March 4, 2013

This week has been an interesting week for sure. There is not a ton to write about because not a ton happened we just ran around alot and I just want to collapse from being to tired. I think I only got to bed on time like once this whole week because of travel and stuff.

This week I went to Krefeld like 3 times, Düsseldorf twice, and all the way down to Frankfurt once, so a lot of my time was spent just sitting on trains. I dont really know how we managed to travel so much because we really only went on one split and had one training meeting down in Frankfurt. Which basicaly ate up all of my time up until Wednesday because of travel and meetings. I do have to say that the meeting in Frankfurt was amazing and it is super exciting to hear about all the new missionaries that we are getting. This mission is going to expload. And every missionary here is a spiritual giant, it is really quite humbling to be able to listen to their testimonies and hear thier experiences.

We had a split this week, and I went to Krefeld with Elder Slagowski, who is awesome! I love that guy. We had so much fun and we managed to lose an old man, teach a lesson to a family that only speaks spanish, and look like idiots while carying a huge whiteboard around the middle of town with questions of the soul writen on it. Awesome. And to the end the split we went to a kinda nice resturant, and we forgot that it was a friday night, we were the only ones there not on a date... We looked kinda gay... Oh well, the food tasted great.

The highlight of embarrasment was definitly playing soccer. We have this young investigator who likes to play soccer and there was a tournament for the stake this weekend, so we invited him and we were going to play with him, thinking it would be low key. Not. There were teams from all over germany, kids from Hamburg who came down to play, and we looked like complete idiots. Neither Elder Hutchings or I could play soccer, and we were sitting there, watching the other guys kick balls at what looked like the speed of light. And at the same time ballance a ball on thier head and do a backflip and it was just insane. We got put on this team and one of the guys asked us what possition we played, we were so flippen nervous we didn't understand him. I am pretty sure he popped a blood vessel when he realized we did play soccer and we didn't speak german. Yeah, we were the idiot americans. However, we did come in second to last in the tournament, which means we didn't get last. But if anyone remembers my first time playing basketball, where I just grabbed the ball and ran... It was worse than that....

But I came out alive and I have almost regained feeling of my limbs. Not working out for almost a year is a bad idea and I wouldn't advise it.

Well I have to change the way that I close my messages, because Camilla, an investigator, told me that the only two words that I say in german with every letter home were wrong. How is that for the confidence boost, just when you think you can speak the language, people are firing soccerballs at you at 10000 mph and you find out you cant even end a letter properly. Thank goodness the Lord helps me work on my Humility.


Soo...

Mit Liebe,

Elder Blackley

Lots of Lessons

Another week down in the Dirty-D. It is weird to think that I have already been here almost a full transfer, we have transfer calls this week and really I don't know what happened to Feburary. I think we just skipped it, because I cant remeber anything. This week like always was extreemly busy. We dont have any time to do anything anymore, we are always running around and going from meeting to meeting. It is crazy. But this week there is too much to talk about every day individually, so I wanted to just highlight a few experiences.

First was something that happened Thursday night. We had a zone training meeting thursday night for some reason, it was weird to have a meeting at night, but we got done around 8pm and we all got into a train headed to Hauptbahnhof. There were about 20 elders and 2 sisters and we were spread out through the whole train. And then the elders in the front of the Train stood up and started to sing Called to Serve. And one by one we worked our way down the train joining in the song untill the we were all singing. It was so cool, there were people all on the bus just stairing at us and smiling, pretty sure some were laughing too, but it was just one of those experiences that I doubt I will ever have outside the mission. Something so random and fun, but at the same time fill with the spirit and excitement of missionary work. It was really an increadible experience.

There were three lessons this week that really stood out to me. Two of them were with new investigators Saint and Sarah, a younger couple from China, here to study. And one with a young kid from Brazil, also here to study. We have really been working on finding the people whom the Lord has prepared. I really have seen a difference in our teaching as we actively pray and work to find not just anyone but the prepared. It is so hard to explain over an email, but there is a special spirit that is felt as you bear testimony to people who are really ready. In our first lesson with Saint and Sarah, they each prayed for the first time in their entire life. They were so open and ready for the gospel, not just open but truely seeking and thursting for the truth. The Lord is quickening His work. I have learned so much since coming to Duisburg. Being in a University city there is so many people to teach. But we aren't just looking for people, we dont just teach lessons, we are really here to be the Lord's hands in bringing people unto Chirst. I dont think my email made a lot of sense this week. It does in my head, but none of you can read my thoughts.

Another thing I have really learned is the power of preach my gospel. To all those who are not yet on missions but still preparing, read and learn and live preach my gospel. It has taken me a while to realize how true the principals in that book are. It is not just a guide to teaching, but as we follow it's council the spirit will be there stronger than if we try to do it our own way. Preach my gospel is not just there to give you ideas, but it truely is inspired.

I know this week I didn't have a lot of details, sorry, hopefully next week, but for me, this week was more about what I learned. So I wanted to share that will you all.

Mit Liebe,

Elder Blackley