AUSGESCHIMPFT.

Liebe Gruesse, meine Liebe Familie und Freunde!

This has been a good week! I will keep the record short this time around, but don't worry, I will include only the most funny of experiences throughout the week.

We went on an exchange to Frankfurt this past week to work for a little bit with the assistants. We decided to go to Goethe University to sit down and have lunch, and after I got a cheap helping of university lamb, I went to sit next to a woman who seemed to be in need of the gospel. Sadly, the conversation didn't really go that well because it was like pulling teeth to get any response, but I enjoyed the meal and parts of the conversation nonetheless. Probably the best meal I have had so far at a German university cafeteria (is that saying much?).

We proceeded, after having eaten lunch, to go talk to a few people outside. I first met a Russian-Italian man who--you guessed it!--only spoke Russian and Italian. But, remember how I told you that I learned the Russian alphabet back in the day? Well, I whipped out those dusty Russian skills again as I formed a sentence with probably roughly the same coherence as the following:

"I. BOOK MORMON. GIVE YOU NOW. HELP YOU HAPPY. YES YES, VERY HAPPY. YOU AND FAMILY."

"NO THANK YOU."

He actually was very nice. He was playing football with his grandson in the middle of the university. It's a darn shame I can't speak Russian (Yet!). But, after this contact, I proceeded to have one of those "I got cursed out" experiences that you always hear about from missionaries. I approached a group of men and began a conversation, but they soon realized I was American. A short spiel followed, where they detailed the many things we have done for the past many years that have influenced them, and then told me to get lost. However, it was not just 'get lost', but 'get lost' sandwiched with literally dozens of expletives, which were shouted at me until I got about fifty meters away. That was the first time I have been yelled at like that on my mission. Actually, I am astonished that it took so long for that to happen!

Aside from that, it has been a really good week. The people we have found are AWESOME and super, super open. It is really cool to see and we are meeting with lots of people. The problem remains, however, of who is going to actually make progress. We will see, and hope, and pray that we find some genuine seekers that will listen to more than just the first two lessons.

I am working hard, I am being obedient, and I am ex

hausted! All things that make for a good mission, right?

Thank you so much for the early birthday wishes! I appreciate the love and support that has been sent. Here's to the second weirdest birthday of my life!

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Wallentine

*Here is a picture of an awesome new convert family I visited on my split!

The Joy We Offer

Hey everyone! It's another long one. Turn back now!

It's been a phenomenal week in the area. We spent virtually our entire first week here with leaders of the ward or on the street, trying to figure out the needs of the organisations as well as finding everyone possible in between. Something that is nice about not having a car anymore is the greater opportunities to have people placed in your path as you use public transit more. Pretty sweet!

Yesterday at Missionary Leadership Council we had an awesome training on leadership. We learned some very important differences between leadership in our church and in the world. One thing we discussed was that the hallmarks of leadership in the world are charisma, strength, and intelligence. These characteristics are good, but the difference with how God calls people is that He doesn't look at these as qualifications, and will call the diligent, humble, meek, and worthy. As a person involved with leadership both in my school back home and church, it has been a source of potent growing pains at times as I have realized that I have not really possessed these attributes, but it's something we can all set out to develop.

I'm making a goal to work closely with the young men and young single adults in the ward. They're all awesome and I find it to be very normal and not forced to communicate with them, which is good. If I could help get one person on a mission who otherwise would not have wanted to, that would be worthwhile!

---The following is primarily for personal reference for me as I have thought about this a lot in the last few days. You are welcome but not obligated to read this (or any) part 😊---

Lastly, as a missionary, it is crucial in helping people to know why they should try our message out to promise them benefits in their life as a result. One of the blessings I've had the audacity to promise is lasting and constant peace and happiness in this life. "How, though", I have been asked, "is that possible, or even necessary? Everyone has bad days, and everyone has challenges. There's no way that one can constantly be happy". That is true in the sense that we don't, and can't, constantly walk around with smiles 24/7, regardless of how well we live the gospel. I am sure Jesus himself had many days where he was tormented as a result of the physical and emotional pain that surrounded and was inflicted upon him. As a missionary, who is presumably at a high point of life's spirituality, my days have also not always been great! So, where is the happiness?

In order to answer that question, we need to rethink what happiness is.

I don't believe that perfect happiness is compulsorily identified by a bright grin and skipping, though we may see it as such and may often be accompanied with these things. It is, I believe, less obvious. I don't think the wordage is all too crucial as the words are often interchangeable, but I like to think of gospel happiness as "joy" (Joy is used about three times more often than happiness in scripture). The scriptural term "fulness of joy" also comes to mind, which Christ is said to have in 3 Nephi 27:31, which is subsequently also contrasted with sorrow in verse 32. As children of God we are promised to inherit all the our Father has if we remain true, and I can't help but feel that is our destiny.

Joy for me does not necessarily mean that we will never be sad, pained, disappointed, grieved, or bogged down. God and Christ have both wept (John 11:35, Jacob 5:41, Moses 7:28) and both are and were in states of perfection and are also therefore possessing of a fullness of joy (right?). If we have joy, it is my belief that we are still capable of being sad from time to time. The difference is that there remains an inner conviction of safety and security regardless of our environment. This has proven itself true to me in the highest sense on my mission. I have not always been "happy" out here. I mean that in that I have not always had energy, and I have not always felt like going out the door. I have not always been encouraged. I have not always been smiling. I dont know if living the gospel guarantees that you will always feel these things. But I do think there is something it will always bring: I have always felt peace on my mission so long as I have magnified my calling, repented, and tried to live the gospel, and this is, in effect, the joy we offer. It is the enduring peace and conviction of hope in our souls that becomes woven  into our nature as we progress towards godliness. If we don't feel like jumping with happiness now, we can find joy in the hope of that later. We can all have this joy if we live according to the gospel of Christ.

Again, this wordage is perhaps varying among individuals. You could swap joy for peace, I would say. But let me know what you think. If you agree, disagree, whatever.

I love you guys! 

Elder Wallentine

I HAVE ARRIVED AT THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM GUYS

Hey Everyone!

This has been one of the most interesting weeks of my mission! First things first, I got transferred to:

THE DARMSTADT.

I have received the wonderful assignment and opportunity to serve in Darmstadt. My first impression is that it is a powerhouse. The ward is one of the most inspiring things I've seen on my mission and its members are sweet. We are already receiving assignments and being integrated well into the missionary work. In addition to the awesome ward, this is a university city. Each bus is overflowing with milk and hon--I mean students, and the opportunities are ABUNDANT. This place is a dream come true. The best part is that I will probably finish my mission here, and I am ready to apply everything I have learned about missionary work here. We are sure to see success if we do our best. My companion, Elder Winsborrow, is fantastic and has similar high hopes for his time here. We are whitewashing the area together, so we have been extraordinarily busy trying to gain a foothold. We will see what comes!

Also, Darmstadt is the old stompin' grounds of Elder Uchtdorf: The Legend himself. This place is PERFECT.

In other news, we had some radical final days in Nuremberg. We had a lesson with a Persian man we found on the street. This man's story is baffling. He fled Iran after having been arrested twice and brutally treated because of his beliefs, and walked/swam his way to Germany. I was in a phone call with the other Nuremberg Elders when I saw him on the street, and had a strong feeling that I needed to talk with him. I (somewhat rudely lol) hung up on the Elders (later receiving their forgiveness) and talked with him briefly, made an appointment out, and got his number. At the appointment, Elder Warr called a translator, who proceeded to teach a brief rundown of the restoration. As he shared it, tears rolled down our friend's face. He said he has an adamant faith in Christ, but has been searching for further truth. He told us of the day I found him, and said that the route he took that led him to us was one he very seldom took, but received a prompting to walk down it that day, which subsequently lead him to us. He accepted a baptismal date for the 24th. 

We found in addition to that two other awesome people in the three days between transfer calls and transfers! I had a last goodbye with the Nuremberg ward, which was very sad for me. I am so happy about the work that I did there and know that I tried my hardest. The members were so good, and it is an area I will forever cherish.

On the other hand, as I adjust to my new area, I am extremely optimistic about the prospects of success to be had. We are working our shoes off our feet already and hope we can grow our area and zone in the best way we can. 

I received another powerful confirmation this week, as I bore my last testimony to my ward in Nuremberg, that the Book of Mormon and church is true. I know that Christ stands at the helm and that He guides us today in so many powerful ways. I am eternally grateful for my mission and anxiously await the miracles in my new home.

That's all, folks! How are you doin'?

Love you all!

Elder Wallentine

No time!

I have no time!

But I am still living! 

I love you all!

Sincerely,

Elder Wallentine

Let us find out if I get transferred this week!