Another Week In Darmstadt!

Well well,

What an experience this has been!! We had another solid week and the work has been going so well!! I´ll just start with Monday, not much happened but the usual fun that you have on P-Days. I haven´t been taking as many pictures and I am really sorry!! I am just so busy and i forget my camera way too often, but just for you Mom I will keep it on me at all times! My diet these days consists of a lot of spaghetti, chocolate, nutella cereal (sooo tasty), eggs, qwark, and more spaghetti XD We get some random things in here and there and I do eat a lot of oranges but that´s about it. I really should work on eating better!! On Tuesday we went singing at the old folks home again with a couple members in our ward. They really love the spirit and so they invite us back often. We also went on some go-byes on some inactives which was pretty successful. We mainly just ended up talking to people in the streets because some of our inactives are really talented individuals. I thought I would be good at catching people in their homes...guess not. Bahahaha I sound like i´m hunting stuff. I promise we´re not too crazy here ;) After that we went and met with King David. He´s a really funny guy. Always calling us "Ma Bruddus" guess I´m just a black man now XD We then had an appointment with Aaron Taubner. He is going to be baptized on the 23rd! I am really excited! I´ll be having my first baptism!! We got a lot of Area Book work done and then we did some more streets. Then on Wednesday we had our breakfast and study times and we then had to go to the church because I had to take some surveys for my twelve weeks program so we ended up being there for a little while. We then went and did some service for a couple hours and then our appointment with one of our investigators fell out which was too bad. We then had dinner and some more go byes on Weniger Aktives. We have over 240 so we have a lot of ground to cover there. We then had our sports night and so we went and played some basketball for our finding activity. We ended up giving out a bunch of cards and a lot of the guys wanted to come play basketball at the church, ergo, tours of the church. Brilliant.  We then went home and hit the sack. My favorite place has now become my bed. Sleep always feels like 30 min though. Thursday I had a lesson that I had to give for district meeting. I did it on D&C Section 4. I wish I could share more but I don´t have that much time so I´ll save it for some other time. We then were going to go chalking the Plan of Salvation but that fell through because we had so many things that we had to go over so we ended up going home and getting some of our study time in. We then had dinner and then an amazing lesson with one of our investigators named Toby. He is 19 and he has a gf and child. He really wants to know more about eternal families and so we taught him just that as well as sneaking in some other amazing doctrine hahaha. I ended up not understanding very much but I had a thought come to my mind and had the impression to start bearing testimony. So that is exactly what I did. I don´t know exactly what I said to be honest XD but I ended up talking for a good 5 to 10 minutes and Toby was just eating it all up. We were with a couple members and everyone just starting going off of what I said and bearing testimony and the spirit just got stronger and stronger and stronger. By the end of the meeting we asked if we could do another appointment next week and Toby was like "come over whenever you want to." He really seemed to be loving what he was feeling, heck, I know I was!! After that we went contacting for alittle bit and ended up getting an appointment with a man and giving out another Book of Mormon. Friday was really busy with appointments. We ended up having six so we had to go on a split hahaha that happens a lot. :PSaturday, we had service in the morning. More basketball contacting and then appointments with 5 more people. Didn´t get much study time in sadly :/ but ah well. Sunday was great the ward is really a blast. They´re going to be splitting it next week which is actually really good. Makes the ward uncomfortable and ready for more growth hahaha we then had a couple more appointments and such and then got stranded out in the middle of nowhere for an hour and a half. It was pretty chilly but I got the chance to look at the stars and get a little reading in from the street light. We then hit the sack. So, real quick. The food is great, The language is coming. I can understand a lot when it comes to church things and about 40 percent when it comes to daily things. So the understanding is coming along. My speaking still isn´t the best but it´s survivable haha. I have to go now though! Love you all!! 

Tschuss! 
Elder Lee

Darmstadt Week of I can´t remember

Hey everybody!!

Well it´s been another crazy awesome week in Darmstadt!! We have had some crazy things going on and It´s been so amazing to be a part of this experience!! Monday was a great P-Day!! We were able to get a couple termins in before we went to bed. Also, I was able to give out two Books of Mormon on my own this week!! Crazy awesome!! The first time we were just walking along trying to contact people and I was asking Elder Bonzo for some tips on how I should contact people (he is a really good contacter) as we were talking I looked to my left and had the distinct impression that I should talk to the man walking past us, so right in the middle of Elder Bonzo talking I took off and went and asked the guy if he knew the book that I was holding in my hands XD bahahaha I felt pretty crazy but the spirit prompts us when he knows we are ready and when he has a job. You can imagine how crazy it was for me when I was speaking clearly and understanding everything that he was saying!! So toll!! I think I just about lost it when we had a termin scheduled and had given him the book of mormon bahahaha like a boss!!! He didn´t end up showing up sadly but heck, I gave out that book! That´s a good start!! The next day we ended up doing some more contacting when we went on a split, Elder Bonzo and I were together and I was just contacting everyone I could get a hold of. We got rejected a lot and I was thinking that we should try a different area when I had the same prompting again on a guy walking way out of my way, so like any proper missionary who has new clue what he is doing I chased after him ;) naw, not really, but I did approach him and we started talking and found out that he was catholic and that he was very interested in our book. We exchanged numbers and we´re going to call him probably tomorrow, i´m not sure yet. Then later after some more rejections I had the same impression again. It´s really interesting because it´s not some mind blowing thing, it´s like my body decides for me that I am going to talk to a person because as I am walking over I am like "what in the world am I doing?" bahahaha it´s such a blast though. This lady was named Jasmine. She is a student and I was able to get everything with her on my own. Elder Bonzo had helped on the last one a lot so that doens´t count hahaha but it was just such a great experience!!! Then later on this week I had the chance to participate in the blessing of one of the older guys in our ward. His name is Bruder Warnka. I guess that he has been feeling really sick and really weak and I had the chance to participate in seeing this man be healed. After he recieved his blessing he had the strength to do everthing that needed to be done and when we met with him again on Sunday he was happy and so thankful to us for the blessing and he said that he felt amazing!! The Priesthood power is really God´s Authority on this Earth. I saw it and I can´t tell you how amazing it is!! hahaha he wasn´t running any marathons after he got up ;) but it was amazing to see that the Lord gave him the strength to complete the tasks that he needed to complete. I am so grateful that I was able to participate in that!! So amazing!! The work has really been hauling along in the ward. We have  been working really hard and I think that the ward actually likes us so that´s a bonus XD We go to a members house and she always has a bunch of pretzels for me because she knows that I like them hahaha She also is going to make some "berliners" for us. It´s like a cream filled doughnut...but better!! Guess she is going to stuff them with Nutella too! Oh ya!! So tasty!! There have been some really good deals on chocolate here...I now weigh 195 about...gotta love it!! hahaha don´t worry I refuse to let myself get fat on the mission!! I also have a crazy newfound interest to learn more about the history of the Americas, especially with the Incan, Mayan, Aztec, etc. It´s so cool to see how the Book of Mormon and the prophecies in it are really being fulfilled! I just can´t get enough of it! Too cool!! Thanks everyone for being such great supports!!! This mission has really been an absolute blast and I have loved every second of it...even through the hard parts, I have had the comfort of the Lord and also the comfort of family and friends. Thanks for everything all of you! You´re all wonderful!!! I pray for you daily! 

Tschuss!!
Elder Lee

Oh and by the way if any of you have some awesome insights or stories that you would like to share please send them my way. I have really enjoyed all of this learning...pretty crazy I know...but it really has just been such a wonderful experience. Thanks!!

Another Week In Darmstadt!

Wow, the weeks just get crazier and crazier!!! We have had so many things going on it´s ridiculous!! (I mean that in a good way hahaha) There is nothing better than being busy with the Lord´s errand! I have gotta say though, I am pretty pooped. XD We started the week out with a really good P-Day! We ended up going to this really cool museum in Darmstadt and the grounds were amazing! We didn´t get to go in because it was closed but trust me, the grounds were good ;) hahaha I forgot my camera anyways :P We then had a couple of appointments with some members. We are trying really hard to get a hold of as many members as possible because we want to light this ward on fire!! If we can get them fired up and bringing in more investigators than half of our work is already done for us hahaha. Efficiency is wunderbar! We also have had some really great things happening! We have two new investigators and we have another investigator who has committed to baptism. Oh shucks, I forgot we have two. Things have just been going so well! We have been working so hard talking like crazy and doing everything we can to meet with as many people as possible. I have definitely become well acquainted with a planner and scheduling has definitely played a great role in my mission. I definitely have gained a testimony of planning. When one plans, one is successful, they also have more time to play, which is really surprising...we just give up all of our play time to work with more people hahaha. It ends up that we usually finish P-Day a couple of hours early so that we can meet with more people. I am sure that that isn´t a bad thing!!! I still continue to nap when I have the chance. It´s amazing what happens when you´re truly tired. I drop off like a rock every time my body decides it is time to sleep!! I also got to see everyone who came from the MTC with me this week!! It was great! We had a golden trainer meeting and it took up most of the day but it was such a great and spiritual experience and I just loved it. This really is the Lord´s work and you can just feel it so much, especially when you immerse yourself in his teachings!! I have made the committment to read my Book of Mormon ten times in the mission. I average about 25 pages a day. I usually fit the reading time in when we aren´t proselyting or doing our regular studies. We also have given out 31 Books of Mormon in our District in the last two weeks! A lot of those have numbers, emails, or addresses attatched with it!! It has been really great as well because the ward really seems to be warming up to us. President Schwarz really is an inspired man. We seem to have given the ward what they needed to get rolling because they have been hitting us like crazy with things that they would like us to help with. If we can get this ward rolling there will be nothing stopping it from growing into a stake in no time!! It just needs a little bit of a shove. ;) I ended up playing some soccer this Wednesday with some Germans. We brought them to the church, some of them being investigators, and we played some pretty dang good soccer. I was pretty pumped because these guys were some pretty top notch soccer players and I popped three goals in pretty quickly. I´ll have to thank Jon for the times we played in the church gyms etc. It was just too much fun! A humbled person is more willing to recieve the gospel...Therefore the air was quickly released from my head after soccer when my understanding of Deutsch went Kaput. Either way though our investigators had a blast and we have more lessons with them and they are going to come next week!! We are really having a good time finding people through these sports. It really has been a successful idea here in Darmstadt. I haven´t got much time left and so I just want to end this so that I am able to send it. I had the chance to read in D&C this week for a little bit and I was reading in D&C 46 with Elder Bruneel. We started reading about gifts and verses 12 and 13 really hit me. I would recommend reading it to get the full idea of what I am talking about but I definitely want to say that in those verses I found a simple, but truly profound truth. For some it is einfach to find knowledge and to know things are true. Whether they receive those answers or they come to them through deductive reasoning the end result is still the same. And for others their gift is to believe. I never really thought of it this way but for some of us, we may never have a full or complete knowledge. We may never know with exactness where we go or what we are doing before we do it. Sometimes going through the experience and having proof of that belief we had, that hope is all the more rewarding. Sometimes we have trials that absolutely throw us to the ground and when we look up and find no reprieve we often doubt the truths that we had come to believe that we knew as facts. Sometimes we question that God is really there and that he loves each and every one of us. Sometimes we think that we can´t take anymore and sometimes that doubt eats away at us until we are in the darkest parts of our lives. I do want you all to know though, that we are never alone. In 2 Nephi chapter 2 we read that we cannot have a true knowledge without having both the good and the evil. We cannot know for a fact how sweet the fruit of the gospel is if we haven´t tasted of the bitterness of life without it. Life doesn´t like to play easy. Sometimes we are thrust into situations that we truly feel we will never survive but I can promise you that the dawn will come, and even though the night is darkest before the dawn the sunrise does come. The savior knows exactly what we are going through. To truly know what it means to be alone. For some of us, even many of us, we will never have a true knowledge that things will get better. We may not be able to see, or believe, that that sunrise is coming. I testify to you that it will come. The promised blessings will be recieved. As long as we obey the laws upon which that blessing is predicated. I realize that for me, my gift is to believe. Sometimes I don´t know what I am going into, but I know that when we do what is required we are rewarded. I also want you all to know that I am here for each and every one of you and I know that Christ is there as well. Turn to him, as you gain increased knowledge of the sacrifice that he has made we truly recognize just how great the atonement is. Sorry this letter is so long, that´s just been on my mind. Hopefully I don´t seem too preachy, I don´t want to come across that way. :P I love you all so much and I hope that this week goes great! You´re all in my prayers! 

Tschuss! 

Elder Lee

Week 2 In Deutschland!

Hallo!!

Wow, what a week it has been this week!! So many things that we have been doing, we hardly have any time to even eat!! We have been teaching lessons right and left and when we aren't teaching we are finding in the streets. I have been set with two really great and hard working companions. They also make sure to challenge me as much as they possibly can, which is great because I have been learning a lot faster!! We just got a call today and there is someone that wants to be baptized! We also are working with a couple other investigators and things have been going really well! We have been getting tons of appointments with people in the ward as well because we are trying to liven up the member missionary work. We have been bringing people in and they just dont feel very accepted in this ward so we have been working on flipping things around. As such we were able to have six nonmembers in the ward this past Sunday and the ward was extremely welcoming. I think that they are realizing that this group of missionaries is here to get things done and things are definitely getting done. Elder Bruneel has been way tight and a good trainer. He averages 8 eggs for breakfast each morning and now he has me eating 4 every morning. XD Since I have trouble spelling I realized that I had spelt Döner wrong. That is how it is spelled if you are wondering. Also, I have found a new love of mine. It is a lovely little thing called Quark. It's like yogurt and strawberrry cream cheese mixed together! And It's like 95 cents in American money for a solid sized tub!! Gee what a buy! And it is soooo tasty! We also had a zone training this week and the president laid out some goals for us to accomplish while we are here. He wants each companionship to give out two books of mormon a week and talk to ten people every day. We, naturally, have to amp that goal up a little bit ;) We gave out seven books of Mormon in two days and got 2 emails and 2 numbers. We also have been talking to just about everyone in sight. I believe that is why we are so successful. It's definitely been interesting for me because I am definitely not the best at Deutsch but you learn to use the basics pretty well. I have been talking with lots of people and I have been helping give out Books of Mormon etc. We even got a muslim interested in what we are talking about, which is actually a pretty big thing. I have definitely been trying to be more educated on a lot of things but we just don't have enough time which ismaking it a bit difficult but we are trying to allot out more time for my training so that I have a better idea of what I can do...My trainer and Elder Bonzo, who has been out for 20 months, have said that I am the best golden they have ever seen. It really makes me happy because I really am trying so hard to be the man that the lord wants me to be. I probably worry too much though sometimes when I don`t understand stuff. There are times when the lord will help me to understand almost every single thing that the people are saying and then I start getting a little cocky about it and the Lord definitely knows how to bring one low when it is needed XD I am sure you all know exactly what I am talking about. I want to tell you all so many things and give you all of the stories but there is just too much to write. I do want to saq, though, that the work is rolling forth! This area has been a pretty dead area for the last little while but we have been working hard and we have been recieving the lords promised blessings. A lady walked up to Elder Bruneel and I the other day and was like, in English, "Could you help me with my bags, I want to come to your Church and I need directions." You can imagine how surprised we were...we then straightaway took care of her as quickly as we could bahahahaha. I still haven't converted the pigeons yet but I can feel my Deutsch skills getting better, they will soon hear me XD. Luckily people are a lot nicer and don't try and poo on me so talking with them has been a lot more successful! I just want you all to remember how important it is to be successful Ward Member Missionaries. The lord has called every single one of us to be missionaries. Here in Darmstadt we have so many people and so many people who don't have the kind of happiness that we want them to have. We as missionaries, can only do so much, we need more missionaries! We could have 10million missionaries instead of 80 thousand. There is a lady in our ward whos is super cool! She asks us for things to do during the week that pertain to missionary work. She already has given out a book of mormon on her own and this week she is going to get us a referall!! That's what the missionaries need. We are all busy but people can see the testimony you have in your eyes! Show them that light. Keep in touch with the Lord and he will work through you! I love the opportunity to be so close with him on a daily basis. I just feel so much strength even when I am weak! The power naps every time I am on a train ride help too ;) I have never been this tired bahahaha but like I said, the lord gives us strength when we are weak. I love hearing from you all, it is so wonderful to have all of the influences that I have met before and now! Keep listening to the spirit as often as you possibly can and don't ever forget that the Lord is a lot closer than you think. He will always be there. Always. I testify that he is our savior. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the true gospel restored on this earth by the prophet Joseph Smith. If the simple truths don't testify of it then the downright amazing happiness it can bring will. Remember, the restored gospel is for each and every one of us. Build your own testimonies. Plant that tiny seed. I built my testimony off of others for a very long time and to know these things for myself is so much more invigorating than any other knowledge I have, or will gain. We are children of God, we have purpose, we have love, and we have a Father in Heaven who wants us to return to him. HE is my god, your god, our God. The omnipotent, everlasting Father. Move forward with purpose knowing that you are his child. And may every one of us be lifted up with him at the return of his son. I pray for you all. I pray for your safety and I send my love. I miss you all dearly but I have felt distinctly that I should say what I have said. Hmmm my mind is empty now, and my stomach as well. hahahaha I love you all!!

Tschuss!

Elder Lee

Week 1 in the mission

Well everybody, I am now in Germany!! It has been so crazy awesome!! I love it! The trip out was a bit grueling, I won't lie there. I sat by a lady on the plane ride to Houston and we talked for a long time about the church and stuff. She seemed really interested so I hope I planted a seed. That or she's just already mormon...I could see that being true to XD. I was so sad that I didn't get to talk with you for a very long time mom. It broke my heart a little bit to have to say goodbye but no matter what it was so wonderful to hear your voice and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to hear just that. Dad, I miss you a ton! We definitely have some golf tournaments going down when I get back. Keep Rosie in top shape, she's going to have to come along! When we got on the plane to Frankfurt I was really excited. We ended up having a Russian lady following us around because she didn't know the area too well so we talked for a bit over that. I also was able to talk to a couple of people that knew missionaries or who had served a mission in Frankfurt so that was great! I met a man from Florida on the flight out to Frankfurt. His name was Judge and he had recently been divorced. We talked for a while about business and stuff and then when we were getting off I was able to talk to him about checking out LDS.org and Mormon.org. He said that he was going to check it out and he thanked me for my time. After that we picked up our bags at the baggage claim and then we walked out. President Schwarz, his wife, and some missionaries were there. It was a great welcome! They were all so excited and they were hugging everybody and it was just a really great time! I then volunteered with Elder Fialho to go with President Schwarz in his car and we went to the mission home and then the mission office. We met everyone in the office and then we had our interviews. After that I went out to my first appoinment with some of the missionaries in Frankfurt. It was a wonderful time, everyone builds each other up here and it really is such an amazing enviroment. We then had dinner at the presidents house and my first dinner in Deutschland was amazing! I can't remember what it was called, I was just too excited to eat!! We also met our trainers and then to make a long story short we ended up at the temple house where we stayed the night. We woke up, had breakfast and then went across the street to the chapel. We then talked for a while and President Schwarz came and talked with us. I don't have much time so i'll just say that I ended up being called to Darmstadt!!!

My companion is named Elder Bruneel and then I found out I would also be with Elder Bonzo, so we are in a trio. We then went to the train station, hahaha ends up we took a wrong turn so we ended up on a street for strippers so we all put our heads down and our driver was like "I am not looking to the side! I am not looking to the side!" hahaha it was funny! At the station we all met up with everyone and it was a great time. So much love between everyone it is absolutely amazing!! We then took the train out and arrived at our apartment. I am taking too much time but in the next couple of days we have been incredibly busy. My companions know how to work and so we haven't been stopping at all. I ended up talking to a German man for 20 minutes on my first day...it was pretty nervewracking at first but it slowly got easier. We also had another man just walk up to us and ask us who we were when we were going to get dinner. By the way, it was a Düner. Probably the tastiest meal I have had in a very long time. Holy cow they are sooooo goood!! It really has been such a neat experience. As my conifdence has grown I've been trying to talk to more people. I've actually been having solid conversations with people and my companions have been saying that that doesn't happen often at all with someone who has been here for so short of a time so it really has helped me with my fears of approaching people. I know the lord is behind it though. The spirit I feel daily is amazing.
As we serve the lord and become, and are willing, to be instruments in his hands he uses us to fulfill his purposes. I didn't realiye just how much he does this until I experienced it with talking to people and having everything that I needed to say come into my head when I needed it. We also had an amazing appointment with one of our investigators that we've gotten last night. His name is AJ and I swear he would be considered the Golden Investigator. Everything that we talked about just went the best way that it could have gone and the spirit was so strong in that home. I then contacted a couple people on the way back home, got a number and was able to give out a card so that went really well! Yesterday was just great in general. We ended up being really early for church and so we waited in the square for our bus where we usually wait. We call the statue big louis but the square is called Louisenplatz...I probably spelled that totally wrong but oh well haha. We were waiting and Elder

Bruneel ended up going and talking with a couple people so I decided that I would go see if I could convert some pigeons. I feel like sometimes I am a bit overbearing because the all ran away from me. Ah well. ;D I love you all and miss you so much!!! Make sure that you are doing your best to participate in member missionary work. I didn't realize just how vital it can be to the missionaries. Keep your testimonies strong! Mine has been strengthened so much already and I have been so grateful to have that spirit with me so often. I swear it is more addicting than any type of food! Keep the Lord close, he loves all of you so much and he has great things waiting for you in life. I love and miss you all. I will be sure to write a couple handwritten letters so that you can hear from me a little more often. 

With much love your son, brother, friend,

Elder Lee

Your missionary has arrived safely

Dear Parents:

Please excuse this impersonal mass email!  However, in essence of time, I want you to know your missionary has arrived and is in good hands!  They have processed thru the orientation, gone out to meet investigators/ street preach etc and interviewed with President Schwartz.  They will soon be having their meal at the mission home with President and Sister Schwartz. This is always a wonderful treat for the missionaries!  At that time, President will take photos and we’ll post them on the blog or email them out to you in a few days as they come available to me.  Tonight they will spend the night at the Temple Hostel. Tomorrow morning, following breakfast, they will meet again with President Schwartz and receive their assignment and companion.  Then off to the Hauptbahnof to travel to their final destination.  They are holding up well, still awake and standing.  Most only had none or 2 or 3 hours of sleep on the flight!  Therefore, we count it a miracle they are still standing and awake!!  They will first be able to email youMonday on preparation day.  Enjoy your first report! J

Please consider me your point of contact throughout the mission.  I am including a Christmas package tips flyer for you.  Even though it says Christmas, it applies to packages all thru the year.  You will get their personal apartment address next week when I email out the photos.

Thank you for sending us such exceptional young adults!  They are a great bunch and we look forward to serving together.

My last day in the MTC.

Well this week has been absolutely crazy!! We have been so busy and everything has been going really well!! I was able to talk with Steph last night and we were able to have a little meeting together! I ended up giving her a blessing and then sent her off to go do all of her great things haha. It was really nice being able to talk with her!! Other than that we have just been preparing things to take off!! We have had to go over travel plans and such a lot to make sure that everything goes okay. We've all come really close as a group and I'm going to miss these elders a lot!! I also was able to talk to someone today who has a contact in Frankfurt for us. I also have another German girl that I will be emailing. She was just converted and we taught her in TRC. She is a really awesome member and she is going to help us with some things while we are in Germany!! The last two devotionals were a little bit long for me. I don't know if my attention span is just exhausted or if I'm just super excited for Germany but either way things are coming along!! The spirit has continued to be extremely strong in my life and I will be continuously grateful for this experience in the MTC!! I love you all so much! You've all been the greatest to me! I will try and get more email done tonight. I just have to rush to everything so I am trying my best!!! I will write more soon! Once again, love you all so much!

Elder Lee