Elder Jonathan Popp Week 7

Was ist los!

 

Alright so this week has pretty much flown by! just like all the other weeks haha. This thursday I get my flight plans for germany! Im so excited!  Its like waiting for Christmas to come! haha  Im so ready to go to Germany. I'm ready to get out of this place... haha Im ready for action.

 

So last Tuesday we had another Apostle! hahah Elder Russel M. Nelson. Crazy right! We must need all the inspiration haha because we have had 4 apostles now! lol.  He gave a really good talk. I really enjoyed it. It really uplifts me when the Apostles come and talk about our callings. I feel real important when they talk lol.

 

Well, My MTC experience is coming to an end. I have 2 more weeks and im feeling ready to go. I like the MTC but, I couldn't stay here for another 9 weeks lol. Id go crazy.  Im ready to get out in the real world and teach some people. Its pretty much the same here in the MTC. We Study, Teach, Eat and Sleep. Errrday!

It has gone by fast and I'v learned alot. It is kinda sad to think that my MTC experience is almost over.  I had some good times here, but im ready to have better times in Germany. This is only the beginning. I can't wait to tear up Germany with Ben Gibson. 

I know Ben and I are gonna be companions. Ich weiß daß! Ich habe ein offenbarung empfangt! lol but, yeah im excited.  I feel for Kyle having to stay for 12 weeks to learn Russian.. hahah Ill just stick with my German.

 

I'v been playing soccer alot lately! I really enjoy it! before i hated it, I never liked running! but, we play like 4-5 times a week.

It is so much fun. It is always the Germans versus everyone else. Needless to say, we put a smackdown on them! lol.  Deutschland Für Immer! hahah. I never thought i'd enjoy soccer. Im sure im going to like it alot more when im in Germany. Soccer there is crazy!

It rains alot here in Utah. Everyone here from Utah says it normally doesnt rain this much. Everyone complains about it but I love it because we don't get much rain in vegas. Its gonna rain all the time in Germany. its going to be excellent (ausgezeichnet!).  Well not much to report...sorry for the short email! They will be longer once im in Germany! Only two more weeks! yeah buddy! Im so excited!

 

I hope all is well back in Vegas!

Ich liebe Sie!

Elder Popp

Week 6!

Hey Everyone!!

Alright so here I am about finished with my 6th week! crazy.. We are officially the oldest german district here at the MTC! Jeeze that went way fast! And Next wednesday we get our flight plans to Germany! Im so excited to go to germany its gonna be awesome! I hope I get to be somewhere north where Ben Gibson is! That would be so sweet!

So yeah Jakey Dinino is here!!! I was so excited when i saw him in the Cafeteria! It was awesome to see someone from home. I also Jacob Bingham and Robby McCombs! I missed these guys! So Sunday night me and Jakey sat together for our fireside and caught up on stuff back at home! It was so cool to here about the Pinewood Derby. GOOD JOB JOSHY! lol.

Alright so this week me and my companion got 2 baptism committments! It was awesome! even though these two investigators are role players... We seriously have been teaching them for like 5 weeks so It was a awesome feeling when they said they would be baptised! I was so happy, it was rediculous lol. I can't wait to have the feeling of a real baptism when i get out in the field! I gotta say though im still pretty nervous about knocking on my first door pretty soon haha!

The spirit here is so strong. It is like nothing, I have never felt before. Before my mission, I was never really into reading the Book of Mormon or the Bible and now Im mad I wasn't lol! I really enjoy studying the 4 gospels! It is so amazing what Christ went through for us. I can not thank him enough.

Ich Weiß daß mein Erlöser lebt!!!! und Er ist for uns Gestörben! Durch Jesus Christi Wir Können zu gott zurückkehren! Wir müssen glaube in Jesus Christi Haben! So Wir können mit Gott Leben weider! Ich liebe mein Himmlischer Vater und mein Erretter Jesus Christus.

My testimony could go on and on and on and on but theres just a little german for you guys haha. So me and kyle see eachother all the time haha its cool because we start speaking russian and german back to each other. Everyone says German sounds meaner, I guess lol. I think it sounds so cool!!! The language is coming along pretty good. The hard thing for me is the grammer. My grammer sucks! but that will come through out my mission!

So we have 27 new germans coming in wednesday! Im so excited! Were gonna "nur deutsch sprechen mit der nau Missionares!" (Only speak german to them) Its gonna be so fun! I really like helping the younger missionarys with german its pretty sweet!

Well not much else happening here! Just doing my laundry lol I hope all is well at home! I miss you guys so much but, I know that this is where I need to be! I learn so much everyday! beware imma be super smart when i come back so watch out!! :} hahah

Ich leibe Ihr,
Elder Popp
Hey Everyone!!

Week 5

Hey Guys,

Alright so im officially over the hump of the MTC. 5 weeks done baby! Its kinda crazy to think that in 4 weeks ill be knocking on doors in deutschland! I cant wait!

So this week has been pretty much the same haha but we had got some new germans in last week, so i got to take one of the new guys with me and teach a lesson haha it was pretty funny because i was told to make them talk in german. so i did... and needless to say he told our investigator that god was the devil hahahaha so i had to clear it up! lol good times.. It was cool tho because after we were done the new elder was like dang you can pretty much speak german but i cant really speak german haha but that made me feel real good!

I really like helping the new kids, they always come in asking how to put sentences together and how to say things haha Its pretty cool, helps me in my german as well answering them! So i no longer need notes to speak german, i am working on a study journal right now! Its basically my version of preach my gospel and i add a bunch of scriptures to them so i can pull them up in lessons. I made my journal in complete english so i can translate it into german! Its been working real well because i can now express myself and give my own insight on things.

I really like searching for scriptures. I have found over 30 scriptures just on the 1st lesson ..The Restoration... Its awesome cuz when our investigator has a question, im just like BAM, i gotta scripture haha Its legit!

So last Tuesday we had ANOTHER APOSTLE!! Niel A. Anderson haha (I know all my missionary friends are jealous right now, cept kyle cuz your here as well lol) But yeah awesome talk! you can feel the spirit so strong when these apostles walk in its amazing!

Well me and my companion are getting along real good now. He has really improved, iv been trying to help him in our lessons and it is paying off really well. I always say... haben sie ein gedanke? ( do you have a thought) in our lessons and he starts saying his thoughts! Its awesome! Things are going real well now, im starting to like this, but i know in a couple weeks ill have to say good bye to these guys and thats gonna suck!

Im just in such awe how much im learning! Its amazing, my german is getting stronger day by day and its a good feeling when you go into lessons and you can literally say everything you want and they understand you and you understand them! so awesome!

Well all is good here in Missionary prison haha but im having fun! Jakey I cant wait for you to come in on wednesday! i wont be hosting but, i will be looking for you! I love all of you and Sie Sind am Beste!

Tschus,

Elder Popp

Week 4

Gutentag jemand!

Alright so yeah pretty much finishing my first month on my mission. Its pretty awesome feeling of completing your first month! haha Im really enjoying the MTC. It kinda sucks though knowing that i wont be able to see these guys in a month. Idk I really like my district and my zone.

So i dont think i have ever said anything about my district. First off, my companion Elder Wightman. He is coming around and is starting to pick up on his german so, thats pretty awesome. Then We have Elder Ross & Elder Taggart. Elder Ross is pretty sweet! He is funny as heck, and he has some pretty sweet ties! Im jealous. Elder Taggart he is the Martial arts guy. Been doing it for like 8 years! hes pretty legit. He is our bouncer lol. Then we got Elder Whitehead & Elder Snow. They are me and my companions room mates! Elder Whitehead is so cool! I could totally hang out with him and see him in my group of friends at home. He is super scripture smart tho, so im pretty jealous about that too! Elder Snow ( I call him Elder Schnä (snow)) haha
He is pretty cool. He is the quiet one of the group, but he always has a warm spirit about him and is awesome! So yeah thats my distict. The other district that came in the same time we did is going to frankfurt, Germany. They are freaking awesome! A guy named Elder Reichter is from Sidney, Australia. Im totally going to Australia and staying with him for a week or two when i get back! Then he gonna come to vegas. Everyone wants to come to Vegas haha Warum Ich Weiß Nicht ( I dont know why) haha. Guess Vegas is cool to everyone.

So me and my companion have been teaching some cool lessons haha! Funny story about that..... I guess one lesson we told our investigator that god was superman and he flew around the earth and was invisible! hahahha I laughed so hard! I was like what! I didnt say that, but i guess thats how he interpreted it lol. But our other investigator was awesome! We got him to pray and read scriptures as a family together! He was so happy! He said the spirit was really strong when we taught him. Me and my companion took a lap after that around our building lol! we were happy!

Even though i said god is superman and is invisible my german is getting alot better! I am really happy with my language! Its coming along, Im starting to be able to have conversations in german. Its pretty sweet!

So This week was awesome! Me and Kyle Lefevre gotta talk for good amount of time. Saw him outside reading and then he came and talked to me in the cafe! So yeah kathy if your reading this kyle is doing real good! haha His russian is pretty dang good! Its sounds pretty cool! I was Impressed. Iv lost 8 pounds so far so life is good! I feel good.

So yeah its been a great week! I wished i couldv called on mothers day (sorry mom/grandma's) but they dont let us call home on mothers day.

Well i hope all is well back at home! I love all the letters i get! They are much appreciated!

Ich weiß daß die Kirche Jesu Christi wahr ist!!!!!
Ich liebe ihr!
Elder Popp

Week 3

Hey everyone!
 
Wie Gehts es Ihnen??( How are you?)
 
So adventures of week three! They have been pretty much the same hahah
 
Last Tuesday we had Elder Dallin H. Oaks come and speak to us! We are so lucky to have 2 apostles come in speak to us twice in a row! Its unheard of haha. He talked about the importance of our calling and our purpose! Unser Ziel, Andere Einladen zu christus zu kommen ( Our purpose, Is to invite others to come unto Christ) He is a awesome speaker and his wife spoke as well!
 
One thing i really like here is singing hymns in German. We were all given little pocket german hymn books on arrival and we sing probably 12 times a day haha Its so awesome though. Im sorry German is a way cooler language than English....So i played volleyball the other day and totally smashed the ball into a kids face! hahaha i felt so bad! His nose was bleeding and everything.. Nicht Sehr Gut ( not very good) lol. But it was a good hit i have to admit!
 
So we are now teaching a investigator everyday in German. Its awesome come i learn more of the language everytime i teach! The gift of tongues is real! Oh and I forgot to tell you guys last week.. Elder Richard G. Scott over the pulpit said... "I want to exercise my power as a twelve and confer upon every missionary who can hear my voice to be blessed with the gift of tongues for the remainder of their mission" It was awesome!!!! Since that day my german as picked up so much its amazing. I can now start having little conversations with people and when im asked to bear my testimony i can in german just like how i would in english haha All of my prayers are in german as well! I love speaking german, I feel like a CIA agent hahah.
 
Im constantly walking around the MTC and everyone asks where im going because of the german on my nametag haha Its funny! Everyone thinks its crazy that they are sending missionarys to germany,, idk I think its pretty safe or so i think lol.
 
So my teacher Sister Christopher has left and we have just the two brother teachers now. Brüder Bangerter and Brüder Naumen. I really like Brother bangerter he has been back from berlin for like 9 months and he is an awesome teacher!
 
Im having alot of fun learning the language and my knowledge of the gospel has quadrupled since i left. I love it! We get to go to the temple every monday and do a session! Today my Distric and I went and did Initiatorys, I love going to the temple. you can get away from the MTC and feel like your not caged in here. I love relaxing in the Temple as well. Its really soothing to be in there!
 
So today on my P-day I went and got my hair cut, doing my laundry as we speak lol, study for my investigator tonight, went to the temple, slept a little hahah i like P-days, It really keeps you all up to speed with how much you learn!
 
Well i gotta go, So Ich Liebe Ihr! Write me!
Aufweidersehn!
 
Elder Popp