Monday, October 28, 2013

Letter #14 - Helping Hands

Well hallo wieder famille und fruende :)

It's been a great week, and as usual a learning week. But that's every week! Ha and gosh, it's been great, and I can just see how amazing this work and how amazing God's plan is for all of us. I love it :)

Tuesday: Good solid day :) had our first distrikt versammung mit our new distrikt leader and that was good to finally get to know him. His name is Elder Ludlow, and he actually went to American Fork like 3 years ago! But it's good to have some more Cavemen blood :) Distrikt meeting was really good, and I love our distrikt. Then we met with the familie Fahls :) ah I love this familie. They are so happy, and they love the gospel. They have 2 missionaries out right now, and one is done with his mission on November 29, so hopefully I get to meet him. But this familie is so great and always willing to do missionary work. We watched Elder Holland's testimony on the Book of Mormon, and how powerful that is and then we went around and gave our testimonies about it. And wow, even as a missionary, hearing people's testimonies is so great and strengthens mine :) I love this gospel :)

Mittwoch: Ah this day, was so...not eventful, until we were coming back from the church after unsuccessfully attempting to open the door to the computer, because it was closed :) but when we were coming back, we met a guy on the train that we have talked to before and is super nice and we offered a Buch Mormon to him. He was so suprised that we were just giving them out and was way happy about it. We have his phone number, and he said he is really going to read it, so that was awesome. :) Then we had an austuasch with nurnberg, so Elder Baker came down to Feucht with me. We went straight to basketball :) ha and I played one of the best times there, if you would like to know. But I talked to Mario, and he STILL is reading the Buch Mormon. I asked if we can meet this next week and he said yes! Ha but then I also got another person's number that is our age that comes to basketball and speaks in broken up english. So I say it was a great day :)

Thursday: Hardest day ever. So Elder Baker was still here, and I was supposed to run the show. And we had 3 hours of contacting, so we went train contacting. Then I remembered that I forgot my wallet and so we had to miss our first train and get the next one. When we got on there, only 2 people were on there! 2! and both had head phones in and so no one would talk to us. And then I was struggling a little bit, thinking too much about myself and what not, and then we went to Sport, and wow, it was what I needed. The Ackkerman family and all their kids were there, and I just played with them forever. And then a part member family showed up and we got to meet and talk with them and it made my day a whole lot better. I honestly think when you have a hard day, go to the scriptures. They teach you everything. And I'll tell you later why :)

Friday: Elder allen and I were reunited and back together and it felt, so good haha. We went and served our wonderful 3rd Grandpa, Bro. Miller. The best part was we found out he still has a testimony! It's great. This next week, we are going over and painting for him, which I am super excited about ha. I love serving people. I love forgetting myself and seeing people's faces when they see something, a burden, that they had is taken off their shoulders. Ah it's great. Honestly, after reading what I wrote, that's not the same Elder Mayne you know huh? Ha I have changed a lot :) But for the better :) After that, we even did some more service and moved another chicken coup for a member in our ward. We moved it to his house, but we didn't take it down because it's dark here at like 5 o'clock and we couldn't do it in the dark ha. So that leads into...

Saturday! So guess what? More service!!! Ha and we also had the opportunity to do Mormon Helping Hands, as a stake, and so we went on the streets in the areas and picked up trash. Honestly, they could have told me to do anything, as long as I got to wear one of those vests. :) Afterwards we went to the members house and served some more and put the massive chicken coup where it was suppposed to go. Then we taught the Vincents, the best family in the ward that I love so much :) their kids are super cute too, so that's a bonus :)

This week, wasn't super eventful. But I personally, learned a lot. I learned that, why, why do we think of ourselves? we are here to serve the Lord, and we are here, on this Earth, to live and serve our God with all our heart, might, mind and strength. I have learned to forget myself, like President Hinckley. Whenever I was mad at myself, or at other people, or just frustrated, I would think, 'Alright, go serve them.' You won't have those feelings anymore. And when you do that, it is so true. I can promise, with all my heart, the more we think about our Savior, Jesus Christus, and his character and honestly try to become like that, we will not only change our lives, but the lives of others. And i want all of you, to read ether 12. it is the best chapter in the buch mormon, in my opinion. even took pictures of it. but if you ponder what it says in there, and honestly, try to trust in the Lord and his will for just this week, you will see the difference it will make in your life. I love this gospel, and I love being a missionary. It's all going by so quickly, and it seems like sometimes I haven't accomplished anything. But just like Ammon in chapter 26 of Alma, they looked back at the things that they accomplished, and it doesn't talk about baptisms, Buch Mormons, whatever. They turned the heart of the people, and helped them find God. And that's what this missionary work is. So that is why I am so happy people. It's because I boast in the strength of My Lord, My God, and his son, our Savior, Jesus Christus. Through them, all things all possible.

Elder Mayne

I LOVE YOU FAMILY!!!!! Gosh I love you guys. Can't wait to get home and shower you all with my testimony and love and what not :) ha but please send this to everyone and whoever else you think would benefit from it and love to hear from me. :) but I love you guys and can't wait to see what this week holds! love you!










Monday, October 21, 2013

Letter #13 - Haircut

Ah Hallo wieder Familie und Fruende!

This week was a solid week. Lots of ups and downs, but as always, I tend to look at the ups so it's all good :) but this week, was one I probably will remember forever, and I will tell you why :)

Montag: So..... I cut my hair. Yes, I did mother. Haha but hey, I think it looks decent, and it was a lot better than spending 9 Euro on a crappy haircut. So pictures are included. Be warned, it may not be missionary appropriate :) ha but I had hair all over my back and man, it is HARD to cut the back of your head by yourself. Elder Allen wasn't down to do if for me :)

Dienstag: Ah this day was hard. We met with Georg, but it wasn't the greatest lesson. He has been struggling with his problems and the commandments, especially the Word of Wisdom, so it's been hard on him. We kinda felt like we didn't address the right things for him. We met with him this P-day, because he told us he didn't want to meet anymore on Sunday (getting ahead), but he is happy now and feels like we honestly care about him, which we do. I just want the best for him, and I care about that guy so much. I know that if he makes his baptismal date, and goes through with it, his life will be so much happier. Just want the best for this guy. So I am praying hard :)

Mittwoch: Ah so this week, we did a lot of contacting. We haven't seen any success come out of it YET, but we have made people's days and touched their hearts, and that is all that matters. Honestly. And so this day we did train contacting, as we did yesterday, because that's the only time people will talk to us, because they can't leave their seats haha :) but so we did that and also got my visa so I wasn't an illegal Native American here in Germany :) Then we had basketball and talked to Mario, about Buch of Mormon reading. He said he has been reading it! He said it is different and interesting, and said he will keep reading, but doesnt know what he thinks yet. We are playing with him again tonight, so hopefully we will be able to set an appointment up and talk to him about it :) But hey, he's been reading! Ha it's awesome :) best way to find the truth of this gospel is that buch.

Donnerstag: Gosh, this day was one that I will never forget. Nothing amazing happened, nothing special, just simply, carving a pumpkin to bring to a family that has been going through hard times in our ward, and seeing their faces when we came. Ah, it was awesome. If you can understand what it says in the picture, it says Wir (heart) euch, so we love you all. And man, that thing was heavy. Ha and they live about 30-45 min away, so like a 2 mile walk. But gosh, it was worth it. Even while we were passing by people on the street, and seeing their faces, smiling because two guys in suits are struggling carrying pumpkins on a hill, was awesome. Ah, I loved it. That's what this work is all about everyone. It's making people feel loved. Is making them remember the love they felt before this world began. It's an amazing opportnuity to do that and to touch peoples lives the way that I have. It makes me so happy, and I am so lucky to be out here, doing what Christ did.

Fritag: ha so this day was intresting and went by pretty dang fast. We had zone training, again, ha but it always recharges our batteries and makes us better everytime, which is exactly what I need. Then we went to serve a member in our ward, which was to get a chicken coup he bought from a neighbor and move it to his house. It was really easy, and there wasn't too much to do, so I felt like the only reason that they called us there was to watch us chase around chickens and try to catch them. Man, those things are annoying ha. But it was good, and I got to practice my German with this ward member and get to know him better, which was great :)

During study this day, I had a thought, and I want to apologize to everyone. I am sorry for the past. In my sophomore year, I had a terrible experience, and I was rocked to my core, and I was deeply hurt and hurt others that were close to me as well. I was selfish. I closed out the people that loved me the most, that cared the most about me and only thought why me, why this. And I missed out on the opportunity to help people and change others' lives, rather than just wishing mine was different. So I want to apologize to all of you that had to endure or go through that with me, or for others that I hurt along the way. I know that through that trial I have become better. And I am gratefol for that. But I know that I could have helped so many others as well, and for that, I apologize and testify of the Atonement of Christ, that helps all men, to change and become clean, and more like him. For that, I am forever eternally grateful.

Sonntag: We served the Millers :) They are so awesome. I love them! They are like 3rd set of grandparents. After that, we went to our neighbors' for tea (fruit tea) and cake. Annnnnd taught a first lesson. THESE PEOPLE ARE SO PREPARED. We had an awesome lesson, and the Spirit was so strong. We have another appointment next week. I love these people, and I will tell you more about what happens to them next week. Their names are Thomas and Tania, and they are 25 each and have an annoying dog named Kimi. But I love them :)

I love you all so much. I must, ah, go play basketball ;) ha but I just want to testify this gospel is true. And I have never, never felt more love and joy than I do now. And it's because the more we study this gospel and Christ and his teachings, and LIVE them, the happier we will be. I can verißung that. And I am so grateful for it. Bis dan! Ciao!

ELDER MAYNE

I LOVE MY FAMILY SOOOOO MUCH: I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK. I LIKE TYPING IN CAPITALs: HA BUT SEND THIS TO EVERYONE!! BITTE EVERYONE! LOVE YOU!!!










Monday, October 14, 2013

Letter #12 - Priesthood Power

Guten TAG alle Menschen!

It's been a great week, and I am feeling good. I'm little hungry right now but that's the missionary life, and there's no way to stop missionary hunger. But it's been a great week, and I will tell you all about it.

Tuesday: Just a great day. We had a lesson planned with Georg, but since he had work that morning, he couldn't meet. So we just did some more studying, well finished our normal study. And then we went to the Grassers, these Americans in our ward. I love these people. They are super sarcastic and make me feel like I am back at home, partly because I know exactly what they are saying to me :) They have a pumpkin patch, a big one too. We went and served in it for 4 hours. It was long, and ha, winter is starting to come in. But it was so fun to be just out there, in the boonies of Nuemarkt, and just serving and having fun. It was a great day. We came home after and went by on a referral from our bishop, but he wasn't home. So we went and set up an apppointment with our awesome neighbors below us for this Saturday and then we went and called potentials out of our phone, because we have 150 contacts and only know like 50 of them ha. We had some interesting phone calls, but it was a great day, and I love serving and helping members.

Wednesday: I honestly can't remember what we did in the morning, I am so sorry. I do usually have my planner, but we have new planners this week because of transfers!!! Crazy. I do know that we had basketball (of course) in the night, and that was awesome. The potential that we have a relationship with, Mario, offered to take us to this game up in Regensburg on Saturday, so obviously we said yes. It's a 50 minute drive up there, so perfect opportunity right? But that's Saturday, so we will get to that later. Other than that, I can imagine this day was good too :)

Donnerstag: Ah, my favorite day this week. So we had a companion exchange this week, so Elder Miller from Regensburg came down here, and I was supppose to hold down the fort as a new missionary. It was one of my favorite days on the mission honestly. We went and visited this less active in our ward, and I had the opportunity to give her a blessing. It was so amazing. I can testify of the power of the priesthood. I just felt God's love for her, which was amazing. I love helping people feel that. But then anyway, Elder Miller and I just clicked and were talking with everyone. My German is coming along people. :) When you're on your mission, you feel like you will never learn. But it just comes! You just have to be patient and honestly, open your mouth. That's all. Auf jedenfall, then we had sport abend, and there was no one that came! But then bishop and his family came and it was just a great time to play soccer, be humble, and just get closer to our bishop. So Thursday was great.

Friday: So this day was great too. Lot's of things happen, but when you just focus on the good things, it just makes life so much better right? But anywho, Elder Allen and I got back together, weird to say that, but once we did, we went straight off to an eating appointment with Sister Shultz, who is the sweetest lady. She has been a member for over a year, her whole family are non-members, and she is just so sweet and fantastic. Her family loves us. And we pray everyday that someday they will accept this gospel. But we taught about prayer and asked her how it helped her in the role of her conversion, and I think it was great, and I testified about how it is important to me and what role it is to me. Her husband is athesist, and the spirit was so strong, I know that he has to wonder if this is true. Ah I love feeling the Spirit, and I know that it's what God wants us to hear. :) It makes me happy. Ha I am in a good mood right now.

Saturday: Okay, best day. All that happened at the beginning of the week doesn't compare to what happened today. Remember Mario, the 11 year pro basketball player? So he picks us up to go to the game on Saturday, and he is wearing the 9s, if any of you know shoes, and he seriously is such a great guy. but so on the way back from the game (the team lost, es ist slim, but ah, whatevs) we talked about religion, and he is so awesome. He was so open. And he knows about us. We just taught about what we believe and learned what he believes. He is Protestant and said he knows God and Jesus. And he doesn't like how people force peoeple into religion. Ah I can't adequately explain the talk that we had with him. I can just testify, that this gospel is true. We support all religions, and we want to help everyone. I can testify that as a missionary, you need the spirit. I honestly don't remember all the questions I asked him, because the Spirit told me what to say to him and how to touch him, and we ended up making him think about why there are so many religions and we gave him a Book of Mormon and ah, it is just so fantastic to just actually have a talk and teach to people's needs. Something he said about us was we are just trying to help people find Jesus. If they just let us talk to them for 5 minutes, and think about what we said, then it could change their life. And I know that, because it has changed mine.

AH I love this gospel! I got to go. Good luck to you all this week and hey, reach out to someone this week and just ask them how their day is and try to imagine, what Christ thinks of this person. I love you all and wish you the best :)

Elder Mayne

AND I MOST OF ALL LOVE MY FAMILY!!!! You're great :) love you all








Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Video - Arriving in Frankfurt

This is a video Sister Miller, a wonderful friend from home and a missionary in Elder Mayne's mission, made of the missionaries at the Bahn (train) station. You can see Adam a few times! Please enjoy :)


Monday, October 7, 2013

Letter #11 - General Conference

Well Guten Morgen Famille und Fruende!

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 :)