July 6, 2015

Hey family!

This week we had our mini missionary as I told you! He is 16 and is from Mülheim and his name is Yannick Schwarte. He was really quiet but pretty cool.   Monday we went and did shopping and all that, then we went to the park and played soccer. That was fun. Some little Turkish kids came over and tried playing football with us. I bought an American football and it was too big for the kid’s hands. It's kind of sad how many kids here can't catch and throw. Haha.  We were at the church on Monday too and Brother Kramer showed up with some other guy and they were having a root beer deal. They went out to the parking lot and this guy had 148 cans of root beer he loaded into Brother Kramer’s car and then Brother Kramer paid him and they left. Haha. It was hilarious.

Elder Frickey and Elder Schwarte and me
out doing doors

Then on Tuesday we did our studies and then did some doors before we went to an appointment we had set up with Eve. Not too many people answered their doors and lots were not interested, but it was good. Then we went and taught Eve about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was really good and we had our mini missionary talk some too. After our appointment, we came back and made another corner board for the street. It was the same as last time minus the answer on the bottom that the random guy added haha. We met some black people, who spoke English, while doing our street board. It was really good. And we invited them to church. Hopefully they will come.

On Wednesday, we had district meetings and then Brother Kramer showed up and bought us Asian food.  Then after that we had a split. I had a missionary who has only been in Germany for a week and Yannick Schwarte. So I was completely in charge and we had to travel an hour to a member’s house for dinner. Got there perfect timing and we had dinner with them and shared a lesson. It was super good and fun. They are cool members. They are the Shadowski's.  After dinner, we got back to town and did some contacting. The new missionary Elder Flickinger was good at that. He was brand new so he would just say "es tut mir leid.  Wir sind Missionare von der Kirche Jesu Christi und wir teilen ein Botschaft über Jesus Christus." It was really funny because es tut mir leid, as mom knows, means I’m sorry. Haha he meant to say Entschuldigung which means excuse me. Anyways, we have an appointment today with a lady from Afghanistan so I guess it worked haha.  

On Thursday, we went to the soup kitchen and had a good time cutting meat. It was the first of the month so no one was there because they all got their government money. Then we did our studies and then we went to Dortmund for institute. That was good except I get the times confused and so we showed up 2 hours early. Darn military time! Oh and while we were at the soup kitchen a guy called us and asked if he could come by the church. So we met him and gave him a tour and a Book of Mormon. It was awesome. He is from Nigeria. So after institute, we came home and went to bed.

Cutting Vegetables at the soup kitchen

Then Friday we did weekly planning and then we went to the Kramer’s for an early dinner. It was good we had Yannick teach the lesson and it was super short but good. Then Brother Kramer’s wife and son showed up and brought a less active with them, so we ended up staying the whole rest of the day talking with them. It was good to get to know Brother Kramer’s wife a little better. She is funny and nice.

Saturday we went to Dortmund and played basketball and oh yeah, it was so hot this week. At Brother Kramer’s I was dying it was so hot. And after we played basketball, I just stayed sweaty until I took a shower at home. It was blazing. So after I kicked butt at basketball, we had a closing meeting for Yannicks Schwarte mini mission and then we went back to Hagen. Then we called people we needed to call, and did our studies. 

On Sunday they decided to have only sacrament because of the heat and lack of AC here. It was funny because on Sunday it was raining and not that hot. Elder Frickey and I had our suit coats on and I think everyone thought we were crazy because we didn't take them off. But it wasn't that hot. There was a guy preparing sacrament and he was just dripping, it was gross. I don't know how he got that sweaty. Haha. So that was a weird Sunday. And while it was going it got super dark outside and thunder was booming and it was just pouring. The new convert lady came to church and she recognized me finally haha.  Well, that was pretty much my week. 

I am glad you guys had a good time at Lake Louise. I didn't know grandma and grandpa and Michelle had never been to chucks new cabin. That's crazy. I am glad chucks family was up there and all the family pretty much. You should send me a video of grandpa and grandma telling stories. It's crazy to think how fast the mission has been flying by. I still have a long time left too. And for your talks, all I can think of is that it is really cool to think that Jesus died for us and he is not just some story book character he is actually resurrected and living. It's hard to grasp that sometimes but I think it is cool.

City Center in Hagen

So the street display we did last week didn't have a board we just had a table with Book of Mormons and other stuff we hand out and that was it. Oh and the balloons. That went good but we haven't heard back from anyone from that display.

Well have a good week everybody I love you all! 

Devin