"Closer in Brotherhood Than I Had Ever Expected"

The Third Missionary Email (9/25/13)

Hello Everyone!!

So my new companion (Elder Edmonds), and I are the only ones left in our District now!!  We've been abandoned.  Elder Edmonds is from Sandy, Utah and he's 19 years old.  We get along well and he's another good companion.  He's loves the gospel.  He goes on and on about how grateful he is, and how excited he is. He always reads me random quotes from General Authorities.

   

Everyone in my District, except for me, got their visas, and left for The Bogota, Colombia MTC, at 4:30 on Tuesday morning.  After they had received their flight plans, I expressed my sorrow to them for being left behind.  I became even closer to all of them, had longer conversations with them, and found out more about their families and lives before their missions. I was humbled to hear that some of them were from less active families, and had pushed themselves to go on their missions, saving money to pay for it. These Elders are REALLY good guys. They have so much desire to serve the Lord and to share the gospel with everyone they can. These guys are like brothers, and I feel like I've known them forever!  We plan on a reunion sometime after our Missions.                                                                                                                   

They spent Monday night packing and weighing their luggage. The other Elders gave me tons and tons of candy, chips, and cookies, and other things they were leaving behind. I seriously don't know what to do with all of this.  We celebrated Elder Tronson's birthday that night as well.  We stayed up late talking as they packed.  Everyone has an iPod and speaker by the way!! Elder Tronson has the entire Disney collection!!! So we celebrated his birthday and listened to songs from Tangled, Mulan, Hercules, The Lion King, and much, much more.                              

I went to brush my teeth around midnight. The Elders in my Dorm were asleep (Elders Edmonds, Coffing, and Turner), and Elder Tronson and Neilsen had gone to bed in their dorm, but the guys in the other room were still packing and talking.   While I brushed my teeth, Elder Prescott came into the bathroom and asked if I wanted a blessing.  Elder Thomson, Elder Adams, and Elder Tia walked in to the bathroom right after him. It reminded me of our 2nd day here, when one of the Elders was having a rough time and had been crying.  I felt terrible for him.  His companion offered him a blessing on our 2nd night here and I was impressed that he was able to do it.  I learned a lot about the Priesthood from it.                                                                        

So as I finished brushing my teeth, these Elders said they'd give me a blessing in their room.  I said yes, and the 5 of us walked back to their room. I sat in the seat that they'd moved into the middle of the room and they laid their hands on my head.  Elder Prescott gave me the blessing and it was amazing!! I think it was his first blessing, but everything he said seemed to be exactly what I needed and I felt comfort fill my heart. I stood up afterwards and we all hugged.  Then Elder Prescott said he wanted a blessing and asked his companion, Elder Tia, to give him one. So I stood around the chair with the others and we laid our hands on Elder Prescott's head, and gave him a blessing.  Then Elder Thomson asked for one, and his companion, Elder Adams offered it.   As I laid my hands on each of them, with the others standing in a circle, we became even closer in brotherhood than I had ever expected.  Elder Thomson offered the blessing for Elder Adams, and then Elder Tia was the last one. I offered to give him the blessing and I felt confident to do so. It was my first blessing and it was such an amazing spiritual experience! I felt the Spirit so strongly!! It was definitely the best experience on my mission so far!!

We said goodnight, and good morning, and then went to bed.  I woke up with them at 4:00 and helped them carry their luggage down the 8 or so steps in front of our building. They thanked me, we hugged, and they left for the bus. I was expecting to feel depressed but I felt warm inside and comforted. I went back to bed, and Elder Edmonds and I woke up at 6:30. I was super tired for the rest of the day, but it was totally worth it!!!

That night (Tuesday the 24th), there was another devotional at the Marriot Center of BYU.  Elder Clarke of the 70 gave a great talk!! I was so exhausted, but his talk really woke me up!!   After it was over, Elder Clarke said he would shake hands with all of us that wanted to. He told us not to come to him, but that if we remained sitting he would walk, row by row, to shake all of our hands! So he quickly shook hands with all that remained by their seats. I saw my old companion, Elder Rallison, and we talked for a while as we waited for our handshakes.

I don't know what will happen to Elder Edmonds and me, but for now, we are a 2-person district.  There's a possibility that we will be put into another zone. Who knows? I could get my visa any day now, and I could be reunited with my district at The Bogota, Colombia MTC.  I like it here at the Provo MTC, and I think this MTC is better, but I'd also love to be with my district again. 

Well, it’s Wednesday again, and I'm enjoying another P-day. It's almost lunchtime and I'm still full from Breakfast... That's how it is here.  The Pianos are everywhere!! I love it!!! I'm trying to learn some hymns and I'm gonna practice sight reading.

Thanks for all your prayers and love!

Love Elder Zierenberg

Photos from the MTC and Temple Lands!

My district with Hermana Chrissy Keller as our instructor

From Left-to-Right:
Elder Neilsen, Elder Tronson, Elder Prescott, Elder Tia, Elder Thomson, Elder Turner, Elder Coffing, Elder Zierenberg (that's me), Elder Adams, and Elder Edmonds (my new companion).

2nd E-mail

Hey, here's the second Email!               

I know its not Wednesday, but some crazy events have caused the Branch Presidents to allow us to write our families.  I explain below... (Don't worry by the way- its not bad)

Dear Everyone!

So I lost my companion, Elder Rallison, because he moved up into the intermediate Spanish class. The intermediate Spanish class in OUR zone has already covered lots of lessons and because it would be hard for Elder Rallison to catch up, he got moved into another district, and into another newer Zone.
 
Last night I was told that he was leaving and that I would be joining one of the companionships in my district the next morning (Today 9/20/13).  I was placed into Elder Turner's and Elder Coffing's companionship.

During lunch, I was called up to the office and told that a new elder (Elder Edmunds) was coming tomorrow (9/21/13), and that he would be joining our district as my new companion.  (Elder Edmund will be going to the same Bolivia mission as the rest of my entire District.  I'm the only one in my district who's going elsewhere.)

Later this evening, during a Spanish drill, a lady from the Travel Office started talking to our district over the intercom and told us to report to her office.  So we excitedly marched to her office across the camp.  When we got there she handed everyone, EXCEPT FOR ME, a flight plan to the Bogota, Colombia MTC!!!!!   My whole district is leaving on Tuesday!  I asked about myself, and she said to ask on Monday.                                                            

I'm wondering what will happen to me and my new companion.  I'll meet him for the first time tomorrow.  I'm assuming we'll get moved into a new district.

I don't know what will happen in these next couple of days, but I'm pretty sure DearElder.com will still work for me there!  I think!

Crazy stuff in a short amount of time.  And that is why my district is sending an extra email to their families now, and letting them know what's going on.


I love all of you and feel your prayers in my heart everyday!!

Love, Elder Zierenberg

To My Little Brothers & Sisters

To my little brothers and sisters,

I've been here in the Provo MTC for one week now and I'm just starting to get used to the schedule.  Thanks for the letters!

How is life at home?  With Dad and Mom in Germany, do you talk to them on the phone or e-mail?

Take good care of David for me.  Be really nice to him, like I was.

I've been thinking about my friends back home.  I hope they are well and strengthening their testimonies.  I can only write letters, so please keep aware of my friends and be supportive of them.

This morning (9/19/13), my district and I did a service project for the MTC and different tasks, like putting toilet paper rolls in the stalls.  Anyway, the supervisor for the service project was Craig Goodwin.  I didn't realize it, but he said he was from T.O.  I then realized his name was familiar.  He's married and lives near the MTC.

My schedule consists of a ton of study time.  I'm learning a lot of Spanish really fast.  I'm going to come back home and I'll just talk to you in Spanish.  Haha Just kidding!

I have to wake up at 6:30 a.m. every morning!  Then my district (my group of missionaries and I) go to a classroom and study for like an hour and a half.  Then we eat a big breakfast of whatever we want.  Then we study again till the teacher arrives to help us with Spanish.  Then we eat lunch and get taught some more Spanish.  Then we study, eat dinner, maybe go to a fire-side or devotional, and then go back to our rooms at 9:30 p.m.

They have so much food.  All you can eat.  I haven't gained any weight.  Maybe it's because I exercise and drink tons of water.  I bought a plastic water bottle from a vending machine near my room.  I just keep filling it back up with all the drinking fountains.

I love when I wake up and go to the study class.  Our District Leader walks in a little bit later with the DearElder.com letters.  So far I've been getting the most amount of letters and everyone talks about it!  Usually I get two to four.  I've gotten eight so far.  I've received none so far today.  But they can come later too.  Tell friends, family, and the ward that they can send an "e-mail" on DearElder.com and I'll write them back.  Reading my letters is my favorite part of the day.

I got to go to the temple yesterday (9/18/13).  I also got to e-mail you guys for a little bit.  I didn't get to answer back to Caleb yet because I can't e-mail till next Wednesday.

Trevor and Natalie sent me a DearElder.com order of nacho cheese and chip bag + candy and stuff!!  :) It was awesome!!

Love you guys and miss you a lot!

Love, Elder Zierenberg

My Mission

Hey everyone!!

I've been here at the Provo MTC for a week now.  Today, Wednesday the 18th of September, is my first P-day (preparation day).  So for the next 5 weeks, I can check/send emails for an hour every Wednesday. Fortunately I can print out any and all emails without using any of my allotted time.

"Dear Elder.com" is the best way to go though.  You send a letter online.  The MTC staff print it out and the district leader brings it to our desks (folded up with a sticker for privacy).  I enjoy being the Elder in my district with the most amount of letters!!  I also can and will send you letters in envelopes, which I'm free to do everyday.  Dear Elder provides me with your address to respond to.

This first week at the MTC has been really different and exhausting!!  I'm starting to get used to this crazy schedule!!  I've met a ton of great people and have learned so much Spanish and Gospel!!

I met my companion on day 1, last Wednesday (9/11/13).  His name is Elder Luke Rallison.  He's from Chandler, Arizona, and he's awesome!!  He's around 6 feet tall and is super buff.  His arms (biceps/triceps) are bigger than my thighs, and he weighs like 227 pounds-no fat, complete muscle. He's a gymnist actually, and a really good one.  He does like 80 dips.  Anways we get along really well and work together super well.  He's had 4 years of spanish and when we teach discussions he translates while I find scriptures and lead the conversation towards the key points. :)  Elder Rallison is the most fluent in our district, and being his companion has made me the second probably.  In my district Elder Rallison and I are the only ones serving in Colombia.  Elder Rallison is going to be serving in the Bogota North Mission with me!  The other 8 Elders are serving in the same mission in Bolivia.

My whole district, and many other districts, notice how well we work together.  We have been completely relaxed and best friends since day 1.  We have so much fun and a lot of laughs.

Yesterday, we were walking around, when suddenly we started singing, a cappella, the bassline for "Stand By Me."  One of the Elders started "beat-boxing." Haha  We did on the way to a devotional held in The Marriot Center of BYU, and we had tons of people following us around and complementing us.  We were laughing so hard when we got back to our rooms.  We formed an "a cappella" group BTW...

The Elders in my District grouped as companions are as follows:

Elder Zierenberg & Elder Rallison;
Elder Thomson & Elder Adams;
Elder Turner & Elder Coffing;
Elder Tronson & Elder Neilsen; and
Elder Prescott & Elder Tia

The weirdest thing, is that I feel like I've met all these guys before...
and I talked to Elder Rallison and he said he felt the same way.  Everyone seems so familiar.

Anyways, the food has been really good.  I get super full after every meal.  They have all-you-can-eat everything, including Fudgsicles. Haha I love Fudgsicles!

My weekly schedule consists of waking up and getting ready at 6:30 for studying in a class room on the second floor of the Spanish building (18m).  Our districts rooms are in 5m.  Elder Rallison and I have a whole 3 bunkbed room to ourselves.  After studying from 7 till 8:30 we leave to eat a large breakfast.  Then we go back and study till we leave again to eat a large lunch... Etc.  We don't go back to our room till 9:30 p.m.                                                                              

We went to the temple on sunday, just to walk around and see the flowers.  I hear we might do a session soon.  I saw Nicholle (my cousin, who entered the Provo MTC when I did) for the first time during Sundays temple walk.  I saw her for the second time at last night's devotional.  (The devotional was really good.)

The only person I've seen here that I knew from anywhere, other than Nicholle, is Elder Asplund from our stake.

Thank you guys so much for all the letters!  I love you all!!  I'm sending you guys envelopes for sure... and letters will be included.

I've gained a strong testimony in the short amount of time I've been here.  I've realized the Truth in a way I'd never expected.  There are too many people that have felt the spirit too strongly for it to not be true.  And I'm definitely one of those people!! 

I love the scriptures so much.  Reading them so much has made them so entertaining and uplifting.

I'll try uploading some pictures for you guys.

Love, Elder Zierenberg