Hello family!!
Mom the pday message was way cool! I've been thinking a lot about that lately. Very good. This last week was pretty good! We were really busy and once again plans were changed quite a bit. As always the positives outshine the negatives. It was a pretty good week! Also it was warm again for the most part! Not always sun but it was still warmer!
Mom the pday message was way cool! I've been thinking a lot about that lately. Very good. This last week was pretty good! We were really busy and once again plans were changed quite a bit. As always the positives outshine the negatives. It was a pretty good week! Also it was warm again for the most part! Not always sun but it was still warmer!
So on Monday, we had an appointment with a lady from Ghana named Belinda. We teach her in English so we got Mike and Sarah Taylor to come teach with us. Their young couple from Utah, he's studying here and served in the Hamburg mission. We got to Belinda's though and she wasn't there. Her neighbor came and said Belinda left a note for us on the door and she gave us the note. So we just started talking with her neighbor. She had never had contact with the church before so we basically just explained who we were and what we were doing. Then we started talking about Joseph Smith. Mike started telling a quick version of the restoration and he said 'Then because of all of Joseph Smith's questions and searching he went into the forest near his house one morning and prayed to God. Then God and Jesus Christ appeared to him'. As he got here the spirit was very strong and he just kind of paused. Then she looked at him for a bit and goes 'Well?! what happened what did God say??' She really wanted to know! We kind of laughed then Mike continued. She wanted to know what happened but was pretty set in her catholic faith. At the end we asked her if when we come back to Belinda we could give her a Book of Mormon. She said that would be fine just so she could read it but then she'd give it to Belinda to give back to us. We tried to explain she could keep it but she said no. She said she'd take it though. And we all know that when you take that book in your hand and really read it you don't want to give it back. So I just said 'yep that’s fine we'll be back on Wednesday!'
So then Wednesday came. Elder White was in Ramstein on a tausch and I was with Elder Bergquist here in Heidelberg. We tausched around lunch and after we had 3 quick appointments then something at the church. But for the 2 first appointments we needed to have a member come with us and hadn't organized anything yet. Not good! We usually do better but this day was weird. I didn't know who to call since I still don't know the members all that well here and where they live or what their schedules are like and stuff. Which is good stuff to know to figure out who could come! I'm still trying to get to know all the members better. So I tried and few and nobody answered! I was thinking we might have to cancel the appointments but really didn't want to. So I figured nope something will work out and someone will come. So an hour before I got this thought to call GianLuca. I thought well he's probably in school, plus he lives far away. But I kept thinking that for some reason he is in Heidelberg right now. So I called. He was in Mannheim and just got out of school and was about to hope on the train home which would stop in Heidelberg in 20 minutes. He said yea of course I'll come with you guys, I can be there in 30 Minutes. I was so relieved! He saved the day ha.
So we met up with him and went to Belinda's and had a good appointment. Then we walked downstairs and knocked on her neighbors, Frau Gerein's, door. She opened up and I just said 'Hi we brought that book and were wondering if you had a few minutes so that we could come in and introduce it a little more' She let us right in. Few minutes turned into 30 minutes. She seemed a whole lot more open I guess is the word then she was on Monday. She had an open heart and was listening and understanding. It was really cool. GianLuca has this fire in him as well which is awesome. He just kept telling her how awesome the Book of Mormon is and a bunch of stuff it was way funny. He's such a cool kid. At the end of the appointment she said 'well know I feel like I have to do something for you guys...'' we just said all she can do for us is read the book with an open heart and pray about it. She said she would and that next time we come to Belinda's we could stop by her as well. It was a really cool appointment! Just very real and the spirit was very strong. It’s always so cool walking out of a building just like floating. GianLuca when we got out just started going off about how awesome that was. He's 18 and wants to serve a mission next year and he can't wait. I learn a ton from him any time I'm with him. For moments like that appointment and that spirit that is felt is why I'm here ha. It’s so cool! The feeling we get from sharing the gospel and helping others have spiritual experiences is so amazing.
There is a quote from Pres. Kimball I read this week.
''Not only do we “find” ourselves in terms of acknowledging guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!''
We grow the most in serving others. That’s why missions are so amazing. Because you can commit yourself fully to 2 years of straight service! Off the mission though there are still many opportunities to serve. Find them, use them. As we use the opportunities God gives us, he will see they mean a lot to us. And he will bless us with more!
I hope everything is going good for everyone. I love you all! You’re all in my prayers. Make it a good week and be happy!
Elder Puriri
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