There is a first for Everything!

Another transfer in the bag!

So, the transfer is over.  I am not being transferred.  I am staying here in Halle until I head back in October.  I am getting two companions though!  I will once again be in a trio.  I guess it is meant to be.  We were supposed to be in a trio for the last two transfers, but it never worked out.  I guess this time, it will.  We will see!

We had the baptism of Henry yesterday!  That was great.  This was the first for me.  It was the first time that I have seen a baptism of somebody where I was there from the beginning.  We found him on the street, taught him, invited him, and baptised him.  Next week he will be confirmed, and then he will be a full fledged member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Entitled to the gift of the Holy Ghost, and ready to start a new life where he follows God.  It was a good baptism, and very exciting.

The week went by so quickly.  There was so much to prepare for, that we did not have too much time!  We were always running around.  This week we are pretty busy as well!  I am excited to start this new transfer with new companions.  I will finish strong and be an example for others.

Have a great week, and stay positive!

Woah!

Why Hello You!

So this last week was full!  I must say!  The week went by so quickly, and it has ended even crazier than it started. 

Monday, we went and did a zone sport in Leipzig.  So, we played some Soccer together with other missionaries.  We played pretty hard, and all day.  It was fun, and it was good excersize.  However, at the end of the day, I had a huge migraine, and the next day we were sore.  That was okay though.  We continued throughout our week like normal. 

Tuesday was full of appointments.  We were running around the city visiting people, and teaching lessons.  it was a great day. 

Wednesday was also full of appointments!  We got in contact with a person that we having seen in a few weeks.  He is doing well, and he was super nice.  We had a nice lesson with him, and we answered a lot of his questions that he had. 

Thursday, we planned for the next week.  It rained a lot, so it was cool that we used that day for a weekly planning.  We didn't have to be outside all day.

Friday, we were in Leipzig.  We had a zone conference.  It was an excellent Zone conference.  Very inspiring!  It was quite exciting.  It was my very last Zone Conference.  I got to give my testimony (along with anyone else who wanted to), and the spirit was quite strong.

Saturday, we did some service for a neighbor of a member.  This guy had six bush stumps in his Garden.  He wanted them removed, but he could not do it himself.  So, my companion and I got to work.  After a few hours of work, we managed to get all those stumps out.  I am still sore from that day.  Man it feels good to do such hard work!  After that, we had enough time to find a new investigator through door to door tracting before we had to go.  We went to the church because the city had a thing called, "Nacht der Kirchen".   During that, almost all the churches in Halle were open like open houses.  So, we got to stay at the church until 10:30pm talking with people who were interested in seeing the church rooms and stuff.  Sunday, we had church, and then a few appointments.  We met with a referral from a member, who was very interested.  He liked us a lot, and he became a new investigator.  What an exciting day.  Then at the end of the day, I called our zone leader, like I normally do on Sunday nights to give numbers to him, and talked with him a little bit.  He used to be my companion, and so we always have things to talk about with each other.  He goes home, TODAY!  It was weird to hear that from him.  I am now considered an old missionary.  It hit me hard that I only have one transfer left as a missionary.  I better use it well!

Have a great week!  I hope you do well!  Work hard!  Tear up your own personal stumps in your life!  You can do it!  It is hard work, and you will be sore for a few days afterwards, but it is worth it.

Birthday Week!

Wow!

So, I had a great birthday week!  I know I told some of you that I didnt have any stories this week, but I was thinking about it and I remembered a couple.  My birthday went really well.  I enjoyed traveling to Freiberg, and my mission president and his wife called me up to wish me a happy birthday too!  It was fun.  Thanks for all the birthday wishes.

On Wednesday, I had the chance to work in Eilenburg with another member of my district.  That was really cool.  One, we got to ride bikes.  I forgot how much fun that is!  Two, we saw miracles!  We were walking around town talking to people, and it seemed like we were having no luck.  We finally decided to go do some doors, and started heading out in a certain direction.  A lady came up to us, and she pointed at us and said, "I am curious!  Who are you guys?  I saw you walking around earlier, and now that I see you again I want to ask."  We ended up having a long conversation with her.  It turned out to be a lesson about the restoration of the Gospel.  About 20 minutes into the lesson, she was told us to hold on a second.  She pointed at the Elder from Eilenburg and asked him where he was from.  Then, she turned to me, and she said, "You are one of us though!  Here in Germany!"  I was surprised!  This lady thought I was a German!  I have been working the entire mission to gain enough vocabulary and a good enough accent that I would sound like a German!  haha.  That was really cool to be mistaken as a German.  It is only the second time that I have experienced that, but that is pretty good considering most missionaries dont.

So, it was a great week. I really enjoyed it!  I hope you all have an excellent week this week.  Remember to say your prayers, be positive, and smile!

Miracles

Hey!

So, the last week went super!  My companion and I really enjoyed it.  We both felt like it was a long week, but not in a negative way.  We simply did a lot of work, and experienced many things.  There is one specific thing I would like to share.

After church, we usually have an eating appointment.  The bishop asked us to lock up the church building after everyone left, so we were the last ones out.  It was pretty hot outside, so we decided to quickly drop off our jackets at the apartment which is not far from the church.  After dropping them off, we were heading out to our eating appointment.  We decided to say a pray before we left (like we normally do).  After the prayer, we went outside and tried to catch the tram.  The tram (or trolley, or whatever you would call it in English) had just barely left so we had to wait 20 minutes.  I laughed and said, "Hätten wir nicht gebetet..." (Had we not prayed).  I was implying that we would have made it if we didn't pray, but of course I was just joking.  We waited the 20 minutes and then got in the tram and left.  We had a wonderful eating appointment with delicious foods.  The members offered to let us take a 30 minute nap before we went on our way.  Seeing as that is not appropriate for missionaries, we politely declined.  Then, after all was finished, we all had the feeling that it was time to go.  So we said a prayer and went on our way.  We walked around the corner and saw a man walking towards us.  I had the feeling that I should talk with him.  Pretty soon that feeling was changed out with a feeling that my companion will talk with him.  As it was, my companion talked with him.  This guy, Tom, was totally open.  He talked with us and even had some time that we taught him a quick lesson about the restoration of the church.  It was amazing.  After leaving, we realized that we were meant to talk with him.  If we hadn't prayed, if we decided to take a nap, if we didn't leave the appointment at the right time, we would have missed the opportunity.  It is amazing how the Lord works.  He knows who is ready, and he makes sure that they receive the Gospel.  That is especially important in the lives of missionaries, but also for the lives of everyone.  We need to stay close to the Spirit, so that we can help other people EXACTLY when they need it.  God knows Everything!

Things like that can happen to us all the time.  We just need to have faith and rely on God.  Enjoy the next week!  Don't forget who is watching over you!

The picture is of my companion walking the streets of Halle, Germany.

Crashing Fish.

A Good Day to ya!

The last week was crazy!  So many things have been happening.  I am just upset that I dont have so much time to write it all down!  There is always something to do, and always new and interesting things happening.  The world is crazy.

We saw many miracles.  Some of them happened in strange ways.  One day, we were walking our planned path in hopes of finding somebody new who needed the gospel.  We were just minding our own business when a man in a car ran into a girl riding a bike!  He had somehow not seen her, and wanted to beat the traffic accross the intersection he was driving through.  The girl ended up being okay.  My companion had a first aid kit with him, and so we helped her out a little bit.  We waited for probably 30 minutes before the police and medics came.  After signing as witnesses, we went on our way.  We continued on our path, and met a guy.  We talked with this guy, who seemed quite interested, and made an appointment with him.  Had this whole commotion not happened, we would not have been there at that time! 

Yesterday, we went to one of our Nigerian investigators.  He likes to give us food.  He sacrifices a lot so that we can eat at his place.  A friend of his had given him a fish last week.  Well, he decided to cook it up for us yesterday.  Just like you would expect, he cooked the fish whole and cut it into two.  He made a soup and he put the fish inside.  My companion and I got to eat this fish.  It still had its skin on it and everything.  It was quite the experience.  The fish was super fatty, and it had lots of bones.  It was sooo much fish!  Ever since we ate that fish, my companion and I have been feeling a little bit sick.  I hope it doesnt last too long!  haha.

I have enclosed a picture that I took last week of the Marktplatz here in Halle.  I walk through this place several times a day.  There is a huge church, and many people.  I thought that you might like to see the picture!


Have a wonderful week!

Quick Clarification

So, I just wanted to clarify really quick...

1. No, the Elder holding that bottle is not drinking beer.  That is a German drink called Malz.  It contains no alcohol.

2. I am not allowed to go on facebook, but I do have an awesome friend who is taking care of my facebook for me right now.  So, if you see any posts, you don't have to worry that I am doing things as a missionary that I am not allowed to, haha. 

I just wanted to make sure everybody knows before things got out of hand :P

Last week of the Transfer

What a great Monday morning!

So I hope that the last week went well for everybody!  It was very interesting for me.  It was full of exciting stuff.  I went on a companionship exchange with the Elders in Groitzsch.  It was great.  They have a car there, so it was cool to be in a car city for a day.  I haven't been to one of those since I was in my first city over a year ago!  I do not have a German license, so I was not allowed to drive.  That was a bummer.  I was there with a German though.  Germans are not allowed to get their license until they are 18 years old, and this Elder got his license one week before he came out on the mission.  So, as you can imagine, it was pretty exciting to ride around with him. 

The week went by fairly quickly.  It was a good week, but also a challenging one.  It is great because it is through these challenges that I learn so much!  When we don't have as much success as we wished we had, then we learn how to change some things and rely more on the Lord.  It is important that we have Faith and press forward.

Elder Carter and I also found a snake last week while helping out a lady in the ward with her Garden.  It was funny because the snake was so scared of us it played dead.  I mean literally.  It even stuck its tongue completely out.  Weird eh?

Well Have a great week.  Don't worry, I am not being transferred.  In two weeks we do get another companion though.  Yep!  We are going to be a trio again!

Enjoy the Week!


(Pictures are of my companionship exchange in Groitzsch and last transfer´s district)

Hey!

Well well well,

It has been an excellent week!  I am very happy.  We got our new mission president, and we got to meet him on Friday!  They have a new blog for us too: germanyberlinmission2012-15.blogspot.de

I hope you are all doing excellent!  I know I am.  The Fourth of July has come and gone.  Happy 236th birthday America!  Wow, we are so old, haha.  The Europeans think that we are silly for saying such a thing. 

We continue to see many miracles!  Yesterday, a man came to church searching for a new church to come to!  He wants to find the truth, and he wants to find a place where he feels like he belongs.  Somebody had referred us to him!  It was really cool!  He enjoyed church, and he said he will continue to come!  I am excited to teach him!  The Lord prepares people for us, and sometimes he even sends them to us!  I love it!

Have a great week!

Welcome to the New Week!

First off, before further adeau...

HappyFourthofJuly!

What an exciting week, eh?  It is a good thing that I have an American companion, so that we can properly celebrate the Fourth of July. 

Well, the last week was another good week.   Nothing too special, but nothing not special either.  It was all just in the middle.  It was a normal week.  I must admit, however, that I have not been receiving (m)any letters.  A member tried to send us a postcard in the mail, and it didn't arrive.  I wonder if the Post people are withholding our Mail!  Probably not, but it would be kind of funny if they were. 

I hope everything is going great for everyone else.  It is now summertime, and there is lots to be done!  Some people are on vacation, some people are making money for the upcoming semesters, and some people are just being happy!  Just be positive, smile, and remember who you are--a child of God.

I will have an excellent week, as long as you do too!

Do not any of the Destructive Ds get to you!

Hey!

Sorry that I have been unable to write so often.  There is much to be done.  Sometimes I forget to write!  This last week was pretty interesting.  We had so many appointments fall out this last week.  It was not exactly ideal.  We spent a few days on the streets doing our best to teach those who are ready.  It was a tough week for sure.  On Friday, we had a special Zone Conference.  Our mission president has finished his mission, and this coming Friday we will get a new one.  During our special Zone Conference, we were able to say goodbye to our current president.  We had a wonderful spiritual time together, and we learned a little bit about our new mission president.  The conference also took place in Dresden.  It was fun to go visit that city.  I had heard lots about it! 

Despite all the let-downs, we try to stay positive.  It is important that we do not let anything like discouragement take over us.  Even when the times are hard, we can see success.  Just like it says in the wonderful book called Preach My Gospel, no effort is wasted.  One night, we were having no luck.  We spent the entire day on the street talking with people and going door to door.  Nobody would even talk with us!  We did not ever get more than a couple words in, and never more than a couple words in return.  We were pretty upset when we arrived home at 9:30pm.  We sat outside our house-door, and we did not feel complete.  We followed the Spirit which told us to go back to the market place and talk with people.  We headed out again, and first talked with a totally drunk man wearing all white.  He held us up for twenty minutes or so, and then we continued further.  We then saw a little old lady.  We talked with her, and the first thing that came out of her mouth was, "You stand before me like angels!"  She had just come out of a Bible class and could not believe that young people such as us would be interested in religion.  She wanted to meet with us and we set out an appointment. After the appointment, she said she even wants to visit church sometimes and learn more about what we believe.  The miracles we see are sometimes unbelievable.  Definitely worth not getting home until 10pm (which is quite late for a missionary!).

So, when everything feels like it is going down the tubes, just remember that it will all work out!