Week 23 7-5-11 - 7-11-11

This week was pretty good and its had its down times too haha to be honest. But the coolest thing about this week was that on thursday we were up in Hamburg for the mission tour from Elder Cuacee or however you spell it from the first qourum of the seventy it was way good! He is an awesome man and he definately taught us with the spirit! It just made you feel like you need to do better! He was awesome and he asked us what are we here for and said when it comes down to it we are here to baptize the people so why are we so afraid to invite people to be baptized and than he challenged us to invite all of our investigators to be baptized and make sure the people we teach know that that is why we are teaching them so they can be expecting the question and prepare for it. So we came back and had an appointment with Gisbert and at the end of our lesson Elder Hardman challenged him to be baptized and he said something like, I dont dare. Because his family is all catholic he is afraid they wouldnt accept him so that was pretty dumb and he also said that he knows he would be happy if he joined the church and he  knows what we have said is true but the fact that he would lose his family and he said there is nobody smart enough in our branch that he can talk to! That was kinda a dumb excuse but whatever haha. And so we said ok well than we should probably start meeting less like every other week instead of every week and he said ya I think it would be stupid to just stop all contact and than he said he would really think about our invitation and talk to his family that was cool. He also told me that he think I memorize what I say that made me not so happy but whatev haha its just because I cant speak tons of German so what I can say is really simple! So we were a little dissapointed after that! Than yesterday he called us and we saw his name on our phone I was like no way he wants to get baptized I was so stoked! Than he talked to Elder Hardman and said I want to stop all visits and Elder Hardman said well can I ask why and he said well its hard to explain over the phone than said see ya. So that was a shock but I guess he just isnt prepared! I wonder what happened taht he completely changed! We worked pretty hard this week and didnt see a lot out of it and thats kinda hard. But I just figure thats Satan not wanting us to work as hard like it says you have to have a trial of your faith! All of our appointments fell through this week! But we taught a couple people on the street so that was pretty cool. We have to appointments tommorrow so I think they will both go through! Germany is a great place! I just wish the people could be a little more humble so they can be more accepting of the gospel! It is really hard to explain to people how happy it will make them when they dont WANT to believe in God or anything. Another cool story, On Friday we had to go up to Oldenburg cause the Zone Leaders wanted my comp up there for some district leader meeting so I had to go as well of course. So the other district leader was there as well and his companion Elder Cartwright (he was in the mtc with me the group younger). SO while they had this meeting me and Elder Cartwright went out and did some street contacting in Oldenburg which was hard cause I have never been there and we had no idea where we were going but it was fun haha we talked to a lot of people we introduced the Book Of Mormon to a guy that told us he was a practicing athiest haha I don't understand how that works but I was talking to him and he was telling us all the bad experiences he has had with church and so I explained to him what the Book Of Mormon was than I said I really know this book can help you and that you can really find out if God is there if you read this and pray about it. And he looked at me and said ok I will take it. So we placed a BOM that was way cool. He also told me my German was good haha so I was pretty happy about that! We really have been working hard and I know we will see the benifets from that. I dont know how soon they will come but I know they will come! I think I finally got my comp on the same page and he has been doing his best as well and its crazy to see that when he started working and doing his best we have gotten a long a lot better and so thats way cool too. Transfers are almost here again not this saturday but next we will know who goes and who stays. My comp says he can see him staying for another and me getting transfered? Haha maybe so. I really like this city and I like the work here and I know it can really turn around! We will see.... Its way cool to see how awesome the gospel is and how much happier we can be if we do what our Heavenly Father asks of us. There has been trials I have faced on the mission or before or whenever and the answer has always been the gospel! The gospel is really a medicine its a cure to all of our problems. When we understand that we really our children of our Heavenly Father we understand our full potential and other worldly things do not matter! I have really noticed that in my life and I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is really the only way we can reach that potential. Nobody is perfect but the only way we can be perfect is through Jesus Christ! I love the gospel and I love the oppurtunity I have to serve a mission it hasnt always been easy but it has always been worth it! I have learned so much and I love it! I love you all and thanks for all you do for me and the prayers!! Have a great week!!