Monday, May 26, 2014

6 months ++

HEY LIFES GREAT. 

its a TON of work but if we didnt have to work for things they would never be worth it.

quick things

yesterday we got a reference from the offices. so we went to visit the guy and he said yea i met the missionaries in a taxi about a month ago. all i remember were 4 girls and one was from tustin (his family lives in santa ana or something) and i was like wait what the heck that was me!! SOOO hes super stoked about everything and he doesnt feel right in any church and he had incredible questions and we gave him a book of mormon and hes going to  read it and ask us more. we sang to him "how great thou ar"t and he said "yep this is great ive got a good feeling about this." more news later on.

 its easy to be a missionary because everything we say is true. everything we promise happens if people work for it. everything we do has a divine purpose and consequence. 

second. we visited a part of our area thats just pure land and random houses made of concrete and tin panels that we havent gone to bc the mission pres, obispo, and everyone says its too dangerous and we have to go with a member but no members will go with us. but we went on tuesday cuz the ap's gave us a reference of a lady that needs truth cuz her 13 yr old dropped out of school and smokes and drinks and is doing drugs and doesnt listen to her. one challenge. another one room house way down a lonely (GORGEOUS) road, we show up and like 8 little kids run out, 5 teenagers, one lady and a little old woman. hellooo. everyones humble and they have everything they could ever want, all thats left to receive is a baptism and other saving ordinances that they need. second challenge. then we visit another and theres this TINY brand new beautiful baby, and this short huge lady with a few teeth and she hugged us like we were her lost children. extremely happy people. the best best thing ever. lots of work to do, and its a little far from the chapel so we are thinking in the short future we'll have a casa de oracion. basicaly a little meeting house for a short congregation. but who knows, lots to plan and teach. 

then hna magana and i went alone yesterday cuz the member we were supposed to go with bailed. but we were like well its still 3 it cant be too bad but when we got there there was quite a few groups of completely wasted guys. freakin scary. but we taught people and theres more to the story but im out of time. but at one point one of them hobbled in our direction yelling "correle, correle!" as we hurried away. and right as we were leaving and it got dark the bishop called to ask us where we were and if we needed a ride. LOTS OF BLESSINGS. 

always be happy. dont waste time thinking about yourself. today i got to be in the main office weekly meeting with the president and his wife and the office elders and my comp/mission nurse; shes very important and older than everyone and probably does the most work to be honest, but the pres was talking about what each can do in their assignment to help strengthen the missionaries everytime they need to talk to them. just ask how theyre doing and whats happening in their area. and you all can do that at home. help each other. actually take interest in other people and share your testimony every chance you get. its not as hard as it sounds i promise. its just a few things that you KNOW. 

love you, something hna weaver said: "keep on loving life, along with the thorns."

hermana z

Monday, May 19, 2014

6 months +

super short this week. basically i was a little upset randomly the past few weeks and i didnt have good reasoning or anything. just kind of short answers to my companion at the end of the day sometimes or not really being myself, but its because ive actually come to understand how our Heavenly Father feels when people in our wards dont participate. on sunday, there wasnt a SINGLE kid from young mens, and TWO young women. the elders quorum president and ward misison leader passed the sacrament, just the 2 of them (cuz there were only 55 people) and this little old dude that was baptized probably a month ago and the bishops secretary had to bless the sacrament. and then us 4 missionaries talked (every 3rd sunday) and i had to teach the gospel principles class to 4 people (and the other missoinaries, always good for numbers) 

SO basically ive been way upset about this ward. there is hardly participation and so SO much work to do. im not even worried about baptisms as much as getting people active and getting them to church. i was studying this morning about the area plan for Mexico, and it was talking about less active members and how we have to keep working hard and visiting them. and there was the scripture in 3 Nephi 18:32 which literally spoke peace to my mind. KEEP WORKING HARD at whatever you do, wherever you are on your mission or whatever your calling is at home. you have absolutely no idea how much you are helping. only our Heavenly Father truly knows. we are just the servants. and servants dont ask why they have to do things, they just DO it, knowing that its their JOB and that its better to do it than to worry about why. so be faithful and work hard. we can all rest when we die. but for now, theres an INCREDIBLE amount of strengthening to do. 

in other news, 9 year old Maximo got baptized on thursday. he asked us "what happens if your Catholic dad goes to the mormon church?" and hermana magana told him "oh nothing much! he just keeps learning and eventually gets baptized!" hahaha shes great. no worries. hes adorable and strong and always prays that his family will live a long time and stay together forever. 

love you all. help each other always. dont forget the things you stand for. 

love love looovee,
hermana zimmerman



maximo! hes so dang cute and hilarious and happy! annddd im wearing dreadful rainboots because it dumped rain that day. blazing hot the next. thats what happens when you live in the rainforest. 

Monday, May 12, 2014

week 21 6 months +

hello beautiful family of mine (aka everyone i know and love!)

hey p.s. quick update, the church is STILL true. 


 so im the horrible daughter that forgot it was mothers day when i skyped my family so i didnt say happy mothers day or ask anything concerning my mom whoops. but i still love you mom im sorry! happy mothers day youre the best mom duh!

i dont really know what i need to say to everyone and i dont remember all the things ive said, but im happy. really happy. its a real blessing to know that i have the abilitly to help people understand their purpose and the things they need to do to be happy. if youre not happy, you should be. everything that we have everyone we know and everything that is around us was designed specifically to make us happy. its the whole plan! the plan of happiness! everything is designed to you! but the tough part is that its our decision to do whats necessary to open our eyes and see it all for what its really worth. its also a grand blessing to pass by random people in the street and have an incredible amount of love for them and desire to help them. 

right now im super gung ho on the commandments. its my forte right now and i cant possibly stress it enough. every single commandment is designed to help us learn to control things that mortality doesnt allow us to control on our own. momentary happiness can and will very easily rob us of our eternal happiness. so be good. and make good decisions. its kind of hard without the Holy Ghost so do something (like maybe um read your scriptures) every morning so that you can have the guidance you need to get through the day in this crazy world. and if you dont have the gift of the Holy Ghost, you should probably talk with a mormon or some missionaries and get baptized pronto. 

GREAT THINGS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING. look for them. doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. this area is very weak right now so we have so much to do i cant even think straight. lots of faith testing. love you. thank you for supporting me in all i do. and thank you to the people that have always loved me even though im a bit psycho. i tell myself im growing out of it little by little. yikes!

"honra tu padre y tu madre para tus dias se alarguen." Es la unica mandamiento con la promesa de mas vida en este tierra.

LES QUIERO CON TODO MI CORAZON!!!

hermana zimmerman
(or superman according to the spanish language)
My new companion Hermana Magana!
everyone gives us umbrellas cuz they dont want us to get cancer

julio!!! hes so massiv and hes a member and he gives us free coconuts all the time and he makes the best churros ever!!!!!

dulces baptism! yay!

this is the fountain diana casadora! its in front of the chapel! shes got a bow and arrow and i have been wanting to take a pic like her since day one


Monday, May 5, 2014

Week 20

okay family. 

so my first week in Espejo. it feels like i just got here but at the same time it feels like ive known these people forever. so we went to church yesterday, and it starts at 8 am. so theres ONE reason why its tough to get people to church. and right now theyre locking all the chapel gates during church for safety reasons, so everyone has to be sure to get there on time, or they have to wait till after sacrament to get let it. when a bunch of efy counselors got back to the stake center suuper late a couple weeks ago, a truckful of guys came with guns and stole all their phones and stuff that they had. freaky right. so everything is almost always locked up. just for now at least till it gets safer.

SO only 42 people showed up yesterday. there were only two young men that were necessary (and present) to pass the sacrament. there were 3 kids in primary. only one adult (the bishops wife) is working with the primary. im not sure if she needs more help with 3 kids but maybe more will show. the elders quorum president is a 24 year old and he doesnt have any counselors. there were like 15/20 ladies in relief society. but everyone is awesome and supports us. but hermana magana opened up this area about 4 months ago and when she got here there were only 2 active members from her half of the ward (4 sister missionaries) so we have TONS of work to do. at least the area is smaller than deportiva and we can do lots of visits, but theres just too much to do and not enough time. thats why im always stressing that people in the ward visit everyone that they can. its so important right now, seriously i cannot think of anything that matters more than helping people the way we want to be helped. 

im positive that this area is not as hot as deportiva thank goodness because may is supposed to be the hottest month of the year and its been raining! one thing that has happened lots this week (3 of our strongest investigators) is that theyre not married and they dont care to be married. first of all that is a commandment. second of all its normal here. one of them is 22 dating someone twice her age. and the other is 84!!!!!!!! her they let people get married for free on mothers day. so we always are like hey ditch the drama its free on la dia de las mamas. just made that up and its super lame and i know but its funny. 

i dont even know what else to say because there is SO MUCH to say and a lot to do. just know that members are one of the most important parts of the strength of the church. some people easily forget how important they are and that God is always waiting to hear from them. their sins are never too great or their past too heavy to pray to God AND have him hear them. read your scriptures. say your prayers. keep every single commandment. there's not a single one thats less important than another. be an example of the believers. and please just be happy. humble yourselves and help someone else. 

i love this church with all my heart. i pray everyday to find those that are ready to understand the complete and perfect gospel that our Heavenly Father has planned out for them. pray for opportunities to share something small with someone that needs comforting or needs help or just needs to talk to someone that knows who they are. you dont need to be perfect to be an example. forget yourselves everyday and do something with the power you have been entrusted with, whatever kind of power it may be. its from God. oh goodness i am very very happy and privileged. 

later!!!!
hermana zimmerman

This is the bishops cute daughter Andrea! she's 8 and the best fellowshipper of the ward. 


My new companion Hermana Magana