9-3-12

Hello everyone. :) Not a whole lot of time, as always. Thought I'd share some stuff about my new area though.

I am now serving in the Köthen area. After speaking with some natives, I finally got a difinitive answer on how to pronounce that ö:

The ö sounds a little more like the oo in the moo of how a french cow would sound. :P You make a soft 'eh' sound, and then shape your mouth into an o, which forms it into the ö sound. :)

I hope that helps. :)

This is a town and not the large city I had been growing accustomed to. It is wonderful to see the horizon again, and not be surrounded by tall buildings all the time. Things are a lot quieter feeling. It makes it harder to find people because a lot of people have already been approached, and there aren't a whole lot of people out on the street like the was in Spandau, but I am excited for the work. :)

This was also apparently a frequent haunt, and I think possibly the childhood home of, Johann Sebastian Bach. Found a cool little bust statue. Probably gonna send the picture next week or so. :)

We also work in a couple of the surrounding towns, such as Dessau, Wulfen, and various other little bity highway towns.

My companion's name is Elder Tolbert. Very cool, nice guy, who grew up on a farm in Delta, Utah. We are getting along quite well. We are making wonderful goals for this transfer, and are both ready to work.
I have liked it a lot here so far, and am looking forward to a very good transfer here. :)

Spiritual thought for this week comes from some scripture reading I was doing on the train here from Spandau. I was reading in Third Nephi, and stumbled across 3 Nephi 17:4

4 But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.

I actually was not really nervous or afraid of the upcoming transfer at the time, but right as I read this scripture, the Spirit came over me very powerfully testifying to me that 'I am not lost unto the Father, for He knoweth whither he doth take me.' It was a wonderful experience. I felt God's love for me, and a powerful testimony of how closely and lovingly our Heavenly Father looks after His children.

I can make the exact same promise to each of you.

'You are not lost unto the Father, for He knowether whither he doth take you.'

Trust in Him, and strive to get the good out the situations you have.
Improve bad situations and mindsets.

Fear not. Got knows where you are. You are not forgotten. He is not busy worring about something else. You are in His care, as far as you let Him take care of you.

I challenge you all to try to keep your faith and belief more active in your life. Try to find one more opportunity to pray each day. Find some daily thing that could use a prayer to go along with it, or that could act as a reminder to pray. You will see blessings from it. As a certified and called servant of the Lord, I can, with authority, promise that to you, in the name of Christ.

Have a wonderful week everyone. Love you all. Keep close to Christ. :)

- Elder Michael Miles