hallo!

Guten Morgen! Haben Sie ein gute Tag gehabt?

 

It seems like yesterday that I was writing home! I didn't get many letters last week (from those I sent them too, anyway) but I did get one from Christina and a couple from Dad. I am going to write back to those after breakfast, and maybe reply to some earlier ones if I get the time. Yeah, so no mail on Memorial Day, which means that I have to wait till after lunch to get any letters I might have and then find time to reply! I will do my best. Brother Evans had his baby on Saturday/Sunday. They named him Beckham Spencer. He got an infection in his lungs from the amniotic fluid, so he is still on antibiotics at the hospital. But Brother Evans was so excited! He showed us a picture of him, and then Elder Birkinsha asked if we got to see his wife. So he showed us a picture, making sure that we knew she was taken, and that no matter how beautiful she was, she was so much more. I loved how respectful he was of her! And of course, all the Elders looked at the picture and went "WOW, she is beautiful!" and Brother Evans said "Hey now, she is so much better than beauty." I hope someday I can be as great as Brother Evans. And, our new teacher Brother Ehlen (a.k.a. Lucas) has been teaching us when Brother Evans wasn't. He is so cool too! His first lesson with us, he told each companionship what we did well and what we could work on while we were teaching. (By the way I have seen Elder Burton, Alex, a couple times. And he just walked into the computer lab haha.) Anyway, Brother Ehlen then went on to tell us an analogy about fleas. They put fleas in a jar and put a lid on them, and for a couple days the fleas will constantly jump to get out and hit their heads, over and over. Then, after 3 days, they take the lid off, and not a single flea jumps out, not even the babies. Just like an elephant tied to a tiny stake in the ground at a circus, their life experiences had put a psychological lid on them, and they had given up. He then said that we have all most likely heard something about European missions being hard, or we won't get many baptisms, or anything like that. He told us that those lids are no longer there! The only thing that affects the success of a missionary is their attitude! Brother Ehlen promised us that if we went forward in faith, and worked as hard as we could, we will find success; he told us to let go of all the negative things we have heard, to let go of all the lids. That was one of the most powerful lessons I have ever heard.

 

Last night when we had class with Brother Evans, we told him about the cream soda tree haha. So we took a quick break so he could smell it, and he was freaking out, thinking that we were messing with him. He finally smelled it for a second and then ran off haha. He is funny. We also brought him a little cup off ketchup from dinner, because Brother Ehlen told us that Evans LOVED ketchup (Ehlen and Evans were companions in the Zurich, Switzerland mission a couple years ago, I can''t remember if I have told you that yet. I can never remember the things I have only written in my journal and not to anyone in letters or such. Sorry). We met our new investigator with Brother Ehlen, we had to do a door approach. His name is Paul and he is a referral through the church. We set an appointment for Donnerstag (Thursday) at 11. Then we were told who we would be teaching with Brother Evans: Andreas, a former member and former missionary who had left the church. We are excited to get back into things. I felt like I have not progressed much in the last weekend because we never had anyone to teach. I'm happy to get back into things.

 

So our district turned out pretty well, because each companionship has one person with German experience and the other with either no experience or just a little. Elder Botcherby took two years but didn't learn anything he says. Elder Robins and Elder Barr are both really good at German! But the rest of us are pulling along rather well regardless.

 

So last Tuesday the devotional was Elder Rasband (Divine call of a missionary or whatever the talk was called). He talked to us about the necessity of teaching with the Spirit, and having it always. Sunday's fireside was Stephen H. Allen, Managing Director, Missionary department. He talked about navy pilots and aircraft-carrier landings. Talked about the necessity of precision and the importance of recognizing deviance early. They were both fantastic. Then after Allen we stayed and watched Legacy, the pioneer movie. It was very entertaining because it was rather cheesy, but it kept us happy. Whenever someone would kiss, all the Elders would "Shhhhhhhh!" until it was over. And I was so tired on Sunday because Elders Robins, Janis, and Botcherby stayed up talking til 11:50! I can fall asleep at first, but I wake up rather easily. So many elders were asleep during church, even the Branch President and his counselor! It was fun watching them. I love singing in German, even when I don't know what it is saying exactly. They actually have "Come Thou Fount" in the German Gesangbuch! I have sung that quite a few times already.

 

I want to answer all the questions, but I just never have a lot of time! Oh, the bookstore does sell some picture prints, but they are only 8x10's haha. Yet they are only a dollar! So I printed off/ordered four pictures that I can send home. Well my computer is freezing,so I am going to go to breakfast while I can. Love you all! Things are great here! Write me ;)

 

Elder Gibbons #1