Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Miracles

" Focusing on serving our brothers and sisters can guide us to make divine decisions in our daily lives and prepares us to value and love what the Lord loves. In so doing, we witness by our very lives that we are His disciples. When we are engaged in His work we feel His spirit with us. We grow in testimony, faith, trust, and love." - Elder Rasband of the 70. I have been studying this past April conference talks. They are all so amazing. I encourage you all to do the same. I love this quote by Elder Rasband. Especially that serving others can guide us to make divine decisions. Our Heavenly Father loves each of us and he wants us to work together and serve those we come in contact with. :) "Have I done and good in the world today? Have I helped any one in need?" I hope we look for ways to help someone each day. 

Happy Memorial Day Yesterday! Sorry I didnt get to email. but you know the drill, library closed= No emailing. We did have a ward picnic yesterday, they cooked hot dogs and hamburgers. It was a lot of fun. It was nice to have it on a P-day do that we didn't have to worry about what time it was and we could just relax and get to know the members.
Last week, we went fishing at a members pond and I caught the most fish:) You all should be so proud of me. We were with Don (a non-member, but his wife is) He took us and he couldn't believe it. I kept catching them one after the other. but I didn't want to touch the fish once I caught it. So I made him take it off the hook every time. They finally he was like. " You have to take this one off the hook." So I went to touch the fish and I just couldn't do it. He was so gross and slimy. I squealed like a girl, until he just did it for me. ha ha It was a lot of fun though. (im sending a picture home in a letter this week.)
Oh my goodness. Let me just tell you, my allergies have been off the hook. they are out of control. Everything is in bloom and mowing their lawn and my throat wants to die. I have been taking allergy medicine but the kind I have makes me drowsy... ha so I dont know that it really helps me. I walk around like a zombie when I take it.
for about a month now, the ward has been doing a 40 day fast for the missionary efforts in this area. It has been amazing. We have seen several miracles from it already.
First miracle we found a man named Louis. He was awesome, and totally prepared.
Miracle #2 Then our member referred us to her cousin and when we went to see her. She kind of looked like she didnt want us there, but as we talked to her, she opened right up and we taught her the Restoration. she had a lot of good questions and the spirit was so strong. Then as we invited her to be baptized, she started crying and said "yes, I know that you girls were sent here for a reason. You were supposed to  come here today." So I said a prayer with her and she was crying even more, she looked at me as said " Thank you, I could feel God, when you prayed." It was so sweet. 
Miracle #3   In a near by area, they had a baptism and a woman attended that baptism, She lives in our area:) Anyways she talks to a man she works with who is a member in that area and he gives her a Book of Mormon and talks to her for an hour about what we believe. She says she will go home and read the Book of Mormon. This man knows our Mission leader who then told us that she and her family want us to come and teach them because of the spirit she felt at the baptism. 
Miracle #4 A young man in our ward is dating a non-member. He has invited her to church before but she has never wanted anything to do with the church. Well guess who changed her mind?? She did and she showed up to church on Sunday. AND her and her mom came to our ward picnic yesterday.  So if all goes well we will be able to teach them as well.

I am grateful for fasting and prayer! I know it works! I know that this is only some of the miracles that we have seen, and will continue to see!!  I love you all!
Sister Zwahlen

Monday, May 19, 2014

Night in the ER‏

"Peace: It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work, it means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart." I love this. It is impossible in this lovely world today to be free from noise, trouble and hard work but we can still find peace, which true and lasting peace comes as we rely on our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Hello family and Friends,
It is crazy how time flies. It seems that I just emailed. Which I did. I have talked to you 3 times in 8 days. ha This week has been good though, we worked on OU this week and it was a lot of fun. I met a ton of awesome people. They are all so cool and I have gotten a ton of phone numbers. ha Don't worry I'm not going to ask them on dates. Just call them to set up appointments. It was great. we met this man from China and he was wonderful. It took me back to Taiwan and how much I love Asia and the people, anyways we started talking to him about the Book of Mormon and he was like "wait you believe in _______" (insert a word that you don't understand) So sister Tueller and I are like um, we don't know what that is.. He apologized and we said it was fine So I start talking about the Book of Mormon and all of the sudden it clicked. He said Jesus. So I stop and I was like did you ask if we believe in Jesus?? He was like yes. Uh absolutely we believe in Jesus. ha I'm glad we figured that out. It would have been bad if we couldn't have clarified that we believe in Christ. ha Language barriers are the best:) Anyways he wants to learn more. I am so excited.
This weekend Sister Tueller has been having abdominal pain. and when it hadn't gone away all of Saturday and started getting worse we went to the ER. We got there about 9 pm and of course its called Emergency Room but no one moves as if there is an emergency. They poked and pried at Sister Tueller, then the doctor came in pushed on her stomach said "does it hurt when I do this." "yes" ok well I think you just have a stomach bug. Here I will write you a prescription for a pain med. 
 and sent us on our way. 9 HOURS LATER. We didn't get out of there until 6 AM. We were so tired and frustrated by the time we left. They didn't fix anything. Our mission doctor doesn't even want her to fill the prescription they gave her. So we are back to square one, but hey we know it isn't her appendix which is good. So now we are sleep deprived and Sister Tueller is still sick. It has been an eventful weekend. However I have been the driver while she is sick so that is weird to drive a car again. It is kind of nice. I like it. Our ward has been so loving and has taken such good care of us though. I have a new gratitude for them, and all that they do for us. They are awesome. They brought us two HUGE boxes of food for us. and last week someone else brought us like 3 bags full of food. and they have been bringing us meals. We have so much food. It is great. we were in no way starving but it is awesome to have full cupboards just in case.
Well I know that it wasnt a lot this week but not much has happened since I email Wednesday. Especially since we have been in this weekend. I love you all. I hope you have a great week.
Love Sister Zwahlen

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The plains, a little longer.‏



Sister Zwahlen wanted these videos posted to her blog.


Hello Family and Friends. 

Ok so really Im not sure what I am going to say this week, since I feel like I told the family everything when I skyped with them. But we has a social media day,(with the whole mission)  where we had members follow us around and take pictures and post them on any and every social media, they could. So I need all of your help. Please check out the pictures from he mission on this website.  Then we need you to SHARE them on your social media. I promise it makes a difference. You never know who these pictures can bless. Anyways it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it. We took two of our Young women to the park and we drew the Plan of Salvation on the sidewalk. It was awesome. Lots of people came to read and look at if. (of course they wouldnt come near us as we were drawing it. but they would when we were far enough that we couldnt talk to them ha ha life of a missionary) Also It was a bummer because a huge thunder storm rolled in soon after we were done so It washed right away. but hey who knows what will happen. 


This week I have been on splits with our Sister Training Leader. In their area, so I havent had a lot happen this week. but today we had a zone fun day. We went to a park and played soccer, volleyball, and ultimate Frisbee. Which I must say is hard to do with elders because you arent supposed to have any physical contact so how do you expect to really play. ha I guess it didnt really apply to me, since im not very aggressive or sporty anyway. I havent changed a bit from my previous soccer days. I still just apologize when I get near the soccer ball. Ha oh well it was fun. It is getting so hot and humid here though. It is sick. It is like being in a green house that is 91 degrees. And I am starting to get a sister missionary tan line where my watch is and on my feet where my shoes arent. It is an adventure. I am going to need to get me some sunscreen though. I keep getting sun burnt every time I walk outside. 
If you didnt guess it from the title. I am not being transferred. surprise surprise. Sister Tueller is staying as well. Which also doesn't surprise me. I am excited to stay. I know that there is so much that needs to be done here. I hope to be the one to do it. 
Well I love you all. Have a great week. I hope every one is great. Shout out to Tanner on him mission call. That is awesome!! You are going to do great!! 

Love,
Sister Zwahlen

p.s. It is getting so pretty here, with everything turning green. It is the best. 

Monday, May 5, 2014

Under the Weather.‏

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh and anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." Ether 12:4 This week we got to teach seminary. It was a lot of fun. We taught on Ether 12 with is the Faith chapter for any of you that dont know. So we talked about things that can anchor our lives with hope and faith. Then we talked about the "waves" we face in our lives and how an anchor in Christ keeps us steady and sure. I love it. We also talked about how we need to set a firm anchor before the storm comes. Also we talked about those from the Book of Mormon who had a trial of their faith before they received the miracles. I have seen this so many times on my mission. We are required to test and strengthen our faith before we see the blessings. Also an insight I had was that faith is not just a belief in things that we cannot see. It is an ASSURANCE of those things. an assurance that Jesus IS the Christ and savior of the world and that God IS our loving Heavenly Father.

Sorry this weekly email is going to be really short. Since I emailed last I haven't had much happen, I have been really sick. So I have been sleeping a lot of the weekend. and I just emailed you Thursday. Also the space bar at this computer is sticky so it isnt that fun to type on this computer.
 Sister Tueller and I did have 4 people at church this week, which is awesome. Marv, Tauna and her kids were there. They are awesome. Since it was fast and testimony meeting I was a little worried about what people would say, but everyone was so inspired to what Marv and Tauna needed to hear. I think that it really helped them. They enjoyed it. Now we just need Marv to stop asking if we have coffee since he cant wake up. Ha Word of Wisdom is another lesson. 
Love, Sister Zwahlen
​Me, Sister Tueller, and our member Hailee

By the painted wall in Glouster. A town in our area. 

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Stung by a Bee‏

"Life is Beautiful and worth living. Wind, storm, and prevailing currents may tempt us to drift into dangers seen or unseen, but the gospel message and its divine power will keep us on our path back to the safe harbor of our Heavenly Father." Pres. Utchdorf in the April 2014 Ensign. I love the first part. Life is Beautiful and worth living. I have come to be so grateful for everything in my life. What a blessing it is. Heavenly Fathers plan for me and each of us IS beautiful and so worth living. What a act of love to send us here to earth to live this life. I hope each of you this week will be more aware of the little, amazing, and beautiful things that fill our days. It is beginning to look like spring here and it is so beautiful!! I love it! 

Ok so this last week and a half have been so hectic! We have been so busy with so much!! We had a training last week, President and Sister Nilsen, Called and emergency "intervention". It was a tighten all areas and do better. He challenged us to all find one person everyday! (that is what the picture was from mom) It is a challenge but we had an amazing experience this week. We were able to Meet this man named Marv and a woman named Tauna, who has two boys 11 and 13 I think. Anyways they just got it. We taught the restoration, extended baptism, They said yes and they are excited to learn more. We are hopefully are meeting with them tonight and giving them a chapel tour. We also have a Book of Mormon class on Thursday nights that they will hopefully come to! I am so excited to teach them. There are also a couple other people in the household who seemed interested. it is like a gold mine in there!  We also met this woman named Carrie, who has 3 boys 16, 14, and 12. We talked to her and she sees the need for change. She said yes to baptism extension too!! I have high hope and faith that these people are all going to work out!! 

We were at a part-members this week and we were talking to them and all of the sudden I had this sharp pain on my foot, mainly because I stepped on A yellow jacket. It hurt so bad and I hollered like a baby, embarrassing, but anyways the woman got me ice and put meat tenderizer on my foot. It was strange I thought they were fixing to eat me. but surprising it worked and took the sting away. but my foot became swollen  and all my toes turned a scary purple color and then black. I thought my foot was going to fall off. So that was a fun experience. Don't worry they regained color and they swelling went away but that was fun I suppose. 

Also monday I was sick and we went to OSU for training. It was so crazy and the sisters that are on OSU were confused and really we anything done monday night and then they had interviews in the morning tuesday and we had them in the afternoon. So we werent with them all day. However in the evening, I got to see my first bar crawl. I have never seen so many drunk students walking down the street. we all compared it to Lehi's dream. It really was like that. We were on one side of the street and on the other side they were partying and loud music, and loud laughter.. Even people running into garbage cans. Then there was a great and spacious building. It was exciting. We took pictures so we could always remember, but it really puts it into perspective of the Book of Mormon Prophets, who call people to repentance. How scary that would have been to stand on wall and tell these people that they need to repent. I am so sure if we would have done that we would have had beer thrown or spat on us. they would have cursed us out and all sort of things.I have a new perspective on how much courage that would have taken.

I did learn a lot about contacting on a campus.and I have this new fire to go out and do the work! I am excited to start working with the students. There is so much potential! Sorry I didn't get to email till today. It was our temple day. Which is awesome because I got to go with my last zone before transfers and then my current zone hadn't got yet so I got to go again. I was blessed. It was so nice I love the temple.  Well I love you all. I cant think of what else has happened. I know that something has but I cant remember right now. 
I hope you all have a great week!! 

Love Sister Zwahlen