Hey Dad,
I'm sorry to hear about Brother Robins. I have remembered him and his family in my prayers every night this week. I hope that they are doing well and that Sister Robins is holding tight to the sealing covenant that she has made with him. I've also been praying for Sister Russel so it's good to hear that she is also doing well. I'm glad that you and the Elders got to teach XXXXX about the gospel and help him resolve his concerns with his Dad's death. How did he receive the message of the plan of salvation? Did it help him have a better understanding on this life and why we are here and where we go? There isn't really any film that we show regarding the plan of salvation. There is a short 5 minute film about happiness that introduces the lesson but we don't have any films. So I've also never seen the film that you used to teach XXXXX. It's a good thing that the Elders also enjoyed it.
The picture of New Beginnings was crazy. I don't recognize any of those girls any more! Where did they all come from? I am so amazed that you bought each of the girls the Dr Seuss book of ''Oh The Places You'll Go''. I still remember reading that book to Ella Rogers and just being blown away at the spiritual message that Dr. Seuss teaches. I love that book and it most certainly changed my outlook on life. The church should attach it to the triple combination if they could :) What a great idea you had to give them all a copy. Thanks for passing its message on.
I think its funny that you and Eli are fighting with each other about who made who sick. I hope that you two both get better soon. Are you working right now or are you packing everything up until you start again at the Veteran Health Administration? I'm glad that you feel you will be able to use more of the talents that you have collected from these past three years and also from your MBA. It always feels good when you are able to use all the tools that you have to offer. I'm glad that you were able to receive contact from Kylee. Sorry that I'm not there to do anything and that you're left to organize everything. I really appreciate all that you have done for me and are doing. I'd be happy really to work anywhere that will hire. Again, I'm sorry you are left to deal with everything.
So Saturday night I received a call from our branch President. He explained that a speaker had fallen through and asked if I would talk in church. He said I could talk on whatever I would like but that it would be best to talk about referrals since the branch presidency has decided to have one talk each month about referrals and member missionary work. So I found this AMAZING article written by Elder Eyring in the January 2009 Liahona. It's called "Raising a Voice of Warning" I believe. Anyways Elder Eyring explains that one day all those that we know are going to know what we know about the gospel and they will know that we had it and whether or not we shared it with them. Elder Eyring shared some wonderful experiences about being a good member missionary and also not being such a good one and how the duty relies on the members to find the people and the missionaries are the facilitators to making covenants. It is a very serious talk and one that I highly recommend that you give the Elders in the ward so that they can share this message with members or that it is one that you just read to the ward. It is so important that we as members do our part and just invite. Something our branch president says a lot is that we too often make the decision for our friends without giving them the chance to make it them self. A statistic they shared with us in the MTC is that for 1,000 people that missionaries meet with or talk to, only 1 will be baptized. But for every 7 a member talks to about the gospel and introduces to the gospel, 1 is baptized. That is such a huge difference. If the members can just come to understand and know their roles we will be able to really build up these stakes in Zion. Our ward is doing really great with referrals these past two week. Just yesterday a member pulled me aside to give us a new name and information about someone to go by on. We've received 8 referrals in just this month. That's awesome. I'm really grateful for their efforts to help the work. We spent a lot of time contacting them this week. No one was really interested but we were able to give them Books of Mormon or a Proclamation to the Family pamphlet and just let them know a little more about the church and invite them to our services. We're planting the seeds!
On Tuesday we were riding past the intersection where I got hit by a car and saw a lady hit a man on his bike and then when she pulled up on the side walk she almost hit a pedestrian. I am not the only one on a bike who has been hit there! And the man was hit during the day time. The car drivers are just not paying attention unfortunately. Dad, if you have time next week, would you please attach a picture of me when I was 8 and getting baptized. I think there is one of me standing in the sun outside the church or one with you and me together inside. I'd really like to use it for a few lessons this next week.
I love you Dad. Thanks so much for all your support and love. I really look forward to coming home and just spending time with you. I keep seeing all these stained glass windows and think about how fun it'll be to work in your shop with you again. Make sure to make a great week. I love you!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Upping and Upping and Upping until we come to the top of the hill.........
Hey Mumma,
Surely Germany has to get warmer soon but it seems that stubborn Ariel went to stubborn Germany. We had beautiful weather last Monday and Tuesday and then it just dropped all of a sudden and then Saturday afternoon it started snowing and has yet to stop. There is lots of snow everywhere. I'll attach some pictures that I took this morning.
It is a shock to hear about Brother Robins. I had made sure to pray for him this week and his family as Dad had asked me to. I'm glad to know that although it was a tough situation that Nyla and the family are continuing to do well and that they really understand the meaning of that sealing covenant they made. I never knew he was a champion ice-skater! I just remember him being Bishop when I was little and being a little intimidated by him as all little people are of authority but also remembering that he was a really nice man. I really liked him.
That's great that Annette has found a place to live. I don't mind when the lease starts. I'd think July or August would be good. I'm not sure when school starts but I'd like to be able to move in before it does. Seeing as I have two more years left at school I'll probably be there for the next two years. If you feel better about one month than another then you can choose.
I'm glad you took Eli and Jared to Margaret Abernathy's. Is the ward doing anything for her birthday? Be sure to tell her I said Happy Birthday. I'll look for a card or make her one today. What is going on with her health wise? I love how you, Dad, Karma, and Stefan are just a fun wild bunch. That band (The Zombies) sounds really neat. Did you know of the band before? We didn't have day lights saving today. I'm not sure when Germany does it but I know we fell back so we have to spring forward sometime, right?
Don't worry about not getting the Book of Mormon stories at deeper levels. I feel like some people when trying to just understand the stories the first time read too deep and then miss the whole concept. These past two weeks it has just become really apparent to me how we are still in a battle and that when we arm ourselves with our covenants and the armor of God we can fight those armies of temptation and Satan that try to bring us down and take us over. I am excited that we are inching closer to third Nephi. And that we get to learn more about the awesome missionary duo or Lehi and Nephi, those two are my favorite. This past week I had been studying a lot about the plan of salvation. I came across Alma 42:5 that talks about if Adam hadn't transgressed then he would have had no space for repentance. I really like how that is put. It really just helped me to be so very grateful for the fall and that we do has this space or in German ''Zeitraum'' (time period) to repent. Heavenly Fathers plan is so very perfect.
So XXXXX , Holger's wife, was supposed to have been baptized two weeks ago. From what I've heard everything went through. How awesome is that! I'm so very excited for them.
Thanks for all your support Mumma. It's hard pushing through the weeks but by the end I realize that they had just been flying by. Thanks for supporting me to go on a mission. This was the best decision I could have ever made for my life. I love you! Make sure to have a great week!
-Ariel Nell
Surely Germany has to get warmer soon but it seems that stubborn Ariel went to stubborn Germany. We had beautiful weather last Monday and Tuesday and then it just dropped all of a sudden and then Saturday afternoon it started snowing and has yet to stop. There is lots of snow everywhere. I'll attach some pictures that I took this morning.
It is a shock to hear about Brother Robins. I had made sure to pray for him this week and his family as Dad had asked me to. I'm glad to know that although it was a tough situation that Nyla and the family are continuing to do well and that they really understand the meaning of that sealing covenant they made. I never knew he was a champion ice-skater! I just remember him being Bishop when I was little and being a little intimidated by him as all little people are of authority but also remembering that he was a really nice man. I really liked him.
That's great that Annette has found a place to live. I don't mind when the lease starts. I'd think July or August would be good. I'm not sure when school starts but I'd like to be able to move in before it does. Seeing as I have two more years left at school I'll probably be there for the next two years. If you feel better about one month than another then you can choose.
I'm glad you took Eli and Jared to Margaret Abernathy's. Is the ward doing anything for her birthday? Be sure to tell her I said Happy Birthday. I'll look for a card or make her one today. What is going on with her health wise? I love how you, Dad, Karma, and Stefan are just a fun wild bunch. That band (The Zombies) sounds really neat. Did you know of the band before? We didn't have day lights saving today. I'm not sure when Germany does it but I know we fell back so we have to spring forward sometime, right?
Don't worry about not getting the Book of Mormon stories at deeper levels. I feel like some people when trying to just understand the stories the first time read too deep and then miss the whole concept. These past two weeks it has just become really apparent to me how we are still in a battle and that when we arm ourselves with our covenants and the armor of God we can fight those armies of temptation and Satan that try to bring us down and take us over. I am excited that we are inching closer to third Nephi. And that we get to learn more about the awesome missionary duo or Lehi and Nephi, those two are my favorite. This past week I had been studying a lot about the plan of salvation. I came across Alma 42:5 that talks about if Adam hadn't transgressed then he would have had no space for repentance. I really like how that is put. It really just helped me to be so very grateful for the fall and that we do has this space or in German ''Zeitraum'' (time period) to repent. Heavenly Fathers plan is so very perfect.
So XXXXX , Holger's wife, was supposed to have been baptized two weeks ago. From what I've heard everything went through. How awesome is that! I'm so very excited for them.
Thanks for all your support Mumma. It's hard pushing through the weeks but by the end I realize that they had just been flying by. Thanks for supporting me to go on a mission. This was the best decision I could have ever made for my life. I love you! Make sure to have a great week!
-Ariel Nell
Marching forward
Lyndel,
That was such a funny story from Auntie Isobel. Haha! (I shared with Ariel the following stories: Earlier this week I was sleeping peacefully in bed up against mikes shoulder while he was laying there reading scriptures on his ipad mini. He sleepily let his ipad mini fall toward him, except it hit me in the forehead! I woke up abruptly in tears and Mike grumbled something about everything being fine and to go back to sleep. It was a horrific experience. I posted about it in Facebook and Aunt Isobel said this: "Many years ago, having an nap on my then to be husbands single bed (without him) his alarm clock fell from the headboard. I subsequently got a black eye. Boy did I have a hard time explaining that to my Mum.") I can only imagine what Grandma would have said about Isobel's black eye. Sometimes I wish I could meet Grandma and Papa sooner than later. I really look forward to getting to sit down and talk to them about everything they lived through and all their life experiences.
I'm glad you enjoyed a supervised ''date'' with the Elders. Ha! I'm sure Dad was a little confused about that one. (This experience was shared with Ariel: We fed the Elders on Tuesday night. Took them Wild Ginger actually. Anyways as we were leaving Dad called them and Elder Romero goes, " Hi Bishop! We're just finishing dinner with your daughter. (Pause) Oh! And your son in law too!" Haha - It didn't really click until after he added that last bit, that it sounded like I had taken them on a date. Haha.)
Kylee (Sister Openshaw) would always dance for me when backing me up in the car. It always made for an entertaining time driving the car. I hope no missionary has ''accidentally'' hit their companion. If he did he better watch out for some lightening because backing up into a missionary is like trying to kill an apostle, that's a no go roger. (There is a missionary rule - worldwide I think - that says that one missionary must stand outside of the car and direct the other out of parking spots. For safety reasons maybe, so they don't hit anyone?)
Well last Monday and Tuesday we enjoyed glorious weather as in it was maybe 8°C. That's a big deal people! Well then, it decided it didn't like being so hot and has significantly dropped to where Saturday afternoon is begun snowing and hasn't stopped. There's lots of snow outside and wind that likes to blow it all around. Todays p-day activities include staying inside where its warm because we're allowed to. We had a lot of appointments fall out so we ended up doing a lot of doors Saturday. One lady we met said that she felt bad that we had to be out even in this weather. Na ja (No worries), as long as you keep moving you collect funny stories with every person you talk to. Its supposed to continue snowing until Thursday. We heard there was a big snow storm in Washington D.C. How is everyone there?
This week has been good for us. Time is flying. I feel like we just had p-day and here I am again at the computer writing emails. I've started to anxiously sleep. You know, like when it was Christmas eve and we all felt like we were going to pop out of our skin if Christmas didn't come soon enough and then Andre would wake up at 4 or 5 am because he just had to check out all the presents first? Well I keep anxiously sleeping thinking its time to go home but its not. I need to psych myself out of it so my heart can just have a rest!
Sister Jensen is getting more and more accustomed to the area each week. She klingeled ( door knocked) her first entire building this past week. She isn't a fan of talking to strangers so she still has the shy factor but she is growing and expanding her horizons each week :) She does a really great job of asking questions in our lessons. She always seems to know what to ask to get the people to open up. Her German is a lot better and she is getting more comfortable sharing experiences with people.
XXXXXXX picked the end of April to be baptized. We are having a bit of trouble getting her to come to church and so this past week we have taught lots about church and the sacrament and our baptismal covenant. She said she is getting a bad conscience about not going to church so the spirit is working in her to get her to come. She's just got to do it on her own time. No, there aren't any old ladies as fabulous as Schwester Munke. We do have older ladies here but shes the best of the best. We have an Italian family in our ward, like straight born and raised there. Every time I get to spend time with their family I feel like I'm home. Especially when they're all yelling in Italian :) And the lasagna and pasta they make tastes like I know it should taste. They're fun.
The picture is of me walking to the church just two hours ago to do emails. I look like a fat Michelin man :( The second one is the path through the woods we take to the church. Have a great week Lyndel. I love you bunches! Remember to have some fun!
-Ariel Nell
That was such a funny story from Auntie Isobel. Haha! (I shared with Ariel the following stories: Earlier this week I was sleeping peacefully in bed up against mikes shoulder while he was laying there reading scriptures on his ipad mini. He sleepily let his ipad mini fall toward him, except it hit me in the forehead! I woke up abruptly in tears and Mike grumbled something about everything being fine and to go back to sleep. It was a horrific experience. I posted about it in Facebook and Aunt Isobel said this: "Many years ago, having an nap on my then to be husbands single bed (without him) his alarm clock fell from the headboard. I subsequently got a black eye. Boy did I have a hard time explaining that to my Mum.") I can only imagine what Grandma would have said about Isobel's black eye. Sometimes I wish I could meet Grandma and Papa sooner than later. I really look forward to getting to sit down and talk to them about everything they lived through and all their life experiences.
I'm glad you enjoyed a supervised ''date'' with the Elders. Ha! I'm sure Dad was a little confused about that one. (This experience was shared with Ariel: We fed the Elders on Tuesday night. Took them Wild Ginger actually. Anyways as we were leaving Dad called them and Elder Romero goes, " Hi Bishop! We're just finishing dinner with your daughter. (Pause) Oh! And your son in law too!" Haha - It didn't really click until after he added that last bit, that it sounded like I had taken them on a date. Haha.)
Kylee (Sister Openshaw) would always dance for me when backing me up in the car. It always made for an entertaining time driving the car. I hope no missionary has ''accidentally'' hit their companion. If he did he better watch out for some lightening because backing up into a missionary is like trying to kill an apostle, that's a no go roger. (There is a missionary rule - worldwide I think - that says that one missionary must stand outside of the car and direct the other out of parking spots. For safety reasons maybe, so they don't hit anyone?)
Well last Monday and Tuesday we enjoyed glorious weather as in it was maybe 8°C. That's a big deal people! Well then, it decided it didn't like being so hot and has significantly dropped to where Saturday afternoon is begun snowing and hasn't stopped. There's lots of snow outside and wind that likes to blow it all around. Todays p-day activities include staying inside where its warm because we're allowed to. We had a lot of appointments fall out so we ended up doing a lot of doors Saturday. One lady we met said that she felt bad that we had to be out even in this weather. Na ja (No worries), as long as you keep moving you collect funny stories with every person you talk to. Its supposed to continue snowing until Thursday. We heard there was a big snow storm in Washington D.C. How is everyone there?
This week has been good for us. Time is flying. I feel like we just had p-day and here I am again at the computer writing emails. I've started to anxiously sleep. You know, like when it was Christmas eve and we all felt like we were going to pop out of our skin if Christmas didn't come soon enough and then Andre would wake up at 4 or 5 am because he just had to check out all the presents first? Well I keep anxiously sleeping thinking its time to go home but its not. I need to psych myself out of it so my heart can just have a rest!
Sister Jensen is getting more and more accustomed to the area each week. She klingeled ( door knocked) her first entire building this past week. She isn't a fan of talking to strangers so she still has the shy factor but she is growing and expanding her horizons each week :) She does a really great job of asking questions in our lessons. She always seems to know what to ask to get the people to open up. Her German is a lot better and she is getting more comfortable sharing experiences with people.
XXXXXXX picked the end of April to be baptized. We are having a bit of trouble getting her to come to church and so this past week we have taught lots about church and the sacrament and our baptismal covenant. She said she is getting a bad conscience about not going to church so the spirit is working in her to get her to come. She's just got to do it on her own time. No, there aren't any old ladies as fabulous as Schwester Munke. We do have older ladies here but shes the best of the best. We have an Italian family in our ward, like straight born and raised there. Every time I get to spend time with their family I feel like I'm home. Especially when they're all yelling in Italian :) And the lasagna and pasta they make tastes like I know it should taste. They're fun.
The picture is of me walking to the church just two hours ago to do emails. I look like a fat Michelin man :( The second one is the path through the woods we take to the church. Have a great week Lyndel. I love you bunches! Remember to have some fun!
-Ariel Nell
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| Michelin man Ariel on her way to do emails |
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| Their path through the woods to the church |
Monday, March 4, 2013
March 3rd 2013, Goodbye CDC
Dad,
Kylee will be getting married in the Oakland temple, and her family lives an hour and a half away from San Fransisco. I'm not sure where I will be staying but I can ask Kylee if it is possible to stay at her parents or something. I just got the email from her today about which temple. Kylee is the one I was with for 6 months in Halberstadt and she is an Elementary school teacher.
I really love the Romans 1:16. Its one of my favorite scriptures and really motivates me to keep spreading the good news. Some people try to make us ashamed of what we do or what message we bring but then I think back to Paul writing to the Romans and other times throughout the new testament where he says ''I'm not ashamed''. It's kind of become my inner motto, ''I'm not ashamed so why should you be?'
It was amazing to read your story of helping the investigator out with her concerns. There is nothing better than a great relationship between the missionaries and the Bishop so that we can keep the missionary work going. Sister Jensen and I have been studying this past week how we can work better with our bishops and branch presidents. The work you have in the Dunwoody ward is only going to keep progressing as you and the Elders continue to work together. This past week we got to meet with our branch President, President Daniel. At the end of our meeting he asked us if there is anything that he could help us with. We explained that we need to get more referrals. Over the past 4 months we have been averaging about 3 a month. He made a note about it and said he would talk about it on Sunday and then gave us a referral and told his friend that we were going to stop by. We were able to teach his friend about the Book of Mormon and invited them to read in it. At church on Sunday, President Daniel announced in Priesthood about their responsibility to spread the gospel and then got up and bore his testimony about giving referrals. Something he mentioned, is that we often make the decisions for our friends whether or not they'll accept the message or not. He said we have nothing to lose and it is not our choice to make but theirs. After Church we received two more referrals so now its our job to contact all of them ASAP. I just wanted to let you know thanks for all your missionary work and the example that you are to our ward.
Would you share with me your experiences of meeting with the missionaries and what you remember about the lessons? I loved hearing about how you came to know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and how that truth was restored to you.
I'm shocked that you're no longer going to be at the CDC. Are you sad about that? Will you be working at the Veterans Hospital? Where is your new office. I'm excited that you get to move onto something new and that you'll be able to use your MBA skills more fully. I'm sure that will be very rewarding. I'll be sure to keep the Brother Robins and Sister Russel in my prayers. I hope everything gets better for both families.
We are down to less than a month before the man that we have been preparing to go into the temple gets to go. It is so very exciting and he is really looking forward to be with his wife for time and all eternity. It is such a pleasure to meet with them and to help them both grow in their testimonies of the temple. This last week we got to talk about D&C 128 about doing work for those who have already passed on and this week we will talk about D&C 132 about the sealing power and the blessings that come from it for our family. XXXXXXX informed us on Friday that she will be getting baptized. Sister Dean and I had invited her many times but it wasn't until she received that confirmation from the Spirit could she say '' I want to get baptized'' instead of ''I should...'' I am really excited for her. She asked me if all her sins would really be washed away and I told her they would and she was just so excited. She said she had been feeling the spirit all day so strongly because of this decision she has made. We have a bit of a ways before us but because SHE has made this decision she will have more conviction to prepare herself for baptism.
Thanks for all your love and support Dad. I miss you and love you and so thankful that you're MY Dad! Have a wonderful week and enjoy starting work at the Veterans Health Administration!
-Ariel Nell
Kylee will be getting married in the Oakland temple, and her family lives an hour and a half away from San Fransisco. I'm not sure where I will be staying but I can ask Kylee if it is possible to stay at her parents or something. I just got the email from her today about which temple. Kylee is the one I was with for 6 months in Halberstadt and she is an Elementary school teacher.
I really love the Romans 1:16. Its one of my favorite scriptures and really motivates me to keep spreading the good news. Some people try to make us ashamed of what we do or what message we bring but then I think back to Paul writing to the Romans and other times throughout the new testament where he says ''I'm not ashamed''. It's kind of become my inner motto, ''I'm not ashamed so why should you be?'
It was amazing to read your story of helping the investigator out with her concerns. There is nothing better than a great relationship between the missionaries and the Bishop so that we can keep the missionary work going. Sister Jensen and I have been studying this past week how we can work better with our bishops and branch presidents. The work you have in the Dunwoody ward is only going to keep progressing as you and the Elders continue to work together. This past week we got to meet with our branch President, President Daniel. At the end of our meeting he asked us if there is anything that he could help us with. We explained that we need to get more referrals. Over the past 4 months we have been averaging about 3 a month. He made a note about it and said he would talk about it on Sunday and then gave us a referral and told his friend that we were going to stop by. We were able to teach his friend about the Book of Mormon and invited them to read in it. At church on Sunday, President Daniel announced in Priesthood about their responsibility to spread the gospel and then got up and bore his testimony about giving referrals. Something he mentioned, is that we often make the decisions for our friends whether or not they'll accept the message or not. He said we have nothing to lose and it is not our choice to make but theirs. After Church we received two more referrals so now its our job to contact all of them ASAP. I just wanted to let you know thanks for all your missionary work and the example that you are to our ward.
Would you share with me your experiences of meeting with the missionaries and what you remember about the lessons? I loved hearing about how you came to know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and how that truth was restored to you.
I'm shocked that you're no longer going to be at the CDC. Are you sad about that? Will you be working at the Veterans Hospital? Where is your new office. I'm excited that you get to move onto something new and that you'll be able to use your MBA skills more fully. I'm sure that will be very rewarding. I'll be sure to keep the Brother Robins and Sister Russel in my prayers. I hope everything gets better for both families.
We are down to less than a month before the man that we have been preparing to go into the temple gets to go. It is so very exciting and he is really looking forward to be with his wife for time and all eternity. It is such a pleasure to meet with them and to help them both grow in their testimonies of the temple. This last week we got to talk about D&C 128 about doing work for those who have already passed on and this week we will talk about D&C 132 about the sealing power and the blessings that come from it for our family. XXXXXXX informed us on Friday that she will be getting baptized. Sister Dean and I had invited her many times but it wasn't until she received that confirmation from the Spirit could she say '' I want to get baptized'' instead of ''I should...'' I am really excited for her. She asked me if all her sins would really be washed away and I told her they would and she was just so excited. She said she had been feeling the spirit all day so strongly because of this decision she has made. We have a bit of a ways before us but because SHE has made this decision she will have more conviction to prepare herself for baptism.
Thanks for all your love and support Dad. I miss you and love you and so thankful that you're MY Dad! Have a wonderful week and enjoy starting work at the Veterans Health Administration!
-Ariel Nell
March comes in like a lion...
Mumma!
You're funny! When is spring break for you all?
I had no idea my audition got waived until I got to your email, woo hoo!! Danke Schön! But I am working hard on practicing and getting back into shape. I'm excited to come home and practice lots whenever I want. Kylee (Sister Openshaw) is getting married to a friend of hers she's known for the 3 years before her mission. She came home, they started dating and she fell in love with him. I'm not sure where I could stay but I can ask Kylee. She lives an hour and a half away from San Fransisco. I'm not sure which temple they will be sealed in but she said California. I'll get all the details. Thanks for helping me to go to Kylee's sealing. Thanks for the help mum.
That's crazy Hannah is moving to L.A.! This week reading the war chapters really hit me how much of a battle we truly are in right now. It is essential to gird ourselves with our spiritual armor so that we can protect ourselves. Moroni's armies were always better than the Lamanite armies and it was due to their preparation. If we don't prepare ourselves we can't expect the Lord to help us with the rest. Also it talks about how Moroni supported those cities in a manner that was unlike anything before. It was unlike anything before because he was directed by God. If we listen to the guiding of the Holy Ghost we will know exactly what to do to strengthen our fortifications against Satan in the manner that God will show us. I could also do without all the blood and crazy men wanting to drink blood. But we can learn from it.
We had a really neat lesson with a girl that we met at a bus stop during Sister Deans 2nd to last week here. She did an exchange for a year in Utah and lived with a Mormon family. She went to church with them each week and really loved that the church really emphasizes helping others and doing good to one another. Saturday as we met with her she had a lot of questions about what it's like to be a Mormon here in Germany and other questions about the doctrine. It's interesting because she knows A LOT, like she even said she has felt the Holy Ghost a lot as she was at church. Her concern is that she doesn't know if God exists and that Jesus is his Son. She has a hard time with the science and faith balance. It's an interesting concern to have and something I haven't come across too often in my mission. She said she will come to church next week and bring her parents. Cool!
We talked to XXXXXXX on the phone friday night and as I was going to end our conversation she tells me that she is going to be baptized. It became clear to her that is what she needs to do as she was reading in the Book of Mormon that morning. She had the question in mind as to what she should do and the answer was as if someone was saying it in her head,''Baptism, you need to get baptized.'' We were way excited and way shocked. Sister Dean and I had talked to her lots about baptism but it wasn't until the Holy Ghost confirmed it to her that that is what she needed to do did she decide to take this next step. It just is further evidence you can't convince anyone but have to allow the Holy Ghost to be there to work within the people to help them come to understand the truth and what they need to do. We have no better tool that the Book of Mormon.
I hope you have a great week and I'm so grateful for the love and support you offer. I won't be able to go to the temple before I come home so that is something I'd like to do together when we have those three days together. I'm working hard! Love you!
-Ariel Nell
You're funny! When is spring break for you all?
I had no idea my audition got waived until I got to your email, woo hoo!! Danke Schön! But I am working hard on practicing and getting back into shape. I'm excited to come home and practice lots whenever I want. Kylee (Sister Openshaw) is getting married to a friend of hers she's known for the 3 years before her mission. She came home, they started dating and she fell in love with him. I'm not sure where I could stay but I can ask Kylee. She lives an hour and a half away from San Fransisco. I'm not sure which temple they will be sealed in but she said California. I'll get all the details. Thanks for helping me to go to Kylee's sealing. Thanks for the help mum.
That's crazy Hannah is moving to L.A.! This week reading the war chapters really hit me how much of a battle we truly are in right now. It is essential to gird ourselves with our spiritual armor so that we can protect ourselves. Moroni's armies were always better than the Lamanite armies and it was due to their preparation. If we don't prepare ourselves we can't expect the Lord to help us with the rest. Also it talks about how Moroni supported those cities in a manner that was unlike anything before. It was unlike anything before because he was directed by God. If we listen to the guiding of the Holy Ghost we will know exactly what to do to strengthen our fortifications against Satan in the manner that God will show us. I could also do without all the blood and crazy men wanting to drink blood. But we can learn from it.
We had a really neat lesson with a girl that we met at a bus stop during Sister Deans 2nd to last week here. She did an exchange for a year in Utah and lived with a Mormon family. She went to church with them each week and really loved that the church really emphasizes helping others and doing good to one another. Saturday as we met with her she had a lot of questions about what it's like to be a Mormon here in Germany and other questions about the doctrine. It's interesting because she knows A LOT, like she even said she has felt the Holy Ghost a lot as she was at church. Her concern is that she doesn't know if God exists and that Jesus is his Son. She has a hard time with the science and faith balance. It's an interesting concern to have and something I haven't come across too often in my mission. She said she will come to church next week and bring her parents. Cool!
We talked to XXXXXXX on the phone friday night and as I was going to end our conversation she tells me that she is going to be baptized. It became clear to her that is what she needs to do as she was reading in the Book of Mormon that morning. She had the question in mind as to what she should do and the answer was as if someone was saying it in her head,''Baptism, you need to get baptized.'' We were way excited and way shocked. Sister Dean and I had talked to her lots about baptism but it wasn't until the Holy Ghost confirmed it to her that that is what she needed to do did she decide to take this next step. It just is further evidence you can't convince anyone but have to allow the Holy Ghost to be there to work within the people to help them come to understand the truth and what they need to do. We have no better tool that the Book of Mormon.
I hope you have a great week and I'm so grateful for the love and support you offer. I won't be able to go to the temple before I come home so that is something I'd like to do together when we have those three days together. I'm working hard! Love you!
-Ariel Nell
Winter in March
Lyndel,
That's crazy that it snowed in Dunwoody. Like that was possible or something. And a mini-thanksgiving sounds AWESOME! Why didn't we ever think to do that before. I miss Mummas stuffing and yummy green beans. Green beans aren't a big thing here but when we go over to the Italian family's house for dinner we always get green beans. Mmm.
Make sure that Michael also gets some sort of spring break fun too like going for a run and fun things like that :) That'll be fun for you two to work together on the home. I can't wait to take a tour of it. How weird is that - I've only seen the outside. You guys bought the house when I was in the MTC.
I'm excited to come home and help the missionaries out again. I loved doing it before my mission and I'm excited to keep doing it afterwards. I got up yesterday and bore my testimony too. It's really hard to not get choked up when talking about how much you love the people. I remember saying my goodbye testimony in Halberstadt and looking at Schwester Munke crying as I was crying. Those people have the deepest part of my heart, they're my second family. I had a dream last week that I was going home at the end of my mission and I was just sobbing. Saying goodbye to these people is going to be hard. I try not to think about it.
Sister Jensen is doing great. She s getting more and more acclimated each day and doing a great job teaching. She is a little shy and I think has it in her mind that she can't understand what others are saying and so feels she has to always look to me for a translation. At XXXXXXX's house, she forbid me to translate and it really helps Sister Jensen to build up the confidence to speak and carry a conversation in German as well as her confidence in her own comprehension. The members do like her and are all very helpful with her. Kylee (Sister Openshaw) got home in November. She is marrying Ben, a guy she knew for three years before her mission, and then got home and fell in love with him. Super cool!
I'm excited Colleen emailed you! I've wanted her address for the longest time now. Colleen had a baby in December and I haven't been able to congratulate her or anything. I'm glad that she is still in Louisiana and is excited to see me again. As well as Elder Parker - I think about him so often and really look forward to coming home and getting a chance to sit down with him and talk to him about my mission when he's not too busy running around being an area seventy.
Exciting news from this week: We called XXXXXXX Friday night just to see how she was doing and she said she's getting baptized. WHAT!? Yeah! She said she had been reading in the Book of Mormon that morning just with the question in her mind ''What should I do?'' She said it was as a voice talking to her, ''Baptism, you need to get baptized.'' When we spoke to her she said she knew it was a good thing and something that she really wants to do. SWEET! She chose April 28th to be baptized. Keep her in your prayers so that she can accomplish this goal she has set forth!
Have a great week Lyndel. I love you bunches and keep having fun and working hard! Thanks for feeding the missionaries.
-Ariel Nell
That's crazy that it snowed in Dunwoody. Like that was possible or something. And a mini-thanksgiving sounds AWESOME! Why didn't we ever think to do that before. I miss Mummas stuffing and yummy green beans. Green beans aren't a big thing here but when we go over to the Italian family's house for dinner we always get green beans. Mmm.
Make sure that Michael also gets some sort of spring break fun too like going for a run and fun things like that :) That'll be fun for you two to work together on the home. I can't wait to take a tour of it. How weird is that - I've only seen the outside. You guys bought the house when I was in the MTC.
I'm excited to come home and help the missionaries out again. I loved doing it before my mission and I'm excited to keep doing it afterwards. I got up yesterday and bore my testimony too. It's really hard to not get choked up when talking about how much you love the people. I remember saying my goodbye testimony in Halberstadt and looking at Schwester Munke crying as I was crying. Those people have the deepest part of my heart, they're my second family. I had a dream last week that I was going home at the end of my mission and I was just sobbing. Saying goodbye to these people is going to be hard. I try not to think about it.
Sister Jensen is doing great. She s getting more and more acclimated each day and doing a great job teaching. She is a little shy and I think has it in her mind that she can't understand what others are saying and so feels she has to always look to me for a translation. At XXXXXXX's house, she forbid me to translate and it really helps Sister Jensen to build up the confidence to speak and carry a conversation in German as well as her confidence in her own comprehension. The members do like her and are all very helpful with her. Kylee (Sister Openshaw) got home in November. She is marrying Ben, a guy she knew for three years before her mission, and then got home and fell in love with him. Super cool!
I'm excited Colleen emailed you! I've wanted her address for the longest time now. Colleen had a baby in December and I haven't been able to congratulate her or anything. I'm glad that she is still in Louisiana and is excited to see me again. As well as Elder Parker - I think about him so often and really look forward to coming home and getting a chance to sit down with him and talk to him about my mission when he's not too busy running around being an area seventy.
Exciting news from this week: We called XXXXXXX Friday night just to see how she was doing and she said she's getting baptized. WHAT!? Yeah! She said she had been reading in the Book of Mormon that morning just with the question in her mind ''What should I do?'' She said it was as a voice talking to her, ''Baptism, you need to get baptized.'' When we spoke to her she said she knew it was a good thing and something that she really wants to do. SWEET! She chose April 28th to be baptized. Keep her in your prayers so that she can accomplish this goal she has set forth!
Have a great week Lyndel. I love you bunches and keep having fun and working hard! Thanks for feeding the missionaries.
-Ariel Nell
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| A park this past week (note the blue skies, can we say spring people?) |
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| My cute companion! Sister Jensen |
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| Hip Hop Against Nazis, I thought that sounded fun :) |
March!
Andre,
Thank you so much for organizing everything. You can just be my personal organizer from now on :) The classes that Cassandra said I need to take look normal. I just want to make sure that if I do get into the orchestra and a band that my schedule is set up in a way that I can do both. I'm really excited to get back into school. I know I need to take Biology and I'm fine with that. I am used to taking 19 hours per semester so if it is 19 or 20 I'll be fine.
I've been thinking about you and Ellen lots. I am really excited to spend time with both of you and get to tour y'alls house. That'll just be so fun! Our week went really well. We have just received a lot of new referrals and so we'll be working hard to contact all of those. We are trying to find the house numbers of this less active family that our branch president has asked us to help out with. We have all the street names but no numbers. It makes for a fun game. We are trying to find new investigators. Its hard to find them but I know there out there. XXXXXXX told us she is going to get baptized and picked April 28th. Sister Jensen and I are stoked to say the least! We just got into contact again with XXXXXX, the man who had a hut in the Christmas market, and we have an appointment with him today. I hope that we are able to re-flame his interest and set him for baptism too.
I am working hard and trying to give my all. I find it a little difficult to have a balance so that I don't drag Sister Jensen around and that I help her have a good start to her mission so that she is prepared to keep working hard the rest of her mission. Any advice? How is your bathroom coming along? Any new pictures? How is work for you and Ellen?
We had an awesome lesson with a girl we met at a bus stop who lived in Utah for a year. She had lots of questions about being a Mormon in Germany. She said after living in Utah she came back to Germany and was just disgusted with the people and how some of them live their lives (with alcohol, smoking, poor language). It was interesting hearing her point of view. We taught her how to pray in German because she learned in America how to pray in English so she wanted to know how to do it in German. She said that she would pray this week and bring her parents to church next week. That was super cool. We also followed up on a lady who we gave a Book of Mormon to last Saturday and she said she had read in it and that she found many things that she believed also in the Book of Mormon but she found the Book of Mormon a lot more intolerant than her bible in that it was more strict. I think she was making reference that it says Keep the commandments or be dammed. Yeah, in that sense it is strict but Heavenly Father established laws, they make sense. Keep his commandments or stop your eternal progression is what he is trying to explain. Hopefully she'll keep reading.
Have a great week Andre and thanks again for all the work and time you've put in to organizing my school stuff. Make sure to serve Ellen in some way special. Love you!
-Ariel Nell
Thank you so much for organizing everything. You can just be my personal organizer from now on :) The classes that Cassandra said I need to take look normal. I just want to make sure that if I do get into the orchestra and a band that my schedule is set up in a way that I can do both. I'm really excited to get back into school. I know I need to take Biology and I'm fine with that. I am used to taking 19 hours per semester so if it is 19 or 20 I'll be fine.
I've been thinking about you and Ellen lots. I am really excited to spend time with both of you and get to tour y'alls house. That'll just be so fun! Our week went really well. We have just received a lot of new referrals and so we'll be working hard to contact all of those. We are trying to find the house numbers of this less active family that our branch president has asked us to help out with. We have all the street names but no numbers. It makes for a fun game. We are trying to find new investigators. Its hard to find them but I know there out there. XXXXXXX told us she is going to get baptized and picked April 28th. Sister Jensen and I are stoked to say the least! We just got into contact again with XXXXXX, the man who had a hut in the Christmas market, and we have an appointment with him today. I hope that we are able to re-flame his interest and set him for baptism too.
I am working hard and trying to give my all. I find it a little difficult to have a balance so that I don't drag Sister Jensen around and that I help her have a good start to her mission so that she is prepared to keep working hard the rest of her mission. Any advice? How is your bathroom coming along? Any new pictures? How is work for you and Ellen?
We had an awesome lesson with a girl we met at a bus stop who lived in Utah for a year. She had lots of questions about being a Mormon in Germany. She said after living in Utah she came back to Germany and was just disgusted with the people and how some of them live their lives (with alcohol, smoking, poor language). It was interesting hearing her point of view. We taught her how to pray in German because she learned in America how to pray in English so she wanted to know how to do it in German. She said that she would pray this week and bring her parents to church next week. That was super cool. We also followed up on a lady who we gave a Book of Mormon to last Saturday and she said she had read in it and that she found many things that she believed also in the Book of Mormon but she found the Book of Mormon a lot more intolerant than her bible in that it was more strict. I think she was making reference that it says Keep the commandments or be dammed. Yeah, in that sense it is strict but Heavenly Father established laws, they make sense. Keep his commandments or stop your eternal progression is what he is trying to explain. Hopefully she'll keep reading.
Have a great week Andre and thanks again for all the work and time you've put in to organizing my school stuff. Make sure to serve Ellen in some way special. Love you!
-Ariel Nell
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