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

Mission Conference and the Primary Presentation

November 16, 2015

    Hey exciting news! This week was really interesting because we had a surprise mission conference with Elder M. Russell Ballard! Last Friday, we got a mission conference call in the morning and President Fingerle told us all that we will be having a mission wide conference in 2 days (Sunday night) and Elder M. Russell Ballard will be there and will address us. So I went to Berlin this past weekend for a surprise mission conference. Because of the mission conference, we didn't teach Sunday school because we had to leave for Berlin after sacrament meeting (it was a 4 hour drive).

    This past Sunday was also the Primary Presentation.  The Primary Presentation was really good and, as always, some kids forget their lines, some are really nervous, and other do down right funny things up there.

    As far as teaching the gospel, some weeks are better than others to be able to teach investigators with the lessons but it usually is about 7 or so lessons a week right now.

    My favorite place to visit this week was a place called Vreden because we went dooring there and when we got to this one door, a lady answered and said in perfect English "it is the Mormon missionaries" and we were kinda shocked!  It turns out she kinda grew up in Utah for part of her life so that was really cool. That is also the coolest person I met this week.

   We have not had snow yet but I keep hearing that we will have a little bit.

   I heard about the terrorist attacks in Paris the day after it happened because it is really big news.

   Scripture for the week Matthew 6: 14-15: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

   "We need great teachers" Elder M. Russell Ballard from mission conference.

   Love you and hope you have a good week. I love you and can't wait to talk to everyone in 5 weeks.

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