LETTER #36 - NORDHAUSEN

 Family family,

Things here in Nordhausen are going pretty good! Pine valley looks like it was pretty fun. I don't remember the last time I saw Ammon reading though, must be a good book ha. This week went by pretty fast. And I'm afraid this coming week is going to go by even quicker. Just have to enjoy it though and use the time as good as I can.

Tuesday we did an exchange (we just say tausch, so I'm gonna say that because exchange sounds weird) with the Weimar Elders. I stayed here in Nordhausen with Elder Devonas. It was a good day and a fun tausch. Wednesday we went to Erfurt for our district meeting and when that finished we did a tausch with the Erfurt Elders. I stayed in Erfurt for that one with Elder Killpack. It was fun working with him again. Probably our last time working together on the mission since he goes home in a few weeks. Its pretty crazy thinking back to when we were together in Schwarzenberg. So Thursday morning we had a couple appointments in Erfurt then we were going to drive up to Nordhausen and tausch back. As we headed out of Erfurt though we realized we needed to get gas. (I have to explain this first. With the mission change and us becoming a part of Frankfurt they gave the people with cars Gas Cards that they use to get gas, but they can only be used at Shell gas stations. In Berlin we just paid for it then sent in the receipt and they reimbursed us. Usually E. Killpack is with Elder Malyon who has been a Frankfurt missionary his whole mission. So he always reminds him. On this day though I was with Elder Killpack, both of us former Berlin Missionaries and not used to the Gas Card system) So Elder Killpack and I pulled into some random gas station, got gas, and he went in to pay. As he came out and got in the car he just looked at me and said ''uh...we have a problem.'' ha its funny now but right then it wasn't. He explained to me about the gas card and how we weren't at a shell gas station ha. So he asked if I happened to have 55€ on me. I didn't. I had 4€ ha. He only had 20. The rest of my money was back home and so was his. And both of our cards were empty. So we called the mission office and asked if they could just wire money onto our accounts or something and if we could just pay with our normal card. They said ''This isn't Western credit union. Call a member or something.'' So we were on our own ha. So we parked the car and went in and told the people the story and that we would call someone and they'd come help us. We called a member but he was too far away, he texted us 3 other members numbers though. None of them answered. We were getting kind of nervous by this point. Then elder Killpack found a members number and said 'this guy will come no doubt!' He called him and he said yea no problem I'll be there in 20 minutes. We had been at the gas station for 1 hour now so that was nice to hear. Long story short, we waited, and waited, and called him over and over again, and then 2 hours later he made it!! Poor guy kept getting lost and couldn't find it. When he got there he himself had to fill up ha. The lady in the gas station was just laughing at us pretty much the whole time. So Thursday we spent 3 hours as prisoners of a gas station in a small village called Gebesee haha.

So Sunday we had planned to have quite a few investigators at church but during the week things didn't work out so when we got there Sunday we were kinda disappointed and didn't think anyone would be able to make it. Then during the opening song Hr. Stoye walked in! Came in grabbed a hymn book and joined everyone in the congregation. It was my turn to conduct the meeting, which I still think is weird ha but its cool at the same time. I just never thought I'd be conducting a sacrament meeting as a 20 yr. old. During the second hour of church Elder Gassman and I went with Hr. Stoye into a different room and taught him separately. We read in 2 Nephi 31, talked about baptism, and set a date with him for August 21st. It was so cool. The first time I met him was back with Elder Kearl one Sunday he just showed up to church! Now we've been able to meet with him more and now he has set a goal to be baptized. He's a good guy though. He was answering everything so cool and telling us how good he feels when he comes to church. It was a good way to end out our week.

Things have been going good! I've been studying and trying to learn more about prayer and the Holy Ghost. And mom like in that thing you sent today, the more I learn the more I feel like I know less ha. I've seen the power of pray so realistically though here. It is so cool that we can just start to speak with our Heavenly Father whenever and where ever. And with the help and guidance of the spirit we can understand what to pray for like it says in Romans 8, and we can receive our answers and know what to do through the Holy Ghost as well. Like Julie B. Beck said in her conference talk in April. "The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life." And in that video thing I told you guys about forever ago from F. Enzio Busche he says how important it is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Revelation and the spirit and the gospel in general is so...fascinating. It’s like in Mosiah 4:9 we can't comprehend all things but we can begin to progress towards that. Learn as much as we can and never stop progressing in the gospel. Becoming closer to the spirit, recognizing and understanding the promptings we receive. 

It’s like soccer season ha. I want to get better and better and progress and I get excited about that. Excited to be getting better and improving. I'm developing that same excitement for progressing in the gospel. 

I'm not trying to brag or whatever ha, like Ammon says in Alma 26, I'm grateful for this and that God has helped me make this progress. We are forever in debt to him for all that he does for us. We never have any excuse to stop serving God; we can never pay him back. Which is also fascinating...lots to learn and study ha.

Well were going to go see if we can find kids to play soccer with. I love you all so much! Thank you for your letters and prayers and love. Have a good week.

Elder Puriri

LETTER #35 - NORDHAUSEN

Hi!

It has been a pretty sweet week! I'm doing good Mom! And no I don't think I need anything right now. But yea lots of cool experiences mixed with weird ones this week but it was all fun and it’s been good. Elder Loynes and I spent our last days together at the beginning of last week. It was lots of fun working with him and I learned a ton.

Tuesday night we went to Erfurt to spend the night since he had to catch a train from Erfurt at 7:25 which would have meant getting up at 3:30 in Nordhausen to get to erfurt at 7. That didn't really sound like such a fun thing. So Loynes had his big duffle bag and I was carrying his other luggage and we caught the tram down into town and walked over to Banhof. Everyone saw the missionaries with luggage heading to the train station. It was pretty funny. People starting to yell over at us waving, saying "have a good trip home!!" They were laughing and joking, thinking the missionaries were leaving for good. Little did they know the next day I would be back with another Elder and his luggage ha. As we were waiting at the Erfurt Banhof for the Elders to come get us we were sitting on this bench and 2 guys a little down from us were starring at us. So Elder Loynes began to talk to them and we picked up our stuff and went down closer to them. They were funny guys, they assumed we were all from rich American families since we walk around in suits and stuff ha. We cleared all that up though and ended up having a cool conversation, gave them the Erfurt Elders numbers and invited them to church. Not quite sure what happened with them but it’s just cool how everywhere we go we can just talk to people about the Gospel so easily. I never would have imagined it to be like that. 

Elder Killpack and I took our companions to the train station in the morning and said our goodbyes. Then I was in a drit...3 of us for the day until we picked up our comps. Elder Gassman and I grabbed his stuff, hoped on the train and headed back up to Nordhausen to the disappointment of many people haha. 

We've been working with Hr. Tämmerich a lot and helping him on his way towards baptism. He is such a simple man but so cool. We weren't quite so sure how much he was getting or understood. So we went by and were planning on just reviewing and seeing what he really got out of our lessons. He's been getting more then we thought! We asked tons of questions and his answers are always short but you could feel his sincerity. It wasn't like his answers were different then other lessons but that time Elder Gassman and I both felt how sincere he was and that his wish to be baptized his as strong as ever. Such a good guy. We also were able to meet with Karsten again! Last time I saw him was with Elder Kearl back in May. First things first of course, we sat down talked, and then he handed me one of his guitars and said 'I know you want to play a little'. Ha so I played for a bit and realized I've basically forgotten everything. But that doesn't matter right now obviously. It was fun though. 

During the lesson he opened up so much. We read in 2 Nephi 26:24-28...i think that’s right. I asked him if he still had his Book of Mormon and he said of course, reached on the shelf behind him and pulled it out. He asked where we were reading and I told him the page number, then as he flipped to it it just popped open and he had a book mark in there. He looked at it funny and said 'Well something on this page touched me that’s why I put these bookmarks in. We told him where we wanted to begin and he read verse 24 and then looked up and said 'That’s why I put his here, that’s exactly why.' It was so cool! He got more excited about it and continued reading the rest. He kept saying how 'fantastic' it would be if he found out for sure that everything in the Book of Mormon is true, and that he hopes that one day his faith will get to the point where he says 'I want to join your church'. He is a really down to earth and sincere guy. We'll definitely be meeting with him a lot more the next little while.

During companionship study that morning though we weren't sure what to plan for Karsten. Then we both thought reading those verses in 2 Nephi 26 would be good and then to talk about how faith and the atonement is for everyone. It was exactly what Karsten needed. It’s the coolest thing to be guided in doing the Lords work. Its funny it’s always little things, feeling, thoughts or whatever, and you don't think it’s that big of a deal when you act on them. But then such amazing things come from them! Like in so many aspects of life the little things are the most important. I think its Alma 37:6-7 where it talks about that. It’s so true.

Elder Gassman is sweet. It will be a good transfer. We have goals set and things we want to do and I feel really good about it. I'm excited about it. Elder Gassman is from Orem. Graduated '09. He was started out in Duisburg which is about 500,000 people, ha now he is in Nordhausen. About 45,000 people. Pretty big change but he likes it. Everything is going pretty good. Pretty hungry though so we’re gonna head home eat and use the little p-day time left to rest. I hope everyone back home is healthy and happy. If not then work on that! Have a good 2nd week of the transfer ha! I love you all so much. be happy be happy.

Elder Puriri

WONDERFUL WORDS

Elder Puriri and Pics

From: MarJean Muhlestein

Sent: Wed 7/14/10 1:35AM

To: laninina@hotmail.com

Dear Sister Puriri,

We are the Ehepars that are here on a mission and live in Nordhausen. We have the wonderful opportunity to be working with your son Elder Puriri. On Mother's Day we chatted over Skype with you and your family. It was a true opportunity being able to see some of his family.

Your fine "warrior" son is doing a fantastic work here in Nordhausen. We see him several times during the week and I can truly say he is "thrusting in his sickle with all of his might". We have been blessed with two baptisms this last month, and are looking forward to another very soon. You have trained your son well, and have no needs of worry with his polite very helpful mannerism. He is the only Elder that picks up his plate from the table and takes it to the kitchen, rinses it off and then goes back to clear and help with other things. THANK-YOU! He will make some very lucky girl a wonderful husband one day.

He has requested that I send some of the baptism pictures to you so I'm attaching them here along with a few others. You are also more than welcome to visit our blogsite: www.gowithfaith.blogspot.com

May your family continue to be blessed for sending your wonderful son to do the work of the Lord. "Behold the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God." D&C 12: 3

We love you and your son,

Sister Muhlestein

Elder Muhlestein

Fruit Heights, Ut.

LETTER #34 - NORDHAUSEN

Hellllllooo!

So transfer calls were this last week! Usually we expect to get transfer calls on Saturday night so we were waiting and waiting but nothing was coming. Then finally we got a call and they said they weren't quite sure yet and they'd call us tomorrow (Sunday night). Apparently it’s a normal thing in the mission? But our zone coming from Berlin obviously isn't used to that so people weren't very happy ha. Anyway Sunday came and we got our call last night around 930 or so. Elder Loynes is being transfered to Frankfurt, and I am staying in Nordhausen! I'm getting a missionary who has been serving over in the Dusseldorf area, I think his name is Elder Gasman but I'm not sure. It will be his 3 transfer so he's been out about 5 months or so. I pretty much know nothing about him but I'm sure it will be good! Oh I do know he is from Orem, UT. But yea that’s all. Transfers happen in the mission now on Wednesday so that’s when he'll get here. Not quite the transfer call we were expecting but it'll be fun. So next email I'll be able to tell you more about my new companion ha.

Last week was a good week though. We’re teaching a new guy named Mr. Tämmerich, I might have already told you about him but I don’t know. He’s a cool guy though! We set a baptismal date with him a week or so ago and he is definitely progressing towards it! He came to church yesterday and seemed to like it a lot. As he said goodbye to people before he left he kept saying 'see you next week, I'm coming again' it was pretty cool. He is a good guy. 

Ahsan is doing good. Its summer break now so he is going to be out of town for 2 months. He is going to Frankfurt to visit family then maybe back to Bangladesh for summer but if not then he'll just stay in Frankfurt. Its pretty cool Elder Loynes is going there as well though, hopefully E. Loynes will still be able to stay in contact and meet with him there too. We met with him Saturday then had to say goodbye because he was leaving to Frankfurt. He won’t be back until September and Elder Loynes definitely won't be here then and I may not either. So saying goodbye was sad but still happy. We'll still be able to keep in contact.

The weather here has actually been very warm! Its been warm for about a week or a little more and everyone seems to be complaining already that they want rain and cool weather back. I'm quite enjoying the sun ha. It’s not exactly the most comfortable thing to walk around in with a shirt and tie and all but still it’s nice. Today I bought a cheap pair of flip-flops so I wouldn't have to wear shoes when I don't have to ha. I haven't worn slippers in 8 months; it feels so nice not wearing shoes!!

Yesterday in church I gave a talk about spiritual gifts. Elder Muhlestein thought I would be the one being transferred so he gave me a talk ha. It was good though. Every time I get a talk it seems like its exactly what I need to study more and learn more about or just need a refreshing of it. I studied D&C 46 mostly and verses 28 and 30 made me think a lot. I still haven't quite organized my thoughts about it yet but it reminded me of general conference in April. Elder Andersen in his talk said something like 'I testify that we have heard and felt the mind and will of the Lord'. Then Pres. Monson at the closing said 'It has been good for us to be here.' A short sentence but so cool! There’s so much to learn about the gospel and you are always learning more and more. As you do that you come to know and feel the mind and will of the lord. We continually move closer to God and set our selfish desires aside and try to align our will with his. Once we do that we can do like it says is D&C 46:30 ask for things according to the will of the Lord and they will be given to us. I've experienced that so much as a missionary. We try to put ourselves aside and focus on the work. We focus on what the people we are teaching need, on the spirit, and try to set our desires in line with the Lords. When we do that we get to know the Lord better then ever and we desire the same thing for people that he does. Then we ask for the blessings and gifts needed so that we can accomplish his will, and we receive them. I've seen it so much and am so grateful for it. Sorry I'm still kind of excited about the topic from yesterday as you see but its so cool. I was always confused about how to figure out what the will of the Lord is and worried that I wouldn't be able to do it. Then as I heard Elder Andersen’s words I realized how possible it is. Then Pres. Monson right after with that simple sentence 'It has been good for us to be here.' So true. It has been and will forever be good that I am here serving a mission. Its such an amazing thing. Of course I'm here to bring the gospel to other people and to help others but at the same time I'm learning and growing so much. I'm excited for this transfer and for what’s to come.

Transfers are honestly going by faster and faster though so I need to really make the most of each day. Back when I was in Schwarzenberg and on my first exchange with Elder Clawson we were talking about transfers and I said how fast my first transfer was going by already and he laughed and said 'Well your in trouble then, because they only start going faster and faster'. Not that I didn't believe him but I guess I didn't understand. Last transfer with Elder Kearl went by so fast and at the end of it I thought 'there is no way any other transfer will go faster then that.' but this one with Elder Loynes did. Scary! Have to make the most of every day!! It’s so important. We are going to go help Sis. Küper move right now. I hope you are all doing good. Thanks for everything!!! I love you so much!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #33 - NORDHAUSEN

FIRST LETTER FROM FRANKFURT MISSION
Hi!

This past week was a very exciting/crazy week. It was a fun week, with lots of cool experiences. We spent a lot of time in trains this week doing different things, but were still able to get lots accomplished. Mom your little thought on Unity was pretty humbling and quite funny you chose to talk about unity. That’s all we've been hearing from President Pimentel, and also from President and Sister Ninow. Just so you know Ninow is pronounced Ni-no, not like Ni-now. Anyway, I'll start at the more towards the beginning of last week.

So Tuesday we had to go to a city called Koethen over in the now Berlin Mission. Elder Loynes had a quick doctor’s appointment. We met up with the Elders there and went to the doctor’s office which is in the bottom part of his house. As Elder Loynes was down there we were up in the kitchen being fed by the doctor’s wife ha. They are members in the Koethen ward. They are a really cool family. As we were driving back to the train station afterwards Elder Loynes kept making jokes about the Berlin and Frankfurt mission since in a couple days we would become Frankfurt missionaries. It was a pretty funny drive. Then another 2 1/2 hours on the train back to Nordhausen! We got to see some of Berlin Missionaries for the last time though and it was fun to talk to them and say bye. Also kind of weird though. Wednesday we had to go down to Gotha and Elder Loynes had to do a baptismal interview for a woman who was baptized on Saturday! It was cool, he did the interview, and we taught the family all together with the other Elders. It was a good day. Also another 4 hours total on the train. Then Friday Elder Killpack came to me in Nordhausen and we did a little exchange, he had to do Ahsan's baptismal interview. We were at the Muhlesteins for lunch and planning and Ahsan's interview was supposed to be later, but he called and asked if we could do it then. So we paused planning and went and met him at the church and Elder Killpack did the interview. Not long later they came and got me and we prayed together one more time before Ahsan headed home. Elder Killpack was telling me about the interview and how cool it was. It made me way excited for the

baptism! He said Ahsan would just keep telling him about the Book of Mormon and how he feels when he reads and how it likes it so much even though that’s not really part of the interview questions. We went back to the Muhelsteins and finished planning real quick and then caught the train down to Erfurt so we could switch back to our companions. Then Elder Loynes and I got back on the train and came back to Nordhausen!

Now the good part ha. Woke up at 4:30 on Saturday morning, caught the tram down to the Train Station at 5:45. Then we met Ahsan outside his apartment which is right by the train station. Then we hopped on the train and headed to Erfurt for Ahsan's baptism! As we got to the Erfurts Main train station lots of the other missionaries from the zone were there as well since it was our first Zone Conference with the Ninows and we were doing the baptism right before. Ahsan thought it was pretty cool to see so many missionaries since he had only ever really been around the Muhlesteins and Elder Loynes and me. We got to the Erfurt ward building a bit late so Ahsan and I went and got changed real quick and then went into the baptismal room. It was kind of weird walking in and seeing President and Sister Ninow for the first time and I hadn't even talked to them yet. Elder Loynes handed me the program and I looked at it then handed it to Ahsan for him to look at. As he closed it he looked at the front there was a picture of the Freiberg Temple and his name on the program. He got a big smile on his face as he read his name on the front of it. It was such a cool thing to see. Then as I looked forward into the glass in front of the fount I saw our reflections, both of us wearing white, then the atmosphere of the room totally changed. It was all really quiet and the piano was going softly, as I saw our reflections and the water behind them I was filled with such a cool feeling!! Excitement, and peace, and I was so happy and grateful that Ahsan was ready to be baptized. Ahsan and I stepped down into the fount and got ready to do the baptism. As I began to speak I suddenly felt like it wasn't me saying those words anymore. It’s hard to explain but it was kind of overwhelming as it all happened, definitely an experience I will never forget. After the baptismal service we all talked for a little then Ahsan said goodbye to everyone and headed back to Nordhausen since we had to stay for our Zoco. It was a very tiring day. Up so early, such spiritual experience and then just tons of new info about the Frankfurt mission to take it.

President Ninow has got a Zone from the Berlin mission, the Munich mission and the Hamburg mission. So he has to unify 4 different missions together, not an easy job. Thanks mom again for that message on unity. We've been taught it so much lately I didn't think it would be a big deal and that it would be easy. There’s so many new things and differences between the missions though and we're so used to Pres. Pimentel and the Berlin mission now we have to get used to Pres. Ninow and the Frankfurt mission. I've already learned lots in the last couple days and I've realized how important humility is. I will have to work more on humbling myself. But my purpose as a missionary hasn’t changed. I'm still serving the Lord and in the whole I'm a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Yesterday in Church Ahsan was confirmed by Elder Loynes. These last two Sundays have been so cool! I'm very grateful for the things that have happened in the last little while. We've been blessed to see so many miracles. 

Transfer calls will be this Saturday still, I have no idea if either one of us will be transferred or not. We don't really know how Pres. Ninow does it so we will have to wait and see! 

I hope everything back home is going good though. Thanks for the letters and everything. I love you all so much! Be positive and have a good week!

Elder Puriri