This week, was just one of those weeks that are like, "Ya, that was a good week." It may or not be because of the AWESOME General Conference we had the oppportunity to watch and hear those beloved people called of God. But hey, that's Saturday and Sunday. We have 5 more days to talk about! :)
Monday was pretty good, just a chill (literally) P-day. Didn't do anything too special. Got to see the Best buy of Nürnberg though, which is crazy huge and has so much stuff. Ah :) It had so much camera stuff and lenses, I've never been so tempted on my mission ;)
Tuesday: It was an okay day. We went by a member's house, and they live in the boonies of our area. I swear I got to experience what climbing Mt. Everest is like, but it was a great experience. The people we visited, the Frenzels, have never met with either of us, so we had a little get-to-know-you session that day, and it was a great lesson. I am getting more and more confident in my German, and I'm understanding the placements and words so much better now. I just take a little more time to get out my words :) But hey, the Savior says to place upon me your burdens, for my yoke is light. How many times was that quoted in General Conference? It's an awesome scripture, and when we fully understand what it means we will feel so much better about life and be much happier. Ah, again I'm jumping to conference. Sorry :)
Wendsday: Zone Conference, my first. Ah it was soooo good. Elder Allen and I came into it wanting to know how could we find more investigators and increase our pool, and that was all we talked about! We are going to try new ways and new ideas to find people, rather than getting into the slump of just going dooring or go to the Fuss, which is the popular town of Nuemarkt. It's hard here, because in our area, there is a lot of old people who don't want to hear from an 18 year old kid about relgion or making their life better. So...I have learned some good words in German ha. Anyway, we are trying new ways to talk to people, as President Schwartz has encouraged us, and it has been good. My favorite is contacting on trains because then people are obligated to sit with us and have to talk to us. We have handed out a lot of cards and met some awesome people. The best is the drunk people because then they don't know what they are saying, but we end up getting their info and seeing them later. Ha may not be the best thing to share, but we have had some awesome experiences. Oh drunk people :) Anyway, then later that day we had our wonderful basketball contacting. we are getting closer to them and gaining more respect. One of the guys, Alex, he likes me a lot and is super sweet. So it is great to actually not be judged by what we wear but just to talk to someone who likes us because of who we are.
Thursday: may have been my favorite day, before General Conference :) We had a whole lot of time to study, which was good. And gosh, it's always a disappointment when I have to stop studying my scriptures. It's crazy that I am even saying those words. But I have learned so much, and I will forever keep learning. Later that day, we taught Georg. It was a fantastic lesson about gaining a testimony. He has a testimony, but he just needs to believe in himself. So we gave him a bunch of commitments, and one of them was to go to General Conference on Sunday, read the Buch Mormon every day, and just pray with his whole herz. I will tell you how it went later. I love to make you wait :) After that we had an extra long sport abend, because of a holiday (when they tore down the wall of East and West Germany). It was fantastic. A lot of people invited friends, and some were non-members, and it was just a great atmosphere. Some of them said they wanted to come again, so it was great :)
Friday: Ah Friday, what a day. So we studied, like missionaries do (primary song comes to mind), and then we went to our Geminde house to be interviewed by President!! My first interview. It was an amazing experience. If everyone could be as loving and as strong as he is in the gospel, like the Book of Mormon says about Moroni, the very powers of hell would be shaken forever (Alma 48:17). I won't talk about what he said, but he is just the best man ever and wants the best for each and everyone of his missionaries. He cares so much, so don't worry mother, I am in good hands :) After we met with him, we went to see Sister Brosh and do our weekly service with this kind lady. She is going on vacation for 3 weeks, so this was the last time we might see her, since transfers are this Saturday. She is the sweetest lady and will do anything for us, as we would her. We taught her about charity and about Moroni 7:44-48. One of my favorite scriptures. Something that I learned is that we do not possess charity, charity possesses us. It is the pure love of Christ. To have charity means you are loving people as Christ loves them. And without charity, you are nothing. I am nothing as a missionary if I do not love the people I teach. And with so many talks at General Conference about missionary work, it's clear that that is how the work is going to go forth: with absolute charity for the people we love, so much love that we want to share this gospel.
Saturday and Sunday: Saturday started off wonderful, wünderbar. Our bishop is totally on board with missionary work now. It is completely awesome. He called us the night before and asked us to help this guy, that is a non-member, move out of his house. Of course he had a piano, table, couch, and washer, and lived on the top floor. But gosh, I loved it so much. It was so much fun, and I loved serving. I could tell that we made an impact on this guys life. It was great. Then the bishop gave us a referral! We are supposed to meet someone at a shoe store right down the street from us, so of course I'm excited. ;) But we will visit this person this week and see what we can do :) Then we studied and watched the first session of General Conference on Saturday live at 18:00 clock here. It was like Christmas was here. It was such an amazing session. I'll talk about specifics....
Sunday: So the best thing, I told Elder Allen that we should fast. So we started saturday night before, and then we fasted until dinner. When anyone fasts, blessings come to past. Ha I'm a poet. But when a missionary fasts, wow, it is amazing! Georg came to General Conference! He came to the wrong session we wanted him to come to, but he came to the one he really needed. And he also brought he girlfriend!! We asked him on Wednesday if she would come too, and he said that she would never, but she came! Ah, it was awesome. He is progressing so much, and I just know he is going to make his baptismal date. And his girlfriend even liked going! It was such a great experience. Now about Conference.......
It was so amazing. We watched it in English (thank goodness) on this little tv in a room in our stake center we call the cellar room. We only got to watch the first session of Saturday General Conference on Saturday, and we watched all the rest on Sunday. 8 hours straight. With no eating until 5 ha. But wow, I took so many notes and didn't fall asleep once haha! I am just so grateful for those men who are called of God. I thought about so many people when I was watching. I thought about you wonderful people at home and how this could care to your needs. I felt like this General Conference was a very emotional one, and like President Monson said, it was one of the best Conferences he has ever been to. Ah I am so grateful for it. And I'm so grateful to be a missionary in this time and age. I miss you all so much, but if I could have one thing right now, it would be for all you to be out here serving with me. But guess what! You don't have to come out here to serve! You can serve right where you are and give someone your testimony of how this gospel has changed your life. If we all find one person, just one, and we can bring them the message of this gospel, how great will be our joy, as the scripture goes. I just love all those beloved brethren. I love Elder Uchtdorf and Holland and Bednar and Oaks and Perry and ah!!(exclamation point ;)) They all are just amazing. When Robert D. Hales said that it'll be like God is talking directly to you and that these words are for you, there could not have been a better General Conference to say that. I know that these men are called of God and as we apply what we learned and believe on their word but also ask in FAITH, just believing in Christ, oh my wonderful brothers and sisters, we will become so much better. I personally loved Todd Christoffersons talk about the role of women and how amazing you are. It's true. And I think it gave me special meaning, because here in Germany women are very looked down upon and it was great to hear how truly wonderful you are. I get to remember that every week when I talk with my wonderful mother.
This is a long weekly letter, but it doesn't even show how much I learned this week and just how amazing my love is for this gospel. My goal every day, is to be more and more like Christ. If we focus on his love, his atoning sacrifice, and see how he has blessed our life, and study his teachings, his wonderful and amazing heart, I know, I know without a doubt, that we will be happier, more loving, and we will see our weaknesses made strong through him. As many times as it was quoted on in General Conference, I am going to quote it again because it is so true. Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
I love you all and wish you the best. May the Lord always be with us.
Elder Mayne
P.S. I LOVE MY FAM. and thanks for youre wonderful love and support, send it to everyone again, and whoever else. i love you all so much :)
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