LETTER #70 - FRANKFURT

Hello! (Picture from yesterday at the Bishop's house. Bishop and Me!)

Another transfer is gone! Another companion is gone ha. Elder Amandoron leaves on Wednesday and I get a new companion. My new companion will be Elder Münzer. He is from northern Germany. We were in the Berlin mission together, and he also served with Elder Killpack. His mom is from Arizona if I remember right. So his English is basically perfect. It will be fun though. 2 basically Germans back to back. I can continue to get good tips on improving my German.

The transfers just pass by its strange. During them and all the days and weeks all the things you do, then all the sudden it’s the last week. This last transfer was good though. We found a lot of cool new people who we can hopefully continue to teach and work with. We were also able to work more closely with the members, which will hopefully only get better. There is a lot to do!! I'm excited to be here in Frankfurt. Especially since its getting warmer, more people will be out, we won't be so layered up, and everyone’s a bit happier! There is a good feeling here. So many people, definitely many being prepared.

Yesterday after sacrament I was walking around talking to members. Right before we left I went and talked to Br. Amelong I think is how his name is spelled. He is the stake patriarch. Its so cool talking to him, he always just tells me different stories about Matthew Cowley and the miracles he was able to perform in New Zealand because of the great faith of the Maori people. The topic in one of our classes was the life of Jesus Christ, and we talked about the story when he walks on water and Peter walks out to him. The topic of discussion turned into faith. So it was cool talking to Br. Amelong about that afterwards as well.

Faith is an amazing thing. As I read talks about Elder Cowley and the things he experienced. And as I read about Christ walking on the sea and Peter walking towards him I thought a lot about faith. Its cool to picture Christ walking towards their boat, then Peter asking to come to him. I can picture him climbing over the edge of the boat and putting his foot down on the water, then the other foot, then letting go of the boat. I can't imagine what he must have felt like. He was walking on water! His faithwas powerful. As we read though the waves and the winds picked up and he became afraid and began to sink. There are many lessons we can learn from this but keeping it simple is that with faith anything is possible.

Peter being courageous enough and trusting enough in Christ climbed over the edge of the boat and stepped onto water with the full belief that he would be able to stand on it. How cool is that! That seems to me like it would have been the hardest part. To actually put your feet down on the water and let go of the boat. Once you're on the water and walking your set. You are walking on water! In that alone your faith is confirmed and the reality of the power of it. When the winds pick up and the waves as well remember simply that you're walking on water. Have confidence in that and in the one in whom you have set your faith. There is no need to doubt or worry, because you are standing on water! You can continue walking towards your Redeemer with the full trust that these winds and waves will not cause you to sink. Keep your eyes set on Christ as you walk across the water. Looking away at the wind tossing the sea will simply cause worries, as you stare and dwell on the thought that the winds and waves are becoming stronger you will begin to doubt you will really be ok. Why even doubt though, you are standing on water!!! Push doubts aside with the assurance that through your faith in Christ you are walking on water, and that because of that he can help you do anything, withstand anything, and overcome anything. I haven't finished my study on that story yet, maybe tomorrow or so. It’s so cool though. I want to strengthen my faith like my Maori ancestors.

Sorry this is short, Elder Amandoron has got to go run a few more errands.

I love you all though!! Thank you for everything. Enjoy the week and love everyone!!!

LETTER #47 - HEIDELBERG

Hello!!
Sorry this is coming on Tuesday! We had a meeting yesterday and moved  p-day to Tuesday, that won’t happen too often though. When it doesn't come on Monday though just know it will come later in the week.

It has been a pretty cool week though! First the pictures attached are from leaving Nordhausen Wednesday morning, it was pretty weird! Then the last picture is the first picture I took in Heidelberg, it’s a beautiful area! I'm excited to have the opportunity to serve here now. My companion is Elder White from up state New York. He's a way good Elder and it will be fun serving with him. In Heidelberg there are also sisters and a senior couple, we don’t have as much interaction though with them. We see them a couple times a week. The ward is really big though!! It’s so different from the places I've served throughout my mission. There is quite a bit of youth and families and stuff it’s really cool. 

Sunday was really good! It was the first time I've had 3 hours of church in like 7 months. Sacrament meeting was really cool though, I got to help pass the sacrament and the testimonies were all way cool. I also had the chance to get up and introduce myself and give my testimony. It was a good meeting. After church I went around meeting as many of the members as I could, I met a ton and now I have no idea who is who anymore ha. I'm going to have to look through the ward list and match names with faces and try again next Sunday. When I meet them though I shake their hand and tell them my name and then they go 'ok' and look at my name tag and get this confused look and try to read my name out loud. Then they say 'what you just said though isn't what is on your tag...' Plus in German it’s that hard 'R' and pronouncing 2 right after each other like you would have to in my name is kind of tough so they struggle while trying to read it out loud all slow. It’s kind of funny though listening to them try. Then I just have to tell them to treat the 'R's like 'D's then they get more confused and say but it says R on there. Then I have to explain about the Maori name and all. Then they say cool your dads from New Zealand, is it nice there? Then I have to say I haven't been over there yet and they say oh where to you live? And I say St. George, Utah. And they say so your Dad is from New Zealand and your mom is from Utah? And I say No My dad is from NZ and my mom is from Canada. Then they get even more confused ha. Then I have to continue explaining! This is the conversation I had at least 15 times on Sunday ha. And basically with everyone I've met throughout my mission. It’s pretty funny though. With one member on Sunday he said oh your moms from Canada with Norwegian background so that’s where you get those eyes. And I said maybe but my dad’s grandma is Samoan/Swiss so that may be as well. Then I mentioned in there somewhere about Grandpa Ahmu being Chinese then he just got confused ha. Our family history is crazy and confuses people. It is a very cool heritage though and I'm grateful for it. So yea that’s what Sunday was like!

On Saturday we met with a man named Baizai from Iran. He has a pretty insane life story. He's converted to Christianity though and talked to the missionaries on the street a few weeks ago and started asking them questions about Christ. We met the day I got here and gave him the last 3 chapters of 2 Nephi to read before we met again on Saturday. Then he called us Friday night and started telling us how important baptism is and that Nephi said this and Nephi said that ha it was way cool. Then Saturday he asked when he could be baptized like right at the start of the lesson. So we set a date as a goal with him and told him we'd help him prepare for that date. His faith in Christ is already so strong and he just wants to learn so much. He keeps asking us what he can read and what he needs to learn then he asks us to call him and ask him questions about it to make sure he understood it right. He is a pretty cool guy!

Yesterday we had a meeting and it was a really cool meeting! The spirit was so strong the whole time. I learned a ton and realized how much more I can do and what more I need to be doing. It’s kind of overwhelming to think about it all and I felt a bit inadequate. Then I thought about Luke 1:37! This scripture has helped me so much. We can't do it alone and that’s the reality of it. Nobody can do it on their own. We may try and we may think we know better but we don't and it’s as simple as that. But with Gods help we can do ANYTHING. It’s crazy to think about but really, anything. If our faith is strong enough and we are worthy and following the spirit, we can do anything according to Gods will. Things that I have realized are most important in this; first of all our motivation. Our ultimate motivation is LOVE. Next we must have the FAITH that it can be done. Then the COMMITMENT to do what’s required of us. LOVE to motivate us. FAITH that it can happen. COMMITMENT to make it happen. Then we push forward no matter what. We just have to have the faith and trust in God then when we wear out our lives in doing all we can in pushing forward in Gods work when we just can't do anymore, when we are too tired to go on, we can know with the utmost assurance that God will carry us (D&C123). We do not become discouraged because we know that where we are imperfect or inadequate, God is perfect and adequate. Where we would fail, he prevails. In Gods strength we can work miracles! I have experienced this and know that it is true. When we do our part, God will do the rest. Simple concept, so much power. I love you all! I hope you are all doing good. Find the good, push forward. Have an awesome week!
Elder Puriri