new kid on the block.

Our purpose states:

Being new in a ward in Germany entails one of two things

1. stack on stacks eating appointments

2. earning your rightful place on the block through doing service for every old widow

Or in our case. Both.

This week meant yard work with the lady who put the G" in Grandma

Sister MÜLLER

The Elders went to work moving trees, rocks and shoveling big clumps of dirt... Ya know.. elder like things

Excited and eager to do some dirty work we awaited our assignment..

Sister Müller then handed Sister Madsen and i both a small pick, and pointed to what appeared to be a football field of dandelions.

Awesome...

As old as she is..she is a quick little bugger.

I got in trouble well over 5 times for things like improperly disposing of the weeds, missing some, ripping out a flower accidentally and " forgetting" to put on the ugly gloves she gave us. hahaha

My personal favorite.. Me accidentally wandering into a patch of stinging nettle and having to spend the rest of the time with Sis.MÜLLER while she rubbed weird leaves all over me

Nothing like a long days work in the garden and coming home to a long nice shower

Oh wait.

I forgot...we don't have one

Ohhh... The day I thought I'd ever see myself showering via bucket and hose..

There is a REASON I was not born to be a pioneer..it just wouldn't of worked out for my party. They would have had to bury me.

This week, i felt adventurous and I decided to try out the prehistoric box in our kitchen labeled " washing machine".

To sum up that experience..

I believe I may have sent every senior citizen living here beneath us into post traumatic war stress from all of the BOOMS and BANGS coming from that machine

-_- ma bad.

On top of that.. What once was a few bees turned into them calling in for back-up.

We are running a BEE FARM

Instead of killing them or trying to get rid of them we decided go give them purpose

So we named them:

Harold BEE Lee

Henry BEE Eyring

Gordon BEE Hinckley

I mean, I thought my video I made of MTC CRIBS at the MTC (reenactment of MTV cribs) was exciting.

Just you wait for part 2. attic edition

This week we took a train East to help some other Elders with a street display. All together there were 16 missionaries!

They had decided to all sing together in hopes to attract people in towards our booth.

I offered myself as the sacrifice to be put out to dry by trying to do the speaking.

As much as I love singing...mom invested all our talent funds into dance and im gonna stick with what I got..

During the time we spent there I noticed a man in his mid 50's standing a ways away in the distance with his eyes fixed upon our stand.

I made my way through the crowds of people towards him and introduced myself as a missionary and asked him if he had interest to come closer and learn about our message

"I know" he said..

I was super caught off guard and asked him " well have you ever had a copy of the book of Mormon? we'd love to give you one"

"I've read it" he said..

I asked him about his experience and if he had prayed about it

"I prayed... I knew" he said...

Completely shocked and stumped, I asked him to please come with me back to the stand so I could introduce him to a few members and talk some more, but he refused.

I drew blank and just began to bear my testimony about the Book of Mormon and how much it's blesses my life. I told him how my faith is always being tested but strengthened daily through the Lord. Even sometimes unnoticeably.

He clasped my hands in his and told me

"I knew, I always knew, I hold the aaronic priesthood"

I was speechless.

Not knowing what to say.. I got an overwhelming impression to tell him that God loves him and is waiting for him to come back to him..

Without another word this stranger smiled with tears in his eyes and nodded his head and disappeared back into the mass of people

 

For once I understood first hand how God must feel when his children go astray.

 

To know we are literaaly sons and daughters of our father in heaven is the most high honor and pleasing thing to be known as.

 

I am a firm believer that missionaries are not just here to find new sheep but the ones lost as well.

Our purpose states:

"invite OTHERS to come unto Christ"

Not just investigators. But members, strangers, friends at home, even your companion.

I may not have been able to bring him back, to get him to give me his name or make him change his mind.

But I know that by simply letting that man know that his father in heaven loves him and is waiting anxiously for him made some sort of an impact.

If every person that knows someone that has perhaps wandered off the path just took 30 seconds to remind them of their worth in our heavenly fathers eyes.

The impact would be overwhelming!

Opening a new area is hard. It requires lots and lots of work, contacting, work with members, food, planning, contacts and sanity.

The Lord really has his hand in our work.

This week we found 6 new investigators!! I am so excited and anxious, we are receiving the blessings from hard work..

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY

I cannot believe it has to end..

This week a sister who "dies" right after me said she just began her " six months to sexy" program.

Didn't know that existed.

I'm too far behind now sooooo imma keep playing dumb and

eat what I want.

YOLO

Line of the week:( Internet Cafe encounter with a large stranger named Carlos, from Africa last P-Day after logging off )

Carlos: I want to follow you

Me: Me? What?.. Where?

Carlos: I want to follow you

Me: I understand that but where??

Carlos: anywhere.... Africa, America, Germany. Zimbabwe.. anywhere I WILL follow you

( meanwhile sister madsen is grabbing the elders )

Me: ha... uhm i promise im not that exciting there's better people to follow

Elder Santiago: whats goin on here??

Carlos: I want to follow HER

Elder Santiago: Ya see, we actually help people follow CHRIST..

(saved by the elders)

Kasseler Street... my dream city (I hope Sister Madsen isn't shooting me)

P-day Pigs

Elder Santiago and Aaron

My adorable Mothers Day surprise

Taking Sister Madsen to do her FIRST DOOR!

Right in my backyard.