December 18th 2017- The Temple, Humility, and Light

This week Sonny (the most recent convert in Kerrville) went to the temple and did baptisms for his dad, grandpa, and some other family members on Saturday!! Because I was transferred I didn't get to attend which made me really sad, but I am so glad that he got to go. My old companion Sister Taylor sent me the picture of him in front of the temple and I just cried. I was so overjoyed to see him at the temple being baptised for his family that didn't get the chance. 

As for my new area, it is very humble. I went to church yesterday and in the branch there were 6-8 families/couples that attended. There was 1 priest and 1 deacon. The priest blessed the sacrament and the deacon passed the sacrament. The deacon was just baptised 2 weeks ago and received the priesthood the week before I came. I played the piano and Sister Pugmire (my new companion) lead the music. Also, we both translated for sacrament meeting so I got to use my Spanish. It was really a fun experience being able to translate. My Spanish abilities aren't super great but I know that being in a Spanish area will help with my ability to speak and understand the language.

Sister Pugmire has been in this area for her whole mission (6 months) and seems to love it so much here. She loves to talk and is really happy. She loves the people here so much and is a really great example of being charitable. She just really knows how to love others like Christ does.

This week we were reading Helaman 14:1-5 about Samuel the Lamanite telling the people about Christ's birth in 5 years and how there would be light for 2 days straight and a new star that arises in the sky. I love this because we have the Light the World initiative where we help others and serve them like Christ would every day in a different way. We get the opportunity to light someone else's world. Christ is the light and the example that we have and when he was born there was more light in the sky with the star and no night. We came be that light. We can follow His example. 

Merry Christmas!

Hermana Zimmerman

1. Sonny at the temple

2. Fresh oranges from an investigator

3. The big Texas sky from Carrizo Springs 

4. Our apartemnt/home in Carrizo Springs (we live in the backyard of the Branch President and his wife, the Relief Society president)

December 11th 2017- Carrizo Springs Here I Come!

We got transfer news today and I am leaving Kerrville :( I have loved this area so much and have learned to love the people here deeply. I am really sad to go but excited for a change. I know that the Lord has chosen where I am to be these next 6 weeks, and I am excited about the new adventure. My companion Sister Taylor said it is a great area and I will love it. 

But, this week it snowed! We were so excited because it hasn't done that in years here in Kerrville! 

This is another Christmas story that has always touched me. I hope you enjoy!

For years now, whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally's performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old-timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened. Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty keeping up. He was big and awkward, slow in movement and mind.

Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game, for that matter, in which winning was important.

They'd find a way to keep him out, but Wally would hang around anyway—not sulking, just hoping. He was a helpful boy, always willing and smiling, and the protector, paradoxically, of the underdog. If the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would be Wally who'd say, "Can't they stay? They're no bother."

Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd in the Christmas pageant, but the play's director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally's size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph more forceful.

And so it happened that the usual large, partisan audience gathered for the town's yearly extravaganza of crooks and creches, of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stageful of squeaky voices.

No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn't wander onstage before his cue.

Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop. Wally the innkeeper was there, waiting.

"What do you want?" Wally said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.

"We seek lodging."

"Seek it elsewhere." Wally spoke vigorously. "The inn is filled."

"Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary."

"There is no room in this inn for you." Wally looked properly stern.

"Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired."

Now, for the first time, the innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.

"No! Begone!" the prompter whispered.

"No!" Wally repeated automatically. "Begone!"

Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon her husband's shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.

And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all others.

"Don't go, Joseph," Wally called out. "Bring Mary back." And Wallace Purling's face grew into a bright smile. "You can have my room."

Some people in town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others—many, many others—who considered it the most Christmas of all Christmas pageants they had ever seen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope that you can give room for the Savior this Christmas. 

Hermana Zimmerman 

1. Snow!

2&3. Our 15 year old neighbor decorates our apartment every season and so these were her Christmas decorations for winter! She is so nice!

4. Sister Taylor and I in the snow

5. And a complimentary Christmas card from us to you

December 4th- I Hope Someone Will Love Her

I loved the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional this weekend. I especially loved Sister Franco's talk about giving what is hard to give, and it reminded me of a story that is found in the December 2012 Ensign called I Hope Someone Will Love Her.

"When my son was three years old and my daughter was four, they were part of a neighborhood preschool group. That winter those of us in charge of the group decided to do a Christmas project that included having each child donate a toy to a needy family.

We taught many lessons in the preceding weeks about how gratitude and sharing with others make us happy. I told my children to start thinking about which toys they would like to give, wanting them to have the experience of choosing what to give. Our family finances were limited, and I was curious which of their few toys they would be willing to part with.

One Saturday morning I told the children it was time to select their donation. I helped Hunter wrap the truck he had chosen and then went to see how Mikelle was doing. The scene I witnessed from the doorway of her room brought tears to my eyes.

Mikelle was holding her favorite doll, Mella, dressed in her best doll clothing, and she was singing to her. Then she tucked a small blanket into the bottom of a gift bag. She smiled at the doll, hugged and kissed her, and lovingly placed her in the bag. Seeing me, she said, “Mella’s all ready, Mom. I hope someone will love her.”

Knowing how my daughter felt about this doll, I was stunned she was giving her away. I almost wanted to tell Mikelle she didn’t have to give up her favorite doll, but I stopped myself.

“She understands giving,” I thought. “She is giving her very best.”

Suddenly I recognized that part of me was willing to give and share but not at too great a personal sacrifice. I had placed limits on my charity, and I knew I needed to change.

I thought of how Heavenly Father gave up His only perfect Son and allowed Him to suffer and die for me. I pictured a loving Father in Heaven kissing His Beloved Son and sending Him to earth as a baby, hoping that we would love and follow Him.

The Savior Himself held nothing back and gave everything He had to give.

I wondered if Mikelle would change her mind before the Christmas program, when the toys were to be donated, but she did not. I wondered if she would later regret her choice and feel sad, but she did not.

Seeing my daughter’s Christlike example, I decided that whether I have much or little to give, I would always cheerfully give my best when I have an opportunity to share."

This young girl gave her best and her favorite to those in need. She showed true, Christlike love. Sometimes for us it is hard to give, but the harder it is, the more joy we can feel. I hope that this year we can give our best to those in need with all of our heart and without a second thought.

Light the World!

 Hermana Zimmerman

"I Never Said Anything About Banana Nut Bread" November 27th 2017

One of the Sisters in our ward was driving us down to San Antonio and we were talking about some of the church's new initiatives and she told us a story. 

There was a woman in the church who was the Relief Society President and a busy mom. She heard of a woman in her ward who was feeling down. That weekend her kids were home and bored and she hadn't read her scriptures, and now there was a lady in the ward who needed help. She decided that she would make some banana nut bread from scratch to cheer her up. So she began the effort to make banana nut bread. In between adding all of the ingredients she was interrupted by her kids pulling at her shirt, wanting her to come play outside with them. Overwhelmed by everything she had to do, she yelled at them to go play outside by themselves and got back to work on the banana bread. She was then interrupted by the Spirit telling her that she hadn't read her scriptures that day. She resolved to do it later and shut the oven door to begin cooking the bread. The timer rang and out came two loaves of perfect banana nut bread. She let them sit for a bit while cleaning all of the dishes she used and then bagged the bread and was off to this sisters house. She drove all the way over and dropped it off. The sister was appreciative and quickly said goodbye. When this mother got home, she sat on the couch, tired from cooking and cleaning, she saw her kids playing outside and her scriptures sitting on the table, and heard a voice say to her, "I never said anything about banana nut bread."

This story to me, says a lot about simplicity. Sometimes we don't even see the most important things that are right in front of us. Sometimes we put "banana bread" in front of our families or God and get caught up in the unimportant things. The good thing is that we have a holiday that helps remind us of what we have. Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to strengthen our resolve to see what matters most and be thankful for those things. We can choose to let go of the things that don't matter and focus on what truly matters most.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. For me, Thanksgiving was great! The Brown family was so kind and we got lots of leftovers to take home, which is always so nice! 2nd or 3rd day Thanksgiving always tastes great. 

Also, we did family history with Sonny, who just got baptized 2 weeks ago, and he found 3 names to take to the temple! We are so excited! His temple trip to do baptisms is on December 8th! We cannot wait!

Have a marvelous week!

Hermana Zimmerman

1. Thanksgiving leftovers from The Brown family

2. My Beautiful companion

3. Sister Arendt who I went on an exchange with

4. Meet Otis, the Kerrville Carolla 

5 & 6 selfies :)

7. Texas nature

8. Sonny doing family history

I Really Felt Something- November 20th 2017

This week was one amazing week, probably the best I have had so far in the mission. I can never even begin to express the happiness I feel this week. Being a missionary is honestly the greatest thing I have chosen to do. By no means is it easy, but it is worth every moment.

Sonny-

SONNY GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! We have been teaching him ever since I came into the mission and he is now a member! I was so happy. I have never been more truly happy in my life. He has overcome and sacrificed so much to get to this point. He really loves the Lord and wants to follow Him and serve Him in His church. The service was beautiful. On Sunday when we saw him in his white shirt, all cleaned up, it almost made me cry. He is so different now and it is all because of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and His suffering and death allow Sonny, and all of us, the opportunity, if we take it, to change. To change for good. It is so wonderful that we have a Savior who loves us and gave up everything so we could have this chance to change.

The Huff Family and Chandler-

This experience on Sunday was so special. A couple weeks ago we asked their family to make a Family Mission Plan, where the family gets together and writes down specific things they will all do so that they can be better missionaries. They were hesitant at first because they didn't know exactly how to do it, but they gave it a shot. We came back 3 weeks ago and they had made their Family Mission Plan and they had already begun to work on it. Well last week their son Joseph invited his friend Chandler to church and we met him and asked if we could have a lesson at the Huff Family's home to teach him about our church. He agreed, so yesterday we went over and taught him the Restoration lesson. The lesson went great, but at the end as we were talking about how to know if it was true, Sister Taylor felt prompted to have everyone kneel down on the ground together and for each of us to ask, aloud, to God, in prayer if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Sister Taylor started, I followed, and everyone in the room said a prayer, asking God if Joseph Smith was. Prophet and if the Book of Mormon really was true. After everyone said their heartfelt prayer,  we all opened our eyes and there was not a dry eye in the room. The Spirit was so strong, it filled the room. We sat in silence and peace for a minute of two and listened. We all got up, back on the couches and Sister Taylor asked how everyone felt. Here's the cool part. We had invited Elijah, a 17 year old boy, with us to help with the lesson. He was struggling to know the truth so we thought we would invite him along. Well after his prayer, he said, while trying to hold back tears, "When I prayed.... I really felt something... I really felt something." Then Chandler said, "I felt peace." Then one of the older boys in the Huff Family said, "this is how I know that the church is true. And I can't deny it." Everyone in the room was touched by the Spirit. Everyone in the room that day, received a Spiiritual confirmation and testimony of some magnitude that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

I testify that the Book of Mormon is true. I know for myself that, "the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." I know that the words it contains, if applied, have the power to completely change the desires of our hearts, mend broken relationships, and give us power to overcome any doubt, fear, sadness, trial, or sickness with hope and happiness. I know with all my heart that Joseph Smith was the prophet who restored Christ's perfect church on the Earth again. He was the instrument through which God has given us His word. I know that if you read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true, I promise that you will come to know of its truth for yourself. God loves you. I love you. 

-Hermana Zimmerman 

1. Sonny's Baptism

2. A mambers bunny we got to hold 

3. A beautiful view from a members back porch 

4. Matching with one of the members, Sister Jex 

5. Us after the baptism of Sonny

I Didn't Get What I Wanted But God Gave Me Everything I Needed November 13th, 2017

Sonny is getting baptized this Saturday! It will be amazing. We are so excited for him and have been working all week to be able to make his baptism a special day. We cannot wait until Saturday! 

This week I watched a video and it said, "I didn't get what I wanted but God gave me everything I needed." I have been thinking about that lately. Sometimes we don't see God's plan in our lives, we just think we are suffering and all alone, but in reality, He's right there preparing the path for us. These past few months I have seen Him prepare the hearts of the people we meet. He has given them hard experiences to prepare them to accept His word and us as missionaries. Who is God preparing you to become? Maybe you didn't get what you wanted, but did He give you what you needed?

Have a marvelous week!

Hermana Zimmerman

1. Sonny's Baptismal Invitation!

In Whom Do You Trust?

Below is a personal experience that I felt like I need to share with you all this week. It's really personal, but there is a great lesson I learned, and I hope you can learn something as well.

On Sunday I was having trouble focusing and feeling the Spirit and I couldn't understand why. I was so angry and confused and feeling like there were so many things to do and I was good at none of them. I couldn't accomplish anything. I was feeling like I was not succeeding at anything and all of this was for nothing. I started to cry and be frustrated to Sister Taylor (my trainer). I said, "I just can't do any of this! I am not good at Spanish and don't have the desire to learn, I can't teach well and say what I want to say, I feel like I am eating really bad, and I don't want to and can't do this anymore. I feel like I am not good at anything and it just frustrates me! I need to make myself learn Spanish, but I don't have the desire. I need to be healthy and I need to teach simply, but I just can't!!" Then Sister Taylor said some things that really changed the way I thought about everything. She said, "Why is God giving you all these things?" I said, "Because He wants me to be humble. Ether 12:27 "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble." God wants me to be humble." Then She said, "So what is humility?" Then I grabbed Preach My Gospel and read Chapter 6: Christlike Attributes under Humility, 

"Humility is the willingness to submit to the will of the Lord and to give the Lord the honor for what is accomplished. It includes gratitude for His blessings and acknowledgment of your constant need for His divine help. Humility is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of spiritual strength. When you humbly trust Him and acknowledge His power and mercy, you can have the assurance that His commandments are for your good. You are confident that you can do whatever the Lord requires of you if you rely on Him. You are also willing to trust His chosen servants and follow their counsel. Humility will help you as you strive to be obedient, to work hard, and serve selflessly."

Then I read,

"The opposite of humility is pride, which is condemned in the scriptures. To be prideful means to put greater trust in oneself than in God or in His servants. It also means to put the things of the world above the things of God. Prideful people take honor to themselves rather than giving God the glory. Pride is competitive; those who are prideful seek to have more and presume they are better than other people. Pride usually results in feelings of anger and hatred, and it is a great stumbling block."

I read it with a hard heart, not wanting to really read it. But then she said, "You can't do it on your own! You really can't. You NEED God. You will NEVER measure up without God. Humility is submitting to the will of the Lord. It is an acknowledgment of your CONSTANT NEED FOR HIS DIVINE HELP. When you are humble, you then are confident that you can do whatever the Lord requires of you, ONLY IF you rely on Him. You have to rely on Him, not yourself. Humility is submitting to HIS will, giving GOD the honor, knowing that you need HIM and can't do anything alone, and relying on Him. I think you need to work this out with God. I am going to go into the bedroom to read my scriptures for 15 minutes, I'll see you in a bit."

At this moment I had stopped crying. I was silent. I didn't want to follow what she said, but I got down on my knees, and I said aloud the most fervent, and heartfelt prayer, pouring out my soul to Him. I cried harder than I ever had in the past 12 weeks. I needed to change and I didn't know how and I needed His help. 

After that prayer, I opened my eyes and peace rushed over me. I had stopped crying and was silent. I sat there for a bit just thinking about the previous 20 minutes and then got up, washed my face, and thought about what had just happened. Right then and there I committed to doing whatever the Lord asked of me. I would try my hardest to be my best and give Him my all. 

That day I learned that there is no other way than to put my faith in HIM and not myself. I need His help and I can't do anything alone, especially on a mission. I NEED Him. I had, and am still on the journey of putting off, a lot of pride. I had a lot of it. I was putting my trust in myself, thinking that all the things I was doing were because of my own efforts. No! That was not the case! I was not relying on God. No wonder why nothing was working out!! I can honestly say that not all of it is gone, but a big chunk of it was let go that day.

I know that we, individually, MUST "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." He will only direct us if we trust in HIM and not in ourselves and we give Him thanks for all that HE does for us (which is everything).

Hermana Zimmerman 

1. The cedar bushes

2. Our Toyota Carolla named

3. More cedar

4. A grape that looks like Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc.

5. A beautiful road

Another Great Week in Kerrville!

Another marvelous week in Kerrville! 
Transfers came, and I get to stay here! I am so glad because Kerrville is so beautiful. The people are so kind, missionary work is starting to take off, and I am learning so much! 

Pat-

Technology is something that is fairly new to missionary work, and my mission has the ability to use Facebook. So we have been trying to come up with "outside the box" ideas in using Facebook with our investigators. So one day we were sitting outside making some calls and I had a thought that we should have a video chat with Pat. We both had never done this before, and a sister Taylor was hesitant, but we thought we would give it a try. So we did and it was amazing! It was an amazing success! She was on and we were able to talk to her about her experience praying to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet and if the Book of Mormon is true. She prayed and her doubts and fears went away and she knew it was true! It was amazing! Heavenly Father made it so that she would be on, we would have that idea, and we would have the means of talking to her over the internet! It was such a miracle, and it took place from our apartment in about 20 minutes.

Joe-

We had an appointment with a potential investigator so we knocked on his door but his wife said he wasn't home, and just previously all of our plans for the evening had fallen through. So we were left his house and got in the car. As we were sitting in the car, almost about to drive off we had the prompting to talk to this man across the street getting things out of his car. As we went up and began to talk to him he said, "Oh I know your church, I was a member when I was 15." What!? He was another member that had been lost and we were the ones to find him and show him that God is reaching out to him.

I think it is so amazing that God reaches out to His children through us, as missionaries and normal people alike. He tells us to go and talk to someone, or make some cookies and give them to others, or just say hello. Isn't it so magnificent to be a part of the plan God has for His children? We are able to help all those around us.

I want to end this week with a scripture in 2 Timothy 1:7-9

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began

 Hermana Zimmerman

Beautify the Garden

We went out on a buggy ride with a member, Sister Reed. It was so fun! We saw horses, ducks, played with their dog, and enjoyed the beautiful view accompanied by the breeze. It was so peaceful.

I am just amazed at how beautiful the Earth is and guess what? God made it for you! The trees, mountains, fields, rivers, oceans, forests, are all for you to enjoy. It's like a canvas that God painted on for us. He has given you everything and He only asks that you try your very best to follow Him and do as He asks. It's just amazing to me. Every day I see how Heavenly Father is blessing me by giving me all of the people around me, the experiences every day, and the opportunity to see His hand in my life and the lives of others. What a blessing! 

I have found that God has placed us, just like the mountains, trees, and rivers, just where we need to be. He has given us the opportunity to beautify the garden where we are. We do this by trying our very best to help our family members, friends, and members of our community. We go out of our way to help others, we try our best to be our best, and we follow what God wants for us. By doing this we beautify our spot in the garden, pulling the weeds and replacing them with flowers.

I hope you all have a fantastic week! Try to see Gods hand around you this week. Take one minute to step outside and just take it all in. Enjoy it! Think about why God placed you where you are, and choose to take part in beautifying the garden!

Hermana Zimmerman

1. Our "garden"

2.  Kerrville

3. A beautiful night by the bridge

4-10 the buggy ride