No worries.. I still love SNOW!‏

The weather is cold but everything is so beautiful it doesn't even matter! This week was a week of change. My trainer Sister Bennett was transferred to Delaware and I was blessed with a new companion. Her name is Sister Reyes and she might be the easiest person to love on the planet. She is so incredibly sweet. Transfers were pretty fun and I got to see all my fellow missionaries from the MTC. It was a blast!

This week was blizzard after blizzard. Luckily (jk) Sister Reyes, from Las Vegas, and I, from Oregon, have zero experience driving in the snow. You could say we lived the song "Jesus, Take the Wheel" more than a few times this week. But hey! We are still here, right?

 

We were lucky enough to go door to door in the snow and found two new investigators! I actually enjoy tracting a lot more than I thought I would. There was one door in particular that we knocked on that a little boy about 9 answered. His face, which was normal and relaxed, went into pure fear when he saw us on the door step. It was hilarious. He ran and got his dad and I couldn't help it I just started laughing really hard. I told the dad what happened and he started laughing. It was so funny.

 

I can honestly say I was pretty devastated to find none of the people we invited to church came. Even Daniel who was baptized last week wasn't there even though he was supposed to be confirmed in that meeting. After sacrament Daniel and his brother waltzed in and I changed moods completely in the space of 3 seconds. Daniel is officially a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I cannot describe the joy that sentence brings to me. 

 

Taking over an area is not the easiest thing but I have grown a lot in these past 4 days. I made sure to follow the Spirit in everything I did and it all worked out.. so far ;) I know that God loves each of His children perfectly. We all have a divine potential and if we do what we know is right (go to church, read our scriptures, love everyone unconditionally) we will begin to change. We will develop the characteristics of light and when we see Christ at judgement day we will be like him. I know this with all my heart! I know the church is true and testifying of my Savior Jesus Christ brings me more joy than anything I have ever experienced. The more I know the more I want to share. 

 

My new favorite scripture:

Moroni 8:16

16 Behold, I speak with boldness, having ^aauthority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for ^bperfect ^clove ^dcasteth out all fear.

This is 2014 the year of no fear

Let us be faithful

Have a fearless week,

 

much love,

 

Sister Zeller

 

My new companion Sister Reyes! She is so awesome!

 

Some fun with the clothes the ladies gave too us. Go Sister Missionaries! ha ha. Ew.

How Great Shall Be your Joy!‏

D&C 18:15

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

Our investigator Daniel was baptized yesterday and my joy was great! l

It's an experience I will never forget. So many members showed up to support him and his family came. We took pictures and Bishop Woolley was the one to baptize him. The opening song was I Stand All Amazed and I lost it (crying) right there. I imagined Daniel going through the temple, serving a mission, and seeing him one day in the Celestial Kingdom. He will be an amazing member and he was so prepared by the Lord. His aunt stood up after the service and told the story of how she was introduced to the church and baptized. She talked about how Daniel's mom died before being baptized and she swore that she would take care of all her boys. It was so powerful and I am excited to see the energy boost to missionary work it gives to the members who were there. We are planning on helping Daniel do the work for his mom in the temple.

We got transfer calls this week and it looks like Sister Bennett is off to who knows where. I am taking over the area and I am so excited!! I'm getting a new companion and she is super awesome. I already know it. Sister Bennett and I havn't talked about being seperated yet but I know a lot of tears will be involved. I think I cried more yesterday than I ever have my entire mission. Her saying goodbye to all the members and them crying and yeah. Plus Daniel's baptism.

I can't say that I am not nervous to take over the area because I am. It's a big responsibility- this is people's salvation we are talking about! I treasure this one scripture that sums up exactly how I feel. Alma 26:12 -12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land (Stroudsburg North), for which we will praise his name forever." I know that God can do all things. I need to make sure that I am worthy of the Spirit and follow it's promptings. All I need to do is follow the Spirit, rules, and love the people. I am excited to continue putting everything I have into the mission. I feel more capable of doing so now that I am done being. Missionary work is nothing more than loving people so much that you desire their salvation.
 

Much love,

Sister Zeller

2062- Wahoo for Daniel!

1995- we found this random kids shirt in our laundry one day. It fits right?

 2007- The one person in Pennsylvania who knows what Oregon is

 2045- 3 months already? What!?

 

Missionary work is WORK!‏

What an amazing week this was. Do you want to know why? Because we worked our booties off! This is the year of no fear! So much to do and so much to learn.

 

Next Sunday two of our investigators are getting baptized! The first is named Daniel and he is amazing! He has truly been prepared by the Lord. I don't even feel like I am doing anything when we teach him. It's like he just knows this stuff already somehow. Just wait, it gets better. He is 19 and said he is planning on serving a mission as soon as possible! It's even more exciting because there isn't a temple in this mission yet and if he leaves in a year Sister Bennett and I get to go through the temple with him. Wahoo for the Washington D.C. temple. See you in a year! 

 

The second's name is Jennie and she is quite the trooper. She has rough family life but it's amazing what one person with the gospel can do. Her example is helping the rest of the family rise up and change their ways. I love her so much. 

 

Our Sister Training Leaders did an exchange with us this week that didn't actually happen. It was more of a sleepover than anything. Lots of fun and learning just the same. 

 

We also had interviews with President and they were so much fun! President Anderson trusts his missionaries and that's what caught my attention from the beginning. When someone trusts me I never want to let them down! President, you sly dog. 

 

This week was one of those weeks that everything goes right and you see blessings everywhere. Gotta love those weeks! We made all of our goals for the week including 13 members present! Highest yet! We are shooting for 16 for our last week before transfers. I love what Sister Anderson said in her letter about your mission being like your life. I want to live every transfer like it's my last. 

Transfer calls come this week. I have a strong feeling that I am staying and Sister Bennett is on to a different place. We keep joking and saying that the other is getting transferred because we both want to stay really bad! Our ward and investigators are amazing. I can't even think about leaving them even though it's bound to happen at some point. There will be a lot of changes in the ward and the missionaries next week so stay tuned. This next email will be packed full!

 

Have an awesome week and keep on going with those New Year resolutions!

 

Love,

 

Sister Zeller

1961- Sister Training Leaders!

1974- One of my favorite little girls on the planet KYLIE :D

1977- Us and Tiffany who just moved to Salt Lake City! You go girl!

The Year of NO FEAR!

That is our motto for this year and it couldn't be more fitting. It's based off the scripture from D&C 36:6 - Look unto me in every thought: doubt not, fear not. Sister Bennett and I are pumped for the year of no fear! Let us be faithful. Pull a Nephi and just do it! No random thoughts! So inspirational.

Anyways, this week was crazy like all the other ones. First of all, and unfortunately, I learned how terrible I am at driving in the snow on Tuesday. Took a corner too fast in a snow storm and slid right into a big pile of snow. We were fine but I am pretty paranoid now. No more driving for me!

One of the families we are teaching came to church on Sunday. We had a lesson previously that involved us being pretty bold but loving. We asked them straight up if they wanted to continue with the lessons and come to church. They said yes (miracle in itself) and at church they stayed for two hours. On top of that, the ward swarmed them and made them feel so welcome. I wish I could have seen my face because I could not stop beaming!

 

We see so many miracles everyday and President Anderson replied to my letter last week and referred to us as the "miracle zone." Love that guy! 

 

I learned so much about being humble this week. Let's just say I would way rather be humble than be compelled to be humble. Pride is the worst!

 

Miracle time:

We had a full day and our zone focus this week was new investigators. We still needed 1 more and we had no idea where to go. We decided to stop by Malcolm's (an appointment that fell through a few days prior). We knocked on the door and no one answered. We heard some noise upstairs and decided to get back in the car because he wasn't home. I have really been striving to recognize random thoughts and acting on them. I had the thought while knocking to go to the apartment above and knock. I quickly shrugged it off for some reason and right before we got in the car I said "Wait, I just had a random thought!" It took me a second to realize that I had had a random thought. We ran up and knocked on the door. This guy answered while he was on the phone and he had the strangest look on his face. We kind of laughed and told him who we were. He said "Oh, okay. Mom! Come get the door!" Then he said to us "she goes to church and stuff." She gladly let us in and we got a new investigator! I love random thoughts! The more you listen and act, the more you get.

 

New Years Resolution: I will be selfless this year.

 

I can't wait for the year of no fear. I can't wait to become more like my Savior by developing His attributes. The more I become like Him the more I love Him. Have an awesome week everyone! Congrats to Emma Tippery on submitting her papers! Best decision of your life! You won't regret it! Tyler Owens! There is a girl in my ward who is friends with Stephen Keith (your mission buddy, right?)

 

I love you all!

 

until next week (if I'm not frozen -20 degrees tomorrow),

 

Sister Zeller