I've been out 6 weeks!

Hello Everyone!

 

This Wednesday marks 6 weeks of me being on my mission. It has gone by so slowly, yet so quickly! The work is ever progressing.

 

I don't have a whole lot of time today. But know that all is going well.

 

I have been having more productive studies and as I'm serving and teaching and studying, I am learning a lot about myself.

 

Missionary work and life in general is all about giving up our desires or wants, giving up our will, and letting ourselves be an instrument in His hands, to bring peace and joy for all others.

 

These are a few of the scriptures that are my favorites right now:

• Alma 36:3
• D&C 4
• Jacob 4
• Alma 32:28
• 3 Nephi 12:14-16
• Alma 36:20
• Alma 4:3
• Alma 7:11-12
• D&C 33:8-10
• Alma 17:2-3

I hope they are able to bring some light into your life like they have mine.

 

I love you all and I hope you are living a life where you can fully experience the joy of God. I am not yet, but I intend to always be thinking in a way where I am giving myself up to God. Share your experiences with me!

 

Because it is September 11th, I studied some scriptures this morning that brought some Partriotism and enlightenment to my thoughts. Here is what I studied if you want to follow my path:

• 1 Nephi 13
• D&C 87
• Revelations 5-6
• D&C 135

 

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

D&C 6:34, 36

Doubt Not, Fear Not

My Mission Address

Here is Elder McKenzie's address:

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

8515 Douglas Ave Ste 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

United States

If you send a package, please send it Priority Mail, it is the only service that will forward his package to his actual apartment address.

Week 2 in the Field

Hey Everyone!

It has been an interesting second week in Kirksville. I am actually starting to find it is rubbing off on me. I could see myself living in a place like this.

The highlight from my week was probably exchanges with Elder Prows. He goes home at the end of this transfer, and though he is trunky, he is working hard. I got to know him better and I actually got to do some knocking on doors. It freaked me out to be talking to people. I am shy at first when I talk with people, and because I am extra new at this with being shy, it makes things hard. But it was some good experience.

I was going to bring my journal to remember what has happened in the past week, but I forgot. I did bring my study journal though, so I will share some insights from both my mind and my study journal.

We had dinner at the Potter's on Friday night. And yes, Brother Potter's first name is James. Sister Potter made 4 different kinds of Stromboli, or homemade calzones, or whatever you want to call them. They were delicious. We then taught them the 400 lesson. The lesson about our goal of 400 baptisms in the Iowa Des Moines Mission for 2012. For part of the lesson we share this DVD that some elders made based on the efforts of member missionary work. The DVD first shows a story put to music of how a girl shares a Book of Mormon with her testimony in it with a boy from her high school. They take the discussions and then the entire family is baptized. This part ends with a quote from the scripture Alma 37:6 "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." Then it shows part of a conference talk from President Eyring about the importance of members doing missionary work. The Potter's have 3 little kids, Addison who is 4 and a half, Denton who is 2 and a half, and Mikaela who is 5 months old. They remind me of Paul and Eve and make me a little bit homesick each time we go see them. When we were watching the excerpt of the talk, the kids were in their pajamas, the girls were being held by their parents and Denton was playing with blocks. It was about this time that I could have curled up on the couch and been perfectly at home. The spirit in members homes and the cleanliness is amazing. Even if you don't think it is too clean, it is better than the houses/trailers we go into that are filled with smoke and random piles of garbage. Going into any member's home feels like home. But that is when it hit me that they are our homes away from home. The reason they have the spirit, other than their testimonies is their way of life. They abide by the precepts set in D&C 88:119, 124-126.

May I ask that you all read Jacob chapter 4 this week. I read it this morning for personal study, and through applying it to myself, and really paying attention to what it said, I received some choice words of wisdom through the spirit. A few things I gleaned from my studies are as follows. Humility is the key to our Salvation. Read verse 8 after reading the Bible Dictionary entry on Mystery. When mystery is used in the scriptures, it doesn't mean what the modern meaning is. Give our glory to God (3 Nephi 12:16 (14-16)). God has control of the earth, don't try and tell Him what to do, listen to Him. The Spirit teaches plainly. Don't try and over complicate things. The Spirit teaches the truth; the Real Truth. Learn how to recognize the spirit as Jacob did. Not to only recognize, but to act on it after you recognize it.

There are some of my spiritual experiences. Read the scriptures and treasure up what you find, so the spirit can use them later (D&C 84:85). "Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. ... They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar." -Elder Richard G. Scott (The Power of Scripture, Oct 2011 General Conference, Saturday Morning Session)

I challenge you to reach out and to have a missionary experience. And when you do, share it in your next Fast and Testimony Meeting. You will have one if you pray for it and seek for it. "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." D&C 4:7.

Until Next Time,
Elder McKenzie

Week 1 in the Field

Greetings from the Mission Field!

My first area in the Iowa Des Moines mission is, drumroll please... the Kirksville 2nd Ward in Kirksville, Missouri. My trainer is Elder Haden Flint from Layton, Utah. He will be training me for his 4th and 5th transfers. He went to Northridge High. He is 6'5" and about 270. He played football, defensive end, for his high school. After his mission he has a scholarship to go play ball down at Dixie State. The funny part is, is his girlfriend's name is McKenzie.

The Elders in my district are pretty weird, but not too bad. Elder Flint is pretty normal. Then in the Kirksville 1st Ward, we have Elder Prows and Elder Smith. This is Elder Prows last transfer, and he is feeling trunky.

It is weird out here. Small town life. Kirksville has a population of about 17,000, but it is the "big city" for about 30 miles, so it feels extra small. There are outlying farming communities with populations of 400. So I should be grateful that I live in the big part. Although my area is pretty large.

There are 3 types of areas in my mission. One has cars all the time. One has cars every other week. One is no cars, and instead you bike or walk. My area is one with cars every other week. We switch off with the other Elders in our district each P-Day.

The ward I am in has a lot of young couples with a kid or two and they are in their late twenties. A. T. Still University is in Kirksville. It is a school for doctor management, so we have lots of mormon families from Utah or Idaho. They are quite awesome. I've already had dinner at a few people's houses and am looking forward to more in the near future. We get probably between 3-6 dinners a week. Me being here not a full week yet, I'm not sure, but that's what Elder Flint says. So you can get an idea of a little bit of the student demographic, there are 10 babies due by December and 2 due this week. I love seeing the little kids, and it kills me not to be able to hold them or anything. But it is the rules and I will abide by them.

Of course there is a Wal-Mart in town so that takes care of any needs I'll come across.

I walked into a baptism. It was pretty crazy. She is a nice 64-year-old lady named Margie. She was baptized Saturday and confirmed Sunday in church. So far we don't have any new investigators out here, but we're going to contact some referrals this week and get out there. We've been building member trust because there were some issues with it before my trainer was whitewashed in when he first got here. (Whitewash is when they pull both elders out of an area and put a new companionship in the area). And it has also been a little crazy with the baptism. I feel like we haven't worked our hardest yet, and I am eager to apply everything that I learned in the MTC. This week is looking to be a lot more promising. We have a good full day today and the rest of the week is looking like good time for spiritually finding and such. President Jergensen doesn't believe in tracting, because we pray about where to go and then go knock on doors. I'll probably say tracting sometimes, but know that spiritually finding and tracting are virtually the same. Spiritually finding is guided tracting.

So I finally discovered why we can only listen to MoTab in this mission. Last December they had a Zone Leader council and they discussed our mission goal of baptisms. For 2011 the goal was 500 and we only got about 350. President Jergensen asked everyone to pray about a number before the meeting and come to the meeting with their ideas. At the meeting they spent a long while having heated discussion about what it should be. Some said 500, 600, 700. Some said 250 so we can actually meet their goal. This went on for at least a half an hour. Finally, one of the Elders said, "This is the Lord's number, why don't we ask him?" So they quieted everyone down and this Elder said a very simple prayer, asking how many people the Lord had prepared to be baptized for this year. After that prayer, President Jergensen announced, "The number of baptisms is 400. And the sacrifice we will make for this goal is to only listen to MoTab this year." So that is why.

We are at 230 baptisms as a mission right now, with 67 baptism dates. Please pray for those in my mission that we may find them. We are working with the members right now. We go and help get them psyched to help us reach our goal. Elder Flint shared some statistics from a General Authority that astounded me. Statistically speaking, 1 in 1000 people tracted to will be baptized. 60 in 1000 people recommended that the missionaries see them from a friend will be baptized. 660 in 1000 people taught in a members home will be baptized. I didn't realize members were that big of a deal. But they are! Do your part at home to help others come to Christ. Invite them to come to your house and invite the missionaries to teach in your home. When someone is invited to their home, they already have that framework and support system of friendship before they are overwhelmed with the gospel too. We don't have that with people we tract. Be a friend first.

That is all from me this week. I love getting letters! I only promise letters to those that send me one first. I wish I could write you all, but I simply don't have time to send them all out.

With Love from Missouri,
Elder Zachary R McKenzie

I Leave the MTC in About 17 Hours

I leave the MTC in about 17 hours.

 

I am almost done. It is unbelievable. I have learned so much while I've been here. I have gained so much personal revelation. I am a much better person. I have learned to recognize the spirit much better. I am focusing really hard on fulfilling all the promptings. But nobody's perfect. I have a long way to go.

 

I have seen at least 5 or 6 dozen people I knew before coming to the MTC here. It is wild! New people every week. Elder Christiaan Noot got here last Wednesday and he is in my branch. I saw Elder Tyler Park this morning in line for breakfast. I have made so many new friends too! Friends in the Lord. I can't wait to serve and feel like Alma did in Alma 17:2. I know I am supposed to be out there in Iowa.

 

I have been put in the best district I could've ever asked for. 4 Elders, 4 Sisters, with Sister Stoker and Brother Lisonbee as teachers. We truly seem to get it. At least the beginning of what Missionary work is about. It is incomprehensible as a whole, everything about missionary work. But we have learned collectively how to trust Him and To trust Him in these 3 short weeks. Our buddy district didn't seem to get it the same way we did. They even had Brother Lisonbee as a teacher. But the combination we had was truly inspired. The Sisters brought a maturity to the group that was greatly needed. I'm not the best at studying, and I would get us off task, but I've gained so much.

 

I don't know all the reasons why I'm on a mission. I figure I'll have a better idea when I get home and see what I have done and see what the Lord has done in other people's lives. But one reason I now know, is that the Lord trusts me. I find I'm a pretty trustworthy guy, but not always the most hardworking. I have a long way to go to being 100% obedient and meeting the other goals I have set myself. But even with those things and my other weaknesses aside, the Lord trusts me. With His gospel. With the Salvation of others. It is quite a task, and insurmountable to do by myself. But as I rely on the Lord and the spirit and realize I can't do it myself, that is the key.

 

I have had a few breakdowns this week, just realizing that I'm not enough. It has helped that I have loving teachers that help me work through these times. I was in the middle of venting to one of my teachers when he said that he felt I needed to study something out of Preach My Gospel. He had me turn to the Christlike Attributes section and pointed me to Humility. He said he didn't know why he pointed me there, and then I realized that the Lord wanted me to study that. Boy was that a kick in the pants. But ultimately, pride is one of the things that has hurt me the most. My greatest stumbling block. I have learned a lot of how to help myself overcome it, but that doesn't make it easy. There is a balance. The right balance that I need to find in myself and in the work. But as soon as I find that in myself, I need to lose myself in the work. It is hard to find the right balance of being humble, yet confident. And I think it is more of a confidence in myself that the Lord has confidence in me. I am learning. It is hard.

 

I "think" way too much. I think I have to know something before I can have confidence in it. That is just the way my brain works. I use it as an excuse.

 

I have begun my journey of humility. I just hope that I can trust the Lord's trust in me to be the best missionary I can. Brother Lisonbee told me I was too hard on myself and I am a great missionary anyway. I've still got a long way to go, but I am on the right path. That is me.

 

I have begun to succeed in teaching by the spirit. Very small success, but a little bit. I learned a minute amount of what God's love for others is. I am coming to the realization that as long as I try my best and be obedient, I will always have that spirit to be with me. And if I use the right tools to start a lesson and to help the investigator realize they have a direct connection with God and they can feel the same way I do, I can teach By that Spirit. It is an awesome journey I have started.

 

Sorry if this was a bit of a serious, personal, feely letter. They will occasionally be this way. That is just how I am.

 

I am loving my mission so far and I can't wait to get out into the field and work with God's children. To help them find Hope through Salvation.

 

I'll have lots to report about, from Iowa, next week.

 

But until then, remember Jesus loves you, and I do too.

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Second Week at the MTC

Hello!

I'm just finishing up my second week at the MTC. It is crazy insane
with all the ups and downs I've had, but it is always heading up.

Some of my highlights from the week were investigators, receiving
revelation, going to the temple, and gym. The low light was my foot.

First of all, my investigators are fantastic. To play an investigator
for others to practice teaching is fun. Basically, you choose someone
you know from back home who is not a member, but someone we care about
and would want them to receive the blessings of the gospel. I have two
teachers, Sister Stoker, and Brother Lisonbee. Their investigators are
Andrea and John respectively. Andrea is open to the idea that there is
a God, but leans toward atheism, so she isn't sure if there is one
because she can't prove that there is one and she can't disprove it.
John is the father in an all-member family and he is a good guy and
serves his family but doesn't see the need to get baptized. I have had
some frustrating times when I don't feel Im getting to them or they
are not accepting our message in their hearts. They say it makes
sense, but there heart isn't in it. We've been slowly making progress
with both, but it is slow. We have committed Andrea to praying and
reading the Book of Mormon and asking God herself if he is there for
her, we'll follow up on that on Thursday. She is very open about the
ideas, it's just that she feels stupid talking to someone that she
isnt sure whether or not they are there. John has heard most of the
basics of the gospel because he has had so many missionaries come and
teach him. We took a deeper approach with him. We explained the plan
of salvation a little backwards for him, to help explain that if he
wants to be sealed to his family forever, he needs to receive the
priesthood, and before he can receive the priesthood, he has to be
baptized. It was a very in-depth discussion and we explained about
ordinances for the dead and that everyone has the chance to get to the
celestial kingdom. In our lesson tomorrow we are going to start at the
beginning of the plan of salvation and show him the benefits of being
a member of the church and the priesthood in THIS life. So it is
challenging and frustrating and it's new to me, but as I'm learning to
teach the way God wants me to teach, it is becoming better and I am
more confident, yet still humble, about letting the spirit teach the
lessons. The trick is actually Listening to the investigator. I've got
a long way to go but it is still a good start.

We also have two other investigators that are the missionaries that
came in last Wednesday. Last night we were teaching them and I saw a
change in one of them. He was really not paying attention at first,
but after I gave an example I heard earlier about how many churches
are there with "Jesus Christ" in the name? He at first said "lots,
like Catholics and any kind of Christian." Then I reiterated that how
many have the full name of Jesus Christ in their name. After that, he
was more attentive and wanted to hear about we were talking. It was
the coolest thing!

Last Tuesday, after the devotional, I received some revelation about
things I have been struggling with most of my life, and getting along
with people. I am so happy to have found the reasons why I am like I
am in respect to that and I definitely will apply that to the rest of
my mission and the rest of my life.

Going through an endowment session for the first time as a missionary
is awesome. I've been to two, but being a missionary gives it a whole
new meaning. I did the ordinance for someone from Massac, Illinois. I
think it would be really cool if that town were to be in my mission.

Gym is one of the most relaxed, awesome, normal parts of the MTC. I
play sand volleyball most of the time, and sometimes I play soccer or
basketball. Saturday, I juked out Elder Pelham, an elder from England,
and shot a goal from 20 yards out. It was pretty epic! I can now say I
have scored on an Englishman. :)

When I was getting ready after playing soccer on Friday for gym, my
foot wasn't moving very well. It is my right foot, where I have had
problems with it since I broke it in March of 2008. I was freaking
out. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to go out on my mission
right now and it might keep me home. As much as I love home and my
family, I am out here already and I did not want a break. I asked the
other Elders in my district to give me a blessing of comfort and
healing for my foot to return back to normal. It was cool because it
was one of the first times Elder Firth and Elder Bowers had
participated in a priesthood blessing. Later that day, gym was in the
morning, my foot was back to normal and I played soccer on it the next
day. I am grateful for the Lord and the power of His priesthood and
how much He cares for me and wants me serving Him.

So that is my week in a nutshell. The food is good. I'm drinking about
a gallon of water a day. I am receiving more spiritual promptings and
learning so much more about the gospel than I ever thought I would. It
is a great joy to be in the mission field.

Thanks for those of you who have sent letters! It is always great to
hear from those in the "outside" world and the extra support is always
great!

Lots of Love coming from the MTC!
Elder Zachary R McKenzie

First Week at the MTC

Hello Family!

I've made it through my first week at the MTC! It's been a crazy one,
but it has been good so far! I've seen so many people I know from back
home in PG or from BYU, and even one from EFY back in 2008. At least
50! It's crazy to see all of us serving the Lord by preparing to be
his servants in the great missionary work!

Before I continue to talk, I am going to say that, for the next 2
weeks, anyone that wants to send me a letter, send it via Dear Elder.
I get it quickly and it is good to get mail :) I won't be able to
write back until my P-Day, but letters of any kind are welcome anytime
:)

Now, I will just explain some of the highlights of the week.

When I got here last Wednesday, August 1st, I left my family and went
through to get my name tag and my MTC id. As soon as I left the building
to head over to meet my host again, I saw none other than the awesome
Elder Michael Case, my elders quorum president at BYU. When I saw him
Elder Devon Terry was running by, so within being at the MTC for 10
minutes I had already seen 2 awesome Elders. The MTC is so great!

The first day I met my companion, Elder Meyerink. He is a fantastic
Elder. He is from Salt Lake and graduated from Olympus High in 2011.
He is headed to the Virginia Richmond Mission. He worked for a nursery
and landscape center for the past year. So he hasn't lived away from
home before. He's quite funny, especially when, last night, he taught
an investigator and they believed that we can be saved by grace alone.
And they were teaching her about faith without works is dead, but she
couldn't wrap her head around it. And he was freaking out for the next
hour and a half. It was hilarious. He's got a good sense of humor and
is great at coming up with analogies to explain different gospel
principles.

So that's my companion. My district is fantastic as well. We have 4
Elders and 4 Sisters. Elder Meyerink and I are two of the Elders. The
other 2 Elders are both headed to the Iowa Des Moines mission with me
and their names are Elder Bowers and Elder Firth. Elder Bowers is from
Thousand Oaks, California and he went to BYU-I for one semester last
fall. Elder Firth is from Kaysville, Utah and graduated from Davis
High School. They are cool Elders and they are fairly quiet, but they
are progressing well. The two companionships of sisters are Sister
Allan and Sister Jepson, and Sister Moon and Sister Smith. Sister
Allan graduated from BYU this last April with a degree in Elementary
Education and she even taught at Grovecrest for a time. She is from
St. George. Sister Jepson is from Hurricane and she has lived for the
past few years in Salt Lake going to the Utah College of Massage
Therapy. With the stress of the MTC it's a shame that she isn't
allowed to share her talents. Sister Moon is from California but she
just graduated from SUU with a bachelor's in Psychology. Sister Smith
is from New York and she has studied at BYU-I as well. I love my
district. We have all been getting along well and it is enjoyable
getting to know how to teach others.

We have been taught a lot and it is a lot to take in. I am not using
my study time as effectively as I should be, but I am ok with that
because I haven't ever learned how to study. I am getting better as
time goes along. I am in the middle of being an investigator, and
teaching two different investigators as well, and later this week
we'll add three more to that. It is a lot to keep track of, but it is
good as we are learning how to teach. My lesson plans are improving,
but we have a long way to go!

The MTC is a lot to get used to but it is getting easier all the time.
We have another district that came in last Wednesday as well and they
are mostly going to the Virginia Richmond Mission. There is an English
Elder named Elder Pelham and his accent is a beautiful thing to hear.
We play volleyball against them most every gym time. It makes for a
lot of fun! All that time playing volleyball in Wyview is paying off!

I love you all and you'll hear me again next week about this time!
Elder McKenzie