June 17, 2013, Kiel

June 17

Hey guys,

Thanks for the emails and for the update! Wow, Charlene I'm so excited for you and I know you're going to love your mission! It's so exciting! That was a great blessing that you received, and I'm grateful I was able to read it. We'll keep in touch by email!

   This week has gone by so slow...and I'm having troubles remembering what we did, lol. We did a lot of things but it seems to be all mushed together. We are still meeting at least twice a week with E. We're going to a Family Home Evening with E. tonight at Jared and Ariana's (young married couple who got married last fall). There will also be 2 other young married couples there (E.s, and Z.'s who also don't have kids yet). Ariana's also going to invite her aunt and uncle who aren't members, and they've asked us to give the spiritual thought.- great missionary opportunity J!

We organized our former investigator list and mapped out where everyone lives using “Google Maps”. Then we numbered them all on the map, printed them off, and put their names on a list telling us who they are and what street and number they live on and if they have a telephone number. Now, whenever we are in an area, we can quickly check if there are any contacts in the area and go see if they still have interest. It's so convenient and so effective. We went by on L. to say “hello”.  She called us 2 weeks ago and told us she would like to study on her own for a while, so we thought we'd just say “Hi” since we were in the area finishing up the doors there. She was really friendly and thanked us for coming by. It was a positive little visit.

 We talked to some interesting people at the doors but none who we could teach again. We went to a Stake activity in Plön because some members brought friends and had asked us to be there to meet them. It was a lot of fun and the weather was beautiful. Some members came from Delingsdorf and I got to quickly chat with Thorsten Z.'s wife, Connie! How cool is that?! Thorsten wasn't there , I can't remember why, but I met their son and we took a picture together. You'll have to talk to her if you want a copy because she took the picture on her phone, lol. That was funny, though, running into her and being able to talk a little bit.

Things are moving forward with V. We had a powerful lesson with him yesterday about the restoration. We wanted to make sure that he understood it and that it made sense to him. And it did. The spirit was pretty powerful in the meeting, and I asked him if he had prayed to find out if the Book of Mormon is true. He said he hasn't because he's caught in between not wanting to and  wanting to find out if it is true. He said he's not scared, but just nervous to find out if it's true or not. No word can describe the feeling I have, he said, lol. He laughed about it and we committed him to do it. I know he knows it's true. He just needs to find it out for himself, by asking!

   I'm so glad that I've received an answer through the spirit that this Church is true. Joseph Smith was really a prophet of God. I've learned so much about him and about what kind of a man he was. The message of the Restoration is a miracle. I know it's true, and I know the Book of Mormon is true. The story of Peter walking out onto the water is always clear in my mind. I love that Christ answers Peter by telling him to come unto him, and Peter being so focused on Him that he does. In Alma 5, Alma testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ is calling to us to come unto Him, and that if we do we may eat from the tree of life, (which fruit is the most joyous to the soul 1 Ne. 11:23) for the good Shepherd is calling us and wants us to be a part of His fold. I know that as I continue to bring forth fruits of righteousness and keep focused on Him and His marvelous work, he'll continue to make me an effective instrument in His hands.

   I love you guys, and I hope you enjoy this week and reach out to help someone receive some of the light that we all have inside of us. This light that we've received from our faith on our Friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Love Elder Lüning.