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Tuesday February 17, 2015

Sorry i didnt write you yesterday!!!! it was transfer day and they made a whole bunch of crazy changes!!! i was traveling by bus a total of 6 hours!!! 3 in the morning 3 in the afternoon!! standing in the sun half an hour trying to get a taxi in villa, after sleeping 4 hours cuz they told us at 10 pm sunday that we had transfers!!!! so i was packing 7 months of my life!!!! now im at the opposite end of the mission, in the state of Campeche, right next to Tabasco (villahermosa is in the center of tabasco, zapata was at the bottom) 

IM ON AN ISLAND!!!!!!!!!! CIUDAD DEL CARMEN!!

Our faces when we found out we were going to Carmen
Hermana Paredes

Cabrera Family

we crossed this maaaaajor bridge to get here!!!! we were driving surrounded completely by water!!! 

President morales told me since the beginning that he.d only send me to nice places, and this is thae place that every missionary dreams of being!!!! its the most successful zone in the mission, highest baptism numbers (zapata in 2nd) and the stake is super strong. the scary thing is that they just took 2 elders out of a ward, and they are putting us 2 new sisters in! sooo the zone leaders just handed us an area book, a cell phone, and a map, and said good luck. AHHHH its called a whitewash. cuz it takes everyone by surprise haha. the same thing that happened we i was in my training in my very first area. and now its my turn to figure it all out. but we are confident! my comp is Hermana Paredes, (pah-red-des) and shes from Peru! shes super short and i look like a giant with her, shes quiet but super funny and has 6 months in the mission and the president pulled her out of an area in veracruz! now there are 6 sisters in carmen!!!! and its so hot here!!! 

Capdepon Family with Marriage Certificate

Capdepon Family Baptism

and im said that i left zapata cuz i didnt get to say bye to all my converts very well, but its okay it would have been harder to say goodbye. AND on saturday, feb 14th, the Capdepon family was MARRIED AND BAPTIZED. marissa cabrera really hooked us up cuz she knows all the important people in zapata, got us 2 medical analysis tests cutting 700 pesos off the price, huge deal. and the family Capdepon is super stoked and paying tithing and coming to church in their dresses and him in his tie!!! and then i got transferred. but its okay. ive got lots of work here in carmen now!!! hermana lowe is somewhere far away on the island, not in my ward. but the only other american sister here!  im super stoked and i have so much to do!!! last night we were going through the phone calling people to find out who they are and when we can meet them and take em to visit people with us. found the bishop and relief society president thank goodness. and here we go!! 

im blessed beyond belief, and i am so grateful to be a missionary. i know we are called of God and i am so proud of every single missionary. so happy for this decision, and i respect every missionary (that is EXACTLY OBEDIENT) and i want everyone to serve a mission. so if the thought has crossed your mind, DO IT. because the thought didnt come from you. and you will never regret your decision. and let the Lord change you for the better!!!

the best part of the mission is seeing your converts progress. hearing their testimonies and how their lives have changed. seeing them walk into the chapel with their white shirt and tie or dresses, even though people make fun of them. seeing them get sustained to a new calling, or seeing them help a new investigator feel comfortable in the church. hearing them give inspired talks to strengthen others. hearing about them going to visit inactive members.. its the best BEST feeling in the world. just knowing that we were a super small part of their conversion brings me such gratitude and a desire to see all people in the church with their families testifying!!

so my last sunday was awesome because hno manuel, (ex-drunk now 2nd counselor in the elders quorum) gave an awesome talk about the atonement. Alfonso (baptized in august with his wife Imelda) got called to be the ward mission leader. AFTER 6 MONTHS WITHOUT ONE. and he's STOKED. he calls us up and says hey where are you, we are gonna go walking with you. and they come visit people with us. he found the missionaries in tenosique (other city) and asked them for the number of THEIR ward mission leader so that he could give him tips and help figure everything out. hes golden!!!! and yesterday Imelda gave yet another INCREDIBLE gospel principles class about the tree of life, and how she knows what its like when you think youve got it all figured out, and then your "friends" ditch you and leave you to suffer alone. SHE STRENGTHENS MY TESTIMONY every time she talks about the gospel. she said one thing that ill leave you all with. it gives me chills just thinking about writing it down

"before i knew of the gospel, when i felt happiness, it scared me, because i knew that the following day would bring more despair, more trials, and more let-downs. But now, i know that happiness can be eternal, and i have nothing to fear." 

yep i cried too. 

BE STRONG. the Lord visits all his children in their afflictions! and he gives us trials so that we will call upon him for help! so just humble yourself and ask. and you WILL receive. 

Zuleymi and her Family

OH YEA i forgot. also on sunday we helped organize a baptism of an 8 year old Zuleymi, her mom Beti has been inactive over a year and the past month they have been coming to church again! her husband Armando isnt a member, he likes his beer, and he met the missionaries when he was 17 (now 30) i cant tell you how many times i have invited him to be baptized in the time i was in zapata haha and he always flat out said no. but we had to do it even more with the spirit so last week we went to see him after church and hes happy and we invited him to follow Christs example so he could feel the happiness forever, and he said YESSSSSSSSSSS. so now hermana rochas going to help him get on the path! his whoooole family are members, ALL inactive and theres like 10 of em and their kids, and they all came to Zuleymis baptism and theyre starting to come back. wow. the world is awesome. plan of salvation, the mission, people, the spirit, the church, the Savior, families, the scriptures. its all just awesome. so yea. be strong. 

your trials will only be but a small moment.  (d&c 121)

LOVE YOU ALL. CHOOSE HAPPINESS. 

hermana zimmerman