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

30 April 2012...twelvth letter from Switzerland

April 30, 2012

Wow I "miss" home and chicago. Actually not really miss it at all; sorry.

I have to put my hand to the plow and not look back. Jesus said those

who put their hand to the plough and look back are not fit for the

kingdom of God.... SO I think I will not look back! I will definitely

not look back! I love this work!  Good for Sara….the award for best article for a particular subject...in the country….That is great! I love our family!

       Setthhhhhhhyyyy (Neifert) That is so amazing! Paraguay! He will be the best missionary there. We have an investigator from paraguay! She is super cool and nice! Jacob is either in vienna or stuttgart.. close to where I was but I'm not sure..because those are the two people that are training this transfer!

 Oh yea... I have actually been trying to do exactly that!(The Bishop and Stake President in Brandon and Mary's ward in chicago, challenged their ward to write in their journals everyday, during the summer months and record the hand of the Lord in their lives) In my journal i

mean, to write something that the lord has done for me that day.. or

at least write down a miracle or two!

Hey, this past week was a nice little miracle.... We were at a

members house for dinner. We were talking about her friends who are

ready for the gospel and we asked what she thought she could share

with them.. I suggested the family or something similar,that I

thought was really a bad move because she had been going through

really rough times with her family. She then talked about that for 45

minutes or so and was really not in good shape and was starting to be

really sad! At one point the joint teach for the next lesson called us

and reminded us about the appointment and in order to get there in

time we needed to take a certain bus which left at 32 past the hour.

Well she was really sad and it was getting time to leave, like at that

moment we HAD TO leave. In this quick moment, I felt like there was no

way that we could just say "Well we have to go right now" SO i said a

quick prayer. I simply said I have no idea what to do. Help me to

know... Please. I then knew that we should stay and that we could get

a ride back with the other member that was there. In the next couple

of minutes the real miracle took place and elder Sullivan could share

an experience in his family and from the book of mormon. 2 Nephi 2:24,

a great one by the way. (...all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things)

She felt so much better after that. It was perfect for her in this time. Directly after that, the other member, speaking French, said that he was going and offered us a ride to the

church. It was perfect. THe lord directs this work; it is his work. I do nothing, except follow what he tells me to do. He answers prayer and works for the eternal happiness of us, his children, that is His work and His GLory, that we can receive eternal joy in His love and have

all the blessings which he has. He is the best.

Elder Sonne

23 April 2012...eleventh letter from Switzerland

23 April 2012

Shoot... i accidentally erased the email!!! Ahhh

For the temple, we can go about once every transfer.. that means once

eery 6 months. Which is enough but not really close... i think when I

come back we should have family home evening... or just a night in the

celestial room. i guess not on a monday. but how does that sound!???

Good right ? :)

Wow yeahhhhh for jacob!!! He's going to be here tomorrow!!! ahhh... but

chances are that he will not come to switzerland because he will have

to serve in the military i think... if he was born here... where was

he born.. i don't even know.. thats bad!! And I think i will be staying

here in swiss for the rest of my mission or so because theres only one

person going to austria at least this transfer and thats my companion

elder jacob... i get a new companion Elder Sullivan… so we are

pretty much stuck here... us americans.

Sara is soo cool! We have the best family... gut gemacht... well done

mama! haha. ... umm brandon is having another

baby???????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT THAT IS

THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD THAT!!

Okay... with calls home.. I will be calling! I think it will be better

that way because then we will be able to hear each other better and it

will nor depend on the connection.

     Thanks for the scripture.. that is such a good one!!! (Helaman 5:12...Stuart Larson

 gave that at the eagle court of honor for madison and andrew saturday night and I talked to scott about it in the letter I wrote to him) The spirit is so strong with that! Thanks!  another good scripture to go along with that one is right at the end of 3 nephi 11.

 i think verses 40 and 41, I'm not sure... and also helaman 3:29-30. Oh those are good. 

The scriptures will take us over the gulf of mystery and lead the god

fearing man and mother... back to christ in a straight and narrow path

of righteousness. thank you mom for always teaching me the right... I

love you; have a great week! Build upon him... for it is upon him that

we are sturdy from all of life's challenges. When we have him help and

know that we are doing right in his eyes, nothing, nothing can take us

down from that. nothing can shake us. I love you; Have hope and be

happy. The lord will fulfill his promises. He will tell you how to

help our family and he will give you comfort... but you already knew

that. I love you

16 April 2012...tenth letter from Switzerland

April 16, 2012

Hey mom!

haha.. theres a friend of a member here whose name is actually sunshine... 

sonnenshein! haha his last name. (mom always addresses my letters as Elder Sunshine)

YYep!!! I knew jacob would be fast tracked!!  Tell annaGREAT that i say hi and I love them! 

Oh man... feeling the spirit is so exhausting... I am always dead on sunday because of that! Oh and this morning as i was studying the scriptures... I was crying for like an hour straight! It was soo good! I love reading the scriptures by the spirit and writing things down when they come because... more and more come!

Our ward is great.. almost like frontenac!! a lot from everything and actually a ward! rajeev came to sacrament meeting on sunday and i think he enjoyed it.. but had to go to work only after 30 minutes... he really wants to try to feel the spirit... but just like all the swiss he has no time to do the things necessary to feel it and be ready for the inspiration. 

I will send pics!!!

schedule... hmm study for 3 hours in the morning and then eat and then go door to door like 3 hours a day... find and talk to as many people as i can on the street in the bus, on the train and in a plane... gnaw we don't have planes but i thought the rhyme was nice. We have a laundromat in our building.

The grocery story is almost like a small wal mart... much better here in switzerland... the other is like a third world country supermarket.

Let me know where he is going!!!! I love youuu!!!

Elder Sonne

16 April 2012 

Zollikofen, Switzerland

    This week, the lord gave me a nice little present for my 10 month anniversary as a missionary:

a miracle. 

     His name is Robbin and he went from atheist to believer in a minute or two. We met him on the street and asked him to read a scripture about God in 2 Nephi 26:23-24. He read for quite a while and we asked him what he liked. He said a couple of points about it. I then asked if he had ever felt the light and love of God; he said yes, just a moment ago as i read that passage. He said I felt something right here, as he pointed to his heart. He said, it was like a burning here. The spirit had touched his heart! 

We bore testimony that he had felt the love of God and the holy ghost and that God lives. He then said, hmm yea I guess there is a God! We made an appointment to call him and gave him a book of mormon. 

    He was changed in the twinkling of an eye, by the spirit of the lord. It changed him; like it did with king Lamoni in Alma 19:6. (from an unbeliever to a believer) He felt the wonderful light that Alma the younger felt in Alma 36:20-21, And i have experienced it too. It's true, the gospel is true, and the Lord can bless us with the POWER of the spirit. He changes our hearts and others heart so that we have no more desire to do evil but do good continually: Mosiah 5:2-4. I love it; the scriptures are true. The conversion of alma and paul happened similarly. It's all true and we can experience the joy of the gospel and miracles daily when we do our best to follow the example of the master, Jesus Christ.

Elder Sonne 

9 April 2012...ninth letter from Switzerland

9 April 2012

NOOOOOOO ARE YOU

SERIOUS!!!??????!!!!!!!!!!??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!?!!!!!!!!!

jacob's on his mission.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

WOW that is soooo cool ... well i need the address for the MTC then!!

I wrote a letter last week but then didn't get the chance to send it...

perfect!  Oh man That is soo cool!

Tell Brandon that I wish him a happy birthday and that he is getting

old and I hope his hair isn't turning grey yet! But that I love him and

am grateful for his example of going on a mission. I wanted to be

like him when I was little because he was a great example and always a

friend to me.

Haha Elder Hepri!!! that's soo cool! I hope you enjoy the sky room and

get the mixed berry lemonade. Its the best!  I love you so much!

 Thank you for always being there for me :)

i love you, the gospel is true, and the atonement works; not only for

justice and sins, but also so that we can have a comforter to be with

us and who knows exactly how it is. He has helped me so much

throughout the tough times and will continue to help. We can rely on

him in everything that we do!

I hope you have a great week...Thanks!

Elder Sonne

2 april 2012...eighth letter from Switzerland

2 April 2012

Dear Mama!

Oh man I loved the uchtdorf talk and the STOP IT! Oh and the nelson talk about the plan of salvation, there were by the way a lot of talks about the plan of salvation and enduring to the end and our eternal destiny. Anyway elder nelson said that the big bang theory is like an explosion in an ink shop creating a dictionary hahaha.

I am actually doing much better and am really enjoying this place. I have decided to never be negative again and then my attitude will change with it. It has seemed to be working! We have had ridiculous success in finding people... at least people that would talk a little bit with us! We really have been basking in the blessings of the lord. That is after we have worked very hard and continue to do so.

I heard the session in german and did it in german!! I know most of the german churchy words so I got through it! I got through it very nicely! It was a joy to be able to just sit and listen for the spirit and the love of our heavenly father. I actually felt the spirit more in german this time... probably because I am a missionary. Recently I have been feeling really close to the lord and his love for all of his children. I feel his love and help bearing me up in everything I do. 

Have you also been wearing your seat belt... I saw your promise in my photo book! YOu should keep your promises! Haha prayer is probably more important than seat belts, but like you said we need spiritual and physical safety and strength. 

I also really liked the talk from the prophet when he talked about important decisions and that a lot of different decisions in life are really of no importance like should we sign billy up for soccer this year. What are we having for dinner. haha That was great. We need to look up and make the best decisions while we limit the amount of stress in our lives so that we can be open enough really receive the crucial inspiration and love from god to get through every single day! Oh yeah the gospel is so true.

Did you fly by yourself... you're crazy... the crazy lady.

Elisabeth Huber... the person that was baptized in wiener neustadt, is making so much progress in the gospel! She is feeling the spirit often and strong. I am so happy to be able to have taught her.. Or pretty much be along as the spirit taught her what she needed to know.

 I love you have the best week ever!

Elder Sonne

26 March 2012...Seventh Letter from Switzerland

26 March 2012….seventh letter from Switzerland

Hey MAMA,

We were supposed to have fast and testimony meeting... well we did

but i didn't exactly participate in the fasting... I thought it was the

week after conference! Well, so i guess i will be fasting then anyway..

Guess what!! We got to go to the temple!! WOw That was cool and auf

deutsch! Super awesome. I had a tough time trying to say patriarchal

in german.. its not easy.  Im so jealous...(that you and erica and jared went to general conference in Salt Lake City) actually, not really, I'm fine just strolling down to the church which is 1 minute away and spending the whole day there watching general conference and not having to park and worry and not

be able to see. Its better. so, we watch conference on saturday nigh tand sunday the whole day! 

Its good to hear that brian liked the pictures haha. (picture of scott with the shirt that brian gave him)

The granola bars were wunderbar! Oh yeah thank you!!! 

My companion is learning the guitar.. and we don't have much time to play. 

So, we found some people with the family name, schenk, who came from eggiwil; (relatives on my grandfather's side who are traced back to the 1500's) i didn't know if you had already heard that.

 They weren't too interested in the gospel.

The gospel is all about experiencing and doing; not knowing. If we know and don't do, that is actually worse than not knowing and not doing. Know it and then do it. That's how it works. Only do.

In Doctrine and Covenants 9:6 it describes the will of the Lord being the best.  

That has helped me to be happier and to know I am here for a reason.

Also 2 Nephi 26:24 and 25

I love you mama.

Elder Sonne

19 March 2012...sixth letter from Switzerland

Wow I like the smiley face !!! :) hello mama sunshine!

Wow i still cant believe that Bednar came to stake conference!!!

That is a great point (Elder Bednar's thoughts) with turning out with the love and really showing others what they mean to us and to heavenly father. He knows and we know that everyone that we encounter everyday is a divine son or daughter of a heavenly father, a brother or sister of ours. The people that cut us off on the highway, the people who yell at us for trying to share with them the most important message that could ever be spoken, the people that really annoy us and in and day out have the potential to become like our heavenly father. It is our job to help them get to that point. We cannot bear their sins like Christ but we can make it a little bit easier, we can be the link between them and that first little seed of faith that springs up unto everlasting life. Then we can sit down and eat the fruit from the tree of life together and talk about how many times they rejected the missionaries and thought that we were crazy haha!!!

I love you mama...

Oh and i am not going to be transferred for the next 5 weeks... Ill be here in Zollikofen! I love the spirit. Hey, have a great week!

The gospel is true and the field is white all ready to harvest even in the mountainous villages of Switzerland.

Elder Sonne

19 March 2012...zollikofen, switzerland

Hey Father!!! I know you were up at the matterhorn on your mission!!ahh that's soo cool. Yea that is the same spot as us!!! I was wearing a jacket and shorts because I didn't want to wear my jeans because they are uncomfortable and I wanted to enjoy my p-day!! The people in the gondola with me were laughing about it. They thought it was pretty funny that they were wearing ski stuff and I was wearing shorts... but it was actually really warm that day and especially on the ride up there! No I do not know anyone named Nehrkorn.

Thanks for the words of encouragement! The people here are opening up and the time to work is now... or in a couple hours when p-day ends haha! have a great week. The gospel is true and we need to be active in our faith like it says in james 1 verse 6. The work is good and hard.

Elder Sonne

12 March 2012...fifth letter from Switzerland

march 12 2012...zollikofen, switzerland

we went to the matterhorn today and it was really beautiful... I cant really describe it in words I will just send you the pictures.... We went up to see the matterhorn, but apparently there is a ski resort there. So we rode up in the lift with a bunch of skiers and they were looking at us a little weird. But they were from America, and sweden so they were friendly haha.

Its great to have the opportunity to feel the spirit everyday.

My companion was baptized about a year and a half ago... almost one year after he was baptized, he went on his mission.

We are eating with the members quite often and have regular contact

with them. Our bishop has been stressing working with the members here and letting them know that we are working together.

We do missionary work everyday. I am so tired. We talk to a lot of people who don't like us. But some people don't know who we are...Mostly the young people. We talk to people on the street and from door to door. and in the bus and in the train. We go by on some inactive members sometimes and active members other times. We are always trying to find people and have organized an easter walk in the woods so that people can invite their friends. We have really been pushing the members to get active with their friends because its almost impossible here to find people.

The picture of me with the deodorant was in switzerland; where i finally found the real deodorant!

have you been wearing your seat belt!!??? Hey sorry that I don't have a lot of time, we were busy and i need to wash my shirts! Love you!

Elder Sonne

oh and how is jacob... is he coming soon?

12 march 2012

Hello Vatter,

ahh, you had a translator (Rick spoke in the Spanish Branch).... I thought you suddenly learned Spanish or had the gift of tongues. The week was great, it was good to hear from you. Thank you for your words of wisdom. I love the gospel. Sorry I didn't have very much time to write!

I love you

5 March 2012....fourth letter from Switzerland

5 march 2012...Zollikofen, Switzerland

Hey mama

I have been really praying with some fervor like Enos... He wrestled for his soul and the people. I haven't done any good yelling that carries to the heavens but its good...this week i read in Jesus the Christ that true prayers are not filled with words, but with deep yearning and heart throbs. That Is cool! Sometimes I ask Heavenly Father how he's doing... its pretty cool.. just to have a nice conversation with him.

yea my companion speaks english... but we speak only German to one another.

the people here speak some english.. we have an investigator who is from america so i can let my vocabulary loose on him haha.

maybe I'll head over to eggiwil in a couple of weeks thats a good idea.

i think we have daylight savings... not really sure.

have a great week, I hope i wont be as tired this week. Yesterday this spirit was so strong at church that i basically cried the whole time and then was so tired i fell asleep when i was studying german afterward. Completely dead from the spirit!

I love you!!! the church is so true ahh!

Elder sonne

Mon, Mar 5, 2012 at 1:32 PM:

Hey Father!!

Did you get a chance to do the scripture and church `activity` thing?? it has really helped me to come closer to heavenly father... Today I figured out something about mercy and justice... there are two things which the resurrection of jesus does... gives us our bodies back and brings us back to be judged. The mercy part of the atonement has two effects. The first is that we don't have to pay for our sins the second is that we can be clean and go back to live with heavnely father. The first... the punishment for sins has to be made either by us before the resurrection in hell or by jesus. It is our choice to let him take the burdens from us. When we do this, he also promises that we can be made clean to live with God again. The one is to satisfy the demands of justice (punishment) the other is to make us worthy to live with God and actually be clean! I am so grateful for jesus christ, our older brother who suffered so that we don't have to and who suffered for our eternal joy and happiness together with heavenly father. Dad, isn't that sooo cool ???!!!

My companion is from Coburg in bavaria. the names of the missionaries in my district are elder schulzke, elder nakkin( who used to live in st. louis and knows tanner pretty well, he now lives in utah and it turns out that I hung out with him at byu!) elder Sanderson from utah, elder Ramsbottom from England and elder and sister Fox.

yea im still in pretty good shape! I just bought my first swiss chocolate today so don't worry about it... I won't get fat, I'm too prideful haha.

Yea the people here aren't soo bad... the real potential is in the youth of the place... we will get em!!! We have been having great success with that.

Have a great week and I love you

Elder Sonne

27 February 2012...third letter from Switzerland

27 february 2012...Zollikofen, Switzerland

Hey vatter, (father)

haha the people knew when you came?! thats awesome!

(scott's Father, Rick, commented that the people in Switzerland were very aware when the new missionaries came to town...transfer day...He was in the french speaking area of Switzerland in the 70's)

Zone conferences are once every two or three months. We had one recently and it really was good. He talked about faith a lot and really applying the principles we learn. I have started to apply the things that I learn in the scriptures that i should do, and I have quite a long list of how to improve myself and specific things that I can do to be a better missionary. Maybe you could try that out.

He also stressed getting revelation when we go to church. We should bring a question to church that we want answered and write it down. We should then pay attention to the spirit and not exactly to what the people are saying, really pay attention to the spirit and by the end of the meeting, the question will be answered. Oh, and it works. I have done it 3 or 4 sundays in a row. Try that out its really cool and you feel the spirit much more when you are really paying attention to him and not the speaker. (When Rick spoke as a high council member in March, he mentioned this and suggested that people try it)

(Rick asked how big the zone is) I have no idea how big the zone is here... maybe like 20 missionaries or 25. There are 6 missionaries and a senior missionary couple in the district. We are doing an exchange today with the zone leaders. It is a little bit tough to have a german companion because he is really german and everything must be precise for him... other than that, we really don't talk much because we are talking to people on the street. And otherwise, sometimes about star wars.

Yes there is snow and recently we have seen some really beautiful mountains when the sky is clear you can see that the horizon has mountains surrounding us.

Everything is great i just got my fingerprints taken today and i am finalized as legal here.

We usually eat fruit and cereal for breakfast, for lunch we usually have sandwiches and noodles and sandwiches for dinner. oh, and we had tacos the other night which was really festive... not a whole lot of time to cook or live or breathe....

The drivers license is not a big deal... i can't drive here anyway without an extra test so i do not think i will be driving.

A woman in our ward traced some of moms relatives to the 1300s so maybe i can ask her about that!!! (ancestors on my father's side have been traced back to the late 1500's in Eggiwil. Switzerland)

I love you and have a great week!!!

Elder Sonne sun

20 February 2012....second letter from Switzerland

20 February 2012...Zollikofen, Switzerland

(I just spoke with Annagreth Bailey on the phone and she said to tell you that they are thinking of you....and here are some ideas from her about Switzerland!..Yes, it is tough and the people in Switzerland are mainly middle class to upper middle class...no poor, so they are very satisfied...they have all that they want and more...they are liberal minded and intellectuals and a lot of them are atheists...the churches are very empty! She thinks that the best way to teach is to have the members invite their friends to church. Most of the swiss church population are older people right now...)

Mom...

so in relation to what annagreth said... Yea I have been praying about what we can do here and working through the members is really what I felt like is the best way to work.

OH and we taught an inactive woman with an old member. At the end, the man told us that we were great missionaries. and then today, we saw an investigator today who has been going on and off with the church for the past 25 years. He said that I am one of the most motivated missionaries he has ever met... I thought you would like that :)

Haha... about german...(we asked scott how German is going) We taught a man named rajeev in english and at the end I prayed in english.. or at least i tried. I ended up starting in english and finishing in german because I couldn't make it through the end completely in english.

Haha...Yes, (I looked up scott's address on google earth and asked him about his apartment location and what something meant that i could read on the back of the bus next to his apartment) it's right across from the train and bus station in Zollikofen! We are about 3 minutes from the church and from the temple. ... the words on the back of the bus means "sorry that i am so slow!!"

(We asked him if the 3 missionaries that traveled to Switzerland, on the day he did, got the last 3 american visas) Yes so we were the last ones to make it! I have a visa until 2021. SO, i think I will be here for a while.

Oh and yea, Eggiwil (Eggiwil, Switzerland is where my ancestors are from...The Schenk Name....paternal side of my family...traced back to the 1500's) is very close to me, not in my area but very close. An old member knew about the Schenks in Eggiwil and there is a woman in Utah who is also from the Schenks who married some general authority. I know that the missionary work is worth it! We have really been tearing it up here trying to find people.

20 February 2012 Zollikofen, Switzerland

DAD,

Every single person here knows us. It's like we are in Salt Lake, but they are not members. In the last transfer, they gave out 5 Book of Mormons and this past Tuesday, we gave out 6. We are really working hard and I think it is starting to pay off. We started to find some more people and got a couple of numbers the last week and made some appointments on the street. It was really cool.

We are the last american missionaries to be able to get a visa for more than a couple of months. One of the last 3 missionaries.

There are 150 missionaries in this mission and I have no idea how many in switzerland. We use public transportation usually.

The way we talk with people really depends on what the spirit says to us. We talk sometimes about the family... being truly happy, jesus, the book of mormon, the purpose of life, the spirit, prophets, and usually always tie it back to the book of mormon and joseph smith.

Its been tough with a german companion because he is so exact with everything he does and it really bothered me for a while but its better when we just let things go and be happy because what has happened has happened and the way we take it depends how we live our lives; who we are and what quality of life we live.

Its really tough to have a good attitude sometimes when I really think about how the people aren't listening and their amount of suffering in this life and the world to come will depend on if i talk to them... SO, i have really been working as hard as a i can to talk to every single person I see!

Have a great week and play some golf for me!

Elder Sonne

13 February 2012....First Letter from Switzerland...Zollikofen

Hey dad... the last message was mysteriously deleted so ill write
again... i am in the meeting house that you went to for the baptism (when you were on your mission) or at least the one that is there now...
My address is:
Elder Sonne
Kirche jesu christi
ring strasse 9
3052 Zollikofen
Switzerland

Im really sorry im really crunched for time... the switzer people as
of yet are not very open for the gospel. We have been really yelled at
a few times. We have been talking to everything that we come in
contact with and it is not working... I really have to have faith that
someone will find us or the other way around that we can actually
teach. Going from wiener neustadt to here is ridiculous. We had only
time to teach therê, and here its mostly finding.. ahh wow. im excited
I know we can find someone though!
Thanks for the words of encouragement... we woke up at 4 and left wien
at 614 we arrived in munich at 1015 we stayed there and waited for the
last american visas for missionaries until 4 and then went to zurich
and arrived at 845. we then left for bern and got there at around 10
and got home from there around 1030! yep i have to go I love you.
Thanks for the encouragement! It's like you knew how it is going...
really not good.

Elder Sonne
ps someone i met said they had alma sonne sleep in their house while
he was in stuttgart once. cool, huh?