No Longer Down in the Mouth

We went to Neuschwanstein castle today! It was way fun and I got a lot
of good pictures. It took a few hours to actually get there because we
had to go up through München.  It was such a cool castle and we got to
wear our Trachten. It was way fun. This was such a good p-day and I
got to get really close with my AP's and the sister training leaders
in our district. I think has to be the best p-day I've had so
far.

So on Tuesday this week we had district meeting up in München then we
came home and did some contacting. We found this really nice lady that
we talked to for about ten minutes and she started crying because she
could feel how much love we had for her. A couple minutes after we
finished talking to her she ran back to us and took a copy of get Book
of Mormon and gave us some pictures of Jesus. It was really nice to
have that experience and she was such a nice lady.

Wednesday was pretty stressful. I had my last appointment with the
dentist. It was so so so stressful trying to pay him because he wanted
us to pay him in cash because we're auslander but President Kohler
told us not to do that so we had the office email them with a proof of
payment but the dentist wouldn't accept that. We even told him that
we'd transfer the money right then into his account but he still
wanted it in cash. So we decided we'd worry about e money later so he
could focus on my tooth. This one hurt a lot more. I could feel when
he cut out the nerve in this one. The first one I guess the nerve was
already dead but this last one was still alive. I also had a syringe
of chloride explode in my mouth. That was fun. Luckily none of it
spilled into my eyes. But it did get onto the assistants shirt and the
dentist’s hair and they got bleached white. When we got finished with
him we tried to pull out the cash to pay him with but our cards
weren't working. So we had to go back and talk them into letting us
leave my license there until we came back tomorrow to pay. Then the
next day we tried and we still didn't have the money in our accounts
so a member ended up paying it for us that day and we just had to pay
them back when we got the money. But still we were only able to half
the money and pay it to them on Sunday. I still don't know when we're
going to get the other half to pay them back. Hopefully soon. Then rig
after that nasty business we had our appointment with Ali. He is so
good at talking. He wants to practice his English with us but he
doesn't want to talk about anything from the gospel. Plus he's trying
to teach us German but he's just confusing us even more. I know for a
fact that he was mixing things up and not telling us the rights
concepts. Oh well. It was a pretty good day.

On Thursday after finishing up the drama with the dentist we had an
apartment inspection which we passed with flying colors. Then we had
to go to Traunstein to visit with sister Timm. She's such a boss.
She's this 96 year old who has a frail little body and uses a
walker. We do gardening for here and sometimes if we're not doing it
right then she'll come up and grab the rake from us and start doing it
herself. I'm surprised she hasn't fallen over in front of us. She's
such a nice lady though and is so friendly to us. It's great to be
able to go to her house and talk about e Book of Mormon with her.

Friday was also a busy day. First we had to meet with the Brajkovićs
for lunch and we watched a couple Mormon messages with them. After
that we went to Bad Aibling to visit with Dominik. That was always
good but it's so hot walking out there and back. It's quite a distance
from the train station. When we were done with him we went back to
Rosenheim to catch a train to Brannenburg so that we could meet with
Ali again. We were expecting his brother in law to come and his niece
and we were really hoping to get some referrals for the Berlin Elders
but we didn't get anything out of that. Ali just kept talking and
talking and talking. Oh well.

Saturday there was a musical fireside in München. So that took up most
of our day just to get out there practice and sing then come home. It
was a pretty good fireside except nobody knew what they were singing
until we got there.

On Sunday we watched e last session of general conference. I don't
know why they do this but they do. So it was nice to listen to that in
German even though I didn't really understand anything that was being
said. In the evening we went and talked with an inactive and saw how
she was doing. She said that she's been working so much so that was
why she hadn't been coming to church. But she said she is coming next
week and she wants it to be a surprise. We also made an appointment
with her for next week. I guess her visiting teacher has been in
constant contact and it's really good. Without that I don't think she
would have any desire to come back to church.

So this was a pretty busy week and we got a lot of good things done. I
love it here in Germany I think that I have to most amazing area and
Such a great companion. I love he lord and am so grateful that I get
to serve Him. I know that this is His work and that every day we are
bringing people closer to Christ. This is the true restored gospel of
Jesus Christ and that we are being led by a living prophet who holds
the same priesthood keys that Christ himself held. Is gospel is for
everyone and it truly can help anyone who excepts it. I love you all
so much and I hope you are doing great. Just remember who you are and
keep being an example of Christ. Keep me in your prayers is week
because I'll be attempting to speak only German for the next week.
Inside and outside the apartment. It's going to be hard but it's
possible. See ya in a week. Ciao!

Alles gute,
Elder Johnson

New Bishop

We got our transfer call on Saturday and Elder Rodgers and I are staying! What a surprise. This has been an exciting week full of iPads, dropped appointments, and Olympic divers.

 

On Tuesday we had an appointment with Sister Morgner to help her do some gardening in Kiefersfelden. So that was really our plan for the day but then she called us and called. So we had to act fast and we learned that it's always good to have a backup plan. We went to Graffing to just go door the area and drop off a personal touch to a family that lived there. It was a pretty good day but there were not many people out and about.

 

Wednesday with had Zone Conference in München. We went and received our iPads. Which I have to be honest. At first when I heard we were getting them I wasn't really excited because all the stuff that makes an iPad fun is restricted as a missionary. But they are so great for scripture study. There are so many references that you can use and link things together and I'm loving it. We also planned what's called a window for that night. So a window is when you pray for a specific place and road to be on, a specific day and time to be there and then you pray for someone to be prepared to hear your message and be taught by you. So we did this and as we finished up our area and our time ran out we didn't find anyone. Normally I would be discouraged but I know that the lord was just preparing us and helping us to receive other revelation. It's a great way to build faith in the lord and to recognize promptings from the spirit. It also helps you work more diligently. There were some people that night that we let slip out of our hands and I can't help but wonder if they were the ones we were supposed to find.

 

Thursday we did some garden for this 96 year old member named sister Timm. that was a pretty good day then we came back to Rosenheim and to the church to set up our iPads and do some language study.

 

Friday we had lunch with die Familie Brajkovic, and we talked to Connie for a while about baptism. But right before that we went contacting in the city center for a while trying to find some new investigators. We found a guy named Manuel who was from Mongola and spoke a little English and Portuguese. Then another person stopped us and was so excited to talk to us. He gave us his address and his phone number and we made an appointment with him right there. His name was Ali Gangineh. He told us about all these medals he had then he pulled out a book of newspaper clippings with pictures of himself. It was a little strange but when you get invited to someone’s house you always say yes. Later that night we came home and did weekly planning.

 

Saturday we had planned to meet with Manuel who we had met the day before but he didn't ever show up. What a surprise. We talked with people for a little while and then went to a lesson with Dominik in Bad Aibling. It was a pretty good lesson. We taught him the restoration and talk him how to pray. So after our lesson with him we had a get a couple trains to get us to Brannenburg to meet with Ali. He invited us in and showed us all of his medals and we practicing English with us. I guess he's fluent in six languages. He is going to be a hard person to teach because I just wants to talk about himself and he talks and talks. But I think Elder Rodgers and I can schaff it. We're going to teach him so well that he won't have any words left to say. He WILL in fact be speechless. haha just kidding. but hopefully. 

 

Sunday was a pretty good day too. We got a new bishopric!! Bruder Lederer is now the bishop and I'm way excited for him. He's going to be great. Then wait for it...................... Bruder Hunger is the first counselor!!!!! I don't know what is it about him but he is so fantastic. haha I love his voice so much and he says the funniest things. We don't have a second counselor yet so we'll see what happens with that.

 

This week has been a pretty great one. We've had some great lessons, and some great experiences with contacting people and talking with them. They Lord is building us up and turning us into men. I see his hand is so much that we do. Even the days when things don't go the way that we want them to and we might say why is this happening to me? It's because God knows what we can handle. He knows how we feel and he wants us to grow. Sometimes he cuts us down so that we can grow fruits and bloom. Whenever we have hard times in life, just remember that God is using those times to bring us closer to him. I love you so very much and I hope that you're having a wonderful week. 

 

Alles Gute

Elder Johnson