Another year!

I can't believe it's been 24 years. Every parent knows that each child comes with their own distinct personality and Robbie is no exception. Despite having asthma, eczema, food and airborne allergies as a very little baby, Robbie was happy most of the time. That's how Robbie is. He finds the joy in life. I love to hear him laugh, I always have. I love to watch him figure out how to overcome and work through the challenges that face him and come out smiling. Robbie knows how to work hard and have fun in the journey. I'm glad that he will have Cecily by his side for the remainder of his journey. Happy birthday Rob.

Hey Everyone!

Sunrise in his city (or maybe it was sunset?)

* for some reason Christian did not get our letters before he wrote his so he didn't know of Mark's accident. He sent me a quick message telling me he didn't change much.

Hey guys! 

Well from what I have heard it sounds like it has been a pretty crazy week at home. One scripture that comes to mind is in Jacob 4:8 or also in 2 Ne 28: 29-32. I dont know if it´s exactly the same in English, (I don't read in english anymore if I dont have to). I really love these scriptures, becuse it tells us more about the nature of God, and what He expects from us.  It is super applicable for me as a full time dedicated servant of the lord, but it totally applicable to every one of us too. Often we rely on the arm of flesh for our support, but God is the creator of everything around us, everything!! Think about that! Whenever we have a problem we can turn to Him and He will help us! If he lets us struggle for a little bit, it isnt because he doesnt love us, it is becasue we learn through hard times, and often times we have hard times so that we can turn to the Lord, and rely on him, as well as gain experience. I love thse scriptures, because I don't know about you guys, but if I were left to my own merits, there would be very little that would turn out right. It doesnt matter what it is, with the Lord, we will come out the better! What a comfort!! So I challenge each of you to turn to the Lord whenever there is a hard time or something that doesnt work out perfectly, and see if things don't change for the better, that could be your attitude, or something else. Also remember Ether 12:6. 

Oh man! I love the mission! The lord is helping me to grow and learn so much! I had no idea how imperfect I am! But with the lord, when we put absolute trust and faith in him, and do all we can to be obedient, and do our part, miracles will happen. I have a testimony of that, and am so excited to be able to see miracles in the lives of our investigators and in my life, what an amazing opportunity it is to serve a mission.

 A common question is how is my Spanish, and its coming! It seems right now my ability to listen and understand people is really starting to kick in, and i love it! I still don't understand a lot, but if we are talking about important things, like the gospel, I rarely don't understand, which is such a blessing! This week we went and had a lesson with one of our investigators, who we were considering dropping, because she wasn't progressing. When we went there we addressed many doubts and had a beautiful lesson, which was only possible through the holy ghost. I know that because, first of all my companion has been kinda sick this week, and out of it, so I did pretty much all of the talking, and it was amazing how everything went. I am always amazed at what the Lord can do with me, as imperfect, and stubborn as I am. But that is what this life is about, learning how to become the tools the Lord wants, until one day, we know enough about the way He works, that we are able to try things on our own. I think it is then that we become like Him.. who knows, but I know for right now, and probably for the next 50 million years I wont be able to do things on my own.. mind boggling stuff.. but what we can do now, is work work work, and get better, like it says in Alma 37: 6-7 it is through small and simple things that come about the great and eternal plans of our creator. Improvement and progression is one of those small and simple things, where over time after changin and improving day by day, we have improved immeasurably.. how awesome! 

Well guys things are great here, I tried nouquis this week and it was amazing, i also have been having mileanesa a lot, and a lot of empanadas, I love it! Always we eat bread with our meals, and the everyone is always drinking their mate (we can't) things are awesome. Martin is out of town and will get back this Thursday, so we have been calling him and seeing how he is doing (he works in an oil field and is gone for a week and has a week back, which is really hard on him and his family, I think that is one of the reasons he has been so focused on his family.. just imagine if you had that sort of schedule.. wow). We started teaching another family the parents are Dario and Selvina, and they are both super evangelico, but they are very open and receptive to our message, and it helps that the hermanas are teaching dario´s brother, so he is even more open. Those are our progressing people right now, and we have a bunch more people who are either stagnant or brand new, so I will give you updates on the important stuff.. Anyways!! love you guys! Hope things calm down, and ultimately that we turn to the Lord when we have hard times, because alot of the time that is the purpose of hard times.

Love you guys! I am doing soo well here! havent had a bad day yet! :)

Love, Elder Zimbelman

Getting better

Tuesday was a little rough for Mark, and I was a little anxious in the morning.

He slept and rested and I taught Kindermusik and we both felt pretty good by afternoon

Wednesday Mark rested well, napping in the morning an afternoon.

Again, I taught Kindermusik, checking on him between classes.

It was a beautiful day and in the afternoon we went for a walk around the park

and then around the block, stopping to talk and visit as we went. All in all he was up and about for probably two hours or more. Then, just for fun, and because he still felt pretty good, Jennifer drove him to the High School for some parent teacher conferences. He was tempted to go meet our new missionaries at the MTC but chose not to. Mark was tired and Aaron was arriving late that night. He would be staying with us while he attended a research conference for former Accounting students who are now in PhD programs. We were up late, too late.

Thursday morning was rough for a number of reasons: up late, rough night, and it's the third day since the crash. Turns out the doctors knew what they were talking about... the pain is worse the third day. Took it easy in the morning, good nap in the afternoon and by evening he was feeling pretty good.

Friday he was up and showered early enough to go with Aaron to the meetings at the conference. He is doing really well but as they drove away I began to feel anxious. This is the first time he's been out of the house and away from me since the accident. What if he passes out, what if he over does it...he's a big boy, and Aaron's there to keep an eye on him. He'll be OK. But I still felt anxious.

Then I started to think about him riding his bike again - not that it will be in the next week - but I know that at one point he will jump on that bike again and ride away just at he did Monday - and as he has done thousands of times. I know there are risks involved, there are risks no matter where we are or what we are doing. But right now the reality that I may loose him someday is pressing on my mind. I begin to wonder when, how will it happen? Will it begin like the call I received Monday night...only what I find when I arrive at the hospital will be different...?

I suppose this has always been the case. Really it's the same when he goes to work or I go the gym or grocery store. There are no guarantees in this life. So how to I but this fear behind me?

I know that he and I are sealed forever. While we will most likely be separated in this life at some point I know it will be a temporary separation - for this life only. And then, when we have both passed on we will be together forever, never to be apart again. I know that I'm not alone. I am surrounded by so many who love and support me and my family. 

Ultimately it comes to fear vs. faith. I need to remember to trust. Trust God. Trust that he will hear and answer my prayers and also trust that He knows not only what is best for me and for Mark but for all of God's children. I'm not saying God pulled some strings to cause the accident. We have our agency and sometimes we act in ways that hurt or injure others, God won't take away our agency. But we can repent and make it right through the atonement. And the atonement is also there to help and strengthen us through our pains, sorrows and challenges that come through our own weaknesses, through the mistakes of others or just come as part of the life experience.

And is all these trials we are never alone. That comforts me and helps me have faith. 

Chris warned me that I might feel this way

and helped me prepare for when these feelings came.

Thanks Chris... it helped me today.

Living quarters

Front Door, kitchen area. Study area behind when taking picture

Study area... back to kitchen and front door. Notice wood wall and door at the end...on the other side is... 

the Bedroom... we didn't get pictures of the bathroom and yes they sleep in sleeping bags in this mission.

How is everyone doing!? this week was good for me, we found a new investigator whose name is Martin, and he is absolutely golden!! We were knocking in some apartments, after a hard day of working and having all of our appointments fall through, and no one was ever home. It was probably around eight at night, and Elder pack told me to choose somewhere to knock. So we went in this building, all the way to the top, and he said "ok, its your turn to knock" so i knocked on the door and he amazingly let us in. He always talked about how his family is the most important thing in the world to him, and was super receptive, and we had a really good lesson. I believe i already told you that much, but we have gone back, and the next time hs wife was there, so she joined us. She was just as amazing and really receptive, and when we were asking them to read, he said they were going to read the section in the Book of Mormon that we had given them that night as a family, we were soo excited! Then we had a couple days before the next lesson, and we were gonna play futbol with some investigators, so we invited him. He came and we had a lot of fun. Afterwards we were talking to him, and turns out he is married, which is a huge bonus! That practically never happens here. We went back the next day, and had a really good lesson about priesthood authority, and why our message was so important, and they took it soo well. They are super humble, and really sincere. They also had questions about baptism. They didn't believe infant baptism was good, because they didn't believe children had the ablility to choose and stuff like that. They wanted to know what we thought about that and if they were being bad parents because they hadn't baptized their children. It was a great opportunity to show how awesome the Book of Mormon is, and to show them what we believe. It was really cool, and it is amazing to see how the Lord has been preparing them, and how they are soo receptive to our message. 

Well fam there is so much that goes on here, I wish I could just write a little novel and send it to you guys to tell you about everything, but the investigators are the most important thing, that is why we are here.

Family i love you so much, the lord has definitely been helping me every day, the Spanish is here some days, and not others, there are certain people that i can understand practically perfectly, and others I can't understand a word.. so it is kind of hit and miss, but I really have felt the Lord helping me. When I have the spirit in a lesson, it doesnt matter how well I can speak, all that matters is that I open my mouth, and the spirit teaches them what they need to know. I take alot of comfort in that, because it is something that I need right now soo much.

well, love you all, look forward to Mondays when I get to hear from you!

 

love, Elder Zimbelman 

Here are a few other things he told me:

Mom, I am doing soo good! we get fed by the members every day, and we have a bunch of sisters in the branch who if we stop by they give us food, or fix our clothes, they also do our laundry for us, its really pretty nice here, we are really well taken care of by the members. Well its getting cold there, and it is just getting warm here! hahaa, I am going to be spoiled, with two summers in a row, but we are wearing t-shirts for the first time today, and it is soo nice here! Everything is super brown, and it will probably only get greener in the trees becasue the ground is all dirt everywhere, rarely do people have grass in their yards, but the people are amazing here, and we are well taken care of. 

De ja vu - well sort of

This is a long post.
It is more for me than for anyone else.
To help me process, to help me remember how blessed I was last night and to help me deal with all the feelings that are going through me right now.

And to answer the questions many people have asked.

Monday evening just past 6 Jenn and I were preparing for a friend who would be joining us for dinner. Our friend arrived a little early and Mark wasn't home from his bike ride yet... a little odd but I didn't think much about it. A few minutes later my phone rang. It was Timpanogos Hospital ER informing me that Mark had been in an accident and asked if I could come right down. She asked if I knew where the hospital was, I repeated back to her the nearest cross streets and we hung up. I relayed the message to Jenn and Danny, we turned off burners, put the meat in the fridge, our friend quickly left and we headed to the hospital.

The whole way there I was trying to recall the details of my conversation with the woman at the hospital and was mad that I didn't ask more question. He was on a back board. He was awake because he told them it was OK to call me - not in a coma, that's good. Jenn texted the kids while I drove to let them know what was going on and then offered a prayer.

When we arrived Mark was out of the room getting a CAT scan. A CAT scan... hmmm. I asked around to get more information. We found out that he was hit by a longboarder on the river trail and was unconscious for at least 10 minutes. I felt sick inside and angry.

Robbie and Cecily joined Jenn and I at the ER after a few minutes. Mark was soon wheeled back in awake and not in too much pain. He told us that he was almost home, riding past the parking lot by the bridge at 8th North and University. He slowed down as he approached this area because it was often crowded and kind of a dangerous area. He saw one long boarder come out of the parking area and then a few moments later another one shot out right in front of him. He saw Mark and jumped off his skate board. Mark tried to bunny hop the deserted board but didn't make it. He woke up 10 minutes later in the ambulance on his way to the hospital. His left side took the brunt of the impact cracking a rib and breaking his left radius near the elbow also bruising his hip and shoulder. He lost skin from his cheek, chin, both knees, assorted fingers and knuckles and has a scrape across his chest. They didn't discover the elbow was broken until they were helping him sit up and get into the wheelchair. He requested that they x-ray it and sure enough - a compression fracture.

When we finally got him home it was after 9:00pm. Mark hadn't had much to drink and nothing to eat since his bikeride. He sat up to the bar and was about to start eating when he told us he felt light headed, like he was going to pass out. I turned to get something more for him when Cecily said, "He IS going to pass out". Robbie stood on one side of him and I hurried to the other and just moments later he went limp. Cecily and Jenn could see all the color drain from him and he kind of twitched and began to sweat profusely. My shirt was wet where his head leaned against me. When he came to we got him something to drink and tried to get him talking when he passed out again. Cecily was very calm and suggested that we lay him on the ground and elevate his feet. I was told Jenn to get our neighbor to help lay Mark on the ground, I was afraid I would drop him while we were trying to move him. Mark came to again. Jenn came back in a few minutes, the neighbor she went to get was out of town but a different one was passing by and I'm really not sure how he ended up coming over but I'm glad he did. While we laid him on the floor I had Jenn call our good friend and Mark's doctor, Chris Wood. He used to live next door but lives in North Salt Lake. Cecily was awesome and calm, just what I needed.  I described what was going on to Chris and he gave me some instructions and things to watch for. We gave him some OJ and other liquids to get his blood sugar and volume up. At some point we called our faithful home teacher to come and help give him a blessing. As Mark ate and drank his color got better and he could carry on a conversation and not slur his words. We began to breathe a little easier watching the color return to his face and he began joking and talking. Chis called back a few minutes later to let me know he was on his way. Mark was given a beautiful blessing of healing and comfort by Robbie and the other bretheren. After a 20 minutes or so laying on the floor, Mark was looking pretty good and the men helped Mark up and into the chair in the living room. We put blankets on him and got more food into his system along with some pain medication. He seemed more like his old self more and more. Our wonderful neighbor headed home and our home teacher stayed a bit longer.

Before long Chris arrived and we looked at the CD of Mark's CAT scan and xrays. Chris examined Mark and didn't find any evidence of internal bleeding. Mark and I were so touched that he would drive all this way in the middle of the night to check on him. But he came for me too. He realized how scared I was and how overwhelming all this was for me and gave me instructions too along with a prescription for anxiety which I was reluctant to get filled but glad I did.

While in the ER Robbie took a picture of Mark and posted it on facebook. The calls, prayers and well wished rolled in. We were overwhelmed by the love and support we feel. In addition to getting this out of my head and in to some tangible form that I could deal with I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to those who were there for us in a second's notice. I feel so blessed. I'm sure the next few days will be a challenge but I know we are certainly not alone.

In over three decades of our married life it has been me that has given birth, had my appendix out, had other health challenges... including getting taken out by a longboarder. I can't remember a time when my wonderful husband has been the one lying there while I felt helpless. This is new and I don't like it. Tonight I feel exhaused, vunerable, and very very aware of how fragile life is. But I do not feel alone. I feel so loved, so supported and carried - and I'm not the one hurt. The efforts made today to support our family were such kind acts, so needed and given because others knew what we needed and were willing to drop what they were doing to help us. That was a whole huge group of tender mercies and love. Thank you! I am reminded each moment that God knows each of us personally and attends to our needs often through our friends and neighbors - the angels who surround us all the time.

Proof is in the picture

Doesn't he look great! Especially after being on the road for soooo many hours.

PS the writing is normal... not effected by exhaustion.

Love from Argentina

* Elder Zimbelman's first letter from the field, 

we discovered more of the story of his arrival in Argentina as he answered questions in personal emails and from a phone call from the mission office... after the letter*

Hola familia,

¿como estan? Yo soy aqui en aero puerto una area k tiene casi no arbols and muchas tierra..   

Anyway, the name of the city I am in is Cutral Co it is West of Neuquen. Our house is pretty small, but the toilet works, the shower  is warm, and we have running water, and the place stays warm, so it  is all good. It is definitely a different experience here than in the states, but it has not been nearly as hard as i thought it was going to  be. The language is super difficult to understand, and if it´s someone that speaks clearly and we are talking about the gospel I can

understand close to 80 percent of what they say. But there are some  people, like our president´s wife.. haha, that I can't understand at all. But everyone here has been saying I am really good at Spanish. Usually missionaries come and cant speak at all, but I have been able to contribute a lot in all of our lessons and it has been a good experience so far. 

We have about 10 investigators right now, and I  haven't got to meet all of them yet, but I look forward to be able to meet them. Sorry this is kind of jumbled, but there is just soo much to tell, and I am kind of tired. It seems that I am tired here all the time! But its OK, the Lord strenghtens me when I need to be strengthened. My companion Elder Pack is from Holliday, Utah, (a suburb of SLC for those not familiar with Holliday) and only has about 14 weeks left in the mission. He is a good guy, and I enjoy being here with him.

 As some of you mentioned, the field is definitely different than what you think it is.. Sometimes I feel that we could be doing more, or using our time better, but its all right, I will get accustomed to being here, and being on a mission, and then I will work more on what is the best way to do things, for now I mostly just trust that he knows what he is doing.. he has been in this area for 4 transfers or something ridiculous like that, so he pretty much knows the area back and forth, and knows a lot of the people. It isnt nearly as beautiful here as it is in Utah, there isnt really anything green... mostly just dirt. But I really have come to love the people, and the food, we have empinadas and pasta alot, and I am loving it here. 

We have one new investigator, and it was an amazing experience for me. His name is Martin, and it was late in the night, como 8 and we were having a hard time finding places to go, because we had visited all our investigators and knocked some doors, but no one was home. So we went and were knocking an apartment. The first door I knocked, I gave a really broken introduction and this guy let us in. He was super open and told us how important his family is to him, and so we talkd with him for a while, and he was super receptive. I feel really good about it, that was probably the highlight of my time here, just being able to see the light in someones eyes and to be able to testify with all my soul that I knew that what we have to share will change his life forever. It is such an amazing opportunity. 

Another investigator I found, my first night in Neuquen, was when I was with one of the Elders from Peru, Elder Leon, he was soo amazing. We found this kid named Christian, and at first glance he was super rough looking, had multiple gnarly pearcings in his ears and in his nose I think, and lived in the most humble circumstances. But when we went in there he just had such an open heart and was very receptive. We gave him a Book of Mormon. He had questions about how could there be a God with so many bad things happening  in the world, and we were able to help him, and turn him to the Book of Mormon. It was really special for me, and I really have started to love the people here. They are so nice to me, and try soo hard to listen to what I say, I love it. 

Well fam, there is soo much I could write, but this is what is important: I am healthy, happy, and in the service of the Lord, so for the moment, I don't know how things could be much better. I love it, thanks for all you do.

Love from Argentina,

Elder Zimbelman

Travel saga below if you haven't had enough to read yet... 

Christian left the MTC in Provo around 10:00 am Monday morning (Sept 5) He and his traveling group flew to Atlanta and then overnight to Buenos Aires arriving Tuesday morning around 8 AM. Tuesday afternoon those continuing on caught a flight to Neuquen. A two hour flight I believe. About 7 minutes from Neuquen the plane turned around and headed back to Buenos Aires. We are not sure the reason. The woman from the mission office speculated that it may have been because of the volcano in Chile although there was no ash in the air... she just didn't know. They arrived back in Buenos Aires, around 9:30 pm and went straight to the bus station and caught a bus to Neuquen leaving at 10:30 pm. The 710 mile bus ride took them 18 hours. It pains me just thinking about it... no wonder he's tired! They were fed at the mission home and got a good's night rest before a day of training in Neuquen and then off to his area, Cutral Co.

Feast and Famine...

This morning I spent 45 minutes in a room full of energetic two-year-olds. 

Even though I've taught this same lesson twice already this week, this particular group wanted to be up and moving... all the time...so that's what we did, we had most of our class on our feet. It was fun and challenging and caused me to think deeply and creatively to adapt the lesson plan to the needs of these little ones in the moment.

 And then, the last tiny pair of sandals was filled and gone and my house was calm. 

Completely quiet.

Silent and very still. 

I took a breath and looked around.

 It felt good. 

I love my life. 

I have lists of things that need doing but not sure what I wanted to do. 

Check out pinterest, check my email, make lunch, finish the laundry... 

Really what I wanted to do was to play with my grandchildren, have lunch with their parents, especially their mothers - telling them again how amazing they are and to remind them that while it may seem that the things they do day after day after day are mundane and repetitive... they are doing the most important things they could be doing... ever. All those little things count, the spilled cheerios, the smears on mom's shirt, the endless laundry, all the little hassles and issues that seem as though life would be so much easier to just give in, just this morning... but you don't. What you are doing is building people,



one moment at a time. And before you know it these moments will have added up to years and decades and you will marvel                                                      

that the child once laying on the floor kicking and screaming now has a child of their own... doing exactly the same thing. And what you desire now... a clean house and 15 minutes of quiet calm that you can choose to do anything you like... will be yours.

And there may be days when you long for someone to come over and fill your home with noise, spill  cheerios on the floor, get your shirt a little soiled and put their sweet chubby arms around your neck.

Funny how that goes.

 Feast and famine... but really it's all feasting.

                 Life is good.

and it's time to get back to my list.

Always lists

Thank goodness.

Pinterest... Love hate relationship

Aaaaaa Pinterest! I love you! You give me great ideas quickly and easily for my laundry room, bathroom and for future projects. You also give me great recipe ideas like these, oreo cupcakes from bakerella. These pictures are not from her website... Jennifer took them of the ones we made.

mini oreo

and just for fun... we made half with grasshopper cookies

chocolate and mint... mmmmmmmmm

The frosting recipe was divine... we used butter instead of shortening as suggested... white enough and melts in your mouth.

 I was making them for the YW and since the recipe said it only made 12 large cupcakes I doubled it, planning to make 12 large ones for our neighbor who just had a baby (what! you don't think she NEEDS these?) and 48 mini ones for the YW. I'm not sure what happened but we ended up with 24 large ones AND 57 mini ones... maybe I put too many cookies in the little ones?...  I didn't get any complaints. I may have to try it again without doubling it just to see how it comes out ;).

Pinterest...great ideas, yummy recipes...

not so great for my bottom line

(if you know what I mean)

Found them!

The laundry room before, during and after pictures:

 These pictures reflect the way the room felt.

 (in addition to my poor photography skills using my new dslr on manual setting - 

which I didn't realize I had done until the room was ripped apart)

BEFORE:

 

DURING:

AFTER:

My Summer Vacation cont...The Bathroom

 The basement bathroom has been an ongoing project that began shortly after we redid the main part of the basement for Kindermusik a year ago. This is actually the largest bathroom in the house but since it was in the basement it was neglected until the domino theory kicked in. Main room looked great, bike room looking amazing, bedroom already looked pretty good and now this really looked like a pit.This was compounded by the fact that it was not being used regularly and became the dumping ground for basement "stuff". Note - we never actually lift weights IN the bathroom. The pale blue-green counters and the vinyl floor with the matching blue-green squares that had pulled away from wall long before we moved in, had outlasted their stay. Not to mention the light strip. The towel racks came down, which was much easier than keeping them up (we are towel rack challenged) and the work began. The photos below already have the wall behind the door partially textured.

Late in the spring we found a great handyman, John. He quickly put two and two together and discovered that he was one of Mark's students. He helped with a lot of projects and is one reason we did so many this summer... he recently moved to Boston to start his first job. We will miss him


To fix up this room we textured, painted almost every surface, stenciled one wall using this stencil. This room was the experimental room with the Giani countertop paint. It turned out OK, way better than the blue-green laminate and I got better at it as I went. The cabinets got a fresh coat of white paint, I used this tutorial to frame the huge mirror that is permanently attached to the wall. It was so easy, I will be doing it again. John put in new light fixtures in addition to a new tile floor. Mark and Christian installed new towel racks into studs next to the shower/tub where you can actually reach them when you need them!

 It's a bright happy bathroom that I'm no longer to embarrassed to allow people to use. It comes in really handy for Kindermusik too.

Argentina, Here I Come!

This week has been awesome, we got two new teachers, and we were worried that they were going to be super lame and no fun this last week of the MTC, but they have turned out to be pretty awesome! I know the lord is watching out for us!

Last night was our last chance to hear from a quorum of the Twelve in our firesides and we definitely got lucky. Elder Holland came, and it was an amazing spiritual feast as one might expect from him, ask dad or Jen or mom for notes from it! It was awesome! He does seem to be getting old though! 

Oh man, I am somewhat sad to be leaving the MTC. It has been such a place of spiritual growth and development for me, more than I could ever have imagined. It really has been a humbling, but at the same time a very uplifting experience. I love the MTC and I will always look back to my time here, as a cherished time in my life. One of the biggest blessings I have had has been to be able to be the District Leader for the Elders in my district. It has taught me so much, and the Lord truly has magnified me in my calling far beyond my own potential. My love for the elders in my district has grown immensely. It is always amazing to me, the way the Lord likes to humble me, and then give me success. An example of this is that every Sunday we have a district meeting that I am in charge of and we assign two elders a  topic that they get to teach. Of course I usually forget to remind people, or assign them, until it is practically the day of, but it always amazes me, what power comes when we invite the spirit, and then follow it in our meetings. This last week, I was pondering what I could share with my elders in our meeting, and I thought i should teach about charity. It seemed a little random, but I followed it, and it was amazing how the spirit led, and I was able to see the message really sinking into the hearts of the elders in my district, and I was able to see a change of heart. I guess that is what has been my favorite thing about the MTC, is the chance to be an instrument in the Lords hands, to help bring about a change of heart in the elders in my district. I truly have felt that as I shared these experiences with the elders, as my thoughts were solely about them, a change came in me, where I was able to be bettered in the process as well. The lord loves us, and wants us to rely on him! 

I am so excited to be able to go and be the Lords tool in bringing the people of Argentina unto him. I can not think of a better way to spend my life, and it truly is a lifestyle, we need to be trying constantly to bring the people around us unto Christ, and as we do that we, ourselves come unto him.

Family I love you, so much! I know the lord loves you! I always can feel of your love through your letters, I felt it last night, and it brought me to tears of joy, to think of the love that you have for me! Thank you so much for your good spirits! Keep doing what is right, and don't worry about the rest! for the lord will take care of you!!

Love, Elder Zimbelman