From Dad 1/12/2007
Hi Family,
I know mom is hesitant to give you updates on her so I will take my turn.
She is working closely with Dr. Moody, my past missionary companion now in Frankfurt on a medical mission. Earlier this week he “commanded” her not trouble herself over learning German. It was a big relief to her. Before we came to Germany mom was making good progress in her German. The minute we stepped off the plane and mom realized what she had just done, she went into culture schock! Who wouldn’t? It has nothing to do with one’s capability what one does on a mission it has everything to do with timing. Yesterday we met with a sister Frank who has been a member of the Church for 41 years. She has worked for a judge in the court system for 30 years and is now soon to retire. She is the only member of the Church in her family. She and her mother joined the Church when she was 22. She now has a daughter 31 and her husband who has worked in construction all these years will retire in October. Due to inactivity much of what she understood about the Church and its teachings had been lost. She wasn’t even sure if religion is necessary. (Mom is the one who picked up on this item). As we talked we had prayer together and then began to read in the scriptures and ask questions about how she felt. She said she wants to return to live with Heavenly Father after this life. She also said the only way back to Heavenly Father is through Jesus Christ. She understood that meant keeping His commandments and enduring to the end. We asked for a return appointment. It took us two months to get this appointment. We have one again for next week. She asked mom to say the closing prayer in English. After the prayer mom and Sister Frank looked at each other and Sister Frank said, “I understood your prayer. The spirit teaches me what you are saying”. Mom is a valuable asset to reviving and building desire to come unto Christ in the hearts of these people.
Mom’s living on sometimes 3-4 hours of sleep a day week after week and month after month took its toll. Combined with the culture schock she has had little appetite. She has lost a lot of weight. There are signs that is on the improve. She is not intentionally not eating. It is simply having the desire to want to eat. The institute class she has started to teach helps her to reestablish her identity. At home she was so involved with everything and everyone. Thatis the bottom line of culture schock. Elder Moody’s wife told mom and I at our zone conference in December the most important part of her adjusting to being in Germany was to find a way to become involved. Mom is involved in many, many ways. To have her own responsibility, her own assignment with the institute class has generated new hope and purpose. Our seminary and institute coordinator is brother Fingerle. His father was a missionary the same time I was. We were even in the same district together and worked together a few times.
Next week, unless our mission president wants it to be otherwise, we will start classes to pass a written driver’s license test in March. Idaho requires people from Germany to take a written test so Idahoan’s in Germany get to do the same. There are only Alaska and Idaho that require this.
Thanks for all of your letters, pictures, emails, and prayers. They all help. We love you guys.
Love always,
Dad
I know mom is hesitant to give you updates on her so I will take my turn.
She is working closely with Dr. Moody, my past missionary companion now in Frankfurt on a medical mission. Earlier this week he “commanded” her not trouble herself over learning German. It was a big relief to her. Before we came to Germany mom was making good progress in her German. The minute we stepped off the plane and mom realized what she had just done, she went into culture schock! Who wouldn’t? It has nothing to do with one’s capability what one does on a mission it has everything to do with timing. Yesterday we met with a sister Frank who has been a member of the Church for 41 years. She has worked for a judge in the court system for 30 years and is now soon to retire. She is the only member of the Church in her family. She and her mother joined the Church when she was 22. She now has a daughter 31 and her husband who has worked in construction all these years will retire in October. Due to inactivity much of what she understood about the Church and its teachings had been lost. She wasn’t even sure if religion is necessary. (Mom is the one who picked up on this item). As we talked we had prayer together and then began to read in the scriptures and ask questions about how she felt. She said she wants to return to live with Heavenly Father after this life. She also said the only way back to Heavenly Father is through Jesus Christ. She understood that meant keeping His commandments and enduring to the end. We asked for a return appointment. It took us two months to get this appointment. We have one again for next week. She asked mom to say the closing prayer in English. After the prayer mom and Sister Frank looked at each other and Sister Frank said, “I understood your prayer. The spirit teaches me what you are saying”. Mom is a valuable asset to reviving and building desire to come unto Christ in the hearts of these people.
Mom’s living on sometimes 3-4 hours of sleep a day week after week and month after month took its toll. Combined with the culture schock she has had little appetite. She has lost a lot of weight. There are signs that is on the improve. She is not intentionally not eating. It is simply having the desire to want to eat. The institute class she has started to teach helps her to reestablish her identity. At home she was so involved with everything and everyone. Thatis the bottom line of culture schock. Elder Moody’s wife told mom and I at our zone conference in December the most important part of her adjusting to being in Germany was to find a way to become involved. Mom is involved in many, many ways. To have her own responsibility, her own assignment with the institute class has generated new hope and purpose. Our seminary and institute coordinator is brother Fingerle. His father was a missionary the same time I was. We were even in the same district together and worked together a few times.
Next week, unless our mission president wants it to be otherwise, we will start classes to pass a written driver’s license test in March. Idaho requires people from Germany to take a written test so Idahoan’s in Germany get to do the same. There are only Alaska and Idaho that require this.
Thanks for all of your letters, pictures, emails, and prayers. They all help. We love you guys.
Love always,
Dad
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