LETTER #18 - SCHWARZENBERG

Fam.ily!

Things here in Schwarzenberg are going good! Its still super cold, snow storms in March aren't exactly something I'm used to, but things are still good.

This last week was pretty weird. Monday was regular pday, Tuesday Elder Killpack and I drove to Werdau. He was transferred there and Elder Lersch, who was serving there, was transferred to Schwarzenberg with me. So we drove to Werdau and switched companions. It was weird leaving Elder Killpack there. I was with him form December 15 until this last Tuesday then all the sudden we're not together anymore. Pretty weird feeling. Now I'm with Elder Lersch though and things are going good. Annaberg got its own missionaries so now I'm just working in the Schwarzenberg area. Annabergs Elders are Elder Cameron from Australia, and he has a Golden, Elder Breuer. Elder Breuer is from Stuttgart, Germany so he has the benefit of already knowing the language as a Golden ha. Which I guess I did too but not as big as a benefit as he has. In Frieberg the Elders are gone and now they have Sisters there. Elder Meixner finished his mission and went home, and Elder Taylor was transferred to Eberswalde. So my whole district changed and I'm the only one still left here! Lots of changes with people but I'm still in the same area. The first week of the transfer is already over, only 5 more! It doesn't ever seem like enough time.

Fridays in Schwarzenberg is an English class in the ward building and we usually go help out if we don't have other appointments. This time was a big thing because a Member was doing a presentation on the Church sites throughout Utah because he just got back last week. They asked me to say the opening prayer in English to start the meeting. It was pretty sad ha, I can't really pray in English anymore. I think it was the first time I've prayed in English since I've been in Germany. My sentence structure was weird and I used weird words and I threw in a few German words because I couldn't figure it out in English. When I got done everyone thought it was pretty funny. I was supposed to be an example and kind of show them how to pray in English and I can't even do it right anymore ha. Elder Killpack and I spoke English a lot but never prayed in English. Now Elder Lersch and I only speak German which is sweet. Brings back feelings from my exchange when I would only speak English if I was calling home. I kind of like forgetting English words or not remembering exactly how to say something in English, I think its funny. Forgetting English makes me feel like I'm making progress in German I guess. Anyway yea, Friday in the English Class was pretty funny.

Annaberg Elders didn't get to Annaberg until late Thursday night because Elder Cameron was in Berlin picking up Elder Breuer. So Elder Lersch and I were still working in Annaberg until then because we had scheduled appointments there for last week. On Thursday Elder Lersch and I taught a man that Elder Killpack and I had found and been teaching for the last few weeks. He came to church last Sunday and loved it and then Elder Lersch and I taught him on Thursday. The appointment was so cool. We were talking about the Plan of Salvation and he asked if Baptism was important in our Religion. We read in 3 Nephi 11 when Jesus gives Nephi the authority to baptize and the way in which it should be performed. After we talked about it a little we asked him if he would be Baptized on April 4th and he said 'April 4th...thats Easter...we can do that. No not ''can'', I mean we WILL do that.' It was so cool. The spirit was so strong. I was so happy I couldn't stop smiling. We talked more about the Holy Ghost and made out another appointment. Now the Annaberg Elders will continue teaching him and helping him to get ready for his Baptism in a few weeks. We are instruments in God's hands and the Spirit teaches through us. When things like that happen I can really feel it. The spirit takes it away and you say things and do things that that person needs right then. There’s no way I would just have said the things I had said or even thought to have said them on my own. It's such a cool feeling. I'm learning so much and my testimony of the gospel is strengthened every day. Every day miracles happen and every day my love for the Gospel grows.

I'm doing good. I still have tons to learn and I see my weaknesses all the time. Lots to work on still. Looking back to the beginning of my mission though, I've grown a lot. And that in only like 4 months almost. I read Elder Holland’s talk in the January Ensign this week called The Best Is Yet to Be. I love the way Elder Holland talks. It was really interesting to read, my favorite section was Faith Points to the Future. It was exactly what I needed to read this week. The whole talk is good, that section stood out to me a lot though. 

I hope everyone’s doing good. Hope Rakai and Asa had good birthdays. Rakai is 26 now that’s kinda weird, and Asa is a Teacher. That’s pretty cool. I was in Germany when he became a Deacon, I was in Germany when he became a Teacher. Missed them both! It’s OK there’s still more to come. Well I hope you all have a good week. Be Happy!

Elder Puriri