6/3/13--"Hallo alles"--Stake Center Pictures, "Love those Letters," Painting & Baking

Hallo alles,
Last week was a way quick email because we were having a Zone P-day at the stake center, which was super fun, (oh and there's pictures of the building for Dad too), but I realized also, for Mom, that I haven't been sending as many picture as normal, so I'll have to catch up with that.

There was something really fun that we did this past week as I was on a power split (both companionships worked together in the same area) with my District Leader in Euskirchen. We were trying to think of a creative way to find people, so at first I thought we could run around with an american football and safely throw it "accidentally" into someone's backyard and ask them at the door if they could get it for us, but what we eventually did is we walked around the street with a white board that said "Putzt-Polizei"/"Clean Police", and a broom, a mop, and vacuum, a bucket, and a dustpan, and we just went around doing doors by the neighbors, asking anyone if we could clean up for free or do anything to help them. Nobody actually let us in, but almost everybody laughed so it was way fun. Plus when I knocked, I was 7 out of 9 in people answering, so I had a sweet touch that day! Even though we didn't actually get any new investigators out of it, I think it was important for me because it showed me that missionary work can and should be fun, and when we really do it because we care for people as the Savior does, then it won't matter if we don't have success right away. We can just do like Ammon did, and then the opportunity will come and we'll convert a whole city!

Transfer calls are next Saturday, so next week, I will no longer be a golden (aka greenie), and I will find out whether I get a different companion and go to a new area or not!!! Hah, my "golden" cycles have gone by way fast.

Um, here I got Kira's letter, which was quite awesome, and then here is an investigator we helped with painting his apartment.

And, here's some "attempted baking" photos....

I love you all so much, and pray for you all the time. Thank you family for the emails and for the prayers you say for the missionaries. In Europe, there's this thing every June called Monat der Einladung, or Month of Invitation, and it centered on Missionary work and inviting friends and everybody to everything. We been planning a couple activities as part of it and meeting with a lot of the members about it. You can do it in the US too! Invite your friends! haha!

~Elder Mark Standring