Well, first rule learned this week, always READ THE FINE PRINT. But that is a whole different story. But this week has been verrückt as we say in German. We have been getting little to no sleep. I say this all in humor because I laugh but sometimes I feel like I could pass out right now. Probably the most draining thing from the week was staying up till 2am finishing a report for President Stoddard for one of his meetings. I was literally losing my mind staring at the computer for 4 hours but WE FINISHED IT!! It was good, I honestly love staying up late especially when it means that we can lighten the load of President Stoddard and let him get some rest because I swear that man doesn't sleep. It has been a fun learning experience because you learn that there is just some stuff that needs to get done and if it means losing sleep over it then hey that's how the cookie crumbles. It is reassuring to me that in about 3 weeks I can sleep a little, but wow I have truly learned to give the Lord our all.
This Transfer, I'm not going to lie has been probably my most demanding transfer spiritually and physically. It's hard because I want to go out with a bang and sprint to the finish but it is impossible sometimes to find time to do actually missionary work because we are driving to Nurnberg and Heidelberg and then spending the other days planning with President because he is sacrificing some of his vacation with his family to finish interviews (what an amazing man). So I think everyone is kind of running on low. The night we stayed up till 2am finishing our report, we had decided that day that no matter what was going on in the office we would go finding finally, so we made the goal and went finding and had a fun day, then went to the office that night at around 9:30 and did leave till 2am. I kind of got frustrated and said "what do you want from Lord, in order to do your work I have to go to bed super late, is that what it's going to take." I talked with my companions about my feelings and my frustration. Because some days I would love to just love to have time to do missionary work. But something that Elder DeMass said really hit me, he said, "This is exactly how it is going to be at home." He had a really good point, there is going to be a million things going on that will be important also and at the end of the day I'm going to say, "Where was the time for scripture study or anything else gospel related?" but its all about sacrifice to the Lord and making time. I also fasted yesterday because we had a regional broadcast from Salt Lake City last week and I just asked the Lord if what I was doing was pleasing to him even though everything around me is falling apart. All day I didn't get an answer of words but the whole day I just felt happy. F. didn't make it to church so not really any investigators showed up, but I just felt happy and it was just this feeling of "you are doing everything you possible can don't worry just keep going forward it may not seem like it on the outside but you are doing my work". It was super comforting and really brought the peace I was looking for! So that was the biggest miracle of the week, realizing this is the Lords work and being happy with what you have.
This week we met with S. our new convert that was baptized about 3 months ago, and WOW. He is preparing for his endowment right now and he and his girlfriend are preparing to go to the temple to be sealed. Meeting with him is also such a high note. He just talks about how he loves this gospel he loves coming to church, he even said one time "its so simple but hard sometimes all we need to do is pray read the scriptures and go to church". I have never seen anything like it, Sunday the bishop was talking with him and said "Where is such and such and then S. piped in and said "I have been way worried about this man I have not seen him in a long time." He even last week took out T. (new convert of 4 months) and F. (preparing for baptism) so that he could help F. prepare for baptism and help keep T. active and talk about what it is like being a member of the church and recently baptized. Amazing to see him every week pass the sacrament and bless it and sometimes his brother with him too! T. who was baptized in January is doing amazing also on August 6 he will be receiving his patriarchal blessing and passes the sacrament every week. he really loves the church and the people here, he was the one that gave us F. to teach and continues to do missionary work. To have seen him serve a mini-mission and serve faithful for his calling in the ward has been such a blessing and ward loves him with open arms and invite him over for dinner and include him in so much. Bruder L. the man that was re-activated proposed to his girlfriend and he and his girlfriend will be sealed in Bern Temple in Switzerland on October 22 2016 for time and all eternity. I have been blessed to watch him receive the Melchizedek priesthood and become an active temple recommend holding member of the church what a blessing to have taken part in bringing him back to church. I still get opportunities to talk with B. from Hamm and she is doing great! They also preparing to enter the temple to be sealed and unfortunately she can't come to church a ton because she had work but the ward is there and say that she is still active and going strong. Also another person I taught in Hamm named R. got baptized about 2 months ago and has already gone to the temple and done baptisms for the dead and everything, what an amazing person! C. and P. Diekmann, got to see them prepare to enter the temple and be sealed as a family for time and all eternity, unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to the sealing but what a wonderful. There are so many other wonderful people I have met on my mission that have changed my life. I'm so happy to be here and hate to leave this place.
Anyways, love yall and miss yall excited to see you soon!
Love
Elder White
Elder White got a flat tire and got to change it...good thing he learned how to do that at home a couple of times.
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