December 28, 2015
Mom and Dad,
I´m glad that you
enjoyed skyping so much :) Fun to talk with you all and have a little taste of
home over here in Germany.
Those lucky missionaries
getting spoiled with your cinnamon rolls and morning fun. Funny pictures with
Toby there. Thanks again for the gifts, I´m almost done with those trader Joes
peanuts already [Honey Roasted].
Star wars, yep, everyone
over here is watching it, it´s already in German but lots of Germans will watch
in English as well (or only in English, we have a few ward members who work for
the translation department of the church, very good English)
The rest of my weekend
was good :) The whole week we spent a lot of time with member families which
was so much fun! On Saturday night we visited Sistern EH. She is amazing, so
sweet and so grateful to have us over. She is 86 and has grown up here in
Germany, she had lots of fun stories and told us to call her Oma E. She fed us
as well and since Elder Taylor has never had schnitzel E wants to feed him
schnitzel and to take us to some sort of exhibit somewhere.
In church this week we
talked a little bit about how Jesus Christ offers us living water (from the
story with the woman at the well in Samaria). I realized that I haven´t really
understood what that means, the type of water that Christ offers. I haven´t
understood that because of the part about never thirsting. We read the
scriptures, pray, serve others and show love- effectively we do our best to
live Christ´s teachings- but it isn´t over after doing it once, not at all. I
love the German translation of the Bible where Jesus is talking to Peter and
tells him " when though art converted, strengthen thy brethren". In
German it is, Wenn du dich wiederbekehrt hast, when you have converted yourself
again! Strengthen thy brethren. Conversion isn´t an event, (although events of
course can play a significant roll or significantly contribute to conversion,
events alone are not conversion) conversion is a process and the changed,
converted heart leads us to be different and do different things. Back to
living water, the water that Christ gives us is his love, his gospel and the
change of conversion. Joy. This may be an event, but the change in us leads to
continued action that makes the change last and allows us to continually grow.
Praying and reading the scriptures once is not the water that Christ speaks of.
We continue to thirst and desire to feast not because we hunger and thirst in
the same way, but rather because we want to stay full, to let our conversion
last, to continue to abundantly experience the love of God.
I hope that makes sense.
I´m grateful for those living waters that Jesus Christ offers us, for the tools
of happiness, joy, love and salvation that he offers us.
Have a great week,
Love,
Hayden
Picture taken while Skyping Hayden on Christmas day.
Picture taken while Skyping Hayden on Christmas day.
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