Week 3 - July 27, 2017

Heyo!

Weird how time works out here. Feels like P day was just yesterday! Already half way done with this transfer. Sunday was good I got to see one of Trevin's friends at church they were visiting some family out here. Got to pass the sacrament and that was way cool and Elder Golden was like "when I watched you pass the sacrament it was like missionary work." We can't possibly serve everyone out here but we rely on members to help us serve just like members pass to each other down the rows. Our ward is way good.

We had dinner at Brother and Sister Frank's house. He made home made pizza it was way good and their house is cool. He owns a custom knife business out here and ships them all over the world. We had a good lesson on how having joy in this life is directly related to living the Gospel and how it brings eternal joy and happiness. His website is schiedeglut.de

 

On the way home, on the train, we got ticketed 60 euro so that sucked. We found out our new train cards didn't activate until 3 days later.

Had some interesting lessons this week. A guy who believes in yoga, an old lady and her son who were great but don't really want to read The Book of Mormon. Contacting this week has been better and I can understand more.

I studied  the Christlike attributes in Preach my Gospel this week and hope really stood out to me because if we don't have hope then we don't have faith. A little card on my wall says "If God is with us then who can be against us?" and sometimes it's hard to remember but we always have God and Christ on our side and all we have to do is do all we can do and they make up the rest.

Also, the mission now wants any of our mail to go directly to where we live instead of the mission office. More efficient. So if anyone wants to send anything... ;)

Have a good week,

Elder Daxton Rothwell

Germany Frankfurt Mission

Friedrich Str. 2e

63450 Hanau, Deutschland

Germany Week 2! - July 20, 2017

Hey everybody it has been a good week! Crazy though! It has been soooo hot here. Oh my goodness! And my comp had a car in this area the last transfer and I still don't have an IPad to help him figure out the bus and train routes so we miss so many freaking trains and what not. It's super maddening but whatever I guess.

The heels of my feet bleed every day. I don't have the best walking shoes to say the least but they will be dope scars after the mission. Neosporin saves lives!!

Hanau is such a ghetto, Turkish town but it is pretty fun. The ward here is all homies. Oh my gosh! The little guys love BVB Dortmund, the soccer team here, and they love the Yankees (mostly because it is the only team they know.) They also love the Seattle Seahawks because the jerseys have green on them. It is pretty funny. Some play for an American football team here so we showed them the football highlights. It was funny. Members are so supportive.

Elder Golden and I have found so many potential investigators here and we are really hoping for some baptisms soon but we don't want to jinx it. Elder Beatson and I went on a split to Wettarau and found 4 potential investigators and it was blazing hot but still so fun. He is dope. He is from New Zealand and he just got done being trained. He will play rugby for BYU and he loves fishing and hunting and surfing. We get along really well.

The work is really progressing. Germans are hard nose people who basically don't believe in anything but drinking and smoking so everyday is a grind and we have fun with it. Reading in the BOM and praying everyday is crucial to daily progression!!! Whenever you need to feel the spirit, read the first vision out loud to yourself. It is such powerful scripture and the spirit always testifies of truth!

There is a car called a DACIA here and i see fidget spinners everywhere so I get a little home sick from those. Thanks, Dacia and Trevin :) and shout out to Jaylee this week! She's turning 15 on the 27th!!!

Here are some pics from this week. Döners here are way good and here are some pics of the apartment and stuff.

Love you all.

Elder Rothwell

Corneliusstrasse 18

60325 Frankfurt am Main

Germany

This is a family in my ward, they are crazy hahahaha but so fun. They had us over and turns out they are super good friends with the Fraziers back in my home ward! Off the bat, Brother Klien was like you're my new favorite missionary. I wish I was an American. I love big trucks and I love Alpine.

I really wanna bring them over when I get home in a few years. They are so nice. Sister Klien served a mission waaaayyy back when and Brother Klien is like inactive and smokes but he loves the Mormon Messages and believes in anything and is actually coming to church this week, so I'm stoked.

 Elder Rothwell with Brother and Sister Klien

Back in the Mission Field - July 13, 2017

haha no idea where to begin honestly. So happy to be back in Deutschland. Elder Hughes is an AP and we were freaking out when they came and picked us up at the Airport. Everything is just how I remember it except like everyone from my MTC Group is all so advanced and their German is amazing and they're all pretty much in leadership positions.

All of these missionaries that have served around my MTC buddies and the sisters like all came up to me all my first day and were like "so and so says hi" and it was just like the best feeling ever for everyone to be excited for me and that I am back. Never felt more loved by people. Honestly, it was just awesome.

My first area is called Hanau. It is interesting because my first companion over a year ago, Elder Domingues, was trained here. Also, my Mission president, Boyer, was trained in this area 25 years ago and now my Trainer, Elder Golden from Tennessee, was trained here just barely and is now training me. He went through kinda what I went through and was home for a while and now is back so we have a ton in common. He is so cool. Where he lives, most of the cool kids are in the band and they were ranked 13th in the Nation at one point. His stories are hilarious and he has like this trombone scholarship or something. He is great though and has a ton of goals for us and I feel we are going to have a ton of success these next couple weeks. That is pretty much it. It is finally sunny today. Yesterday getting my bags here was a hassle because it was just dumping rain on us and we were soaked. but we have a lesson tonight with an investigator and are meeting with two others this next week and then also have goals to find a few more. I have been so tired but being super busy is a great feeling. I miss ice and Air Conditioning so much already but whatever.

I'll Forward the only pic I have of us since my IPad isn't set up yet. Hopefully it works.

Super blessed to have all of your Support and help over this past year I can't thank you guys enough. I know this is where I need to be and what I need to be doing. Serving our savior and spreading the joy of the Gospel to the people of Germany all while it is molding me into the man I want to be. So happy to be back. Wish me luck with German and surviving out here. The people are awesome. I love them but sometimes they yell at us and what not but it is pretty fun to be honest haha.

Love you all.

Elder Rothwell and Elder Golden