Hallo :)

Bayern flag

 

Jalen's neighborhood

 

Jalen's new WdR ring

 

 

Hallo :)

 

What a surprise, I am sitting back at this computer. Well, it is actually a different computer than normal. And a bit later than normal. We came in the morning and it wasn't open, but we found a potential and gave him a Book of Mormon instead :) cool how the Lord works. On Saturday we were walking around and then we talked to these two Russian guys about the Book of Mormon, and they both just said okay, that they would take it and read it. We didn't even say that much. Now they have the Book of Mormon! Then later Saturday evening we got to eat some Turkish food at the S_____'. It was good. Kinda a tomato soup with beans and then rice and a carrot salad and a pepper/tomato salad. Good stuff, vegetarian too. That was a lot of fun, they loved looking at my pictures of the family and friends. And they showed us their family and stuff too, in their album. It really just felt good, feeling that feeling of trust and respect for each other. We tried to talk about eternal families, and although we had a great discussion about the deterioration of the family in the world today, they aren't really interested in learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will keep in contact and see how things go.

 

Oh, thanks for the package! The Andersons made dinner last night, spaghetti and a Schwarzwald Kirsche kuchen (Black forest cherry cake! :) ) and then let me open my package. I got to watch my video on their computer again, but then it still doesn't work on my little DvD player at home. Oh well. It was still great! Lots of Milk Duds and such. And the ring is awesome! It makes me want to punch the face of evil and imprint WdR on its forehead. (WdR is the German version of CTR--Choose the Right.) Haha. Don´t worry, I am still me. I am not violent geworden. Haha, that was bad... But I do hate evil things. It makes me sick, all the darkness in the world.

 

Anyway, it was fun to see everyone at stake conference, afterwards they cornered me and Sister Lin told all the missionaries it was my birthday, and I tried to run away but Elder Eaker grabbed me. It is okay. Elder Eaker said he had a gift for me, but he had forgotten that yesterday was my birthday. No big deal :)

 

So, I have a picture that Elder Allan took as I opened my ring. The rest of the time he was taking ridiculous pictures of himself making crazy faces haha. Don't trust people with your camera. :) And the other picture is the Freistadt Bayern flag I bought last week :) with some left over personal money from our zone pday last transfer. And the other one is just a sunset I caught through two buildings not too far from our apartment. You can look at the far left at the red stoplight, there we would turn right and then walk to the ugly salmon colored church, then turn right and we are home. Puts you a bit closer to my home, eh? Temporary home, that is.

 

Also! Transfers! I totally forgot to tell you that calls were this last week. Nothing crazy going on here, Elder Allan and I stay together. But! Elder Nicoll is leaving his training zone, going to open a NEW AREA in Tübingen, and TRAINING in his 4th transfer! Haha and Elder Jones stays in Neuötting and trains!!! And Sister Garrett is staying in Passau and training!! And Sister Lin is going to Wien! We will miss them. Do you know what that means? I am now the oldest missionary in the district :/ That is not right! I will never get old! Krass, ge?

 

OH MY GOSH, Eric is going to Paris!!! 3 of us across the pond, I am so happy :) I have been in that mission home, like Dad said haha. How crazy. Man, back then I think Eric would have been in like Kindergarten. And what the heck?! No one told me Malcolm was going to TONGA!!!! (Yes we did!) I learned that from Chris´email that you sent me last week! That is so cool! Perfect for him. Tell him I am also currently living on an island, ja? Just not as pretty as his will be. And tell him to watch out for the Samoans, they like fire... What if he worked at the PCC after his mission? Haha. Sorry, random thoughts. He should email me.

 

Hey, did I ever tell you about the keyboard I got from the church? I just can't remember if I did. But I have practiced a bit, and Mia Auras gave me the music to a song that I love (River Flows in You), and I can at least make it sound okay :) I can play the first measure right AND left hand together, with only a couple warm up rounds :) Aren´t you proud of me Mom? Haha. You should send me my sheet music for 100 Years, ja? That would be cool :)

 

We had lots of stuff planned for this last week, lots of opportunities to meet with potentials and get new investigators and help people come closer to Christ. And most of them fell out. :/ But we will just keep going, and it is bound to happen. We did get a good lesson in with the family C_____, a family from Romania that Elder Stokes and I found ages ago. And right when we went inside, it started POURING rain and hailing and thunder and lightning! We talked about eternal families with them too. They said the coolest thing, that they don't believe in chance and they told us that they knew there was a reason they met us! How awesome is that? So I bore testimony to them that Heavenly Father wanted them to come to recognize His plan for them, and the potential they have to be together forever, through the gospel of Jesus Christ. They still didn't know when they would be home for a set appointment, but I narrowed it down to the weekends :) and they gave me a brand new umbrella when we left, even more incentive to go back :) They also enjoyed how huge my family is, they looked through my pictures :) Family is the most important thing on earth! And in Heaven! Of all time! Love them and cherish them. The Savior does.

 

Oh my goodness, I have to tell you about something awesome! I was on austausch with Elder Nicoll and we were standing at a busstop and a guy walks by with his friend and says "Tell my friend something about Christianity." The guy speaking told us he himself was Muslim, and the friend we were supposed to talk with was Catholic. So we talked about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration! That was cool. He wouldn't give us his info or take a book though, but his girlfriend came up and was pretty interested that they could visit a meeting on Sunday. Schau ma moi. Then after that, we were headed to the A_____' house for dinner, and I look out the window not even halfway to their house and saw Herr S_____, who we met a few weeks ago and who wanted a Romanian Book of Mormon, and wanted to come to Jesus Christ. I saw him and thought, cool. Then, like a slap in the face, I thought "Hey Elder Gibbons, there is a Romanian Book of Mormon in your backpack." So we got out of the bus at the last second, and we gave it to him. The reason I had the book was because we tried to go by on the Romanian lady on Sunday, but she wasn't there, and we tried again before our appointment with the A_____s. So I gave the book to Herr S_____ and he said he was having surgery in a couple weeks and that this book came at exactly the right time. Wow. He held the book up to our faces and said, this book is the truth! And then he showed it off to a guy sitting at the busstop :) Incredible. The Lord´s work is marvelous.

 

I have wenig Zeit, but I wanted to share something I read today. I read Ether 12:37, one of my favorites in connection with 12:27. It says, it doesn't matter if the others have charity or not, as long as I am true. I am made fun of on a daily basis by people who see us, and there are people who are very rude for no reason, and people look at us as if we aren't even people. And it bugs me a lot of the time. There are very nice people too, of course. But I read that scripture this morning and was comforted. It doesn't matter if they aren't so charitable. As long as I stay true. And I intend to do so. I love 12:27 as well.

 

Well, I know the Lord has been there before, and that His light will shine into the darkest of places and save even those who feel so far down beyond hope. But His light is hope, and the world needs hope. Share it with others. You will be happy :)

 

Thanks again for the birthday wishes! All the best to everyone. Being a missionary is the BEST! And being on God´s side is so rewarding.

 

I love you all, wish you success! Keep Smiling. :)

 

Elder Jalen Gibbons