Did the Savior ask to feel what sinners feel in the Garden of Gethsamane?

Mission Blog Sept  15, 2012

Once it a while I check out the FaceBook pages.  That seems to be how we actually find out any news from home, except for our wonderful Bishop Gordon Whitehead.  I was saddened to see a young friend, of about 40, face book statement.  It is not the first one, where he has attacked the church.  He likes to brag about how monetarily successful he is, been in a Bishopric, etc, etc.  But he is very critical of the church, and is on a kick that they lie about being open and honest.  Then he surfs the internet for anything that concerns this.  He is gathering quite a following.  I have seen his page before and usually don’t even stop to read, but today I did.  When members begin to attack the church, you bet your bottom boots there is a reason behind it.  The reason being an unresolved sin.  And when they accuse the church of a flaw, especially about being open and honest, I wonder just how open and honest they really are.  What does it really tell you about this person.

So, I left a message, asking if he gave the Book of Mormon and study and prayer equal time to his aimless research.

In today’s world, with all of its temptations, we cannot afford to squander time delving into information that will lead us away from God.  We have to give the time to develop faith, by reading and prayerfully studying the scriptures and the word of God.

Elder Storrer and I have had quite an interesting week.

We look at the notes all of our fore missionaries have left regarding the less active.  So the Bishop gives them a list to visit, or they just get a ward list and do it on their own.   We don’t know.  We only know that the results are always the same.  “Not interested at this time.”   Or “It has no value.”  Or “I made some bad decisions in my life and don’t go to church because I feel guilty.”  Or “I had my feelings hurt, and refuse to forgive so and so, and will never go to church as long as he/she is in church.”

So we have analyzed it carefully, pulling from the scriptures,  Alma 31 talks about Alma and his brethren first praying for the missionary spirit, and then praying that they can touch the hearts of the Zoramites.  They never touched one heart -----until they meet those, “poor in heart.”  Because they were poor they had been kicked out of the Synagogues that they had built with their own hands.  They had no place to worship.  “They had a need.”  And so Alma and his brethren were able to teach them.

In working with a less active JAE and trying to get to know her (she is 18 and living with her nonmember boyfriend, whose father is a member) we invited to her to dinner, but she declined telling us, “it has no value.”  This is considered a big put down, that no one, in good company would say.  So as the unknown missionary we tried.  Oh did we try, going to her residence over and over again until we found her home.  Well we had been encouraged by those who know her, believing from some of her recent activity in the church, that she was ready.

That tells us that as a missionary couple we are here 18 mo to 2 years, as strangers from America.  They do not know us, and will say to us, what they would never say to an acquaintance.  And the Bishop gives us the same list as he did the other missionary couple to get them out of his hair.

Well, it is going to be different.  The Bishop was put on alert last Wednesday in the ward council meeting.  When the younger missionaries reported, he asked how many members had they been using in their discussions.  Well we know that missionaries have a hard time getting members to participate.  The Bishop, rightly, told them that he wanted them to use the members more.  In one of our district meetings, we had actually discussed that topic.  It was decided that part of the members problem is they don’t know what is expected of them.  Members either sit there frozen in silence or go off on some rambling tangent.  If they would roll play and help them understand how they can be used effectively in a particular lesson, like bearing their testimony as to what had been said.   Yet the missionaries seem to have a problem with working with the members, so that they can be prepared.  It is more of a last minute thing.  We were talking with a senior couple yesterday who said that they had been going with the missionaries as members, but their Branch President, a very young returned missionary in Solvania, told them that he did not want them doing that.  It was important that the members become involved as they are the ones required to fellowship them.

The missionaries watch the videos of Preach My Gospel, and love and learn, but they seem to miss that those missionaries bear “bold” testamonies. 

So back to us.  Elder Storrer suddenly was having problems speaking German, and the Bishop said, “Perhaps it would be okay if we spoke in English.  In that room was one man who does not speak a fair amount of English.  It was a blessing for it allowed me to know exactly what they were talking about and contribute.  The Lord has promised me that I would have what I need when I needed it.  I pretty much told them quickly about Alma 31-32.  Bishop Schubert did not seem to happy and a little impatient when I started on the scripture. But I just ignored him. Then I told them, “People are not converted to the gospel of Christ, unless they have a need.”  As strangers we do not know what the needs of the less actives are.  Surely there are members here who know them, and can help us.  We cannot do, as strangers, what the members and people they know can do.  We are willing to work with the members, but without them we will just continue to do what every other missionary couple has done, with exactly the same results.  There were those in the room who grasped the picture quickly.  Brüder Brunner, the High Priest Group leader kept nodding his head.  Brüder Denng, in the Bishopric just stared at me.  But you could see in his eyes that he felt the spirit, because I felt the spirit as I spoke.  I knew that they were not my words, but the words the Lord would have me say. I asked for a possible list of people who knew them. I mentioned Samaia, the 18 year old, and reminded them, that she is the perfect example of how successful we will be if we just go through the motions.

Elder Storrer spoke up and said, “Our goal is to have success.”

Elisha Grünnaur, the other counselor, suggested exactly what we were fishing for—a home teaching and visiting teaching list.   While Brüder Dengg  commented, “Do they even have home and visiting teachers.

Brüder Fegg, the Elder’s quorum president agreed to create a list.  Now we have to get the RS to produce one, and they were not represented that evening.

In the past we have always had to wait, and I am sure this is no different.  So we will continue to formulate our plan and move ahead in a different direction for a second confirmation.

But as we have studied the scriptures, and been preparing and planning.  We have talked a lot about needs and talking to our Heavenly Father about it.  We have also talked about praying to understand how they feel.  Elder Storrer and I had a disagreement the night before.  I feel that without the language, I am always walking around the parameters.  And I like a little independence but more than that I feel that I have to constantly fight for my individualism.  This is not the first time in our marriage that this problem has arisen, so I will not let it go as far as it had before.  Well Norm went to the Lord and asked if he could feel how I feel.  He was shocked and frightened to find that it leaves me with a very empty feeling.  I thought about that as I took my shower and realized that yes it does leave me empty, because when I feel that my individuality is being tugged from me, I do feel empty.  I feel that I am not me.   But it was a very interesting experience because this came out of it.

When the Savior was in the Garden of Gethsemane did He ask the Father to let him feel how the sinner feels.  We know that Joseph Smith had to study and constantly ask.  Is that how the Savior, who had been sin free learn the last great lesson He had to learn? Before he paid for the sins of the world.

Just something to ponder. 

You will have what you need when you need it, God's promise

Mission Experiences  Sep 11, 2012-09-11

This has been one faith promoting experience after an other.

I have have been reading “Articles of Faith” by Talmage.  I have been reading about the fourth article of Faith, and about the first principles and ordinances of the gospel which begin with Faith.  He points out that belief is passive,  Even the Devil’s believe.  But it takes Faith the action word  to really understand.  It takes work to have Faith. 

So anyway, last Friday I lost my little credit card holder.  I keep it in the safest place in my purse.  Saturday Norm asked for my Vorteills Card to purchase the tickets to go to München for a missionary conference, where we were going to have the wonderful opportunity to listen and be taught by an Apostle of our Savior, Elder Russell M. Nelson.  He is also the father of our Mission President’s wife.  Well I went to my purse, in my very safe pocket and it was not there.  We tore the house apart looking for it and then tried to retrace our steps mentally.  And we also offered up prayer.  We knew I had had it Friday as I used the Metro card.  I finally remembered while we were out in Eugendorf I had gotten it out to give Norm the Vorteill’s Karte as he was going to go to the Bahnhoff to purchase the tickets when we got back later in the afternoon.  I went to bed Saturday believing I would toss and turn all night but I slept peacefully the whole night.  I knew that I would find that purse. 

When we were set apart for our mission, I was praying that I would learn the language.  Instead our Heavenly Father knew my needs more than I did and blessed me that I would have what I needed when I needed it.  It has been the most marvelous blessing of our mission.  A couple times I have felt panic, but He has kept his promise.  And when I shouldn’t have it, I don’t.  So as I told Elder Storrer, he has not let me down yet.  Oh, I prayed fervently all right.

But I was not worried.  Since it was the weekend we had to wait until Monday.  I had to prepare for an open house, so I could not dwell on it Saturday  Sunday, I had to accompany the Elders who sang in Sacrament Meeting, (They did a great job, even with my mistakes, which fortunately were minor.)  Then we served the Elders and Heinz a new convert the left overs for lunch, adding some small maltaschen to go with the Mariana sauce.  We went to visit Sister Thibaut our shut-in, and she suggested that we go to the City Magistrate’s office.  If it was found there we were required to leave a 10% of value amount for the finder.  Elder Storrer kept feeling we should go back to metro as that was the only card that could be identified with an address, however, the address is in Wien.  Well we did both, to know avail.

So we prayed again and decided to go out to Eugendorf, about 15 km to the two stores we stopped to check out.  We went to Kikas.  When we left I suggested we pray again.  We were out of ideas with only Lufts left.  We stopped at the cash register and she said she believed something had been turned in and to check at the information desk.  As soon as she saw my name tag she got excited.  I had dropped it in the parking lot, probably when I got out of the car.  I had not put it back in it’s safe place.

I knew we would find it and it would be a miracle.  See our Father in Heaven always keeps his promises.

And then today was a wonderful and warm experience.  The spirit was so strong.  There were three of the zones represented.  Tomorrow they will be in Zurich, and I believe they leave on the 13^th.

He did a lot of question and answer.  They had emailed all of the seniors and asked us not to ask any questions.  Well he asked for questions of the young missionaries, and he kept saying that they were good questions.  And they were.  One young man asked how he could be an affective missionary, and he worried about remaining faithful after his mission as he had friends who went completely inactive after theirs.  He told he wanted him to answer his own question, which came down to keep doing what he was doing now.  Praying and studying his scriptures and planning his life.  Then he told how disappointed he was to see how so many of those missionaries return home and go scruffy.  He said, “It is not a good reflection on their attitude.”

But he brought up some ideas about missionary work that goes along with how Norm and I are viewing it.  And then in our Zone meeting after lunch,  a young elder brought it up and Elder Storrer was able to reiterate it later.  Read Alma 31, I believe starting with verse 12.  Then go to Alma 32.  First they prayed for the spirit and asked their Father in Heaven to touch the hearts of the Zoramites.  They did not convert a one-----Until those Poor of heart came to them.  They were not even allowed to worship in the Synagogues that they had built with their own hands.  They had no place to worship.  They had a need.

People are not converted until they have a need.  We run in to it all the time, even less actives.

We had been trying to work with a young JAE, who is living with her boyfriend.  She gave Norm the brush off back in April, but since it appeared she was reachable.  Well we made contact, told her we would like to get to know her and Sabastian a little better.  He is not LDS, but his father is.  She said, “call about a good time in September.  Well when Norm called her she said, one of the rudest things one can say in German, “It has no value.”  She thought she was sending an insult to us, but we were only representing the Lord, so she pretty much told him “that it has no value.”

My heart goes out to her for she thought she was clever, but she as no idea what she as done to herself.  God does not curse us, it is our actions that do.

So in setting our goals, we have decided we can go to the doors and meet with these people and get the same results our predecessor have gotten before us or try a new approach.  I will write about it’s success or failure in a different blog.  I just know we have to have faith in all things.  If we create and work at this with a lot of prayer, we will show our Father in Heaven our faith.  We will have what we need when we need it.

Pictures

My size of door.

So we returned to the Burghausen Castle in Germany

It is the longest Castle in Europe and probably the world.

An ancient garden

Living quarters

One of a number of arches.  I seemed to have missed posting one of the original large iron doors

There were roses planted around this church.

Old tree and trunk 

The short doors.  I believe probably so if the enemy entered he had to duck

and made him an easy target.

E. Storrer inside the castle, the round circles are old cannon balls

Their usual icon either as a babe held in Maria's arms or on the cross.

We never see a reserected Savior. 

Castle is on a ridge and this is behind the castle.  It is surrounded by water

One of the gothic arches.

There were piles of old cannon balls everywhere.  

The living area, and the outer walls

One of the chapels within it's walls.

Continued lessons in Missionary Work, and working with Members

September 9, 2012

Missionary work is hard enough but when one runs into logger heads because of Culture it is discouraging.

The standard here is Socialism.  If you are not using it, it belongs to others.  Sister Zaugg, had set a standard that I did not understand.  She had JAE things spread around the church, and much of it in cupboards that could not be found or used by the members because it was under lock and key.  I gathered it all up and organized it neatly in a box in the allotted cupboard.

We had a baptism two weeks ago, and after the baptism I watched them using the disposable plates, and other items from the closet.  Well I was glad that they had felt comfortable using things.  But then I was a little chagrined  when they left the reusable items just sitting in the kitchen.  I was even a little disturbed, when Heinz the man who was baptized was cleaning up.

I noticed that they had just shoved the unused stuff back in the box.  So later in the week I went into to organize and was really disturbed and in shock.  The JAE had not been meeting at all since the middle of July.  I needed the napkins and found that Sister Zaugg's huge stash of napkins were almost depleated.  I had purchase straws for the JAE, the bag had been torn open, and the straws were dumped out.  I had purchased some plastic dipping cups, but change of program had not even opened the box, and they were gone.  Also the box was totally disorganized as they had pawed through it.  The foils and wraps and boxes of plastic bags had been thrown around.  These were from JAE funds.

Well I was read y to get one of our carry all plastic boxes and haul everything down to the computers that are locked up.  But as we talked about it, Elder Storrer laughed and said, "they live the united order."  But then he added,  actually this is Socialism.  They are required to share.  They really don't know any different.

Then I thought of all the extra stuff that I had gathered up, and realized that Sister Zaugg had such a large stash of knives and forks, and other stuff, that she herself had probably gathered up a lot of left over stuff, believing that she was saving JAE funds.  So some of the stuff they had used probably belonged to them anyway.  So the only thing I am really disturbed about now is the stuff that I have in the past purchased and set in the kitchen for JAE use on a Sunday, All put together in a box. It was all there for an obvious purpose. yet some sister decided she wanted my green hot sauce and took it..

I remember the other CES couples complaining that if they put anything in the church fridge a day early that the YM and YW program would eat it, even if they labeled it for JAE use only.  Now I realize that it is just their way of life and we have to work around it.

Even the Saints here are against Romney because he is a conservative.  We do our best to avoid any political discussion, so they say to our face.  They don't understand Americans at all.  Of course not they moved through Kaizer's, Natzism, and now Socialism.  They have "vacation time,"  It is about 8 weeks from middle of July through August.  Everyone are required to take their vacations then.  They might as well shut down Austria at that tijme.  And then we see those required to take 5 months of vacation because they had a baby.   And at a very reduced rate of what they normally make.  Then we see the tax 50% to support the nonworkers.  Yet they cannot understand why we cling to a piece of paper, "The constitution."  Many admit that they really don't understand Americans.  Well we have no choice but to cater to Socialism, and believe me the Freedom of America has become more precious to us.    It is hard to watch things unfold in America because we see the bad side of it here.  These people really don't have a clue and want for America what they have here.  Thank goodness none of them can vote.

Mission Blog  August 29, 2012  Wednesday

It has been sometime since adding to the blog.  Lots have happened.  The church had put the Institutes under the Stakes.  From the time that Elder Perry had his vision of how the church would survive because of the young adults, here in Europe, there has been transitions developed and created.  It was decided that each Institute would have their own center.  Larger ones were given institute centers, while the smaller ones would stay in chapels.  There were great programs created to keep the centers open where the young adults could come, study, play games and bring friends.  It had a three fold purpose, which still exists.  Getting our young men on missions, couples married in the temple and raising families in the church, reactivate the less active and bring other young adults into the social network of the centers where they could eventually embrace the gospel of Christ.

Problem was the CES couples who have gone a little overboard.  We were only to be shadow leadership, encouraging where we could, but mainly doing for the program what the young adults could not do.  It was to encourage team teaching allowing the young adults to learn and practice the skills of teaching the gospel, or leading in gospel discussion.  It was their program, and  we were here to support it.  But to many CES couples or center couples treated them more like teenagers and got carried away with the program.  When we arrived back in February and Elder Storrer announced that it was their program, they were to decided how they wanted it ran.  Well they pretty much froze.  Our JAE president looked helpless.  Then it was almost as if they wanted to disband it.  They let us know that they considered anything beyond Thursday night institute a burden, and seemed happy with all the Austrian holidays that fell on Thursday, and the ready excuse they had that institute would not be held.  They also quickly announced that they did not want Family Home Evening as they lived at home and wanted to attend their family home evenings.  The new Bishop, not understanding that our calling was to the YSA told us we were to have FHE with the older single adults and new members.   Elder Storrer in his enthusiasm got a little carried away trying to support the Bishop, because he has the keys, even when President Miles informed him the the Stake President held the keys for our calling.  He really wanted to get out a proselyte like the young missionaries.  He was really disappointed when it became obvious because of my bad knee he could not do it.  He was even disgusted with another Senior Missionary who informed him that we did not have to do that.  Well Elder Holland in last October conference had tried to encourage the Seniors by telling them that their missions are different from the young missionaries.  Then when our confused Bishop called our mission President, who informed him that our first job is working with the YSA, and if we were not going to be used in that capacity, he would pull us from Salzburg.  By that time Elder Storrer was finally catching on that our first job is working with the YSA, and the second is working in Membership and leadership support.  So we had to create a meeting with him and help him understand that we have a lot of down time working in the YSA, and that is when we give the ward membership support.

So we go to Vienna early this month to a Tagung for the YSA and spend at least one hour everyday with the regional leadership, area Seventy, and also First Quorum of Seventy leadership.  Just as we thought we were getting a handle on things, the rug got tugged again.  It is no longer called “Outreach Centers” but rather “The Stake Program for Young Single Adults.”  But it was how we envisioned it was to run.  No two groups are alike.  No two groups have the same needs.  Also Gerald and Traudi Roth, a newly returned mission president and his wife were called as our new institute teachers.  And Traudi is also been called as the Stake Institute Director.  Their youngest child Julia is 28.  She is a very pretty girl, with the ideals of a worthy man who will take her to the temple.  But she has gone on to create a career so that she can support herself.  (We saw this in others at the Tagung.  What choice do they have.  They lived through her needs and desires, and struggles trying to support and over active “Outreach program”  She tried to do it all, but was exhausted.  As the Roth’s have talked to others they see that the Institute program here in Salzburg needs to pull in it’s horns a bit.  Everyone of our JAE are apprentices.  They work long hard hours as they learn their trade.  Coming to Institute is not always an option because of this.  Supporting nightly activities is definitely not an option.  And in the past with the overzealous CES Missionaries they have been made to feel guilty by not being so involved.

Thus came the rebellion against FHE and weekly Friday activities.  These kids will turn ropes to get to Tagung, and even sometimes to their dismay they cannot even do that.

Our institute program covers , two wards and hundred’s of square miles.  Some of these kids live so far away, they don’t even make it to church.  Some get to those Tagungs, and some have gone inactive.  So it alone is a challenge. 

The second problem is the location of the church.  If they catch a train into Salzburg, it can be a long train ride.  Then they have to catch a bus at the Bahnhof and it is two buses and at least 35 more minutes, minimum if they don’t have to wait for the second bus.

To come to institute, they really have to want to come.  We have done well enough to average 8 in attendance.  They have agreed to one activity a month.  In November the stake announced a Formal Ball in November.  That will be their activity to decorate, and un decorate, besides the Ball.  They are happy to do that but do not want another activity on top of that.  As we talked to the Roth’s it was so good to see we are on the same page, and not feel guilty by comparing ourselves to the notebooks of our predecessors.  Traudi did not leave any stone unturned in telling us that what ever we do we are not to make them feel guilty.

We have felt like we are on a roller coaster in the dark, never really knowing what is around each bend.  We lost our first President to marriage, our second to school in Wien and excited to be with a larger, more enthusiastic group.  So Josua Brunner was called as our new president.  The first thing he did was talk to Karl Sikora, the High Counselor over the institute program for the stake.  He told them that they hated the stage, and wanted a better room.  They also would prefer to have the kick ball game and the pool table taken away, and replaced with two tables that they could sit around.  They wanted the collapsible bulletin board, “one of those folding clothes changing  screens”  Elder Storrer and I could not agree with him more.  The games are so crowded that they are worthless and are never played.

Elder Storrer had a dream that we needed to be working below the foundation, and we believe that these YSA, if allowed to run their own program the way they want it run, it will be more successful.  So we are in total support.

And it is interesting when the inspiration is right, you are not the only one who has it.

And we have also be working with Sean Baillargeon our grandson, as well as taking out time of our P-Days to help him see the sites.  We went to Bertsches Gaden and the Eagle’s Nest,  The World War II museum and Hitler’s bunker.  He truly was a mad man.  Sadly it is shocking the parallels of his skeams plans and programs to what is happening in America.  The idiots who claim that the Holocaust didn’t happen have never witnessed the Nazi’s own photography, or the evidence.  They have their own wicked agenda.

The people here only have known Kaizers and Socialism.  They cannot begin to understand American’s and our fight to maintain our Freedoms.  We all need to be praying for our nation daily.  Or because of the wickedness that it will end shortly, so the Savior can come.  Those who don’t want it to happen, so they can make their’s first, are not only living in a dream world, but it is all about them.  Their eye is not upon the Savior and his love for us.  We see the selfishness of man, and it is heart breaking.

We also went to BurgHausen and finally went through the longest Castle in the world.  It was built on a narrow ridge, and protected two bodies of water, for the transportation of the salt.  We saw one doorway built in 1080  and another that indicated it was still being built in the 1500s.  I have never seen so many twists, turns and many different angles in one building in my life.

The gospel is true.  It is founded on the love of our Savior.  Matthew 22:37-40  Says it all.  It is founded upon loving our Savior and loving our neighbor.  On these two principles hang all the laws of the prophets.  We are promised in Moroni 7:46-48 That everything fails—but—Charity never faileth.  And we are told what we are not worth, when we fail at Charity in 1 Corinthians 13.    That is what counts most and is more successful.

When the members of the ward pray for the missionaries to find those prepared, and for those who are prepared to find the missionaries, it really works.  We have seen the struggles to find and teach those who are not prepared.  But when they are prepared, it comes together on the Lord’s time.

Juli 29,   Forgot.  We are in the new wohnung.  We are about 99% moved in. We are waiting for the back order of the new desk, and chairs.  But even the pictures are hung.  We have one mirror, left, but have to borrow a drill for it, as the walls are all cement.  They say that they don't have earthquakes here.  Hope  that isn't the famous last words.  Send pictures of it in the next blog.  Now I have to get Norm up from his nap so we can plan out a very busy week.  Love to you all.

Blog Juli 29. Today I was humbled--in a righteous way.

Mission Blog Juli 29

Interesting day.  We were asked to speak in church again by our GML, Bruder Malzl.  Neither of us understood.  We thought it was Sacrament Meeting.  Instead it was the 5^th Sunday.  He asked me to speak about Loving Mankind, and how it helps in doing missionary work.  So I set about writing it in English and translating it in German.  If I am going to speak to a congregation of German speaking people, I figure it is better that I do it in German, because listening to the translation in English, I recognize that a lot gets lost in translation.

So Thursday he calls telling us that he has mailed a slide show, and wants us to speak around it.  Elder Storrer tells me and I tell him that I don’t understand how it is going to work, and since I have th preprepare the talk, there is no way I can meet his expectations.  Sure enough we get there today and he doesn’t want me to read it, but rather say, “something from the heart spontaneously, even if I have to say it in English and have it translated.  I balked.  For the first time I would learn that he wanted me to tell how loving mankind has helped me in missionary work.  I told him that I could not speak off the cuff like that, and what I had written came from the heart.  Then he asked to see it, and immediately saw three pages, and told me there was no way I could cut it.  He did not recognize one page was strictly English and in small print.  He thought he saw ½ hour talk.  When in reality I had about a page and 1/3 in number 16 font and spaced.

So Elder Storrer picked out 5 lines and says give this.  I was furious.  I asked Br. Malzl, “If I give it in English how much time do I have to allow someone to translate it.”  I was in tears of pure frustration by this time.  When he thought about it, and asked to look at the talk again, and handed the two pages, he realized that it was not that long, and said to give it all.  Then he told Elder Storrer to watch him as he would probably have to cut his because of time.  Well, If I could help it that was not going to happen.  So I was furiously cutting the non essentials.

In the end I had to find a room and commune with my Father-in-Heaven.  After all it was all about loving mankind.  I felt prompted to put back in the part of forgiveness.

The talk was plenty short, I gave it in German, but tears streamed down my face because I had said, (in german of course”  Moroni 7:37-40  Tells us, “everything faileth, but the Lord has given us a great promise that “Charity never faileth.”

Then I went on to tell the story of how I had to forgive.  That is when the tears started to roll.  It was with deep humility that I finished and then before I left the stand I apologized to Brother Malzl.  I am sure everyone wondered what that scene was about.  I felt good and I felt humble and I felt a little embarrassed that would stay with me until we departed from the church.

I have noted that this is the most important commandment we have been given.

This commandment has the greatest blessings.

Yet this commandment is the hardest to keep.

It is the one tool Satan cannot possess, and he cannot even imitate it.  So he uses other tools,

Pride, anger, selfishness, (the opposite of charity,) for we are promised if we find ourselves we have lost ourselves, but if we lose ourselves in the service of others we will find ourselves.  So the real joy is in losing ourselves.

So here is the talk as I gave it:  I used the RS message this month as it was perfect

Nehmen Sie sich die Zeit, darüber nachzu/denken, was sie tun können,  liebe für andere die nicht mitglieder unsere Gemeinde sind zu zeigen. .

Let us take a moment to think about what we can do to show that we have love for others.

Las uns die neue und weniger aktive Mitglieder ausreichen.

Let us reach out to new and less-active members.

Sie vorbehaltlos lieb haben

Love them undcontionally

über sie wachen und ihren Glauben stärken, „einen nach dem anderen“ – so, wie der Erretter es getan hat (siehe 3 Nephi 11:15)

Watch over them and strengthn their faith „one by one“ as the Savior did 3 Nephi 11:15

uns um Einsame kümmern und um diejenigen, die Trost brauchen

Reach out to the lonely or those in need of comfort.

Wir können Wege finden, um ihnen zu dienen.

We can find ways to serve them.

 

Der Erlöser hat uns versprochen, dass wir die lieben, die wir dienen.

The Savior has promised us that we will love those we serve.

Es ist sehr wichtig, dass wir uns gegenseitig verzeihen. Wir können nicht lieben, die wir nicht verzeihen. Genauso Wichtig ist es das wir uns selbst schaden, wenn  wir unsere Herzen verschliessen.  Christus gebot uns alle zu vergeben, das heisst, wir müssen uns selbst auch unsere übertretungen vergeben.

It is important that we forgive one another.  We cannot love those we cannot forgive.  But just as important we do more harm to ourselves when we lock our heart.  Christ commanded us to for give always.

Einmal habe Ich eine probleme mit einer Frau gehabt, es schien mir das sie mich immer schaden wollten. Mein Zorn hat mich verzehrt.  Ich merkte, dass ich  meine Familie auch dadurch shadete.  Der Geist Christi war nicht in meinem Herz.  Dann verzieh Ich ihr.

I once struggled with forgiving a woman who always seemed to want to hurt me.  My anger consumed me.  I realized I was hurting my family as well.  The spirit of God was not in my heart.  I forgave her.

Schließlich war meine Seele in Frieden, und ich fühlte die Liebe meines Erlösers wieder.

Finally my soul was at peace and i felt the love of my Savior again.

Wir sollten einander lieben, wie wir den Herrn unseren Gott lieben. Wir können es nicht tun es sei denn, wir uns selbst lieb haben.

We are to love each other as we love the Lord our God.  We can do neither unless we love ourselves.

In rewriting this I realize that I left out some importance that connected things together.  Oh, well.

Found this oak tree leaves—probably knocked off in yesterday’s storm.  I have only seen an acorn this large and like this in pictures.  So I am sending this to you so, if you haven’t either you can see it in a picture like me.

Found this oak tree leaves—probably knocked off in yesterday’s storm.  I have only seen an acorn this large and like this in pictures.  So I am sending this to you so, if you haven’t either you can see it in a picture like me.  This may be a hair bigger, when I hold the original up to it.