Christmas in Germany and PHOTOS!

Christmas Market in Braunschweig at night

December 28, 2015

Christmas Martket in Braunschweig during the day

Well I sure enjoyed skyping with all of you on Christmas, too. It was a good time. I heard your little comment about the better emails and I might think about it. Maybe.

I opened my presents on Christmas Eve and that was good. I enjoyed the See's candy that you sent as well!! It was a little taste of home for me. I do not have a lot to say today. I did get another tie from the second day of Christmas from a member, too.

That is really weird about the whole Christmas shindig (mom note: Elder Fisher is discussing how we normally open presents at 6 am but this year we waited until after his Skyped call and breakfast before we started). I am not sure how I feel about opening presents so late and I am sure Lindsay Anne was going crazy waiting to open the gifts too!

The largest VW factory--Elder Fisher loves cars
so he probably loves this!

My companion worked doing HVAC before going on his mission and graduated high school.

I like the area and I am completely okay not having any leadership position because that means I have more time to just work and focus on my area and not have to worry about all the elders in a district or a zone. I like it I can just focus on one thing at a time.  We are looking for more service activities to do but as of right now we do not have set service activities during the week.

I also feel like I am growing in my ability to cook as well because I am sick of eating bratwurst and spaghetti so we are experimenting with different things and they are turning out really good I think.

I also went to look at suits today for fun and I realized that suits are really expensive and I do not want to pay for a lot of those down the road.

Scripture of the week: Mark 2:16-17 "And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Quote of the week:  "I received a letter from a man that says I talk too much in conference about the Word of Wisdom. That sounds like a man that needs to hear more about the Word of Wisdom, so that will be the topic which I will address to you tonight."-President Heber J. Grant

a group of colorful houses

a Christmas tie!!

Well, that is about all that I have for this week seeing how we just talked three days ago. I will send you pictures today to make up for the lack of pictures in the last month or so. I love you and hope you have a great week and have fun bringing in the New Year New York time! Happy New Year!

Love

Elder Spencer Fisher

Christmas Box and Skype for Christmas

December 21, 2015

   My companion [Elder Gunther] is good, the work is getting better.  We usually do the meals together so it is really nice. We do not have a car.

   Our apartment is not decorated for Christmas because my companion and I are both Scrooges and enjoy the concept of ‘Bah Hum Bug’. The Christmas season is actually a little bit harder here [for missionary work] because a lot of people here travel for Christmas. I like my companion, he really likes to work, and he likes to work the same that I like to work as well so it is really cool.

   Church this past Sunday was pretty much like a normal Sunday but we sang Christmas songs instead of normal church songs.

   I got my Christmas package Wednesday night (December 16^th) and I have not opened the presents yet because it is not Christmas yet!--but I do like the things which I have seen so far (mom note: some items were left unwrapped).

   I have tried the lebkuchen and it is pretty good I think, but I like your homemade cookies better though.

   Scripture for the week is Alma 22:1515 “And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.”

Quote of the week:

"Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;

The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay."

   It sounds like you got a full Christmas time this week. I have everything ready to Skype on Christmas day and I am really excited to see everyone. All missionaries Skype unless they themselves choose call home.

   Not much to say because I will see you later this week. I love you and can’t wait to see you see you Friday on Skype.

Love everyone,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Braunschweig and Meeting Sister W's brother and his family

December 14, 2015

   It is raining in Southern California!  Wow. I think I have experienced more rainy days here (in Germany) than I ever had in California in my whole life. It doesn't rain as much as it did in my last area (Bad Bentheim) but does rain quite a bit still.

   Everything is all hunky dory. It is really good and it will be a fun time in this area. I traveled by train to my new city alone (Braunschweig). Elder Westbury stayed in Bad Bentheim and he is training a new elder. My new companion’s name is Elder Gunther.  He’s been out about 15 months out and he is from American Fork, Utah. We are the only 2 in the apartment. The new apartment is really big, and really nice. We are part of a 4 man district. We mostly work in the city but we do go out to the smaller towns too because our area is huge, The work in the area is kind of slow right now, but my companion and I just want to work hard so it will be changed around in a few weeks hopefully. There is a lot of potential in the city and it did used to have 3 missionary programs here, too, so it could easily have a second missionary program here easily.

   The first person I met here (after my companion) was the ward mission leader the next day.  Our ward does not have any senior missionary couples but there are some YSA in the ward.  I didn't give my testimony the first Sunday I was in my new ward--not sure why but I am sure I will have the chance within the next few weeks to give it.

   Anyways, it was a good week we found a new investigator that came to the Christmas party and she also came to all three hours of church too! It was pretty cool.

   Yes…German people decorate their homes but because there are so many apartments the people do not go all out like they do in America.

   For Christmas, we will be at Sister W.’s brother’s home for Christmas--nothing too crazy I guess, just eating at a person's house whose sister is in our stake. He grew up in La Mirada for a little bit so him and I have talked about good ole Whittier a little bit. (mom note: We got an e-mail from Sister W. and were amazed that Elder Fisher was in the same ward as her brother..and it's nice to know that he and his companion will have a Christmas dinner with a family from his ward).

   Scripture for the week Alma 15:12"And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from that time forth to preach unto the people."

   Quote of the week "my life is like my shoes, worn out in the service of the Lord"-President Spencer W. Kimball

   I hope you all have a good week and love you all. I will know the time I will skype for sure next week.

Love

Elder Spencer Fisher

Transferred! and thoughts on Bad Bentheim

December 7, 2015

   They done put me in a new area. I have been transferred to Braunschweig in the Hannover stake.  It is a little east of Hannover. The ward has about 130 members and it sounds like the ward is pretty good, too. I have heard that it is one of the best wards to serve in, in the entire mission so that is pretty cool I guess.

   There is not too much that has happened this week but it has been a good week and I will be sending pictures today (mom note: the pictures did not happen but I’m sure they will happen next week—it was probably hectic with packing to move)

   This week we did not visit any place for a conference or anything, but we are spending the day with our district today because one elder is finished with his mission.  When a missionary leaves to go home, they leave on Monday now and they meet with the mission president in Freiberg (where the temple is located) so we are staying with the other elder until tomorrow afternoon.

   What I have loved most about being in Bad Bentheim are a few things, first is that the ward is so small it feels like you are part of the ward and you help everyone too, the other thing is that it is all farmland and a lot of our service projects were farm work and other things of that nature.

   We have shared the new Christmas video with almost every member in the ward.

You asked what the most Christmas-y thing that I have seen this week and the most Christmas-y thing I have seen this week is a Christmas market. I actually got to try shaorma this week and that was really good too.

   The past week I have studied the very first chapters in Alma so that was pretty good. It is always interesting to read about how Alma truly leaves everything to go and preach to the people.  If I had to choose one Christ-like attribute to work on this week it would be humility.

   I was thinking about how you have the sister missionaries in your ward now and how it would be pretty funny if I have an experience like Lindsay Anne had with Elder Dale at BYU-Idaho-- where the sister recognizes me from the pictures at home. (mom note: a family story—we had a missionary serving in our ward for a long time and he got to know the families really well. During this time our daughter was at BYU-Idaho.  After the elder went home, he also attended BYU-Idaho—and ended up in the same class as our daughter—and recognized her from the pictures on our wall.  Elder Dale introduced our daughter to her future husband)

   Scripture for the week Alma 5:12 "And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true."

   Quote of the week is "You just had to love him [President Spencer W. Kimball]" President Thomas S. Monson.

   I do not really have too much to say but it has been a really good week.   I love you and pray for you and the rest of the family every day. I hope that you have a great week. Love you.

Love

Elder Spencer Fisher

Thanksgiving in Germany and Zone Conference

November 30, 2015

Elder Fisher and Elder Westbury helped decorate
a Christmas tree for service.

   I am staying warm here in Germany but dry is the harder part seeing how it rains about every other day at least.

   You asked why Californians can’t get licenses in Germany-- The rule about the license is a Germany rule and I am not completely sure why but they have this rule for certain states like: Oregon, North Carolina, and a few other as well. It kinda stinks but it is whatever, at least my companion lets me drive the grocery cart every Monday.

Zone Conference Lunch on American Thanksgiving.

   I did not meet anyone interesting this past week because we were out of our area quite a bit this past week for the zone conference in Hamburg and we were doing lots of lessons and service as well this week, so we did meet people but no one too crazy or interesting. We had one eating appointment and we had Leber Käse with a fried egg and potatoes as well. It was good.

   The zone conference was in Hamburg on Thanksgiving Day and it was good, although the more meetings I go to on my mission where I have to sit for long periods of time makes me realize more and more that I cannot have an only office job. At zone conference we learned about member missionary work.  As part of the zone conference we watched the "A Savior Is Born" video and we learned about using the new video from the church.  We ate a very German lunch for American Thanksgiving: rot kohl, potatoes, and this dish that was meat with a pickle in the middle. It was good but mom’s cooking is always better. When we got to where we were overnighting, the other elders and I got 6 pizzas (from the store), Fanta, baguettes, and a large cheesecake to eat for our actual Thanksgiving meal. It was a feast. 

Thanksgiving dinner in Germany--
pizza, soda, baguettes, and cheescake

     I will try finding a Christmas market at the right time because they’re sometimes difficult in the smaller cities to get at the right times. What I mean by that is they only last 4-5 days in one city and then it is over. But different cities have them at different times.

For the iPod I usually just play whatever songs come up and my companion says if he likes it or not, it is a lot like with dad and iPods in the car.

   I studied and finished the end of Mosiah this past week and it amazes me every time I read the story of Alma the younger and how much he changed.

   My scripture for the week is actually a part of a song:

"How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is giv’n!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heav’n.

No ear may hear his coming;

But in this world of sin,

A German candy egg made from chocolate
with a toy inside---isn's that Snoopy??

Where meek souls will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in." 

     from “ Oh Little Town of Bethlehem”

   Quote of the week: "Fra-Geel-a--it must be Italian." The father in "A Christmas Story"

   Transfers are next week but I don't know if I will be transferred or not but I would like to stay in this area a lot. My companion and I really do work well together I feel like.

   I don't really have anything else to say except that I would like some of the Thanksgiving pictures. I really do enjoy the pictures.  I hope that you all have a great week and wish you all the best.  Love you.

Love

Elder Fisher

Elder Fisher with his new messenger bag...
his first one was falling apart.

*****Mom note.....If you haven't had the opportunity to watch the video Elder Fisher mentioned, you can find it by clicking on the title named in the letter or by going to www.mormon.org.  I hope you will take the time to watch a beautiful presentation inspired by Isaiah 9: 6

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

Celebrating a Birthday on a Mission, Bad Bentheim Ward, and Thanksgiving plans

November 9, 2015

Elder Fisher’s dad asked: “Well, you're a year older but the question is, are you any wiser?  Did your companion sing happy birthday to you in German?  Any cake?”

Elder Fisher in his new suit.

And here is Elder Fisher’s response:

   Well the wise man built his house upon the Rock and I haven't even built a house yet so that might be saying something dad. My companion and most of the Germans sang the Happy Birthday song in English so that was pretty cool I guess. I didn’t get cake—but I got an apple pie from a member in my ward like 3 days after my birthday so that was good. As for the rest of my birthday, we spent it at a district meeting and the district sang Happy Birthday to me. We then had a lesson with a less active member and it was super spiritual and good.  For the last part of the day, since my companion had a meeting the next day in Hamburg, we drove somewhere and overnighted in a place called Leer (about 80 miles from Bad Bentheim) and those elders made dinner for us and it was a fun day (just not a lot happened).

   As for the Bad Bentheim ward, yes, we do have a branch ward mission leader. We are not sure what we are teaching in our monthly Sunday school (which is next week) but I am sure it is something good. We usually check it a few days before so we are not quite sure yet. Our ward does have the annual Primary Sacrament Presentation--it is next week here and the whole ward is so excited about it too.

   Since our ward covers so many cities, we work a lot in certain cities.  We decide which city we are going to visit and we go and work in one city for a few hours.  Then we switch cities after a few hours and basically, we set up our appointments to go with the cities we are.

   As for Thanksgiving, Germany doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving but we have a zone conference that day so it is kind of a celebration for the missionaries.  However, there is a lot of Christmas stuff out already but the stores are not enclosed malls here--I would say everything it set up pretty close to how the W_______ Shopping Center near home is set up—all the doors open to a central area and the center area is open.

   I am looking forward to our Christmas call—you asked if I could read part of the Christmas story…can I read the scripture from Luke when the Angel visits the shepherds in the field?   I am excited to meet my future sister-in-law at Christmas during our Skype call.  I hope that they can get everything for the wedding planned, too.  Instead of holding up my pictures for the photos, I heard of these things called cardboard cut outs and that might work for me so I can be in the family pictures.

   Scripture of the week 1 Corinthians 13:4 "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up," 

Quote "I don't know many things, but I know some things" -someone

   Thanks for all of the stuff and the birthday email, I hope you have a good week. Love ya mom and dad.

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

Conference Weekend and Loving Germany

October 5, 2015

   I had a really good week and I am having so much fun out here it is ridiculous.  Germany is pretty good.  I love it here.  I am really looking forward to my first Christmas and birthday in Germany--I have heard that there is nothing like Christmas in Germany!!

   A lot has happened this week but it is too much to put into emails, we mostly saw a lot of blessings this past week and I think it is a direct result of us trying to be more obedient and to work harder as well.

   

   Conference weekend was really good! I haven’t watched the Sunday afternoon session yet but we are going to download it to our iPads and listen to it in our apartment and in the car. We watched the first session (Saturday morning) in another branch building because we wanted to have a TV to watch it on but we ended up having to watch it on one of our iPads anyways so that was pointless, but we went to a member’s house to watch two of the sessions yesterday (Sunday) in English and we ate at their house and we watched the Sunday morning session at our church building so it was a fun thing of conference for us. (Note: The Sunday morning session was on at 6 pm in Gemrany) I probably got the most from Elder Hales’ talk and I especially liked President Eyring’s talk in the priesthood session about how a pickup truck helped someone to do less active work--it made me realize that when I get back home I need a truck to help others in the church. We listened to all sessions in English . 

   On Mondays we have P-day and we go and buy the things we need and sometimes we do other cool stuff. On Monday nights we have FHE with a family in the ward usually and dinner there too.

   For lunch at the bakeries, I usually get a different sandwich every time but usually something with meat in the sandwich. My favorite German dessert is really hard to choose but I usually buy a different one every time too, most things with fruit I like to eat actually, I know that doesn't sound too much like me but yes. You asked about my weight since I am eating such great food--I gained weight in the MTC and then lost it during my first two transfers and now I have gained a little bit of weight back just because I am in a car area but for the most part I weigh the same as when I left home, and for 9 months in Germany, that ain't too shabby.

   My favorite way to contact people is through sports and through the members and those ways are also the easiest to do as well.  I do not believe I met anyone too interesting this past week but we did meet a less active family we have been trying to meet in a long time.

   I feel that the biggest way the Holy Ghost has helped me the most this week was telling us to change our plans to get in contact with people this past week and that is really a huge blessing.  

   Scripture for the week is Mosiah 18:9 (mom note: the following passage is Mosiah 18: 8-11) 

"And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?  And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.

   And the quote of the week is a poem:

          “World, O world, of muddled men,

          Seek the Peace of God again:

          In the humble faith that kneels,

          In the hallowed Word that heals;

          In the courage of a tree,

          In the rock’s integrity;

          In the hill that holds the sky,

          The star you pull your heart up by;

          In the laughter of a child,

          Altogether undefiled;

          In the hope that answers doubt,

          Love that drives the darkness out. …

          Frantic, frightened, foolish men,

          Take God by the hand again.”      --Joseph Auslander

I hope that you have a great week and help someone every day!

Love,

Elder Fisher