June 8, 2015 1:44 AM
Hey Mom and Dad,
Glad to hear everyone is having fun at home. Mom
is getting excited for trek, when is that? It feels like I just left and school
is already coming to a close, welcoming in a nice warm summer at home. Emily and
Austin finishing strong with their last few weeks of school. Carry on :)
I didn't know Dad was that close to the temple in
Switzerland, that's really cool. Our temple president over here, President
Koch, is Swiss. And Taylor going to Switzerland over the weekend, just going on
adventures with friendly families from where he served, how sweet! Dad, you
should send some excerpts of mission journals and things like that, that would
be fun, I don't know too much about your experience almost 30 years ago.
We receive the iPads on June 18th and were told
to make AppleIDs, they are iPad minis, we'll use them primarily for teaching
and studying (Gospel Library app and such, language apps as well most likely,
hopefully a Deutsche Bahn app because that would be really helpful with looking
up train times).
Yep, rather busy than bored. [Dad note: response to comment to Hayden
about how busy this month and the end of school is. Better busy than bored] I've
been so impressed by a lot of the people that I've met and meet. You're comment
reminded me of a great man I know, Bruder Rauh. He's an older man in our ward,
maybe early 70s and he just keeps going, staying busy. We go over to his house
to eat and share spiritual messages and he often shares what he's been up to.
We talk about calculus problems, physics, he's learning some Japanese.
Radioactivity in Japan, how to get rid of that. Speaks German French and
English very well too. Basically thinking about ways to solve world problems
and always learning. Not to mention the strong faith that he has. You can stay
busy, keep learning, and strengthen your faith even when you're retired, not
too old to make progress :) Grateful for the amazing ward and amazing people
with whom I spend time with.
This week was really hot outside (go check the
German weather
in Mainz and Bad
Kreuznach- we have a big area, 6 counties fit into our boundary) and we
worked really hard. We rung a lot more doorbells than usual. We didn't do too
much of that my first two transfers [6
weeks between transfers], but it definitely feels like the inspired work
that we need to be doing right now. Also, exciting and good, a man with whom
we've been working for a while started to read in the Book of Mormon! Praying
to know if the Book of Mormon is true, or if other things that we share are
right doesn't help too much if we aren't willing to act. Act in faith now to
put in effort to pray or read, and even more so to act on answers you get to
prayers. If you were to ask a trainer for advice on how to get healthy, but had
no intention of changing your lifestyle to become healthy, he wouldn't be too
likely to put in his effort to give you a new diet and exercise plan. God knows
us. He knows our desires, he knows our hearts. If a person prayers for patience
but doesn't desire to become patient, their words our empty. God doesn't change
us if we don't want to change. He doesn't take away our freedom like that. Pray
for patience, and actually want it, having faith that Heaven will support you,
and God will enable you. If we pray, study things out, and sincerely want an
answer, with an intent to live by it, God will Always answer. 3
Nephi 18:20. 'And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, which is
right, believing ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you' Luke
11:9-10 'Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.'
Have a fun week! Say
your prayers :)
Love,
Elder Blanchard
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