A Little Sick in Germany

14.09.15 

Had  a few hours of our p-day in Lüneburg again. It was raining pretty steadily for most of it, but the last hour or so cleared up enough that we could enjoy the October Fest...fest...there. Basically an excuse for people to go and get drunk and eat tons of wurst and the women to dress up in scanty dresses...but with some pretty awesome thrill rides as well, that...we aren't allowed to ride. 😐  Then went and met with a less active, who is really fun. That...is about it. 

15.09.15  So I woke up this morning, and the first thing I said in my prayer was: "Lieber Vater, segne mir, damit ich nicht krank sein werde." "Dear Father, please bless me so I won't be sick."  He didn't bless me.  Just kidding, I am very richly blessed, but he decided to let me be sick today. So we went street contacting for 2 hours is Lauenburg ran into a couple members--which was weird, never happens--and then came home and had lunch, then I texted Sister Fingerle, and went to bed. So I've slept like an extra 5 or 6 hours already today, and bought some cough syrup--which tastes EXACTLY like it does at home. I mean, it has to be same stuff. Or I'm just nuts.  But yeah. That was...actually my first "Sick Day" on my mission. I've had to call it early a couple times for my shoulders, but never pretty much the whole day before. Really weird. It's like 10:10 now, and I'm really tired again. I'm gunna go sleep like another 8 hours....😴😁 

16.09.15  First District meeting today, with Elder Somma in the district. He is from Brazil, and also lived in Florida for a couple years, and speaks Portuguese, English, French, German, and is now learning Spanish to help out the Spanish program in Bergedorf. Pretty cool guy. Quieter then the other Brazilians I've met. And I think it's really cool that I can say that.  Also went by some contacts in Lüneburg, then came home and slept an extra while. Yeah. I'm getting better. I'm not dead. I think I'll go for a walk.. 

17.09.15  Taught Stanoje and his family about the Book of Mormon again today, we've been going through the very basic and elemental principles of the gospel, trying to help them really build a firm testimony in all of it.  It is rather frustrating though. Partially, Elder Peacock has just decided at some point is his mission that he hates finding. Or, better said, he has not yet reached the point where he has said to himself, ""ok, I like finding." It really is a conscious decision. I know several missionaries who are great finders. And I believe that they are such good finders because they have decided to enjoy finding, regardless of if it is going Door to Door, or talking to people on the street, or whatever. They made the decision that they will be happy doing anything the Lord requires. 

It's ironic, my parents will recognize a lesson they tried to teach me for years. The importance of just deciding to be happy. At some point in my mission--some point in Dresden--I made the decision that I was going to be happy. I really can't tell you exactly when, maybe it was more of a process then really a point in time...it was probably because I was called as a District Leader. The Lord wanted me to learn that lesson, that I have to be happy, and to do it he thrust me into a situation where not only I had to be happy, but I had to convince 2 Sisters and 4 Elders--later 4 Sisters, now only 4 Elders--not only that I was happy, but that they could be happy too. It has done a great deal to change my character, I believe. Perhaps one of the greatest character changes of my life. 

18.09.15  Well, met with the Bishop today to talk about The Family. He is pretty excited, wants to help them get baptized, wants to come on a joint teach next week, and really get things rolling. Hopefully that works out well.  We still have to work better with the Ward, but we are improving. Really are. Slowly.  Also did weekly planning, and went finding in Lauenburg for a while. We are not having any success at all right now in Finding. Still talking to a lot of people as often as possible, still really working at improving my finding, we just aren't having any succes. Frustrating. 

19.09.15  Finally managed to meet with Stanoje and his family with a member there!! Yay!! Brother and Sister Jäger came, he is the Ward Mission Leader and she is the Relief Society President. They were really nervous, and they made Stanoje really nervous, but it still went pretty good. Per talked about Prayer, really did our best to keep it simple. The boys like the Jägers too, so that's good. Can't come to church tomorrow because they're going to be in Hannover. The Serbians, not the Jägers. It's ok.  Also went finding in Lüneburg. Talked to a lot of people. No one was interested. Frustrating. You'd think in a city of 75.000 people you'd be able to pretty easily find someone who wanted to talk about God. Evidently not...  Also found out today that my shoes are worn out enough that they are no longer Waterproof...sad day. 😢 

20.09.15  Well. We heard a cool talk from a member in the ward, Brother Warncke, today about the Family Proclamation. Talked about how this is the 20 year anniversary. How cool it is that the prophet issued it, how we should read it often, and every family should have one framed in their homes. And sitting here thinking, "isn't today important somehow..."  Then I read my email from Mother dearest. Oh. Ha. Today is also the 20th anniversary of Elder Burton. Whew. Who knew that I'm the same age as the Proclamation?  But, Elder Peacock is now sick, with the same tiptoe of thing I still am fighting to get over, so not much partying going on right now, just lots of sleeping. It's funny, when we didn't shake hands with the members because we are sick, they are like: "You're sick!?!? Why are you here?!?" Haha Germans. Really freaked out and confused. If a German is even a little sick, they just stay home. Period. When we told them we came because Elder Peacock had a talk, they are like: and? "He could have canceled easily, just call the bishop." Oh dear.  

Viele Grüße, Elder Burton