LETTER #65 - FRANKFURT

Hi!
Sorry it’s Thursday and I’m just writing. It has been a pretty eventful week and so was last week! This week we had another 3 day training meeting in Friedrichsdorf at the temple. Instead of staying overnight there though we had to ride a train to and from each day since we live pretty close. It was way cool though. It was basically the same as the last one a while ago but now that I was familiar with the stuff I was able to go into more of the details of it all. There has been so much change in the mission in the last six months that it was necessary to do it again basically the same as the first time. Apparently the training thing is supposed to be taking place a lot more frequently though. Until we learn how to do it all well I guess! It’s cool though it’s helping us develop our teaching skills; mostly in the area of focusing on the individual and their needs and trying to rely more on the spirit while teaching. I like it all though a lot.

 
There are advantages and disadvantages of living so close to Friedrichsdorf during the training. When you live far away you stay on temple grounds for 3 days and can just focus so easily because of the peace on the grounds so I missed that this time. But being so close we were able to get back to Frankfurt at night for at least an appointment each night. Then we were able to apply right away what we had learned that day and see how it changed the lesson. So that was also cool to see. I think though if I had my choice staying of temple grounds is what I would choose. It was a good 3 days though. I was able to see a lot of the missionaries I've met and worked with one way or another. It was nice hearing how they were doing and how things were going where they are serving. We were also able to do a temple session which just added to the whole feeling of being there. I really liked it, now it’s back out to your city and apply what we've learned.

 
Last week though was also cool! Elder Anderson and I had a list of a bunch of people who had formerly investigated the church but who hadn't had contact in a while. When we had time we would pick a few off the list and go by and see if they still had interest. Unfortunately we never had a lot of success with it. On Thursday last week after Elder Amandoron got here we chose a couple of the last few we hadn't gone by on yet and went by. At this one building we rang and nobody was home where we wanted, so we decided to try the people in the house. A guy answered and said 'I have no time right now but could you come back on Sunday at 2:00?' We said of course! And so Sunday we went by after church. He wasn't home at the time but his wife said he should be home soon and that we should try back in a bit. So we went back outside and were going to just go do doors on the street but we decided to try the family above them that we were trying to contact in the first place. A lady answered and wasn't interested at all at first and we just continued to say what we were doing and why we were there then she yelled something to someone in the house in some language we didn't understand then she said to us 'Ok we you have time right now can you come in?' (we love hearing this) So we went in and sat down with her and her husband. There were a few people cooking in the kitchen and a little girl was playing on the floor. They were all speaking Romanian as we found out a bit later. They were way cool though! They have a really strong faith in Christ already and were really interested in the Book of Mormon and finding out why it is so important for us. So we made out another appointment to bring back a Book of Mormon in Romanian tomorrow! Then as we left we asked if they knew anyone else who would be interested and they said yea you should try the family below us they also have a lot of questions about God. (Little did they know we actually were going to them anyway!) It was cool though.

 
We went down the stairs and knocked on the door and the wife opened again and said 'ok he's here now come in'. We went in and sat down with the father at the table and he put his bible on the table and sat down. Then said ok, why are you here. It was sweet. ha We explained a little then asked if we could begin with a prayer which he gladly agreed to. Slowly his children came in one by one and sat on the couch to the side of us and just sat and listened as well as his wife and the grandma. Before they were out playing and being loud so that was cool to see. By the end the whole family was sitting on the couches just looking at us and their dad talking. The dad by the way is 27, his wife around there as well, and they have 5 kids! 4 girls and a boy. It’s so cool! The Dad said ''We all believe in God. There is only one God. But there are so many different beliefs in the world and so many opinions about God. I believe that only one of them is right. I am not saying mine is right, I am not saying yours is right. I am simply saying we need to find the right one somehow so that we can truly follow God.'' You can imagine how we felt after he said that ha. We continued to teach about the Book of Mormon and then he said ''When do you have church? I need to come to your church and see how I feel there. I believe it is very important when thinking about a religion to visit their church services and see how you feel there before you know if it’s good'' So we told him when it was and explained to him how church normally went and that his whole family is welcome. He said that he and his family would try to come to church on the coming Sunday to see how it was. We made an appointment out for later this week to bring by a Book of Mormon in Romanian for him and his family. Then we said goodbye and went home for the night.

 
It was so cool! It all just went like almost too perfect it was weird, but a blessing! Both families are from Romania but speak good German and have been here for a long time and both had a sincere interest. We are very excited to continue to meet with them. Finding families is such a blessing and good feeling. It seems to be a rare thing here in Germany to find full families to teach so when it happens it’s really really cool. It’s a blessing and good feeling either way though simply finding someone who has a sincere interest in finding out if what we say is true. And if it is true, what that means for them.

 
It is such a significant thing that we are proclaiming. That God today, out of his love for us, has restored the true and pure church of Jesus Christ to this earth for the purpose of bringing to pass our salvation. Why a restoration was necessary, what it means, and how that affects literally every single individual person. It’s not just some nice thing that happened that can improve our lives or give us a hope to move forward. It is a very literal thing that is very necessary for us to find out if it’s real or not. Then to choose whether or not we will accept it and apply it. He has revealed to us the Plan of Salvation - God's perfect plan for us. When we understand this we understand better why things happen and what we are actually supposed to be doing here. We better grasp the seriousness of our use of our free agency. Almost every choice we make effects our progression or digression, either moving us closer towards God, or further away. There is no gray area. That is something I continue to learn more and more about. Light and dark cannot occupy the same space at the same time. We must realize this, and realize the magnitude of the effects of our choices. When we understand better and consider this more often we think much more about the choices we make.

 
God loves us very much. For that reason, he has created a plan to help us progress. We understand this better when we learn about the restoration of his church and the functions of the church today. Then as we do that we better understand our purpose and what our part is. How we can use these things God has given us to reach this divine potential we have inherited from our Father in Heaven. I am very grateful for the restored church of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for how much it has blessed my life and our family.

 
Before my mission I never really noticed how much it helped us. I'm sure I still do not realize what it has done for us, but I become more grateful for it as I learn more. I am also grateful for you, Mom and Dad, for raising us according to the Gospel of Christ. For putting up with us and being patient with us and for loving us no matter what we do. I am grateful for both of your examples in striving to live the Gospel, and I'm grateful for our Grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and that they strive to do the same. That we have had such a powerful influence all around trying to help us be better and do what God expects from us. You have been 'of God' as explained in Moroni 7:13, “But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.”

Thank you.

 
I love you all very much!! Thank you all for everything. Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Elder Puriri

LETTER #65 IS MIA

If you are a mother of a missionary then you know the state of my mind having not heard from Isaac this week.  Very frustrating!  In an effort to calm my nerves I emailed Sister Muhlstein whom Isaac served with in the Erfurt Zone for a little more than 3 months.  Aside from Isaac she is the only contact I have in the Frankfurt Mission.  

I think that one day when this blog becomes a book Isaac will appreciate this email correspondence so I copy and paste to this blogpost - 

---

Hello Sister MarJean,

Thank you for including us in your email.  I'm sure you are excited to see family and friends again.  I will keep you posted on Isaac's return home and maybe if it is convenient you can attend.  Speaking of Isaac, I haven't heard from him this week.  He said that if we did not see an email on Monday that it would arrive on Tuesday.  Today is Tuesday...there is nothing from him...a mother worries.

Do you know how I can check to make sure everything is fine?   

Laninina

 

Dear Sister Puriri,

Thank-you for keeping track of us. We definitely want to know when he has his homecoming address. We will want to be there. I know that there has been a leadership meeting in Frankfurt for all zone leaders this week. I'm sure that is what he is involved with. He is a wonderful leader and we have heard many good reports from other missionaries who have served with him. He leads gently, but directly and encourages everyone to do their best. I'm sure you will hear from him soon. I follow the blog that you are doing for him, and can see in his words that he remains dedicated to the Lord's work here in Germany. Thank-you so much for preparing your son to become a warrior for truth in these latter-days.

When you come to Salt Lake please let us know as well. We will look forward to meeting you in person soon.

With Love to you and your Family,
Sister Muhlestein

LETTER #64 - FRANKFURT

Hello hello, 

So we got transfer calls this morning! A day and a half late as usual but it’s alright. Not really late since I usually expect them Monday morning then it’s like they're on time! But Elder Anderson is being transferred to Dusseldorf! I'm getting another new companion! His name is Elder Amandoron. He was born in the Philippines and lived there for a while but has been in Germany for like 10 years or so. I worked with him once on a tausch in Heidelberg. I'm excited to work with him. It’s his last transfer though so I only get one with him. It’s a good opportunity to rise up a level for his last six week with him and then hold that level and later rise up more. This is my 11 transfer and he will be my 10th companion! That’s a lot ha, and next transfer I'll have another one. It’s cool though being able to get to know all of them and to learn from all of them. I've learned so much on my mission from my companions and am very grateful for each one of them. So yea, that’s transfers! Six new weeks ahead of us now. It’s always a refreshing feeling and I'm excited for this transfer.

 

The past was pretty cool. We were able to get in contact with a few investigators who we had lost contact with for a while. Now we are teaching them again and they are moving forward. We were able to do a temple tour with a guy named Ruben as well (picture). We live about 30 minutes from the temple here so when we have investigators that would like to go we organize a tour with the sisters there and go. It was cool I hadn't done one before; it was cool to see how the Sisters there did it. Ruben liked it and hopefully he continues forward in his faith!

On Wednesday we got another Elder to our companionship ha. His name is Elder Siebert, from Leer, Germany. He was in the Preston, England MTC and they are off schedule with the Provo MTC. So he came a week early and is with us in Frankfurt for the week since we're right here. Then when the new missionaries from Provo come he'll join all them. It’s been cool though working with him. I had never worked with someone who was brand new before. His German is perfect so there's no worries there, that’s like one of the biggest difficulties to overcome ha.

Last night our plans and appointments fell out so we decided to go to this area that looked pretty nice and do some doors there in the little bit of time we had left. It was sweet though we met a ton of way nice people and made out 3 appointments for this next week with people there. One lady even knew us and had met with missionaries 5 years before or so. It was cool to find people who are so willing and open to listen and also cool for Elder Siebert to experience that.

On Thursday night we had institute in the church. It was a big one where all the YSAs in the stake come to Frankfurt for a fireside thing. We were there early for a quick meeting then tried to figure out who else we could call who could come and would benefit from being there. I decided to call this one kid who is in his early 20s but is pretty shy and doesn't really do anything with the other YSAs in the ward. I had never seen him at an activity at the church before. He answered and said he'd think about coming but he wasn't sure. I told him when it would start and that we were hoping to see him there. The fireside had started and I was sitting on the back row next to a kid in the ward and the rest of the row was basically empty but I couldn't see out the window of the door to see if he had come into the foyer or whatever. I knew he'd be to shy to come in by himself and that he'd either just stand out there the whole time or just leave. I didn't want to get up and go look and have him not be there then come back in and get up and go look later and keep disrupting the meeting. So I said a quick prayer and asked that I could somehow know if he was out there or not so that I could go get him. Right as I said amen and sat up straight the door opened and a kid named William came in and sat down by me. We said hi quickly and quietly then I asked him if anyone else was out there and he said yea Patrick is out there. I shot up and went out and got him and brought him in for the fireside. It was so cool! I had no idea how I was going to know if he was out there or not I just prayed and asked hoping that something would happen and right away William came in and told me! It was a small but cool experience with prayer. Patrick enjoyed the meeting and is planning on coming to some of the other activities this week. Prayer is such a cool thing.

Things lately have been going pretty good. I'm beginning my 3rd transfer in Frankfurt and love the place more and more. The ward has a lot of awesome members and the city has a ton of potential. There’s so much to be done and it seriously feels like there's no time! Just have to keep going forward and giving my best effort. It’s comforting to know that God has a plan and that things will work out one way or another. I've been able to realize more in the last little while how real our relationship with God is. And literal it is that he does know us and love us. There are always tons of questions running through my mind and I'm always thinking about different things trying to figure out why or how. Sometimes it’s so much it seems overwhelming. And sometimes I don't always find the answer to my thoughts, wonders, or questions. I often do though and am very grateful for how real that is.

There are many small experiences and also some big ones where I have honestly felt Gods love for me and have been calmed by these experiences. Even when I still have lots of questions or whatever. I know God is my Heavenly Father and loves me. I know that is true for every individual person. I know with patience and faith I can conquer anything. I know it is not easy and I don't expect it to be. I also recognize at times it all may sound cliche or repetitive. It is however possible and answers are there. Patience plays a huge role. When we want things isn't always when God wants things, if we wait in patience and faith, the end result will be bigger than we ever knew.

I do love this gospel. I continue to recognize and see how much it has blessed me and our family and how it continues to do so. I love my Savior and my Father in heaven. I am honestly very grateful for their patience with me, and I'm grateful for the patience you have all had with me throughout my life. I hope to meet Gods expectations of me and I hope to meet your expectations of me, as well as my expectations of me. However, God’s should cover all of that ha. I love you all very much. I really hope you also strive to recognize and feel Gods love for you. It is always there and manifests itself in the smallest things. Be open and willing to recognize. Thank you all for everything, have a wonderful week. I love you!! 

Elder Puriri

LETTER #63 - FRANKFURT

Hi!
Week six has begun already. Transfers are so weird they begin and end and you don't know what happened in the middle. Elder Anderson and I are pretty sure we'll both be staying, guess we'll find out though. Yes I got the card from Grandma and am very grateful for it! I was planning on writing her back as soon as I can. So hopefully that will be soon ha.

The week was pretty good. Sunday was cool, we taught the young men’s class and talked mostly about preparing for a mission and what it’s like on a mission. It was cool to be able to talk to them about that. I kind of pictured me in their place at their age. Then we tried to plan our lesson according to that. Like how interested we would be when we were 15 or 16 and had missionaries telling us about a mission. Although back home we never really had missionaries in our ward so it was always special when they were there. Here though they've had missionaries their whole lives so it’s nothing special. But it went pretty well and the normal teachers made the lesson really cool.

 
After church I went around trying to meet members as normal and met the stake patriarch who is in our ward. He is a really awesome guy! It was funny though he looked at my name and couldn't pronounce it like normal so I told him you roll the R's but since lots of people have trouble with that you can kind of replace the R's with D's. He could roll his R's though. Then I explained how it’s a Maori name. He got way excited and asked if I was maori and then went off telling me how much he loves the Maori people. He told me lots of stories about Matthew Cowley and the faith of the Maori people. Then he said ''You be proud you are Maori and that you come from a people of amazing faith''. So that was pretty cool. We have such an awesome heritage!!

 
This week I was on a tausch with Elder Carlson from American Fork. He said he knows Sarah, that she was a grade older than him I think. It was cool though he's a good Elder. We went to go by on some potential investigators and they weren't there then when we came around the corner we talked to this guy and it was like miracle! He comes from Nigeria. We asked him what Jesus Christ meant to him and he gave us all these awesome really good answers. Then we asked him if he had the book of Mormon and he said ''Oh the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?!' And we said yes! He said no I don't have a Book of Mormon; do you have one for me?? (Conversation was in English) I said yes actually I do have an English one with me. (The people we were going by on were from Ghana but weren't there so I had their Book of Mormon). As I pulled it out he asked if there was a church he could go to on Sundays. So we told him about it and how he could come. Then as I wrote the address down he said ''yea I am a baptized member of your church. I came to Germany and I could not find the congregation of God so I did not go to church.” I stopped writing and had to rethink what he just said because I wasn't sure if I had heard right ha. Turns out he went from Nigeria to Italy, met missionaries in Italy, got baptized and then a while later moved to Germany. So he was literally lost! It was cool to be blessed to find him and help him find the 'congregation of God' as he called it. Luckily there is a International ward in Frankfurt as well where it’s all in English so that’s where he'll be going. That was a cool miracle though!

 
We have also been working with a kid named Liang from China. He loves meeting with us and coming to the YSA activities. He is still learning German and getting settled here so life's still hectic and stressful. We taught him about prayer and asked him to read Enos. He said he went home and did it then went to bed, then woke up and prayed and ate breakfast. As he was eating and reading a Chinese paper he read something about how so many people now days are stressed and going through hectic times and how they can handle those times. He told us he thinks that’s how God answered his prayer and calmed his worries. Then his computer was broken and he needed it for something. He called and asked a lot of people trying to figure out what to do but couldn't do it. He didn't know how to explain in German what was wrong so he didn't want to take it to a shop. He called us though and asked if we could help him. Then a few hours later he called and said I fixed it! And was way excited. He said he was really worried about it and decided he could try praying. So he was home alone, knelt down and prayed and asked for help. Then he said when he went back to his computer and tried to fix it it all worked out. So he wanted to call us and tell us how prayer worked! It was really cool he had 2 really good experiences with prayer this week. So we're going to continue working with him.

 
It’s been cool to see how the Lord's work goes on. It’s not his work just to get people to obey him and to conform and join his church. It is his work to help people reach their divine potential. HE LOVES US. He wants us to feel and experience his love. He gives us experiences and small tastes of these things and then we have the opportunity to grab on and take it in. So it’s been a blessing to be able to see how others experience these things. Even when they are very small. These small little things can have big effects if we allow them to.

 
God recognizes and knows that for us to learn, grow, and become what is best for us we have to struggle. We have to have hard times, to go through hard things. Our perspective is what makes the difference. We can notice the terrible things going on in the world, the hard times we have to go through, the hard times others have to go through. Then we have a choice. We can blame God, and continue to distance ourselves from him. Which will result in more and more doubt, becoming more and more bitter, and never really gaining the understanding we need. Or we can focus and try to find good and hope still there. We can try to notice and feel his love. God does still do things to manifest his love in our lives. It’s up to us to notice them. Then recognize when we notice them, and try to multiply those moments.

 
I'm grateful for what I've been able to learn in the last while about why we must be patient, why we must struggle, why things are the way they are. Like Elder Busche says 'On the road to salvation let questions arise, but never doubts'. I've had a lot of questions and I've met people who have had a lot of questions, when we don't doubt and try to find an answer, we find an answer! When we have to wait longer for answers or struggle more, it is an opportunity to grow in patience and faith.

 
I hope everyone back home is doing good. I hope everyone is trying to find the love of God in their lives. I wish I could better express how I feel about the gospel but I don't know how. I love you all very much and pray for you all every day. Find good, be happy, and have a good week.
Elder Puriri

LETTER #62 - FRANKFURT

My familyyyyy!!

Hello everyone! I am not sick anymore! It’s so wonderful! I can do morning sport and breathe and feel good! It took a while but towards the end of the week it went away and today it feels like it’s all gone. On the not so good side though, Elder Anderson got sick half way through the week. It’s hard to avoid getting your companion sick since you are always together. He wasn't too bad though then today it’s pretty gone for both of us so we're healthy and ready to go, it’s really nice.

Also I learned how to whistle this transfer! Pretty awesome I know. I'm not the best but I'm getting better. So in a transfer or so I'll be able to whistle good. Its fun because you can whistle basically all the time! Then I can't help but start laughing because I'm so excited I can whistle and its kind of pathetic that I just learned so that’s also a part of the reason I laugh. Then the people on the street or bahn or whatever look at me weird and I ask them if they can whistle and they usually say of course. So I tell them very excitedly I just learned and they think it’s funny. So it works as a good conversation starter! Elder Anderson is a good whistler so he is helping me ha. You learn a whole lot more on a mission then just the gospel! I've learned a lot of cool random things.

Anyway I’m kind of wasting time. I don't have a lot of time today we are supposed to go meet up with our district and we're going to go do something today. So this will probably be pretty short sorry!! My love for you all is growing even if my letters are getting shorter!! This week was pretty cool though. We had 3 tausches in a row it was pretty strange. Elder Anderson and I were together for maybe 6 hours in 3 days. Its tons of fun being able to work with other missionaries though and to learn from them and see how they do things. In one of the districts there is a 'drit' as we call it. Which means trio I guess. That’s 3 elders together. Its when one elder is on his last transfer and then 2 who are in their second. So I went to the 2 younger ones and Elder Anderson worked with the older one in Frankfurt. It was so fun; they are both young and basically ran the area. They have this huge wish to work hard and do things but sometimes just don't know what to do so they have this kind of frustration feeling. It was fun to work with them though.

Right before we tausched back I was talking to the two of them and then one asked how long I had been out and I almost answered back less then year. Then I looked at the date and thought about it and realized it was 14 months to the day. It was like this overwhelming feeling all the sudden that I have been out for so long! I don't even feel like it’s been that long. Then they were both like wow you've been out a long time! I felt like I was just as young as they were. I guess that was when it actually hit me how long I've been out and how little time I have left. Not a very comforting feeling. I definitely gained a little more sense of urgency about things. To them though I'm like the old missionary! So weird. I still feel like I'm one of the younger missionaries. So weird I don't know how to explain it. Our mission is super young right now though. More then half of the missionaries here right now have been in the field less then 6 months. So yea. That’s something weird that happened. I realized how long I've been out ha.

Then on Friday I was on a tausch with one of the APs just here in Frankfurt. It’s not really like a tausch. Well yea since you’re not with your companion but both of us work in Frankfurt anyway and we’re in the same ward so we see them lots. Anyway I was with Elder Ellis and we went by on this guy who we got referred to us. I asked him how he had met the missionaries before and he said he was on a business trip in Samoa and on the plane to LA he was seated next to an Elder returning home. And the Elder talked to him throughout the flight and got his information and then it got passed to us now we're teaching him in Frankfurt, Germany! Pretty awesome huh. The guy was cool he said he'd think about it all and when we called him next he'd let us know how he feels about it. So we'll see, he seemed really cool though.

Then as we left that appointment and were headed to another one we stopped this lady on the street and talked to her about prayer and told her how much it helps us. Then we asked her about her experiences with prayer and she stood and thought for a bit then answered back really concerned and honest and said, 'I don’t know....not good experiences but not bad. I pray, or I try to remember to, but I don’t know if God hears. I don’t know if I'm good enough to have him notice of if I’m praying right' (As a missionary getting such straight honest answers like this is awesome.) We both were able to bear our testimonies on prayer and how much God loves her and knows her. The spirit was strong and she began to cry and said how she didn't feel like she was good enough to have God notice her prayers. We just talked to her about the love of God and asked her if we could meet and share with her how we have felt this. She agreed and we have an appointment this week. It was really cool though just to meet someone like that; very sincere and wanting to feel the love of God. I love being a missionary and having experiences like this!

Well we have to go. I love you all!! Thanks for everything you all do and for your examples. You all individually are a much bigger part of my motivation then you know.

Elder Puriri

LETTER #61 - FRANKFURT

Hi!
Quick pictures – Frankfurt Fireworks and last Sunday I put my camera on the bahn tracks and took that picture.

So about that guy you were asking about mom. (The guy from a couple of weeks ago that they found while doing doors. He was the one who came cursing to the door. He nearly shut the door on Isaac but Isaac pushed on the door with his hand until he finished and then the guy was willing to listen. The story is in letter #59.) We did go back and we were able to teach him. He loves us now and is really friendly. He doesn't know a lot about God so we teach pretty basic but it’s good. He is in the hospital for a foot operation for the week so we won't be able to meet with him. Things seems like they're going pretty good with him though.

The past week was pretty weird. Instead of getting healthier I got more sick! It was super annoying. I thought if I just kept going it would fade out you know but the opposite kind of happened. So we had to stay in for a while and I tried to get healthy ha. Not really a lot I could do other then sit or sleep. We read and listened to a lot of talks and I learned a lot but still it was pretty lame.

I figure the most important thing I learned was how awesome it is to be healthy. And how we need to take advantage of that. I mean I already knew that but I guess I hadn't thought about it in a long time since I hadn't been sick in the last year which was pretty good for me. I compared it a lot to when I couldn't play soccer my senior year. How I didn't really realize how much I loved and wanted to play until I really could not play. Then I developed a real gratitude for being allowed to play. And finally I was allowed to play! I guess I didn't realize how nice it is to be able to go out each day and be a missionary. Until I really could not go out. Each day was like a fire growing in me burning more and more to go outside and be healthy again. I'm almost there! A few more days hopefully and I'll be totally good.

Basically I learned; when fully capable, fully commit. Lots of times you get tired or kind of discouraged so you think it’s ok if I don't give 100% today. You don't think it will be a big deal, or you think ah whatever it’s alright. I'll just do better tomorrow. Then that continues to happen over and over again. You have to do it now. Commit now. Because when there are actual real reasons holding you back or something is over, you have regrets. So when you are fully capable, recognize that and fully commit. That’s basically the short version of what I've been thinking about while being sick ha.

We did have a pretty cool experience this week though despite being sick. We had an appointment with a man named Karsten that we had met the previous week in a bahn. Trolley or I don’t know what we call it…the trains that go down the roads and through the cities. Whenever we get in a bus or bahn to go anywhere we usually split up and go sit by different people and just start talking with them. Its way fun, of course we try to bring the conversation to the gospel but when it doesn't work we just enjoy the conversation! But we got in the bahn this one morning and I sat down across from this guy. I smiled and said good morning then the phone rang. He smiled back and said hello but then I had to talk on the phone. The phone conversation was taking a while so I was praying the guy wouldn't get out soon because I felt strongly to talk to him. Finally I got off the phone and sat there for a bit because I went blank and didn't know what to say. I don't remember really what happened but I ended up talking to him and he was way friendly. We brought the conversation to God then I told him about the Book of Mormon and offered to bring one by to him and he said yes. So I got his phone number and we called him almost a week later and made an appointment out for the next day. At the appointment he was way excited to get the book and everything went really well. Then as the appointment came to an end and I told him how to get to church and which stop to get out at he remembered and said ''Oh yea that’s where you got on that one morning'' I said yep then he said ''yea when you got on and sat down by me I felt something strange. It was a warmth or light it’s hard to explain. I was watching you and you were radiating calmness. I was glad you talked to me'' We explained to him this was the feeling of the Holy Ghost and that he could have that feeling while he reads, prays, comes to church, and meets with us. He was pretty excited about that. I was really grateful though for that. Sometimes you never know how you’re doing or if things are working, but when someone says something like that to you, you know the spirit is being your companion. Because I alone could never have that effect on anyone.

Me being an instrument for the spirit though, it can work like that whenever it’s necessary. It’s like that scripture you mentioned mom in Philippians 2:12-15. 

12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

In fifteen, all of us really are lights unto this world. Beginning with ourselves as individuals, together we will literally light the world. People can and will notice. I've experienced that so much on my mission, even pre mission. You often don't realize how much you affect people until much later. But it is very real.

I love being here, I love the gospel and am so thankful for the experiences I've been able to have and for the things I am learning from everyone. I hope everyone is doing good. Be happy and take advantage of each day. It may all sound cliché but it’s so real! I love you all!!
Elder Puriri

LETTER #60 - FRANKFURT

Subject Line:iiiiiiiiiilllllllllloooooooooovvvvvvvveeeeeeeyyyyyyyyooooooouuuuuu

Hi family!

Yes mom I've heard of Ipads, there’s a few people in the ward who use them they are pretty cool looking. I remember though the first time I saw one a bit ago I was in awe. I had no idea what it was and it looked way cool how the guy was using it. I have to expect things like that on a mission though. I never hear about things like that then I’m in some meeting and the guy next to me is throwing things around on his screen and making it flip around it was cool looking. Then I pulled out my missionary planner and showed him how I organize things. Ha just kidding. That would have been funny though.
Anyway things are good! I’m pretty warm, haven't looked at shoes. Elder Ence reglued my shoe and it’s ok again! It’s ironic you ask about me being sick. Because I'm currently sick for the first time my whole mission! It’s very inconvenient. It’s not too bad. Just a cold I guess but like I said, inconvenient and annoying. It will go away though hopefully real soon.

That’s a cool story about Pres. Anderson’s great grandpa.

Story that I wrote in my email to him - Dad is the Sunday School president and conducted Sunday School. When he opened he said I would like to tell you a story of how life comes full circle. And he proceeded to say that as he sat in Sacrament meeting listening to President Anderson he realized that this Great grandfather of which he spoke is one of the missionaries who taught the gospel to Ahmu. And it is because of this missionary that our son who carries the Ahmu name is now serving as a missionary in Germany. Our family heritage has a direct connection to President Anderson! And just as his Great Grandfather carried the gospel message to Samoa, so you carry this message to the people of Germany. Years from now life will come full circle and someone will tell a similar story of connection. What a strange and wonderful concept.

Remember when we were in Salt Lake and that lady talked to us about Abinadi Olsen? How Grandpa Ahmu was named after him? I was reading a talk a few weeks ago called Reach out and Climb! from Elder Oaks. He talks about how his great grandpa was Abinadi Olsen and was called to serve in Samoa. So that was cool, he must be related to that lady who talked to us that day.

This last week was good though. We have been thinking about a lot of different ways to work with the ward members and to move the work here forward in a different way. Thinking a lot of how to change things! There is a cool feeling here and we're excited to figure out how to push the bucket and figure things out.

I read the talk from the Nov. Ensign 2009 from Pres. Uchtdorf called the Love of God. I felt like I should read it again after reading Pres. Uchtdorf's talk from this last conference about the fundamentals. He talks in the end about building key relationships. The first is with our Father in Heaven. So I thought it would be a good talk to read. Love is so important! And understanding our relationship to our Heavenly Father changes everything! When we develop that relationship and that love, everything else simply follows. We work so much on all of these other things all the time trying to improve and become better and all. But when we nourish our relationship with our heavenly father and develop that love. Other things naturally come from that because we then understand better where we came from, why we are here, and where we are headed. Then we know better what we can do to get there and because we have this love and understand this, our love for others and wanting to help them naturally grows.

So that’s a big focus for me right now; to build my relationship to my Father in Heaven and my love for him and coming closer to him through my savior. Pres. Uchtdorf gives ways how we can strengthen these relationships so I'll be using those too. I really liked the talks from this last conference. And yes mom the one from Elder Christofferson is also very good. So is the one from Elder Scott about character. I am studying those three talks all together kind of and figuring out what I need to do, because they are all very closely related - focusing on fundamentals, developing our character, and consecrating our lives.

All in all things are good. We have a lot to do here and have to be patient as we wait for the results. But it has to be started sometime. Sorry it was pretty quick today! We used the beginning of our p-day to go to the temple which was really nice. Now we have an appointment at the bishops. I hope everyone is doing good. Be happy, be positive. I love you all!

Elder Puriri

LETTER #59 - FRANKFURT

Hello hello,
It’s a brand new year! This last week was pretty good. My new comp., Elder Anderson, is from Walnut Creek, California. He's been out 18 months. He's pretty sweet it’s going to be really good serving together. New years was actually really cool! We were allowed to watch the fireworks. So a bit before 12 we went up to the 11 floor of our building to a senior missionaries apartment with some other missionaries and watched the fireworks from their balcony. It was pretty out of control. In Germany everyone just gets their own fireworks and lets them off and they are like the big fireworks that shoot up into the air and explode big. So all over the city there was tons of fireworks it sounded like a war and went for a solid 25-30 minutes. I took lots of pictures and videos. I'll send you some pictures next week.

 
So that was actually pretty fun. Except in the morning it was lame. Getting up at 6:30 is tough anyway then after going to bed at 1:30 it was way hard. We had some other elders staying the night with us as well and as we got back to our apartment and were getting ready for bed we were all out of it and way tired and one elder just says 'I have no idea how I stayed up late back home'. Then we all thought about how dumb we were staying up late all the time back home wishing we would have taken advantage of the time and slept more ha. Another lesson learned on a mission.

 
Anyway, last week was pretty good. It was a week for figuring things out and dealing with transfers and all but it was good. Elder Anderson and I went out our first night together and were able to find a cool new investigator which was way cool. We were doing doors and I was up for the next door and I rang and as soon as the doorbell rang the guy inside starting yelling and kind of cursing in an annoyed way about people bugging him (we could hear it as he was coming to the door) so jokingly but also kind of serious I said to elder Anderson 'you’re up right?' and he just laughed and said nope you’re up. So he opened up and I started talking to him and he almost closed the door so I kind of put my hand on the door long enough to finish what I wanted to say and he opened it back up and listened. At the end he was listening and said he didn't have time right then but that we were welcome to come back. So we did and we were able to introduce the Book of Mormon to him and make out another appointment! This will be fun being able to teach him. He is from some city close by Berlin so he speaks with a Berlin dialect that is way strong. I have to listen way carefully to be able to understand what he is talking about. Elder Anderson had never heard a Berlin dialect so he couldn't even understand him for the first 15 min or so until he kind of got used to it. So that was funny.

 
Then last night we went by on this contact we had who wanted a book of Mormon in Twi, a language from Ghana. So we went by and this Black guy stuck his head out the window saw us and invited us up. We were able to introduce the Book of Mormon to him and his wife and make out another appointment. It was interesting because he is a minister of another church. He was very sincere though in our discussion and said he would like to read the Book of Mormon and see if it is true. I'm really excited to work with him and his wife more. He wants a book in English though because he hasn't read Twi in so long it’s harder for him then English. So I glued one of those inserts you sent to me mom, in the book and we’re going to give him that. That will be cool. Now we have a new week ahead and it’s also going to be a good week! We're going to be really busy and its going to be fun.

 
So remember when I told you about how the mission had this goal for 200 people. Well by the end of the year we didn't make it. We were around 160 I think. So I thought about this a lot wondering why it was like this. I had heard the stories about the meeting when they set that goal and how it was really spiritual and how they felt it was God's will. But in the end it didn't work. I have also thought about that a lot in setting weekly goals or transfer goals. Where you feel like they are approved by the spirit, then in the end you don't get them. I was confused a lot about this. And I couldn't believe that God would set us up to fail.

 
Last transfer Elder Moffat showed me a scripture, Hebrews 11:39-40, and I had been thinking a lot about that as well. So this morning I decided to study those verses and figure this out a little more and organize my thoughts about this all.

 
Hebrews 11: 39, 40 - And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

 
God knows what we need to experience in order to learn, grow, be refined, and molded into what he wants for us. He knows that in setting higher goals/expectations (expectations of ourselves) we push ourselves. We struggle, we stretch, we reach, we fall, and we get back up and become stronger in the process. When we fall, we can look back and learn, recognize, and figure out what can be done differently. We become more through these experiences than we would in setting lower goals/expectations which do not require as much effort on our part.

 
So I figure we need to work hard to recognize God's will and what he wants us to strive for, then go forward in faith and optimism, conquering the challenges and setbacks we encounter. Always learning, growing and becoming. So with our mission and the 200 baptisms; I think now we look back and figure out what we could have done differently in our work, and change our mindsets to be better servants of our God and brothers and sisters.

 
I believe there are things we can recognize and learn and there are things God wanted us to learn, to recognize and to change in order to bring his work forward quicker. We would not have noticed these things had we set a lower goal and reached it. We would have thought the way we were doing it was good enough, and may not have been willing to change. I believe this is why God allows us to feel like the higher goals/expectations are what we should strive for even though he knows in the end it won't turn out as we planned. He knows the struggles and hardships we will encounter along the way are what we need in order to make the necessary progress.

 
Of course this is not always the case. Lots of time we do meet our goals and our expectations. Other times we don't, simply because a lack of effort on our part. However, when we do all we can to the extent of our knowledge at that point and don't succeed, I believe this is why. I probably still have lots to learn here but I am not as down about not reaching our goal because of what I learned this morning. We may not always receive the promise, but God has provided us with something better through our struggles. We needed the promise in order to work through the struggles. I'm really grateful for study time, and the things we are able to learn. God gives us all he can so that we can learn lots and come closer to him.

 
I hope everyone back home is doing well. Have a wonderful week and be happy!
I love you all
Elder Puriri

LETTER #58 - FRANKFURT

Hi! It was way cool being able to see and talk to everyone. You all seem to be doing pretty good. This email will probably short since we just talked! And ok mom, I'll look around at shoes and all, but I think I'll be alright for a little longer. I also realized I messed up reciting that thing to you but oh well! And before I forget, Happy New Year! A good time to think about this last year, what’s been accomplished and what you want to accomplish next year. Set good goals!

The weather here has been light snow for the past little bit. I talked to a guy the other day who has been in Frankfurt for 60 years and he said Frankfurt has never had this much snow before. It's not really even very much, but I guess for a place that normally doesn't get a lot it is. It was supposed to go away and rain throughout Christmas weekend but it stayed and even snowed more. Snowy winter is better than a rainy winter though I think.

We got transfer calls! Once again they came Monday morning. It’s funny to see the missionaries get antsy when transfer calls get postponed a day, and then another day ha. Anyway, Elder Moffat is headed home Thursday. So my new companion is Elder Anderson. I basically know nothing about him, except he is from the Munich mission and has been in that zone since the change happened so I haven't met him yet. I’m sure it’s going to be really good working with him though.

Beginning of a transfer is always pretty exciting. 6 fresh weeks, new goals, more time, lots that can be accomplished. Then it’s cool to look back at the end and see how it all worked out. I've been able to learn a lot about goals and continue to and hopefully always will. You set a lot of goals as a missionary, a lot that you cannot completely control and some that you can. You can learn lots from both. At the end you look back at each and see how you did to reach them or in trying to reach them. See what worked, what didn't, what can be changed, what will work better. Then you can set new goals and have a built-upon plan on how you will work towards those. Each time you look back, revise how you did, and change what you notice can change for the better. This is always a lot.

I've had a goal to have no regrets through my mission. Now when I think back on past times I realize I could have done some things differently, but at the time I was acting according to my best knowledge. So I don't regret what I was doing then, but I now know how I can do certain things better. It will always be like that. We are always improving but only if you have the wish to. Otherwise you don't act and recognize what could be better, and if you do, you don't apply what you learn. And that would be dumb! We need to be willing to change for the better. That’s why we are here! It works best when we humble ourselves and allow God to change us.

Everyone wants to be happy and have peace. Everyone has different theories and ideas and plans on how to do this. Everyone’s trying different things claiming they have the best way to find peace and happiness. We however are blessed to know that we have a Heavenly Father who truly does know the best way. He has the best plan. So the best thing we can do is surrender our ideas and our plan and accept his, and he will get us there a lot faster than we ever would have gotten there alone.

What God has in mind for us is a whole lot better then what we could ever achieve alone. One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 64:8. I like to personalize it. "But now, O Lord, thou art my father; I am the clay, and thou my potter; and I am the work of thy hand." That’s the best thing we can do. Allow God to change us. Trust him and be willing to become what he has planned.

In conference Elder Eyring said "You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks. If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer in this conference, you will find it. And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you."

We can always learn, but we need to be willing to learn. There is a cool quote I've heard a lot throughout my mission. "We are not here to be, we are here to become." That’s not just mission advice, its advice that applies to our whole lives. God has a lot in store and a lot in mind for us. He is trying to help us prepare for it. If we humble ourselves and use what he has given us, he will shape us to be what we need to be.

I am very grateful for the gospel. I am grateful for my mission and what I've been able to learn. And I'm really grateful for each one of you and the roles you have played, and still are playing in my life, helping me to learn, grow, and become. I love you all very much.
Elder Puriri

LETTER #57 - FRANKFURT

Hello Hello!

Happy birthday Hamilton! That’s pretty awesome you were ordained to be a deacon. And you only had to wait a day after you turned 12. Pretty cool. And that’s really cool you are all going to go to the temple together. Definitely a good Christmas time activity.

 
What’s the weather been like there, any snow?? We got a ton of snow this last weekend. Frankfurt didn't know what to do since they never get this much. It was pretty fun though. We got to church early for our missionary meeting and decided to start shoveling the snow until the other Elders got to the church. Then when they got there they just grabbed a shovel as well so we spent the hour and a half before church shoveling the sidewalks and little parking lot for the church building. It was pretty fun and all the members were way excited to see us doing that which is always good building the relationship with the ward. Lots of snow though. We got over a foot of snow it was cool. We heard it’s supposed to mostly melt this week though and then just start raining which wouldn't be so cool but we take it as it comes!

 
Oh also I got the package! It was really cool, thanks a ton. I already opened all the stuff...hope that was ok. I put the tree up and all ha. That’s about as Christmassy as our apartment gets oh plus the Christmas music we always play. So it’s not too bad! Also more news, we are allowed to skype now. So we can do that since the Ences have a computer they've already offered us. We can do it Saturday at 630pm my time...so 1030am your time I think. Hopefully that works for you! Email me though who I should add on skype from their account so I can call and I will check my email and get it right before. So yea, that will be cool!

 

Anyway this past week was pretty cool!! We had two baptisms in our ward. We were teaching one of the guys and the other Elders were teaching the other guy. They were both so cool and sincere in their desire to follow Christ and be baptized. We were blessed to be able to help them along their way. And on Sunday they were both confirmed and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. The picture is of Elder Moffat and me with Michael and then all of us together with Michael and Klaus.

 
Last night we got the missionaries in our district minus the Senior couples and a companionship of Elders and went caroling to people who live down the road from the church. A girl from California who is working here came with us as well. It didn't start out as well as we had hoped but we decided to keep trying and then it got way good. Surprisingly lots of people didn't want us to sing for them, it was sad but I also found it kind of funny. That’s how the first 30 minutes went then we went and sang for a guy elder Moffat and I are teaching and did people in his area and it got really good. One old lady tried to offer us 50 Euro after we had finished. We actually got offered money a lot and when we explained we just wanted to wish them a merry Christmas and invite them to a Christmas devotional at the church they were pretty shocked. Just caroling for people isn't very big here so it was new for them.

 
We did this lady then asked if she knew anyone else we could sing for and she pointed us over to the next apartment building. One lady opened her window and looked out at us and said she would love to hear us sing so we started singing out in front and then this family opened their window and looked out at us and we just kept singing. Then when we finished the families little kids all started clapping and they all were yelling merry Christmas to us it was way cool. It felt way good seeing the people’s faces as we sang the Christmas songs from the hymn book. You could see they all felt something and they all really enjoyed it. Hopefully we will see some at the Christmas devotional. During all this it was dumping snow; it was a fun caroling experience. The picture is of us all after we got back to the church.

 
Things are going pretty good. I don't really know what all to say since we'll be talking later this week anyway! Merry Christmas though!! Remember the reason for the season in all you do. Of course we should all of the time but Christmas is a special time and opportunity to remember and serve.

 
Sorry this is short. Hope everyone is doing well!! I love you all and will talk to you on Saturday!
Elder Puriri