Monday, September 22, 2014

Email - September 22, 2014

It's that time again!

 This week was a lot of fun. We started off the week balling with a bunch of Germans and Mongolians at the University on Monday night, and had a great time, plus sparked a lot of interest in them, and one of the Germans actually happens to live right across the street from the church! So we invited him to come check it out, and we'll also be going back to play soon, and we'll try to set something up with him. His name is Andre, and he's a way cool, down-to-earth, 25 year old college student. So we'll see what comes from that!

 We also did service this week at the place that I told you guys about a while back when I was with Elder Chicky, called Main Äppel Haus, the Apple Orchard! It was awesome. Six of us went, and while four of us picked hundreds of apples of every kind you could ever imagine, the other two were in full aprons and gloves, mashing the apples and putting them in this machine that compresses them and turns it into this suuuupppperr good, super fresh apple juice that they then sell there. I decided I've gotta get one of those things. I'd make every kinda juice you could think of! I know Mase and Griff would go in on it with me, and we could sell fresh squeezed "Ho Ho" juice while Ho Ho and the Giddy Ups perform on stage. Not bad, eh?

 We then had a split in a small, really pretty city named Jena, out in the east of Germany. It's the first time I've been out east in our mission, behind where the Berlin Wall used to stand. So cool. We even passed the sign on the way that showed where the wall used to cross. Made me think of that song by David Lanz that Lori helped us learn at piano lessons! It's a four hour drive out there, so kinda long, but it was worth it. It's mostly a college student town, and we had a lot of fun contacting people, and talking about the gospel! We saw some solid success, and had a good time with the elders there in the meantime. Then we made the way long drive back, but had a can of rootbeer to make it through all right.

 We had a bunch of time in the office again last week, because we've been working away on some of these big reports that President needed for the local CCM report, so that took up a bunch of time, but it's good to have it done now! Now we can spend a little more time building up the area and focusing on splits, instead of numbers and big sheets and excel spread sheets!

 We also had the chance to go to a baptism in Friedrichsdorf (where the temple is) of the son of a man that Elder Lindsey taught and baptized, who was just ordained to the Melchezidek Priesthood. It was amazing, and there were so many non members there who were having their first experience with the church! It was a super spiritual baptism, and the rain and wind were roaring outside while it was calm and peaceful and warm inside the ward house. Symbolic, eh? :)  The ward house in Friedrichsdorf is literally thirty seconds away from the temple, so right afterwards the Sisters there took over 20 people on temple tours, and saw a ton of success through it! It was a lot of fun, and the ward did a great job as well. That is how it should work right there!

 That night we also had Family Home Evening on a Saturday night with a formerly less active family, the Silupus, who we're working with right now! It was a ton of fun. She is from Spain, her husband from Peru, and their kids want to grow up to be Mario and Luigi. We made pancakes with nutella, played some games, and shared a spiritual thought, and Brother Silupu was at church yesterday and blessed his child in sacrament, and Sister Silupu made out an appointment to get her patriarchal blessing! AWESOME. I love it! :)

 Aside from that, we had an appointment last night with an awesome part member family that we've been working with a lot. The wife isn't a member, but comes to church, and has recently committed herself to reading the whole Book of Mormon, something she's never done before. She was super open and honest with us during the lesson, like she has never been before, and admitted that she hasn't been progressing because the Book of Mormon has been so confusing for her! So we got a childrens book of the Book of Mormon, and now we come and explain and read together, and she loves it and has tons of questions! We were blown away at how open and interested she was, because usually she is kinda just there, listening only because we're talking. But now she is understanding what she is reading, and she wants to find more. So keep them in your prayers! Their names are the Familie Fabre. Love them.

 Well, like always, we gotta run! Big things to do tonight. We're meeting with the Leimer family tonight, who is the Area Seventy, and we're making burritos. It's gonna be a blast.

 I hope you all have a great week, and are happy, healthy, safe and smart! I miss you all, but you're all still my favorite family ever. :) I love you all!

 -- Elder McGinn

No comments:

Post a Comment