She would still like real letters too!
Here is an excerpt or two from her latest letter:
Dear Family,
I have news!! First, I cut my hair!! I now have a pixie cut!! My hair is so short. I look like Julie Andrews. I cut it mostly because I want a hair cut that I can just get up and go with and also because I have always wanted one but certain people at home/everyone hated the idea. Now, none of you can stop me!! Muahahaha!! just kidding, but now really. I really like it and don't worry, it will all be grown out by the time I come home. Secondly, it was announced this week that missionaries are now allowed to e-mail anyone they want!!! So please pass around this email address after April 8th. Technically you can all e-mail me now but I still only have a half hour of e-mail time while in the MTC. As soon as I get to the field I will have two whole hours just to email so it would be better if we still stuck to letters until April 8th. Also that doesnt mean that I dont want letters because getting mail is like the best thing of all time!
Spiritually this week has been incredible. I can feel the spirit so strongly and with me every day. This place is amazing! You can just look at someone here and be so overcome by their spirit that you can't help but cry. there is truely no other feeling like being a missionary and I am honored and humbled that I have the opportunity to be a part of this great work. I have been studying the Holy Ghost a lot lately and his role as the third member of the Godhead. I have never truely understood the extent of his power and influence and as I study more and more, I don't think I ever will because he is power is so extensive and great. I never realized the role he played in the actual act of the atonement and I would invite you all to give that more study and thought. We have also been studying a lot about Doctrine/Principle/Application format and I love it! It is such a good way both to learn and to teach and can be applied to any aspect of life. It is explained in David A. Bendar's bookIncrease In Learning.I haven't read it because it is not part of the Missionary Library but the is the book we were taught from and I would also encourage you all to read it. It literally changed my out look on life and my mission and how to teach. I know that seems dramatic but let me give you an example. I was very very bored during the devotional on tuesday night and had totally tuned out of the talk when I decided to do a DPA on life. this is what I came up with...
The Doctrine of Life
Doctrine(WHY): Progression-the doctrine of life is progression. This is the reason WHY we are here. We are not here to return to our heavenly father again. If that was the reason of life then there would be no reason for life because we were already living with him. Why would we want to go through all of this just to get right back to where we started? That doesn't make much sense. For this reason, I discovered that the doctrine of life is to progress to a point that is better that the one we were at before. Isn't that the goal of everything we do in life anyway; to be better than we were before and to keep growing and progressing?
Principle(WHAT): The Plan of Salvation- this part if simple the WHAT of the subject you are studying. The WHAT of life is the Plan of Salvation. This is literally the map of life and how life is to be accomplished.
Application(HOW): The Atonement-This is the application because this is HOW we use the What of the Plan of Salvation to obtain the WHY of progression. This is the center and key stone of it all. The Atonement is what makes it all possible. And how to de use the Atonement? Through baptism and the reception of the Holy Ghost who is our access to the Atonement of Christ. That is the role of the Holy Ghost. He is our communicator with Christ. It is only through him that we can be forgiven of our sins by the use of repentence.
I hope that all makes sense and that you can all see how this connects to each other. I am kind of on a DPA craze right now and have been DPAing everything is sight. It is a lot of fun and a fantastic way to learn.
I can feel the strength of the Lord behind me as I am out here. I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing in my life and that this is the Lord's will. I hope you can all feel and see the blessings that I hope are coming to you as I work out here. I love you all. Remember the it is not enough to know, feel, or even do, but we must also be. Be whatever it is you are going to be the very best you can. Write me!!!!! and I love you all!!!
Hermama Zimmerman
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