Passau - Week 3

We had Stake Conference in Munchen this weekend so we have been staying in Landshut (about a one-hour train ride from Passau) since Thursday night. It is hard. It is the size of our living room, and currently there are 6 of us there. If I have to sleep on a wood floor one more night I might die. Hahaha. Yesterday we had personal interviews and training with President Kohler in Munchen so we moved our P-Day to today. Today rained so hard and we went out and played soccer in the mud for 2 hours with the Auras family and our district. It was great. My shoes may be ruined and my clothes are soaked in mud, but it was worth it.

We had a funeral on Thursday, and Stake Conference, and Training with President yesterday, so we have been here forever. What I really want to focus on is the funeral and more about families.

So, the Landshut Elders have an investigator who died after 6 weeks in the hospital. She was Buddhist. So this funeral was for a Buddhist at the Catholic church, but they wanted the Missionaries, us, to preside and conduct. They needed a pianist, so that is why I was there. But, this funeral was so so sad. She was cremated and buried in the graveyard at the church. But they wanted all of us to give a short talk in German. So we talked about how families are forever. You can literally not even imagine the pain and sorrow in the families eyes and tears as they let those cremated remains into the ground. It was so hard to watch. But I was thinking, and I have been at a few funerals in my day and I feel like I have never had the reason to mourn or be sad. I know where that person is, what is happening to them, and most importantly, that I will see them again. I know, again, with my whole soul, that families are forever. There is a phrase we have used lately, ´Mit der Familie mein, kann ich für immer sein´ Which directly translated means With the Family of Mine, can I for forever be. Hahaha it sounds a little better in German. (: But I know it to be true with my whole soul. I love this gospel. The hope it gives me that there is never an end, comforts me so much. I am so so thankful for everything we have been given. It is fantastic.  I hope you know that to be true as well. Men are that they might have joy, and my joy comes through my family. (: I love you all. Have a great week. 

Elder Samuel Phillip Hadfield

Eggendobl 4a

D-94034 Passau

Germany