hello once again

This place is crazy. I really don't know where to even start. I will honestly say I am overwhelmed. It's a good thing, but it is insane. 

We had about thirty members come to church last Sunday. Our less active member list shows about 330 who didn't come. And many that we did meet who are less active, know the church is true, but there is always something little that stops them from coming to church. For example this one Italian lady. She just lost her husband, and so she doesn't come to church because she is afraid that all of the members will try to set her up with someone new. But then she feels alone and she has no Priesthood holder in her house and doesn't understand why women don't hold the Priesthood. Then she told her fourteen year old son that he needs to check this church out for himself. I don't think he really has the interest because his mother doesn't. So, this is interesting. 

Another already knows the church is true, she just doesn't wast to go to church. Asked her why not, she just doesn't want to travel. Really wish we can help out some of these people. 

Something cool though happened to a less active family. We were planning on how we can get these people back to church. They just need a boost to come back to church, and as we said that they called us and said hey when can you guys come over and have dinner? Cool, so we will see them tomorrow. 

We find lots of appointments, lots dont show up. Just gotta let it in the lords hands. We try to set at least two or more appointments with people on the street. Just gonna say the most effective thing is going to the restoration of the church. I can't count how many times we have taught the first lesson on the street, it is super cool to see how many people actually just like the idea of hearing the restored church. They love it, even those thugs with piercings all over their face. It's just a matter of meeting them again after that. Haha. 

Having lots of fun here, and my companion does work hard. We do have our differences, but we are effecient. 

Not really much more to say. We ran to the French border today. Cool. Our district leader really teaches me a lot, he is great to have around us and we work well together. Look forward to keep working with him. 

I hope the pictures work this time. Sorry for the other pictures that didn't send... Haha. 

Strange place, let's see how this goes. 

Much love 

Elder Monroe 

saarbrücken

Well looks like I have been transferred, as my last companion is now training. Congrats to him, but now I am in the land of saarbrücken. I literally feel isolated from the rest of the mission. It is right on the border of france(we can literally walk to France) and we have some members in France as well, giving me the chance not only to serve in Germany but France as well. I can't understand anyone here because either they speak French or Portuguese. No more Muslims it looks like. 

This place is extremely beautiful. From the slums and pits of Duisburg, to a small city and Dorfs (villages and farms) everywhere. Rolling hills of green, farms and forests is everywhere. This is literally culture shock once again. 

The city is really old, so all the apartments and stores are also really old. They are all made of brick and stone, looking like a more 1700's style of Germany. Just a little graffiti ruins a little bit... But that's everywhere in Germany. 

Our new apartment is amazing. I thought my last apartment was massive, this one is way bigger, wood floors, huge balcony on the second floor to chill, wifi, way sweet beds, a freaking dish washer, and life is good. 

My new companion is an interesting guy. His name is Elder Ockey, totally from Utah and has a lot more energy than I do. I will just say that. He loves talking and is usually just a happy guy in general. I think I can use that to help me learn a few new things. Plus he is one hundred percent fluent in German and Spanish. He sounds way good and helps me speak with people from Portugal. 

There has been lots of problems in Saarbrücken. I guess lots of offenses has happened here with the bishop, as he tends to run his church as a business, causing the membership here to plummet to the ground. Lots of less actives, and we have two sets of missionaries here now trying to repair what the last missionary did I guess, as he was like the bishop and Stern to the members. 

Our next pair is the AP as our district leader, he just finished his position as AP and president sent him there to take charge of things as well as training. Elder Jones is serious about goals and I really look forward to working with him. We literally met with our mission leader here and he said this city is dead, so we get the opportunity to change that. 

It was very hard for me to leave Duisburg, but hey. New opportunities ahead I suppose. This is going to be a really interesting transfer and lots of new experiences. Great living circumstances, hard serving circumstances. 

Dad, just gonna say you look way old. Haha love ya guys. 

Much love 

Elder Monroe 

Lots still going

Last week was a bit rough actually, but this week in general we have gotten a couple sweet investigators in our area. 

One of them is named Danquan from Ghana and is an avid follower of religion. He is fifty years old and has been looking for the right church for quite some time. He then told us he needs to ask God if this church is true. We readily agreed. 

There were moments when he even praised Joseph Smith and said he needed to do what he did. I think he shows lots of potential. 

Another is a friend of Matu Sanns in our ward. His name is Daniel Thiel, an avid soccer player who even is payed to play, loves BVB, and is really helpful with my German. We like the same things and we get along so well. He likes to keep me informed who is winning soccer games and tells me what I need to know about German soccer. Just a really friendly and way cool guy. 

Our poor new Yorker is having trouble trying to be a member. He has problems with his family and they told him they didn't support him being a Mormon. He already knows the book of Mormon is true and reads it faithfully everyday. I think we just need a little more time with him to soften the poor fellow up and help him make the decision. 

Now! For some interesting moments you might like to know. 

We were in Krefeld and everyone did the noes goes without me knowing, and I had to contact these two guys from Nigeria. No problem they are usually the nicest people in the world. Go up and have a nice conversation with them. We became good friends in a matter of seconds. They both didn't speak German, only a little. 

Then all of a sudden I realized it was a soccer game today and that means everyone is drunk. I would believe that 80% of Duisburg was drunk that day, and some of them were in Krefeld. As I was talking a German drunk went up to me and said. 

Oh! RELigion peoPLE? 

It all went downhill from there. The guy knew I was a Mormon, so he started saying that we have more than one wife. I declined and he said. 

I am gonna prove you wrong... With the internet! 

I smiled and put our card on his iPhone with Mormon.org. He lost interest in that idea really quick. But then the African people backed me up! They had no idea about what Mormons believe and they said yeah they have one wife. He is a cool guy! You are so wrong man! 

Awesome. Then the drunk realized he had long fingernails and asked the Africans for fingernail clippers. They had some on them for some reason. He clipped his nails.... Then began cutting my friends nails! My friends flipped out and Elder Burch and the Krefeld elders just sat back and watched the show. Finally the train showed up and they all went away. There goes a couple of good contacts. 

Good to see that the family is doing well. Took bad that dad has to stay in jackpot for a while. I guess the little climb over the last hill is the hardest, but there will always be a nice downhill somewhere. Ha! I bet dad misses wells now! 

Much Love

Elder Monroe 

Duisburg during contacting near the Rhine

US chilling with Brüder Suhl

And also some great ice cream. Spaghetti ice cream. 

More Success

Always finding success! Set a baptismal date with our new Yorker guy and he loves to talk. Then we set more soft commitments! Really good to see. 

We have also been sending referrals everywhere from Istanbul and England. We have invited countless people to church and we will see how that goes. 

President Boyer is quite the guy. He is a Stern president and wants success. For example in zone conference one elder remarked how sometimes he has to drop people because of their lack of interest, but then they remain friends and still support them as friends... Bam president totally roasted him in front of everyone and flat out said after a mission you can make friends, now we gotta work. He did more moments like this and it was crazy. We will see more happen I can imagine. 

Thanks for the package! Pop tarts saved me. Haha and also the countless other things. Everyone blew outta their mind when they saw it in a blue bag besides a box. It wasn't shipped so to say. Thanks Jessica Smith. 

Anyways I have found a little Idaho here in Germany. I was on a split in the area of Wesel and they have this town called Emmerich which is pretty much farms and houses and a bunch of little stores. No apartments praise the lord. They even had a home depot there. I felt like I was in America. Really quite refreshing. 

In Germany it is allowed to throw all the furniture out in the sidewalk next to your apartment so turks/missionaries can take it. Needless to say we have a big sweet picture of ballet dancers, an office chair, bio trash can, and a sweet Light huge design thingy. I don't know what it is called. Our apartment is really souped up. 

OH yeah and a cool fountain thing with plants and water going down the stairs. Epic. 

I think I am learning how to enjoy the small things in life. Kool aid is exciting, American socks I found are exciting, life is simply exciting here I suppose. 

Anyways love you family. 

Elder Monroe

Our lamp thingy

My favorite little guy called a Jerome. He was just baptized. 

Little Idaho with even more trees.