Driving Berlin

Dear Everybody,

I am sorry that I have really been slacking on the blog emails, but there is simply not enough time when you want to do anything else on the computer other than purely email. That and we had to report a lot to President. The Lord is hastening His work and we are trying to rise to His expectations. We have a car now. This has greatly extended our ability to reach people and reduced travel time. We are just trying to figure out how to use it most effectively. The work is changing and we have to make the necessary changes. This has to be done at the individual level. It is not just for missionaries. 

We need the help of the members. It is not possible without them. I wonder how many of us know who the missionaries in our ward are. How can we help them? It is a really good question. 

I have a story to illustrate how sometimes all we need to do is be a member. When we bring an investigator to church, we really worry too much about it. Who is going to welcome them? Who is going to make them feel comfortable? Who will sit by them and talk with them while we try to run and finish a million errands that have to be done before the meeting and talk to the people we are going to have appointments with and who we have to report to? What if the speakers are boring? (This is my greatest fear.)

Sunday morning we were praying for a miracle. We have an investigator who has prayed about the Book of Mormon and received an answer that it is true. They have some other problems that we were not sure how to address. Our ward has many members who are struggling right now. We did not know how we would be able to help everyone, fulfill everyone's needs. 

Fortunately we asked the Lord to help. One of the counselors in the stake presidency came to speak. He addressed every problem. Not only did he address every problem, that inspired man addressed them specifically and individually, although he did not know it. He performed his calling to receive revelation. He spoke and it was a miracle. I sat there feeling the Spirit just watching every worry that I had for other people be taken care of. 

Listen to the Spirit. Trust in revelation. You may be the answer to someone's prayer. 

sincerely,

Elder Perez

Which way do I go?, Berlin!

First Baptism

December 8, 2013 - excerpt from a letter from Evan

     Miracle of the week. Christian is getting baptized. Nobody knows that except for us, Brother Heller, Christian, and the zone leaders. I am going to try to explain how it happened, but to be honest, I am not sure. We had our weekly meeting with Christian. We were not going to have a joint teach because Mathias was translating for his friend Waleed, whom he invited to church, (We had eight non-members at church this week, including Kamila.) Elder Davis felt prompted to ask Brother Heller to come along. We followed the prompting. Brother Heller is really great. He likes to joke a lot. We started our meeting. Christian was saying that he had not received an answer, but we discovered that his real concern was that it was not logistically possible for him to prepare himself to be baptized, that it would take too much time. We explained to him that all we needed was a date and an interview with the zone leaders to see if he was prepared. We started going through the baptismal questions, showing him that he was ready. We were going really slowly because Brother Heller kept talking about things. I felt like it was detracting from the Spirit. Sadly, I started to get annoyed, but the Lord makes up for my failures. We skipped all the commandment check questions (He is keeping them anyways) for sake of time. Elder Davis asked him the final question. He told him to forget the word baptism and to just use the word covenant, which the German word for that, Bundnis, literally translates to alliance. Out of nowhere, Christian turns to Brother Heller and said, "Wenn wir uns taufen... wenn ich mich taufen lassen, werden Sie dass bitte machen?" In English, When we allow ourselves, when I allow myself to be baptized, would you please do that? I do not know who was more surprised, us, or Brother Heller. Christian committed to making out an appointment with the zone leaders and we are going to set up a date with him this week via telephone conference. I am so unbelievably happy. His family can be together forever. Our branch is going to panic when it gets out. This is big for them. We should probably wait until after the Christmas party this week to announce it. But yeah. 

January 6, 2013     

     I was really thinking about all the blessings of the Gospel this weekend. Christian was baptized. He was confirmed yesterday. He received the gift of the Holy Ghost. He received the Aaronic Priesthood. His family now has a Priesthood holder. He is preparing to go to the temple and receive the higher Priesthood. He has received a full remission of his sins. He is going to help to strengthen the ward once he has a calling. He is able to perform ordinances for deceased ancestors. He can help us to do missionary work. There is more work to be done now that he is baptized than there was to help him to get to baptism. It will all be worth it though. 

     Probably the best moment was when Carolin (his wife) came up during fast and testimony meeting to bear her testimony after Christian was confirmed. Her gratitude brought the Spirit into the meeting to strong. We had two investigators who were coming to church for the first time in that meeting. They could not escape the Spirit. 

Transfer for Elder Davis

Dear Everybody,

     I had my very first experience with what an actual transfer feels like. In a way. I am sure that it will be different when I am the one that actually is transferred somewhere else. Elder Lawyer and Elder Davis were both transferred. We said our goodbyes at the apartment, took pictures, etc. We made it to the train platform on time. Elder Lawyer and Elder Carter went to print out a photo. They were late. The conductor waved for everyone to get on the train. I hopped on with Elder Davis. Fortunately, they were taking a train to meet another train in Berlin Central Station. Elder Carter and Elder Lawyer used the S-Bahn to make it on time. Then Elder Carter and I ran as soon as they got there. No goodbyes or anything. We had to catch a train back into Potsdam to pick up our companions. They were able to stay with each other until we arrived. Everything worked out in the end. 

     Elder Schouten and I have gone right to work. We found some new contacts doing doors. It was amazing. We found two houses where they had already read the Book of Mormon. They both had copies. One said we could come back. The other was not interested unfortunately, but it just shows that flooding the area with Book of Mormons has an impact. I would be interested to know where they both received their copies. 

     For our last P-day together, Elder Davis and I went to see the Olympic stadium in Berlin. It was the perfect atmosphere, cloudy and rainy. We looked around at this massive stone building that was built by Nazis to replace the one that was destroyed in World War I. I would go on, but pictures are worth a thousand words. 

     Other than that, this week was pretty normal. Elder Schouten met our ward on Sunday. They were all fairly sad to see Elder Davis go. He had been in this area for seven months which is a really long time for a missionary. 

     Well it is a great time to be a missionary. We are changing Germany. 

sincerely, 

Elder Perez

Elder Schouten, Evan's new companion is from Riverton Utah.
  He grew up just down the street from Evan's Grandma Perez.

Olympic Stadium

New Year

Dear Everybody,

     I forgot. Oh well. I wrote it down in the wrong planner. That is what happens when you move from one transfer to the other.

     I will be staying in Leest for at least one more transfer. Elder Davis unfortunately is leaving for some city that I have never heard of and can not remember the name of. I am sad to see him go. I will be receiving my new companion, Elder Schouten on Tuesday. The work goes forward. 

     New Year's Eve was pretty anti-climactic. We went to bed at the normal missionary time. The fireworks only woke up one Elder. New Year's Eve is the only holiday in Germany when fireworks are allowed, so it is a really big deal to them, but they did not seem anything particularly special to me. 

     I am really pushing the time clock this week, so I am afraid that this might have to be it for the email. I still have to write my letter to the President and there is a lot to report. Plus all the other things that I am supposed to be doing during our Internet time that is not emails. (I am supposed to have finished my online infield training as of today, since training is the first two transfers. I do not think that it is going to happen.)

    I hope that everyone has a wonderful New Year. We look forward to all of the good things the possibilities of what the year could contain. The question is whether we are ready to go out there and make it happen.

    Always put forth your best. When the Savior turned water into wine for his mother at the wedding feast, He did not turn it into ordinary wine. The head of the wedding proclaimed that the best wine had been saved for last. Our service to others should be likewise. Our efforts, our fullest efforts.

     Good luck in all that you are doing.

sincerely,

Elder Perez