Uplifting Spirits and Good Things to Come

Dear My Brothers and Sisters, Family and Friends at home,

This week has been an awesome week! It has been filled with service, (which happens a lot for us) teaching, feeling the power of the spirit, and seeing the spirit touch the hearts of man. 

I cannot recall all that we have done this past week, I usually write them down in my planer so that I can put them in this email each week and share them with you all. But this week has been busy, and it really has not even crossed my mind until now. haha I can share with you what I told my companion last night, just before we got ready to head to bed.

Last night, (Sunday Oct.29,2013) I realized a great change that has happened in both this area, and in myself and as well as the people around me. I feel like I have a greater understanding on my Purpose as a Missionary, which is to "Invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the Restored Gospel, through Faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and to Endure to the End." The way I look at my purpose now, is totally different than any other time I have looked at it and pondered about it. This does now have a new meaning to me as a missionary, a Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints and as a son our eternal heavenly father.

This Transfer I have seen the power of building peoples faith both members and non-members in the little things we can do for them. Not only by doing service, but being there for them, loving them, as Jesus and our Heavenly Father loves them and making sure that they know it. We as Missionaries do not dedicate these 2 years to 18 months to out and see how many people we can baptize in to the church in that time period. That has never, ever been the purpose of missionary work. We INVITE others to come unto Christ, by HELPING them receive the Restored Gospel. Never in there does it say or ever will it say that we have to have x amount of people to teach a week, and x amount of people that are getting baptized this coming month. All we can ever do is give the Lord our best by INVITING people and letting them chose weather this is what they want to do or even consider doing, and if they choose this path and take this path, we are supposed to HELP continue on that path and show them that path. Each area in the world is different, each Missionary is different, each person you see, talk to, or wave at is different and each situation and circumstance for that are and person is different. It has taken me 4-6 months, in the same area on my mission so far, to realize and apply this in my life and the lives of the people I am teaching and see each and ere' day.

We dedicate our lives to the Lord for these 18 months to 2 years. We do as the Lord would have us do, and we say what the Lord will have us say. I know, that as we HELP those who want to know the truth, LOVE them as they make and take those steps to coming closer to him and 1 day possibly be baptized, and that as we DO OUR BEST for the Lord and only the Lord, then we are truly fulfilling our purpose as Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, spreading the good news that the Lord's church has been restored to the earth, and that through a modern day prophet, Joesph Smith Jr., has restored in full his gospel to his children here on the earth once more in these last days. I can promise you, with all my heart, that I know this is true, and that I also know that the our Lord and Savior knows each and every one of you by name, and knows you personally and what you are going through, and loves you no matter what you do or say.

I love you all and hope that the Lord will bless you and your families always.

Love,

Elder Anthony Zenger

P.S. The Picture that is attached to this email is a real street name in our area...I thought is was pretty cool personally ;) haha

SERVICE and a BLESSING from Above

Dear Ere' Body who reads this,

This week has been a fantastic week full of blessings, uplifted spirits, and many many other things. This past week we were able to help a Less Active, Part Member Family finish their new home so that they can move into it this week! I got to help put in the bathroom floor, install a brand new toilet, and painted parts of the kitchen! It was awesome! haha We also got a New stake Presidency this last sunday and had Elder Carllson from the Seventy there with Elder Smith who was from the Area Seventy, and even president Wirthlin was there! It was an awesome time and it was cool to see how many people were able to show up and travel to the Albany Stake Center which for some (including us) is an hour or more away from the different places they all are living.

 We also had a very amazing lesson with one of our investigators this past week on Saturday. (This is only our second time teaching him,) He told us that he feels like everything in his life has been falling into place every time he takes a step. He also told us it all started last weekend when we started teaching him and his family.....I felt my heart fill with joy, love and compassion, and I felt like I was doing my job and my part in teaching our heavenly fathers children in this part of the vineyard which he has asked me and my companion to watch over at this time!

I want you all to always remember that where you are, where you've been, where you will be, and everything that happens to you is for a reason and that the Lord had it happen for your benefit knowing that that is the place you had to be at that time and that the specific thing had to happen in order for you to do something he needed or needs you to do. I can testify to that, for I have seen it and continue to see it here on my mission every day. 

May the lord bless you and your families this week and forever! 

Love,

Elder Zenger

P.S These photos are the ones that I mentioned in my last letter that I would send this week. 

Dear Ere' Body who reads this,

This week has been a fantastic week full of blessings, uplifted spirits, and many many other things. This past week we were able to help a Less Active, Part Member Family finish their new home so that they can move into it this week! I got to help put in the bathroom floor, install a brand new toilet, and painted parts of the kitchen! It was awesome! haha We also got a New stake Presidency this last sunday and had Elder Carllson from the Seventy there with Elder Smith who was from the Area Seventy, and even president Wirthlin was there! It was an awesome time and it was cool to see how many people were able to show up and travel to the Albany Stake Center which for some (including us) is an hour or more away from the different places they all are living.

 We also had a very amazing lesson with one of our investigators this past week on Saturday. (This is only our second time teaching him,) He told us that he feels like everything in his life has been falling into place every time he takes a step. He also told us it all started last weekend when we started teaching him and his family.....I felt my heart fill with joy, love and compassion, and I felt like I was doing my job and my part in teaching our heavenly fathers children in this part of the vineyard which he has asked me and my companion to watch over at this time!

I want you all to always remember that where you are, where you've been, where you will be, and everything that happens to you is for a reason and that the Lord had it happen for your benefit knowing that that is the place you had to be at that time and that the specific thing had to happen in order for you to do something he needed or needs you to do. I can testify to that, for I have seen it and continue to see it here on my mission every day. 

May the lord bless you and your families this week and forever! 

Love,

Elder Zenger

P.S These photos are the ones that I mentioned in my last letter that I would send this week. 

Excerpt from Email to Dean

Dear Dad,

I am sorry to hear about all the illness at home, we have had a lot of people here as well starting to get sick as well. It has gotten tremendously cold here in only 1 week! Last week was pretty warm, and then ere' day since last weekend it has gotten colder and colder! We had frost already on are car the other day! 0.0 It was pretty cold this morning when we got up. ( course it didn't help that we accidentally left the window and the fan on in the other room last night during the entire night) But, It's a good thing I have long sleeve shirts and my slippers to wear when we are in the apartment :) This week has been great! We had an awesome time at the Keegans on Saturday! We had homemade Ribs with mashed potatos, corn, and bread, with an apple crisp pizza for desert! :D It was awesome! We also went over and read the B.O.M with them as well! We were also able to help a Less Active/ Part Member Family finish their new home so that they can move into it this week! I got to help put in the bathroom floor, install a brand new toilet, and painted parts of the kitchen! It was awesome! haha We also had a very amazing lesson with one of our investigators this past week on Saturday. (This is only our second time teaching him,) He told us that he feels like everything in his life has been falling into place every time he takes a step. He also told us it all started last weekend when we started teaching him and his family.....I felt my heart fill with joy, love and compassion, and I felt like I was doing my job and my part in teaching our heavenly fathers children in this part of the vineyard which he has asked me and my companion to watch over at this time! 

May the Lord bless you and the rest of the family this week and always.

Love,

Elder Zenger

Storms, Tree's and Blessings

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week has been an amazing week for both me and my companion! We has so many wonderful things happen that it just has filled my heart with joy the things we have seen, witnessed, felt, and did to help the people we have been called here to serve and help!

This past week we had some pretty strong thunder and wind storms that brought A TON of rain! We went on splits with a member of the Branch Presidency last week on Wednesday to see a part member family on their dairy farm to see if there was anything we could do to help out. They told us since they moved into the new barn that they did milking differently and it only takes 2 people to do the milking this time. They did tell us however that we could help out at the new place they are moving into with the Pudding and painting the walls. So we went up to their new home with their son Brian to the new house. On the way, we could see all the damage the storm that was passing through was doing to some of the power lines and trees. We saw 1 power line that fell and was in the middle of the street, and several trees and tree branches that were in the street as well. As soon as we got to their new home, we made sure everything was ok and nothing was damaged. Luckily nothing was hurt but they were out of power for a little bit, so we couldn't paint that night. On the way back to the barn, we all got out and moved as many trees, and tree branches as we could out of the middle of the road so that cars could pass by with ease. It was amazing to see what kind of damage a small storm could do to a little farming village.

With that storm, we had a member invite us over to his home to help him with a few things. One of those things, was chopping down a 30-40 ft. tree he had in his back yard that made him a little nervous after the storm that if he didn't cut it down now, that it could someday fall on to his home. So we got to work and chopped down this HUGE pine tree and watched it as it fell and shook the ground! It hit the grown so hard, that some of the branches were dug so into the ground, Bro. Pearson (the Member) had to cut the branch at ground level so that we didn't hurt ourselves trying to get it out of the ground. My companion did indeed take pictures and I will get them form him later this week and will send them ASAP :) 

We also picked up a new investigator this week who is married to a member. We had our first lesson with him this last saturday and it went pretty well! We even got a member who is a family member as well to come over and sit in and help us with the lesson.

This past week has been a great week of spiritual food and of some great physical service we were able to give to a lot of people. I have to say being a missionary is one of the best things I could ever be doing right now and I am so blessed that I have that opportunity to be out here at this time doing the lords work for his children in this part of the world. 

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week this up coming week! Always keep in mind that things do happen for a reason, and the the lord loves you no matter what. 

Love,

Elder Zenger

Service Galore

Dear Everyone in the entire world and universe who read this! haha

I have to say first off, that yes, I did know about Salt Lake Comic Con, and yes I am jealous that a lot of people I know went to it this year, (including my family) and Yes I will take the first chance I get when I get home to go with all my geek buddies and we may never come home ;D haha I do also know that this week was a good week regardless of the fact comic con was this past week.

We got to help a less active member Brother Don Pearson this week with his work shop/storage area where he and his mother (whom he lives with) has put most of his fathers stuff and most of the random junk they both have. While cleaning out this storage place, we found so many cool things, treasures, and little nic naks! We found a ligit old telescope that did indeed work, 2 old school flash lights that looked like little garbage cans, or as Elder Wilson and I liked to call them the "First ever made light sabers!" haha and found a ton of sea shells, and other cool trinkets from when he and his family lived in puerto rico from the beaches and stuff. It was really cool! 

We also got the chance to go and help out with the Branch Blood Drive they had on friday this week. We were what they called the "Priesthood Body they needed" ;) haha Which ment that we basically had to be there to make sure everything in the building was ok and that no one was doing anything stupid when the blood drive was going on haha we did get to help with moving things in and checking people in as they came in to donate. 

While at the blood drive, president Gale (Branch President) came in to donate blood and while he was waiting for his turn, looked at me and said, "Elder Zenger, how long has it been since you have given a talk in sacrament meeting." I told him that the last time I did was when I boar my testimony in schoharie valley ward before I got sent here. He then told me," That doesn't count, that is just bearing your testimony." Then I told him, "well, I guess I am speaking tomorrow in church then haha" It was just a good opportunity to get up in front of people and to testify of the power of repentance while president Gale talked about the power of forgiveness. 

All in All, I have absolulty loved this week, and cannot wait to see what this week has in store for us all this week!

I love you all and hope and pray that all will be well for you and your families! 

Love,

Elder Anthony Zenger

Birthday, Service, Transfers and More

Dear 'ere body readin this!

This past week was amazing! I wanna first thank 'ere body for all the birthday wishes they sent me and all the amazing things you all do for me and my family 'ere day! 

This past week we got an awesome chance to hike up with a member to "Willard Mountain" or as people back home would call it, "Willard Hill" haha But it was a very steep and gorgeous hike! When we got to the top we could see all over our area including Glens Falls, and parts of Troy! We brought up some homemade lemonade and sat at the top of the mountain and read from the Book of Mormon with him and it was such an awesome and spiritual experience! I did indeed take pictures and will be sending a TON of pictures with this email, I hope you all get to see them all! haha

This past week on Friday, we got to go to a members home for my birthday. The Olsons are just awesome, if you knew them, you would know why! haha But anyways, we went over and had homemade Chinese food and birthday cake! ^.^ Chinese food is my all time favorite food of all time and I absolutely love it! That was some of the best Chinese food I have had in a long time! Well since I left home 7 months ago ;) haha but it was still amazing and they even got me a birthday present! They are awesome and so is my family and friends! They sent me so much food that I think by the time I get home from my mission, I might have diabetes! 0.0 haha jk, but I am so excited for all the things which I got and for the wonderful experience I had on my birthday with missionary work and working for the lord on my birthday was awesome! :) I loved it!

So as you all know, we did indeed get transfer calls this last weekend, and our Zone Leader Elder Gabbitas is going to be coming Assistant to the president! How cool is that?!?! We also are losing an elder in our district, Elder papa is going home this transfer! We will miss him and he is a grand influence for a lot of missionaries! I am actually staying in Greenwich again with Elder Wilson for another transfer! yup so things get to stay the same for another 6 weeks! 

We had an amazing district activity yesterday! (monday Labor Day) for a final good bye's and as well as a time we could celebrate Elder Papa's birthday! He is actually going to be stepping off the plane on the Thursday morning the day of his birthday to his family! In the words of Elder Papa "It's going to be the best birthday present ever!" We played some volley ball, basket ball, and pretty much just did what ever we could with the time we had haha We had lunch at subway, and then went back to the church building to have cake and cupcakes! I used the cake mix my mother sent me for his cake and Elder Wilson did the lettering on the cake with candy canes! 

This week has been awesome and I hope you all have had a wonderful week! 

BYE NOW! 

Love,

Elder Anthony Zenger