Lahr / Offenburg - Week 14

I'm a little rushed on time because we walked into the email shop and there was a lady from England who needed help..... booking a flight. (:  I helped her for about 45 minutes and we got her booked! We've had a great week. Looking forward to welcoming Elder Bednar on Saturday. We will also be getting iPads in about a month. So, I'll be on social media a little bit - but with pretty strict guidelines on its use. It's going to be great to work a little more with technology. Then you'll hear from me more often through facebook posts. (: It's such an interesting way to see the work progressing like that. Great things are happening!
I'll share some experiences teaching this week. Elder Monson and I are quite different, but we still love each other, and we teach really really well together. I can put up with anyone if people are coming closer to Christ. We're learning to love. (:
I'm also learning to cook. Shocker I know. I'm making 2 meals a day, and they're actually good. I love it. Things are looking up. The new Ehepaar (senior couple) we have is amazing. They're doing some of their own contacting on the streets each day and it's really cool to see an Ehepaar as dedicated as that. We're picking up the work here. (: It will be good.
Hope you have an awesome week!

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 13

Master's Sunday! Augustaplatz

Master's Sunday!  Augustastrasse

Hey everybody,

This week was sure a good one. Things are starting to get a little better around here and it's with everyday hard work! I don't know that I've worked this hard in my life, it's really emotionally draining. I hope you're all doing well and that you all had a fabulous spring break. Don't worry, you weren't the only ones enjoying the nice weather. Today is about 85 degrees. It's so nice. Feels like summer again. I walked outside this morning and heard a lawn mower running and I looked over and saw the fresh cut grass and I recalled several such moments in my high school years. These summer days make me long for the fresh cut grass of the baseball field and the leather on my hand, with my left two fingers holding the stitches of a ball that has changed my life in several different ways. I hope those of you still playing baseball don't take it for granted! It's a life changing experience to be a part of something that special. 

Moving on from my pity party, things are changed up quite a bit this transfer. Elder Howarth is gone, he went to Tübingen, Elder Morey, the Elder from Freiburg, went home, and Elder Smith came from Tübingen to Freiburg, and I am working with Elder Monson, who is coming from Wien. He was trained by Elder Morey, so I get to see some of the results of Elder Morey's hard work. He is a legendary missionary in my eyes. So Elder Monson is in his 8th transfer, Elder Smith in his 6th, Me in my 5th, and Elder La Plant in his 3rd. I'll also be District Leader this transfer which is a change of pace. It feels kind of weird. We're still trying to start fresh with the members and get them excited about missionary work. The Freiburg Elders have a baptism on Saturday night, so I'll get to do the interview for that. We're hoping that some members come so that we can all share in the Spirit that is there. 

Elder Hadfield / Elder Monson

 The first great experience of the week was on Wednesday. I was on an Austausch with Elder Morey and it was the last day of his mission. I have never been in that situation before serving with someone who goes home the next day. We had an eating appointment and they made us Elk, Wild Boar, and Venison stew on top of Spätzle. It was incredible I'll tell ya. And if that wasn't enough, they made pizza as well for us. Afterwards, Elder Morey and I had about 2 hours together before we had to go home. Elder Mohn had called the day before and told me that he had found 20 potentials on his last Austausch, so we were pretty determined to one up him. We went out for 2 hours, and it was a miracle. Everybody we talked to had interest in learning about the gospel. It was auf jedenfall a miracle. We looked at our list at the end of 2 hours, and we had found 20 potentials. We were shocked. Elder Morey had a great last day of his mission and it really taught me something about how the Lord loves His missionaries so much that it probably pains Him to see them go home just as much as the missionary. 

Elder Morey

Anyways, yesterday was church. It was Elder Monson's first week in our branch, and I was supposed to give a talk, but I spaced it like hard core. So instead, they had Elder Monson introduce himself and give a little spiritual thought, and then they asked me to give a 5-10 minute thought. Elder Monson talked about an experience we had on Saturday. We knocked on this guy's door, and he threw open the door and said no interest and slammed it. We knocked again. He threw open the door and said no interest and slammed it. So, we knocked again. He threw open the door and looked at us pretty interested and said, "What do you want?" Elder Monson answered and said that we only wanted to share a message about God's plan for us and help him find out that we have answers to life's questions. Then he looked at us and told us that his daughter had died a while back and that he was mourning because of her. I asked him if he believed he could see his daughter again and he said no. Elder Monson told him that he knew he would see him again. He, in a very mad tone, replied that nobody could know such a thing, especially not us. I felt something inside me boiling up and with all the strength in my body, I looked at the man and said, 'I know you will see your daughter again, and I know because it has been made known to me by God and through revelation from Him. You can know too. Do you want to know?' The guy looked pretty puzzled at that point. We talked for a little longer and he eventually slammed the door again. But we looked at each other and said, 'He knows. He knows.' It was the first time of my mission that I can remember feeling that boiling feeling deep inside and you realize, 'I'm about to bear the strongest testimony that I know how to bear. I'm about to be a representative of Jesus Christ, and testify like He would testify.' I will tell you right now, I've obviously felt the Spirit before, but there was no feeling like that that I had felt before. It was incredible. Elder Monson was standing at the pulpit crying and some of the members were crying, and I was sitting there just going, 'Oh no, I can't do this right now.' I knew there was no way I could get up there and avoid losing it. I stood up and pretty shakily walked up to the pulpit with a copy of the Book of Mormon in my hand and the poem Spuren im Sand. (I know, I went way Utah Mormon, I'm sorry everybody). I read the poem, and told about a personal experience where I had been carried through trials by Him. I was doing okay at that point. Then, I hadn't really planned what I wanted to read in the Book of Mormon, I had just figured I would wing it and share some common verse that everybody shares. I threw open the Book of Mormon to a random page, and it was 3 Nephi 11. My eyes focused on verses 13 through 15. I got through verse 13 ok, and then I just lost it. It goes,

 13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:
 14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth,and have been slain for the sins of the world.
15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did  feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do,going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that  should come.

When I got done, I looked up and the members were all crying and I was crying and my investigators in the back were crying, and I was just like, "Yeah, this is what it's all about." And it really is. He is the Redeemer of the World. I can't wait until that day when he says those words to me, and I can do the same as the Nephites did and feel the nail prints in His hands and feet and thrust my hand into His side. But, until then, I can bear record that it happened. That He is the Messiah, that He lives. "I know that my Redeemer Lives, What Comfort this Sweet Sentence Gives. He Lives, He lives who once was dead, He lives, My Ever Living Head. He Lives to Wipe Away My Tears, He Lives to Silence All My Fears. Oh Sweet the Joy this Sentence Gives, I Know That My Redeemer Lives.

Laboring in the Vineyard!

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 12

Elder Howarth - Transferred 4/9/15

Hey everybody!
Well, transfer calls came in and Elder Howarth is being transferred. My new companion is Elder Monson and I'm staying in Offenburg.

This week was awesome! I really enjoyed General Conference; especially Elder Holland.

I don't have much time to email because we're taking a 50km bike ride today for fun. So, I just want to share a little experience that happened to me this week. Kind of a parable for life. 

So, on Tuesday after District Meeting we decided to do splits for fun. Elder La Plant and I were together, (he's a 1st transfer missionary in Freiburg), and we thought it would be a good idea to go door by a member's house to help him find some missionary work to do with his neighbors. It was a 15km bike ride out to his house, and 15km back. We were dressed in our short sleeve white shirts, basically just summer missionary clothes. We started off, just a funny side note here, we passed the sisters and I yelled something like, "Ha! Look at the Jehovah's Witnesses!!" Then, like as soon as I said that, my pants caught in the bike chain and I fell off the bike and tore my pants. Haha...KARMA. Be nice to Sister Missionaries! Anyways, we got going and we were riding through the city of Freiburg, big city, and we got to the city limits and entered Schwarzwald, known to you as the Black Forest. As soon as we hit the city limits we hit this massive hill. About that time running through my mind was the Bike Trek our ward had a few years back. Probably many of you remember that Bike Trek. For me, the Bike Trek was exciting and I had been really looking forward to it. We were required to complete training rides that proved we could make it on our own. We all had to get physical examinations from the Doctor and prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the long trip we would take. I completed all the bike rides to train and got my physical, and I was ready to go. I had been having problems with my foot at the time but I wasn't worried about it. Then, about a week before the bike trek, I was told by the doctor that I wouldn't be able to go because of the problems I had with my feet, which later required surgery. I was overwhelmingly disappointed. I wanted to go with my friends and experience this so bad! The day came and I stayed home. I was able to go up one night and hang with the guys and kind of be around them. But, anyway, on the last day of the trek, they came to this hill called the Widow Maker. Very appropriately named hill. They stopped all of the Young Men at the bottom and told them about the hill and had a spiritual thought. They told them that if they could make it up this hill without getting off the bike, they could accomplish anything that would be thrown at them in life. Then, they started up. Some had to walk the bikes up the hill, some had to stop to rest, and some made it all the way to the top. For everyone there, it was an experience they said they would never forget. I remember the Young Men tell stories about that experience for years! I was heartbroken to say the least. 

Anyway, we got to the bottom of this hill and I stopped. I looked up and had these memories flashing back into my mind of Young Men telling of their stories from the Widow Maker. As I looked up the hill, I decided that this was my Widow Maker. If I could get all the way up this hill, I could do anything in life, much the same way that if I can be a missionary, I can do anything in life. We started up the hill and pretty fast, almost right off, my legs were burning. My bike was struggling to shift gears, and I was pretty much ready to give up. Then, the words came to my mind from a story we heard at a Stake Conference about 2 months ago, which are the words of my childhood. This will seem cheesy, but it's from the storybook, 'The Little Blue Engine that Could.' (Yes, I haven't forgotten Mom). The train pushes up the hill and struggles to get up, but starts to say, "Ich kann, ich will. Ich kann, ich will." Which the english equivalent would be I can, I want to, I can, I want to. Then, further up the hill begins to say, "Ich weiß, ich schaff's. Ich weiß, ich schaff's." Which would be the English equivalent of I know I can make it. The words came to my mind as I pedaled up the hill. Slowly the pain went away and I thought I was doing pretty good. I became a little prideful. Then, I heard a bike horn, which meant that someone wanted to pass, so I moved a little to the side. I turned and watched this old lady pass, laughing her head off... That was not funny. But nevertheless, I kept going up the hill. By the time we made it to the top, we had biked 10 km, the equivalent of 6.6 miles, up this dang hill. I had made it without getting off the bike. It just goes to show me, that at times of trial, I know that if I tell myself that I will not walk the bike up the hill, that I will just keep pushing at it, that everything will be alright in the end, and the view will be beautiful. Sometimes people may pass us up during our trials, even old ladies, but it doesn't matter who makes it first, but rather how we make it up. I know that the gospel is true and provides solutions for all people in all situations if we just push up the hill and refuse to get off the bike. DON'T GET OFF THE BIKE. Don't give up, just keep going. There is a lovely view waiting for you, as well as the downhill afterward. (: I love you all. Have an awesome week.

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 11

Hey Everybody!

This week has been a lot better than the last few. It's been pretty rough here, but things are looking up! I have to go pretty fast here but I just want to share a little something real quick.

With Easter being this week, the church has come out with the new video on helives.mormon.org and man is it amazing! It is simply fabulous! With Easter coming, I want you all to watch the video, and know that He does live! He is here. He is our Savior and loves us so very much. This week, I'm really working hard to finish Jesus the Christ. It is such an amazing book and I'm so glad it's on the missionary library. I feel super close to Christ whenever I read it and I can feel His love for me and the people I serve. I hope you all know He is always there. Everything can be mended through Him. He empathizes, cares, and helps to move on through the dreary challenges of life! He is my Hero, Savior, and Redeemer. 

Thought I'd share some words to a primary song:

"A long time ago in a beautiful place, Children were gathered round Jesus.

He blessed and taught as they felt of His love, each saw the tears on His face.

The love that He felt for His little ones, I know He feels for me.

I can not touch Him or sit on His knee, yet Jesus is real to me.

I know He lives, I will follow faithfully, My heart I give to Him, 

I know that my Savior loves me."

Friends and family, the greatest miracle the world has ever seen is the Love of Christ. His Birth, Ministry, Death, and Resurrection encompass the greatest life of any human being to walk this earth. Just imagine that, the most perfect person to ever live loves you, and wants you to be happy. That is a miracle in and of itself. Find happiness through Him! (: He cares, loves, and He Lives! 

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 10

Hey everybody!

It's been a little while since I have sent a group email out. I want to let you all know that I'm doing good. Life is one constant struggle but I'm getting by. Let me tell you about Thursday! It was the craziest day of my life!

On Thursday, I was on an exchange with the ZL's. I was in Offenburg with Elder Meilsoe from Denmark, he's a boss. Our morning started out moving furniture for the new Senior Couple that came in on Saturday. We got that done, but as soon as we got it done, one of the members asked if we wanted to get the other elders and come over for lunch. So we did. She made us Potato and Vegetable soup, with fried eggs on top...... It was quite interesting. Then, she fed us applesauce for dessert! Interesting as well. Hahaha. Then we walked over to another members house. She's from Venezuela and made us mushroom burritos. Literally just mushrooms in a tortilla. I had the most difficult time of my life. We realized by that point that we had missed the bus and needed to walk back to Bahnhof, which is about a 40 minute walk. We were just contacting people along the way and ran into an old lady who tried to hit on us and ask if we wanted to come over later in the day for a 'good time'. Oh man. Then we finally got to Bahnhof and took the train back. Then we did some studies together and went out finding again. We gave out 3 Book of Mormon's but none of those people had further interest. Quite odd indeed. We got spit on by a Turk and sworn at by an American. We finished 3 hours of contacting and had planned to go to dinner with our senior couple the Bignalls. So we jumped on a bus and were headed out there with 6 of us Elders, and all of a sudden the bus ended in the middle of nowhere. So we start walking and see a sign. Next city, 3 miles. So we start a little jog and Elder Howarth is getting whiny that we're jogging. Then Elder Jensen drops his camera and breaks it. We came to a fork in the dirt road and waved down the only car within 3 miles and asked for directions and she lied to us..... Dang it. Then we found a farmer and got the right directions and started walking. Then 2 minutes later he pulls up to the side of us and asks if we want a ride. So we take a ride from a stranger (DON'T JUDGE). Then, we get done with dinner, and walk outside and the bus flies past. Next one doesn't come for an hour. So, it was 9:00. We decided to door houses. Friends and Family, if you are ever in Germany, please, please don't door houses at 9:00. It was one of the most scary experiences of my life. Afterwards, we got hit on by a gay teenage gang before we finally caught the bus to go home. Man. What a day. 

On a more spiritual side, last week we were walking through Innenstadt alone and a guy rode past on his bike, and said, "Missionaries of God, where is God?" I yelled back at him and said, "He's here and he loves you!!!" The guy slammed on his brakes and approached us. We thought we were both dead. He came up and gave me a huge hug. Like I can't even describe. It was way funny. It felt so empowering to tell someone those words. He's here, and He loves you. It's also a good reminder for each of us. Sometimes we get caught up in the everyday labors of life, and we fail to recognize His hand in our lives. But, I can testify, He's here and He loves you! 

I love you all as well. Have a good week!

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 9

Freiburg Zone Conference, March, 2015

This week, we spent our whole week finding. Probably about 30 hours dooring and streeting. We found 1 potential investigator. Our investigators are all ignoring us - we keep running into a wall like every day. But, I just gotta keep working. There isn't much I can do about the situation of people's acceptance rate or if they're open or not. Just have to control what I can control. It's a lot like baseball. The one good thing that has come out of this week is that the 2 girl's families' are debating on having us bring by the Book of Mormon. I hope they are ok with us coming by to share it with them. This week will just be more of the same nose against the wall to find people who are ready to hear the gospel. So difficult. It's the only way to get anything done here though, so I guess we'll keep doing it. 

Hey Dad, Happy Birthday tomorrow! I hope you have a good one. Love you all!

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Elder Mohn leaving Offenburg March 2015

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 8

Hey All! 

Tomorrow will be my 6 month mark in the mission field. It's quite hard to believe but time really is flying by! I just want to share a couple short messages from President Kohler. He gave a talk in Stake Conference yesterday that was way good. A few weeks ago in our mission tour he talked about Consistent Persistence in Faith and Diligence. It was a great message because he talked about how sometimes there are things in our lives that we have to work at. Sometimes, it feels as if though we aren't making progress because there is no visible movement. He testified that there is always movement going even when we can't see it. With Consistent Persistence in Faith and Diligence, we come to a point where we can see visible movements in the heavy, difficult labors of life. The weight is lifted off our shoulders, and we become new each week by taking the sacrament. Yesterday in Stake Conference, he talked about the parable of the 10 virgins and their oil. He used a phrase that I wrote down but can't quite remember. I believe it's Working for what we're Investing. He talked about how we need to be on constant watch to see how much oil is in our lamps. We always need to be ready for the time that Christ will come again. But, at the same time, we need to have our lamps ready with enough oil at every hour of the day. Satan tempts in the slightest ways and if we don't have oil in our lamps, we aren't ready to withstand those temptations. So my challenge to you is to exercise Consistent Persistence in Faith and Diligence and to Work for what you are Investing in. Constantly check your oil in your lamp. We have been given so many tools in our day to succeed! It's just the little primary answers like reading the Book of Mormon, or going to church, or serving others, oder wenn wir lieben unseren Nächsten wie uns selbst. Loving others as we love ourselves. I know that it's true. Everything that I have been taught in my youth is true. This work is amazing, and when we have the oil in the lamp, we are able to withstand the temptation the adversary throws at us. 

I love you all, have a good week! 

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 7

Hey everybody! 

I hope you've all had a good week and that you're finding chances to share the gospel. (: I hope to share a quick message that will brighten your week. I don't have a lot of time. I was walking down the street the other day and I just realized how engrossed my mind is in the work. I started to realized how much my focus has shifted from what's going on in the world around us, or what's going on at home, to what is happening here and how I'm going to help these people progress. My dreams are in German now, which is convenient. Hahaha. I learn even when I sleep. 

I wanted to share something about the power of the Priesthood. This week, I had the chance to give my first Priesthood Blessing in German. It was nervewracking to say the least. I'd laid my hands on other people's heads before to listen to a blessing in German, but this time I was up. I was shaking a little bit. We had taught the Word of Wisdom and our investigator has a problem with smoking and he looked at me and asked if I would give him a blessing. I was pretty quick to defer the offer to our member who came to the lesson, but he wanted it from me. I laid my hands on his head, then words just started to flow. I opened my eyes and just felt my mouth running in German. It was literally unreal to me. I couldn't believe it! I testify that the power of the Priesthood is real and manifest in the work today. It could not be a 'made up' power. It literally comes from God.

We were in Sacrament meeting yesterday and singing I Believe in Christ, and something really hit me. A couple months ago, I was wondering if He had forgotten me a little. We came upon the part that says, 'and while I strive through grief and pain, His voice is heard, 'Ye shall obtain'.' I felt prompted again to open the Book of Mormon to the verse in 1 Nephi 21:16 that says, 'I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.' What a comfort to me and to the whole world. He has literally graven us on the palms of His hands. He has a forever reminder of us right on the palms of His hands. He will never forget us. As His personal representative, I testify that we are never alone. He is always at our side waiting to help us. I stand all amazed at the love He offers us. It is truly wonderful, wonderful to me. Have a fabulous week all! I love you so much. Thank you for your prayers. I feel your prescence here in Germany all the time. 

I love you all! 

LG,

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 6

Hi All!

This week has been really just fantastic. We were just absolutely on fire this week. We set a record for lessons in our area this week. We now have 4 baptismal dates in our area as well, and we're really hoping we can reach all of them. The 4 are M, M, R, and N. I love Frau N. She's a lady from Columbia and she moved here to Germany a long time ago. But, her husband, who is German, and she are now divorced. We met her on the street, and she's just going through some really hard times. She was so prepared to meet with us though. It's amazing to see the people the Lord prepares. Before our 2nd lesson with her, she had watched the Restoration video online and listened to a talk from President Monson. She loves the church, she's now been 2 times, and her date is the 4th of April. In between conference sessions. (: M is April 11, and M and R are both on the 28th of March. Keep praying for me! I feel so many prayers for me every day. It's incredible. We also found 3 new investigators this week, and 2 by dooring, which is less used in our mission! It was awesome. 

But, the coolest part is yet to come. Last Monday night, after emails, we got a call from President Kohler for 2 referrals in our area. They are both 16 year old girls, who are best friends and went on an exchange program in Michigan, and lived with their uncle, who happens to be the Bishop. While they were there, they became so in touch with the gospel, and learned all of the discussions. They received permission from their parents to be baptized when they returned. Well, they got home last Monday night from their trip, and we have been praying for them constantly. I got in touch with the Bishop last Friday and he reported to me that the families are taking it pretty hard to see their girls change so much. We're really praying for the softening of the families hearts before we contact them again. If you could just add them in your prayers that would be awesome!!
Elder Mohn is transferring to Ellwegan (Stuttgart Zone) for his last 6 weeks. He will be with another Elder that is also going home next transfer. I'm staying in Offenburg, working with Elder Howarth this transfer. He and Elder Killpack were MTC comps. He'll be way fun to work with. He's DL this transfer as well.  We just got news that Elder Bednar is coming to our mission on April 25. I'm so excited to see him in person. In the last couple months, he has become one of my favorites. The whole mission will be coming together for it. It's going to be so cool. I cannot wait! He's going to be awesome.

I love you all, and I hope you have a great week. 

Love, 

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Coming home from shopping

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 5

This week was super awesome. We had an amazing mission tour on Wednesday, where a member of the Seventy came to speak to us. It was Elder Patrick Kearon. He's the guy that gave the scorpion talk in Priesthood Session a few years back. It was sure amazing to be around him. He loves the missionaries! He is a convert of quite some time now, so he just has the utmost respect for the work of salvation. Elder Kearon was just incredible. He just stood up on the stand and cried looking out at all of us. He is such a powerful speaker. We honestly just had an open conversation with him and it was super awesome. I don't know how to explain it! Sister Kohler talked about being obedient and President talked about creating free-standing obilisque's. Not sure how that's spelled. I'll have to explain that to you when I have some time. It's a really cool concept. Then we just talked with Elder Kearon for a long time. It sure was powerful. He talked about what an investigator needs to feel. Then he talked about how he felt. (: It was just great. 

Mission Tour - Elder Edvinsson (MTC Companion), Elder Hadfield, Elder Henry and Elder Seidl

Other than mission tour, our week was good. M has some trouble with tithing. He's making about 200$ a month, which makes it very hard. He told us he would never pay it. Then, we came back later in the week, and he said he is getting a pay raise in a few months that will allow him to pay tithing and he's excited to do it. (; That was wonderful to see. R is doing well. We don't yet know how we'll get him to church. We'll have to find a way. 

Elder Mohn goes home on April 10. I don't know if I'll still be with him or not. It is such that there are 4 elders in our area, and there will only be 2 for next transfer which begins the 27th. Who knows? My guess is that Elder Howarth and I will be working together. He is super cool. I'd be happy either way.

Elder Jeremy Tyler Mohn and Samuel Phillip Hadfield - Offenburg / Lahr - February 2015

Looks like Elder Mohn has them all exercising!

Elder Mohn sent this picture to his mother - Just wanted her to know they're eating well!

This week in Germany there has been a holiday pretty much all week. People, even 50 year old men, get dressed up as animals and wander the streets. We keep running into like 50 year old cows. And all of them are drunk. They stay out until 4 in the morning most of the time. And their goal is to wander the streets and wake up everyone on that street. So it gets pretty loud at 3 in the morning. Yawn...

On Saturday, we had the chance to go to the temple with a member in our branch. He's the 2nd counselor, and a really funny guy. We did 2 sessions. The temple is in such a location that there is several, several languages. So they have sessions switching off between German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Russian. We went through in German in a German session the first time, then in English through a French session. It was very interesting. 

Elder Mohn, Elder Hadfield - Bern Switzerland Temple

Elder Hadfield - Bern Switzerland Temple

The temple is a 2 hour drive there and back, but absolutely the most amazing experience. I love the temple. I was able to go through in German, and afterwards in English. I feel such a loving prescence in the House of the Lord! It's unmistakable. If any of you ever wonder why you keep pushing on, or if there is light at the end of the tunnel, just wait until you can go to the temple. The temple has the greatest feeling of peace and comfort there is on earth. Hearts are softened, questions answered, and love shared within the walls of the temple. What an amazing experience. I hope all of you will prepare to go to the temple and experience your own happiness and love there. As a representative of Jesus Christ, I testify that this gospel is true. There is nothing I would rather be doing than proclaiming it in the language of German. I know that there is a chance for each of us to change our lives for the better, and I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, and that through Him, that change we all want to make, and that happiness we all want to feel, is possible. Thank you for all your support and everything you do for me! 

Love,

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 4

Hi everybody! 

I hope you are all doing well. To give you a quick rundown, we set another baptismal date this week with a blind man and I really felt the authority in this one! It was only our first appointment with him! I'm excited to say that the man we had a baptism date with before, M, is doing great. We had a Word of Wisdom lesson with him this week and he argued with us for a while. So, we had nothing more to say, so we asked him if he'd live it. He said, "Yup, of course!" What the heck, M? Ha ha, but he really has a problem with smoking, and he's been really sick, so he hasn't been able to smoke. Keep praying for him! 

Now, here is where I need your help. I am sure you all remember the story of R! He was a huge miracle that has happened on my mission. He is 2 weeks away from his baptism and getting cold feet. Then, I just received this email from him:

“Hey Guys,

i will be truly honest with you, like always. I won´t follow this path any more. But i don´t say this without a reason. There are so many reasons. In the last weeks a lot happens. Let my explain. But first, all i will say, that this are my own thoughts and i won´t offend you. You are amazing and i so glad, that i met you!.

Turn back time. In the fourth chapter of Nephi kills Laban. There was a big doubt and a question mark in my mind, because of this cruel action. I understand, why he did this and Laban got a second chance. I understand the chapter. But then there was this assassinations in paris. People who truly believe in a book by god kill other people, because "god" told them to do this. Now you would come and say: okay, but we believe, that only our Believes are the right one and all others aren´t true. And that is a huge problem for me. I started this spiritual journey to get more informations about your church. But i won´t believe, that i just pray the right things and others aren´t.

Next problem is the word of wisdom. There are things in it like drink no tea. But i won´t drink no tea. If i ill, i will drink tea. From a medical side, there are helpful. You say, that life is a journey full of tests, but i don´t think to lay down in bed and being sick, this would be a test to truly believe in god.

A third and never spoken problem is the fact, that i won´t get the highest kingdom, i totally looking forward go get the middle one. And thats not all. It´s a honour to get the priesthood. But i won´t it. I also don´t want to go and say to other people: hey, i believe the right things and you didn´t. People should do the same as me. Just go and inform about their believes and what they truly want in their lifes. Not the other way.

Another big problem is chastity. Like i said in the email before, i can´t follow this commandment. It´s a total censorship for my work. And i can´t accept that fact.

Like i said in the beginning, i started this journey to know more about your church. And i got this informations. It was a truly inspiring and spiritual journey. You bring me back to god. I believe in gods work. You gave me the opportunity to go away from alcohol and this is great. I often got ask, why i won`t drink and on the last party i could see, why i shouldn´t drink.

But my path isn´t over with the religion at all. I will go back to my own church. Maybe, i´m not ready jet. But who knows.

Thank you for all!

R

I know that he is ready and just a little nervous. I am asking you, if you possibly can, to just send a short testimony or something inspiring to my email, so I can forward them to R next week! I think it would really help him on his path. Thanks for all you guys do! It would be great if you could help me out! Have a good week,

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg

Germany

Lahr / Offenburg - Week 3

Family and Friends, How are you all?

I'll tell you a little about Elder Mohn. He's from Arizona and he's a really funny kid. I enjoy working with him. We like the same sort of stuff. We keep going through Brian Regan and Jim Gaffigan comedy routines. It's great fun. Hahah. I can talk to him about anything. He really loves to work out. He's lost over 50 pounds on his mission. He set that goal and achieved it. He's doing it every morning, so I'm in!

Hey Mom, about those pictures you keep asking for...It's very hard to find a computer here with an SD Port or with a cable plug in. Hahaha so yeah.. Sorry. I'll get on it soon!  :)

It has sure been a good week here. Things were rough starting out here, and they are getting better! Last week, in our visits with President Kohler, we set a mission goal to get 38 baptisms before the end of the quarter. That's approximately ½ of a baptism per area! Which means every district will get a baptism, plus an extra one for each of the zone leaders. 

During our district meeting on Tuesday, we decided our district would be responsible for setting 6 baptism dates, and achieving 2 of those baptisms. On Thursday and Friday, we had an Austausch (exchange) with the Zone Leaders. It was a whole lot of fun. I was with Elder Jensen for the day. He's from St. George and played basketball at Snow Canyon. He is a fantastic missionary. I respect him a lot. We were just getting to know each other a little bit and we made it a bunch of fun. 

We had an appointment with a man named M. He is a 60 year old man, life-long smoker, and has met with the missionaries for 3 years now. His biggest concern from the first 2 lessons Elder Mohn and I had taught was that he had already been baptized and didn't want to do it again. I had prepared a lesson with scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon to show him that doch (on the contrary), he needs to get baptized again. I went in ready to lay down the hammer! We said our opening prayer, and we had given him 2 Nephi 31 to read, but he wanted to start at the beginning, so he had read something else. We read 2 Nephi 31 together, and discussed it for about 2 minutes. I looked at him and said, "M, you're a man with great faith, and you're trying to do better every day, so your next step is baptism. You need to be baptized." He looked at me and said, "Yes, you're right. Can I be baptized on the 7th of March?" Yes, M, that wouldn't be a problem. (: It was amazing. 

Just shows that when we go by the Spirit then we have the ultimate power and authority of our calling given to us. I loved it! I know it's true. Everything we are doing, it is true. I love this calling as a missionary. Though it is sometimes very hard, I know that there is nothing that would make me happier. There is nothing that has brought more joy to my life than being a missionary!

Have a good week everybody, I would love to hear from you! 

Elder Sam Hadfield

Friedrichstrasse 26

77654 Offenburg
Germany