hahahaha

It was so funny.  The other day I went on exchanges with a missionary serving in Brandenburg who is about to go home.  We both came to my area to work here in Neukölln, we get out of the underground train and the first words that come out of his mouth were, 'Are we still in Germany?'  It was so great...I love my area but we are not in Germany haha.

 

So N**** will be baptized on Sunday!  We are really excited for him to make this step and I am grateful that Elder Lloyd and I were able to help him get there.  There were many missionaries who have played a part in his conversion and that is amazing to see where he now is. 

 

We are meeting this week as zone leaders with President Dykes from the 70 Presidency.  It will be interesting to report on our zone's progress and weaknesses.  I am really excited to see exactly what we need to improve from his point of view. 

 

This last week has been full of meetings and visiting other district meetings, exchanges with other missionaries and of course work :)  We had more success this week than last week which is always an energy booster but I have never been more tired in my life.  I feel like we are on the phone a ton and have little time to focus on our own area.  It is okay because I know the position and what I am expected to do so I will give my all and do more that what is expected of me.  President Kosak talked about that and I really liked it.  Just going beyond what you are expected to do and to blaze a path of example to others. 

 

We are reading the Book of Mormon together as a mission right now and plan on being finished by the end of August.  Wanna do it with us?  I have now read the Book of Mormon 3 times on my mission from beginning to end and have come to the conclusion that it is STILL true.  I can't wait for my next conformation.  I love studying the bible as well.  It is full of information that many don't see but the more you read it and the more you pray for inspiration, the more you will understand and pull out.  Joseph Smith said that the book of Revelations was one of the most plain and simple books or something and I don't know if I can understand it like that yet but it is getting easier! 

 

I am loving my mission.  Going hard but doing it smart.  Pure joy :)

 

I sent some pictures of places we have visited and other random things and thank you for sending the information mom!  It's perfect. 

 

I hope you are all doing well and know that I am :) 

 

Love, Elder Hays

Check Point Charlie

Hard Work

So first off I have a question...could you email me pictures of you two (my parents), my grandparents and great grandparents on both sides?  Not of them together but seperate pictures of them and maybe just a short 2 paragraph memory of them?  A story or something?  We have been asked to prepare a booklet with information and pictures of them all.  Thanks!

 

So we now have 9 baptismal dates in our zone!  It is so cool!  We had a GREAT zone training meeting on Wednesday where Elder Lloyd and myself taught about how to teach and not just talk to people on the street.  The Sister training leaders taught about the doctrine of Christ and how it motivates us to do every thing with missionary work.  Then we had another motivational talk.  It was really great. 

 

Elder Lloyd and I have made out 2 baptismal dates in our area in the last 2 weeks and one of them is on the 31st of May!  We are really excited for him because he is really strong in faith.  We had a great Sunday yesterday and I am getting to know the members a little bit better so it is good.  I am really excited to work with all of the young people in the ward.  I have really learned to love the teenagers here in Germany because they really go through a lot of crap here. 

 

I am doing well, stressed, busy but happy :)  I swear, the more you work and harder you work, the more happier you will be.  That is what President Kimball said, is that work is the medicine of all doubts and sorrow.  HIT THE PAVEMENT AND GO.  Thank you Grandpa for following up on that though. 

 

For P-Day today we are going to checkpoint Charlie and a Jewish Museum.  It will be a lot of fun and I am really excited to see it.  

 

I love you all and thank you for all of your prayers. 

 

Love, Elder Hays.

New Area - Neukölln New Companion - Elder Lloyd

But Mother's day is over now so no more celebrating.  Just kidding!  It sounded like you were all doing well and healthy!  That is super good to hear.  You all looked so grown up!  (Mom didn't). 

That will be the last time that we skype so we will see you soon!  I can't wait. 

We had a really good week in the Zone.  We made out 5 baptismal dates in the last week and we are really progressing.  We have a Zone Training Meeting on Wednesday which we are looking forward to and are excited for.  Today is P-day and we are going to see a couple of things in Berlin and also we are having interviews with President.

I am getting settled in here in Neukölln super well and had a great time at church yesterday.  The ward is super good and the Ward Mission Leader is even better.

I feel like I told you everything yesterday but just want to wish you a Happy Mother's Day mom.  I hope you had a special day because you are a special person!  Special special. After we got done skyping at the Schneider's home we got to have some cake and got to talk.  It was a good day.

Well!  I love you all and am grateful for your prayers!

Love,

Elder Hays

Elder Breitenstein waited at the train station to say goodbye before he had his Exit Interview.

New Companion, Elder Lloyd 

Baptism and a transfer

My time here in Pinneberg is over.  I have been TRANSFERED.  I didn't tell anybody about it until they announced it in Sacrament Meeting and the whole ward gasped.  I got super super close to the people here and I will send some pictures along with this email.  I felt apart of the family here and got a lot of hugs yesterday.  We are still visiting a couple of other people today who I wanted to see before I leave and then it is off to my new area!  It's crazy.  

I gave my testimony in sacrament meeting about the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Everytime that I study about this great man of God and the divinity of his mission, I cry like a little baby.  Before church on Sunday I watched the Joseph Smith movie and just bawled throughout.  I love the Prophet and am grateful for his dedication to his Savior.  

Well I was transfered to Berlin.  The area of Neukölln.  I will be the Zone Leader there in Berlin and am super excited.  I had a really hard day yesterday because of a bunch of things that I found out and things that people had shared with me but I am looking to the future and am excited.  

R****** got baptized yesterday :)  It was a great experience for us all.  Elder Liddiard baptized her and I got to just enjoy the whole thing.  She was so prepared and was very careful to identify her feelings.  She felt the Holy Ghost from day one, quit smoking after 40 years of it and made this wonderful covenant with her Heavenly Father.  I am happy that I was able to see her do it.  

I cut my own hair last week so today Sister Turner is coming to 'fix' it. haha  I thought I was really good at it but I guess I got a little lazy with the trimmers.  

ALLES GUTE ZUM GEBURTSTAG ERIKA!!!!!!

The big 18 now.  Crazy.  I swear you were 4 yesterday.  

I am doing well and enjoying my mission:)  I think that's it, not just working hard and going all out and doing what your supposed to but enjoying it.  Looking at the small things, taking life step for step.  Climbing a tree in your suit because it makes you giggle.  Oh missionaries.  

I love you all!  I think the best time to skype would be at 8 o'clock your time or so.  So you can get to church and stuff.  I hope that is okay.  You will have to send me your skype name again so I can find you and call you.  

Can't wait to see you all!  This will be the last skype session before I see you for REALS!  

Elder Liddiard:)

Saying Goodbye to great people in Pinneberg

Coordinating outfits with Sister Rassmussen

Love, Elder Hays

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