Transfer calls already this week? Time is going by fast!
So this week was pretty good. Elder Jongejan and I have had a lot to do and have been really busy, which is good. The sad thing is that I can't remember what we really did last week and I have even started to write them down. Well let's see what we have got...,
So first off Elder Jongejan and I were looking for a place that sells pens and envelopes. We found a possible place called "Paulos Buchhandlung." We were like sweet! So we walk right in and I start to see pictures of the Pope and some other religious things. Then this Nun walks by and asks if she can help with anything. I thought "That makes sense now." Everything clicked. Then some old lady cornered me off and started talking to me with a thick Bayerisch accent (I to this day do not remember what she said) and all I got out of it was, "It's nice to see people laugh and smile, the old folks home is horrible." Something to that effect. Well they didn't have any pens or envelopes so we walked right out, and thought about how that may look. A couple of Mormons walking out of a Catholic bookstore. Haha, we are such greenies out here.
We had another good week of ward soccer night. I didn't break or injure anything this time though! But we still played hard and our investigator told me that I am an attacker... funny. Haha.
So a couple of nights ago, Elder Jongejan was trying to fix a light bulb. (he is way tall, the perfect person to do it) and he twisted in in the socket and it made some cool purple and green looking sparks. That was way fun. Missionary apartments are always a blast.
So as far as my care package, I got aunt Glenda's but I didn't get yours. Don't feel bad about me not getting it. (It's probably a good thing so I don't get any fatter than I already am(+ 20 lbs)) And as far as Christmas goes, just use that money to pay for that month. I don't really need anything. I am however, excited for the package whenever I get it.
Zone Conference was pretty good. I really enjoyed listening to all the new ideas that are being tossed around. The more and more I learn and stay here, the more and more I become aware of missionary politics. Dont worry though, I am not going to complain about that. I can honestly see it impeding the work though. Just saying.
Well I don't really know what else happened this week. We had some good appointments and some not so good ones but that comes with the job.
Have fun back home and try not to have too much fun without me.
Love You!
Elder Trevor Baker
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
September 19, 2011 Locked IN!
So I guess this week didnt have much going on but there were a few funny instances. Probably the best one was when Elder Jongejan and I got locked in the apartment.
So what happened was that Elder Jongejan left his keys in the door over night, and the Zone Leaders had to go up to Frankfurt early in the morning. So they left at about 7:00 and thought that the keys were theirs and decided to lock the door behind them on the way out. So Elder Jongejan and I go through studying and get ready to go out and do some work and that's when we realized it. We were locked in... on the second floor. So what happened was we called the Zone Leaders and they were in a meeting so they didn't answer. We basically cancelled everything that we had going on that day (which wasn't much) and chilled in the apartment. So about a couple of hours later, Elder Anderson calls us and says, "I am so sorry." He said that he thought the keys were his and that he wouldnt be home until 9:30 (it was actually 9:45) and that we really couldn't do anything. Then he asked us if we have ever seen the movie The Princess Bride. We said yeah, and then he suggested that we tie bed sheets together and rappel out the window (I kid you not, that's what he suggested). Elder Jongejan and I look out the balcony thing and see that its a good 20 ft drop down to the pavement. I wasnt really thinking about how bad that would be if something went wrong, but I was thinking about how long it would take for some neighbor to call the cops on us. So we decided to just do some more studying and playing Die Siedler von Catan all day.
That was just about the coolest thing that happened to us this week. Other than Oktoberfest starting this week. We get to enjoy it today! Aha just kidding. But seriously, I saw massive groups of guys walking around the inner part of the city in Lederhosen. It looked pretty ridiculous. I even heard that Elder Mayle bought some.
So General Conference is coming up, which we get to see at our ward building. It's the stake building so a ton of people are going to be there. We have already started inviting lots of people, less actives, inactives and so on.
It has started to get cold around here! Finally! It feels like Autumn (Winter too) is here! We have already started listening to Christmas music!
Elder Jongejan and I joke about how some missionaries letters compare to the area they serve. So in South America, they talk about lots of baptisms and a bajillion lessons each week. In North America they talk about way awesome spiritual experiences and how many member referrals they get. But here, because of how many times we get rejected, we have to laugh and joke a lot. I think its something that takes our minds off of the rejection. I have honestly never had a time in my life where people were rejecting what I say and what I am teaching, than out here. But I am learning a lot and I feel like I am making the most of my time here.
It doesn't seem like we have any baptisms on the horizon here but on a brighter note (and a completely different topic) I finished the Book or Mormon this morning. Like actually studying it, it was intense. Now I guess I am going to start in D&C and then move onto the Old Testament. Yeah, thats right. That's how hardcore we are here.
We are having a degree of sucess. We got a contact last week, and also a lesson yeasterday! Yeah, then we found out that they are already being taught by the other Elders... But we got a referral and we set up an appointment with him so that should go well.
Well like 2 weeks left in this transfer and time has been flying by! It's unbelievable.
I guess the only "TRAGIC" thing (haha) is that I HAVENT BEEN GETTING CHICK MAIL! WHAT IS THIS? Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps you going. lol Elder Jongejan STILL gets chick mail, and he is 1 transfer older than me.
So yeah, good times here in Nürnberg, things are going well. Thanks for the packages that you all sent and I really do appreciate it, even if I dont write an ultra impressive email. It's great, I love it.
So yeah, I will catch you all next week!
Love you!
Elder Trevor Baker
So what happened was that Elder Jongejan left his keys in the door over night, and the Zone Leaders had to go up to Frankfurt early in the morning. So they left at about 7:00 and thought that the keys were theirs and decided to lock the door behind them on the way out. So Elder Jongejan and I go through studying and get ready to go out and do some work and that's when we realized it. We were locked in... on the second floor. So what happened was we called the Zone Leaders and they were in a meeting so they didn't answer. We basically cancelled everything that we had going on that day (which wasn't much) and chilled in the apartment. So about a couple of hours later, Elder Anderson calls us and says, "I am so sorry." He said that he thought the keys were his and that he wouldnt be home until 9:30 (it was actually 9:45) and that we really couldn't do anything. Then he asked us if we have ever seen the movie The Princess Bride. We said yeah, and then he suggested that we tie bed sheets together and rappel out the window (I kid you not, that's what he suggested). Elder Jongejan and I look out the balcony thing and see that its a good 20 ft drop down to the pavement. I wasnt really thinking about how bad that would be if something went wrong, but I was thinking about how long it would take for some neighbor to call the cops on us. So we decided to just do some more studying and playing Die Siedler von Catan all day.
That was just about the coolest thing that happened to us this week. Other than Oktoberfest starting this week. We get to enjoy it today! Aha just kidding. But seriously, I saw massive groups of guys walking around the inner part of the city in Lederhosen. It looked pretty ridiculous. I even heard that Elder Mayle bought some.
So General Conference is coming up, which we get to see at our ward building. It's the stake building so a ton of people are going to be there. We have already started inviting lots of people, less actives, inactives and so on.
It has started to get cold around here! Finally! It feels like Autumn (Winter too) is here! We have already started listening to Christmas music!
Elder Jongejan and I joke about how some missionaries letters compare to the area they serve. So in South America, they talk about lots of baptisms and a bajillion lessons each week. In North America they talk about way awesome spiritual experiences and how many member referrals they get. But here, because of how many times we get rejected, we have to laugh and joke a lot. I think its something that takes our minds off of the rejection. I have honestly never had a time in my life where people were rejecting what I say and what I am teaching, than out here. But I am learning a lot and I feel like I am making the most of my time here.
It doesn't seem like we have any baptisms on the horizon here but on a brighter note (and a completely different topic) I finished the Book or Mormon this morning. Like actually studying it, it was intense. Now I guess I am going to start in D&C and then move onto the Old Testament. Yeah, thats right. That's how hardcore we are here.
We are having a degree of sucess. We got a contact last week, and also a lesson yeasterday! Yeah, then we found out that they are already being taught by the other Elders... But we got a referral and we set up an appointment with him so that should go well.
Well like 2 weeks left in this transfer and time has been flying by! It's unbelievable.
I guess the only "TRAGIC" thing (haha) is that I HAVENT BEEN GETTING CHICK MAIL! WHAT IS THIS? Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps you going. lol Elder Jongejan STILL gets chick mail, and he is 1 transfer older than me.
So yeah, good times here in Nürnberg, things are going well. Thanks for the packages that you all sent and I really do appreciate it, even if I dont write an ultra impressive email. It's great, I love it.
So yeah, I will catch you all next week!
Love you!
Elder Trevor Baker
Monday, September 12, 2011
September 12, 2011 Elder Bednar's visit
Hey guys, so this week seemed like just another week. It seems like it's been forever since I had a Pday. Maybe it's because Elder Bednar came and talked to us.
By the way, that was way awesome. If you wanted to get good notes you could probably check Elder Garlick's blog. I didn't take notes. Now that's not because I am lazy, but it's because Elder Bendar said that it wouldnt help us if we took notes. It was interesting. He talked a lot about being Agents and acting for ourselves, and not being acted upon. It was way cool. He even discussed at some lengths some of the Mormon "Culture" and what is, and what isn't, doctrine. He said that to make sure you dont start taking in weird doctrines, you should check to see if there is scriptural evidence to back it up, as well as the repeated words of apostles and prophets.
Well this past week I played soccer or Fußball with the ward. They were pretty good, considering that they play soccer all the time. It went really well until I nearly sprained my ankle. I kinda did but I am still able to walk on it, and move around without it hurting. We also took one of our new investigators to Gemeinde Sport and what was funny was that Elder Jongejan slide tackled him and he wasnt very happy about it. He was all good in the end though.
We also made out 8 appointments this week, which is amazing, especially for Germany. Then by some unfortunate series of events, 9 of those 8 appointments fell out. Yeah, if you can picture it, we made out a couple more after the week started and one of them fell out. So as you might have guessed we started to reevaluate our stratagy for this transfer.
So we were out doing doors for an hour or so and there was one where a little kid opened up the door. I asked if his parents were home. So this little guy goes back and starts talking in some unknown language. He comes back and slams the door. Yeah, I got the door slammed in my face by a 4 year old. Elder Jongejan said it was hilarious. I beg to differ.
Ok so I guess here is the "challeges" section of my email. I refuse to call them "complaints" or something like that. So as far as tracting goes, out here in the Germany Frankfurt Mission, you are happy that you gave out a pass along card, let alone get contact info. Now I am not saying this is a blanket that covers all of tracting, but as far as my experience goes, there are few exceptions to the rule. Now the solution to this problem is quite simple. Work with the members. There is a lovely quote by Pres. Gordon B. Hinkley in Preach My Gospel, but I don't have time to find it right now. Basically he says that when people think of missionary work, they think of tracting. But those who are familiar with the work know that there is a better way. And that is through the members. Now this can't be more true. For me, working, getting to know, and building relationships with the members is probably the most rewarding form of working out here. Now don't get me wrong, we still have to go tracting sometimes, but 1. it's not as effective, 2. you get little results for the work that you do. So there's my two cents on that.
And just one more "challenge". Its definitely interesting getting used to a 4 man apartment. Let alone living with the Zone Leader. I guess it just takes some getting used to. I love my sleep way too much, and we rarely get to bed at 10.30.
So I was at this Elder Bednar conference and there was a sister (older, but of course not old) who was looking at me kinda funny. So she came up to me and said that she worked with Grandma at BYU-Hawaii. Her name is Sister Chase and I hear that they are still in contact. It was cool and she said that I really did look like a baker. (Even though I am getting fat) Seriously, this double chin thing has to go...
Oh also, Zone Conference is on the 22 of this month. Please dont feel rushed to send me the box if it's going to cost a fortune. I am a patient person. There is a reason why I was able to run 26.2 Miles. There is that and also General Conference, so there is a chance that I could get it there. And thanks for getting me another camera. From now on, I will back up all the images I get... sadness though.
Well, I hope everything is going well back home. Tell Colin Happy Birthday! for me. Love you guys!
Tschüß!
Elder Trevor Baker
By the way, that was way awesome. If you wanted to get good notes you could probably check Elder Garlick's blog. I didn't take notes. Now that's not because I am lazy, but it's because Elder Bendar said that it wouldnt help us if we took notes. It was interesting. He talked a lot about being Agents and acting for ourselves, and not being acted upon. It was way cool. He even discussed at some lengths some of the Mormon "Culture" and what is, and what isn't, doctrine. He said that to make sure you dont start taking in weird doctrines, you should check to see if there is scriptural evidence to back it up, as well as the repeated words of apostles and prophets.
Well this past week I played soccer or Fußball with the ward. They were pretty good, considering that they play soccer all the time. It went really well until I nearly sprained my ankle. I kinda did but I am still able to walk on it, and move around without it hurting. We also took one of our new investigators to Gemeinde Sport and what was funny was that Elder Jongejan slide tackled him and he wasnt very happy about it. He was all good in the end though.
We also made out 8 appointments this week, which is amazing, especially for Germany. Then by some unfortunate series of events, 9 of those 8 appointments fell out. Yeah, if you can picture it, we made out a couple more after the week started and one of them fell out. So as you might have guessed we started to reevaluate our stratagy for this transfer.
So we were out doing doors for an hour or so and there was one where a little kid opened up the door. I asked if his parents were home. So this little guy goes back and starts talking in some unknown language. He comes back and slams the door. Yeah, I got the door slammed in my face by a 4 year old. Elder Jongejan said it was hilarious. I beg to differ.
Ok so I guess here is the "challeges" section of my email. I refuse to call them "complaints" or something like that. So as far as tracting goes, out here in the Germany Frankfurt Mission, you are happy that you gave out a pass along card, let alone get contact info. Now I am not saying this is a blanket that covers all of tracting, but as far as my experience goes, there are few exceptions to the rule. Now the solution to this problem is quite simple. Work with the members. There is a lovely quote by Pres. Gordon B. Hinkley in Preach My Gospel, but I don't have time to find it right now. Basically he says that when people think of missionary work, they think of tracting. But those who are familiar with the work know that there is a better way. And that is through the members. Now this can't be more true. For me, working, getting to know, and building relationships with the members is probably the most rewarding form of working out here. Now don't get me wrong, we still have to go tracting sometimes, but 1. it's not as effective, 2. you get little results for the work that you do. So there's my two cents on that.
And just one more "challenge". Its definitely interesting getting used to a 4 man apartment. Let alone living with the Zone Leader. I guess it just takes some getting used to. I love my sleep way too much, and we rarely get to bed at 10.30.
So I was at this Elder Bednar conference and there was a sister (older, but of course not old) who was looking at me kinda funny. So she came up to me and said that she worked with Grandma at BYU-Hawaii. Her name is Sister Chase and I hear that they are still in contact. It was cool and she said that I really did look like a baker. (Even though I am getting fat) Seriously, this double chin thing has to go...
Oh also, Zone Conference is on the 22 of this month. Please dont feel rushed to send me the box if it's going to cost a fortune. I am a patient person. There is a reason why I was able to run 26.2 Miles. There is that and also General Conference, so there is a chance that I could get it there. And thanks for getting me another camera. From now on, I will back up all the images I get... sadness though.
Well, I hope everything is going well back home. Tell Colin Happy Birthday! for me. Love you guys!
Tschüß!
Elder Trevor Baker
Monday, September 5, 2011
September 5, 2011 Now In Nurnberg(German)/Nuremberg (English)
Well, here I am in Nürnberg. This place is pretty cool. I have seen quite a bit of success here in this area in the past few days. We actually live right across the street to a cement factory. It gets pretty noisy at night.
So our apartment is a 4 man apartment. We share it with the Zone Leaders. So yeah, Elder Jongejon is my companion (all 6´8´´ of him), and then there is Elder Krebs (Elder Cancer) from Switzerland, and then Elder Anderson who is the Zone Leader. We have a good time and unfortunately, because it's raining we wont be going outside much for pday. I guess we will play Die Siedler von Catan or something. We have a good time.
So as for my new address it would be easiest if you put the mission home address on the ward bulletin. That way, I won't have to wait for 5 months to get a letter that someone sent me after I left.
So my new area Nürnberg is about the size of Charlotte and there are only 4 of us here! Its so nuts! I am in the same zone as my trainer again, and actually he is like 2 cities away from me. He is down in Regensburg.
So Elder Jongejon and I have more lessons planned this week than I have ever had before. We have like 2 days just filled with appointments (none of them are eating appointments, sadly) and we have been getting contacts out the wazoo! I really like this place. I even cracked a joke during testimony meeting and got a pretty stiff response. I was about to say tough crowd, but no one would have got it. Oh well. It's just different I guess.
As for the email thing, I dont think its exclusive to just family. The only rule about it is that it says not to let emails preoccupy anything else that you are supposed to do. "limit correspondance with others" is what it says.
Tell Colin that he has to do a ton of running for me. Haha
So I think I walked by one of the massive stadiums that Hitler used during WW2 for some of his speeches. It was way crazy. The place was massive. I also talked with a ward member about the whole ordeal with Hitler stealing all the artwork in Europe and trying to purge Europe in the process. I felt very sophisticated.
So there are a few things I learned this week. When I lost my camera, I decided to let it concern me, but not let it control me. I definitely am learning how to control my thoughts and feelings. And I guess that's one of the first steps that you have to take when you apply the gospel to your life. I have a strong feeling that the apostles and prophets are able to control their thoughts every second of every day. Way cool.
As of right now, I feel like I am learning so much so fast, I think Elder Jongejon feels the same way too. We have been so tired for the past week that we decided to get to sleep at like 10 for the past couple of nights. Talking with people all day is exhausting. But talking to people all day in another language and actively trying to listen and think at the same time is extremely exhausting.
We have also been doing dedicated finding time for a minimum of 1 hour every day. Basically that means that we go around and talk to people on the streets and do doors and stuff. So far we have 2 new investigators and made like 2 more appointments with other people. Way awesome!
Well, I will hear from you later! Let me know what you think I should do about my camera situation.
Elder Trevor Baker
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