Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Week 8

Hallo Mutti

This week has been a crazy one, I do not know where to begin.  

Well, I guess like all, begin with the beginning.  We were able to go and visit a family that has been invesitgating the church for about 3 years, they are really good friends of one of the members in our ward.  They are called the Modals, and I believe it was Herr Modals birthday on last Friday.  So, Elder Larsen knows how to make a 5 minute cake, and so we microwaved one and went to give it to him for his birthday.  They are a really nice family, but something you learn about Germans, is that they are straight forward with you.  They told us on that day that they never see themselves being part of the church, but they like us to come over and say hi from time to time. 

Then we had a really good lesson with some of our investigators on Tuesday.  It is a father and a son.  The son is handicapped, but he is still able to do normal things, so we take him to volleyball on tuesday nights with the ward.  He was not able to make it to this appointment, but we were still able to teach his father.  His dad is pretty old and He is pretty Evangelisch and so he likes to listen to us, but not often.  However, this time was really good for him.  We talked about the importance of daily scripture study and prayer and he seemed so engaged with the lesson.  We were able to commit him to read in the scriptures and to pray daily and we are looking forward to our appointment tomorrow with him.  (it is kind of typical German, where you have an appointment the same day and the same time every week.)  

Then we lost contact with our 87 year old investigator, Herr Maueresberge (Herr Tischmaker)  and so we were searching all through the phonebook looking for his name, because we stop by and klingle his house all the time, and we finally found him and his son picked up and told us that He was in Berlin for the weekend.  That was really a bummer because we love meeting with him and he is the friendliest guy we have met on the street.  And it was great to talk to his son because his son, from what we can assume, is pretty involved in his Evangelisch church.  But he seems really nice and he is respectful to us.

We had another appointment with a lady that has been investigating the church for about 2 years now, and she is the best.  She comes to our English Class and she always brings us sweets.  This time it was a Disneyland Chocolate Bar that she found at a local grocery store.  She is really nice to us and loves to see us.  And when you heard her talk, you would think she is a member.  We had a lesson about prophets and apostles and she bore a wonderful testimony about it.  But alas, she too feels that she will never join the church.  She feels like a good friend to the church, but nothing more.  It was hard to hear twice in the week from people who have been investigating for so long that they dont want anything to do with being members of the Church.  And it is really sad, because they have a wonderful time at church services and they feel the Spirit.  But I do not think we will be giving up on them.  We feel there is something that we have not yet discovered about their concerns with being a member.  

This past weekend, we had a concert called Winefest.  It is basically a time for all people to come together and drink wine.  Dont ask me why, I still havent figured it out.  And so, Elder Larsen and I felt that it was smart that we were not in Mießen for these next few days.  So we went to some outlining dwarfs around Meißen, packed all our bags with Book of Mormons, brochures, and pass along cards.  We had a great time in these little areas, and it was strange to see that not everyone was staring at us and they had no idea who we are.  That was a first.  But we were able to talk to a few people and they took some brochures or pass along cards, and we definately feel like we need to go back.  For me, it was a little hard.  I felt that most of the people that would say no to us or just not even stop walking were the ones that I would try to talk to.  I had no idea why.  It started to get me alittle upset and when it happened for a while, I stopped wishing them a good day left (schönen Tag noch) and Elder Larsen could tell.  I didnt understand why, but I cannot let that affect me.  The best way we find people is on the streets.  And I need to be 100% when I am going out there and talking to people.  And I know that the Lord is with me.  That is my number one comfort, that he hears my pleas.  It was tough, but I do not want to stop this work.  Even if every person says no to me here, I still am going to go out there and talk to them.  

That was our week.  Oktoberfest is really not that big in the northern parts of Germany, from what I was told.  Most of it is in München.  But all the lederhosen are on sale, that I do know.  And Fall really has set in and no I havent gotten any winter clothes yet, however, i will soon. 

Love you all and my prayers are with everyone,
Elder Bretzing  


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