The Salt of the Earth

Dear Everybody,
This week we had district conference. To avoid all confusion, the kind
of district that is composed of branches, not the kind that is made up
of missionaries. We had the entire mission presidency there. The first
meeting impacted me a lot more. The theme was the salt of the earth. I
would like to share a little bit of what the feeling of the meeting
was with those of you who are not missionaries. (Sorry missionaries,
but they showed videos in district conference that aren't available
unless you break rules. I'll get to you when I talk about salt.)
We watched to videos which I am sure that if you go to Youtube and
search "paid thirty years ago" you will find the first one. The second
one should then be in the marigin under something like Thai commercial
something or other. I don't remember what it is a commercial for.
After showing both of these videos, the mission presidency asked
everyone to share their feelings about the videos. We were able to
hear from everyone who wanted to share. Then we heard from speakers.
Now I am going to talk about salt. One of the counselors in the
mission presidency talked about his visit to some salt mines on the
edge of the Meditteranean. He talked about the salt and the various
processes that it goes through to become various types of salt. Types
of salt are sorted according to their various degrees of purity. We
are supposed to be the salt of the earth, but it is important what
type of salt we are. As Elder Bednar said when he came to visit us-
"You don't have time to spend in the cleaners. You have to use the
time repenting and getting better."
Let's be the salt of the earth.
love,
Elder Perez

Six new investigators

Dear Everybody, 

Our miracle this week was that we found six new investigators, and none of that through our personal finding efforts. Well, my personal finding efforts. Three of the investigators were the result of Elder Müller's finding efforts in the last transfer. The man that he contacted brought his girlfriend and mother-in-law to the appointment. They are all now investigators. I was on exchange in Rostock when it happened, so I am excited to meet them at our next appointment. There are many people who are prepared to accept the Gospel.
love, 
Elder Perez

Prophet

Dear Everybody,

I have been reading in the Bible recently. I find most interesting the stories of all of the prophets whose message was never accepted by the people they were teaching. Most particularly, Jeremiah. Then what is point of calling a prophet? For the prophet's sake. 

I had a longer message prepared, but now I have to go. Until next week!
love, 

Elder Perez

Where's Elder Perez

Dear Everybody,

This weekend we had a visit from one of the fifteen men in the world whom we sustain as apostles, prophets, seers, and revelators. We were richly instructed. Writing from the large plates, and not the small plates, here is how the meeting went.

Elder Bednar taught us about the teaching pattern described in the one hundred and twenty second section of the Doctrine and Covenants. This is a pattern that we as missionaries and members would do well to learn and follow. After we were instructed, there was an opportunity for missionaries to ask questions. I don't remember all of the questions, but Elder Bednar didn't always answer them personally. When there was another leader who was better able to answer the question, he turned the time over to them. 

He also talked about the ongoing restoration of the Gospel. The Gospel has not been fully restored. It is still a work in progress. Joseph Smith laid the foundation for the work that we are working to finish. One of the example of this that he gave was the proper organization of the Quorums of the Seventy, which didn't happen until the late twentieth century. He gave an apostolic warning that in the next decades there would be changes in the traditions of the church that would have nothing to do with the doctrine of the church that would cause some to fall away. He mentioned some of the false traditions of the culture of the church.

His other example of the restoration of the Gospel going forward was West Africa. Africa is Elder Bednar's current area of responsibility. There were twenty thousand baptisms last year. It looks as though this year it will be double. Elder Bednar said that the Navoou and Kirtland of today are in Africa.

The work of the Lord goes on. There are truly prophets on the earth today. 

sincerely,

Elder Perez

P.S. Where's Elder Perez?

Elder David A. Bednar

"Teaching is not talking and telling; teaching is observing and listening so that we can discern and then know what to say."

Missionary Meeting of the entire Germany Berlin Mission with Elder David A. Bednar and his wife, Susan, Elder Timothy J. Dyches and his wife, Jill.

Zone Conference

Zone conference

Berlin North and South and Neubrandenburg

Prayer really works!

Dear Everybody,

We had zone conference on Friday. I have now joined the side of those who would like to have zone conference in German. It is actually the only meeting that we have in English. I ended up translating the entire time for the Hengst. They are couple missionaries here in Neubrandenburg. I don' know how it is in other missions, but German is really corrupted by English, even within the church. It is not good for the new missionaries who are trying to learn the language. 

   Elder Müller and I continue to run into the same people. Everyday we run into somebody that we know. This week we are going to meet with one of the many contacts that has been promising to meet with us over weeks. They simply can't escape. On Sunday, we prayed that we would run into a particular person that we wanted to have another street discussion with. Lo, and behold, we found him sitting on a bench by the lake. He is going to come to church once we are back in Prenzlau. Prayer really works!

   Interestingly, I still do not know half of the members in Neubrandenburg and Prenzlau. Not only is it difficult because half of the time we are not there, but half of the time the members are not there either. We know of one family that comes to church every other week, so we have never met them because they are always at church when we aren't! I met another member of the Prenzlau branch yesterday. I can't remember anyone's names. Maybe I will manage it in the next seven weeks that I am here at the least. 

   In other news, I thankfully don't have to drive anymore because Elder Müller has his license back. 

   I also heard that an investigator that I taught in Lübeck was baptized this week. Yeah!

I hope that everyone has a great week. I am looking forward to Elder Bednar on Saturday. Maybe he will speak to us in German.

sincerely,

Elder Perez

P.S. Double rainbow all the way across the sky!!! Yeah, so intense! -This is the German version of a monster truck. Ironically, the show is advertised as an American monster truck show. -Prenzlau from the other side of the local lake, complete with church like every German town. 

Prenzlau had fifteen members at church

Dear Everybody,

For once, I brought my journal with me so that I would know what to right. Not on purpose. I needed it for another reason, but I still had it for emails!

This week, Elder Muller ate horse meat again. This is funny because he was very careful to avoid it. The same member fed us again. This time Elder Müller said that he would only like a meat patty and not a Bockwurst. The meat patties were amazing. Turns out that they are horse too. Elder Müller had already finished his. Suddenly, it didn't taste so good, although he had said earlier that it was the best patty he has ever had. 

Kinder Eier is having a thing where there are Disney fairies in every seventh egg. Elder Roberts has collected them all but one. I was on exchange with him this week. For an exchange treat, we bought Kinder Eier. Elder Roberts had the idea that Kinder should come out with a line with Marvel or DC superheroes in the eggs. 

The less active member that we have been working with in Neubrandenburg is now coming every Sunday because we threatened to come visit him on Sunday if he did not come to church. 

Prenzlau had fifteen members at church this week! No visitors! Branch building to the max!

Hope that everyone is doing well. Hey, my email is just as long as normal when I have my journal with me. 

sincerely,

Elder Perez