August 30, 2015

Hey family! 

This week has been exhausting.  On Monday we went to the zoo. It was alright. They have no special German animals here. Except maybe ant eaters. They had a ton of those. We went and ate with the Kleinert’s and then went out and contacted for a bit.

On Tuesday we had a split and I went to Unna. We taught a guy about the commandments and it went pretty well. He had a lot of interesting questions. But it was good. He seem to accept everything.

Wednesday we went to Lüdenscheid and we went by on a few old lady's there. We brought a member with us, who got back from his mission in Switzerland a few months ago. It was a good time. We shared Weil Er Lebt with everyone. We are trying to visit every ward member.

 Then on Thursday we did a lot of area book work and member book stuff. We were going to meet with Alli but he didn't answer. Turns out he had a lot of work and is going home for a month.

On Friday we helped a member move. This is why I am so exhausted. He lived on the fifth floor of his apartment. We had to move everything down. And when I say everything it means everything. Germans for some reason when they move take everything. Kitchen cupboards the counter with the sink….. Everything. It was a half the day. Then we had weekly planning.

On Saturday guess what we did, Yep, helped a less active move. And he lived on the 4th floor. Haha and neither of them have elevators. So yeah, after being sore from the first one we helped with the second and guess what we have going on today. Another move. Hah. I guessing she will probably be on the third floor. Haha.

Saturday was good we met with Kramer after doing our move and had steaks and cucumber salad. Kramer is the best. Then on Sunday we had church and it was really good. We had an awesome combined lesson from our bishop about all the small and simple things we need to do in our life. Like read the scriptures, going to church, have family home evening. It really is simple and then after church we did our studies and finished weekly planning.  Today,  like I said we are helping some lady in Witten move,  and then we are meeting with Kleinert’s again. 

Yes, so my week was good but exhausting. It is still pretty warm here. We are trying to contact 1000 people before the end of our transfer, but I don't know if we can quite make it. We are falling behind. It's ok though it's not about how many people we contact but how many people we help come closer to Christ. I really hope Germany gets some snow this year. The missionary works been a little slow. We haven't met the Italian guy Elder Freeland can't get a ticket. Alli is going back to Serbia for a month and we are hopefully going to meet with Manuela next week. We haven't been able to teach anyone all the lessons yet. I will have to ask my friend in the ward here if he served in any of the places you mentioned from Switzerland.

Well I got to run and go help this lady move. Hope all you have a good week I will try and put some pictures of the zoo on a little later. Maybe during English class! Well love you all! 

Devin

August 23, 2015

Hey guys! 

This week was good! We played ping pong last week on Monday and that was awesome. Turns out we have a ping pong table and everything here in the church. We met with Alli and had an awesome lesson and then went and contacted a bunch of people at night.  

On Tuesday, we did some former investigator go- bys and no one really answered the door so then we had English class with Daniel.   It was better.  I think he is learning a bit more.

Wednesday, we had district meeting it was good and then we had to go out to a members house for lunch. We had rice and chicken stuff. It reminded me of chicken Washington. We then hit a bus back to the church for geminda rat. That lasted a while but was really good and then we went out contacting for a bit.  We need are trying to contact 38 people every day to reach 1000 people by the end of the transfer.

 On Thursday we had an appointment and the dude didn't answer. Then we went around doing go bys and contacting. It went pretty good.

 Friday we got a survey from the other elders in our district that we can try at doors. It was really good and we got let in a door! We asked this guy about his religion and he was really nice and said he would love to learn more but he is going on vacation for a few weeks. So we will definitely go by again when he is back. Then we were supposed to have a lesson at the church but our guy never showed. So then we went to this other man’s house and he wasn't home. He was a former in our gps so we went by earlier and he said to come back by in the evenings.

Saturday we did our studies and then we basically got on a bus rode for two hours (actually it was three different buses) went to a members house for lunch and then we had to do the same thing on the way back and then we went to Kramer’s. It was basically a day of bus riding. Oh and at Kramer’s we were playing catch and I threw the football over this wall in their yard.  I went and rang the bell and I told the guy I threw the ball over the wall but I guess the word for a wall inside your house is different from the one outside so he was a little confused and started talking in English. Haha. But it was all good I got the ball back.

 On Sunday, we had church. I had to give the opening prayer in sacrament. I was nervous so the prayer was a little short. Then we went to a members for lunch. They are a funny family they have a little 1 year old who is running around saying hello to everyone and giving us handshakes and high fives. He also really wanted the iPad when we started playing a video on it. Haha.  It was a fun time.  We did more contacting that evening. 

And today we are going to the zoo in Dortmund. Sounds like you all had an eventful week with helping at colony. Glad everything went okay. Alli is an investigator we have and so is Manuela. They are both really cool.  I have noticed meeting so many different people and so many different missionaries that everyone really is different and has their own views on everything. That's awesome the church is helping out all the schools. I think it will be a great example to the rest of the community. There is not too much service going on here. We had those two projects back in Jena but here I have only helped Brother Kramer’s son move. I guess this Friday we are helping another family move.

Investigators are good. We do see interesting stuff here. There are a lot of homeless people who ask us for money. We also see people playing random instruments. I have seen a giant triangle guitar guy and a guy with a silver guitar. Yeah, I see Interesting people all the time. There are people that we call pfand pirates because when you buy a drink they charge you pfand for the bottle and you bring it back to the store and can get 15 cents or so and so when people throw the bottles away these people go digging through the trash everywhere looking for bottles. Hah it's crazy.

Well I love you all.

Love Devin