Week 6:

Merry Christmas! I can't believe it is already Christmas. It seems as though we were just celebrating Halloween. Where does the time go?

As you may or may not have noticed, I did not send out a weekly update last week. My apologies!

Okay, so the California stop has NOTHING on the Minnesota-how-is-that-even-considered-a-stop-you-barely-even-slowed-down. Seriously. None one ever stops at stop signs. And everyone runs reds! I don't understand how people see that the light is red and still go. Like, what? Haha crazy driving, alright!

As I had said in a previous update, the missionaries don't get fed very often. Well, I take that back! We are being fed a lot more! Tonight, we actually had two people sign up to feed us, so we had to reschedule with one. We have meals for the rest of the month, which is a blessing! I guess people found out how awesome I am and now everyone wants to feed us. ;) Speaking of food, I am no longer gluten intolerant! What a miracle! I can eat normal food! I know that the Lord has blessed me for my efforts. I no longer get sick after eating anything even touching something with gluten. It's great! 

Our most progressing investigator is Beth. She will be getting baptized this Saturday and let me tell you, she is solid! She is excited and so are we! She has been telling her friends of her baptism and making plans for it. We were able to visit her last night to finalize the program and give her another lesson, on the restoration. She told us that she wanted to learn more of the restoration, which shows how much of a desire to know and learn she has, even though she has been meeting with the missionaries for years.

Last Tuesday we had a new missionary training, where all the missionaries who came out with me and their got together and the mission president and selected speakers taught us. It was a lot of fun... Until about 3/4 of the way through the training. I felt a migraine coming on. I took medicine, but it did nothing. I was really worried since when I get migraines, I get really sick, as I did in the missionary training center when I got one. Medicine didn't help then, either, but I did get a Priesthood blessing, so I knew I needed another one. I asked to have Elder Darling, who was in my MTC district, give me one again. He had also given me a blessing in the MTC for my migraines. He and I became good friends while in the MTC, but out here in the field he is many hours away from where I am. He was at the training as well, though, so he was able to give me one. In the blessing he gave me on Tuesday he referred to my migraines as trails. He blessed me with the strength to get through them, then he said, "You will never have to go through this trial again." And I haven't! Just think, I have been getting these bad migraines for my whole life, then they just disappear! I have been going to the doctors for them for as long as I can remember, now they are gone. If that isn't priesthood power from God, I don't know what is! Doctors couldn't help me, but God did. 

Another miracle I have seen was when I went on exchanges last Friday. Exchanges are when we trade companions for 24 hours with another set of missionaries. I went to Lakeville with one of the sister training leaders. While I was there, I met a young man named David. I was told that two weeks ago, he was a prior investigator. He had been smoking and not interested in the gospel at all at that point. And now, he is set on being baptized. We attended a baptism on Saturday and he came with us, and before the baptism, he was saying how afterwards he was going to go with friends and play board games and how excited he was for it. After the baptism, he said he decided not to go because he knew his friends would be smoking and drinking and he didn't want that kind of influence. What a miracle! He is excited to be baptized and knows that it is what he needs to do at this time and what the Lord wants for him. 

Exchanges were a lot of fun! I love my companion, but it is nice to get to know other people! I got to know one of my sister training leaders really well as well as members in her ward. She lives in a house with a member so that was really different than the apartment, which is what I am use to. It was nice though! I was able to learn so much from my companion for the day. She has such a strong spirit that just shows through her smile. 

On Wednesday, I went over to a sister's house in the ward. Her son is a recent convert so we have been giving him lessons. She is the sister with the bunny I mentioned in a previous letter. I was sitting on the ground during the lesson, and her animals started climbing all over me (cats and a dog)! It was so funny. Animals seem to like me and she finds it a crack up. After the lesson, I was able to work with her rabbit again to calm him down and make him more friendly. The picture is included! The rabbit doesn't have red eyes, it's just the flash from the camera.

Last Monday we had zone preparation day. We played a lot of games and sports, like volleyball, murderer, ultimate frisbee, and others. Many of which I had never played before. It was a lot of fun to actually be able to play sports again! Which is something I miss a lot! There is one elder in my zone, Elder Ysasaga, who I was friends with back in Chico! It was so cool to be able to see him again. I accidentally kept calling him by his first name. Whoops! 

I also learned how to embroider! So that was pretty cool!

I really do love being on a mission. I have seen so many miracles and have received so many blessing from the Lord. I love the people I serve and serve with. I never thought my mission would be like this, it's great!

Anyways, it is time for me to get to a district meeting! So farewell for now and may God be with you.

Love always,

Sister Zimmerman

P.S. Merry Christmas!