Weihnachtsmarkts!

The week started off with a bang as my companion and I traveled to Dortmund so we could have a split.  First though, for P-day we met up with the Dortmund missionaries to check out the Weihnachtsmarkts.  I was able to visit this particular Weihnachtsmarkt last year, but I got to spend some more time with it this year.  There was the giant tree, lots of food and souvenirs to buy, and overall, the feeling of Christmas in Germany.  That evening I stayed in Dortmund for the split, and me and the Elder I was with were able to meet the recent convert family I helped find when I first had a split in Dortmund a few months back.  The next day two investigators, who were two very interesting people, and then we ran around a hospital trying to find an investigator that checked out right before we arrived.

On Wednesday the split ended and returning to Siegen, we met up with leaders in our branch to set up home teaching.  Thursday was Thanksgiving!  Our day started early catching a three hour train to get to Dortmund, because we wanted to play it safe with our car and the limited amount of kilometers we have each month.  We had district meeting, and then afterwards Thanksgiving dinner together as a district.  It all turned out very nicely, and then we took the long train ride back to Siegen.  Friday consisted of weekly planning, and somehow my companion changing the layout of our apartment during the midst of it.  We also tried to meet with a few people, but to no success.  Saturday we went to the church to set up a projector for Sunday, and then meeting with a less active family, and in the evening helping members prepare for an upcoming move.

Finally, on Sunday, we showed the new Christmas initiative from the Church to our branch.  We also had our American investigators show up to church, this time in a suit, and a member brought her friend, someone she introduced to us a few weeks back.  It was great to see them all make it to church.  After church, we went with a member to visit a less active family, and then we helped the member we were with in figuring out FamilySearch.  It was a very busy week.

Lego Fun

One Giant Christmas Tree

Aaron and Ultron's Thanksgiving

Hardships and Blessings

What a week it was!  It all started Monday after a quiet P-Day, when we learned the less active we had been working closely with (cleaning his house, doing groceries) passed away.  That was sad, but we had to move on and teach English to the international family we have been visiting, which went over well.  The next day we had lunch with the missionary senior couple, visited our American Investigators, and in the evening played badminton.

Wednesday was also a hard day because in the morning, my companion received a call from our mission president, informing him his uncle passed away.  It wasn't easy for my companion, but he is a champ. That night we were able to visit a less active family and share the Gospel with them. Thursday was my 21st Birthday, and it was spent at a zone training meeting, learning about the new Christmas initiative from the Church, going on a split with my district leader, visiting some members who made cheesecake for my Birthday, and then visiting the International family, who made dinner and cake for my Birthday. At the end of the day I got to open a package from home with a few gifts.

Friday we ended the split by driving back to Dortmund to switch back. Along the way, a man drove around me on the Autobahn to get my attention and tell me something on the front of the car had come loose.  I was able to fix it upon arriving to Dortmund.  Saturday we did weekly planning, and in the evening we met with an investigator to talk about the plan of salvation.  Sunday was a pleasant surprise because we had a big turnout, including our American investigators, and half of the international, part member family as well.  It was exciting to finally see them make it to church for who came, and they had a good time, the son who is a deacon was even able to pass the sacrament.  Finally, in the evening we had a dinner appointment with a member, ending the week.

Celebrating Aaron's Birthday

A Doctor Who pillowcase present!

Cars! Cars...

The week kicked off with P-day, which was largely spent doing emails and going out to eat for lunch.  In the evening, my companion and I visited a less active family, and the children of the family have taken a real liking to my companion, wanting to play rough with him.  The next day we drove to Dortmund for district meeting and we had an entertaining thought given by my companion about working with recent converts and family history, where we practiced being characters from movies and talking about our family histories as if our characters were missionaries.  Surprisingly enough, I ended up being Ron Weasley, much to my district´s delight.

Driving back from Dortmund, we went out to see our American investigators and talked about the life of Jesus Christ.  Sadly, on the drive over to our investigators, I missed a speed limit sign and ended up getting caught by a camera speeding.  That night, we visited the family from the night before, along with the missionary senior couple, and showed them a little bit of "Meet the Mormons," making for a really good appointment.  As if my car troubles weren´t enough that day though, driving back home, we went to fill up our car with gas, but right as we left the gas stop, I got pulled over by an undercover police car.  Turns out the left turn I made to get into the gas stop was illegal, and I received a 30 euro fine.  I wasn´t happy.

Wednesday we spent some time in the morning helping a member with his garden, along with another member who was also there.  A really nice meal was prepared afterwards, but I was fasting for a 20 day fast our branch was doing.  Oh well.  We then helped a less active member with some shopping, and in the evening we visited the international family again.  They surprised us with dinner, making for a really long appointment, but we got to know their needs better and a better idea as to how to teach them.  The next day was pretty quiet concerning appointments, but we did visit our investigator with the African shop, and we also managed to share a copy of the Book of Mormon with a man on the street.  Friday was weekly planning, translating some materials for a member, and an appointment falling out, and Saturday we helped a family move into our branch.  We did it in the rain and mud, along with a spiral staircase we had to climb over and over again with large, bulky objects like couches and cabinets.  It was fun though!

Finally, on Sunday we had a busy time, helping with some translating work in Relief Society, our American investigators continuing to come to church, and after church financial stuff.  We then visited a member and showed him "Meet the Mormons"  (it´s on Youtube now, making it really easy to show to people now) and in the evening having dinner at the apartment of the missionary senior couple, along with the rest of the district.  We had a "practice Thanksgiving dinner" to test out if the senior couple could cook a turkey before the day actually comes.

And to end it all off, going grocery shopping today, there was a big Star Wars advertisement posted at the store, indicating that next Monday something Star Wars related will be going on.  Naturally, I got a picture.

More Star Wars Fun

   

Going International

It´s amazing, all the different cultures you encounter in Europe.

Starting the week off, for P-day my companion and I did some shopping, ping pong, and in the evening we visited a less active family with a member and we were fed African food.  Since coming to Siegen, it has been quite the experience trying to figure out how to eat African food.  It was a good appointment however, so I can´t complain.  Tuesday was district meeting in Dortmund, but I can´t say the picture included with this update was from this last district meeting, actually it comes from a week earlier.  That´s what happens when you don´t get any good pictures during the week.  After district meeting, we were able to visit the African Shop, and while there, we were able to sit down with a few people and talk about the Gospel, and specifically, the nature of the Godhead.

Wednesday was  busy!  It started off by visiting the member we help with groceries, along with our branch president.  We shopped for groceries and did a little bit of cleaning there before we left to meet with our American investigators.  With them we talked about fasting, which made for a good appointment.  In the evening we drove out to meet with the part member family with South American roots, along with our branch president and his wife.  During that appointment, German, English, and Portuguese was spoken, sometimes all at once!  We fought through it though, and taught about the Plan of Salvation, inviting the Spirit during that time.  Thursday we got to meet with a member who returned from her mission not too long ago, along with her neighbor who is not a member.  The member was excited to meet, and we got to share a quick message about our Heavenly Father.  We also went back to the African Shop in the evening, and got to talk with our investigator, the lady who runs the shop.

Friday was weekly planning, and then we went to help the less active member we do groceries for do more cleaning around his house.  We are working to help this member get back into the habit of praying every day, and he´s making progress!  Saturday we thought to visit a less active member from Africa, and we were able to meet and share a message about Faith and overcoming trials.  We then briefly visited an older member who can´t remember much anymore, and then we dedicated the home for our investigator who runs the African Shop, along with a member, who we then visited and had dinner with.  Sunday we got to see our American members make it to church again, which is always a blessing, and that about explains the week!

District meeting from last week

This is Halloween

The end of October snuck up this past week, including Halloween!  To start everything off, P-day was spent looking around at shops, including going to IKEA just for fun.  In the evening we talked  and did some planning with the senior couple involved with our branch.  Tuesday we drove up to Dortmund for District Meeting, and said goodbye to a sister missionary who would be transferred out of our district into another area.  Upon returning from Dortmund, my companion and I helped out two members in our branch do home teaching.  Because of that, I got to meet some more less active members in our branch, which made for a good experience.

Wednesday we set out to explore the region of Siegen that contains the University and see if there was anything we could do for missionary work.  We also helped out a less active member with shopping and then visited the African shop.  Thursday we worked on former investigator records and in trying to find these people.  In the evening, we met with a part member family that has South American roots.  This was the first time we met with this family because they were on vacation earlier, so it was really cool to get to know them.

Friday we were asked by a less active member if we could pick up a cabinet she bought from someone in the city.  We were able to do that, and also build the thing for her, which ended up taking a lot longer than anyone thought it would.  Saturday was Halloween, and we kicked off the day meeting with an investigator, and we had a cool experience where we asked the man we were meeting with if his wife would be interested as well, and she ended up getting involved in the appointment as well!  After the meeting, I attempted to make brownies for an appointment later in the evening, and right as the brownies were finished, I somehow managed to drop half of them on my right hand, burning a few of my fingers.  I spent some time with an ice pack on my hand after that.  In the evening though, we were able to visit a less active member family and we showed them how to carve pumpkins and talk about the importance of church.  Finally, on Sunday it was testimony meeting, and after church we went with a member to visit an older member who can´t get out of his home too much.

Let the Holiday Season Begin!

Halloween Fun

Aaron with his pumpkin