YUP! I GOT A LAST MINUTE
EXTENSION!!!! I WILL STAY ANOTHER 6 WEEKS!!!!!
I wish...
Sorry Mom, I couldn't resist writing that ;-). I hope
you didn't panic too much. :-D
Well This past week, has been quite interesting. It was
fairly slow but we saw some cool things happen.
Tuesday was New Years Eve (Just in case any of you
didn't know that ;-) We went to visit a few people, with not very much success.
:-) Go figure, it was a holiday (of sorts). But we made an appointment out
with Lothar so that the Buchanans could come. Which was good. :-) That night we
were at the Buchanans house (just like Christmas) and played a variety of card
games. WAY FUN. I love the Buchanans so much, They are such a huge help to us
here, and they have done so much for this branch. It was fun, we were up until
midnight, which is when the war started ;-). Fireworks like CRAZY. It was a
bit foggy, and the smoke from the fire works combined with the fog and made so
thick that you couldn't see 2 meters in front of you. It was nuts. We could
only hear the fireworks, and they were SO MUCH LOUDER than in the states.
Crazy.
The first was very cool. We went out to visit Brother Drevs,
a less active member who we were able to contact a month or so ago for the
first time. He is VERY BIG into board game, He has thousands of various board
games. So we went and played board games with him, and got to know him a lot
better. We played Railroad tycoon. WAY FUN. It was really good, we got to know
him better and now have a better understanding why he doesn't come to church,
which should hopefully help us bring him back to church some time.
After that
we went to the Trautmans and had a traditional New Years dinner, Goose with
Knödel, Rotkohl, and Rosinenkohl. Sister Trautmans is one who really likes
cooking, and the meal took her 4 or 5 hours to make. You can only imagine how
delicious it was. :-) Later we went with the Buchanans to visit the Maiers and
Vanderheidens, who were both there and we had some good discussions with them
there. Sadly neither one, despite both saying they would, actually came to
church, but that's ok. They were good visits and very enjoyable. :-)
Thursday we had district meeting here in Ravensburg, my last
one, then had an exchange. I stayed with Elder Aardema. We went by on Herr
Rölle, who was actually there and let us in right on the spot. We had a really
good discussion with him, but overall he has higher priorities than us. :-P He said
we are welcome to come by once a month or so. We met with him once before and
he showed some interest, but we talked to him a lot this time about finding out
if its true, and he doesn't have much interest at the moment. Thats ok though.
The exchange went well otherwise, we found some cool people and had some really
great conversations. :-)
Nothing too exciting on Friday, we exchanged back, and than
did a bit of weekly planning/preparing things for the new transfer. We went
contacting for about an hour, didn't get any information with anyone but had a
really neat experience. We were walking along Marien Platz and started talking
with a girl with REALLY red hair (dyed). She was pretty happy to talk to us,
didn't have enough interest to give us her phone number, but it turns out that
she was going through a really rough time right then, and she thanked us for
the conversation, because she felt so much happier afterward and was happy to
have spoken with us. I gave her a card with our phone number, the churches
address etc. She said (and I completely believe her) that she will visit our
church meeting some time when she can. That for me was almost better than
getting information. She felt a lot better after talking with us she said it
made her day, and that means a lot to me. I love being able to help lift others
up.
Saturday we met with Lothar, which was really cool. Best
appointment that we have ever had with him. The Buchanans came and it was
really neat. We got to understand him a lot better, and have established a
decent foundation which we will be able to build from in the near future. :-)
We also went shopping that day (being warned in advance that Monday was going
to be a holiday).
We went to Markdorf with the Buchanans to visit the Kunz
family and the Micov family. Neither of them were home, so we visited with a
couple from Syria, who we had met and help a few weeks earlier. The man is from
Palestine, and was pharmacist. She is from Syria and used to be a professor of
the Arabic language. And now they are living in a VERY small room with just
enough income to buy a bit of food. That hurts me to see it. They came partly
because of the conflicts going on now over there, also because Germany has much
better doctors and he is a diabetic. They speak a bit of English and are
learning German. We talked to them a bit about prophets, it was funny, because
the best way to do it, was to use the German to Arabic translator on his phone.
:-) It was neat though. We kept it brief because he wasn't feeling to good, but
it was neat.
As for how to precede with them, that will be very tricky. I don't
think we will be able to keep meeting with them (it may put them or their
families in danger if people find out that they are meeting with
Christians). We will need to get some information about them, how long they
will stay, family etc. And then apply for permission to teach them. I don't
think we will be able to, but we can still be stop by and see how they are
doing every now and again. :-)
Sunday was one of neatest Fast and testimony meetings I have
ever been apart of. We had record low attendance. A total of 6 members and 4
missionaries. It nearly represents the completely active part of the branch.
There are two more couples who are typically active, one was visiting family,
the other was sick. But other than that, there aren't really any completely
active members. Anyway. We started the meeting at 11 and were done with the
sacrament at around 11:10. Then was the time that was given to bear
testimonies. One by one everyone got up and bore testimony. It was almost as
though there was an assigned order, because there was no pause, but yet there
wasn't. The meeting ended at 12:10 the full time was taken. The Spirit was so
strong here. It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
That nearly sums up the highlights of the week. The Calendar
says that this will be my last as a missionary. My heart doesn't believe it.
Which I think is actually good. I haven't thought about going home, I haven't
been sad about leaving, because I don't feel like I am. I have been working
just as though I had several months left. Only a few slight moments have broken
that. Saying goodbye to Natalia and Patricia for one; Patricia (just turned 9
years old) made a card "From Patricia to 'Rayn' ". I had told her
what my first name was a week or so ago, but never told her how to spell it :-)
That was hard, saying goodbye and that card didn't help. That was the first
time I cried at the thought of going.
Also during the closing song yesterday ,
I broke down as it hit me that probably is the last time I will get to sing a hymn
with other people in the German Language for quite awhile. I have such a love
for this language, and people. And more over for this work, which I have had
the privilege of being a part of. Its really hard in those moments where
I realize that I am going. But God has truly blessed me in that these moments
have been brief, they come and not long after they are gone and I go back to a
normal missionary as though I wasn't going home. That has been a tremendous
blessing. It has allowed me to focus and work hard. Even as I pack, I feel
disconnected and it doesn't effect my ability to work.
Well, I have no choice but trust the calendar, that this
really will be the last e-mail. Many of you I will the privilege of seeing face
to face on Friday or Saturday. Some I won't see until next Sunday when I speak,
and others I may not see for several months, or years. Whether I see you in
days, weeks months or years, I want you all to know,that I know this work is of
God.
I know first off that there is a God in Heaven who is our Father. He loves
us so much. Far more than we can really comprehend. I know he hears and answers
our prayers. I know he has called prophets to lead and guide us, in days of old
just as well as now. I know that the this church is led by a Prophet today,
Thomas S. Monson. I know that the Book of Mormon is true scripture given to us,
to help us learn more about God, to be a proof that God speaks to men of old,
and speaks to us again today.
Most importantly. I want you all to know, that I
know Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I know that He is our Savior, that He
atoned for our sins, and took upon Himself our weaknesses. He knows exactly how
we feel, and exactly what we are going through. Because of that He knows how to
comfort us, how to strengthen us, how to heal us. I have seen it happen in the
lives of others, and in my own life. It has been wonderful chance to come here
and to help others come to know that for themselves as well. I will be
eternally grateful for the opportunity I have had, to have part of this work.
Participating in Gods ultimate work and glory, to bring to pass the immortality
and eternal life of man.
I look forward to participating as well when I get
back, in callings or assignments, or whatever way I can. Because I know that
its true. And I know it can bless the lives of everyone.
I bid you all farewell, until we meet again. :-)
Numbers 6:24-26
love,
Elder Ryan K. Christensen
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