Die Mächte des Bösen!

Hallo hallo meine liebe und wunderbare Familie und Freunde!

And here we are at the beginning of the week again, not to mention it is the last week of the transfer so what kind of exciting things might happen? Well I probably won't leave that area, that is practically already a given. But it will be interesting to see where the other missionaries are going. There are probably at least three missionaries in my district that are leaving. One that has been here in Neubrandenburg/Prenzlau for the past 4 transfers so six months. And another being my own companion who just got done getting trained last transfer. I honestly hope he leaves, not because I don't like him or because I think he is a bad missionary, because I have actually quite enjoyed my time with him but rather because this area is so very different from all the other areas in our mission that it will be good for him to see what the rest of his mission will actually be like. I don't feel like going too much into the details but if you do have questions about this area and why it is so different just send me and email and I will get back to you later.  

So this week was a little ridiculous, in that every single person we talked to this week was out of their minds and just wanted to fight with us or just be completely rude. Last Thursday when we were having a street display in the city center or Innenstadt as it will now forever be known to me as. we talked to this guy and I am pretty sure this is the first time in my entire mission where I just couldn't handle it and just literally fought with this guy on the street because I could just not take it. I don't mean fist to fist, but like he was just saying everything under the sun against Christians and America and how apparently as long as there are Christians left on the earth there will be war and suffering and that apparently atheists are the most amazing people in the world and do so much for others but not us no not us. And many other things of that sort, and halfway through when we wanted to stop talking to him and we would literally say that we didn't want to fight and or contend and that we hoped he had a nice day, he would keep going and we can't just leave our own street display. But he finally left and somehow you are supposed to bounce back from that and keep talking to people about the message of eternal families and peace and hope and joy. It is sad sometimes because all we really want to do is share something that really means a lot to us and that we know that it can help others. We don't try to force or persuade anybody but nonetheless we are the bad guys and people feel it necessary to lash out at us because we wear a name badge that says Jesus Christ and we want to talk to them about a religious topic. And somehow out of their bad behavior and mean-spiritedness, I am supposed to believe that they are right and I am wrong. Many of them also complain to say that we are just like every other church in the world, claiming to be the ones that have the truth. However, in their very own words they are contradicting themselves because they are saying that they are the ones with the truth just in the opposite way. So really it is an endless battle that they cannot seem to figure out that they are just adding to it rather than what they believe they are doing by trying to stay out of it. No one can escape truth. And to say that there is no truth is to say the world is flat and not round. Everyone in the world can say that the world is flat but it does not make it so. If there is but one piece of truth in the world then there must be other pieces of truth and there must be a method of finding these truths. And if I can just take but one moment to say this and that is, we can learn these truths by being taught by the Spirit. These truths are independent in their spiritual sphere and are to be discovered spiritually, though they may be confirmed by experience and intellect. (See D&C 93:30) Another Prophet also said that "the Spirit speaketh truth...Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be." (Jacob 4:13) If men are really humble, they will realize that they discover, but do not create, truth. Experience in one area or field does not automatically give expertise in another field. Expertise in religion comes from personal righteousness and from revelation. A geologist who has discovered truths about the structure of the earth may be oblivious to the truths god has given us about the eternal nature of the family. If I can only make one thing clear this one thing, it will give a foundation on which to build. Man cannot discover God or his ways by mere mental processes. One must be governed by the laws which control the realm into which he is delving. To become a plumber, one must study the laws which govern plumbing. He must know stressed and strains, temperatures at which pipes will freeze among other things. One might know much about plumbing and be a complete failure in training children or getting along with men. Any intelligent man may learn what he wants to learn. But why, oh why do people think they can fathom the most complex spiritual concepts without the necessary experimental and laboratory work accompanied by compliance with the laws that govern it? Does man find God through his own means or by Gods? But no matter how ridiculous it may seem you will find those who have never lived a single law of God, discoursing on religion. How ridiculous is it for them to attempt to outline for the world a way of life. And yet many a financier, politician, college professor, or owner of a gambling club thinks he that because he has risen above all his fellowmen in his particular field he knows everything in every field. You do not learn to make electric generators in seminary. Neither do you learn certain truths about spiritual things in a physics laboratory. You must go to the spiritual laboratory, use the facilities available there, and comply with the governing rules. Then you may know of these truths just as surely, than the scientist knows the metals, or the acids, or other elements. I am sorry that I have taken up all my time in writing about these things, but as I began to write about my day I felt I needed to say these things even if just for myself. Now, with great humility, I send this to you all with a prayer in my heart that you will not cast it aside. I bear testimony to you that it is true. I know it. And you may know it, as did Joseph Smith, Paul, and Peter, and as do a great number of your fellowmen. This is not another church. This is the Church. This is not another gospel or philosophy. This is the Church and Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Father lives; His Son lives. I am so sure of this that I am willing to bear witness of it with the last effort of my tongue and lips. I do say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

 Tschüss,

Elder Foster