Investigators, Rain, and Plans for the Coming Week

June 13, 2016

   This week for us was a little slower, the investigator that was making really good progress decided that he did not have any interest anymore and doesn't want us to contact him anymore. Sad but I hope that he opens his heart again later in the future and makes the covenants with our Heavenly Father and all of that good stuff. Other than that we had a few member appointments this week and met with some people who like us but aren’t making a whole lot of progress but they were at least nice. 

   For P-day, we are doing nothing today because it is raining and when it rains here, we do not usually ride the bikes, we ride with the buses. It is a lot drier.

   My favorite thing to cook is chicken quesadilla wraps. They taste really good. My companion likes to cook goulash.

   We have not had any ward activities lately but we usually do stuff with ward members all the time so it feels like we always have some sort of a ward activity.

   This week we were not able to meet anyone too interesting but we were able to get a church headquarters referral on Saturday so hopefully we will meet someone interesting this coming week. We also have a few service projects this week, a few member appointments, companionship exchanges, and later this week we have a Zone Training Meeting.  We also have interviews with President Fingerle, we will see what he has to say about life so it should be a good week. Other than that there is not too much to report on.

   My favorite thing to study this week were older Ensign articles, sometimes they have some pretty interesting stuff in them about other religions or older issues relating to the church, they were interesting to read.

   Scripture for the week: Genesis 1:26--a good one to remember, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

Quote for the week "it takes a big dog to way a ton" (mom note: favorite family saying)

Love you and hope that you have a good week,

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

Chocolate Factory, Missionary Teaching, and P-day activities

June 6, 2016

   We had a regional stake conference yesterday so fast and testimony meeting was a week ago, but they were both very good.

   Last p-day, we went to the outlet center for the chocolate factory, so all of the chocolate that broke in the factory or didn't look so pretty they sell there, The actually factory was about a 30 minute walk so we didn't want to walk it. This Pday we have a little bit of service projects and then baking cookies at the end of the day.

   My companion and I share the cooking, cleaning I do more of, but I look at it as a way to serve my companion and I have become a lot cleaner on the mission, and cannot put up with dirty apartments anymore.

   This week we met with our investigator 2 times, he wants to be baptized and is trying to keep the commandments that we are teaching him as well, he is really good. Yesterday we walked around in a park with an old lady who wanted to know more about us and our church, it was for about 30 minutes I think so that was pretty cool. This coming week should be pretty busy for us if all of our appointments work out and do not fall out. We hope and pray for that.

   In summer, it is sometimes hard to not think of California beaches and other fun stuff like that but we just keep moving along and staying focused.

   I am making lists of all of the commandments and things we are encouraged to do and things that we are warned not to do in the scriptures so that is very interesting to study.

Scripture for the week: Jacob 2:18 “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God."

   Quote of the week "Sometimes it is easier for us to help a stranger than to help someone who's history and character we know" (approximately) Elder Kearon

   I do not need anything else right now but I will let you know if anything comes up.

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

Germany's Weather, Service Projects for Spring, and Pictures of things in Germany

"Largest German backyard I've seen" wrote Elder Fisher

May 16, 2016

   Summer kicked in this past month but then the winter wanted to stay a few more days and then it will be spring in a few days again. The weather in Germany cannot make up its mind, I think it is just about the craziest thing there is.

   Sounds like you had a full week over there, I feel like our week was pretty full as well. We had a couple service projects again and we also were able to find a few contacts as well. For our service projects this past week, we worked in a garden putting new dirt in and we also worked cutting wood for someone in the ward to help get them ready for the coming winter. I love working with my hands and being outdoors working, I think that is a good general idea to lead me into my future career.

A view that a member of their ward shared with
Elder Fisher and his companion

   Transfer day is on June 1st so I find out about next transfer on May 28^th so I will find out if I’m staying in Minden or going on to another place.  Minden is about the size of W_______, without a big city right next to it. There is a lot to do with bread in Minden for whatever reason, I do not know why, but a few people in the ward work for a bread factory place here in town.

   My favorite way to meet people is through going by on old investigators and seeing if they have interest in meeting with us, and then dooring around where they live.

I studied from the Bible this week from the stories of Job and that was good to read. We also read through teachings of the prophet George Albert Smith as a companionship together and that is also pretty interesting.

Part of a WWI and WWII memorial in Petershagen.

   The last couple days have been the Pentecost celebration here in Germany so it has been a little bit quieter and my favorite people to visit this past week was a part member family that invited us over for because of the German holiday today and that is why I am writing later than usual. I get along with them very well and enjoy spending time with them. It was a really good eating appointment too, I enjoyed the food a lot and the desserts were spot on as well.

   Scripture of the week: Job 40:6 “Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, “Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.”

Quote of the week "My mission means everything to me!!!" Jeffrey R. Holland

That is about all I have for this week, but want to say that I love you and that I pray for you guys everyday too!

Another picture of the WWI and WWII memorial in Petershagen.

Love,

Elder Spencer Fisher

A Mother's Day call, spending time with family, and beautiful things in Germany

May 9, 2016

Elder Fisher during our Mother's Day video chat.

   The e-mail on that arrived on May 9^th arrived the day after our Mother’s Day chat—our video chat time was 7:30 but by the time we got our technical issues worked out, it was close to 8 am.  It was good to see him and talk to him…and have all our family together at one time. 

Now for the email…..

   It was good being able to talk with you too, it was good to see everyone in the family too. I cannot believe how much C. and A. have grown and not just with height either. Thankfully, we do not have to worry about Skype not working again so that shouldn't be a problem. I enjoyed the call and, about the technical difficulties, you know me I'm easy.

A pretty sunset.

   I am amazed too, at how much time has passed.  I am still trying to work hard though, and not think about the time too much, because a missionary from my group mentioned how next month we only have 6 months left and I cannot believe it. I know I only have so much time left but I still feel like I have 2 years left.

   This past week we had 2 service projects and a ward activity. We got to meet a lot of ward members that we normally do not see and the spouses and children.

   This week we met a non-member friend of a member in our ward and that was cool, he was really funny and we did a service project with him so that was good.

   Today is my companion’s birthday and we are just going and looking at a bunch of stuff that he likes.

   Scripture of the week: Alma 56:47 “Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.”

   Quote of the week: "mama always said life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get." Forest Gump.

   That is about it for this week, have a good week, I love you and love getting your e-mails too.

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