It's Halloween! - October 28, 2013

Another week in the life of a missionary...

 

It seems as though I can't find a balance of spiritual things and what is actually going on in my missionary work. Last week, I got on my soapbox a little bit, but this week, I hope to give an update that lets everyone know exactly what I have been doing in Story City.

 

As a missionary, we often go on exchanges. The "Missionary Handbook" describes the what and the why for companion exchanges.

COMPANION EXCHANGES
Normally at least once every transfer cycle, a district leader works with each elder in his district. 

Companion exchanges are conducted by leaders to train missionaries. ... Companion exchanges should be planned in advance and should normally last 24 hours. The leader may bring the other missionary to his own area or work in the other missionary’s area. Usually the leader’s companion and the other missionary’s companion work in the other proselyting area. During the companion exchange, the leader should take part in as many phases of missionary work as possible, including finding, teaching, companionship study, language study (as appropriate), and daily planning.

He should review and discuss the missionary’s area book and daily planner. The leader teaches by example. In a spirit of love, he gives the missionary specific, direct, constructive feedback on what he does well and how he can improve. He helps the missionary understand and apply principles from Preach My Gospel, and he gives leadership training.

At the end of the exchange he reviews with the missionary what has happened and what has been learned during the exchange. He helps the missionary set goals and make plans. The leader reports on the exchange in his weekly letter to the mission president. 

   -- Missionary Handbook, pp. 63-65 

So I go on at least an exchange per week with the other Elders in my district. It is fun to work with my companion as well as see miracles and the teaching styles of other missionaries.

 

As for other happenings, I am coming closer to Christ and my Father in Heaven continually, and striving to help others do the same. Nothing super exciting or monumental has happened recently, so I am going about, trying to find people to teach, help the members become missionary minded, and reactivate less-active members. The weather is chilly, but the truth must go forward. It's interesting, I have had a dream just about every night for the last 5 months. I am not used to dreaming that much, but they all have something to do with good old missionary work! :)

 

That's the Story in Story City,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Iowa's beginning to Fall - October 21, 2013

I'm only joking... Iowa is staying where it is. But it is starting to get cold.

 

A sister who will be departing on her mission in the next couple of weeks to the Arizona Mesa Mission spoke in church yesterday. She spoke of two of the inevitable things about the Plan of Salvation, falling and Christ's love. It was a fantastic talk with great insights. A few insights from her talk:

• "Falling is an imperfect state."
• "We must live our lives standing."
• "Christ's love will never be against us. It will always be for us."
• "Don't be stuck in a state of denial."

Repentance is the key to getting back up after we fall. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said in the Priesthood session of the October 2013 General Conference:

"When I was young, falling and getting up seemed to be one and the same motion. Over the years, however, I have come to the unsettling conclusion that the laws of physics have changed—and not to my advantage.
Not long ago I was skiing with my 12-year-old grandson. We were enjoying our time together when I hit an icy spot and ended up making a glorious crash landing on a steep slope.
I tried every trick to stand up, but I couldn’t—I had fallen, and I couldn’t get up.
I felt fine physically, but my ego was a bit bruised. So I made sure that my helmet and goggles were in place, since I much preferred that other skiers not recognize me. I could imagine myself sitting there helplessly as they skied by elegantly, shouting a cheery, “Hello, Brother Uchtdorf!”
I began to wonder what it would take to rescue me. That was when my grandson came to my side. I told him what had happened, but he didn’t seem very interested in my explanations of why I couldn’t get up. He looked me in the eyes, reached out, took my hand, and in a firm tone said, “Opa, you can do it now!”
Instantly, I stood.
I am still shaking my head over this. What had seemed impossible only a moment before immediately became a reality because a 12-year-old boy reached out to me and said, “You can do it now!” To me, it was an infusion of confidence, enthusiasm, and strength.Brethren, there may be times in our lives when rising up and continuing on may seem beyond our own ability. That day on a snow-covered slope, I learned something. Even when we think we cannot rise up, there is still hope. And sometimes we just need someone to look us in the eyes, take our hand, and say, “You can do it now!”"

Sometimes we need the love of others to fully repent. Preach My Gospel says "repentance includes forming a fresh view of God, ourselves, and the world." To form a fresh view of hope, enthusiasm, and love. A fresh view includes forgiving ourselves and others. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve said in his talk "Remember Lot's Wife," "The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future."

I love you all, may we get up and never look back. Look forward with an eye of faith, hope, charity and love, and to be built by commandment.

 

Love, 

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Still in Story City... - October 14, 2013

I am still in Story City for another 6 weeks!

 

It came as a shock at first, but I think I oughta stop thinking about what I want to do or where I want to go and to say willingly to God "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord."

 

It took me a little time to be ok with me being in Story City still. Initially, I was not excited at all for staying in Story City. But I now see, just 5 days after transfers, that it was necessary for me to stay here.

Reason #1. Our Zone split on transfers, but our district stayed the same So I am able to help our zone leaders have some constancy. One of the Zone Leaders is new to the area, but in our district he is only 1 of 3 new missionaries to the area, 9/12 of our district stayed the same. And we have no brand-new missionaries in our district for the first time in 4 months, they all have at least 6 weeks experience now.

 

Reason #2. One of the missionaries in our district had some pretty severe anti-Mormon material thrown at him twice in one day and he was really shaken up. I was able to help him and provide support. That was the day of transfers, so if I had been transferred, I wouldn't have been there to help.

 

Reason #3. A less-active member came back for the first time in years to church yesterday and I was the only person she knew as we visited her a couple of months ago.

 

Reason #4. Elder Newhouse and I found a lady from the Philippines back in June, and we taught her and she is a new investigator!

So needless to say, God kept me in Story City for these 3 reasons, and I hope to find many more!

 

The Book of Mormon holds all the answers we need in life. It is the tool to bring all to Christ. Nephi tells us why he and the other prophets in the Book of Mormon wrote the words they wrote:

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

 

And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.

 

For, for this end was the a law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

-2 Nephi 25:23-26

I add my voice to Nephi's and "I labor diligently to [preach], to persuade [God's] children, [...] to believe in Christ."

 

Love, 

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

General Conference Round 3 - October 7, 2013

Here we are into fall!

 

Well, General Conference was incredible as usual! I would say even more so than usual. Or at least I gleaned more personal touches than I usually do. I changed my approach with my note taking a bit, and I feel, at least as of now, that I was able to receive more complete revelation from my Father in Heaven.

 

I don't know for sure yet, but it looks like I will be in Story City with Elder Fiso for another 6 weeks.

 

Always look to the Lord and His servants. Serve him by home and visiting teaching and sharing the gospel with everyone you meet! Listen to conference. Read it again! Read the Book of Mormon daily and find new ways you can "liken" the scriptures to your life. Stay excited!

 

I want to apologize, for I want to describe many things and how things are going. The problem is, whenever I get to the computer, my brain shuts down and I am not able to share what has been impressed upon my mind. This is a two-edged sword for I simply cannot express all my thoughts and feelings with this short amount of time when I do remember. I really would like to, but I want to bear my apologies to all who tune in weekly to this email. Know that I am doing well, seeing miracles, and loving serving the Lord. It comes with its challenges, but the blessings outweigh the hard times.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Bennett's Baptism - September 30, 2013

Come and See

 

Aurian and Vincent were baptized Saturday! It was an incredible ordinance! Brother Bennett was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood on the 22nd and he was able to baptize his children on Saturday. Elder Newhouse was able to get a ride from a member in his current area west of Des Moines to see them baptized. It was great to see him and to witness the first baptism he has seen from his efforts.

 

Sorry time cut me short again! I just want to say so much but I have so little time!

 

The attached picture is from the baptism. From left to right, the adults are Sister Bennett, Brother Bennett, Sister England, Me, Elder Newhouse, and Sister Paul. Dalen is the child not in white, he is another of Brother Bennett's children who moved in with them this last week. He is 8 and wants to be baptized! Aurian is the child in the middle and Vincent is the one on the right. Beautiful time!

 

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

    D&C 6:34, 36

Doubt Not, Fear Not.
550 Souls to Christ

Some New Investigators - September 23, 2013

Another week down...

 

Good things are happening in Story City! We found 3 new investigators this week! One is a man who works overnights for the Postal Service and the other two are Hispanic men who don't speak English. We had a less-active member translate for us yesterday and he is going to have us over for dinner in the next week or two.

 

Aurian and Vincent Bennett are going to be baptized this Saturday! The Sisters who have been working with them since they moved down to Ames were setting up the program, and they told me Aurian asked me to give the talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost, to be a witness for her baptism, and to be in the circle for her confirmation! It is going to be an exciting weekend. Elder Newhouse is going to try to come with his current companion and see his first baptism. And it will be Sister Paul's first baptism too. Super exciting times ahead!

 

We are doing lots of work with the less-actives here and it is turning out to be good, as one came yesterday and is officially reactivated! The blessings of full-time missionary service are many! But none better than seeing others come unto Christ. It is just a bonus the change that is wrought in me.

 

Love from the place of Stories,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

    D&C 6:34, 36

Doubt Not, Fear Not.
550 Souls to Christ

Church - September 16, 2013

Church is the best!

 

I am sorry my letter this week is short, but it is because I had to respond to emails from family. So it is a good week when you get so many letters that it is hard to get the general letter off to the presses.

 

All 4 missionaries serving in the Story City Branch spoke in Sacrament Meeting yesterday. Elder Fiso, my companion, spoke on Preach My Gospel and the Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel. Elder Theriault, the trainee in Iowa Falls, spoke on the Book of Mormon and bearing testimony to non-members. Elder Morgensen, the trainer in Iowa Falls, spoke on the importance of having a friend in the gospel and strengthening those who already are members. Then I boldly spoke on the necessity of home teaching, and focused around my favorite quote in Preach My Gospel: 

“Missionary work is but home teaching to those who are not now members of the Church, and home teaching is nothing more or less than missionary work to Church members” (Improvement Era, Dec. 1964, 1078).

- President Harold B. Lee

Home and Visiting Teaching are the backbone of the church. They are as necessary to our salvation as missionary work is. Without doing missionary work, we are not helping God fulfil his purpose of "bring[ing] to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). If we are not helping God, we are not helping ourselves. And if we are not caring and helping God's other children, why would God help us? Just a question to think about.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

    D&C 6:34, 36

Doubt Not, Fear Not.
550 Souls to Christ