Week Ninety-eight (30 days/4+ weeks left...)

Last week's email was super lame, so I apologize. But I was in Chemnitz, getting ready to play our Turkeybowl. In an internet cafe with 10 missionaries and a bunch of Middle Easterners all yelling really loud. It was kind of stressful considering there were only like 12 computers. But I tried haha. This week will be better.

Plauen District at Zone Conference in Chemnitz...

That's so cool that you get to feed the missionaries in SD! I'm sure they're super excited for turtle brownies. At Zone Conferences, I was just happy that I had food haha I didn't really mind what it was. But the old German ladies always made SUCH good food for the missionaries. It was a blessing. So for advice....just food. I'm sure they'll like it.

What I would like to eat when I'm home......well:

Caramel Turtle Brownies

Mexican food of any type

Mac n Cheese

Stay away from things like spaghetti and Lasagne...I get that all the time haha

STEAK

STEAK
STEAK

Artichoke dip please

But most importantly, anything that YOU make Mom haha it's all good and you know that!

Elder Donner is honored by the invite, and plans to make it down at some point in time. He keeps saying that he wants Dad to teach him how to surf. There are some wrong preconceptions of life in San Diego.

My last week was super fast.

The highlights were playing football in Chemnitz, and not getting injured. Elder Donner, however did get a ticket on the bus for not having paid. It totally wasn't his fault, though haha we wanted to pay, but the driver just waved us through and didn't let us. I had a ticket, because a girl on the bus randomly gave it to me. It's a long story, but I think he won't have to pay the 40 euro fine. Chemnitz was super fun. That's where communism was born. Wooo. On Wednesday, we had president interviews. My interview was super good and I had some good bonding time with my favorite German mission president. He's amazing haha. We also got pizza from him, because our last appointment for interviews fell out, so he paid us back with food. Good pizza, too. Other then that, we found some cool guys from Syria and Iraq to teach! They read the bible and have a LOT of questions. Good thing Elder Donner and I can answer most of them. Gift of the Holy Ghost is crazy haha. But the week was pretty average. Only 3 weeks left of December! It's getting real!

Hey Papi!

Hope you feel better soon. I really have been pretty blessed on my mission that I haven't been sicker then having the cold for the last 2 years. Injuries is a different story. But it's a testimony builder! My patriarchal blessing says that I will be able to witness and experience how God strengthens his missionaries. He sure does. So I haven't had to experience being that sick in a while. I'm sure it's not fun. Especially if you have to miss Disneyland. Sad face...

I'm super excited to speak in church. I've learned to love talks and this opportunity to learn more on my mission. Learning and explaining something to somebody else helps me a lot to get it all together in my brain. The 12th it is....is there a topic? I guess I could start preparing now...but my study at this time is blowing me out of the water! Elder Donner and I study so much and we just talk like all day about the gospel and stuff. The mission as a whole is studying the BoM until Christmas...I just finished 3 Nephi this morning. Mormon's word at the end of the book are insane. Go read them haha. But I've been reading Matthew as well with a study guide. I love the gospel and I hope that excitement like never leaves haha. It keeps me going now! And it's great because my job and purpose in life right now is to explain what I learn. Double points. We should have many a study together Father.

Food for thought: In Genesis, after Adam and Eve had sinned, God asks, 'Adam, where are you?' (we know this from the Temple as well, and in the book of Moses God asks, 'Adam, where are you going?') Now, we know that God is all knowing, and we know that God even knew that the fall was going to happen in the way that it did. So why does he ask Adam where he is? It's interesting. In comparison with that, Jesus Christ says something very similar to Judas, when they meet again at the Garden of Gethsemane. As Judas walks up to give his sign, Christ asks him, 'Friend, wherefore art thou come?' We all know that Jesus was fully aware that Judas was the one who would betray him. So why are these people asked these questions? My understanding is that we will learn more in certain situations, when we will realize exactly what we're doing instead of being told. Adam had to learn something about Adam, and Judas had to as well. Even though his newfound knowledge wouldn't last long. Sometimes we should asks ourselves, 'Where are we?' 'Where are we going' or 'Why are we here?' in terms of the gospel and our eternal progress. 'Which road am I walking down right now?' and 'Is what I'm doing right now good for my eternal progress?' are both questions that can lead us back to the narrow path that leads to eternal life. God is our Father, Christ is his Son, and Jospeh Smith is their Prophet.

Well I'm doing well still. Healthy, happy, just swell. I hope you're all doing good as well. Have a great week!

An early Christmas present from the Branch members...

Elder Pollard