We Will See His Hand: Mainz Week 7

April 13, 2015

Hello!

Wow, busy week on the homefront and fun weekend in Austin's life :) Lots of dog sitting and good times there it sounds like. Was this last week spring break? [Yes] Or just finding more free time?

Freetown, haven't heard of it but sounds like a really cool story [A movie about missionaries escaping war torn Liberia]. 7 years before they could get home, wow, how was Mom doing? 

Sounds like mom really enjoyed teaching the young women, good foundational principles, the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yep, I still have plenty of brown rice, haven't really looked at any stores yet. [Hayden took a lot of brown rice with, he likes it, and Taylor said it was hard to find…felt like teasing him a bit] I eat a lot of sandwiches, 'Abendbrot' grilled cheese with meat. Eggs for breakfast. Bakery items, meals with members. Potatoes, carrots, (had some tasty yams this week) German candy :) doing well over here :) Love German food!

Well, with General conference last week we weren't able to make out too many member appointments this week, so we visited a lot of people who had been previously interested in the church, former investigators. Some members who are less active, called people, set up appointments for next week.

We found someone who was interesting in learning more! He had met with the missionaries once or twice back in 2008, we rung his doorbell and now met with him twice, helping him to build his faith and understand more who God is. As much as we (as missionaries, church members) can share our experiences, who God is, how you come to know him-etc. Faith truly grows as people pray, read in the scriptures, live God's commandments and come to know him for themselves. Thinking of Matthew 5:8 in relation to knowing/understanding God more. 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God'. I don't think Christ necessarily meant See God the Father here (although that is possible if God so chose of course). But as we come closer to Him. Seek to understand who God is, we will see His hand more in our lives. I was talking about this with Elder Fitzgerald the other day. It's like when someone writes an essay. (or makes anything really) From the handwriting, to the way that ideas and thoughts are expressed (style, everything) We can tell, 'oh, Emily wrote that'. I can really see Emily in that paper. And you don't have to watch her write to know that it was her work. So also with God and His creations, works and miracles, as we come to know Him better, we will see Him more. I know that God lives, that Christ atoned for our sins and rose on the 3rd day, and that as we seek Him, seek to know Him and follow His example, we will be continually blessed and have true and lasting happiness.

Thank you! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Hayden Blanchard