Another Week

What a great week to report. This was one of the fastest weeks of my mission. Everyday we were super busy and had a lot of appointments. Which was good but one of my favorite things as a missionary is going contacting. I LOVE talking to people. My mission has definitely changed that in me. We talked to a lot of people still and this was a week to remember.

Whats really cool that we are doing as a mission is we are really focusing using the Book of Mormon in finding people. That is the center of our religion and without we wouldn't have the full gospel of Jesus Christ. So we have this new contact method where we go straight up to someone with a Book of Mormon in hand and we ask them if they know it. Then we have about 10 seconds to bear testimony about it. Most people get a little freaked out at first but then it opens them up about religion. Its been so cool to see how Germans are accepting the Book of Mormon and to see how many more Book of Mormons we are giving out lately. We broke a record as a district this past week and gave 36 Book of Mormons out. It's been so cool.

As contacting like that. Elder Lovelace and I have found 4 new investigators and they are all legit too. Patterson is a kid that is 23 years old and he lives in Brazil but he is here studying. He has been coming and we have been teaching him and he seems so open about things. So we will be teaching him. Another is Sahand and is 25 yrs old. He is from Iran and speaks English. He was Muslim but doesn't practice and believe in that. Another is Boli, he is from Africa and loves Africa. He is a cool guy and is about 40 years old. Another is Emrah. He is from Turkey and speaks fluent English. He has heard about Mormons before and was very interested. He is 27 years old or something like that. But the work here in Darmstadt is seriously picking up and the excitement is there. Germany is such an awesome place. It was really hard for me at first because people are so shut off and don't say hi. But as soon as they see us saying hi to everyone and being friendly it opens them up a little bit. I know that's the culture here but I love these people. Its been a blessing in my life to be working with them.

Another great thing I found out this week is on Tuesday I will be going in again and getting both my big toes worked on to take out the ingrown toe nails. I guess they got so infected and they didn't take the one out the one right last time. So I will be going to get my whole nail taken off tomorrow. I am completely fine but I just thought it was funny. Just another stop in the road for a couple days but that's alright. I will send some pictures for sure. 

I had an awesome week. It has been some of the best times in my life. I love the mission so much. If I had to tell anyone who was thinking about it. I would tell them GO! Its the best experience you could ever experience. It's harder then I expected but I have never felt so rewarded in my life. I have finally found whats important in life. Sports are still in my life for sure. But the Gospel is the number 1 thing in my life. I love it and it has saved my life. Before my mission I wasn't the kid the Lord wanted me to be. My desires were those not of the Lord's. But the Lord has humbled me and is building me back up. My desires are those of the Lord's and I have seen that change in my life. I am doing awesome. I love this Gospel. And I love my mission. 

Hope you all have a pleasant week.

Elder Emery

Great Week!

So good to hear from you guys. Sounds like an eventful week for sure. That always makes me happy to hear. It always helps knowing everyone is doing well and everyone is healthy back at home. Being so far away you worry. But it's always good to hear that everything is going well.

This week was sooo fast for us. But honestly such a good week. We have seen some pretty amazing miracles and it has been so cool because now we have 10 missionaries here in Darmstadt. This ward is absolutely incredible the way they do things. Of course there are flaws in every ward but I have never seen such a missionary oriented ward in my life. We have 200 active members but our problem is we have like 230 inactive. That is the big problem right now. So our focus has changed to that. We believe that if we can get the ward to reactivate the less actives our ward will double and then that will prepare them to do missionary work. Its been a lot of fun because all 10 of us have different jobs to do. Its been such a blessing working here in Darmstadt. I could be here the rest of my mission and be fine with it. Working with the Young Single Adults has also been really fun. 

This week we met with 3 potentials investigators we had and also a new investigator we have. His name is Boli and he is from Africa. There are a lot of foreigners here in Germany. Its a lot better living conditions. But this guy loves his African culture. He has lived here for about 20 years. The sisters were teaching him before but they gave him over to us. So that is something new that is happening with us. 

We also learned this new contacting technique this week in Zone Training. Its contacting strictly with the Book of Mormon and always carrying it where ever we go. That is the heart and soul of our religion. So we learned how to bare quick testimony about it. One thing I have learned during my time here in Darmstadt is how its good to be b old. I have always been pretty bold before my mission but since I have gotten out here I have gone to a whole different level. When you are bold but show love at the same time people here really have no other choice but to talk to you. Another thing that is helping me be bold is I have changed my mind set a little bit contacting. I am such a competitive kid and so I have learned how I can use that out here on the mission. I am finding ways to be competitive because that is honestly what drives me. So I have made a little competition with myself. I need to pass out 5 Book of Mormons a week. So I am sticking with that  goal and keeping that competitiveness I have in me.

I love this work, even though its very hard. Elder Lovelace and I are enjoying our time together. We are finding new ways to approach the university and its been so cool the people we find. Its been cool to see how much I have grown on my mission and how much fun I am having. My goal still is to really purify myself. Really let my d esires be the Lord's desires!! I have found out that it has been such a blessing in my life to be serving here in Germany. It's really humbled me but I have found about how important the Gospel is in my life. I hope you all have a great week. Thanks again for the support.

Elder Emery

It's really weird seeing an American truck here in Germany because all the cars are tiny. But it was funny because it was right next to a Smart Car.

Elder Bonzo and I waiting for our bus in Darmstadt.

 

 

        On a train Headed to Heidelberg and I took this pic of the Castle. That's Germany for you.

Grüss Euch

What up from here in Germany? Glad to hear that everyone is doing well and you are all happy. This week was really a sweet week. We got a lot of work done and visited a ton of people. My new companion is super sweet and we are enjoying our time here in Darmstadt.

As I have said I have a new companion. Elder Lovelace, he is seriously such a cool guy. He went to Baylor University on an army scholarship and is actually really funny. We get along great and I am so happy that I get to work with him. My last transfer was a little bit harder on me but I know this next one will be great. Elder Lovelace and I are still the University Elders and so that is still fun. We are still working with all of the young single adults. It seriously is so cool because we go to all the activities and just talk to kids our age the whole day. The young single adults are the future of this church and so President has really been focusing on Uni Elders. I think there are 8 of us in the whole mission. It’s been really cool because the younger people are so much more open to talk to. We spend most our days at the University just trying to talk with people, eating lunch, having appointments with people in our ward and just staying busy. It’s been an awesome time and I really enjoy working with Elder Lovelace.

This past week was our transfers and so it was a bit of a slower week for us. Tuesday and Wednesday we spent pretty much the whole day cleaning the apartments. It’s been hard because all the students were on holiday break. But then this weekend is where the work got going again. Elder Lovelace had a talk in church yesterday so on Saturday night he had to write it. While he was writing that I was going through our area book and all the potentials that I found and I called. I must have called 100 people. 70 were not interested, 20 said to call back another week. And we have about 10 appointments with. Yesterday we met with one of those potentials but it was cool. As we were heading to this appointment we met 3 potentials from Tunisia. We invited them to family home evening tonight. It was really cool because they kept asking questions and wanted to learn more. So we are meeting with them tonight. We then met with this potential and he became an investigator. His name is Sahand and he is from Iran. He is a cool guy. You get a lot of people here from other countries. We have a lot of Chinese, Turkish, Africans, Germans, etc. It’s been crazy meeting all different types of people. But I know this is what the Lord wants from us to do. I am super excited to get this work going. This next week we have a really busy week so that is good.

The weather is very bi-polar here in Germany. The beginning of the week it was pretty warm outside then it got to the weekend and got really cold. It has been clear skies at night and so it is beautiful. At times I can’t believe I am in Germany and not even close to home. Ha, but other than that I am just glad to hear that everyone is doing great. These past 2-3 months I have grown so much; not only in myself but in the gospel as well. I love this work. Yes, it's hard. But I know that we are lead through the Holy Ghost to find those prepared people. It’s a great time to be a missionary. I miss you all but I am doing great. Keep up the great work.

Elder Emery

Nieder Ramstadt in our area. Super pretty. The rolling hills of Germany.

Elder Lovelace and I

Last P day we went up to this Schloss which is like a mansion and just were having fun taking pics.

Elder Lovelace and the hot chocolate we made. SOOO good! One of the best kinds of hot chocolate I have ever had.

Happy New Year!

What a great time of year. I hope you all enjoyed your New Year's. Germany was awesome and I really enjoyed it. This week we were SOO busy and so it seemed like it just flew. I am SOO happy to hear that Statler is home. Man, that made me a little teary eyed seeing all those pictures. I miss that kid so much. He has impacted my life more than anyone. I am so proud of him and I know that I will be there in a year from now and he will get to watch me come home. I can’t lie it’s been a little hard on me this week but I know this is where I am supposed to be at this time and I know he is doing great now. But I am proud of him and I know he will be my brother forever.

Anyways, I really enjoyed this week. First off, New Year’s Eve was CRAZY.... ha we all had to be in by 6:00 PM because apparently it gets so crazy. Which was good because I had about 3 hours to just sit down and to make my goals for the New Year and to glance back at 2013. I learned so much in 2013 but I am glad it’s a new year so I can become that person Heavenly Father wants me to be. But New Year's Eve night was so scary. Haha it was super funny though too. I went to bed early that night at 9:30 because we could, and I was so dead tired from the day. I was sleeping sooo well and then as I was sleeping I just heard "BANG, BANG, BANG!" I literally thought there were gun shots/bombs going off. I woke up and I could hear people screaming and then even more bangs. I sat there for a minute and it felt like I was in the middle of war because of all the fireworks, and people screaming. It scared me so bad but then I realized it was the New Year. That helped me out a lot more. It was hard to fall back asleep because it went on for about an hour but it was a scary feeling. I enjoyed it though. Definitely a memorable experience for sure.

Also, this week was our transfer calls. I will be getting a new companion. I was with Elder Bruneel for only 1 transfer. Crazy stuff, but I learned so much from that kid. The funny thing is, Elder Bruneel will still be in Darmstadt but he will be getting 2 new companions and will be a ward missionary now. My new companion, Elder Lovelace, was in Darmstadt before as a ward missionary and now is switching and coming to be a University Elder with me. Crazy how the Lord works but I am so excited to work with Elder Lovelace. He is such an awesome kid. He just finished training so he is pretty new on the mission. I know we will get along just fine. It will be a new experience for me but I know that this is what the Lord wants for me.

This week we stayed really busy. New Year’s Day was super dead and absolutely no one was out. So it was slower on that part. But I really learned a whole lot this week. About the person I want to be and the goals I have set. I know as I try to reach these goals that the Lord will bless me. I have already seen his hand in my life and am so grateful for this Gospel. I finished the Book of Mormon and I know that it is true. I know that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet of God. I know that I can live with my family for forever. My family means more to me than anything else. I am so grateful for my family. I love this Gospel. I appreciate all your support. You all have impacted my life in so many different ways. I am glad to be a missionary and to be serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ every day 24/7. I'm grateful for my friends who are also on missions. They have kept me safe; and my brother just returning from his mission in Ghana. I am so grateful for him and him watching over me and being that example I needed. I love you all. Keep enjoying all that you do. I am staying healthy and changing as a person. I love this work.

Elder Emery

Nick and his new companion, Elder Lovelace.

Waiting at the train station on a really cold night!