Friday - not so sure it's a flashback

It's Friday and it seems like an end to me. The end of the week yes but also the end of summer. The end of my little "fall reprieve" ie. the few weeks when the kids are back in school but I'm not. Tuesday I start classes again but this is my last planned year as I graduate in April- who knows maybe I'll decide to get a masters or even a PhD if I really get bored but as of now I have no set plans. I'd really like to write... I'm working on a series of DVD's for MADD on empowering families... and I even get paid for it, but even this will be over soon and then what?

It's the end of searching for the leak in my stream (hence the picture above) - at least it better be - which means the end of this phase of my backyard project. If you live anywhere nearby you may have heard a series of WAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO's yesterday...that was me.

In a way I feel like I''m sitting at the top of a long winding water slide and Tuesday my turn will come and I'll push off and be caught in the wild ride of the school year. I sit now with water swirling around me checking my placement on the tube and hoping I'm all ready for the fast exciting ride to the bottom...only this year I'm not quite sure what happens after that. My wonderful married kids will probably be leaving the area- Aaron and Celisa for sure will be - as they find employment and continue their education. And come this time next year I'm not so sure where I'll be. A busy, kind of crazy year and then what?

No use worrying. I'll just make sure I'm set to begin and then push off and see what the Lord has in store for me. He's never failed me before as long as I do my part. My job now is to hold on tight and enjoy the ride as I watch for direction that will surely come...

Looks like I'll be stayin in Uruguiana

First District, First Zone!

Jorge Luis, Thiago, Rafaela, Ivone (In White)

As another transfer comes and goes I am filled with many emotions. I am here in Uruguiana with elder Vigeta for at least one transfer. He has been in the mission for a year and a half now. He is a very good teacher and an awesome example for me. In the last two weeks I have learned a ton! He is always very helpful (sometimes too much). He corrects every thing I do wrong in Português, which is very helpful, a little annoying, but hey what doesn't kill ya just makes you stronger né? We have a lot of investigators and are working very hard to unionize the church and the church of the missionaries into the same organization like it should be. Which is going really well; we have received a lot of help from the members and trying to remotivate them.
We have really been working on our lessons and they are coming along very well. He puts me on the spot very often so I have to be very alert to what is going on. Most important we have been trained to promise feelings of peace and tranquility during our lesson that will be sent by God to testify that what we are teaching is true. Then we always mention that promise during the lesson, when the time is right, and make sure they know that the spirit is testifying that what we are teaching is true. It has been really amazing! A few times we have had lessons that our investigators had beliefs very strange and different and when hearing the message of the restored gospel they had doubts. But when we provided a witness through the holy ghost, they could not deny it! It has been really powerful! I am very excited to stay here one more transfer with Elder Vigeta.

Love you all! Thanks for writing!

Elder Z

Flashback Sunday?

OK, OK, so I know it's not Friday, not even Saturday but I'm still posting this. Maybe some time I'll get it on the right day but today is not that day.

Do you see this little cutie right here? Amy has started teaching kindergarten half day (actually just assessments this week) so Ruby and I get to hang out. Can I just tell you it was soooooo fun. What a happy little girl. We went to the store and I was holding her when I realized that she was smiling at someone. I looked to see who it was and there was a woman across the way but she wasn't looking at Ruby, just shopping. When I looked at her too she seemed to sense our gaze and looked at Ruby and smiled. Ruby just smiled bigger as if she had just been successful at pulling off a really great joke or brightened someone's day. She made both of our days. Ruby loves to be outside. We lay on a blanket in the shade of the Maple in the front yard and looked up at the tree. Ruby seemed to sense that the wind made the leaves sway purely for her enjoyment and enjoy it she did, with many voiced and full body expressions of delight.

Honestly I don't know how mom's with young children get anything done - yet I used to do it. I'd much rather play with Ruby than do laundry - unfortunately I'm paying for it. It's probably a good thing I will only get to play with her two to three days a week instead of all five and and thank goodness for naps. I will get organized. I did it before and I can do it again (function with a baby around). But I think this time around I will spend a little more time appreciating the simple things like Ruby does. I have a lot to learn from this little one. Thanks Amy and Jordan for the opportunity.

King of the Hill

Just a quick note - OK a little bragging. Mark wasn't sure if he was going to race in the Snowbird hill climb last Saturday but Christian wanted to go and practice with his new camera so Mark decided to do it - - and he won his category. He would have been fifth in the pro 1,2's. Not bad for an old man (or for a young one). Christian has one picture - it's not the best but hopefully he will be posting more soon... congrats! Looking forward to Lo to Ja on Sept. 6th

5 Months! No Way

Hey Família, what's new?
It's been a bit of a long week here. We had an emergency transfer and my companion was sent away. So, I met my new companion, Elder Vigeta Thurs. and we have been working really hard to together a baptism. He is a paulista, which means he is from São Paulo and he is a really good missionary. He has been in the mission for a year and a half, so he is very experienced and a very good teacher. We had 4 baptisms on Saturday; Thiago, Ivone, Rafaela and Jorge Luis. I worked my tail off to organize the baptism and it was really a great experience.
First we have Rafaela. She is the second oldest of the 7 children of Rock and Ihada and is the neighbor of Ivone and Thiago. She has had a lot of trials. She has a firm testimony of the Gospel and I have witnessed an awesome change in her life.
Next, Jorge Luis. He is married to Beatriz who is a member. She was baptized about 4 months ago and the missionaries never took the time to talk with him. He is very intelligent and a lot of the principles we explained he already new and things just klicked. Now he is preparing to get married in the temple for time and all eternity.
Thiago is 9 years old and is the neighbor to Ivone and Rafaela. He lives with his grandma who is very kind but doesn't want anything to do with the church(but, we'll see about that). Thiago is nothing but energy. The first time he came to church with us he asked how many years you need to have to be baptized. Now, he wants nothing but to be a missionary. He is always singing, "Eu quero ser um missionario, quando eu crescer um pouco mais..."(I want to be a missionary, when I grow a little more). I sing with him and I can't help but smile.
Ivone is about 35 or 40 and she has had a bumpy life. She is single and has 3 kids. She has had her fair share of trials and really done well with what she has. When we had the interview we were talking and she began to cry, because, she has felt the influence of the gospel in her life and she said, "Eu sei que eu estou no caminho certo agora"(I know I am on the right path now). She was really excited for baptism and very well prepared.
It was really a great baptism! Then on Sunday we had around 90 people in sacrament meeting! Next week we have our normally scheduled transfer so I don't know what will happen but I will keep ya'll posted.

Love you all, thanks for writing.
Até proxima semana(until next week)
Tchau
Elder Zimbelman

Two steps towards a dream come true

Remember my backyard project? Goal one "to be able to play badminton in the back yard". Check it out!.






Goal two, "eating grilled veggies from the garden", looking good!

The stream..... well, half is working great but the other half is leaking so I'm still working on that. It will be done though before the first snow flies... I can't wait.



It's been a bigger than expected project but I am still holding out hope that it will be worth it all in the end.


The veggie boxes sure have been. A group of neighbor kids came and played in the working portion of the stream yesterday and had a blast so I'm thinking it will be.....eventually.

Foster Family Reuinion

This is Mark's great grandfather Madison Kelsey Stephenson.

Bet you guys are glad they don't dress baby boys like that any more. We had a great weekend in Longmont Colorado with the descendants of Merle Nelson Foster and Velma Rose Stevenson (daughter of Madison Kelsey Stephenson). Attending the reunion were both living daughters, Jean Cline and Phyllis Tingstad, Mark's mom and an assortment of their descendants as well as Ann who represented the middle sister Betty's posterity (Betty passed away a little over a year ago). A good time was had by all. Fun activities and great food as well as sorting and discovering awesome family photos and genealogy information. Check out our pictures: