From Mom 5/31
Dear Family,
We've thought of you travelers every day and prayed that you will be safe and have a wonderful time together. We'll be glad when you get back and can tell us all about your trip. We've thought about you other two too and hope all is going well for you. It would be great if you could get together at a half way point sometime and get better acquainted with each other. We're happy that Zach is now in Florida and are anxious to hear about his experiences. We looked up where Perry was on a map. That whole area looks like it is right in the hurricane area. That makes me a little nervous but I know people there know what to do when a storm is coming in and that mission presidents (and the Lord) take good care of their missionaries.
This has been a week of heavy rain. It was really needed and yesterday and today the sun is out and everything looks green and beautiful again. I'm sure the farmers were most happy for the rain. As we've driven around, we've noticed that particularly the corn was looked a bit thirsty. There are very few sprinkler systems so they really rely on the rain for their crops. Yesterday as we drove out to visit an inactive sister I felt like I was driving in a canyon only the sides of the canyon were trees instead of rocks. There were so many trees and they were touching across the road. We took some pictures and will e-mail them another time.
I have been the "murmuring Sariah" and Dad has been the "visionary Lehi" a couple of times this week. He told me we wanted to take one of the active investigators the Elders are working with with us to an appointment we had with an inactive member, Tim Palmer. This investigator is just starting a new business and needs someone who speaks and knows English well to help him. Dad thought that maybe he could get them together in a business adventure. I was more than a bit concerned but the appointment was made. We went to Tim's house and about all we did was introduce the two men and they took it from there. Tim started telling us about all his problems and that he didn't know what to do and Gunter, the investigator told him he needed to start coming to church and that it would help him if he did. Then Tim asked Gunter how long he had been a member. When Gunter told him he wasn't a member Tim asked him why he wasn't if he believed in what the church taught. Gunter told him he didn't think he had to be a member of "a" church. He told him how he loves to help people, that he believes in God and that he was basically a good man, which he is. Then Tim told him he should become a member of the church, that he wouldn't hurt him but would only help him. We then told Gunter that it was very important for him to continue to help and do good to people but that there are certain things the Lord requires of us for us to return to our Heavenly Father and to enjoy all the blessings in this life and being baptized is one of those things. Then Tim said, "And it's important that it is done by proper authority and that authority is in this church." As I mentioned, Dad and I said very little. The conversation between these two was amazing.
Now for the best part of the story. The next day was Alex's baptism and Gunter came with the Elders to the baptism. There was such a good spirit there. The talks on baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost were just amazing....so down to earth and so personal. At the end, the bishop asked Alex to come and bear his testimony. He was so happy and so excited and his testimony could be felt by everyone.
Just before he left to go home, Gunter told Elder Blackburn that he wanted to be baptized. So that's what he's working towards and we feel that what Tim had told him the day before had a lot to do with that decision. And inactive member and non-member team teach---not often done but this time it was a good experience.
We've thought of you travelers every day and prayed that you will be safe and have a wonderful time together. We'll be glad when you get back and can tell us all about your trip. We've thought about you other two too and hope all is going well for you. It would be great if you could get together at a half way point sometime and get better acquainted with each other. We're happy that Zach is now in Florida and are anxious to hear about his experiences. We looked up where Perry was on a map. That whole area looks like it is right in the hurricane area. That makes me a little nervous but I know people there know what to do when a storm is coming in and that mission presidents (and the Lord) take good care of their missionaries.
This has been a week of heavy rain. It was really needed and yesterday and today the sun is out and everything looks green and beautiful again. I'm sure the farmers were most happy for the rain. As we've driven around, we've noticed that particularly the corn was looked a bit thirsty. There are very few sprinkler systems so they really rely on the rain for their crops. Yesterday as we drove out to visit an inactive sister I felt like I was driving in a canyon only the sides of the canyon were trees instead of rocks. There were so many trees and they were touching across the road. We took some pictures and will e-mail them another time.
I have been the "murmuring Sariah" and Dad has been the "visionary Lehi" a couple of times this week. He told me we wanted to take one of the active investigators the Elders are working with with us to an appointment we had with an inactive member, Tim Palmer. This investigator is just starting a new business and needs someone who speaks and knows English well to help him. Dad thought that maybe he could get them together in a business adventure. I was more than a bit concerned but the appointment was made. We went to Tim's house and about all we did was introduce the two men and they took it from there. Tim started telling us about all his problems and that he didn't know what to do and Gunter, the investigator told him he needed to start coming to church and that it would help him if he did. Then Tim asked Gunter how long he had been a member. When Gunter told him he wasn't a member Tim asked him why he wasn't if he believed in what the church taught. Gunter told him he didn't think he had to be a member of "a" church. He told him how he loves to help people, that he believes in God and that he was basically a good man, which he is. Then Tim told him he should become a member of the church, that he wouldn't hurt him but would only help him. We then told Gunter that it was very important for him to continue to help and do good to people but that there are certain things the Lord requires of us for us to return to our Heavenly Father and to enjoy all the blessings in this life and being baptized is one of those things. Then Tim said, "And it's important that it is done by proper authority and that authority is in this church." As I mentioned, Dad and I said very little. The conversation between these two was amazing.
Now for the best part of the story. The next day was Alex's baptism and Gunter came with the Elders to the baptism. There was such a good spirit there. The talks on baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost were just amazing....so down to earth and so personal. At the end, the bishop asked Alex to come and bear his testimony. He was so happy and so excited and his testimony could be felt by everyone.
Just before he left to go home, Gunter told Elder Blackburn that he wanted to be baptized. So that's what he's working towards and we feel that what Tim had told him the day before had a lot to do with that decision. And inactive member and non-member team teach---not often done but this time it was a good experience. Saturday morning the first thing Dad said to me was that he wanted to drive up and see Klause Filipec. Klause is the young man who was teaching seminary before we came here and all of a sudden disappeared and was looking into joining another church. Then he came back for awhile and disappeared again and wrote and told us he had a girl-friend who belonged to the Old Catholic Church and that he was going to join that church. No one heard from him for quite awhile and then he sent and e-mail to Thomas Mueller and told him that he had had a "near death" experience while he had been seriously ill in the hospital. He said his whole life flashed in front of him and he knew that what he really needed was to get back to church. He bore his testimony of the gospel to Thomas and asked Thomas to forward it to us. Again, I was doubtful. First, it's over 50 miles to where his mother lives and she is very much against the church. Second, we didn't know if he would even be there but Dad insisted that we go. He was at his mother's home. We met her and shook hands with her and that was the last we saw of her. We spent about an hour with Klause. He told us about this girl and that they were getting pretty serious and headed toward a long term relationship. She was hoping that he would join her church and when he didn't want to she told him it was okay if he belonged to any other church but the Mormon church but she would not marry a Mormon. Shortly after that Klause got really sick and was in the hospital for two weeks. We don't know any of the details only that his whole bottom lip was still very swollen and covered with fever blisters. He wanted to come to Alex's baptism but was very self conscious of how he looked but told us he would be to church this week. He has a very strong testimony and when it gets right down to it, he will never deny that testimony but he has a hard time settling down and sticking to anything. Dad heard about a job here in Wurzburg and e-mailed him about it so we'll see what happens. He is such a nice guy---very friendly and the young people in the ward really like him. The bishop is a bit concerned about letting him work with them again because of the instability he has shown. We are hoping we can help him "find his way."
It has been an interesting week. It's amazing how drained we feel when we come home at night after just talking to people. They share a lot of heart felt feelings with us and are looking for answers. We do the best we can and encourage them to continue to pray and ask our Heavenly Father for help and to continue to search the scriptures for answers. The progress is slow but we do see progress. It's a trying, tiring experience but at the same time a very rewarding experience working with these people.
Yesterday the Elders and us did a service project for a couple of hours. There are great big fields of strawberries very close to us and every year the women in the ward get together and go out and pick strawberries. There were several sisters who couldn't go because of having babies and small children so we told the Relief Society president that if some of them wanted strawberries, we would do the picking for them. We picked, and ate, strawberries for two hours. It was good to be outside and in the dirt and doing something different. It was a fun project. And I got some good ideas of what I want to do to our strawberry patch next spring.
Zone conference was this week and that is always a very uplifting time. The theme was "having the pure love of Christ". I marvel at the love and care and concern of our mission president and his wife. Sister Rakow told Dad and I that couple missionaries are very important, not just for the missionary work they do but for the example we are setting for the young Elders and Sisters. Someday I wonder just what kind of example we are setting but it was nice to hear that from her. We will never know what affect, if any, we have on people but will try our best to do what we have been sent here to do.
Last Thursday we had an appointment with Petra. She wanted to go out into the nature again so we followed her out to her favorite little spot in the country. We she got out of the car, she opened her trunk and took out a basket that had a table cloth, glasses, plates and silverware and then a pan that had a delicious casserole in it. It may not sound too good but it was a very typical German dish----potatoes, sauerkraut and sausage. Really, it was very good. We have another appointment with her this afternoon. We never know what to expect when we go to her place.
Guess that about it for this week. It's probably more than you wanted to read but I just wanted to let you know what we're doing. We hope all is well with all of you and that you can all have some "fun" time this summer. I look forward to being home with everyone next summer. I miss mowing the lawn and working in the yard and of course, I miss the family most of all. Take care. Love each other and know how very thankful we are to be your parents.
Much love,
Mom
It has been an interesting week. It's amazing how drained we feel when we come home at night after just talking to people. They share a lot of heart felt feelings with us and are looking for answers. We do the best we can and encourage them to continue to pray and ask our Heavenly Father for help and to continue to search the scriptures for answers. The progress is slow but we do see progress. It's a trying, tiring experience but at the same time a very rewarding experience working with these people.
Yesterday the Elders and us did a service project for a couple of hours. There are great big fields of strawberries very close to us and every year the women in the ward get together and go out and pick strawberries. There were several sisters who couldn't go because of having babies and small children so we told the Relief Society president that if some of them wanted strawberries, we would do the picking for them. We picked, and ate, strawberries for two hours. It was good to be outside and in the dirt and doing something different. It was a fun project. And I got some good ideas of what I want to do to our strawberry patch next spring.
Zone conference was this week and that is always a very uplifting time. The theme was "having the pure love of Christ". I marvel at the love and care and concern of our mission president and his wife. Sister Rakow told Dad and I that couple missionaries are very important, not just for the missionary work they do but for the example we are setting for the young Elders and Sisters. Someday I wonder just what kind of example we are setting but it was nice to hear that from her. We will never know what affect, if any, we have on people but will try our best to do what we have been sent here to do.
Last Thursday we had an appointment with Petra. She wanted to go out into the nature again so we followed her out to her favorite little spot in the country. We she got out of the car, she opened her trunk and took out a basket that had a table cloth, glasses, plates and silverware and then a pan that had a delicious casserole in it. It may not sound too good but it was a very typical German dish----potatoes, sauerkraut and sausage. Really, it was very good. We have another appointment with her this afternoon. We never know what to expect when we go to her place.
Guess that about it for this week. It's probably more than you wanted to read but I just wanted to let you know what we're doing. We hope all is well with all of you and that you can all have some "fun" time this summer. I look forward to being home with everyone next summer. I miss mowing the lawn and working in the yard and of course, I miss the family most of all. Take care. Love each other and know how very thankful we are to be your parents.
Much love,
Mom
(with Reilyn Larson - her little buddy)
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