Near-Death Experiences, DENNIS!, And Tiger Woods 2.0

Hallo Leute!

How's it going? This week was definitely an adventure!

 

To start with the hard part, I have been having some problems with my ear so the left side of my world for about the past week and a half has been a bit muffled with some ringing to add to it. At first I thought it was the Spirit whispering to me, but it is in fact just me going crazy haha. Not really, I am fine I promise, but 2 weeks hearing voices - I mean ringing - in my head gets a little tiring. But it's ok! Our mission nurse Sister Ballard is a champ! Oh yeah and we were on austausch with the Herne Elders and went to a soccer activity with some members from their ward. I have never seen people so passionate about a sport in my entire life. They are bred from the womb to play soccer, and so by the time they are 5 they are already breaking the ankles of a 20 year old American missionary. Anyways it was a lot of fun, and I actually made a goal, but someone did almost literally break my ankle (it's already better don't worry!). I think the soccer culture is rubbing off on me though, I am almost as good again as I was when I was 10, and I enjoy playing it even more.

 

We also went over to a members house for lunch one day, the Pelcs, and I think I almost died. They served us a soup with chicken, which was fantastic, but my rookie mistake was that I thought that was the whole meal. Just as I started feeling full, they brought out the potatoes (mashed and baked), the mushrooms, the baguettes, the beets, the assorted vegetables, and the two trays of assorted smoked meat. Every time I managed to clear my plate, Sister Pelc snatched it And piled on some more. I am so incredibly grateful for all the wonderfully tasting food they gave us, however I think my stomach expanded enough that it pushed my liver to the other side of my body. In the words of Sister Hahn (one of the senior missionaries who was also with us) "When does it end?!?"

 

Anyways we also had an incredible lesson with our friend Dennis while on exchange with my MTC companion Elder Heilmann! Probably the best lesson of my entire mission. He is a 24 year old German student and is so cool! We sat down with him, introduced him to the book of mormon, and read the promise with him in Moroni 10:3-5, and said that if he asks God if what we said was true, and he gets the answer "yes", then the next step would for him to be baptized. If he did try it out and he didn't get an answer, then we wouldn't have to talk anymore about religious stuff. He accepted the "challenge" and was really excited. He already loves the Book of Mormon, and says the story of the Restoration makes complete sense to him. He is such a nice guy and even bought us hot chocolate. Keep Dennis in your prayers!

 

Today we went with some other Elders and played Top Golf in Oberhausen. It is the only Top Golf in Germany, and possibly in Europe as well. I have never been before, but it was a lot of fun, and I think that our 5th grade golf unit and the two 9 hole games I played at our family reunions really paid off! 

 

I just want to say how important positivity and prayer is to the Atonement of Jesus Christ ! If you are feeling like you aren't enough, that you have failed too many times, or that everyone else around you is succeeding while you aren't, then try praying for help and get up and keep going with hope for the future. You will feel immediately better! That is how the Atonement works. That is a physical result and change that you can see. As you seek help from Jesus Christ, even if you aren't religious yet, he will give it to you, and you will feel happier and realize that the Lord is happy even when you just try. Keep going! Don't give up! (Also an incredible talk is "Pursuing Excellence" by Peter Vidmar from April 1985, look it up!)

 

Anyways that's all for this week y'all, sorry it's a bit long! I miss you all!

Bis nächstes mal,

Elder Allan (Landon)





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