Die Einladung

Family!! 

How great it is to hear from you and all the fun things that are going on in your lives! So neat to hear the little miracle story about the car. As I read that, I felt that our family is truly blessed and that the Lord is looking out for all of us no matter where we are in the world. He is a loving God and a God of miracles, we need to have the faith to believe and act! We had a great week and we are really starting to see some progress with some people so its great. So remember the person we found last week after getting lost and getting on the wrong train and all that? Well we met with her two times this week! Her name is Damaris and she actually is from Switzerland. It wasnt just an accident that we found her when she did. She had just left her church and I really believe we were suppose to meet her and that time. She has a great knowledge of the Bible and she has many questions, she has a little problem with the Book of Mormon it being the word of God, but as we taught I really have come to know the importance of that we can only find out on ourselves if this message and gospel is true. It is either true or not true and we can only find out by Him who knows all and who gives us truth of spiritual knowledge through the Holy Ghost. And we can only receive the truth by reading, pondering and then sincerely asking God. That is our invitation and we cant force anyone to do so, it has to be on their own will and desire to find out. 

Yesterday night we had a similar experience where we went by a potential investigator we met on the street a few days before and we actually went with him and two of his friends to the YSA center, we showed them around and then had a lesson with them about the Book of Mormon and the great promise that we have been given. That is the greatest way to teach is to invite. Not just to teach others so they understand but so that they will act and live accordingly. We gain truth after experience, and I know that to be true because of many experiences. 

This weekend was Stake conference and so neat to be back in Stuttgart Stake! Heilbronn is part of this stake and so I got to see members both Saturday and Sunday, it was the greatest ever! Saturday night at the adult meeting, there was a new convert from Heilbronn that gave a talk of his conversion. He had just been baptized when I got there, it was great to hear from him and see how it has chance his life. To see where he was and then to see where he is now was a neat and powerful experience. Sunday for the broadcast we had Elder Hales and Elder Bednar speak to us and Elder Bednar spoke in German to us! It was the coolest thing ever, ah I loved it! Just that he could speak in the language of these people. He did a great job and its true the Lord gives you many experiences that prepare you for the future. I enjoyed what he said about our conversion and how it deepens as we serve others. That is the gospel of Christ is serving others and bringing joy to those we love. The best way to serve them is extending the invitation for them to experience the many blessings God has in store for all his children as they follow His sons example and teachings. I am so grateful for our loving God and his son Jesus Christ.
Have a great week, and especially to you Kayleigh, have a great birthday week! 

Love you all so much, 

Elder Jerman

Elder Moon and I in front of palace that is in downtown Stuttgart, on König Straße.

We Matter to Him

Valentines Dinner at Mongolian restaurant

Liebe Familie!

Sounds like you all have had a great week and spent some great time together with the relatives! Families are so beautiful and a great part of Gods plan for us and our happiness. Its so neat to talk to people on the street and tell them restored truth that their family can live together forever! We are so blessed to have the knowledge of these truths and to study and to live accordingly so our knowledge, faith and testimony grows so we find joy in life even through the tough time and we have a better endurance to make it through them! This week was a great week and some pretty darn cool experience, I love that the best way we learn is by living it and then by experience we learn! Two experiences this week I want to share are the following. The first one has to do with knowing if we are being prompted from the Spirit or if its just us making it up. A big question we all have! Elder Bednar gives great advice of just not worry about it as we are just good people and do good things. We were contacting and going along the way, we decided to talk with someone who was a little out of the way but was prompted to do so. He had no interest and we kept going, the next person we talk to as we pass by said that Christ lives, we stopped her and had a very good talk and gave her a Book of Mormon, before she left she said thank you and said that she is on the search. We might have never met with her if we didnt first talk with the first guy. We could have lost faith after talking to him thinking it was just us making up a decision but we moved forward in faith and found this other women! We need to not make so many thoughts over if its from Him or just from us. He trusts us to do what is right, and as we do good and move forward in faith we will see miracles. The other small story is we had planned to go someone and we had to take the street train to get there. At the place where we got on there are many street trains that go through, we get on the first one and quickly find out its the one that goes the wrong direction so we had to change and go back and then keep going and then change one more time. It was just pretty crazy and we were not expecting any of it. But through it I wanted to keep a good attitude and make the best of it. I thought, "hey what a great opportunity to talk to one more person." It was great even though not much time to take with them and as the train keeps going to see them and have them wave with a smile on their face! Ooo I love that as we serve others! We finally get there and he wasnt home, what a let down but as we were walking we talked with someone and had a great conversation about the family and eternal life, she is not married but very open and interested in our belief. She doesnt belong to a church at the moment and we set up an appointment for this week! I know that is the reason why we were supposed to go there was for her. To find the one lost and in need. God works in mysterious ways and as we enjoy the journey and make the best of it even if its not going our way and its takes us a different way (wrong train) we can still do see success and joy as we trust in him!

This week we also met with Sigrid our investigator who found us, and yesterday she came to church! It was great to have her there and be with the ward! She is doing well and making progress. We also met Zedan this week and it was cool how we met him. We were teaching his neighbor who actually didnt have any interest but referred us to his neighbor Zedan and he is so cool and we are excited to work with him! We had two exchanges this week, I got to go to Esslingen and work with two other missionaries so there was 3 of us which was a chance but way neat as we went by a less active and found out that he had passed away 6 months away but we got to sit down and talk with her. Great to comfort her and read in the Book of Mormon. We gave her one and committed her to read and she accepted! She said, I know that he will be happy with me! It was a neat experience! Also did an exchanged with a missionary who is struggling, it was good to help lift and support him and motivate him in the work. A mission is not always the easiest thing but I know it is worth it and He is so proud of what we have done. We matter to Him and as we move forward in faith and trust in him with whatever challenges he brings to us I know we will feel that love he has for everyone of us. 

I love you all so much and I am grateful for your love, pass it on this next week and have a great week! 

Much love,
Elder Jerman

 At the Gierschke's home

 One of their kids with my name tag! 

 We had spätzle for dinner - yum!

Guten Morgen!

Family!! 

Well its been quite the week! Its been a good one for sure and many great things are going on in the beautiful city of Stuttgart. This week we had two meetings with our Zone.On Tuesday we had a Zone Training where we trained the missionaries about what we learned from the Mission Leadership Council in Munich. A spiritual and uplifting time for all of us. Then on Saturday we had our Zone Conference where both the Assistants and President and Sister Miles who came to be with us and teach us. These meeting are always so good and I come away with a bigger desire to serve and do this work. President Miles talked about the Book of Mormon and the great tool it is in our missionary work. It is the greatest tool we can use to have those we work with feel the Spirit and as both us and them live by the teachings we learn from it we will come to know of the truthfulness! We talk about these things over and over again but President Hinckley once said that a repetition of restored truth can stir within us to strengthen our testimonies. We need that strengthening nutrition everyday as we go throughout life with our many challenges so that we can be ready to make the right decision and stay on that righteous path the Lord has set before us. Our continued righteous living will shaped us to who he knows we can become, its not something that comes overnight or maybe even not over a few months but as we strive to keep doing the things we know we should be doing we will receive the peace and happiness he has promised us all. 

On Monday we had an appointment with a guy named Andrea, his wife is a member and we have been working with him the last little while. He has been making some great progress the last few times we meet with him. Unfortunately its not that often as he travels a lot but his progress has come by reading in the Book of Mormon. It really is so key in our conversion and continual strength to keep living the gospel. He had a very strong spiritual experience last time and understands the Plan of Salvation really well. He knows what he needs to do but is afraid because so, he has some things that is hard to give up and he knows what a big change it will be in his life. But its neat to see the Spirit work with him and he now understands wine isnt as important. Every one can change and the Spirit can work within them, we need to have the faith and love to see it and let them know it is possible. God knows it is possible for his children. 

A neat miracle story for the week, it was Saturday night after our Zone Conference we had some time that night and decided to go by two less actives, one that we had gone by before and said to try again another day. So Saturday was the day and we ring and told him through the speaker who we were and he said, "okay Tschüß" or goodbye. So we go by on the other one and he rings us in and we walk to his door and he sees who we are and invites us right in! He takes our coats and has us take a seat. It was great to get to know him and have a lesson him with him right then. He showed us his pictures when we got baptized and it seemed like he hadnt been to church for a while. It was so great to read with him in the Book of Mormon and discuss with him the blessings or doing so. At the end we asked him to pray and he did it willing. It was a great prayer and as he did I thought to myself, "this man probably hasnt prayed out loud like that for a good few years:" We all have a chance to return and to change. God is always there, he always has been and always will. We can feel his love in our daily lives and one day be lead back to him. 

I love my family and hope you have a great week. A special wish to Amy and hope you have a great birthday! 

Viel Liebe,

Elder Jerman

Zone Leaders - Elder Jerman and Elder Moon with Sister Smith and Sister Gilmour

Trust in Him

 Today we dressed up - Elder Moon, Sister Smith and Elder Jerman

Hey family! 

Another week are in the books and another one is to start off! Its great we can wake up everyday make the decision to have a good day! Its our choice and we can make the best of it! Its been a good week, we have been finding some great people to teach but the hard thing is meeting with them again. Its a nerve racking and you wish you could just make them come and meet but its good to learn lots on agency and know that all will work out in the Lords time if it be now or later but as we commit ourselves to him in service we will see success! Thats one of the biggest things I have learned while being out here! Service is the best! Unfortunatly we havent been able to meet with Haiko or Kat who we had started teaching last week. But a neat miracle story for this week is on Wednesday we were at our stop waiting for our street train to come and an older lady came up to us and asked if we were Jehovah Witnesses, we told her no and then she asked if we were from the Latter Day Saints! We told her, Yes we sure are! We had a good talk and she had some great questions, and she actually had some time later that day to meet! We decided to change our plans up a little and go by! We found a joint teach to come with us within the few hours and made it happen! She is the sweetest old lady, we invited her to church and she came! She didnt stay the whole time but we had fasted as a mission that the people that both we and the members invited would accept the invitation! Fasting works miracles and we are all in it together. 

This week we went to Munich for a Mission Leadership Council, all the zone leaders around the mission from Zurich to Vienna came and we met together and talked about the next month and where we want to go with the mission. It was so neat to be with President Miles and his guidance in this work here. It was really cool as we talked about many different things and this next week we will be passing it onto the zone here! One thing that I loved from the conference was when we talked about prayer and how when we dont get an answer sometimes we dont feel he hears or that we arent worthy for an answer but it was comforting to learn that God has more trust in us than we think. He wants us to make choices on our own so we can learn and put our trust in him and asked for his support instead of always asking what is next. It would be defeating his purpose if he always showed us the way, we wouldnt learn and progress as he knows we can. He knows us perfect and exactly what we need to make the next step and thats how we live sometimes is not always seeing far ahead but just enough so we can take the next step. I love that we can always learn knowledge and show our trust in him by living daily the gospel of Christ. Our everyday little decision will be make a greater difference than we ever would think. What a great gift we truly have and the great trust he has given us. 

I love my family and am so thankful for you! I love you very much and have a wonderful week! 

Liebe Grüße,

Elder Jerman

Our District went to lunch today for Sister Benson's birthday - so fun!  

Stuttgart District out in style!   My comp is the other one wearing lader hosen.  So fun wearing them around town!