So first things first I have some awesome news!! yesterday I was at stake conference and I saw an old friend that I had not seen for several years.
So other news about the stake conference. it was a nation wide conference and both Elder Christofferson and Elder Packer spoke it was a great!! any way we also walked a lot and my feet are a tad bit sore from that we had walked about 4 hours because we wanted to keep the sabbath day and our car was low on gas so we decided to use our cheveralegs instead. we meet some very nice people!!
On other news we started teaching a fellow from Nicaragua and he has sincere desire to learn and understand the answers to his questions. and we are waiting for another lady from Guatemala to get back so that we can start teaching her. she was a potential from a wile ago but she wants to learn and apply the gospel in her life.
So great things are happening for us here in Vancouver and I am loving every minute of it. There truly is no greater joy than to see one of the 99 who has wondered away come back to our Fathers loving arms. this is a talk that clearly shows our saviors love and also the role of church leaders and missionaries.
The Summer of the Lambs
Jayne B. Malan
03245_000_030
The day school was out at the beginning of each summer, our family went to our ranch in Wyoming. It was there with my parents and brothers and sisters, and a few cousins mixed in, that I learned about family loyalty; love and concern; birth and death; that one must finish a job once it is started; and, to quote my father, “There are only two things important—the family and the Church.”
One year my father was waiting for us as we arrived. He said he had a big job for my brother Clay and me to do that summer. I was about twelve at the time, and my brother was two years older. Pointing to the field by the side of the house, my father said, “Do you see all of these lambs in that field? I’ll share the money we get for the ones you raise when we sell them in the fall.” Well, we were excited. Not only did we have a significant job to do, but we were going to be rich! There were a lot of lambs in that field—about 350 of them. And all we had to do was feed them.
However, there was one thing that my father hadn’t mentioned. None of the lambs had mothers. Just after shearing, there was a violent storm that chilled the newly shorn sheep. Dad lost a thousand ewes that year. The mothers of our lambs were among them.
To feed one or two baby animals is one thing, but to feed 350 is something else! It was hard. There was plenty of grass, but the lambs couldn’t eat the grass. They didn’t have teeth. They needed milk. So we made some long, V-shaped feeding troughs out of some boards. Then we got a great big tin washtub, ground up some grain, and added milk to make a thin mash. While my brother poured the mash into the troughs, I rounded up the lambs, herded them to the troughs, and said, “Eat!” Well, they just stood there looking at me. Although they were hungry and there was food in front of them, they still wouldn’t eat. No one had taught them to drink milk out of a trough. So I tried pushing them toward the troughs. Do you know what happens when you try to push sheep? They run the other way. And when you lose one, you could lose them all because others will follow. That’s the way with sheep.
We tried lining up the lambs along the troughs and pushing their noses down in the milk, hoping they’d get a taste and want some more. We tried wiggling our fingers in the milk to get them to suck on our fingers. Some of them would drink, but most of them ran away.
Many of the lambs were slowly starving to death. The only way we could be sure they were being fed was to pick them up in our arms, two at a time, and feed them like babies.
And then there were the coyotes. At night the coyotes would sit up on the hill, and they’d howl. The next morning we would see the results of their night’s work, and we would have two or three more lambs to bury. The coyotes would sneak up on the lambs, scatter the herd, and then pick out the ones they wanted and go after them. The first were those that were weak or separated from the flock. Often in the night when the coyotes came and the lambs were restless, my dad would take out his rifle and shoot in the air to scare them away. We felt secure when my dad was home because we knew our lambs were safe when he was there to watch over them.
Clay and I soon forgot about being rich. All we wanted to do was save our lambs. The hardest part was seeing them die. Every morning we would find five, seven, ten lambs that had died during the night. Some the coyotes got, and others starved to death surrounded by food they couldn’t or wouldn’t eat.
Part of our job was to gather up the dead lambs and help dispose of them. I got used to that, and it really wasn’t so bad until I named one of the lambs. It was an awkward little thing with a black spot on its nose. It was always under my feet, and it knew my voice. I loved my lamb. It was one I held in my arms and fed with a bottle like a baby.
One morning my lamb didn’t come when I called. I found it later that day under the willows by the creek. It was dead. With tears streaming down my face, I picked up my lamb and went to find my father. Looking up at him, I said, “Dad, isn’t there someone who can help us feed our lambs?”
After a long moment he said, “Jayne, once a long, long time ago, someone else said almost those same words. He said, ‘Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep. … Feed my sheep.’” (John 21:15–17.) Dad put his arms around me and let me cry for a time, then went with me to bury my lamb.
It wasn’t until many years later that I fully realized the meaning of my father’s words. I was pondering the scripture in Moses that says, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of [all mankind].” (Moses 1:39.) As I thought about the mission of the Savior, I remembered the summer of the lambs, and, for a few brief moments, I thought I could sense how the Savior must feel with so many lambs to feed, so many souls to save. And I knew in my heart that he needed my help.
You wonderful young people, from what we’ve observed, you’re not unlike our lambs. You, too, are hungry—hungry for things of the Spirit that will make you grow strong and keep you safe from the coyotes that are out to destroy you. You are capable and willing to do your part in building the kingdom when you are taught how. And we want to help you.
We know that you need someone to love you, someone to listen and understand. You need to be needed. You need opportunities to come together in a safe environment, a safe fold so to speak, where you can share with one another and develop wholesome friendships based on brother-sister relationships rather than romantic involvement. You need opportunities to experience the joy of sacrifice and service, of caring for and loving one another as our Savior loves us. Within the gospel we have what you need, but you will need to reach out and accept it.
It would have been far easier to save our lambs if the mothers had been there to feed them. Young women, you are the mothers of tomorrow. Young men, you are the fathers. Together, you are the parents, the teachers, and the advisers who will help nurture and feed young lambs and lead them home. Prepare yourselves now for that sacred responsibility. Study the scriptures. Develop your God-given talents. Learn all you can about the world around you that is clean and good. Prepare yourselves to enter the temple of the Lord and be worthy to receive the ordinances and blessings by living, teaching, and sharing the gospel.
Your Heavenly Father knows you and cares about what you are doing. He wants you to fulfill your divine mission, then come home and bring your family and friends with you. He wants you to be happy. Be on your knees daily and talk to your Heavenly Father. Share the happy times. Talk about what’s hard for you. Like my father, your Heavenly Father will understand. He’ll be there to walk with you, and to comfort and protect you, for he has promised to those who seek him, “I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (D&C 84:88.)
Our prophet, President Benson, has said, “The symbolism of the Good Shepherd is not without significant parallel in the Church today.” The sheep need to be led by watchful shepherds. “With a shepherd’s loving care, our young people, our young lambs, will not be as inclined to wander. And if they do, the crook of the shepherd’s staff, a loving arm, and an understanding heart will help to retrieve them.” (Regional Representatives’ Seminar, 3 Apr. 1987.)
Parents, priesthood leaders, teachers, advisers, be “watchful shepherds”; and you, our noble youth, band together in the strength of the Lord and lead out in righteousness. Reach out with loving arms and understanding hearts to those who are weak or wandering. Help bring them back to the fold, where they can learn of the Good Shepherd and grow close to him. And please choose carefully the paths you walk, for others will follow. That’s the way with sheep.
Of our little flock, we saved only one-third. And what of the Savior’s flock? He has said, “Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep.”
This I know: He needs our help. With more people to help, more lambs will be saved. A simple fact, but true. Of this I can bear testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
go to this sight and watch this video
I too add my testimony that this work is of great importance and those who choose to heed the Masters call will find treasures of wealth beyond imagining. Elder Ziegler
Monday, 28 May 2012
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
22 May 2012
I got my shoes!!!! they are so new I will have to put some ware and tare on them before I get home today!
Do you get along with them? yes I am
any new and interesting foods? no I haven't not much is new for me any more.
so the reason that I am e-mailing today is because yesterday was a holiday so all the library's were closed so we had some extra time to clean!
well at this time I am doing well I will be in Vancouver for another 6 weeks. and I will be with Elder Flexhaug. so more about him. He loves watches he said just this morning before leaving "okay now for the hardest time of the day, deciding which watch to ware!" so that is rather funny to me because I have been using the same watch for over a year now and I have not even thought about buying a new one although I was thinking about getting an old wind-up pocket watch! I thought it was a good idea but I didn't get it.
Any way we had a good week we have been finding and working with the members. I am just loving my mission and I am thinking that I might want to stay....... please don't kill me mom! we will see what the will of the Lord. las cosas de aqui son muy diferente que alla! now for those who are not able to read Spanish and to save you the time of translating. I said that the things here are very different from there! now how are you all doing? http://bcove.me/64th4wx8 I love these videos they are so cool! I have not been able to hear them but I know that they are very good because I can feel the spirit when I watch them. so things are well here we are teaching and we are working hard no complaints. so until next week digo adios
Elder Ziegler
Do you get along with them? yes I am
any new and interesting foods? no I haven't not much is new for me any more.
so the reason that I am e-mailing today is because yesterday was a holiday so all the library's were closed so we had some extra time to clean!
well at this time I am doing well I will be in Vancouver for another 6 weeks. and I will be with Elder Flexhaug. so more about him. He loves watches he said just this morning before leaving "okay now for the hardest time of the day, deciding which watch to ware!" so that is rather funny to me because I have been using the same watch for over a year now and I have not even thought about buying a new one although I was thinking about getting an old wind-up pocket watch! I thought it was a good idea but I didn't get it.
Any way we had a good week we have been finding and working with the members. I am just loving my mission and I am thinking that I might want to stay....... please don't kill me mom! we will see what the will of the Lord. las cosas de aqui son muy diferente que alla! now for those who are not able to read Spanish and to save you the time of translating. I said that the things here are very different from there! now how are you all doing? http://bcove.me/64th4wx8 I love these videos they are so cool! I have not been able to hear them but I know that they are very good because I can feel the spirit when I watch them. so things are well here we are teaching and we are working hard no complaints. so until next week digo adios
Elder Ziegler
Monday, 14 May 2012
14 May 2012
Happy Mothers Day!!!!!! here is a flower for all you mothers in the world!. okay so I had the oprotunity to speak with my family yesterday I was able to say hello to two of my three sisters. Hermana Ziegler was not on the line. But I asked my parents to say hello. (some of you may be wondering why I am not talking to my family and that is because I spoke to them already) any way things here are going well. the weather is worming up and all things are starting to change.
yesterday wile driving to an appointment I saw something funny. I whish I had my camera so I could send a photo but I will have to do my best to describe it. it was a van with stickers on the back to show the amount of people in the family. and I think that we would have been able to get along because they were Storm-trooper helmets from star wars. any way I was laughing rather hard because my parents had just made fun of me for decorating my planner with star wars pictures. I just thought that it was funny.
Now we have had a good week one full of planning and working hard. not any time to be lazy but I think I found a few seconds to snooze here and there so it was not all work was it???? Now to tell you the truth I can't really think of much to write but here is what I have. So untill next week when I have more to talk about I hope! or I will just make things happen so I have a funny story to tell.
yesterday wile driving to an appointment I saw something funny. I whish I had my camera so I could send a photo but I will have to do my best to describe it. it was a van with stickers on the back to show the amount of people in the family. and I think that we would have been able to get along because they were Storm-trooper helmets from star wars. any way I was laughing rather hard because my parents had just made fun of me for decorating my planner with star wars pictures. I just thought that it was funny.
Now we have had a good week one full of planning and working hard. not any time to be lazy but I think I found a few seconds to snooze here and there so it was not all work was it???? Now to tell you the truth I can't really think of much to write but here is what I have. So untill next week when I have more to talk about I hope! or I will just make things happen so I have a funny story to tell.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
So I was at the temple this morning and that was so nice being able to go to the temple and feel of it's spirit. It really is the house of the LORD. so this last little wile I have been a bit stressed out I feel like I have been pulling my hair out and not being happy but I feel better now I was able to see that I was being worked on for a wile and recently I have been a little off my guard.. if you haven't been to the temple in a wile go it really helps with every thing!!!! It is a place where our common enemy cannot be so you can feel that peace all around you! you just have to be willing to leave everything out side and never pick up the bad stuff again.
well any way I have been good other than the stress. we have been trying to teach a family but they have been so busy and this week they will be out of town for three weeks! I feel that all will be well they have come to church and they said that they loved it so I am very confident that they will be more than ready to learn more when they get back.
ohh... today after the temple we went out to eat and a fellow who was eating close to us (our whole zone) and after a little bit came up to us saying "you look like really great people. you know do the right thing and don't do drugs and stuff like that" and put two hundred dollars on the table and offered to pay our bill. we kindly turned him down but we invited him to learn about how he can repent. ( he looked like he had been a some trouble in his life.) I was told that he said that he really wants to change and feel forgiven of what he has done.
Other than that and having a great lesson with an investigator that's about it. The investigator that we had the lesson with said that they really do feel that we need a living Prophet in our day to lead and guide us. and they said that they don't feel that the church that they are going to is true. we invited them to be baptized the 16th of June and they had a definite answer to give us they said yes. and that was so cool to see them happily say yes!
Any way this is a short one I know but I feel that it was filled. ohh. one thing that helped me was something that I learned a little wile ago. is that one of the biggest lies that satin wants us to be leave is that we cannot repent. Mortal men might have fallen but unlike him we can Rise again as we apply the Atonement in our lives. He fell and will never be able to get back up. But since our eldest Brother did make it possible for us to get back up and keep climbing!
Elder Ziegler
Here is a great Talk by President Eyring
Mountains to Climb
Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency
If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. 10485_000_17eyrin
I heard President Spencer W. Kimball, in a session of conference, ask that God would give him mountains to climb. He said: “There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, ‘Give me this mountain,’ give me these challenges.”1
My heart was stirred, knowing, as I did, some of the challenges and adversity he had already faced. I felt a desire to be more like him, a valiant servant of God. So one night I prayed for a test to prove my courage. I can remember it vividly. In the evening I knelt in my bedroom with a faith that seemed almost to fill my heart to bursting.
Within a day or two my prayer was answered. The hardest trial of my life surprised and humbled me. It provided me a twofold lesson. First, I had clear proof that God heard and answered my prayer of faith. But second, I began a tutorial that still goes on to learn about why I felt with such confidence that night that a great blessing could come from adversity to more than compensate for any cost.
The adversity that hit me in that faraway day now seems tiny compared to what has come since—to me and to those I love. Many of you are now passing through physical, mental, and emotional trials that could cause you to cry out as did one great and faithful servant of God I knew well. His nurse heard him exclaim from his bed of pain, “When I have tried all my life to be good, why has this happened to me?”
You know how the Lord answered that question for the Prophet Joseph Smith in his prison cell:
“And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
“Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”2
There seems to me no better answer to the question of why trials come and what we are to do than the words of the Lord Himself, who passed through trials for us more terrible than we can imagine.
You remember His words when He counseled that we should, out of faith in Him, repent:
“Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
“Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”3
You and I have faith that the way to rise through and above trials is to believe that there is a “balm in Gilead”4 and that the Lord has promised, “I will not … forsake thee.”5 That is what President Thomas S. Monson has taught us to help us and those we serve in what seem lonely and overwhelming trials.6
But President Monson has also wisely taught that a foundation of faith in the reality of those promises takes time to build. You may have seen the need for that foundation, as I have, at the bedside of someone ready to give up the fight to endure to the end. If the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble.
My purpose today is to describe what I know of how we can lay that unshakable foundation. I do it with great humility for two reasons. First, what I say could discourage some who are struggling in the midst of great adversity and feel their foundation of faith is crumbling. And second, I know that ever-greater tests lie before me before the end of life. Therefore, the prescription I offer you has yet to be proven in my own life through enduring to the end.
As a young man I worked with a contractor building footings and foundations for new houses. In the summer heat it was hard work to prepare the ground for the form into which we poured the cement for the footing. There were no machines. We used a pick and a shovel. Building lasting foundations for buildings was hard work in those days.
It also required patience. After we poured the footing, we waited for it to cure. Much as we wanted to keep the jobs moving, we also waited after the pour of the foundation before we took away the forms.
And even more impressive to a novice builder was what seemed to be a tedious and time-consuming process to put metal bars carefully inside the forms to give the finished foundation strength.
In a similar way, the ground must be carefully prepared for our foundation of faith to withstand the storms that will come into every life. That solid basis for a foundation of faith is personal integrity.
Our choosing the right consistently whenever the choice is placed before us creates the solid ground under our faith. It can begin in childhood since every soul is born with the free gift of the Spirit of Christ. With that Spirit we can know when we have done what is right before God and when we have done wrong in His sight.
Those choices, hundreds in most days, prepare the solid ground on which our edifice of faith is built. The metal framework around which the substance of our faith is poured is the gospel of Jesus Christ, with all its covenants, ordinances, and principles.
One of the keys to an enduring faith is to judge correctly the curing time required. That is why I was unwise to pray so soon in my life for higher mountains to climb and greater tests.
That curing does not come automatically through the passage of time, but it does take time. Getting older does not do it alone. It is serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul that turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength.
Now, I wish to encourage those who are in the midst of hard trials, who feel their faith may be fading under the onslaught of troubles. Trouble itself can be your way to strengthen and finally gain unshakable faith. Moroni, the son of Mormon in the Book of Mormon, told us how that blessing could come to pass. He teaches the simple and sweet truth that acting on even a twig of faith allows God to grow it:
“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
“For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.
“But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.
“Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.”7
That particle of faith most precious and which you should protect and use to whatever extent you can is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Moroni taught the power of that faith this way: “And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.”8
I have visited with a woman who received the miracle of sufficient strength to endure unimaginable losses with just the simple capacity to repeat endlessly the words “I know that my Redeemer lives.”9 That faith and those words of testimony were still there in the mist that obscured but did not erase memories of her childhood.
I was stunned to learn that another woman had forgiven a person who had wronged her for years. I was surprised and asked her why she had chosen to forgive and forget so many years of spiteful abuse.
She said quietly, “It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I just knew I had to do it. So I did.” Her faith that the Savior would forgive her if she forgave others prepared her with a feeling of peace and hope as she faced death just months after she had forgiven her unrepentant adversary.
She asked me, “When I get there, how will it be in heaven?”
And I said, “I know just from what I have seen of your capacity to exercise faith and to forgive that it will be a wonderful homecoming for you.”
I have another encouragement to those who now wonder if their faith in Jesus Christ will be sufficient for them to endure well to the end. I was blessed to have known others of you who are listening now when you were younger, vibrant, gifted beyond most of those around you, yet you chose to do what the Savior would have done. Out of your abundance you found ways to help and care for those you might have ignored or looked down upon from your place in life.
When hard trials come, the faith to endure them well will be there, built as you may now notice but may have not at the time that you acted on the pure love of Christ, serving and forgiving others as the Savior would have done. You built a foundation of faith from loving as the Savior loved and serving for Him. Your faith in Him led to acts of charity that will bring you hope.
It is never too late to strengthen the foundation of faith. There is always time. With faith in the Savior, you can repent and plead for forgiveness. There is someone you can forgive. There is someone you can thank. There is someone you can serve and lift. You can do it wherever you are and however alone and deserted you may feel.
I cannot promise an end to your adversity in this life. I cannot assure you that your trials will seem to you to be only for a moment. One of the characteristics of trials in life is that they seem to make clocks slow down and then appear almost to stop.
There are reasons for that. Knowing those reasons may not give much comfort, but it can give you a feeling of patience. Those reasons come from this one fact: in Their perfect love for you, Heavenly Father and the Savior want you fitted to be with Them to live in families forever. Only those washed perfectly clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can be there.
My mother fought cancer for nearly 10 years. Treatments and surgeries and finally confinement to her bed were some of her trials.
I remember my father saying as he watched her take her last breath, “A little girl has gone home to rest.”
One of the speakers at her funeral was President Spencer W. Kimball. Among the tributes he paid, I remember one that went something like this: “Some of you may have thought that Mildred suffered so long and so much because of something she had done wrong that required the trials.” He then said, “No, it was that God just wanted her to be polished a little more.” I remember at the time thinking, “If a woman that good needed that much polishing, what is ahead for me?”
If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. In all conditions, we can choose the right with the guidance of the Spirit. We have the gospel of Jesus Christ to shape and guide our lives if we choose it. And with prophets revealing to us our place in the plan of salvation, we can live with perfect hope and a feeling of peace. We never need to feel that we are alone or unloved in the Lord’s service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up.10 And He always keeps His word.
I testify that God the Father lives and that His Beloved Son is our Redeemer. The Holy Ghost has confirmed truth in this conference and will again as you seek it, as you listen, and as you later study the messages of the Lord’s authorized servants, who are here. President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet to the entire world. The Lord watches over you. God the Father lives. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, is our Redeemer. His love is unfailing. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
well any way I have been good other than the stress. we have been trying to teach a family but they have been so busy and this week they will be out of town for three weeks! I feel that all will be well they have come to church and they said that they loved it so I am very confident that they will be more than ready to learn more when they get back.
ohh... today after the temple we went out to eat and a fellow who was eating close to us (our whole zone) and after a little bit came up to us saying "you look like really great people. you know do the right thing and don't do drugs and stuff like that" and put two hundred dollars on the table and offered to pay our bill. we kindly turned him down but we invited him to learn about how he can repent. ( he looked like he had been a some trouble in his life.) I was told that he said that he really wants to change and feel forgiven of what he has done.
Other than that and having a great lesson with an investigator that's about it. The investigator that we had the lesson with said that they really do feel that we need a living Prophet in our day to lead and guide us. and they said that they don't feel that the church that they are going to is true. we invited them to be baptized the 16th of June and they had a definite answer to give us they said yes. and that was so cool to see them happily say yes!
Any way this is a short one I know but I feel that it was filled. ohh. one thing that helped me was something that I learned a little wile ago. is that one of the biggest lies that satin wants us to be leave is that we cannot repent. Mortal men might have fallen but unlike him we can Rise again as we apply the Atonement in our lives. He fell and will never be able to get back up. But since our eldest Brother did make it possible for us to get back up and keep climbing!
Elder Ziegler
Here is a great Talk by President Eyring
Mountains to Climb
Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency
If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. 10485_000_17eyrin
I heard President Spencer W. Kimball, in a session of conference, ask that God would give him mountains to climb. He said: “There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, ‘Give me this mountain,’ give me these challenges.”1
My heart was stirred, knowing, as I did, some of the challenges and adversity he had already faced. I felt a desire to be more like him, a valiant servant of God. So one night I prayed for a test to prove my courage. I can remember it vividly. In the evening I knelt in my bedroom with a faith that seemed almost to fill my heart to bursting.
Within a day or two my prayer was answered. The hardest trial of my life surprised and humbled me. It provided me a twofold lesson. First, I had clear proof that God heard and answered my prayer of faith. But second, I began a tutorial that still goes on to learn about why I felt with such confidence that night that a great blessing could come from adversity to more than compensate for any cost.
The adversity that hit me in that faraway day now seems tiny compared to what has come since—to me and to those I love. Many of you are now passing through physical, mental, and emotional trials that could cause you to cry out as did one great and faithful servant of God I knew well. His nurse heard him exclaim from his bed of pain, “When I have tried all my life to be good, why has this happened to me?”
You know how the Lord answered that question for the Prophet Joseph Smith in his prison cell:
“And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
“Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”2
There seems to me no better answer to the question of why trials come and what we are to do than the words of the Lord Himself, who passed through trials for us more terrible than we can imagine.
You remember His words when He counseled that we should, out of faith in Him, repent:
“Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
“Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”3
You and I have faith that the way to rise through and above trials is to believe that there is a “balm in Gilead”4 and that the Lord has promised, “I will not … forsake thee.”5 That is what President Thomas S. Monson has taught us to help us and those we serve in what seem lonely and overwhelming trials.6
But President Monson has also wisely taught that a foundation of faith in the reality of those promises takes time to build. You may have seen the need for that foundation, as I have, at the bedside of someone ready to give up the fight to endure to the end. If the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble.
My purpose today is to describe what I know of how we can lay that unshakable foundation. I do it with great humility for two reasons. First, what I say could discourage some who are struggling in the midst of great adversity and feel their foundation of faith is crumbling. And second, I know that ever-greater tests lie before me before the end of life. Therefore, the prescription I offer you has yet to be proven in my own life through enduring to the end.
As a young man I worked with a contractor building footings and foundations for new houses. In the summer heat it was hard work to prepare the ground for the form into which we poured the cement for the footing. There were no machines. We used a pick and a shovel. Building lasting foundations for buildings was hard work in those days.
It also required patience. After we poured the footing, we waited for it to cure. Much as we wanted to keep the jobs moving, we also waited after the pour of the foundation before we took away the forms.
And even more impressive to a novice builder was what seemed to be a tedious and time-consuming process to put metal bars carefully inside the forms to give the finished foundation strength.
In a similar way, the ground must be carefully prepared for our foundation of faith to withstand the storms that will come into every life. That solid basis for a foundation of faith is personal integrity.
Our choosing the right consistently whenever the choice is placed before us creates the solid ground under our faith. It can begin in childhood since every soul is born with the free gift of the Spirit of Christ. With that Spirit we can know when we have done what is right before God and when we have done wrong in His sight.
Those choices, hundreds in most days, prepare the solid ground on which our edifice of faith is built. The metal framework around which the substance of our faith is poured is the gospel of Jesus Christ, with all its covenants, ordinances, and principles.
One of the keys to an enduring faith is to judge correctly the curing time required. That is why I was unwise to pray so soon in my life for higher mountains to climb and greater tests.
That curing does not come automatically through the passage of time, but it does take time. Getting older does not do it alone. It is serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul that turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength.
Now, I wish to encourage those who are in the midst of hard trials, who feel their faith may be fading under the onslaught of troubles. Trouble itself can be your way to strengthen and finally gain unshakable faith. Moroni, the son of Mormon in the Book of Mormon, told us how that blessing could come to pass. He teaches the simple and sweet truth that acting on even a twig of faith allows God to grow it:
“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
“For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.
“But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.
“Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.”7
That particle of faith most precious and which you should protect and use to whatever extent you can is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Moroni taught the power of that faith this way: “And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.”8
I have visited with a woman who received the miracle of sufficient strength to endure unimaginable losses with just the simple capacity to repeat endlessly the words “I know that my Redeemer lives.”9 That faith and those words of testimony were still there in the mist that obscured but did not erase memories of her childhood.
I was stunned to learn that another woman had forgiven a person who had wronged her for years. I was surprised and asked her why she had chosen to forgive and forget so many years of spiteful abuse.
She said quietly, “It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I just knew I had to do it. So I did.” Her faith that the Savior would forgive her if she forgave others prepared her with a feeling of peace and hope as she faced death just months after she had forgiven her unrepentant adversary.
She asked me, “When I get there, how will it be in heaven?”
And I said, “I know just from what I have seen of your capacity to exercise faith and to forgive that it will be a wonderful homecoming for you.”
I have another encouragement to those who now wonder if their faith in Jesus Christ will be sufficient for them to endure well to the end. I was blessed to have known others of you who are listening now when you were younger, vibrant, gifted beyond most of those around you, yet you chose to do what the Savior would have done. Out of your abundance you found ways to help and care for those you might have ignored or looked down upon from your place in life.
When hard trials come, the faith to endure them well will be there, built as you may now notice but may have not at the time that you acted on the pure love of Christ, serving and forgiving others as the Savior would have done. You built a foundation of faith from loving as the Savior loved and serving for Him. Your faith in Him led to acts of charity that will bring you hope.
It is never too late to strengthen the foundation of faith. There is always time. With faith in the Savior, you can repent and plead for forgiveness. There is someone you can forgive. There is someone you can thank. There is someone you can serve and lift. You can do it wherever you are and however alone and deserted you may feel.
I cannot promise an end to your adversity in this life. I cannot assure you that your trials will seem to you to be only for a moment. One of the characteristics of trials in life is that they seem to make clocks slow down and then appear almost to stop.
There are reasons for that. Knowing those reasons may not give much comfort, but it can give you a feeling of patience. Those reasons come from this one fact: in Their perfect love for you, Heavenly Father and the Savior want you fitted to be with Them to live in families forever. Only those washed perfectly clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can be there.
My mother fought cancer for nearly 10 years. Treatments and surgeries and finally confinement to her bed were some of her trials.
I remember my father saying as he watched her take her last breath, “A little girl has gone home to rest.”
One of the speakers at her funeral was President Spencer W. Kimball. Among the tributes he paid, I remember one that went something like this: “Some of you may have thought that Mildred suffered so long and so much because of something she had done wrong that required the trials.” He then said, “No, it was that God just wanted her to be polished a little more.” I remember at the time thinking, “If a woman that good needed that much polishing, what is ahead for me?”
If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. In all conditions, we can choose the right with the guidance of the Spirit. We have the gospel of Jesus Christ to shape and guide our lives if we choose it. And with prophets revealing to us our place in the plan of salvation, we can live with perfect hope and a feeling of peace. We never need to feel that we are alone or unloved in the Lord’s service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up.10 And He always keeps His word.
I testify that God the Father lives and that His Beloved Son is our Redeemer. The Holy Ghost has confirmed truth in this conference and will again as you seek it, as you listen, and as you later study the messages of the Lord’s authorized servants, who are here. President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet to the entire world. The Lord watches over you. God the Father lives. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, is our Redeemer. His love is unfailing. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Monday, 30 April 2012
30 April 2012
How is the work?
well it is going rather well and we had a miracle happen yesterday. we had invited a lady to come to church last week and we called her Saturday night to remind her and she said that she would come and we were really hopping and praying that she would and she did!!!! when we saw her our jaws literally hit the floor. it was so cool she only came for sacrament but she told us that she would be coming next week and that she wanted to bring her kids to the youth activity night so that was really cool. any way we are working rather hard.
well other than that story not much else happened. we got a couch for our apartment because we live close to the mission office so we got a hide-a-bed so that other missionaries can come stay the night for zone leader conference's. it is nice to be back in the lower main land again we are able to talk to president Tilleman in one way or another every week. so that is really cool. I have been having a back pain for a few days now and it has not been fun because it hurts when I am not sitting right up against something right on that spot. any way things have been going well I have sent the letters so look for them!!! I LOVE YOU ALL MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. we will be going to the temple next week so next week will be on tuesday...
well it is going rather well and we had a miracle happen yesterday. we had invited a lady to come to church last week and we called her Saturday night to remind her and she said that she would come and we were really hopping and praying that she would and she did!!!! when we saw her our jaws literally hit the floor. it was so cool she only came for sacrament but she told us that she would be coming next week and that she wanted to bring her kids to the youth activity night so that was really cool. any way we are working rather hard.
well other than that story not much else happened. we got a couch for our apartment because we live close to the mission office so we got a hide-a-bed so that other missionaries can come stay the night for zone leader conference's. it is nice to be back in the lower main land again we are able to talk to president Tilleman in one way or another every week. so that is really cool. I have been having a back pain for a few days now and it has not been fun because it hurts when I am not sitting right up against something right on that spot. any way things have been going well I have sent the letters so look for them!!! I LOVE YOU ALL MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. we will be going to the temple next week so next week will be on tuesday...
Monday, 23 April 2012
23 April 2012
May we forevermore Choose to do The Right
So this has been a great week we were able to teach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it had been a wile, the Lord is blessing us!!!!! I knew that he would as long as we had faith and did as he asked.
Any way I got the photo of Madison so cute. and all that hair just like her mother I bet!!!! and I bet that my sister is very happy to have her out, but just WAITE!! she will wish that time didn't go by so fast!!!!!!! remember how fast your mission went by???
So how are things back home? I mean I want to know I really do.
any way things are well here, other than the fact that the Cannuks lost last night and the entire Provence is in morning. but all I have to say is that we wont have another Riot in downtown this year.
okay now for the good stuff President Tilleman gave a training for all the missionaries in the lower main-land and the zone leaders and it was powerful he told us some stories that was just incredible we really felt the spirit in the room. and He really has a lot of love for this work and the workers even those who haven't come to work yet.
well not much else to talk about I have some plans to write real letters so I will put some more info in those.
So this has been a great week we were able to teach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it had been a wile, the Lord is blessing us!!!!! I knew that he would as long as we had faith and did as he asked.
Any way I got the photo of Madison so cute. and all that hair just like her mother I bet!!!! and I bet that my sister is very happy to have her out, but just WAITE!! she will wish that time didn't go by so fast!!!!!!! remember how fast your mission went by???
So how are things back home? I mean I want to know I really do.
any way things are well here, other than the fact that the Cannuks lost last night and the entire Provence is in morning. but all I have to say is that we wont have another Riot in downtown this year.
okay now for the good stuff President Tilleman gave a training for all the missionaries in the lower main-land and the zone leaders and it was powerful he told us some stories that was just incredible we really felt the spirit in the room. and He really has a lot of love for this work and the workers even those who haven't come to work yet.
well not much else to talk about I have some plans to write real letters so I will put some more info in those.
Monday, 16 April 2012
16 April 2012
So things here are still hard work but we are still keeping at it. Elder Escobar our district leader was talking to us last night and he told us that he was very impressed at our diligence. Well if you know Vancouver you would know what he is talking about it's not the easiest area but it's not the hardest ether.
Any way it was kind of cool to see a change in myself not to long ago I was really thinking about what it is that I can offer to this mission and I was reading in my notes for preach my Gospel and I saw something that I didn't see before and that was I really wanted to become like my Savior and that was by doing everything I could to obtain for my self the Christ like attributes, and I saw that working on developing these became a part of who I am and I wanted them to be a part of who I will become. I also was really thinking allot about what it is that helps us develop a personal testimony that is so powerful that we give everything we have to the Lord. For some it is a miracle that happens in their lives, for some it is a simple witness that Jesus is the Christ and for a few it is a combination of both and then I was thinking about how do we gain that witness that the Lord is our Savior and it is the simple day by day choices we make to follow him and by that we develop Faith and that is when the miracle comes. I was just thinking that before the Spirit can witness to us of righteous actions we must first take that step of faith. so just like president Uchtdorf said "
Belief Comes One Step at a Time.
One dear sister had been a faithful member of the Church all her life. But she carried a personal sorrow. Years before, her daughter had died after a short illness, and the wounds from this tragedy still haunted her. She agonized over the profound questions that accompany an event such as this. She frankly admitted that her testimony wasn’t what it used to be. She felt that unless the heavens parted for her, she would never be able to believe again.
So she found herself waiting.
There are many others who, for different reasons, find themselves waiting on the road to Damascus. They delay becoming fully engaged as disciples. They hope to receive the priesthood but hesitate to live worthy of that privilege. They desire to enter the Temple but delay the final act of faith to qualify. They remain waiting for the Christ to be given to them like a magnificent Carl Bloch painting—to remove once and for all their doubts and fears.
The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed.
This can be our experience if we move forward with faith and do not wait too long on the road to Damascus."
Are we waiting or are we on our way? well I was thinking about that and I thought that yes at times we wait for the Lord to tell us what to do even when he has told us "choose for your self"
Any way the events of this last week have been rather long and interesting it has consisted of finding and even more finding so we have had a lot of experience in that department. We also have a new missionary that is from Utah but just yesterday I learned something HE HAS BEEN TO ZIGGIE'S and he said that the hot wings nearly killed him lol and he told me that he met mamma, pappa and Hna. Ziegler well I was taken back a bit and when I came to my senses we went on with the day. well that is about all I have to write for this week ttynt, asta la aproccima samana!!!
Any way it was kind of cool to see a change in myself not to long ago I was really thinking about what it is that I can offer to this mission and I was reading in my notes for preach my Gospel and I saw something that I didn't see before and that was I really wanted to become like my Savior and that was by doing everything I could to obtain for my self the Christ like attributes, and I saw that working on developing these became a part of who I am and I wanted them to be a part of who I will become. I also was really thinking allot about what it is that helps us develop a personal testimony that is so powerful that we give everything we have to the Lord. For some it is a miracle that happens in their lives, for some it is a simple witness that Jesus is the Christ and for a few it is a combination of both and then I was thinking about how do we gain that witness that the Lord is our Savior and it is the simple day by day choices we make to follow him and by that we develop Faith and that is when the miracle comes. I was just thinking that before the Spirit can witness to us of righteous actions we must first take that step of faith. so just like president Uchtdorf said "
Belief Comes One Step at a Time.
One dear sister had been a faithful member of the Church all her life. But she carried a personal sorrow. Years before, her daughter had died after a short illness, and the wounds from this tragedy still haunted her. She agonized over the profound questions that accompany an event such as this. She frankly admitted that her testimony wasn’t what it used to be. She felt that unless the heavens parted for her, she would never be able to believe again.
So she found herself waiting.
There are many others who, for different reasons, find themselves waiting on the road to Damascus. They delay becoming fully engaged as disciples. They hope to receive the priesthood but hesitate to live worthy of that privilege. They desire to enter the Temple but delay the final act of faith to qualify. They remain waiting for the Christ to be given to them like a magnificent Carl Bloch painting—to remove once and for all their doubts and fears.
The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed.
This can be our experience if we move forward with faith and do not wait too long on the road to Damascus."
Are we waiting or are we on our way? well I was thinking about that and I thought that yes at times we wait for the Lord to tell us what to do even when he has told us "choose for your self"
Any way the events of this last week have been rather long and interesting it has consisted of finding and even more finding so we have had a lot of experience in that department. We also have a new missionary that is from Utah but just yesterday I learned something HE HAS BEEN TO ZIGGIE'S and he said that the hot wings nearly killed him lol and he told me that he met mamma, pappa and Hna. Ziegler well I was taken back a bit and when I came to my senses we went on with the day. well that is about all I have to write for this week ttynt, asta la aproccima samana!!!
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
10 April 2012
so yeah we have rather interesting holidays here and the libraries were closed yesterday so we are allowed to email today.
Any way it has been a rather slow few weeks a defendant test of faith and will. we have not been changed but here is our new address #2 8678 Osler st. Vancouver Canada v6p3a7. nothing bigger than a letter because we have a small mailbox and please no packages.
Other than that not much to report just that I am doing well and we are working hard at becoming obedient to the lord in all things.
well I have no funny stories or sad ones not even some spiritual ones it has just been a hard week full of work.
I have had one of those testimony giving experiences. I was asked to share my testimony in a meeting about the savior and the things I said I learned that there was not the slightest bit of coincidence in how the Gospel has played a role in our lives. and I was able to share the I know that if this Gospel was not true then I would not be standing here today. So I am a living wittiness of the message and in the knowing that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.
I just wanted to say that I am supper excited to be a missionary I have never felt so happy and I have not understood so much of life and how to live it with joy.
ohh Hermana Ziegler you had what and didn't share with me???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so not fare and one thing I learned from english work is if your full no tengas miedo para negar ma`s comida bueno la unica cosa que puedo decir es echas las ganas y siga aldalante. sin desafio no hay victoria!!!!!!
To every one that will be reading HI!!!!! and how are you? you may send replies to the address listed hehe I love you all and I hope you have an awesome week.
Any way it has been a rather slow few weeks a defendant test of faith and will. we have not been changed but here is our new address #2 8678 Osler st. Vancouver Canada v6p3a7. nothing bigger than a letter because we have a small mailbox and please no packages.
Other than that not much to report just that I am doing well and we are working hard at becoming obedient to the lord in all things.
well I have no funny stories or sad ones not even some spiritual ones it has just been a hard week full of work.
I have had one of those testimony giving experiences. I was asked to share my testimony in a meeting about the savior and the things I said I learned that there was not the slightest bit of coincidence in how the Gospel has played a role in our lives. and I was able to share the I know that if this Gospel was not true then I would not be standing here today. So I am a living wittiness of the message and in the knowing that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.
I just wanted to say that I am supper excited to be a missionary I have never felt so happy and I have not understood so much of life and how to live it with joy.
ohh Hermana Ziegler you had what and didn't share with me???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so not fare and one thing I learned from english work is if your full no tengas miedo para negar ma`s comida bueno la unica cosa que puedo decir es echas las ganas y siga aldalante. sin desafio no hay victoria!!!!!!
To every one that will be reading HI!!!!! and how are you? you may send replies to the address listed hehe I love you all and I hope you have an awesome week.
Monday, 9 April 2012
9 April 2012
sorry no post from Eric today because it is a Holiday in Canada. Keep tuned for a post later this week.
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
2 April 2012
So how has your week been? Have you been busy at work? well we have been busy but we have not been able to teach anyone for two weeks now and we had to take this entire weekend for moving. NOT fun we are in an apartment that is nice hard wood floors and lots of room we are settling in rather well. When I know weather or not I am getting transferred in about two weeks. I will let you know my address.
I have not heard back about registering for school but I will ask in person and let you know asap.
any way I do have my new suit coat but I also put on my charcoal jacket for the first time and I was opening the pockets and the left one, the wrong seam popped so it's still wearable but I will have to do some surgery.
any way I LOVED CONFERENCE IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not describe how cool it was all I can say is watch it for your self
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2012/04?lang=eng
here's the link address they are very inspirational.
so what's new there I want to know I don't hear much from many people I have yet to get a photo from Mariah and I do thank you for the pics mom, dad and Nichole.
so yeah there is not much to talk about and I don't have much time left so I will let this one be short and say asta la aproccima samana :) :) :)
I have not heard back about registering for school but I will ask in person and let you know asap.
any way I do have my new suit coat but I also put on my charcoal jacket for the first time and I was opening the pockets and the left one, the wrong seam popped so it's still wearable but I will have to do some surgery.
any way I LOVED CONFERENCE IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not describe how cool it was all I can say is watch it for your self
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2012/04?lang=eng
here's the link address they are very inspirational.
so what's new there I want to know I don't hear much from many people I have yet to get a photo from Mariah and I do thank you for the pics mom, dad and Nichole.
so yeah there is not much to talk about and I don't have much time left so I will let this one be short and say asta la aproccima samana :) :) :)
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