The Scrap Pile

Hey! This week has been way fun and eventful. It was also a great week to learn and teach too. This week started off pretty boring and usual. We had to go to district meeting which takes up a lot of our day. We also have to take a bus to get out to our district meeting. The tickets we buy cover us for all of the Stuttgart state, but the last three stops of the train are all outside of the area and we have to get off at the last stop. Since the tickets have always been accepted anyways we just take the bus to our destination.
So we got on with the companionship from Göppigen and go on our way to the Ulm church house. Right before the last stop we should legally be on some ticket checkers come by. We show them our tickets but these ticket checkers have no mercy on us. They tell us the next stop is the last one for our ticket or else we have to buy a ticket for the whole other state! Which is another 30 euro for me and my comp. So we get off and our district leader states 'Well what are the chances ticket checkers will be on the next bus.' Good. Extremly good. So we think we are cool or something and that we can just use our tickets still. So we get on the train and we pull up to the next stop. I guess the two lady ticket checkers thought we might be stupid and had gotten off and waited at the next stop. When they saw us on the bus they came up and checked to see if we had gotten a new ticket. We had not. So we each got fined individually 40 Euro. So we were not too happy, but we were mainly unhappy at ourselfs.
Besides that district meeting went great. But then after wards instead of going back to Ellwangen we went out on our way to Zürich. Apparently may photo I gave the first time for registration did not pass and so I had to go all the way down there to hand them another photo of me so that they knew it was me and not my evil twin or something I guess. So first we started off with getting our tickets for going down to the Schweiß. Our AP's apparently did not know we needed the number of the ticket to get the ticket, because they had already bought our tickets. So we sent them a message and they did not answer it till 8 minutes before our train left so we were frantically getting our ticket. The train was about to leave so I stood in the doorway so the doors could not close making the train wait a few more moments.
This is something I have had to do in order for us to make certain trains in my time here so far. At first it is really scarry because people are yelling at you to move and they already don't really like you. But I have somewhat perfected a way of showing them I have terrible German and am confused by the big red chew chew train. Eventually they just asume I don't really know how the trains work and leave me alone. So my comp and I got our tickets and our ride. Afterwards we noticed we had actually gotten on the wrong train. Our tickets made us go a different route to Zürich. A ticket checker came (We have the greatest luck with ticket checkers being there). But instead of fining us we explained we had not understood the ticket because we were in a hurry and he told us it was fine we could go that route to Zürich. He then told us what trains to get on at what stations. We thanked him and felt relieved about not getting kicked off our train and fined again. So we got on and off the trains for about 7 hours before we got to Zürich.
Our last train was a luxury train. We got to sit in our own booth and it had a nice restaurant in the train intself. After the train ride we got off. I picked up my ticket, wallet, and sweater off the seat. I had them all wrapped up and straitened them out before we got off. We got off our train and proceeded to the buses. My comp asked if I wanted anything to eat, so I reached for my wallet. It wasn't there. I still don't know if I actually left it on the train or if it got taken. But I always put it in my back pocket and button the button on the back. Both my wallet and button were gone. So I was yet again sad. We did get everything straightened out though.
After wards we stayed with our AP's who loved talking to us. We then got to finish the filing and started on our way back home. At about 8pm on Wednesday we arrived in Aalen. We did not really have time to go do anything so we talked to some people and then went home.
On Thursday we had planned on just pure talking to people. We did not find anyone knew but did get dropped by two investigators. One of our investigators who is obsessed with Star Trek told us he doesn't believe in god because it is fantasy. I found some irony but did not decide to address it. I was sad we had started to lose people quicker then we were finding them but then I realized not everyone is going to listen and the people who are staying are really interested.
On Friday we had interviews with president Matern and his wife. They came to our apartment and talked to us each seperatly. Sister Matern just gave us advice on how to keep things clean, cook, what to do for exercise and stuff of that nature. President Matern talked to us each indidually about any problems we have or have addressed with him.
He then told us he was way happy we were in Ellwangen that not only Ellwangen was now seeing more success then since he had been the president but also Ellwangen had gone from the lowest numbers in Stuttgart Zone to the top numbers in Stuttgart Zone. We both explained that we had tried really hard and that we knew there were other missionaries, even in our zone, trying just as hard just not having the chances yet. He agreed, and told us to be ready now though because on average 1 out of every 10 investigators thinks about or gets close to baptism in this mission. And we had found 15 in the last few weeks.
He then left and we did weekly planning and went to go teach some appointments we had. Saturday was the day I think I really found something to think about though. I had just gotten a package (thanks Mom!) and had a small book of inspirational stories and messages in it. I had read a story about a blacksmith explaining to a man that he knew he had trials in his life because he knew it made him stronger. When he made a sword he would heat it, pound it, temper it, and do it again until it was a good sword that he could use. And anything that could not handle it was simply thrown in the scrap pile. So instead of praying not to have trails he prayed for strength so that he could become stronger and not get thrown into the scrap pile.
As we were doing doors we got the most rejection we had had yet. Everyone had some comment to make, or some scripture to throw at us. They don't really treat you like people when you speak to them about church. They treat you like dogs. Many people out here rather believe they have a perfect knowledge about God, that knowledge is that as long as you stay ignorant you don't have to do anything except what your preacher tells you to do. Some people actually get affended when you speak about God because they like to think everything in their life is from them and that God doesn't deserve credit for their work.
Another man tried to just argue with us about our lifes. Saying following God was pointless and then he proceeded to say curse words not at us, but at God. We just left. We had never confronted anyone before and if we were going to start we did not believe it to be a small confrontation. As the day went on I at first began to feel discouraged. I had prayed at each house to myself before I had rang the bells. That the spirit may be there and that the people may be able to feel the spirit. After a day of no success I started to wonder what I had done wrong.
And then I remembered the story of the blacksmith and realized no matter what happens at the doors someone is being helped. Even if that person doesn't accept a single word of what we say, and spits at us. Then I have been made stronger. At the end of the day I did not feel sorry for myself any longer, but was grateful. And then I realized there was probably not a single time my prayers wern't answered. Even if I give it my all and the spirit is strong, some people will not speak to us no matter what. All I can do is continue to do what I need to. And God will do what he wants to do to bring his love and Gospel to the people.
On Sunday we had an investigator show up that shows up quite a bit. He is a little old and has trouble with word of wisdom. He drinks quite a bit. And everytime we have asked him to meet with him he always says he is busy. But this week I went up to him and asked him when he had time. He said he was free the whole week. So we set up and appointment on Thursday evening. We then asked the members if any of them if they had time to go with us to lessons or to go to doors. Almost all of our time for the week was filled with names of people who were free during the week. Even the young woman for some reason put their names down even though I'm pretty sure they know we won't go with them.
So then we went to a members house after church. We got to eat and teach a lesson. We then went to doors again and got some people who told us to come by on other dates they gave us when they had time. Then we had today. Usually Monday is our p-day but I think letters are the only real p-day thing we get to do this week.
We went to the hair cutters for some hair cuts. There was only two old ladies in front of us. I thought wow this isn't bad. My companion however looked depressed. He told me it would take a while. I only saw two old ladies and two hair cutters, how long could it take. 4 hours. Apparently old ladies like to get their hair cut, colored, permed, cut again (because they forget they already had it done I guess) and then washed. It took forever we then went to the grocercy store. We only have 50 euro left since I left my wallet so we proceeded to buy just cheap things in bulk. We already had some food and so we were fine. We had to leave 28 euro for the trip to district meeting tomorrow.
We then ate quickly and went to an appointment. It was an older lady who had shown up to church about 2 weeks ago. We brought a member with us that lived near her and could give her a ride if she needed. They loved talking to her. We teached her the second lesson instead of the first. She was very excited about it all. She did not usderstand a lot of things and still has questions about a lot. We tried not to overwhelm her with too much. She was already getting kind of confused. But we did give her a book of mormon and a small book over the plan of Salvation and scriptures in the bible and book of mormon over the plan of salvation. She told us she didn't have any more time this week to speak with us but was going to go to church and told us to come by as much as we wanted the week after. She has a lot of family in a lot of religions pressuring her to get baptized in one of their churches. Evangelist, Catholic, and Jehova Witnesses. Her daughter is a Jehova Witness and had told her the same things Jehova witnesses always tell people about the mormons. That we are poligamists, that we worship Joseph Smith, and that in revelations it states that the book of mormon is an abomination because revelations states that you can not add any more books.
We have always had trouble explaining these in German but the member explained each one perfectly! Over why people believe we are poligamists and that we do not practice poligamy. That we do not worship Joseph Smith just like people do not worship Moses or Abraham. We know them to be prophets but do not think what they do is worthy of worship so much as knowing that what they say is from God and that we should respect that. She also explained that the book of mormon was not written after the bible but during the same time as the bible but on another continent. Also that revelations is not the last book written in the bible. Revelations was written the same time as the Apistle of John. But is now placed last because revelations has in fact only been translated once. Because many religious leaders had different views on the words of Matthew and John there are many different translations of them in the different bibles. But revelations was not understood by people as well so it is written almost word for word instead of idea from idea. Then we came here to the internet cafe. It has been a very exciting week and I was so excited to have it and hope I can continue to learn and grow as much through the rest of my time here as I have this week.
I love this work and nnow that Jesus Christ is the savior. Auf Wiedersehen Elder Hargett