Fish and Book

Liebe Familie und Freunde:
It really is the small things in life that make it so worth living: Walking out of your way to step on a really crunchy-looking leaf; the full moon; wearing short sleeves in the morning and then changing to long sleeves right before you go outside because of sudden freezing; not being able to open a pickle jar; new mailboxes; changing back into short sleeves at lunch because the weather changed back to summer; seeing stars in the night sky for the first time since February; pictures of a beautiful sister and her fiance'; peaches and cream; eating another full serving of food after already eating two because the host wants you to; tripping of flat ground; smiling and nodding in conversations you have no clue of what's being said; the sound of the pages of the scriptures turning; turning the heater on before going to bed because the summer weather left and fall came back...all in the same day; and the list could go on and on!

I don't normally like keeping track of the time that goes by out here, but today, September 19, is the exact 1/3 mark of my mission here in Germany- 8 months. Where does the time go?! I have really enjoyed going back through my journal and remembering all the good times, the spiritual highs, the physically difficult lows, the subtle change that has come into my life, and the huge changes that are seen in investigators and children of our Father as they recognize truth. This life is really made up of a lot of little things that make it just worth living! As a missionary, I have found that mastering the little things is crucial in order to conquer the big ones. Like with Brother Peeters. He has some great questions and genuine interest to find our our view and understanding. He has questions of Sunday being the Sabbath day, why church is so long, the name of God, Prophets; these things that are of so much importance to him. These "little" individual things, once understood will really help him to embrace the fullness of the gospel. Our job is to bring the Spirit to be with him and allow him the opportunity and experience of finding out these answers for himself. Teaching somebody to fish is a small thing, but can make all the difference in the world. And I have found in these wonderful 8 months that that is how the Holy Spirit works as well- it is the consistant following of the small, quiet promptings that add up to create a period of time of huge spiritual feast! The Spirit it a teacher- He teaches us to fish, just like Christ did when He invited His disciples to come and "I will make you fishers of men". I am so grateful for the learning from this period of time- the time of trying to figure things out, the times of not knowing what to do, the times of trial and disappointment. But in these times, I have learned the most, especially concerning the love of God, the reality of my Savior, and the ways and means of the Holy Ghost.

We were able to have some real neat experiences this week finding and making appointments out with Melinda, Senen, and Bulimbu. It is such a wonderful experience to have bearing testimony and introducing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With all these experiences, the Book of Mormon was the common thread. If the Book of Mormon is true, everything is true. We are trying to help Brother Peeters understand and take that challenge. For his concerns, if he can feel the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, he will know that Joseph Smith and his predecessors are prophets of God, revealing to us the word of God. These new people we found were also touched by the Book of Mormon, just feeling the power of it by seeing it- I know that they felt somthing, somthing indescribable. I love the Book of Mormon! I love the truth I learn and the Spirit I feel every time I read it.

It was just a great week! Tomorrow is Zone Konferenz, which is always a real exciting and enjoyable time!

I know that God knows and understands the little things in our lives. He rejoices when we rejoice and is excited about what makes us excited and happy. He is our Father, in every sense of the word.

The little things just make everything so good!

Viele Liebe,

--
Elder Nathan D. Garlick
German Frankfurt Mission
"Shall we not go on in so great a cause?" D&C 128:22


P.S.... my English grammar and correctness abilities are fading fast.. sorry!