Missionary update

We received Jaren's latest letter Monday.  It usually comes on Saturday, but the mail must have been strange with the 24th.  His letters are getting longer and he is answering more questions now.  He must be settling into the routine.  In his opening paragraph he says,"I can't believe that it has been just over two weeks now!  Time just flies!"  This from a guy who hasn't even landed in the field yet!

Jaren has a friend from our last ward who goes into the MTC August 20th, I believe.  He has been called to the Germany Berlin mission.  Jaren let me know that they will be in the same MTC branch.  All of the German speaking missionaries are part of the same branch in the MTC.  So I guess they will see each other.  By then Jaren will be "fluent" in his German!  (or so it may seem to the new ones coming in!!)

Jaren let me know that he received letters from the former mission president, President Webb (who happens to be the father-in-law of Steve's sister, Laura) and the new mission president, President Ninow.  I guess the letter from President Webb was written in April and sent to our physical address.  It went back to the mission and President  Ninow sent it along with his own letter addressed to Jaren.  We have a P.O. Box and don't receive mail at our physical address.  I wondered why we hadn't received a letter from President Webb because our friends, the Miller's, also from our last ward said their son received one from him regarding things that are specific to that mission.  I had Sandy tell me what they were.  Hopefully Jaren was prepared.  President Webb mentioned how much the work has opened up since Elder Uchtdorf was called as an apostle and a couple of others from Germany have been called as General Authorities and that some times these men are involved in meeting investigators and teaching with the missionaries.  President Webb says, "We feel that Germany and our mission have truly been blessed by their presence.  There is a feeling of excitement and renewal of the church and we can see and feel it's manifestation by the number of people who are being taught the gospel and are coming closer to our Savior as they accept these teachings and become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints."

President Ninow said, "You will be blessed to use the Frankfurt Temple in proselytizing work and to seal the conversion of investigators by preparing them and their families to attend and receive the blessings of the temple.  We are also enclosing a list of hymns we use in our street preaches, which are a very important part of our proselytizing effort.  Please memorize the first verse of each of these songs."  Mom will add here, in all your spare time and in your limited German!

Jaren let me know that at Tuesday devotionals and when General Authorities visit, they sing "Called to Serve."  It's good to know that some things never change and always remain the same. . . even after 23 years!!

Jaren thanks Steve for sending him cinnamon rolls for the district through dearelder.com.  Kind of a funny story about that. . . I checked our checking account balance online one day and noticed a charge from dearelder.com and couldn't figure out what it was from, so I quickly sent off an email telling them that.  They sent an email back with their FAQ's attached regarding billing.  I answered them that I had already read through all that and would like a more personal answer.  I told them that all I did was look at what was available to send but as far as I know, I didn't give them any billing info.  They answered by asking if anyone, perhaps a child or a spouse could have used the account to send anything.  That got me thinking, "surely Steve would have mentioned something to me.  He did ask for the dearelder info and was planning to write Jaren a letter on Sunday."  I immediately got on the phone with Steve and sure enough, it was him!   I didn't have the guts to email the nice lady at dear elder to tell her how well we communicate at our house!

Jaren sounds really good and is starting to "catch the vision" of missionary work.  He is still with two other missionaries and will be until he leaves the MTC September 8th.

Family Info:  Moving sprinkler pipes is coming right along.  I tried to wear my heart rate monitor yesterday while we were out there, but the watch wasn't picking up the heartbeat from the strap. . . so much for that idea!  I did time us today.  It was 10 minutes for one line and 30 for another.  And our line was even straight!  I was embarrassed about yesterday's line, but was pressed for time and never did get it straight.  We walked up and down the line two times moving the pipes farther over trying to make it straight.  I finally decided the field was crooked!!  If I had a camera, I would have taken some pictures, but Steve took the camera to camp with him.  We would have made your day, for sure!  I can feel the biceps getting stronger, but it's my forearms that hurt the most.