Last Letter Home!

This will be the last email I will send on my full time mission.

Wow! I cannot believe it!

Well here we go!

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My companion, Sister Godfrey, told me a great analogy that helped me understand the transition I am about to experience as I complete my full time mission and begin a new phase of my life following Christ. She said, "You know those little sea creatures like sea snails with little shells?... well you're kind of like that! Before your mission you grew and grew and believe it or not you outgrew the shell that you had built from your faith and spiritual experiences of the past. So... God asked you to take off that shell and build a new one... only this time it would be built in a new place with new people and you would feel vulnerable at first without your old shell. He asked you to leave your comforts behind and trust that He would provide a way... so you did and you served a mission where you had to build your spiritual shell layer by layer. Now you have grown so much spiritually that you need a new shell. There is nothing more God can teach you here. It's time to go home which is the only place He can help you grow even more. It will be uncomfortable and awkward just like when He asked you to serve a mission but you can only grow this way. He needs you to build a new shell!"

And so here we go! Whether I think it's a good idea or not it's time to go home and build myself a new shell! I promised the Lord a long time ago that I would do whatever He would ask of me and this assignment is almost finished. I know He has never led me astray. However dark the path, may seem before us there is a promise that He will light the way! I know that He will!

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This week Sister Godfrey and I have been working on so hard to find more people to teach. In our travels we passed a lady walking on the street on a very rainy day. She was holding an umbrella over her head but it was closed and cinched tight. We both looked at her as we passed... looked at each other... and then said "what?"

This woman was soaking wet because she was not using her umbrella correctly. Now, perhaps there were some circumstances that we didn't understand that required her to keep the umbrella shut so we won't judge this sweet wet lady... There is clearly an analogy in this!

The gospel is the tool to protect us from the cold, sad, and dreary effects of sin...

The tools are in our hands but are we using them correctly?

Don't suffer more than you need to... take out your umbrella and open it up big and strong. Let the strength from the spirit shield you from temptation. Let the warmth and light of the Savior's love fill your heart. Don't give up just because the storm clouds never seem to part! There is always peace to be found! Sometimes we just have to hold on a little longer. Please be sure to use the tools that God has given us so that when the storms come we won't be afraid!

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I heard someone say once "You guys send missionaries out to the most dangerous places". That is true. Missionaries are sent to remote places to share the good news of Christ with everyone. More than just to save people from physical danger Missionaries are sent by God to help those whose lives are in spiritual danger and who are spiritually starving. Many people I have talked with on my mission were in spiritual danger and needed to be rescued. They stood far from God and felt that they were drowning in guilt and emptiness. The good news of Christ is that they don't need to feel that way. Christ can take all of those feelings away because He is our Savior. He already suffered for our pains and afflictions and temptations so that we can have comfort. Lean on Him because He will never let you fall!

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So I will be going home on Valentine's Day!!! What a wonderful day to be reunited with my family! Speaking of going home on an airplane... I thought of an analogy this week. When you travel on an airplane the stewardess gets on and tells you all the safety information which most of us disregard anyways... but in the safety rules we learn that in the case of an oxygen shortage we must use oxygen masks that fall from the ceiling in case of an emergency. You are to put your mask on first before helping others. Why do you think that is? I always thought that was a little weird because I would want to help someone else like my siblings so they could be calm before I help myself. Well there is a spiritual connection with this. You can't lift anyone higher than your own conversion. So if you are a missionary you need to be converted yourself before you try and help others be converted. Why? Because if you are not converted you have no way to help others. If I was in a hole and was trying to rescue someone even deeper that I, I can only lift as high as I am. So I want to be as high as a I can to lift others closer and closer to safety. Just like if we were in an airplane we need to have sufficient oxygen for ourselves before we can help others... otherwise we would run out of oxygen before we could help. In Luke 22:32 Jesus says:

"But I have ​​​prayed​ for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art ​​​converted​, ​​​strengthen​ thy brethren."

I know that secret to peace in this life is obedience which leads to conversion over time. Please do all that you can to be personally converted to the gospel. It starts with daily prayer and scripture study... then we attend church and fulfill all that God asks of us. God is good to those who love Him.

Hopefully that makes sense!

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I couldn't finish this without sharing with you my personal testimony of all that I have been sharing with the beautiful people of Mesa, AZ.

I know that Jesus Christ lives! He is real! He knows our hearts. He is really good at forgiving His imperfect children. He knows your name. He is perfect. He gave us weaknesses as a gift to come closer to Him. His spirit comforts the uncomfortable and teaches us the truth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and Joseph Smith restored the church to the earth. I have no doubts about these things! I know that there is a living prophet on the earth today. I know families are meant to be together forever. I feel so much gratitude to the Savior for all He has given me! I know I can never repay Him... that was not part of the plan... but I will do all I can to serve Him and show Him my appreciation. He lives!

I know that these things are true and I share them with you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

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Catch ya on the flip side!D&C 123:13,17 HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

My homecoming address will be..  

Sunday, February 19th at 11:00 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 901 East Whipp Road, Centerville, Ohio!

Love,

Sister Hailey Ellen ZimmermanP.S. Here is my email for when I will come home! (hailey.zimm@gmail.com)

Please keep in contact via this email or Facebook!

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1. Valentine for all of you

2. Palm trees making a heart (perfect timing Arizona)

3. It's not a religious view it's the truth

4. A few servants of the Master and their last mission selfie

5. The reason for it all

The One Perfect Parent!

Let's Get it Rollin' with Some Miracles!

We've been struggling to find people to teach in our YSA Ward and are trying hard to talk with everyone and ask for referrals but nothing has brought forth a fruit yet... So last night we went out finding with sister Cook (Ward Mission Leaders wife) and let me tell you this... it's always best to involve members in any way that you can. MIRACLES happen with MEMBERS!

So we go to contact some potential investigators (contacted missionaries but never set a return appointment or were never taught anything) and had no luck. 30 minutes go by talking with so many people on the street and no one was interested. So we got in our car to visit a potential named Rachel who was a self referral by accident from several months ago before we were in the area... I don't know how one refers themselves through Mormon.org on accident but apparently it can be done... And we knock on the door and talk to Rachel who is actually not interested... but just then sister Cook said "hey don't you have a brother who knows my son Kevin?" She said "yes, let me go get him" and just then David comes to the door and immediately happiness comes to his face as he begins to talk to our member with whom he has had such fond memories. We talked with him for a while and to begin he was kind of closed off about religion and then sister Cook, this sweet old soul, said "David, what do you think of the first vision?" He began to open his mind and made connections to the Bible and we could tell that he had a desire to learn more. He accepted the opportunity to read from the Book of Mormon and pray and meet with us again next week! David is ready and if our member would not have spoken up he would still be perishing in unbelief.

God's got a plan!

It's our job to listen and obey and then see the miracles He can work through us!

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From last Sunday to this Sunday our Stake had 2 Stake Conferences and 3 Devotional from prophets and apostles. 

Here's the run down:

• Religious Freedom Conference: Dallin H. Oaks
• Parent & Grandparent Broadcast (helping our children and grandchildren with technology and social media): M. Russell Ballard,
• Ronald A. Raspband, Lynn G. Robbins, Jaoquin A. Costa
• Youth Fireside (Q&A technology, missionary work, etc.): M. Russell
• Ballard, Ronald A. Raspband, Lynn G. Robbins, Jaoquin A. Costa
• Stake Conference: Elder Stoddard (area 70)
• Stake Conference #2: Lynn G. Robbins, Devin J. Cornish

So needless to say sister Godfrey and I are filled with some great spiritual insights. I definitely have a very strong testimony that God calls prophets and apostles to coordinate the work of the church and minister to His children. These servants of the Lord sacrifice all to do God's will! I know that they are following Christ and I want to be like Christ too... so I will follow their counsel! I will share some insights I learned below.

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Missionary Schedule Changes

So yes there have been some significant schedule changes and we have been following the schedule since Wednesday when the announcement was made. I love the changes! They allow us to use our agency and make our own decisions for how we can be most productive! Definitely inspired!

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18 MONTHS

Yesterday, the 29th of January I hit my 18 month mark. It's not every day that you get the chance to testify of Christ in this capacity! It has been the the most amazing opportunity to experience change and to trust the Lord more than ever before. I have 2 more weeks until I will complete my full time mission and be reunited with my family. I will share my testimony more fully with you next week but I want you to know that I know that I know that Christ lives. He's at the head of this church and His gospel is the only way to return to live with Him.

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The ONE Perfect Parent

Elder Robbins and the other general authorities that spoke at the parent's fireside spoke of what examples we can look to for how to parent. He often said "let's look to the example of the 1 perfect parent, our Heavenly Father." I guess I just never thought of Heavenly Father as the only perfect parent... perhaps because I have never really had to think about that considering the fact that I'm not a parent. But I know that He is a parent to me. He is ever patient when I make mistakes and he respects my progress however slow it may be. He listens to everything I say and think and He loves me perfectly despite my weaknesses (which He gave me). I'd like to dispute that "only" perfect parent thing a little bit because I think I have the 2nd and 3rd most Perfect parents! Seriously my parents are pretty awesome. Every bit of parenting counsel that the general authorities gave to the 52 stakes joining the broadcast is something that my parents have been trying to do with us. I know that my parents must pray for us kids so much and make many sacrifices for our spiritual and physical welfare. I will never know how much they do for us! I know I will always look to them as examples of righteous parenthood along with the only perfect parent out Heavenly Father. I personally would love to live with my family forever.

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"Success is going from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm."

- Winston Churchill

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Make today a great day!
Serve someone in need!
- Sister Zimmerman

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Sister Hirschi and I on a little exchange when she was sick

A great quote

Weird things you find in members homes (his name is Squanto)

One of my favorite pictures of Christ

In the End Only Kindness Matters

My heart is full today!
I feel so much gratitude and I know that God knows how to give good gifts to His children (3 Nephi 14:9-11). He is the perfect gift giver. He knows what you want and what you really don't want as well as your needs. He will give you experiences that may not feel like they are from His hand because He wants to see how far you will go on a long and difficult path trusting in Him. He knows your ultimate potential and He, more than anyone else, wants you to get there. I know that God is mindful of His children (Mormon 5:23). This week I just wanted to testify of God's love because I feel it so strongly in my life.

I promise that He is mindful of you!

This week pray for opportunities to see His hand in your life and then look for His influence throughout each day. I promise that you will be amazed at how He is reaching out to you in even the small details of your life.

This week has been a good one! We've been teaching like crazy! I wish I had time to write all about them but needless to say I know the Lord is in charge of the work of salvation. He can do His own work but He loves us enough to give us the opportunity to be instruments in
His hands so that we can learn and grow. God is good!

We took a little shame (embarrassment, ridicule) for Christ on several occasions this week by some people who were not so ready to hear the gospel...  but that doesn't stop us. I have no problem taking a few harsh words or slammed doors if that is what is required of me. Christ took on a lot more shame than we did this week so we'll just keep going. When people reject our message it just means that a miracle is around the corner. There's no need to be discouraged when we trust in God. :)

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“Do not pray for tasks equal to your abilities, but pray for abilities
equal to your tasks. Then the performance of your tasks will be no
miracle, but you will be the miracle.”
- Thomas S. Monson

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Here's a quote I saw this week that I loved

When it's hard to trust in God,
and you'd rather do things your way-
it's good to ask yourself a simple question:
"Self, how many universes have you created?"
If the answer is "No universes,"
then just let God handle things.

Love it! So true! Ha ha ha!
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Love,
Sister Zimmerman
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This week all the missionaries who will be departing home at the end of the transfer were able to go to the Gilbert temple with President and sister Townsend. I love the Gilbert temple. It is spectacular! Also brother and sister Wood (formerly Elder and Sister Wood... senior couples in the AZMM) came back to visit! How I love and miss them so much!

Welcome to Holland!!!

This week has been a good one... but then again how could you not have a reta week in the service if the Lord. We had Zone Conferences and Angel's baptism and all went so very well! We are trying to find many more sincere people to teach in this area. In talking to everyone on the street we have found many solid referrals to send to other missionaries but not many for us... so we'll keep trusting the Lord. He's so good at sending us miracles!
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Here's a little spiritual light for the day!

“Often the greatest things grow from the simplest things. And so we grow, little by little, day by day. Not by leaps and bounds, but step by small step, ever closer to our potential. Start small, start today.” ~ LDS Facebook video

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His is one of the quotes my dad sent me this week! I know that progress is just like his. The slow yet steady win the race. Be patient with your progress this week! God always is!

"Planning out our lives is like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." 
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland."

I have a testimony that there is great beauty in the world that we miss because things don't turn out exactly how we want them! Take time to express gratitude to God this week for every time you plan a trip to Italy and end up in Holland!

That's all for now!

Love,
Sister Zimmerman

Pics:

We found this cool AZ sign and figured it was a perfect photo op

All the people that came out with me from the MTC got together and went to "Krazy Air" which is a fun trampoline place. We had a good time!

Arizona double rainbow

Weird things you find in people's yards in Arizona! Grass doesn't grow very well here so they have to get creative!

I Work As A Disney Princess

Life is so good!
We have so much work to do here in the Cooper Ward. They keep us mighty busy. This week sister Godfrey and I have been working hard to talk with everyone... including people at the gas station... so as we stopped to get gas this week I felt prompted to give a Book of Mormon to this lady selling tacos on the corner (that happens a-lot in Mesa). So as we got out I finished filling the tank and pressed the button to print out the receipt. The receipt didn't print out... which means only one thing, God wants us to share the gospel with someone in the gas station store. So we knew where God wanted us to be and quickly made our way into the quick mart. We got the receipt from the lady and by the end of the conversation she had a Book of Mormon and we had her address and number so she can receive the gospel. The lady selling tacos was gone when we came back but we also got to talk with another
man heading to the quick mart. It is just so fun to know that you are doing exactly what God wants you to do. Following the spirit is awesome!

I wanted to share some thoughts that came to my mind this week!

Princess Power 👑
So in Sacrament meeting a woman named Millie got up to share her testimony and it went a little like this... "so for my job I work as a Princess! I get all dressed up and go to parties to sing and act like princesses so that little girls can have their dreams come true. Obviously I am not a real princess and these kids don't know who I am... but when they see me with a wig and makeup and a big poofy dress they come running and hug me so tight and tell me that they have been waiting for me and want to be just like me. When I go to big events
there are many kids who are excited to see me but don't come over and talk to me. Some people make fun of me and think they are too old to be excited about princesses. But there are always those children who came here for the very purpose of meeting me and run as fast as they can to be with me... I wonder if this is what it will be like to see the Savior someday. Will I walk by him not recognizing His face? Will I know who He is but be too ashamed to greet Him? Or will I run past the crowds and jump into His arms and say "I have been waiting for you! I want to be just like you"? How well do we know and love the Savior?"

So I add my testimony to Millie's that this life is the time to prepare to meet God. When we live like the Savior we will know Him and become like Him so that that "when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that
we may be purified even as he is pure." (Moroni 7:48)


Your Homework Assignment is to read...
"O Remember Remember" by President Eyring (October 2007 General Conference)  As I read it this week I realized that remembering what God has done for us is a way to show our gratitude for all that He has done for us! Take the time to read his talk but most importantly take the time to remember God's love for you.

Have you seen the hand of God reaching out to bless you today?
Has God sent a message that was just for you?

With Love,
Sister Zimmerman

The Missing Piece

This week is another transfer week. Time goes by so quickly!

Sister Godfrey and I will be staying together! Since both our wards have church at the same time there had to be a change so we are keeping the Candlelight Park Ward and are losing the Solomon Ward. We will be taking on the Cooper Ward in the Mesa South Stake. We are sad to leave the Solomon Ward because there is so much work to be done there and we love the members and investigators so much but we trust in the Lord and know that miracles are on their way! 

Angelo was just baptized this past Saturday and it was amazing! He was so ready to be baptized. We got to go with sister Reed (Angelo's mom) to the Gilbert temple and I was certainly in awe at the beauty of God's temples. I just did not want to even leave. Angelo and sister Reed are in the Solomon Ward which makes it even more hard to leave just after his baptism... but God has some good plans in mind so we'll follow where He leads.

 I love  my companion sister Godfrey... let me tell you what I love about her

- she is so accepting and very easygoing with everything. Something terrible could happen and she'd just laugh and say "well, okay, that's cool"

- I love how she is so artistic. She is amazing at drawing and design. We both enjoy looking at art, especially of the Savior, and admiring how someone could create something so amazing.

- I love her sense of humor. She loves to laugh and we both make fun of the same things.

- she is very strong spirited so things that might easily get me down don't bother her.

- she has a rock solid testimony of the gospel and knows that what she teaches is true.

- she knows how to care for and love others.

So that is what I love about sister Godfrey. I think I have had the best companions in the whole mission...

Sister Hirschi and her ability to cheer me up and work through adjusting to mission life.

Sister Child's and her obedience and diligence

Sister Wisanbannawit and her willingness to learn and work hard

Sister Duiai and her faithfulness and loyalty

Sister Csolity and her fun loving and sincere heart

Sister Colbert and her hard working attitude, humor, and love and understanding for others.

Wow what a list of marvelous servants of the Lord that I have had the opportunity to serve with. God is good to me! I do my best to always trust Him because His plan is so much better than mine... even if in the moment I can't see the masterpiece He is creating.

Here are some thoughts from this week:

There is a hymn called "Come Let Us Anew" that contains a line that I always thought was funny-- 

"Come, let us anew our journey pursue,

Roll round with the year,

And never stand still till the Master appear.

His adorable will let us gladly fulfill,

And our talents improve

By the patience of hope and the labor of love"

I guess I have never really thought of God's will as being "adorable". Don't get me wrong His will is certainly what I desire to follow but I would never choose to use the word adorable to describe it on any given day...  But as I thought about this more O realized that I truly adore His will. Adorable means "to inspire great affection". Usually we use his word to describe babies or cute little animals but I adore how God never fails to uphold me. I adore His mercy to allow me to be forgiven of my sins. I adore His tender mercies and direct answers to prayers when I most need them.

"Have I Done Any Good In the World Today?"

And also a thought for the new year... here's a little callout from this hymn that I think we should all follow...

"Wake up and do something more than dream of your mansion above.

Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love."

Do something good this year!!!

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Tony's missing puzzle piece

This week we will have to tell Tony that we are being transferred but I can't even begin to tell you how teaching him has changed my life... I have never seen the Atonement and power of the priesthood work so strongly than in Tony's life. He has changed so much and developed such a strong testimony of the gospel. I wish that I could describe this in better words but when we teach him we feel the spirit so strongly that he knows the gospel is true. He'll be baptized on the 21st. This is one of the blessings of serving a mission that can never be replaced... the people you meet and the experiences you have with them can never be replicated. I am so glad that I decided to serve a mission. So back to Tony... he has this puzzle picture hanging on his wall and I look at it every time we go over to teach. It is a puzzle of a painting of a little cottage and a nice spring meadow... but in the upper left hand corner it is just missing one piece. It's so silly but I know that his life was missing a piece as well... and now he has found it. The gospel was the missing piece and we were lucky enough to be able to bring him just what he needed-- the only thing that could have filled the void in his life and allowed him to feel true peace.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Zimmerman

This is Better than All my Planing!

It's December 26th and life is just wonderful!

The highlight of the Holiday yesterday was definitely being able to Skype my family! I love and miss them so much! The hard part about having a family as amazing as mine is that they are really hard to be away from. I love my family and I am so glad that I can live with them forever! Serving a mission is just a small sacrifice to help others be able to live with their families forever.

The Mesa Arizona Christmas Lights Concert went so well last night. Our missionary choir certainly sang with angels and I know that those who heard it were filled with the spirit.

Here are some thoughts that I had from this week!

Revelation 21:4 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

I just LOVE this scripture!

The Three Pine Trees

I read a Christmas story this year about three pine trees. All three trees wanted to do and be something great when they got older. One wanted to be made into a cradle to hold and comfort a baby, one wanted to be made into a large ship to help men cross great waters, and one wanted to stay on the hill and grow so tall so that he could point everyone to God. 

The first tree was made into a lowly manger instead of a cradle and was disappointed that he would never get to hold a baby. He was unhappy with his fate.

But God said "Wait, I will show you something." And He did. Christ, the son of God, the most holy and important child to ever live was born in a manger.

The little tree that had been made into a manger whispered "In all my dreams, I never thought to hold a child like this. Why, I am part of a miracle. This is better than all my planning"

The second tree was made into fishing boat that stayed near the shore. The tree was also upset with his fate. He wanted to cross great distances and discover new lands but was stuck as a fishers' boat.

Then God said "Wait, I will show you something." And He did. That fishing boat was owned by Christ's apostles. It sat in the waters while Christ told parables on the shore. It carried the apostles and the Savior and was a witness of many miracles.

"This is wonderful" the little boat whispered. "In all my dreams, I never thought to carry a person like this. Why, I am part of a miracle. This is better than all my planning"

The third tree was cut down and carried away and was so sad that he would not be able to stand tall and point others to God. Those who carried him away made him into a cross where Jesus Christ was crucified. The little cross shuddered beneath it's weight of agony and shame. But God said "Wait, I will show you something." And He did.

Then suddenly a miracle happened... the little cross heard the words

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)

The little tree that had become a cross began to understand, and whispered "this is wonderful! I am a part of a miracle. In all my dreams I never thought to point others to God in this way. This is better than all my planning."

All three trees received their wish, but each in God's appointed time, in God's appointed way. I know that God will give us our desires too if we are willing to give our lives to Him and let him, who is the master sculptor, mold us into a masterpiece.

WHAT SHALL WE GIVE

What shall we give to the babe in the manger?

What shall we offer the child in the stall?

Incense and spices and gold with a plenty...

Are these the gifts for the king of us all?

Worldly things have great meaning to us but they are of no value to God. The wise men and shepherds gave the best they had... but what kind of gifts can we give God that are truly valuable to Him? I'd like to ask you to ponder that... what kind of gift can you give "the king of us all" that would be worthy to give Him? Are the gifts that we are giving fit for Him? I don't think that our gifts need to be anything crazy... but they do need to be sincere (service, action to change our lives for the better, repentance).

Talk to you soon!

Sister Zimmerman

P.S. Here are some fun pictures and what we do in Arizona for Christmas...