Not Enough Info.....!!! E-mail January 17, 2012

So, it seems that I have not been putting enough info in my emails. OK... first off, I understand about not wanting a new dog. It's difficult seeing as Jack is now in doggy heaven, but having a cool awesome German Shepard around makes life better, plus Charlie is a grouch!!! I do understand and I can't wait to go doggy shopping with John!!!

 

I woke up at 6:30 and as usual hit my head on the fan!!! What a wake up. The place I live: we call the man cave, has a bunk bed, two desks, a fridge, two small dressers and a microwave/toaster oven all in a room smaller than mine back home!!! Imagine that! My comp (Elder Williams) is a pretty good guy. He's from Texas, Arlington, and has like 7 brothers and sisters.

 

We haven't really been riding our bikes seeing as Williams' is out of commission. He just started feeling better after 12 days, but then his bike broke. So we are hoofin it. It's weird having only six months left, everybody brings it up.  I  just looked at the ward directory and I don't know anyone any more so sad.

 

It's tough to hear about Meaghan, but it happens a lot. We get Elders going to Mexico in our mission all the time and it stinks, but there's a reason for it. At the beginning of my mission there was an Elder named Elder Lamb and he baptised 6 people before he went to Mexico and even later saw them there. We may not know why the Lord sends us certain places, but I can promise you, Meaghan ,YOU ARE NEEDED THERE!!!!! Many times I ask why California? I would have loved to go to a foreign country, but I was needed here in Riverside Ca. Why? Chris and Robin Beltoe, Marcus Welch, Jackie Raney, Ryan Gaines, Julie Lunsford, the Mann brothers, Kevin Smith, Angel Diemer, the Clark boys, John Buzo, and Nelly Salerno. I don't list them to brag but I thank my Heavenly Father for every moment I spent with those 14 people.  They have changed my life just as much as I have theirs. If there is only one thing I learn my entire mission  is that I am grateful for this.  That God knows us perfectly!! He takes our talents, our goals, our motivations and matches us, maybe even handpicks us for a certain person. When you are placed in a certain area or with a certain missionary it's not your mission president that places you there, it's God.  In all His infinite wisdom, He knows who we are and what we can do. These 18 months are going to be difficult!!! You're going to work harder faster and longer than ever before, but you will be so grateful because when your head hits your pillow every night you will be exhausted and you will be sooo grateful for it because you know you worked your hardest, you put in 110% and that's what God wants. " Therefore ye that are called to serve God see that ye serve Him with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, that ye may stand blameless before Him at the last day." 

 

I love you all! I wish you well, I'll start the applications, and may Jack rest in peace!!!
--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

Sickness E-mail - January 9, 2012

Well it's been an interesting last 9 days seeing as this is one of the few times I have been outside the apartment, as my comp has been sick.  His name by the way is Elder Williams, we got the package thing with all the cards today and he says thank you for the birthday present. He thought it was funny that I never told you his name.

So about Jack, after a lot of thought (remember I have not done anything the last 9 days) I decided what we should do...   just get another dog... now I know what your thinking,  John,  and no it's not to much work. We should get a German Shephard and name him Vlad seeing as Meaghan is going to Ukraine and it sounds like a nice Ukranian name!!!! I know that having another dog around the house will be good for everyone including John. It's ok if you think it's to soon, we can wait til I come home and I will help pick him out!! 

 

I don't know if I ever told you I got a guitar.  I have been trying to learn, but its coming very difficult.  I can only play one song and it has no cords it's actually only four notes long. But I'm trying to become the master so I can return and jam out with John!  Maybe we can play in sacrament meeting together :)

 

I can't believe the Elders no showed did they call? President would kill us if we did that. Speaking of President Smart we had our interview on Wednesday and spoke about my last comp and your phone conversation.  He said he really liked John, also told me it wasn't weird that you called; he says if he didn't get a phone call from at least 4 parents in a day he would be worried. My question... where did you get his number? Plus you should see his cell phone its super nice!!!

 

Well, not much more to say just sticking in here while my comps sick.

 

Love you and talk to you later.
--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

A New Area, A Bunch of Sisters, A Sick Companion, Miracles! E-mail - January 3, 2012

I believe as I said last week, I'm in Redlands.    It has been a unique expierience. I am the oldest elder in mission life in the zone, so I'm Patriarch Daniel. It's weird, never thought I'd be a Patriarch. So I'm in Highlands in Redlands Zone.  Highlands is really interesting, it's one city built on a hill.   Biking will be fun! Although, we have not biked yet. My comps b-day is on the 27th ( I don't know why I said that).  We knew each other before he was in my district, the first time I was in Menifee. The Sisters are different... they like to ask lots of questions, it's like everyday they call to ask us something kinda weird. They are awsome workeres and they love the Lord so that's good. 

Well, my comp has been sick for the last 4 days I have been sooo bored. I watched movies all morning... church movies. Before my comp got sick though we had a ton of miracles. We were going to see this man at the dialysis center and we stopped by a lady to talk about the church and she wanted to know about what we believe.  While we were teaching I had the inspiration to ask if she had ever recieved a blessing and my comp said he had never given her one before.  So, we gave her a blessing and then my companion twisted his ankle and we had to go home, but I didn't know the way and he was in too much pain to lead the way so I went the wrong way... my bad, but we ended up on the street of this investigator that we had so we decided to stop by and see her.   She said that she needed us and was telling us that she couldn't be a member because she had anger problems.  I then told her about some members I know with anger problems and it calmed her down.

I realized that God sometimes sends us miracles because we need to see our faith in action. I know that it is because of our faith and our hard work that we saw those miracles.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary Daniel

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