Goodbyes and Stress

Dear all of you,

This last week has been (as the title says) a week of Good byes and some little emotional, and mental stress.

So this past week, Mama Vest, her husband Gary, and their son Daniel moved from the Southside of Syracuse to PA for Gary's work and for mama vest to start school. It will defiantly be not the same here with the Vest family gone, but the Lord has truly blessed them for their efforts in both the gospel and for the missionary work over the past few years.

So, now on to real quick before I have to get off the computer, for why I am stressed mentally and emotionally. So, every since I have arrived here in the Northside of Syracuse, Our teaching pool within the first few weeks started decreasing a ton. Nothing that I have done or did, it was the lack of commitment/lack in interest for learning more to the gospel. My companion and I (elder Jackson) have both agreed that these people where more converted to the previous elder than to the message he had to share. Up until today we have dropped over 15 people from our teaching pool and are down to about 5 investigators that we try and teach on a regular basis with only 2-3 of them fully wanting to learn and we are able to meet with currently. Now, for me this has been a reoccurring thing since I have been on my mission. Every area I have been into, except for southside cause we started out with no one, I have come into an are where they are teaching a lot of people and then within a few weeks, people just stop meeting with us and or don't want to learn any more. Sadly president has noticed that recently with in the last transfer and is constantly on my back about how low our numbers are, making sure we are out doing work and tracting, visiting members, and what not.

SO I have come to a delema that I am either a super bad missionary, and I suck at doing missionary work, or people just don't have faith in me and my companion to find people. It has been truly hard to keep up a good spirit when every week president or your zone leaders are on ya for low numbers when they used to be so high.

Ok, that is enough of the "Poor pitty me" Party, Other than that this week has truly been good, we have had a lot of spiritual lessons that we got to teach to a lot of people (mostly members and less actives) and I am excited for this week as we go and try and find new people to help them come closer to christ! 

--

Love Ya's! 

-Elder Zenger

 

(ps from mom) SORRY I thought I was only one week behind on the blog!

Computer Disconnecting - look what mom found!

Anthony didn't have time to write an "all" email this week so I thought I would share his letters to Dean and I.  I am including Dean's to him since I think it has great advice and makes Anthony's response make sense. ;)  Also- I found a New York, Utica Missionary Mom's facebook page!  Mom's from Anthony's MTC District companions have been posting pictures for me since we have none from that time.  That was when his new camera broke and the SD card locked up.  15 months ago but still - SO worth it!!


Dear Mom -   That is awesome to hear about the whole missionary page you found!  What video did you watch? 0.o  SO this week was pretty good, had a lot of meetings and a lot of opportunities to find new people to teach!  Hopefully this week will show the fruits of our labors.  I did get a surprise letter from the Keegans!  haha It was sweet!  I actually wrote them back and sent it off today.  Mail comes pretty fast when it comes from someone in the same state! haha.

Companions:  1 1/2 months = 1 transfer
Elder Dale Evans- Syracuse South - 3 months (trainer)
Elders Jordan Bell and Jacob Sarsozo - Scoharie Valley - 6 days
Elder Jace Dalton - Greenwich - 1 1/2 mo.
Elder Wilson - Greenwich - 4 1/2 mo.
Elder Jensen - Owego - 2 weeks
Elder Cosman - Owego - 1 1/2 Mo.
Elder Evan Prestwich - Owego - 1 1/2 Mo.
Elder Spencer Jackson - Syracuse North - 3 months (so far- transfers on May 14th!)

Hope all is going well!  Love yas!
Elder Zenger

Dear Elder,

How are things this week?  Today was Regional Conference for us.  We went to the church to watch it broadcast from the Conference Center.  Elder Neal Anderson of the Twelve was our Presiding General Authority.  It was really good as usual.
 

I hope this email finds you in good spirits.  I know you were a little frustrated and a bit discouraged last week because of the size of your teaching pool.  I remember being in the same situation when the numbers weren't as high as before and felt like we were going through a "dry" spell.  This happened to me in Mesa when I was a Zone Leader.  My companion and I prayed and fasted and tried to do all we could think of.  After one of our morning companion prayers it struck us that we wanted to "sacrifice" something along with trying to be strictly obedient to the mission rules.  And I'm not saying you aren't obedient in any way and we weren't being disobedient either.  We had been getting up and going to to a gym to workout every morning which we were allowed to do.  But after we started thinking about it, it donned on us that in the group we would work out with, we were the only males!  We were always with females working out.  It really didn't hit us until we started trying to think of something to sacrifice.  So we decided to stop going to the gym every morning and found another way for exercise.  It seems like something small but as we did that and also became more strict in our following the mission rules, we started being blessed with more people to teach.  Sometimes we just need to show the Lord we are willing to give up something and better ourselves, even if its just a small adjustment than what we were doing before, and He will bless us for doing so.  That has stayed with me all these years and it still stands true today.  I will never forget that experience and am grateful for it.  I don't know if this even makes sense or if this even helps but its something that I learned when I was in the same situation you are in.  Everything we did each day we would ask ourselves, is this really in line with the mission rules?  Again, we just became more strict about how we conducted ourselves and what our activities were from day to day and just rededicated ourselves to the work.

The Lord will bless you and He knows you are righteous.  He will bless you if you just stretch a little more to better yourself and your situation.  Sometimes its easy to get into a "routine" of doing things the same way.  It helped us see things in a different light and we got a new perspective on the work.  You aren't doing anything wrong but look at it as an opportunity to grow and He will help you do that if you include Him.

Take care and and you are always in our prayers.  I love you.

Love,
Dad

Dear Dad,

Thanks so much for telling me that. That has got me to start thinkin of what I can start sacrificing that would help in the work. This week has definatly been better, we talked to a lot of the potentials and got some appointments this week to see some of them. I have not gotten my garments yet, I do bet they are in the mission office haha I am so grateful that I grandma and grandpa want to help out. It is truly a blessing! Nothin else to epic has happened this week but hopefully some new and exciting things will come to pass in the land of New York!

I love yas and hope that you all will be blessed in many ways this week!

Love
Elder Zenger

Diddly Dinosaur

Dear all Y'alls,

So I am first going to define for you what "Diddly Dinosaur" Means. It means nothing, absolutely nothing. haha Which is why I titled this email (post, tweet, what ever) because...........Nothing exciting has happened this week... -.-

BUT I will say there has been a great blessing that has happened! This last week it has officially finally became spring time here in Syracuse New York! :D All the snow has officially melted and it has finally been above 32 degrees! In fact, yesterday it hit 85! It was freaking nuts! I don't know what I am going to do with myself! haha Other than that there hasn't been anything to cool, epic, or out of the ordinary that has happened this last week. I do have pictures for yous guys but I forgot my camera cord at our apartment and we are with Southside today. (they have the car today till 2pm)

SO I will make sure to send pictures next week and try and have an exciting week this upcoming week with out being disobedient....well ok maybe a little disobedient ;) haha just kidding I wouldn't do that! right? 0.o

So in a nut shell, I will repent and be more exciting next week, I will do my best to do my duty to God and his country, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight. (I really hope I wrote that right, otherwise...I will look really dumb over email.... haha)

--

Love Ya's! 

-Elder Zenger

Pizza and a Pimp Slap

Dear all of you who I love like a ton! 

This week has been a pretty normal week, as you can see from the pictures I have below this post that we had some major good times this week on Monday and on Tuesday. 

This last Monday (the pimp slap picture) we went to the 2nd largest Mall in the world. Destiny USA (which is just outside our area in our ZL's area) Which we go to ere' monday with them. One of the Elders in our ward serving on the South side always jokes around with a pimp slap motion as shown in the picture. So we have no started to take pictures of one another doing it to things that we would agree on that need a "Pimp slap/Back Hand" it is the funnest thing ever! haha WE also got pizza and wings with South side last tuesday since the member who was supposed to feed us both didn't show up and or tell us he wasn't coming. So we went and bought our own food! It was really good! I love serving in the state where Pizza and Wings are like all you eat up here! It is like I have died and went to food paradise! ^.^

Other than that, this week was normal, we did have some small group from another church who was out and about pretty much knocking doors, stop us and wanted to "Talk". In the end, as usual, they wanted to try and tell us that what we were sharing with people was leading them away from the word of God and that we need to "remind ourselves that we are handling peoples souls and salvation, now, you don't people to suffer in hell because you told them something that lead them a stray would you?" (Btw that is pretty much word for word what he said to us) In the end I boar my testimony as I did last year when we got bible bashed and Elder Jackson and I were on our way. I was very pleased how Elder Jackson handled the situation and how calm and confident he was in sharing with them what we believe. Me on the other hand...I had a small slip up....I tried to quote the first vision that Joseph Smith had and I totally butchered the entire thing....Oh well, they didn't really care what we had to say anyways. It saddens me when people act like that.

We are called to "Invite, share, help, and bless" We are not called and sent out to tear people away from there beliefs, nor are we here or called to go out and downgrade other beliefs. We are only here to offer more, and addition to what you already know love, and cherish. That is what the Savior did when he was on the earth, he did not come to tell everyone that they were completly wrong and that he was right. Not at all, he came humbly, submissive, and meet. He came to invite the people to return to our father in heaven the way God had given us to return to him. He didn't force, he didn't push, he didn't drag. He didn't even fight back to prove he was right. He just Invited, Shared, Helped, and blessed the people in the time he was given here on earth. This I know, and bear witness of in the Name of his sacred and holy name Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Love Ya's! 

-Elder Zenger

Sexiest Barbie Ever

Dear all of yous guys who readeth this! 

This week has been an interesting week! I have had many things happen both good and kinda bad, but that all depends on how you take it and look at it :)

So first off, it has been really dumb weather here this past week, the snow all about melts and then we get about a foot and a half of it back over a 24 hour period and then the skies clear and it is now trying to melt again... -.- We are also told there might be another storm coming this week....yippee...

STORY TIME! So one day after the Singles Branch FHE, We were getting a ride home from some of the members and one of the members who is a chaplen for one of the hospitals was going to walk to work (6 miles). He kept refusing a ride, so while he was walking down the street, we drove behind him and one of the members said, "Elders, you are going to get out, grab him, throw him in, and we are going to take him to work!" So we pulled up behind him and got out and he took off running! So I darted after him (let me remind you that it has been really wet and snowy here and the snow is starting to melt at this point in time in the story) I chased him down the side walk until he started running into a very small field that was muddy and I totally ate it! I got mud all over me and I tore my slacks :( But It was good story and an epic adventure! and luckily it wasn't a big tear, it was a tear in the knee so I can't fix them till I wash them. haha

Other than that, we picked up a new investigator this week and she has a baptismal date set for next month! it is pretty sweet! She is an awesome girl and we are excited to start teaching her! 

WARNING! The pictures you are about to see attached in this email are pictures of stupid missionaries who enjoy sharing the gospel and being themselves in the most goofy way as possible. You have been warned. 

Hope you all have a great week and we will see ya next week! 

PEACE LOVE AND HAPPINESS TO YOUR LIVES! 

--

Love Ya's! 

-Elder Zenger

In the 'Cuse

Things here are pretty busy, but they slowed down a ton this week as we have had people not show up to appoints, not been home for appointments, called and canceled appointments, and we have had to cancel them due to now one being able to go with us because we need a 18 year old mail to go with us to visit women (of any age) who are single or don't have anyone of our sex that is 18 or older in the home...which has been the case each time. It's a little tough, but its all good. It has happened each time I have gotten into a new area. So, It just shows that people are more and more getting converted to the missionaries than the gospel.

This week has been a bit cold, we had one day where it was like below zero and the wind was like blowing like nutso! It sucked....But I am not dead nor frozen so I guess that is good haha Other than that, nothing exciting happened yet, maybe this week though. I know I promised pictures but I am at the Library I was at last week cause the Zone Leaders had something else going on today so we couldn't go anywhere else. Hopefully next week though! I will try and take more pictures, maybe that will help! haha

Elder Zenger

P.S the computer is going to kick me off in like a couple mins or less, so can you please summarize and or put this as the mass email home? I hate using the Library -.- But, its better than nothing!

'CUSE ONCE AGAIN!

Dear all Ya'lls

So as you know, I am now officially back in Downtown Syracuse! It is very weird being back here. (1.) I am 2nd Transfer Training (2.) It is weird to think that exactly a year ago I was here but on the Southside (3.) We are teaching a ton of lessons! (like 10-20 a week!) (4.) I just feel OLD! 0.0 -.-

Its' ok though, I am over it! This past week has been a ride down memory lane! I am in a full walk area, so that means I get to ride on the Metro Bus' all the time. (it is weird not having a car sometimes..oh wells) I do have pictures for you all from when I left Owego and some from my first week on Northside, but we had to go to a different library than we usually go to because the Zone Leaders had to be somewhere they didn't tell us about till this morning (they are our ride for groceries and such on P-Day) So all our plans pretty much got a giant rock thrown through like a window. My point is, this computer won't let me access anything from my camera and or my flash drive so I will have to wait till next week when we can hopefully get to go with the Zone Leaders to the Library that will allow us to do all that fancy shtuff.

Taining isn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. I am still a little nervous in some cases but It helps that my companion (Step son) is pretty laid back, chill, and willing to receive more input from me. Which helps A TON! Other than that, we have been just work, work, working and teach, teach, teaching all day ere' day! It is awesome to have things to do through out the day! haha Hoep you all are doing well! If yous want to email me, just give my mom a holler and she will send ya the address!

Love Ya's! 

-Elder Zenger