Guten Tag

I just got back from the zoo here in Leipzig with our zone!  So much fun.  It is supposedly the biggest zoo in Europe?  Not sure if that was right but it is freaking huge.  

Bet you're wondering if I'm getting transfered or not...I'm staying in Groitzsch!  Elder Guccione got transfered to Neubrandenburg though, so I get a new companion tomorrow!  He is from Switzerland!  I'm pumped to see how he works.  This week was really good. 

We got Schw. Ro**** baptismal date moved to a date that she isn't so busy on and we actually made out 2 more baptismal dates for that date also!  We could pretty well have 3 baptisms on the 23rd of May!  That would be amazing.  In order for that to happen, we just have to keep them coming to church so that would be really cool to see that. 

Happy Birthday Erika!  I get to skype you guys in a couple of weeks so I will see you then but just a couple of more days!

Here is a picture of me,  Elder Guccione & Br. Heynold.  Brother Heynold is so amazing.  He has had so so many struggles through life and has had so many different things happen to him that are incomprehendable.  He was pretty low in December this last year and Elder Guccione and I started working with him when I got here and he has left everything behind and has really devoted his days to missionary work with us.  He comes with us sometimes the whole day to work.  He now is incredibly strong in the gospel and has goals in life.  

Brian is now in the Stake Presidency!  Wow!  That is so awesome!  Doug also going into the High Council.  Awesome!  It's so awesome how strong our family is in the gospel.  I'm so blessed for the many examples I have!  

Well I am now the man in charge of Groitzsch.  I just barely got done with the training this last week and now I am teaching others about the area and what's going on.  It is kind of scary but I know that I can do it.  I have some plans of what I want to happen and then it's goin down!  

This is a pic of Thom and I. We are totally best friends!

This week I have read a lot in revelations and really wondered about the things dealing with the last days.  I studied forever.  Long story short I decided that even though it would be really intresting to know, we really can't understand it at all in our human state.  Even if God would give us more information, we wouldn't be able to understand and just be confused.  I decided that I would just read the BOM because it is so simple and beautiful that anyone could understand it and know the way to live with Heavenly Father again.  So grateful for the Book of Mormon.  

Great week this week.  I love you all and can't wait to see you in a couple of weeks!

Love, Elder Hays

Growth occurs outside of your comfort zone . . . .

Well hi...

So I'll start off by saying I played the guitar and the piano in a recital, held by one of our members.  I know, it's awesome.  That was a lot of fun but they were all just old ladies and then us two missionaries hahaha it was like a book club.  All the gossip, totally got into it though...That was on Sunday. 

We found out about Boston...That's terrible.  I really about started crying ha...I can't believe what's going on in the world.  In our area there were a dead couple found like a mile from us and a few dead children a week later or so.  It's all so crazy...

I now have a member in our ward who has a crush on me...it's really creepy and I kinda hope I get transfered.  We eat over there all the time and I'm Elder Kleiner to her...(the small one).  Yeah not sure what to do about that...

We still have our two investigators on date but Schw. Ro**** has been really busy because her daughter just had a baby and she is the babysitter of her other kids.  She hasn't been to church because of that and you have to be pretty constant before baptism so she might have to wait a couple of weeks but other than that everything is good!  Just working hard.  

I get to see you guys in less than a month!  We are skyping on mother's day!  Pumped for that haha.  

Elder Guccione is awesome!  We get along.  He is good at motivation giving which is good. 

I really thought this week about something that I learned in the Fitness Industry.  "Growth occurs outside of your comfort zone."  I really took that to heart and you can really apply it to anyone or any situation!  For missionaries, it's talking to that one person who you normally would be afraid to.  Every body builder knows that real growth really occurs when you change up your routine.  Go a little longer.  Do something faster.  Change anything out of your routine.  You learn something about yourself...something obviously wasn't there before that you can now use to become even better.  Get out of your comfort zone and do something random for someone else.  Do something you normally wouldn't do.  The Lord tells us not to be idle.  How do we grow?  Don't be comfortable. 

I hope you are all doing well and can't wait to hear back :)  I love you.

Love Brandon

"Where you invest your love, you invest your life."

Hallo wieder,

Well...This week was swell.

So Schwester Ro**** is still on a baptismal date for May 6 and we now have another!  Herr Ap****  will get baptized on May 18!  He is an investigator who we lost contact with for a long time and now wants to get baptized!  Such a miracle.

The other day, I was listening to a song, written by Mumford and Sons.  It's called Awake My Soul. It has a line in it that says, "In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die.  Where you invest your love, you invest your life...awake my soul."  It got me thinking.  That's totally right.  So I'll ask you the question.  Where do you invest your love?  Well where is it supposed to be?  The Savior said:  "Even as the ^aSon of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to ^bgive his life a ^cransom for many." (Matt. 20:28)  

Turn our love to others as we go thoughout this life.  Minsister to others.  Show them the Light of Christ.  Where you invest your love, you invest your life.  This week we have had a lot of bad experiences.  Lots of people that had no respect for anyone or anything and all we can do for them is mourn.  As Alma did in chapter 32, he mourned for the Zoramites because of their wickedness.  He didn't walk past them like they were lost.  He prayed and asked for strength and the way to go.  Invest your love into the children of God.  Invest your life. 

This week has been tough but the miracles have pulled me through!  I really see the Hand of God and the comfort of His Spirit in my life as I invest my love in the people of Germany.  I have never felt this way before.  Enough to mourn and cry for these people.  I know that the Lord is "on our right and left".

I'm starting a Health Course here.  We are hoping it will bring an intrest because Germans, believe it or not, are really into health.  I have put plans together, talked to a Doctor here and have a course planned out.  Now it's whether I stay in Groitzsch or go.  So I'm going to wait until next transfer to put it into place.  I'm hoping that it will help people get to know the missionaries and we are also teaching a 20 min lesson with each class about the gospel.

Well I love you guys and pray for you day after day.  I hope you are all well.

Love, Elder Hays

PS. It snowed earlier this week but today it was 25°C!  Got my farmers tan started up and I got sun burned today!  

FLY!

Hello Hays Familie,

Como estas...

Sooo this week has been one of our better ones!!  A good week always comes after a tough one right?  Anyways it's been good.  We had been trying to work with the members this week and have gotten to just about every less-active, non-member and member in our area.  We have recieved a ton of referals and look to be getting more!  We have return appointments with about 5 or 6 of the new referals and 2 of them are new investigators with progression!!  It's exciting to see.  It's just always important to look on the week before and see, reflect and change what could be better.  We have been doing that better and have seen a great difference in our spirits. 

Schwester Ros**** is still on her baptismal date for May 4 but we haven't had time to meet with her this week because she has been out of town babysitting so I hope that she can make it! 

We have seen a ton of miracles this week.  I feel so blessed to be here.  OH!  I cut my own hair.  That was interesting.  Tons of fun too.  Don't worry!  I have pictures.

There are a ton of Jehovah's Witnesses here...HOooolllyy crraap.  They bug me soooo much.  I don't know what to do.  They are taking our doors!  They are freaking agressive with the people too!  So when we come by to the door, the people think that WE are jay dubs and SLAM.  They're killin me...I gotta say that I love John and his revelations but they are taking the man WAAAY too seriously.  It's okay...they are nice and have faith in Christ...which is good...they really gotta cut it out with taking our doors though...

We have a New Member who was recently baptized and we gave a lesson this morning about an eternal family and she is looking forward to go to the temple with her son soon!!  Sweet yea?!  The spirit was so strong.  I'm grateful for the Eternal family that I have.

CEDAR CITY TEMPLE!!!!!!  WAAAAAAAAAA?????  That's so so so so cool and I'm so so so jealous that I can't be there...That will be so cool to have there. 

General Confrence?  Immer wunderbar...I loved President Monson's talk about Obedience and also the talk by L. Tom Perry (the guy is turning into another Holland).  He has a sweet voice of THUNDER. 

Yea Jared!  That's so sick!!!!  AHHHHH  I've been praying for him everynight...That makes my week.

Well that was our week.  I probably am getting transfered this next transfer because Elder Guccione just got called as District Leader so I might be getting kicked out, but who knows right?

I love you guys! 

Elder Hays

PS...Totally saw Erika rockin the Choir spotlight!!!  Good work.

Happy Easter

Easter weekend...man...I love this time of year when we can just think of the Savior.  Germans celebrate Easter starting Fritag bis Montag.  So they add a couple of extra days because of how awesome it is.

The ward gave us sooooo much food...I think I gained weight this week which is good because I haven't stopped losing it until now!!!  We came downstairs to the church on Tuesday I think to print off a couple more invitations for a Bible Class we hold and Familie Bau***** was having a family party here and she ran up to us and gave us an array of different cakes...I about died right there...a half of a cheesecake with quark and about 3 more Kilos of random other types.  I am proud to say that we finished it off this week but we still have chocolate left over.  Germany is doing me well.  I hope you all had a wunderbarer weekend!  I did.  At church, we actually had an American missionary come visit his old ward here in Groitzsch.  He is from Springville and served here 20 years ago!! His last name was Magnum and he served Altenberg. It was so fun to talk to their family and get to know them.

One of our investigators said that I look like Justin Bieber this week.  I'm getting my hair cut today. 

That's all I'm saying about that.

Have you recieved my package yet??  I sent it like 5 years ago.  It should show up in the next day or two.  I am completely healthy now :)  YES i got your package!!!  Thank you so so much...it was perfect.  Just what I needed..

Not too much more has been happening around here...We have been doing a lot of finding and have had no luck this week at all with any new investigators.  We've given out a few Book of Mormons but hopefully something will turn out of it.  We actually have an appointment from a referral tomorrow!  We are excited about that because she sounded excited to meet with us so I will let you know what happens there.  Other than that...just a lot of finding! 

Here is a picture of Elder Fuller and I. We met up at Zone Conference. So great to see him!

Disney sounds like a blast and tell Grandpa Hays I saw a car here in a small little dorf, that had about 6 Miami Dolphin and 3 Miami Hurricane stickers on it.  I knocked on every house because I was desperately trying to find out whose car it was but without luck.  Here's a picture of it. . . .

I love you guys!  I can't wait to hear back from you!! Anyways, I love you and Happy Easter!!

Gruß von Deutschland!

Love, Elder Hays