LETTER #90 - NURNBERG

Hi!

The past week went quickly past. We were busy here with the 4 elders and getting things going. We also had a tausch and other stuff with the ward going on. It was a good week though. Started our Tuesday by heading up to Bamberg for a district meeting then right after that one getting on another train to Schweinfurt for another district meeting. Then we hurried to get our train back to Nürnberg so we could go to our Ward Mission Leaders house to meet with him. We missed our train though. So we figured out the best way to get there next and had to wait a bit.

During this day travelling the whole time at one point we looked at our planners to see what was next and realized we hadn't planned in any time to eat. So as we were going from place to place we just bought a quick bratwurst and a roll and ate that as we walked as fast as we could for like 20 minutes from the train station to the district meeting. It was a busy day. We realized we were most likely going to miss the train from Nürnberg to our GMLs house. oh gml means gemeindemissionsleiter...which means ward mission leader. From Nürnberg main train station we had to catch a subway to another train station and from there get the train to our gmls house. We saw on the plan we would pull into Nürnberg main station at 5:20 and our train left the other train station at 5:27. The subway ride takes 7 minutes. The subway comes from the main station every 4 minutes. So we were hoping we would get to the main station a bit early then we would run to the subway and hopefully by some miracle make it in time. So as soon as the train pulled in and the doors opened we took off running down the stairs, down the tunnel, through the station and down to the subway. It was a quick run. (I always like to think of it from the other peoples view of us. They just see 2 guys in suits and with bags or backpacks running as fast as they can through some busy train station. it has to be pretty funny.) We made the subway quick and then rain to the next train and still missed it ha. So lots of running that didn't really accomplish much. We had to wait 30 minutes for the next train but it was ok. The other Elders made the earlier train then they all had to wait on us. So we had an eventful Tuesday which made the rest of our week fly by.

We tausched with the Regensburg Elders and they are about an hour and a half train ride there, then the same back. So I was thinking of what I should do on the train since it would be early and we would miss study time. I decided I was going to follow Hamiltons example and learn the Articles of Faith, except in german. So I grabbed a small card with them on there and learned them! On the train ride back I told Elder Mayle who I was on tausch with what I was doing. He said he wanted to try too. So I gave him an extra card I grabbed. In the one direction he learned 1-9! I was pretty impressed. I was able to learn all of them before we got back to Nürnberg. I felt pretty good about it since the last time I knew them I was like 11 and still didn't really know them. I'm excited though, now I can use them more often in teaching situations and stuff.

It was fun working with Elder Mayle though. He was trained about a year ago by Elder Anderson (my comp in Frankfurt) so it was cool to be able to talk about him and what we both learned from him. I've been blessed with lots of good companions. Elder Anderson, my comp right now, is way solid. He's pretty young on his mission but I feel like he's farther ahead then I am. Its cool to have the 3 other Elders in the apartment. None of them have been out a year yet, but they are all way good missionaries. I always feel weird though whenever its pointed out how long I've been out. Its so hard to comprehend. I almost starting like hyperventilating the other night when I realized how little time I have left. I sat on my bed before praying and going to sleep and just thought for a bit then realized how quickly it will come and almost couldn't breathe. I had to get rid of that thought really quick because my mind couldn't handle it. I think I'll maybe just live in denial about that for the next while.

I was able to see the pictures on the gmail thing. I was amazed to see ammon doing so much! That is so cool. Thats also awesome that that family in the ward visited Ammon to lift him up a bit. This week I talked to President Schwartz a few times about different things. Each time we talked he would open up the blog and read to me the newest stuff on there. He is an amazing man. I also got a few calls from different people during the week asking about Ammon and telling me they were praying for him. From the senior missionaries in the mission office to President Schwartz's son who lives in a neighboring ward to Nürnberg. The Elders in the apartment continue to mention Ammon and the family in their prayers. I have been filled with a feeling of deep gratitude and love for all of these people. They sincerely care. The love that is surrounding this and the power that comes through prayer is something I have been blessed to feel often this last week. It has been hard to express my gratitude to these people. I am thankful for the family we have within the gospel. Many of our brothers and sisters here are praying for their brother Ammon there. The sincere concern and prayers for Ammon truly will have their effect. Our family is being blessed through this experience. We have the opportunity to learn a lot as a family and Ammon has the opportunity to learn a lot for himself. This event, when taken on correctly, will work for his good. ''And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God...'' Romans 8:28. He will be able to say he is grateful for the experience.

I love you all very much. Things will continue to move forward. When setback comes, it is an opportunity to become stronger. It is an opportunity to smile, be grateful, and handle it with faith. It is on the other hand an opportunity to really be a setback, to slow us down, and pull us down. We choose the effective they have. Pres. Monson said Choose your love and love your choice. When we think about what we truly love, what our spirits love; it is our family, light, warmth. As we choose these things our love for them grows. As we choose and experience them together, our bond to one another is eternally strengthened. Let us especially in this time choose to handle things with a smile, gratitude, and faith. That we all may be drawn closer together. To our Heavenly Father, and inevitably to each other. Have a good week!!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #89 - NURNBERG

Hi family,

Another week has gone by and its been filled with many things. It started with last visits to people with Elder Durrant, picking up the 3 new Elders at the train station, getting them set in the city here. Organizing how we are all going to work here, going around to different people introducing the new elders, organizing and planning stuff for the transfer for the zone, then the news about Ammon.

Lots of different things going on. Oh I also got to see Killpack and Mason 2 of my old companions on Sunday. They were with a study abroad group from BYU and came through Nürnberg and went to church, so that was pretty cool to see them. Killpack came with us Sunday night to visit a member and stuff. It was strange being with him again and hearing him speak German and all I felt like I just started my mission again. But yea pictures of me and Killpack and me and Mason then a picture of the 4 Elders here now. Elder Jongejan who is 6 ft. 8 in. like 220 and sleeps on the rickety bunk above me for some reason, then Elder Wilkinson from England, Elder Anderson from SLC (my comp) then me. Elder Jongejan would stand on my bed to hop up to his but on one particular night that failed ha. I was in the other room but when I came in the 3 other Elders were trying not to laugh and were waiting for me to lay down or something but they couldn't hold it in and just started laughing. Apparently when Elder Jongejan went to jump off my bed up on to his he didnt go up, the bed just went down. the support things all slipped out from my bed and he fell through. They thought he broke it but I lifted up the mattress and was able to just put all the things back into place. It was pretty funny though.

Having the 4 Elders is pretty cool. They are all super solid, its going to be good working all here. After I talked to Mom on Friday they knew something was wrong and as soon as I explained they asked if we could all kneel and pray for him. They are all keeping Ammon in their prayers as well as other missionaries here. When President Schwartz found out I guess he called some of the Elders I'm closer to and asked them to pray for ammon as well. Whenever I talk to President Schwartz he asks if I have heard anything else about Ammon and how he is doing. Its hard for me to explain everything medically that is going on in German but I guess I'm expanding my vocabulary that way.

It was a weird phone call though when mom called. I was on the phone with a member of the Bishopric about something and said someone else was calling but it didn't show who. It was also the beginning of study. So I finished with him and then said hello and heard moms voice. I had a quick rush of feelings and did not want to be hearing moms voice right then. (sorry mom but when that happens you immediately know something bad happened). 

I was a bit confused with calling Ammon the first time. I think because it was still Thursday night for mom and Friday morning for me. So when mom told me to call 'tomorrow' at 6:30am Ammons time I thought Saturday since that was my tomorrow. But mom's 'tomorrow' was Friday still. So that was my bad when I didn't call. I'm glad you all figured it out though and called me. I was really glad to talk to Ammon. Reading the stuff thats going on from the blog and hearing from you all the miracles that are accompanying this thing are pretty amazing. Yes it is a new challenge to face but there are many blessings assisting us in this. It seemed to me that Ammon was still be as much himself as he could. With his uplifting personality affecting all those around him still. That in itself is a huge blessing.

I've been thinking a lot about the atonement with all this happening. The atonement has so much to it. There is a talk from last conference in the Saturday morning session where the Elder talks about the atonement and pain. Something I find interesting is the differences he talks about. The physical pain and the spiritual pain. There are 2 parts to us as beings. Our physical and our spiritual. We learn and know that we existed spiritually first. That at this time our physical is frail and mortal. Our spiritual however is eternal. Our true identity being spiritual sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. We cannot always control what happens to our physical and will sometimes suffer because of it. Our spiritual however is different. We do control fully whether or not we suffer spiritually. When we are confronted with physical challenges we must be ready to support ourselves with our solid spiritual. This requires us working on our spiritual continually because we do not know when our physical will be confronted. If we are not prepared and our physical is hit we will have a very hard time supporting ourselves. We also need to be aware though how we are solidifying our spiritual.

When you relate it to your physical its easier to understand. When you are tired and need to get some food before you go play a soccer game or something you need sustaining food. You can eat quick sweets like donuts or whatever else. This gives you a quick rush and you feel ok to go. When you start going though and your into your game you feel it hit you and what you thought was ''sustanance'' has now failed you miserably. If you would have eaten a more solid meal it would have carried you through the whole game. As with our spiritual we must take care to use sustaining things. Truth is eternal, and therefore a good sustenance. As we strive to learn, accept, and fit our lives to the truths we learn our spiritual will have something of real sustenance. We are then solid when our physical is hit. And through the strength of our spiritual we pull our physical to the best condition we can.

Yes our spiritual is sometimes hit. Like hearing of Ammons news. But this is not necessarily spiritual pain. It comes in and hits us, and with the solid truths we have sustained ourselves with we wrap up the event and are able to find peace. Had we not been prepared to when it hit us the effect could have been much worse on him and us. We never know when things may negatively confront the physical, which increases the necessity to always be sustaining our spiritual with eternal truths that ultimately solidify us and allow us to overcome anything. In doing this we develop the ability to say ''Come what may, and love it''.

Thank you all for everything. I am eternally grateful for our family. I love you all and hope you have a truly uplifting week.

Elder Puriri

LETTER #88 - NURNBERG

Hello Family!

A new transfer begins today! Although this one will be a bit different. Instead of doing one 4 weeks transfer to align things up they are doing two 5 week transfers. So this one and the next will only be 5 weeks so thats strange. Elder Durrant has been transferred to work up in Düsseldorf in the northern part of the mission. I will be staying here and getting 3 elders! ha I get my new companion, Elder Anderson (a different Elder Anderson than my other companion), then 2 more elders are coming to our apartment. So we will have 4 Elders in Nürnberg now. It will be good for the ward and hopefully get things here going a bit quicker. It will be cool. I'll get a picture with all 4 of us so you can see who I'm all with here in Nürnberg. Anyway yea thats what is going on with transfers!

Here are a bunch of pictures from the last little while here since I haven't sent any in a long time. A couple are of making the brownies you sent. We made them for the couple that was going home but the icing didn't spread well so Elder Durrant used it the best he could. Then there are some from the Helping Hands thing we did. Then from the FHE we have each monday. We usually play UNO once or twice right after. Then with the Perkins who just went home last week. Then one with 5 of my companions at one of the meetings we had in Frankfurt a couple weeks ago. left to right is Elder Nelson, Elder Durrant, Elder Anderson, me, Elder White, and Elder Gassman.

Anyway the last week was a blur pretty much. I was in Ansbach one day for a tausch then in Würzburg another day for another tausch. It was fun though. Working with all the Elders is a huge blessing. You always learn so much from the others and learn to better appreciate them and it always motivates you to be better. In Würzburg I had the opportunity to do a baptismal interview for a kid thats about 25. It was really cool! He has now known the church for about 3 months. The interview was way cool though. We just went through the questions and talked about the different things and he would bear his testimony to me about all the different points. It was really cool. We knelt down and he offered the closing prayer and there was a very good spirit there. The Elders said his baptism and confirmation were really good.

I'm sorry this is so short and quick about everything. Elder Durrant needs to pack and get some other things organized so I have to finish this up. Well here is at least something I've been thinking about a lot lately. ''The life each of us lives is the life within the limits of our own thinking. To have life more abundant we must think in the limitless terms of abundance.''--Thomas Drier.  And you can relate that to John 10:10.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I love you all so much! I hope everythings going well. Enjoy the summer and make the most of your time! Have a good week,

Elder Puriri

LETTER #87 - NURNBERG

Hello!

 

So we are kind of in a hurry today. The Elders in Erlangen want to meet up and go to a museum thing here about world war 2 so that should be interesting. I will have to kind of hurry through this though because I'm usually the one who slows things down when there's group activities because I take a little longer doing emails ha. Normally its no problem but when there is something going on I have to hurry a bit faster.

Anyway! This last week was pretty fun. We had quite a lot going on. Tuesday Pres. Schwartz came to Nürnberg to interview the Elders in the zone. Since our zone is pretty big everyone came from all over and just staggered their District meeting throughout the day. We had to be at the church early to open up for President then we had our district meeting and visited all the other district meetings as well. So we were in the church almost all day, it was a long day ha. 

That night I went on tausch with Elder Johnson up to Coburg. Elder Johnson is from Mesa Arizona if I remember right but he does not know the Urrys. I don't know how probable it would be for people to know each other there but I always ask everyone when they say they are from that area. Anyway Coburg is beautiful. It was also cool to be able to work with Elder Johnson. Elder Gassman trained him after I left Nordhausen so that was cool to. We were able to share different experiences we had in Nordhausen. I learned so much in my time in Nordhausen. It was definitely one of the greatest times of growth for me. After I left I went to Heidelberg with Elder White, then to Frankfurt. When Elder Gassman was transferred he also went to Heidelberg with Elder White, then to Frankfurt. Then the Elder Anderson, who replaced Elder Gassman in Nordhausen left nordhausen to Heidelberg with Elder White. So everyone thinks Elder Anderson will go to Frankfurt next ha. And yes that shows how long Elder White has been in Heidelberg, almost year! I'm a bit jealous since I only had 6 weeks there. Its alright though, we know we go where we go because thats where we need to be. This weekend is also transfer calls so we'll see what happens with Elder Durrant and me here.

We had the opportunity to do a service project this week with the YSAs in the stake. It was one of those ''Mormon helping hands'' ones where we got those yellow pennys. I thought that was cool ha since you always see the pictures then I got to do one. The bishops wife works at a kindergarden and we went and fixed it up. We waxed the upstairs and re-did the floor downstairs and cleaned up the outside a bit. It was fun and a good opportunity to work with and get to know the YSAs in the stake. We also had a ward grill party. Elder Durrant and I made chocolate chip cookies for it. When we put them out they were gone so fast! We were proud of ourselves for accomplishing that ha. We also made those brownies mom for the missionary couple has been serving in Nürnberg for the last 18 months and are going home this week. We have pictures so I'll send those to you next week so you can believe we baked ha.

As we were in Sunday School yesterday we were talking about the sabbath day. The same new convert who gave the priesthood lesson last week shared a cool thing. He was asked how his sabbath day changed after he became a member. He talked about how it has always been a family day in his family. How they all believe in God and all but it was basically just a family day to go to the park or hike or spend with close friends where they would sometimes discuss about God. He said though that after he got to know the church and became a member his sabbath days became more spiritual. He said something to the effect of ''You can approach the topic of Faith and God from a philosophy point of view or from a spiritual point of view. Although it is the same topic the feelings you get are much different.'' I really like that because we often meet people who approach it only from the philosophy side and we as members or even non-members get caught in doing this. The feelings and experiences are significantly different as we allow our spirits to connect with with our Heavenly Father instead of just approaching the whole thing from a logical or philosophical point of view. 

We can discuss and speculate our whole lives, but until we allow our spirits to connect or relate with God we will not benefit in any way. You cannot teach a testimony. As this Brother talked about, when we approach things of God from our spiritual side we will experience things of greater meaning to us. We will truly learn of our Heavenly Father and of Jesus Christ. We will develop a real relationship with them. A real love for them will develop. In this process we feel our responsibilities as we learn of them. And we will desire to fulfill them. I am grateful for the reality of this and know that God loves us. That he has a perfect plan for us and desires with all his love that we learn of it and follow it.

I hope everyone is doing well. Things sound pretty busy back there. Take time to truly nourish your spirit. I love you all!!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #86 - NURNBERG

Dear Family!

Another week gone by. Sounds like you also all had an eventful week. Thats awesome you got to go to that Real game like that and that picture with Asa and Beckerman is pretty sweet! The womens world cup is going on here right now. Its not nearly as crazy as the mens last year and that one wasn't even in Germany. They still love their soccer though but since germany is apparently out its not as exciting for them all. We heard US girls played yesterday but we have no idea how they did. Sometimes we see scores on big info screens at different tram stops. Its cool though, soccers always good. The ward has a sport night every week and we went once last transfer with an investigator of ours who plays soccer and played with them. Now this coming saturday is a ward grill party and some of the members talked about playing soccer. So maybe we will play a bit with the ward that day. Oh and yes I did get that package you sent a couple weeks ago. We were at home having lunch then when we left and started walking down the street the mail van pulled into our street and as he drove down the road towards us he stuck his are out straight and pointed at us. So we walked over to his window and he said I think I have something for you, then got up and walked to the back and came back with my package. He said ''Aren't you Elder?'' I said yes I am ha. We thought it was funny he knew us and stopped us on the street like that. So we had to walk back to the apartment and put the package inside. We still haven't made the cupcakes yet but we will do that this week hopefully.

I read Erics letter and I feel I can relate pretty well to how he is feeling right now. It is strange to be one of the older missionaries out here. Everytime I go on tausch or am with a group of missionaries for some reason I think I'm still one of the young ones. Then someone will say something or I'll just realize I'm one of the older ones in the group, or on tausch with a younger elder. Its a strange thing. I remember looking up to the older Elders and learning from them and all. I can't picture myself being one of them. So I guess I look up to the younger Elders now and learn from them.

It was a quick week though. We had 3 tausches so that made things blend and its hard to remember what happened on what day. One of them I worked with Elder Münzer so that was cool. He was serving in Erfurt with Elder Killpack back when we switched over from the Berlin mission. I had tausched with him twice before back when I was in Nordhausen. So it was cool having the opportunity one more time to work with him before he heads home in 2 weeks. He is training a new Elder and has kept it a secret that he is going home ha so his companion is going to be a bit confused in a couple weeks.

During one of the tausches I was with Elder Dieduksman (from holland) and Elder Durrant was working with Elder Gassman. All 4 of us spent the day in Nürnberg working. Elder Dieduksman and I went by a some people in the afternoon and one guy we went by on wasn't home but his wife answered. We talked to her quick and she said her husband would be back around 6 that night and that we could come back if we wanted. We weren't sure if we would have time but we wrote it down just in case. Then we went on with our day. --Around that same time Elder Gassman and Durrant were at the main train station in Nürnberg checking some train times when some guy yelled ''hey Elders!'' turned out to be some guy from Nigeria who had been researching our church. He came up and said something to them ''Hey Elders can you tell me where your church is here? I've researched a lot about you guys and I find nothing wrong with you. You guys are alright. I read in your book one time, I think it was Moroni or someone but they said When you are in the service of your fellowmen you are only in the service of God. I really like that guys, I find nothing wrong with your church'' They had some time and the church isnt far from there so they went with him to the church and gave him a quick tour and got his information. He said to call him and make out an appointment because he would have to talk to his wife to see when it would be ok.

So around 630 we all 4 met up and Elder Gassman and Dieduksman left and Elder Durrant and I decided to go by on the guy whose wife told us would be home again around this time. We got there and rang the bell then this guy opened up the door. As we opened Elder Durrant got this shocked look and kind of jumped back and the guy did the same thing. Then the guy was like ''Wow were you coming to see me or just being missionaries knocking on doors like you do?'' I, being unaware of what was really going on asked, ''Well are you this guy?'' and pointed to the name on the doorbell. He said yes then I said then yes we were coming to see you. Then Elder Durrant goes ''We didn't know this was you. We were just coming by.'' Then I was confused and thought, we purposely meant to come by on him so what are you talking about? Then the guy just said ''Well I just got home and my wife and kids aren't here. The apartment isn't the cleanest but I guess you can come up with me.'' Then he turned around and we began following him up the stairs to his apartment. Elder Durrant turned around to me and whispered ''THATS THE GUY WE RAN INTO AT THE TRAIN STATION AND SHOWED HIM THE CHURCH!!'' I then connected the story he and Elder Gassman told us when we met back up and the quick visit Elder Dieduksman and I had early that day with his wife and was blown away ha. I had a huge smile on my face as we sat down and started talking a bit more. Then his wife got home and came in. She saw me and was like oh Hi you were here earlier. Then her husband asked what she was talking about. Then Elder Durrant explained how that day there was 4 of us in Nürnberg and 2 of us earlier talked to his wife and the other 2 talked to him at the train station and that we didn't know it was connected and just came back because the wife said he could. The guy was amazed and said ''This is no coincidence, God wanted us to be here''. It was really cool. So we will continue meeting with them and teaching them about the restored gospel of which he already knows surprisingly lots. So that was cool that all four of us were able to work together unknowingly to help the same family that day.

Yesterday in church was also cool. The priesthood lesson was taught by a man who has been a member since about February. He joined the church alone, is married and has 2 kids. The lesson was on Eternal Families. I was amazed during the lesson as he taught about Eternal Families and shared his thoughts with us about it all. You could see how important that is to him and the optimism and hope he has to achieve it. I felt again the responsibility I have to do my part to help our family also achieve that. I felt and learned more things I can do and I also felt a real gratitude to mom and dad for what they do to help us have that. I felt this Brothers desire to have that and can imagine Mom and Dad also have a similar desire for their family to have it. I realized better that in order for Mom and Dad to have this I have to do my part. In order for this blessing to be received I play a deciding role. We all do. I felt that Mom and Dad have this desire as this Brother expressed in his lesson. I imagine it is constantly pulling at their hearts and driving them to do their part. I felt very accountable to them to do my part and realized if I alone do not and everyone else does, the fullness of this blessing and desire would be hindered. So I feel yesterday during that lesson I learned a little better about eternal families and the importance of our family. I learned more about my part in that and felt my responsibility to do my part. So I hope to move forward and fulfill my part in our efforts.

Time is running short, but I'm grateful for all of you! I love you all. Make it and good week and be happy! Thank you all for everything!!

Elder Puriri

also happy birthday this week karamea!! love you!

LETTER #85 - NURNBERG

Hello!

 

It has been a quick week! We got a ward mission leader a couple weeks ago so we're starting to integrate him more into the work and its way cool. We had a tausch and a Meet President and Sister Schwartz meeting. The weather was sunny at the start of the week but got surprisingly cold and rainy over the weekend. Today is a bit warmer but still not so much sun. It'll come though.

On Monday last week we got a call with a name and number of a lady that was in our area and wanted a blessing. We called her and organized going to where she was. She is an investigator from Elders in a city by Stuttgart, so not in our mission. She was coming here to a hospital place and had to leave on short notice so she asked the Elders in that city if the Nürnberg Elders could go give her a blessing. and thats us!! It was cool. We went out and talked with her, taught her a bit about the plan of salvation and were able to give her a blessing. 

It was just kind of cool like to see the unity in the church. Like we know and here about it all the time. We know all the other missionaries out there are also working to spread the gospel. But to kind of be able to work with the Elders from another mission and help them out was cool. Its the same important message everywhere. We know that of course. As we went though and talked about her she told us about what the Elders had been teaching her and everything and we just basically picked up and taught further from where they left off. Now she'll go back, tell them what she learned and what we taught, and they will continue from there. It is so easy to work in unity when we are working with truth. Its not just opinions or suggestions we are working with but true doctrine. So that was a cool opportunity.

Then I was able to do an austausch with Elder Damstedt which was sweet. I tausched with him when he was still pretty new back when I was in Heidelberg and he was in Darmstadt. Now almost 8 months later we had the opportunity to work together again. Its always a blessing when you have that opportunity.

On Saturday was our meeting here in Nürnberg to meet President and Sister Schwartz. It was pretty cool! They are German so the meet was pretty much all in German. I think its such a cool opportunity to have a German mission President. Many things are going to be in German now and it will give us all a better chance to practice and better our German. They are awesome people though. Full of love and the desire to serve. 

After the meeting Elder Durrant and I each had an interview with President Schwartz so he could get to know us a bit and the stuff going on in the zone. Before my interview though I sat down on a couch in the institute center with President Schwartz and we had a bit of time just to talk. So he said Elder I would like to take this time to get to know your family. So I pulled out the photo album I always have with me and showed him the family and told him a bit about us. It was really cool. He then asked me why I believe I am in Germany right now. I thought a bit and  told him about my exchange and mission so far and stuff. Then he shared some of his thoughts with me. I learned a lot and got some good thoughts to go a bit deeper on. Then we went up stairs and started the actual interview which ended up being pretty long. I learned a ton though it was cool. Then Elder Durrant had his interview which also lasted longer then planned. So I just kind of cleaned up the church since we were the last ones and all. Then we had 10 minutes to get to an appointment that was a least 30 minutes away so President Schwartz just goes, 'Alright Elders lets go I'll just drive you'. So we got in the car and he drove us over there. It was another chance to just talk a bit it was cool. He is actually from a ward in the Nürnberg stake. So he's mission president of his home mission. He was or is...the stake patriarch so he was in Nürnberg often since thats where the stake center is. Plus he's lived in this area for a really long time. So he knew right where to go when we told him where our appointment was. We talked about the members in the ward and he told us how we can work with them better. It was way cool, especially since he knows them all personally. I'm excited to have the opportunity to serve with him.

I've been amazed with my 3 mission presidents. Each one I learn very important specific things from. Each inspired and called of God for that specific mission at that time. It has been a blessing to serve with all of them. I'm excited for what is still to come in the time thats left.

I am really grateful for our family! As I pulled out the pictures and started to show President Schwartz and talk about all of you I felt a very strong connection and love for each of you. President Schwartz looked at me when I was finished and said how he could feel the love of our family as I showed him. It is a special connection we have. I treasure all the times and memories we have together. This connection we have would not been the same were we not sealed together through the ordinances of the Temple. The Temple binds us together for eternity and gives us the possibility of being together forever if each of us individually lives worthily. It is my hearts desire to achieve this and my motivation to do my best. I am grateful for each of you and for the many things I've learned from you all. 

I watched this short video on lds.org, https://lds.org/youth/video/laie-hawaii-temple-youth-cultural-celebration?lang=eng. Which made me think even more of this. Remember our heritage. From Mom's side and Dad's. What was important to our ancestors and what they went through. What they did so that we could have what we have today and be where we are now. Where or in what they took root and began to grow. I feel I owe a great deal to them for the lives they lived. Remember that temples bind us together. Live a life that would be pleasing to them and to our Heavenly Father. As we do, the love and desire to be together that connects us will drive deeper and deeper into our hearts. Like a tree we must have strong roots to hold us. The higher we stretch our branches up the deeper our roots must go to sustain us. Allowing us to stand tall in the world today. We can intertwine our roots with those of our family members, giving us extra strength and support. As we do our part to strengthen our roots and allow them to go deeper our love for each other will also grow. 

A strong feeling filled me as I watched that video and thought of our family and the temple. It was a full feeling, I don't know how to better describe it. The gospel and ordinances thereof can complete our family. It is a very real blessing given to us. Thank you all for everything. Make the most of all the time you have together. I hope you have a good week, be happy!

Love you all,

Elder Puriri

LETTER #84 - NURNBERG

Hi!

 

This past week was a pretty surreal week. It was a good week just kind of strange. There was a zone conference and also a little meeting in Frankfurt we had as well. Some the Nürnberg and Erfurt zones have zone conference together here so the Nordhausen elders came a day early since its so far. So they came down Tuesday and we tausched with them and went off into Nürnberg. I worked with Elder Lewis who was actually trained in Nürnberg during the winter and who has now been in Nordhausen for a couple weeks. It was fun though, he knew a lot about Nürnberg that he shared with me and I was able to tell him lots about Nordhausen. 

Its so weird to think about Nordhausen now. I feel like that place was a dream. Elder Lewis told me though that Daniel and Evelyn are now preparing for the temple and have a goal to go towards the end of this year. I was so happy when we told me that! I would love to go through with them but I'm pretty sure they would go to the Freiberg temple since thats a little closer. That temple is no longer in my mission so I wouldn't be able to go with them. Thats alright though, as long as they go!

The rest of the week went by really quick after that since we had a full day of zoko stuff and then went to Frankfurt the next day and all. It was weird though because it was the Ninow's last one. A year ago we said bye to President Pimentel, now to President Ninow. I remember thinking back then how far away it still was until President Ninow would have to go and we'd get a new mission president. Its happening though this week! 

We had a really good, spiritual zone conference. They shared their testimonies and each gave a little lesson as well. I really learned a lot from them in the last year. Zone Conference was sad,  we sang God Be with You Till We Meet Again and everyone was having a tough time singing through tears. I was glad to know I was going to see them the next day too though in Frankfurt. During that smaller meeting though half way through Sister Ninow had to leave to go help their kids with something. She finished her spiritual thought after lunch, gave her testimony, gathered her stuff up and left. It was strange everyone just sitting there quietly as she packed her stuff together and walked out the door. Who knows when we'll see her again. Then as she left we all just sat there still with a blank look on our faces and President Ninow just goes ''Alright! so....'' and continued on. It was strange but at that moment I noticed as well how the Lord's church is so organized. She left, and was gone. But we didn't just sit around sad or clueless, President moved forward immediately after. I realized he is going to go to, but there will be no pause or break or sitting clueless or anything. He leaves, President Schwarz comes. Things move forward without ever being interrupted. 

It is an amazing thing how this church can continually move forward without total reliance on anyone but God. God leads this church, no man, we therefore will never pause or stop. God is Eternal, never ending. His Church will never stop moving forward either, not for a moment. It was a cool thing to see. As the meeting ended though and we said bye it was just strange. Also on the other hand strange to realize how it doesn't stop or anything. He will go but it will be as if nothing ever happened. We aren't going to all the sudden stop and be confused because President Ninow is gone. President Schwarz will be here and he will be the Lord's tool in leading this mission just as Presidnet Ninow was. The revelation to lead this mission will not stop, simply the mouthpiece through which it comes changes. It builds my testimony to see this and to know that Jesus Christ really does lead this church through worthy, reliable people who have allowed themselves to become tools in his hands. It is an exciting thing, just a bit sad that the Ninow's are now leaving.

I feel I was able to learn and develop myself to be of greater benefit for everyone else in so many ways in this last year. Many of the things I learned and experienced would not have happened had I stayed in the Berlin Mission. I do know that I am here where I am because that is how God wants it to be. I know the mission presidents I have had, have relied on God with deciding where I need to be or go. I am really grateful to them for doing this. I learned many important lessons through the things I've experienced in the last year with President Ninow and will forever think through them to further to learn and progress.

Sorry I don't really have much time today, we had to do a preach my gospel survey when we first got to the computers because President Schwarz would like it filled out so he can better gauge where to go once he gets here this week.

Things here are going well though. I really do love this time. I am really grateful for the spirit and know that we can learn so many amazing things through the spirit. The spirit opens our minds and can lay out the mysteries of God for us line upon line. This happens only as we desire and work to receive the spirit. I love learning through the spirit. It is an experience that I hope to have over and over again. One of the more sweeter experiences in life.

I hope everyone back home is doing well! Its warming up here so its probably pretty warm where your all at. Be happy! Look to help and serve. Think of others and what good you can do for them, then do it. Your worries and struggles with fade, you will receive the spirit and a true peace that comes from nothing else. Your heart will be filled and the spirit will allow you to calmy and correctly navigate through your life.

I love you all!!! Thanks for all you do!

Elder Puriri  

 

LETTER #83 - NURNBERG

Hello hello,

 

First happy fathers day dad, sorry we don't get to phone on that day too ha. Sounds like it was a cool day though. I would like to see those pictures of the boys cliff jumping if you could do that somehow? 

Our past week was good though. It was the first week of the new transfer. Elder Durrant went to Frankfurt on Wednesday with the group of Elders in the zone getting transferred and came back in the afternoon with the new Elders coming in to the zone. So I spent that day with Elder Wilde here in Nürnberg. Then Wednesday night right after Elder Durrant got back we went straight to a couple appointments then tausched that night with the Elders in Erlangen. So that day went quick and the next day too. I think tausches make weeks go by really quick.

It was fun though I worked on Thursday with Elder Gautreaux from Texas. I was in Frankfurt back in January or so when he first got into the field. Every transfer when new missionaries come in there is a little thing we do downtown Frankfurt in the walking only shopping area. Missionaries from the zone that are close enough would come and then all the new ones and we'd sing and talk to people. It was always fun with the new missionaries their first time talking to people and all. I worked with Elder Gautreaux for a bit though when he first came in, now I was able to work with him for real on tausch. Nows he's been out here like over 5 months I think. Crazy how fast that went by. Its really cool to see the development of the missionaries and how they all progress. So much happens in all that time. Days are packed with different things then those days fill the weeks then those weeks fill those months and things go before you know it.

Elder Durrant knows how to read music and all so he's been showing me how to sing different parts of songs. We've been practicing  O My Father, if thats what its called in english, and got it down pretty good. We made a little spiritual thought around it and have been visiting members and investigators and doing it for them. Then one of the members in the bishopric heard we sang from a member and now we are supposed to do a musical number thing in sacrament next week ha. Its cool though I'm pretty sure right now we have about a 90% cry rate. So this transfer we are going to try to learn as many as we can and arrange them cool and sing them for people. I basically leave the arranging and showing me how to Elder Durrant then I just do my part and it seems to work well ha. Music is an awesome way to bring the spirit and share powerful messages with people.

Throughout my mission I have come to realize and understand how true the law of the harvest is. You reap what you sow. Elder Scott talked about it a little in his talk called The Transforming Power of Faith and Character. He talks about the 'axiom' we know, you get what you pay for. He says ''this is also true in spiritual matters as well. You get what you pay for in obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent application of the truths you learn.'' Its now is more clear to me and seems like common sense. If you want something you do something for it. In the spiritual sense as well. If you want to have a spiritual experience or learn something from a Sacrament meeting or from General Conference, then you must prepare for it. Put something into it on your part and you will get something out. I do not believe we can rightfully expect to get anything out of it without doing our part first. Elder Bednar also says something related to this. He said in April conference 2010 ''The spiritual understanding you and I have been blessed to receive, and which has been confirmed as true in our hearts, simply cannot be given to our children. The tuition of diligence and of learning by study and also by faith must be paid to obtain and personally ''own'' such knowledge.'' Take your claim on the things God has prepared for you by doing something for them. 

Elder N. Eldon Tanner in 1975 said ''Remember also that nature never pays an unearned account and she never fails to pay one that has been earned.'' You could not earn it and perhaps benefit from something for a while, for the things to be permanent however you must earn it. Then you can obtain it and ''own'' it as Elder Bednar says. In Alma 41:15 it says ''...that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored...'' What we pay for and what we earn will rightfully be ours, whether now or later. That is an eternal law. If we sit around and expect to somehow receive a testimony from God it will probably not come. If we are light minded and not focused and enter a Sacrament meeting then expect to be spiritually uplifted and to learn it will not be very likely. If you enter a class having not prepared and are not focused, but expect somehow the teacher to spiritually touch you and teach you; you are expecting a very hard thing from the teacher, for a teacher cannot teach a testimony. They may simplify gospel truths and make things understandable but you alone can plant them in your heart, act on them, and give them the chance to grow. 

We cannot go through our lives expecting things to come from nothing. No matter what area of our lives it may be. We must be proactive and take initiative to do our part in order to affect results positively that will come in the future. We will have an affect on what happens. Whether we do something or do not do something will simply determine what we get back. It literally is on you. You determine whether or not you receive the many wonderful blessings your Heavenly Father is holding ready for you. If we do not feel we have felt his influence much in our lives lately or the influence of the spirit, then we would be smart to first see what WE have been doing lately. Not to simply become bitter at God for something of which we are actually the root cause. This will blind and numb us, and continue to blind us and numb us and it will become more dangerous the longer we allow this to continue. It will also become harder and harder to open our eyes and see clearly, to open our hearts humbly and feel clearly. We will begin to rationalize and justify our actions incorrectly because of our fogged perception of what is actually going on. If we would step back out of the fog by humbling ourselves and turning to God for a clear view, we would see what we now can do to fix these things and clear the fog causing us to stumble through life. Making the right decisions and taking the right action will lead us up out of the fog to the peaks of the mountains where we have a beautiful and clear view. 

I am grateful God is our Heavenly Father. That he wishes the best for us, and that he understands the eternal goals so much better then we do. So that with his perspective he can guide us through the spirit in our lives. Everyone of us can choose how our relationship to the one with the clear view will be. We will also choose the clarity and amount of guidance that comes into our lives. I hope we will all do our part, pay as much as we can, and thereby receive the blessings of the greatest worth.

I hope you are all doing well. Continue moving forward, serving and loving. enjoy the week and make the most out of your time. love you all,

Elder Puriri

LETTER #82 - NURNBERG

Hello hello!

Another transfer is gone and Elder Durrant and I will be staying together in Nürnberg! Pretty cool, I haven't stayed 2 transfers with a companion since Elder Gassman last August. Its cool getting lots of new companions but its also cool being able to stay 2 transfers with someone. You already know each other pretty well and you can just head right into the new transfer no worries. We have good plans and goals for the transfer though so its going to be good.

The past week was pretty cool. We taught a new young couple. Probably in their mid 20s or so. They were in America for 3 weeks and were in SLC at temple square and asked to learn more about the Book of Mormon. When they get peoples info there it gets sent to us here by text. So we just got a text with their names and address and that they wanted a Book of Mormon. We got that text a few weeks ago. The week we got it Elder Durrant and I headed out there (its in a small village outside of Nürnberg). As we got off the train and started walking there we realized we would be cutting everything really close if we tried to get to their house and back to the train and to our next appointment. So we decided we would just have to go by on them another time and headed back to Nürnberg. Then when we found time again a couple weeks later we went out there and knocked on their door. The guy opened the door and behind him I could see suitcases and clothes and other things. He got a surprised look on his face and goes ''wo...you are already here? crazy!'' then he called his wife and said ''Hey come look, the gentlemen are already here!'' Then he looked back at us with a big smile and surprised look. They explained they had been in America and hadn't even been home for an hour. They were excited to see us and asked if we could make out an appointment for another time, so we did. We thought that was cool though that we happened to show up like right when they got home. Then we had a good appointment with them, they had lots of cool questions. They are sadly really busy this week and can't meet until next week but we're excited to continue teaching them.

Then on Friday we had another cool experience. During study in the morning a member called us. He is from LA and was in Nürnberg for work and asked if we could meet later that night and give him a blessing. We went by to his hotel that night and were able to do that then he took us out to dinner. He was a really solid guy. Down to earth and had a fiery testimony. He told us of his conversion story 4 years ago and other experiences he has had with God in the last while. As often happens, we were asked to go help him and in the process we were helped a ton. I learned a lot from him and consider it a blessing we were able to meet him and have that experience. That picture is of us all again yesterday. He was heading out to Hamburg and we met him at the train station really quick to talk again and say bye.

It was a good week, now we have a busy one ahead of us with transfers and making sure everything runs smoothly with everyone getting where they need to be. It will be a crazy transfer with President Ninow going and President Schwarz coming in. The organization of the church though is truly inspired and a blessing. Its awesome to me that there are so many solid members all over doing their best to live a righteous life and spread the gospel. It motivates me more to do my part here. I'm excited for whats to come and to move forward in faith.

I hope everyone is doing well back there. Look for opportunities to improve and be better. Make it a good week and be happy!

Love you all!!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #81 - NURNBERG

Hello family,

 

Yes mother we've heard about this weird breakout and have been advised on how to avoid getting affected. Apparently its called Shigga or something. But we are being careful don't worry. How was the trek for Asa? What are everyones plans for the summer now?

I'll probably do that application thing next week because we dont really have a lot of time right now. We had a deep clean day last week and we didn't finish in our appartment so we took pretty much all of today to finish now we have to rush through the rest of our pday activites. That's alright though because now we have a clean apartment.

Our past week was pretty good. We were supposed to go to Frankfurt last Thursday but that meeting got cancelled. Which gave us another day to work here but I was kind of sad because I was looking forward to going back to Frankfurt for a day. That's alright though I'll be there another time for one reason or another. We got a new bishop last week as well. That hasn't happened in any of the wards I've been in yet on my mission. It's kind of cool though it gives us a chance to kind of start new with the bishopric and working with the members. 

The new bishops daughter got baptized last Saturday though. It was really cool. The wife comes from England so there was family there from England and the other side of the family from the Hannover area. So I was able to talk to them about my exchange and stuff. The baptism was really cool though. We were able to have two of our investigators there who really enjoyed it. They had never seen a baptism like that and it was a really spiritual one to be at. I was really glad they could both be there. Hopefully they will both continue to progress towards baptism.

The area presidency has asked the members to do a special fast during June. They have asked them to fast for the missionary work and also asked that every member invite and bring someone with them to church each Sunday throughout the month. They can invite and bring friends or members that may not be so active. But that is the invitation or challenge from the area presidency this month. We obviously think its pretty cool. I dont know if we would have enough time to work with all the different people if each member brought somebody each week this month. We are way excited for this month though. There is always lots to do. It's also strange to think this transfer is almost done and that President Ninow will be leaving soon as well. There will be lots of changes happening in the next little while. It will be exciting though to see how everything is going to work out.

I've been studying and thinking a lot lately about how we learn and teach through the spirit. It is interesting to see that everything we do is to help us have the spirit which enables us to be better in every way. Not just as missionaries but as members of the church. The commandments are there to help us be more receptive to the spirit. Having the spirit improves all aspects of our lives and it enables us to be able to serve others better. If we think about all those things as a help and comprehend this at least a little, keeping the commandments becomes much easier. If we stop looking at things from a negative prospective and stop thinking 'don't do this` 'shouldn't do this' 'not allowed to do this' and think of it like 'do this' or 'should do this' or allowed to do this' so that I can have the spirit, being obedient becomes much easier. All commandments are spiritual, many also affect us physically as well though. 

God knows us better then we know us, he knows what will come better then we do. And he knows best how to prepare us for those things. The commandments are given to us to help us set our lives in line with the gospel, so that we may be receptive to the spirit. Being spiritually receptive changes our whole lives. As we receive the spirit, and act according to it, our life will change. Everyone will experience this as they are obedient to the commandments and to the spiritual impressions they receive. I hope we all will experience and continue to experience this as we humble ourselves and follow our perfect example, Jesus Christ.

Hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all for everything, enjoy the week. Look to serve, and be happy.

love you all

Elder Puriri