Dead pants to the bitter end?

From Aug 21, 2017:

Hey Momo! 

I am just flabbergasted to hear that you've had such a great week, if not a little busy. Being busy is always good though. I regretfully don't have a lot of time this week. Ive been trying to be better about setting aside time for emails, but this week just isn't being very nice. >:( Its because of some exciting things happening. Ill do my best to get the good stuff in. :) 

So Ill start with the exciting news. But i have to introduce the good news with sad news. Its time for Elder Lucas to go home. :( His time is sadly up. He's definitely not ready, and freaking out about it a little bit. It's interesting to be in this position, because I've never sent another missionary home before. He's been staying true and working hard to the very end though. I'm very proud of my friend. He'll be glimpsing the coasts of the great mother land of the gentiles pretty soon. Tomorrow, actually. XD I'll definitely miss him. We've had some awesome times together and I've learned a crazy amount from him. But he has paid his two years to the Lord and must return. He served honorably and with his whole heart. 

 

With the Sister Missionaries.

 

And with that come the news. I'M GETTING ANOTHER BABY! (New missionary to train)  I'll be training again and receive my new missionary tomorrow! WOO! It's crazy exciting. I don't even know his name or where he's from yet, and i find out tonight. He could be from anywhere! Memories of training elder Ormsby are coming back to me and I'm excited to give it another shot. There's a lot I want to do better this time around. Please pray that it goes well!! :) 

Besides that we've had a pretty exciting week. By the way we almost missed our train today and Elder Lucas runs way faster than me so I was running to Bahnhof with Elder Lucas way in the distance, and this lady passed me on her Moped and stopped. She asked me if i wanted a ride, and I gladly accepted. Next thing you know, I whiz by Elder Lucas on the moped and his face is priceless. Needless to say, we caught the train. Very nice lady, xD

As a service project we donated plasma this week!! You saw the pictures I'm sure xD. Usually I don't have the stomach for that sort of thing but this time it actually worked out pretty well! The dumb thing is that I've kind of been shanghaid into going at least three times. -_- My plasma cant be used until Ive gone a couple times, and it sounds like they really need donors. But as far as the Mission President is concerned, its a good service project, so I guess I cant argue. I'm officially a "Lebensretter" After this week. Haha. 

I sang in church this week! I think it was the best performance of my mission. It was pretty hastily organized, so i sang the song Ive sung the most here, "Savior Redeemer of my Soul." It was awesome. The guy who played the piano is Julian Egger, the Bishop's son, and he's a professional. It was awesome. We also had 3 investigators there. I now have a bunch of "Orders" for my CD, and all the ones I make after that. -_- haha. 

We went to a Catholic mass yesterday with an Investigator. We made a deal with her that we'd visit her church if she visited ours. It was crazy different. Ive been to a couple different churches, and Ive been to one catholic mass in America, but the church there and the church here is completely different. It was beautiful, but different. It was all extremely traditional. It was also a great big stone church built in who knows when. A very beautiful building, in any case. It was a completely different feel than what I'm used to, and I can't say I really enjoyed it. 

We had a huge Brazilian lunch yesterday! All the Brazilians in the ward got together and made us lunch. It was rice with salad and some kind of meat. It was delicious. I have a picture of the family. They lived in Sau Paulo until a few years ago. Great family. 

 

Great brazilian family that fed us.  (And Poopy)

 

I have a funny story. So, Elder Lucas is famous for his quick wit and sarcasm. The problem is, sometimes the sarcasm is so reactionary, that it comes automatically. Depending on what joke he makes, this can be either embarrassing or slightly dangerous. XD We were finding in a park the other day and we stopped two people who just happened to be from Russia. They could speak a little English. We asked them if they believed in God, and they said no. The man said he was a scientist, and enjoyed "Big Booms." A perfect opportunity for Elder Lucas's sarcasm to take hold. Automatically, he replied: "Ah, like Chernobyl, that was pretty wonderful, wasn't it?" I don't know if the man didn't understand what he said or just didn't care, but he didn't react strongly at all, in fact he laughed. But that was a close one!! After the conversation was over, we decided that his sarcasm sometimes has a mind of its own. 

 

Lunch with Sis. Schmutzer.

 

I saw a quote this week that read: "Bis zum bitteren Ende, die toten Hose." That directly translates to: "Dead pants to the bitter end." Which actually translates to the meaning: "Dead boring to the bitter end." This was on a sticker on a car. When I saw this, something inside me just had to wonder what kind of life this person led. It made me wonder what kind of purpose they saw in their own life. So many people feel like they have no purpose in life and after a while they become bitter and just give up. It doesn't have to be that way. People look for happiness and excitement in the things that bring addiction and sorrow and broken families. But purpose in life lies in the Plan of God and his love for us. I know that because I experience it. I want to find people who are looking for this purpose in life, and show them that there doesn't have to be a boring life to a bitter end, rather a life filled with love and happiness, leading to an afterlife of endless joy. 

Well Thats all I have time for right now, but Ill get to more of it later, ok? :) 

I love you Mom!! Until later! 

Love, 

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