Sept 7 The hand of God

This week was very successful. We have met some really impressive people. I am looking forward to baptisms here in Saarbrücken. There is so many people that are ready, you just got to find them. 

We have met this guy from Eritrea. His name is Isaak. He has an insane story. He was once a soldier for the army of Eritrea, and currently Eritrea is having a horrible Civil War against themselves as well as religion. He says he killed many people and saints, bishops, only because he had to as a soldier. It was his job, but he couldn't stand it anymore. He fled and was inspired by saints who he killed to follow christ and his teachings. He then started his own following of about three hundred followers. But he has no church. He found us on the street one day and looked at us on his bike. He smiled and said 

I see a light in you. I feel the Holy Ghost in you and your eyes are bright. Which church do you belong to? I currently don't have a church and wish to find one. May I join yours and see if I feel the holy ghost there? If I do I will join. 

We obliged and gave him a book of mormon, and when he saw it he was a little scared at first, but looked at it and says, 

If I feel the light in you, what you are saying must be true. But I must read and find out. I need to know what I am joining. 

He came to church in a wonderful testimony meeting and felt the spirit so strong. He told us he was so happy and felt like this is the right church. He than asked us how can I share this book to my people of Eritrea? They are scared of other books besides the Bible, but I will slowly share this book. I want others to have a testimony of Jesus christ. Can I also invite my followers to your church? 

We obliged once again and had a wonderful lesson. He brings his notebook to lessons and takes notes on our lessons. During the lesson I heard his stomach growl very loud. I asked if he was hungry. He has been fasting three days so that he can feel the spirit. No wonder why the lesson went so well. 

He is definitely a blessing in my life, and I know he will be in others to come. He says when he reads the whole book he will be baptized, so it will take a little time. 

Another is a man called Alex from Kyrgyzstan. He is a seeker for truth. He says if it is in the Bible I will believe it and I believe I can get an answer from God. He is very humble and has extremely hard questions, so when we have lessons I always have to give myself assignments as to what to study because most of the time I don't know the answer to his questions. Really great to know him and he really enjoys our time as we do his. 

The hand of god is truly in the lives of others as I have seen. It truly makes me grateful being apart of this work. For there is no greater call. 

Much Love

Elder Monroe

Sept. 14 another week rolling smoothly

Got another way good investigator. Her name is Valerie and told us she wants to be baptized, but has to check out our church and learn about it, and she likes it. Woo! She is German but wants English practice, so our lessons revolve around English and German. She is so ready.

Isaak is also on fire. Just comes to lessons and we are always excited. He asked us if he can bring 15 friends to church who want to come... We just need to talk to bishop to prepare the ward for these changes... Hey this is pretty sweet. This will literally add a 1/3 more to church attendance. 

He kinda had a hard idea of being baptized again by a guy with authority, since he was already baptized. He said he needs to pray and find out. We thought that was a good idea. Haha. 😉

We have been doing lots of less active work here as well. I feel like everyone of them is moved... Lots of long travel only to find out they don't live there anymore. Flip.

We get along well with this ward. It is a very good ward and it's even better to see those less actives you invite come to church. Many of them want to, they just need support and they are so friendly when they see us.

Oh yeah.. We freaking have this weird guy who is like 70 years old called Mario. Never baptized, but is nuts and comes to church sometimes. For example he came in a Spiderman costume. Bishop chased him out of the church. Haha. And we have blocked him on our phone at least five times or more, but always finds a new way to contact us. Literally once he said that he is trying to move to Utah, but he changed his last name to trump and wants to marry trumps daughter. We told him good luck with that. He said thanks.

We have destroyed some Muslim Bible bashers. I honestly hate bashing, but when they set appointments just to bash, bring it on. I have never felt so prepared and blew him out of the water. It drives me nuts when they try to prove us wrong with the Bible when they don't believe in the holy ghost and Jesus christ as the son of god. Boom roasted. It is just another firm testimony to me that this church is true and can be defended in every principle and every way, because this church is true and the book of Mormon is flipping awesome.

I am learning a lot here. This place is great. I think I am getting used to it here... Kinda. Haha. Getting really cold here and getting out the winter clothes.

Much love

Elder Monroe

And we went to trier today. So so cool and so much history. I will definitely check it for Christmas... Gonna be here for it. Awesome. You guys have to check it out. So legendary and we got lots of pictures...

Aug 21 Blessing of marriage

So we went to a members house. His name is Bessem. He has a heart if gold and his à Muslim convert and makes friendly rap. He isn't all the way there but just so friendly. He asked if he could say a blessing for us. We said we would love one. Then he said a prayer about when we finish our missions that we can find a beautiful lady to marry and she will be perfect and will have beautiful children. A beautiful virgin. I was kinda reminded of the joke I heard in the MTC. 

1 Nephi 11:10,15

And the Angel said unto me what desires thou? 

And I said unto him, a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins. 

I just kinda looked up in the middle of the prayer and was like

Hey thanks. Will do man!

So for what has happened that is notwendig.

We were dooring in this catholic neighborhood. Horrible idea. We door for three hours and one guy kinda listened to us and took our card at least. He didn't let us in and we just talked on his porch. The others all said they were all catholic. Rough.

One of them really was interesting though. She was a little over sixty it looked like wearing lots of make-up and really tight leather black clothes. Like painfully tight. We asked her if she wanted to hear a message of Jesus christ. She was like (in the weirdest highest voice ever)

Oh I am sorry. I am so busy and my children aren't home. It is so hard cleaning the house and it's so stressful.

So as my call states that we are called to serve, I asked her if we could help her with any problems that she may be having. Her reply...

Oh you m'en are wonderful young boys. No but I think you are so sweet. Come by another time and we will see about it......

TCHUSSY GUSSY!

Then blew us a huge kiss and winked, closed the door, and me and my companion just stood there in awe. We had no idea what the crap just happened. We freaking ran into a cougar. And for the elders who are reading this letter, TCHUSSY GUSSY is actually real. Tschüss in German means bye, but adding the GUSSY in the end just makes the whole situation worse.

Then another fun one. My companion is an interesting guy. I think I am learning lots from him, like in the other way haha. He wears this long trench coat thing he calls the black mamba. He is a little out there and loves this thing to death so he wears it everywhere, despite Germans giving him so much crap about it. So for example we were contacting people on the streets/shop Platz. Then two trashy looking female druggies in their teens and a druggy guy comes up to Elder ockey and asks.

Do you sell speed?

What?

Do you sell speed?

I am a missionary! Can't you tell?

Then this guy booked it, but my companion stopped him and asked him spiritual questions as to why he does that. The guy said his coat was big so he thought he was hiding drugs. Gave him a Mormon card, they went into a store, alarms went off everywhere. Hate it when you steal stuff lol.

Then another guy who was high on cocaïne (he had lots of energy and was dancing around as he talks) told my companion his cape looks cool and likes his Harry Potter costume. Haha. My companion didn't like the roast so much. It's what you learn on a mission. I still have fun with this guy. 

We had Interviews with President. He is always a great guy. He told me expect to see more changes in Saarbrücken. I know we can change this place. It is a rough place and really fun at the same time.

Still working with Isaak. Hope all goes well for him.

I just realized something on my mission. Lots of people aren't there all the way, but without that life wouldn't be interesting. Everyday I meet someone who does the most ridiculous things. Perhaps he tries to cut someone's fingernails. Perhaps a guy in lederhosen tries to make his journey somewhere in a Peter pan hat but goes home because he is too tired, or an old guy with a motorcycle helm on who steals empty bottles to recycle it for money, or drunks scratching the sides of lots of cars with the trunk of a sapling. Or just turks in general haha. It is ridiculous. I was missing out on all of this when I was home. I wouldn't be in any other place. Germany is my dream mission and what do ya know. I love it here and I love the people. I can speak pretty good German and it's coming faster and faster. It's a lot more comfortable being here and of course I still have lots more to learn. Life is good, and it only gets better.

Much love

Elder Monroe

This transfer has come to an end. These things fly by extremely fast and going on to number five. Let's see what happens this next one.

Kind of a hard week this time. Lots of people just don't have the interest here. They are just not the best commitment people here. Haha but there is still lots of people to talk to on the streets of saarbrücken.

It reminds me of the amulonites and amalekites. Out of all the work the Aaron and his brothers did only one was converted. But it really is a testimony to me that every soul is great in the eyes of God. We're gonna at least find one here. That is my goal and we go out everyday to find this one soul.

Anyways I absolutely love the members here. My favorite members here is the Kennedy family. They are so friendly and are about to have a family(so they are a young family) and they come out from Utah. He loves biking, and so he has four very nice bikes on his walls and we enjoy talking about trails and he tells me all about the legendary trails of Utah haha. I love these members here and they are very supportive of us. Always grateful for good members and amazing food. They really make the mission awesome.

I try so hard not to laugh out loud when I walk the streets here. Just this mom who let's her six year old girl drop her pounds and pee on the stairs of the house with everyone there waiting for their train. What the flip!? Haha.

I have been reading the Bible in German as well as the book of Mormon. Elder Jones showed me something really cool. In the German translation, in John 21 where Jesus asks Peter do you love me? In German the translation is Liebst du mich? Which means in a literal sense... 

Do you truly love me? (In a deep and loving way). 

As you know the story Peter says yea lord I love thee. But in the third time in the German translation Jesus asks. 

Hast du mich lieb? 

This translation says do you love me? (in a brotherhood sense). There are many different levels of expressing love in German, and it really made me think. Jesus truly showed love to his apostles as well as us, and he literally is our older brother. I never really thought about that and I truly love the German language, especially in terms such as this. I never really thought of loving him as a brother but it was something that affected me. Just a cool fact. 

Investigators, well let's just say we are looking for more. Lots of people don't like hearing they have to be baptized again. Haha. Just press forward.

Much love

Elder Monroe

1 freaking hate this lady cause everything I introduce myself.

Oh! Like Marilyn Monroe!

2 met some weird guy in the forest in a hike and demanded that we hugged trees to show respect to the forest because they are our brothers... Here is Elder Jones hugging a tree. He invited us... We were his guests.(The odd guy in the forest)  Never thought I would hug trees on the mission.... Haha

3 Forest was still pretty

Sept 21, 2017

So we went to a members house. His name is Bessem. He has a heart if gold and his à Muslim convert and makes friendly rap. He isn't all the way there but just so friendly. He asked if he could say a blessing for us. We said we would love one. Then he said a prayer about when we finish our missions that we can find a beautiful lady to marry and she will be perfect and will have beautiful children. A beautiful virgin. I was kinda reminded of the joke I heard in the MTC. 

1 Nephi 11:10,15

And the Angel said unto me what desires thou? 

And I said unto him, a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins. 

I just kinda looked up in the middle of the prayer and was like

Hey thanks. Will do man!

So for what has happened that is notwendig.

We were dooring in this catholic neighborhood. Horrible idea. We door for three hours and one guy kinda listened to us and took our card at least. He didn't let us in and we just talked on his porch. The others all said they were all catholic. Rough.

One of them really was interesting though. She was a little over sixty it looked like wearing lots of make-up and really tight leather black clothes. Like painfully tight. We asked her if she wanted to hear a message of Jesus christ. She was like (in the weirdest highest voice ever)

Oh I am sorry. I am so busy and my children aren't home. It is so hard cleaning the house and it's so stressful.

So as my call states that we are called to serve, I asked her if we could help her with any problems that she may be having. Her reply...

Oh you m'en are wonderful young boys. No but I think you are so sweet. Come by another time and we will see about it......

TCHUSSY GUSSY!

Then blew us a huge kiss and winked, closed the door, and me and my companion just stood there in awe. We had no idea what the crap just happened. We freaking ran into a cougar. And for the elders who are reading this letter, TCHUSSY GUSSY is actually real. Tschüss in German means bye, but adding the GUSSY in the end just makes the whole situation worse.

Then another fun one. My companion is an interesting guy. I think I am learning lots from him, like in the other way haha. He wears this long trench coat thing he calls the black mamba. He is a little out there and loves this thing to death so he wears it everywhere, despite Germans giving him so much crap about it. So for example we were contacting people on the streets/shop Platz. Then two trashy looking female druggies in their teens and a druggy guy comes up to Elder ockey and asks.

Do you sell speed?

What?

Do you sell speed?

I am a missionary! Can't you tell?

Then this guy booked it, but my companion stopped him and asked him spiritual questions as to why he does that. The guy said his coat was big so he thought he was hiding drugs. Gave him a Mormon card, they went into a store, alarms went off everywhere. Hate it when you steal stuff lol.

Then another guy who was high on cocaïne (he had lots of energy and was dancing around as he talks) told my companion his cape looks cool and likes his Harry Potter costume. Haha. My companion didn't like the roast so much. It's what you learn on a mission. I still have fun with this guy. 

We had Interviews with President. He is always a great guy. He told me expect to see more changes in Saarbrücken. I know we can change this place. It is a rough place and really fun at the same time.

Still working with Isaak. Hope all goes well for him.

I just realized something on my mission. Lots of people aren't there all the way, but without that life wouldn't be interesting. Everyday I meet someone who does the most ridiculous things. Perhaps he tries to cut someone's fingernails. Perhaps a guy in lederhosen tries to make his journey somewhere in a Peter pan hat but goes home because he is too tired, or an old guy with a motorcycle helm on who steals empty bottles to recycle it for money, or drunks scratching the sides of lots of cars with the trunk of a sapling. Or just turks in general haha. It is ridiculous. I was missing out on all of this when I was home. I wouldn't be in any other place. Germany is my dream mission and what do ya know. I love it here and I love the people. I can speak pretty good German and it's coming faster and faster. It's a lot more comfortable being here and of course I still have lots more to learn. Life is good, and it only gets better.

Much love

Elder Monroe