Saturday 30 January 2016

Wetzikon 11/1/16 - 25/1/16 Woche 77 und 78 von 102- Distrikt P-day, Zone Training, Wohnung Inspektion und Gemeindekonferenz!

Woche 77 von 102- Distrikt P-day, Zone Training, Wohnung Inspektion und Gemeindekonferenz!
Höi zäme!

So this p-day was district p-day, so we headed out, did our shopping, sent a couple of emails whilst shopping and popped home to put stuff away before heading out to get to Winterthur! So what did we do for district p-day? Well, seen as we were at the chapel we had wifi, so we could still check and reply to emails when we fancied it, but to start with the Winti Sisters prepared lunch for us all, so we had Salad, Bread Rolls and Chicken Curry! It was actually really good! Probably one of the best Curries I've had since being here! It was so good! Oh and the Sisters invited one of their investigators to join us for the day, so it was actually a really relaxed and fun p-day! After lunch we played a game called 'dog'? I have no idea! I don't even know how to explain it, but it was okay! It was interesting! I just don't have a clue how to explain it! So that basically filled a good few hours, then we headed back to our own areas! We decided that we'd spend the evening in Uster doing some finding and vorbeis! So that was basically our evening! So from all of that, we managed to get in a lesson with a less active, so that was pretty sweet! Then we headed home and planned for tomorrow! Oh and I had my first customer! My companion somehow managed to con me into cutting his hair; like I really did not want to, just cause it's like - if I mess up with my own it's fine, like I only have myself to blame and I can just change my hairstyle until it grows again, but when you’re cutting someone else's hair it's just pressure! So yeah, somehow he conned me into cutting it for him, so that was my Monday evening!

Dienstag was Zone Training day! After studies we headed off to St. Gallen for 12.00, as that was when Zone Training started! Zone Training was good! Präsident Gappmaier came to ours as well, so he spoke with us about a few things and it was so good! A few notes I took- A commandment is an offer for more blessings. (By the way- excuse my translation- we do all of our meetings auf Deutsch so when I write notes, I also need to translate them after!) He also gave a really good reminder about how negative talk is not from the Lord- whether it is true or false; negative talk will always be negative talk! Then he gave a super cool parable! He said how some rules may not be particularly for our benefit, but we are all given them because maybe we are needed to keep them to be an example to those who do need to benefit from keeping them. Then he compared it to an airport by saying- "I am not a terrorist, but each time I go through the airport I have to go through those stupid metal detector things. I shouldn't have to do that, but I do it because with some people it is necessary to do it, to keep everyone safe!" I thought that was a pretty cool analogy! Then the ZLs and STLs spoke for the rest of it about effective daily planning and set some zone goals of having 10 baptisms as a zone this quarter; 4 in the transfer and then 90 potentials a week and 106 lessons as a zone a week! Seems pretty doable! Then the zone vision is Matthew 4:19, which is pretty cool! Then as I said, yesterday Zone Training has been cut to 2hours, so there was a bit of time for the 2 newest missionaries to share their testimonies- oh man! Both of them- their German is way better than mine when I was at their age on a mission! Then we came to a close, had like 10mins to chat and collect mail from the office- I got my little package from the ward! That was greatly appreciated as I just ran out of British goodies a week or two ago! Shout out! Then we headed home and like it takes us a while to get to St Gallen, so it was coming quite late when we got home. We had a bit of time to pop to the chapel to tidy up some progress records and send to our GML- it's taken a while for us to sort that, as we were supposed to have done it last week, but were pretty busy! Then home for dinner and planning and the day was over!

Mittwoch after studies we headed out to Uster to meet P! Well, he never turned up again- well that was a big fat bidone! Sucked! So we grabbed something for lunch seen as we were supposed to be eating with him as well! Then we headed to Meilen to the Familie B. Well, we had a really nice lesson and then had a hot chocolate with them! 'Twas nice! Then our appointment with Frau S also fell out! So on our train back from Meilen, a girl and guy come and sit next to us, as the train was pretty full and she is like doing everything she can to try and get a reaction from us, but we didn't. Like those type of people are normally really annoying and do it to start a conversation to just bash. So we ignored and then eventually she says to the guy she was with "Welche religion bist du?" ..and he's like ‘You’re an idiot I have seen their name tags’ ..and that’s when we started laughing and then we actually had a really good conversation with them both, then she got off and we chatted some more to him until we both got off. Like it was actually really cool! Then we headed over to Greifensee for our evening appointment with the Familie Z for abendessen. We had raclette! As per- always a good one, even though my stomach always feels like a solid block of cheese a few hours later! Mensch! Then we realised how lazy we actually are! Like from Wetzikon Bahnhof we can take 2 ways home- the S3 for like 3mins and then walk 5mins home or bus for 10mins and then 2mins walk home and we always take the bus route, cause it means walking less even though it's a few minutes longer! It's not too bad, but still! Laziness! Ceebs to walk after working all day! Oh and it snowed like crazy today, although the ground was too warm and wet for it to stick, so we just have it on the ground in the mountains and on some hills, but thankfully we don't have to suffer the nasty stuff where we are working! Wahey!


What a day! So today was a little rollercoaster- we went from good to bad to brilliant! So after studies we cleaned the apartment a little bit before having lunch, as today was our inspection! So the Justesen’s came to inspect! Oh mensch! It was like the fastest inspection ever! In and out ever so quickly and as per usual it was the cleanest apartment they've seen today! I get that from every couple who inspect my apartment! Then we headed out to Uster, did a bit there but it's terrible, like it's been snowing again today, but this time it's actually been sticking, so we have the joy of walking through it and nobody wants to stop and speak in the cold and snow! Then we went by R, and he wasn't home, although he did tell us yesterday that there may be a chance he won't be home as he had to go to a funeral and didn't know how long it would go on for! So that was sad! Then we popped by the chapel to get an address. As we were at the chapel R called us up to ask if he had missed us, which sucked, cause he had, but we chatted with him about a few things, organised it so we could skype lesson him when he's in Thailand for the next 2 months and we reset his baptismal date to the 16th April! He was so excited about it! Then we headed to the Familie U for abendessen! It was super food and they shared a load of mission experience stories and then like at the end of it a whole load of referrals just came flooding in. Like in total they gave us 9 referrals this evening! That’s probably like the most I've actually had my entire mission and they all came from the same family in one single evening! Like we came out of there like "What just happened?!?" Mensch! They are such an awesome family and that was basically our rollercoaster day! It's always good to end on a positive note!

Well today after studies we planned to go by S, but my comp wanted to call him first to ask, but he wasn’t available, so instead we headed to the chapel to do the Survey we got sent from the missionary department in preparation for mission tour in March, as it needs completing in the next few days, so we got that done, as Pres told us that it is a non-pday activity! Then home for lunch before heading to U to a less actives. We had a pretty nice lesson with him and hopefully he'll be at church Sunday! Then a bit of streeting before popping home as we needed to grab Jenga before our appointment tonight and it was time to head there. We were at the Familie DR this evening with A and P. It was a really nice evening and the food was awesome! Legit they are such a cool family! Then we got home a little late as our train had "technical issues", so we had to get off and wait for the next one! Oh mensch! So we planned and then Bible Prophecy time! Mine was 1 Samuel 17:3-5, weird! Now we just wait till tomorrow morning!

So this morning was like the longest wait ever for transfer calls. Like they ended up calling at like 7.30, which is pretty late. We must have been the last ones they called. Well, we are staying
together for another transfer, although there is a change in every other area in our district, so that will be fun! Then after getting ready and doing part of studies Schw G called as she was ill and
couldn't get out of bed, so we went and gave her a blessing and chatted a bit! Then we headed over to S and then home for a quick mittags and to grab some BoM's before heading out to a member who asked us for them last Sunday, as she won't be at church tomorrow and she lived quite a while away. Then we came back to do weekly planning, although the majority of it was kind of a contemplating stuff - type of a planning, so we may have to finish that off another day! So this evening we headed out to Schw M with A, in the middle of a beautiful blizzard, so we got there, ate with her and went over the Plan of Salvation. It went pretty well and so far she’s following the reading plan we made for her! Then home and planned! Might get an early one, cause I am dead tired! Oh mensch!

Gemeindekonferenz Sonntag! So we were supposed to have GMK again this morning, but for snow reasons that got cancelled and we shovelled snow and salted the paths instead with our GML! So Gemeindekonferenz was great. The theme of it was taken from 1 Samuel 3 "Speak, Lord; for thy
servant heareth" .. and the whole conference basically followed that theme. The talks were all brilliant and then the rest of it was a Sunday School class or Joint Priesthood/FHV class from the High Councillor; all based on the same theme! It was actually a really good conference! It had a special spirit about it! Then we went to the Fam. D for mittags- Raclette .. and had a quick GMK with J before going to a less active family to take them the Sacrament, as Bishop asked us to yesterday! That was a really nice experience. Just seeing the pure joy and appreciation the sacrament bought to that family. You don't always see that from just blessing and passing the sacrament in a ward or branch, but on an individual basis where they haven't had the opportunity for a while to partake, you could just see how much it actually meant to them personally to have the blessing of the sacrament. Then we headed to U as we had an appointment this evening. We were a little early, so went by a less active who lived nearby and we had a little door step lesson with her and it looks like we can start working with her and getting her active again, which is exciting! Then we headed to this family. It's a part member family, so we aimed our message to the husband. It was a really nice evening and the spirit was so strong and you could just tell that he felt it too! Then we got a return appointment to start teaching him through the lessons, so that was really cool! To be fair this week hasn't been too bad. At the start of the week we had a few appointments fall out which just seemed awful, but in all the week was pretty good!

Alles liebe,

Woche 78 von 102- What a week!
Grüezi wohl!
So Montag we headed out to Konstanz to do some German price shopping; so we got there although the trains kind of suck these days. There used to be a train every 30mins between Konstanz and Zürich, but now it's once an hour, so it took a bit longer to get there, but oh well! Then I sent a giant box full of stuff home, as I can't be bothered to carry it all around with me anymore! I did that and then we bumped into Byrom and Lucas, so had a bit of lunch with them before saying Tschäu and going shopping! We bought loads!!! Then we missed the faster train, so had to go the long way back again, otherwise we would have had to wait another hour! Arrghh! .. but then it turned out Byrom and Lucas were also on the same train as they were going somewhere else for the evening, so we chatted and chilled some more on that beautiful 1/2 hour train ride! Then when we finally got home, we only had like 45mins to do emails, but I guess that was enough really! Then this evening we were at the Familie PL. They are such an awesome family! I love them! These are the L’s with P! Legit he's like what I'd wanted as a little brother if we'd have had one! Their family is awesome! Then home and the day was over! Oh, I also read through the talk from dad by President Nelson and it was awesome! I loved it and it gave me the most perfect inspiration of what to talk on for district meeting tomorrow, as this time we each have an open gospel topic to speak on for 5-10mins, so I'm going to share the first point he suggests as that was my favourite, although I’ll need to translate it first.
Typical Dienstag again. Did studies, then out to Winti for Distriktsversammlung! So with it being the last one before moves on Thursday we each had the assignment to talk for 5-10mins on a Gospel topic of our choice and I got to go last with mine, so I really went back to basics and spoke about the First Principle in Chapter 3 of PMG that ‘God is Our Heavenly Father, He loves us and we are His children’. We each have a divine destiny and purpose. Then I shared with them a part of the devotional talk dad sent from President Nelson. The part about 'learn who you really are', then challenged them all to do what he says in the second to last paragraph of that section; to pray to God and ask who they are, what He thinks of them and what their mission on earth actually is. Then write down those spiritual impressions, read them often and act on them. Then the promise he gives in the last paragraph of that section .. and tied it in to how that will also bless the lives of those we work with, as it is only when we are converted that we can strengthen our brethren (Luke 22:32). It seemed to all tie in together and I felt the Spirit as I was teaching it. Credit goes to Dad for being inspired to send that talk this week! Thanks! Then we had district lunch, but finding got cancelled as Frauenfeld Elders had to go to an appointment and the Winterthur Elders and Sisters also had too much to do, as one from each companionship is moving on Thursday, so we headed back to our own area! Then this evening we were invited to the Family M, so we headed there and oh my goodness they live in like a mini castle/palace thing! It's beautiful! We chatted for a bit, then ate and got to know the family a little more. They are an American family, so we had an English speaking appointment, which was strange,as I haven't had one of those in quite a while! Oh, they also have an exchange student staying with them from Argentina who isn't a member, but came to church with them and has met with missionaries before back in Argentina, as last year the daughter of the M’s did an exchange there and stayed with her family, so that’s pretty cool. It's been a while since she met with them so for the spiritual thought we did a Restoration lesson. Oh mensch! It was such an intensely spiritual lesson. I loved it. It feels like a while since I last had such an intense spirit in a lesson, so that just made the day! Then we headed home!
So Mittwoch after studies we headed out to go by S. He wasn't in, so we did a few other vorbeis before popping to the chapel to download a video for later in the day! Then home for a very quick lunch before heading out to the Familie B. We talked about the Book of Mormon and shared the mormon message of the Bishop from London. It was pretty cool! Then we popped by Frau S and had a little doorstep lesson. We gave her a commitment, which she accepted and said she'll call us and let us know how it went! Then we headed to Uster to meet P, only for him to call as we were part way there to say change of place, so we met him there instead. We had a hot chocolate, chatted and then we went with him to this Portuguese restaurant! Oh mensch! It was so good! Chatted some more and spoke about all sorts of stuff. He has a car now, so hopefully he can start coming to church again. Then he gave us a referral and headed back! As we were getting on the tram back to Hauptbahnhof I saw that the driver of the tram was none other than Schw. M (Dielsdorf), so I had to go to the front and say hi. Then we basically just chatted for like the 15min ride to Bhf. Then we got home, planned and that was our day!
Donnerstag! So after Personal and like next to no Comp study we headed out to Wald, as we had an appointment. We got there pretty early, so went by another less active in the area, but she wasn't home. Then we headed to this appointment for him to tell us he meant next Thursday, so we had a tiny bit of time to head home to grab lunch, which was good as otherwise we wouldn't have had time for lunch. Then out to Uster for the rest of the day. Went by everyone who lived in Uster that was an Ehemaliger, Weniger Aktive oder Vielversprechende, so we got like 3 lessons in today! Wahey! Even though all of our actual appointments fell out. Not bad, hey! We basically did Uster vorbeis and finding until we had to head home as it was getting late! Not too bad of a day! Plus, one Ehemaliger we went by was like super excited to see us and she said that she was so close to baptism, then she got really ill and had to cancel a few appointments and then she never heard anything from missionaries again, until us .. and that was like years ago now. So she was well excited to see us! The Lord is preparing people to hear the Gospel, even if they aren't initially ready and another lesson learnt is ‘just because a few appointments fall out with someone consecutively, it doesn't always mean that they are dropping you, they may legitimately be ill’! 
Freitag! Studies filled the morning, followed by the chapel for a bit of internet, to sort out uni stuff.  Then we came home, mittagessen and weekly planning! Had a pretty full on weekly planning session and next week is looking pretty good again. Plus, we may have to use two progress records to report on the past week, cause we've had quite a bit... That’s a first. Missionary work really is a funny thing; some good weeks, some bad weeks, some absolutely terrible weeks and then you get absolutely brilliant weeks! It's weird, but I have to say that the brilliant weeks come at the times when they need to. Like some days you get so down from all the bad days, rejection and like no success, but when you keep going regardless of all of that, all of a sudden He'll bless you with a brilliant one to keep you going! Legit! The Lord’s hand really is leading His work! Then after weekly planning we headed out and started working on our list of referrals who we needed to contact. So we went by 7 of the 9! 5 had like no interest or said that they had no time at the moment, but they were still really kind and I think there’s still a possibility that one day they'll accept it. Then two of them..... Oh Mensch! That was just awesome! The one was a lady whose husband wasn't home yet, but she wanted so desperately to let us in and talk. Times when the 3rd man rule sucks. Like honestly, she had this like glow in her eyes. I don't even know how to describe it. I'd imagine if you've experienced it before you'd know what I'm on about, but you know when you look in somebody’s eyes and you just see how they have been thirsting to hear the message and you just see the realisation come upon them that this is it, that they've found it (or in other words that it has found them). Like that was such a testimony building experience. Then the other one- we klingled and a guy asks who it is so we're all like, "Wir sind Missionare für die Kirche Jesu Christi" and he's like "okay warte mal". So we wait and like a minute later he's at the door and invites us into the entrance hall of their home. His wife is like “Who are you inviting in?” then she sees us and realises who we are and is totally cool then. So this family live on the same street as the U’s and she has a Liahona subscription. She was with Schwester U earlier in the day and she mentioned missionaries to her and spoke about her mission in St George and all, so when we came tonight she was so excited. The husband isn't really interested in religion, but he wouldn't mind hearing a little introduction to the church to find out what his neighbours actually believe in. So we have an appointment with them Monday afternoon. Exciting! Like, their home just had a feeling to it that you get in members’ homes. Like it just felt so welcoming and like we had known them for ages. It was so cool! Pray for them. Legit! Then this evening we headed over to S. It was one of the best meetings with him! We had a bit of dinner with him and then we planned to do something a bit different with him and he was like "Oh what, like a roleplay type thing?" So we changed the plan and did a role play with him like he said! It was so cool! He was the missionary first and had to go from street contact to first appointment teaching the Restoration. Then we did the same. It was actually really cool and that was basically the day! It was pretty darn brilliant! 
Samstag Morgen after studies we headed over to Schw. G, as she wanted to have us over for lunch. So we got there for around 11ish and helped her prepare lunch and also did a few things around her apartment for her. She is such an awesome lady and always has a story to tell. Legit, we are probably strengthened so much more than she is when we visit her. Just an incredible woman! She gave me a sofa today. So she loves making these sofa cover things for tissue boxes to make them look nicer and they are actually really cool. Every missionary who serves here gets a sofa from her. So I'll have to take a picture of mine. It's a Heidi design sofa (Heidi is apparently a typical Swiss movie- I've personally never seen it, but now when I get home it's a must)! Well, after spending a good few hours helping Schw. G and having lunch together, we headed out to Stäfa, where we got some wifi for a few seconds and got emails.
My Tissue Sofa box from Schw G

President sent the Alphorn- and it's super sad- my MTC Sisters are on the 'Gott sei mit euch bis auf's Wiedersehn' page! It's all downhill from now; every time there’s an Alphorn from now on there will be missionaries in it on that page who are younger on their mission than me! Anyways, so in Stäfa we went by a few WA's, which was cool! One of them we had a nice doorstep convo, to which she tells us they'll be at church tomorrow which was sweet, but they were just heading out, so we couldn't leave them with anything. Then we went by another one who was in, so we met with her and it was pretty good! Then we went by a few other people and up a mountain to go by another one. It turns out he moved like 5 years ago, so then we got to slide down back to Bahnhof! Mensch talk about dangerous! It was slippy! Then it basically filled our day, so we headed home to grab dinner and that was that! 
So Sonntag morgen began with Choir. So we had no GMK this morning! We practiced 2 pieces. The one wasn't all that great, but the second one was brilliant! It was a really nice hymn! Then church and two less actives came, who we've been trying to work with, so that was really cool! Sacrament was really nice. The talks were brilliant! Oh and we met a member from Napoli Branch! I can't remember her name, but she is in Switzerland visiting her daughter and family cause her daughter just had twins, so she is up to help, so came to church today with her son-in-law. She's Italian, but spoke like perfect English, so we had a little chat and she thought it was crazy how small the world is that I have a sister who's serving in just her neighbouring ward! Haha! So that was pretty cool! Sunday School was pretty awesome. We had the lesson on Lehi’s dream and the interpretation thereof! It was done really well, so that was awesome! Then for Priesthood we discussed the talk 'Seien Sie ein Vorbild und ein Licht' from President Monson from last General Conference. It was really good! All about being a good example, even when we think nobody is looking. Somebody also said something pretty interesting, which was something like- ‘We are always an example whether we think we are or not. We show an example wherever we go and whatever we do, whether that is a good example or bad example that is where we make a choice’. Then after church we had Gemeinderat. Seriously, Gemeinderat here is perfect. Short and Snappy! Then we headed to the Familie D for Mittagessen! Typical Sunday Afternoon! We chatted with Bruder D for quite a while. It was really interesting. Like it jumped over all types of topics including conversion and how missionaries aren't just supposed to convert investigators, but also members and themselves and then about family history work and how we will impact the lives and the choices that our posterity will live with. It kind of went along with the ‘being a light and example’ topic from Priesthood meeting. Then he also mentioned something that’s obvious, but also a great reminder. He moved onto Eternal Families and mentioned how a couple or family being sealed in the temple is just the making of that Covenant, but as with every Covenant which is made, we also have a role to play. The sealing ceremony does not automatically make you an eternal family, but when we each keep that covenant made over that holy altar and do our part, that is when we are an eternal family. Then we finally did studies on a Sunday! It feels like I haven't had studies on a Sunday for ages, so that was really nice to have some good Sunday Studies! 
Well, I best add a little Spiritual thing going along with the themes recently. I am so grateful for that knowledge, for the knowledge of the gospel. I am so grateful for the blessing that we are an eternal family. I pray that we each are doing our part so that we do fulfil the covenant made to be an eternal family. It kills me a little bit that I won't be there next Tuesday as my family are all reunited with Ashleigh, but I know I am exactly where I need to be, in the Lord’s service, bringing souls unto the truth, which both Ash and I have been doing for the last 18months. I love each one of them so much and am excited and nervous for just over 5 months’ time when we will all be reunited again. Families are forever and I am so grateful for that. I'll be thinking about mine next Tuesday; they'll be in my thoughts and prayers! Have a great week everyone! 
Alles liebe,

Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxx