Eternal Families Door Approach Saves The Week!!

Well Howdy!

Rough week, but great weekend. We had about 2 investigators fall out and say they don't have any interest in meeting with us. That was pretty depressing and on the top of that we were talking with RL and he told us he didn't think we could help him anymore with his problems and his apartment, but that he really enjoys talking with us and wants to continue our friendship. That was pretty rough, I found myself asking the Lord "WHY, I'm doing everything  you asked!" On top of that their were two strikes here in Deutschland and their trains haven't worked all week! And our investigator from the USSR had to start working with other missionaries because he doesn't speak German. 

As I sat there questioning what we needed to do next on Friday afternoon, I had a thought we should go 40 minutes to Alzenau. Elder Bulkley said it was fine, so we walked outside to the bus stop and realized we had 15 minutes before our train left, as we started worrying all the sudden a bus showed up. Then we showed up to the train, rode the train to Alzenau. Went to go visit someone but they weren't home. We started wondering why did we even come here, then I we realized that one of the members daughters was playing in the street. We prayed and realized we needed to go and visit this family, so we stopped by for 5 minutes asked them how we could help and then left. It felt kind of pointless but then we got on our train to head back and had to make a connection. We were running to catch the train, but realized we were 5 minutes late and had to wait another 30 minutes. But as we walked up to the terminal, the train was there! it was 5 minutes late. What a miracle and we realized that we had fulfilled whatever the Lord needed us to do there in Alzenau. 

All weekend I was wondering what we going to do because we really didn't have anyone to teach anymore. Then Elder Bulkley told me that we need to have more faith when we go out when we find. So on Sunday. yesterday we went out believing we could find people. We went and did some doors, and as I rang one of the doors and began to speak I said, "We are missionaries, we have a message about Jesus Christ," and then I said randomly about eternal families. The man on the other end said "Sure come up." We met him on the doorstep and he looked depressed he told us that he had lost his wife 5 months ago and that it has been hard so for him. It gave me the opportunity to look at him and tell him that he could see his wife again because we believe in eternal families. He said he wanted to set up another appointment with us!!! That never happens here in Germany!! I felt so good walking down the stairs, later that day we found 2 other people that gave us phone numbers for contact. What a day full of miracles!

 The one thing I do know is that Jesus Christ lives! And this is his work here on the earth today. Missionaries probably make him laugh because we are always asking him what our purpose is, what do we need to do and then we questions why we don't see success. Then he gives us a miracle and then as Elders we say "Oh we shouldn't have been asking why this whole time, because we have been doing it all alone." There are so many times I see  miracles happen. I look up to the sky and a little tear welds up in my eye because I know the Lord is smiling and saying "Run along Elder White I will catch you when you fall."

Millions shall know Brother Joseph again!!

Elder WHITE

HOWDY from Germany week of October 13th

HOWDY!!!

Well I finally got to see the last session of General Conference!!! What a great experience to hear the words from the Prophet!! Listening to General Conference on the Mission is so awesome!!!

This Sunday I bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting in German and the members came up super surprised about how well my German was.  I also blessed the Sacrament in German. It really helped build my confidence. It's great because now I can sit in church and understand what they are saying, not always everything but I understand most everything and can hold conversations on the street in German and contact on my own! 

The only tough part is the Branch here in Offenbach, don't really support the missionaries, I haven't eaten at a single members house since I got here and it is hard to set up appointments with members. We pray for the members that they will soften their hearts and help us out a little more. I have been thinking about how to work with with the members in the Branch and people who are difficult, so today I was praying and asked my Heavenly Father what do I needed to do. Then as I opened up Preach My Gospel, to the page about Christlike attributes and about charity. I realized that I can overcome these struggles through charity and having the pure love of Christ with me!  The one thing I have learned on the Mission is the importance of Atonement in my life. Through the Atonement we are healed of our short comings and weakness. Alma 7:11-14 doesn't just say sickness but it talks about afflictions and sickness. I haven't understood before that Heavenly Father can help overcome my weakness and not just sin itself!! What a beautiful Blessing!!!

This week we had splits, (this is where two sets of missionary companions switch companions for 24 hours)  and we got to do a golden golden split. ( This mean 2 brand new missionaries got to be companions for the splits.  They usually but a new missionary with a seasoned missionary)  So me and Elder Arnesen got to go on a split and he has only been out 6 weeks longer than me!! It was so cool though, we taught a lesson and then we were walking down the street and I had an impression to talk to a man. Elder Arnesen and I went up to him, he talked to us in English and he is from Argentina!! He Name was Ricardo and by the end of the conversation we figured out he was a inactive member of the church!! He told us about he active sister, and that he thought our encounter was a sign that he needs to go back to church! It was awesome!!

The work is a little slow right now because our golden investigator is in America on vacation, but it has given us a chance to just talk to everyone, I have gotten kind of lazy on contacting, but now I'm just trying to talk to everyone I see!! It's easy to get down because the sun doesn't come out much anymore and it rains about every other day. But we have to find joy, a lot of times Elder Bulkley and I sing church hymns as we walk down the street. It's funny because People look at us weird, but it really helps make me happy!

Well RL, the man from the park, who we had kind of given up on, we found him randomly!!! We talked with him and by the end realized that the Lord needs us not to give up on him. So the next day we went looking for him to see if he was in the Clinic yet, we found out that he does have a house so we went to the house and rang the buzzer and he said he would come down. Then randomly as we waited a man walked up to us and said he would let us in. We told him we were fine, but he insisted that we go inside, he forced us inside and so we went to RL's Apartment.He let us come in and OH MY GOODNESS, worse place I have every seen in my life, so many bottles of whiskey that he trips trying to get to his bed. Rotten meat everywhere and piles about 4 feet tall of flies and random stuff. We left the apartment realizing the Lord needs us to serve him. So we have a new Project, it is called Project Ü. We received special permission from the Mission President to involve another district in cleaning up the Apartment. We are going to clean his Apartment!!  And I'm so excited for him!!

Well all in all things are great a Little sad because our district leader is ending his Mission next week. he is heading back to Switzerland. But everything is great, Offenbach maybe a rough place sometimes but other times it is just amazing full of miracles and People from everywhere. This Gospel is true!! As we bear testimony of Jesus Christ the Lord silences those that would seek to do us harm, because whether you are a missionary or not you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and his Name will Sound in every Nation!! DEUTSCHLAND!!!

Love, 

Elder White

Here are pictures from when we went to the temple last week.

Here is a picture of the streets of Offenbauch

His infamous selfie photo facial expression..inside his apartment

Amazing Miracles in Germany!!

My testimony has been strengthened over the past couple of weeks, I have experienced many amazing miracles that have shaped me and helped strengthen my testimony. Here are just a few:

Elder Bulkley and I were going to met a investigator who lived about 45 minutes away. Our train was late and we missed our connecting train. We were about to head back home when this impression told me, get on this random train. I walked away thinking that this was crazy, but it happened again I told Elder Bulkley and he thought I was nuts. The train was still there, and I had been doubting myself as a missionary and was having a rough time. I knew if we got on the train and it took us to somewhere we didn't need to be that mentally I couldn't take that. It was a war in my head so like I have been taught, when it gets to hard to stand, we pray. So right there, I folded my arms and began to beg with God to help me because I didn't have much more in the tank to give. As I stood there something pushed me towards the train and it almost felt like I couldn't stand up straight. I said to myself, "Heavenly Father I'm putting this one in your hands, I'm giving you everything I have and using ever ounce of faith I have."  We got on the train and stood there, then as the train took off, Elder Bulkley remembered we could ride this train make it to the investigators house. We made it on time to UI's house and that night committed him to be baptized because he knew the gospel is true!! Our Savior walks with us and guides us along this mission path because some days being a missionary is exhausting and tiring and you think you don't have anything left and as you fall down he catches you and lifts you up, and he strengthens you!

Well RL, the man in the park we have been teaching was suppose to go into rehab Wednesday, but decided not to. We went to visit him yesterday and so we are kind of stuck trying to figure out what to do next. The only thing we know is that we serve him and hopefully bless his life.

We met a golden investigator this week named EE who grew up in the USSR and is from Ukraine. It was amazing, we were doing a street display when all of the sudden he walked up and said he wanted to talk with us. He is looking for work and has already read the Book of Mormon. He kind of speaks broken English, but the message gets through to him. He was raised in the Communist party and didn't think there was a God until he met believers that resisted the Communist party in his home town. He is an Antique Art Restorator and he believes Jesus is his Savior and Redeemer. He came to 8 hours of GENERAL CONFERENCE WITH US!!! We told him he could leave whenever he wanted too, but he said that the spiritual food he was receiving was great!! He is going to be transferred to the English Elders in Frankfurt, but he doesn't speak very good English and he doesn't feel super comfortable going to Frankfurt. So we will see!!

There is a town about 1 hour away from Offenbach called Aschaffenburg. It is the most beautiful town in our area but is hard to get to. We had a finding activity planned by our District Leaders there and we were asked to teach seminary that night also. So we met there around noon and did some contacting, then around 3 the other Elders left. We had about 5 hours before our next appointment which was seminary so we went to go contact a investigator about 20 minutes away. As we waited for the bus Elder Bulkley and I remembered people we had met here in this town. We said a prayer together that we would see SM and DD. We finished praying and I had some doubt thinking "this town is huge this can't happen". But as time went on I decided to test my faith and really look for this man. We got on the bus where we had met DD 3 weeks ago and he wasn't there. But then as the bus wandered up to where we needed to get off, DD, out of nowhere gets on the bus!! He recognized us immediately and we began talking and had a good conversation, no appointment set up but great testimony builder.

 Then we taught seminary and headed home around 8 pm. We knew we wouldn't get back till 9, we just hopped on a train and thought it was taking us to Offenbach, when is reality it was taking us to Frankfurt. Our tickets don't work on this train and it was too late to get off. The train conductor came down the aisle about 30 minutes later and we realized we were going to get a fine of 40 euro for having a invalid ticket. But the spirit came over me and said the Lord would provide. The man grabbed our ticket looked at it and stamped it! We both looked at each other and realized either the Lord had made him think it was the right ticket or softened his heart. We finally made it to Frankfurt at around 9pm and had to take a train back to Offenbach. We made it to Offenbach at around 9:30 completely exhausted and ready to go home. We got on a bus and were standing there when the woman we had tracked out a couple of weeks ago from the apartment got on the bus!!! We again saw another miracle as we talked with her about the Book of Mormon. That night was a late night but wow the Lord blessed us!!

These past couple weeks have been nuts! It has been challenging but rewarding for sure!!

Elder Bulkley and I are working extremely hard and its kind of gotten to the point where eating meals was such  hassle and we were putting in 13 hour days of contacting and teaching. We were able to keep it up for a couple days only eating 2 meals a day but then we started feeling the effects of  it and knew that the Lord wanted us to take a break and make time for ourselves. That was a lesson I learned this week for sure but wow have we seen some amazing miracles from the Lord and we got a good break listening to General Conference!

I wish I could tell you all the miracles I have seen here in Germany!! The Lord blesses this work and works in amazing ways!!


Love,

Elder White


PS. Sorry no pictures

Guten Tag from Deutschland!!! Week of September 22, 2014

*(Sorry this is a week late.  Crazy busy last week and Elder White will be attending the Frankfurt Germany temple today, so he will not be able to email us until Friday of this week.)

Well Guten Tag from Deutschland!!!!

Well this week has been a crazy and challenging week for sure, Offenbach is Kind of a rough place to be for Christians right now, not going to lie. The People are great and there are People prepared to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ but at the same time the enemies of the church are out there. We have been teaching the homeless man in the park for 2 weeks now and on Thursdays. We went to teach him and a Lady interrupted us in the park and started to Bible bash with us. Then we decided okay we will come back tomorrow. Then we go to back the next day in the park and these Islamic teenage kids come up and start harassing my companion and I. They yelled the usual that Jesus Christ isn't our Savior and then started making guns with their Hands and telling us they were Isis. I started getting pretty angry with them because they were just Punks, but then an Impression came over me to kill them with Kindness. So I walked right up to them and said "wie heissen sie" they were a Little taken back but my remark and stopped for a few seconds, the conversation turned a Little more friendly. Then they pulled out some drugs so we left there pretty quick. Satan is trying really hard on this investigator but we will not give up on him! 

Later that day a Teenager came up and started yelling at us that we were throwing our lives away and that Jesus Christ doesn't exist. I look him right in the eyes and in English bore my testimony of the Jesus Christ and that he is my Savior and Redeemer. He still went on and then told us to get a life. Another time this week a man on the bus started Bible Bashing with me in English. I turned him and felt the Spirit fill my mind with knowledge of how to defend my Religion. I began to kindly explain why we believed that we believed and he had no response and couldn't answer. I was very respectful, but firm with him so that he knew I meant what I said. Honestly, anyone reading this, I love People of the Islamic faith! But for some reason the mosque we live next to teaches them to harass every Christian they see on the street and so I just have to learn to love these People and see them as Christ see them! Its tough because they are mean and honestly feel the Tension when we walk home past the mosque,  but the light of Christ is here with us and real. Love is what solves issues not hostility.

Well after all these encounters I was getting pretty bummed out, Elder Bulkley told me that the Lord tests us and then will bless us. Friday our branch Mission leader told us about how he received Revelation about a Family ready to receive the Gospel. He only knew the Apartment building, so we went dooring.We have to get rung in, so we ring up all the rooms and try to get in. We did 4 with no success and then I started to get nervous. Elder Bulkley was like "you got this".  I rang the door and decided this time to Change my Approach and us Jesus Christ so i said "Halo wir sind die missionari von die Kirche Jesu Christi Der Heiligen Der Lezte Tagen und wir haben ein botshaft fur sie Uber Jesus Christus" The Lady said sure. We got rung in and meet her at the door, she told us she didn't have time right now but that we could come back and teach her about Jesus. I was taken back, she was setting up the appointment for us! Then she looks at me and says "You have a book for me right?" I was taken back again, and realized she was talking about the Book of Mormon. I had one in my bag and gave it to her, and then we left. If she wasn't prepared to receive the Gospel then I don't know who is!! It made the whole week seem worth it!! Its true sometimes we just have to faith and push on! I can't tell you how many times a day that Kind of Thing happens!

Europe is awesome, they don't eat a ton so I'm losing weight a ton because we walk all day skip some meals so we don't lose time. But hey that isn't a bad thing! Germany is great though, the People here just Need a Little light in there lives. They Need hope they Need miracles. We are working with a Young man in the branch who is doubting if he has a testimony. Classic looking German and a great kid, he is 19 and isnt planning on serving a Mission, something told me I Need to work with him. I challenged him to pray every night and read his scriptures and promised him he would get his answer. We will see how it goes, he is a great kid and is one of my good friends in the ward. We call him Jo-Jo!

The best part of the day is Walking down the street and see someone depressed and saying "Guten Tag" they look surprised and then smile! Somtimes we need to just share our light!!

The language is coming, I was having a rough day with the language and doubting myself when the branch president walked up to me and said "you German is getting really good!" and he is a native, that really lifted my Spirits!!

Well read DC 4 and ask yourself "What does harvest mean to you?"

LOVE YALL

Tchuss

Elder RYAN THE GREAT WHITE

Germany is my home!!!

                                   First Day in Germany with President and Sister Stoddard

Hey Yall!! I finally made it to Germany!! My first area is called Offenbach. It is right outside of Frankfurt. The flight over here was pretty good, I had a ton of leg room for real! But once we got to Germany it was just weird, the APs (Assistant to the Mission President)were late picking us up but a really nice couple from Colgone, Germany found out we were coming and greeted us and waited with us until the AP's got there. The first thing we did is go tracking on the streets of Frankfurt. It was crazy just trying to talk to people in a language we all barely even understand! Then we made it to the mission home about 3 hours later. Jet lag really started setting in, and while they were trying to orientate us we all kept falling alseep.  So they ended up letting us all go to bed at around 8 oclock which was a big blessing. The next morning we were paired with our companions. My Companion is Elder Bulkley, he is about 6'5'' so I'm pretty sure we are one of the tallest companionship's in Europe. People get really nervous when we come talk to them because usually they think we are the police, which is always funny!

In the Frankfurt Airport!!!  We made it

 Europe is a different experience that is for sure! They don't eat a ton for dinner or lunch so I'm usually pretty hungry but hey that is not a bad thing. There just isn't a ton of time for eating! The first day we were here we went out searching for people and so we started out in a Square just going up to people and  telling them about the Book of Mormon. That went pretty good, then Elder Bulkley decided to go to the park, there I went and talked to a man that was homeless. So I asked him how he was doing and if we could help. He then said that we couldn't help him because he was an alcoholic, we told him we had something that could help him! We shared the first message with him, but by the end he said he really liked our message. We gave him a Book of Mormon and set up another appointment with him! We spend 7 hours the first day just walking up to random people and introducing the gospel, I was so tired yet so happy and just full of love. 

Then next day we got to hear a message from Elder Ballard, it was just a amazing talk and I got alot out of it, and at the end of the talk was awesome when he said the things we are going through are preparing us for the future. That really hit home with me! He is a super funny man and  made me laugh a couple times that's for sure! We actually have a super nice apartment with a loft and really nice bathrooms! What a blessings, the only problem is that it isn't finished being remodeled so we still have some stuff to fix. The bad thing about Europe is the doorways are about 3 inches shorter then in America, so I have hit my head on a lot of doorways!!!!! But all in all everything is good!

The next day was Saturday, we helped a mitglieder in the church move his apartment and there I got to meet JS, a 19 year old from the church. He and I have really hit it off, he is a great kid with a good heart, but he just doesn't think he had a testimony. I know his does, I had a impression that me and Elder Bulkley need to get him out on a mission. So we are going to start working for him, but I understand where is coming from. He lives in a city the size of Dallas and there is only one branch that covers the entire city because the church isn't super strong here. The area is so big that we have 2 sets of companionships in one Branch. So its interesting, but I know that as we help people like JS see the hand of God in his life, he will begin to grow and progression and realize he does have a testimony. Well, after moving we had weekly planning meeting and then went and taught RL the man in the park again, he was still little drunk again but it was a good lesson. We challenged him to come to a baptism, he said he would but never showed up. We kept waiting and waiting for him to show up, but he never did, then as we were walking looking for a him a man ran up to us and said he was trying to find a place for his congregation to worship. It was weird but I felt like there was something there that we needed to do. Still trying to figure out how to talk to him about the gospel. Sunday was great because we got to hear from Elder Ballard again because it was Stake Conference. We met in a dance hall so we could fit two stakes in there. It was a great talk and he pretty much told the German people to wakeup!! It's time to get the church moving and help the missionaries out! He is awesome!! Afterwards we had a lesson with Herr GR, he invited us over because we were American and he wanted to treat us right. We tried to keep it gospel centered, and then he told his he had died for 20 minutes and seen Heaven. He knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that God exists, he just thinks that every religion is right. He told us how sometimes things are staring us right in the face and we don't realize their importance (HOW IRONIC) and at the end he gave us advice to never forget God which was funny! Me and Elder Bulkley walked out and realized he came back to this earth because it was time for him to except the gospel. So I will keep you posted! 

Love ya'll a ton, Germany is great , the people are great, and the gospels true!!

Final Days in the MTC and the arrival in Germany!!!

This post is summary from his mom...alot has happened the last couple of days. 

Monday September 8th.  We received a suprise email from Elder White. 

"Hey!! we are allowed to email today since we are going to miss P-Day in Germany. So yeah less than 19 hours till we have to get up at 4:30 and head to the airport!

Yesterday we awesome! We all got to bear our testimonies and that was such a neat experience. I got up and talked about the need for the Atonement and how we can't do it alone. When I finished I had this impression to go up to Brother Clark and tell him thank you for serving in the Branch Presidency. When I went up to him and him and told him thanks, then he looked me in the eyes and said "Your humble testimony is what the German people need to hear.".I almost about broke down because I knew he was communicating this to me from the Lord (He has recently returned home from serving as a mission president in St. Petersburg Russia). It was a great testimony builder for me and great experience. I will be talking you to tomorrow so I will tell you more!!

Tuesday, September 9th Lunch time

The whole family had been anxiously looking forward to THE PHONE CALL from the airport. It was so great to hear when the phone rang from an unknown number, "Hello Mom, it's me, Ryan." The whole family gathered around the phone as we talked, and laughed and felt the spirit talking together.  At first, he had a hard time remembering English words and he kept talking in German with a sprinkling of English.  Which was great to hear. But by the end of the conversation he was speaking more words in English. He bore his testimony in German and said he still was struggling with the grammar, but that he had 9 hours on the plane to work on his grammar... He had a strong conviction that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and that there is no where else he would rather be or nothing he would rather be doing right now in his life. He talked about how he had really learned about Faith and the power of faith.  Until now, he said he really hadn't grasped the magnitude of  Joseph Smith's Faith. Ryan said he is humbled at Joseph Smith's desire to have to prayed, asked which church is true, receive an answer to his prayer and then act on that answer.  We feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to talk to him for almost 2 hours.  Complete joy and happiness!!

This is sure tough to not have him home with us, but he is so happy, he has matured and grown spiritually and knows that this is what the Lord wants him to be doing right now. This makes it easier to let him go to Germany for 2 years, be happy for him and look forward to the emails every week.

Wednesday, September 10th 

An email and picture arrived this morning.  Elder White made it to Germany!!!  He will be watched over by President and Sister Stoddard for the next 2 years.

Feeling so blessed and appreciative for such a strong valiant son who know who he is and that he wants to serve the Lord, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Happiness.

Less than a week and I will be in Deutschland...and I haven't lost my pride in TEXAS

Hey Everyone!! In case y'all were worried about that I have lost my pride in Texas, worry no more. My District is so annoyed with my pride in Texas and they have tried finding scriptures to say that Texas can't be that good. Boy are they wrong!! hahaha!!! And 2 of my 3 teachers are from Texas so that has to be a sign!!

Well we got our travel plans this week! On Tuesday, September 9th, we are getting up at 4:30am  and heading to the airport, we land in Dallas around 11:45am and then head off to Frankfurt about 3:55pm. It will take about 8 hours to Frankfurt and then we land in Deutschland at 8:30 am September 10!!! We are at the mission home for the day and then the next day we take the train to our new areas. This is all becoming so real, so fast!! Its great! This week has been pretty good, we are all just getting stir crazy being here. 

I hope my German is alright, I mean I can teach a "lesson, but I know I have alot to learn in Deutschland that is for sure. I mean I feel alright with the language, but I know that in about 6 days I'm going to feel like I'm speaking Spanish to the Germans. Oh well, the Lord will provide if we show him our conviction for the work and our faith in this gospel. 

We had an amazing missionary fireside on Sunday from a return mission president (Which is a speech from a older gentleman that has been in charge of young missionaries for 3 years). He talked about how there are people out in our missions waiting for us to come teach them because the Lord has been preparing us to teach them. I started crying from how powerful the spirit testified to me that there are people out there waiting for me to teach them. What a huge responsibility on my shoulders, but as long as I turn to the Lord in prayer, I can not fail. 

Well my schedule is kind of the same old each week, but I did just get back from the temple which is my favorite part about Preparation-Days, the temple is such a refuge from worries and cares. I also talked with my zone and asked if they would help me get all the temple work done that Grandma White sent me, I am proud to say that the District 19 (our zone) completed 50 names these past two weeks, with the help from some Italian elders. I made it my goal to finish all the names before I left  because many are waiting on the other side of the veil for their work to be done.

Well I have realized that I never understood the MTC ( missionary training center) till now. I always thought about it was about learning how to teach and learning how to speak German. But that is not it, and if you go into the MTC thinking that you are going to miss the big picture. The main thing you should take away from the MTC is a better understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father will help you learn the language and when you speak with the spirit it doesn't matter how good or bad you speak. But if you understand the Atonement you can preach it and understand your relationship with your Father in Heaven better and understand his gospel better.

Well my next email will be from Deutschland!!!!

Auf Wiedersehen 

Elder Ryan "The Great" White