October 21, 2013

This week was good. I think I am getting a lot better at setting realistic goals. I was humbled by thinking it was schaffbar to reach 7 new investigators -- but it did not happen. That is totally okay, though!! I am not discouraged. I just now know that I need to be more realistic for the situation I am in. We DID get 2 new investigators though, which is definitely Fortschritt from last week! Good stuff. There is a lot to learn on a mission.

      Last week I did not have tons of time to write things because we had room inspections, which we passed with flying colors aside from the water damage under the floorboards which create a wave in the middle of the hallway. But that was not our fault, so we passed anyway! I guess that means we get to live there still. And we got a plate of cookies. Yum!

We visited a place called Fulda, which is cool. There was a Brother's Grimm thing there. I am actually really close to where the Brothers Grimm are from! I can totally see what they meant by the forests they wrote about. It is so fun to think about how rich the German culture once was here!

      One of the new investigators is a man named John. He is actually American, but he moved to Germany when he was 10. This man is amazing. He cares for a family in which the mother is almost deaf, the boys are 17-23 years old, and one of them just died a couple months ago. He is not related in the slightest and has no relationship other than financial helper to the mother. But he is one of the biggest examples of charity I have ever seen. And he is seeking after the truth. I love it! I love this man very much. It helps that I can express myself in English to him and he understands it just fine. He is really interested in missionaries and respects what we do very much. I think he has a lot of potential. Boo-yah!

      We also got to do some service for a lady named Linda who has been investigating the church for a while. She is so extremelyeducated in the church and pretty much told us that she just does not know that the book of mormon is true yet. But holy cow, she is cool! She reads from the Liahona often and attends institute (RIGHT??). So cool. She came to church on Sunday, so that was cool!

       Things are going well. I am not forgetting Englisch yet, so maybe I am not learning enough German? I don't know, but I am trying to get better at it!! I would like to be able to retain BOTH, please. But at the moment I prefer German if I have to choose. 

I love writing letters to people I found out. It is very fun. I love reading a hand-written letter made just for me. It is special. And it means I get to write back!

     Well, if there is anything more I forgot to say I shall say it next week or not at all. Much love from Germany! -Elder Jack.