Hope the past week has been a good one for you all. Once again the times are a changin' as they frequently do here on the mission. As I reflect on this past week, I realize how much my mission has helped me to accept change, something that was always hard for me to deal with in the past. Not even a month ago I would have cringed at the thought of having to take over an area, but over the past week I've been able to step it up and keep things going with very little trouble. Just goes to show you that the Lord will never give us something that we can't handle.
Elder Jensen and I are getting along just great. He's really easy going. I think the only challenge that we may have, if any, is getting the flow of teaching together well, which is something every companionship has to work on at the beginning. Elder Achtmann's greeny (That's what we call new missionaries), Elder Anderson, is a really cool guy. He's from the San Fransisco area, which of course is awesome, and seems to be adjusting to life in the field a lot better than I did. I think he's off to a good start because he's working with a great trainer and two other Elders who know how to work hard and play hard.
For the past transfer I've really tried to increase my love for the people, which I'd say I've done pretty successfully. Now it seems that the lord is testing my patience for the people. As of now I've reached probably the most frustrating situation of my mission. Our golden investigator, Walter Ganther, has been completely unreachable for the past two weeks. We've done everything we can to reach him, so now we just have to sit back and give him some time. The last time we met with him, we watched the Restoration DVD at a member's home, which he really enjoyed. He also said that he would read the entire Book of Mormon over the next week, and that he already believed it was true. Elder Gneiting and I were really excited about him and I was sure that he was going to be the next baptism in Erlangen. Its unbelievably frustrating to put all of your faith into a person only to have them all of a sudden fall out on you. This isn't the first time something like this has happened to me on my mission and It most likely won't be the last. The one thing I must remember now and for the rest of my mission is that in situations like this, all I can do is press forward, increase my faith and love for the people, and have the faith and works to see miracles happen for these people.
Yesterday at church, Bruder Daniel Auras, one of my fav members here in Erlangen, gave his new daughter her baby blessing. It was probably the most spiritually powerful Baby blessing I have ever witnessed, and I think its because the members here in Germany are so genuine in all that they do. Bruder Auras also bore his testimony and said how grateful he was to have the knowledge that he was sealed to his wife Andrea for eternity. These are things that I've witnessed many times growing up in the church, but because it came from such an amazing family that I've grown to respect and love during my time here, my heart was touched and made open to receive a strong and powerful witness form the Holy Ghost that through the restoration of the Priesthood, families can be sealed to be with each other in happiness for time and eternity, and that I will have the opportunity of being sealed to my future wife and raise a righteous family under the care and direction of my heavenly father.
If that all sounds cheesy, then so be it. Its true, and absolutely wonderful nonetheless.
I wish you all a wonderful week and send my tender lovin' vibes your way.
Alles Gute!
-Andy
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