Can't believe its already the first of March! The time does not slow down! Back when I was with Elder Jensen, he told me that once you hit your year mark, the clock starts tickin' like a madman and the time just picks up more and more speed. He was right. I'm starting to realize what Elder Whitsitt said before he went home... "Two years is not enough."
But hey, I still got a while and a lot of work to do, so lets just stop daydreaming about the time that will be spent and start worrying about how we're going to spend it, shall we?
Herr Hardtbauer is making good progress. He read through the church's addiction recovery program that Brother Reisinger gave him and was really excited about it. He came to church on Sunday and Brother Reisinger talked about it a little more with him and offered to go through the program with him. Its always great to see members reaching out and helping investigators. We also had him over at the Zacherl's after church yesterday, where Brother Zacherl took the opportunity to do a lot of teaching during our spiritual thought.
Haven't been able to reach Tomas for a whole week. It seems that the adversary is fully aware of the great potential of this great young man and is still working hard on him. As worried as I am, i know that your prayers in his behalf are working. we'll be able to reach him and continue to lead him to baptism.
Monika is doing very well as always. Its always great to teach her and feel the great spirit that is in her home. Just by being around her one can feel that the atonement of Jesus Christ has changed her life.
This week we had zone conference, always one of my favorite parts of a transfer. Its always great to gather together as missionaries, enjoy each others company, catch up with old buddies, and strengthen each other for the days ahead. My ole comp and buddy Elder Erekson, now the new Assistant to the President, gave a great leadership training workshop on "potential." He reminded me of something that I think we all often forget, and that is the simple fact that we are children of God. He first talked about limitations that we impose upon ourselves, such as rationalization, self-condemnation, and of course, pride, and said that all of these things, these self-limitations, can disappear if we just remember our potential as children of God a little more. I know that I personally need to remember that a lot more. For the past few weeks I've felt that I've been plateauing a little in my personal and spiritual progression. Guess I just need to remember that I AM a son of God, with the potential, and the help of his son Jesus Christ, not only to become as he some day, but to bring souls unto him right now!
Thanks for your prayers, and your love. I feel it every day! Hope you all know that I love you and pray for you always. Take care and have a great week! Chao!
-Andy
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
We don't fear questions, WE invite them...
Another week has gone by and all is well in Landshut. Elder Ray is excited to be back in his greeny area and we're already having a great time together. Because he's already been here, and seen the difference in the work now and what it was like his first time around, he's already caught the vision for the area. Lanshut has been on the up and up since I got here, and there's not a doubt in my mind that that's where it's still headed.
Landshut was extremely lucky to have Elder Hansen here for the past six months. His obedience and determination were a huge factor in bringing the work to where it is now, and the progression of these great people. We were able to meet with Tomas the day before transfers and Elder Hansen almost single-handedly set a baptismal date with him! Tomas is so prepared! It's just a matter of meeting with him regularly enough to make progress. The adversary is still working real hard to make sure we can't get a hold of him, so as always your prayers in his behalf will be a big help :)
Monika is doing very well. It looks like she and Mario will be getting married within the next month, and she is still strong in her commitment to be baptized two weeks later.
Herr Hardtbauer is still making progress. We talked a lot about his biggest problem this week-- The Word of Wisdom. We committed him to stop drinking beer this week and, despite his doubts in himself, he gladly accepted. Brother Reisinger was there and was a great help in giving Herr Hardtbauer the support he needed.
This Saturday and Sunday we had the special opportunity of attending the satelite broadcast of the stake conference in Berlin where President Uchtdorf came and spoke to the members of all the German speaking nations. It was a great blessing, not only to hear President Uchtdorf speak German, but to hear the council and blessings of the Lord to the saints of this land through a modern-day prophet. Of the many words of wisdom and council he gave, there is something he said that helped me in my personal development as a missionary. He said that "We are a church that not only allows, but INVITES questions. It was because of the thoughtful and honest questions of a Young Joseph Smith that the church was restored." I think that's something that separates us from other churches. We don't fear questions. We INVITE them. That is something that I will try to more consciously remember in my teaching.. to not only allow questions but to invite them, for it is through questions that our investigators most effectively learn what will ultimately help them to accept our message.
Another thing that President Uchtdorf said that seemed to really strike a chord was the fact that as a church, WE ARE DIFFERENT from other christian churches. He counselled us to stop saying that we are really similar to the Catholic Church, or the Evangelical Church, but with a few differences, but to proudly say that we are different. We are the only church that has the fullness of the gospel, and the authority to act in God's name. Speaking further on this subject, President Uchtdorf urged us to let the world know who the real Christians in this world are through are charity and love for others.
This stake conference reminded me how wonderful it is that we have modern day revelation, that we have prophets on the earth today. I know that this weekend we heard from one of them and that Jesus Christ truly leads this church and this missionary work here in Germany.
Take care all!
-Andy
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
He is the Way
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Sounds like things are chuggin' along as usual back home. It's been a tough week but I've learned quite a bit and grown quite a bit more.
It was another week of health problems for both Elder Hansen and me. Elder Hansen's headaches from his post-concussion syndrome have returned and my back was not getting better as quickly as I would have liked. Together we successfully shut down our finding time. Despite our limitations, however, our work did not slow down and our health is improving. Yesterday after church, President Auras gave me a wonderful blessing and my back feels unbelievably better today. Elder Hansen's headaches have also gotten better. We're still gonna have to be patient, take it easy, and remember what Joseph Smith said to the brethren in Liberty Jail (paraphrasing), "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us do everything that lies in our power, and then may we stand still, and wait for the Lord's hand to be revealed."
This week we had an amazing appointment with Monika Hein. She and Mario are almost ready to set a marriage date and we committed her to be baptized two weeks later. She gladly accepted and was overwhelmed by the spirit. We all received a witness together that it was the right choice. She also was able to come to the baptism of a little girl in our ward yesterday evening and thought it was wonderful. She and Mario are great at sharing the gospel with others and will be important tools in the lord's hands in building the church here in Germany very soon.
Herr Hardtbauer continues to make progress, slowly but surely. We had a Family Home Evening with him at Schwester Fritz's house, and he played guitar and banjo for us. Olin you would have loved it. He first busted out some classic Johnny Cash songs and then played some great old southern tunes on the banjo. I could shoot myself for not having brought my camera at the time.
We were finally able to meet with Tomas again. Apparently he had injured his leg pretty bad playing American Football (I guess I don't have to call it "American Football" when I write home, do I) and couldn't walk for about two weeks. He had been reading in the Book of Mormon the whole time, however, and told us that he loves it. We asked him again about baptism and he said he would think and pray about it over the next two weeks and then would give us an answer. We'll be meeting with him again tomorrow at Julian Klemm's. He's so ready, and I know that over the next two weeks the adversary will be working on hard on him. Your prayers in his behalf will help him immensely in that regard.
Amidst my trials this week, I've felt the strengthening power of my Saviors atonement and the love of my Heavenly Father more than ever. Just want to bear you all my testimony once again that Jesus lives. He IS the way, and is ALWAYS ready to help us. Remember that amidst the hustle and bustle of living in the modern world. Its the most important peace of knowledge there is in this world. Love you all!
Alles Gute,
-Andy
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Life is good, and that the gospel will never fail us
January 18, 2010
Man, the time continues to hurry on. I've officially been on my mission a whole year! What an awakening! I'm starting to realize that my mission isn't going to last forever...that this precious time is unbelievably short...that I have a lot of work to do before its up. For the past couple of days I've been thinking a lot about what Elder Holland said in his talk last general conference, which was something along the lines of, "Before I leave this world I wanted it perfectly clear that I testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon." As the time winds down, I've been realizing that at the end of my mission I want to know that I testified to these people as much as possible that the Book of Mormon is true. Guess I just gotta keep on doing what the good Dr. Thompson prescribed..."Buy the ticket, take the ride!"
Pleased to report that the work here in Landshut is still on the up and up. We are busier than ever (that's a good thing, however tiring it may be) and if everything goes through this week we'll have so many appointments that we won't know what to do with ourselves!
Last week we were able to set a baptismal date with an old investigator! His name is Eckhart Hardtbauer. He's been an investigator for quite awhile but was never able to make consistent progress because he wouldn't give up drinking. Elder Hansen and Elder Hintz had dropped him not too long before I got here. A couple weeks ago, however, Herr Hardtbauer called up Bruder Reisinger and told him that he felt bad that we weren't coming to see him anymore and that he was too ashamed to come to church. Elder Hansen had actually been thinking about Herr Hardtbauer for the past week, and after the news of his cry for help from Bruder Reisinger, we both felt that it was time to give him another chance. We committed him to a baptismal date for the 4th of April, and to meet with us three times a week 'till then so we could help him resolve all of his problems in time, and he accepted. Its going to be a long and winding road to get Herr Hardtbauer to baptism, but if the Lord thinks he can do it (which he does) then I'm definitely on board.
Had a really great experience Monday evening. We had decided to do what we call a "Power Besuch" ("Power Visit"). What we do is choose an area to work in where a member family lives, stop by the family and pray with them, and return after we have worked in the area to report the success. Naturally, the success part depends on the faith of the members and our willingness to give our best. We decided to go by the Klemm family (they're always willing to help us out) and made an appointment out with a neighbor of theirs within ten minutes of working in the area. It was great to return and report to them that someone willing had been found because they had a faith and excitement for the missionary work. We also got a referral from them and were able to contact her and make out an appointment with her for this week. Through experiences like these, I've gained a huge testimony of the member missionary work on my mission. President Hinkley was definitely inspired when he said that the best way of doing missionary work is through the members. The excitement for the missionary work continues to slowly but surely grow in our ward in general, which is a huge weight off my shoulders and a wonderful thing to witness.
Our other investigators are doing pretty well. Monika doesn't have a baptismal date yet but we're getting there. We'll be meeting with Tomas tonight and have high hopes for him as well. Once again, your prayers in behalf of these people will be a big help, and thank you for all the prayers that you have already blessed them with.
I hope you all are happy and healthy. I hope that you all try to remember every day what I forgot sometimes before my mission...that life is good, and that the gospel will never fail us.
Love you all! Take care!
-Andy
Man, the time continues to hurry on. I've officially been on my mission a whole year! What an awakening! I'm starting to realize that my mission isn't going to last forever...that this precious time is unbelievably short...that I have a lot of work to do before its up. For the past couple of days I've been thinking a lot about what Elder Holland said in his talk last general conference, which was something along the lines of, "Before I leave this world I wanted it perfectly clear that I testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon." As the time winds down, I've been realizing that at the end of my mission I want to know that I testified to these people as much as possible that the Book of Mormon is true. Guess I just gotta keep on doing what the good Dr. Thompson prescribed..."Buy the ticket, take the ride!"
Pleased to report that the work here in Landshut is still on the up and up. We are busier than ever (that's a good thing, however tiring it may be) and if everything goes through this week we'll have so many appointments that we won't know what to do with ourselves!
Last week we were able to set a baptismal date with an old investigator! His name is Eckhart Hardtbauer. He's been an investigator for quite awhile but was never able to make consistent progress because he wouldn't give up drinking. Elder Hansen and Elder Hintz had dropped him not too long before I got here. A couple weeks ago, however, Herr Hardtbauer called up Bruder Reisinger and told him that he felt bad that we weren't coming to see him anymore and that he was too ashamed to come to church. Elder Hansen had actually been thinking about Herr Hardtbauer for the past week, and after the news of his cry for help from Bruder Reisinger, we both felt that it was time to give him another chance. We committed him to a baptismal date for the 4th of April, and to meet with us three times a week 'till then so we could help him resolve all of his problems in time, and he accepted. Its going to be a long and winding road to get Herr Hardtbauer to baptism, but if the Lord thinks he can do it (which he does) then I'm definitely on board.
Had a really great experience Monday evening. We had decided to do what we call a "Power Besuch" ("Power Visit"). What we do is choose an area to work in where a member family lives, stop by the family and pray with them, and return after we have worked in the area to report the success. Naturally, the success part depends on the faith of the members and our willingness to give our best. We decided to go by the Klemm family (they're always willing to help us out) and made an appointment out with a neighbor of theirs within ten minutes of working in the area. It was great to return and report to them that someone willing had been found because they had a faith and excitement for the missionary work. We also got a referral from them and were able to contact her and make out an appointment with her for this week. Through experiences like these, I've gained a huge testimony of the member missionary work on my mission. President Hinkley was definitely inspired when he said that the best way of doing missionary work is through the members. The excitement for the missionary work continues to slowly but surely grow in our ward in general, which is a huge weight off my shoulders and a wonderful thing to witness.
Our other investigators are doing pretty well. Monika doesn't have a baptismal date yet but we're getting there. We'll be meeting with Tomas tonight and have high hopes for him as well. Once again, your prayers in behalf of these people will be a big help, and thank you for all the prayers that you have already blessed them with.
I hope you all are happy and healthy. I hope that you all try to remember every day what I forgot sometimes before my mission...that life is good, and that the gospel will never fail us.
Love you all! Take care!
-Andy
Monday, January 11, 2010
"The Book of Mormon gives me this power"
After a rough first transfer here in Landshut, the blessings are finally coming. It’s been a great week of improvement, in many areas.
We're actually having lessons again, which is a really nice change, and some of our investigators are making great progress. Tomas, our investigator form Africa, met with us twice this week. To our surprise he had been reading regularly in the Book of Mormon. "It's great," he said. "It’s like the Bible, but it...it...it gives me this strength, ya know...this power." We told him we knew exactly what he was talking about. He had even on his own tried to get his girlfriend to read it. Unfortunately she wasn't too interested, but we'll worry more about that once we've got Tomas taken care of. Thursday night we had a great appointment with him at the Klemm's, an awesome young couple in our ward. He doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, but of all things seems to have a problem with prayer. We'll be working on that with him this week so he can recieve his own strong testimony of the restored gospel. Our goal is to set a baptismal date with him as soon as possible, so your prayers in his behalf would be much appreciated.
We'll also be trying to set a baptismal date with Monika Hein. Monika is an investigator who moved into our area from Passau. She lives with a less active member, Mario Friedrich. She had had a baptismal date beforehand but had to cancel it because she was living with Mario and was at the time unable to divorce her first husband. Last time we met with them she informed us that she is now legally divorced and that she and Mario are ready to marry. We committed them to set a date by our next appointment and will set a baptismal date with her once they have done that. I feel very blessed to have such an investigator fall into our hands and I look forward to the great progress we will make with Monika and Mario in the coming weeks.
Elder Hansen and I are working more in unity than ever before. We've come to understand each other through a few pretty big talks and have really made it over the hump as far as our companionship goes. I have tried to improve myself a little more to show him that he can trust me, and I think it's really paid off. The Lord is blessing us quite a bit for our efforts and will continue to do so if we keep doing our part.
Lastly I just want to thank you all for your prayers. They've been working and have been blessing the lives of the people of Landshut. I'll keep praying for you all here and am glad to hear that the Lord is answering my prayers in your behalf as well.
Alles Gute!
-Andy
We're actually having lessons again, which is a really nice change, and some of our investigators are making great progress. Tomas, our investigator form Africa, met with us twice this week. To our surprise he had been reading regularly in the Book of Mormon. "It's great," he said. "It’s like the Bible, but it...it...it gives me this strength, ya know...this power." We told him we knew exactly what he was talking about. He had even on his own tried to get his girlfriend to read it. Unfortunately she wasn't too interested, but we'll worry more about that once we've got Tomas taken care of. Thursday night we had a great appointment with him at the Klemm's, an awesome young couple in our ward. He doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, but of all things seems to have a problem with prayer. We'll be working on that with him this week so he can recieve his own strong testimony of the restored gospel. Our goal is to set a baptismal date with him as soon as possible, so your prayers in his behalf would be much appreciated.
We'll also be trying to set a baptismal date with Monika Hein. Monika is an investigator who moved into our area from Passau. She lives with a less active member, Mario Friedrich. She had had a baptismal date beforehand but had to cancel it because she was living with Mario and was at the time unable to divorce her first husband. Last time we met with them she informed us that she is now legally divorced and that she and Mario are ready to marry. We committed them to set a date by our next appointment and will set a baptismal date with her once they have done that. I feel very blessed to have such an investigator fall into our hands and I look forward to the great progress we will make with Monika and Mario in the coming weeks.
Elder Hansen and I are working more in unity than ever before. We've come to understand each other through a few pretty big talks and have really made it over the hump as far as our companionship goes. I have tried to improve myself a little more to show him that he can trust me, and I think it's really paid off. The Lord is blessing us quite a bit for our efforts and will continue to do so if we keep doing our part.
Lastly I just want to thank you all for your prayers. They've been working and have been blessing the lives of the people of Landshut. I'll keep praying for you all here and am glad to hear that the Lord is answering my prayers in your behalf as well.
Alles Gute!
-Andy
Monday, December 21, 2009
Surprised to feel Nothing but Peace
We're in Munich for district p-day and I only have about fifteen minutes before I gotta skidaddle.
Was a slightly disappointing week for us in Landshut. The Christmas season is a wonderful time of reflection and spiritual growth on the mission, but it really slows down the work here in Germany. Unfortunately, as it usually is once a baptismal date is set with someone, the adversary has been working really hard on Surin and David. All of our appointments with them fell out this week and Surin is losing interest. This coming week we'll still be doing our best to bring them the gospel. We'll especially be working really hard with David because we know that HE has really felt the spirit testify that what we say is true. He even told us so.
There was one big glorious highlight of the week however. We had an amazing appointment with Tomas at the Klemm's home. They're a great young couple in our ward, and Br. Klemm really befriended Tomas and gave powerful testimony of the gospel. His cousin, a fresh R.M., was also there and really helped us out with his special R.M. spirit. I think it was really great for Tomas to see normal, for lack of a better term "chill" people who live and love the gospel. We watched the "joy to the world" DVD with him and he got teared up a couple times as the Tabernacle Choir sang those beautiful Christmas hymns. Br. Kelmm invited him to church and was ready to pick him up on Sunday, but unfortunately we couldn't get a hold of him. Was a little disappointing after such a great appointment, but I'm still full of hope and excitement for the guy. In the midst of our disappointments we must never forget our successes, because they are what makes it all so great.
Last night as I tallied up our low numbers, I was surprised to feel nothing but peace. I knew that I had given my best and the Lord was pleased with my work. As Elder Texiera of the seventy told us in Mission Tour, its a matter of faith! All I can do is continue doing my best and turn the rest over to the Lord.
Hope this Christmas is a great one for you all. I'm excited to spend some quality time with the members, enjoy the great cultural experience of Christmas in Germany, and even more excited to use this time to find people.
Merry Christmas every one!
-Andy
Was a slightly disappointing week for us in Landshut. The Christmas season is a wonderful time of reflection and spiritual growth on the mission, but it really slows down the work here in Germany. Unfortunately, as it usually is once a baptismal date is set with someone, the adversary has been working really hard on Surin and David. All of our appointments with them fell out this week and Surin is losing interest. This coming week we'll still be doing our best to bring them the gospel. We'll especially be working really hard with David because we know that HE has really felt the spirit testify that what we say is true. He even told us so.
There was one big glorious highlight of the week however. We had an amazing appointment with Tomas at the Klemm's home. They're a great young couple in our ward, and Br. Klemm really befriended Tomas and gave powerful testimony of the gospel. His cousin, a fresh R.M., was also there and really helped us out with his special R.M. spirit. I think it was really great for Tomas to see normal, for lack of a better term "chill" people who live and love the gospel. We watched the "joy to the world" DVD with him and he got teared up a couple times as the Tabernacle Choir sang those beautiful Christmas hymns. Br. Kelmm invited him to church and was ready to pick him up on Sunday, but unfortunately we couldn't get a hold of him. Was a little disappointing after such a great appointment, but I'm still full of hope and excitement for the guy. In the midst of our disappointments we must never forget our successes, because they are what makes it all so great.
Last night as I tallied up our low numbers, I was surprised to feel nothing but peace. I knew that I had given my best and the Lord was pleased with my work. As Elder Texiera of the seventy told us in Mission Tour, its a matter of faith! All I can do is continue doing my best and turn the rest over to the Lord.
Hope this Christmas is a great one for you all. I'm excited to spend some quality time with the members, enjoy the great cultural experience of Christmas in Germany, and even more excited to use this time to find people.
Merry Christmas every one!
-Andy
Monday, December 14, 2009
Christmas..A celebration of HIS life and HIS atonement
Hope the holiday season has been treatin' ya well. Christmas is really a beautiful time in Germany. We had a ward Christmas party last night at the church and watched the first presidencies Christmas Devotional at the end. When the tabernacle choir sang "For Unto Us a Child is Born" I was brought to tears. The spirit always seems to speak to me very strongly through that song. And as I listened to it sung beautifully by the tabernacle choir last night it reminded me again of what the Christmas season really is about. "For unto us a son is born, unto us a son is given." What a wonderful thing it is to have this time to celebrate the birth of our savior, to celebrate and give thanks that our heavenly father sent his son to this earth to redeem all of us. "...and his name shall be called, Wonderful Councilor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Christmas is after all, more than just a celebration of Christ's birth. It is a celebration of his life and his atonement. It’s no coincidence that we all associate Christmas so closely with the family when the family is the center of God's plan, which is made possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I feel very close to my savior this Christmas season, and, even though I'm here and you're there, closer than ever to my family.
As far as the past week goes, I guess I can put it simply by saying it's been a great one! We've set a baptismal date with Surin's son, David, whose testimony is blossoming before our eyes, and will hopefully set one with Surin this week. We have a great new investigator who we found because Elder Hansen is so good at talking to everyone. His name is Tomas and he's from Africa ( I think). We had an appointment with another investigator on Tuesday night that fell out and while we were waiting outside Elder Hansen started talking to this guy walking passed us. Tomas was instantly very open and made an appointment out with us for the next day. Within the next two days we met with him twice and were able to set up a two times a week appointment schedule with him. We've been taught by our leaders to be very upfront with our investigators, to let them know that our end goal is to baptize them. This is what we did with Tomas and it was great to see him accept it so well. Its great to see that when we have faith in the authority that God has given us as missionaries, and let the people know who we are and what our goal really is, they recognize the truth and accept it far better than when we beat around the bush.
We've got another busy week ahead of us, but I'm grateful that the Lord has blessed us with so many prepared people that we don't even know what to do with ourselves. I must admit, I've been a little down this week because, maybe due to the Christmas season, I've been missing my family quite severely, but I've pressed on and tried my best to lose myself in the work, and have seen the fruits of that. It gives me a great feeling of comfort to hear from you every week and to know that you're all doing well. You mean everything to me and I can't wait to talk to you on Christmas! Have a great week and enjoy the holiday season!
Alles Gute!
-Andy
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