13 February 2012

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERY ONE!!!!

Eric are you and your companion District leaders? just elder smith is DL I am just his companin. I would have told you if I was a leader of any kind although when I got transferred out here I was thinking before I found out that I was changing to English work that I was going to train but I didn't. I am actually glad I was taken away from the city I was going crazy I was hating it to many people all at once. but I did love the ward. as I do here.

ohh by the way I have the stuff I need to fix my pants so don't worry you taught me well my darling mother and if my sewing doesn't work then I will use duct tape and yes I was influenced by my father.

any way not much to report this week other than tomorrow is Elder Smith's B-day and he doesn't know but the food bank were we do service on Tuesday's the people there are planing a nice surprise for him. shhhhhhhhhhh it's a secret I promised that I wouldn't tell him so don't blow it for me I want him to be surprised.

now about how things are here in Courtenay things are well we are teaching several people who are really liking the teachings of the Gospel and it is so wonderful to see a light come into their eye's and their whole personality change bit by bit.

there are a lot of people her that are not to happy about us tracting after dark here we had one person call the R.C.M.P. (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) on us and file a complaint and another threaten to call them if we did not leave the neighborhood. so that was funny and guess what the time was 8:30pm the one who filed the complaint called the family history center to complain some moreand said "NO ONE SHOULD BE KNOCKING ON MY DOOR SO LATE" they were asked "what time is the latest you think any one should knock on your door?" they said "4:00pm!!!!!!!!" that is about 10 minutes before sunset in the winter here. I think that it is so funny that they made sutch a fuss about it that they called to yell about it in my mind I was thinking "wel I don't know which door you were but I am sertin you said "NO" so we left it at that and left your door for about 6-12 months to let you simmer down.

ohh I just remembered I saw some thing that daddy migh like it was a 4 season box set for The Beverly Hillbillie's for only $25 I thought that He would love that I would have bought it for him if I could but I can't. so I have been thinking and you know that is a bad thing.... most of the time. any way I was thinking of sending a box home of canadian candy/chips so if you have any requests all I need is the money and I will get it and send it to you!!! I saw hat ketchup chips are on sale right now so you might want to get it wile it's hot.

well I am not quite sure what to write about now I haven't gotten any letters from any one so that I can answer questions that I get throughout that week so yeah. thats about all I have for this week. Hasta la aproccima nos vemos! con amor Elder E. Ziegler

5 February 2012

How are you my son? I am doing well not much different just the same old same old and a head ache yesterday that's all gone today.


How is the work? it is going very well and the best part is that we had 4 investigators at church yesterday!!!!!!! the most I have had my entire mission.

there was an 5.7 earthquake not to far away? I had no clue!

I was in seventh heaven when I was in that forest it was so cool and the funny thing was I felt at home there. Not like a sense of like I was back in Carthage watching star wars but more like I was completely at peace and welcome. you know what I mean?

well any way it's great to hear that all is working so well for you. but I do have some sad news. President Tilleman is not feeling well and he is in the hospital recovering from a dog bite and a fall. so if you could include him in your prayers that would be great we are told that he will be fine but that prayer never hurts.

Well on to happier news Elder Smith will be 21 on the 14th and I have a plan to make him a cake just something simple.

Any way we are still working hard it is rather tiering and so I sleep very well at night and it is funny I wake up at 6:00, 6:25, and 6:30am but before 6:30 I just go back to sleep but it helps me be more alert after 6:30 so it's just like seminary days YAYYYYYYYYY

Any how so how is every one I am super excited to get your letters!!!!! so who is writing me??????? ( Read in a sad voice -->) alright I haven't got a letter in a month and I am desperate for those little pieces of paper.

(okay happy time) so I was asked if I was teaching any one cool well We are his name.... lets call his Nate is engaged to a less active member and we have been teaching for a little wile and yesterday when he came to church he bore his testimony which is so cool and amazing for him be cause he has been struggling with coffee and smoking as well as some other $/health problems and he said that his life hasn't been better but it has been easier to deal with. so he is starting to see how the gospel is changing his life.

Then another new investigator lets call him Jack is an older fellow but has two sons that are 8 and 6 and they just moved here a few weeks ago and he told us that so far every thing that's happened to him here in Courtenay has been for the better. and he said that he thinks that this church could be the one for him. and he really wants to give his sons the best life he can and also a good foundation of morals for latter on in life. so yeah we will see how things go for them.

Hey real quick question has any one commented on my blog if so could you send me copies of what they say?

Any way there has not been much different in mission life but I have been reading in Job a little at nights and I came across Job 20:8-9

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

when I read that I was like "WHAT??????" "thats kind of cool" but after reading it a few times I thought of how people can hear of how they can have a better life but they say it's just a dream and never accept it and so in that light to me this scripture is talking about Jesus Christ and He will not be found in them. for they have chased Him out of their hearts. That was fairly interesting to think about and I wanted to share it with the world I guess since this is going up on my blog.

Any way I have to write President ttyl.

30 January, 2012

So you know why we came to Nauvoo!!!!! would you mind filling me in on that one?

so now to answer your questions.

How is the work going? The work is going awesome we are finding many people to teach but the problem is that when we go by they are not home but we will keep trying.

How is the weather? Well it is fairly mild not to cold but worming up and getting nicer out. It's strange to think that I have been out since last spring it feels like a distant dream since last mothers day and the next one coming.

Eric are your glasses working good for you? They are wonderful I can see!!!!!!!!!! It was funny not having them I found out how bind I am I was standing at the end of my bed and looked at the bathroom mirror ( about ten fee away ) and I was fuzzy.

How is the Spanish going? It is still with me and I am understanding more and more every day!!!!!!... oh this question was for Diana :( :( :( :(

Is there anything you need? no not really just letters from peoples that's all.


Now for my report.

Well this last week was rather interesting. We had to switch cars with some other Elders and so last Monday we had to do that. So when we were coming back we passed by a famous place that is in one of the greatest films ever made!!!!! I'll give you a hint Planet moon of Endor... get it yet? no? Ewoks!!! still don't have it?!! okay I'll tell you... Star Wars VI (6) Return of the Jedi I was in Cathedral Grove the filming location for Endor and yes the tree's are that big I will send you photo's. Elder Smith and I were there early in the morning so a lot of the photo's are dark but when we come to visit we can go in the day time. and you will see that it was a bit cold.

Any way we do service at the local food bank and they just love it when we come in we get a lot done for them. Then on Wednesday we had district meeting it was rather cool there are more Elders in our District so we have 4 elders and 4 sisters but the Zone leaders come so if they brought one other companionship it would be a zone conference all we are missing is President Tilleman and the assistants. so we are thinking on inviting them to come.

Well we have been doing a lot of finding and a lot of member visits. They love us here not to long ago a member said once he found out that we were staying "when you get good missionaries that you love working with you don't want them to go." it was very nice of him to say that because it made us feel that they really care for us here and to be hones it was an answer to a prayer.

ohh I have to tell you I think that you will get a great kick out of this story so Friday night we are invited to a ward activity a white elephant and I was first and I got a t.v. and that was taken from me :( then I got of all things a black floral pattern leather purse and every on had a good laugh then that was taken from me :*( then I got can you guess it another purse and every one there started to die laughing AND THAT ONE WAS TAKEN AWAY I started to cry because I wanted to send it to Nichole she would have loved it. but I ended up with some buffalo jerky YUMMMMMY hahahaha if you would like some go to Island Bison.com the owner is our ward mission leader so we go out there a lot and get some free stuff it is so good I like... I was also given some books I think that Diana would like Journey to the center of the Earth. and The Lost Horizon. I want to read them but they aren't on the reading list so they are in my suit case waiting to go home. any way not much this week different than the past ones. so yeah I hope you liked the funny story I did and I lived it!!!!

23 January , 2012

Elder Smith and I will be staying.

so I found my camera last Tuesday, it was in my shoe I had forgotten that I put it in there so that I didn't drop it. Other than that it was a very crazy week. I got into a small fender bender I am alright as is Elder smith. The cars involved not as good as we are. Because of it a lot of paper work involved and we had to get it all done within a short amount of time. The weather has not helped at all it went from freak snow to never ending rain so the two extremes not fun. Any way we had a slow week.

We did have an awesome Sunday yesterday we had 2 other lessons and two new investigators it was so cool! They were some potentials that we had on a street that we were told that we wouldn't find any one interested and that was when I first got here. But now we have two who want to learn!!!!!!!! I think that it is very sweet.

We are working hard and we are finding a lot to laugh about (Elder
Smith and I).

So far we have one investigator who is loving the gospel and really wants to make changes in his life and he already has many good friends in the ward. They are so good about that here. They truly care about him and want to help him as best as they can. That is always very cool.

oh I found some thing in language study. It is Salud y pesetas... it means Health and wealth... I thought that daddy would like that.

So not much more news this week other than what I have said so yeah!!!!!!! I hope you all have an awesome week and that you are guided to those who need you!. thank you for all you do.
and thank you for all the letters.

Elder Eric Ziegler

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)