Yeah, so as you may have noticed by the title of this e-mail
the weather hasn't been exactly ideal, and even for the native Münchnern, it
has been a bit rough. Unusually cold and an incredible amount of rain. It has
rained every day this week, except for Tuesday, which is an absolute MIRACLE.
Rain is great, especially when its warm. But when you are a missionary rain is
terrible, because it really limits finding options (no one wants to talk you,
they would rather get out of the rain). When its cold and rainy... I just
feel bad talking to some people. I still do it, sometimes, depending on how I
feel I should. Usually I can offer a card and people will take it, but it
doesn't replace a good conversation.
This is why it was a miracle that it
didn't rain on Tuesday Tuesday evening, the entire district had set apart for
a finding evening (because half of us work in the office and only proselyte in
the evenings, we can't do a full finding day, so we set apart the evening to do
it. Monday, it was raining. HARD. Tuesday morning it was cloudy and was
supposed to rain. But toward the after noon and evening, it got warmer, the sun
came out and it was actually a REALLY nice day! So we were able to have a
really successful finding evening.
The first lady I found was from Peru, and
couldn't speak English or German. But she pointed to our name tag, and
indicated that her brother was a missionary from our church currently serving
in Mexico, but she is not a member. The Munich 1 ward is half Spanish so we
were able to get her number and someone in that ward was able to call her.
Later on, just as everyone was leaving, (they all got in the van, and Elder
Evans and I decided to take the U-bahn home) I all the sudden had the strongest
impression to turn around and stop the guy walking by. So I did (I startled
him fairly bad, as you can imagine). But then started talking about this life
and how death isn't the end. Then I told him that he can learn for himself that
it is true if he wants to. He smiled and said "I want to, when can we
meet?" ( in German of course) and we exchanged numbers and he will meet
with the AP's sometime this week.
It was a super successful finding evening. We
found overall I think 14 people who want to learn more. 2 of them are for us.
:-) Anyway, it started to rain again on Wednesday and has been raining ever
since. The rains have been coming down, but luckily no floods have been coming
up ;-) Yet...
My time is short again, but short to say, it was another
somewhat rough week, but with a HUGE Miracle, that I wish to explain. So, last Saturday (not June 1st but the week before) on the way back home an Nigerian
man gets on the U-bahn and comes, walks straight in, and sits right next to me
(it was the only available seat left) I turn to him and start a friendly
conversation, and it nearly immediately turns into a conversation about Jesus
Christ. He believes very strongly in Jesus, and goes about talking to people
about him. He was so happy to meet another servant of Jesus Christ, going out
to preach his word, he told me that the Holy Spirit told him to get on this
U-bahn, and he didn't know why, but now he knew so that he could meet me.
He
gives me his number and says that he wants to come to church, so I should give
him a call the next day. I did, and he didn't answer, and didn't come to
church. I called him later, and I told him I would call him again on Sunday to
come to church on Sunday. This time he did, but he decided to come the long way
through Solln and walk to church, no umbrella in the rain. Its a 20 minute walk
and he showed up really wet, but he was like "it's OK its for God, so it
was worth it". He walks in and sees the picture of Joseph Smith and the
first vision and asked us "What church is this?! is this the church of
Joseph Smith?!!" Elder Evans responded "well, the real name is the
church of Jesus Christ, but yes we believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet"
"THIS IS MY CHURCH!".
He was baptized a member in Nigeria, and had
moved to Italy and been there for 4 years, never once going to any church,
because he didn't really know that our church existed outside of Nigeria.
People of all denominations invited him to come, but he turned them all down,
because there was only one true church and it was in Nigeria. Then, toward the
beginning of a 3 week vacation in Germany, the spirit tells him to get on an
U-bahn, he enters IN THE EXACT CAR I WAS IN, AND THROUGH THE DOOR THAT
WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THEN TAKES THE ONLY SEAT AVAILABLE: NEXT TO ME! I turned
and started talking to him, invited him to church and for the first time in 4
years he was able to come back to his church.
He and I were both stunned.
(Elder Evans was a bit stunned too, but not nearly as either one of us were).
He was so incredibly happy to be there, and mentioned that many times. He
hasn't been to the church in 4 years, which is why he didn't recognize me (as
a missionary), or the name of the church. But God knew it, and led him to meet
me in a crowded U-bahn. And even though he didn't except any invitations from
anyone to come to church, he accepted mine. He is a member of the Church. Later on Sunday, he joined us for the investigator class and help answer a question
about Mormon and Moroni (from what little he could still remember). But he made
reference to a picture found in the book of Mormon of Moroni burying the plates
and helped us answer the question.
4 years without going to church, and on a 3 week vacation in
Munich Germany, God leads him to meet me in an U-bahn. I felt, and still feel
so honored to have been able to be the one to meet him and help him come to
church. He could have met anyone, anywhere, in Italy even. But I had the
privilege of living the miracle, and it is something which has caused me utmost
humility and gratitude. He wasn't able to come to church the first time, but
the second he could, and he will be able to stay for Elder Nelson, who is doing
a special meeting for our stake this upcoming Sunday.
After which, I will refer
his information to the Milan Italy Mission, (he is living in Rovigo right now
in Northern Italy) and they will be able to get him to the right ward so that
he can continue attending church. It was an absolute Miracle that confirms that
God is really leading this work, and he is aware of all his sheep. And lets his
servants find joy in helping those sheep come back to the fold sometimes. It
has been a wonderful experience, and I look forward to more miracles happening.
This was not my any means the only miracle that happened over the past week,
there were many, some large some small, but this one was the biggest by
far.
Anyway, I am out of time right now, but I just want to end
this e-mail with my testimony again, that God truly is leading this work. I
know it. I know that he cares about each and everyone of us. Personally,
individually. I am so grateful to be apart of this work, it truly is the
greatest work there is in this life. Nothing is more important. And with Enos,
I truly can say that this work has brought me more joy than anything that is in
the world. I know it, and am grateful and look forward to being apart of it my
whole life long. That is my testimony, and I will leave with you in the name of
Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Ryan K. Christensen
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