Hi Family!
Things here are good! This week it started to warm up! The snow is almost all gone its beautiful. The sun has been out and it feels so good. But since its warming up that mean lots of rain, which we are also getting. When the sun shines though its so nice. Rain isn't too bad, except then people don't really want to stop and talk on the street. We just get lots of confused/crazy looks because we are walking around in the rain trying to get people to stop and talk to us for a little. Its pretty funny!
The best part about the weather warming up is that I don't have to wear so many layers of clothes anymore. No more thermals and I only need one coat, I feel so free ha. Oh another sweet thing is the days last longer. So now I have like extra hours of energy and don't feel like I'm getting tired so early. Working all day long now isn't so tiring and now its more fun because your not so miserable trying to get out of the cold. Working in the cold is pretty funny too though. Its like -20°C and your trying to talk to people about the Gospel. So you go up and try to look so positive and happy so they can see your really behind what your saying. You try not to show that your freezing cold and that you don't really want to be out there. Then as soon as you try to speak your jaw is frozen and so are your lips, plus your not a native German so its already hard enough for them to understand you. So pretty much there's no chance they are going to understand the mess that is coming out of your mouth ha. After some people would walk away I'd just start laughing, I could picture how we looked to them and even I didn't understand what I just tried to say ha. Man so many funny things happen all the time I love it. Its warmer now though so the frozen jaw problem is gone, along with the thermals, scarf, gloves, big coat. Its so nice! Makes you feel like you can work even longer its awesome.
Yea this week was good though. We did a split with the Annaberg Elders, so I worked here in Schwarzenberg with Elder Cameron(Australia), and Elder Lersch went to Annaberg with Elder Breuer(both Germans). Then the next day we drove to Dresden for a Zone meeting and interviews with President Pimentel. The sun was shining there as well it was beautiful, I love Dresden. When Dad was in Germany we went there too. Maybe he still remembers it, such an amazing city. President asked me though if Elder Lersch knows his way around Schwarzenberg yet and some other stuff. So I'm kinda thinking next transfer I'll be gone from here. We'll see though.
While Elder Killpack and I were together we started teaching this couple where the Husband is a member but the Wife is not. At first she didn't want to talk about the gospel when we were over there at all. We found out she used to be a member but left the church like 15 years ago. We kept going back and trying to leave a small spiritual thought each time. Then one time all the sudden she tells us she wants us to teach the Mission Lessons and that she wants to be baptized. We were both pretty surprised it was such a drastic change in her. She said we made her think about her past decision all the time and that we helped her come to her decision to be baptized again. It was weird though because we really didn't do anything. We went by a few times but never really did anything. We explained we didn't do anything and that it was God who was preparing here and her own efforts that helped her come to her decision. We started teaching the lessons though and Elder Lersch and I have been continuing. Its been a really cool experience and she is getting baptized this coming sunday. She wants Elder Killpack to baptize her so he is coming from Werdau(only an hour away) on sunday and we'll have the baptismal service then. So that will be cool, I will be able to see Elder Killpack again and she will be getting baptized. Its so cool how the Lord prepares people.
Its really is amazing how the Lord prepares people to accept the Gospel. He wants everyone to come unto him and doesn't turn anybody away 2 nephi 26:24-28. His Atonement was for everyone, and everyone has the chance to use it. President talked about the Atonement in Dresden with us all too. Through the atonement we can be freed from our own sins, the pains and griefs not caused by anyone, and the pains in our lives that are caused by other people. Its a gift we can use to be freed from everything and to be comforted. And its a gift that will always be there, and that can be used over and over again. As often as we need it.
In the 2 Nephi Isaiah chapters you read over and over again at the end of lots of verses it says '...his hand is still stretched out'. It repeats it over and over. When things are repeated, they are usually pretty important. I think its definitely important to know his hand is still stretched out. We have to do our part and take his hand. I like how it says 'stretched' too. His hand isn't just there, its stretched out. When we stretch we are usually giving effort, trying to reach something. His hand is stretched out for us. He does all he can to help us and to reach for us. We just have to recognize it and take his hand.
I am so grateful for the Atonement and for Christ. This gift that he has given us is so important. That's another reason I'm here is to help others see that gift. To see his hand and to take it. We too have to stretch a little but we can reach it. Through him, through the atonement, through the Gospel we can have real happiness and find peace.
I hope everybody is doing good. Thanks for the letters and love. Be happy and have a good week!
Elder Puriri
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