It's Transfer Time...and saying good-bye to Minden

Pictures from a district Pday a few weeks ago.

August 15, 2016

   It is transfer time, and I am transferred and after almost six months, I will be leaving. A part of my heart will stay here as well as in all of my areas, but I was really ready for a change to happen. I will miss the members here in Minden the most, I really just feel like I am part of the ward here.  I will be getting transferred to a place called Lauenburg, there are about 10,000 residents and it is a car area, the only problem is that neither of us have a German driver’s license, so we will see how this works out. My companion will be Elder Riggs, he is from the same town my current companion is from. 

   You were saying how hot it was but I could do for some heat right now.  We do not have any of it really, it just feels like we had summer for 2 weeks and it is already fall again, and it will be colder in my next area as well.

   This week was okay but I also got into a bicycle accident Sunday morning going to church.  Before you ask, I am okay for the most part, the seat on the bike was kinda wiggly and it fell off on the way to church and then I followed it down. I landed on my knee and my hand, I am okay. I got out with only a couple scraps and a bruise.  However, my suit pants are not okay, they are a little beyond repair. I might need to get a new suit in the coming weeks or at least find the pants that match my suit coat. The bike will be getting repaired. 

   Well, today since I got a little hurt yesterday, and it hurts a little bit to walk, we decided it best to kind of relax a little bit.

   I studied a lot about money this week and handling emotions a lot I guess, it might not sound super spiritual but it was interesting and was spiritual.

The Bielefeld District

   Scripture of the week: Alma 36: 30 “But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God, ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.”

   Quote of the week: "The important thing is that you qualify to be useful workers in society." Gordon B. Hinkley

   

Elder Fisher with the Branch President's Parents

Elder Fisher with the Branch President and his wife

The District

I hope that you have a good week and that you guys will be safe up there in the mountains and have lots of fun with the trees. There will be more things to write in the coming week but for now I will sign off.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Zone Conference, Cold Summer Weather, P-day Plans

August 8, 2016

   Well that is interesting about the weather (mom note: we were having a heat wave), I have been tempted to turn the heater on at night here a couple times now.

   That is cool about Elder Hefner (knowing his return date) that means you guys will probably get my flight plans next month! Exciting stuff!

   This week we had a conference in Hamburg, and there was a member of the Third Quorum of the Seventy there. It was good. We stayed the night with elders serving in an area that my companion has served in before. We mostly learned about how we can just reach a little bit more and trying to reach our full potential. It was pretty good, I took a few notes while we were there.

   We actually did not have any service this past week, we did teach the young mother with the baby again and it was good, however the baby just runs around the whole time and he can be distracting.  We also met a former investigator from Bangladesh his week and he seemed pretty cool, he is a younger guy that can speak like 4 languages!

   For breakfast I usually eat a slice of bread, nice bread from the bakery, with cream cheese smeared on top, then a slice of cheese and a type of sliced meat on top. Then a hard boiled egg, I usually would make them for the week. We usually go shopping at a local grocery store called Penny, we wear church clothes on Pday as well...it's wonderful.  We are going to Bielefeld for Pday again, we will go and do stuff there and then we will have companion exchanges again.

   There is are different types of festivals almost every week, quite honestly though, it is mostly an excuse to drink and party excessively. So we do not go to most of them.

   This coming Saturday we have our transfer calls, and I am really hoping for a change (mom note—Elder Fisher has been in Minden almost 6 months).

   Scripture of the week: Alma 40:23 “The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.”

   Quote of the week: "we ain't pacing, we racin" (a companions old track coach)

   Well I hope you have a good week and are able to enjoy the vacation coming up. I hope for pictures as well.

Love you Mom and Dad. Hope you have a good week, and safe drives.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Mini-golf, Visiting a Castle, and P-day activities

August 1, 2016

   We are still pretty low temperatures here in Germany, but the members say that the weather is not completely normal for this part of Germany.

   This week we had a lot of appointments fall out, which was kind of a bummer but we have to keep going forward. I haven't had to speak since Father's Day but my companion and I will be giving a Sunday school lesson this coming Sunday.

   Last Saturday, we were able to go mini-golfing (it was the ward activity_, sadly there weren't as many less actives there as I thought there would be and no friends of anyone came, so it was kind of just a let down and I didn't really want to be there but we stayed because we were already paid for and we talked to the guy that owned the mini-golfing place a little bit, so it wasn't a total loss I guess.

   I usually check the mission blog on P-days when we actually get over to the church. It is pretty much the only way to know where my friends in the mission are. For P-day, we usually get all of our shopping done but sometimes we forget to buy something then we have to go and get it during the week. The P-days in Germany can also get boring fast if you don't plan to go and see anything. This past week, we went to a castle tower thing in Bielefeld with the district, it was fun, I forgot to get pictures from the other missionaries though.

   The people in Minden are excited about the remodeling (of the Frieberg temple), but a lot are not going there because it takes five hours just to drive there, and that means they have to rent a hotel room, so it is just a lot of money.

   Mom mentioned cleaning out the refrigerator and I can understand why cleaning the refrigerator is so important after being on a mission for so long, because you get to some of these elders apartments and there can be jam that has been sitting there for six months and no one cleans it, or a sauce that went bad two years ago but no one throws it out!! I do not understand elders sometimes!!!

   I have gotten more optimistic on the mission, not to say difficulties are not there anymore, but I have learned to enjoy a lot more of the little things in life on the mission, especially when I am in situations that I do not want to be in at all.

   We are used to teaching lessons in the street but it doesn't make it any less awkward though, you could always offer our house to teach an investigator though, then it is almost always a good setting, for example, have the missionaries and the investigator over for dinner, and then after dinner, you can teach the investigator! It is the dream for me to have that kind of appointment on my mission.

   Scripture of the week: Alma 24: 23-24 “Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword--Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done.”

   Quote of the week Neal A. Maxwell "Involve newcomers quickly in the Lord’s work. They have been called to his vineyard not just to admire but to perspire--not to “ooh” and “aah” but to “hoe and saw.” Let us make of them friends--not celebrities; colleagues--not competitors. Let us use their precious enthusiasm to beckon still others to come within."

I hope that you have a great week and that you enjoy the summer, since you actually get one.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

A Heat Wave in Germany, Grocery Shopping, and the Parable of the Prodigal Son

June 27, 2016

   It sounds like the heat has come to visit you guys too (we were having temperatures of 105+ Farenheit), it was hot for a few days here as well, but it has cooled off as well.  

   On Father's Day, I talked about faith in Jesus Christ, the 'Father's Day' (it is just called Man Day) in Germany is on May 5th and everyone in Germany just drinks a lot of beer that day.

We met a younger mother this week that has interest in eternal families. This past week we also had companion exchanges and I went to Bielefeld with the district leader Elder Casperson from Inkom, Idaho. Yes, there are sisters in my district and they work in Bielefeld. For district meeting this past week, we learned about humility. Today we went to a town called Bad Oeynhausen for district P-day and we saw a palace and played ultimate Frisbee.  Transfers are this next week and we will be finding out this weekend what will be happening, I could stay, or possible go to the last area on my mission. We will see what happens.

   For our grocery shopping, there is usually just one big store in Minden, pretty similar to a Stater Bros. actually. There are smaller (specialty) stores but we are not rich enough to go there so we take the cheaper route. I miss eating at Senor Campos, although I do not remember how it exactly tastes, I remember that it tasted good and it is good Mexican food.

   I read the story of the prodigal son this week in personal study this week, that is probably one of my favorite parable if not my favorite parables in the New Testament, it shows us that no matter what we have done even "which hath devoured thy living with harlots" as it says "But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." It shows how much love our Heavenly Father has for each and every one of us.

   Scripture for the week: Luke 15:21-24  “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

   Quote for the week: "Es gibt nicht Gutes, außer man tut es" (Google translate says this means: There are not good, unless you do it.”  (mom note: I'm sure there's a better translation out there)  UPDATE:  better translation--"there's nothing good unless you do it"--and an even better translation "actions speak louder than words"  Thank you, Natalie!

   It's unbelievable how fast the time is going. 4th of July is next Pday and we are excited to celebrate.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Zone Conference, Bielefeld, Herford, and Service Projects

May 30, 2016

   I cannot believe that school is already out for the year! That is ridiculous! It never went by that fast when I was going to high school, but I am doing something a lot better know so that is probably why it is going by a lot faster and more enjoyable.  Thanks for the list of seniors and where they are going, and you can tell C. & D. that I thank them as well. Looks like a lot of them will be heading out to BYU Idaho. It will be cool to see a few of them at school.

   It was transfer day last Wednesday but I’m not moving for transfers and I am staying in Minden with my current companion.

   For P-day last week, we went to Bielefeld.  We saw the city and I got a few more short sleeve shirts and then went to a city called Herford and bought some really good chocolate from a chocolate factory.

   For service this week we didn't help in the garden but we are helping a member with their future apartment and getting it ready for new wiring and piping and everything.

   Yesterday at our eating appointment we got hot dogs which were really good but we ate a lot of food and we do not really want to eat hot dogs for a while now.

   The one appointment fell out and the other one went good and he said he wanted to be baptized! but the actually baptismal date will come a little latter.

   This past week we had Zone Conference, it was really good, but we did not hear anything about the new missionary dress code at all (the sunglasses and hats new rule) so I think our mission will probably not change our rules. In our mission we do not really need them, at least not like they do in South America or Africa or Pacific Islands or something.  (mom note: whenever we check the weather where Elder Fisher is serving, it is raining about 50% of the time).

   Scripture for the week: Jacob 1: 19 “And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.”

   Quote of the week: "I teach them the principles and then they govern themselves" (approximately) Joseph Smith

   That is about it but I am ready for June and hopefully some warmer weather will come with it as well. I love you guys and hope that you have a good week too!

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Hannover Zone, Germany Berlin Mission, week of May 23, 2016
(if you click on the picture, it will enlarge it for easier viewing)

Tornado, new Missionary Clothing guidelines, and Blessings

May 23, 2016

   Well, it is sort of well in Germany, there was a tornado in Minden yesterday (May 22^nd). No big deal though (Video posted of Tornado)  (mom note: if you Google Minden tornado, there are a few pictures online).

   My companion and I either share the cooking now, or help prepare stuff.  And we ride the bikes a lot still.

   I did not here about the missionary wear but we have Zone Conference this week so maybe we will hear something. We haven't heard anything about this new rule for the sunglasses and hat thing, but maybe at zone conference even they will say something. (another mom note: missionaries can now wear hats and sunglasses on warm, sunny days)

   This past week we found a new investigator that we will be meeting with Tuesday and a referral that we will be meeting with on Wednesday so it should be a good week from what we have planned this week.

   My favorite thing to do (on P-day) is going to the church and playing football with our branch president. Today we are going to Bielefeld, a big city, for P-day to go exploring.

I was reading Psalms this past week and really realized how much the Lord gives to us.

   Scripture of the week Psalms 23:3-4:  “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

   Quote of the week: "I am going to take out my watch and give you five minutes to name me a better man (than the prophet of God)"--J. Golden Kimball

Love you and hope that you guys have a good week too!

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

Missionaries Helping Missionaries and Transfer Week

April 11, 2016

   Germany is good this week. Yes, transfers are this week and they did affect me. I am getting a new companion and he will be the first companion that will be younger than me on the mission. His name is Elder Illum.  My companion, Elder Hunt will be going to Wilhelmshaven. This next transfer (starting April 13th) will be 7 weeks and the one after that will be 5 weeks. I am not sure why they will be like that but just so you can keep track of the next couple of transfer dates. I only have six transfers left too! That is still a while but I never realized how far I was on my mission until I thought of that yesterday.

   I was able to listen to the whole conference this past week and it was really good I would say that Elder Kearon’s talk was probably my favorite and as a missionary in Europe right now I know what he was talking about.

   This week we spent a few days with the elders in Stadthagen because one was really sick and they had appointments that they needed to go to and we decided to help them out seeing as we did not have appointments those days so one of us stayed with the sick companion and the other one went outside to work with the other elder. Then we had another companion exchange with the elders in Bielefeld on Friday and Saturday which was fun, I was in Bielefeld. While I was in Bielefeld, we taught a family and then played soccer the next day with Elder Adler who is one of the Seventy in Europe. 

   The branch president is probably the person who we spend the most time with in the ward but I get along with pretty much everyone in the ward fairly well which is good. There are 65 or so active members in the branch but not everyone is there every week so sometimes we only have 30 or so a church.

   We have a few people that we are trying to meet with right now but for the most part we are just trying to find new investigators and get something better going. This week I met a family in another ward that is making pretty good progress and accepting the gospel pretty well and that was pretty cool to see someone that is trying to repent and come closer to Christ.

   I enjoyed studying from Jesus the Christ a lot this week and have been reading it mostly in my spare time at the beginning and end of the day and I have read about 100 pages or so in the past week and a half I think.

   Scripture of the week D&C 42: 22 :Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.”  Wwe shared that as a spiritual thought with our newly married Branch President

   Quote of the week "Let us be men." Elder Christopherson

T   his week was good, it kinda went by pretty fast though and we were really busy everyday so that was nice but not too much to write about. Love you and hope that you have a good week.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher