LETTER #80 - NURNBERG

Family family,

Sounds like you had a pretty packed week. Life is moving forward quickly. Its cool seeing all those picture mom thanks for doing that. Asa is going on the trek, I think it will be cool. Advice I would have for him...in the words of Elder Wirthlin; come what may, and love it. Have fun, look for people who need help and help them, learn as much as you can from it.

  

I'm doing well and things in Nürnberg are going well too. The weather has been switching back and forth. Today is clear and sunny though. 

We also had a pretty full week. We had a training meeting for 2 days here in Nürnberg which was actually really cool. I learned a lot and recognized some more things I can do to be a better missionary. Then we were busy the rest of the week going around from appointment to appointment. We had a really cool appointment. We wanted to help the guy learn more through the spirit and help him understand he needed to stop trying to use logic of reasoning to understand these things. It was kind of a spontaneous appointment so we hadn't really prepared anything other than that we knew what we wanted to do. He talked a lot at the beginning about a ton of different topics and told some stories. I had my bible open and was just flipping to scriptures that had something to do with what he was talking about as he talked and switched topics. He didn`t stay on a topic long enough though for me to find a good scripture and figure out how to use the scripture to get us back to where we wanted to be. Then all the sudden he stops and says ''Elder Puriri, you had something to say go ahead''. I was a bit caught off guard because I did want to say something but I didnt know what yet. As he said that I thought quickly about what he had just said and a scripture in the bible came to my mind. I opened it and shared it with him. About hope in Romans 8. Then I read the next couple verses about prayer and the spirit. We were able to talk about how we have to rely on the spirit when we do things related to God. We talked for a bit about it and asked him some questions. It totally clicked for him. He sat there and just looked up slightly with this look of trying to figure something out or like an ''ah ha'' moment. He started telling us how important the spirit was and that it made sense to him. It was way cool that it helped him and that he now understands what he needs to do when we meet and continue to teach him.  So that was pretty cool.

Then we had a tausch with the Elders in Erlangen. Its a city that is pretty close to nürnberg. It was a good tausch though. I got to work with Elder Hardwick there. They ride bikes in that area. I had used bike like once before that on my mission. That day though all day we were on bikes. I felt like a real missionary ha. And I gained a lot of respect for those two elders because after a while it hurt to sit down on that seat and my legs were getting way tired. It'd be a good work out though if you were doing that everyday.

While I was there in Erlangen we taught a guy that has been taught by the elders for the last little while. He came in to the church and we sat down. He seemed pretty casual about it all but like a cool guy. We wanted to teach a first lesson but mostly focus on Christ's earthly ministry and go on from there.  As we explained how Christ established his church here on earth and why it seemed to make sense to him, we asked if he still believed we needed Christ`s church today. He thought about it then answered back no. That kind of caught us both off guard. Before saying anything after that I thought about how I could help him understand this so that it would make sense for him. We re-explained it but in a different way and asked some questions along the way and then he said yea I think we do need Christ's church today. We continued through the lesson but focused a lot of the spirit and on how it would best make sense to him and what he needed to hear or read out of the scripture to learn it. The spirit was heavy in the room. Throughout the lesson you could like see or feel a change happening in the man. At the end of that lesson the scripture D&C 50:22 made way more sense to me. 

D&C 50:22Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.

I felt like as I was thinking about the doctrine we were teaching it was becoming more clear and simple to me. As I was thinking about it I was learning, and as I learned I was speaking and saying what literally felt like was being put into my mind, and he was understanding. It was kind of like pouring water into a bucket with a little spout at the bottom and as its being filled the water is coming out of the spout. I felt like I was having 'understanding' poured into my mind and I was opening my mouth and letting it flow out to the other guy. It was a very real, cool experience. I hadn't ever really had that type of teaching experience. I didn't want it to end. I feel like now if I ever teach differently its the wrong way. I feel like each lesson has to be like that. I want to learn more about this and do all I can on my part to make the lessons we teach like this. The affect it had on me and that man seemed much greater than any other experience. As the man walked out of the church he seemed to understand the reality of what we were teaching. As he left the church you could see he left differently than he came. It was an experience I won't forget.

The reality of the spirit and learning or teaching through the spirit is very real. 1 Corinthians 2 talks a lot about it. It is important that as we approach topics or things of a Godly nature that we lay aside our limited human understanding, logic, and whatever else. That we appraoch it with reverence and open for the spirit to teach us. We learn about God through a godly way not through our own power. And as we learn through this eternal being and power what we learn will be of an eternal nature. Supporting our testimonies eternally. If we learn through our own logic and reason, that is mortal. That is limited and does have an end. And sooner or letter it will no longer stand or support us. I am grateful for the Spirit and the reality of it.

I hope everyones doing well back home. Hope you all have good plans for the summer. Enjoy it and be productive. Love you all, thank you for everything. Your all in my prayers,

Elder Puriri

COMING THIS JULY

Lehi Karl Schwartz, 59, and Gudrun Bauch Schwartz, four children, Germany Frankfurt Mission; Feucht Ward, Nürnberg Germany Stake. He serves as a missionary in theGermany Berlin Mission and is a patriarch. He is a former counselor in a district presidency, branch president and counselor in a branch presidency. Retired managing director of Radiodiagnostic Business Line, IBA-Group Belgium. Born in Lahm Itzgrund, Germany, to Karol Pfeiffer and Leokadia Grünke Schwartz.

Sister Schwartz serves with her husband as a missionary in the Germany Berlin Mission and is a former stake institute director, stake Relief Society president and counselor, ward Relief Society president and counselor, and Sunday School teacher. Born in Husum, Germany, to Walter and Lissi Friedrichsen Bauch.

LETTER #79 - NURNBERG

Hello!

 

Thats way cool that Dixie is in the semi-finals! I think its awesome they have played so well to make it this far the last 2 years. I can't believe Ammon's graduating though. That just seems so weird to me. It kinda makes me feel old. Another school year went by though really quick. But of course the time was packed full of tons of things being done. However we filled up our time. Now its gone by already! But its cool. Everyone is moving forward and making progress.

The last week was a lot of running around everywhere still figuring Nürnberg out. It was a lot of fun though. We did 2 tausches both of which I stayed in Nürnberg with an Elder. So that was pretty eventful. Looking back though it feels like the week just blends together into one big day or something.

We've been trying to involve the members more in our work which has been a lot of fun. There are some really cool people in the ward and they are awesome to take with to teach people. I'm looking forward for working with them more to get the work here moving forward faster.

On Friday to Saturday we tausched with the Elders from Würzburg. I was here in Nürnberg with Elder Chambers. It was a way fun tausch. We were really busy all day and for almost half the time we weren't even together because we met with some members at the church and split with them. He went with one and did home teaching with him and I went with the other and taught a couple of our investigators. It was fun though. Elder Chambers is pretty young on his mission but he's way solid. I learned a lot from him. He also played soccer. He played for 5A state at rio tinto 2010. I was a bit jealous when he told me that ha. It was a good tausch though.

We had an appointment with a less active family. I had never met them before and of course neither had he. Their record hadn't been updated in forever so we had very little information about them. So we planned a little lesson for them but when we got there our plan was destroyed ha. What we had planned was obviously not what they needed. As we sat and talked we both thought to ourselves what we could share or do to help them. I thought of a chapter in the book of Mormon which we read together and talked about it. Then Elder Chambers had a poem in his scriptures he felt would be good to share. At the end there was a good spirit in the house as we left. It didn't go according to plan at all. We weren't sure what to think as we left since we just basically made it all up as we went. But we were hopeful that it helped them. Then at church yesterday I was on the stand since I was giving a talk. As I looked out over everyone in the very back I saw the people Elder Chambers and I visited. I double took and the lady smiled and waved. I was really happy to see them there. I went up to her afterwards and told her that and she said ''You two came at the most needed time and lightened our house and gave me the strength to come back to church today''. It was really cool to see that she applied to her personally how things were and knew what she needed to do.

Then yesterday after church we were going to go to another less active guys house to visit him. We were on the way and realized we were going to be 30 minutes early. We thought about if we should go do something else for 30 minutes or just go early and we decided he wouldn't mind if we were early. So as we walked up to the apartment building a family walked in and the door closed behind them. We didn't think anything of it then just rang the guys bell from bottom and he pushed the button to open the door. A girl from the family that had just walked in pushed the door open for us and then she said ''Hey, missionaries! we are from the church too!" (this was in german though). We were confused and thought maybe they were just from some other church but also believed in God. Then they said they were from some ward in the Stuttgart stake. Tübingen or something like that I'm not sure. They explained the Dad has an apartment there and works here during the week. And that the oldest daughter is also living with him now during the week for the next while working here. They said their father was not a member and gave us his name and asked if we could come by during the week. We told them we'd love to and we were also able to invite the daugther to institute and the other YSA stuff in the ward. It was pretty cool though. Had we not gone right then we would've missed them! The Mom was way happy and kept telling us it wasn't a coincidence that we happened to be there at the same time. Pretty awesome how things like that work out!

When I was on tausch with Elder Chambers he asked me what one of the biggest lessons is I've learned on my mission so far. It was a cool question. I thought about it for a bit. Then talked about how I've learned a lot about doing. I think thats one of the biggest lessons I've learned on my mission. Is to act. There is always so much talk and whatever else but so little who act. It is sadly more rare to find someone who's words and actions are in line with each other. I've learned a lot about how simply acting can make the biggest difference. 

Often we wait around with the excuse like I don't feel like it. Or not right now. Sitting, waiting, thinking that maybe since the desire isn't there right now if I just wait it will come. But that almost never is the case! The desire comes in the act. Or we hear lots of people talking about cool things they've experienced or good things that help out in whatever. We think, "I want to experience something like that." I want that to help me too. The thought, ''I'll just wait around and see if that happens to me too'' is the wrong one to have next. We accomplish things in the doing. We wait then eventually decide to go do something. In the end we will have to go do. Which means we just wasted time waiting around. If we act quickly we can use all the time we have! Thats way better. We accomplish more in the gospel and in our temporal issues as well! To act. Do things. Always moving forward. 

There is a quote by...I don't know who. I remember hearing it while I was in 5th grade at one of the high school practices with Rakai. Its helped me a lot ever since then. ''If you're not training, somebody else out there is; and when you meet them, they will beat you.'' Always be doing things to help you move forward. In the gospel as well as right now in life. If we are not preparing and we meet temptations or struggles, we will lose. If we are, we will be moving forward consistently. It depends very much on us and our doing things.

I'm grateful for the many things we can learn from the gospel to help us move forward in all we do. Of course we aren't perfect and we will have all have struggles and make mistakes. Through the help we receive through the gospel though we can leave those mistakes and sins behind one by one becoming cleaner and cleaner. More and more like our perfect example, Jesus Christ, and our Father in heaven. It is very possible and everyone can do it!

I hope you all have a good week. Good luck with everything! Have fun and enjoy every moment of the time you are using!

I love you all,

Elder Puriri

LETTER #78 - NURNBERG

Isaac, Liang, Sam (translator), Elder Nelson

Elder Anderson
Elder Johnson
Elder Puriri
Elder Gassman
Elder Liddle

HI!

 

So one of the picture is from my last appointment with Liang in Frankfurt with Elder Nelson and Sam who translates for us. The other one is from this last Zone Conference. It is from left to right, Elder Anderson, Elder Johnson, me, Elder Gassman, and Elder Liddle. Elder Anderson and Elder Liddle are currently serving in Nordhausen and Elder Johnson went to Elder Gassman after I left. So thats the line back to Nordhausen since I left back in October! Pretty crazy. It was fun at Zone Conference though all sitting together and talking about Nordhausen and the different experiences we've all had there and how the work there is now going.

Anyway the week was good! We were able to get a lot accomplished. There are a lot of cool people we are teaching right now. We are teaching one who is probably around 50 yrs old or so now. But he used to be a professional soccer player. His name is Andre Doubrowski or something like that. He played in Austria and Germany for a while. I juggled with him for a little bit it was way fun. His touch is still way soft and good, I was impressed ha. We are also helping a guy named Willie prepare for baptism. He is really sincere in his desire and its cool to see how he understands the seriousness of baptism and that he wants to be totally ready. We made up a plan on a calendar for him to help him do all the things he needs to to prepare himself.

We also had a pretty cool experience at church. Right before church started these 2 girls in there early 20s walked in and sat down. We were both passing the sacrament so we couldn't go sit by or talk to them. Afterwards I went and sat a couple rows behind them with another investigator. As soon as sacrament meeting was over and I finished talking to the guy next to me the girls stood up and came over and introduced themselves. They said they were just visiting different religions seeing whats good and all and trying to clear up the rumours they've heard about different religions. So I talked to them for a bit then invited them to the gospel principles class we teach. They came and participated and it was way cool. They even decided to stay and go to Relief Society as well. We invited them to institute on Wednesday and we're hoping that they'll come! It was cool to see them there and that they participated so well in everything the whole time.  Our topic in gospel principles was repentance. It was actually a cool topic to teach with them there. And the topic in Sacrament was the Priesthood which was also perfect for them!

The restoration is such a blessing. And another witness that God loves us and is doing all he can so that we have the truth. To do what is described in John 17:3 we need the pure truth. We need continuing revelation. The restoration of the church of Christ with his authority is a necessity.  It is also quite logical if we ask the 3 questions that Elder Callister asked in Oct. 2009. ''First, does God love us as much today as He loved the people to whom He spoke in New Testament times? Second, does God have the same power today as He did then? And third, do we need Him as much today as they needed Him anciently? If the answers to those questions are yes and if God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, as the scriptures so declare, then there is little doubt: God does speak to man today exactly as Joseph Smith testified.''

 

I am very grateful for the Christ and the restoration of his church. I am grateful for the many blessings that are made available through the restoration of the priesthood. If we ask ourselves how our lives would be without the priesthood on the earth, we recognize what a blessing it really is. The fact that the priesthood is on the earth today and we have it in our lives has a very literal effect on us.  It enables us to help others in their journey back to our Eternal Father.

We have a good week ahead of us. We're going to be busy and its going to be tiring and lots of fun. Because thats pretty much how it always is ha. Theres lots of people to help!

I hope you are all doing good. Crazy that the school year is coming to an end already! Be productive in the summer! Use your time to help you grow and others around you.

Hope you have a good week. Be happy!

Love you all,

Elder Puriri

LETTER #77 - NURNBERG

Isaac arrived in his new area the day before mothers day.  He didn't know of a computer where he could skype from so we called him on his cell phone through skype.  We looked up his address on google maps and looked at a photograph of his apartment while we talked to him.  We talked for 2 hours and then he said he needed to go so he could check on the missionaries in his zone.


This was his letter the day after mothers day...


HI family!

It was cool being able to talk to you all yesterday. Seems like everyone is doing pretty good!

I don't really have a lot to say this morning since we just barely talked...

It is cool being able to talk to you all like that though. Its like a boost. I talked to another Elder after on the phone and he told me the same thing. How he feels way boosted after talking to his family and that he wants to be a lot better and do a lot better. I felt the same way. So remember the effect you have. Thank you all for everything. I'm just going to keep this real short because I really can't think of much else and we kind of have a lot to do today. So enjoy the week and be happy!!

Love you all!

Elder Puriri

Letter #76 - Nurnberg

Hello hello!

 

Today begins a new transfer! Transfer calls came on Saturday, they've been doing good on getting them on time. This transfer though I will be spending in Nürnberg! With Elder Durrant. Yes I am leaving Frankfurt. Its always bitter sweet being transferred. I really love the ward here and the people we are working with. I can't even believe I've been here about 6 months. It flew by so quick and now I have to leave. I thanked the ward yesterday for everything and was able to say goodbye to many of them. We didn't have a scheduled eating appointment so as we were leaving the church the bishop's wife grabbed us and asked if we would like to come to lunch. So that was cool being able to be there one last time. I was hoping to stay here for a longer time but Nürnberg will be cool too. I'm excited for whats to come. I hope I was able to learn what I was supposed to learn here and I'm excited to move on and apply the things I've learned in this new area. I've met Elder Durrant once, we talked shortly. I don't really know anything about him though. So I'll tell you about him next week. Nürnberg is in the bayern area though! Its cool serving in all these places I never would have served in had I stayed in Berlin.

 

So yea because of the transfer though I have no idea how to do phone calls on Sunday. I will email you quick on Thursday with that information. New address:

 

Elder Puriri

Wittekindstr.17

90431 Nürnberg

Germany

 

I also did get that first package you sent and the envelope I got today. Thank you all!! I really appreciate the stuff you all do for me.

 

The past week was a pretty good week. Liang and Kimberly are still doing really good and they are making lots of friends in the ward which is awesome to see. We are blessed to work with lots of people who need to feel the love of God and recognize their relationship with him. Like a couple weeks ago we talked to this guy on the street. He was interested in God but thought everything we were saying and believed was a bit ridiculous. He said he would like our book so he can just see and make thoughts about it. So we met with him last week in the church. As we sat and began to talk he explained a little more about what he believed. Then we began with a prayer and Elder Nelson went right into talking about authority. That was not our plan so I was a bit confused. As he kept going it felt good. So we basically taught a short bit about apostasy and restoration and by the end the guy was very sincere and serious in reading the Book of Mormon. It was what the guy needed to hear apparently and it made him seriously consider what we were saying. He started to ask a lot of questions about Joseph Smith and said. If I am supposed to believe this man I need to know about his life; where he was born, what his childhood was like, what kind of a person he was, what he experienced and those things. I want to learn about this person and then it will be easier to understand and know if it is true. If he continues on with an open heart and mind as he studies these things there will be no doubt left in him that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration.

 

I am really grateful for the time I have had on my mission so far. I am grateful for the atmosphere and what is possible for us as missionaries and for the time we can fully commit to the Lord. We are here to serve and help others but we are blessed much more than we often realize from this whole thing. I am seeing the gospel from a whole different point of view now and it is changing my life. It is becoming more and more real to me. I hope to allow this to continually affect me and change me and I know it can do the same thing for every individual who will allow it. 

 

This last week at district meeting right before the closing prayer somebody said something about the spiritual thought and used the word spiritual thought. Then it kind of clicked to me. We use the word 'spiritual thought' quite lightly in the church. You give the assignment for somebody to give the ''spiritual thought'' or you receive the assignment to give the ''spiritual thought''. When we think about it more though we realize how important a spiritual thought is.

 

Spiritual thoughts would come from spiritual minds. To be spiritually minded is life eternal. Life eternal is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ. Spiritual thoughts are steps to being spiritually minded. Which helps us get to know the only true God and Jesus Christ. Which is how we can achieve eternal life. So spiritual thoughts are very important! They should help us to get to know the only true God and Jesus Christ better. They are steps to being spiritually minded. When we are spiritually minded we are focused. We understand better how God and Christ think, thereby getting to know them better. I thought this was really cool. And I thought I would share it with you, so that we remember that spiritual thoughts are more then just a simple assignment or whatever. And that we remember that there are steps to being spiritually minded, and that our spiritual thoughts help us stay focused.

 

Little steps help us reach the big goal! 

 

I hope everyone is doing well. Enjoy the week, be happy! Thank you all for everything.

I love you!

Elder Puriri