Back To Redlands! E-mail - Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Happy Day!!!!!

The long 6 months in the desert is finally over.   I'm now back in the Redlands Zone in Highlands on bike.  That will be interesting, my third huge hill area :) !!!  I'm  no longer a district leader which is kinda weird, but I enjoy it. My new comp Elder Williams is the DL and what's strange is it's a district of Sisters!!!! Meaghan would love it!!! There are 4 sisters, a senior couple, then us... they call it the banished area, but we are going to make the best of it. I'm also the oldest missionary in the zone... they call me Patriarch Daniel isn't that sweet.

 

Well, my last few weeks in the desert were horrible.  I just wanted out and I'm glad to be away from that awful place, but I feel as if I may have learned the greatest life lesson that I could have. Although I felt super alone in the desert;  I do know that I was never truly alone.  Heavenly Father was there helping me along the way. My testimony of the gospel has quadrupled (I know John spelling) I have learned not just that God lives, but how He works. How that he takes us and uses us for what He needs, not what we want!  That's the learning experience that I had. Maybe I didn't want to be with my last companion, but I needed it and so did he and it wasn't until I saw that and finally took the time and acted on it.

 

President Smart calls the mission the University of Life and now that I have gone through those recent experiences,   I truly see why it is the University of Life. I have grown so much in the last 17 and a half months.  I can't wait for the next 6 and a half to see what else I can learn.

 

I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet. That he was lead by Christ who is the center of this Church and the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

The Three Scrooges‏ E-Mail Monday, December 19, 2011

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a very interesting week.  We received a mini missionary for a week, his name is Malakai from Mo Val  he is Tongan.   It's been a crazy fun time and very interesting. I haven't laughed that hard in a while, but lately I have been. He is preparing for his mission but he feels as if he really doesn't have a testimony. We stayed up late last night talking about it. It's strange because I kinda feel like I was in the same predicament as him. I wanted to go on a mission but I wasn't sure of how strong my testimony was.   It is real crazy to see that my testimony now is totally strong! There are many occurrences where I feel that my testimony is the only thing that kept me going.

 

Last night we had a Christmas party  at our Bishops house. It is a mansion. Like I'm serious; like  I was afraid to touch anything.  He had statues and stuff. Mo Val is real ghetto so our mini was "trippin" when he saw the place.  It was strange because he let out a huge whistle and said "d*** this place is fine!!" I laughed so hard as Elder Christensen began to rebuke him for his choice of words.

 

 Well................................. But I would have to say it taught me how the most important thing isn't giving people gifts; but in actuality the gift Christ gave us.

 

Well,  I'm going to get going I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you have a white one...I won't!!!!   lol !!

--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

P.S. I cant believe you thought I didn't remember your birthday, ha!!! I actually ate dinner that night with my favorite family and we sang you happy birthday over a piece of cake!!! ha!!!

A Week Behind! E-mail December 12, 2011

So, I think I'm a week behind you guys cause the cruise is over (is it Scott) Meaghan has been out for 4 weeks and I'm still in the flippin desert!!!!

 

Well, it's not hot so that's a plus now! When I just got used to the heat it decides to become cold... California is a cruel place!!!  All the Elders here are leaving early for school and Christmas. there are going to be a few ETS (emergency transfers) that just means you leave an area earlier than a regular exchange.  It may happen for a few reasons. I have my fingers crossed. Also we are getting a ton of mini missionaries. So it will be an interesting last two weeks of the transfer.

 

Well this month will mark me being old, I have finished my black hole year! It started kind of crazy, hopefully it won't end that way. I really enjoyed Meaghan's email, so I will do the same... I will take you through one of my Tuesday's.

 

The alarm goes off at 6:30 and we pray; then exercise till 7; then it's shower time.  We have a tiny water heater so only one person gets hot water and only for 5 minutes so its a quick one. Then we make breakfast and start studies at 8. Then at 9 we have a comp study, we planned the night before so we go over our plans and read through the white handbook and practice our lessons. Then off we go to District Development Meeting (DDM) which I preside over.  We go through practice sessions and other things. I give a training.  Then we hit the streets, talk to people, set up appointments, teach all that fun jazz. Well my comp is telling me we have to go, so I  will sadly end my email here!

 

 Love You

--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

It Hurts To Type!!!!! E-mail - Monday, December 5, 2011

Alright, so as my subject says it hurts to type, but I'm gonna make it through this email!

 

So, Mr. Wells thinks I'm not "in depth" and have bad grammar! Well, all I have to say to that is... your right!! lol !!  I am going to be more "in depth",  I don't know if I can fix the grammar thing. So, this was one horrible week! But awesome at the same time! Last Monday I got super sick and was out of commission for two days. It was horrible I was so bored!!!! Then we had multi-zones. That's were we have two zones meet together and President and the APs give us training on how to be better.

 

We mostly talked about talking to people and planning better. It's weird even though I have been out almost 17 months I'm still scared to talk to people.  You would think that this is something that goes away, but even Elders who have been out like 20 months have that problem. We had a little leadership meeting beforehand and Pres Smart so put me on the spot. Someone asked the question about bad companions and Pres stood there and thought for a second and then called on me to answer the question. I was totally awkward but as I stood there I knew that Pres Smart had received the revelation that I  needed to answer the question; not just for that Elder, but also for myself. It's always crazy to see how one man can be lead by the spirit so much.

 

Well mom asked about the crazy winds and mom, it's always windy here!  It's why there is all those windmills, but as we were driving home from where multi-zones were it was getting almost to windy to drive, but we made it safe and sound.

 

So you may be wondering why my fingers hurt ... we went golfing today. I did horrible!!!  Fourth place out of five!!! We played the back nine and I hit an 81!!  I  know I'm horrible!! The first time I played it wasn't that hard; this time though I sucked it up . It was pretty weird cuz you might have actually played here before John; it is called Indian Springs, it was pretty nice.  I even had a caddy.

 

 Meaghan did you get his letter in the package??? His name is Alfredo.  He is gonna put his papers in next month and he just moved in with the Lewis family.  I  have known him for like 8 months, sweet guy!!!

 

I hope that was more in-depth!   If not, well I tried. I want you to know that I love you all and I know that the Church is true.  Joseph Smith was a Prophet and that Jesus is the Christ.

 

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!

--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

Turkey Bowls, Guns, Deep Fried Turkey and one Wallet with 23.7 million dollars!!!!! E-mail Monday, November 28, 2011‏

Dear Mom, John and Meaghan,

If you thought Meaghan's title was weird look at mine!!!! So, as Thanksgiving came we bulked up for one of the most insane turkey bowls in the history of the world our team (the krazies) ended up with 7 points, three turnovers, seven sacks.  We intercepted the ball 9 times and forced one fumble (it was the craziest two hand touch football game ever)!!  I intercepted once and caught a few passes.  One was a sick, one handed catch in the end zone. So as you can imagine it was pretty fun.

 

After turkey bowl, we went to eat dinner with our Bishop, and on our way there he called us and told us to meet him in the middle of nowhere. So off we went!  When we got there he was standing there with a shotgun at his hip looking like an old cowboy.  We watched as his family shot off hundreds of rounds of ammo, it was pretty crazy!  He had an AK-22 or something or other that was a crazy semi-automatic!!

 

So after 3 hours of watching this, we returned to his home and ate deep fried turkey.  It was pretty good didn't really know anyone there so it was kinda awkward (Bishop invited his family over).  Elder Christensen has been sick this week so we spent a ton of time inside, it was totally boring.  Having your comp sick is the worst thing ever, because first you spend all day inside with him then two days later you're sick!

 

Well,  after dinner we played monopoly with the Lewis kids and I conquered with over 23.7 million dollars so I put it in my wallet and walked away as a joke.

 

I love you all and miss you.  I sent my list in a letter and if all went well, Meaghan should be opening a package right about... now. oh I'm good!!

 

The work is done, John, the information is on it's way to you. Should be pretty helpful I presume!!!

 

Elder Daniel

16 down 8 left‏ E-mail Tuesday, November 21, 2011

Well,  I'm waiting for my mother to respond to my earlier email and I only have 28 minutes to wait so I thought I'd start my email to you, ohhh let me start off right...

Dear family friends and anyone else who seems to be reading at the time,

Well it looks like I will be in the desert 6 months, wow... I remember the days a few months ago where you would walk outside and your comps bike was melting in the heat or you would spit and the saliva would almost dry up before it hit the ground... now the weather is perfect!  I do believe God is blessing me for not going home.. that thought came when we tracted for 2 hours in almost 122 degree weather!!! without water (big mistake).

Well, it's almost Thanks Giving and a man in one of our meetings said that his family each says two things they are grateful for each week until Christmas so... I will do the same.

1. The gospel (for without it I would be lost)!

2. Money (for without it I would be broke)!

Now because I feel like giving you a challenge (I do this a lot as a district leader) I challenge each of you to do the same here are the rules!!!

1. Every week you come up with 2 things you're grateful for

2. No repeats

3 If you have a repeat the next week you have to do an extra thing

It's simple and it will be very interesting. So me and my comp are not doing any better.  I think he is depressed and I am really having a tough time.  We talked to President about it, and in his great wisdom we are spending another six weeks together.  It will be interesting. As being a district leader it is going well, I'll be a district leader until the President says otherwise, mom, so he could send me somewhere else and still make me a district leader or maybe a regular missionary again, I don't know.

If I have learned one thing from this area it's how awesome God is. I sometimes think that he just loves us and that  it is so easy for him, but I think I see more clearly how hard that must be, when his children don't care enough to even say he exists or to break his commandments with no care. I know that God lives he loves us so much he sent his son to suffer and die for us.  The atonement is the greatest and last sacrifice of all mankind.

I love you!

--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

Shoes!!! E-mail November 14, 2011

Dear Mom and John,

 

So, as I said last week I need new shoes; but don't bother, a man in the ward bought me a pair. It was so awkward.... I was like crying and stuff (there super expensive( he owns his own business) I asked him why and he said he would want the same for his son.

 

Well, this week is transfers as you know are you ready...... I'm staying with Elder Christensen until after Christmas. It's been kinda crazy, no one in my district is leaving... which means I still get to practice my sign language.... yeah!!!

 

Meaghan's in the MTC, what an experience!!   I liked the pics, they were nice. The desert has been really nice these last few days, mid 70s all sunny.  Saturday it rained which was nice. We did an all day service project which was interesting. I was standing in the rain in only my hoodie and some shorts; it was pretty miserable. Don't know if I ever told you about the Smith family... they are this awesome family; both the parents served in the Cincinatti Mission in the 80s.   They showed us this video of them in Cincy and guess what???   They took the Anderson ferry into Kentucky... it looked so similar!   It was crazy.

 

We have been having a difficult time finding new investigators. It has been real tough.  There is no place to tract out here because of all the gated communities. Do you want to  know something crazy John???   I am teaching your old comps nephew and his non-member wife... how weird is that!!!

 

I told you about John B. the young man I confirmed a member.. well he is struggling a little.   Life has really been tough for him, but man has he changed! I sometimes can't believe the impact of the gospel on peoples lives. John is willing to do anything to please his Father in heaven.  How wonderful is that.  We tell him that his Father in heaven wishes for him to do something and all he says is of course I will. I think how many of us hear that we need to do something and instead of John's "I will attitude" we think why? That is a habit that I myself am trying to break.  To stop saying why and just to go and do.
--

 

Love,

 

Elder Zachary David Daniel