August 23, 2010

LETTER #40 - NORDHAUSEN

Dear family!
So transfer news first, I'm staying in Nordhausen with Elder Gassman. So no changes here. I'm excited to have another transfer here with him it will be fun and we'll hopefully be able to get a lot done. I was pretty surprised to be staying but it will be good! Also Ammons 18 now. happy late birthday! It’s weird your 18 now. And a senior. Life goes on and time goes too fast.

Yesterday church was so cool! We went down to church and met with Elder Muhlestein in his office before sacrament like every week. We new the District president and his counselors would be attending our meeting that day. Then there was a knock on the door and Pres. Schumann (dist. Pres.) and one of his counselors came in wearing a white shirt and tie then motorcycle pants and boots ha. Apparently they were on a week trip through the Harz Mountains area and that’s why they were coming to Nordhausen for church since they were in the area. It wasn't just them though. As I walked back out into the Chapel every seat was full! Now there are only about 40 seats or so but they were full!! It was so crazy to see and so cool. There was a group of about 24 bikers traveling together, most members of the church. I walked out front and there were bikes parked everywhere on the street. It was so cool! There were even 2 members from Annaberg so I got to talk to them. There were people from Switzerland and all over Germany. Just a big group of friends and they do this for a week each year I guess. So sacrament was packed for a little chapel.

Elder Gassman and I gave our testimonies after sacrament because we didn't know who or if either of us was being transfered. Then we turned the time over to Pres. Schumann and he ran the rest of the meeting. It was cool a brother from Switzerland gave a talk, a sister with them from Leipzig, and then they all did a musical number for us. Everyone standing up in the front with their shirt and tie or blouse or whatever then mortorcycle pants and boots or just socks ha it was funny but it was cool. Then the branch pres. from Gotha spoke then Pres. Schumann talked. It went a little over but it was one of the coolest sacraments I've ever been to. The spirit was so strong and there were so many good people there with there good spirits it was so nice. Hopefully one day the chapel can be that full with people from Nordhausen! That would be so
amazing. We're working on it. It was a good church meeting.

A very good way to end the week. We spent a lot of the weeking going through the lists of old contacts and stuff trying to organize it and going by on them and stuff. Had lots of finding time and lots of doors. It’s always an adventure doing doors ha. You always run into someone who isn't exactly happy that you're there. We try to calmly talk to them but usually it doesn't work and we have to sadly leave that street before things get out of hand. The unfinished streets will one day be finished though and those people will also have the opportunity to hear the gospel.

On Tuesday we were able to meet with Hr. Becker who we had lost contact with for a while. He just called us randomly and said hey come Tuesday night at 7. So we did! He explained he had an accident at work and was in the hospital for 2 weeks but he snuck a phone call into us while he was there and made out the appointment for Tuesday. Apparently you’re not allowed to use the phone in the hospital or something. But we were grateful he did. That was only the 3rd time we had met with him so were still getting to know him a bit but he has a desire to find God and to know if he can really be with his wife again. It is really a blessing that we have the gospel and are blessed to know the answer to these questions.

The gospel is a source of light filling the dark places with light. Like in D&C 123:13 ''Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven''. We are blessed to have the light and as we so often read in the scriptures we should hold it up and let it shine forth so that
others may see.

Elder Gassman and I are trying to focus on letting our light shine so that others may notice. We try to literally radiate light ha sounds a bit odd but it’s cool! When we are filled with the spirit, when we have love and light in us, we should try to let it shine out from us. Then other people will really see something different and will want to have that as well. I've noticed it throughout my life though as well. There are some people where it seems like they really radiate light and love. This should be one of our goals. As we try to always remember Christ we will be focused on love and his light, it will be our mindset, and it will be what radiates from us. I'm excited to work more on this and to brighten my light.

Sorry this is a bit short. We're real hungry and want to go eat ha. I hope everything is going good! I love you all so much. Have a good week and be happy!

Elder Puriri

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