A day without laughter is a day wasted

November 30, 2009

Dear Fam,
As always, I'm sure glad transfer week is over. Its always really disorienting and uncomfortable when you get transferred. But eventually you settle in and just get on with the work. I'd be lying if I said I still didn't miss Erlangen like crazy, but I'm glad to be here and excited for the work ahead of me.
This is my first time as senior companion. A little nerve-wracking but I do feel that my time in Erlangen prepared me for it. My new companion, Elder Hansen, is now in his third transfer. He's already a great missionary with wisdom and work ethic that I definitely didn't have when I was at the beginning of my third transfer. He has some depression problems but handles them really well and tries his best to forget about himself. I've been trying to compensate by making sure that we have a lot of laughs together. After all, a day without laughter is a day wasted, and a day without a lot of laughter is a day not very well spent.
The branch seems really great. Considerably smaller than Erlangen, but it seems that the ward really likes the missionaries and is ready to help us in the work. We just got a new Ward Mission Leader who seems pretty enthusiastic so that should be a big help. What thrills me the most is that our branch president is the brother of Daniel and David Auras, my good friends in Erlangen, and he's a stud just like his brothers!
In any case, its great to be back in Bavaria. Landshut is a beautiful city and I look forward to exploring it. Our apartment is right in the middle of the city and also right next to a catholic church to give us a little extra motivation ;)
Glad to hear your thanksgiving was great! Tell Grandma and Grandpa I miss 'em a ton! I'll be thinking of you all a lot this holiday season I'm sure. After all, it is the first Christmas I'll be spending away from home. Strange thought. Anyway, Love you all and hope the week is great!

Love,-Andy

November 23, 2009

Dear Fam,
Hope its been a great week for ya! Received your package the other day! Thanks a million for the book Mom! I've read a little and have loved it. Reading the words of C.S. Lewis always strengthens my testimony! And the pictures of Olin and Karl tripped me out man! You guys have really grown up over the past year. Especially you Karl!
As you already heard from Br. Meissner (I'm gonna miss that guy, he's hilarious! Hope you enjoyed my message, wanted to say something that you knew would be from me), I'll be leaving Erlangen this Wednesday for Landshut (pronounced Londsoot, not Land shut). Elder Anderson is also leaving Erlangen for Kaufbeuren, my first area. What a way to start the mission! First the guy gets sent here with Me, Jensen, and Achtmann, three of the craziest Elders in the mission, then he goes to Kaufbeuren ! I'm excited for him. There are a lot of interesting people in Kaufbeuren, if ya know what I mean.
Its hard to describe the contradiction of feelings that I've been having since I got the transfer call yesterday morning. I think you all already know, or at least can imagine how much I love Erlangen, and how tough it is for me to leave an area that I worked so hard in for 4 months only to see the very beginning of its turnaround, to leave a ward that I love with people who I now consider my family. But unlike my transfer from Schweinfurt, I've been able to accept what the Lord has in store for me with a great feeling of peace and excitement for the future. I always used to be the type of person who didn't embrace change well, but my mission has taught me that change is life, to put it as simply as possible, and as bitter as it may sometimes be in the moment, its return is always sweet when you realize that change is what allows us to progress and makes us who we are. I will always be grateful for my time here in Erlangen, for the relationships that I've made and for the work that I've done, and I look forward to the rest of my mission and the opportunity and privilege that I have to build more relationships and help more people come unto Christ.
Andy