The Desert! E-mail September 12, 2011

Well hello!!!

 

So life here in So Cal has been pretty uneventful. I did receive my package and enjoyed it tremendously. I'm excited to start getting e-mails from Meaghan although I know they're  gonna be from a different e-mail service.  Is that up yet? Should  I be sending my e-mails to her that way? I might just do it to see!

 

We have this investigator named Chris and we've been teaching him for a while, his wife is a recently re-activated member who just went through the temple, and her husband has been taking the lessons. He has one of the nicest houses Ive ever seen plus a pool that has this rock thing which you can jump off of into his pool. He has given me permission to come back and swim in it (once I'm no longer an Elder)!!  We decided when he is going to be baptized it was going to be in his pool!!!

 

The interesting story however is that his son almost cut his leg off a couple of weeks ago!!! Sis.

Madsen E-mailed us the picks. Wanna see? 

 

Besides that life has been normal.  I have been thinking a lot lately about what I should do when I get home.   I have started creating a schedule ( my first companion Elder Potter told me it was a good idea to do it about  this time) so if you have any suggestions let me know!!!! 

 

We had a multi zone this last week with Pres. Smart  it was really interesting, he spoke on obedience and Sis. Smart spoke on etiquette ( I can't spell) was pretty good.  Someone had called and complained saying our manners were bad!! Who would do such a thing!!  Just kidding... its probably a good thing to have an etiquette (still can't spell) lesson. 

 

 Next week Elder Christensen from the first quorum of the seventy is speaking to us it will be real interesting I'm excited!!!  

 

Love,

 

Elder Zachary David Daniel

Elsid Campeador‏ Email September 6, 2011

"His name is Elsid and he's in room 208." it was a simple statement that would end up being one of those memories you never forget. He was a sick man who wished to get a blessing. the Elders received a call from him and they called us. So,  I looked at my companion "what do you think?" he shrugged his shoulders. He isn't one of many words. So I directed him towards the hospital. Then we arrived and walked up to the desk. "Hey Elders" the security guard knew who we were and seeing the new Elder immediately started telling us he wasn't interested in hearing our message. We go there a lot.

 

"What's the name Daniel" he didn't even have to look on my name tag. While he brought up my record there. It's a nice hospital. "umm... Elsid Campa.. something?" the nurse at the computer laughed and made some comment about how we were usually more organized than that. Then she told us he doesn't exist. That no one by anything like that was staying at the hospital. That was a first for me, usually we have no problems. So we tried to find a solution. We were about to leave when she asked if we had a room number. yep 208.

 

"uh-oh. you guys don't want to go there, let me call for you." she called and asked if there was a patient by that name,said uh-huh a couple of times and said follow me Elders.  We walked through the hospital and took an elevator to the second floor, walked a little down the hall and stopped at a large door with windows in it and a phone right next to it. She told us to pick it up then talk to the nurse.  I looked through the window there were a bunch of people in their rooms and everything looked normal. So why was everyone acting weird. I looked at my comp "you ready for this?" he shrugged. few words that's how he is. So I picked up the phone it rang once "we're coming" that was all the voice said on the other line. So we waited and saw a security officer and a nurse coming towards us.  They asked us why we were here, and we told them.  They asked how the patient contacted us and we told them. They informed us that we could come back in an hour. So we started to leave, then I asked what all the hush hush was about. Then the nurse turned to me and said "honey this is the psych ward these people are crazy they'll hurt you" I almost pooped my pants I was so scared. We came back in an hour and gave the man a blessing.  It really  was ok! 

 

 Well, I love you all and I hope you think its an interesting story. If I had more time I would go into a little more detail.

 

One of  John's former companions is not in the Ward, but his brother is..... more to come. 

 

Much Love,

 

Elder Zachary David Daniel

Elder Christenson E- mail August 29, 2011

Another week has flown by and luckily it wasn't crazy. So, I have a new comp his name is Elder Christensen he's from Idaho (Pocatello) area.   He is very VERY quiet and the last week has been hard for me. As you know I'm a very social person and well I like to talk alot, so it's been hard.  I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall half of the time and I feel like I have tons of stress.

 

Sorry for that,  didn't mean to be all mopey. It's weird thinking that I'm inching towards the single digit months. E. Alexander is only a month or two older and next week he starts his single digit's he is super scared!

 

But that's regular stuff.  I've been thinking what I should say this week and its been super hard to figure out. As some know Elder Fly is now home in Virginia. how weird is that; all my companions who are older than me are home. My trainees trainee is training (say that 5 times fast) and that makes me even feel older. So life's just moving ahead. Alfredo a recent Convert in the ward is trying to hook me up with this Girl he knows from Ohio, but I'm expecting a beautiful Ukrainian wife (remember Meaghan) so we'll see.

 

So, yep we had another baptism this week Caleb and Noah. It's super exciting! They both had to get dunked twice, hopefully the mom will be interested now. That was the first time I ever met her she  does not like Mormons she usually waits outside until we finish a lesson. We will see what happens.

 

So the life of a missionary becomes kind of routine, you just keep going with the flow! 

 

Love,

 

Elder Zachary David Daniel

Craziest Week Of My Life E-mail August 22, 2011

Oh yes it was that crazy let us begin!!

Sometimes parents (Mom's)  feel the need to edit posts... Yes, needless to say Elder Daniel had a "crazy" week.  But he is doing well and with prayer and guidance he continues to make righteous decisions.  I will quote the last paragraph from his e-mail.

 "Well I think it shows you that Satan is out there.  He is not just after the Missionaries or the Investigators he's after everyone  It was  a crazy week,  if it sounds crazy just try living it. As more time goes by I see the  need in learning the basics. I remember being in church or school or band and thinking why the basics;  I think we get it, but as I look back if it wasn't the basics,  I would have got seriously lost.

 BTW,  My Canadian companion, Elder McKee was also transferred to Menifee this week."

LEWIS!!! E-mail August 15, 2011

Well, thank you mom, all your emails came through today, so I got the same message about four times!!!  LOL!  But I really appreciate the care. I also received the package and the card; thank you so much!!!

 

This week was pretty uneventful with the exception that I had an exchange with the Spanish Elders so I put my 7 words of Spanish to good use by trying my hardest not to sleep. The family we stay with is pretty nice they have been through a lot. Obviously there is a mom and dad, then they have two boys and three girls that live at home. The oldest boy Bacon (name is really Kendall) has a mild autism but is super good at board games!   Then they have a daughter named Michelle but she's like 15, so we never see her (were not allowed). Then they have a 12 year old daughter, McKenzie; she has a missionary jar that's her life goal (she kinda reminds me of Meaghan), then there's the nine year old Rosie, she is in love with Elder McKee and he gets embarrassed when I bring it up, so I bring it up all the time. Finally there's Preston who is eight; he is like any little brother I imagine and just tries to be like us in every way (even to the point where one day he put on his white shirt and clip on tie and decided that he would spend the day with us).

 

That's the family, they are a great group of people that have been through a lot. A couple of years ago Sister Lewis got breast cancer; she lived but it was scary for all the kids. Then about two months ago they found a 25 pound tumor in Brother Lewis's stomach.  He was in a coma about two weeks. They spoke in church yesterday about all the help they received and how grateful they were.   It surprised me a little  how people have such small reasons for leaving the church; yet a family like this who have had so many trials; all of them are active and have testimonies.

 

Although some of us have lives where our testimonies seem not to bee easily dismantled, the Lewis family like Joseph Smith, I know,  would need the gates of hell to open before any one of them would deny that Jesus is the Christ and Joseph Smith was a prophet. What a great example they are to me and I hope they can be too many others

--
Elder Zachary David Daniel

SCOOP BALL!! E-mail August 8, 2011

Another week has gone by!!!!

 

So here's my news after my "outstanding" talk in Parkview Ward the Palm Dessert Ward has asked me and my Companion to speak, and yet again my Companion was mad!!   I am speaking last again! This week was just a normal one;  we are teaching this man named Chris.  I don't know if I told you, but he is super loaded (I probably shouldn't have said that) he has 4 Harley's, he's a real nice guy, but is only taking the lessons because of his wife, but he did state that baptism was in his future, and that he wouldn't be surprised if it happened.

 

Well, we played a game called scoop ball today.  It was tons of fun, my team won 8-5.  I was goally and received a few punishing blows!!!   Well, my last e-mail failed and I lost over half my e-mail; it was basically about the family I live with now that I'm in a home share.  I don't have much time to say other things, send my love to all  --
Elder Zachary David Daniel

Why? What A Great Question.... E-mail August 1, 2011

Well another week has come and gone and I can say it was an interesting one...

 

I got to see my families bucket lists and I was really surprised by what I saw.  One even highlighted a gospel principle I was thinking of sharing. As many of you know, yesterday I spoke in one of my wards (yes that's a plural... not wives, wards  (LOL)).  My topic was building and retaining a testimony.  I was told it was a 15 minute talk, then when I got to church I looked at the program (yes I'll send it to you mom) and my name was last!!!!! So the Bishop asked me right there to do 25 minutes.  My companion almost fell over with laughter. Well, I did it and I'm still alive.  However, the great story of the week is this.

 

While tracting, me and my comp ran into a guy who decided he knew more about the "Mormon" church; more than two Mormon missionaries. Well, he was wrong, but I won't get into that. One thing he told us was that God didn't have a body and the resurrection wasn't real. So we discussed how we know God does have a body (Joseph Smiths vision) and how we knew we would receive one. Well, all that is truly unimportant what makes sense is this. If God has a body and we want to be like God (not BE God) we would need to be like him.  We would need to gain our bodies again just like Jesus Christ did. When we told the man this he stood there and asked. Why?

 

Why? is such a great question!!! I felt giddy just beginning to type my response to the question. First lets answer a question with some more questions. Why did Jesus come to the Earth? Why, when in the garden did he suffer so much pain; he bleed from every pore, even though he could quit at any moment? Why would Christ the Savior of the World only go to Jerusalem? ( He didn't by the way).  There is only one answer to all these questions. LOVE. Love is a weird thing,  it makes people do things they would never imagine. Why do 20 year old men and women take one and a half to two years of there lives and go talk to people they never met about  the gospel of Christ?   Because they love those people even though they may never even know their names or spend more than 5 minutes with them. We are all brothers and sisters spiritually and physically. We all come from Adam and Eve!! Why should we not just stop these crazy things forget about what race or religion or country we are or are from, or if were straight or homosexual and just Love each other? If someone is over on the other side of the street help them. If someone is crying give them a shoulder. It's time we forget politics and just cared for each other. 

 

I am so grateful for a mother who always cared for me even if I didn't see it. For a step-father who was there even if he didn't have to be, a sister who was a great example even if I didn't give  her credit. Life is short write a list 50 things you want to do then you'll see like I have; you're a wonderful child of God. 

"Adam fell that men might be, and men are to have joy"

Be Joyful ......Smile :)
--
Elder Zachary David Daniel
P.S. thanks for the lists