ELDER GABRIEL JENSEN: Keeping your head up on Strike-Outs

November 4, 2013

"I was never a big fan of baseball but I think that title fits this week the best. I'm not going to lie, it was a challenging week. My companion told me not to count because it would get me down, but just about every appointment fell out this week, including our appointment with "T.S." on Halloween and Taco Bell. Every termin we had lined up with "E" this week fell through too, not because she's not prepared or solid because she still is - it has just been a really tough week for her. We had a joint teach lined up with Bruder Maier but our investigator wasn't home. It's easy to get discouraged but it's important you don't. We still have love for all of them and pray for them every night. Halloween was hard here as well, we had a really great lesson with a sister "J" in the Schwarzwald that morning but then all of our other termins for that day cancelled. So we just went and tried stopping by peoples houses...no one was really home. That night I tell Elder Peterson, look it's been a hard week and it's "halloween," we deserve to treat ourselves out for dinner. He agreed! So we went to this nicer, sit down restaurant that served pizza and pasta. It was nice and needed, it helped lift our spirits. When we got home we had a couple trick or treaters, no costumes, just wanted some candy. Haha, well we didn't really have candy, I gave them the few Hi-chews we had left and then Elder P. gives them this hard as a rock nougat candy we were given, haha. It was so funny the kid held out his hand and was like what am I supposed to do with this and tried giving it back, ha. No worries they weren't real young kids, they were older so it wasn't sad just really funny. So they don't say "trick or treat" here but "sweet or sour."

Friday we had three termins lined up, but all 3 fell through. Friday was a tough day. Then Saturday we had one termin cancel but we ate at this place called Little Texas. It's a famous burger place here in Pforzheim that you have to make reservations a week before. We went with the one Russian we teach English too but he speaks great English. He's not interested in the Gospel at all right now but he really likes us and we are leaving a really good impression on him. He notices us. We just showed up to Little Texas and there was a table for three open, some people never showed up. So that was a miracle! Much needed, he is a true bro. I forgot to mention, on Friday, at the end of the day after all three of our termins fell through he showed up to our doorstep with a baggie of Russian and German chocolates for me and Elder Peterson, a late Halloween treat. That really cheered us up too. As hard as it can be sometimes, it's so important you don't get discouraged, we still love them all and our faith is still strong.

The coolest thing about this week though, was the call we got Monday night. Monday night this guy called us. He is from Kuwait, he is a Catholic, speaks English, and is really quite wealthy. He comes and visits Pforzheim and whenever he does he calls us missionaries. He loves meeting with us and invited us to breakfast every morning this week! (besides Thursday and Friday). He stays at this really classy hotel in Pforzheim and they have this breakfast buffet that is SOOO GOOD! So we did that in the mornings and met with him, "J," which was really cool. We are definitely going to stay in contact. He showed up to church as well and I got to teach him in the investigator class. He loves our church though and could see himself becoming a member. He loves how we live and apply what we teach, he says he feels good when he meets with us. I really like him, he leaves this week but we exchanged emails.

This week I've had a lot of time to think, since most of our termins fell through. I've realized all the awesome people I've met and memories I've made so far! The people I've met on my mission I will never forget! I love them all and have been blessed to meet all the people I have met so far! Hope you guys are all doing great, crazy to think we are already in November. We are heading to Stuttgart today for interviews!

Tschüss Euch fehlt mir!"