Monday, August 25, 2014

Letter #57 - And bake, and bake, and bake, and bake and walk AND trains........ :)

This week basically consisted of an AMAZING Conference, traveling, wonderful missionaries, another birthday party, and well, the Spirit of Thankfulness.  

Lets start, eh?

SO, after a p-day spent in good ol' Werdau on Dienstag, we went to Jena to have a split with the Zone Leaders. I stayed in Jena with Elder Watts, while Elder Hawker and Elder Shelley went back to Werdau. I love Jena. It's a wonderful student town. The church is a rented out apartment building above a bakery, and talking to students is one of my favorite things. Elder Watts, from Syracuse, is just a straight up homie. He goes home after the next transfer. So, I am glad we got to get to know each other, and tear it up. #shoutout. Anyway, it was a great time running around and just talking to people, and what not. Missionary day, but walking around with class, and seeing awesome people. :)

THEN we get a call, almost at planning. It's Elder Hawker, saying that He and Elder Shelley got home just barely, at 9 o'clock. They left from Jena at 3:00. Yikes. They took several wrong trains, and then finally got home. :) Maybe I chuckled a little bit. Just glad they got home. :)

The next day, Elder Watts and I taught someone, and then we all split back. We then stayed in Jena, to play soccer with a bunch of potentials. It was on a legit sized field, with mountains in the background. Ha. Super fun. Elder Shelley is dang good, and i realized that I am in decent shape. The Jena Elders got a phone number from one of the guys. :) All around good. :)

THEN (it makes it more intense if i use THEN at the beginning of the paragraph), we all ran home, packed all of our stuff, and ran to Bahnhof to catch a train to Erfurt. We would all be sleeping over in Erfurt because we had to catch a train at 6 am to Frankfurt. As we got there, we found out that Elder Watts forgot his shoes. So the Zone Leaders stayed, while Elder Shelley and I went on to Erfurt.

Erfurt... gorgeous. Arrived there during the night, and it was just absolutely gorgeous. The Elder's apartment is right in the middle of the city. So, for part of the night I just sat looking outside the window, and watched the German people. It was fun to sleepover, 6 Elders in an apartment. Luckily, it was a nice apartment. The only pain, only 1 shower. Say hello to a 4 o'clock alarm, and pancakes at 4 am. :) We woke up, got on the train to Frankfurt, and ah, I just enjoyed every moment of it. I love the beauty of Germany.

FRANKFURT. Wow! I love conferences. We had the opportunity to have Elder and Sister Kearon speak to us. He is in the Presidency of the Quorum of the 70 (I think), and is over the Europe Area. I was just amazed at the revelation, the things that he talked about, and how my testimony sky rocketed. I think it was because of my preparation, by humbling myself, to prepare for this sermon. I could do my entire weekly on what I learned at this conference. I will say this: this conference, is a huge turning point in my life. I can't say it now, but what I learned, will change my life. I had the opportunity to express my thanks and just talk to him and his wife in between lunch and starting up again. I just can just say, I know he is serving with his whole heart out there. I am grateful for the leaders of our Church.

Now, adventure time. Hold on to your seat belts. Ha. Not really. We left the conference right after it ended. And well, we didn't make it home until midday the next day. :) We were traveling for 6 hours. Then, we left the ticket on the train. So, we had to sleep over at another Elder's apartment, and then wake up to catch an early train from Weimar to Werdau. Ha ha. Quite the adventure. But I can say, that when you are on trains, there are plenty of people to talk to about about the Gospel, since they can't escape you. :)

THEN!! :) Our Branch President´s wife had a birthday. She is one amazing person. We found out that she was doing all the work herself! Making the food, setting up the church and decorations, and everything! So, I totally thought of mom, and said, "uh uh." I decided to butt in, and do what we could. Ha. We made carrot cake, made brownies, helped set up and take down, wrote a note, alles möglich (everything is possible). She appreciated it, almost to tears. It was really quite great. I love this Familie. I am glad my mom and dad taught me how to serve others. :)

OH, and we got 2 new investigators on a referral from a part member Familie. I love it, and I love them. It's going to be awesome. :)

This letter is a novel. I am sorry. Ha. I could make it so much longer is the problem. :) The last things I want to end with, were said by our beloved leaders, President Uchtdorf and Monson:

I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody's need made me blind
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.

From Elder Uchtdorf: How many of us go through life, waiting for the rainbow, instead of thanking the Lord for the rain?

I am a servant of the Lord. I am here to bring others closer to Christ. I am like Nephi. I delight in the little things, and the simple things. It brings me joy to see my brothers and sisters come closer to Christ. :) Love you all.



Elder Mayne





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