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