Birthday Celebration and Inspiration

Howdy everyone! This week was pretty awesome!! My birthday came around and I'm 19 now!! Kinda weird, because in less than one year now I won't be a teenager anymore.  Kinda scary not gonna lie 😅 anyway I had a super cool experience this week in Browning.  So this is what happened...

The wind was blowing across the town of Browning.  We could hear dogs barking in the distance but we didn't care.  We had a job to do as missionaries.  A job that required our complete and 100% focus.  We had just left a members home who wasn't totally active in the church and we were hoping to maybe get her to come to church that Sunday.  After we left we were at a loss.  We had some time and didn't know what to do with it.  We threw ideas back and forth then finally another less active member popped into my head.  We decided to go with it.  Not knowing what would happen but we had the confidence that the Lord knew what he was doing. 

We walked up to the door and in an act of bravado knocked on the door... we waited... and waited... nothing happened.  We rang the doorbell... we waited again... still no answer.  In a last ditch effort we knocked on the door and after a few seconds started walking back to the car.  As I took those first few steps I wondered why we were here and why the Lord had sent us here.  After a few more steps we heard the door unlock and proceed to open.  We immediately turned around to see if it was the member we were hoping to see.  It wasn't.  But this didn't deter us.  We had been sent to this home for a reason and we needed to talk to this lady.  She invited us inside and started talking to us.  After a while she told us of her struggles in life that she was going through and how scared she was.  The Spirit then took over and allowed us to help this broken woman, who had almost lost hope, feel the love of God again in her life.  Towards the end of our discussion she told us how she felt like we were sent there for her and that God was looking out for her.  We talked about the church and she explained how she wanted her daughter to be baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  However, her daughter was two years old; so we explained to her about how we do baptisms and what we believe.  She told us that she wanted to become a member of the church as well and that she wanted her child to be blessed into the church and eventually get baptized.  As we were leaving we left her with a copy of the Book of Mormon and some other material for her to read about the church and asked her to come on Sunday.  She told us she would.  As we left the house we now knew why we had been sent there.

This experience has shown me that the spirit doesn't give us impressions just for fun.  He knows more than we possibly could and that if we receive an impression we need to act on it because you never know what could happen.  We also need to be constantly receptive and making sure that we are worthy of having the Holy Ghost in our lives so that we can receive those crucial promptings by the spirit.  "... by the power of the Holy Ghost he may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:5) this is how we have questions answered and this is how we can change lives.  Through the Holy Ghost we can have those hard questions of life answered and through the Holy Ghost we can change lives – both those around us and our own.  I've seen the Holy Ghost work in my life to bless others as well as myself, and through the spirit I've had questions answered when I couldn't find an answer on my own.  I know this gospel is true and that it has the power to change anyone's life.  

Love you guys!!

Love,
Elder Zeller

123 1/2 4th Ave Se

Cut Bank, Montana

Service & a Holiday Bazaar

Hey everyone!  This week has been pretty good!!  Elder Allen got up and transferred so we went by people's houses that he wanted to say goodbye to.  Then we did a lot of traveling.  Like honestly most of this week has been traveling 😅 but I got my new companion and his name is Elder Lankford.  He's a pretty cool guy and it'll be really great to work with him!  

It's really cool because I can see the work flourishing!!  This past weekend we had the opportunity to do service for the city at a holiday bazaar and there were a lot of people that needed help moving in and out of it, so that's what we were there for!  

We were able to meet a lot of people from Cut Bank that I didn't even know existed!  So that was awesome because we got a lot of referrals. Some of them were from cut bank and others were from other places in Montana.  So we will get in touch with other missionaries and have them give a visit to those people.  It really was super cool and people were very appreciative of what we did :) I definitely was able to see that when you are in the service of your fellow beings you really are only in the service of your God.

Also I realized that I totally forgot to put pictures in last weeks email so I'm putting them in this one 😅 my bad 😅 anyway I love you all!! I'll catch you next week!!

Love,

Elder Zeller

123 1/2 4th Ave Se Cut Bank, Montana

Trick or TREATING the Book of Mormon

Hey everyone!! This week has been awesome like most of my weeks:)

This Thursday we had a trunk or treat in Browning and it was so great!!  The spirit there was awesome!  We had at least 10 or so missionaries come so we were honestly inviting people in off the street offering a free dinner for them.  It was super cool to see everyone so appreciative and it was just awesome!  Everyone we invited in was talked to about the gospel.  I loved being able to see the missionary initiative like this, was just way cool!!   We gave out 2 crates FULL of Book of Mormons!  So I would guess that we passed out maybe like 50 or so books:)

We invited everyone to church and we even set up a return appointment with a guy and so we are going to see him on Saturday or something!!  I'm so excited for the work that is happening out here!!  The people out here are definitely blossoming like a rose.  It's taking some time but eventually it'll be amazing to see the saints of Browning. 

Church rolled around and no one from the trunk or treat came but its ok because we know that there are Book of Mormons out there and that some people are now able to be touch by the spirit easier than maybe before:)  So we will see what the future brings.

I love this gospel and the things I see. I love you guys and I'll talk to you later!!!

Love,
Elder Zeller
123 1/2 4th Ave Se Cut Bank, Montana

Dogs, Food and a Hutterite Colony - My week as a Missionary

Hey guys!! This week has been pretty fun!! After I left on Monday we went over to this member’s house for dinner and a lesson and it was really good!! The kids were kinda bouncing off the walls after dinner so we weren't able to share anything with them but it's ok!! We brought the spirit into their homes and we talked about church and whatnot at the table so in a way we did share a message!! :)

Then on Tuesday we went to browning and I was chased by dogs as you can see 😂 it was fun :) I almost got my leg taken off by a dog I kid you not! It was so funny afterward 😂

Wednesday we had district meeting and that was fun!! (We got invited to go to a hutterite colony up here in Montana and so that's where I've been today.)

But anyway nothing really noteworthy happened on Thursday.

Then on Friday we had dinner with an investigator that moved here from China and he made us fried rice. It was pretty good!! It was a bit salty but all in all I was really appreciative that he made us a meal :)

On Saturday we jumped over to browning once again and all our plans fell through. So that sucked but we were able to visit with a lot of other people so it balanced itself out :)

Yesterday I went to the cut bank branch and Elder Allen went to the browning branch and it was really good!!  We got a few less active members to church and so we were pretty happy about that :) then after church brother “M” invited us over for dinner. It was way awesome!! We went over and talked with them a little bit and they made us food!! They are honestly the best you guys!! They love missionary work and it's just so great that I was able to get to know them :) 

Today we had the opportunity to go to a hutterite colony and it was super cool!! We were able to see where they lived and everything and we even got to ask them questions!! It was a ton of fun!! 

Well that was my week!!

Take care everyone :) I'll catch you next time!!

Love,

Elder Zeller

123 1/2 4th Ave Se Cut Bank, Montana

The Full Experience: Dogs, Potholes & Answers to Prayers

Hey everyone!!  It's been a week and so here my little update for this week.

After I finished emailing and whatnot last Monday we had a Stake Presidency dinner and that’s basically what it sounds like.  We had dinner with the stake presidency and that was down in Great Falls.  So we drove down and spent preparation day there and then had dinner.  We talked a lot about missionary work and the Stake President is working a lot with Browning because he wants to see the building fill up.  So Elder Allen and I were kinda on the hot seat I guess you could say 😅 it was good though and we were able to talk about those people that we are working with and so it was really good.  

Then we went and spent the night in Fairfield with those Elders and that was super fun!!  We were with Elder Darner and Elder Schneider and we honestly had a blast.  I love sleepovers 😂

Then the next day we woke up super early so we could drive down to Helena for a zone conference and man it was pretty sketchy because it had snowed the night before so we slid a few times but nothing too bad!!  We eventually made it to Helena and I got to see some of the people from the MTC and it was way awesome.  Then after we drove back to Great Falls and then we drove from Great Falls to Conrad and from Conrad to Cut Bank.  It was a long day and I was so tired.

Then the next day we had a normal day of work.  Nothing too crazy. But then later that afternoon we got a call from our zone leaders asking if it would be ok with us if they came a day early so we were expecting for them to spend the night here in Cut Bank and that ended up happening. 

They came to see browning and the work that was going on here.  They got the full experience 😂 which includes getting chased by dogs, talking to drunk people and avoiding the biggest potholes I've ever seen 😂 anyway, there was a lot of people that came to church this week and it was honestly so awesome to see them there because we knew that this is where they need to be.  So the fact that they were able to come made me so happy.  It was an answer to prayers I'm sure, both for me and for them.  

Church is an important place to be. It's not a place for perfect people to go.  It's a place for imperfect people and it's a place for them to try and become better.  It's a place for assistance from other church members and it's a place to fill up your "spiritual canteen" for the week.  I know that through church attendance you can receive answers to prayers and you can have the spirit of the Lord dwell more abundantly in your life.  

I love you all!! Catch ya next week!!

Love,

Elder Zeller

123 1/2 4th Ave Se Cut Bank, Montana

A Surprise of Canadian Thanksgiving and Sleeping In

Hey guys!! This past week has been pretty neat :)

On Wednesday we had district meeting and I had the idea to have it at the Ericksons house! (Our Senior missionary couple) because they haven't been able to make it to the past few meetings due to health reasons and I knew how much they loved them so we decided to talk to them and organize it there :)

It was way awesome and I just freaking love them! But yeah we all came up to their house and had a quick little meeting and then Sister Erickson made Canadian thanksgiving for us!! (I know wrong day but we were going to be gone today so it wouldn't have worked) it was really good!! And then afterward Elder Allen and I split up for a bit so I could go on exchanges with Elder McKell our district leader!! That was awesome!! And I had my first experience tracting with him!! It wasn't too effective and we didn't have a lot of people answer their doors but it was still a way good experience :) we also tracted into this house and we had to take a picture 😂 it was honestly so funny 😂 but anyway all our appointments that I had made for that day fell through so we just walked around and knocked on doors :) it was alright though. I would have rather gone to some lessons but it's all good!

but anyway all our appointments that I had made for that day fell through so we just walked around and knocked on doors :) it was alright though. I would have rather gone to some lessons but it's all good!

Then that night I broke a rule and me and elder McKell talked way past curfew 😂 I know I'm a terrible missionary... and then to make matters worse the next morning both our iPads glitched out and our alarms didn't go off!! So we slept in!! (The mission iPads aren't all that great 😅) so yeah that happened.

Then we went back to Shelby to switch back companions and while we were there we ran into the sisters and decided we were going to have district lunch because it was about lunchtime anyway 😂 then me and Elder Allen went back to Cut Bank and did normal missionary stuff :) we also hunted down one of our investigators who missed a lesson that we had set up and we rescheduled and he told us he would make dinner so that was really awesome!!

Then on Saturday we double booked dinners so we ate at one investigators house and then we went back to Cut Bank and ate another dinner at another investigators house and they were both huge portion sizes!! Like I honestly don't know how I finished both of them. Buuuuut I did 😂 then we taught a lesson to our investigator from China and he taught us Kung Fu for healing 😂 it was really funny 😂 but yeah that was my week :) pretty exciting stuff :)

Also throughout this week I have been reading the story of Abinadi, and I got thinking about how perfect this example was of missionary work not really going according to what you might think. I mean here Abinadi is preaching to King Noah and I feel like maybe Abinadi might have maybe thought that after he testified that the King and all his wicked priests would change their lives and repent and become converted. Well that didn't really happen… he was put to death.  Because of that he didn't see that Alma was converted by his words and would then bring many others into the fold of Christ!  And that's so important to know, not only as a full time missionary but also just for everyone.  You never know what your efforts will bring.  Not until the hereafter.  

I then started thinking about King Noah and his priests and I started asking myself what I could learn from them.  And I started thinking about friends. Friends have a huge influence on us! And King Noah is a perfect example of this. I mean he had to have thoughts about letting Abinadi go, like he was probably so close to it happening and then his priests started talking about how he had reviled the King and he deserves death. And the king listens!!! I mean he just saw Abinadi testify and call them all to repentance and then his priests get the upper hand!! It blew my mind, but it showed me how much influence friends have on us. And we need to constantly reflect on if our friends are like those priests in King Noah's court or if they are like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego where they stood firm in what they knew was true and they helped each other live up to the standards they had been taught despite what could have been a very painful death.

You guys, this gospel is true. I know that is. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and the Lord looks for opportunities to bless us and does so constantly. We just might not be able to see all of the blessing right now. I love you all!!

Love,

Elder Zeller

P.S. Don’t forget to write J

123 1/2 4th Ave Se Cut Bank, Montana

One Solid Week in Cut Bank

Hey guys!  This week has been pretty solid!  

Starting from the front left is Sister Jacoby, Ney, Smith,
Christensen, and Blossom. Then after her is Elder Blossom,
Hatton and Okerlund (Elder Hatton and Okerlund
are my zone leaders).  Then on the top starting from the
left again is Elder McKell (my district leader),
Luebke, me, Allen, Schneider, and Darner.

We taught this guy who was a member referral and man, this guy is so solid!  He had such an open mind to the gospel and it was super great to see!!  Then we had inspections for our apartment and so we hunkered down and cleaned to the max and the senior couple who came and inspected us kept saying how awesome we are!!  It was super cool!  Then we had zone training the next day where the whole zone got together and some missionaries gave some discussions and we did some role plays and it was super cool!  Also the missionaries who inspected our apartment were there and talked to us about safety and cleanliness and we got a shoutout for being super on top of it!  It was super cool!  I met the new zone leader and he is such a cool guy and a stellar missionary!  Fun stuff:)  We took a zone picture so that's us and all of our glory 😂  then the next day was conference.   

This was a crazy experience for me because back home it would be a struggle for me to stay awake and listen to general conference.  By the Sunday afternoon session I would just give up and decide that I needed to take a nap.  Well as a missionary I'm not necessarily allowed to do that.  So I watched all of it and it was so awesome.  I took so much out of it.  It was interesting because we set it up in browning with the hopes that someone would come and watch with us.  But no one did.  So both the morning and the afternoon session it was only me and Elder Allen watching conference in the church.  It was super good.  I didn't lay down I just sat and listened.  I soaked it all in and felt the spirit testify to my soul that what these men and women were saying was true.  

"Treasure" the words of the Prophet of God

Then for priesthood session it was only me, Elder Allen and a member who came by and watched with us.  This was kinda weird because I've always watched it with a huge group of men and the fact that it was only three of us was kind of different.  Also the fact that I wasn't watching it with my dad or brother was kinda weird but it was all good because I knew that the message was still true no matter what.  The whole session was good and I was learning lots and it was just awesome.  Then President Thomas S. Monson got up to speak.  I listened to his words of course but I also felt them.  I stared with such focus on this Prophet of God that everything around the TV started turning grey and getting fuzzy.  As I continued watching this frail old man that I've come to love throughout my life talk with the power of the Holy Spirit I started to cry.  I don't know why I was crying but I did.  The spirit touched me and testified to me of the power of his message.  Was the message directed at me?  No it wasn't because I wasn't having a problem with the word of wisdom, but I felt the spirit that I haven't felt in a long time.  The spirit is real everyone.  And Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, called of God, for these latter days.  He is here to declare the word of the Lord to us.  And it is our job to listen to what he says and follow his teachings.  The spirit testifies to me regularly but never with the force that I felt on Saturday evening.  I now know with 100% surety that he is a prophet of God and there is no denying it.

I love this gospel and the love it brings to people's lives.  I've seen it first-hand.  I love all you guys and I'll catch you in a week!

 

(One strong member's dog that I played Tug-O-War with)

Elder Zeller