Busy!!!

Wow, well what can I say about this week. This week was one of the craziest weeks of my mission. We were all over the place but yet it was one of the most spiritual weeks. But first before I get into that I want to say that we Baptized Daniel this week! Wow is all I can say. When people talk about people changing in the Gospel I think of the example of Daniel. I am so proud of him. He just talked about how he had felt like he was carrying a 100 pound backpack around but after he was baptized that was gone. The confirmation was yesterday in church. When the final words were said, he looks up and is just in tears. I love Daniel and am so very grateful that he is yet another brother of mine. He doesn't speak any english but yet turns to me and says "Elder Emery, Danke Schön und I love you man". Yet such a powerful experience for me. I am so grateful for him. I will send pics for sure!

Again, this week was Zone Conference for us. It was really great. I gave a lesson at all 3 about how we can use our time more wisely. The main theme of the conferences was obedience. Elder Leimer from the Area 70 came and spoke to us all three days. Such a powerful teacher and I had the opportunity to have one on one conversation with him. We talked a lot and it helped me to understand the greater blessings the Lord has in store for us when we are obedient to the little things. A lot of great things happened this week that I can't write down. But I am so grateful for the Zone Conferences. We have SOO many missionaries in the mission and I never realized that till this past week.

Friday we had Mission Leadership Training. So we were able to meet with all the Leaders and talked about Becoming the message. It was a great day spent together and we learned lots as a mission. Saturday was the baptism. Sunday we had church and then last night we went Carolling with the Leimers and the other missionaries here in Frankfurt. It was a lot of fun then we hung out and had hot Chocolate and soup. It was a great night. I am grateful for my mission. I am so very grateful for the many blessings of the Gospel and I feel like I have learned so much in the past 3 months I have been back. More then I have in the first 16 months of my mission. I am forever grateful that I have come back.

I love you all.

Elder Emery

Late Post

Wow, I am so sorry this email is late! This coming week we have an incredibly busy week. We have Zone Conferences and so Elder McGinn and I have been working on preparing those this whole time. Things are staying super busy but also really good as well! I find the weeks go by faster and faster as I am here.

This past week was a busy week for us. We went on a couple splits so that was good. I was able to go down to Wiesbaden and work with Elder Noorda.. He is for sure a preach my Gospel missionary and knows exactly what missionary work is.. That was cool serving with him and seeing how he works. I was also down in Nürnberg with Elder Allen. Elder Allen is such an awesome Elder and really knows what missionary work is as well. My wish would be to have every missionary be like him. He has such a strong testimony of the Gospel and we had a lot of fun. It was stormy that day but we were out contacting in the rain and had a good time together. We also had a lot of service this week. It is always a good feeling forgetting about ourselves and just going to help someone who needs help.

We were able to meet with Daniel again this past week and went through the commandments. He committed to follow them. He is one of the most prepared people I know. He is such a cool guy and I have so much respect for him. He is loving the Gospel and really making huge changes in his life. Whats cool as well is, Jessica invited Daniel and also her Cousin Gabriel who is 13 years old to take the lessons.. We have been teaching Daniel but Gabriel has also wanted to take the lessons so we are teaching him to and he will get Baptized soon. The Lord has been blessing us a lot. The baptism for Daniel is this Saturday so that will be good. The only problem is that we will be traveling the mission the next 3 days for all the Zone Conferences so we won't be able to teach him. Gabriel will be baptized either by the end of this month or beginning of next year. Yet another huge testimony for me why I came back.

 I am so very grateful for the people who have helped me in my life to become the person I am. I have learned so much through all the trials I have had. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real!! We can use it in our lives in so many different aspects. It's all apart of God's plan for us and it's there to make us become better. I want my will aligned with the Lord's will. And in this time I have never wanted it more. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is what helps people become happy even in this crazy world. This week as I was reading in Alma I came across this verse.. Alma 36:3 says "And now, oh my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day".

The Lord is waiting for us to be ready enough to be willing to follow his will. I encourauge each one of you to find what the Lord's will is in your life is and do it. Doubt your Doubts before you doubt your faith. Be strong, live the principles of the Gospel and you WILL be happy. It's as simple as that.

I love you and miss you and pray for you daily, Have a great week!

Elder Emery

Christmas Season

Hey, I don't have too much time today but I hope things are going well for all of you. Things here in Germany are continuing to progress and this week was another super busy week for us.

We had transfers this past week so a couple days out of the week we were strictly just in the mission home. We had our meetings there and were able to meet with all the trainers and new missionaries and train them. Another great thing was we have a new investigator.. Her name is Lina.. She is 19 years old and is the daughter of a less active couple! Started talking to her about taking the lessons and she is excited and wants to learn more about the Church. She is super cool so I hope things will progress with her.

I was on 2 splits this week with Elder Lovelace and Elder Simpson. 2 great Elders who really love the work. We were able to do a lot of missionary work. On Saturday, Elder Simpson and I were able to do 7 hours of straight finding.. It's been freezing cold here in Germany so that was a bummer.. But we talked with a ton of people.. Unfortunately, we didn't see too much success out of it but talk about a mission and building character.

Daniel is still preparing to get baptized on the 20th so keep him in your prayers. The work is moving forward.

This week I learned the Atonement from a different perspective. Talking about how we can forgive others for something they did to us. I think its the natural man in us to say that "someone hurt me and I can't forgive them for that". But one thing that I learned this week is that if we really want to receive forgiveness for our sins from God.. We have to be able to forgive others for what they do to us. This was such an important lesson that I learned this week.. Continuing to get more humbled and humbled as the weeks go by. D&C 64:10 "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men". Such a powerful lesson. 

I love you all. I pray for you daily.

Elder Emery

He is the Gift

Family, I think this is the best time of year.. With Thanksgiving and then Christmas around the corner it is a great time! We had a great week here!

Just want to start off with some good news.. We set a baptismal date for Daniel our investigator for December 20th!! It was such a cool lesson and was super spiritual.. Talk about the Lord preparing someone to partake of the Gospel. His story is absolutely amazing. What's even cooler is that his girlfriend is a member and has just barely been reactivated and brought him along.. She wants an eternal marriage in the temple and now since Daniel is getting baptized they can do it! So that was a high of the week.

Another high was Thanksgiving of course! I loved it and it really felt like I was at home as we went to the Robertsons. Thomas, Shirley and David were there as well and we were able to share the new intitiative, "He is the Gift" with them. They are 2 families who I love dearly and have made us feel at home so many times on the mission. I am grateful that we were able to spend Thanksgiving with them and we had a huge turkey and mashed potato feast. It was a great night!

This week we also were able to do transfer planning where we planned for the coming transfer and made the necessary changes. Transfer day is this Thursday. Elder McGinn only has 1 more transfer and then I will be getting a new companion. The time goes by super quick but nothing is better then being in the service of the Lord. 

This past weekend was another great weekend. We were able to go down to Heidelberg where I saw some good friends. Sister Lyons who I served with in Darmstadt is serving there and she is honestly an angel! She is one of the strongest sister missionaries I know. Elder Brown and Elder Mayne as well are studs! So that was cool to catch up with all of them! We had another Thanksgiving down there and it was great!

This week was a great week and I am so happy.. I wouldnt change this mission for anything! Again, I am so grateful that I came back and I get to be apart of such a great work here in Germany! I love it so very much and have been blessed to be here. I swear I have changed more in these past 2 months then I had in my first 17 months of my mission! This is the time of the mission where I understand and speak the language and missionary work is just second nature. Which is great. It is helping me be that person that Heavenly Father needs me to be. And again serving along side my best friends in other missions and my boys here in this mission. I love this work. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Have a great week!

Elder Emery

Thanksgiving

Hey Wonderful Family

Well I don't have to much time today but thank you for all the emails! Know I love them and am grateful for all the letters and emails I receive! This week was a really good week! Things went super well and we stayed really busy. We were able to go on splits this week with the Ramstein American Elders who work with all the Americans, Elder Pratt and Elder Boam. We were able to go on base where people in the army live so that was really cool. Just how blessed we are to have people who serve our country for the freedom we have. 

We had MLC on Friday which was a really good meeting.. With this new initiative, "He is the Gift" coming out, I had the opportunity to introduce it during that meeting and it went really well. The church is amazing with things they do. 

Friday night we were on another split with the Nürnberg Elders and they came here to Frankfurt. I was with Elder Hobson. We met a 27 year old girl named Nancy who is half American half German! She was really cool and it was cool.. We both walked passed her as she was looking at a bus schedule at a bus station. We both had a feeling we should talk to her.. We talked to her and we are meeting with her this next week! Great experience. We weren't able to do a whole lot of work in our area this week because we were driving all over.. But we were able to go visit Jessica in the hospital and then Daniel came to church for the 4th straight week.. So that was cool to see our investigator come! 

We met with some members this week and then just continued to prepare for this next week where we have to do transfer planning where we make all the switches for the mission. It should be a good week! I hope you guys have a wonderful week. I pray for you daily and continue to be grateful for all the support that I have around me! Because this week is Thanksgiving I challenge you all to write down a list of all the people and things you are grateful for.. We have a few appointments for Thanksgiving but I love this time of year.. I am grateful for so much that I have been given in my life! The Lord is Good!

Elder Emery

"The nearer a person approaches the Lord, the greater power will be manifest by the Adversary to prevent the accomplishment of his purpose". Heber C. Kimball

Humble.

Hey Guys, I didn't get a whole lot of emails this week or were really short but that is totally fine. I hope everything is going good. I am still doing great, just the same routine every monday but I'm glad you guys are doing good!

This week was one of the most humbling weeks of my life.. I have really been studying about being meek and how one can do that. I feel like I have received so many answers in my life but I just am too selfish to do anything about it. This week helped me so much I feel like to take a step up in my progression. I finally realized this is the time where I need to change the things that I am bad at and continue down the path in which God has laid out for me. That is my goal and I feel like I am doing great but still so much to learn.

I finally realized also this week is that things have changed.. Whether they be at home or in my life right now as a missionary.. People come and go.. You really truly find out who your true friends are and realize the gospel is what's important in this life. Things have changed at home and here on the mission but that is what life is all about. Just got to move on and continue to do the service of the Lord.

This week was a bit rough on the other hand because Elder McGinn got sick on Monday night and was puking everywhere.. The next day we were down and had a ton to do in the office. We were planning on splitting with the Zone Leaders in Wiesbaden that night but he wasn't feeling good enough. He was not feeling good at all. Then on Wednesday he was feeling a lot better and we moved the split to Wednesday night. So that whole day we were able to meet with a couple members. We met with the Galz family again and we made so epic music. He has this sound recording room and we were down there making music. It was a lot of fun and opened him up a lot to missionaries. So here is where the bad part comes in.. We had to go back to the office to pick some mail up for Wiesbaden and so we did that. As soon as we left the office Elder McGinn asks if I want a pop tart. I told him no and that I was feeling a bit sick.. We started heading down to Wiesbaden and right before we got to the autobahn something hit me and I had to throw up.. I literally opened the door and just puked all over the road. Now I had the dang flu.. ha that was a super long night for me but I am feeling a lot better now. Just was super funny. After I threw up Elder McGinn turns to me and says "Im glad you didnt barf up my pop tart." haha

The whole next day we were in Friedrichsdorf for their Zone Training and so it was a little bit more relaxed day. That night I was feeling a lot better. Thursday night Düsseldorf Zone Leaders came down and we split but ended up in the office the whole time because we had the CCM reports. Which are reports of the whole mission for the Stake presidents. We got them finished late saturday night and got home at like 12:30.. another late night. But that was great! Friday night we drove all the way up to Dortmund and split with them. I had never been up there before and it is a great area. We played soccer Saturday morning and then were able to do some finding and set up for a baptism that the Siegen Elders had. It was a great split with Elder Miller.

Our investigators are doing great. Daniel came to church again for the 3rd week in a row so that was cool. He is such a great guy and I bet he will be baptized soon. Hopefully before Elder McGinn goes home. But he is making progress and reading and praying and keeping his commitments. Jessica and Francis are doing good as well.. We met with them only once because Francis got his wisdom teeth out but hopefully we can meet with him more this week. The Roa's are doing great as well.. Continuing to make progress so that they can get sealed in the temple. I love my mission!

Sunday was a great day as well. We got lots done and were able to meet with Benny who is a member. Its been great being back.. I love being able to teach these German people and to help so many missionaries out. I am learning so much every single day and am forever grateful for the friendships I have made here.. I am grateful for this Gospel. God's will is a lot greater then ours. One last thing I learned that has helped me so much as I have been back was a quote by my good friend Jabari Parker when he said: "Just be the same person you are in the dark that you are in the light". Remember this and just like I always say The Lord is good my friends. I love you all.

Elder Emery

Week 6!

Liebe familie,

Wow, another really quick week! I swear the time goes by faster and faster.. It feels like yesterday that I wrote. But again I'm happy to hear everyone is doing good.

This week was really good and we were super busy. A lot of good things were learned this week and I had some amazing experiences. There is so much I could write but I never know which stories to put in. So I will try to go day by day.

Tuesday we were in the office the whole day trying to figure out everything for this coming transfer. So we did not do a whole lot proselyting that day. We had a Less Active lesson with a family that night that was super super interesting. They are such an awesome family and are so full of energy. Elder McGinn and I were pretty much split.. He was talking with the Dad and I was talking with the Mom. It was great to get to know them a lot better. We finally understand why they don't come to church and so we pinpointed the lesson on "The Blessings of the Gospel". It was a great lesson and we invited them to come to Stake conference.. They unfortunately did not show up but we were able to set out another appt this coming week!

Wednesday we went on a split with the Frankfurt Zone Leaders and so I got to be with Elder Baker again! I love that Elder, it was so cool being with him. When we talk about a mission changing a missionary I think of Elder Baker, our first transfer we did not get along.. But now we are best friends! We have both changed so much. It was good being with him again. We were able to go do some contacting and go by a ton of people on our list. We got lots of work done and talked with lots of people. Did not see to much success but it was good and I learned lots from him.. he is in the same group as I am and it finally feels nice because we are at the points on our missions where we can understand and speak the language so its not as frustrating.. I love teaching with these Elders because they are really good at it and I learn so much from them. It was a solid day. We met again with our investigators.. They are great and making slow progress but they are getting there!

Thursday we had Zone Training here in Frankfurt with our Zone and it was really good. Elder Baker and Elder Lovelace are studs and set up a great meeting. A lot was learned about Prayer, habits, and centering our lives on Jesus Christ. When we understand the Gospel we understand the greater picture of Heavenly Father's plan for us. The closer we get to our Savior Jesus Christ, the stronger the Adversary gets.. So we must continue to study, read and pray daily! I am grateful for my mission and teaching me these things! After Zone training we taught a family. Absolutely incredible family who have gone through SOO much.. Elder Lindsey worked a ton with this family and they were less active for awhile. Now they are coming every week and are stronger then ever. What was cool was that their son, who is 18 years, baptized his little 11-yr old brother about 2 months ago.. Now they are coming every week and the mom wants to take the whole family and go get sealed in the temple and she wants us to teach about the temple.. A total 180 degree turn and honestly is such an inspirational story... That is what is amazing about this Gospel.. When we let it affect our lives the Lord steps in and changes us to the person he wants us to become! I am so grateful for the things that I have learned and that I can be able to help this amazing family.

Friday was another great day, Friday morning we had a conference call with all the Goldens and Trainers. President wanted me to talk about our Personal Culture and how we can establish good habits.. This is something I am not good at and continuing to learn and get better but it went really good I thought. Elder McGinn talked about PMG (Preach my Gospel) and again just taught so well and was really good. President Stoddard continues to amaze me with his Testimony and is one of the most loving people ever. Talk about a man of God. I love that man and if I could live the life he did I would love it. He cares for every single person around him like it's his own kid. Incredible man.

We also were able to teach a less active that day. But what was really cool is another Less Active that is coming back to the church invited us over and we were able to teach her and her boyfriend.. Her boyfriend is about 23 years old and is honestly such a cool kid. He was soaking in everything we were saying and we were able to give the first lesson.. We asked him if he would pray to know the Book of Mormon is true and he agreed. Another amazing lesson that I will never forget. The spirit was so strong. I love helping people and serving them. Thats what honestly brings me happiness and living after the Gospel! Great day, Friday night we drove all the way up to Jena, which is East Germany! We planned on going on a split with the Jena Zone Leaders. Such an incredible drive, castles everywhere and what was really cool was as you drive to the east there is a massive sign saying "Berlin Wall". Where it used to be and where they took it down.. it was cool experience cause I had never been to the east before.

Saturday: on this split I was with Elder Hawker. One of my good friends from the MTC.. We always had wanted to go on a split together and we finally got to go on one. It was absolutely amazing!! Jena is such a cool place. Like I said it is in the east and the east is a lot different. Not a whole lot of people believe in God and are very shut off. We had an appt set up.. But that appt fell out so we had 8 hours of straight contacting.. and I LOVED it! I love bearing testimony out on the roads. And Jena is soooo beautiful and pretty.. i will send some pics but it was cool! We ended up talking to over 300 people I swear and got 1 contact out of it :) Ha so that was good! But it was good talking to Elder Hawker about life and being able to go contacting again. Great experience, we talked to a an older couple as we were out in a little dwarf and they gave us the history and their experience living behind the Iron Curtain.. It was really cool because they lived through World War II and also lived behind the Wall.. Awesome experience!

Sunday was good. We had Stake conference down in Darmstadt and so i was able to see all the members there again.. I love that ward!!! One of the greatest wards. It was sooo good to see all the members down there and talk with them again. Nothing is better then seeing people you taught and helped come back or just gained relationships with. I loved it. We met with the less-active family again and she cooked for us. She is a really good cook. She made a soup with Crab, fish, and squid. It was actually really good but the squid was a little bit different. We taught them the commandments. That was that day though.

Sorry to be so long. But This week was good.. I am continuing to learn more and more. I have been continuing to study about Christ's life and everything he did for us. I love this Gospel with all my heart and am so very grateful for it. I hope you all have a great week! I love you.

Elder Emery

Crazy Busy Week!

Hey you all

Glad to hear the week went good and we are enjoying the blessings of the Gospel. I am glad to hear that Halloween was great as well.. They don't celebrate it to much here but there were some people that dressed up. I didn't receive any pictures though so if you could send me some that would be great!

I don't think I have told you about Elder McGinn.. This kid is a stud!! ha from the very first day I met him we became great buds and it has only continued to get better. We love working together.. it's been great! He is one of the best teachers I have ever met.. He can teach a rock and convert it! Whats cool is we both are very sport mindedness.. He will play football for BYU after his mission. He went to Timpanogas High School and lives down in Orem!

This week went by so fast.. We were incredibly busy with all the new missionaries coming in. I will try to add everything that we did by day so I cover everything.

Monday was our P day.. Elder Lindsey wanted to pick up a few things before he went home and it was also Elder Lovelace's birthday so we took him out to Lunch. That night we went over to Königstein where the castle is and walked around for a bit. That night we met with Christian Ottiker for some Raclette dinner.. That was really good and we talked a lot about the world and how Satan is trying to trap us in things that seem important but really aren't. I learned lots and it was a lot of fun. After the appointment we went over to Thomas and Shirley's so that Elder Lindsey could say goodbye one last time to them at their home. Then got home super late that night.

Tuesday was another really busy day for us. We met with a bunch of members and missionaries that Elder Lindsey wanted to see before he left. That took us up to about 5:00 and then we went over to President Stoddard's and had dinner with him and Sister Stoddard and planned for MLC (Mission Leadership Counsel) and also the lessons we were going to give to the Goldens and Trainers the next day. My lesson was on "training your successor" and "how we can reach our goals." It went really well I thought. Tuesday after dinner Elder Lindsey had his Leavers interview and so Elder McGinn and I were just preparing for the crazy week that was before us. Lots and lots of work to do when 26 missionaries are coming in and 16 are leaving.

Wednesday and Thursday were the crazy days of the week. I have never been so tired in my life I feel like..Wednesday morning early we picked up the Goldens from the airport. I talked with Elder Homer and he is a great guy!! Let Shawna know that he is doing great! That morning we took all the Goldens back to the church here in Frankfurt and there were 3 stations.. Orientation to fill out all papers for visa's and stuff, Contacting on the zeil, and also interviews so that President could interview all of them. I stayed at the church to make sure everything was running smoothly and we ran into a few problems.. But we got it all done and the Goldens were super tired! ha at 5:00 the Goldens trainers' and us all had dinner. 26 trainers and 26 goldens can get crazy. At about 6:00 the goldens went back to the hotel to sleep and we then trained the trainers. Thats where I gave my lessons and I think they went really good. A lot of good insights were said. Elder McGinn my companion is an incredible teacher and its been awesome to teach right along side of him. After that we had to plan for more things the next day with President and we then had to deal with a few missionary related things that night and didnt get back till 12:00.. we were dead! haha

Thursday was the days of the pairing meeting and also of the leavers day. We paired the Goldens with who their trainers were going to be at the Hotel and then all headed to Hauptbahnhof where all the missionaries meet for transfers to head out to their areas. It was cool seeing all the missionaries together again and be able to see all the people in my group! Those guys are my boys and are all doing great. That day the AP's, President and Sister Stoddard and all the leavers go to the Temple and do a session. This was the most spiritual part of my week for sure. I LOVE the temple and I have had a lot on my mind lately. I am grateful for the experiences that I had there and I realized a lot of things about people in my life and it all makes sense now! I got some answers to some questions I had and I am doing really good. It was a great experience. After that we went out to eat with them and then came back where we had the final leavers testimony meeting. In this group its cool because the Sisters who entered in the MTC with me all went home this past week. So they finished their 18 months.. They are all honestly like Sisters to me.. ha they are awesome! I will send a pic over of them! It was cool to see that they finished something hard and how excited they were. A mission does change a missionary if he is willing to obey the commandments and the rules. It was a bittersweet feeling hearing Elder Lindsey say his final missionary testimony. That guy gave it everything he had. I am happy for him for what he has at home.. It was cool because a lot of members were there that I and Elder Lindsey worked with so I was able to see all of them again. One of the members gets married in the temple on the 11th and she wants me to be there :) That will be my first live sealing I see and I am excited! That is my number one goal is to marry in the Temple and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with my Eternal companion. That will be down the line though :) haha I still have plenty of time! But we then took all the leavers to the Hotel and got back again at 12:30 from everything..

Friday morning I was absolutely dead tired!! Waking up at 6:30 and continuing the day.. Its hard work but nothing better then it! Friday was the day of MLC where all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders come in and we train them from what President wants. it was a great meeting. Again, there are so many missionaries who I respect and are such good missionaries. All the missionaries who are in the leadership positions now I know personally and its cool to see all of them. Sister McMurray a good friend of mine gave a killer lesson about attitude and how we need to have better attitudes. She said something really cool though that helped me understand what we do as missionaries. She said the phrase "We leave Jerusalem." Comparing to Lehi and his family and how they left EVERYTHING behind. They don't think about the things at home but whats here on the mission. It hit me hard because I have not let everything go from home.. But I want to become a new person and change! She did a great job and it was really cool. So that is the phrase I use because of her "We Leave Jerusalem." Overall MLC was awesome! Lots of good insights and lots of new changes in the mission. President really emphasizes about how if we know our Savior Jesus Christ and act as if he were to act here then we would see miracles. He really wants us to study him and his life. Which I love because I still have a lot of weaknesses that I want better. I got to be patient with myself and with others. It's been a good new calling for me and has been humbling to see how the Church operates and how everything is ran and seeing it from a different angle. All cool stuff.

Saturday and Sunday were days where we did lots of contacting and met with some members and less actives and also a couple New converts. Overall it was great and I am so grateful for this week. Super busy and I think I got only 40 hours of sleep.. But honestly what makes me happy is following what the Lord wants. Trying to align my will with his. Because in all honesty I am not perfect and I have my weaknesses. I am trying to clean my life through our Savior Jesus Christ and become like him. I have been the most happiest in my life when I put the Gospel first and let everything come after it. No one can take my testimony from me. This work is the Lord's work!

I love you all, have a great week!

Elder Emery

The sisters from my MTC group at the temple:)

Lesson with a new convert.. He's great!

Sooo sorry it's sideways!! But with Elder Hawker at MLC.

week 4

Liebe Famile,

A tiring week for sure on my part. Ha, but that is the life as a missionary. Things are going really well for us right now. This week we met with a lot of members for Elder Lindsey since this next week he will be coming home. It will be so weird having him gone.. He was my trainer and we became best friends and then for the past month I was able to work with him again. Its amazing to see what the mission can do to someone and how the Gospel affects peoples lives. He served a very good mission and was loved by many. He is a great example of someone who loves and cares about the Gospel and people. I will miss him for sure but I'm excited for him and what he has at home. He has helped me so much in so many different things and there was a reason why I was with him when I first came out and then again when I came out the second time. I love that kid.

Since he will be leaving he has been teaching Elder McGinn and I all that he knows. He has been here for almost a year in Frankfurt so he knows a lot. This past week we had so much going on and there is so much to write but I will just write an overview. This week we were able to go on 3 different splits.. We went with the Heidelberg Zone Leaders and that was a great split. We were able to teach a couple lessons there that were super good lessons with some members. We had a split as well with the Tech Elders who work in the international ward here and that was solid. And then again with the Dortmund Zone Leaders this past weekend. This week was a bit slower because we had SOO much work to do in the office because of transfers which absolutely drove me crazy. That first opportunity I got to go contacting, we did. I was able to find a 17 year old kid who has been really trying to find God in his life. We were on the Street Train here in Frankfurt and it was super loud. I was able to get his number and we hopefully will be meeting with him soon. Contacting is still the same as usual.. talk with lots of people and get denied a lot. But you learn to grow a shell and to just keep doing the Lord's work because that is what we are called to do.

We had transfer calls this past Saturday and so this coming week will be super super busy for us. The new goldens will be coming in on Wednesday and then we have to train the trainers how to train a new missionary. Then on Thursday are actual transfers and then Elder McGinn and I will be with all the people who are leaving the whole day and go to the temple and be working with President on that. I am excited. I don't want Elder Lindsey to leave but he has done a great job and I have learned a lot from him.

We were able to teach a couple investigators this week.. My German is finally coming back really quick.. At first I was a little bit rough but its coming back fast. Its cool because I feel like I am all the way back now.. it took me a couple weeks. Feels like I hadn't even left in the first place!! But it's been good to be a missionary again. I love it and would do anything for the Lord. The Lord is good! :) I love living this Gospel. It honestly brings true happiness if we just live it and keep the commandments. I can't wait to be able to share that with my family in the future and be able to live with my family for eternity. I love being on a mission because it helps you understand how important families are in this life. It teaches you the things to do and to not do. So hopefully I can learn everything I possibly can right?! 

I love you guys. I am doing great and pushing forward. There is still so much to learn for myself but I feel like I have been doing so well and pushing through those trials. Life is great! As Golden Holt always said, "Fight the fight and enjoy the ride because it only happens once."

Elder Emery

Our Savior

I am so grateful for the love that I have back home and for all the letters I have received. You guys are honestly the best. I honestly love being a missionary!! Forgetting about myself and just serving others is great! I believe this week I finally realized how powerful our callings are as missionaries and the authority that we hold. This week was a great one and I am so grateful for all the things that I learned.

First off, this next week is the last week of the transfer and so this past week we were Transfer Planning and making changes to companionships. It's amazing how much thought and prayer go into planning and how inspired President Stoddard is. I am so grateful that I was able to be apart of it. We have 250 missionaries and its cool to be able to serve every single one of them. It keeps us super busy but it's opening my eyes up a lot. This week we also had a lot of lessons and I swear I learned more from the lessons then our Members and our investigators. I was taking notes in the middle of the lesson. Again, just understanding how powerful it is to be a missionary. I almost forgot about it when I came home but it's been so cool to see missionary work from a different angle this time. As missionaries we get into habits and I am getting into those habits again but just from a different perspective now which has been cool.

We are working with a lot of members and new converts. We have 3 investigators right now and they are all progressing. We work with a lot of families who have been struggling as well which has been cool. Being a missionary just helps you understand about relationships and how they should be. It's so sad to see how many relationships break up because they forget all the positive things and only think on the negative! On Saturday night we met with Thomas and Shirley out in Köppern and it was amazing. We talked about their conversion and all the little things that went into it. Shirley started talking about when she was learning about Jesus Christ and didn't understand why he loved us so much to give his life up for us. She began to explain her experience of when Elder Smith and I went over to teach them and how she was getting Ice Cream for us and she went to give David more ice cream and she hit the bowl and it fell off the table and shattered. It was one of David's favorite bowls and David heard it and ran into the room that shirley was in.. He saw it was shattered and started screaming and crying and ran into his room. Shirley felt super sad about it and started crying as well and was heart broken. But it was that experience that helped her understand her relationship with Jesus Christ. She started talking about when you really do truly love someone that you would do absolutely anything in the world for them. When that bowl broke she knew that it would hurt David and break his heart. She felt the pain of David and related that to Jesus Christ and the pain he goes through when he loses one of his children or when one of his children makes a mistake. It was that experience that helped her understand Christ's love for his children. I have grown to love my savior. I have needed to repent in my life for many different things and I am grateful that he brought forward the atonement to help me overcome my habits and to be able to forgive me.. But our perfect example is our savior Jesus Christ. He loves us to give his life so why can't we learn from his example and love those around us just like Jesus Christ loves us. I am still weak but I am happy and continuing making steps forward and thats all that matters is that we are continuing to refine our lives every single day.

This Letter is long but I will leave you with a spiritual thought that has helped me so much. Going along about Jesus Christ and the example he is. He taught it so purely and clearly. Even though we are going through tough times in our life and how the world is getting crazier and crazier by the day. I believe this illustrates it perfectly. 

A scripture that we find in John 16:33 says: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

This is my goal. Even when I was home I felt like I was drifting away from my normal Scripture study and prayer. Getting to caught up in Social Media or other things that were holding me back. But we can overcome the world. The Gospel brings true and everlasting happiness. I love this Gospel and I am so grateful for all the trials I have gone through in my life. Coming home was tough and coming back out was even tougher. But again I am so grateful that I made this decision because I have learned so much, even in the past couple weeks. I know that everything will work out if we just trust. The Lord gives us no commandments without a way that is prepared to help us. All we have to do is serve the Lord with everything we have and put the Gospel first in our lives.

I am so happy, I don't think I have ever been this happy. Things at home are going great and I am super happy being a missionary again. Of course I miss being home and being with my friends and family but I finally feel like I understand what it means to be a missionary. I am grateful for my family and friends for supporting and helping me make this decision to come back. I would do anything for the Lord and my testimony has just sky rocketed in the past couple weeks. I love you all. Have a great week.

Elder Emery

Back in Germany!

Guten Tag!

Well I guess you could say this was my first week down.. ha honestly was a great week though! I feel like I received a ton of answers on what I need to do and things in my life.. I have finally understood why I needed to come home and why I am back here.. It was super tough being home and I have never felt that lost and desperate in my life! But I am glad that the Lord put me through that because it only helped me grow that much more.

This week was full of everything that could ever possibly happen to a missionary.. ha we stayed super busy and were all over the place and mission! I've got two of the greatest guys as companions and I love these guys. They have already helped me so much with decisions and Elder McGinn and Elder Lindsey are great! This past week I have received a lot of answers to prayers and unknown questions I have had. The Lord works in mysterious ways and sometimes we are so confused why we have to go through things or what the purpose of those things are.. But the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us. We just have to have an open heart and continue to push forward.

We went on a few splits this week. We drove over to Kaiserlautern to go on a split with a couple Elders there who are working in the American Area. That was great because I got to work with Elder Rogers who is such a great Elder but just hasn't seen a whole lot on his mission.. We had a very successful day and we just went and talked with so many people. We ended up setting 5 potential investigator lessons up and both the Elders there were super happy. It was good for me to experience because I love talking to people and contacting and it was great to get to do that again and see some success out of it. The next day we then drove over to Nürmberg which is about a 3 hr drive. And we had yet another great split there and has a street display. Saw a couple really bad incidences tho.. I was driving down there in Nürmberg with Elder McGinn and Elder Ward and I wanted to turn left.. as we were turning a train hit a dude and killed him! Yet again seeing everything as missionaries.. Super shocking and nothing that no one ever wants to see.. But it showed me how delicate our lives are and how careful we need to be in this world. Just be careful and know that I will be careful here as well! But I got to see President and Sister Schwartz again!! That was awesome, Elder Lindsey is leaving in a couple weeks so we dropped by their house and had lunch and stuff with them. He is a patriarch and said some very cool things to me that I will never forget and have written down for sure. They are amazing people and they live over in Feucht down by Nürmberg. we stayed super busy this week so that was good.

I love serving the German people and now get to serve Missionaries through out the mission. I have to be honest it is very difficult re adjusting back to missionary life.. But we sometimes have to do hard things in life. I am grateful for the experiences and the rollercoaster life I have had in the past 18 months but I am super excited to serve the Lord with everything I have these next 6 months.. The Lord is Good as I always say because he is. I love this Church and this Gospel. I have so much more to learn but I am excited what these next 6 months have in store for me. I love you guys, Happy to hear you are doing well!

Elder Emery