Mamacita, Papacita and Famacita. That's the extent of my Spanish, and it's ALL WRONG. Sorry Griff and Jeff, I'm still working on the Adamic language out here.
Sounds like you guys had a pretty solid Halloween! Dad, don't let anyone try to tell you who you are, be your own spirit and fly. (I apologize to all of you in advance for the beast I may have just unleashed.) I loved the pumpkin! We actually got to carve pumpkins this year too with an investigator who bought them for us before we came over and wanted us to show him how "a real Halloween pumpkin is carved". Halloween is still kinda new over here. Apparently Germans started integrating it a few years back because of the number of American Army bases they have over here, and it just caught on! It's still not huge and not considered a national holiday, but more people every year are carving pumpkins or decorating their houses and trick or treating! We had a lot of people sincerely tell us they liked our Jehovah's Witness costumes... ouch.
Dad, the university, (the big one at least) out here that we spend all of our time on is called FAU, I believe! I don't have any idea what it stands for, but it's pretty nice and has a lot of majors!
That's awesome that you had the elders over! How's the language coming for them?...oh wait. Haha sometimes I'm jealous they can preach the gospel in their own language so easily, but it's not the words we say that brings someone to the gospel, it's the Spirit, and I'm thankful every single day for his help. :) Besides, at nine months out, it's been a while since I haven't felt totally comfortable with the language. The Lord has blessed me EXTREMELY with the language, and it has never been really a hindrance. (is that a word..? or is it just German?)
Things with Max and Daisy: we'll have to see what happens this next week! Yesterday was Pfahl Konferenz (Stake Conference), and we were in Fürth which is like a thirty minute drive, so we didn't/couldn't bring any investigators with us! It was really cool though! Elder Proffit and I were informed the morning of that we were both part of a quartet of elders who were singing hymns as people walked into the building…yikes! It went well though! Mr. Durtschi, wherever you are, you deserve the credit for that one.
We then had the conference, and at first I thought it was going to be a presidential debate. Two podiums were set up on the stage, and two people got up at once! For a second I thought things were about to get weird and partially apostate, but I forgot that we have three American bases in our stake, so whoever would speak, whether they were German or American, someone would stand at the other podium and translate their talk into the other language! It was really cool to watch how the gospel was being preached side by side, in two languages, both telling the truth and bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and his Atonement. And no matter who was standing and in what language they were speaking, you could most importantly feel the spirit. It was a great meeting! Then the choir (all 38 of us missionaries in this zone) sang the closing hymn wearing Mormon Helping Hands vests over our suits and ties… kinda weird, but we do what we're told. I love big meetings like that where you get to see so many elders and sisters you know that you haven't seen in months, and in that little amount of time, it's obvious the changes and progress they've made. The gospel is all about progress; about becoming more like Christ every day. Every one goes at different paces, but that's not what matters. It's not about who you were or are, it's about who you can become, which the scriptures tell us is perfect, even like unto our Father in Heaven, who is perfect.
We're stoked out of our minds for this next week, and this is why: WE GET TO GO TO THE TEMPLE ON SATURDAY!!! I am so excited, I can barely stand it. I have not had the opportunity to go to the temple since I was back in Provo, and I can feel the difference too. For those of you who have the opportunity to go the temple even just once a month, please go. Coming from someone who had temples so close to me my entire life, and now not having the opportunity really at all, I can feel such a difference. The temple is literally the house of the Lord. His Spirits resides there, stronger and in more abundance than anywhere else on earth. The purpose of this gospel is happiness, and therefore what could bring you more peace and happiness than being closer to the Lord and His spirit than anywhere else? I love it so much, people ask us probably about as much as they ask us how many wives we have "what are those beautiful white buildings called temples, and what do they do?" People all over the world are amazed just by looking and standing near them, and they haven't even been inside yet. If you have the opportunity this week, I challenge you to go to the temple. It will bless you in ways you need and may not even realize.
Well, it was a pretty slow week success-wise this last week, and hopefully this next one will be a little better! I love the hard times just as much as the easy times, if not more, and I am so grateful every day for this opportunity I have. I haven't spoken to you all in German for a while, so I feel like I'll take the opportunity. :)
Wörter können einfach kein gefühle ausdrucken, die meine Gefühle vergleichbar sind wenn ich über Dankbarkeit rede. Unser Herr ist uns so barmherzig, jeden tag. Er ist vollkommen, ohne fehler, aber er ist jeden tag gedüldig als wir versuchen, ihm näher zu kommen. Dass ist mir wirklich ein Zeugnis dass er buchstäblich unserem Vater in Himmel ist. Kein Vater gibt seine Kinder eine Straffe wenn sie einen fehler machen, sondern er gibt uns rat und unterstützt uns als wir lernen und probieren, was uns glücklich macht. Das Leben ist wie einen Prüfung. Bei jedes Prüfung bleibt der Lehrer leise und still, als die Schülern durch die Fragen gehen. Wir haben studiert, unseren Hausaufgabe schon gemacht, und er vertraut uns, richtig zu antworten. Aber es gibt etwas besonderes bei deisem Prüfung den wir jetzt machen. Wir können der Lehrer fragen stellen als wir das Prüfung machen, und er wird uns helfen. Es ist seltsam dass jemand einen Prüfung ohne fehler schafft, aber dass ist egal. Er weißt dass manchmal werden unseren Bleistiften kaput gehen, und wir werden das falsche antwort markieren. Aber wenn wir unseres bestes geben und wirklich, AUFRICHTIG, das Prüfung machen, wird er uns einen "A" geben. Dass weiß ich. Ich weiß dass das Evangelium Jesu Christi alle die Antworten hat, und dass nur durch das Sühnopfer Jesu Christi, können wir diesem Prüfung schaffen um alle die segnungen zu emfangen dass der Herr uns verheißen hat. Ich habe euch lieb, und ich bin so dankbar dass ich bei euch für die Ewigkeit bleiben kann. Und dass sage ich euch im Namen Jesu Christi, Amen.
**Google Translate: Words can simply not feeling print that my feelings are similar to when I talk about gratitude. Our Lord is so merciful to us , every day . He is completely without fault , but he is every day gedüldig as we try to get closer to him . That to me is really a testimony that he is literally our Father in Heaven. No father gives his children a taut when they make a mistake, but he gives us advice and support us as we try and learn what makes us happy. Life is like a test. In each test , the teacher remains silent and still, as the students go through the questions. We have studied already done our homework , and he trusted us to respond properly . But there is something special that we make at deise testing now . We can ask the teachers make when we make the examination , and he will help us. It is strange that someone creates a test without errors , but that does not matter. He will know that sometimes go kaput our pencils, and we will mark the wrong answer . But if we give our best and really , TRULY , make the test , he will give us an "A " . That I know. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has all the answers , and that only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ , we can test this by creating emfangen all the blessings that the Lord has promised to us . I have loved you, and I am so grateful that I can stay with you for eternity. And I tell you in the name of Jesus Christ , Amen.
-- Elder McGinn
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