August 25, 2014

So this last week seemed to be all over the place with going to Copenhagen, but we still managed to get around to a lot of our less actives and make it a worthwhile week.

One thing that I know we can be applying better is the use of our planning around big events. We've had a few recently, and with all the travel time I know we could have used that time, and planned around that time, more efficiently. Live and learn I guess.

Elder Pike is pushing me to be better. He wants to just speak the language as much as he can. He's much more patient with it than I admit I've been, so it's good for me to help me get back into that habit that was much easier with older companions.

The trip to Copenhagen went well, and yet again, still no time to do anything other than go to the meeting and go home. So there aren't a lot of pictures.

I came to the conclusion that Denmark is a lot like the Shire. Everyone tries to keep up their garden, generally keep to themselves, and really really really like their vacation time. Plus, sadly more often than not, they enjoy their Tobacco.. :P

We got to go to the temple!! I was able to actually understand it this time in Danish! It was a pretty great experience, and definitely my favorite part of the trip.

I got sent to such a wonderful place on my mission. I have absolutely loved being out here, and having the opportunity to serve. The Denmark Copenhagen mission, better known as, the Disciple of Christ mission, is a wonderful and beautiful place to be right now. It's starting to rain, and get colder again, and the sun doesn't seem to stay as long, but I honestly have fallen in love with it that way. Jacket and sweater weather was always better anyway :)

Elder Pike also gave a talk yesterday in church! I forgot to mention. He did an awesome job, I was so proud ;)

I love you both so much, and hope you have an incredible week.

Much Love
Ældste Pitcher

August 18, 2014

Update on last time. ‘A’ has made a goal of going to the temple on the 21st of November. Very reachable goal. We're filling in the calendar now with meetings, and things she needs to reach before that time. We're excited, and hoping she stays with it even now as she starts going back to work.

This week was pretty crazy. I felt like we may have had a bit of a struggle since coming back after the mission conference with hitting our stride from last week. In any case we still received 4 new potential investigators and one new investigator throughout the course of the week.

Sunset over Viborg

The 4 potentials all came from an idea we had along with the Skive Elders to make a small booth on the gågade during splits in the morning time, and it ended up being quite a success! We talked with many people, and I think Elder Pike has finally broke through any anxiety he may have had with stopping random people on the street.

Another crazy experience this week was the Church headquarters referral we received to a woman named ‘T’ from Tonga who needed a Blessing. She has many friends in the Church who encouraged her to receive a blessing. She had complete faith that it would work is what she told us. She has 3 blood clots in her head, and was in need of some comfort.

The journey was a bit of a struggle up there to Aalestrup, and back as you may have heard from Elder Call :P poor planning on my part, but I felt strongly that this women needed some help. After the blessing she wiped away tears, and we testified that the comforting feeling she felt was the Holy Ghost. She was agreeing with everything we said, and the spirit was bearing witness of everything we were saying to her.

We invited her to be baptized to which she promptly said 'YES!' I was taken aback. Once I had gathered myself I threw out a date and that's when it gets weird. She says that she is pretty sure she is already baptized because she got baptized along with a friend when she was younger just because it seemed like the way she could fit in. Elder Pike and I are going to do some research on that, but she said if she had to be baptized she'd be doing it out of her own will this time rather than to just follow a crowd. Like I said though, we'll have to figure it out. It was just a crazy meeting, and the spirit was so strong.

I had a pretty good week this week. 

We didn't have a lot of time to do some of the things I would have like to have done while we were in Copenhagen..  :P  We did have a good trip though, and it was a lot of fun to see all of my old companions, missionary friends, and MTC group. 

My MTC District at the Mission Conference

I loved the photos that you all sent this week.  I'm way jealous of the lake trip.  It's returning to jacket weather here, which I actually like better as a missionary, but the sun and fun still looks nice every once in a while ya know?  We'll be going back to Copenhagen fyi, so I should be able to get a temple picture, but Nyhavn could be an out of the way stop by that we might not get to. We'll just have to see. Elder Pike really wants to go too, so we'll try our best. 

I'm not going to lie, this last week kind of burned me out.  We were just running from place to place, and I kept feeling like I wasn't able to BUY the right decision.  I just kept making mistake after mistake.  I got really lucky that we had the spirit with us, or else this week would have ended in complete disaster. 

Sometimes I just feel like I can't make the right choice, AND help others.  We ended up almost walking back that night from Tuna's because I didn't realize that there wasn't a bus that would drive back after 8 o'clock..  She really needed that blessing though.  I don't know.  Maybe we should have just waited, and then that would have been breaking another rule of not contacting a church headquarter referral within 24 hours :P 

It would have all been avoided as well if we hadn't went to the wrong city first.  I get my Danish vowels mixed up one time, and we get taken a half hour in the wrong direction :P 

I really did have a good week, just very busy, and I didn't have a lot of time to sit down. Running for trains, running to grab our bikes on Sunday morning because we forgot them that night after our trip up to Tuna, when a member ended up having to come and pick us up late, running to pick up our investigator to take him with us to church ... Running.  I just felt like I needed a break. 

I'm feeling much better today, just tired. Then we got a phone call that one of our investigators whom we had an appointment with moved to Turkey.

Anyway, that was my venting session.  I think I'm good now. 

I love you both very much, and want you to know that I'm doing just fine.  Have a great week!

Ældste Pitcher

August 11, 2014

Yo Yo Ma!  and pa ;) 

I got my package first off, haven't picked it up yet from the post office, but we'll be making a stop by just after emailing :) 

We have started to find more people around this last week! Definitely the best week we've had thus far for pushing the work forward. More people are starting to come back out of the wood work that had been gone for a while, and Elder Pike and I are just happy to finally be hitting our stride.

This week just seemed to fly by in comparison, and I know that that is because of the hard work we put in during weeks previous. Among other great less active recent convert lessons, we were able to commit ‘AK’ (from Iceland) to a date when she will be coming back to the temple! We're working on her calendar now, and she's excited to be able to again have the opportunity to experience the temple.

Elder Pike is enjoying new life as a missionary. The MTC-all-day-studies dust is starting to shake off, and I can really see his progression in the language, even just from last week up to now.

I'm going to Copenhagen this week AND next week!! I get to go once for a mission conference to listen to a member of the 70 speak, and then again the next week for Elder Pike's one month meeting when we'll get to go to the temple!! I'm so excited, I'll actually be able to understand what's going on this time!!  :) 

Then Again, we will be going back for mission conference in September for when Elder Bednar gets here!  These are going to be a great next few weeks. I'll be sure to get pictures :) 

That's great to hear about the Family, and that things are still progressing with Corbin.  Of course everyone is in my prayers.  I love you all very much. 

I liked hearing about Brandon's homecoming thoughts.  His mentioning the hymn reminded me of an experience we had while helping a woman in our branch with her yard this last week. 

During studies in the morning, I looked at the beat up hymn book I had from the MTC (my group all bought fresh new ones from the MTC store for the class and took the beat up ones)  and had the impression that the Skive Elders, who would also be there, and us, should give a song along with their spiritual thought that evening after service.  I don't know where all of the hymns are yet in the book, but the member said she would like to sing 'Være hos mig til denne nat'  (or something like that) and then I translated it into my head and immediately took a hit to the chest when the translation went through.. It was 'Abide with me tis even tide'.

Recently I've been having some feelings of inadequacy as far as being able to actually be a means of change in others lives, and when I heard that song I couldn't keep myself together. I had to look away from the group to try and blink away tears more than a few verses and was cutting in and out at the high notes.  I felt a real calm come over me. 

We've experienced a lot of success this week, and I know that it's because of your prayers on my behalf.  I love you guys and hope that you have an amazing week.  Know that I am praying for you, and miss you very much :)

Ældste Pitcher

August 4, 2014

This week has started to show some progression in our area. Though we are still looking for more people to pull through with appointments that haven't yet, we've been able to see some growth in our area just in the last few weeks.

It definitely isn't the same area as when I first got to Viborg. The people have changed, Who we are teaching has changed, in some cases for the worse, some for the better, but I have felt very confident with the effort we have put in and have faith that as we continue to put forward that same effort each week, that we are going to find those who are ready to listen and progress.

Elder Pike is doing well. He seems to get frustrated quite a bit when he isn't understanding, but who doesn't? He has that desire to participate fully in lessons, but he's still a little bit shy to say something in case it doesn't come out just how he wants it to.

We've set goals so that as a companionship we can share the teaching more equally, and so that Elder Pike can begin to feel more comfortable with speaking during appointments.

In other news from this week, we helped move a diagnosed psycho maniac this last week. You may remember her as 'M', the hippie woman we were teaching.  I won't go into details, but she moved to Copenhagen and lost her marbles. 

We also moved our buddy Carl to a new apartment just a few streets down.  He's happy and just doing like he does.  I love that guy.  What an awesome convert. 

Last monday I baked an apple pie!! I feel pretty good about myself.  I MADE shortening :) They don't sell it here so I grabbed a few Things that I figured could be used to substitute and it turned out really well!! I'll be sending pics. 

On Sunday Elder Pike and I went to a wedding a half hour north of Viborg on bikes for some of our Congo friends, Erik and Francine, who were getting married.  They were so great, and they even had us take some pics with them like we were family!! I'll have to get them from them and send them next week.  I failed to get my camera out in time. :P  sorry.

We got some awesome African food and then chatted with some of our other Congo friends that were there whom we haven't had contact with in a while.  Just a fun trip.  Such a great culture they have. 

I have to be quick this week we are pretty busy with appointments today and we still wanted to go to a mine in our area for p day, so we gotta hustle! 

They aren't terribly in common, but I do know that every once in a while people can pick up on German.  I once had a little kid ask me if I was from Germany because I was speaking 'funny' ;)  so maybe they aren't too far off. 

I'd say hold off on the ice skates for right now, until I get an ok.  I'll let you know later on.  I look forward to the package.  :)  I love you Guys, and hope that you have an awesome week.  ALSO!!!

This last week I was talking with the senior couple in our district and they started talking about a Danish member here who is about my age, and looking to play college in the states for American Football.  I told him I knew a guy.  Could you have Phil Farmer or John Scott email me next week, I have a referral for them :) 

Love you Guys!!

Ældste Pitcher