I testified that through the atonement, even his most burdensome sins could be washed away.

Letter to Dad....

Hey dad!  I sent a lot of cool miracles that happened this week to everyone else.  It was cool, at the new leader meeting, President came up to me and said that he actually had a different assignment in mind for me, but when he interviewed Elder Davis, my name popped into his head and he said that what I have is exactly what he needs.  It was cool.  So far training and district leading is awesome!  My whole district is sisters haha and half of them are on Palawan.  So President calls me the Relief Society President hahaha.  It's a little stressful leading and doing everything, but I love it haha.

Elder Zesiger with his new companion Elder Davis and President and Sister Ostler

I have to call all of the companionship's and get all their numbers and do baptismal interviews and report to the zone leaders and teach district meeting, its awesome!  Elder Davis has a super strong testimony of the atonement because of some past experiences in his life that he shared with me and it is an amazing strength that he has.

Dad this week has just been full of awesome stuff and it was awesome!  I love you guys.

Letter to Mom...

haha mom that sounds awesome!  I'm super glad to hear everyone is doing great, this week was super long but full of miracles and a lot of new stuff haha.  I've got a lot of cool stories as a result, the one I will tell you is about M.

She is the first person we baptized in the area awhile ago.  On Friday we went to teach her, at this point I was already with Elder Davis.  She seemed kind of out of it so we asked her what was wrong, she started crying and said that she sinned and didn't know what to do.  We taught and testified of the atonement of Jesus Christ and that no matter what her sin was, she could be healed.  There were a lot of tears and the Spirit was super strong.  When we left, she had hope and the faith to repent.  That night I prayed for her and I had the distinct impression that we needed to visit her the next day.  I didn't know why and I didn't want to cuz it was about 30 mins out of the way, but I told Elder Davis that we needed to go and the next day we went to her house.  She was surprised to see us, so we told her that we had prayed for her and felt that we needed to come.  She started crying cuz she was so happy haha.  She said that she still felt so bad and she had decided that she was not going to partake of the sacrament.  I asked her what her sin was and she told me that she was supposed to baby sit these kids and she left them to go hang out with friends and she felt super bad about it.  Just so you know for the context of the story, she is pretty close to being perfectly sinless haha.  I told her that Heavenly Father had forgiven her and that she needed to forgive herself.  We left and the next day at church, she came up and thanked us and said that she felt so good to partake of the sacrament.  It just goes to show how important it is to follow the spirit, how important the sacrament is, and how much God loves his children.  

I love you mom!

Letter to Caden...

OK here's a story, after I picked up my anak (companion?), on the taxi ride back home, I wanted to give him a good first impression, so we started a lesson with the taxi driver.  At the beginning, he just was preaching to us and didn't really want to listen, then I shared the first vision and we shared and testified about the atonement, it was crazy Caden, the guys attitude completely changed, it was cool to see the Spirit change him.  He started confessing his sins to me in the taxi, he used to do heroin, he cheated on his wife and had another family, and he even killed someone.  I testified that through the atonement, even his most burdensome sins could be washed away.  He said that he was feeling something that he had never felt before and that he had never confessed those sins to anyone but me.  I testified to him that it was the Holy Ghost confirming to him that our message was true.  He said that he wanted to be baptized, so we gave him a Book of Mormon and we will refer him to the missionaries in our area.  After we got out of the taxi, elder davis asked what he said, he was shocked when i told him what happened haha.  It was cool, I love you Caden!  Have a great week!

Elder Zesiger

Letter to Shelby....

I have a story for you.  Last Monday, as we were riding the jeep home, this girl started having an asthma attack.  It looked like she was going to die and her boyfriend didn't know what to do, so me and Elder Magno got her off the jeepne and started to work.  Elder Magno used to be a rescuer so he kinda knew what he was doing, but it looked like she was going to die.  I had the prompting to give her a blessing, but I said in my head "no blessings work according to faith and she doesn't even know who we are, so it wont work."  I felt it again "you need to give her a blessing"  I said "no there are a ton of people around, they'll just laugh at us"  I heard it again, "you need to heal her."  This time I said ok and I told Elder Magno.  He said ok andIi told the boyfriend. "we are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we hold the authority to heal her, can we give her a blessing?" he said ok.  So we blessed her as she started to like go into convulsions.  While we were blessing her, I could hear people laughing all around us, but we just continued.  After we closed the blessing, she was completely fine, like nothing had happened, and a member nurse arrived, we told her about missionaries and ran home before 9:30 :)

Someone tried to rob me on Wednesday haha.

Letter to Mom...

(A member in his ward sent a video of him and I asked if it was against the rules or "bawal")

I don't think that they are bawal haha that's funny you know that word, communicating with family is bawal, but I don't receive any communication from you , so I think its fine, the missionary who said that it was bawal is brand new haha.  Ya I have iritis again, it was worse than ever and my pressure was 54 so the doctor was glad that I came in cuz he said that it was high enough to damage my vision.  I'm ok, I'm just bummed that I am bawal on Palawan still.  President texted last night and said that I am training and the district leader for Santa Mesa as well as an island on Palawan called Coron are under me too.  So that's cool.  I've wanted it for a long time haha but its kinda scary now haha but I'm excited, I pick up my anak (companion?) on Wednesday.  Please develop the picture of us with President and send it along with others that you think I need.  

Yesterday night I couldn't sleep, I was just thinking until 3:30am.  I realized how fast the time is going, I've already been in Santa Mesa for 3 months and when I finish the training of my anak, I'll be like 11-12 months!  It's crazy.  I am going to miss Elder Magno. I don't know where he's going yet.

There is an Elder in my bahay named Elder Carel, he is the only member in his family and no one emails him, it would be cool if you befriended him.  He's in his 6th week in the mission right now.  I'm almost 9 months now hahah I'm getting kinda old.  

My week was good, I'm going to St Lukes again after this, I bought a fake Patek Philippe, I couldn't help myself it was only 20$ and its freakin sick I sent it in the video.  I love you guys.  Tell Shelby that we went bowling as a district and I killed everyone, I scored a 129 so she's in trouble.

I love you guys more than anything:)  thanks for always being the best parents ever.

Oh ya a drunk guy tried to rob me one night, it was scary haha, but then an old lady just jumped out of no where and started whacking him with a stick and I got away hahaha it was sick!  I love you mom, don't worry:)

Elder Zesiger

Letter to Dad....

Hey dad... I found out about the transfers last night.  President texted and said that I'm training and I'm a district leader for Santa Mesa and I have about 1/3 of Palawan under me too.  haha I was kinda shocked, I've wanted this forever but when I actually got the text it was kinda scary haha.  I was thinking in my bed until 3:30 am last night so I'm pretty tired right now haha.  You did the exact same thing at 8 months too right haha.  If so that's cool. It's crazy how fast the time is going now.  There are only three elders coming into the mission this transfer, two Americans and a Filipino so he's probably mine, its kinda cool, I'm gonna have an anak, but its kinda scary cuz I don't know how to train or district lead haha, but I'm excited.

We taught a lot of new people this week.  One that was cool was this nanay (mother).  We found a new part of our area that we didn't even know we had.  It is a huge squatter area along the river with 10,000s of people all in little wooden houses.  The nanay was taught by missionaries before and then her husband died and she moved, she has a lot of questions and our lesson with her was really spiritual especially in telling her how she could see him again, because of all the Christ did for us.  It was cool.

Part of our district, we didn't know they were taking a picture.

Someone tried to rob me on Wednesday haha.  I was on exchanges with Elder Gibson in his area so we were just two tall white guys.  All of the sudden this drunk guy just grabbed my arm and started grunting like a monkey haha.  I was like "oh frick!"  and I like yanked my arm back, then he grabbed my bag and was just pulling and screaming.  All of the sudden this old lady just jumped out from the darkness and started whacking him with a stick.  So we ran hahaha.  It was awesome.  Until that moment I never realized that I am just an 18 year old kid wandering around a drug infested city haha, and I'm still totally safe!  That's pretty cool.

I love you dad, I look up to you a lot, but I'm doing fine, tell mom not to worry.  I'm finishing the standard works, but the bible is long.  There are a lot of ways to sacrifice a bull and now I know every single one. haha.  Also, the transam has to be done so I can focus on developing myself into a success.

There is a guy in my ward that has kind of become one of my idols.  His name is Aries Siton.  When he was little, his family was really poor and he collected and sold plastic to survive, then he went on a mission and decided that he could change his life.  When he got back he worked really, really hard and got smart.  Now he owns his own architecture and engineering company.  His wife is a lawyer and they both play instruments.  He is now building an apartment complex across the street from his house for income and he just decided that he would build a hotel.  He is always super happy but he can be serious too.  He came up to us yesterday when Raizo got ordained a deacon.  He is the ym president and for the last two years every month he has been fasting that a young man could be baptized into the ward.  Raizo was the first one, it was awesome!

I love my mission, I love you guys:) thanks for being the best parents ever.

Elder Zesiger is having some trouble with his eye again so we are anxious to see what the doctor said.

Letter to Mom...

I'm going to the doctor after this, and I'll probably get more medicine, I'm just bummed cuz I was 2 months without a problem and I was cleared to go to Palawan and the transfer ends next week, so I'm probably still not going. 

I can't imagine why he would want to go to Palawan.  Not that he can go in the water anyway!

Raizo has been awesome, he drew a couple pictures of me and gave them to me, this other investigator also gave me a sick knife!  Raizo and John Ralph work with us everyday and carry our bags hahah its pretty funny.  We had a barbecue last night on the roof and we are going to get huge burgers later to celebrate 4th of July even tho I'm the only American, we are also going bowling haha.

This week was pretty good.  For my eye, its like when you stand up too fast and every thing goes black, but all the time and its like flashing.  I can also see my veins, like not in the mirror, but in my vision.  It looks like black lightning flashing across my vision, its kinda cool, but scary.

I will email dad about an awesome experience that i had with the priesthood, I love you mom.

Letter to Dad...

I had an awesome experience this week with the Priesthood.  When we went to teach the Totanez family, Sister Totanez was really sick.  She couldn't see and she was super dizzy.  I remembered the John Tanner movie, have you seen it?  I asked her what they asked him in the movie.  Do you believe that Christ healed the blind?  Do you believe that His authority and power has been restored and exists in the church today?  Do you have faith sufficient to be healed?  She said yes to all and asked me for a blessing.  I blessed her that she would be okay, but I don't really remember what I said.  After the blessing, the Spirit was strong, but nothing really happened.  We asked her to say the opening prayer for the lesson and she prayed that the blessing would work and told Heavenly Father that she believed.  I was praying sooooo hard in my heart that the blessing would work, for her faith and mine, I had never healed anyone before.  I was praying and praying while Elder Magno taught his part.  I heard these words in my head.  "Put your trust in Me.  I will fulfill my promises."  I was calm.  All of the sudden Sister Totanez stood up to go get her Book of Mormon and the whole room went quiet.  She smiled and started laughing with excitement and said that she felt amazing, after that she read verses like it was no problem, tears came to my eyes.  It was an amazing faith building experience. 

This week was fast, I love you dad.

When I was sitting there and watching them listen to the talks in their baptismal clothes it was one of the best feelings ever!

Letter to Dad....

 I've just had this rash on my arm for 2 months but I think it'll go away if I ever stop sweating.  When we get back home we are going to have a wrestling bracket, all of the roommates want me to teach them how haha, it'll be fun, we've just gotta go slow so it doesn't count as a "contact sport" so its not against the rules.

I had a good week. It was an amazing feeling to see Raizo and Sherley and Kyla sitting in their baptismal clothes and listening to talks, and when they got confirmed, it felt like the whole room got warm cuz the Spirit was so strong.  Sister Sherley has other kids that want to be baptized too and Kyla's other two sisters want to also.  They are all ready and we've already taught them all the lessons, but they need to go to church for a couple more weeks to fulfill the requirements.

I learned a ton at zone conference.  President Ostler said that when you have hard relationships in life, you have the opportunity to say: am I am man and am I gonna fix this and succeed anyway, or am I a victim and I will just accept anything that will come. I realized that I could choose.  Whenever I try to be happy and have fun and think positive thoughts, we are obedient and get along, when I don't, we don't.  Sometimes its really hard but I've been praying for and studying charity to try to get better.  

Letter to Mom....

Kyla and Raizo and Shirley got baptized!  It was so awesome and when I was sitting there and watching them listen to the talks in their baptismal clothes it was one of the best feelings ever!  Also a big change happened to Raizo's friend, John Ralph.  We have taught him a couple of times, but he never really participated in the lessons, but after Raizo got baptized, he came up to me and was like, "I'm next".

We taught him last night and these 4 new girls were there so we taught them too and he bore his testimony like he was already a member hahaha.  Then he was like "when can I get baptized"  "when can I go on a mission?"  It's soooo cool.

We had a zone conference and I feel like I learned a ton.  President said a cool quote, he said: your success never depends on other people, it always depends on your faith.  I've been collecting quotes and writing them since the end of march and I've got about 260 now and I finally got into the big journal!  It's awesome thanks for sending it to me.  I love you guys a ton:)

Elder Zesiger

Happy Father's Day!

Letter to Mom...

Pretending I'm on Palawan!

  It sounds like every one is doing awesome!  Thank you so much for raising me in the church.  As I translated for President Wolcott, the first councilor in the mission as he interviewed our investigator, he told us of how one of his sons has chosen another path and that it brings him and his wife so much grief.  I'm sorry if I ever brought you guys grief, but I would just like to thank you guys for preparing me to be here.  I am having experiences here everyday that I feel are changing the direction of my life forever and none of that would have happened if you wouldn't have done absolutely everything to get me here.  There are so many missionaries here that are the only members in their families and they come anyway, I'm not strong enough to do that, I can't even pack my own things, I think that is why Heavenly Father sent me to you guys!

I was so lazy before my mission, that is not an option anymore, I have a lot to accomplish and change in this world.  There are too many people living horrible lives here and working so hard for so little.

I love you guys!

 

Letter to Dad...

Happy Father's Day!  I heard that we have an apple tv now that's pretty sick!  Ya the experience with that investigator was actually pretty awesome.  Since the rules for baptism are pretty strict, if she wouldn't have gone to church yesterday, her baptism would have been a lot later, so I was kind of scared, I probably looked sad for Joy cuz I was just sitting there praying like crazy haha.  I was telling Heavenly Father that we had done all we could everyday for this investigator, and that right now we really needed His help to get her to church.  Then, she walked in!  So we have three baptisms on Saturday.

 

  I had a cool experience too with one of the other ones,  she had to be interviewed by President and I got to be the translator.  It was an amazing spiritual experience, we talked about the atonement and then he gave a prayer for her and I had to translate it word for word.  It was amazing and then after that he testified to her that she had been forgiven and it was like one of the strongest spiritual moments of my life.

​This is Raizo, he is getting baptized on Saturday

and he's a good artist!

I also had a cool experience with the Priesthood, which i just realized was the subject of your email last week .... that's pretty cool.  We were in an investigators house teaching them how to do family search and their internet wasn't working, so I felt to ask the investigator to say a prayer, so she did, and nothing happened.  I was confused.  Then I remembered President Monson's story in conference about the guy commanding the boat to save them with the priesthood, so I said in my mind.  In the name of Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Melchezidic priesthood which I hold, I command the internet to work for the purpose of our investigators progression towards baptism.  Nothing happened again.  I was confused.  I thought "I'm worthy right?"  "I have faith right?"  "what the heck is going on the power of God is more powerful than the power of network connection right?"  "is it even real?"  It sounds kind of stupid but those were the thoughts that were going through my head.  Then I thought "I have seen the priesthood work before and I have felt its power, I know that it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost and my faith will not live or die based on evidence, I will believe."  Then right as I thought that, the internet worked, like immediately! Then right as we finished, we lost connection again.  It was sick.

 

What his wall looks like when they return home at night.  Those are cockroaches!!

I love this work and I know that it is true, I am studying like crazy the teachings of Joseph Smith and the more I learn the more I realize that I could not and don't want to be anywhere else but here right now. 

I love you dad!

Found a Maserati!

 

 

It taught me never to give up, even when the time is past and it is too late.

Letter to Dad....

We had a cool go getter moment on Sunday.  We are looking at 3 baptisms for June 25 but when we were at sacrament, one of them named didn't show up!  I was freaking out because if she didn't go to church on Sunday, then her baptism would have to be moved to the 16th of July!  After church, we texted her to see where she was.  In their family, there are 3 sisters, they all want to be baptized but every other week one of them has to stay at home and help their mom prepare and sell food at their store.  If investigators miss 2 Sundays in a row, the count has to start again!  Apparently, her sister who was supposed to work, was at a catholic baptism so she had to work.  There was another sacrament meeting at 2pm. So this is what we did:

1. we started calling all of their member neighbors, none of them could work.

2. we decided that we could go work, so we started on the 30 min jeepne ride

3. as we were on our way, the mom texted Elder Magno and said that she didn't want us to work for her, I told him that we should just keep going and it would work out, cuz I didn't know what else to do.

4. we got there and then her sister was there to work!  but our investigator wasn't, she had followed her sister to the baptism and was still there.

At this point I lost hope because it was already 2 and I was frankly just mad at the world!  Then, she walked in!  We were like "lets go lets go!"  and we ran to the church and got there, a little late, but its ok!

It was a cool experience and it taught me never to give up, even when the time is past and it is too late.

She will still get baptized on the 25th:)

I love you guys, I had a dream about the trans am and it needs to be done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Letter to Mom...

I love you mom, I am having a great time!  There are a lot of baptisms lined up for the rest of this transfer.  I am teaching an English class in this squatter compound to a lot of little kids.

I go to St Luke's tomorrow to see if my eye is still clear so that's exciting!

I have also been reading the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith book and I'm learning so much!

I'm going to be soooo successful when I get home now hahahahaha

I am also going to learn how to play the piano, I figured out how to play count thy fountain of thy blessings and it was fun haha.  So Caden better watch out cuz I'm fast:)

 

I love you guys thanks for being the best parents ever! 

It's crazy how much Heavenly Father blesses you when you are obedient

Letter to Mom....


The Totanez Family

No I'm not getting transferred, the transfer day happened but I'm still in Santa Maria with Elder Magno, I might be here with him until August because he only has 2 transfers left but I don't know.  Ya the Totanez family is awesome!  They are going to get baptized on the 25th and then some in the first couple weeks of July!  It's awesome!  We also have another family of 3 girls that are going to get baptized the 2nd week July too. Then another family which I'll send you a picture of their kids.  They are probably in late July. It's crazy how much Heavenly Father blesses you when you are obedient.  There have been 0 baptisms in this area for over a year, but then we just try to be exactly obedient for a couple months and Heavenly Father blesses us with a ton of families!  It's awesome!  We have been teaching and helping Alvin's family too, we have brought them to member FHE and his little sister went to church yesterday.  We even got his dad a job which is really hard to do here.  I love you guys sooo much.  It was fun buying Caden the birthday gifts. I almost kept the watch cuz its sick haha.