"Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" - Matt. 25:23

Elder Gochnour and Elder Lingard have faithfully completed their mission and return home.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6

Berlin Stake Conference

Church leaders from Salt Lake City held a video conference broadcast for 19 Stakes and 3 Districts in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. We learned about the Atonement of Christ, what we can do to live on higher ground and how singing hymns can help us in a variety of ways.

A highlight of the meeting was when Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve, waved hello, and blew kisses to his daughter and her husband (President and Sister Miles) who are presiding over the Alpine German Speaking Mission and to his grandson, Elder Wittwer, serving in the Germany Berlin Mission. It was a tender moment to feel his love for his family members serving away from home.

Elder Nelson asked the question, "What will you teach your children?" Teach them to know and love God, to know and love Christ. Teach them about the Prophets and to love the scriptures. Teach them the significance of the Priesthood and to love and honor their parents. He gave many other principles that should be taught as well as helping children feel the power of the Spirit and your testimony.

President Henry Eyring spoke of the pattern of prayers of faith. He highlighted the history of his great grandparents, from Germany and Switzerland, as they came to know the truth of the Gospel.

A few of the missionaries gathered after conference so I got a quick photo. It was a great day!

President's Interviews - Neumünster Zone

Neumünster District

Elders Skoczylis, Koppe, Zondler, Staheli

Elder & Sister Marks, Sisters Bush, Peltier

Flensburg District

Elders Sullivan, A. Olson, Sowards

Front: Elders Cloward, Shelley, Hardman

Pinneberg District

Elders P. Davis, Booher, Frenzel

Front: Elders Carter, G. Davis, Frenkel

Lübeck District

Elders Evans, Van Miltenburg, Lichner

Front: Elders Marshall, Price, Robinson

President's Interviews - Hamburg and Oldenburg Zones

Oldenburg Zone - Wilhelmshaven District

Elders P. Olsen, Jones, Bishop, J. Walter, N. Johnson, Nethercott

Sisters T. Smith, Child

Oldenburg Zone - Bad Bentheim District

Elders von Nieda, Gubler, Ross, Weitzel

Elder & Sister Thom

Hamburg Zone - Hamburg District

Elders S. Baker, Hundley, Frogget, Hess

Wightman, Henderson, Pierson, D. Sheppard

Elder & Sister Neslen, Sisters Martinz, Young

Hamburg Zone - Bergedorf District

Elders Simonsen, Frame, Crowther, Hair

Hamburg Zone - Stade District

Elders DuPaul, Cravens, Hadfield

Front: Elders Moss, Riesen, Healey

President's Interviews - Hannover Zone

Hannover District

Elders Lersch, Burnett, Bangerter, Thorley

Front: Elders Goble, Welker, Spendlove, Gochnour, Carlson

Göttingen District

Elders Jackson, Künzle, Wittwer, Carlile

Braunschweig District

Elders Wagley, Lingard, Reeve

Sisters Stewart, Faerber, Abamonte, Openshaw

Minden District

Elders Blauer, Jenkins, McCann (for Elder Ririe)

Sisters McCappin, Nielson, President Pimentel (for Elder Popp)

President's Interviews - Leipzig Zone

Leipzig Zone

Elders Wilson, Ramage, M. Smith, Voran

Sisters Curtis, Wakefield, Sister & Elder Thurgood

Groitzsch District

Elders Walter, Cartwright, Primas, Stoe

(front) Elders Jensen, K. Smith, Hancock, Sheffield

Hohenstein District

Elders Briner, Elmer, McCallister, Rimmel

(front) Elders Duncan, Andersson, Swanson, Brogdon

Bernburg District

Elders Harder, Bonner, Bossart

(front) Elders Wride, Tolbert, Brandley

President's Interviews - Dresden Zone

Schwarzenberg District

Elders Goliasch, Fullmer, Redd, Stovall

Forst District

Elders Moan, Lloyd, Clayton, James, Gerhardsson, Barnes

Sisters Noyes, Anderson

Chemnitz District

Elders Perry, Erickson, Seljaas, Maughan

Sisters Laubaugh, Schaerr, Elder & Sister Wörle

Sisters Müller, Szvoboda

Dresden District

Elders Sutherlin, Guthrie, Christensen, J. Baker

Künzli, J. Anderson

Elder & Sister Hoggan, Sisters Uhlig, Dean

President's Interviews - Berlin and Neubrandenburg Zones

Berlin Zone - Leest District

Elders Whitehead, A. Andersen, Dransfield, Cottrell

Fuller, Gibson

Berlin Zone - Spandau District

Elders Hunziker, Locher, Blau, Mitton

Berlin Zone - Neukölln Districk

Elders Cox, Taggart, C. Larsen, Tanner, Ott, McCann

Elder & Sister Monson, Sister & Elder Williams

Berlin Zone - Marzahn District

Elders Johnson, Angerhofer, Liechty, Taylor, Patterson, Turney, Eggmann

Sisters Johnson, Warncke, Risenmay, Olsen, Neukomm

Neubrandenburg Zone - Prenzlau District

Elders McClellan, Brinkerhoff, Colton, Snow

Sister McClellan, Elders Owen, Shepherd, Harris

Neubrandenburg Zone - Greifswald District

Elders Huber, A. Smith, Brunken, Chugg

Sisters Kläy, Niebergall, Tollefson, Holbrook

President's Interviews started at 9 AM and were finished at 7:30 PM. The missionaries do a pretty good job staying focused by attending their District Meeting, meeting with their Zone Leaders and also by taking turns street contacting. President Pimentel does take a lunch break with the missionaries and he teaches as well. It is a long day but a great one.

Sunday Meetings with the Glienicke Ward, Berlin Stake

We had a 40 minute drive from the mission home in the southern part of Berlin to Glienicke in the northern part.

The Glienicke Ward members are warm and welcoming, especially to a new missionary. Elder Mitton and Elder Blau have been serving together for three days. They are doing great!

Zone Leader Council in Berlin

Sister & President Pimentel, Elder Teixeira, Elder Ott, Elder McCann

Middle: Elders Harris, Koppe, Johnson, Skoczylis, Shepherd

M. Smith, Liechty, Pierson

Back: Elders Lersch, Carlson, J. Baker, Künzli, Sheppard

Ramage, Angerhofer, Nethercott

~~~~~~~~~~

Elder Teixeira taught the importance of speaking with our hearts, telling people what we truly believe in. In order to be more effective teachers we need to connect people to God. Effective teaching is the Spirit telling those you teach what you know to be true. He said the Lord has already given the missionaries the power to teach, they just need to do it.

"Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" - Matt. 25:23

Elders Stevenson, Stewart, Sister Oberg, Elders Baake, L. Larson, Breuer

Elders Stewart, L. Larson, Baake, Breuer and Stevenson. The sun sets on these leaders of the mission.

"Rejoice, for the Hour of Your Mission is Come..." D&C 31:3

Back: Elders J. Anderson, Carlile, Hess, Zondler, Blau

Front: Elders Taylor, Moss, Fuller, Sister Child

A beautiful sight!

Arrival at Tegel Airport, check-in with Elder and Sister Monson, trek across "no man's land" where the Berlin Wall used to be and Golden Conference.

We are excited they are here. We love watching the miracles take place as the new missionaries learn who they will be serving with.

"And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God." D&C 42:6

Transition in the Office

Elder Thorley and Elder Ott welcome Elder McCann to the office. Elder McCann will serve with Elder Ott as an Assistant to President Pimentel

"Rejoice, for the Hour of Your Mission is Come..." D&C 31:3

Sister Holbrook and Sister Tollefson

These sweet Sisters will be serving in the Rostock Branch, Neubrandenburg District.

Our newest missionaries have finally made it. Sister Holbrook and Sister Tollefson were delayed in their arrival, stopping in Paris and then Amsterdam before finally making it to Berlin. As late as it was (11:00 P.M.), they were still smiling, even though all of their luggage didn't make it.

We are happy they are here!