LETTER #14 - SCHWARZENBERG/ANNABERG-BUCHHOLZ

Hi!

Yes Mom I got your letters last week. Whatever gets sent to my old email address gets forwarded to my new one for a while. After a certain amount of time though they will stop doing that. What soccer tournament is this weekend, and who’s playing in it? Has high school soccer started yet or is that more towards the end of the month? Oh and I did get that package last week, thanks a ton. It’s always sweet to get a package. The long letters are fun to read don't worry and I do like the details and the stories! They don't make me homesick at all. They make me laugh and I like being able to picture what is happening while I read them. That was cool you put that book in the package though. I'll use it for lessons and stuff at district or zonemeetings where we can teach in English. The Emergen c stuff was pefrectly timed, I only had 3 more then I got a whole new box. All the snacks are good too, I forgot Valentines Day was coming until I got that package and saw the valentine’s cards in there. Definitely losing track of time it’s pretty crazy. February seems like it just started but its halfway over, feels like I left yesterday but I've been gone for 3 months. We are already in the 4th week of this transfer its crazy. So much has happened!

This last week was really cool. It started off way slow, our appointments kept getting canceled, which means we spent our time on the streets finding instead of knocking doors. Which in the cold can be kinda lame, or we try to go and teach members which is always good too. The week started off slow though, then after Wednesday everything just started working our so good. Our appointments all went through, we were able to meet with a lot of investigators, then on Saturday we invited a bunch to church as we visited them, and they all agreed to come! Except some were from Annaberg and would go to church there, and the others from Schwarzenberg and would go there. Both start at 9 so Elder Killpack and I had to be in both wards yesterday. We went by a family in Schwarzenberg Saturday night and asked if they would do splits with us so we could go to both wards. So Elder Killpack stayed in Schwarzenberg with the dad, and I drove over to Annaberg Sunday morning with their Son who just got back from his mission. It was such a cool Sunday! We met at 8am and split. Cedric and I went to Annaberg and were able to meet with the Ward Missionary leader there and we went and picked up the investigator. Elder Killpack and Olaf went and picked up the investigators in Schwarzenberg, and everything worked out so good! It was kind of weird not being with Elder Killpack since I've been with him since Dec 16 or something but it was cool the Ebisch family did splits with us. They are always so willing to help us out with anything its awesome. One of the investigators in Schwarzenberg has a baptismal date for the end of this month it’s so cool. It's the coolest feeling being able to help people come closer to Christ. The spirit is always with you and teaches through you to help them in the best way.

President Uchtdorf is coming to Berlin on Saturday and the Berlin Missionaries have a meeting with him Saturday morning! I'm way excited, its so cool being able to hear from the leaders of the church. This last week I was reading the General Conference Ensign from November and I read President Uchtdorf's talk about the Love of God. The way he explains things is so awesome. The thoughts it provokes and things you realize are so cool. We always hear God loves us, and we need to love God. The thoughts in this talk explain why though. Why he loves us, why we need to love him, and so many other things. The talk definitely made me think, Elder Killpack and I read it together. We were able to share a lot about this talk throughout the week with people we ran into on the street, and with people we were teaching. It's pretty amazing how that works. Every morning during study I read something that I will use and need later that day. Every morning! I love it! I’m definitely lucky I get to spread and share God's love each day with every single person I talk to.

We had lunch yesterday with this family in Schwarzenberg. An older couple, and their daughters whole family it was awesome. We were all talking though and the Grandpa said he wants to serve another mission! He just barely finished a 5 year mission last July. It hasn't even been a year yet and he wants to serve another one. He's such an awesome man. The whole family was laughing and like slow down Grandpa it was pretty funny. So cool though. I love being out here and am so grateful for the things I experience each day. I hope everyone has a good week! Be positive, be happy! There is something good in everything! God knows us all and blesses us always with the things we need and with the things that will help us in our eternal progression. It may not always be what we want, be it will always be what is best for us. Look for the good, and learn the lesson God wants you to learn. I love you all so much. Thanks for everything.

Elder Puriri