Thanksgiving

Hey Wonderful Family

Well I don't have to much time today but thank you for all the emails! Know I love them and am grateful for all the letters and emails I receive! This week was a really good week! Things went super well and we stayed really busy. We were able to go on splits this week with the Ramstein American Elders who work with all the Americans, Elder Pratt and Elder Boam. We were able to go on base where people in the army live so that was really cool. Just how blessed we are to have people who serve our country for the freedom we have. 

We had MLC on Friday which was a really good meeting.. With this new initiative, "He is the Gift" coming out, I had the opportunity to introduce it during that meeting and it went really well. The church is amazing with things they do. 

Friday night we were on another split with the Nürnberg Elders and they came here to Frankfurt. I was with Elder Hobson. We met a 27 year old girl named Nancy who is half American half German! She was really cool and it was cool.. We both walked passed her as she was looking at a bus schedule at a bus station. We both had a feeling we should talk to her.. We talked to her and we are meeting with her this next week! Great experience. We weren't able to do a whole lot of work in our area this week because we were driving all over.. But we were able to go visit Jessica in the hospital and then Daniel came to church for the 4th straight week.. So that was cool to see our investigator come! 

We met with some members this week and then just continued to prepare for this next week where we have to do transfer planning where we make all the switches for the mission. It should be a good week! I hope you guys have a wonderful week. I pray for you daily and continue to be grateful for all the support that I have around me! Because this week is Thanksgiving I challenge you all to write down a list of all the people and things you are grateful for.. We have a few appointments for Thanksgiving but I love this time of year.. I am grateful for so much that I have been given in my life! The Lord is Good!

Elder Emery

"The nearer a person approaches the Lord, the greater power will be manifest by the Adversary to prevent the accomplishment of his purpose". Heber C. Kimball

Humble.

Hey Guys, I didn't get a whole lot of emails this week or were really short but that is totally fine. I hope everything is going good. I am still doing great, just the same routine every monday but I'm glad you guys are doing good!

This week was one of the most humbling weeks of my life.. I have really been studying about being meek and how one can do that. I feel like I have received so many answers in my life but I just am too selfish to do anything about it. This week helped me so much I feel like to take a step up in my progression. I finally realized this is the time where I need to change the things that I am bad at and continue down the path in which God has laid out for me. That is my goal and I feel like I am doing great but still so much to learn.

I finally realized also this week is that things have changed.. Whether they be at home or in my life right now as a missionary.. People come and go.. You really truly find out who your true friends are and realize the gospel is what's important in this life. Things have changed at home and here on the mission but that is what life is all about. Just got to move on and continue to do the service of the Lord.

This week was a bit rough on the other hand because Elder McGinn got sick on Monday night and was puking everywhere.. The next day we were down and had a ton to do in the office. We were planning on splitting with the Zone Leaders in Wiesbaden that night but he wasn't feeling good enough. He was not feeling good at all. Then on Wednesday he was feeling a lot better and we moved the split to Wednesday night. So that whole day we were able to meet with a couple members. We met with the Galz family again and we made so epic music. He has this sound recording room and we were down there making music. It was a lot of fun and opened him up a lot to missionaries. So here is where the bad part comes in.. We had to go back to the office to pick some mail up for Wiesbaden and so we did that. As soon as we left the office Elder McGinn asks if I want a pop tart. I told him no and that I was feeling a bit sick.. We started heading down to Wiesbaden and right before we got to the autobahn something hit me and I had to throw up.. I literally opened the door and just puked all over the road. Now I had the dang flu.. ha that was a super long night for me but I am feeling a lot better now. Just was super funny. After I threw up Elder McGinn turns to me and says "Im glad you didnt barf up my pop tart." haha

The whole next day we were in Friedrichsdorf for their Zone Training and so it was a little bit more relaxed day. That night I was feeling a lot better. Thursday night Düsseldorf Zone Leaders came down and we split but ended up in the office the whole time because we had the CCM reports. Which are reports of the whole mission for the Stake presidents. We got them finished late saturday night and got home at like 12:30.. another late night. But that was great! Friday night we drove all the way up to Dortmund and split with them. I had never been up there before and it is a great area. We played soccer Saturday morning and then were able to do some finding and set up for a baptism that the Siegen Elders had. It was a great split with Elder Miller.

Our investigators are doing great. Daniel came to church again for the 3rd week in a row so that was cool. He is such a great guy and I bet he will be baptized soon. Hopefully before Elder McGinn goes home. But he is making progress and reading and praying and keeping his commitments. Jessica and Francis are doing good as well.. We met with them only once because Francis got his wisdom teeth out but hopefully we can meet with him more this week. The Roa's are doing great as well.. Continuing to make progress so that they can get sealed in the temple. I love my mission!

Sunday was a great day as well. We got lots done and were able to meet with Benny who is a member. Its been great being back.. I love being able to teach these German people and to help so many missionaries out. I am learning so much every single day and am forever grateful for the friendships I have made here.. I am grateful for this Gospel. God's will is a lot greater then ours. One last thing I learned that has helped me so much as I have been back was a quote by my good friend Jabari Parker when he said: "Just be the same person you are in the dark that you are in the light". Remember this and just like I always say The Lord is good my friends. I love you all.

Elder Emery

Week 6!

Liebe familie,

Wow, another really quick week! I swear the time goes by faster and faster.. It feels like yesterday that I wrote. But again I'm happy to hear everyone is doing good.

This week was really good and we were super busy. A lot of good things were learned this week and I had some amazing experiences. There is so much I could write but I never know which stories to put in. So I will try to go day by day.

Tuesday we were in the office the whole day trying to figure out everything for this coming transfer. So we did not do a whole lot proselyting that day. We had a Less Active lesson with a family that night that was super super interesting. They are such an awesome family and are so full of energy. Elder McGinn and I were pretty much split.. He was talking with the Dad and I was talking with the Mom. It was great to get to know them a lot better. We finally understand why they don't come to church and so we pinpointed the lesson on "The Blessings of the Gospel". It was a great lesson and we invited them to come to Stake conference.. They unfortunately did not show up but we were able to set out another appt this coming week!

Wednesday we went on a split with the Frankfurt Zone Leaders and so I got to be with Elder Baker again! I love that Elder, it was so cool being with him. When we talk about a mission changing a missionary I think of Elder Baker, our first transfer we did not get along.. But now we are best friends! We have both changed so much. It was good being with him again. We were able to go do some contacting and go by a ton of people on our list. We got lots of work done and talked with lots of people. Did not see to much success but it was good and I learned lots from him.. he is in the same group as I am and it finally feels nice because we are at the points on our missions where we can understand and speak the language so its not as frustrating.. I love teaching with these Elders because they are really good at it and I learn so much from them. It was a solid day. We met again with our investigators.. They are great and making slow progress but they are getting there!

Thursday we had Zone Training here in Frankfurt with our Zone and it was really good. Elder Baker and Elder Lovelace are studs and set up a great meeting. A lot was learned about Prayer, habits, and centering our lives on Jesus Christ. When we understand the Gospel we understand the greater picture of Heavenly Father's plan for us. The closer we get to our Savior Jesus Christ, the stronger the Adversary gets.. So we must continue to study, read and pray daily! I am grateful for my mission and teaching me these things! After Zone training we taught a family. Absolutely incredible family who have gone through SOO much.. Elder Lindsey worked a ton with this family and they were less active for awhile. Now they are coming every week and are stronger then ever. What was cool was that their son, who is 18 years, baptized his little 11-yr old brother about 2 months ago.. Now they are coming every week and the mom wants to take the whole family and go get sealed in the temple and she wants us to teach about the temple.. A total 180 degree turn and honestly is such an inspirational story... That is what is amazing about this Gospel.. When we let it affect our lives the Lord steps in and changes us to the person he wants us to become! I am so grateful for the things that I have learned and that I can be able to help this amazing family.

Friday was another great day, Friday morning we had a conference call with all the Goldens and Trainers. President wanted me to talk about our Personal Culture and how we can establish good habits.. This is something I am not good at and continuing to learn and get better but it went really good I thought. Elder McGinn talked about PMG (Preach my Gospel) and again just taught so well and was really good. President Stoddard continues to amaze me with his Testimony and is one of the most loving people ever. Talk about a man of God. I love that man and if I could live the life he did I would love it. He cares for every single person around him like it's his own kid. Incredible man.

We also were able to teach a less active that day. But what was really cool is another Less Active that is coming back to the church invited us over and we were able to teach her and her boyfriend.. Her boyfriend is about 23 years old and is honestly such a cool kid. He was soaking in everything we were saying and we were able to give the first lesson.. We asked him if he would pray to know the Book of Mormon is true and he agreed. Another amazing lesson that I will never forget. The spirit was so strong. I love helping people and serving them. Thats what honestly brings me happiness and living after the Gospel! Great day, Friday night we drove all the way up to Jena, which is East Germany! We planned on going on a split with the Jena Zone Leaders. Such an incredible drive, castles everywhere and what was really cool was as you drive to the east there is a massive sign saying "Berlin Wall". Where it used to be and where they took it down.. it was cool experience cause I had never been to the east before.

Saturday: on this split I was with Elder Hawker. One of my good friends from the MTC.. We always had wanted to go on a split together and we finally got to go on one. It was absolutely amazing!! Jena is such a cool place. Like I said it is in the east and the east is a lot different. Not a whole lot of people believe in God and are very shut off. We had an appt set up.. But that appt fell out so we had 8 hours of straight contacting.. and I LOVED it! I love bearing testimony out on the roads. And Jena is soooo beautiful and pretty.. i will send some pics but it was cool! We ended up talking to over 300 people I swear and got 1 contact out of it :) Ha so that was good! But it was good talking to Elder Hawker about life and being able to go contacting again. Great experience, we talked to a an older couple as we were out in a little dwarf and they gave us the history and their experience living behind the Iron Curtain.. It was really cool because they lived through World War II and also lived behind the Wall.. Awesome experience!

Sunday was good. We had Stake conference down in Darmstadt and so i was able to see all the members there again.. I love that ward!!! One of the greatest wards. It was sooo good to see all the members down there and talk with them again. Nothing is better then seeing people you taught and helped come back or just gained relationships with. I loved it. We met with the less-active family again and she cooked for us. She is a really good cook. She made a soup with Crab, fish, and squid. It was actually really good but the squid was a little bit different. We taught them the commandments. That was that day though.

Sorry to be so long. But This week was good.. I am continuing to learn more and more. I have been continuing to study about Christ's life and everything he did for us. I love this Gospel with all my heart and am so very grateful for it. I hope you all have a great week! I love you.

Elder Emery