So, my first area is in Schwenningen, Deutschland. We are in the
Black Forest, so it is super beautiful. I will start from the beginning.
Wednesday morning we woke up at 3:45 in the morning. It was super
early. We got prepared for the day and then headed off to the
Manchester airport. We got there and then lost two sisters. We found
them 3 minutes later so that was good. We then had luggage problems.
Tons of missionaries had overweight bags and the airport people took
their carry-ons and made them pay to ship it. Crazy! So we then
headed to the security line. It was massive. There were at least 200
people there. Luckily, we somehow got into the fast track lane and
got up to security pretty fast. Then the security people were having
problems. Some missionaries needed to get checked and a ton of
missionaries bags needed to be checked. We were running low on time
for our plane, so we almost had to run to the gate. We got on and
everything else went smoothly.
Well, everything went smoothly until
we got to customs in the München airport. They pretty much detained
us for two hours before President Kohler could come down and solve
the problem. They interrogated him and then let us all go. For some
reason, they thought our group of 16 was just traveling around the Alpine countries for two years. It was way weird. So then we went
through customs and my bag was the only one not on the baggage
claim. It was a little crazy, but they started up the roller thing
and my bag came out. All is well, right?
Yes, so we went and met some
other missionaries and then got told we were going finding on a
train. It was just a tad scary. We went to the train and just
started talking to people. It was just small chit chat and then they
had to go, so not much teaching. Well, on the second train, I paired
up with Elder Hunter because he had no Book of Mormon. So we sat
next to some guy and just said Hallo, guten tag. He literally got up
and went to the other side of the train and started to look at us
like we were freaks from another planet. And the next guy started
yelling at us at how we didn't believe in the Bible. And why we
couldn't speak Deutsch, yet we were in Deutschland.
We left and then
went to the mission home. That night we had some training and then
went and had dinner with the Kohler family. They are super awesome.
They have a son who is 17 and a daughter who is 14. I don't remember
what we had for dinner but it was good haha. So we then sat in a big
circle and learned who would train us and where we would be trained.
Elder Annen was the only missionary being trained in Switzerland. We
have 5 missionaries serving in Austria and then 10 serving in
Deutschland. I was the only missionary to see my companion that
night since he was in the office. We then had an amazing testimony
meeting. It was extremely cool to see how much everyone has grown
since the first day we were in the MTC. We have some amazing new
missionaries. The next day we had more training and then went to
the train station. It was really sad seeing everyone who I got
extremely close to leave, but I do rejoice in the fact that we were
going to do amazing things in the world. So it also brought a smile
to my face thinking about that. Well, it was then our turn to leave
at 2:15. I traveled with four other goldens so that was nice. I got
to see them one last time and talk with them. We then got off at our our
stop and started to take bags off. It turns out we lost three bags. It
was sad because one of the goldens lost their bags. Man, those two
days the adversary was really working on us. The adversary was
really trying to keep us out of Deutschland and keep from having a Christlike
attitude. However, we prevailed and made it!
So, I said bye to the final missionaries and it was just myself
and Elder Cavin. Man, he is super awesome. He bought me a Döner. It
was really good. So, everyone told me that I was super lucky to be
getting Elder Cavin because he is such a hard working
missionary.
Well, now I can say that I was born in Schwenningen (another
missionary term). So these past couple of days have been crazy
insane. My companion is the District leader so he is quite busy. We
stayed in the apartment a lot on Friday. I had to watch some video
because we are in a car area. We also had to do weekly planning.
However, we did have a lesson. It was in English so that was pretty
cool. On Saturday, we traveled a bunch. We first helped a family
move and then went to the District Leader meeting in Singen. We took
a train there and had the meeting there. So, President Packer's
grand daughter is actually one of the Sister trainer leaders in our
zone. So that is way cool. So something that stuck out to me was
something she said after the meeting. Elder Cavin asked her if he
could use their lesson on teaching being effective in the district
meeting. She said something like this. I appreciate that you asked
me, but it doesn't really matter. Knowledge is knowledge, and
knowledge is from God. It was definitely eye opening. I mean that is
the whole reason we are missionaries. Because we have the knowledge
of the restored gospel and want to share it with every one of God's
children.
After the meeting, it turns out the train we needed
didn't actually run that day so we were an hour late to a baptismal
interview which was in Bad Säckingen. It was fine because the Elders
just switched around their lesson and the interview. So we finished
and headed to the train station and again it turns out our train
didn't run that day as well. So, Elder Cavin bought myself and him
Döners. We then headed out to Singen. We waited and then found out
our train ran 40 minutes later on Saturday. So we went out finding.
Normally we don't find outside of our area but we weren't going to
waste our time. So, we went out and started talking to some guy. It
was super cool. I didn't say much but I understood almost everything
that was being said. Way cool. We called up the Zone leaders and
gave them this guy's number and told them we were going to be late.
We ended up getting home at 10:10. That is and hour and ten minutes
late! It wasn't a problem though because neither of us knew the
train times.
On Sunday we went to my first church meeting in
Deutschland. I didn't understand much in Priesthood and then we
planned JD's baptismal service. As it turns out, I will being
giving the Holy Ghost... I'm kind of nervous, but it will be a super
cool experience. We then had Sacrament meeting and I gave my
testimony. I felt like my Deutsch was super bad but everyone told me
it was really really good for a missionary who just got on the
mission. That was super comforting. Oh and one of the little boys
made me a little key chain made out of that plastic string stuff.
How cool! So we went home, ate lunch and then started our fast.
Saturday was a bit hectic so we forgot to start it, so I am actually
still fasting right now. Anyway, we went with the other Elders to a
lesson and it was pretty cool. I understood a couple different
things. She was talking about cirrhosis in the Liver and we had no
idea what she was talking about. she was like infection, disease.
She then said the word again, and I was like, Oh! Cirrhosis! It was
cool to see how the Lord is helping me understand the language. So
then we continued weekly planning yesterday and still didn't get
finished. There is just so much to do! Anyway, now it is today
haha.
Other cool news, I will get to go on exchanges 7 times this
transfer, since Elder Cavin is the District Leader, with every Elder
in the district as well as one of the zone leaders.I will get to do
exchanges in Schaffhausen Switzerland. So I will have served in
Switzerland for two days. Switzerland actually lets
Americans in the countries for three months which is two transfers.
So President Kohler said he will probably start sending Americans
over there for two transfers. Way cool. And our mission is actually
getting iPads soon. So, I wonder how that will work out.
So my companion is amazing. He works super hard and really takes
care of me being a golden and stuff. Yeah, he is from Scotland and
actually played proffesional Fußball before he came out. Yeah, he is
super cool.
Oh, and the Elders we share an apartment with are Elder Ridd and
Elder Wilkens. So you actually spoke to Elder Ridd's mom. Cool!
We actually haven't been fed by the members yet, but on Wednesday
we will.
I got
the two packages from you. The Gift of Tongues bag was clever. Haha,
it gave me a giggle.
So, sorry my pictures are bad because we have been super
busy...
Anyway, I am excited to hear about Youth Conference. It sounded
fun from your description.
I bet Brother Housel will just be amazing. I will be excited
to hear how that goes in December.
Well, I guess the only thing I am struggling with is not seeing
all the missionaries from the MTC. They were just so amazing and now I
am not with them. I just can't wait to see them further along in my
mission. But, I know they are off doing amazing things in this
mission so I don't have to be too sad and worried.
So, one thing that has been emphasized immensely this week is
that we need to let ourselves change. We cannot expect Jesus Christ
to change our desires and actions. We need to put in our own effort.
We need to have the desire to change. We also need to be open to how
the Lord will change us. We cannot say we want to change but then
harden our hearts to what the Lord has for us. We need to seek out
our answer through the scriptures, prayer, and living the Christlike
attributes. That is when we will begin to see the change. I also
learned that there is no such thing as staying still in our
progression towards eternal life. We can move forward slowly or fast
but we will be making progression. However, we cannot think that we
will stay still with the same testimony and same desires if we stop
enduring or changing ourselves to be like Christ. Once we stop our
progression forward, we begin to digress into a state of apostasy
even faster then how we were progressing. We can never stop, we must
continually move forward with faith.
Ich weiß dass das Buch Mormon wahr ist. Ich weiß dass Joseph
Smith einen Prophet war. Ich weiß dass Jesus Christus und Himmlische
Vater uns lieben. Ich weiß dass mein Erlöser lebt. Ich fühle den
Heiligen Geist jede tag. Ich liebe das Evangelium. Ich liebe euch!
Chow!
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