Still in Saarbrucken!

Here is Jaren's letter for the week.  He is sounding great.  He explained in his letter why we didn't hear from him on Tuesday.  I received an email from his trainer's mom that I am hoping to post bits and pieces of today or tomorrow. It put a smile on my face and for some of you that know Jaren, you will understand why!

Dear Mom. Dad and Familie!

Well, lots to talk about today. First off, the reason I´m writing today is because Präsident switched our P-Day around so that the missionaries aren´t wasting too much time between transfers and this program that Elder Oaks will be speaking at. I guess I explained it weird, but Elder Oaks comes this Friday, so Elder Taylor misses him by a day. He was really bumbed out by that, but oh well. So, anyway, transfers are today, which is normal, but it's also P-Day. If it weren´t the case, we would have a P-Day, transfers, and then Elder Oaks on Friday, taking up three whole days of nothing. (I don't think he totally meant nothing. . . not when you have one of the 12 Apostles speaking to you!) So that is why President Ninow decided to make P-Day the same day as transfers, just so you know. I didn´t ignore you, it is just that this week is a little crazy. 

Well, I did get my phone call on Sunday night saying that I´m staying here in Saarbrücken. But, I am also senior companion. I am a little nervous because yeah, I have helped a lot with my other companions, but the weight rested on their shoulders more than mine for certain things. Now, it is on mine, and I´m feeling it. I am getting Elder White, and he is starting his 4th Cycle, and I am starting my 5th. He came in the group right after me in the MTC, so he should be a great missionary. They were all pretty good.
 
I´ll admit that Elder Taylor was pretty trunky the last week, but there wasn´t anything he could do about it because he pushed all of the things he needed to do until the last week. We worked pretty hard together and had a lot of fun and found quite a few good people to teach that have progressed very well. Hopefully I can still keep things going like we had them going when he was here. I do have to get myself out of a rut a little bit. The work has been a little more lax the last week because of everything that Elder Taylor had to do, not to mention that he also had lots to do as District Leader the last few weeks as well with splits and such. All I can say is that I feel pretty humbled right now, and the only one that can help pick me back up and get things rolling like they were and get back to normal is the Lord. So, that is just what I´ll have to do. 

We did have a couple of pretty good lessons this last week, a lot with members who we really couldn´t meet before because of travel, and because Elder Taylor was leaving. We met with our ward mission leader and his wife, and they are a really fun family to visit. I am trying to think how I can describe them for you! They are really a wonderful family, a lot like Robyn Becthold. Both of them are very lively. His wife reminds me a lot of her though and so they are very fun to talk to and have some pretty amazing stories from the ward from way back when. He was the Bishop of the ward here at the same time we were living in Düsseldorf, and has been here in Saarbrücken for most of his life. We shared a short message with them about some of the miracles that we have seen on our missions so far, and what miricles we have witnessed since we have been here in Saarbrücken. It was very spiritual and they too shared some pretty powerful experiences of their own.

We visited another family. They are the Niesens. I love them a lot to say the least! They, too, have been in the ward for a pretty long time, but both he and his wife speak perfect English, because they lived in Utah for most of their lives, but grew up in Holland. So, they also speak perfect Dutch and German as well. I some how got into a conversation with them about Düsseldorf, and told them that I had lived there with my family about ten years before. I think Bruder Niesen was talking about his time as a High Councilman in the Düsseldorf stake just a couple years before that time. I asked if they knew Thomas Gulla, and they immediately said, "you know him?" I then told him the things we did together and how he took me around the area while I was there. They thought very highly of him. Sister Niesen said that at about the time he was 18 years old, he had found out about his disease, (cystic fibrosis, a horrible thing to have and I think it's made worse by moist climates, but I'm not sure) and was basically living to die. She said that the doctors told him he didn´t have much time to live once he found out, and that very few make it through after a couple of years. Well, the Niesens were serving in the young single adult program, and took them on a ski trip, and Thomas was there. This was about 8-10 years before we lived there. The Niesen´s, I think, helped him out a lot. Bruder Niesen is a Psychologist and said that Thomas is not like most people. Once they find out that their time is short, they refuse to live, and then die, thinking all hope is lost. Thomas on the other hand, knew the stakes that were at hand, and set them aside and moved on with his life, living it to its fullest and in a way has cured himself because of this attitude. I thought it was pretty amazing how we could relate to him, and talk about him. They asked how he was doing, and I told them, well the last time I spoke to him was about a year and a half ago. But, he seemed to be doing okay. I´d thought about him a lot though, and how much he really has influenced me, and I am pretty sure that because of him, and the great experiences I had then, that they have led me to where I am today. I don´t know if I wouldn´t be sent here to Germany if it weren´t for him, but I feel that he played a major part in that. (Thomas Gulla is an incredible person.  Last I knew he hadn't married and he had served in the Bishopric if I remember right.  We went to dinner at his mom's house with he and his brother back in 1998.  It was a wonderful experience.  We have tried to keep in touch but as far as I know he does not know that Jaren is serving in his mission!)

Anyway I hope I can answer some of your questions here:

Q.  What is Elder Taylor going to do when he gets home?

A.  I have absolutly no idea. He did say that he hopes to find a job soon and get registred for University once he gets back. We will see how it goes for him. Hopefully he can find a job! (I figured that much, I wanted to know which university, etc.)

Q.  What do the missionaries going home do before they go home?  Do they go to the mission home for a night or out to dinner with the president or anything? 

A.  They go and stay at a Hotel near the airport for their last night here. But, they have a day with Präsident Ninow and his wife. They all go to dinner together and have a session through the Temple. Then a quick breakfast in the morning and to the airport. There is a testimony meeting as well.

Q.  What does the companion of a missionary going home do on the day the leaving missionary goes?  (does that make sense. . . like how did Elder Taylor travel to the mission home or the airport?)

A.  He is actually traveling with another missionary who is leaving from our same distrikt. So, I am with that missionary's companion here in Saarbrücken until my new companion comes. If no one else is leaving, then both me and my companion need to go to Frankfurt for transfers. But, they try to have missionaries stay in the area as much as possible.

Q.  How long until Elder McGowan comes out?  Maybe next transfer?

A.  He is already here as of today. From what I hear anyway he is here! I get to find out on Friday! I am so excited for him though, it has been pretty tough for him so far.

And yes, we do have Sacrament Meeting last here. It is both good and bad. It is at a time where most anyone can attend. But sometimes it is still to early for others, and hard to get to when it is the only one around within 60 miles.

Anyway, I hope that you all have a wonderful week this week! Is Holly a little nervous and excited to be on her own? That is huge! I haven´t quite made it there yet! I have companions still! Well, that is unless she has roomates figured out already. Good luck Mom and Dad! 

Oh, and how late did you have the missionaries over!? They didn´t share a message huh!? Well, it sounds like they abide by the rules, so that is pretty good. 

Love you all!

Elder Smith