Elements are right for the work to take off...

Elder Page's son and Grandson

(Meaning he trained Elder Carter and now Elder Carter is trainin the other missionary)

Matthew got a new companion last week Elder Bellows from Rigby Idaho. He is very quiet and timid, but Matthew is helping him come out a little bit. "I remember how hard it was in the beginning. I can tell he gets stressed easily. I just hope he feels like he has a friend in me."

It was a pretty slow week. It has been spring break on campus, so the work has been slow, but lots of time to train.. "Things are going well with the members. I feel the members are beginning to get behind us. We are having a ward fast for missionary work. All the elements are right to let the work tak off. Pray and fast that we will be guided to those that are ready. And pray for my companion that he can have his mouth opened to talk to people."

He is coming up on his 6th month mark, he's not counting I AM! :)

Hope you will take the time to write him a note.

I'll Go Where you want Me to Go Dear Lord...

Hello everybody!!!

Thanks so much for my email mom!!! I loved it! I can't believe tory and Dad got seats right behind the player bench!!!! That is so so cool!!

So the deal on Sapporo has again changed!! It is crazy how they don't know what to do with us!!!! As it stands now we have zero idea where we are going. Honestly, I have a feeling it might be stateside but I honestly dont know. We will howerever find out where this friday or saturday for sure so next week it should be locked in on a location!

It is less than two weeks here now and it is crazy!!! Really bittersweet to be honest, I have come to truly love the MTC and my district has become like my family, but I am excited to get out somewhere and actually start sharing this wonderful message!!!

I honestly don't know how they work calling while in Japan with the international distance and the dramatic time difference, I will see if I can figure it out but I bet it varies by mission, besides Mamma, I might not even be heading there quite yet!! But, I hope you guys are excited for a call in just a couple weeks when I head to the airport!! That will be exciting and I can speak a little japanese for you for the first time.

We got the cookies and we loved them so so so much!! Thank you! Surprise us for the last week, we love them all! Also, I have been working on a tape and I am almost done with it.

I have had a great week!! All of the native Japanese Missionaries came in this week and it has been really fun getting to talk to all of them! it is helping our Japanese a ton!! I showed them all pics of Marissa and Abbs and they went off about how they were daiutsukushi (So Beautiful!!). :oD The week just kind of sped along, really in the swing of things. Heard about BYU losing and all that jaz and it really has just cruised this week. Some of the Native Japanese told me what the Kanji meaning of our name Page is, it is read as Peace Samurai!! pretty cool huh!!!

I have been studying a lot in the Book of Mormon and this week I cruised through from Alma 30- Alma 50 and learned so so so much. That is where the chuck of my weekly challenge is coming from this week! I want you all to study the doctrine of the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement. I have learned so much and really grown to know the sacrafice of my Savior for me. My gratitude is beyond words. I know that he lived and died for me, and all of us. He was innocently betrayed by a friend and arrested, beaten and scourged by the romans, crucified by his own people, and most inportantly, knelt in the mount of olives and took upon us our every pain, sorrow, and sin. I know it with all my heart and so this week I want you all to take the time to show appreciation for what our Savior has done and study this mighty plan and Atonement. Some great places to start are Alma chapters 34, 36 and in 2 Nephi Chapter 2. I know and promise you all that as you do this and you diligently study these doctrines this week, that your love and relationship with the savior will be strengthend beyond that which we can fully fatham. We must all face the sometimes painful law of justice, but because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we don't have to face it alone. If we turn to him with faith and repentance, he will stand by us with infinite mercy as we face the law of justice for our mistakes. I know these things are true, and I am so grateful that I have been given that Mercy from my Savior and Redeemer, Even Jesus Christ.

I love you all so so much. I pray for and think about you often. As I learn more about this true and perfect gospel, the more my love for you all grows. The more that love grows, the more I desire for you to ALL feel the matchless joy that comes from learning and applying the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Alma taught in Alma 32 that if we try the experiment, then we can know for ourselves. Try the experiement, live this gospel and I know with all of my soul that you will taste the Sweetness thereof, and you will never want to be without that feeling and without that true knowledge ever again. Everybody, have a wonderful week!! My heart is with you and may the Lord bless you in all that you do. Press Forward with a steadfastness in Christ and you will find joy, this I promise you.

Love, Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Weeks winding down in MTC

Hello everybody!
Thanks so much for the email mom, it is great to hear how things are going back home. It is good to hear about Prom and everything, Marissa said that Abby was so excited for it and I am sure going with Garrison made it all the better. And duh she was the prettiest girl there!!! That's my girl!!!! I got my tape player in the mail and have already started on a tape, it is about 20 mintues long right now, just introducing everybody and stuff. It feels weird to talk to a tape, but once you get past the intial awkwardness it is really fun!! I will send you a cassette soon, You should tell Marissa to get one so that you guys can send it to her when you are done!! :)
Anyways, my week has been crazy. It was totally solid and stuff, but it was CRAZY! Both of my companions got ill, Kendall had insomnia and is on medication, and Benson got the Flu and had to go into Missionary quarentine! We didn't see him for almost three days. So my companions were sick and so they were constantly in and out of isolation and i spent a chunk of the week with Elder Tukukino and Elder Maris in a threesome with them. Tukukino is a great bud to me and so is Maris so that was great.
A crazy awesome story, on Thursday, my companions were out of commision and so i was with Tuk and Maris, we have the TRC that day and so i planned to teach the Plan of Salvation with them all day. Ten minutes before we teach Elder Kendall came out of isolation and we had to teach with ZERO planning. It was pretty scary and VERY humbling to go into a japanese lesson with no prep. We said a prayer and went in there fully on faith and it went so well!! For the second week in a row I have turned my heart over to the spirit while teaching and I have recieved the gift of tongues! My teacher said he was very impressed with how well we spoke and i know it was because we opened our mouths with faith and the Lord filled them. The spirit is an amazing thing and I know that if we have that power with us then we can do whatever the Lord requires.
Also, on Saturday, Benson had to pic up medicine from the Rite Aid in Provo so I got the rid in a Van out side the MTC! It was really weird to be honest, after 9 weeks of seeing nothing of the outside world, driving right past my old apartment was pretty crazy.
About Japan, we still don't know. Plans have changed since last week. We are no longer going to Tokyo like they told us. There is a lot of talk about moving us to other japanese missions and even of us temporarily going stateside, but nobody really knows. When we find out for sure i will let you know, it should be by next week. At this point, after going through 3 different mission assignments for Tulsa, to Sendai, to Tokyo, to wherever, I am just singing the Song, "I'll go where you want me to go!" :) haha I have faith that the Lord will get me everywhere he needs me to be so I am not worrying about it at all! :o
Mom, we used the squirt guns today on my P-Day! It was pretty funny and i felt like a little kid, which was pretty refreshing amongst all the crazyness last week.
My challenge this week is to study the Book of Mormon, all of you, every single day this week. STUDY it. The converting power of the Book of Mormon only comes when it is read and studied. So this week that is what I want you all to do, study that miraculous book every day. And I want you to start by reading Moroni 7, which is one of the greatest sermons about how to live and find joy in all scripture. Study particularly verse 13 (Good things are inspired of God), verses 26 and 33 (With true and full faith ANYTHING is possible through Christ), and verses 41-46 (the doctrine of Faith, Hope, and Charity). I promise that as you pray and study this chapter, and the scriptures this week, you will find yourself filled with spiritual Power. The Lord promises us that as we study his word we will find peace and strength, and if there is one thing I know it is that God ALWAYS keeps his promises. Of that truth we can always rely.
Well everybody, I love you all so very much, i think of you and pray for you all every single day. Momma, my district said yesterday, "Mamma Page, Send us some cookies!" I think there favorite was the butterscoties. :)
I hope and pray that you all have a wonderful week! I promise that if you build your life on the sure foundation that is Jesus Christ, every day of your life will be filled with a joy that cannot be taken from you. I will let you know about where I am going and when as soon as I can. I love you all, every single person who reads these words has my love and faith, Press Forward always and have Faith and I promise that all will be well, in good times and in hard.
Till next week!!
Love,
Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Prom

Lets see how many proms have we attended....I think this was number 6. I am so happy that our kids don't mind when we chaperone, besides I get to take lots of pictures :) It was another fun night, Abigail had a wonderful night with her friend Garrison and a few more from school and church. I am so glad that the do this for the youth. Everyone gets to experience PROM and in a good enviornment. Next year Tory will be going...yikes I can not believe that! I guess that means we have 4 more to go. I am going to miss doing this with my kids. I was talking to a friend and I told her I wished that they did something fun like this for adults, I mean how often do you get to go dancing!

Abigail's Prom!!!!

Finally the day came...PROM!!!! This was a totally different experience than it was with the boys! Abigail was soo excited, unlike the boys who never whoop and hollar about a dance :) And can I just say that she was soooo beautiful! I think she had her fairytale day. Thanks Garrison for escorting her and making this such a special day for her. I am already looking forward to the next one. Ok I let you get on to the pictures....Look how happy and maybe a little nervous she was....so cute
I love how Gavin is peeping around Abigail, who by the way said that she had a really pretty pink dress :)
This is always the hard part.

Garrison & Abigail looking fabulous!

sooo cute

WOW!

Waiting to eat...Garrison & Abigail, Patrick & Alex

The whole gang

What a great evening....ahhhhhh!

Happy Birthday Tory

I did not forget Tory's birthday, but between birthday and Prom I have not had time to post anything. #15!!!! He had a great day with family and Friends...yeah for those :) Tory we love you! Hope you had a great day.

Happy 15th Birthday Tory!

I can't believe my baby is 15! Look how handsome he is, not to mention his pretty sister :) We hope you have the best day ever Tory. You are a great young man. Our family would not be complete without you, you are like the cherry on top! Happy Birthday son we love you so much!

Matthew gets a new companion...

Elder Page hiking on P-day! Arizona is beautiful! He is really loving it! Sounds like things are going well for Elder Page. Transfers were this week. He is getting a new companion, not sure who he is yet Elder Page had not met him when he wrote his letter to us, but he is training a new missionary again. This is his third one in a row. He is excited about having another one right from the MTC. He is looking forward to doing great things with his new companion. Can't wait to hear more about him in his next letter. MAKE NOTE the mission has a new address so starting April 1st send his letters to:

Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapala Road

Tucson AZ 85704-4516

MTC

Zachary does not know yet what they will be doing, as far as he knows he is still leaving on the 11th. We'll let everyone know if anything changes.

Elders Page & Benson...Hurrah for Israel Elder Page and his district @ the Provo Temple

Dear Family and others,
Just so you know mom, Elder Benson just delivered that hug of yours! :) It has been a pretty crazy week to say the least. Things have been really different since Elder Bennion left. I am in a threesome now with Elder Benson and I and Elder Kendall. It has been different and definitely a growing experience� I got a letter from Matt this week and I made time today to write him back. He is doing good and I hope he enjoys my letter. Also, I got Dad's letter today.� tell him thanks so much and that it was a great lift and I will write him when i can. I have a pretty cool story from this week in the TRC. It was week two teaching lesson one in full japanese. It was very different because we were teaching with three this time. It started off really bad. The guy was a native japanese and he spoke really fast, I was blanking and couldn't remember anything to say! The lessson was in obivous shambles and I got so discouraged and low. It was then that the Spirit came pounding into my heart. I felt VERY strongly prompted to "Testify and Commit." So, that is exactly what i did. I turned myself over to the spirit totally and even though I couldn't remember much of what I said, My companions said I said something along these lines: "I don't know how to speak Japanese, but I know this message is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that through this gospel we can find happiness. Through Prayer, we can speak to God. Through prayer, we can know the truth. Will you pray about our message? The spirit was overwhelming and he very humbly and softly said, "yes." It was a really really amazing experience for me and for all of us. It was the first time I have had the gift of tongues manifested unto me personally. The power of the spirit is so amazing! The more I learn about the Holy Ghost here, the more I am blown away by its ability to totally lead and guide us. I promise you all that the Spirit will testify of truth. It will not lead us astray, and if we strive always to fill our lives with the Holy Ghost, we will come closer to our Savior and his will. The spirit WILL testify to your heart of truth, and the truth is this gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "Seek and ye shall find, knock, and the door will be opened unto you." I know with all of my soul that this is truth.
Thanks for all of the information about Japan, they don't really tell us much of anything in here. I wish I knew what they are going to do with us 3 Sendai missionaries. As far as I know we will still be headed to Japan on April 11th, but who knows what they will do with us. There has been a lot of talk about reassignments and humanitarian missions and so many other things, but they are all just rumors. As soon as I know anything, I will let you all know, but for now, don't even worry about what is going to happen with me, just pray for the Japanese people. I was thinking mom and Dad, about what president Baker said about the Page family missionary experiences, he was so right, it was just never ever going to happen normal for anyone in our family! The one mission in the whole world and it just happens to be mine! Tory, you better watch out, who knows what's in store for your mission! haha :)
Some challenges for you all this week, i have several but they aren't too big. I hope that EVERYONE does these by the way, every single person that reads these emails better do them, . I want everyone to read in Mosiah Chapter 18. Focus particularly on those verses that speak about the Baptisimal Covenant. Think about what it means to "stand as a witness of God at all times and in all places." I want everyone to watch the new mormon messages on LDS.org that were put up this month. Finally, I want EVERYONE to read this months first presidency message called "Looking for the Good." I hope you all take these challenges and you seek in earnest prayer for inspiration in your own lives from these things.
One more thing, My roommates have said that every night I am speaking Japanese in my sleep. Not just mumbling words, but speaking Japanese!!! They said I am saying things that they have never heard before! Pretty cool huh!! Well, that is all the time I have! I hope you all have a great week.
God Lives, Jesus is the Christ. This is his one true gospel, search in your hearts and search for truth in life and God will give it to you by the power of the spirit.
I love you!!!!

Thursday march 9, 2011 Sendai Japan

To start off I am so grateful that Zachary is still in the MTC and was not there to witness such devastation among the Japanese people. But of course he may see the worst of it once he actually gets there. I am just hoping that he will even be able to go. I know that Zach is getting ansy about getting there now. I know that his heart is aching for those people whom he was growing to love long before meeting them. I know that he is anxious to get there and do all that he can to help the Lord's children in that part of the world. I know he is probably scared, and may even feel a little hopeless at what he could do to console these people and what they are going through, but I do know that he knows that the Lord can and will do whatever it takes to bring his gospel to all of his children and that he is taking courage in that. I know he is happy to be able to be a part of such a great work, and that he will be ready and willing to do whatever is asked of him. My heart feels heavy and sad for their struggles at this time. But each day I pray for their hope to avail and their courage to be strengthened, that they may go forward and from this be a better people, to love each other more, do the important things, be a more Christlike being. These are the things that I am reminded of from something that has happened so very far away. God bless the people of Japan and all those that are and will be serving and giving aid to them over the next few years.

University of Arizona

Elder Matthew Page is doing well. This week he writes about his experiences with the lack of finding people to teach. They have been doing alot of work with the members to get them more involved in the process. Some wards are doing better than others. " I feel hopeful in what lies ahead. We had a mission fast on sunday. We are as a mission trying to double the number of baptisms. It felt so good on Sunday. I love the sacrament! I feel the spirit and peace of becoming sanctified and renewed by my covenants with the Lord." What a wonderful reminder of what the sacrament can do for us every sunday.

He has been trying to loose some weight. This week he said " We have been running alot this week. This morning me and another Elder (Elder Carter) went running with Elder Belk and Elder Carter's companion. They rode bikes while we ran. We ran 7 miles! It was so good! SAY GOODBYE DOUBLE CHIN! :)" I could not help but laugh when I read that. Oh the struggle with weight!!!!

He closes his letter by saying, "I've been just enjoying my time as a missionary though. Just meeting the members (who are great!) and just talking to people. Despite my lack of success I feel like I can still have joy. I will continue to strive to put in a little bit more and pray for the Lord's help. I haven't had much success, baptism wise, my whole mission, but I just want to focus on the good I am doing. :)" What a wonderful thing he is learning. I am so proud of him and know that he is working hard and doing his best to serve the Lord and his people there in Arizona.

Another week at the MTC

Hey Everybody, thanks so much for the email mom, it was really nice to read. I am glad you had a great birthday and I hope you made a ton of happy memories. I guess it is good to hear about Abbs hitting it off with Garrison, just make sure you keep an eye on him for me or else I might have to take down that state champion wrestler!! :) haha yeah right!
I had a pretty eventful week. Standing at the end of it I am doing great as usual, but there have been several test and trials for sure. The spirit brought comfort to me in a time where I was feeling very low. I know that the Lord answered my humble prayer and he does so for all of us. I learned a very valuable lesson through this experience. I recognized more fully that the relationship that matters more than all others is our VERY PERSONAL relationship with our Savior. What he knows about you and what we know about ourselves trumps all others. Nobody else in this world can take your faith from you, you ALWAYS have the choice to be offended and let satan steal the spirit, or to turn unto Christ and be perfected in him. It was a great learning experience for me. This week we went full japanese and it was pretty tough, but with it came many blessings.
I taught for the first time in Japanese and it was a truly wonderful experience, the spirit really is the most important thing, no matter what language you are speaking(or trying to speak). :) I learned this week that in Japan, it is polite, and encouraged to SLURP ALL OF YOUR FOOD!!!!!!! YAYY!!!! I am super excited about that one because you all know how much I love that sound! I figured that Jordan more than anybody would appreciate that knowledge! Maybe I will come home and NOT want to kill him every time he eats cerial! :oD
Mamma, just a note, don't forget about sending me all of my extra toothpaste and deoderant before I leave here, don't forget, Aqua Reef is my old spice smell! :)
Christopher said the opening prayer of the MTC devo the other night and he prayed in english like we are supposed to, but then he ended the prayer "en el nobre de JesuCriso Amen." HAHAHA It was so hilarious that everybody, even the leaders chuckled. I was so proud of my cousin. :)
Let me think, In Gym, I organized my district to play volleyball against our blood enemies...the Koreans!! Haha, it was really fun and we totally won. Everybody in my district was laughing at me because I talked so loud and so much during the game, I guess that is what I get for playing soccer all those years, communication is the key to any team sport!
My challenge to you all this week is to read and study the Book of Enos. I did that this week and there are countless lessons about prayer, faith, and peace in that one small book. After this week Enos is definitely one of my favorites. :)
I love you all, this gospel is so true. Strive every day to be better than the day before. Let the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Transform us all.
With all of my love, until next week. -Elder Zachary Taylor Page

Happy Birthday to me!

Another year has come and gone so quickly. Wow I hope I can keep up. It has been a lazy day for all of us after having a late night last night. But I'm low maintenance :) I am so blessed!

Finally some one to teach!

Well after much fasting and many prayers, they finally have some one they are teaching. It is going very well, she has a baptism date set. She reads and prays and comes to church. They are so grateful to have someone to share the gospel with, keep them and Claire in your prayers. I did not realize that he would be getting a new mission president 3 mths before coming home Pres. Killpack from Delta VT. He is loving the work, members...I think he has lost himself in the work :)

Oh yes and he wished me a very Happy Birthday tomorrow!

Elder Matthew Page

Hey, How is everyone doing? This week was a long week. We've been looking for new investigators all week with no luck. We've been knocking, contacting on campus and working with the members for referrals. The members are the ones that we need the most help from. It is so true with out the members the missionaries are hindered.

I have just felt alittle discouraged. I just don't know what to do all the time. Please continue to pray that we will find people.

I am doing good with watching what I eat. :) I'm hoping to keep my weight down. I went running this week. I finally was able to get my companion out, he rode his bike while I ran. It was really good.

While contacting on campus we contacted into a spanish speaking student, so I get to use my spanish a little. I have realize how bad it really is. I wish I could use it more.

Oh yeah, guess what I found out! THe lady who works in the front office in the institute building, Sis Rassmensen. Her and her husband got a mission call to the be mission president. They are going to be Zach's new mission president! Crazy huh! I told them to keep an eye out for Elder Page :)

Thursday we had meetings, I got to see Elder Kinsey. He is doing really good. On thurs. al so campus they put up a huge ramp and filled it with snow and made a snow board ramp. It was pretty cool. It's getting warmer here already. This sunday was good. We got a referral, so hopefullly we will have some member referrals in the coming week.

We are going hiking today, so that should be fun. I love you all

Love Matt

Elder Zachary Page

Hello everyone!
That is awesome about President Rasmussen, I heard about all of that this week and wondered if Matt knew either him or his wife, so awesome!!!
Well, this week was pretty crazy, Last week we heard an awesome fireside by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Seventy, it was super awesome and I learned so much. That is where one of my challenges this week comes from, he told us that "If we are inviting others to come into the refuge from the storm, we have to LOOK like we come from a refuge!" It makes so much sense, so this week I challenge you all to look as if you come from a refuge in this world of sin and sorrow. Look happy!!! Smile!!! Carry his image in your countenace always so that way people can SEE with their eyes that we are different. Carry yourself as if you are ALWAYS walking in sunlight! So, last Sunday I asked Elder Bennion to give me a blessing to help with all of the Nightmares that I have been having. He gave me an amazing blessing and I haven't had a nightmare since...except on about a clown chasing me trying to break my leg, but other than that my really bad nightmares have stopped. :) I know that it was through faith and the power of the priesthood that I am sleeping better now! It is so amazing! It was even crazier when right after I got my blessing, Elder Benson said right as I stood up, Elder Page, I need a blessing. I asked him what for and he said it was because of Japanese Afterwards Elder Benson told me that I hadn't said one thing in the blessing about Japanese. I was a little confused and I apologized, but then he cut me off and said, "I didn't actually need help in Japanese, I needed help with something else I didn't want to tell you about and you spent the whole blessing addressing that issue when you had no idea." It was pretty crazy and it strengthened my testimony of the priesthood and of the spirit so much!
We had our last English TRC last Thursday which means that from here on out we are full Japanese! It is taking it to a whole different level of difficulty but I know that the Lord will not only help me, but he will help all of the missionaries if they do not stress, they work hard, and have faith in the power of the Holy Ghost. I learned from another fireside the coolest thing ever too! I learned that "when we face trials that are NOT the result of disobedience, they are because the Lord feels as if we are prepared to grow, and so he blesses us with trials so that we can go from where we are, to where he wants us to be." I think that is just the coolest thing ever! The Lord shows his confidence and trust in us when he hits us with hard times! Knowing that the Lord has that confidence in me just makes me want to work even harder to prove to him that his confidence was not misplaced. I learned that the growth process is significantly increased when we will simply turn to the Lord and allow him to shape us! How awesome is that!?!? On Sunday I taught the District Meeting and I taught about Charity. My second challenge to you all it to watch the talk by President Monson called "Have I Done Any Good?" Then read Moroni 7, and ponder in your hearts the true meaning of charity and how we achieve that. You will be surprised what you will learn! Charity is the most important attribute we can all have! Christ was the perfect example of Charity, and we are all striving to be like Christ, therefore we are living our entire lives striving to have Charity! We really do need all other Christ like attributes such as faith, humility, diligence, hope, selflessness, joy, and so many more JUST so that we can have charity. it is the point of the pyramid of all that we are striving to become. I know that as we draw closer to God and STRIVE to have charity, pure love, continually in our hearts, that our joy will increase more than we can understand now. I have had another solid week everybody, some people in my district are having a tough time though so pray for my district and pray for me that I might be able to help them in all ways that the Lord needs me to. I love you all so much, have a wonderful week and when we face a frown, remember the great knowledge that we are blessed with and let that happiness light up your countenance!!!

Sincerely

Your Son and Missionary, Elder Zachary Taylor Page