Monday, December 29, 2008

Two weeks of emails and photos












Blogger's note: This is the email after we talked with him on Christmas Day

Hey guys.
I know this is going to be annoying for you, but I'm not going to write a lot today. I have a lot on my mind and just need to get out for P-day.

It was good talking to you guys. I have a lot to think about. I can't believe that time has flown by so fast. It actually kinda pains me to have to think about home and make plans. My whole mission I've loved thinking about home and telling stories to anyone that would listen, but now...now my stories have turned into mission memories. I can't picture Arizona in my mind anymore and the pictures are fading. Time is my enemy. I hate to think that this is one war I won't win.

Everything is good. Thanks for the gel mom. Diane is sending me a package soon, you could slip it in there. And your request will be honored.

Let me know how the tests turn out with the Doctor please, mom.
I got to run. It's one of those days.

Loves
Elder ChArnett
December 22nd email:
Parentals.

And here we are. Back at Christmas. I swear it was just yesterday that I was celebrating it last year. This year has gone by so fast. I know it may be kinda cruel, but I'm not going to write much since I'm going to talk to you in three days. Speaking of which, call me at 11 AM your time. There is, I believe, an eight hour time difference and it'll be 7 my time and we should be home by then. I hope that works for you. Call before to make sure it all works. The German Country code is 49. Dial that before the number I gave you last week. Happy Birth-Day mom (no I didn't forget, I even wrote happy bday in my journal!)

This week was kinda annoying. We had all but one appointment fall out and no investigators came to church. Really disappointing. We only taught 3 lessons. Gar. It really makes saddens me when that happens. The people here are just so busy and have so many preparations and things to get done before the three days of Christmas...no time for us. But don't worry mom, we have appointments with members on all three Christmas'. And I mean Heilige Abend (Holy Night/Christmas Eve), normal Christmas (the 25th), and 2nd Christmas (the 26th)! Yea for getting fat! Woot! I don't look like I've gained that much weight since I've been out here, but that's for two reasons, one I've lost almost all muscle I had before the mish, and remember how I was on my death bed right before I left and dropped like 15 lbs? So, from the start of my mission til 'now I've gained a lot, despite losing the muscle. It's been replaced by schnitzel and potatoes and rotkohl. Yea for German food!

The past few days we have been giving many priesthood blessings. I don't really understand why they are all coming to us though. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to do it, it being my duty and all, but the members have just as much right, if not more, to do it instead. We should be ready at every opportunity and so should they.
I had a lot of dreams last night. It was all about the work. I saw how I could do an approach right after Christmas. I really don't know if the dream was inspired, but it helped me. The work right now is really hard. Like I said, people just have no time, and right after Christmas its even harder cause the Christmas season is just past and people have had enough of God. But I'm going to try what I dreamed next week. We'll see how it works out.

Ok, well that's going to do it for me this week. I know its short, but we will talk soon. Butl, I love and miss you two and HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

Pics,
1. The Elders in Essen and Mulheim. No we are not holding hands. Elder Green goes home on Thursday.
2. Elder Green. My hero.
3) These are most of the guys I came out with. There are 3 Elders missing. They are in the Northern Zones.
4. The sons and grandsons of Elder Lewis. I am the only son left, the rest are grandsons and great-grandsons.

And thats it! I'm out!

LOVES
Elder ChArnett

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Schade, Trotzdem and other German words we don't know

Units of Parentaldom,
And I'm back. Thats right, I'm back in all my missionary glory. Ok, maybe not all of it, but most of it. This week was pretty crazy. Lots of cool stuff happened and a lot of cool things that should've happened didn't happen. Do you understand that?
Let me tell you about the highlights of the week. The biggest one was probably Zone Conference. We had it on Thursday. It was so good. It was our Christmas thing. It was all about Christ and there was a special program. I can't explain it but it was so spiritual. The best part was probably when President had us split up in our companionships and pray about who we can invite to be baptised this week. Elder Wood and I withdrew from the group and prayed about it and got our answer. It was such a good ZC. I recieved so much revelation about what to do! It was crazy good. I loved it.
We got in contact with this lady named Barbara this week. We've been trying for ages to get in contact with her and we finally did. We had two really spiritual appointments with her and challenged her to baptism. She said she couldn't commit yet. But her prayer afterwards was amazing. We invited her to church again and she came! She was late, but she came! I was so stoked. I was breaking the bread at the sacrament table when she walked in and the ward said my smile lit up the chapel. I was so happy. She like it and it was just going perfect. We are stopping by a few times this coming week and we'll see what happens.
So that's schade that they can't come and visit me, but ok. I hope they have fun trotzdem. So here's the deal with calling. I don't know when you can call yet. But here is my number.----------------------
So this week is transfer week. I'm staying here. I'll tell you about it when you call. Today we just chilled with the other missionaries and went around Essen. And now we have to run to FHE. Bah. We're just busy all the time. I'm freezing cause we are running around everywhere. Tonight we are playing volleyball. Woot! Wish me luck.
I know this is short and no pictures, but sometimes that's how it's gotta be. I love you guys like crazy though and we'll talk in a week and a half. So, I have to be quiet so we have things to talk about! I miss you and love you!
Elder ChArnett

Thursday, December 11, 2008

















PARENATL UNITS!

Hey-o. Well then, this past week has been killer. I've got a killer cold, we had some killer appointments and a killer tried to kill me. Think I'm kidding? I'm not. But that just makes it that much better!

This week was just such a good opportunity to get to know the members. We had so many member appointments joined with less-actives and non-members/investigators. We got stuffed with Christmas goodies. I loved them last year, but this year they are tickling my fancy. I think it's mostly cause my taste buds are tainted with this blasted cold! I hope they'll start schmecking me soon! Who knows. But its just been way fun getting to know everyone. We met with this sweet old lady named Oma (Grandma) Fischer. I love her. She's so funny and down to earth despite being over 85.

We had an appointment with Champion this week and talked about the Taufe again. He seemed annoyed this time around. It is a bit disappointing, but we are just going to try and keep contact and wait until he gets back from China to push it again. We feel that if we are too persistent about the Taufe, he might walk away. He likes the social part of the Church, so we'll see. I dunno, I'm not gunna hold out too much hope for it before his trip back home. After he'll have a clearer head. We're gunna try and get him to go to church there. Yes, they have wards in China. Just nothing official. As soon as it opens up there will be 4 stakes. No lie. Crazy huh? You better be praying that it opens up. Follow the prophet people!

Bruder Leis, a man married to a member, is making good progress and we met with him three times this week. Parentals, this ward rocks! They have so many activities and things to do...I just love it! It makes the work that much easier. Schwester Leis has her two year Mitglied mark this Wednesday and we are going to take something to her to say congrats and just to wiggle our way into seeing Bruder Leis. We are at their haus for Heilige Abend. Fortschritt! This man has seen many miracles, we just need to get him to feel that extra 'Umph'. Maybe he'll have a baptismal date as a gift for his wife? Who knows. We're working on it.

Last night we went Christmas caroling. I thought I was going to die. We were driving with this one kid who thought he was cool and drove like a mad man. It was funny at first, but after we almost hit 4 cars I got worried. But it was way good. We got to know so many elderly couples in the ward and at the end we sang to nonmembers. I loved this week. We just were running everywhere. We taught 11 lessons. We count lessons in a weird way, but 11 is a lot. We were 3 short of our goal, but naja.

As clarification, we have not had Zone Conference yet. We have it this Thursday. And transfers are next Thursday. I'll get the packages this week so no worries Mother dearest. I didn't buy a coat, but I got an apartment special from Essen that I use. So ya, I think that's all of your questions.

Father, Yes. Yes to the M & W Trip. They are members, they need to go to church somewhere right? Ha. We'll see how it rolls. I really would be stoked to see them. I could then give Mark my wedding present to Kate. I'm so excited for her. I love that girl so much. I told her that, even though she's going to be married, I'm taking her and her Hubbie on a date when I'm back. To A&W, just like the good ol' days.

All in all, this week has been a good one. I came to a realization. I need to be better. Well I've always known and thought that. But this time is different. What brought this about? Well, secretly, my group hit our 18 month mark on the 6th of December. I remember hearing a spruch at the beginning of my mission. The 18th month mark was what some missionaries referred to as the 'slump day'. The year mark was 'hump day'. The 6th month mark was 'bump day'. My trainer told me that Slump Day needed to be changed to Pump Day. I agree. We don't have much longer and we need to pump as hard as we can to get this work done. I've had a feeling my whole mission that I can't describe. Something that tells me I'm supposed to do something specific. I don't know what it is, but I still have the feeling which means I haven't done it yet. That, combined with a need to learn how to recognize the Lord's voice more accurately, has lead me to Operation:(Re)Consecration. What is it? It's my way of doing what needs to be done. I want to be the best I can be. I want the mission to have changed me. I want to speak about it with the same love that Elder Holland had as he spoke about his. The first step is written on my planner... prove to God that He can trust me. This entails ridding myself of distractions. That's this weeks goal. Get rid of anything and everything that might make me lose the Lords trust. I have to do better. I have to be better. I have to become the me I'm supposed to be!

The mission is at an amazing point. People are having visions and being told where to go and what to say and what not! I wanna jump on the band wagon!

Well, I gotta jump. I love and miss you both a ton. I'll let you know next week what my number is and when to call and all that jazz.

LOVES!

Elder Chadwick Meriweather Jeffrey Arnett III

PS. Enjoy the pics. I like you guys getting them from the Sisters better cause I then don't have to worry about it!










Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Advent of Hope or Teaching DAD a lesson











PARENTALS!!!

Well, well, well. I'm doing well. This week was kinda a rough one because Elder Wood and I were both rocked with sickness. It unfortunately took us out of the loop for a couple of days. I really do not like being sick out here. I always feel like its a poor excuse. I don't know if its right, but I sometimes pray to either get better, or to get sicker so I don't feel bad about staying insideIt's kinda weird, but I just hate staying in doors.

Besides that, the week went pretty well, given that many appointments fell out. We only taught 7 lessons this week. We had more planned, but like I just said, many appointments fell out. Champion is a perfect example of this. Three termine fell out with the kid. I don't know what's going on. He was so promising when Elder Duvall was here. But Elder Wood and I think that he's been spending a lot of time with a new Mitbewohnerin. It's ok, we'll find out what's going on and see if we can't help him in some way. Other than that this past week has been getting Gesund and setting up this week. It's packed with appointments and we have about 25 contacts that need to be talked to. I'm so excited. Elder Wood is a great companion and we are about to get some serious good work done.

Tonight we are eating with a part-member family. The Husband isn't a member, but he is making some serious progress. He's been investigating for a long long time now and has seen miracles, he just need to take the leap of faith.

Speaking of faith, that is another lesson I learned this week. Even when we belong to the Church and have made our leaps of faith, we still have to strive to stay in the faith. I've kind of noticed myself slipping a bit with scripture study and reading. I've just been so busy planning for other lessons and running around to get things done that I haven't really had time to study for myself or just read and enjoy the scriptures. I'm in the middle of 'The President Challenge' as I have dubbed it, but set it aside for a few days in order to get everything done that needed to be. I could honestly feel a lack of something. I could still feel the spirit this week, but it was just harder to focus or get personal goals done. I gained a stronger testimony of study. It really is the fuel to the missionary fire. If we don't study and convert ourselves, we will never be able to help with the conversion of others. Study is so important to keeping me personally focused on the task at hand. I love the scriptures. They are litterally a Godsend.

Like I said this week is going to be good. We have a lot planned and I'm excited. We'll see how it plays out. It's time for me to kick it up another notch and charge forward. I want so bad to be a successful missionary. I need to reach my goals!

I've been thinking a lot about a lot of things lately. I have seen and met so many different types of people here on the mission. Happy, sad, suicidal, careless, homosexual, transsexual, angels, demons, wise, and otherwise. The thoughts/questions that most occupies my mind is this: What made this person the person he/she is today? And, how can I help them change for the better?

I have walked in the homes of hundreds of different people from different backgrounds and cultures and lifestyles. All have been looking for something that they are unable to find. At the beginning of my mission I thought that some people were hopeless and waists of time. But now I know that they aren't. They can't be. No one I have met is so far gone that they are hopeless. The Lord God will give another chance. He has to. 2 Nephi 19 through the next few chapters speaks about Israel and how they will fight against each other. But there is a phrase that is repeated again and again. "For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still." That is our phrase of hope. It is for everyone.
Some people who I know and you know can't find a light in themselves. But it is there. There are good things about everyone, we just have to find beauty in different ways. But it is there. Once the light is found, it needs to be fueled. Hope and encouragement needs to be given. Why? Because the Lord will not give up on us as long as we are here. We cannot give up on others. That's what I've learned out here. It is possible for everyone to come back to light. It's sometimes harder for others. But they can come. If there is no desire, they are lying. There is always a desire. We must find the God in everyone. Once found, it is our job to help that part grow until it can sustain itself. It's a hard job. But it's possible. I've seen people overcome things out here like addictions. I've seen a homosexual man be baptised. I've seen drug lords walk away from their lifestyle. I've seen excommunicated members fight to come back to the fold. I know that they have a lot to overcome. Everyone has his own mountain, but everyone needs to be taught the gospel from the beginning -- that God is our heavenly Father and that He loves us.

I love this work. I love being here in Germany. I'm not what I want to be. I need to be better. I need to communicate better. I need to do that what is expected of me. But it all comes back down to desire. It needs to come from within, but others can help me to increase my desire. We are all in this together. I feel that if I give up on someone, I give up on myself. No one is so far gone that they can't ever come back. No one. I have to believe it. If I don't, I might be damned.

A lot is on my mind. I guess its a bit of cabin fever. Staying inside has never been good for me. But, yes Mother, we did have Thanksgiving. Two times sogar. It was fun. For district meeting we cooked a goose and two ducks. I made veggies and other Elders made potatoes and a plethora of other things. It was good. We had it in the kitchen and just talked about what we are thankful for and how thankfulness plays a part in missionary work. I liked the idea. Our district leader sure is an inspired guy. That, or he's selfish.

And alo, Mother, I got the card, thank you.
I miss you both terribly. This past Sunday was the first advent. That means I talk to you in just over 3 weeks. Be Happy! I love you. I miss you. Have hope. Everyone has a chance, even if they've had one before.

LOVES

Elder ChArnett
Blogger's note: Once again, our mostly perfect and diligent son didn't send photos. Thanks this time to Sister Wilson for emailing some photos at our request. The sisters that are now home have really come through for us. Thanks to both of you and keep them coming. You have been very kind to the overly-photo wanting parents of the "Hotdawg in Hamburg". Photos boy, photos! Send them. Also, just as a frame of reference, Chad's message on Hope was a not so subtle sermon to his Father. It was in response to an email he received from a now "Hopeful" Dad. There was a time in his life, when I taught him things.