Word From Nürnberg 3-12-2012

Ok - I've been bad.  What can I say - life happens and blogs take the back burner.  There's no way that I'm going to catch up on all the week's I've missed posting.  As the "pioneer women" would say, "I'm just keeping it real here."  And to be honest I can't promise that I won't get behind again.  Don't judge me.

Evan's Mom

3-12-2012

Tough but great last week for C. We took her to the baptism in the Feucht ward, which is where her new ward will be. Half the ward consists of family from President Schwartz and they were all awesome and loving. Her parents are OK with her joining the church but she got a call from her sister that day who said she was making a mistake. She said she was joining a sect and stuff like that. All the members in Feucht just loved her to pieces and now she doesn't want to go anywhere else. She's the kind of person that is shy/scared at first but once she finds it familiar she is happier than can be. On the train ride back she was like, 'harr bis ans  ende aus!.' That is to say, endure to the end. She gets it. She was Baptized yesterday!!!! She will then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost next Sunday. Our ward is so cool. The baptismal room was full of members that stayed extra after church to see the baptism and support her. They gave her flowers and everyone swarmed her afterwards. She'll be ok. It won't be easy but she's said it herself that she is happier and wants to follow Christ. That's what it's all about!

C's baptism

I don't know if I told you this story already but Elder C and I were trying to do some finding time in one part of the city and he stopped this lady on the street who looked suspiciously like a _ _. He asked her something and she went right for the purse. I just thought in my mind 'no...' she pulled out a bible and again I thought more loudly 'No...' and then she opened it. The easily recognizable new world translation. 'NO!!!' Elder C had no clue. She said she was going to a bible class and Elder C asked if we could come. She joyfully led us, like gollum to mordor, to a Königreich Saal. People were flocking I swear, there were just too many. She brought us into the big meeting room and Elder C still had no idea. She showed us off to everyone and then ran to their little library of free material. She gave us a song book, a bunch of watchtowers and a hardcover copy of the NWT bible. I have a collection of this stuff building anyways so I was pleased. We didn't stay the whole time but I am still impressed with how nice they are and how false their doctrine is. Oh well. I just thought it was funny because Elder C had no idea until she gave us all the material with the name _ _ _ _ _ _ all over it. We laughed about that for a long time.

I want to hear more about your conversion story, mom. Kind of like dad's mission, I've never really asked you that much about it. Being on my mission I have developed a lot more interest for the past/family history. 

Do we have a time frame for the Europe trip? 

I can't go a couple days without hearing something about Mitt Romney. I'm looking forward to the election. I still have tons of time but I can't help but think about some of these things that will come after the mission. My technical 'sister Mission' is vorbei this week. I don't want to poop out at the end of my mission like I have seen in lots of missionaries.

I did not find a hat last week. I'll probably get one next week. I'll have to if it is my last pday. Everyone seems to think that I will be transferred. I would love to stay and would be sad to go. I'll find out on Saturday with transfer calls! Question then concerning a hat - do you think that gray would be better? Or green with my lighter colored lederhosen and blue shirt? I think gray.

Tell K congrats!

I'm staying happy. I pray the same for you! Spread the word! Love ya! Tschüss!

Elder Evan

Word from Nürnburg Oct. 24, 2011

schöne grüße – nice greetings

What's with all of the missionary injury? I knew about the G's nephew. It was big news at ZoKo and they told us that he was only home for a very short time before he got sent back out. I knew A and F were a thing. I think it was like that since freshman year of high school. IDK if they were always an item but they were always together. I don't want to get sent home because I know how hard it would be to come back out. There were a couple other missionaries that went home from our mission due to surgery. One isn't returning because he needs a 6-month recovery and he was already more than half way done. That would be tough. Schöne Grüße on the F and A.

Star Wars sounds great! I've seen it in the stores. It looks awesome.

What would I want to know about your mission... I think just the fact that it is an emotional and spiritual roller coaster. I don't think anyone can be fully prepared for it. It is the hardest thing I've ever done but also the best. I can't describe it but there seem to be several aspects. Yeah, there are the glory stories but the part that taxes you I never really grasped. I know when I finally do go home that the whole experience will feel like a dream. The real world and the MTC already feel that way. I don't think what anyone could have told me would have prepared me. I'm just glad I have my Tschüß book because I think that will be the one thing that will have captured my mission the best. I don't know what you could have told me, Dad. But I definitely want to know more about your mission.

This last week was crazy. I fell apart physically myself. Something I ate towards the beginning of the week tore apart my insides. I haven’t been the same since but I think I'm leveling out. I was able to handle a Döner on Friday so that is good news. Nothing to worry about but that was the highlight of the week - Yuck. Missionary work has been struggling. We don’t really have any investigators and don't know yet where to find them... but we are still seeing success!

I think Elder A and I will be getting lederhosen today. We really hope we stay together for Christmas so that we can make Christmas cards and send them to our MTC teachers and other people. I know that shouldn't be the main reason for wanting to stay together but it would be a bonus.

I got to ride home with president the other day from Würzburg back to Nürnberg. That was an hour of awesomeness. And he bought me a Kit Kat.

Lots of love! Tschüss!
Elder Evan

Nürmberg - Building On The Water and flowers