Hey all!

Hope everyone has been having a good week, and hopefully its not as hot back in the states as it is here! Then again if it is, I'm pretty sure you all have air conditioning! This week was pretty busy, but most of the productive things came on Saturday, so I'll only talk about that.

Saturday was the day of a baptism for a guy the sisters and we have been working with. His name is Lukas, and boy does he have an awesome heart. He is really good friends with the other recent member of the congregation, Wolfgang, who was baptized himself only a little more than a month ago. Lukas really wanted to have Wolfgang baptize him because it would be like Wolfgang handing down the title of newest member to him. This actually proved to be somewhat of a small problem in planning because Wolfgang is blind and has a crooked back. Because we believe in baptism by immersion, we weren't sure how Wolfgang was going to dunk Lukas all the way under, let alone make sure he went all the way under. What ended up happening what that Lukas just kneeled and Wolfgang pushed his head under. It was kind of funny but really beautiful at the same time.

Earlier that day, we went by a person in our record book that was taught by the missionaries two years ago but never got baptized. We stopped by and he was thrilled to talk to us about the Bible! Donald comes from Ghana and loves the gospel and has very, very deep questions. We talked for more than an hour and he told us that he wants to meet on a regular basis, which is awesome! So now we have two main investigators and another one that is the wife of a man who has some sort of mental handicap. We don't entirely know much about them, but they love the church. She herself is even more handicapped, so it's kind of hard, but she really wants to be baptized. I'm not sure she really understands, but it's awesome that she wants to be baptized so much.

Later on and after the baptism, we got on a bus with about 7 other missionaries and a member. Elder Arts was talking to a man who belongs to the Islamic faith. Elder Arts gave him a card with the number of the elders living in the mans area, and within an hour of saying goodbye the guy called the elders and then said he would come to church the next day. What! Crazy! Then, after we said goodbye we ran into a couple from China and they wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ. As a missionary those are the words you just LOVE to hear! haha. Unfortunately they too did not live in our area, but they gave us their number and said they wanted to meet with missionaries.

My bishop is Hungarian and we had a Hungarian meal and it was absolutely amazing. I don't think I have a favorite food here yet, but Fanta is probably my favorite drink here. Tastes way different. Better really.

The language is coming better and I can understand Americans when they speak German almost perfectly, but only because they think the same way I do. I still have some trouble understanding other people though. I kind of have to spend time warming up to the language and then my mind switches into German mode and I get so much more. Cologne is so huge it's hard to have a sense of direction. Even the people here seem to have trouble sometimes. After all it is the 4th biggest city in Germany.

This week has been really good, and I am trying to getter a better hold on my attitude and way of seeing things. I love this mission, and I hope I continue to run into people I feel like I can help. We are all where we are for a reason, and I love finding my reason. Have a good week everyone! I'm off to see a castle!

Birthday week!

Hey all!

Just wanted to start out and thank everyone for the birthday wishes. I miss all of you and I got your Facebook messages through my mom. Send me an email sometime and let me know what's up back home, I miss it sometimes!

So this week I went on a split with another elder and it was almost like the blind leading the blind since we are both new. Ironically we actually visited a blind guy....haha. He is so cool though. Pretty sure I already wrote about him, but he is a recently joined member and his name is Wolfgang! This Elder and I got along ok, but that's probably because I was holding in my frustration with him haha. After a very hot day I just wanted to take a shower and he asked me why I would take a shower now when I would have to take another in the morning. Excuse me? Haha. He kept telling me how to do things and our teaching style was just really different. Plus I could tell the people he talked with on the street were WAY uncomfortable. Glad it's over though! Believe it or not I actually did learn from that experience too..in a good way! I think I am beginning to learn patience haha.

So on the 18th it was very very hot. We had set up a time to go to the Radison Blu hotel because a member from my church back home was going to be in Cologne on business. I asked my mission president if I could possibly meet up. He said it would probably not be a good idea, and could also make me homesick. I had no problem with this, so I just set up a time to pick up a birthday package at the hotel because he was bringing one from my parents. Well after an hour of being in the sun, we finally made it. We were so hot, and out of the corner of my eye I see our friend. I was like, well there's no getting this out of this president so I'm going to say hello! It was way nice to meet with him because it felt like home wasn't so far away anymore. It was also really nice to see someone that I knew before my mission because it helped me to feel like Elder Andrew and Kevin are also the same person. We also got a drink there, which was unbelievably refreshing!! We sat and talked and I got my package. He had slipped in some drinks and two pastries from a shop nearby. Let me just say those were the best pastries I have ever had, and that was just as good if not better than eating a cake!!

The next day on my birthday we went to zone training and I talked with the mission president to get to know him better and him me. We had a really good fun talk, and the best part was that it was about 95 outside and the room we were in was like a freezer since it actually had AC! So later in the training, a fireman came in and told us we either needed to stay or get out of the area because a bomb from WWII had been found while digging for a sight nearby. They needed to deactivate the bomb and nobody would be able to come in or go out of the area during that time. Elder Arts and I had an appointment at 6, and we just barely got out by just barely getting on the last train in hours. Luckily everyone was ok, but we also made it to our appointment. Oh and we were also only one of about 10 or so companionships that made it out of the area. This meeting was with a guy we had met on a train. He had so many little questions, and we were able to answer almost all of them with him saying "yeah that makes sense" after most of them. He is so cool and he drove 30 min just to meet with us. His name is Marius, and we just clicked so well. For once out here, I felt like I made a friend with the people here. Unfortunately we told him there were some other elders that could help him that lived closer. I say unfortunately because he is so awesome and we haven't met anyone like him in a very long time. On the bright side, right before that we had a guy from Ghana come up to us and immediately recognized us. We gave him a Book of Mormon and our number and he said he'd give us a call soon. I really hope he does!

So much lengthier letter this week. But also a much better week, and a birthday that was better than most, granted that my Spongebob party when I was little will probably always be up there. Way glad to be out here, and have been having way cool experiences!! Thanks for all the letters and birthday wishes. Have a good week everyone!!

Birthday week!

Hey all!

Just wanted to start out and thank everyone for the birthday wishes. I miss all of you and I got your Facebook messages through my mom. Send me an email sometime and let me know what's up back home, I miss it sometimes!

So this week I went on a split with another elder and it was almost like the blind leading the blind since we are both new. Ironically we actually visited a blind guy....haha. He is so cool though. Pretty sure I already wrote about him, but he is a recently joined member and his name is Wolfgang! This Elder and I got along ok, but that's probably because I was holding in my frustration with him haha. After a very hot day I just wanted to take a shower and he asked me why I would take a shower now when I would have to take another in the morning. Excuse me? Haha. He kept telling me how to do things and our teaching style was just really different. Plus I could tell the people he talked with on the street were WAY uncomfortable. Glad it's over though! Believe it or not I actually did learn from that experience too..in a good way! I think I am beginning to learn patience haha.

So on the 18th it was very very hot. We had set up a time to go to the Radison Blu hotel because a member from my church back home was going to be in Cologne on business. I asked my mission president if I could possibly meet up. He said it would probably not be a good idea, and could also make me homesick. I had no problem with this, so I just set up a time to pick up a birthday package at the hotel because he was bringing one from my parents. Well after an hour of being in the sun, we finally made it. We were so hot, and out of the corner of my eye I see our friend. I was like, well there's no getting this out of this president so I'm going to say hello! It was way nice to meet with him because it felt like home wasn't so far away anymore. It was also really nice to see someone that I knew before my mission because it helped me to feel like Elder Andrew and Kevin are also the same person. We also got a drink there, which was unbelievably refreshing!! We sat and talked and I got my package. He had slipped in some drinks and two pastries from a shop nearby. Let me just say those were the best pastries I have ever had, and that was just as good if not better than eating a cake!!

The next day on my birthday we went to zone training and I talked with the mission president to get to know him better and him me. We had a really good fun talk, and the best part was that it was about 95 outside and the room we were in was like a freezer since it actually had AC! So later in the training, a fireman came in and told us we either needed to stay or get out of the area because a bomb from WWII had been found while digging for a sight nearby. They needed to deactivate the bomb and nobody would be able to come in or go out of the area during that time. Elder Arts and I had an appointment at 6, and we just barely got out by just barely getting on the last train in hours. Luckily everyone was ok, but we also made it to our appointment. Oh and we were also only one of about 10 or so companionships that made it out of the area. This meeting was with a guy we had met on a train. He had so many little questions, and we were able to answer almost all of them with him saying "yeah that makes sense" after most of them. He is so cool and he drove 30 min just to meet with us. His name is Marius, and we just clicked so well. For once out here, I felt like I made a friend with the people here. Unfortunately we told him there were some other elders that could help him that lived closer. I say unfortunately because he is so awesome and we haven't met anyone like him in a very long time. On the bright side, right before that we had a guy from Ghana come up to us and immediately recognized us. We gave him a Book of Mormon and our number and he said he'd give us a call soon. I really hope he does!

So much lengthier letter this week. But also a much better week, and a birthday that was better than most, granted that my Spongebob party when I was little will probably always be up there. Way glad to be out here, and have been having way cool experiences!! Thanks for all the letters and birthday wishes. Have a good week everyone!!

Denton Dance, a close family friend, was traveling to Koln, Germany where Kevin is serving.  He took him a birthday present from us:

July 14, 2014

Greetings from the World Champions!!

We woke up at 1230 and was up almost a half hour to nonstop screaming, sports horns, and car horns!  We even had ear plugs in! It was good to know everyone was so happy though.

Normally everyday we leave our doors to the balcony open while we are gone because nobody can climb nine stories right? Well we had a bird break in and poop all over our floor! We could not find the bird but we found its "Tracks" haha. Quite funny really!

Time is going by way fast, and it's all starting to blur together. This week we climbed to the top of the Dom Cathedral and it was unlike anything I have ever done before. I can tell you that I am now quite grateful for elevators, and that I got my leg workout in that day.

For those of you who don't know the life of a missionary, here's the breakdown: 630 we wake up and exercise and eat. At 8 we begin personal study within the scriptures for about an hour. At 9 we study with our companion and prepare lessons or spiritual thoughts for people we meet with during the day. At 10 we study the language and then at 11 we focus again on one of the three before. Most days we don't have time for that though. Then we get an hour break for lunch. After that we go to appointments, do service and talk with people on the streets and trains until 9. Then we come home, plan where we will go the next day and who we will teach and then go to bed by 1030! Rinse and repeat. Haha. That's it really. It can be hard sometimes, but it is worth it.

This week I split from my companion and spent the night in two different cities. I went to Wupertal and then I also went to Dusseldorf. Both were way fun, but I really can't write everything. Although I will say that my day in Dusseldorf was one of my favorite days. We taught two guys my age and then played a little soccer, then we visited a recent convert from Africa who wants to serve a mission, and then we taught Apostelos. Apostelos is trickey; He knows that we are teaching him truth but he will deny it whenever he wants to be "Right" about something. Anyway, even though it was my hardest lesson ever, I really got through to him and was able to speak with him in English. I really had this weird love for him even though I was totally frustrated with him. Weird I know.

This week Elder Arts and I met some really cool people. Everyone has his or her unique story, and that's part of what I love about being a missionary. We even set up an appointment with one lady! We will see if it falls through though. One man was a tattoo artist and was totally into what we had to say. We asked him if we could meet another time to talk about our message and he said gladly! Unfortunately he had a suitcase and he said he was going on vacation, so I have to wait for him to come back. With patience comes good things. There's so much I want to talk about but I really don't have anymore time. I will quickly say that our one investigator is our dream investigator and he reads book upon book that people from the church have written. He also reads the church manual alongside the Book of Mormon so he understands everything. He wants so badly to know if the church is true, and that makes me happy.  I want him to have the same happiness I have because of the gospel.

Ok well I am off to see a couple of castles and to celebrate Germany's victory! 

Hey All!

This week was both really busy, but also kind of empty. This week we didn't have any lessons with any investigators!! Arg!  Oh well, we met a way cool girl this week on a train, and we exchanged numbers and we gave her a Book of Mormon!

On Tuesday I met my new mission president, and his name is President Stoddard! I asked him if he was related to some Stoddards in Michigan. He said he was, but distantly related. He said his family had been converted in Michigan from the early members of the church. I then asked him if it was from the members that are mentioned going up to Detroit in the D&C, and he said that was exactly right! Way cool! He's a way cool guy, and I am actually going to spend more time with him on my birthday in an interview, so that should be interesting.

This week we also went to a BBQ on Sunday right after church. It just wasn't the same even though it was still pretty good. This week I have been kind of missing school a little. Weird as that sounds it is true. I met a lot of cool people there, and I hope we will always be friends. Plus as empty as Idaho is, it is way fun!

So just the other day Elder Arts and I visited a man by the name of Erik Broeker. Erik cannot move and he cannot speak. I think he has Cerebral Palsy? Anyway, we visited him and all he does is watch TV and play video games all day every day of his life. It was really sad, and he lives in a hospital as a permanent resident. He blinks for yes, and shakes his head for no. He is able to write really slowly, and other than that, that is all he can do. We got on the topic of life and he asked us,"why is my test so hard and yours isn't?" Honestly I almost cried, and I had to hold back some tears. I felt crummy because I don't know why his life is harder than mine, and I can't give him an answer that brings him peace. It was really hard. Erik is also a pretty funny guy and has a sense of humor. He also told us that he occasionally smokes weed! Not exactly how he gets his weed let alone smoke it. Anyway, it was sad to see him sad but I was glad we could visit him.

We also got a tour of the city from a less active member, and we went all around and he explained some really neat things. We came across this road that is an original Roman made road, with the original stones in the pathway. It isn't very big or long, because most of it was destroyed. It is just so neat because so much stuff here is hundreds if not thousands of years old, yet here it is still. We went into the Cologne Dom and there is really no way to describe it. It is simply incredible. Today for our free day, we are going into the cellars and climbing to the top of it! So excited!

Elder Arts spotted quite the treasure this week, and we each picked up our own Deutschland Jerseys for soccer. It's not the real thing, but the real thing costs 80 euro and these cost 15 on sale...so. This week there was also a gay pride tour going around the city of Cologne. There were people everywhere in T-shirts, groups, games, and everything all rallying for rights. As someone who stands in a religion who is known for supporting traditional marriage, it was kind of scary being around so many people when it was just the two of us. Luckily we were able to contact a woman, and turns out she was an American serving on a military base. We thanked her for her service, gave her our card, and found out her best friend is Mormon. Small world! After that there were just more and more people coming from everywhere in the city, so we decided to head in early.

Well that's pretty much it this week. We helped the most technologically challenged person I have ever met in my life and helped him with his phone and help him set up a facebook because he has two emails without even knowing it. He also doesn't know his password to facebook or his email, and realized why his internet was so slow on his phone after we told him and explained that his wifi router had to be plugged into the wall to work. haha.

Well I hope everyone has a fun and productive week, Elder Arts and I are off to cut off his mop on his head and go to the Dom with a bunch of other missionaries.