Transfer News and Hot Boiling Oil

Transfer News!!!!!!  President said 28 companion ships will be effected by this transfer!  So, in our zone, guess how many missionaries were effected?!     Only me. Talk about boring transfer news!  I was pretty stoked though.  I have now be assigned to serve in the Harbel branch as a zone leader over the Harbel and Kakata Elders.  Yeah.... I'm in the bush.  Its a really nice place out here!  We have HILLS!!!!  Never thought I'd be excited about a hill.... There not mountains, but at least I got something to look at that stands taller then the zinc houses, right?  Its such a different place out here.  I LOVE IT!  This is my first day here so I don't know how proselyting is.  Its a lot different though.  The house's are lined up on streets and all look the same.  A lot different then other areas.  Its mainly because its Firestone.  If you don't know what firestone is, it's pretty much the largest rubber plantation in the world.  Fun fact, I never knew....  I'll share it for those uneducated ones like me.  Rubber comes from rubber trees.. cool right? Never thought that that's where rubber would come from.  More about the transfer news... I'm companions with Elder Haas from South Africa.  We get along great so far.  Doesn't say much since its only been two hours, but I'm sure we'll have a great time together!  He was serving in the other Harbel area and got moved over, while Elder Skouson was in this one, and got moved to the other one.  So, in a way, both Harbel areas got white washed.  They helped each other know the area and people small for the last week.  We'll see how it goes.  Elder Bowring is now a ZL!  You probably knew that already.  So is Elder Erickson!  The transfer will be sweet.  Also about the area!  We are the only 4 missionaries for about 50 miles or so.  That's a distance for being out here.  I will only see these 3 faces every pday until the transfer comes.  Its really different out here! I love it though!

And out of curiousity... what is this white mesh bag suppose to be used for.  Let me specify.... what is its purpose?  I've put it to good use with things, but I don't think that's its designed purpose.  Please let me know.  Maybe Its suppose to be for something better then what I'm using it for.
Its crazy thinking about you planting the Garden already. To me, It feels like last email you were telling me how you were preparing it for winter.  Now, you're preparing it to plant again.  Crazy... when harvest time comes, I'll soon be coming.  Prep all that home grown corn for me yeah?!? (;  

I'm trying to remember what happened this last week, but my mind is going blank.  Everything interesting happened yesterday.  Since it was my last day in the branch, I bore my testimony in church.  Afterwards the young women came  up and were saying, "Elder Zaugg!  You almost teared up!"  I'll admit, a tear almost came.  I kept it collected though.  Its tough leaving a branch where you have sooo many close relationships with the members and investigators in the area.  Knowing you most likely won't see them ever again is rough.  I've been here 7 months seeing these people everyday and now none of them are in my life anymore.  It's tough.  That's the bad thing about staying in an area for long.  But, its also one of the funnest/most successful times I've had on my mission. We then went around and said good bye to our people.  Elder Kamara and I were passing by and a  guy  was holding onto one of Elder Kamara's pants, when D's daughter called us over and said, "S's son is at T.K.G.  He fell into the pot of oil."  No!.......  We went over to the clinic and went in and saw S and the boy.  D. was in there with some other people and they were fanning the little boy as he was laying down asleep.  I won't go into details, but it only burned from his neck down, and stopped around his waist.  It didn't burn his privates or his face so we are thankful for that.    How it happened was, the mom was asleep while the little boy was outside playing.  There was another woman cooking palm butter when the boy ran past the coal pot and got caught.  Nothing happened at this point, until his friend tried pulling him off.  That's when everything went wrong.  It was a sad sight to see.  He hasn't even made it to his 2nd birthday I believe.  Elder Kamara and I gave him a blessing.

Something cool about church, was yesterday was the first day I've had over 24 people come to church.  We had a total of 27 people attend church.  Talk about an insane amount of investigators.  Doe Community is flourishing right now!  That's one of the reason I'm sad for leaving.  Brother R's wife will be getting baptized in two weeks, and I won't be there to see it.....  Even my cute little Recent Convert, N. came up to me when she found out and said,"Who will baptize my mom now?"  Made me feel sad again thinking about all these people who are prepared but are waiting for a legal marriage.  Her and her husband are ready, but they are just waiting for money to have a legal marriage.  I will miss Doe Community.

Thank you for the emails and all good stories.  Love you all!  Have a great week.  I'm confused with the move, so if I forgot anyone's bdays or anything, forgive me....

Love you all!

Love Elder Zaugg

"LOVE is not what you feel, but its what YOU DECIDE to DO."

HAPPY DAY AFTER EASTER!

Don't you hate that awkward moment when you wake up on Easter morning and realize the Easter bunny didn't leave any eggs at your apartment...  Yeah, that's never fun.  Hopefully he didn't forget about you guys!  Looks like the little ones went on an easter egg hunt? or at least pretended to and just took photos with their baskets.  Just a reminder to all, if you have any questions or any little things you want me to comment on, put them in the first paragraph in bold and I'll respond.  Easier for me to write about the week and then respond in next weeks email.  Gives me more time to write you.  This is the last week in the transfer as well!  who knows what'll happen.  So, next week I could be in a different area, or in DC for a sixth transfer.... Also, I got the package! You already knew that..... but, it was good!! I loved everything inside!  Especially more then one hi-chew! All the pictures made my day!  We decorated the apartment with all the stuff you gave for my birthday, so we enjoyed!  I also bought a funfetti cake with cream cheese frosting to eat on my B-Day.  Talk about pure enjoyment.  My companion said this after he finished,"Companion, you'll have to make one more of those before you go!" So, we'll make up a holiday or find something to celebrate this week so we can bake another one! 

Talking about eating out of the same bowl,  missionaries do it all the time when they give you food.  You just eat your little section and keep your barriers of rice between the other missionaries, then when it comes down to being finished.  you break the barriers and eat it up. Sometimes the members eat with us.  It doesn't happen too often.  They normally give us our own and they have their own.  

This year I'm not an adult.... not yet...  That'll be next years birthday celebration when I go sky diving for my 21st b-day(; that's when you can call me an official "Adult." 

The blessing I received before I left has helped to know I'd be safe, like you said.  I only wish it would've said I'd come home lean with no fat...  guess everything can't be on your side right? Opposition in all things!!!  

This week was interviews with President.  Its good to be able to speak with him one on one, and get some insight from him on different things.  He is very knowledgeable when it comes to the Gospel.  The past week prior to the interview, I had been thinking about a question from different incidents that had gone on. "How can you love everyone?" The Savior did it, and we to are expected to love everyone.  But how.... With the variety of people that can get on your nerves.... how is it possible to love everyone?  I took this interview as a time to understand and possibly get an answer to my question.  We went through talking and then he asked if I had any questions.  Here we go.....  I asked my question and he replied quickly saying,"You might want to write this down." The answer he gave me was "Decide to love everyone."  Umm... okay? Seemed simple.  He then said,"Love is not what you feel, but its what YOU DECIDE to DO."  With any situation its all about HOW you handle it.  What you DECIDE to Do.  He said this is how you can make your marriage last and make it a good one.  Its all about commitment and how you go about handling the different experiences you'll go through.  I believe I was blown away. :)  I'm making sure I remember this one for the rest of my life.  I know all of us can benefit from his response, so that's why I felt I should share it. 

Some scriptures that I read when going through my studies this last week...
3 Nephi 14:12
Mormon 3:15 1st line...  Vengeance is mine, and I WILL REPAY.  Give it to the Lord.  He'll make sure the punishment is just for what the person has done to you.  Let him handle it, and you learn to LOVE everyone(;

sorry for a"little" email (; haha kidding, I hope you all have a great week!  Love everyone of you!  Keep striving to be better!

Love Elder Zaugg

P.S. I'm eating hi- chews while writing you. thanks yeah (; 

Thank you to Sis. Berrett who sent this picture to Elder Zaugg's family, showing off his b-day presents....All 6lbs of it.

Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Rain

Its the start of rainy season!  I am enjoying here!!!  Partly cloudy outside with a chance of rain, that's what I'm talking about. Also Happy Easter!!    And No, I'm not an old man, I'm still 19 for 4 more days (: Whaoo!  Like I'll do anything crazy....  maybe go join some Liberian children running around naked in the rain. No big deal.  (KIDDING!!)

About the baptism thing, we can have baptisms every Saturday, but for our investigators we don't have one every week.  Sometimes they all just happen to be at the end of the month, but sometimes you can have where you go three weeks in a row with baptisms.  The problem that missionaries have here, is everyone's willing to accept the message.  They all "Believe" what we say is true. It sounds good to their ears and it doesn't seem wrong.  The problem with that, is their not converted.  They haven't prayed for an answer, they haven't put the effort in to have God tell them its true.  They just are accepting it because.  Missionaries will baptize some of these types of investigators which leads to Less actives.  I could go out right now and baptize all our investigators that come to church and they would be fine with it.  They would come to church for the next 3 weeks and then stop coming. But, We are focusing on doing things right the first time, and have them converted to strengthen the church.   That's been my goal while I've been in Doe Community. 

Now about the singing thing..... its a work in progress.  I'm trying and trying to learn, but I think it's just one of those talents God didn't bless me with.  I'll keep trying!!  

And yes, we have been cooking for ourselves a lot more. 

About our thief, We would take your greasing the pole idea, but they took it away.  Somehow he still manages to get up.  And he's not scared.  We catch him in the process and shout things at him through the window, and all he does is runs away, and waits a couple nights, then comes back.  I've just accepted our peeping tom as a friend, and will keep an eye on him when he comes around.  

 The Zone Leader business is good. We all are in a normal area like everyone else, so we can be various distances from the mission office.  We do a mission council at the first of every month, where all the zone leaders and sister training leaders gather and talk about the mission.  

If you have some extra change laying around and could throw a package together for a missionary who's been out 1 1/2 years, you would make his day.  He's never received one on his mission before.  If that means you don't send me one, I'm fine with that.  I've gotten enough that he can take it. His name is Elder......  Thank you!

Now onto some of my Recent Converts.  Do you remember S.S.?  He's now the District Sunday School 2nd counselor?  Anyway, he bore his testimony on fast Sunday, and let me tell ya.... you would not know he was baptized 4 months ago.  He has progressed in the gospel soooo much!  He studies every day and is always asking us doctrinal questions.  He has strengthened his testimony and is always sharing it with others.  He gives us referrals like crazy!  And there good ones too.  His testimony was about the book of Mormon and missionary work.  Blew everyone out of the water.  Such a powerful guy. 

V. was one that just got baptized two Saturdays ago.  She also is one that has a strong testimony.  Every week she is attending all the seminary and institute classes.  She is friends with sooo many members!! 

And with any of the package stuff..... really, I don't remember any of the good things that I want you to send, so if you think I would enjoy it, send it.  Haha I appreciate everything I get.  So do my companions :)

Hope you have a great week!

Love Elder Zaugg

My Enjoyment Today is Now Leading To a Short Email :)

I love you all!

This transfer just keeps going too quick.  I feel like p-days come quick.  But I will have to be short with this one today....  We are just coming back from being in town all day.  My companion had a dentist appointment and we needed to meet sister Berrett at 8am to the mission office.  You know what that means.... we were up and out of the apartment by 7am.  Talk about worst time possible to try and get a cab in town.  It took us maybe 15 minutes before a cab came.  It was all luck too.  We were standing there doing our Liberian "hand gesture" for in town, when a cab pulled up and only 1 person got out.  uhh.... it was in an Americans point of view a full car.  But since the law isn't enforced as much, I jumped in the back which made four, while my companion hopped up front with another woman.  Talk about luck! Gods always there to answer our prayers, even for a taxi!  When we reached the mission office it was 5 past 8, and sister Berrett was pulling in.  Perfect timing.  Anyway, we stayed in town and went with the AP's and some other missionaries to a place called the Ducor Hotel then to a place called Sams BBQ.   My enjoyment today is now leading to a short email... so forgive me.  It's 5:54pm as I'm writing this paragraph... so I'll be leaving shortly.

 I hope you all had a great week!  Love you all!!!
Love Elder Zaugg