WONDERFUL WORDS

Elder Puriri and Pics

From: MarJean Muhlestein

Sent: Wed 7/14/10 1:35AM

To: laninina@hotmail.com

Dear Sister Puriri,

We are the Ehepars that are here on a mission and live in Nordhausen. We have the wonderful opportunity to be working with your son Elder Puriri. On Mother's Day we chatted over Skype with you and your family. It was a true opportunity being able to see some of his family.

Your fine "warrior" son is doing a fantastic work here in Nordhausen. We see him several times during the week and I can truly say he is "thrusting in his sickle with all of his might". We have been blessed with two baptisms this last month, and are looking forward to another very soon. You have trained your son well, and have no needs of worry with his polite very helpful mannerism. He is the only Elder that picks up his plate from the table and takes it to the kitchen, rinses it off and then goes back to clear and help with other things. THANK-YOU! He will make some very lucky girl a wonderful husband one day.

He has requested that I send some of the baptism pictures to you so I'm attaching them here along with a few others. You are also more than welcome to visit our blogsite: www.gowithfaith.blogspot.com

May your family continue to be blessed for sending your wonderful son to do the work of the Lord. "Behold the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God." D&C 12: 3

We love you and your son,

Sister Muhlestein

Elder Muhlestein

Fruit Heights, Ut.

LETTER #34 - NORDHAUSEN

Hellllllooo!

So transfer calls were this last week! Usually we expect to get transfer calls on Saturday night so we were waiting and waiting but nothing was coming. Then finally we got a call and they said they weren't quite sure yet and they'd call us tomorrow (Sunday night). Apparently it’s a normal thing in the mission? But our zone coming from Berlin obviously isn't used to that so people weren't very happy ha. Anyway Sunday came and we got our call last night around 930 or so. Elder Loynes is being transfered to Frankfurt, and I am staying in Nordhausen! I'm getting a missionary who has been serving over in the Dusseldorf area, I think his name is Elder Gasman but I'm not sure. It will be his 3 transfer so he's been out about 5 months or so. I pretty much know nothing about him but I'm sure it will be good! Oh I do know he is from Orem, UT. But yea that’s all. Transfers happen in the mission now on Wednesday so that’s when he'll get here. Not quite the transfer call we were expecting but it'll be fun. So next email I'll be able to tell you more about my new companion ha.

Last week was a good week though. We’re teaching a new guy named Mr. Tämmerich, I might have already told you about him but I don’t know. He’s a cool guy though! We set a baptismal date with him a week or so ago and he is definitely progressing towards it! He came to church yesterday and seemed to like it a lot. As he said goodbye to people before he left he kept saying 'see you next week, I'm coming again' it was pretty cool. He is a good guy. 

Ahsan is doing good. Its summer break now so he is going to be out of town for 2 months. He is going to Frankfurt to visit family then maybe back to Bangladesh for summer but if not then he'll just stay in Frankfurt. Its pretty cool Elder Loynes is going there as well though, hopefully E. Loynes will still be able to stay in contact and meet with him there too. We met with him Saturday then had to say goodbye because he was leaving to Frankfurt. He won’t be back until September and Elder Loynes definitely won't be here then and I may not either. So saying goodbye was sad but still happy. We'll still be able to keep in contact.

The weather here has actually been very warm! Its been warm for about a week or a little more and everyone seems to be complaining already that they want rain and cool weather back. I'm quite enjoying the sun ha. It’s not exactly the most comfortable thing to walk around in with a shirt and tie and all but still it’s nice. Today I bought a cheap pair of flip-flops so I wouldn't have to wear shoes when I don't have to ha. I haven't worn slippers in 8 months; it feels so nice not wearing shoes!!

Yesterday in church I gave a talk about spiritual gifts. Elder Muhlestein thought I would be the one being transferred so he gave me a talk ha. It was good though. Every time I get a talk it seems like its exactly what I need to study more and learn more about or just need a refreshing of it. I studied D&C 46 mostly and verses 28 and 30 made me think a lot. I still haven't quite organized my thoughts about it yet but it reminded me of general conference in April. Elder Andersen in his talk said something like 'I testify that we have heard and felt the mind and will of the Lord'. Then Pres. Monson at the closing said 'It has been good for us to be here.' A short sentence but so cool! There’s so much to learn about the gospel and you are always learning more and more. As you do that you come to know and feel the mind and will of the lord. We continually move closer to God and set our selfish desires aside and try to align our will with his. Once we do that we can do like it says is D&C 46:30 ask for things according to the will of the Lord and they will be given to us. I've experienced that so much as a missionary. We try to put ourselves aside and focus on the work. We focus on what the people we are teaching need, on the spirit, and try to set our desires in line with the Lords. When we do that we get to know the Lord better then ever and we desire the same thing for people that he does. Then we ask for the blessings and gifts needed so that we can accomplish his will, and we receive them. I've seen it so much and am so grateful for it. Sorry I'm still kind of excited about the topic from yesterday as you see but its so cool. I was always confused about how to figure out what the will of the Lord is and worried that I wouldn't be able to do it. Then as I heard Elder Andersen’s words I realized how possible it is. Then Pres. Monson right after with that simple sentence 'It has been good for us to be here.' So true. It has been and will forever be good that I am here serving a mission. Its such an amazing thing. Of course I'm here to bring the gospel to other people and to help others but at the same time I'm learning and growing so much. I'm excited for this transfer and for what’s to come.

Transfers are honestly going by faster and faster though so I need to really make the most of each day. Back when I was in Schwarzenberg and on my first exchange with Elder Clawson we were talking about transfers and I said how fast my first transfer was going by already and he laughed and said 'Well your in trouble then, because they only start going faster and faster'. Not that I didn't believe him but I guess I didn't understand. Last transfer with Elder Kearl went by so fast and at the end of it I thought 'there is no way any other transfer will go faster then that.' but this one with Elder Loynes did. Scary! Have to make the most of every day!! It’s so important. We are going to go help Sis. Küper move right now. I hope you are all doing good. Thanks for everything!!! I love you so much!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #33 - NORDHAUSEN

FIRST LETTER FROM FRANKFURT MISSION
Hi!

This past week was a very exciting/crazy week. It was a fun week, with lots of cool experiences. We spent a lot of time in trains this week doing different things, but were still able to get lots accomplished. Mom your little thought on Unity was pretty humbling and quite funny you chose to talk about unity. That’s all we've been hearing from President Pimentel, and also from President and Sister Ninow. Just so you know Ninow is pronounced Ni-no, not like Ni-now. Anyway, I'll start at the more towards the beginning of last week.

So Tuesday we had to go to a city called Koethen over in the now Berlin Mission. Elder Loynes had a quick doctor’s appointment. We met up with the Elders there and went to the doctor’s office which is in the bottom part of his house. As Elder Loynes was down there we were up in the kitchen being fed by the doctor’s wife ha. They are members in the Koethen ward. They are a really cool family. As we were driving back to the train station afterwards Elder Loynes kept making jokes about the Berlin and Frankfurt mission since in a couple days we would become Frankfurt missionaries. It was a pretty funny drive. Then another 2 1/2 hours on the train back to Nordhausen! We got to see some of Berlin Missionaries for the last time though and it was fun to talk to them and say bye. Also kind of weird though. Wednesday we had to go down to Gotha and Elder Loynes had to do a baptismal interview for a woman who was baptized on Saturday! It was cool, he did the interview, and we taught the family all together with the other Elders. It was a good day. Also another 4 hours total on the train. Then Friday Elder Killpack came to me in Nordhausen and we did a little exchange, he had to do Ahsan's baptismal interview. We were at the Muhlesteins for lunch and planning and Ahsan's interview was supposed to be later, but he called and asked if we could do it then. So we paused planning and went and met him at the church and Elder Killpack did the interview. Not long later they came and got me and we prayed together one more time before Ahsan headed home. Elder Killpack was telling me about the interview and how cool it was. It made me way excited for the

baptism! He said Ahsan would just keep telling him about the Book of Mormon and how he feels when he reads and how it likes it so much even though that’s not really part of the interview questions. We went back to the Muhelsteins and finished planning real quick and then caught the train down to Erfurt so we could switch back to our companions. Then Elder Loynes and I got back on the train and came back to Nordhausen!

Now the good part ha. Woke up at 4:30 on Saturday morning, caught the tram down to the Train Station at 5:45. Then we met Ahsan outside his apartment which is right by the train station. Then we hopped on the train and headed to Erfurt for Ahsan's baptism! As we got to the Erfurts Main train station lots of the other missionaries from the zone were there as well since it was our first Zone Conference with the Ninows and we were doing the baptism right before. Ahsan thought it was pretty cool to see so many missionaries since he had only ever really been around the Muhlesteins and Elder Loynes and me. We got to the Erfurt ward building a bit late so Ahsan and I went and got changed real quick and then went into the baptismal room. It was kind of weird walking in and seeing President and Sister Ninow for the first time and I hadn't even talked to them yet. Elder Loynes handed me the program and I looked at it then handed it to Ahsan for him to look at. As he closed it he looked at the front there was a picture of the Freiberg Temple and his name on the program. He got a big smile on his face as he read his name on the front of it. It was such a cool thing to see. Then as I looked forward into the glass in front of the fount I saw our reflections, both of us wearing white, then the atmosphere of the room totally changed. It was all really quiet and the piano was going softly, as I saw our reflections and the water behind them I was filled with such a cool feeling!! Excitement, and peace, and I was so happy and grateful that Ahsan was ready to be baptized. Ahsan and I stepped down into the fount and got ready to do the baptism. As I began to speak I suddenly felt like it wasn't me saying those words anymore. It’s hard to explain but it was kind of overwhelming as it all happened, definitely an experience I will never forget. After the baptismal service we all talked for a little then Ahsan said goodbye to everyone and headed back to Nordhausen since we had to stay for our Zoco. It was a very tiring day. Up so early, such spiritual experience and then just tons of new info about the Frankfurt mission to take it.

President Ninow has got a Zone from the Berlin mission, the Munich mission and the Hamburg mission. So he has to unify 4 different missions together, not an easy job. Thanks mom again for that message on unity. We've been taught it so much lately I didn't think it would be a big deal and that it would be easy. There’s so many new things and differences between the missions though and we're so used to Pres. Pimentel and the Berlin mission now we have to get used to Pres. Ninow and the Frankfurt mission. I've already learned lots in the last couple days and I've realized how important humility is. I will have to work more on humbling myself. But my purpose as a missionary hasn’t changed. I'm still serving the Lord and in the whole I'm a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Yesterday in Church Ahsan was confirmed by Elder Loynes. These last two Sundays have been so cool! I'm very grateful for the things that have happened in the last little while. We've been blessed to see so many miracles. 

Transfer calls will be this Saturday still, I have no idea if either one of us will be transferred or not. We don't really know how Pres. Ninow does it so we will have to wait and see! 

I hope everything back home is going good though. Thanks for the letters and everything. I love you all so much! Be positive and have a good week!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #32 - NORDHAUSEN

LAST LETTER FROM THE BERLIN MISSION

Hi family!
Yea this is my last email home as a Berlin Missionary! Pretty crazy huh? This last week was absolutely amazing though. A week packed with blessings, miracles, and very spiritual experiences. A good week to close my time in the Berlin mission. Sister Muhlestein said that to us the other day. She said 'Think about this Elders, this probably won't happen much in your life. You are able to close your time in a mission with an amazing week and a baptism. Then next
week as Frankfurt missionaries you will open your time there with a baptism.' I thought that was pretty cool! The past couple months I have been on the western boarder of the mission with everything off to my east. Now I will be on the eastern boarder of the mission with everything else off to my west. That’s kind of a weird feeling.

Anyway, on Wednesday the Erfurt zone met in Jena for our last little Zoco with President Pimentel. It was a very good meeting with lots of mixed feelings. We had a short briefing on the Frankfurt mission then President and Sister Pimentel both talked to us for a while. Then we had lunch and spent the last little bit just talking to each other. I was in the chapel with Elder Killpack and Loynes just talking then we saw President and Sister Pimentel going around hugging people saying goodbye and realized he was heading towards us. It was not a very good feeling. I almost wanted to turn and go the other way and avoid saying bye to them. As I hugged them though I thought of Alma 17:13, then I wasn't as sad anymore.

Editors Note: Alma 17:13 says, And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.

I love the Pimentels very much and am so grateful I had to opportunity so serve with them. Now the Lord has other has other plans and the work will go on!

On Saturday Evelyn was baptized by her husband! I can't explain how amazing it was. Sister Muhlestein has pictures and I will get them from her this week and send you them next email. It has been a blessing to be here in Nordhausen and to work with Evelyn and Daniel and their family, to be able to see the progress they have made in the gospel and see her Daniel who is a priest be able to baptize his wife. At the baptism I gave a talk and The Muhlesteins and Elder Loynes and I sang a song. The spirit was constantly strong and there the whole time. As Daniel baptized her and Evelyn came up from water I got such a happy feeling I felt like I was going to start floating up. After they had changed Daniel bore his testimony and started out with ''Well there isn't a much better feeling then baptizing your own wife.'' so cool!! Then yesterday Evelyn was confirmed in church. They also have 3 young children, Mila is 4, Grace is 2, and Jonathan was born in March. So after Evelyn was confirmed we were able to bless all the children. Elder Muhlestein blessed Jonathan, Elder Loynes blessed Mila and I was able to bless Grace. I didn't think I'd be doing a baby blessing for a while still ha but it was such a cool experience.

Ahsan was also in church Sunday and was able to experience all this as well. During Priesthood Elder Loynes and I went with Ahsan into another room and taught him in there. We went through the baptismal questions and taught tithing with him. We hadn't committed him yet to paying tithing but he then he said ''Well the Church is going to get a lot of money from me if I'm going to be a pilot!'' He's such a cool kid, and still progressing in the gospel towards baptism. Sunday was the cap on an amazing week. Last Sunday we also called and organized a Priests quorum in the branch and set them apart and a few Sundays before that set apart a few sisters in their Relief Society callings. I had never set anyone apart before, blessed a child, or given blessings, then for the first time I did it in German ha. Such an amazing blessing though and it has helped me to appreciate more the power of the Priesthood and what it really means.

Saturday after the baptism in Erfurt Elder Loynes and I caught a train and hurried back to Nordhausen for other stuff we had planned. When we got back we only had about 30 minutes before an appointment that would end the night. So we went and did some doors real quick hoping to talk to lots of people and make out a few appointments. After about 25 minutes we still had nothing but we didn't want to go to our appointment without making out at least one appointment. (by the way lots of times when we do doors we go to where there are big apartment buildings and at the bottom outside there is a 'klingel box' is what we call it. Just with everyone’s names on there and a door bell type thing you push and they answer and speak through there phone and you speak through the box at the bottom.) So the second to last guy I klingeled answered and I started talking about the Book of Mormon and towards the end of the conversation I told him we would like to come back later and give him the Book of Mormon and talk about it for a little. I waited for his response and by this time was I had only heard 'Nos' or just a click and the people had hung up so I wasn't expecting anything really. Then he said 'ummm yea.' I didn't realize he had said yes so I started talking back as if he had said no then in the middle of my sentence I realized it and asked him again if he had said yes ha. He said yes again and we made out an appointment!! Such a miracle. Then we ran to our appointment with Mr. Tämmerich. It was the second time we were meeting with the guy. We gave him a Book of Mormon and talked about the Restoration then Elder Loynes started talking about baptism. So I joined and we ended up asking him if would be baptized on July 31 and he said 'If its the true church then of course!'. It was a spiritually overwhelming day full of miracles. Elder Loynes and I walked home from that appointment kind of in a happy daze ha. An amazing baptism to start the day, a miracle making out an appointment with so little time, then a guy accepting a commitment to baptism. An amazing last week in the Berlin Mission. 

I am very grateful for the blessings and miracles I am able to see. And I am excited for what the future in the Frankfurt mission has in store. Things have been going good! Allergies have calmed down ha. And the weather has been warm. Germany beat England yesterday, Elder Loynes wasn't too happy about that. USA lost to Ghana, I wasn't too happy about that. Other then our teams losing in the world cup it was a close to perfect week ha. I kinda wanted England to win but also glad Germany won so that the World Cup Atmosphere stays around. Its lots of fun. Well I hope everyone is doing well. Seems like people have kind of been sick lately, I hope everyone starts feeling better. I love you all so much!! Thanks for everything. Focus on the good and have a fun week!!
Elder Puriri

FAREWELL FROM PRESIDENT AND SISTER PIMENTEL

From: Colleen Pimentel [mailto:colleen.r.pimentel@gmail.com]
Sent: Samstag, 26. Juni 2010 16:04
To: Jay Pimentel
Subject: Please forward to Erfurt Zone
 
Dear Elders and Sisters:
We had a wonderful time with you last week. Thanks for sharing your favorite thing of the week. We will remember the sweet memory that we enjoyed together. We heard about the terrific finding activity you participated in. Way to go! We love how you work together to bring to pass good things. You continue to bless the lives of those you meet. Here is the photo of the Zone. We look forward to hearing from you in the future! May the Lord's blessing be with you. We love you!
President & Sister Pimentel

PRESIDENT AND SISTER NINOW

On July 1 Isaac will be reassigned to the Germany, Frankfurt mission.  During his mission he will experience three different mission presidents.  How often does that happen?  President Kevin Ninow and Sister Lisa Ninow will be watching over my missionary for the next year.

Kevin John Ninow, 44, Germany Frankfurt Mission; Woodlands 1st Ward, Houston Texas North Stake; seminary teacher; former counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, high priest group leader, stake mission president and missionary in the Germany Hamburg Mission. Divisional president, Huntsman Corp. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to Frederick George and Norma Leonette Muir Ninow. Married Lisa Broadbent, five children.

A stake Young Women president, Sister Ninow is a former ward Young Women president, counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, counselor in a ward Primary presidency and visiting teaching coordinator. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Thomas Ray and Edith Norwood Stovall Broadbent.


President Ninow was born in Calgary...the town I grew up in.  That's an interesting coincidence.  He is also younger than me.  Hopefully Sister Ninow is keeping a blog somewhere and will post pictures.  I think I have been spoiled by Sister Pimentel.  

LETTER #31 - NORDHAUSEN

Hello hello!

No Mom I didn't get the package yet. Maybe later today or tomorrow I dont know. This last week was pretty exciting though! Lots of cool stuff happening right now. This coming wednesday we're all going to a city called Jena for our last meeting with President Pimentel. Pretty sad but it will still be a fun day.  We pretty much have 9 more days in the Berlin mission then were gone, its a crazy thought. We still basically know nothing about the Frankfurt mission. It's like starting all over again. Its exciting though!

Evelyn's baptism is this coming saturday in Erfurt. It's definitely been a blessing to be able to teach their family and to see them make progress together in the gospel. Daniel, her husband who was baptized in January, will be baptizing her this weekend. He's way excited about that its awesome. Yesterday in church we were talking to people about the baptism and seeing who all wanted to come. An investigator we had was the first one who spoke up and asked when, where, and how much it would cost to get there. Pretty suprising but very cool! We told him we would all take the train together and that it wouldn't cost him anything so now he's coming! That will be really cool as well. 

We've been teaching Ahsan a few times a week as well and helping him progress towards his baptismal date we set with him. I was a bit worried about it the other day but then we taught him after church yesterday. We watched the Restoration in the church. Ahsan even brought his friend. As we watched it I could feel the spirit way strong. I love reading in the scriptures or watching the church films like that and feeling again the spirit and truthfulness of it all. Towards the end of the movie where Joseph leaves his house and heads to the forest the song Joseph Smith's First Prayer begins to play. Ahsan started humming and Elder Loynes and I were kind of confused wondering why he was humming. Then he said 'We sung this song my first time at church right?' Then he just kept on humming! It was cool! He had remembered the song. At the end of the movie we asked how they both felt and his friend spoke up first and said 'You definitely feel something different when you watch that'. It was an awesome lesson. Ahsan even asked for a copy of the movie so he could have it and put it on his laptop. It is pretty humbling to see how the Lord prepares people and the power of the spirit. You realize you really are just in instrument in the Lord's hands. It is a really good feeling though.

We were also able to meet with Xiang again. The lesson we had with his was way cool. We asked him about his reading and if he had any questions or anything just right at the beginning. Then he started talking about the first time we met with him and how we talked about prayer. He said 'when we were praying I had never felt like that before'. Then we had also told him he could pray by himself and could pray before tests and stuff when he needs help and he reminded us that we told him that. Then he said 'I had a really big test and needed all the help I could get so I tried praying like you said and I felt like I just got this power from somewhere, its hard to explain'. It was cool hearing him talk about prayer and how it had helped him, and as we continued to talk and read in the scriptures he had lots of questoins. All very sincere and like he

just wants to learn and take it all in. We ended up talking about baptism with him and he understood everything so quick and asked lots of questions about baptism. We ended up setting a soft baptismal date with him for July 10 but he may be too busy between now and then with Finals and all and he is going back to China for the summer holliday. If that doesn't work though he said he would want to do it when he gets back. He's an awesome kid though. Again just seeing how God has prepared people and leads us to them or them to us. 

We're obviously working hard, trying to accomplish a lot, but with all the people who are making such amazing progress it pretty much feels like we aren't doing anything! It's definitely a blessing to be able to work with these people though. This last week was full of miracles and blessings. I'm having fun and learning lots. I hope everything back home is going good. Have a good week everyone, be happy! Love you all!

Elder Puriri

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT PIMENTEL

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Jay Pimentel

Date: 2010/6/20

Subject: An alle Missionare der Erfurt-Zone vom Präs. Pimentel

To: "berlinpres@ldsmission.eu"

Cc: Colleen Pimentel

(In English below):

Tolle Neuigkeiten! Die Distrikte der Erfurt-Zone werden ihre DCMs diese Woche am Mittwochzusammen in Jena um 9:30 Uhr abhalten. Die Assistenten, Sister Pimentel und ich werdendorthin kommen und Mittagessen mitbringen! Richten Sie Ihre Pläne dementsprechend aus, daunsere Feier bis ungefähr 14:00 Uhr andauern wird.

Hier sind einige wichtige Informationen, die Sie an Ihre Eltern weitergeben sollten: Von nun ansollten keine weitere Briefe oder Pakete für Sie an das Missionsbüro in Berlin geschickt werden. Schicken Sie diese an das Büro in Frankfurt. Die Telefonnummer lautet 069 9706 4350 und die EMail Adresse des Missionsbüros in Frankfurt ist 2019604@ldschurch.org. Die Postadresse ist Germany Frankfurt Mission, Corneliusstrasse 18, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Wir werden die Post am Mittwoch dieser Woche mitbringen. Wenn Sie Materialien von der Berlin Mission haben möchten, rufen Sie das Büro bis spätestens Dienstag 12:00 Uhr an. Der Missionspräsident der Frankfurt-Mission, Präsident Kevin Ninow trifft Pläne die Erfurt-Zone am Samstag, den 3. Juli besuchen. Halten Sie siuch diesen Tag also frei. Sister Pimentel und ich sind mit den wunderbaren Missionaren, die in der Erfurt-Zone sind, sehr zufrieden. Ihr seid fantastisch! Ihr seid ein Teil der Wunder, die täglich geschehen und ich bin mir sicher, dass Sie diese auch weiterhin erleben werden. Wir finden & belehren. Wir taufen & behalten.

Wir haben Sie sehr gern und freuen uns mit Ihnen am Mittwoch zusammenzutreffen. Bis dann, vielen Dank und alles Gute.

English:

Great news! The districts in the Erfurt Zone will hold their DCMs this week together in Jena at 9:30 am on Wednesday. The Assistants, Sister Pimentel and I are all planning to come and we’ll bring lunch! Plan accordingly because we won’t finish our celebration until around 14:00. 

Here is some important information to pass along to your parents. No further letters or packages to you should be sent to the Berlin Mission office. All should be sent to the Frankfurt Mission office. The phone number there is 069 9706 4350 and the email address of the Frankfurt Mission office is2019604@ldschurch.org. The mailing address is Germany Frankfurt Mission, Corneliusstrasse 18, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. We will bring Post with us on Wednesday this week. If there are supplies you want from the Berlin Mission office, be sure to phone the office by noon tomorrow (Tuesday), so we can gather what is needed and bring it on Wednesday. 

The Frankfurt Mission President, President Kevin Ninow is planning to visit the Erfurt Zone on Saturday, July 3, so keep that day available on your calendar. Sister Pimentel and I are so very pleased with the wonderful team of missionaries assembled in the Erfurt Zone. You are amazing! You are part of miracles that happen every day and I know you will continue to experience them. We find & teach. We baptize & keep.

We love you and are excited to be with you on Wednesday. Bis dann, vielen Dank und alles Gute.

Präs. u Sister Pimentel

LETTER #30 - NORDHAUSEN

Hiiiiiii,

Things here in Nordhausen are going pretty good! This last week we had interviews with President Pimentel in Erfurt. Technically it would have been the last time we see him since the mission changes on July 1. But President didn't want to say goodbye yet so he's coming back to Erfurt on the 25th and we're going to have kind of a goodbye party thing. As much of a party as missionaries can have ha. Interviews were good, I'm very grateful that I was able to have Pres. Pimentel as my mission president. It will be very sad having to say goodbye. I'm going to have to say goodbye to 3 mission presidents, that doesn't happen very often. The other goodbyes won't come for a long time though so that’s good. The weather this week was warm! Pretty sunny most of the week, it only rained like 2 days this last week.

The World Cup started!!!! It’s pretty bitter/sweet. It’s awesome its happening and all but very annoying that I can't watch any of it or anything. On Friday we were in an appointment and I kept looking at my watch and it was about 4:00pm and all I could think about was that the World Cup was kicking off right then. It was a very hard lesson to focus in ha. England played USA on Saturday. I was antsy the whole night wishing I could have been watching it. Elder Muhlestein texted us when it was over and told us the score of it. Then I was able to go to sleep ha. This next month it's going to be hard to focus completely on missionary work. Germany’s first game was last night. There is a big public viewing screen in the middle of the city and there were tons of people there. We walked by around 8:30pm on our way home which was when the game was starting and the place was packed. We stood outside the 2 fences at least 100 yards from the screen and watched the kick off and then we felt dumb because we were leaning on the fence trying to see from that far away ha and people were walking by looking at us funny. The two missionaries leaning on the fence trying to see a screen that far away ha. Entrance was free and all so I think that’s half the reason people were wondering why we were trying to see from that far away. That’s about all the soccer I've seen in the last 7 months ha. 2 minutes on a screen I could barely see 100 yards away. Then we just headed home. As soon as we got around the corner though the crowd just exploded it was crazy, Germany scored in the 6th minute. And went on to score 3 more. It was pretty ridiculous sitting at home everytime Germany scored horns would blow and you could hear people outside. So we knew by the end it was 4-0. It’s the weirdest feeling not being able to watch any of it; it’s like this inner longing to watch inside of me ha. Somehow I'll have to focus more, it’s just real hard.

Yesterday was cool though. Church was very good. There were two members of the District Presidency there. It was my turn to lead sacrament meeting so I was hoping not to mess up or say anything weird with them there ha. It went really good though and they both gave really good talks. Ahsan also made it to church yesterday. He came late and Elder Loynes had to go outside and find him, he made it though! In Sunday school one of the District Counselors taught the lesson on the importance of Scriptures. It was an awesome lesson but he was speaking fast and I wasn't sure how much Ahsan was getting out of it. As we were leaving the church I was talking with Ahsan and he said 'I need to be reading the Book of Mormon more huh? I also feel really good reading it.' It was so sweet! We talked more with him about the Book of Mormon as we walked with him on his way home. We're going to teach him again on Tuesday, he's such a cool kid. Evelyn is also doing very good, were going to teach her tonight. Things are going good!

When Pres. Uchtdorf was here talking to us he told about an experience he had in church here in Germany. He had taken a non-member to church and then the program didn't go as he expected it and he didn't think the members were as nice as they could have been. As they left he wanted to apologize to his friend but then his friend told him that that was one of the most spiritual experiences they had ever had. Then Pres. Uchtdorf went on to say that he should have trusted the spirit and not been so arrogant. That the spirit is more powerful then we know. That was what I thought of yesterday with Ahsan. I wasn't sure how much he was getting and was kind of worried and thinking I would need to explain it all a little bit differently. But as we left the church Ahsan proved me wrong! He had felt the spirit and understood the importance of scriptures. I'm grateful for all the people I've been able to meet so far on my mission and that I've been able to be a part of teaching them about the Gospel. I feel like I've learned a whole lot more from them in comparison to what I've been able to teach them. Things back home sound like they are going good. I can't believe summer games has already happen. That was the last tournament I played in, the last real game I played in was a year ago!

Time flies way too fast. I bet the boys all did pretty good with their teams. I hope everything else is going good and that everyone’s enjoying the summer feeling. I love you all so much! Thank you for everything. Have a good week and be happy!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #29 - NORDHAUSEN

Hello Family!

I'm good Mom, Elder Loynes is good, and Nordhausen is good. Its been warm and sunny the last few days its beautiful, other then that fact that for some reason I have allergies in germany and thats pretty annoying, but things are still good. For breakfast I had a piece of toast and a banana...because thats all we had left ha. Then we went shopping after study and bought food for the week then I ate more. We make it week to week ha. 

This past week was pretty good! Tuesday we took Elder Kearl to the train station and sent him off to Berlin. It was kind of weird knowing was going home. Saw him off then I went with the Muhlesteins that morning until Elder Loynes came in around 11:30. Ran his stuff to the apartment and got to work! I was hoping that Elder Smith from bloomington would come into my district or zone, but he's not even close. He'll stay in the Berlin mission and I'll go to Frankfurt. It would have been fun to see him.

The week kind of went by in a blur. Elder Loynes came to me then we did an exchange with the Gotha elders a day later or something, had to go to Erfurt twice this week for meetings. It has been really busy. During the tausch with Gotha I stayed here in Nordhausen with Elder Chidsey. We had an appointment with Ahsan (from Bangladesh) and I was really looking forward to it but we went by and he wasn't there. There was a Vietnamese girl there that we talked to and she said she would tell Ahsan to call us later. That night we had finished planning for the next day and were just kind of talking and getting ready for bed. then at 10:35 the phone rang. I was kind of confused because usually at 1030 we go to bed and nobody calls after that time. So I answered it and it was Ahsan. He apologized for not being there and said 'Can you come tomorrow?' I said of course and we made out a time. Then before he hung up he said 'oh yea I have a friend that wants to  come too is that ok?' And of course we said yes. It was pretty cool that he called! Then the next day Elder Loynes and I went by and met in Ahsans room. We sat down and he said kept apologizing for not being there the day before. Then he said and I haven't been able to read as much in the Book, I have had lots of tests in school and have had to study. So we asked where he was at in the BoM. He grabbed his, opened it up and goes 'I am only at Alma 32'. It was so cool! E. Loynes and I were both way excited and kept telling him he's doing good and to just keep reading. Then he said yea I like reading this book, while I read it I feel really good. It was pretty much perfect. Right before we started he said oh wait I have to get my friend. Then he went out and grabbed the Vietnamese girl we had talked to the day before! It was so cool. We had planned to teach about the 2nd half of the plan of salvation to Ahsan but since this brand new girl came in we weren't sure what to teach. E. Loynes looked at me as Ahsan went to go grab the girl and goes 'what do we teach? what do we teach? what do we teach?' We both just kind of started laughing, we weren't too worried, we just weren't sure exactly what to teach. So we prayed and opened up Alma 7 and read about the Atonement of Christ in those 6 verses. The Bengali BoM only has selected sections and sadly didn't have that chapter. So we read it in Germany and explained it verse by verse switching back and forth between English and German making sure they were getting everything. Ahsan was way interested and you could see he was learning a lot. After we had finished talking about those 6 verses we began talking about our part of the atonement again. Ahsan is studying to be a pilot and on the wall in front of his desk he has airplane designs and pictures and stuff. We said that as he studies and when we looks up he sees those pictures and that is his goal. Something he can always look up and see. Then we talked about having a goal in the gospel and said we would like to set a baptismal date with him. He just completely agreed and said yes goals are very important and if we don't have them we don't accomplish anything. This whole time he had basically been saying the perfect things ha. So we set a date with him for the beginning of July! He asked where it would be and what time and all and was writing it all down trying to figure it out, then we told him not to worry about it and that we would go there together ha. Then he looked at the girl next to him and goes 'She's going to come too'  it was so cool. He invited her to his baptism and even asked if we had a book in Vietnamese for her, so when we go back tuesday night we will give her her book and hopefully she will continue meeting with with us as well. It was such an amazing appointment. It went basically perfect and as Elder Loynes and I lwere leaving we both were so happy. We didn't know what to say and could hardly believe what had just happened. It was a very cool experience and I'm way excited about continuing to meet with Ahsan.

The Lord is preparing people all over the place, we just have to do our part to find them, and our part to have the spirit with us, and the Lord really does the rest. I've experienced that so many times already. I haven't known what to do in a lot of cases, but I pray and trust the spirit and the Lord works miracles. I am very grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the real power that it has. It was pretty cool in conference when Julie B. Beck was speaking she said 'The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life'. I have definitely seen the truth in that and will continue to work on developing that skill throughout my life.

I'm having fun and learning so much all the time its awesome! I hope everyone back home is doing good. Thank you for the letters love and prayers! I love you all so much. Have a good week. Be happy!

Elder Puriri