Monday, December 30th 2013

I just talked to you in almost real life!  It was so great to see you all.  I cried afterwards but not for too long I promise.  It was so cool to see you on Christmas as well!   What a special day it was.  I appreciate you all sending your testimonies to me in the mail.  They all melted my heart and loved them all.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to rely on my family to have strong testimonies. 

This week was fun!  I told you about it already but after skyping...let's see.  Yesterday was a lot of fun!  D*** was at church as well as H***** who are both fairly new to the church.  They are both doing really well.  We had a part member family there only because we sung as a district in church.  I really hope that they felt the spirit! 

Transfer calls are on Saturday so we will see what happens with that.  I really have no idea what will happen but it will probably end up with me leaving.  We will see.  There isn't a ton to talk about this week because of the craziness of the week because of the Christmas season and such but yeah.  Next week will definitely be better.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and change that PS4 out for a PMG :) 

Change a life this week, call someone who you haven't talked to in a long time, take an old couple out on a double date, read the Book of Mormon in a week, invite a non-member friend over for dinner, bare your testimony to your family and allow the Holy Ghost, the true and everlasting spirit of God, lead your week throughout your efforts. 

I love you all :) 

Elderly Häis

the most wonderful time of the year . . .

...It's the most won...wonderful time...of the year :)

IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS

...I'm not excited if you can't tell.

Thank you so much for the package!  I can't wait to open it all up and see the treasures inside. On Christmas morning, we are waking up at 4:00 AM to go to a Kruezchor concert in the Frauen Kirche!  If you haven't heard the Kruezchor sing you need to.  See if they are on Youtube.

We had our Christmas concert yesterday at the church which was truly incredible.  Our ward here in Dresden is incredibly musical.  We have 2 composers (like legit) and many players.  A great hour and a half of straight Christmas music!  Of course the missionaries sung a beautiful song, which President has asked us to perform in 3 other instances, it was the song El-Shaddai which is sung by Amy Grant.  We are actually super good at it and our voices blend magnificently. 

This week was us inviting many people to this concert to have them feel the spirit of the church building and the music.  More than half of the people there were non-members and the concert was great. 

We are continuing to find, and to teach.  I am grateful to my Older Brother for His example in showing me exatly how to do that.  I am almost done reading Jesus the Christ.  I have learned so much not from this book but while reading this book, one has to study the New Testament as well.  Really applying every sentence to the life of a person can change perspectives.  I will tell you a little bit about what I have learned from 3 great parables this last week.  The parable of the Lost Sheep, the parable of the Lost Coin, and the parable of the Lost Son:

The Lost Sheep

If we look at the lost sheep we can infer that he wandered off on his own.  The story doesn't explain an outside force in this specific parable.  Who is the lost sheep?  Is it some friend who has seen some green pasture afar off and yearns for the taste thereof?  Is it the action of ourselves; wandering unnoticed into the state of dissipation?  I believe that sometimes, we must stop, look around and pray, and ponder about our current state of being.  Am I happy where I am?  Is this the correct course to my eternal goals?  Do I like the things that see around me?  What do I need to change about my situation?  Is one of my friends wandering?  I invite you to ponder about someone who may have started to deviate from the path to salvation. 

The Lost Coin

This coin did not wander off on its own...how did it get lost?  This coin was acted upon by a person outside of itself.  The coin mentioned is a Drachma, which is a days worth of pay for people back then.  This coin was obviously misplaced and forgotten about.  Can this coin not be compared to forgotten friends, members or family?  Are these coins not important and hold worth?  Have we forgotten somebody who may have needed help?  Have we as members put someone to the side and have neglected their worth by laying them, maybe unconciously, to the side?  Let us look around to see if we have lost somebody.  In search of our coin, the situation would allow us to clean out every corner, sweep every cobweb and clean every spot in search of this worthy soul.  Let us clean our eyes, heart and ears to hear the drop of a coin, falling underneath the deserted dresser. 

The Lost Son

This parable is a choice; a use of personal agency agaist the authority of his father.  These things we cannot do anything against.  What did this father do to the son who has planned to take everything and leave?  For whatever reason why, we do not know.  To these people, we give something for them to remember.  To this lost son, it was the love and compassion of his father.  If we leave the people who walk away from the fold, who deliberatly go agaist authority with something compassionate, loving and charitable to think back on, they will remember, and it will not leave their mind.  When they are in trouble down this destructive path, ALLOW THEM TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TURN TO.  When they leave, give no anger and give no fear.  Have faith that they will return, leave them with a word and action of love and compassion and pour...your heart, soul, thoughts, intentions, plans and faith to your God.  Put your trust in Him who can do all things.  ...'only belive'...  I remember the words of my humble father, echoing in my heart in struggling times, ' I love you Brandon'.  I know who I can turn to and that is what we leave to those lost 'sons' in this world. 

I love the stories of the Savior and I advise the close study of His teachings.  I am grateful for the testimony and conversion that He has given me.  I will not let a person pass me without me leaving a personal earthquake beneath their feet. 

Thank you for all of the letters I have received!  They are all so great and soul warming. 

Love, Elder Hays

Just a clip of our conversation with Elder Hays on Christmas....

pictures - Dec 18th

Send Elder Hays a Christmas wish!!!

I'm sure Elder Hays would love to hear from you . . .


Letters only:

Elder Brandon Hays

Werner Str. 38

01159 Dresden

Germany

Email:

brandon.hays@myldsmail.net

Packages and letters:

Elder Brandon Scott Hays

Germany Berlin Mission

Zerbster StraBe 42

12209 Berlin

Germany

Come Follow Me

We have a young woman in our ward whose parents are very active but the boyfriend is not.  She has been inactive for a very long time and lives with this boyfriend.  I happen to be very good friends with her boyfriend and the Sisters are very good friends with this young women.  We have been working forever with them to get them to do something in the Gospel.  They used to go to church all the time but the boyfriend was never baptized, mainly because the mother of the girl was really pushy.  That being said...they came to church yesterday!  It was so amazing.  I sat next to them and they had a great time.  I hope they felt the spirit.

I have had a question in my heart for a while now that has gone unanswered.  Maybe because of my inexertion to really ponder and pray but yeah...In search for my answer, I turned mostly to the scriptures and prayer.  My question was something personal but it has to do with investigators feeling the spirit.  I feel like I shouldn't share it but if you read in Alma 31, you will find out how I was feeling and have said many similar prayers according to this one that Alma speaks.  I love the scriptures so much...Even though missionaries have struggles, it is important that we come out on top.  If missionaries are feeling stressed out, nervous, consumed or anything of that sort, it is becuase they aren't pondering and turning to the Lord enough.  Turning to the Lord includes scriptures, District Leaders, prayer, and pondering.

On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to go and do service for a big charity organization that I had worked with.  We went to a big complex, helped set up tables and food.  It was made up for kids in the city of Dresden who wouldn't get a Christmas this year becuase of lack of resources.  This organization gave them something that I personally won't ever forget.  450 kids showed up with their single parents, 16 year old mothers with nothing.  Families who had left their country for a better life with nothing.  We served cakes and muffins and hot chocolate to everyone and it was just so perfect.  We then got to sit back for a while as they sang and danced to different songs.  Then came Santa!  It was so incredible.  He came in with a personal gift for each child.  To see the look on the mothers' faces and the tears and the gratitude was overwhelming.  To see a nine year old rip open a package for the first time in years is something new for me.  I can do more...and I think everyone can do more...

 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the ^apoor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! (Luke 18:22-24)

I know that as we give ourselves this holiday season, we will grow in our testimony of the Savior, for He truly gave Himself; is there genuinely something we can do more?  Ask yourself, what more do I lacketh?  'Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:  and come, and follow me.' 

He states two things that I find interesting.  1. Do we strive for a treasure in heaven?  Or one on earth?  For I say unto you this day that the treasures laid up on this earth will melt away along with your soul.  2. 'Come and follow me', only after you have sold what you have; only after you have sacrificed the flesh of this reprehensible world; only after you have left your family and friends and have given your life to the work; only after you will stand before kings and magistries......are you ALLOWED....to 'Come and follow Me'.  

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (Matt 6:20)

I love you all :)  Facetime at 17 O'clock my time and 9:00 your time?  Christmas morning?  Let me know next week.  

Love, Elder Hays

more pics - Dresden, East Germany

Military Museum - Elder Hays' German room mate
 

Sunday was amazing

Sunday was amazing...I feel like everything is just working out like the Lord wants it too and He has finally shown me what His plan is.  It's great to be in touch with Him :)  Bishop Menzel gave a great message about the princlple of Christmas.  In short words: feed the hungry and clothe the cold.  Investigators came, in-active member reactivated (Family even) and hearts touched. 

I am glad that you all got my package that I sent!  The chocolate is great in Germany haha.  I actually went to a family's house a while ago and they gave me Hershey's chocolate.  That was just a terrible experience!  She asked if it was good 'to have a little taste of home' and I told her that it was delicious of course but....ewwwwww.  I'm sorry but I lied to her.  I repented :)

I have studied the 4th Chapter in 2nd Nephi this week.  Basically what happens is that Lehi dies.  I have no idea what he could have been feeling to have his mentor, father, teacher and prophet die before his eyes.  As this was happening, he realizes that he is the one who has to carry on this great legacy of faith and trust.  Pressure?  Probably not a good enough word to describe his feelings.  I basically put my self in his shoes and have studied this for hours.  Nephi is a great example to all of us in the way of faith, dilligence and forgivness. I will just write you what came into my head for myself as I read these words:

Are not the ways of God great?  His knowledge and glory, does it not exceed the highest mountains?  Does it not carry love in the morning wind?  Does it not ascertain itself as rain falls upon the humblest faces?  How blessed am I, to recieve blessings enough to augment my understanding.  Sin surrounds the saints of God like wolfs surrounding an unsuspecting sheep.  The world around me functions in the ways of man; chaos, war, divorce, hate and bitterness cuts the thread that binds you to the threshold of Heaven.  I know who I put my trust in and I will stand upon the rock of Emmanuel, for He is truly with us.  I have felt the pains of sin and have seen the flesh fail.  I know the power of the devil and his wishes, for I have seen his animosity.  I have felt the love of God.  He has lifted me to mountains where I have sung praises in His name.  I have prayed with all of my being in the salvation of my brothers and sisters, and have wrestled with the spirit for justification.  I have seen, heard and felt many and marvelous things; He has heard my cries.  After all that He has done for me; all of the blessings; why would I give my soul to the lusts of the flesh?  Why do I let room in my heart to commission evil to enter in?  Why am I mad because of the enemy?  AWAKE MY SOUL!  Do not sit any longer in tribulation or sadness.  Rip off the gravitaion that contrains me to this world.  Let my heart appropriate joy so that evil can have no place there.  Don't be mad because of the enemy; permit no influence.  Don't let my strength disintregrate because of blinded eyes.  Oh Lord, dress me with the robes of rightousness!  My life is built upon your rock and your rock only.  I don't rely on the arm of flesh but on the principles of viture and devotion.  Cursed is the person who puts his trust in the flesh.  Lift me up oh Lord, so that while I am here in Germany...I can grasp the hands that need grasped, fill the hearts that need filled, and love the soul that needs love. 

That is a rough draft of MY 2nd Nephi 4.  :D

We will see eachother soon!  I will use a ipad so it will be over face time okay?  Can't wait :)

I have studied a lot more I promise but that is what helped this week.  I hope you all had great birthdays!  I love you and am grateful for your prayers. 

I love you!  Elder Hays

Well hi

I hope you all had a great thanksgiving!  Know that I ate?...what did I eat?...a cookie!...and a apple for thanksgiving dinner :D  I'm spoilded I know.

No, but Thanksgiving was good, it was just a normal day haha Elder Young and I made some turkey that we had bought but it was just the breast and nothing special.  I made a list of things that I am thankful for though!  It was a good thinking process and it came pretty easily because of the amazing things that I have been blessed with.

This week we taught W** and H** more.  They are both just great guys and are making progress. 

Elder Young and I have really been fasting a lot (4 times in the last few weeks) for the baptism that we need this transfer.  I can tell that it has improved my personal study to become a better missionary and has blessed the lives of the investigators in a way that they are more open in their speech.

Mein Englisch ist so schlimm...ich hasse es wie schlect es geworden ist.  Es tut mir Leid daß ich mit euch auf englisch sprechen muss.

I am still studying the parables of Jesus Christ which just have been great.  I really love learning about how great He was and what He did for all of us.

Did you all get my package this week?  I hope so.  Sorry I am kind of brain dead today.  That is why it is our pday haha.  We have a beautiful Christmas display that we get to go to today!  I'm really excited for it.

I hope you are all doing well and guess what?!  I am coming home a year from today!  How crazy is that??  I have been crying all morning because of it so don't make fun.  I have promised myself  that I will give it my all every day so that at the end of my mission I can say that I have done all that I could have. 

I love you all!  Thank you for the pictures!  

Love, Elder Hays

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello my great family! 

I am grateful for the Christmas tree that you have sent me:)  It is lighting up the night!  Transfers were yesterday and Elder Young and I will be staying together in Dresden for another transfer!  We are just killing it here in Dresden together so it will be another great one. 
To answer your question, I am doing better than I ever have!  I am so happy.  Pure joy :D  We, as a ward celebrated thanksgiving on Saturday!  It was a great activity with investigators and members bringing friends!  One of the girls that a member brought, came to church and accepted the first lesson. 

It was a great day. 

All of Dresden is staying the same this transfer so we can get right to work :) 

This week we had an interesting experience.  At the beginning of the week, we didn't have a lot of investigators; we had friends who came to activities but have never really showed interest.  We then set the goal to have 5 baptismal dates made out for the week.  We made it with a lot of fasting and prayer.  We prepared our selves mentally and spiritually for it.  We dove into the week full force and had appointments fall out for the first couple of days.  It was dissapointing but we didn't lose the faith in our goal.  Before the week started we had prayed for who we should invite and in what way.  We had our prayers answered and we really just made sure that we didn't want just the number, but that these people really meant a lot to us in our lives and that was our motivation to help them.  This number was just to push us to be bold.  At the end of the week we had three.  We made a date out with H**, W*** and Ch*****.  These people throughout this week have grown in my heart.  Even though we didn't reach our goal, if we hadn't set the goal, these people wouldn't be on the way to finding the joy of the gospel.  We were taught a big lesson this week and can't wait for this next transfer to work. 

Pertaining to your lesson that you have to teach, I would talk about Joseph and Hyrum Smith.  Read their testimonies.  Read the testimonies that others said about them.  You can also talk about Paul and his mission as an apostle.  Standing as a Witness of Christ is acting, in a way that people know what decisions you make and what kind of person you are. Elder Young is doing great!  He is finished with his training and we get to go hard this transfer! 

snow

I love you all!  
Elder Hays

Faith is an ATTITUDE. It is a state of mind

I live in Dresden...that's cool right?  I forget sometimes.  Utah is kinda cool I guess....(pff)  Anyways.

ALEX ROSS.  I love him.  I will see you soon my friend!  I feel like I will be the same way.  haha you might be in for a treat.

Church was good!  We had stake conference here and we had a friend come with us named H***.  He is so awesome and just fantastic.  We are trying to help him realize how much the gospel means to us.  The whole meeting was about missionary work and the Stake President, Temple President, and President Kosak were there on the stand.  Talk about power in Dresden.  Well, they basically converted thousands to missionary work, made many cry and motivated many in faith.  It was a great meeting.

On Thursday we had district meeting.  I started off introducing prayer and how it can affect ourselves maybe even more than it would influence our investigators.  Prayer is talking with God at the table at the end of the day, discussing what we should do the following afternoon.  Elder Young and I had a special experience with prayer this week.  It happened actually yesterday.  We were discussing what we would do with one of our investigators, this specific person was great and loving but needed to develop more interest in the Gospel.  He is one of our best friends.  I have never heard a better prayer in humility and love from my companion.  He looked at me after wiping tears from his face, and told me that he saw this person with his future wife and kid in white.  We both savored the moment, the spirit rested upon us as we planned for this person to progress and what we could do.  I love Elder Young and what he teaches me.

If you haven't sent the package yet, I need shoes...My nikes have no sole anymore.  The bottom is completely ripped from the rest of the shoe.  RIP.  Everything else is good I think.  Indoor soccer shoes would be best.  A calendar with pictures would make my life :)

Want to know something funny?  So it is a holiday tomorrow...Repentance day!  How great is that?!  Going hard tomorrow.  The next transfer is this Saturday!  Elder Young and I will probably stay together which is fantastic.

I found a sling the other day!  It feels great!  Until I take it off at night and then the pain doubles, and the fact that I look like a cripple trying to talk to people about joy haha.  It's fun.  I try to just wear it around the house and then take it off when I go out.

I have had a lot of sacred experiences with my Heavenly Father this week.  He has really shown His love to me.  I have learned that Faith is an ATTITUDE.  It is a state of mind.  EVERY missionary was called to baptize.  The Lord sent us here to change lives and it is through the church.  We can come home at the end of the day and say we gave out a lot of Books of Mormon, or we talked to a ton of people; President Kimball once talked about not making those excuses.  He said that we are sent to succeed.  Once we make an excuse, or faith to baptize flies away.  Doubt cannot be in the same mind as faith.  They contradict each other.  One ounce of doubt chases faith away.  Once we learn that faith is full knowledge, we will practice it more and realize that it works.  Don't make excuses and don't doubt.  and....be HAPPY    XD

I love you guys and tell everyone I said Hi!!  I hope you have a magnanimous week.

Love, Elder Hays

The Gospel brings true joy

Well family...I love this work more than anything in this work...

Elder Young and I have struggled these past couple of weeks finding new investigators.  We have gotten a lot of contacts that we can stop by but just not a lot of interest.  We have planned for the last few weeks for a baptismal date.  We didn't know who it would be but it would be someone that we had found that week.  

Well, on Sunday, a newly activated member brought a friend of hers to church.  His name is C***** and he had come a couple of times to Family Home Evening before I came to Dresden but became to busy to come anymore.  He was given a Book of Mormon and a short explanation of what it is.  

He came to church in nice clothes and we took him and the member into a room and started with a lesson.  I had no idea that he was going to show up so I didn't have anything prepared.  I thought to my self though...I thought about what Joseph Smith had said, he said that he was the smartest man on the world, not because of his worldly knowledge, but because the Holy Ghost gives him Godly knowledge.  I know that I have the Holy Ghost and that through that power, I can teach this man the word of God.  This gave me confidence and swept my fear away.  We asked him how much he had read in the Book of Mormon and he had read the whole book of 1st Nephi!  I was impressed.  We bore testimony about the power of reading in the Book of Mormon and why the things that are in it are so important.  I asked L**** (the member) to give testimony about how she came to find out if it was true.  She talked about a power that she felt.  Very simple and straight forward testimony.  I then had the prompting to just read.  I asked L***** to pick out her favorite scripture.  She picked out 2 Nephi 4 because that is what we had done in institute that week.  I had the impression to not  expound on what we had read.  Even after we finished, I looked at Christian and he was just staring at the book.  There was silence for about 30 seconds when I asked him what it would mean to him if the book was true.  He said everything.  His search would be over.  I then explained that if this book was true, the church is true and that Joseph Smith is in reality a Prophet of God.  I invited him to follow Moroni's promise in praying if the book was true, we gave testimony and I invited him to be baptized, when he finds out that the Book is true.  He accepted for the 8th of December.  It was a great faith builder.  He is prepared.

This week I have studied a lot about Baptism. I thought a lot about what people have said about it.  Prophets namely.  Joseph Smith, Malachi and Paul.  Baptism is essential to our eternal salvation in this life.  In order to reach eternal exhaltation, we need to have baptism.  Baptisms for the dead are giving these people salvation, literally saving them.  Paul is not saved without the baptismal ordinance that we have to do on this earth.  Like Malachi says, the hearts of the fathers will be turned to the children and children to the fathers, that they without us, cannot be made perfect, neither can we without our dead be made perfect.  "There must be a welded link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children; what is that subject? It is the baptisms for the dead.  For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect." (Joseph Smith)  A baptism for a dead person is the same as baptizing someone as a missionary.  It is the salvation of a soul.  Save someone who needs it, someone who has waited for centuries, someone who has accepted the gospel in the Heavens above.  Do it this week and as much as you can. 

Ahh man.  The Gospel is happiness.  Sure life is hard and people die and there are challenges.  Rely on the Gospel.  It brings true JOY.  Charity, love, longsuffering and gentleness come from the servants of the Lord who are one in Zion.  Be happy because the Gospel is happy.  

Be strong because Christ was. 

Love you:)

Elder Hays

PS  My shoulder is good.  My bands that hold my shoulder in place are loose and enable my shoulder to sit out of socket at every moment.  Through that comes pain.  I know my body and I know what I can handle.  I am doing fantastic:)

so happy . . .

Well another week just gone by.  It goes by too fast.

I am so happy.  We have had the coolest experiences this week!  It has just been fantastic.  We have been trying to teach a young man named H** N*****.  He has been progressing little by little.  We play basketball with him and his friends at the park before lessons which is great for all of us.  One thing that has been really bothering us about his progression is the fact that he had been to so many FHE activities and Institute but never to church!  We had set the goal the day before to invite him and commit him to come to church the next day.  I usually have no problem being pretty bold and asking people to commit to different things but I just wasn't feeling the Holy Ghost there.  I have come to learn that not much gets done with out Him.  So I waited.  Elder Young talked with him a little bit about his beliefs and things but the feeling just wasn't right to invite him.  I was honestly confused.  We then started walking back to our trains to head home when 2 young single adults came walking into our path.  Daniel L. (RM) and Melonie.  Both very strong members of our church and both the same age as H*** (22).  We talked for 5 min and said that we would see them tomorrow.  Melonie then turned to Hai and asked if we will be seeing him tomorrow.  With a little encouragement, H** thought for a second and agreed that he should come.  He set his alarm on his phone in that moment and walked home feeling great.  Well, he came to church!  In a full out suit!  Looked pretty classy.  Daniel sat by him the whole time through all of the meetings and he really enjoyed it.  We then taught him the plan of salvation and he really enjoyed that as well.  MIRACLES HAPPEN.

One more...So as we were sitting there, helping H** get comfortable in the meeting, I looked up at the stand and saw D*** (the brother that I taught and baptized) sitting up at the stand in position to bless the sacrament!!!  I had no idea that he was going to do that this week!  He hadn't even passed the sacrament yet!  The meeting went on and he blessed the sacrament like he had done it for the passed 2 years.  I savored every second of the moment.  I can't believe how much the Lord has changed him and that I got to be apart of it and see every step of the way.  He looks pretty classy in a suit as well.  I found out later that the Elder Quorums president had taken it upon himself to teach him and get him up there as soon as possible.  I had no idea and am so grateful for the members that we have here. 

My shoulder well...I hate my shoulder but I don't because God gave it to me but I still wish I had another one haha.  I saw the doctor yesterday in Leipzig.  He is a shoulder surgeon.  He was super nice and knew exactly what was wrong and gave me two options to do.  I didn't even care what the options were!  I was just happy that someone could give me an answer!  It took 3 hours of testing though...He told me that I could get surgery and everything would be okay.  I would just have to go home for 4-5 months.  The other answer was to start a muscle building plan to help support my shoulder.  I agreed with the latter.  SHOULDER DON'T PHASE ME!!  I am talking to President on Wednesday about what will take place.  Grateful for all of your prayers.  I love you and hope that you have a wunderschönen Tag :)

Elder Häis

Love it

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........hhhhhhhhhh

I have neber bien zo tired im my life...I LOVE IT THOUGH.  That's the weird thing.  Missionaries say that you are never not tired...you just get used to being tired.  It's fantastic. 

The teaching here is going great.  I absolutely love teaching.  I am pretty good at it too!  There is not a better activity in the world.  This week has been a toughy, we have had a lot of appointments fall out and it just kills you when that happens.  You get all of your excitement up, get everything planned and then they just don't show!  The devil is a terrible person.  Bad.

It is very hard to make a difference in a ward like Dresden as a single missionary because of the quantity of people but the only thing we can do is try.  I have become great friends with Samuel and Luisa Schmitt and also Br Schmidt and a couple of other families but just trying to make my difference that I want to make.  

Know that I love you and think about all of you daily. 

Danke für alles was ihr tut und euren Gebeten.  Ich kann Die fühlen. 

Ich weiß das der Herr  uns lieb hat und daß er für uns da ist.  Wir müssen aber zuerst uns an ihm wenden.

Ich habe euch lieb!

Elder Hays