Week Twenty-One

This week has been crazy!  It has been super busy and so much has happened I just dont even know where to start.  We were so busy this week, like I said when I first got here in Hagen, we normally had about 2 or 3 lessons a week and 0 investigators.  Well just in the past week we had 14 lessons and we are up to over 9 investigators and the work here in Hagen is booming.  We have been running around like crazy the last couple weeks, but things are really starting to pay off.  We are defiantly seeing the fruits of our labors.  So I am going to go day by day again.

Monday-  We had a way sweet member appointment.  I think the members are finally starting to warm up to me.  It might have to do with the fact that I am starting to understand them finally.  But it was really fun.  But the highlight of the night was running into our little thug crew.  So last week I said that the guy who got his throat slit died, well I have to correct myself, he lived.  Not quite sure how, but Timo, our contact, told us all about it, apparently they are friends.  He also told me that if we ever need someone killed or need anything illigal, he knows how to get it for us.  So we have some pretty sweet connections here in Hagen.

Tuesday-  I am not sure how we get roped into this every single week, but we were back at Bruder Schlesinger's house. (the guy who hoards all the crap).  But this time he wanted our help setting up dressers in his room.  Well if I had to discribe it, I would say,  It was kinda like playing lifesize Jenga with 10 dresser pieces in a room full of extreemly fragile "important" figurienes.  We tried about 10 different combinations before Bruder Schlesinger told us that they did not all belong to the same set... that was an hour of extreem frustration that could have been completely avoided... I do not know how we always end up there helping him, but I have so many stories from him.  We then had an amazing visit with a man we met doing doors. I will come back to him on sunday's section (his name is Cremer)

Wednesday-  Today we figured out that Fikret was coming back to Hagen!!  So our little refugee stress ball is back in my life now.  I love the guy but I have going to have a billion gray hairs before I leave Hagen, and it is all going to be because of him.  But then we went over to another member's house for dinner, TACOS!!!  I have been craving tacos forever!!!  And they lay everything out on the table and I am so excitied, but german tacos are not anything like mexican tacos.  For those of you who have not been to germany, germans are afraid of spice.  They have delicious food, but it is all about as mild as ice cream.  I kid you not, I have heard a german ask why something was sooooooo spicy, and all that we did was add pepper........ Sad I know.  But if you can imagine that mentality with tacos... It was kinda a disappointment.  But the thought was nice.

Thursday-  We had a zone meeting, which was so much fun. I have said this before, but anytime missionaries gather together, it is special.  There is just a special spirit there and you always leave inspired and so uplifted. It was a lot of fun.  Elder Butcher and I gave a lesson on miracles.  Pretty cool stuff.  But then the rest of the day I was in Hagen with Elder Liebelt.  We were on a split together.  What a funny guy.  He is like the epidomy of goofy clueless elder.  I love him.  We had an amazing lesson with an inactive family, the Gens.  Thier 8 year old daughter wants to get baptised, and she wanted us to teach her the lessons, so we were teaching the Plan of Salvation.  But at the end of the lesson, sister Gens asked if she could say the prayer!!!  That was a huge miracle, because she told elder Butcher, before I got here, that she doesn't pray anymore!  So for her to ask us if she could pray in front of us!!!! SUPER AMAZING!!! Great day.  The funniest experience with Elder Liebelt was listening to him explain Karate to me.  Apparently before he went on a mission he wanted to start MMA, so he took Karate, and got up to yellow belt.  But he spent almost 45 min explaining different things about karate to me... I didn't have the heart to tell him that I did Karate for almost 8 years.... Haha... It was funny he was trying to dumb it down for me and whatnot..  I thought it was hilarious.

Friday-  We met Fikret again!!!!!!  And right off the bat he just complicates my life.  So first off he asked if the church could tell the government that we are going to take care of him.... NO..... So then he says he wants to get baptised.  He said he doesn't care if he gets baptised here or in macedonia, but he knows it is true.  Cool, but the whole fact he is a refugee and wants to stay in germany is super hard.  My whole head is spinning because of him, I am not quite sure what to do with that guy.  We also met with a new investigator, Abraham, a man from Cuba.  Really interesting, not quite sure what his intentions are, but we will soon see, we have another meeting with him tonight, so I am hoping he makes some progress soon.

Saturday-  Well my whole life turned upside down on saturday.  We had transfer calls...... So this was like doomsday.  And Elder Butcher is leaving, he is headed to Kaiserslaten.  I am really sad, Elder Butcher was a fantastic trainer, and will always be an amazing friend and an incredible missionary.  I have learned so much from him and his example with stay with me for the rest of my mission.  I am really sad for him to be leaving, I have no clue how I am going to get around Hagen.... Especially since my new companion is a Golden... Brand new....  Yes, I will be a trainer, the good news is that, that guarntees that I will stay in Hagen for the next 3 months, but the bad news is that, that means there will now be two missionaries in Hagen who have no clue whats going on.  I really hope I do now destroy this town, I can barely speak the language and I am honstly scared to do anything, because I feel like I am going to mess things up.  But that is exactly what is so wonderful about the Lord's work.  The fact that it is the Lord's work and so He will always be there.  I am sure that the next two transfers are going to be full of interesting stories and crazy adventures and tons of miracles.  So for those of you who are still reading my weekly emails (I assume less than began, I am not the most interesting writer).  Keep me in your prayers I am going to need it.

Sunday-  PRIMARY PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!  Pretty much the best sunday of the entire year!  I love the primary program, it is the best, I could never say enough good about it.  And then to top of this amazing day, we had another appointment with Cremer.  And it went fantastic!  So we were talking and I just had the distinct impression to share a scripture and bare testimony.  I did that, and right after all he said was,  Was muss ich tun?  Translate, what must I do?  SWEET!!!!!  He promised to read daily and pray!  It was such a tender mercy.  It was the perfect ending to an amazing time as a Golden.  The last two transfers have been so much fun, and I could not say enough good about Elder Butcher.  I am going to miss him like crazy but I know that here in Hagen there is a work to be done, and they need me and my new golden.  We are going to see miracles these next two transfers,  Hagen is ready.

Viele Liebe,

Elder Blackley