Birthday, Focusing on Missionary Work, and Abendbrot

November 14, 2016

   For my birthday, we had dinner at a member’s home. We had Abendbrot which consists of bread, butter, cheese, and meats. It is one of my favorite things about Germany and I will definitely be missing it as well when I am not here anymore. We also had something called Grünkohl this past week and Schweinfleisch, and Kartoffeln, another very classic northern German winter meal.

It's snow time!!

   My new companion is Elder Bullion and he is from Tennessee and has lived in Kentucky as well, he is a convert of about 4 years now, he is REALLY into music and wants to go into music education as well. Before the mission he graduated high school and he also worked for some sort of factory and that is how he paid for his mission.

   Our plans for Pday are once again, emails, lunch, and naps.

   So we are going to have Zone Conference on Thanksgiving and they do usually make us food, but it is not a Thanksgiving traditional meal but a traditional German meal. I will be getting my packages on Thanksgiving.

   We met a very nice lady from Ghana this past week and we taught her the first lesson.

The Christmas Markets will be up in a couple weeks here and we will be going to go and see them and I am super excited to see them again, I love these markets.

   The investigators are coming along pretty good, we are hoping to get at least one in the water before I head out and so we are working on it. The companion and I are doing pretty good, I knew him from my MTC group.  I think that we have both changed since the MTC. I am trying to make the last few weeks good by not thinking about going home. I have actually gotten a lot better since my last companion left since all he talked about was home and kept saying that I am going home soon. I liked my last companion but that made it difficult to focus.

   It sound like the missionaries are doing some work over there, I would love to stay in California just to help them get people to church and stuff--that is a huge thing I am going to miss after my mission, missionary work. I know I can still do it, but it won't be the same.

Scripture of the week: 3 Nephi 17: 21 “And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

Quote of the week "whom the Lord calls, he qualifies." Thomas S. Monson

Love,

Spencer

Winter weather, Lauenburg, the role of missionaries

October 17, 2016

   Well the cooler weather also means no sunshine, and I am speaking from experience now, the sun does not shine here in the summer and I think that is part of the reason that we are so tired.

   Lauenburg is very small, my smallest town yet. It is 100 Kilometers long so about 62 miles long and it is only small towns, the biggest place in our whole area is about 40,000 people living in it and most of them are college students. It is a very village like feel, very beautiful here, but it is nothing to exciting that goes on here.

   For P-day we are not doing anything too spectacular because, like I said there is nothing to exciting to do here. I did not get to meet someone that interesting this past week but we did get to teach someone about the commandments and someone else about the 5th lesson, she wasn't too interested, but she was an eight year old girl so it was understandable.

   We do not have any other responsibilities in the ward besides missionary work which is really nice actually. We are having a baptism this coming weekend and we are really excited for that and really happy for it.

   Scripture of the Week: 1 Corinthians 2:2 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

   Quote of the week: "The missionaries are there to help others come closer to Christ." Member of the stake presidency here.

Take care and enjoy your week.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Investigators, the Word of Wisdom, and more on the Re-dedication of the Frieberg Temple

September 12, 2016

   Everything is still doing well in Germany. we were able to have 5 investigators at church this past Sunday! which is not something that happens too often. An entire family came to church!!! That was the highlight of my week by far, we also taught them the Word of Wisdom and they want to follow it, which never happens in Germany!! I was so happy about that. 

   I was able to interview someone for baptism this past Saturday which was a really cool experience. I enjoyed it, however I felt really responsible for saying if someone is worthy to be baptized or not.

   This week we were in the state of Hamburg 3 days and this week I have the possibility of being there for 3 more days, I am getting traveled up over here.

   We also have a pretty full week this coming week so I am excited. Also the ward members are finally warming up to us the missionaries in the ward so that is helping a lot.

   The temple dedication was a very interesting experience. We watched the cultural event by satellite. We watched the temple dedication at the stake center in Hamburg.  I was able to understand all of the German, I have been speaking it every day for almost 2 years now so it is pretty easy to understand it. All of the missionaries at the beginning and the end of their missions get to at least visit the temple and I know that when President Fingerle (Elder Fisher’s first mission president) first came in he wanted every missionary to be able to do a session in the temple before they went home.

   Scripture of the week: Doctrine and Covenants 29:7 “And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;”

   Quote of the week: "tithing is not even like a commandment for me, because I want to give it so much." from my baptismal interview with the person who wanted to be baptized.

   I hope that you have a wonderful week and that you enjoy the cooler weather you are having right now!

Love you and hope as well.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Leadership Training Meeting in Hamburg, week of September 5, 2016

Missionary Work is Sprinting Forward and Dedication of the Frieberg Temple.

September 10, 2016

Germany this past week was a little bit rainy, but still very good. Germans do not celebrate Labor Day the same day as us, but there is something called “der Tag der Arbeit” which literally translated means the day of work and that is the first of May.  On P-days since we do not have permission to use a car so today we are just going to go and get an ice cream cone today and relax a little bit and get mentally prepared for the week. I am so excited that I can be in the service of the Lord!

The work is not only going forward but it is sprinting forwards! We were so busy this past week we could hardly believe it.  We met with 11 different people and served a few people as well!  We are still working with the two boys that are part of the part member family, they are really good!  This coming week it was also extremely busy. Our area is huge and it could very well be the largest in the mission, looking at a map (mom note: we’re not sure if he means his own teaching area or his mission zone area).

As part of my personal study, I am starting to read Jesus the Christ  in German.

The highlight of the week though was attending the dedication of the Freiberg temple this past weekend. The cultural celebration was on Saturday and was organized by my old mission president, President Kosak, I also saw youth participating in it that were in previous wards I have served in. A young woman from my first Ward on the mission had a saxophone solo during it as well! It was so cool!! Also President Uchtdorf spoke German the whole weekend as well and that was also awesome. At the dedication, Elder Bednar spoke in German as well, because he served in Germany and he has kept his language up all these years too! It was an amazing experience I shall never forget and to see what all this temple meant for the world at that time and I am so grateful to have served a mission at this exact time to see the dedication of the temple in Freiberg!!

(more blogs to see on the dedication of the Frieberg temple: Germany Berlin Mission 2015-2018 (this is the official mission page and has pictures) , The Adventures of Sister Darton--a sister missionary who was in Frieberg, Freiberg Temple Rededication--this is by a senior couple--who included pictures of the cultural celebration and dedication.  

Scripture of the week: 1 Corinthians 13:2 “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

Quote of the week: D. Todd Christofferson "The perfect, divine expression of fatherhood is our Heavenly Father. His character and attributes include abundant goodness and perfect love."

That is all that I have for the week, I love you and hope that you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Companionship exchanges, and a P-day Hike

May 2, 2016

Missionary hiking selfie with the district.

   We had a good week but nothing too big to report on I guess, we did service, had companion exchange, I was a little sick but got over it within 48 hours so all is good.

The weather here got cold for about a week again then it got warm again and should just keep warming up for the summer since it should start next month.

   My companion and I have found a few more things to talk about, but mainly we are just trying to find interests in each other or we explain things that interest us to one another.

   We had companion exchanges this past week:  The companion exchange is usually about 24 hours sometimes they last a little more or a little less depending on the schedule and everything. The companion exchange was good and we are having another one today.

Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal platz 

   The interesting place that I visited this week is what we visited for Pday today. We had a district P-day today which is where the 8 missionaries in our district get together to spend most of the day together, it was fun, we went for a little hike to see something called Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal Platz. Or at least something like that, it was pretty cool and the weather was nice as well so that always helps people to have a good day together.

   The food here I would say is pretty normal but I would also have to say that the members like giving us non German food, like lasagna, roast chicken (like you make), Arabian food, and other foods that are not actually from Germany.

   I noticed from pictures you sent that Flat Elder Fisher is still around. Are you planning on keeping him until I get home or something?

   I am glad that A. is liking her preschool, but I still cannot believe that she is old enough to start preschool now! She still did not even talk when I was home, I guess they grow up after almost a year and a half.

Kaiser Wilhelm

   Scripture of the week: John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

   

A view from their hike

Elder Fisher and Illum with a
member of their ward

Add caption

Elder Fisher found a new pair of shoes!

Quote of the week: "There has always been terror, there is terror, and there will be terror, indeed there have been terrorists through all of this, there is no need to fear when we have the knowledge of the plan of Salvationist!" Approximate quote Jefferey R Holland

Love you lots and pray for you every day.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

The latest update (April 18, 2016)

April 18, 2018

   Well sounds like everything is going good with you guys and with everything else. Not too much to tell this week, I shipped another companion off and I got another companion who likes to rebuild/remake computers for fun. My companion is from Roy Utah he has been out for about 14 or so months so just a little bit younger than me on the mission. His last area was Greifswald. His name is Elder Zachary Illum.

   I have not gotten tired of the bike yet but I think I tire my companion out sometimes because I ride pretty quickly.

   The last few times we have been meeting in Bielefeld for district meeting. There are 8 missionaries in my district and there is a sister in my district who had the same Book of Mormon class as I did my freshman year and she actually sat behind me, Of course we found this out once we had a conversation about BYU-Idaho and the Book of Mormon teachers that we had.

   I have been studying the book, "Jesus the Christ", a lot this week and reading about the last year setting of his life and the book opens your eyes to the type of person that Christ was and that he really did care so much for these people he was teaching and performing miracles with. (Mom note: if you are interested in reading the book, it is available as a free readable download on gutenberg.org--you can click on the title above for a direct link OR as an audiobook here: "Jesus the Christ" audiobook )

   The interesting person for this week would be a lady that helps with foster kids full time and she tries to help them all that she can, she said we can come by again but she can never promise if she has time because of the kids and also her normal life as well.

I tried making an omelet this week, but it did not turn of the best.

   I have been enjoying my mission and every week is just going by faster and faster and I feel like the mission is just normal like now and it is just flying by. Now because of my mission I like planning out what I am going to do every day and I find dooring okay now and I love Europe and the culture here, I never thought that those things would happen.

   Scripture for the week Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

   Quote of the week "The mission isn't the best two years of your life, it is the best two years for your life."

   That is about all that I have for this week but I hope that you have a wonderful week and that you have some fun experiences.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

General Conference, Service, and Bike Riding

The missionaries in Elder Fisher's district

April 4, 2016

   It feels like spring for sure in Minden but it is supposed to cool off for a few days here soon and then warm up again. The weather here in Germany is crazy I tell you.

   The work is slow but we are working, I feel like every day on my mission it has gotten easier to get out the door and go and do missionary work.

The decorated Easter egg trees Elder Fisher mentioned
in last week's letter

   Last week, for Easter, we ate with a family in the ward and we ate a lot. They gave us soup, salad, lasagna, ice cream, and a cake too! I didn't eat dinner that night or breakfast the next morning I was so full.

   Well I hoped that your cinnamon rolls that you got for General Conference tasted good (I do not remember what they really taste like) I have been enjoying German pastries the whole weekend!

He said this was "something cool looking"

Elder Hunt and Elder Fisher

   I really liked this past conference. We watched conference in English because it is always better to hear it in one’s native tongue. We watched conference in a neighboring ward building in Stadthagen and spent the night with the elders over there because we would have gotten home pretty late if we came home that same night. For the Sunday morning session of General Conference, which is on from 1800-2000 (6-8 pm) here we watched it at our branch president’s house because we caught a ride home with him from Stadthagen—he had come for the sessions that we watched on Sunday morning at that building. We still need to watch the last session of conference but the rest of conference up to where I have watched has been really good and I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the talk from Elder Mervyn B. Arnold about less active work or that is what I understood it to be about that. We will be watching the last session of conference that next week in church as far as I heard.

   The bike riding is going good, I do not think that my companion enjoys it as much as I do, but I enjoy it a lot more than walking everywhere. We usually just ride our bikes [instead of taking them on a bus] because taking our bikes on a bus costs extra money and it is not that much more time effective.

   We went to this one small town this week planning to go by on old investigators and we ended up hiking up this huge hill and once we got to the top it was just farms and we had a view of the whole valley below us, it was cool to see.

   I have seen a few boats here in this city because there is a big canal that goes through this city and a lot of boats that use it.

   My favorite thing to do for service on my mission is to do yard work, because it is outdoors, you can get your hands dirty, and you can wear normal clothes as well.

   If I had some time after my mission before I had to leave for school I would probably try to get more into wood working to but since I am leaving right away I want to do wood carving because I can do that just about anywhere with any block of wood.

   Scripture of the week: " 1 Peter 4: 6 For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." (this was used in a conference talk, too)

   Quote of the week: "murmuring is the scriptural equivalent of childish whining."(Elder Renlund)

   I am keeping dry and enjoying my time. Love you and hope that you have a wonderful week and hope you can enjoy April too.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

At the Stadthagen church building watching General Conference
(missionary selfies are the best!!)

Welcome to Minden!

March 7, 2016

Elder Fisher (not sure if this is in Braunschweig or Minden)

   Well sounds like everything is good.  The spring is slowly coming into play, but it is early spring so it is still pretty cold like 40-50 degrees for the next few weeks. It is still better than 20-30 degrees though.

   

   I am still in the Hannover zone.  For transfer days we always use trains to get to our new areas but it wasn’t that bad this transfer because the train was only like a 2 hour ride. (Mom note: one of his early transfers took him from easternmost part of Germany to the westernmost part of Germany and it took him over 8 hours).  

   I am in the city of Minden and it is good.  We do a lot of walking and use buses.  I would describe this place as a town with a lot of country that is part of our area as well.  We are trying to get new bikes so we can use those in getting around to do missionary work. 

Zone bowling

   My new companion is Elder Hunt and he is from Snowflake, Arizona and but he also lived for a year in North Dakota, too. . He is over 19 months out and he will be going home the 8th of July.  It is just the two of us in the apartment. There are no sisters or couple missionaries in my district but it is a 6 elder district so it is not that bad.  My companion is district leader so I get to go on companion exchanges a lot.

Elder Fisher...it still looks cold!

   I think my new branch is good too. We are in a branch but it is a larger branch. I have already been assigned a talk in this branch so I would say that we will be doing a little more in helping the ward than in my last area (which didn’t need as much help other than missionary work) but from what I have seen, the branch is really good and willing to help us as well.

   I met a lot of interesting people this week but we also found a new investigator from Angola and he is pretty cool.  I cannot tell you too much right now about him because he will be meeting with us this week, but he was nice.

   Dad, I don't even remember what most of the foods taste like anymore that you mention in your emails so I can honestly say that I am not jealous about you eating one of my favorite foods.

   Scripture for the week: Alma 12:33 “But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son;”

   Quote: "all you need is love, love, love is all you need" the Beatles

   I love you and hope that you have a wonderful week and you can stay cool. Thanks for the pictures I enjoy receiving them.

Love,

elder spencer fisher

Discussing the Wedding, the Mini-Missionary, and Learning Something Important.

February 16, 2016

    Well, I guess that was quite the shindig! Judging from the pictures, the weather didn't damper anyone's spirits for Z & N’s wedding! It sounds like you all had quite the “to do” there in Utah and it sounds like everyone had lots of fun. I am happy that so much of the family was able to come and enjoy the wedding in some way or another. I enjoyed the pictures and I would agree with dad that J and LA had a little too much fun with the “Flat Elder Fisher” thing. haha. I must admit it hit me Friday night that my brother is getting married but when I realized he was actually married it was cool! The only thing I wished is that I could have been there but it is good, I rejoice in the fact Z & N got married in the temple. I don't really have much else to say concerning the wedding but I guess I am the next one to get married. Eh, I got time, I do not have to think about that.

Since Elder Fisher is in Germany serving a mission,
his family had a "Flat Elder Fisher" made so he could
be in the family pictures.  This is Flat Elder Fisher with his siblings

Some of the fun things the siblings did with the cutout of
"Flat Elder Fisher" (if you look closely, he's in every picture)

    The mini missionary got here last Monday and he will be leaving on Wednesday afternoon. The school here in Germany is different than America and it is hard to explain so I can do that when I get home—the mini missionary did what we would call vocational school or professional training and now he is furthering his education and his school starts again on March 1.  He is 21 years old and he is from Berlin.  He has a back problem so he did this mini mission to find out if he can even serve a full time mission and sadly the answer is that he cannot, but he isn't getting down on that because he now wants to do more with the missionaries and do more missionary work so it is pretty cool. His mini mission is like what Elder C. did before his mission for a week, it’s mostly just spend a week with the missionaries to see what it is like and try it out. 

    This week I met a person named Gregory who is from Haiti.  He’s met with the missionaries before and in the lesson we taught we asked if he would come to church this week and, when he knew that this gospel is true, if he would be baptized.  He said yes to both and he came to church and we are meeting with him on Tuesday and are planning a baptismal date with him. (mom note: if a young adult is unable to serve a full time mission, there are a lot of other missionary opportunities in the Young Church-Service Mission program.  For more information, please go to this website: Young Church Service Missionaries)

    One thing I studied this week that caught my attention is really how much the prophets of the past and present really do care and worry for EVERY PERSON ON THE WORLD!!!! I thought that was really cool--I already KNEW that I guess but this week I UNDERSTOOD that.

    Scripture of week: Matthew 16:19  "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Quote of the week: "I am single ready to mingle (in a year)"

I love you and I hope that you have a great week!

Love your last single son,

Elder Fisher

Photo from Hannover and Oldenburg Zone Conference on February 10, 2016

Mission Conference with Elder Ballard (continued) and Zone Conference for Thanksgiving

November 23, 2015

   Our meeting with Elder Ballard on November 15^th was really good. He talked to us about talking with people on buses and trains and other cool stuff like that too. He talked about the importance of doing that because when he was mission president he implemented that and the baptisms in his mission went from 20 a month to over 80 a month by the time he was done being mission president. It was really cool and I really liked it. We got to shake Elder Ballard’s hand too. We stayed with the APs in Berlin that night and there were 14 elder staying in one apartment (including my companion and me).  We used most of our p-day time the next day to drive back from Berlin to Rheine.  My companion drove to Berlin and back because Californians aren't allowed to get a German driver’s license and no one else in the car had a driver’s license either. I got to see a few of my old companions but there was not too much time for catching up. My MTC group was all there and I think most of them are doing pretty good too.

   It sounds like you are off like a herd of turtles for the Christmas season already. (I think I am turning into dad, because I wrote that last sentence without thinking about what I was saying.) You got all the Christmas boxes down and that means this will be my second year not decorating with the family. Are you thinking about getting a small tree again this year or are you going to go big to welcome the new addition (Z’s fiancé) to the family? Sounds like you do not have to do too much decorating if Z & N are going to do a lot of it--that is good for you. My companion is really into Christmas and tries to decorate the apartment and listens to Christmas music. Do you ever have a companion that was really into Christmas?

The branch has activities about once a quarter I would have to say but it is still pretty fun. We have 3 youth in the ward but no young adults. My favorite family in the ward is a Dutch family that owns a ranch and is actually a part member family. The couple reminds me of you and dad just because of the way they act, and they are always super nice to the missionaries too.

   We had 4 eating appointments this past week, we ate döners at one eating appointment, we had ribs and fries at another one, we had rice, vegetables, and beef at another but it is called something else and was really good, and another we had a type of Pacific Islander food which was pretty much like an egg roll but wasn't rolled up and it had chicken instead of beef. It was good.

   I think my German is slowly getting better, I like reading the New Testament in German now because I think it says things more clearly in German than English sometimes.  I think it is pretty cool that I can read it in German and understand pretty much everything being said too!!

   The zone conference on Thursday (Thanksgiving) will be the whole day and they will be feeding us there and then we have to drive all the way back home the same night too so it will be a long day.

   In response to your “eating an extra slice of pie for me” comment, my scripture for the week is Ephesians 6:4 "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." I would say focus on the bold part of that scripture. Just kidding dad, I love you and hope that all the pie tastes really good and hope that you have a great Thanksgiving, too!!

   Quote for the week "Come on Elder you have to finish dinner before you get the dessert." -from a member in my ward.

   I love you and hope that you have a good week and that Thanksgiving will be wonderful and you get to know your future daughter in law a little better too!

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Loving the Bad Bentheim, the Food Channel helped teach cooking, and Senior Missionaries

November 2, 2015

Elder Fisher called this his "cannon selfie"
at Burg Bentheim castle

   This week was pretty good and we are really getting along in the companionship still.  I still love the area and would love to stay here for Christmas and I would also be here for my year mark as well so that would be cool. I usually get to know everyone in the ward pretty fast but it is hard for the members to get to know the missionaries. However, I feel like the Bad Bentheim ward knows me pretty well--this area is probably my favorite so far and the ward really trusts me so it is really good. We do have a primary program here--we have about 15 kids in the program and that is really big for a small German ward/branch.

   There are about 25 towns in the Bad Bentheim branch area, but the big ones are Rheine, Schüttorf, Nordhorn, Ahaus, Lingen, Bad Bentheim, Ochtrup, and Gronau. In our area there are not too many refugees—I’m sure there are more than I know about but I don’t know where they are living or where Germany is sending them to.

...and he called this the "double cannon selfie"
at Burg Bentheim Castle

   There are six missionaries in my district, us in Bad Bentheim and 4 in Osnabrück.  We had a senior couple serving in our zone but they just went home. The senior missionaries usually work with the YSA in the stake and they help the missionaries, they inspect the missionaries’ apartments, they help the mission run from a different side of things. Their job is not too similar to what we (I mean finding and dooring and stuff like that) they also try to help the elders in any way they can.

   This past week, my companion and I met a Catholic deacon that talked with us for like 15 minutes and he said he has a lot of respect for us doing something like a mission at this time in our lives.

   Halloween here is just an excuse to party so the missionaries had to be inside at 6:00 p.m.  So on Halloween night, we stayed inside and talked for about 2 hours about important (maybe not so important) topics like music and other stuff then spent time catching up on writing in our journals for the next hour so we were somewhat enjoying Halloween plus we also had a few lessons earlier that day so I cannot complain too much.

A view from the Burg Bentheim Castle

   When it is my turn to cook, I cook pizza, Brot Wurst, bacon and eggs, french fries, country style potatoes, and a few other things. Watching the Food Channel so much before my mission really is starting to pay off.

   By the way, we actually changed the clocks a week ago! I was wondering why you didn't say anything about that last week! But yeah we changed the time a week ago, because that is when Germany did it.

   I am really happy for Z.--I am glad he found someone, it seems all the siblings are getting married about 3 years apart from each other so it looks like I will have to get married in about 2019 the way I look at it. And thanks for the considerate idea of holding up a picture of me for the wedding photos. At least I will see them sometime and since they are getting married after my year mark, I really won't have too long to wait to meet her.  

The castle's chemistry lab.

The Elder's are in the dungeon!!

   Thanks for the scripture 

you sent in my letter, I actually read that scripture this morning in personal study (Jacob 2: 18)!  My scripture of the week is: 2 Nephi 33:3 "But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry." We learn a few things here, 1) Nephi cries for his people in quite a literal way and 2) the Nephites used PILLOWS, it isn't some mind blowing doctrine but I never noticed that before and never thought that the Nephites would have used pillows.

   Quote for the week. "Don't thank me for the food, thank God that I woke up this morning and still had the ability to cook you this food." An African members of our ward at an eating appointment.

   I am having fun and hope that ya'll are going to have a good week! And have some cake and ice cream on the 4th for me!  I am super excited to be 19--finally my last year as a teenager and it will be completely spent in the service of the Lord. Then once I turn 20, I go home like 2 months after! Crazy, I have been out longer then a lot of missionaries now, but I am still younger than most of them!

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Elder Fisher thought the chandelier
would be a great look for our house

A knight's armor

Elder Fisher's niece sent him a picture of herself making duck lips
Elder Fisher kindly sent one back in return

New Companion, Family History Work, and Continuing in Bad Bentheim

September 21, 2015

   This week was just all around a good week--the work is going pretty good and we has a little bit of success this past week.  My new companion and I are really trying to just focus on being obedient and improving the missionary program here in Bad Bentheim.  We found 5 new investigators this week and we did a lot of stuff and also came up with a lot of ideas on how to help the program here and make the work go more smoothly and work better.

   My new companion’s name is Elder Westbury and he is from Williamsburg, Virginia.  He will be celebrating being on his mission for a year next month-he came in the same group as my trainer did. My new companion is really excited to be out here on his mission and we are excited to work together.  Elder Westbury didn’t go to school before his mission but I think that he worked.  He is planning on attending BYU-Idaho after his mission so he is asking me lots of questions about it. 

   Elder Westbury and I have a lot of similarities and interests in common—like the fact that neither of us are from Utah, and he likes country music too!  He is the type of guy that makes you want to be better. I think that we will have a good transfer together and will have lots of fun times together.

   When I was waiting for my new companion, we worked out the train schedule so that my new companion would show up before my last companion left so I didn’t have to wait at the train station.

   We actually didn't end up teaching the lesson on Sunday, the Young Men’s president did, but we sat in there because it is good to build a relationship with the youth I think.  The lesson was on the commandments and what they are.

I am still in the car area and it is fun.We do not have a set service project exactly but we usually have service about 2-3 times a week.

   It is cool about seeing the zone conference at our church building--I cannot really imagine what a zone conference in a smaller geographical mission would be like because when I see a missionary at a zone conference they can live 150-200 miles away and we are still in the same zone!

   I will send pictures next week.  We were going to email at the McDonald’s to use the free wifi but there is a new McDonald’s opening tomorrow so the old one closed yesterday and we will be able to use the new McDonald’s next week.

   That is too bad about BYU losing but there is always next week. My quote for the week—“ Quote of the week. "Life is like a football game."

   

   Scripture for the week Malachi 4:5-6 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Spirit of Elijah scripture, from the things on I have seen on my mission, this promise is true and will really help in the hastening of the work.

   Love you mom and dad and hope that you have a great week right now--thank you for the scriptures you shared--they were really good.  Next week can you send me a family history story?  I am trying to do more with family history work in my area because it really does help people to understand the gospel better and help less actives see the purpose of temples more clearly.

Love,

Elder Fisher