that day is far distant.

any way I wanted to send some Christmas cards but I don't have the address so if you could send me them that would be wonderful.

I will be asking President Tilleman if we can Skype this year or not and I will let you know as soon as possible. I was also thinking Diana will most likely be leaving on the 28th of DEC. so I will miss hearing her voice and so it will only be me you speak to on Christmas unless the MTC changes policy.

any how. the work is going very well so far we are doing a lot of tracting but a lot less than I did in Vancouver city.

(Diana) did you know that Presidant Brown went in shortly after me! and he knows
several people in Nauvoo and he might remember me because I volunteered to speak if he needed any one from that area.

(Mariah and family) I miss you! send more Emails.

It was a little weird at first but I still do language study.

(Nichole and family) I miss you and love you all! same thing on the Emails :D...

well any way I am still working hard every day.

Have a wonderful week every one :D:D:D:D:D:D

21 November, 2011

There was snow my way that is true! we woke up a few days ago and there was a good 3 inches of snow every where. When we were on our way back from a interview we stopped and got these pictures.

So how has my week gone? it was a rather strange one, but also a good one at the same time. We had a fun drive down from Camble river.

any new prospects? well YES and we will be starting ESL classes this week and we are hopping that it will go well any way.

Ok more about my week. I have come to see how blessed I have been in my life.

So you had some computer problems well me too one of the computers here is chafa and well it's really slow. I am also glad to hear that the mail system works it's quite nice to think that those peaces of paper in paper can mean so much. hint hint.

Well I am well fed here on the island and the members are wonderful.

I do need some new glasses.

Elder Smith and I have been working hard and it is paying off we have a few investigators that are very strong and you can see their testimony growing.

grgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgr I had a lot written and it didn't save.

I would like to say to all those that have a desire to serve, Take haste and do so. You are all called to serve in any way you can you may or may not get a letter calling you to be a missionary but the Lord has called you to help his children return to him.

I miss you all so very much but I know that we all will be blessed for this sojourn that I have undertaken and in time we will see them!. At this time I will follow the council of a stake president.

This is my foundation of faith...

1. I know I am a Son of God. Thought we do not have the "Proof" that
so many say we need. the only "Proof" we need is the very sound of our
heart;

2. I know that I must Repent in order to be pure. No unclean
thing can enter the kingdom of heaven;

3. I know it is only by our Brother and Saviors Atonement that we can become pure;

4. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Repentance, baptism by the Authority of God for the remission of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the same Authority and
Enduring to the end are the only way to salvation;

5. I have been called by God to teach his Children and guide them back to His path;

6. The truth has been restored and it will never be taken from the Earth
ever again;

7. we all have been given gifts from our Father in heaven
and we must use and develop them;

8. God wants to speak with us and will always and forever;

9. I have been charged with my own part of the Lords gathering of His children;

10. I am a man that many do not know but I know the things I can do to help no matter the small the help may be;

11. "they can take my belongings and my family from me, even my very
life but they can never take my love and faith in my Lord and God"!;

12. I am subject to the laws of men like any other but I will always
serve my King!;

13. I believe that an honest heart is a pure one and that we must seek for those that will help us remain pure in all things.

well they are 13 points of my foundation of faith.


TTFN

14 November 2011

I am well and I am working hard. my shoes are okay and my suits are in
great condition. The reason I was on last night, I was on sending
E-mails to potentials about activities coming up. I always check
my E-mail to see if I get anything from the mission. I saw the Spanish
and I wanted to translate it.

So marry is going to get married that is wonderful. Alic and Eli got their
Eagles that's good. what did they do?

Elder smith and I are doing well,we laugh a lot and we play whats called anti chess. it's rather fun.

Courtenay is very nice it's rather small but it's a lot bigger than
Carthage. The members here are very nice. They really want to help us out.

So we are still getting settled into our apartment. I still get lost here but I do know how to get around a bit.

We will be starting an ESL class and we have a Spanish lady that is very excited
for it. She wants to help me with my Spanish.

well I want to send some pictures. I have taken a lot of sky pictures but I will be taking more.

Well Elder Smith and I went 5 pin bowling that was frustrating I only got
low scores.

Well we will be cleaning alot to day.

7 November 2011

probably a Orca. well I think that I would have known that it was if it was!!! the captain said that they were porpoise! I have no clue what those are but that's what he said.

So how is your week going? well my week as been both good and STRESSFUL! It was not fun during the stressful times. we had allot of appointments lined up and then they would call the morning of or the night before and cancel. not fun but it's not much different from Spanish work. other than the fact that the members keep asking us if we have food or not and then giving it to us anyway. now I know how the sisters in Carthage feel when you give them food.

Well when I got here, the members upon hearing that I speak Spanish started to think of all the Spanish people they know. I found a real Mexican restaurant and the food there is wonderful and the staff very nice knowing that I can understand them!!!!

haha well I am so happy to hear that so much is going well. It is weird to think that I could have a new niece or nephew before November is over!!!!! and Mariah haha how many times I teased her by asking her if she was Pregnant and now she is that's so funny... well not for her anyway.

I finally got picture with my new companion Elder Smith and I found out he is related. bueno how are things now that a week has passed?

I saw the pictures of the kids and they are getting so big when I first saw Beck I thought that he was Bethany no joke!! but when I read that it was Beck I thought HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE IS SO BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by the time I get home he will be 6.3 and heading out on his mission.

I am so glad that I am out here I know that I have learned so much and switching to English helped me see how much my Spanish has grown and I have to fight every day to keep it up. needless to say Elder Smith is learning a lot of Spanish!!

It feels at times when I am driving after dark that I am in Nauvoo or Carthage it's strange really that I cant really remember much about those small towns but I am growing to know quite well a whole new world.

I miss you and the rest of my family I never really thanked you all for everything that you have done for me so Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you.

One of the investigators that we have has a son that plays the bagpipes and has an extra chanter and has offered to give it to me and teach me a little!!!! how cool is that? well we will see how that goes.

Any how I am well I am looking for ways to lose more weight and so far I just don't feel like cutting out cookies from my diet. well what do you say?

With all my love Elder Ziegler