April 15, 2013 Kiel

Elder Luening's District

Meine liebe Familie,

   Vielen dank für die Emails! Ich mag dass Ihr dem Hitchhiker Zeugnis gegeben habt, und finde es krass dass ihr 'Ride the Wave!' noch weiter machen! Ich bin überzeugt dass wenn ich wieder zuhause bin, werde ich so viel wie möglich die Missionare unterstutzen! Ich wünsche mir dass ich weniger Kampfsport gemacht hatte um mehr mit den Missionare zussammen zu arbeiten. Na ja, ein Balance zuhaben ist wichtig. Ich habe was von Verkundet mein Evangelium gelesen. Es gibt ein Abschnitt oder ein Satz von einem Propheten. Er bezeugte etwas wie; “We will attain our exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom only on the condition that we share with our Father’s other children the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and observe the commandments that will enrich our lives here and hereafter”. Oder etwas in der Art. Steht am ende des ersten Kapitals. (Quotes about missionary work from the Prophets of the Church). Es bringt man zum nachdenken und zu erkennen wie wichtig es eigentlich ist! Ich freue mich dass ihr die Missionare unterstutzen. Ich glaube dass es in Trail schwierig  zu dienen ist. Es hilft den Missionare sehr viel wenn die Mitgliedern mithelfen! Ihr habt ein Familiemissionsplan gemacht! Krass! :)

   (Thank-you for the emails. I like it that you picked up that hitchhiker and bore testimony to him, and find it sick that you follow “ride the wave”! I am convinced that I will support the missionaries as my=uch as possible when I am back home! I wish that I had spent less time in MMA and more time with the missionaries when I was at home before my mission! Oh, well, it is important to have balance! I read something from Preach My gospel: there is a paragraph or a line from a prophet (George Albert Smith). It says,” We will attain our exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom only on the condition that we share with our Father’s other children the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and observe the commandments that will enrich our lives here and hereafter.”.” Or something like that – it is at the end of the first chapter. (Quotes by the Presidents of the Church). It makes one think and realize how important it actually is. I believe that it would be difficult to serve in Trail. It helps the missionaries a lot when the members work with them.  You have made a Family Mission Plan – sick!)

  Meine Woche ist ganz gut gelaufen. Die Zeit an dem computer geht zu schnell! Dass heist dass ich wieder auf Englisch schreiben muss. lol.

  (My week went very well. The time on the computer is going by too fast. That means that I need to write in English again!)

   Today we played sand volleyball with the Sister missionaries, the Neumünster missionaries and 2 young single adults (S and M). It was a lot of fun. We had to buy a volleyball, (25Euro) but we're splitting it among the four of us (us and Kiel sisters) so it is worth it! We're planning on playing a lot more now that it is getting warmer. There's also a Fußball court right next to the sand volleyball court so it is perfect! And the position is right outside the Sisters apartment (2 minutes away from our apartment with the car) so yeah,” ziemlich günstig” (very convenient)! The weather was about 16°C today!! But it is supposed to drop back down again. Vorgestern (yesterday) it was 3 or 4 degrees and it should drop back down to around there.

  Our investigators are doing well. We told E that we would pray for a baptismal date for him and he was happy about that and excited to get our answer. We have a meeting with him tomorrow. V has been free from alchohol and tobacco for over a month now! He's changed for the better in so many ways, it is amazing. He's sober in thinking now, so he's taking our lessons and meetings seriously. His fear right now is in finding out if it is all true or not, but we're helping him out, and the ward is helping too! Everyone else we still haven't been able to get a hold of. We were way away from hitting our goals this week mostly because things kept coming in the way of it. I have a really good feeling about this coming week, though. I feel the Lord is going to bless us and our investigators. We also fasted today for V, because we're starting to worry about his progress. We're hoping and praying that he'll feel the Spirit and put his trust in his feelings.

  We had a Zone Training Meeting on Wednesday. It was cool the whole zone to see. J Wow, I just kicked my verb ha-ha! (My German is messing up my English.) We taught a lesson about involving the Lord more in our work during our planning and working! We based it on the scripture in John 15:4-7 

4 ^aAbide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the ^avine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without ^bme ye can do nothing. 6 If a man ^aabide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye ^aabide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ^bask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

    Then there was also a lesson about Motivation, and the Standards of Excellence for our mission. It was a really good zone meeting. Later in the week areas in our zone sent us text messages telling us about miracles they just experienced from prayer. It was cool, and we sent the messages throughout the zone. Everyone's excited for the work. We also are praying as a zone, for specific districts, that they will find someone prepared in their area that will commit to baptism. It's sweet!

   I don't have anything to say for Jeremy's farewell. Just that I don't think there is anything better than a mission so far. It really is something special. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

   Stay strong Mom, ha-ha. You'll be fine without all of us gremlins at home, lol. Thanks for the paragraph from Lorenzo Snow. I listened to the lecture series on the Presidents of the Church from Truman G. Madson. I recommend listening to them, they’re really good!  Oh, and thanks for letting me know how much I have on my card. Lol, I find it funny that you want me to spend money, Mom, ha-ha. You know you pretty much just sent me money in a card right?? I can't spend money that fast ha-ha. (I did buy a chin-up bar like Jeremy's that I can use throughout my mission! 25 Euro) J

 Oh, P.S. How are we skyping for Mothers Day?? Let me know!

Love you guys!

Easter fun "Thanks for the cool hat Mom!"