Sincere : Heidelberg Week 15

July 25, 2016

Hello Mom and Dad!

Emily, she's still recovering from last week and gets her wisdom teeth out, wow! Champion. [about 2 weeks ago: Emily had ingrown toe nail surgery and touch of pneumonia, so last week we had her wisdom teeth removed]

With Mr L [borne in Peru] we typically speak Spanish, but if he or I lack words then we switch to German, when we go deeper German is typically the language that we go to, the language of his heart. The temple re opens early September (Not in my mission) and Mr H would like to attend the dedication, which he can attend as a baptized member, he would just need an interview with the Bishop. Brother K made it to I believe his 6th Sunday in a row, he's doing awesome. Taylor's wedding [Hayden’s brother – 3/9/2016], So exciting! Looking forward to pictures and news as it comes. An Elder in my group told me that he asked President and that our hard and fast date is the 15th of December, so I'll be home in time for Christmas and to lose all of my good habits. No haha, that second part is not happening. I can sign up for classes and things, it would be ideal if I pick classes then someone else signs up since I can't stay up late at night to get the teachers and times that I want like last time. I also would really appreciate more info about scholarship things when you have time, I don't know anything about deadlines or options there.

This week we had good lessons, time with the ward and zone training. Mr H is doing really well, his prayers are so open and sincere. I thought a lot about habits at this zone training, focused on Studys, chapter 2 of preach my Gospel. It is so important to have a habit of Sincere study. Not just a study habit or a habit of reading in the scriptures, but really desiring to learn from and of God as we study the scriptures. Reading is a good start, but on my mission I've learned how to study the scriptures and enjoy that. Waking up earlier so that I can exercise better is a habit that's going well. I have flossed my teeth every day this year (Brother Hada and Uncle Randy would be proud). Being active not only in the church, but in the gospel is an essential habit, goes along with daily, joyful repentance. Sincere and open prayer. As a missionary or member "finding" is a good habit to have, what I mean by that is following the Spirit in opportunities to share the gospel. Jesus Christ and his life is one of consistently turning outward to others and their needs.

Keep it up, I love you!

Hayden

Light and Truth: Heidelberg Week 14

July 18, 2016

Hello Family,

It sounds like you had a really exciting week. Poor Emily! Is she doing any better now? If she feels up to it ask her to write me. Austin is probably so stoked to have Sunny and Taz over to visit. [Relatives dogs]

The Spanish stew. We took videos and wrote down the recipe, but I don't think I have any normal pictures of it... It is important to use chicken that still has the bones since that gives the broth a lot of flavor. I'll gladly make it when I get home :) It also has mushrooms (Mom) so tasty. Little Austin has thinned out and is starting cross country, how fun, high school starts up for him soon. Wow!

In my life. No matter how exciting the week is Monday always comes and I struggle to remember what we did. This past week we spent a good amount of time talking to people on the streets, we are really grateful that this Summer has been so mild compared to last summer. Last Summer was pretty ridiculous, it isn't cold here, but last Summer really changed my definition of hot and gratitude that we have air conditioning in the States.

We also had a lesson with our friend Mr L. He is originally from Peru but moved here when he was young. About a year ago he was really close to baptism but doubts and bad influences got in the way. We are working with him again and he's so nice. He is reading the talk from Elder Uchtdorf 'A testimony of Light and Truth'. Mr H wants to move his baptism up so that he can see the Temple dedication, so that is exciting. He struggles to pay attention but does learn well and when he prays he is so open with God and his desire to come closer to God is evident. Brother K helped for a few hours at a move this week and came to church, he's doing awesome.

I personally am tired, so I'm going to start waking up at 6:15 and 6:20 again so that I can actually exercise well. Tiredness is just a part of life, but when I was in Frankfurt the extra exercise helped. I'm doing that and focusing on focusing on others, losing myself in the work and following the Spirit. Gotta love it :)

Love,

Hayden

Saturday : Heidelberg Week 13

July 11, 2016

Subject: Saturday

Hello Family,

Happy Monday!

My week was fairly uneventful for the first part of the week. We had a couple of good lessons, but spent many hours tanning on the streets of Heidelberg, searching people to teach, trying to do that in the Lords way and having a good attitude in the hot sun. It was good. I guess 1 little note from that, a note or rather a tender mercy was running into a dermatologist/psychiatrist man. He is a really friendly man and we had a nice conversation about faith (as we speed walked through the city to get to his practice) and at the end he told me what I should do about the dry skin by my ear and near my knee. Bought some hydrocortisone and it's getting better. He said that it was somehow related to my allergies, anyways, healthy skin is happy skin.

Saturday was so eventful though (that's why I've titled this email Saturday, I'm really creative :) ) We started the day with studies and then went to our friend Antonio's house and learned how to make a delicious spanish stew (we took videos) and shared a lesson. Mr A and Ms M were married a few months ago and got to know each other as Mr A started getting to know the church, they are wonderful. We went from their to a lesson with our friend H which went really well and then a lesson with Bruder K. H was at church for the 3rd time this week and Bruder K for the 4th time, building good habits, we love it. We talked about the story of the woman who was a sinner and anointed Christs feet with oil and with her tears and how we, as we are all sinners and fall short of the grace of God, can have that type of love and gratitude for Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. Then we went to the Mormon Tabernacle choir performance in Frankfurt. That was so good. I wish I could tell you more or express more through words, the music was so powerful, the spirit was amazing, and the absolute best part was seeing my friends from everywhere. Having served in Mainz, Wetzlar and Frankfurt, people from all of my past areas were there and I just felt so full and felt so much love for them! It was wonderful, favorite part of the night and my week easily, tender mercy of the Lord. We found out at about 3 o'clock that day that there were still tickets available and it worked out. Then on the way home there was a drunk driver in front of us (or really tired or something) swerving all over the road, after a few minutes of watching and wondering we decided to call the police. I called the police for the first time, and in German, so exciting. On Sunday H made it to church for the 3rd time in a row and Brother K for the 4th week I believe, they are both doing wonderful.

I love you too!

Hayden

 

Happy 4th: Heidelberg Week 12

Hello Family!

Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday to Taylor! Thanks for sending the ties and other things! As far as Dad fixing the heater, that reminds me of an older German woman whom I met in a train the other day, she's lived in the Heidelberg area for many years and loves Americans, she told me stories about how handy one of her American friends is. That's pretty much one of the traits that she connects with the US, well done dad.

Elder Clemente was sick at the beginning of last week, but he got better and it was a solid week. I got to translate at church again in sacrament meeting and that was a lot of fun (I wouldn't want to have to translate every week, but it is something that I enjoy for sure). Elder Clemente and I are also staying together for another 6 weeks in Heidelberg- transfer 3- and Former Elder Daniel Von Wollwitz, whose mom Mom knows from missionary mom websites, visited church and posted a photo to facebook.

Exchanges with other elders here were a lot of fun and we had a really Christ centered district meeting together (4 Elders, 2 Sisters) where each person thought about and prepared their favorite story from the life of Jesus Christ and shared it. There was such a powerful spirit in that meeting. I picked the story of Lazarus in John 11.

We also started working with a man from Mexico who is studying medicine in Heidelberg. We ran into eachother a few weeks ago but he has been really busy with studies and hasn't been able to meet till this week. This man, Mr A, has such a strong relationship with God, understanding of his love, the atonement of Jesus Christ, and what faith really means. He understands how personal the atonement is and the hope that it can give us. Despite all of the crazy things going on in the world or in our lives, we can still have hope and peace because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. This life isn't the end, Jesus Christ can comfort us through our trials and he understands us. God loves each of us and answers our prayers individually. He also understands really well what we, people praying, need to do to receive answers to our prayers. That our questions need to be sincere, not just out of curiosity, and we need to be able to act on the answer that we receive. Typically we also need to patiently search and desire an answer. Mr A will be reading in and praying about the Book of Mormon in the next few weeks and we will meet in 3 weeks (like I said, he's busy) He is great. Pray that he can receive an answer about whether the Book of Mormon is true.

In this coming week we are really excited to find new people to teach and I'm focusing on praying for love and the gift of discernment in doing that.

Have a great week,

Love,

Hayden

Former Elder Daniel Von Wollwitz and I think his Sister and Hayden