Another 6 Weeks in Piedecuesta!

“It’s been a hard day’s week and I’ve been working like a dog!” And… “It was 20 years ago today”… that I was born!  Thanks for all the birthday wishes and prayers!!  I really appreciate all your love and support!

Today is ¨Cambios¨ day, (Transfers). This morning at 6:30 we got a call and we were told that Elder Kirby, Elder Panduro, Elder Càceres, and I are all staying for another 6 weeks! (Kirby will finish his mission here).  I was relieved because I really didn’t want to spend my entire birthday in a bus!!  And I was also worried about leaving all our progressing investigators behind!!

Elder Càceres and I have seen a lot of changes in our investigators recently!  Hugo (if you remember him) is really gaining a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and The Restoration! He’s been learning a lot about The Great Apostasy in The Bible and he just watched The Restoration video! He says it makes so much sense!!  He said he believed it was true but was waiting for an answer.  So we started talking about The Book of Mormon, showed him its promise, and how one could receive an answer by reading it and praying with a pure heart and real intent. He started asking a lot of questions about the book because although he received one with a testimony written inside from a close friend, he had yet to really study it out.  We began answering his questions and had a great conversation about the book and its story and origin.

Hugo at one point said it would be impossible for Joseph Smith to have made it all up, and that it has to be true!! He started reading last night and he is on the path to receiving his answer from God. 

I love Hugo and his family! I can’t wait to see them discover the truth for themselves as so many have and are!  Through the power of the Holy Ghost all men can know that Jesus Christ lives and is our Savior. And with that same power one can know that The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ) is true, and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet as was Moses. We can know that The Church of Jesus Christ was restored from the fall of The Great Apostasy, and the light of this truth will shine through the darkness and confusion in the world.

Love Elder Ziereneberg

Revelation Through Prayer

It’s been really hot here this week!   Elder Cáceres and I have been really studying and planning a lot harder for our investigators. Things are starting to pick up speed.

The other day we were teaching our investigator, Hugo, and his family about prayer. Hugo has been trying to get his wife to pray with him but she hasn’t shown the desire. We had a really good lesson with her and she really changed her perspective on prayer. Hugo who was holding a Restoration Pamphlet and flipping through it a bit, turned to his wife during the discussion and said, ¨Joseph Smith received revelation through prayer¨. The way he said it to her was a testimony, and Elder Cáceres and I looked at each other with surprise!

Hugo was raised a Jehovah’s Witness and the influence of LDS members back in Venezuela really left an impact on him.  Hugo received a Book of Mormon with a powerful testimony written inside from a good friend of his. Hugo is a testimony to me of how the Lord really knows his sheep and guides and blesses them throughout their lives to find His Happiness!

Samuel (15 today) and Sylvia (16) are the children of Alberto, a recent convert. Alberto is deaf and so he received the missionary lessons through his children who translated to Colombian sign language. I have spent a lot of time with Alberto and I have learned the basics of communicating with him. He knows the church is true and really wants his children to learn for themselves and be baptized as well.  He has pulled me aside many times to give me a thumbs up with the progression with his children.  Samuel and Sylvia are really starting to understand the importance of prayer and reading the Book of Mormon to find out if it's true.

We also have seen a lot of interest in our messages from Alberto's mother, who before never seemed to be in the room. Their whole family is being blessed tremendously because of Alberto`s faithful prayers.

Alberto prays in sign language, and I know that God understands, because God knows all languages

We have really been having a lot of success lately and it is because we are really learning to follow the promptings of The Holy Ghost and He guides us to success!

Love you, Elder Zierenberg

I love speaking Spanish

Hey!!

Today Elder Cáceres, and I, and the 6 other missionaries in Pidecuesta went with our investigator, Hugo, on a hike to see some awesome waterfalls!!  We had a lot of fun and saw some amazing sights!  

Last week I had the opportunity to spend the day with a missionary name Elder Ringwood from Utah. He’s one of the 8 Elders in this town.  My companion, Elder Cáceres, is our district leader, so he has to exchange companions with each elder in the district for a day, every 2 weeks or something.  Being his companion means that I get to be work with the other Elder while Cáceres is with his companion, just for one day.  So I served with Ringwood in his area.  It was cool and I met some of their investigators and got to see Ringwood´s area.  An earthquake happened while we were walking and neither of us noticed it. I got to know Elder Ringwood better and he’s a great missionary.

Elder Cáceres and I are trying to study harder together so that we can help our investigators individually understand the Gospel.  I love speaking Spanish with Elder Cáceres and he really wants to learn English.  We have an English class that Elder Ringwood, Elder Kirby, and I teach every Wednesday for our investigators and the Spanish-speaking Missionaries.  We only have an hour and half every week and I’m trying to think up better ways to help them learn and remember English.

This Sunday was really good and Elder Cáceres and I had 4 investigators attend Church! (Patricia, Tilcia, Samuel & Sylvia). She’s been going through a tough time because her husband recently passed away and she’s looking for a lot of comfort and answers.  Elder Cáceres and I are going to share more about The Plan of Salvation with her.

We are trying to show our investigators that all the answers are in The Book of Mormon!! (or at least how to get answers)  It’s so important that we read the scriptures everyday because the Spirit will be there if our hearts are open, and… if we read the scriptures everyday our hearts will be open.  If we have the Spirit our lives will be full of peace and joy, and we’ll always be focused on what really matters most.  Families will be strengthened, and our friends will see our example and feel our love.

Love you guys,

Elder Zierenberg   

                    Elder Kirby -- Elder Zierenberg -- Elder Ringwood

Lives Are Changing!

Familia y Amigos

This week we had the opportunity to attend an Open House at the Bucaramanga Stake Center!!! Our whole Zone was there and we had a lot of fun and success!! Most of the missionaries were assigned to different rooms to share a short message on certain topics. The others, including Elder Caceres and I, got to scout the streets and invite people to come to the Open House and get a tour from the first room to the last!

It was a really great experience and I felt the Spirit very strongly as I invited people to just check it out. Some people would ignore us as they walked by and wouldn’t say "Hola" back or shake our hands. It made me sad that some people won’t even look to see if our message is true. Our message is so clear and so beautiful and the Spirit is always there to bear its witness of the truth. It was an amazing experience to share with those that weren’t afraid to listen. We had a lot of success and many people left with pamphlets and with future appointments and even baptismal dates!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is spreading through Colombia and through the entire world, finding those that want and are looking for Truth and Happiness! Lives are changing everywhere and souls are lifted and enlightened by its fire!  

The other week I was walking through the city with my companion and I felt so much love for all the people. I saw old men and women with disabilities that were struggling to push their heavy carts of candy or ice cream. I saw people in wheelchairs and little children running in the dangerous streets unattended and much more. I felt so bad for all the afflicted that I wished I could help everyone more than I could. I tried really hard not to cry. I then realized that nothing is more helpful and comforting than the Love of God and His Son. Everyone needs this light! Those that lack it don’t know what they’re missing till we show them where to find it! As members and missionaries we all have the opportunity to reach out and share the Gospel and Love of Jesus Christ.  It’s our duty and no one else can do it!  We need to!!! 

I love you all,

Elder Zierenberg