July 9, 2012
Liebe Familie und Freunde:
What a great week! On Tuesday and Wednesday, we were down in Frankfurt for Mission Leadership Counsil. President took us up to a mountain to learn about consecration and a testimony meeting. What a great experience! The was a great feeling to be there with 15 other missionaries, singing "High on a mountain top, a banner is unfurled. Ye nations now look out it waves to all the world." ...but in German :-) My dedication to the work was really renewed. We had some time to go of by ourselves and pray and think. I went to the middle of this huge field. I was kneeling down, really trying to listen to what the Lord wanted to tell me. I looked over and this field was the kind of plants that look like wheat, and a light breeze was blowing them all in unision. I sat there and thought, and the word came to mind, "Nun siehe, ein wunderbares Werk ist in Begriff, unter den Menschenkinder hervorzukommen...denn siehe, das Feld ist schon weiß zur Ernte bereit, und siehe, wer seine Sichel mit aller Macht einschlägt, der legt einen Vorrat an..." Doctrine and Covenants 4. The spirit was strong, and I walked away with some specific things I am changing and working on in order to become the missionary the Lord needs me to be. There isn't enough time to stay the same.
Then we came back to President's house and had a great 4th of July grill! One of the Assistants is a very patriotic American, so all the Americans came together and sang the star spangled banner to President, SIster Schwartz, the two Aussies and the three Englanders :-) It was good fun.
The neatest thing about this week, though, was my deepening understanding of the importance of the Book of Mormon. I was in Hagen on a split with Elder Moore, and had two appointments where we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ, as taught from the Book of Mormon. Then on Sunday, we taught about the Fall of Adam and Eve from 2 Nephi 2. The Book of Mormon is the simplest, purest explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Atonement, the Fall, the Purpose of Life, all is so simply explained in the Book of Mormon. How rare a posession! For some, it is just a book. For some, it is a cool story, or an exciting adventure. For me, it is the word of God; the truth preserved and kept by God to come forth in our days, for our time. It isn't anything new or revolutionary...it is simple the Gospel of Jesus Christ, undefiled and unchanged by the ideas and interpretations of man. And that is cool.
This cycle ends this Saturday, we find out what is happening with moving cities. This coming 6 weeks was Elder Walker's last 6, but he is extending one more until october! I hope we can both stay here in Dortmund. There is so many miracles happening- Kathir wants to be baptised, Fabian is so excited about coming to Church, whether in Dortmund or Paderborn, it doesn't matter to him, the zone is excited and ready to reach the standard of excellence for the mission. There is a feeling of "big things coming" up here in Dortmund, and in the whole mission. The work of the Lord truly is going forward. It is just like Daniel saw in the Old Testament.. a stone cut out the mountain rolling forth, until it fills the whole earth. Everyone will hear this message, everyone will have the opportunity to accept it and make and keep sacred covenants. What a work! What a responsibility we have to keep it rolling! Let's keep on!
Alle meine Liebe!
ElderGarlick
What a great week! On Tuesday and Wednesday, we were down in Frankfurt for Mission Leadership Counsil. President took us up to a mountain to learn about consecration and a testimony meeting. What a great experience! The was a great feeling to be there with 15 other missionaries, singing "High on a mountain top, a banner is unfurled. Ye nations now look out it waves to all the world." ...but in German :-) My dedication to the work was really renewed. We had some time to go of by ourselves and pray and think. I went to the middle of this huge field. I was kneeling down, really trying to listen to what the Lord wanted to tell me. I looked over and this field was the kind of plants that look like wheat, and a light breeze was blowing them all in unision. I sat there and thought, and the word came to mind, "Nun siehe, ein wunderbares Werk ist in Begriff, unter den Menschenkinder hervorzukommen...denn siehe, das Feld ist schon weiß zur Ernte bereit, und siehe, wer seine Sichel mit aller Macht einschlägt, der legt einen Vorrat an..." Doctrine and Covenants 4. The spirit was strong, and I walked away with some specific things I am changing and working on in order to become the missionary the Lord needs me to be. There isn't enough time to stay the same.
Then we came back to President's house and had a great 4th of July grill! One of the Assistants is a very patriotic American, so all the Americans came together and sang the star spangled banner to President, SIster Schwartz, the two Aussies and the three Englanders :-) It was good fun.
The neatest thing about this week, though, was my deepening understanding of the importance of the Book of Mormon. I was in Hagen on a split with Elder Moore, and had two appointments where we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ, as taught from the Book of Mormon. Then on Sunday, we taught about the Fall of Adam and Eve from 2 Nephi 2. The Book of Mormon is the simplest, purest explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Atonement, the Fall, the Purpose of Life, all is so simply explained in the Book of Mormon. How rare a posession! For some, it is just a book. For some, it is a cool story, or an exciting adventure. For me, it is the word of God; the truth preserved and kept by God to come forth in our days, for our time. It isn't anything new or revolutionary...it is simple the Gospel of Jesus Christ, undefiled and unchanged by the ideas and interpretations of man. And that is cool.
This cycle ends this Saturday, we find out what is happening with moving cities. This coming 6 weeks was Elder Walker's last 6, but he is extending one more until october! I hope we can both stay here in Dortmund. There is so many miracles happening- Kathir wants to be baptised, Fabian is so excited about coming to Church, whether in Dortmund or Paderborn, it doesn't matter to him, the zone is excited and ready to reach the standard of excellence for the mission. There is a feeling of "big things coming" up here in Dortmund, and in the whole mission. The work of the Lord truly is going forward. It is just like Daniel saw in the Old Testament.. a stone cut out the mountain rolling forth, until it fills the whole earth. Everyone will hear this message, everyone will have the opportunity to accept it and make and keep sacred covenants. What a work! What a responsibility we have to keep it rolling! Let's keep on!
Alle meine Liebe!
ElderGarlick
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