A Closer Walk with God - May 19, 2014

"The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ—whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul—is available for every affliction in mortality."

- Dallin H. Oaks, "He Heals the Heavy Laden," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 5–6

This week has been an incredible experience. It has been one of the hardest weeks of my mission, but it has also been very rewarding. This week we did a lot of service, and we did a lot of looking for members on the rolls that we don't know about. We have found a lot out and did some great work with that!

This week we had the opportunity to go to the temple on Saturday! It was a great experience. I love the teachings of the holy endowment and the reminder of the covenants that I have entered into.

The mantle and burden we are called to carry as the Lord's Anointed Missionaries can be very heavy. This week I felt overwhelmed by the call and all that is our responsibility to do. Things weren't working out in my time, but the Lord worked them out and everything fell together beautifully. Sometimes it is the load that brings us to Christ. Elder Bednar spoke so magnificently on this subject at the most recent General Conference: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/bear-up-their-burdens-with-ease?lang=eng

Along with Elder Bednar, "I invite you to study, pray, ponder, and strive to learn more about the Savior’s Atonement as you assess your individual load." "Two guiding questions can be helpful as we periodically and prayerfully assess our load: “Is the load I am carrying producing the spiritual traction that will enable me to press forward with faith in Christ on the strait and narrow path and avoid getting stuck? Is the load I am carrying creating sufficient spiritual traction so I ultimately can return home to Heavenly Father?” "

As the saying goes, every storm cloud has a silver lining. Here are some that we experienced just yesterday, as we did about 8 miles of walking to contact our investigators and these lost members. All these happened in the span of 5 hours!

• We saw a beaver run across the road. I think that is the first time in my life that I saw a wild beaver!
• A few minutes after that, we knocked on a door and the man answering was an older man. He said very kindly that he had company and that he was trying to sell his house, so his life was pretty crazy at the moment. "But I have something to tell you," he said. "One time one of the Cardinals (a high-up leader in the Catholic church) went to the Pope and said 'I have good news and bad news, which do you want first?' The Pope responded 'the good news.' So the Cardinal said, 'Jesus is on the phone.' The Pope said, 'Ok, now what's the bad news?' The Cardinal responds, 'He's calling from Salt Lake.' " How great is that? A random man whose door we knocked on told us a joke, without us introducing that we were even from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Needless to say, it made our day!
• We found out where the Christian Africans live in Ottumwa. We met some Muslim Africans yesterday and when we asked them if anyone they knew would like to talk about Jesus Christ, they told us where "many people who would be willing to talk about Jesus and they are kind" were. People from Africa are very humble and kind people! So we are excited.
• We knocked on this door, and a 9-year-old kid answered it. We asked if his parents were home, he said no. So we gave him a card and asked him to have his parents give us a call. Well, about 20 minutes later, we get a call from an unknown number. A lady named Trish called, telling us we just talked to her son and left this number. We asked if she would want to learn more about Jesus Christ. She said yes! We have an appointment with her today at 5! The Lord works in mysterious ways!

I love you all and I want to leave you with this thought from Elder Nelson, in addition to my testimony that God loves us and we experience trials and doubts to grow our faith.

 

 

"I recognize that, on occasion, some of our most fervent prayers may seem to go unanswered. We wonder, ‘Why?’ I know that feeling! I know the fears and tears of such moments. But I also know that our prayers are never ignored. Our faith is never unappreciated. I know that an all-wise Heavenly Father’s perspective is much broader than is ours. While we know of our mortal problems and pain, He knows of our immortal progress and potential. If we pray to know His will and submit ourselves to it with patience and courage, heavenly healing can take place in His own way and time."

- Russell M. Nelson, “Jesus Christ—the Master Healer,” Ensign, Nov. 2005, 86

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

 

Transfer #16 - May 12, 2014

Same Area, New Companion

I am delighted to still be serving in Ottumwa! My new companion is Elder Epperson. He is 5' 10-11" and 165 lbs. He grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and went to high school in Bountiful, Utah. He has been out for 17.5 months. He served with Elder Fiso and Elder Peterson, two of my companions. So we have some common links in our missions.

Elder Schwendiman left me to go to West Des Moines. The members we Skyped with yesterday actually saw him with his new companion when they were in Des Moines Saturday.

This week was great! We were able to meet with Tim twice and address some of his concerns. On Thursday, he shared with us he was hesitant to be baptized and he wasn't sure what that reason was. We asked him to think about what it was. Yesterday after church, he shared with us why he thinks he is hesitating. A good portion of his extended family are members of another church. They were teaching him and trying to get him to believe what they believe and join their church. He felt that they were too aggressive and he said the experience was negative overall. So we committed him to read only the Book of Mormon (we have given him quite a few materials to read to answer his other questions) and to pray about it to receive a witness. We will follow up with him tomorrow!

Steve told us he was going to quit smoking this week! We haven't even talked about the Word of Wisdom yet! He is great! He has been coming to church for about 6 weeks now and he is enjoying it. It is amazing to see the Lord work in the lives of other people completely independent of when we are there with them!

I enjoyed Skyping with my family yesterday, and I was able to call Marinda on her mission in OKC too! It is really a blessing to have such an incredible, missionary-minded, family! My Mom has always been an example of being a missionary. My Dad has always talked about his mission in high regard. Marinda is now serving! Michael is preparing for one! Matthew was a missionary for Halloween last year. And Eve is just adorable. One of the most precious moments of my final call home from the mission field was when Paul (my 7-year-old brother) told me "I am being a mini-missionary. I talked to my friend about church and he is going to come to church." My family is also having the missionaries teach someone in their home. What an incredible blessing to know that my family is doing what I'm doing among their own lives.

Some of my favorite words on the subject are from our beloved Prophet Thomas S. Monson:

"The holy scriptures contain no proclamation more relevant, no responsibility more binding, no instruction more direct than the injunction given by the resurrected Lord as He appeared in Galilee to the eleven disciples. Said He, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.” Some of you here today will yet remember the words of President David O. McKay, who phrased the familiar “Every member a missionary!”

These quotes decorate the back of my 2nd to last planner:

"We were not placed on this earth to walk alone."

- President Thomas S. Monson

"[Reach] out with love to share the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. ... It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord's errand."

- Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

My solemn testimony that this church is true and that Jesus Christ is at its head, and we must share it with the world I leave with you this day.

Every Member a Missionary,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Explanations of pictures:

Elder Schwendiman and I, I was only going to send one to you but I sent both.

A John Deere tractor with some equipment to till and plant farmland, right on the highway. Only in Iowa.

A caricature I got at a ward activity. I was told I look like Obama...

It's May Already?! - May 5, 2014

The end is near.

I can hardly believe it is already May. Writing the month of May in my journal and study journal just does not feel right. This last Thursday marked 21 months of me being a full-time missionary and 13 weeks left as a full-time missionary. Last Friday was international Tuba day, and yesterday was international Star Wars day (May the Fourth be with you). 13 years ago today I was baptized. Last week Marinda got to Oklahoma for her mission. So last week was a week of landmarks.

We did some missionary work this week. We were fed much more this week than we usually are, so that was nice.

Our ward's family history fair was on Saturday. It was incredibly well attended. 58+ members and 43 nonmembers. It helped a lot of the nonmembers to realize we are Christian and to know what is in our building. It was a fantastic opportunity.

Yesterday during 3rd hour, Hermana Law, Hermana Loureiro, Elder Schwendiman, and I were able to teach the youth "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" (Preach My Gospel, Chapter 3: Lesson 3). They will be teaching members posing as investigators on Wednesday for mutual. It took a few minutes for them to warm up and to become engaged in the teaching experience, but they will hopefully study and learn and prepare well for Wednesday, remembering to bear testimony.

We had a some fun times this week. both as our companionship and then with our Zone Leaders on exchanges. The field is white, already to harvest. Read the Book of Mormon daily.

Tim, one of our investigators, will be baptized in a few weeks. He was interviewed and passed, but he doesn't feel quite ready. He is an incredibly intelligent man and wants to know more before he is baptized, so we will continue to work with him. He is so close! We are so excited for him to continue to progress.

Steve, the man that read the Book of Mormon all the way through, will also be baptized soon. He even called the ward his family. He wants to integrate better and have them know him better before he gets baptized. He comes to church every week now though!

Something that has struck me this week is how simple everything actually is. The gospel is so simple. Missionary life is so simple. I love simplicity. So does Alma. He said, "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls" (Alma 37:6-7). Enjoy the simplicity and commit to live better today!

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Pictures:

 - 2 awesome pictures of lightning I got from a storm about a month ago

 - Me looking through my water bottle. I look pretty goofy.

 - This robin looked at the camera right as I took the picture!

 - Our wonderful district! 

Top row from left to right: Hermanas Loureiro, Law, Kimzey, and Zamora

Bottom row from left to right: Elders Weilenmann, Kilpatrick, Schwendiman, McKenzie

 - What in the world is a jackfruit?!?

Spiritual Edification - April 28, 2014

Greetings again from Iowa!

That might be getting a little old as I've been writing to you from Iowa for the last 16 months (the others were written in Missouri and the MTC). But, I love it, so you get to hear from me still. In Iowa. :)

This last week was a great one. Elder Schwendiman and I got back a little more in the missionary groove this week. We taught lots of lessons and really worked with our recent converts to make sure they are still solid. Kitt, who was baptized in December, is awesome. He had fallen off track a bit over the last month. We met with him about a week and a half ago and he got right on back, reading and praying every day! Doug, who was baptized conference weekend, got back in town and he will hopefully receive the Aaronic Priesthood next Sunday! Keith, who was baptized and confirmed just after Thanksgiving last year, is going to receive the Aaronic Priesthood too! It's really exciting!

We were able to find a new investigator named Kim last Tuesday. Sadly, she texted us Wednesday saying our church wasn't the church for her. She is going to get back to her old commitment to following Christ though, which is great!

District meetings are one way that kind of reflect where I am at spiritually for the week. I pray to plan them, then give instruction in them, and conduct them. This last week we had an incredible meeting with the feelings described in Doctrine & Covenants 50:22, "Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." I love spiritual learning, teaching, and edification.

We had Ward Conference yesterday. We had probably 20 visitors from the Stake including the entire Stake Presidency. It was really neat. Our bishop gave an inspired address on the Prodigal Son. I was able to play a piece I have recently arranged for the special musical number. Brother Topolinski, the recently reactivated member I spoke about a few weeks ago, bore a great testimony. Our Stake President then shared some marvelous council and testimony about anchors. It was really neat because all of the messages shared by stake leaders were based around having an anchor. If you read the First Presidency Home Teaching message for this month, President Uchtdorf talks about having a firm anchor. I'm glad the stake leaders are focusing on what the Prophet and his counselors are focusing on.

Another highlight of the week was I finished the book Jesus The Christ by Elder James E. Talmage yesterday. It is an incredible book! I learned so much since reading it on my mission.

This might come as a surprise to some of you, and it won't come as a surprise to others, but I have a hard time being quiet and allowing myself and others to think. This week I have spent a lot more time in quiet and pondering and reflecting back to my life and my mission and trying to see what God wants me to learn and apply in my life. God has blessed me with many gifts, it is my responsibility to listen to the Spirit and follow it to find out how I can develop these talents and seek more to bless the lives of others. To truly become and stay a disciple of Jesus Christ. I have 3 months of full-time service to the Lord to make patterns to become a disciple and to say "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life" (3 Nephi 5:13).

Love the Lord and serve Him the very best you can,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Birthday and Easter - April 21, 2014

"He is risen! He is risen! / Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days' prison; / Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free. / Christ has won the victory."

- "He Is Risen!" Hymns, #199

This week was a fun week. We taught some lessons, talked to some people on the street, knocked on some doors, and went about missionary work as usual. We had some fun service we did this week.

I read the book Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it as it helped teach me about the Atonement a lot! What better week to think about that than Easter week? 

Jesus Christ suffered for us. He took upon Himself our sins, pains, guilt, and afflictions. He is amazing. He understands us. I want to share some scriptures we read with the family that fed us Easter dinner yesterday.

There are 3 parts to the Atonement of Jesus Christ: 1) The suffering of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Alma 7:11-12); 2) The suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary; and 3) The Resurrection from the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. I will touch on the 1st and 3rd parts.

Luke 22:39-46

39 ¶And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven,strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: band his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

3 Nephi 11:10-17

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world,in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole dearth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets,that should come.

16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

Jesus Christ paid the price for us all. Because of Him, we can do anything. Arise and come forth and leave something behind this week. Change for the better, Because of Him.

http://easter.mormon.org/

With love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

3.5 months left?!? - April 14, 2014

This was a fantastic week! Blessings of the harvest.

Have a great Easter. Considering my Sister will be a missionary Wednesday and I'm already registering for classes for BYU this fall, my email time was well occupied. But know that I am growing so much, and we had 4 investigators at church yesterday and a less-active family, and we are being so incredibly blessed!

Discipleship,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

General Conference! - April 7, 2014

"In our dispensation, the Savior Jesus Christ referred to a gathering of Saints as “my general conference” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:88; emphasis added).

"Wherever we are in this world, however we receive these proceedings, I testify that we are gathered in His conference. I also testify that we will hear His word, for He has said, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38)."

- Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

  October 2013 General Conference

What a blessing General Conference is! What a blessing this week has been. I will talk more about General Conference a little later on.

First off, Elder Schwendiman and I had what is called a "blackout week" this last week. Each week, we record what are called "Key Indicators for Conversion." Page 138 of Preach My Gospel says: 

"Perhaps you have wondered which of your many duties are the most important. To be able to answer this question, you must understand your purpose and know how effective use of time can help you fulfill this purpose.

"Your purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Key indicators have been identified by Church leaders to help you focus on this purpose. As you focus on these indicators, you will help people progress toward baptism, confirmation, continued activity in the Church, and lasting conversion." 

These Key Indicators are:

   • Investigators baptized and confirmed

   • Investigators with a baptismal date

   • Investigators who attend sacrament meeting

   • Lessons taught to investigators with a member present

   • Other lessons taught

   • Progressing investigators

   • Referrals received and contacted

   • New investigators

   • Lessons taught to recent converts and less-active members

   • Lessons taught to active members

A blackout week is a week where every category has at least a 1 in it. This is the first time that I have had one of those on my mission. It was super exciting and it is incredible the ways that the Lord is moving his work forward in Ottumwa.

I finally got to play disc golf last Monday. It was awesome! We are going to play again today!

Tuesday was fantastic. We helped in the family history center as usual. and the rest of our day was actually all scheduled out and we taught a bunch of lessons. Tuesday we also got to meet Doug's family. They were up from Colorado for the week and they were able to see him baptized on Saturday. There have been difficulties with them coming up to see him, and it was an answer to many prayers that they made it up here.

Wednesday was fantastic. We had interviews with President Jensen! It was great to chat with him. And I even got my temple recommend renewed! Which is crazy because they are good for 2 years. So I have been a temple recommend holder for almost 2 years now! Wednesday was a busy day with many scheduled appointments as well. We even found two new investigators! That new family we found has a son that is friends with the most recently returned missionary to Ottumwa. So that was pretty great because he was with us!

Thursday was a much slower day, but we did have dinner with the Topolinski's. The Topolinski's are an older couple that was less-active for 15 years and they became active within the last 5 months. Brother Topolinski is a fantastic guy, and looks like President Eyring. He is super funny! Whenever his dessert doesn't have whipped cream on it, he says "this dessert is nekkid!" It is great. His wife gave him a bowl of ice cream. When he pulled out the spoon, he exclaimed "a shovel!" It was a larger spoon than one typically uses to eat ice cream with. This may not be funny to you, but Elder Schwendiman and I enjoy the small things here in Ottumwa. :)

Friday we planned for the upcoming week and taught Tim! Tim's initial excitement about the Book of Mormon was for the information about pre-Columbian American history. We were wanting to help him realize it is a spiritual book more than just a history. He began asking questions, so we answered a few, then said a prayer, and through scriptures and answering questions and the Spirit, he understood that it was a spiritual book. He learned it by the Spirit and he is VERY excited for it. He was super excited to come to Doug's baptism and General Conference Saturday. He ended up coming to Conference with Paolo!

Saturday morning before General Conference Doug was baptized and confirmed. It was a wonderful service and we had Steve come too! He finished the Book of Mormon! Faster than I have ever read it myself...

General Conference was amazing! I enjoyed all of the instruction and words about becoming true, consecrated Disciples of Christ. I hope you received answers to your prayers. I received answers to my questions.

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.