Woche 89

Grüß Euch!

It's been a crazy last 2 weeks. First off transfers came and went and Elder Koch was sadly transferred up to my old area, Dortmund! He was sad to leave but Dortmund is his dream area so he was also excited. We said goodbye to lots of members.

My new companion is named Elder Johnson from Sandy Utah, making him my 9th companion and 7th from Utah haha. He's awesome and we've already been seeing lots of miracles.

This last week was easily the busiest of my mission. I've had lots of busy weeks but holy cow we had no time to breathe. Most of it was meetings too. With transfers came also the news that we will be taking over the neighboring ward, Usingen in addition to the Friedrichsdorf ward. It's been a ton of work trying to balance it all. But it's going awesome. 

A few Highlights from the last bit/basically anything I can remember we did:

- 2 wonderful councils with the district leaders and Sister training leaders in the Zone

- really solid lessons with a lot of our investigators

- General Conference!

- Saying goodbye to members

- a service project painting at a members house!

- really great member visits about missionary work

- thankful prayers

- miracles

- going to church twice on Sunday for both wards (still figuring out how to do this)

- interviews with President Boyer

- lots of stress haha

- A great Mission Leadership Council yesterday

- a coordination meeting with our Ward Mission leader

- a finding activity in Hanau

- 2 Ward councils on the same night

- The best Baptismal Interview of my life

Okay so the ward council with the Friedrichsdorf ward was easily th ebest ward council I have ever taken part of. I am so grateful to serve in this ward and its amazing. A few weeks ago I wrote about how we managed to sit down with our Bishop and Ward Mission Leader and coordinate our efforts and share goals and plans. It went super well and ever since then Bishop has just been slaying it getting the rest of the ward council on board. immediately after that meeting he told the Ward council to pray and prepare to put a ward mission plan together. Tuesday night was the Ward Council meeting when we started and it was so good. Everyone was throwing out great ideas, and we synchronized the ideas of the whole Ward Council. They were all on board and then committed themselves to try out the plan we had started to make and test it out. 

I was and am so happy. I've tried my whole mission to help Wards catch on to the idea that everyone can do missionary work. 

Life is great! I love you all! Keep slaying life!

Elder Harps

Pics:

Goodbyes

New Distrikt

Elder Johnson and I

Me and a statue that looks like Joseph Smith in Hanau

Woche 87

Servuuuuus euch

I've decided to write every other week now. Then I can put better energy into them.

I'm doing awesome. Life is awesome. Friedrichsdorf is amazing.

This week is transfers. It's pretty likely that one of us gets transferred. Elder Koch and I's legendary time here together is probably coming to an end. It's been great.

I have seen so many miracles in these last 2 weeks. I'm so grateful. I've been able to be where God needs me to be and say what God needs me to say. I got to split with Wetterau Elders, with Usingen Elders, and with the Assistants. All 3 have been 3 of the best splits of my mission. So much learning and Ministering have been done, and I'm way grateful. 

I got to split with Elder Nielson in Wetterau! He's Elder Adams' trainee, who is my trainee! We helped with a move and had a lot of fun. I also got to split with Elder Doyle, who is currently serving as one of our assistants to the mission president. I split with him last almost exactly 1 year ago for his very first in Langen! It was a lot of fun to catch up and share experiences again. Working with him was a blast. Elder Holland and I walked around in the rain for several hours and had a ton of fun. Soaked and freezing and happy :)

We had Zone Conference last Monday and it was a blast. We talked about working with members. It was a very good Zone Conference.

I've been seeking a new direction lately. I achieved one of my biggest goals on my mission, and I'm so grateful.

Last Friday we had a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader and our Bishop who are 2 of my favorite members in Germany. We sat down and just all talked about our expectations and vision for the Ward and its missionary work. They were SO excited and we were too. The spirit was super strong and they really caught the vision. On the following Sunday, at our Ward Council, our Bishop and Ward Mission Leader spoke all on their own for about a third of the meeting about what we want to do as a Ward Council to help the Ward and make a ward mission plan. The other members were also excited, and the ball has started. The vision caught, and the fire is spreading. 

I've been trying to light every Ward I've served in on fire with missionary work, and while I've made significant progress in all of them, this is the first where it's gotten to the point that it's self sustaining. They are on fire and working with direction and Revelation to help the Ward grow and do missionary work. It's a huge burden off my shoulders. I get to now work as hard as I can to support their own efforts instead of carry the efforts alone (as missionaries). I'm beyond excited and grateful for these members and how truly they want to follow Jesus Christ. I love them :)

Life is awesome. Next week will be a bit different because of transfers. I hope you all are doing great! Macht's gut leute!

Tschüß!

Elder Harps

 

Pics:

Frankfurt

Our District's Last District Picture

Last Pday after Soccer with the Sisters

Street Display in Frankfurt

Visiting Wetterau District Council

Us and the Assistants in our apartment for our split selfie