Forget

So R***** is getting baptized on Sunday!  We still have to do the interview but she knows everything and she is doing great.  We have been struggling to find new people in the last couple of weeks and that is now our focus in these next couple of weeks.  We just have had no time to actually go out and find so we are trying to put these finding activities into our traveling time.  Talking to people on buses, trains and just along the way.  We do this a lot but we are doing this at all times now.  This will help us greatly as in order to baptize many people, you have to talk to a lot of people.  If you want to baptize a couple of people, you talk to a few people.  The Lord commanded us to open up our mouths.  

I have really thought a lot about the fact that we humans have terrible memories.  We forget.  A lot.  Peter talks about it in his Epistle: 'But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Yea, I think it ameet, as long as I am in this btabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.'

There is a billboard here in Germany that says: 'Das Vergessen ist das grösste Katastrophe.'  Translated means:  To forget, is the greatest catastrophy.  The more we study, read and ponder the things that the prophets have given us, the more we will remember; but here is another tip, USE what you have learned.  Share it with someone else, with your husband, kid, dog it doesn't matter.  As the words come out of your mouth, speaking the things that the scriptures tell us, they will start to become ingrained into our heads.  I have really seen this so far on my mission that the things that I not only study but the things that I write down and share and explain are a source that i can pull from time and time again.  I have so many scriptures memorized now, not because I have sat down and read them over and over again, but becuase I have just shared them with others.  Share what you learn, and you wont forget.  

I wish you all a great week and congratulations to Steven and Savannah Dawson!  

I love you all, Elder Hays

On the mend

Hey Mom :)  We worked a lot today so we don't have much time for emails but I was sick until about yesterday.  I was in bed until Thursday and could not just shake whatever I had.  No idea but I was out of it.  Some Sisters came and brought me medicine and that helped me with the whole sleeping problem.  I am doing better now.

Sadie is gone?  I knew this would happen...I wish I could have been there but I probably would not have helped with the whole emotional situation...

Well not much happened this week.  I am grateful for other missionaries and all that they do to support others.  I just hope that I am one of those missionaries that can be trusted to help anyone at the phone call.  I am working on it but I feel like I have done a lot but it is important to not only just be a great help when you want to but to live that way and to include it into your nature.  That's what I am trying to do.  We should be having a good week this week so I am excited.  Thank you for the easter eggs packet.  Elder Liddiard and I will have a great time with that:)

Sorry for the lame email but know that I am doing better.  I have made a few life decisions in this past week while talking to a lot of missionaries about their opinion.  And prayer of course.  It is weird...I really want to do all these cool things just so that I can reach them but I am thinking about my future family in my decisions now.  The mission is the place where we can receive answers for all of these things like it says in my patriarchal blessing.

I love you!  I miss you.

Liebe grüße,

Elder Hays

Thougts on the Godhead

The sickness strikes back...I have been sick all week and it got worse yesterday haha.  Ahh man I just have an ear infection and a fever but they don't want to go away.  I probably should go buy medicine so I can sleep better so good thing today is P-Day!  wooooooo

General Conference was super good!  I love how motivating it all is.  Just gets you so stoked!!!!   Like I said though I was swaying back and forth a little on the front row yesterday watching it all, the ward probably thinks I drank something.  We watch the Saturday sessions and the Sunday morning sessions only.  Next week we watch the Sunday afternoon session.  Oh well.  Other than that I am doing swell.  R****** is still excited to be baptized, we are teaching her 3 times a week and have had a great time together.  Her husband is also on his way.  

This week I have thought a lot about the Godhead and also faith.  The Godhead is something that obviously everybody in the church should know about but I feel like it is missunderstood in many ways.  John 14 talks a lot about it.  I think it is sad that many churches view God as a floating nothingness.  That is pretty stupid actually.  It is important that we recognize the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost as 3 seperate beings but one in purpose.  The Father created us, gave us life, the Son who was in glory, came to earth, got a body and brought forth the Atonement to save souls, the Holy Ghost is a sanctifier, He testifies of the Father and the Son and their purpose.  We should only be worshiping the Father.  The Son worshiped the Father and taught us how we should do that and therefore we do not worship the Son.  We are eternally in the Son's debt for what He did for us and therefore we should be thankful and follow in His footsteps.  He showed the way.  Faith in these principles come on different levels.  We can sit at home and say we believe and live our lives according to the world or in other words be hypocrites, or we can practice our faith and realize that we are not alone.  God sees our steps and counts them.  He knows what we do and I think that many people don't realize that in the fulness including my self.  How would we live our lives different if the Son of God was in our presence?  What would we do different?  Do you know what's crazy?  He is there, He sees it all!  The question that I ask myself is what would I look like if Jesus was with me?  How would I act?  I have one word: different.  What can I do know that I have realized this?  Change.  The enabling power of the Atonement allows us to change for the better.  Repent, start again and do it better.  Show others along the way.  

I wish I could write more but that is about all the energy I got ha.  I miss you all and hope you have a great week:)

Liebe grüße,

Elder Hays