Well another week down! I’m
heading into my last week of training which is so crazy to think about! This
week we had zone meeting and it was really good! I learned a lot and applied it
to my work. One thing the zone leaders told us to do is to reorganize our area
books. So after blowing off the dust we went to work on our area book! It took
a really really long time but I think it will help future missionaries in this
area work more effectively.
Our investigator with
a date for baptism has been sick this whole week! We are going over to give him
a blessing today. He’s still strong in
his faith and is ready to be baptized!
This week we had Thanksgiving!!
On that day we planned to have a big lunch (because no one here eats big
dinners). Six of us missionaries went to the market and bought so much food! We
made chicken cordon blue with mashed potatoes, rice, and stuffing--all from
scratch! The only thing we lacked was my mom’s amazing pies! (What I wouldn’t
do for a banana or coconut cream pie right now.) My family has this tradition
that we have a bowl of candy corn and after we eat we pass it around the table
and say something for which you are grateful. We did this and it was really an
amazing experience! When it comes to food normally Elders are lazy with a busy
work schedule and so their cooking is subpar but not so if we want to cook
something nice!
This week we had a
party for the bishop’s family who are moving to England today. We Elders
prepared a song and a dance. The song was “Till We Meet Again” and we had one
of the elders play the guitar, it sounded awesome. The dance was the Haka since
one of the elders is Hawaiian and he taught it to us. It was cool but kind of
funny seeing 5 white people try to do the haka—chalk it up to new experiences
on the mission!
As far as the work goes
this week--a whole lot of nothing. I’m a very big believer in "if you put
in the work you will get the results." For this reason I think I got
called to this mission. Many times in our life we can do everything we need to
do to accomplish something but for some reason it doesn’t work out. I have
learned that it’s all in the Lord’s hands and that we can learn from everything
he gives us, even if it’s not our "ideal plan". Really being a disciple
of Christ is putting aside your desires to follow and do what God desires. I know that this is when we will be most
happy and receive blessings.
In a talk I read this
week entitled "An High Priest of Good Things to Come" Elder Holland
said, "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t even come
until heaven, but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they will
come." I love that quote so much! I know this gospel is true, I know it
brings peace and happiness in our lives! Have the best week!
FICA BEM!!
-Elder Herrmann
I loved my first
package in Portugal! You know exactly
what I needed to cheer me up—Christmas decorations, pictures, candy and all of
the old favorite Christmas stories. I know I am your son because when I read all
those sappy Christmas stories you sent I cried as usual. I truly do love you
mom! Please pray for me. It is very hard here and at times I get discouraged
and then I remember that God called me here, so it is good.
I will be
missing everyone during Tessa and Sammy’s sealing and reception this week. Tell them to take pictures with my cut out. And
tell Tessa that I loved watching her in Thailand,
seeing her in missionary mode, and that’s the kind of missionary I want to be. Also let them know that I knew Sammy
would be a good brother-in-law after I beat him in Madden and FIFA and he still
said he wanted a rematch even though I beat him every time!
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| Zone Meeting |
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| Cooking for Thanksgiving |
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| Thanksgiving! |
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| Party for bishop's family |
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| With the bishop at the party |
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| Fog in Portugal |
