March 25, 2013, Kiel

Dear Family,

   Thanks so much for the update on what's been happening this last week. I'm jealous of all the activities for the Y.S.A. that are going on. I want to big a big part of that when I get home. All the travelling and the activities sound like a lot of fun. Jeremy, and Charlene, keep hitting those things up! Oh and if you have friends outside the Church, send a little invite their way- you never know who would go with you if you ask, as opposed to not asking. Wow, I miss Trail. I miss all the hiking trails, the mountains, and river. It really is a beautiful place. We have had snow for the last 3 weeks. It's been cloudy almost every day, and seems to snow every other day. It's been staying cold but “naja”, I'm surviving. Yesterday the sun shone as we drove to the Bishop’s house for lunch, and the highway goes right beside the ocean and it looked so nice! The waves were crashing on the beach and the 3 inch layer of snow was melting. The ocean looks so nice, I'm sure Kiel is a really pretty city when it is warm and sunny!

   So, on my side of the world...this week was pretty good. It was a tough week, but we pulled through it and I was able to experience a lot of pretty cool things. I had a sacred personal experience using the priesthood.  I thought a lot about it. I'm really thankful for the way the Lord is helping me and taking care of me. I've learned a lot since I've been with Elder G. I'm not sure why I've been assigned as companion to with him, but I'm thankful that I have been. He has been doing better. We're doing everything we can to find someone who will be baptized this transfer. I know it is possible.

  On Thursday we went to Hühnaland (the place where I went with S last week and didn't see any success) again this week, because we felt if the family that gave us that place to work in, really did pray about it, then we shouldn't give up until we've finished tracting the whole place. So we did door approaches and a lady with 2 little kids let us in and we were able to teach her. She's Baptist and so is her husband. She's about 30. She was interested in our belief that families can be eternal. It was really cool that she let us in, and she said that we could come back again and explain our beliefs more. I know that Baptists are very anti-Mormon people usually, so hopefully her husband didn't get mad at her for meeting with us. We're going back tomorrow, so we'll find out. But it was definitely cool to be let in, because all the other people just slammed the doors in our face.

   We also knocked on doors on Saturday. And found a man around 70 years old who said we could come back again. But yeah, we're really praying that we'll be able to find a family to bring into the ward, because we have, like, 4 or 5 young families in our Ward here in Kiel!

    V is holding strong, and hasn't touched alcohol or tobacco. We visited him with S (a YSA leader  - he's 26)) and as we walked into his apartment I realized that he cleaned the whole apartment, and even rearranged things. He's making progress and he's going to pray about a baptismal date. I just hope that he doesn't get stressed about it again. I really hope that he stays positive and keeps progressing.

   M was confirmed a member yesterday, and received the gift of  the Holy Ghost. We also gave him a document saying that he's been baptized and confirmed that he needs to take to his lawyer. He came on Joint teach with us to a 50 year old man from Iran that we met last week. I found him in the area book and we decided to go by on him. He's a really nice man, and he and M got along great. They told us about how terrible Iran is, and why they fled the country. It reminded how blessed I am to be raised where I was. M starts his German class at school next week, which is crucial.because he can't speak much German or English, and he NEEDS to learn German. So that'll be great!

   Other than that, not too much has been going on with me. I've been listening to a lot of talks from Truman G. Madson, about the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the other Prophets of the Church. I'm learning a lot from it, and realizing more and more about how great of a man Joseph Smith really was. Also I read something from Paul, 1 Corinthians 9 talks all about him preaching the gospel, and at the end he talks about keeping “under his body”.(verse 27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.) It reminded me of the carnal man, and how we need to keep control of ourselves and stay disciplined. Paul was a powerful apostle, and he knew that he had to practice his faith forever so that he wouldn't fall away.

   I'm grateful for you guys and for your support. Just like you don't have to worry about me, I know that I don't have to worry about you. I'm way proud of Colten for his decision in serving a mission, and I'm really excited for him. I know he'll love it and never regret it. The same with you Charlene and Jeremy. You'll learn and experience things that you wouldn't trade for anything. I am proud of all of you. Love the missionaries in your areas, and offer to do some work with them. They'll appreciate it! Have a great week.

Love Elder Luening