Visitors

These two were in my back yard this morning (Thursday)

but really they have nothing to do with the rest of the post.

Late last Friday night Aaron flew in.
He took a detour on his way home from a conference in Texas to be with us for Robbie's homecoming. (We were sad that he wasn't able to sneak Celisa and Olivia in his suitcase.) Amy, Jordan and Ruby arrived early Saturday evening.
Sunday was Robbie's homecoming.
I was up first Sunday morning and this was left over from the night before, but instead of feeling frustrated at the mess...
books we read with Ruby and some gifts Robbie brought back from Brazil... it served as a happy reminder that this day was no ordinary Sunday.

Jennifer received her Young Womanhood Recognition Award
David Messenger spoke before Robbie which was very fitting seeing how they both began serving a mission about the same time and finished within days of each other. David served in the family history center in Orem and occasionally went to Salt Lake. David has Aspergers and he and Robbie have been friends since we moved here. Robbie shared an inspiring message about the great worth of souls - our own as well as others.

It was a touching and inspiring meeting from beginning to end.

Afterwards our home was flooded with wonderful people who love Robbie and celebrated his return with us. So many wonderful people who have touched our lives. We are eternally indebted. I wish I had pictures - although it would make this post VERY long.

Sometime during the day I saw my three boys together and it struck me. They are all grown up! All of them.
(which makes me old!)
Just to clarify...Christian was standing down hill and Aaron up hill -
Christian is the tallest and Robbie and Aaron are about the same with Aaron being slightly taller than Rob.
Don't you think they look like their Dad?

I can't remember when I have felt so much joy.
Life just keeps getting better.

I can't wait 'till August when we are all together.

He's Home

On the way to the airport we put this up in a fence on an overpass...

Of course it was snowing like crazy when we put the cups in...
(smeared my mascara and did a number on my hair - but I knew the mascara was going to be history when I put it on...)

I started to cry when I saw him coming down the escalator.
It was amazing.

This is just after he got released.
Many mixed emotions...
He's downstairs right now on the phone with his friend
telling him he needs to go to church.
Love this man!

WOW

Dear Family,

It is interesting how much the words of Jacob have come to life for me when he said, "and the time passed by as if it was a dream." It is one thing to hear these words and agree that it is true but, it is another to be a missionary and remember everything that happened in your mission that is coming to a close. As you've followed along with me you can probably relate to what these words now mean to me. In movies we see people as they are about to die and there lives pass before their eyes like a movie. I have seen the movie of my mission pass before my eyes so many times! I'm not dying, but I am entering into a new phase of life. I will not shut the book and the lessons will not end, but, some things will be set aside for the time being.

I've experienced so many times, when we feel like we are on the top of the world and nothing will take you down, God needs to humble us and put us in our place. What a blessing it is to live in a world SO inconsistent! If it wasn't for the inconsistency we would never grow. Once I heard that, "true happiness is progress," and I have learned this to be true. But it is one thing to be inconsistent and another to be consistent in an inconsistent world. One of the greatest blessings and lessons that I have learned on my mission is how I can trust in the Lord!

I have been getting anxious to go home. Don't get me wrong, I worked until the last minute. I'm SO very excited to see every one of you, to hug you and kiss you and look into your eyes. But I will miss profoundly looking into the eyes of the Gaúchos, speaking português and teaching from the bottom of my heart the things that I have learned to be true. I plan on getting right to work, school, play and dating and not letting a moment pass by without doing something worth while!

If you asked me if I knew what would happen tomorrow, I couldn't tell you. If you asked me where I will be in a year, I don't know. If you asked me what I would be doing in five years, I could tell you my goals, my hopes and what I hope to be. But the comfort that I have is that God does everything for a reason. Sometimes we don't know why but it is only after that we learn. What a blessing!

Thank You, Each and every one of you for everything!

WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL FAMILY!

See you on Wednesday!!! Wahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Love,

Elder Zimbelman

P.S. We baptized a young man named Jairo on Saturday! I will tell you more on Wednesday!

*NOTE FROM KAREN*
48 HOURS - I * CAN'T * WAIT!!!!

The countdown...

What more can I say?
If you live close by and want to leave Rob a message on our wall hightail it over...
you don't have much time left...

Amy Started it!

Count downs that is.

For years we counted down days till birthdays, Holidays, graduations, missionaries leaving and coming home, weddings, anniversaries, days till people came home from foreign countries, baby's due dates. Even count downs that we had to guess what we were counting down to. All of this we did on our dry erase board. Then the time came when the dry erase board began to look a little shabby - not shabby chic - just well, bad. When we did some remodeling in the kitchen last summer the dry erase board went to DI. We replaced it with a magnetic board - which has been nice - but it didn't allow for count downs, let alone pure creativity.

As we talked about decorating ideas I suggested a chalkboard wall and was surprised at the enthusiastic response. We finished it last week and it has been received with great enthusiasm.

It did require a bit of work though... sanding and filling... more sanding
followed by much dusting (of the whole house!).
Priming, painting, waiting and painting and waiting some more.

It's been enjoyed - and yes were are counting down hours until Rob gets home.

PS Did you see the little sneak peak of the new color in the dining room?
Do you care? ;)

Miracles haven't ceased

Dear Family,

Thank you for all of your love and support for the second to last time!!! Wow, it's like a dream that my mission is ending but I am doing as all of you have been so kind to counsel and giving it my ALL. I have been awed to see that God constantly is caring for me and those that are willing and ready to do the work of the Lord!

This week we were blessed to have an inspired Zone Conference about the Book of Mormon and miracles. We were asked to study Moroni 7 and pray to have miracles every day. I have been blessed to experience many miracles in my mission of which I feel like I have a perfect memory.

This week I had a very powerful experience. I was working with Elder Leite (Milk right) and we taught the pastor. I have learned in this time in my mission what it means to "wake up the world for the conflict of justice." His name is Márcio and he is very receptive. We were just talking and usually it is impossible to teach a pastor without entering in a bible bash. But, I explained how we share messages saying a pray and everything and they accepted. We taught them in a very clear form and they listened attentively. If they don't pray to know the truth, we have done our part! We will go back there on Wednesday. He is a very busy man but we are going to fast for him and see what happens. Pray for him. It is advised that we don't ask anyone from home or other places to fast with us but it's your decision...

Shortly after this visit with Márcio we went to Maria's house. Maria is a very special woman that has received some very powerful responses that the church is true and what she needs to do. I don't know if you all remember when Priscila dreamed about her baptism? Well Maria has also dreamed about her baptism. When we went there she didn't want to receive us, then reluctantly let us in. I broke the ice talking about my nieces and she opened up to me. She started telling me her story when she was a diaconiza in another church and really dedicated herself. She wasn't really loved or giving attention in the church. After a long time left the church. Heard the lessons from the missionaries many times and never was baptized.She told us that she had been praying one night and as she was praying she saw her own baptism! But, she said that she was had been deceived and didn't know what she should do. I ask her, "can I tell you what you need to do?" She said yes. Then I said a prayer and asked for the spirit to be with us that Maria would know what she needed to do.

When I finished the pray I started to speak. I felt like I was just repeating scriptures and calling her to repentance and to baptism that God had so clearly showed her. When I stopped speaking she turned to Elder Leite. She started saying sorry, that she wasn't putting me above him and few other things and then we understood why. She said that she had a testimony that God put's people in the right place at the right time. She said that when she opened her eyes from the prayer she saw a special light around me and that when I spoke she didn't hear anything that I said! But, she did hear a voice that said, "I have sent you two angles, listen to them!"

At that moment the phone rang. It was her sister and the confusion started. In a few minutes she hung up the phone. She said that she was sorry once again to Elder Leite, that he would baptize her. But, once again started to explain that God had sent he there to speak to her! The phone rang once again and she talked for longer this time. When she finished she just said, to not explain this for too long she said, "I will go to church tomorrow." After that she said that she would be persecuted a lot for this decision but, she had made her decision.

I said that I wanted to be at her baptism and that it could be on Saturday. She said that she would pray about it.

Long story short, yesterday some people arrived at her house and slept over and she didn't go to church! She can still be baptized on Sunday but, we will have to see how committed she is to follow this GREAT, answer that God has given her. Pray for her!

Also, Tabata had family health problems. She will be baptized on Saturday. Pray for her!

Thanks for all of you faith in me! I know that miracles are happening not just by my faith but, your faith in me!

I'm CRAZY to see you all, it's alright, you can get CRAZY to see me too! It's natural, I hope your all crazy to see me! Haha.

Love,

Elder Rob

PS from Karen... Rob will be speaking in our ward on April 18th 9:00. We and he would love to have you come. Let me know if you have questions.

Pray for the Pastor

Dear family,

This week has been very eventful! We have had our fair share of ups and downs in these seven days and the excitement and anxiety that I am coming home is getting to me a little bit. For the first time in my mission a baptism fell through but, I still have hope that Tabata will be baptized. We also found a very special family!

Well, this week everything was going just perfect with Tabata. She is very special! She was excited for the baptism and we taught her the commandments and everything was just fine. She doesn't even drink coffee, which is something very rare here in Brazil. We marked her interview on Saturday and passed by her house to take her to the interview and her brother said that she had left some time before. Hmmm. We got there a little bit late so we thought that maybe she had already gone. Now, we have no clue where she went, if it was an emergency or if she was hiding so, we could really use your prayers!

We do know two things that might have gotten in the way; the first is her mom, the second, she had a birthday party to go to that night. Well, her mom loves me! The whole family really likes me and are getting really sad that I am going home. But, varies events have happened with other people that she stopped listening to the messages. She believes in saints and also has had one of the sisters enter into every part of her house without asking permission. Crazy Sister! Also that night that we taught about the commandments she had a birthday party to go to that night and here in Brazil everyone has parties as an excuse to drink and party. Well, she said that she doesn't have a problem with alcohol but we failed to ask her if she drinks. Hmmm. So, we will go back there and I have faith that she will still be baptized. Pray for her!

We also started teaching a pastor's family. He is very open to the gospel and I have a lot of faith that he will make some progress! He said that he has a testimony of the Book of Mormon because he learned that to be baptized, it needs to be from someone that has authority. The problem is he went to a preacher that we very correct and said that he was baptized again :))) Hmmm. But, he was busy yesterday but gave his kids permission to go to church. The younger kids went out of town but his oldest daughter, 19 years old, went to church with us yesterday and absolutely loved it! She will go next week and with a little more work with this family and they will all be going! Pray for them.

Other than that I'm doing just fine. A little trunky but that's normal. Pray for me!

I love you all so much and am so grateful that you write me every week!

Love,

Elder Zimbelman

Ummmmm Hmmmmm

Dear Family,

It's so good to hear that everyone is safe and sound. Happy and healthy! I'm doing very good here, the work is progressing and I'm crazy for missionary work!

This was a very good week! Elder Enout got here just in the nick of time. He is an awesome missionary but he isn't my companion. My companion is called, Elder Leite (Leite is milk in português). Elder Enout is a really awesome missionary and an awesome friend! When he started his mission, I was in Santo Ângelo. He is a very excited missionary and fearless. He is Elder Swingle's comp. and now he is very happy! We are working a lot in four, always switching off companions.
This week we baptized Jonathan. He is the only one that hadn't been baptized in the family but, the family had fallen away. Now the mom has returned and we are working with the father. But, he was never really strong in the church so it is more of a conversion that he is needing.

We were also able to take Tabata to church. If everything goes right we will baptize her next week. Yesterday we went to her house and were about to teach the family when it started to rain. We then here someone clapping outside(that is how you knock doors here). One of the little girls went outside and invited the person in. Guess who it was? ...the sisters! They were going home from church and the family lives on the border of our areas. They didn't know that we were there and only knocked because they needed to get out of the rain. It was a really good experience and they could help us invite and have everyone in the family promise to go to church! It is the family of nine/ten that I told you all about! What a blessing it would be to baptize that family before I leave! Pray for them.

Today and tomorrow we will have the council meetings! I am very excited. It will be my last and I will have to bear my testimony! Wish me luck and please pray for me!

Thank you so much for your love and forces that you all give me!

Love,

Elder Zimbelman

My last transfer

Dear Family,

I have written two emails that have gotten erased because of the internet and I am afraid that I don't have much time left!

Well my wish has been granted and I will be staying here for my last six weeks. Everyone has been asking me if I am doing alright, if I am getting trunky. I tell them that I'm working a lot harder than they ever did ;) and that I'm going to work until the end!

We are working a ton here and really seeing some people change! We are working with a lot of families and could really use your prayers. Thanks for all of your love and support in the past and I can really feel it and appreciate it.

Well, President has sent in a Brazilian that is a good worker and will take the place of Elder Breinholt that ended his mission this transfer. He was really burnt out and so this should be a great change!

Love you guys!

I'll write more next week!

Elder Zimbelman

P.S. Elder Mott is in the best area in the mission! Vila Julia! The day he got in President called me and I was able to talk to him and get him excited to start his mission in the best area in the mission! His area baptizes about an eighth of the missions baptisms! Awww, Lucky!

Talk to you all later

I decided to stay

Dear family,

Thank you all so much for your love and support for me! This week has been especially good thanks to all of your prayers on our behalf.

Well I talked to President and said that I wasn't very happy with the area but that I would decide if I was going to stay or not. I had been praying to know if God wanted me to stay or if I would be of better use in another area. On Monday I was going to call President with my response. That night we left and went out to work. We taught two families and then went to a reference that a member told us about. She didn't even enter into the house with us, she is kinda crazy but, introduced us to the family and left.

We sat down with the family and they are really an awesome family! There are 9 in the family and they aren't members of any religion! The mom works making bracelets, necklaces and sandals. They are really cool, I even thought about taking some home to the women. So, if you are interested, place your order. Anyways, they are really special and for sure will go to church but now they don't have very much time. Please pray that they will be able to progress! There names are; Beiur, Lucineri, Rodrigo, Tabata, Tanata, Raiani, Luciele, Neri, Naumi and Eva. Rodrigo is Tanata's boyfriend. All of them are more than eight years old except for Naumi and Eva!

After this find I called up President and told him that I wanted to stay!

We also are working with another family that went to church this week called Tiago, Suellen, Marialena and Taylan. They are really open and believe what we tell them but they go to an African religion that is pretty out there. It has to do with talking with spirits and saints and reading cards and other stuff like that. They are really good people and we will see if they will change. But, if not,at least we planted the seed. Pray for them!

This week we also had two baptisms! Rogers and Gabriel. Here they don't have the chip reader do send you the pictures but there Rogers's family is really special! His parents were baptized some time ago but for whatever reason stopped going. After the baptism I was able to walk and talk and really have a one on one with Regis, Rogers's dad, and express my love for you all and the necessity to be married in the temple. He told me that for sure they were going to come back to church and prepare to go to the temple! That means three more baptisms with Rogers's brother and sisters and also maybe I will be able to get another family sealed on my mission! Pray for them!

This week has really been great and I am working my heart out until the end of my mission! I'm excited to see you all but just in the end of March!

Love you guys, Pray for us!

Elder Zimbelman

A Week of Miracles

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for your love and prayers! They really have helped me this week! We have had an excellent week and I'm very excited to tell you all about it!

Last week a member brought a friend to church. His name is Rogers and his parents are members that have fallen away from the church. He is 17 years old and really has been prepared to receive the gospel! I was on division the first two times that he was taught. On the third lesson his friend asked what lesson we marked the baptismal date. We said that was normally the next lesson but asked, why, and if they where already thinking about the date? Rogers asked if we baptized on Sunday we said that normally on Saturday. Then I thought convenient to add that he needed to go to church at least two times. He did the math and said alright, my baptism can be next Saturday! Wahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!Yesterday he went to church and we also taught him the Plan of Salvation. He loved it and is way excited for his baptism! Pray for him!

Jonatan

I'm not sure how much I already told you about Volnei, Andréia, Jonatan and Mariana? They are a family that is very especial! Volnei and Andréia have been inactive for 7 years! They were very firm in the church for some time until some member offended them. They have a few others excuses too. But yesterday Andréia and Jontan went to church! Jonatan has been two times now but for Andréia it was a huge leap! Jonatan could be baptized this week but we will see if he is really prepared. Volnei will need the most work of all. He drinks and it also looks like he hasn't forgiven those that offended them. Please pray for him.

Alright, coolest experience of all! We were working the day that I got back from the division and Elder Leite thought of someone that he had taught with another missionary. He remembered that they hadn't returned to teach him. We called the missionary and discovered his address and he gave us permission to teach the man. When we got there he already started giving us excuses and telling us that he already "knew the word." Hmmm. So I asked for some water. He got some water and I opened up to him. I explained that some times we insist because we want to help everyone that we can. Before I could even ask for a reference he started to talk about the neighbor. That she had lost her son some time ago and really could be blessed by a message!

On splits in Santa Maria

We went straight to her house. She was outside drinking chimarrão under the tree. We arrived, I presented myself and my companion and offered a message about; where we came from, why we are here, and where we go after this life. She said ignorantly, "I'm sorry my son but, no one has come back to tell us, and no one really knows." I have never felt SO happy to say that we know without a doubt and that we could explain it to her! She said, "alright, I'm catholic but you can share your message." We entered and started talking and she already started telling us about the problems in the catholic church. She said that she even had corrected the padre and had taken he bible there to straighten him out! I laughed and agreed with her. Well, we taught her an unplanned message about Christ's Ministry and life after death and she totally opened up to us. many of the things she told us are too sacred to write in an email but all in all she wants to change churches! Haha! The only reason that she didn't go to church yesterday is because she had to stay at home and take care of her grandchildren. But she has already told the neighbors that she will become part of the church! Her name is Mail and her husband's name is Alayir. Pray for them! Especially because I will go to Santiago in division this week and my comp. will be taking care of everyone.

My comp. is very good! He is from the Espirito Santo, from the same stake as Elder Borlot. He is just 10 months in the mission! Pray for him too!

I am doing awesome! Thanks for all of your love and concern for me and everyone around me! I love and pray for you all!

Love, Elder Zimbelman

Crazy Week

Dear Family,

This has been the craziest week ever!

First of all we had the Leaders council. But it looks like we ate some potatoe salad that didn't agree with our stomachs and where vomiting all night long on Monday. Which means that we couldn't go to the second part on Tuesday. We are all doing fine now. President says that I'm looking skinny so I'm trying to put on some weight but, the food is good here and I've been pretty fat my whole mission so that shouldn't be a problem.

Second, on Friday we had Zone Conference! It was very spiritual and I got so excited that I couldn't keep my mouth shut! I'm pretty sure that everyone got annoyed with me but, whatever :) Then after Zone Conference we had two baptismal interviews that were really cool.

One of them is a woman that the Sisters in our district are teaching. She is a cool lady, her name is Olinda. She had visited one of our baptisms. At the baptism I was conversing with everyone and I asked if she had been baptized yet. She responded, no. I asked her what she was waiting for, she said she didn't know. She had been taught by many missionaries but just needed to be challenged. I invited her to have an interview with me joking. She laughed and I didn't think anything else of it.

The next day the sisters called me up and said that she wanted to be baptized! But, what's even cooler is that she wanted me to baptize her! So, on Saturday I baptized her! It was pretty amazing how simple it is sometimes to just invite people to change. But if you don't invite them, they will never change.
So this week was really really hard to work! Next week I will be doing a division and working for three days in another area. Pray for me!

Other than that, everything is going great! Thank you for your prayers and emails and everything.

Love,

Your Elder Zimbelman

My legs are tired!

Dear family,

This week has been extremely tiring. The work never stops! But, that is a good thing. I would hate to stop working!

This week we had Paloma's baptism! She is 8 years old and is the cutest thing in the world! She doesn't stop smiling. She told us that when we go to her house she fills with joy and just starts running to us. It really is too bad that we can't hug. Well here in Santa Maria we don't like to baptize many young kids without there families but, listen to her story.

She has gone to church six times in a row, alone! She knows where to get the bus and she gets herself up and goes! The baptism was really special. We are working with her brother and her mom that are really looking interested. There names are Jaqueline and Jackson. Jackson has already taken out his earrings but has a piercing in the eyebrow that he need to take out.

We also have a marriage and baptism this weekend for Alcir and Marta. They are very special and have been following up with the church since I have been here. Actually, Alcir is a runner and is about Dad's height. I can always remember Dad's racing stories when he is telling his.

You should also all pray for a couple called Fernando and Irene. They are going to get married and baptized on the 29th. But, it looks like something could have happened with them. We are having problems getting in touch with them. We are praying for them a ton and you all should too.

Sure love you all and am so glad that you are all doing well.

Love, Elder Zimbelman

P.S. That is awesome all that I heard about Christian's Eagle project! You will love it!

Good Evening

Dear Family,

Today was crazy! Even on P-day we were running around like a chicken with it's head cut off! We didn't even have time to get on the internet today. That is why I'm writing you right now.

I'm at the bus station now with my comp. Elder de Paula. We are going to Santiago to give a training there. But it's interesting that we found President here and a new sister had just arrived.

It's funny because president was needing to leave and would have to wait if we weren't here. But, what do you know, we missed the bus earlier and it just happened to be that we were in the right place at the right time. Hmmm, coincidence?

Well, this week has been even more rushed than last. We haven't even had time to buy stuff. But it looks like the zone is going pretty well and we are very excited!

The highlight of the week was without a doubt the Leadership Counsel! It was really great to have the experience to be considered the mission family.

We also studied leadership examples like Christ and Moroni and I really felt humbled. I realized that I am nothing and need to learn all that I can from there examples! I challenge all of you to study Moroni's life and also the way that the Lord lead by example. It is amazing that many times he only needed to say, "come follow me!" Words so simple but have such an impact from whom they were said. We conversed also about a servant and a leader and then the term, "leader-servant."

I started my mission thinking about me. Then about my companion and my investigators. Then about my district. Now I know that my perspective has to be much greater to see how God sees. I pray so much for the missionaries individually in my zone now. Also for President and Sister, the assistants and all of the missionaries in the whole world! I wish that I had known this much earlier in my mission! I would appreciate it if you would all pray for President and Sister Myrrha(me-huh) and for all of the investigators and missionaries in the whole world. That is how missionary work will progress.

I would like to be able to tell you exactly how it was at the council but I am afraid words wouldn't do it justice!

I thank you all so much for your love and support and prayers. It means so much to me!

Sorry I'm sending this email so late. But, I think it's better than never.

Love,

Elder Zimbelman

Like a chicken with no head

Dear Family,

This week I have been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. I arrived in the area here and just have been following my companion, Elder de Paula. I am getting to know the area here and also all of the investigators and way to work.

Elder de Paula is an awesome companion. He is always happy, humble and willing to serve! He is also a very good example of leadership and love for all of the missionaries in our zone. I have been very blessed to be called his companion.

The area that I am in is called Parque Pinheiro (Pine Park) and it is one of the best areas in the mission. It is a ward here and we are getting very excited about Christmas. Well, I arrived and they already had me talk on Sunday so I thought that I would share a little bit of my talk with you all.

I talked about how we were all very excited, in the pre-existence to have the chance to come down here to earth. We would be tried and tested and would have the time here on the earth to prove ourselves worthy to return to Gods' presence. I explained that our thoughts aren't God's thoughts and also our time isn't God's time. But Christ gave us a commandment to be perfect. God uses his time perfectly because he is perfect. We are imperfect but have the resposability to use our time wisely.

I explained that Christmas comes every year but THIS CHRISTMAS will never return. We need to make it the best Christmas ever. I then talked about the first Christmas. How the wise men rejoiced and gave the most precious things that they had to Christ. I then asked if anyone thought that the gospel wasn't the most precious thing that they had. Then I talked about the Live Christmas Card that we will also do this year. I challenged them to give it to everyone.

I sure hope that all of us can remember what is most important to us, which is the gospel and share it with those that we meet.

I love you guys, thanks for your love and concern. Today we will have the Leader's council and I am a little nervous. I would appreciate your prayers!

Until next week!

Elder Zimbelman

Santa Maria Again?!

Dear family,

It was so good to hear from all of you. It would be very hard to stay on the mission without it!

This has been a superb week. Other than on Thursday talking with President he told me, "Congratulations you've just been called to be a Zone Leader." As I replied, "me?" But, I am sure that the Lord will strengthen me in my new calling.

But knowing that I would be transferred made Elder Oliveira very sad. I have never been so close to my companions like I am Elder Oliveira's friend and consider him my brother! I told president that I could be his companion until the end of my mission if he wanted. But, I think that my work here in Santiago has been finished.

Camilla and Lucas were baptized last Saturday and Confirmed last Sunday. It was a great baptism despite most of the members were at the temple. It was also a very spiritual sacrament meeting despite most of the members staying home because of the rain. Those that went to church were very blessed. Simone was at the baptism and Confirmation and felt the spirit very strongly. Elder Oliveira will start working more intensely with her and we will see what happens.

There was also another Lucas that was baptized. He is 23 years old and has been going to church for about 3 years. He started going back to church because of the English classes and the activities. He didn't want to be baptized but I started talking to him. I told him about all that he is missing out on and all the blessings he would receive by being baptized. I told him that the Zone Leader would be at the church on Thursday to interview Camilla and Lucas and that he should talk with him. He went and was interviewed and Saturday was baptized! It was a really great experience!

Now Elder Oliveira has a bunch of investigators that have been to church and can be baptized. Pray for him to be directed by the spirit and be able to help these people be baptized! Also, I'm afraid that he will be really sad now that I will be transferred. Please put his name on the temple role and pray for him every day!

I'm very excited for my new area! I will be working as the District Leader and Zone Leader with Elder de Paula. He is my Zone Leader but now my comp. But, I'm also a little nervous because I will be really busy. I am not very excited about being both ZL and DL. Please pray for me to not get stressed out!

I love you all! It was so good to hear from you! Until next week!

Elder Zimbelman

P.S. I forgot my camera in the house, next week I will send you photos of the baptism.

Gaúchos Are Scared of the Rain

Dear Family,

How good it is to hear from all of you! I am so glad to hear that everyone is doing well. Also, thank you for your prayers for me, my companion and our investigators.

Everything is going just fine here. We have two baptisms planned for this week, Camilla and Lucas; and three more that could be baptized this week!

Camilla and Lucas are doing very well! They have gone to church the last three Sundays and are very intelligent. They have prayed very much about the things that we teach and have testimonies that the Gospel is true! They are very excited about their baptisms, and we are too. We have had a few problems teaching there parents but they are very good people and have given there permission for them to be baptized. We are hoping that we can start to teach them more intensely this week, before the baptism and also after the baptism. Please pray for them; Laus, Simone, Camilla and Lucas.

Taiara is also one of the possibilities. She has been telling us that she wants to be baptized, knows that it is important but it scared. She has followed an evangelical church for a long time with her mom and sister but recently stopped. She knows that our teachings our true. So we marked her baptismal interview with the ZL and it went really well. She picked out her baptismal clothes and everything. Then yesterday we sent Gianine to pass by here house and take here to church and she said that she was the only one home and had to take care of the house (a normal Gaúcho excuse). So we passed by there a little later and here aunt tried to tell us that she didn't want anything more to do with us... Long story short we are going to go back there talk to Taiara today and see if that is really true. Please pray for her!

Kátia is also a baptismal candidate. We have taught her everything but the commandments but she should be fine because she is married to a less-active member. We will teach her the commandments tonight and mark the baptismal date! Pray for her!

There is also a Lucas that has been going to church for about two years and knows a lot. He is very intelligent and hasn't been baptized for no reason at all. Yesterday in Sacrament Meeting I sat by him and talked to him about baptism. I told him that his baptism this Saturday would be awesome! He laughed but I seriously think that he is considering it! We marked a lesson with him on Tuesday. Pray for him!

Also, Zone Conference was a blast! It was really inspired. Now we will all be working like crazy to find some new families. Other than these baptisms that will be our main focus this week. Thanks for all your love and support.

Love,

Elder Zimbelman

Getting Better

Dear Family,

It was so good to hear from you all this week! Your encouragement and love make all the difference to me!

This has been a good week. We found a few more families and had a bunch of people at church. It was also very cool this week that Gianine is working with us a ton.

This week the Zone leader came to visit my district. We did a super division! For three days he passed through our three areas here and i worked with a different person every day. It really went well! We were all able to learn a lot from each other and evaluate our work.

This week we will have Zone Conference and I am very excited! Not much for the trainings but for President's talk! He is always very inspired and has amazing knowledge of the scriptures. I am so lucky to know him! Wow, this week was really cool! President Queroz entered in contact with President and told him about me. The world is so small! I also spoke with president this week and he will loan me a projector for the English class. He asked me if Mom and Dad would be coming to pick me up and I said no. I asked him if I could maybe go to Florionopolis to see President Queroz and he said he would see what he could do! I sure hope I can, that would be SO cool!

This week we had an awesome English class! There were a bunch of students there. There are new students every week! We learned about verbs. Then we played mimic guessing the verbs and listened to a Beatles music identifying the verbs. I think it was the funnest class and fullest class we have had.

It is also a very good way to find new investigators. Because we say a prayer and usually teach a principle like faith. But, it is an environment more excited and also less formal. We brought four investigators to church yesterday because of the English class!

Well, Camilla and Lucas are doing really well. We have failed to enter in contact with there parents because they are so busy. But, we taught them about the "Restoration of the Gospel" and they accepted our preparation to be baptized in the church! It was a very spiritual lesson and they are very intelligent. We also told them that there will be many distractions now that they decided this but to recognize them and not let them be affected by them. Pray for them, and especially there parents; Laus and Simone. They are very special but until now, they haven't gone to church and we have only taught them one time individually.

Also there is Taiara. Gianine is being a great friend to her and helping her a ton! Yesterday they went to church together and also watched, "The Other Side of Heaven" together. We also taught her about making the right decisions yesterday and challenged her to be baptized this Saturday or next. She promised that she would pray about it! We will back there today and teach here about Faith. Pray for her. She is just a little afraid but she is really special and ready!

This week we really need to find some new families to take to church. Please, pray for us.

g2g, they will close the internet place now.

Love you all, thanks for your emails.

Elder Zimbelman

New Families!

Dear Family,

I am thankful to each and every one of you for your love and concern for me and also you devotion to the Lord! It was good to feel your spirits through your letters and to hear that you are all doing well.

Well, this week your prayers were really heard. We found a lot of new investigators. I would particularly like to ask for your prayers in behalf of a few.

There is a family of four that is very special. Camilla and Lucas are two of our English students. They are very intelligent and come from a structured family. Lucas is Camilla's uncle but they both are 13 years old. We taught Camilla's mom, Simone, and she loved the message and brought tears to her eyes. Then we taught her dad, Laus, and he accepted the message with a few doubts. You see, he believes in reincarnation and that all churches are good and can take us to heaven. So, he will need a little more faith and help from the Lord.

But, Camilla and Lucas went to church the Sunday before last and said that they were going to go this last Sunday. Simone also said that she would see, if she didn't have to work, she would go. But, they ended up not going. We don't exactly know what happened but, we will call them today and try to go back there today. Pray for them please! They are a very special family! (Laus, Simone, Camilla and Lucas)

Also, a few new things are happening with Sani and Jaqueline. It's a long story but Sani got hurt on the job and wasn't working for a while. Now he has to go back to work. He will start working in other cities for two weeks and just coming back for about 4 days! Everything was going so well and they were just about ready to get married! We are really sad! Please pray for Sani and Jaqueline!

There are also a few other young women that went to church yesterday. There names are Taiara and Amanda. We taught Taiara's family but, they are totally divide in there beliefs. Taiara and her sister Tanise were the only two that are listening more frequently to the messages. They aren't really firm in the idea or decision to follow the church. But, we have given them the Book of Mormon now and will focus on their testimonies. Pray for Taiara, Amanda and Tanise(also their parents, Antonio and Rose).

This has been a good week and if these people can progress it will be an awesome month. We will still be looking for a bunch of new families so pray that we can be guided by the spirit to find those in need!

I love you and thank you for all you support!

Love,

Elder Z

P.S. It is burning up down here. This whole week it has been close to 100 degrees here. But it is almost as humid and stuffy, if not more, than Florida! Finally it is raining today and has cooled down considerably. That is crazy that it has already snowed there in Utah, and cool that it's in the 80's in Cali!

P.P.S. Swine flu passed through Brazil this winter but the Mission Doctor/Medic told us that it's nothing to be worried about. If you feel the symptoms of the flu go to the doctor. The worst affects that it has is on babies or old fogies. So take care of Ruby and Olivia. But, it's nothing to worry about as long as you get to the doctor in a few days after you feel the symptoms.

Take Care!

Conversion

Dear Family,

Thank you all once again for everything that you do for me! I'm constantly reminded of your support for me. I see so many poorly structured families and people that would die to have the wonderful family that I have! Thanks for everything!

It is good to hear that everyone is doing well and that you are all anxiously engaged in your; work, studies and lives! I'm so proud of all of you and am ever thankful for your examples! I love you all so much!

This week we saw little progress with our investigators. Actually we have decided to cut a few of them and start the search for new families that are more interested. For this we are needing your prayers! We need to find new investigators. Actually, we have about 12 referrals from the English classes that we haven't contacted yet that we will go after this week. We're hoping that we can refill the machine and see what comes out of it.

But, one cool experience happened this Sunday! After church we went to Gianine's house and shared a message with her about service. Then we were talking with her about church; if she liked it, had any question etc. She said that it seemed that the talks were directed right for her. I was also able to remember my conversion story that I shared with her. It was really cool the way the spirit talks to us.

I'm not sure if I have shared my conversion story with you all yet so maybe it can help someone.

Well, for a long time in my life I didn't want to hear anything about the church. I was rebellious and very much involved in the things of the world. When a certain experience left me far from a few of my friends. I realized that the happiness that I had was very momentary and I didn't have reassurance of anything. I realized that there was something missing in my life. It was God.

I started praying again. Those were a few of the first times in my life that I really pored my soul out to God and felt that he was listening. Many times in my life I have had spiritual experiences. But, a firm and constant testimony I didn't have. When I started to pray again, my testimony began to grow. I started going to church again. I'm not sure exactly when it was that I knew I had to serve a mission. But, it was when I was praying very fervently that I had the impression and it started to grow within me.

Well, I decided to enroll at UVSC. I started to have a determination to finish my car that I had been working on. I ask Marty for a job at Cosmic and everything started to enter into place! That was when I started wondering if I really should go on a mission. I started thinking that life didn't need to change, that I was good where I was. I was wrong.

One sacrament meeting that I will never for get. It was a fast an testimony meeting. Val Gregory went to the podium and I felt that he was talking just to me! He said that his life wasn't a sea of roses. He didn't have a life without difficulties. BUT, the life that he had, he had the Lord's guaranty! He had made his decisions with the Lord and knew that the Lord was obligated to bless him.

It was that moment that I knew I would serve a mission. All the blessings I have received ever since have been by the hand of the Lord and I know that I am in the right place! God knows everyone of us and we can all be instruments in God's hands! Just like Val was in my life at that moment.

I went in for my interview with President Wilson with reluctance. It had been some time that I had talked to my father who was my bishop at the time. I felt the sorrow of sin in my heart that almost covered the joy of my decision to serve a mission. We had a good conversation and I told him that I wanted to serve a mission.

When I got home I can still remember the exact moment! I entered in the house. Mom was all alone at the computer. I walked in not knowing if I should cry or jump for joy. I looked at her and at first she didn't pay much attention. When she saw the struggle within me of what my reaction should be she looked at me. Puzzled she said, "what is it?" When I said that I was going to serve a mission I don't know who's head touched the ceiling first. She gave me a great big hug as the joy of repentance settled in my heart and I began to cry.

I could feel the Love of the Father of the prodigal son greeting his repented son.

I made the decision with the Lord and am forever grateful for my family, my friends, and the Savior that I am where I am! My family never lost hope in me and my Savior did everything that was necessary to make repentance possible.

I thank you every moment that I am alive!

I challenge you all to make this possible to those around you! Let the Lord make you who he wants you to be!

I wasn't "brainwashed," I know that what I know is true because I proved God! I asked him and he told me!

I love you all! Until next week and thank you for your letters!

Elder Zimbelman