11/16/2015 - I got to shake elder Ballard's hand‏

Hey mom, your emails are a lot longer and more informative than dads,
this week was really fantastic, Sunday was such an amazing day! I'm
getting to know how the city is laid out, I'm also enjoying the little
hill like mountain things, it should be fun here for the winter. The
last time I saw Zeifi was my last full day in Heide, he's breaking up
with his girlfriend because she's too controlling and stuff, she also
was not helping at all with residency so that shouldn't de a worry. I
can't really have contact with him, I'm not allowed to call and he
cannot read or write, but I hope everything is going well for him. 

Monday was a pretty lame p day, we stayed in for most of it, we had a
guy bring us new bikes a new bed and a rug and yeah, I've never been
in an apartment that actually gets new stuff so that part was kinda
cool. Then we did emails and after that we had a lesson with Remon,
he's an art dealer and likes English, and his grandfather was a Mormon
( he thinks) it was a really cool lesson! Then we came home and that
was the day. 

 Tuesday, today was a pretty good day. First we went to go finding in a
town a little ways away from Bautzen, our bus was late coming, and
then the driver was being supervised so he went way slow, we ended up
being about 45 minutes late getting to the town, so our hour of time
was basically over and we had to get on a bus back to go get our hair
cut. After haircuts we went to an appointment but the lady wasn't
home. After this we had another appointment with Frau Dahmler, we
asked if she would be baptized, she said that she will pray about it,
but seems to really like the idea. 

 Wednesday. Today started out with district meeting in Görlitz, it's a
little bit weird to only have four of us in the district. But it makes
it a little easier to end early. Then we went and ate with the other
elders, Elder Kräftner loves to cook so he makes us food. Then we went
to Bischofswerda had comp study then went to a few contacts. Then we
went to a lesson with a man and it was so awesome, he's a very smart
guy and has studied quite a bit of philosophy. It was nice to just be
able to talk with someone who has put thought into religion, I haven't
really had many of those conversations. 

 Thursday was a pretty busy day. First we went to the auslanderamt to
work on getting my residency permit extended, so I spent a few hours
there trying to figure out German legal terminology, my comp waited
outside and read revelations, I'm not sure who was more confused. Then
we came home and had lunch then went to a lesson with our new convert.
That was good she just wanted to get to know me more, I think most
people think I don't have a mother because I can't show a picture of
her, but they know I have brothers, a silly looking dad, but no
mother. Then we went to another lesson this time with a less active,
he was drunk and didn't want to meet with us so we went home had
dinner and that was basically the whole day. 

 Friday! So today we got a text at 8 about a conference call at 9:30.
It said " don't be late we have an exciting announcement" so we called
in and after all the problems of a mission wide phone call were
figured out we got an exciting announcement. Elder Kearon of the
seventy, and member of the area presidency is coming on Sunday and
wanted to meet with some missionaries, but President Fingerle wants
all the missionaries to go, because he will have Elder Ballard with
him. So we were told to start preparing for a mission conference in
Berlin in two days. Aside from that, the rest of the day was pretty
boring, we just rode buses and walked and then did our weekly
planning. At the end of the day we went got the plans and bought our
ticket to Berlin and back. That took all my money, and then we went to
the apartment and did a little more planning, had dinner, and went to
bed 

 Saturday. We tried to go places but busses were stupid, so we printed
the Book of Mormon for our new convert, she needs it in bigger print
so we have to print it and then she puts it in a binder. Then we went
to a little dorf and did some work then spent an hour walking to a
train station because our bus never came. Then we went home and got
ready to go to Berlin.

 Sunday was such an amazing fantastic awesome day. So first we went to
church and that was a pretty normal thing. Then we went and got on a
train, and went to Berlin. That was not fun at all. We got on the
train and there were no seats left, so we stood in the doorway for the
whole two hours, then we got to Berlin and went to the church there.
That was a ton of fun because I got to see all my mission friends, and
it was so many more people than it was in April. Then we went and sat
down, got some instructions then we went and got to shake Elder
Ballard's hand. Then we went and had the meeting. It was a really good
meeting, there were two members of the seventy there and elder
Ballard. It was a really good meeting. We talked a lot about how we
need to be better teachers, how there's a lot of things competing for
people's attention,( but we still don't get Facebook) and that we need
to be interesting. Then after the meeting we went to some elders'
apartment and stayed the night in Berlin.

11/9/2015

Monday was a good p day, we cleaned and emailed and shopped then we
went to a mustard store, because apparently a famous mustard comes
from Bautzen. Then the tallest tower in Bautzen is closed until April.
So we went and made haircut appointments and that was the whole day
basically.

Tuesday. First we had our studies. That was normal, then we had lunch.
After lunch we went and did some finding, nothing too exciting
happened. Then we came home and got stuff ready for our meeting with
the ward mission leader. Then we went out to meet this
contact/investigator, there was some confusion about what time, so
that didn't actually happen but we were up on a hill and got to see a
really nice sunset (even though it was 4:30) then we met with the
mission leader. Bruder Albrech is a fun old man, he likes to tell us
his stories of his mission 60 years ago. Then we ate dinner with him
and his wife and went home. It's definitely getting to be winter time,
we'll see if it snows this year.

Today was a good day, first we went to district meeting in Görlitz,
that was good afterwards we had lunch and got on a train back to
Bautzen. We got home and studied then went to a little dorf and did
some doors and went by on a few contacts. After that we came back to
Bautzen and had a lesson with a lady that's been meeting with
missionaries for quite a while, she loves to talk and talk a lot. My
comp just wanted to teach teach teach, but she needs to be listened
too first, it's really hard to teach when we don't know her concerns.
Then we came home and that was our day.

Thursday, first we studied then after studies we went to a few
contacts but nothing really came from it. Then we went to the
apartment and had lunch. After lunch we printed out some stuff for our
new convert, she has a hard time reading so we print the Book of
Mormon out in bigger type for her. Then we went and visited her and
had a good time there, she's 87 and just a really nice old lady. ( she
loves calling the missionaries by their first names, but for some
reason Kyle is super difficult, and it's worse when I spell it for
them because Germans would spell it Keil and in German Kyle would be
pronounced Kula. So we'll see if I get called by my first name) then
we went to an appointment with a guy that lives in a little shack.
I've never met with him but from what I've been told, he's pretty
crazy. He didn't answer and we think he was probably passed out drunk.
Then we went home and started planning because we won't have any
tomorrow.

Friday we had studies then we went and got on a bus to go get an
extension for my residency permit. After an hour on a bus we got to
the offices and they were closed today, they are only open on Tuesday
and Thursday so we'll go back next week. Then we came home had lunch
and started planning for next week. Then we had a lesson with a less
active, his apartment smelled terribly strong of alcohol, and he
wasn't all there, and after twenty minutes of the appointment he just
told us we could go, he wanted to lay down. We have a lot of work to
do there. Then our joint teach had to cancel on us so we had to cancel
on one of the investigators. I was a little bummed about that. So we
went home finished weekly planning (mostly, we have a little more to
do tomorrow) then went to and appointment with an older couple. It was
a lot like a member appointment but they aren't members. We talked
with them about family history and then we went home for the night.

Saturday, first we went to drop off some things to sister Kahn then we
came home and went to Dresden for stake conference. There was a
demonstration by the train station in Bautzen, a bunch of nazis who
are against all the refugees. Then we went to Dresden had stake
conference, not to much interesting but it was cool I got to see
president Kosak. Then we went to the train station in Dresden and
there was a concert thing. It was weird but it was pretty fun. Then we
came home and had a party because the Görlitz elders are spending the
night with us.

Sunday, what a wonderful day. We got up and got on a train, went to
stake conference, we got there later than I wanted to so we ended up
in a back corner, the speakers in the gym didn't work all that well
and with the funny accent every one here has it was had to understand
a lot of what was said, but there were a few really good talks, the
focus of this conference was the strength out our own conversion. Then
afterwards we waited for trains.( no crazy dance party concert thing
and no store to keep us entertained. Then we rode the train back to
our area, and we spent the night calling people and trying to get
everything set solid for the week.

11/2/2015

The new area is great, it has mountains and stuff!

The new comp is good, we're getting along well.

I will probably never use my German license, there are only 4 car areas now.

Monday was a good p day, maybe because it was the last one here and last p days are good ones. We had an apartment inspection, then went and wrote emails. I got my ticket to leave (insert igoodsman and joo "ticket to ride" here) I have seven hours in trains tomorrow (yay!) 

Tuesday! Well I'm writing this in a new apartment tonight, I finished everything I needed to in Heide then we went and got on a train, then in Hamburg I said goodbye to elder hall and went on my tour of every major city in the mission except Hanover, I went to Berlin then went to Leipzig, then to Dresden. I got to see some wonderful fall colors and some other cool stuff like the towers of the church where Martin Luther posted his thesis. Then when I got into Dresden we went to the area, about 40 minutes away, and went to ward council, oh am I in Sachsen it's accent is so different from the platt/hochdeutsch I've had for six months. But I could tell the one member wasn't German from his accent. Anyways it was pitch black as I got here so I couldn't see much, but it looked like mountains on the horizon, I'll tell tomorrow if it was or if I just really wanted it to be. 

Today I was given a super awesome revelation, we should keep the word of wisdom because when we don't keep it we loose our agency, I've known that for a long time but the really somewhat mind blowing part I got today was we should not rely on things of this world to replace the atonement of Christ. They cannot and only relieve for a very short time, and when they wear off we are usually worse off than we started. The atonement is there to heal, and it will do just that when we reply on it. Today was a long day, we went around contacting, that was fun we probably went to like 20 people but only like three of them were home and they all didn't have time. But I did get to see a lot of the city, I still have no idea how to get around it so that's interesting. Then we had a lesson with Frau Dahmler. She's just the happiest old lady ever, it was a lot of fun to be there with her. We taught about how prayers dont have to be memorized. Then we came home and had our dinner and language study. I think I'll like this area, it's a lot bigger than Heide we have buses and stuff in in too so I wont be riding bikes around so much. I look forward too pday so I can see some of the cool things.

Thursday. Today I was pretty sick, but not sick enough to not do anything, I just have a sore throat so I have a really deep voice and it hurts to talk. we went by on a bunch of contacts, got an appointment for next week and one for a few weeks in the future. Then before we got on the train we went and saw this old granite quarry, it's now full of water. It's a really pretty place, the fall colors made it even better. Then we had lunch. After lunch we went and had a lesson with a less active member, then an appointment fell out so we went to some more contacts. Then we came home for the night.

Today was a pretty wonderful day. The beauty of today was mountains. It's so wonderful to live somewhere that isn't completely flat again!

Today was pretty cool, we went to Dresden for district meeting, we don't normally but today we had interviews with president. After we went and got some food, then we went to a store and got some treats for the train home, when I walked in the store alarm went off, but no one cared, then when we left it did the same thing so two very large men came and started wanted to know what was going on. I showed them it beeps when I went in then we pulled everything from my bag and found nothing so they let us go, Yay! Then we went and studied and then we had a lesson, we went with a member in his nice BMW and couldn't find the address, so we just drove around looking, it was not fun in the back seat, I got car sick, and the lights were giving me terrible night blindness and headaches. I think I need more sleep, but I don't know where I'll find it haha. We never did find the place. Afterwards we came home and had dinner and language study.

Saturday, happy Halloween! The second one of three I'll have on my mission today was a good day, we had weekly planning, that took a while, after a bit of it we had lunch and then went to a few appointments, but no one was home, but we talked with one investigator while we were out and got an appointment for later this week. Then we had another one where no one was home. Then at six we had to go home because it's a rule to be home by six on Halloween, New Years, and Christi Himmel fahrt (the day 40 days after Easter when Christ ascended to heaven). So we came home and finished planning, and did all the work we could and then chilled. That was the day today.

Sunday. Today was a really good day, first we got up really early (5:45) got ready walked to pick up a less active member, he didn't answer so we got on the bus went to the train station, got on a train and went to church, the branch here Is the biggest one I've been in yet, for the first time in over a year I had more than 50 people in church. One of the families is super cool, he's American, She's German, they have three kids, Rosalie, Oliver, and Henry. Oliver is like four and loves the missionaries and trains. We had very amusing conversations with him today. He speaks English  After church we had an eating appointment with the ward mission leader. He's 80 years old and has a lot of stories to tell. Afterward we went home and started calling people. We got a hold of one guy he was super plastered drunk, but told us to come over, we did and had a pretty good lesson with him, but I doubt he'll remember it Tuesday when we meet with him again.

That's how my week went, pretty interesting, a lot of stress with all the changes and move, but it will be good here.

10/26/2015

Monday was a good p day, after emails and everything we went to a store and I found this board game that I love . I haven't been able to find it a member showed it to me and I like it, but I didn't have enough money so I didn't buy it. Then we had family home evening and that was our day.

I just rode my bike for 100 kilometers to contact a referral, I'm sure that after that my future wife got a whole lot prettier. We rode our bikes then we went to the contact, the doorbell didn't work, his name was nowhere to be found and we had no one to ask. So that made it a little frustrating. But today I'm mostly just tired and if nothing else it makes a wonderful story, and I do like stories.

Well today was a pretty good day. We always spend a lot of time in trains on Wednesday. First we went to district meeting. Then we ate and got on a train to Husum did a little work in Husum, then we went to friedrichstadt that's a cool little town, it's classic north German. Tons written in platt so it's impossible to understand. But I got some cool pics, then my knee started to hurt we went home. And I had a letter! That made the whole day a good day! 

Thursday today was crazy. We did our normal Thursday stuff, read with Bruder Krautwurm, finished the book, then we didn't make a return appointment because we were finished, that was a little sad, but he doesn't really need us anymore, he comes to church really often. Then we had our eating appointment with the branch president and his wife. Then we went and got on a train to Hamburg. We met the Pinneberg elders there and went on exchange I was with elder Gibbs because it was our anniversary today. We met in the MTC, were trained in Magdeburg together, left Magdeburg together came to the north, have gone on exchange once every transfer except one, and during that one we still saw each other all the time. We will see how transfers go. When we got home there was time to plan and go to bed, we stayed up late reminiscing, it was a ton of fun.

Friday was super cool. First we went street contacting for a little bit we rhymed the whole time, it was sublime and didn't cost a dime. ( example of the ridiculous sentences we would come up with) then we had lunch with a member family. After lunch we went by on a few contacts. Then we had an awesome lesson with this guy named Jahn, it was probably the coolest lesson I've been in in a long time. Then we came to Heide, did a super fast exchange back and then elder hall and I went off to an appointment with the Dahleke's. Then when we came home we did district transfer predictions, we take a scripture and interpret it into a transfer call. Today we picked them from the book of Ezekiel, according to mine I'll go back to Magdeburg and kill an elder. Kinda scary because one of the elders in Magdeburg goes home at the end of next transfer. Haha it's all fun we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Saturday. Today was just kinda unreal. At 8:00 I got my transfer call. I'm going to be leaving Heide, and I'm kinda sad about that. I really enjoyed my time here and I know tomorrow will be a hard Sunday. I can't believe it's really happening, it's still kinda in the shock/denial stage. I never realized how much this little area meant to me. I'm also sad that I will be leaving elder hall, we had a good companionship probably my best so far. But a new beginning is also good so I will be going to the Bischofwerde area, it's about 30 minutes away from Dresden so if I stay for a while I could go to the Christmas market there. It's supposed to be one of the best in Germany. For the first time I'll have a comp that's younger on the mission than I am, elder Thompson ( the name might be familiar because we were comps before he left after the first week of the MTC) he just finished his training so he's pretty young. After calls we went to our services project, we planted more stuff and it was pretty fun. Then we came home and the work started. We have tschüs books to fill out and I have to be all packed for Tuesday, I head out around 10:00. Best thing about today, daylight savings time ends so I get an extra hour of sleep. 

Sunday was a bittersweet day. We had church, so I got to say goodbye to everyone. It was a little sad for me, but I got to see why I was called to serve in this branch, I'll probably just be another missionary for most of the members (and for the half that still couldn't tell you what my name started with without my name tag I don't know if I will even be that) but there are members here that I know I've helped and they have touched my life. I'm still sad to be going. Probably the first missionary to ever say that for this area, but it's been really good to me. After church we went and had lunch at a members then went home and I packed, it sucks both my vacuum bags broke so I have to leave quite a bit behind. Then when I was all packed we did some planning and went to bed.

10/19/2015

This week was a good week I'm sad to hear about grandma Davis, I'm so thankful for the gospel in our lives, it's so wonderful to know she is with grandpa again. I would like you to get her familysearch.orgI'd number so that I can finish that side of my family tree. She is the only missing part.

Anyways here is how my week went

Monday was normal we were at family home evening and Bruder Hackman was being a smart aleck all night, and he went to make a comment about it being different for people born in the church, I could see that part coming, so when he said that "you both were born in the church right?" Then I had to get my smart aleck remark in and said "nope I was born in a hospital!" His wife was pretty happy to have someone to back sass her husband.

Today was a good day, we woke up at 4:00 and went to the train station, we went to Kiel for our zone training meeting, that was good präsident was there and we had interviews that took up most of the day, then we went on exchange. I'm with elder Halbleib, and we are making elder Gibbs angry!!! It's so much fun!!!

Wednesday. Was a great day, I was on exchange with elder Halbleib and we had a lot of good times. First we studied then we went out and tried to do some street contacting. It was really cold and rainy, not many people were outside, except for the punks that just laugh at the j-w's as they smoke their lives away. Then we went ate lunch and then talked to a few more people but the streets were pretty dead so we went and did a little area book work, and found a few contacts that could be pretty solid. Then we went to bahnhof and waited for our comps, and they didn't get off the train. They texted and said they'd be on the next one an hour later. They weren't then said they were on the one a half hour later. And they got there and it was too late for us to go back so we had a sleepover.

Thursday was a pretty good day we rode a train home then we had our normal appointments that we always have and that was about it. I then spent quite a bit of time to fix my bike.( I keep fixing it because I know if I ask to get it fixed again we will get new bikes, and they will be terrible ones you can't ride for hours like we do, but now everything should be good with the bikes.

Friday was a normal Friday. We had our weekly planning and then went out to do some work. It's getting close to winter, the chill is out, the sun is gone, I can't wait for the time change when it gets darker an hour earlier( I said sarcastically) then our appointment fell out so we continued to walk in the mist. Then we came home called some people and then went to bed.

Saturday was a pretty good day. First we had our service project. I ate liver wurst for the first time, not a fan, then we came home, showered and changed then we went by on a few contacts. After that the day was over and we came home ate and went to bed.

Sunday was a fantastic day. First we went to church and that was really cool. There was enough aaronic priesthood there for the sacrament. Then after we went home and ate some food and had our studies. After studies we went to a members house and were jungle gyms for the children, I don't think I have ever been climbed on so much in my life. Even by cash in delta!

10/12/2015

Today was another normal p day. We didn't really do anything too exciting. After we cleaned and did emails we went and walked around Heide looking at stores and stuff then we went to family home evening and that was the day.

Today was a cool day. We did our home teaching with a branch member, it was more of us entertaining the kids as the parents talked politics, and we don't do that. So we looked at picture books with the three year old. Then we came home and took some weights to the church. ( the young people wanted to do lifting for YM YW and we have a weight set in our apartment) then I had to buy a new light for my bike, because you can get big tickets and stuff. And I don't want one when I have to apply for a visa extension next month. Then we did a little finding then went to lift weights with the youth. Probably not the best thing to do since I had been fasting all day long for grandma. But we still had fun, then we went home and had dinner and studied a little more. 

Today we spent what felt like eternity in trains. First we went to district meeting, and that was fun. Nothing too exciting but it's fun to be with other missionaries. Then we got to bahnhof went to transfer trains and right as we got to the platform the doors locked and we missed it, so we had to take a round about way. ( luckily they're have this really cool ticket that goes for all of our zone, and it's good for all trains and as many trips as you can make between 9am and 3 am the next day) so we went around and since we have this magic ticket we went to a town we can't otherwise work in, it's on the coast and today looked like the end of the world, we'll see if the pictures turn out good. Then after a little work there we went back home because it was late and that made up our day.

Thursday. Today was a good day first we went to a less active member and read in the scriptures, we finished ether and next week we might finish the rest. Then we went and had lunch with the branch president. After that we went and watched the Sunday pm conference and I think it was a really good session. I loved the repetitive theme of elder bednars talk. It was really cool to see how much of a relationship he has had with the other apostles. Then we rode our bikes through a forest to go to a house of an older contact, and the house didn't exist anymore. So we came home for the night

Friday, today was an alright day, we did some street contacting, in the rain, but it's not like a normal rainy rain, it's a mist and you didn't really know that you are getting wet until your soaked. Then we went to an eating appointment, we were a little early and saw the member he asked if we were still coming Sunday, we told him we were planning to come now. He had forgotten to write down the appointment, but we still met with him and we had a really good time. Then we came home and did weekly planning, it's already the end of week four, this transfer has just flown by.   

Saturday, we had our service project and then we went to Stacey's, she tried to kill us with food she made these little thingies with sauerkraut inside and they were really good but super filling 4-6 would fill me up well 14 was just too many. 

Sunday. I love Sunday's, today was so pretty, one of the prettiest days since I got here. First we went to church and that was a great time, there was a baby blessing and those are always cool, ( the Germans keep them a little shorter than we do. Today's lasted like two sentences) then after church we went to the Richters and had food. I've had more white cabbage in the last two weeks than I think I had my whole life. Then after we had an appointment with the Drabs, that was so much fun, it's been a few weeks since we were there, the children were super excited to have us there, and we had a really good time. Then we got on the bikes and came home. And that was the whole day.

10/5/2015

Today was a normal Heide pday cleaned then we shopped then we went and wrote our emails, after emails we did some more shopping media market here is a huge best buy sized store probably the biggest store in Heide, then we went to a sporting goods store and I got to look at toy guns there, ( in Germany it's probably considered a real gun but all they do is go bang, nothing more than a starters pistol) then we found a fancyish department store. It had fancy clothes but was organized like a DI. Then we went to family home evening and that was basically our day.  

Today was awesome! We had something really cool happen, so because winter is coming and we have a really big are we went to go see how much monthly passes for the trains would cost. When we got to the train station a lady grabbed us by the arm and said in perfect English stay here my daughter is coming, her daughter was talking to the guys at the ticket counter then when she saw us her eyes lit up and she ran to us and said how excited she was to see us, she's a member who was visiting here from Australia, it was cool to have someone excited to see us, that never happens, and yesterday she was just with elder halls last companion when she was visiting Dresden, it's always fun to see what a small world it is. Then we went out and did finding and we didn't really see anything from it but we enjoyed ourselves as we worked. Just wish people would be a little more open with us or change their excuses of why not.

Wednesday. First we woke up at 5:30 and got ready, then we went and got on a train and went to Kiel. When we got there we had ZTM and that was pretty fun, nothing too exciting, but it's the first one we have had since the iPads came. After the meeting we had a training on family search.org and that was pretty interesting. I learned quite a few new things but none really that I can use right now. Then we went to bahnhof and found when our train left, we had an hour and a half so we went and got food and then we went to the harbor but there weren't any ships, we went back and some other elders from our district were leaving and their train went half an hour earlier so we went with them, it was a little longer trip but got us home earlier and didn't cost more, and we were with the other elders so it was all fun. Then we got home and the day was over and we planned and went to bed.  

Thursday!  today we went to read with Bruder Krautwurm, got through some chapters in ether, I like chapter 12 it's made better by the war and wickedness and destruction that leads up to it, then boom faith hope and charity then we went and had lunch with the branch president and his wife. That was a really nice meal and I got complimented on my German, she asked if I had ever had this classic local meal and I responded that if I had I didn't know it. I must have said it right because she said that the way I replied needed really good German. I was a little happy about that. Then we helped them with the church hedges. We are all real short  so trimming 8 foot hedges was a lot of fun. Then we mowed the lawn a bit then we were done. Once we finished I got my German drivers license. It's pretty cool, I don't have my portrait Utah one now, i now have one that's landscape like real adults, and it won't expire until 2030 so that's cool. Then we finished off the day by street contacting.

Friday! We had a really fun day today, we first went and tried to teach Zeifi, he called and said he couldn't make it. Then we did some street contacting. That was ok then we had an eating appointment at a members that I'd never really been to before. It's really cool to see how the members open up when they like the missionaries, I'm glad I haven't really ever had a problem with being hard to get along with. Then we came home and did some weekly planning. That was not to interesting then after we went to another eating appointment and he gave us some really good food. It's super heavy cake stuff and it fills you up. Then it was late so we came home and planned for tomorrow, I'm so excited for general conference, too bad we only get Saturday am session tomorrow, but we get a marathon on Sunday!

Aaaaah the pain!!!! Isn't as bad as I thought it would be ( but I also haven't been outside yet) today is my favorite day of the year! I would trade my birthday in a heartbeat if it meant another opening morning! but today I made a new study plan for personal study and I think it will be really good, it gives me time for Book of Mormon, a topic to study, and a little bit of time to ponder, pray and think.  Soooo. Today was only somewhat hard.  It had this really nice fall chill, that didn't help, and the bike ride is through forests and fields and I have never felt so trunky in my whole mission. Then we got to their hous and I thought all was good. We were taking down a deck, they pulled out a chainsaw, just like we always use to cut fire wood when we're hunting. After that we started a fire, and it smelled like we were camping. Then we went back home when we were finished and I saw a guy out hunting. ( at first I thought maybe I was just forcing connections in my head because it's opening day, but people don't hunt in Germany, people don't own guns in Germany how I saw a hunter here on opening day of the elk hunt in Utah I don't know because chances are better to have seen an elk in Utah, but that never happens to me) I was being laughed at by the world today! Then we showered went out and then went to watch general conference, and the TV didn't work for English, so like ever other opening weekend I listened to general conference. Some things never change! Haha I lived through this day, now I believe I can live through anything. During conference I really really liked president Uchtdorfs talk on simplifying our discipleship, sometimes I feel like I over complicate things so I want to really work on simplicity!

Today was a wonderful Sunday first we studied then went to the church and watched priesthood session, that was really good, judging by the simple things taught, we can hold because things won't be getting easier any time soon. Then we went and walked around and tried to find people, but Germany is pretty dead on Sundays. Then we went back and watched the Saturday pm session. That one had some really good counsel in it. I liked elder Hollands talk about the love of mothers. Thank you mom for all that you do for me, i don't say it enough, but thank you, and I love you. Then the ward had a little lunch and we watched Sunday Am session. I SAW BOB!!!! I'm grateful for the new apostles, I know they are call of God as witnesses of Christ, hearing them talk was humbling. Then we went home and got ready for tomorrow. I'm so grateful that the lord blesses us every six months with his counsel, I'm so thankful that we have the Holy Ghost to give us revelation all the time!

9/28/2015

Well Monday was a pretty good day. We cleaned the apartment went shopping and then got McDonald's. We then went to the church and did emails. After emails we went and got hair cuts. Then we went to family home evening and talked about faith. It was a really good p day. 

Tuesday, I wrote the date and saw I've been gone for 11 months!!! I don't know how it's been for you guys but it's been so fantastic for me! I've met some really awesome people, I've learned a lot, and my testimony has gotten stronger. This is by far the best decision of my life! So today Zeifi's girlfriend is not happy that he wants to live the commandments. She texted us saying that they broke up because of us. And that we have no place being here in Germany. It's super sad to see how hard the devil tries to stop people's progress. This has really shown me what a big tool addictions are. Her whole problem with us goes directly back to commandments that deal with addiction. I know she has her agency but so does Zeifi, and he's trying to live the commandments! Luckily I know that got values Zeifi, and he will help us!

Wednesday first we went to district meeting. Then we missed our train by seconds! It was frustrating because we had to wait an hour and a half for the next one. Then we took that one to Husum and did a little bit of work there, it's a little bigger and prettier than Heide so I don't know why we haven't gone there to work more. Then Zeifi called so we went to meet with him. Turns out they didn't break up yesterday, and when she heard us she was not happy, Zeifi tried to get her to come speak with us ( you know because she speaks German and we speak German and it might help her to hear what we have to say in understandable wording) but she was not happy that we were there and proceeded to call us ever word in the books ( that's the German and the English books Germans love American cuss word) she wants him to have nothing to do with us, he said he'll call us later, probably tomorrow. Luckily we have God on our side, remember Zeifi saw Christ  in a dream, and he said listen to these two guys, pointing to me and my companion, they will help you. So please pray for him, he needs its! Then we came home. And the day was over, it was a pretty fast day.

Today was a cool day. First we went to read with Bruder Krautwurm and that was a good time, we got through quite a few chapters in ether, then we went and ate with the Schumaiers I really enjoy this appointment every week. They are such a cool couple. Then we went and did some street contacting. Then we went to the church for a Skype interview with president Fingerle. We get to do those monthly now so he can get to know the missionaries. While we were at the church I read the little biography about elder Scott on lds.org. I'm thankful for the leaders of the church. then it rained so we did phone contacting, we call all the contacts to see it the numbers even exist and if they do if the people want to meet with us. It's a common tactic from a missionary who is new in an area. Then after a little study and food the night was over.

Friday. I love the gospel! I'm going and reading my favorite general conference talks as we approach conference weekend. Today was I read one of my all time favorite talks, priesthood of October 2008. If dad remembers we Watched this one session with grandpa Mo, it was the first time I went as a deacon, and the lesson president Uchtdorf taught has stayed in my hear because of the simplicity. Stand close together, and lift where you stand. I love the principle and it can be applied to so much!

So today was a way good day! We did some finding after our studies then had lunch and did our weekly planning.then we went to the church to look for an email we got about a month ago finally found it then we did some bike riding and went to the Dahleke's and had a wonderful time there. We made p day plans to go to an aquarium with them in a couple weeks, I'm super excited for it :) 

Today we went to our service project, today we planted roses. Then we went and talked with Stacy, she is crazy. I'm so glad I have the truth of the gospel in my life. She has a ton of confusing ideas, it's sad that she won't think to find the truth, and will only allow or accept that which we say. I'm still glad we get to meet with her and that we can help her a little. Then we went home and that was our day.

Sunday. Today was a wonderful Sunday. First we went to the church and had a wonderful time there. In priesthood class we talked about the talk "the music of the gospel" that was one of my favorite talk from this past conference. I have ideas of my own and don't necessarily agree with the German mindset, but it was still good. Then we went home and had lunch, then we went to out and talked to people, we kept on walking and then ended up in a little forest. It was a fun little adventure. We found those funny looking red mushrooms with the white dots that are in cartoons but not in real life.( and I don't remember eating any mushrooms so I have reason to believe, along with pictures, to prove that they are real.) then we found a snake and we were gonna capture it and let him fight Tod, the frog that lives in our window well, but we didn't get him fast enough and the snake was gone. Then we came home and had our studies, it was cool we listened to some Truman G. Madsen lectures on lots of really cool doctrine and teachings and ideas, I really enjoyed it.

9/21/2015

This week was a really good week. Week one always feels long but also goes by pretty fast.

The new companion is good. Elder Hall from clearfield. He's been out 18 months. And nobody is fleeing from Denmark so we are good, we only get a few refugees. I will find some souvenirs don't worry. And the Magdeburg program  that I was in got closed one elder is in the district and said the package got shipped so look for a package of Christmas decorations in a few weeks.

Monday was a pretty fun p day, first we went to a thrift shop, gave them our chair, and looked around, there was nothing cool so we left. Then we went to fancy mall looked around elder O'Keefe bought some dice and then we went to Glückstadt and got Chinese food and then went to get rid of a jar of 1, 2, and 5 cent pieces. We tried to buy a train ticket but the machine had a 50 coin limit. So when we put in the 51st coin it spit them all back out, we were 10 cents away so it was super frustrating haha. Then we went and bought a bunch of stamps with the rest of the coins. There were still 150 pennies or so and nothing takes pennies, there isn't any machines that take pennies and people don't take then at the register so we went to a pond in a park and skipped them like rocks. 

Tuesday was possibly the most productive transfer day I've ever had,( as far as doing work. We didn't see any real success) we just should have planned logistics a little better haha. For most of the day it was a normal missionary day. We went to Glückstadt for the morning. We walked through the tiny town, it's weird how many people live in little German cities, but you still never really get to talk to them. Then we had lunch, German pancakes ( not really that German, I've never had them as German food only as American) we didn't have any syrup to put on them because Germans don't like sweet stuff so we used ice cream:) I know it's not necessarily the most healthy but it sure tasted good. Then we went to bahnhof and waited for our companions, and we waited and after two trains that they weren't on we called and found out the got out at Glückstadt because that's the name of the area, they needed to keep going until itzahoe three stops later. They got on the next train then everything was good. When we got to Heide the day was over.

  

Wednesday, was a pretty awesome day. First we went to the church and got elder Hall logged in to the map. Then we went and did a little bit of shopping because we never buy food on transfer p day. Then we did an entire day of finding. Then we went home. Nothing too exciting but it makes it so you can get to know your comp. he's pretty cool. I think this will be a good transfer.

Thursday, we walked around a lot. We went and read in the scriptures with a less active. I really enjoy reading in German now, I hate to read out loud, because like in English I'm not fast, but I like it. We then tried to do some important things, we registered elder hall in the city and then we went to the drivers license place and I finished the work change my license. I should have one in two weeks we had a nice lunch with the branch president, then we walked around a lot more got rained on a lot. Then we met with Zeifi and that was really good. Then we went home. Had sprach studium and dinner, and that was how our day went.

Friday was a really awesome day! we had district meeting and that was a lot of fun I got to meet the new people in our district. One was trained in Magdeburg so elder Gibbs and I got to hear an update on the city, the other one didn't really talk to us, and the new trainee was pretty cool, he's got pretty good German for his second day in Germany. Then we came home, on the way we got ice cream, it was a pretty day today. Then we went and did a tiny bit of weekly planning before we met with Zeifi. It's really cool he's working on getting married and we're going to help him quit smoking so he can be baptized. Then we finished weekly planning and went to an eating appointment with a member. That was a really good time I really enjoy busy days like today!

Saturday we went and did service like we do every Saturday. We finished a chicken coop then we waited forever for food to finish cooking so we could eat, it was a little frustrating because it was on the one Saturday that we had something planned for the afternoon. Well after we finished we went home changed and got on a train and visited Stacy. She gave us some really good soup when we got there and I was pretty happy because we had just eaten and soup wouldn't be too much. Then she brought out two huge plates of mashed potatoes gravy covered vegetables and bratwurst. It was so much food that hours later  I'm still stuffed. We had a really nice time with Stacy then we came home planned and then got ready for bed. It was a nice day.

Sunday. We went to church today. That was really cool. We talked a lot of the different types of pride, how some are good and some are bad. Then we taught Zeifi about the word of wisdom. He accepted it all and said he would work in it. He also said since it will be a while before he gets married that he's going to look for another apartment. Then we came home made some pizza and got a text message from Zeifi's angry girlfriend. I don't think she has a job and is living off of Zeifi's refugee support. She said she will be registering him at a German church because we are in Germany ( I wasn't aware of that, I thought I just learned a foreign language and was surrounded by Germans because that's a normal occurrence in America) anyways I wasn't to happy with her ( especially because her only interests in taking him to a German church is so that she can continue living in her sinful indulgences and not for his salvation) so I sent back a text to her ( I love German for its ability to sound angry and ugly, but still be within the promptings of the spirit) telling her about the fact we are not an American church and that we are only helping him to make the right choice for him, to which she responded that German churches don't make you live the word of wisdom or the law of chastity ( at this point I really wanted to go into how German churches also don't have the power, authority, or the ordinances, necessary to bring salvation to pass, but I figured that to be throwing pearls before swine, because anyone who believes that registration leads to salvation has never read any form of bible. ( we would love to help her out, but sadly even here in Germany gods given law of agency still works and she will not talk to us at all unless it is telling us about how Zeifi will be registered at a German church) luckily Zeifi probably has no idea that this is happening and he doesn't want to go to German churches because they don't help him learn like we do, so he will continue to meet with us. Last time she texted us we were told he doesn't want to talk to us and then a few hours later he called us and asked if our appointment was still on for the night. so I will be praying a lot for him this week. But this ties in awesome to a talk we had in sacrament meeting about patriarchal blessings. In mine a line says "people will place obstacles in the way of you achieving what the savior would have you do"  God lives, and he'll help us, that's all that I'm sure of right now! ( that and that when people do stupid things I go into this weird combination  of emotions that's kinda a necessary mixture for this situation and my ability to type German gets pretty good) then we went out and did some finding, no members wanted us today, that's ok, I'm used to not having eating appointments on Sundays so it's no big deal. Then we came home and called it a night.

9/14/2015

Monday! It was a sweet day today, not a whole lot went down. We had a cool lesson with Zeifi. Then we had FHE, that was our day.

Tuesday ha ha so I was with elder Gibbs on exchange today. So today was a ton of fun. We have done an exchange in every transfer except one. It's a little crazy, since the first one we have had to make them all memorable, and boy have they been. We did our classic bratwurst party, but this one will go down in the books as the tausch of the stinky cheese. A tradition for every exchange is the tausch treat. So we decided that we would get a fancy cheese and eat it with crackers. So we did as we looked at the cheeses we decided to go with the safest looking, that was a terrible mistake. We also had a lesson with Zeifi, trying to help him learn to read.

Wednesday. We had district meeting today and then came home met with Zeifi and got ready for tomorrow by baking banana bread to take to a bunch of elder lawyers old friends.

Thursday. Was a pretty insane day, we went to elder lawyers old area and visited some members there. This area was closed and the branch was too. But it was cool to see some new stuff for the day. 

Friday, We didn't have much happen today, but when someone knows they are leaving there are a lot of preparations to be made. Today was spent doing those since tomorrow is busy and he leaves for the office on Sunday. Today we had some cleaning and planning, I did weekly planning by myself, then after we cleaned and packed and planned we went out for an verabschieden essen. The fancy stake house that elder Paul took me to, we went back there, there's not many steakhouses so there super expensive but he had lots of money, so I got a 12oz ribeye and it was so good! We did get to have a lesson with Zeifi today, he's happy because the church is already blessing his life, he's been looking for work for a while, and things are going good in his job hunt, I know that it has do do with his prayers! Anyways that's how the day went.

Saturday! Transfer calls are in. Elder Lawyer will be going home. Elder Oldroyd will stay in Heide. His new companion will be Elder Hall. Elder Gibbs will be training and still the district leader so we will celebrate our anniversary on the 22nd of next month. 

We had our service project today, that was fun. We helped her with her rabbit pit, she has eight of them, then we went and got changed, went to a member appointment and then went home and he packed a little bit more.

Sunday was elder lawyers last day, we had choir first thing in the morning and then church, in choir we started singing a Christmas song, ha ha that was a little weird, then we had church went home and then got all our stuff. Then we went to Itzahoe. I got off the train elder Moerly got on and that was that. Elder O'Keefe and I are now here in Itzahoe until Tuesday when the new companions come.

9/7/2015

Monday was a normal p day, we didn't really do anything at all. But haribo candy was on a really good sale so I bought 20

So today was a pretty interesting day we had an appointment with Zeifi. the stuff that he told us was insane! I will try to put into English what he could barely put into German.

Zeifi came to the baptism last Saturday and church with us on Sunday. He found the baptism awesome and had a fantastic time at church on Sunday. We taught him about prayer and taught him how to pray. I always find it so cool to hear the first prayer of someone's life. A small miracle as a missionary. He thanked God and asked him to bless his family in Afghanistan then said amen. It was really cool. We met with him today and we talked to him about his prayers, he said that that he said on right as he was going to sleep. He then told us of the dream that he had. There were two men who appeared to him, they were all dressed in white and they were tall. He said that their hair was white and that they talked to him, and told him not to be afraid, he then saw the missionaries. And the men in white told him that the missionaries are here to help him! 

That is probably the coolest story I have from my mission so far. Zeifi also stopped drinking after  the baptism and is working on quitting smoking! I really hope I'm still here to see his baptism. God really prepares his children!

Super boring Wednesday. We woke up got on a train and I took a nap :) I like naps. Then we went to district meeting. When we got home everything fell out. Seriously everyone we went to wasn't home. So after trying to be busy we ran out of stuff to do and the day was over so we went home. Elder lawyer made banana bread and I ate bratwurst.

Thursday! Today was an interesting day but not much happened. We had our appointment with a less active member where we read with him in the scriptures and that was good as always, I love to read in the scriptures. After that we went and had lunch with the branch president and his wife. That was cool, we shared the Mormon message o remember remember. It's one of my favorites. Then we went and had a lesson with Zeifi. It was nice we had a translator and he does an excellent job at helping. Zeifi thought it was awesome and Hadi the translator was amazed at Zeifi's story about his dream. Then we did home teaching with the branch president. We went to a psycho man and I don't even really know what went down there. He's crazy. Then the day was over and we came home

Friday. Not a whole lot happened, we went home teaching, and met with a lot of crazy children. The first family we went to has three little boys, 5, 2, and 6 months.and the two oldest kept playing then fighting then playing then fighting, it was like I was home again with ken and josh. Then the second family had a daughter who was probably 6 and Twins that were about three. They were insane haha it was fun the husband is in the German army and looked at Google maps of Utah and loved it when I showed him Altamont, I need to take some good pics there next time to show him, he loves redneck culture haha. That was pretty much our day.

Saturday was not too exciting we rode to our service project in the rain and rode home in the rain. Our appointment tonight fell out. We did some finding, no one is out on a Saturday afternoon in a small German town. Zeifi saw us and had us come in we sat with him for a minute then we went home for the night. 

Sunday was a really good day, we had fast and testimony meeting in church and that was really cool. Every single testimony was one of thanks, I don't know if I've ever had one like A counselor in the stake presidency was there and he said some really cool stuff. One thing he said was that it's really hard to learn about ourselves, we can ask people, sometimes they are honest but we can't learn a lot from them, we can ask ourselves, but most of the time that gives us a completely skewed perspective, we are either too hard on ourselves or just completely cocky, it's hard to tell. But he looks at his children as a gauge, how did his children turn out. When he wants to really learn about himself he looks to his kids. After church we went to an eating appointment with some members and it was a really nice time. They had Zeifi come with and he enjoyed it. Then elder lawyer had a bad headache so I let him take a nap. Then we went to another eating appointment and that was good we always have an awesome time with that family.