21 January 2013 Thirty-second letter from Switzerland

Scott Sonne	Jan 21 (6 days ago)
to me

Hey Mom!

       Yep there is a Migros across the street from me! Yes it is a grocerey store and yes that is the one we shopped at today! we are living on the very top floor! Yep... not elevator... Just the stairs to stay in shape! :) 

Elder Volz is great to get along with... Its great. I get along with him well! 

     I will get pictures for you! I just cannot send them today! I had planned to send erica a picture of me in the alps and to have her photoshop dad into the pitcure when he was on a mission! 

     We are the only 2 missionaries here in the ward! 

     I'll get a picture of us for you ! :)  of jacob and I that is! My companion did go with Elder Bailey's companion! that was crazy! Wir spoke deutsch with one another! 

     I am working this month on my charity= the pure love of christ= Caring about others more than myself. That is my goal by the end of the month, to care more about the well being of others more than I do about myself!... Or in other words: to forget myself and go to work! I love it! 

     Yesterday, a family that we have taught 2 times since i have been here... Carlos, Annie and their 3 kids! It was the first time for them to come to church. He said, in fact, that he would not be attending this week, because he had something to do. We had planned to meet with them on the coming saturday and get them used to the church buiilding and get them feeling the spirit of it. We had planned to teach them the restoration and to get the whole family there for a church tour. They, instead came early, with the whole family,... and what did we talk about in sunday school?

The RESTORATION. 

And what was taught in priesthood?

 BAPTISM! 

He told me that he had become sick and could not go to work on friday, he couldn't go do something that he had planned on saturday and on sunday he felt much better, so they came with their whole family and little, 4 week old baby, born on the 24th of december! 

I love this family! I love the work. 

     We also found a less active man from Serbia on the street, and a woman was able to feel the spirit when she read in 2 nephi 32:3. I shared the scripture with her and immediately, she said: 

"Can one buy this book in switzerland?" 

I aksed her what she felt in her heart as she read. She said that she felt something special.

 I then showed her 2 Nephi 32:5, 2 verses later, where it says that the holy ghost will show you all things that you should do! I gave her the precious book of mormon! She will never forget that! 

There is power in the book of mormon! 

I'm just reading through the isaiah chapters and am understanding them so much better than ever before! 

I love you mama! The church is true! This is His work. 

Elder Sonne

14 January 2013 Thirty-first letter from Switzerland

14 January 2013
Wettingen, Switzerland

Dear Famile,

Just a quick update. I have been here in wettingen for a week and a half and I am loving it. We are finding a bunch of really cool people and are getting ready to teach them. We have 2 people with baptisimal dates :richard and Frau veras.

Richard is from switzerland, he is 22, and he is living with some friends and going to school. He has been taught for the past 4 months and really knows the vernacular of the gospel, he litterally talks like a member. He is shy and a little quiet, and very humble, he is considerate and has a lot of love for others.  He loves reading in the book of mormon and really feels the spirit when we meet with him! His baptisimal date is for the 9th of february! We invited him to baptism right after a lesson where the previous missionaries invited him to baptism and he said no. We had not planned to talk about baptism, but he asked questions and the spirit completely lead the lesson to what we should teach, namely: the atonement and the doctrine of christ. It was amazing and he is excited for his baptism.

Frau Veras is a woman from the dominican republic. She has been here for 8 years, and has been taught for the last couple of months. She has one daughter and a humband, who she will soon divorce. She knows the gospel is true... On the first visit with her, she told us the sad story of her family and how she didnt feel a part of her family growing up. She said that she wanted to be a good example for her daughter now and show her what she herself didnt have. We asked her what steps she could take to be that example. Her responce:Baptism. We invited her to baptism. Her only concern was not even a real concern, so its all worked out!... She will be baptised on the 23 of february.

I love the ward here... Its like a big family. They are so involved in missionary work it is ridiculous! They feed us so often, almost too often to get too much missionary work done! Haha its great here I love you and wish you a great week.

Just an update for Bertha, the equador woman I taught in bern... is still being taught, but does not want to set a date for baptism.

I know that the Lord lives and he only wants us to come to him so he can make us happy. Joseph Smith was his seer.

Elder Scott Sonne

Peggy Sonne <pjssonne@gmail.com>	Jan 13 (7 days ago)
to Scott

solar elder...

   I just looked up your address on google earth and it looks like you live in an apartment with red shutters and across from an office building...i also saw a pizza taxi car and a pizza place that says take away...is that right?....there is an apartment building next to yours that has blue shutters...anyway, that is what i found...did i find your apartment?

love, mom...looking for my missionary son!!!!!  love, mom

Scott Sonne	Jan 14 (6 days ago)
to me

thats the apartment!!!! Good find!!!

June 2012 Seventeenth Letter from Switzerland

Date: June 4, 2012 7:25:38 AM CDT
To: Rick Sonne <rhsonne@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Weekly 6/3/12

Waittttt.... you wonn!!! But you won... I shouldn’t be so surprised,
both you and brandon played; that’s awesome! Good work!

(Brandon and Rick and Adam played in a golf tournament in North Carolina 

with Adam's Law Firm...The 4th player was from the law firm...from Atlanta

 They shot 55 and won the tournament)

On 6/4/12, Scott Sonne <scott.sonne@myldsmail.net> wrote:

The investigators are doing great... Eric has had a mighty change of

Heart in the last little bit and the lord has been really working with

him to want to keep all the commandments. Before it was a little shaky

but the lord takes our weaknesses and makes them strong when we trust

in him and trust on the atonement of Jesus Christ by being obedient!

Sam is a new baptismal candidate that we taught for the first time this week.
 He is super cool and wants to learn more about Christ and his gospel.

He really understands and listens when we teach him. He said aww...

so this is the church of Jesus Christ. The church of Christ restored

today.. and all the other churches have a part of the truth and no

authority of god. Okay that makes sense. I love the work; it is true.

The atonement can and will make all of the hardships and unfair time

of life right. He can and will help us when we ask for it in prayer.

God loves us. He is our father. And your father too, father. :) 

Elder Sonne

Scott Sonne 4 June 2012	Jun 4 2012
to me

! I know the church and the gospel are the coolest things that
have ever been established and created... for us, for you, so that we
can have joy. God’s whole purpose is to help you and I, together be
happy and enjoy all of his blessings in the kingdom of glory and
unending happiness! I thought a little bit yesterday about the
special personal connection we have with our heavenly father. We have

The opportunity to speak with the most all-powerful being who also
conveniently, loves us just as great, or greater than his power is.
He, God, only wants the best for us. We can have a personal
relationship with him. But one key aspect of our ability to focus in
on him like it says in 3 Nephi 11, when the people turned their ears
and eyes to the sound of the voice of the lord. We need to turn our
ears and turn our radios to the right station... of humility. When we
give our whole hearts to god, holding nothing back, we can seriously
always have his spirit to be with us. When we really think on him and
give our whole souls as an offering that is when he heals us, that is
when he speaks, AND WE HEAR. That is where the miracle occurs. 
That is it. Give everything and then his grace is sufficient for us. 
It is true.

Oh mannnn!! the packages AND the bars were amazing!!! the best ever.
The ties are literally the coolest ties I’ve ever seen! And the USA
shirt has already been worn twice to do service... I love it!!! Thanks
so much! Oh and the short sleeved shirts were great too! Wow that is
awesome!
I can’t speak Swiss German; I can normally understand it okay…

I love Helaman 5... Oh when the prison is destroyed and the people
must repent and the faces of the missionaries were shining in the
darkness. We need to be examples like those two who were beacons of
light.
I love you mama!!!!

28 May 2012 Sixteenth Letter from Switzerland

28 may 2012

From: Scott Sonne <scott.sonne@myldsmail.net>
Date: May 28, 2012 9:12:15 AM CDT
To: Rick Sonne <rhsonne@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Weekly letter 5/27/12

Hey dad!!!

The old people loved that we were singing with them. They don’t get very much attention so they really appreciate it when we go walking with them.

Our investigators are doing amazingly well... the boy that had a Lamoni experience, we don’t really have contact with him. But we have 3 baptismal candidates, or dates with Paul, Pascha, and Eric. Paul is an older man, about 65 or 70.Pascha is about 50 and is from turkey. Eric is from America and is 35. Eric is just a miracle. For the last 3 months, I’ve wanted to drop him, but I felt like I shouldn’t. We asked the bishop and he said we should stick with it. So we have. We saw him on a train and said “hello”. He said... yea why don’t i get baptized??? I said... yea why not... almost jokingly because we almost stopped visiting him and he has never made real progress. And then we talked to him on the phone and I said it again. Yea, you should get baptized. We explained it and he seemed pretty excited. Then yesterday we watched “Finding Faith in Christ” and talked about his baptism and set the date for the fourth of July in the river here!!! Haha

And he really wants to do it! The lord works through his leaders and through the spirit in ways we cannot understand with our small perspective here on earth, in this body. The lord works with everybody although we are all on different levels. But he invites all to come unto him with out price!

.... the gospel is true and Jesus overcame sadness, so we don’t have to be stuck in the thick mud of sin. 

Scott Sonne	May 28 (13 days ago)
to me

Hey mama!!!

Yep ... sometimes it seems to go by as a dream... super fast. Sometimes it seems like I’ve been here my whole life and I know nothing but preaching the gospel; it’s odd.

The Book of Mormon is the best.  We have to show our faith... Our witness comes after the trial of our faith. We have to take the step before the stair appears in front of us.

Mom... thanks for all of the amazing birthdays and for your continual example: Today I studied the ???? day after day striving to become and do what Christ is and what he does. There is one thing...to do, like scripture study, but another thing is to actually do what the scriptures say. To work miracles(to do) and to really have full faith(to be); to be and to do. Cain’s offering was unacceptable because of who he was and why he was doing it. We need to think about why we do things. I would like to start doing everything out of love like Jesus Christ; his one motive was love. Love for His father in heaven and love for us. When we have this love we will do what we should and it will become an anchor in our lives and suck us into heaven.  The church is true and God is our father, and everyone’s father. Have the best week ever!!!

Elder Sonne

28 May 2012

Hello everyone!

This week has been so amazing. We experienced so many miracles and had a great time. Today we went with the ward and did a barbeque. It was great to get to know the people in the ward better and to let an investigator, Eric get to know the people and fell comfortable in the ward. We were at the top a nice green rolling hill. It is so beautiful here. We sang a bunch of songs auf Swiss German and a man played the alp horn. I felt like I was in its a small world. haha. This week we committed Eric Lieber to baptism. Eric is pure American and has had connection with the church since he was born. HE finally decided to get baptized on the fourth of July in a river! 

I had wanted to drop him and not teach anymore since I got here. But I felt like we should hold on to him. We did, just barely, and now he is getting baptized. Our father in heaven loves us and really works with us to bring each other a little bit more joy and happiness to one another; even change lives. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to only help people for 2 years. Christ died for us and He lives today.

Elder Sonne

21 May Fifteenth Letter from Switzerland

21 may 2012

Scott Sonne	May 21
to me

Guten morgen Mutti!!!!!!!

You’re in Tennessee,,, is that where the road sounds like a horse or something,,,, not really sure, I forgot haha. Oh gotta love the traffic between nc and Missouri! I’m sure it’s frustrating, but hey it gives you and dad more time together!!! Paul Dallenbach is doing great!!! He came to church and he really enjoyed it!!! He is pretty old and soo funny! He made like 6 or 7 comments in the priesthood class! He was really into it and I think he feels at home here.

Pascha Suleymann also has a baptismal date for the 24 of June. He says that in 100 or 200 years, everyone will be a member of this church. As we saw the restoration for the first time, the DVD that is, he said, “Aw das ist warhheit.” Oh casually, or almost obviously, that the restoration is true! haha He said that he has hundreds of friends that will be baptized! He’s the best, he is from turkey and he absolutely loves America. He is sure that god is there and that he hears and answers our prayers!! he’s about 45 or 50 and acts like he is 25. he’s the best.

I love the people here!!

I will pray to the father... I love him. Umm yea. Yesterday, the high council speaker talked about the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. At one point Jesus says if you knew with whom you were speaking, you would have asked and he would have given you living water. I really feel that it is important to realize how important every single person is. Do you realize who you are mama, you are going to be able to become like heavenly mother. Or at least, a little bit more like her! Our potential is amazing; to realize that all the people have that potential and that Christ died for that person that they have the opportunity. Wow he loved them so much that he died for them, and we sometimes hurt them... what?, that must hurt Jesus so badly when we hurt one another. He had to suffer that, which we caused, so that he could give them comfort wow. I wont do anything wrong again or at least try. I love you mama. Have full faith and believe in angels. Heavenly father loves us. 

Elder Sonne  

On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 2:25 AM, Peggy Sonne <pjssonne@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Scott Sonne <scott.sonne@myldsmail.net>
Date: May 21, 2012 3:11:28 AM CDT
To: Rick Sonne <rhsonne@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: weekly letter 5/20/12

Hey Father!

I love working for the lord and serving the people here!!!!!

Haha i love chuck e cheese. As a kid, you think that you can truly win more that you pay for, but its always something much smaller... 40 dollars for a couple of pixie sticks, although that isn’t bad for Switzerland! haha

  

This week we learned some Swiss songs from the old ladies with whom we walk with at the old people home. It was the best! By the end, we were singing along about how there is no other land more beautiful than Switzerland.  We also had a dinner appointment with an Ellsbeth Jordi... Annagreth should know her, it was in her house that Sister Jordi first met with the missionaries... well anyway she’s awesome and sang some yodel songs for us! That was hilarious and awesome... did you ever get to experience that??

People have no idea why we are here on earth. They have no idea of their potential that they have and no idea that the lord can guide them through life.  I am so grateful that we can pray to heavenly father and receive answers. That is the most truthful thing that I know! We can always trust and rely on him and when we do what he says, we WILL receive the blessings!!!

Oh man it’s the best. I love the gospel.

Yesterday at church, I truly understood what the meaning of the scripture, or at least how I can apply the scripture in 1 Nephi 3.7. The spirit showed me that I need and can always rely on the spirit and the promises of the lord. When he expects something, he always provides a way for me to accomplish it!!! It goes along with my patriarchal blessing and the promises I received about my mission. We always have to do our part and when we do that, the lord cant do much more than bless us in a way that will help us learn and grow in the most amazing way!

Christ lives. This is his church and it is the truth. Thanks for raising me in it.

Elder Sonne

14 May 2012 Fourteenth Letter from Switzerland

May 14, 2012

Hey mama!!!

 It was really great to see you!!! You all look great! To clarify we found 17 potential investigators; not investigators.

  

WE JUST SET A BAPTISIMAL DATE!!!! About 30 minutes ago!!!! Ja voll! It was great.. That’s the first one in Switzerland for me!!!!! HIs name is Paul Dällenbach! He is super cool! Thank you for your great example through my whole life!... sorry I lost my train of thought... there’s this one missionary who does emails here and plays terrible primary songs while we email. sorry... oh and I thought that I could Skype for an hour or so, but then i realized that i could only skype for 40 minutes.. it was my fault for forgetting... don’t worry about it. I loved seeing how Brian was trying to make jokes and dad thought they were inappropriate. haha that was a great taste of home!! haha. I love you have a great week... my schedule for every day...

I have no idea... wake up at 630, for 5 minutes, I sit there and try to wake up and then work out for 25 minutes and eat and shower until 8, then we study. Sometimes we teach Rajeev at 830; sometimes not. We finish up studying when we get back from Rajeev... for about 30 more minutes. (1 hour for together study, and 30 minutes for German) Sometimes we are invited to a members house for lunch... we talk to people on the train, and on the way to the members house... we eat there. and we talk to people on the way back... we usually have another appointment somewhere else and we go to that and talk to people on the trains and on the street. We also occasionally spend about 15 or 20 minutes at home calling the people whom we talked to earlier in the week. Then we go out on the one street and talk to some more people. We usually eat dinner around 5 or 6 and watch a church video. Then we go out again. We usually see a member somewhere on the street and talk to them for a bit...

The members and the investigators are amazing, but especially the members!!! They are like trained missionaries; so great. We had an appointment with a less active sister Giannati and Sister Bauman, who has been befriending her. Sister Bauman would not give up inviting her to church. Another person who was there invited her to come in June, because it is a special time to invite people. But sister Bauman said... yess but we would really love it if you could come THIS Sunday... and eventually sister Giannati said yes!!! She wants to come back to church.

Just a little taste of Zollikofen! I love you

Oh and Europe has a goal this June to bring someone to church every week in June... I would like to invite you to do that mama! The ward is really excited about inviting people and even before June, there have been friends of members every week at church! Its great! Try it out... try inviting people to church! You will have the joy it talks about it doctrine and covenants in 18:10-15!

Love you, Jesus love us, He lives!

Elder Sonne

From: Scott Sonne <scott.sonne@myldsmail.net>
Date: May 14, 2012 8:14:05 AM CDT
To: Rick Sonne <rhsonne@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Weekly letter 5/13/12

Hey Father!!!

That sounds like so much fun. Going to North Carolina... are you driving? ... Oh those were great times going to the game in the z and playing some baseball with my dad. Thanks for those memories.. I still remember when the tornado sirens went off and I thought I would be sucked into the sky, so I grabbed hold onto a tree. haha ... Good times.

Button down type is just fine... just at least something that looks good when ironed and not raggedy... if that’s possible.

I love reading the scriptures, last week Sunday, I received an impression that I should
do more with the scriptures and really try to read more, even when its just during lunch or during my couple of minutes of free time at night

I love you father... thanks for all of the great help... oh and there was once a talk from elder Bednar about scripture study, http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/ces-firesides?lang=eng&query=elder+bednar+patterns,+connections,+themes#2007-02-01-reservoir-of-living-water
Thats a really good talk about how to study!!!! It helped me a lot to try to get the most out of it!

Elder Sonne

7 May 2012 Thirteenth Letter from Switzerland

May 7, 2012

Peggy Sonne	May 7, 2012
to Scott

I have been praying that the temple next door to you will be a means of radiating goodness and the people will feel differently about the gospel as they see the temple...something like that...

Scott to peggy

wow... that has actually happened recently we found a woman right in front of the temple and gave her a book of Mormon and are going to meet this week... We also prayed for this. it was great. Thank you have a great week I love you.  I will Skype at 8:30 or call you!

Mom!!!!

I loved planting those flowers with you!!! That was such a great time! I am glad the flowers are not dead.

Wow fast and testimony here... was amazing! Soo spiritual. I spoke about the love of heavenly father and Jesus and how they speak with us through the spirit and how they want us to share their love with others. I really felt strongly about that. I received another, very powerful answer to prayer and church. I was praying about what I can do to help find more investigators here. I read the scripture about receiving the word before I preach and then my mouth will be filled with the spirit and know what I should say on the street and be able to find the people that are going to be baptized here. it is in doctrine and covenants 11:21. I love inspiration. It is so true.

I am calling at 830 at night. My Skype information is Elder.Sonne maybe with or without caps. I will be at somebody’s house.

I cannot believe they are moving to Idaho!!!  (The Eisenhauers)

That is crazy how fast the time goes by.

Sometimes we speak English but not very often. It is sometimes tough to switch languages.

I read in German and everything I do is mostly in German. I had a dream that I was home and speaking German and then there was someone who could speak Bern Swiss German; it was funny.

I love you mama. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest blessing that one could ever enjoy.

I love it and that my oldest brother Jesus Christ died for all of us and for our family.

Elder Sonne.

From: Scott Sonne <scott.sonne@myldsmail.net>
Date: May 7, 2012 4:52:34 AM CDT
To: Rick Sonne <rhsonne@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Weekly letter 5/6/12

Hey father...

It is difficult to honestly keep track of all of the people we have recently found. There are so many that are on the brink of being steady investigators, but just are not there yet. We did, however, find Jamal and Kawe. You may think that those aren’t typical Swiss names, because they are not. They are from Iran. They moved here because of the unrest in their countries. Just hearing their stories of how their families have to move around so the government will not kill them, makes me cry. It makes me really be thankful for the situation and the circumstances of my life, and how easy it is for me to have so many nice and comfortable things continually surrounding me. Thank you so much for providing me with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the material I need to have a great life. I had no idea what to say... the spirit then filled me with truth and I bore witness that prayer can help in every situation and that the Book of Mormon can give peace, no matter what the condition. It is so true. 

At fast meetings: I have given my testimony for the last 4 months or so. Yesterday was amazing, there were 3 kids under 13 who bore pure testimony... they were telling stories about how they defended the faith and how they knew it through the spirit. I have only spoken in church for testimony meeting and when I come to a new area or leave; for 4 minutes or so. I only have given my one talk. Yesterday was incredibly spiritual and when I gave my talk I saw many people with tears in their eyes.

all of my clothes and stuff are fine, thanks!

This week I really needed the help of God on the train... it was about 830 and we just wanted to ride the train and talk to some people to bring them to true gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of going and talking to people, I felt like I should just stand there and say a quick prayer. I prayed for divine help and the ability to find someone in this time; to do the lords will. I then talked to a woman who was interested and really had good questions about why we are on the earth and the purpose. 

God lives and he is our father in heaven.

Elder Sonne