Week 96:Living the Dream and in the Land of Joseph

Well hello family,

Scripture of the Week: Mormon 8:35 I love this verse because it really teaches us how much the Book of Mormon was written for us personally. 

Well i am relieved to hear that things have been doing better on the home front this week. 

I am glad my emails are uplifting to you guys, but i can not take credit for the things said in my emails. I make my emails a matter of prayer, so they are not my thoughts. So thank Heavenly Father, not me. I am however grateful to be able to work as an instrument in his hands. 

Very cool to hear WS is playing so well this year. 8-0. Thats pretty darn good. Coach Mo definately knows how to make boys play like men that is for sure. He is a good man. 

Hope you all have a great week with Sis and Ashton Visiting. Thank you for the Pictures, always does my heart good to see all of your smiling faces. I love you all sooooooo much. 

Well things here in the mission were good this week. We had stake conference in essex. Bishop Dean M. Davies of the presiding bishopric was there, so that was pretty neat. The focus of the conference was strengthening the family through temple worship. I enjoyed it very; much. It was kind of like a mini homecoming for me though, got to see so many of my Vermont friends from so many different wards. The highlight was seeuing the Jablonski family. They are doing so well. Elli is like 5 now, and Naya will be one here shortly. She wasnt even born yet when i left, so that was cool to meet her. They are just the cutest little red haired girls. 

Last night we had a new member/investigator fireside here at the memorial. President Stoker was the speaker. He taught about Joseph Smith, and as always it was just amazing. It was so good to see president and sister stoker. I love those people.
We took Jeremey to the fireside, and he seemed to really enjoy it. We have him scheduled to be baptized December 13. If things continue to go as well as they have been though, i think he will probably be baptized before then. Not a whole lot else note worthy happened here this week. Just living the dream here in the land of Joseph. Time sure is flying by thats for sure. 

Just remember how much i love all of you. Stay strong in the gospel always and all that comes at us will be taken care of as we faithfully live the gospel and keep our covenants. 

love you all

Hold to the rod

Elder Toner

Week 95: Fasting really does work

My dear Family,
Scripture of the week: This comes from hymn 134 I Believe in Christ "I believe in Christ so come what may, with him ill stand in that great day"
We sang that hymn church yesterday and that line really just hit me, i am so grateful for my testimony of the savior.
What a week it has been, full of crazy business, and miracles as well. I dont know why this just came to mind, but it did, so im going to say it, right now i am very grateful that i like Nephi have "been born of goodly parents". Mom and Dad thank you for your constant examples of faith, hope charity and love that you have always displayed as you have raised us. i know that i would not be who I am today were it not for your constant loving care to guide me down the path that we should go. Tadd R. Callister gave a great talk about that in conference. So just thank you a million times over for teaching me the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So it has been a few weeks since i have been able to come to monday email time with a miracle to report, but that is not the case this week. So here it goes. First off yesterday was fast sunday, so as part of my fast i was fasting to be able to find someone to teach. I specifically said a family, but any one to teach would be welcomed. So yes that was part of my fast. Well i just love church, nothing better than sitting there just soaking in new knowledge about the gospel. So Elder Adams and i were sitting in Priesthood and Elder Harman one of the Senior Elders comes and grabs us. The way he looked made me think something was wrong, so at first i was pretty worried. So we go out into the hall and he says, "youve been looking for someone to teach, well weve found them, he said he is waiting for you up at the monument, you wont miss him, he is 6 foot 10 and has red hair". So we high tail it up to the monument, and sure enough there he was all 6 foot 10 of him,.  he has quite the past to overcome, but that is totally ok that is what the Atonement is for, we will be able to help him get through it all. He has read the Book of Mormon, as well as almost every other church book. we had a lesson with him and invited him to be baptized and he said he would. So we have alot of work to do with him, but we are so ready for it. The biggest challenge will be if he stays living here or not or if he goes back to california where he is from. He is just here temporarily, but either way we will get a good start on him and then will be able to send him off to some solid missionaries in california. Such an amazing blessing. Fasting really really does work. Dont ever forget that.

Ok so now back to the beginning of the week. Monday we got to go to Billings farm, and it was so amazing. It gave me my cow fix for a little while at least. As you walk out to the barn they have a heifer pasture. There was only 4 heifers in there, and they were all clipped and one of them looked really really good. So i asked one of the guys working there what she was, and he had no clue but directed me to the farm manager. So i go talk with the farm manager and we go out and talk about those heifers, i then told him that my dad recenlty bought a heifer out of a sale from them that was carrying an ET. He instantly knew who i was talking about, and then said yeah that heifer right there that you like so much is a sister to the one your dad bought. I thought that was pretty cool. I dont remember who this one was sired by, but she was good. She stood like 10th at expo. He then took me into the barn and showed me our heifers dam and the dam of the ET heifer. He also told me that he had 5 pregs out of that flush, and they sold one of them, (the one we bought), and the four that they kept were all bulls and we got the only heifer calf, so that is a huge blessing. They had some good cows in the barn though thats for sure. They only milk like 30 head but they dont have to worry about making money on it so i guess they can do what they want. All in all it was a good visit thats for sure.

Had a good time giving lots of tours this week, and we also did some good work just doing work here at the memorial. Elder Adams and i got to lay a water line so it felt really good to do some good hard core work again. I absolutely love serving here at the JSM. I dont care if it is giving tours our laying a water line, i just love being here on this sacred ground. I think i might just move into a tree house here on the property and be a spiritual hermit at the JSM. yup i think that is what i will do. I love the revelation that comes to mind as i email you guys.

Well i hope you all know that i just love you so much. I will attach some pictures from the week, so be looking for those. Ill just end with a good quote for the week.
".... the Savior of the world will walk that... journey with you. He will strengthen you when you waver. He will be your light when it seems most dark. He will take your hand and be your hope when hope seems all you have left." - Jeffrey R. Holland-
love you all so much. Dont count the days make the days count.

Hold to the rod
Elder Zilles

Week 94: Stay in the boat

Hello Family, 

My heart is full today. Conference was amazing and is such a blessing in our lives. I think we often take it for granted. But we are so blessed to have the Gospel restored in its fulness with a prophet and 12 apostles to guide and direct The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There were so many great talks in conference that it is hard to choose just one that was my favorite. But to me an over arching theme throughout the whole conference was that the most important things in life now and forever will be our FAITH and our FAMILIES. One without the other will not do, Faith and Familes must be together in one. I feel so blessed to have been raised in a family that has faith and they know how to show it. I thank you for that. It is that faith that will ultimaely make all things right. You probably say no that is the atonement that will make all things right, and if you say that, you are correct, but it is by faith that we can utilize the power of the atonement in our lives. Trials will come, they always will, but they are part of our mortal existence. Trials are never easy, hence they are called trials, but they CAN help us to grow if we allow them to. I say can, because they only help us grow if we face them with faith and allow the enabling power of the atonement to work in our lives. 

I really appreciated Elder M. Russel Ballards talk, he talked about the number one rule, and that is to stay in the boat. When trials come, we must stay in the boat. it is at those times that we not only need to stay in the boat, but we need to be even more steadfast in the boat than we have ever been before, and then when we make it through that trial we dont let up, we stay just as steadfast in the boat as we were through the trial. I dont know if any of this has made any sense, but i needed to say it any way. I love this gospel with all my heart, i know it to be true. It is the only way to true and lasting joy. I love Jesus Christ he is my savior. I truly truly love him. He is your savior as well. He will carry us in our times of stress and need, and one day we will be able to run up to him and he will wrap us in those loving arms and will hold us tight.. it will be then that we will be able to see his face and truly see the love that he has for us in a whole new way than ever seen before. Our Father in Heaven knows each of us and he loves us all. As was said in conference this weekend,  "HE KNOWS YOUR NAME"! I know that to be true. I trust in the promises of God. He will always keep his promises if we uphold our end of our covenants. He promises that if we are faithful all will be well in the end. I know that to be true. One day we will no longer have to experience the pain and sorrow we now face, but for now we have to take it and learn and grow from it. He knows us and he loves us. Rely on him every hour of each day. I know Jospeh Smith saw what he said he saw, i write this while sitting on sacred soil where he was born, i know it all to be true. President Monson holds that restored priesthood power, please utilize it. I love you all and thank your for being my family. 

Ok hopefully i didnt bore you all to death with that there, but that is just how i felt i needed to start this weeks email. What a week it has been though. I wish i could report that we had found at least one new investigator, but we did not find one yet this week, but we are just working our tails off, and when the time is right we will find those who the lord is preparing. They are out there and we will find them. We knocked alot of doors this week and it was jsut a party just as tracting always is. Elder Adams is continuing to grow as a missionary. It is cool to watch him as he catches on to things here in the Green Mountain State. 

We didnt end up going to Billings last week, but we are heading there today. Last week we went on a hike up "Patriarchs Peak" ill attach pictures from that, but it is a "mountain" at least to these new englanders that overlooks the monument. It was very cool. Just as is said in Alma chapter 30, "all things denote there is a God". I love Vermont, it is great. But will love seeing the wide open spaces of Weston Idaho when i return home. 

Tomorrow we have New missionary training down in manchester i really cant wait to see president, i just love that man. 

So now for my favorite conference highlights.... 

Saturday morning i really loved the talk on the sacrament by Cheryl A. Esplin, i think it is a talk we can all really apply to our lives. 

I also enjoyed the talk on the call to rescue by Chi Hong Wong. 

Elder Christopherson gave a great talk, as did President Uchtdorf. 

I of course loved Elder Andersons on the Prophet Joseph Smith. 

Elder Callister taught great things about the role of parents. 

Jorg Klebingat gave us 6 great steps on what i would say how to be happy. 

Elder Holland gave once again an amazing talk on caring for the poor, i knew dad would enjoy that one as it applies so much to fast offerings. 

Favorite Preisthood session was President Eyrings talk on Priesthood Preparation. 

Last but not least Richard G. Scott gave an amazing talk. His are usually a bit dry in my opinion but this one really touched me. 

So as you can see i loved all of conference that is most the talks right there. They are all just great, and i really look forward to studying them more and more, and hope that you will do the same personally and in family home evening. 

i love you all so much

Hold to the Rod

Elder Zilles

Week 93: Hello From the Land of Joseph

Well hello there from The Land of Joseph,

Scripture of the week, i have multiple, so just hold on and buckle up. 

Ill get you details from the week after i do the important stuff. 

So the first scripture is D&C 50:40-42, 44. I found this scripture while i was preparing my last article to put in the mission news letter, and it just really touched me. The Savior knows each of us personally, he knows where we are in life, and what we need and as it says in that scripture none will be lost to him. 

The next one is D&C 20:14 This is talking about the Book of Mormon, and in essence it says that we were given the Book of Mormon to help us gain eternal life. and last but not least Mosiah 16:6-8 this is talking about the savior, it is a prophecy, so that of course means that at the time it was written the savior had not yet come, but that is what i love so much about it, is the way it is written if not careful you may think he had already come, but he had not, so to me that just shows the faith that they had that he would come as was promised. That is my testimony today, is he will come again. We have been promised that he will, and he will always keep his promises. We dont know when it will be, but what i do know is that when he comes it will be a glorious day, as we live the gospel we will be prepared for his coming. It will be amazing. 

Ok now the stuff you all really want to know..... 

So my companion is Elder Adams, he is from Los Cruses new mexico. So it is great being here in SO RO. Really is just a dream come true. The lord is blessing me so much my last two transfers, not only do i get to finish my mission in the land of Joseph, but this ward is full of dairy farmers, and dairy farmers have dairy farmer friends, so that means when i go talk to the members about cows, they then say "oh we should send you to see so and so you will have a great connection with them". The lord has allowed me to be in a place where i get to combine the two of the things i love most, the Gospel and Cows, it doesnt get much better than that. 

Opening a new area is an adventure that is for sure. We dont have any investigators, so we have just been hitting the pavement, Cause we are here to find people. We have done some service for some members and that has been a good way to start to get to know them. Saturday we helped paint a members house, the outside of it. The day before that we helped John throw hay, that was just refreshing. John is a dairy farmer that i helped milk when i was here on exchange at the beginning of my mission, he is less active but is one of my main projects for while i am here. When we first went to see him he recognized me and was really excited to have me back in the area, itll be great to work with him. 

Yesterday we got a crash course on giving tours at the JSM, and then 2 minutes later we were giving tours, so that was a party. As far as i can tell now, we will spend about three days a week giving tours for a few hours, its pretty neat to just get to tell the Story of the Prophet over and over. Hopefully someday we can come back here as a family, and i will give you all a tour of this place that i have truly come to love so much, and will grow to love more and more over the next weeks of my mission. So grateful to be serving here. 

Leaving Manchester was alot harder than i thought it was going to be, not the city itself, but i really miss my officce staff, they all became such great friends and it was hard to leave them. even though ill see them again, just was hard. The hardest thing was leaving President. When i gave him a hug after transfer meeting, he just started to cry and wouldnt let go. then in his President Stoker cry talk he said "Thank you for everything you have done, thank you for your service, i love you." 

Telling Elder Wells, Vanderholm, and Davis goodbye was pretty hard as well. Especially Elder Wells. Got an email from him today though and he seems to be adjusting back to life ok. He is already back to welding and breaking horses. Really miss that kid though. 

So youll be pretty excited to hear who is in my new district..... In my district i have Rutland, Middlebury, and the SO RO Sisters, in rutland we have Elder Gale and..... wait for it ELDER GUINN. I get to finish my mission with my first son in my district, such a privilege. So cool we both came back to Vermont at the same time. Its gonna be great. Also in the district is Elder Butters, Elder Smith, Sister Sumsion, and sister Erekson. Its a good district. Well i am about out of time so i best get running, but before i go i have a story for you to help you see that i am still me... 

We were walking through a small town called Bethel and walked past a park and i saw two teenagers making out. So being me, i thought im gonna go talk to them. So as i walked over there i remembered that in my bag i have a stack of chastity pamphlets that i keep for moments just like this, so i get over there and talk to them, they werent interested in the gospel at all, but i asked if i could still leave a pamphlet, they said yes. So what did i do? i gave them a chastity pamphlet is was great. I love being me. 

Today we are going to Visit Billings farm. Pretty good Jersey herd that dad should know about. 

Have a fantastic conference week cant wait to talk about it next week

Love you all 

Hold to the Rod

Elder Quinton J. Zilles

Week 92: Renew And Strengthen the bond between you and Heavenly Father

Hello my dear family,

Scripture of the week:1 Nephi 15:24

But anyways now onto the good stuff. It sounds like an eventful week on the homefront. Great to hear that Gram Norm is doing better, i hope she can continue to improve. Sad to hear about G and G Z. They will be in my prayers for sure. 

I will apologize up front, but this email will be short, i have some last minute changes to make to transfers. Stuff came up last night and we had to make some changes. 

Alright so it has truly been a great week. Elder and Sister Wilson were great. Our 3 zone conferences were fantastic and it was just a great week. The topic of conference was the Book of Mormon, so i really loved that. They taught us many ways that we can more effectively use the Book of Mormon in our teaching. Many things that i really look forward to applying in my new area as we get that place starting this week. 

Now onto what will happen this week. So today will be just nuts. We have 26 new missionaries coming in, so between getting them from the airport and everything else, my life is gonna be pretty crazy. But it will be great. Tomorrow is transfer meeting, and after transfer meeting my new comp and i will get in our brand new Chevy Cruze and we will head to SO RO. more details on SO RO will come next week as well. I am pretty stoked for the coming two transfers though. like you said, VERMONT FOR LIFE. Heck yeah. 

So my AP replacement is someone you should know, as he was in my room in the MTC. A good friend of mine, Elder Lund. He will do a great job and i cant think of anyone better to replace me. Funny part is that he and Elder Walker were comps just a few months ago. Itll be great though. 

So i want to share something with you that i have done alot of pondering praying and studying on as of late. That is this.... As i have studied, pondered and prayed, i have come to believe that all problems, such as depression, anxiety, low self esteem what ever you want to call it, all of those things can be countered by a renewed/increased knowledge of who we are as children of our Heavenly Father. As we renew/increase that knowledge all things come to work out better for us. That link, or bond between us and Heavenly Father is the most important thing we can have while here on this earth. That is one reason the Book of Mormon is so powerful, is that it combined with PRAYER helps us to renew and strengthen that bond with our Heavenly Father. So my invitation to all this week is to have you all do all that you need to do to renew and strengthen the bond between you and Heavenly Father. 

I love you all so much. Sorry for the short email. More to come next week.

love you 

Hold to the Rod

Elder Zilles