Special Prayer :)

TRANSFER NEWS!!!!!!!! 

Elder Haas and I will be.........................STAYING!!!  It'll only be the two of us in that HUGE apartment for 7 weeks.  The only other thing that changed in the zone, is Elder Skouson moved up to Kakata and Elder Avournu is now the new District Leader up there.  Sooo, you could say nothing changed in our zone again....  maybe the next one something will happen! Taking over both areas makes it more exciting.  It'll keep us on our toes and we'll have to always be conscious of who's progressing and who's not.  That'll be the test for us. I'm now on my 13th transfer so only 4 left.  by the end of this one, I'll be at my 18 month mark..... crazy.  Everything comes fast now.  The more time you spend out on your mission, the quicker the time seems to go.  As Elder Haas and I were planning things out for the next transfer, we realized how long yet short it'll be.  We have something every week of the transfer and most of it will be traveling to Kakata and going in town for mission council and zone conference.  It'll be September before you know it.  SAD... theres mixed emotions about time now.  You asked if there's anything new missionaries should bring... most of the stuff they can really buy here, so tooth paste, tooth brush, and a humble heart willing to learn is what should be on the top of the list!  

Question, if you build a green house, can you grow pineapples inside?  I've been thinking about that for awhile because fresh pineapple is SOOOO good!  it takes one year to grow though. And that'll be cool to go to the Hezeltines Homecoming.  They will worship in Harbel branch right before they go home!  They've been in this branch for a long time, so they know a lot about it.  

The reason for the two transfers, is because of the Mission President Seminar that happens every year in October.  Transfers would've happened while all the presidents were gone, so instead, they moved the transfer days up to fit better with the schedule.  And I don't think I'll know my release date until December or November at the earliest. 

Like I mentioned we had an exchange with the Assistants. We found out about it the night before.   Not fun to plan for two people in one area with them coming the next morning. plus it was weekly planning.  Elder Haas and I were going to hold and exchange with the other Harbel elders if Elder Haas was leaving, because I don't know the other area. But, if we could find out if he was staying, then we wouldn't hold it.  So, we asked if we could get transfer news so we could plan for our day a little better, and they gave it to us.  They said Elder Haas will be staying and that they'll be coming tomorrow morning. I went with Elder Dahlin that day which was way fun.  We had a good hard working day where we were able to teach 11 people.  A cool experience Elder Dahlin and I had, was after we got done teaching a Recent Convert who's name is sister F.  This was his first time stepping foot in Harbel, so he wanted to see it and get to know the area.  So, I would show him little roads and tell him where they go and what not.  Well, after this lesson we walked over to a road for Elder Dahlin to know and as we were talking (make note, this all happened under 1 minute) an old lady spoke to us. We turn and see one of our members sitting under her porch, and she calls to us to come in. The two of us go over, greet her and her children, then the daughter and son invite us to sit down. Elder Dahlin and I look at each other, smile, then take the opportunity to teach them the Restored Gospel!   As we introduce ourselves and the church, we came to find out that they know almost nothing about Jesus Christ, but want to be going to church and learn. Elder Dahlin and I were excited! Neither of them knew how to pray, so we taught them in the simplest way we knew how, so that they'd be able to start receiving answers to their prayers. We extended them August 16 to be baptized and they accepted. The daugther is in her 30's and the son is in his 20's. After we had closed and were leaving, thats when we found out that the two of them will be going in Town for a month..... SAD! Just got through with a powerful lesson, and now they're leaving for a month. We told them to keep our number and to call when they get back to Harbel. It was a miracle to the two of us to see how the Lord works. All we were wanting to do was for Elder Dahlin to get a better Idea of how the area was laid out. Not thinking about contacting or teaching anyone in that area, then it led to us meeting two of Gods children who are ready to receive the Gospel. God is truly directing his work on earth.

This same day, J. was having his Graduation party.  A. his ma, told us that it would be starting around 3pm.  Elder Haas and I discussed that it would be better for us to just go at the end of the day around 4:30 to 5.  Good thing too!  When we got there around 4:30, we see that nothing has started.  A. came over and told us that they were still to the school and haven't come yet.  Ah... problem.  Well, we'll come back.  As we were coming, we had seen K. our recent convert, out in front of her house.  Thats who we went to see.  She lives across the road not to far from where the celebration will be.  Even she was going to the party, so we had small time to teach her.  She had to go get something, so Elder Dahlin and I waited on the bench out front.  All a sudden we hear horns going crazy and then see 10 or so bikes come flying down the road in the distance.  As they came closer, we could see that all the people standing up on the bikes, were our investigators... And following them, was J. standing out the sun roof of an SUV.  He was holding his flowers and certificate business.  Now, the funny thing about J., he has the same expression for everything.  Sad, angry, happy, excited.  It's all the same.  So, as he came riding past us, we could tell he was excited.  How? He did a little hand gesture to us with his flowers and then nodded haha no small entrance this man made!  After we taught K. about Eternal marriage, we went to the party.  G. had prepared seats for us, so we sat down and it started.  The MC was making a few announcements and then we hear him say,"our invocation will be by Elder Haas."  OOh nice!  haha no one even told him. Made us think what if we didn't come... would've ruined the whole thing.  After the prayer, the MC came back on and says,"Now that J. has graduated, it would be good for him to have a special prayer."  *looks to his paper*  "The special prayer will be done by Elder Zaugg."  What?!  Whats a special prayer?!?   I stand up, go to the front, stand next to J., and still am thinking,"..... SPECIAL PRAYER??"  So, I decide to fold my arms, close my eyes, bow my head, and then as I sat there I thought,"maybe I can open my eyes to see if the reaction from the audience will tell me if I'm doing it right or not."  I peak open one eyeball... And all I see is everyone's eyeballs starring back at me.  Great, I hope I'm not ruining the program. I Just said a regular prayer comforting him and giving him counsel. Wasn't too sure on what you say in a "special prayer."  At the end, no one threw anything so I think it was accepted. I thought it was very nice of them to ask me to be a part of the program.   Because of time, G. brought our own food behind everyone, we ate, and then went home.  This is one of those memorable moments on mission that I won't be able to forget!  What if our time wouldn't have aloud us to come to this.... Its a good thing everything happened just right for us that day. 

I would tell more, but my hands are tired of writing.... sorry. :) next week, yeah?

Continue to find the miracles in your day to day activities! Love you!

Love Elder Zaugg

Garpue

("White man" in one of their Dialects)

Obedience Brings Blessings, Exact Obedience Brings Miracles

We celebrated July 4th.  We did a small celebration with a cheese cake and Hamburgers with sauteed onions, an egg, then bbq sauce, with a side of fries.  REALLy good...  but did not sit well AT ALL.

I like this saying.  It's one that is used in the mission often,"Obedience brings blessings, Exact obedience brings miracles."  God doesn't hide anything!!!  There's no secret to getting blessed.  I actually bore my testimony on this exact thing yesterday.  Taking it one by one is exactly what you need to do.  No one can ever eat a whole pie all at once, you have to take it piece by piece.  Like Gods commandments, its difficult to take ALL the commandments and be EXACTLY obedient at once.  We too, need to take it little by little.  Take one commandment like loving your neighbors as yourself, and become PERFECT in that commandment.  Then move to the next one.  After awhile you'll see the whole pie is gone if you stick to it. or in other words, you're EXACT in obedience.  Its something we should all try to do.  It's sad to see people willfully doing things they KNOW they shouldn't.  Even when there's times you're tired of following the rules, you should never allow yourself to WILLFULLY disobey.  At that exact moment, that's when the Spirit will leave you.  It's better to do whats right then to do what YOU WANT to do.  James 4:17 I believe is a VERY good scripture.

The MTC deal... we don't know anything about it. (We told him some Elder's leaving the U.S. in August are going to the Provo MTC instead of the Ghana MTC.) At least they don't tell us that kind of information. We hardly ever hear about whats going on with the MTC.  We were told that 29 missionaries are coming in September!  No small thing!  But until then, a few areas are going to close down.  One of them is Harbel 1... Elder Haas and I are in Harbel 2.  In my interview with President Kirkham, he told me about this and gave small transfer news to me about where Elder Skouson will be going and that I'll need to be taking interest in their area this next week so I know their Recent Converts, progressing investigators, and Less Actives.  Elder Haas wasn't told anything, so I know at least I'll be staying in Harbel until September!  I'm totally fine with that!  

I'm trying to remember where I read this, but It said something about a man who had got in many arguments with his wife and had a bad temper.  When they met with their bishop, the man said,"Bishop, this is just who I am.  I have a temper."  The Apostle then said that this was a horrible statement to hear.  The man had immediately put a stop to his progression.  He had put up blinders and couldn't see how he could change.  You never are who you are.  You can always change and improve yourself!  Something President Kirkham told us at mission council was,"Never Rely on your own knowledge and experience.  You limit your progression."  If you're always humble and willing to learn, there's no stopping you in becoming better.  ALWAYS look for ways to improve. 

Not much really happened this week besides mission council, but I want to tell you about an investigator we have.  Previous missionaries had taught him before and said that he was a drunk who whenever they'd go there he'd want to talk and ask awesome questions while he was drinking.  He'd never agree to anything though.   My first time ever meeting this guy though, was a similar experience to what these missionaries had.  It was while we were teaching L., who is now a Recent Convert, and B. about the Law of Chastity.  The whole lesson he kept interrupting and wouldn't be quiet.  So, when Elder Haas took me to see this guy, and I saw his face, I went ahhh... this man.   But! Now, he's awesome! We haven't seen him drunk the whole time we've been visiting him, and even as we're passing each day.  What I love so much, is that he is one who WANTS to know where he needs to be.  He takes things step by step and doesn't rush.  Which is good!  You can't rush spiritual things, so we're on board with it.  He always has read the material before the lesson, and fires us with questions.  Always learning!  And he always goes away from the lessons telling us he'll pray about it.  We don't even invite him to do that!!!!  He does it himself. The guy's sweet!  He'll take his Book of Mormon to work and read it, but since the rain beat him the other day, he said he'll be keeping it to the house while he goes to work.  This man is one that Knows what he needs to do, and is slowly coming along.  We keep him in our prayers.

Another lesson we had this week was with J.   He was baptized last week.  We had finished teaching his friend, and he goes,"I have a question for you two."  Okay.  Then he proceeds to pull out the Old Testament study manual, and flips through it.  oooohhh.....  I look at him,"We may not have the answer...." Elder Haas and I laughed small to ourselves...  Elder Haas prayed for assistance the we'd be guided into knowing how to help him.  When he showed us the page, it said,"The difference between a prophet and a seer."  He looks at us,"So what's the difference."  Umm...  So J., Have you read this?  "Yeah."  then he starts quoting scriptures off his memory from the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament......  You sure this is a question? He always does this to us.  He'll ask a question and we'll start helping him, then he quotes a scripture he found and its the answer. I love it.
Love you all,

Love Elder Zaugg

"Write African"

Pumping Water In The Round

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!   

Take lots of photos of your bbq or party you'll be having this week!! We'll be sure to celebrate here too, no worries!  The AP's are coming on exchange that day as well. Thank you for doing something for Elder Haas!  He loved it!!!!!    And yes, the little boy in the Picture was shaking and scared of the "white man."  Quick little funny fact, how they say white man makes me laugh everytime.  You'll be walking down and then hear,"Write man!!  write man!!"  hahahah gets me everytime.    

 As you know, it was Elder Haas's one year mark this gone Saturday.  And of course, we did something small.  We picked up 4lbs of meat on our way home from our area, planned, and then set up a coal pot, laid a metal grill looking thing on top, and grilled some meat.  To top it off, we lathered honey bbq sauce over the top, with a side of baked french fries, with refried beans. Hope your mouth's not watering too much.  It was soooooooooo good.  Who ever said you can't have bbq in Liberia!?  We find out all the ways to do it.  We'll be going in town this Tuesday for interviews with President and mission council, so maybe on our way home, we'll stop somewhere and get a small treat to celebrate one last time.  Not much to do in the bush.

This week, we were able to go out and do a service project in Camp 2.  The place was called round field, and in the center of the place, there's a water pump where most of the community comes to pump for drinking water.  During the week we spoke with our members and investigators around there and told them what we were wanting to do, and that we even wanted them to help us out.  When Thursday came, majority of our help was from our investigators!!  How awesome is that? They were helping us carry everyone's water to their houses and just keeping a lively atmosphere for everyone.  It created a really good relationship between the church and the community.  We have a lot of friends now around that area who are a little more receptive to listen to what we have to share.  There is even one woman I buy my coconuts from, who was taking photos of us pumping the water.  They were all laughing at us and thought it was great.  Everyone appreciated what we did for them.  Its a daily thing for them that they have to do, so helping them out gave them a break, which I believed they loved.  So many little kids were chilling around us not doing anything but watching. One of the funnest projects we've done. 

I'm wanting to send some more photos, so sorry for another short email.  Quick question though, in the next thing you send, can you put inside a journal for me.  Thank you!  Have a great week of partying!!!!  Enjoy your Birthday DAD!!!!!  And the 4TH!!!!!!

Love Elder Zaugg

Pictures!

I love reading your emails!  Makes me laugh every time.  Even if I don't reply to something you 
say, just know I'm busting a gut on this side of the world.   I don't have much time because  of all the photos I sent, so I'm hoping you get them because that'll make up for this shorter email.   We just got the packages you sent today as we were emailing, so we'll open those when we get home.  Thank you for them!! 

Something I was thinking about this past week, was our emotions.  specifically, anger.  There was some stuff in the eternal marriage book that was talking about it and it had some great insight.  Something that I liked, was the definition it had for anger.

Anger: an indication of a persons inability to control thoughts, words, and emotions.

Its a sign of weakness and no self control.  Anger is within all of us, and we all eventually realize that we need to control it.  There was a book I read that said when you're angry, just stop.  You will never act correct if you act in anger.  Take some time to let the feelings go away, and your normal mind set come back to let you think the situation through, then respond.  Its all about becoming more God like.  Disciplining ourselves and overcoming the Natural man.  Everyone needs to learn to control their anger so they don't act out in ways that are uncontrolled.  No one likes an angry person.  right? I invite you all to bite your tongue and not say anything the next time someone gets you upset.  Breath a few times, then think some better thoughts like,"Maybe they didn't know what they were doing was wrong."  haha sounds lame, but it works.  I promise you that.  Try it and see for yourself!

I think it'd be cool to read what you guys have studied during the week too.  So, if you have some insight on what you read during the week, don't be shame to put it inside your email.  I'd love to hear it. 

 I love you guys!  Have a great week! 

Elder Zaugg

One of my FAVORITE dishes here.... and yes its served in a plastic bag. 
Its called Acheke sounds like this, Uh-check-A.  

On our way to a service project.

Two of the Rats we killed the other night. Small right?

Our little zone in Harbel! 

Where we went fishing, but I don't think there is any fish in there.

Sunset on Mother's Day

One of "THOSE" bugs

Sweet Miracle & Following Moms Advice

This past week I've been doing a random study about thoughts.  Interesting right? Seems like everything I read this last week had something to do about our thoughts, so I kept to it.  The way we think is where we will go in life.  Sounds simple right?  I read a few quotes from apostles and random people about thoughts and really, you can be the happiest person in the world if you just think good things. Quit stressing over things and let life roll its course while you do the best at perfecting yourself.  

A quote I read was talking about how 1 good thought planned out and acted upon, is better than 100 perfect plans put off until next week. Some of the time we have ideas that we'd like to do, but think,"nahh, I can't do that, I don't have this and this and this..."  This takes us back to, "if there's a will there's a way."  You can do anything you want!  Your thoughts make up who you are and who you'll become, so always watch your thoughts!

There are some things in life or on a mission, where you feel like you're tired and can't do it anymore.  Don't give up!! This week I had woke up, we had prayer, and then I sat there and thought,"Now I have to workout...."  Not what I wanted to do at 6:30 in the morning.  I'm still not a morning workout guy. I'm trying small small.  But as I sat there, the voice of my mother came into my head,"Do it with a smile on your face."  Has a familiar ring right? (;  I remember back home whenever I didn't want to do anything or was complaining about something, that was what mom would say, "Do it with a smile on your face."  So, it gave me some motivation to do my morning workout.  Never knew that a simple phrase would help me in a situation like that.  Its something I always am saying in my head now.  Keeps me grinning all day. People probably wonder what we're up to because we're always smiling and laughing as we go through the houses.  It's a good thing though!  I brought this up to simply give everyone a chance to hear my mothers own council that can help not  just me out.  So, always remember," Do it with a smile on your face." (:

I'll share a sweet experience/miracle with you.  A cool experience Elder Haas and I had, was when we were contacting.  Our goal was to find a woman that was able to read and who could help out the Relief Society.  Both of us kept a prayer in our heart as we walked down this road looking at all the houses.  We were trying to spot a woman reading something, but that is not what the Lord had planned for us.  As we passed by a woman selling peanuts, she was sitting on the side of her house minding her own business eating something.  Nothing out of the usual...  When we passed by, I got that feeling that we should go back.  I turned to Elder Haas and told him we need to contact that woman.  At this point we can't see the woman so He's looking around wondering who I'm even talking about.  We walk back small and there she was.  We introduced ourselves to her and then quickly went into talking about the church.  She offered us seats, and we kept lecturing small.  The conversation went on and Elder Haas started working on a pamphlet to give her.   This was the moment of truth....  We asked her,"So Massa, You can read?"  (Long Pause) "Yes."  Both of us were ecstatic!   As we kept talking about the church and what not, she finally told us that she had visited the Logan Town branch last Sunday because she was helping her mom who is sick.  Mind you, this woman hasn't attended a church for two years and then happens to attend our church last sunday, and then we find her.... Miracle.  

My testimony of prayer keeps getting stronger each and every day.  God is watching out for us and ready to lead us to his children if we are willing to listen.  I'm still trying to work on that whole, follow the prompting the first time instead of the second.  Don't know why I struggle with that. Thanks for the love and support.  Hope the week goes great!  Love all of you! 

Love Elder Zaugg

Popcorn and Sugar Overload

Soooooooooooooo  TRANSFER NEWS!!!!!!!!!!   I'm not going anywhere....... YAY!  I love it in Harbel so I'm glad I'm staying!  Nothing happened in our zone either.  kind of a boring Transfer news phone call.  The same thing happened in my last zone, except I was the only change.  I'm tired of things not changing! I like when things get mixed up and you can meet new Elders. Happy upcoming Fathers day!!!!!!!  Be sure to get him a nice steak from the Cheese cake factory or something!  Even some of those home made rolls/bread with strawberry jam would do him good! (; 

Good ole Sister Berrett!  She pulled me aside and said,"We need a picture! your mom hasn't seen you for awhile!"  haha hopefully it was good.  Elder Haas and I are enjoying each other!  We work hard together. 

This week we had mission council and was able to go in town to see what was wrong with my companions sinus.  So Tuesday and Wednesday was all spent in Monrovia.  As the Doctor was checking all his  holes in his head (ears, nose, mouth) he reached for a long metal stick with a light on the one end, and an eye piece you can look through on the other.  I'm looking at this thing going...."where does he want to stick that thing?"  He then proceeded to put numbing juice, or whatever you want to call it, in his nose.  The doctor told him to tilt his nose and then in it went.....  It went maybe 2 inches in, he moved Elder Haas's head small, then pushed it in 2 more inches....  I'm sitting there in shock that something that long can fit inside without hitting anything.  The Doctor told us he has Sinusitis.  He'll need to get checked again next Monday, so that'll be another in town trip we'll go on.  

During the week, sister Hezseltine dropped off popcorn kernels so I could make her some of that caramel popcorn.  So, last night we made it!  The first two bites were heavenly because of all that sugar and what not.  The one's that followed......  no enjoyment at all.  My head started to pain me and my gut hurt.  I finally knew what too much sugar can do for you :) not good.  It wasn't even too much!  We just haven't had that much in such a long time, that our bodies aren't used to it any more.  I'm scared for when I go home now! You'll have to ease me back into the sugar stuff.  I don't need another sugar overload like last night....

I started going through the Miracle of forgiveness again small, to get more knowledge on some things.  As I was reading, I found a quote that I really like a lot.  "Whether you think you can, or you can't, you're right."  I'm not sure if I shared this before or not when I read this the first time, but anyway, I want you to ponder on this.  Everyone always says If there's a will, there's a way.  For majority of things, its true.  If you put your mind to it, then anything can happen.  It all starts with your thoughts.  That goes into the scripture that was quoted in there about our thoughts.  Alma 12:14 I believe is what it was.  But it says that our words and thoughts will condemn us.  Made me think of all those bad thoughts that I've had about someone or when you're angry and you may get thoughts like you want to do something to the person but you keep it inside.  All these "thoughts" will condemn us at the judgement seat.  God wants us to become A LOT better!  I'm sure I can speak for all of us that we all can improve our words AND thoughts.  Something that was put in our email from president last week, was that changing takes a conscious effort.  You have to always be trying to change that thing, until it becomes apart of you, or second nature.  You cant say you don't want to gossip and then the rest of the day you don't think about your goal.  You'd fall back into the temptation of gossiping.  A conscious effort will improve us quicker.

Well, that was my week in a nutshell.  Hopefully it makes sense, if not... sorry. Love you all and have a great week!

Love Elder Zaugg

Mission Council  4 June 2014

Miracles Today

This week I'll share a sweet miracle that happened to us.  On the 28th of every month we are suppose to get subsistence.  So, as ZL's we needed to go to Kakata and get the baptismal records of the converts that were just baptized.  Our plan for the day was to eat lunch in Kakata before we came back, and then come home.  Well, while we were in our area, Sister Wesseh had cooked some food for us.  Now we didn't have to spend money anymore.  We then left from her place after sharing a little message and went to the Eco bank to get money.  As I stuck my card in and was typing in the numbers, the machine wigs out and says, Out of Service.  No.....  Neither of us had over ten US with us left for the month.  I looked around to see if we could talk to someone about it, and then I saw a paper saying they had an Eco bank at the air port.  So, we went and tried the airport, and as we pulled up.... it said the same thing.   Well this isn't good.  At this point, Elder Haas has no more money at all.  I check my wallet, and We have exactly enough funds to get to kakata and back, with ten LD to spare. 10 LD buys you two waters that's it.  So its not much.  We figured we could pull money in Kakata so we decided to go anyway.  The two of us were sitting in the Kakata car waiting for more people to come, when I was thinking about our day thus far.  I then realized the miracle that God had put in our life.  We were planning on eating once we got into Kakata, but because of the situation now, we don't have money for it.  Sister Wessehs food was a blessing for us!  Once we arrived in Kakata, we didn't have any money to even get to the missionaries apartment, so we had the driver stop us to the Bank at the edge of Kakata to see if we could pull money.  Guess what... ATM doesn't work their either. Now we really don't have any money left.  We did our business in Kakata and then headed back to Harbel.  On our way back, we didn't know how we would even make it back to the apartment.  On a bike it takes 40 LD to get from the parking place, to our apartment.  No small distance.  To walk, would take maybe an hour or more.  We were praying hard!!  Both of us were throwing ideas together to see if we could get a free ride from a bike by teaching him about faith and the blessings God would give him. :)  But we kept praying the whole ride back.  As the car pulled into Harbel, we walked to the Supermarket where the bank was at to try one more time before we took our journey home.  This was the moment..... We walked through the gate of the parking lot, and as I glanced at the screen, it looked like it was functioning.  I got a little excited, but decided that I shouldn't get my hopes up.  I put my card in and typed in the amount.  IT WORKED!!!!  At least we had my money that we could share if it didn't let Elder Haas work.  But as he stuck his in, it worked for him to!  Another miracle!  We finally had money to get back to the apartment!  How thankful we were for that one!

Hope you all have a great week!  Love you!

Love Elder Zaugg