Elder Garrett Zaugg: Golden Investigator and "Why is it when you're not suppose to laugh...."

Another week has gone by.... I love the copy.com thing! The pictures are sick!! The one of Dad and Troy is so sweet!!!! I was soooo jealous!!! haha I can't wait to go hunting! I know that after I serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength, that God will bless me with a world record Bull.(; How has the hunts been so far? Also, I responded to the past 3 p days emails in a letter, so I will be sending that with the couples tomorrow at our Zone Conference, which by the way, Elder Vincent from the Seventy will be speaking at. Totally stoked to listen to him! We also got told that he will be randomly interviewing a few missionaries... Yeah that's one interview I don't want to have. My heart will beat out of my chest if he says that he wants to interview me. Having President Wayment stare me down in my interview was bad enough! Now a member from the Quorum of the Seventy possibly.... pray that I don't get picked (; Be looking for a letter in the next couple of weeks. I put the emails in there to, so you know which ones I'm responding to. There's like 10 papers in there..... hopefully it gets to you.

Only a few stories for today. The first is about a book I started to read on mission. It is called The Miracle of Forgiveness. Mom, you probably have read it. But, this book talks about sexual sins and marriage a lot! When I was reading it, I was like.. oh this is a really good book, until you get to the middle.... Then you feel chastized for everything. It doesn't only talk about sexual sins, but that's the main one that gets repeated a lot. It mentions things on anger, lust, bearing false witness, murder and a bunch of other things. The whole time you read it, you feel like you are the worst person in the entire world. I do wish that I would have read this a lot sooner though! If you have not read it mom, This is a book you guys as a family should read every Sunday or something. It really makes you look at your life and helps you to become a better person. The Lord Chastises who he loves. So, we all need a little in our lives (; Really though, read this book if you haven't read it.

Now, a story that happened during proselyting on Wednesday I believe. We were teaching two girls named Princess (common name in Liberia) and Annie about the Restoration. I had just got done talking about what Jesus Christ had done on the earth, so my companion was getting ready to speak on the Apostasy. He goes into telling more, and begins to expound a scripture to them. Amos 8:11-12 to be exact. It mentions that there will not be a famine of Bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord. As he was explaining this, he said, "We can see that there won't be a famine of Breasts......." then it got silent. I had my attention on these girls making sure they were understanding everything, listening to my companion, and when I heard this, I was stunned. I looked at my companion and he was already starring at me with wide eyes. I am a horrible missionary for what happened next, and I have sincerely repented for it, but I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore. I was crying I was laughing so hard. He tried to continue with the lesson and I had my head down trying not to make it obvious, when out of no where he says, "and I'll let my companion explain the rest" He did this because he couldn't stop laughing either!! now what am I suppose to do?? I tried my all keeping it together, and I told them that we will just start from here next time. The spirit was totally gone and we couldn't even stay focused. The funny part was that the girls we were teaching didn't hear what he said, and they just started laughing along with us. Oh man.... Once we closed we were walking away, and I looked at him and said, "Why is it that when you're not suppose to laugh, you laugh the hardest?" we just kept laughing. Memories for life!!! I love Liberia! You never know what will happen next!

Another story about an investigator. His name is Brian. We first started talking to him while we were conversing with another Investigator named Albert on broadstreet. While we were talking, this man, later known as Brian, pulled us over to him and asked if we had something he could read. I didn't think much of it since we get this a lot, and especially since we're two white people, they just want free stuff from us. We give him a The Restoration pamphlet and then leave. As we passed the next day, he pulled us into his shop and wanted to learn. We began teaching him and this guy started to unload the questions on us. He was wanting to learn! The thing I love about the Church, is that it has the only true Gospel, so whatever question you have, it can be resolved. All of his questions we're resolved during this first lesson. The next day we pass by and he asks if he can have a copy of the Book of Mormon. Maybe this guy actually has interest... I thought. We were in a rush so we told him we would come back and talk more on it, but that we would let him have a copy. We came back, and he wasn't there... We called him, and he had gone out and said we should come back tomorrow. Alright, maybe he's not that interested... The next day, we are passing to a lesson and he says he has read the Book of Mormon and has questions for us, so he wants us to come talk with him. We came back in an hour and sat down. This guy had read the first couple of pages in the Book of Mormon from the introduction all the way to the 2nd chapter in 1Nephi. He had questions on it all! He even told us that he has been looking for a church and wants to become a member of the Latter Day Saint church.... Sweet (; we invited him to attend a baptismal service on Saturday and guess what.... He showed up! He even called at 7:30 in the morning to tell us that he was getting ready. How cool is that? We went there and met him and he loved the service. We told him we'd come by in the evening to talk and he said okay. We went back around 4 and started talking. The response he was giving to lesson 2 (The plan of Salvation) was incredible! He made statements that I absolutely loved! and one of the statements I loved the most was, "I'm just waiting for the right time, that I can baptize and become a member of the Latter Day Saint church." Let me just tell you, the spirit was STRONG in this lesson! I had JOY after hearing him say this! All I did after that was prayed that the spirit would stay in the lesson so he'd continue to feel it. We invited him to church and he came! Golden investigator right here!!!(; He loves the church and wants to be a member. From this experience, I have learned that I need to give everyone a chance even if they seem just like another person who wants something free. I love being on mission in Liberia and love the knowledge I have acquired about the church. I know that this Church literally is the only true church on this earth. People say that if they teach from the Bible that its a true church. False. I tell people that they need to pray about the church their in and when I ask them if they have, most of them say "um... no" Prayer is the only way to find the truth. After you have studied the scriptures, you need to pray, and you need to pray to know which church is true. Don't just be apart of a religion just because your parents are apart of it. Your parents won't be taking you to Heaven, it's yourself that will have to go there. No one will take you with them. Find out for yourself. I love the church and am SOOOO glad I had the opportunity to come on a mission. I keep learning and growing in the church and I love it. I hope that you all will find out for yourself if it's true and I hope you continue to study the scriptures on your own, as well as a family. I LOVE THE CHURCH!!!

D&C 130:20-21 obedience brings blessings
I believe its also in this same section that makes reference to something really cool that if you have gone to the temple, you'll understand. So read the whole thing.

Only one thing that I would like... WHITE CHOCOLATE! I had some white chocolate m&ms yesterday and I miss white chocolate. so if you could maybe for Christmas or my birthday send some, I would LOVE you even more than I already do!! (;

Have a great week and remember who you are. A child of God.
Love your Brother/Son Elder Garrett Zaugg