Week Sixty-three

So hey! This last week was like kind of crazy haha. To say the least. Ups, downs, sicknesses, holidays. It was just what you'd expect on a mission haha. Oh yea and I'm emailing on Tuesday because yesterday was a national holiday in Germany. Germans go big on holidays. Even though a very small percent of the population believes in Christ and his Resurrection..or even knows what those things are haha, they still take the day off of work and all the stores are closed. We had to work yesterday and take P-Day today. No big though!

 

Last week was busy. Here's what happened:

 

Montag: Last Monday was fun. P-Day is always fun. The sisters were in Berlin because they were having interviews, so it was just us and T in Rostock. We ate Vapianos, our favorite Italian restaurant. We went shopping a little, bought groceries, and hung out. It was pretty average haha. After P-Day was over, Brother E came and fixed some stuff in our apartment, so we had to be there for that. It was weird timing. We worked on this grid thing that I like doing, which grids out the cities and shows us where all the contacts and members are. So we can work more efficiently! German engineering. We also had a lesson with F, which went well. We talked about following the Prophet and keeping the commandments. It was a good lesson. Elder Collins and I have to boast in the Lord haha because our teaching has gotten a lot better. I'm never really concerned about appointments because we plan well and execute. Like Marines. Except Missionaries. It was a good P-Day.

Dienstag: Tuesday we were in Berlin. We had to wake up at 4 in the morning! Dang but all was good and we made our train and everything. We got to Berlin and met up with Sister Holbrook and a bunch of other missionaries and got to the church building there. It's so cool! In the middle of Berlin. Super close to the Brandenburgertor and the Siegersäule. 

Brandenburgertor

Siegersäule

 Cool German landmarks. Well we got there and it was great to see all the missionaries that I know. It was so fun. We heard some great themas. President Kosak talked a little about Easter. In Russian, the word for Sunday is also the word for resurrection. Apparently haha. I like that. So every Sunday they celebrate Christ! Subconsciously. I didn't spell that right. Sister Kosak talked about taking care of our companions and the assistants talked about 'risking the awkward' and talking to people on trains at bus stops etc. It was really cool. We ate lunch, too. Kassler and veggies and potatoes. I didn't eat too much. It made me a little sick...it was just a good meeting. We had to wait a long time after Zone Conference for the assistants to take us to Bahnhof and buy us tickets. But it was all god. I was able to lead the troops through Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Which is huge and bigger then the airport there). We got home very late haha.

Mittwoch: Wednesday was kind of craziness. We studied in the morning, and took an early train to go out to Neubukow and visit our Branch President. They made us delicious food oh my gosh! Schnizel, Kartoffeln, und Gemüse. Some solid German food. After we came home, we taught English class! We only taught Ljuba, a Russian girl that we met on the way home from Berlin haha. She was on the train and we just started talking and we rode all the way from Berlin to Rostock together. Like really crazy miracle/coincidence. It went alright haha I'm really bad at teaching English. After that, we went with Tobias and met with Rong-Ling. It was a pretty cool appointment. Pretty relaxed and we taught about families and pryer. Good stuff.

Donnerstag: Thursday was weird. In the morning, we met with the sisters and 'saw them off'. They were both transferred out of Rostock all of a sudden! Not cool at all! I was so upset really. Like one second they were there, and the other the had to pack and leave Rostock. No idea why. The got transferred to somewhere else. It was so sudden. Nobody was happy. But we helped them get to Bahnhof and talked about the investigators that we're taking care of now. Still not OK with me haha I'm really upset about the whole thing. Rostock feels so empty now. Oh well. We met with D, which was OK. He still has some worries about really 'investigating' the church and everything. We'll see how it goes. After that appointment, we met up with T and had two appointments with J and T. They are both African and speak English. And single women, so we bring a joint teach. And T speaks English so it just works out perfectly. Both really really good lessons! J is awesome, and said she'd read 20 chapters of the Book of Mormon before we met again. T is being baptized on the 13th, which is coming up way soon! Good stuff. After those appointments, we came back and had Family Home Evening.

 

Freitag: Friday was cold! That's all I remember haha. We had Gemiko in the morning and President Albrecht was there, which was super good. We got some good unity with the ward here. We're still working on it too. But steps are being made. We went home and ate, and then had two appointments with members. We visited Bruder S and talked about keeping the sabbath day. He gave us a cake and candy. And then we met with the L's and talked about Easter haha what else. It was way good. They have 2 puppies that were hilarious. We ate some crazy good apple pastry things. I was grateful. Still am. After all the we went home and did weekly planning. Actually we had to go and empty the sisters apartment of perishable food. Sad.

Samstag: Saturdays are good still. We had a lesson fall out in the morning, but we ate lunch instead. So we went and played basketball, which was great. We're bringing one of Ts' friends, who is super cool and maybe he'll have interest in meeting with us! Or coming to church. We always invite. I liked it because I just need exercise. I need to move or I get all weird and anxious haha. That was good. After that, we came and got ready for ping-pong, but nobody showed up, which is too bad. So we took care of some other things instead. We ended up having a mini eating appointment with T. We ate met. MMMMMMMM almost raw meat. I love it.

Sonntag: Sunday was Easter! And it was great. Well except for the fact that Elder Collins was sick. That was rough. He had/has a flu type illness. But church was good. We had like 4 investigators there! T came, which is great. After church the A/E family had us over for Easter. It was sooo fun and SOOOO GOOD! They made Kassler, Suarkraut, Knödel, Kartoffeln, there was a bunch of chocolate, and Mousee. It was just a great meal. Too bad elder Collins was like really sick haha. We went and walked on the beach and then came back and ate cake. That's how Germans do it. Lots of cake. We had to cancel an appointment that night because Elder Collins was sick.

Montag: Yesterday wasn't P-Day! It was a holiday and everything was closed. Sad days. I remember a year ago when I was in Hannover and we didn't have to worry about the internet laden being closed on Easter because it was run by Muslims. Those were the days. But we had to 'work' yesterday. It was good for Elder Collins, weil er sich erholen musste. He had to take a break because he was so sick! It was crazy actually. I was scared. But he's doing better today. I spent all of Monday reading. Literally. I read The books of Ether, Moroni, and Deuteronomy. All day. It was amazing.

That was the week! It was such a long week. Oh my gosh haha I feel 2 years older just from Easter week, 2013. But it was way good, too. I really learned a lot this last week haha it sounds cheesy but it's true. Zone Conference was great, church was really cool, and just dealing with disappointment is always a learning process. Like the pioneer lady who thanked God in a prayer for all the locusts eating the food! But I complain way more.

Easter in San Diego sounds like it was super fun! I miss food from home....so much...but the German food here is amazing. I really do feel at home with some of the families here in Rostock and in Germany period. It's great how much the members take care of us. I love it. Thanks for telling me I'm good looking. It's really important to me. NO spring has not come to Rostock yet. It's still colder. It's warmer actually but not spring yet. There's still snow on the ground. And good job Thomas for passing your Eagle Board! Woo!

I really like this thought from last week. It's about dealing with trials. It all starts with D&C 121:1. Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail (Ironic that the jail was called Liberty) and how he asks basically why is God hiding from him? Humans always come to a point when we feel alone and just really upset. 2 Nephi 2:25 says that we're here to be happy, so why do we have these moments of being upset? Read on to 2 Nephi 2:27 which says that we have this choice to be happy, and that we need to CHOOSE eternal life or happiness and not 'eternal damnation' as it is, or misery. Satan tries to make us miserable like himself. Whenever we're feeling that way, he's having an affect on us somehow. God doesn't make us miserable haha he can give us trials, but only good feelings come from God. Satan brings us down though. Like Peter walking on the water, in this moment of pure faith and trust, Peter looks away and focuses on the hardships (waves and wind) around him, and starts to sink or be pulled down by Satan. Christ saves him, though. Christ also felt alone and forgotten on the cross when he asked God why he left him. He had to experience this to know how it feels. It was part of his Atonement, being separated from Heavenly Father. That's like the worst thing that can happen to us, but Christ know how it feels. Thank goodness he never gave up and now we can go to Christ when we feel this way. He knows EXACTLY how it feels. So choose happiness! Joshua 1:5-7 gives some good advice and motivation also.

I love missionary work. Its so great, and really just helps me learn so much. I'm put into all types of weird situations, and try to help all types of people in theirs. I really like meeting new people and just talking. It love it haha.

I know that this work is true! I am so thankful for all the people who support this work and pray for us. We need the help! Especially me! I'm looking forward to this next week!

I hope you all have a great after Easter week. I love and Miss you all!

Elder Pollard