Week #18 There is a Corinth after Athens

November 14, 2017

Week #18 There is a Corinth after Athens

Guten Tag meine familie und Freunde!

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing great. This week was a learning experience for sure. We had a service project with our branch president last Wednesday. We hauled wood for about an hour and a half. It was a little bit rough because we had to push a wheelbarrow full of wood up a muddy slope over and over. It was a fun service project but a bit slippery. Afterwards, we met with a cool guy named Ephraim. We met him on the street when he asked for directions. He loves Jesus and the Bible. He loved to talk about Christ. So much that we were there for 2.5 hours. A nice meeting for sure but I was feeling tired though. He gave us an alarm clock as a gift so we could listen to FM Radio. It was hard to explain we can't listen to FM Radio but... it is the thought that counts.

Selfie with a potential named Ephraim. He gave us an alarm clock for free

On Thursday, Godwin had his baptismal interview and passed! I was so happy. He is such a good kid and I am glad he wants to get baptized. The plan is to have his baptism on the 18th. It is quite exciting!!

On Friday, we went down to Munich for Zone Conference. Elder Paul V. Johnson from the Seventy visited us. He is a wonderful teacher and knows the scriptures very well. One of his best thoughts had to do with Paul. Paul went to Athens to preach but found little success. He then went to Corinth and had a lot of success. The question Elder Johnson asked was: "Was Paul a different missionary in Athens than he was in Corinth?" The answer is no. Paul was just as diligent, faithful, and valient in both places. The message was is that there is always a Corinth after Athens. There are always rough, hard days but the good days are what we treasure. Sometimes we have to live through the hard times in order for the good times to happen. It was a really good lesson for me.

On the way home, we talked with other missionaries on the train ride home. After they got off their stop, I saw a girl named Rebecca staring at us. We got to know her and she actually gave us her number! We had to refer her to Augsburg but she was still interested. After she left, an older gentleman looked at me and I started talking to him. He was really cool too and gave me his email. It is cool how the Lord places certain individuals where we are at and gives us the courage to speak up.

Selfie with Rebecca- A referral

On Saturday, we went to a baptism in Göppingen. It was incredible to see how powerful a baptism can be. It is simple but it is so important for the children of God.

On Sunday, I got to play for the Primary Program. It was so much fun. Primary songs are the best. It has been great to have oppritunities to serve this branch. One lesson I have learned is how important members are to the missionaries. The relationship between the two needs to be strong in order for the work to be effective. I have come to love this branch. They are a special group of people.

Busy on the piano!

Monday, we had our last district meeting of this transfer. I am staying in Ulm with Elder Walton. The next transfer day is December 15th and the next transfer is 8 weeks. It is interesting to see what will happen the next several weeks. Also, I am not a Golden anymore. I am a regular missionary tomorrow. At some points, it is exciting. Other days... not really. Oh well. There is nothing like missionary work.

Hope you are all doing well. Please pray for Godwin this week. He is making a very important decision this week and he needs support behind him. Thank you for all that you do. Until next week.

Elder Evans