One Year Later...

Hey!!!

Wow!  I can't believe I have been a missionary for over a year now.  It doesn't seem like that long.  Pretty soon I'll have been in Germany for more than a year, and then after that the time will just fly!  The time already flew, haha.

Last week, we made some pumpkin bread.  It was delicious.  I didn't have much time, so I spent 30 seconds carving a face on my pumpkin before I baked it.  It was funny because it's super simple, but probably better than a German carved pumpkin.  They aren't very creative when it comes to Halloween.  Bummer I know!  It's okay though haha.  They will learn ;).

After that we saw miracles!  After P-day, we went out to work and we did some doors.  The second door we rang let us in, and we had a great first lesson.  This lady was totally prepared!  We made out a new appointment, which she didn't make because she was sick.  We have another new appointment with her but it is after the transfer!  Transfer calls are on Saturday, so we'll see if I get to stay or not.  I hope so!  I like Goettingen.  At least there are some awesome members here, and I've worked so hard to find investigators.

The week went by super fast.  We had a companionship exchange on Tuesday, Wednesday we were in Hannover for a Zone Conference, Thursday we went to a city in our area called Osterode, Friday we had weekly planning, Saturday we had lots of people to visit, and Sunday was Stake Conference.  Crazy!  It doesn't even feel like it's been a week since I've written the last e-mail.

This morning, my companion and I decided to go take a bike ride in the woods near the city.  It was cool!  We found a big tower, and took a look at an old sun observatory.  It was a cool ride.  There were also many pretty trees.  It reminded me of Hope Valley!  I can't wait for the snow to start coming!

Well, enjoy your week.  Next week I'll give you my updated address so you can send me letters! ;)  I'm excited!

November weather, here I come!

P.S.  Oh yeah!  We also found a vending machine on the side of the street that sells "Frische Eier" (Fresh Eggs).  Super cool right?  I included a picture so you can see it!

Halloween!!!

Yay!

Today is Halloween!  Way fun right?  Well actually it's not really celebrated here in Germany.  It would be so much fun to be in the United States knocking on doors on Halloween night.  That would be hilarious!  I wish I could do it.  That's okay, I get to ring doorbells here in Germany instead!  It's cool that today is our P-day though.  We also will be able to bake some pumpkin bread, and hopefully do some other fun stuff as well.  We'll see!

The last week was pretty good!  It ended up being kind of crazy!  We were running around everywhere.  We were quite busy on some days.  Just yesterday, we rode a long distance on our bikes to visit an investigator in a far away town, and we couldn't visit him!  It was rediculous.  He told us we could come over on Sunday, but it ended up not working out.  Oh well, I guess it's good excercise.  That's missionary work for you ;).

The work is really picking up here! We are finding more people, we found a cool college dormitory where we talked with a bunch of people.  The students who are our ages seem to be the most open people!  They are open to accepting the gospel, and they are willing to learn more from us.  Not all of them want to continue meeting with us, but just to be exposed to the church in such a positive manner is excellent.

This coming week we have a Zone Conference, and the week after that we have transfer calls!  I can't believe another transfer is almost over!  Next transfer includes Thanksgiving, and Christmas!  The time is flying.  It seems like just the other week I was in the MTC celebrating Christmas.  Now, I am sitting in an internet Cafe in the middle of Germany! 

I hit the year mark last week!  I can't believe I'm already on the last half of the mission!  I feel like I just got here.  The time really is short.  Although, if you look at all my socks, you would think I have been wearing them for the last 6 years ;).  Your prayers are really appreciated, and I'm thankful for everything you guys do for me! 

Alles Gute!

Is there ever a dull week?

Hey You!!

Have you ever wondered if there are simply weeks that aren't very exciting?  Well, wonder no more!  There is always something exciting in every week.  The Lord doesn't waste his time we give him!  This week was no exception!

This week was a pretty cool week.  We did more teaching than normal, we were able to set a specific date for baptism with one investigator, and we were able to enjoy the cooler weather!  Unfortunately, it has warmed up this weekend, but it will definitely get cooler again. I must say, I love wearing a scarf.  You can't wear scarves in the USA like you can here.  You can see the picture of me, and my companion as an example!  I may have to bring the fashion of scarf wearing over to the USA (everybody wants to bring something from the culture of where they served over to the US, right?). 

There's actually a story to this picture.  I just happened to be wearing a scarf at the time! haha.  So we got a brand new bike this week because my companion's bike was unsafe to ride, and it would cost more than a new bike to repair!  So we were riding along, to go visit a member in the city and... my companion got hit by a car.  Bummer right?  He didn't get hurt, but the bike is once again... Kaput!  So... we have to travel with the busses.  The busses don't go everywhere at the most convenient times, so sometimes we have to ride a bus that is close to the area, and then just walk.  This was one of those cases.  We were walking along where we thought was right.  We noticed we needed to turn left, and didn't want to backtrack, so we found some farmer's road.  Usually these roads go all the way through, and so it wasn't really abnormal to take such a road.  We walked, and walked, and walked, just like the pioneers.  Then, we realized that the road just ends, and there is no way to make it accross the Autobahn to get to the place we wanted to go!  So, this was the walk back.  We laughed a lot over the fact that we went on this muddy famer's road to find out that there was no way to get to where we wanted to go.  I got mud all over my pants and shoes.  It was great. 

We then walked furthur to the closest bus stop.  The bus didn't come for another 20 minutes, so we decided to do some doors in the area.  We did doors, and guess what.  We made out a new appointment with somebody!  It was cool!  We then went back later that week, and they accepted to meet with us again!  Super cool!  So, I guess all that walking wasn't for nothing. :D

Okay, next cool story.  We were just studying and stuff in the morning like normal.  I believe we were studying up on our German at the time.  We then received a phone call!  I answered, and it was some lady who wanted to meet with us.  I took down her address and said we could come by the next day.  That was already awesome because I have never had somebody call ME to ask if we could meet before.  We went by to visit this lady and one of the first things she said was, "I used to be in the 'Pfings' church, but now I want to come to your church."  That's also something I have never heard!  Super crazy, but I'm not upset.  So that was super cool.  We plan on working more with this lady and helping her understand everything, and arrange for somebody to pick her up so she can make it to church! 

Well, that was the amazing week.  Or at least a couple highlights.  Have an excellent new week!  Enjoy the Fall!  I know I am!

Until next time!

I Welcome the Autumn Weather!

Hey!

Yes, it is true.  I am super happy to have the colder weather again!  I welcome the Autumn weather!  The cooler air, the rain, the gray skies.  They make me homesick--or perhaps they just make me snowboarding-sick!  That's okay. I have better things to concentrate on anyway.

So, I have a few things to tell about!  I missed writing about everything last week because I was a little bit caught up with the time.  So I will start with last week.  Last week, I spent a couple days in the city of Kassel.  I was there on a companionship exchange.  My district leader, who comes from Austria, decided to do something fun with me while we were on the streets finding people.  Instead of the normal way of talking to people, we decided to pick up a shoe box.  Elder Shaeffner, my district leader, called it "The Finding Box."  Basically, he would put something in the box, and I would not know what it is.  We would come up to somebody, tell them we have something in this box that can help people to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.  He would then open up the box, and I would have to somehow connect whatever was in the box with the gospel and turn it into some sort of lesson or ask if we can meet again another time to talk more about it.  It was crazy! I had a lot of fun with it.  I had not ever done something so on-the-spot in German before.  It really pushed me to use all of my German knowlege, gospel knowledge, and just crazy logic to do it.  It was definitely cool.

Later that day in Kassel, we had an eating appointment with a member family.  I found it super cool that the father of the family told me not only that I have good German, but that I have only a little American accent when I speak.  That was probably the coolest compliment I have received since I have been here in Germany. haha.

This last week, my companion and I were in a place called Moringen.  There is an investigator there, who is actually in some sort of correctional facility.  So, we were visiting him there.  He is really trying to become better so that he can be baptized.  He knows the church is true, and he also does his own missionary work!  It is amazing.  I have never met an investigator so strong as he is.  He isn't really our investigator, he lives in Stadthagen, but we are taking care of him while he is in this correctional facility within our area.  As we left this correctional facility, which we say is pretty much a jail, we realized we had to RUN or else we would miss our bus.  So, immediately as we got out the front door, we ran!  It was hilarious.  Just imagine two men wearing suits, running out of a jail, then running accross town and jumping on a bus.  I just thought it was hilarious.  I can only imagine what people were thinking when they saw us.

I am also super super super happy to report that one of our investigators accepted the invitation to baptism!  I am so happy for her.  It is the first time that I have had an investigator agree to be baptized!  Now we have the opportunity to talk more about baptism, and to prepare her to be baptized.  I know she is doing the right thing, and that she will definitely be blessed for making this decision.

Well, that was my wonderful week.  I hope that you also had a great week.  Have another great week this week!  

Bis dann,

Just Real Quick

Hey You!

I have very little time today, but I just wanted to annouce that General Conference was awesome!  If you didn't get the chance to see it, definitely go watch it.

In addition to that, I am still in Goettingen.  I did not get transferred.  So, for 6 more weeks I'll be here.  Possibly Longer!

Thanks!!!

Have a wonderful week!

Wait, that was an entire week already?

Wow!

Sometimes the time just goes by so fast.  I think that the last 7 days have been shortened somehow.  I don't know how, but it didn't seem nearly as long as 7 days used to be!  I guess that's how life goes.  Time seems to take forever.  Later, you get older, and time goes faster.  Who knows!  Maybe time really is going faster?  Haha!

The last week we didn't have anything out of the ordinary happen.  Okay, maybe we did.  We got a new district leader, Elder Shaeffner from Austria.  He is actually one of the very first people I met here in Germany.  It was super dark when I met him, but he gave me chocolate, haha!  It was fun.  Now we serve in the same district until he goes home in November. 

Other than that, my companion and I have just been doing a lot of doors lately.  Ringing doorbells all day long!  Mwuahaha!  It needs to be done!  We are working on finding people, and so far it seems to be working!  I'm pretty excited for all the new appointments we have made out, and for the people that we can potentially turn into investigators.

We have one investigator, with whom we met on Saturday, and she told us the wonderful news!  She discovered that the Book of Mormon is true!  We have already invite her to baptism, but she did not accept it.  However, we will not give up!  She is making some real progress, and it's really cool to see.  This would be my first baptism if all goes through! 

I attached a couple pictures.  We were in a far out part of town yesterday and took a couple snapshots of the sun setting.  I miss the mountains, but these hills are cool too I guess.

General Conference is coming up this weekend!  We are very excited!  I know that we can learn so much from General Conference!  I invite all of you to watch it!  This is where we hear from the Prophet and Apostles of God!  There is no better way to learn what it is that we should do than to listen to what God says we should do!  I invite you to prepare for it, and to be ready to learn what you should do, and where you shoud go.  As missionaries, we are inviting everyone to have a question in their head that they want answered.  For example, "How can I find a Job?"  or "What should I do about my education?" or "Am I really doing the right thing?"  Your question will be answered during General Conference!  I promise!  If you don't have any questions, I invite you to have the question, "With whom can I share the Gospel?" in your head as you watch this coming General Conference.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, or you don't know where to watch conference, then click here! (http://lds.org/church/events/all-members-invited-to-participate-in-october-general-conference?lang=eng).

Viel Spass, und Schöne Woche!

The Week's Gone By

Dearest Friend,

Guess what!?  The time seems to be flying by!  I can't believe how much time is going by so quick.  The last week felt like nothing, and in two weeks we are going to have a General Conference!  I can't believe it!  It feels like just yesterday I was sitting in the classroom at Brigham Young University - Idaho learning about science, or learning how to speak German like a school-kid.  Now I'm in Germany teaching people about the Gospel and speaking German like a foreigner, haha!

This last week has been pretty interesting.  I can hardly remember what happened because it went by so fast.  We have been doing many doors, and talking to many people.  That much I do know!  We have not had a lot of lessons with poeple, but we have talked about the Gospel with many people on the streets and on their doors.  We have been giving away copies of the Book of Mormon to people, explaining it's significance and bearing testimony.  People are usually pretty surprised that we would give away a book such as that for free.  I know that someday these Books will help people have more joy in their life and help them prepare to meet their Maker.  It's an important work, and it is a wonderful work.

This week we get a new district leader!  That's weird because it's not even transfers yet!  A missionary is going home, so there are a few missionaries being switched around.  I'll probably stay here in Goettingen next transfer as well.  I may even stay here for Christmas!  That could be fun!  Like I said, the time is going by pretty quick, and it will probably only get quicker!

Stay positive and prepare yourself for the coming weeks!  It's a great time to work hard and help others!  Unselfishness brings us true happiness.  Never give up!

P.S. Here are a few pictures for you!  This is my companion and Osterrode, an awesome village in our area.  We had quite a bit of success there!  It was really cool.  A couple people WANTED to talk with us!  So cool!  I can't wait to go back and work there some more!

Work Work Work, that's what it's all about ;)

Hey!

So, this last week has been interesting.  It ended up being quite a different week than I have had in the past.  My companion and I have been working hard to try and get new appointments with new people, and we lost our focus on people that we already have!  Weird eh?  It's because my companion is such a hard worker that he just wants to do the hardest stuff all the time!  We did have a few lessons this week though.  They were quite interesting for sure!  My companion and I are pretty convinced that everyone thinks we are FBI agents, and that's why they don't take us seriously.  :P

As we decided to knock on doors (or ring door bells I should say), we prayed to find out where we should go.  We found a destination, and felt that we should do doors from where we were to our destination.  As we did that we ran into a lady who actually moved out of Freiberg (where one of the temples is) because the temple was built.  She is convinced that we are of the devil.  We talked with her a little bit.  It was definitely an important and good talk.  First of all, she was open to talking about it (which is very unusual in Germany), and second of all, it helped her to understand a little more because we were able to explain some misunderstandings.  She didn't have a lot of time because she had to clean something up, but she accepted the invitation to talk with us more if we happen to meet her at another time.  I hope that we can run into her again soon.

Overall, it was not a bad week.  We worked hard, but maybe not completely in a balanced manner.  That's what it's all about though.  We need to work hard, and learn how we can make ourselves more effective.  That's also pretty good council for life, I think.  Work hard, and learn as you go!  Haha!

A few pictures

Here are a few pictures of Goettingen and Northeim.  It's really a pretty place :)  Enjoy ;)

New Companion: New energy: New Month

Hey You!

The last week has been pretty good!  I guess I didn't write last week, so I can say the last two weeks have been good!  I got a new companion, Elder Olsen!  He's sort of from Canada, but he has been living in Utah for the last few years.  I just accept him as Canadian, because it's way better to say that than to tell everyone we are both from the United States.  The German culture in general doesn't think highly of the US.  That might be a european culture actually. 

We have actually just done a lot of talking with people this last week.  It was really good!  We are building up this area even more.  It's fun working here, and it's cool to see how the city is growing as more students come in to study at the university.  The semester starts in October, so the time has come for the students to start moving in!  :D

My companion and I were doing doors on Sunday.  It was really cool.  We actually felt like a certain street was good, so we starting knocking on doors (actually we were ringing the doorbells because that's how you do it here), and we ran into a certain young lady.  It turns out we had talked to her on the street in Goettingen, and she went to the website we gave her on the pass along card.  We found out a little later that she had even ordered a Book of Mormon!  We were excited, and I offered to simply give her the book now while we had it, but she insisted that she waits until it comes in the mail.  I explained that we will just get a letter saying she wants a book and we will just come back, but she didn't understand.  That was kind of funny.  So I guess we will just wait for the referral letter, then we will head on over and give her her book.  Fun stuff!

Well, have a wonderful week!  I know that Jesus is the Christ and our Savior.  Never forget!   Enjoy yourself, and stay positive!