8 August 2011...Fourth letter from Germany

From: Scott Sonne
Date: Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 4:32 AM
Subject: Re: from Frankfort to Waiblingen
To: Peggy Sonne

Schoenen guten tag!

Oh wow i really miss Michigan! and the whole family!... haha but being out here is soo fun! Everything here is reminding me of Michigan, I saw a house the other day on a bluff and it reminded me of Michigan, the smell of the houses here remind me of Michigan, the weather, and everything reminds me of Michigan! I'm really loving the work though!...
To answer your questions...

yes i get to exercise every morning but its the first 30 minutes of the day so i'm still mostly asleep and need some time to wake up before i start to exercise! Either way, I get quite a bit of exercise everyday from all the walking we do.
I study scriptures in English... We have an hour for personal study and i study for that time in English, then we have an hour for companion study, and then we have an hour to study German, during which i study out of a German text book for 30 minutes and read the scriptures and preach my gospel for the other 30 minutes.
The other day I saw a boat on a trailer for the first time... that reminded me of Michigan too.


This past week has been an emotional roller coaster! On Wednesday, I was hating life and the only thing i wanted to do was go to sleep and take a ride on the boat. I have been getting down on myself for not being able to speak German very well and not being able to carry a conversation in German. On Wednesday, I just sat there while my companion and a German talked for 20 minutes about the gospel. I felt like i had nothing to offer...But I stuck it out for the rest of that day. The next day was better. The next day after that was even better. The past couple of days have been really great. I have learned that if i trust in the lord, relax and really try to understand the content of the lessons, I can be happy and really help people come closer to Christ. I know the gospel, but its hard putting everything in order and then putting it through a strainer called German to try to tell someone about it. I usually end up just saying that its great, its great, its really great.. haha. But my German and teaching skills are building... slowly.
We really couldn't get a hold of most of the people we teach and a bunch of appointments fell through this week, but i know if i pray with faith, we will be able to explain the truth and convey the spirit that changes lives!
The members here are so great. A young couple named Felix and Katie (from America) took my comp and i to a little restaurant called chefs last week after emails. They are so cool. They help me keep my sanity and we talked a little bit about B.Y.U.... I've been really starting to doubt if there is life beyond a mission. It is great.
Another family called the Metzners have taken my comp and I in so many times and have fed us so much and even gave us a ride from the train station when it was raining. Another family, the Müllers are soo cool. The son, Micha is the ward mission leader and one of the friendliest (and good) guys I've ever met. He speaks English and that helps us when we have meetings. The daughter also speaks English and is hilarious! The parents are the nicest people. Last night i almost felt like i was at home. Even though its not quite like being with family, they're so kind and treat us like sons and siblings. Its really comforting, especially since i cant be in Michigan with all of you! So the ward is great and I'm loving it here!

We unfortunately were not able to attend the mosque this last week! There was some mis-communication with the mosque priest and the people we are teaching. So when we went to the Muslims we are teaching, with the intention on going to the mosque, we ended up teaching Siheed about the restoration (thankfully in English). Just when we were about to get to the first vision, the priest came into the room with 7 other Muslims to see why we wanted to come to the mosque. We said why and ended up teaching the priest about the restoration and the plan of salvation. Elder Patchett, myself, and him were speaking in German while the other 7 or 8 people in the room could not understand a word of what we were teaching. They just all stared at us for the hour we taught him. It was a little nerve racking at first, but when we realized they had no idea what we were saying, it wasn't so bad. The priest seemed pretty interested in the church and we are going to try to get another appointment and baptize him so then he will teach the others in Arabic or Somalian and then convert his whole congregation. That would be so cool; I'm excited for our next visit! The three people who promised to come to church this week didn't. We couldn't even ask Joe to come because his phone isn't working and he doesn't keep appointments.
At testimony meeting yesterday i had a really special experience. I realized that everything that God tells us to do is for our benefit, for our happiness. Just like when Jesus says the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath. The commandments and everything that god has given us is for us to learn, grow, become like him, and receive eternal joy with him in heaven. He loves us so much and when we disobey him, we are only hurting ourselves. This really hit me hard during the meeting. It was one of those subjects that I always knew was true...that the gospel is for our benefit, but now I know without a doubt that he loves us and that his whole purpose, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, is a plan for us to be happy. I know that. The church is true and Heavenly father loves us so much.

auf wiederhören,
Elder Sonne

1 August 2011...Third letter from Germany (addendum)

August 1, 2011…Monday

I had an exchange this week and went to Heilbronn, a little bit larger city than the one I live in. The people there seem more open to the gospel. As we were going door to door, a couple young kids walked by and yelled something about the bible I chased after them and we ended up talking about some really cool stuff and they want to meet. But it isn’t my area so the other elders get to teach them. We had a street set up this week.
I probably talked to 200 people. Most of who did not want to listen to me at all. But my German and confidence really improved as I talked to more people! I got two numbers from it and it was super fun!



So yesterday some of the members made us burgers, and they were actually very good. Other than that, they make German stuff that is really good. I’m not really sure what it is but its delicious haha.
Some of the landscape here is amazing! There are very green rolling hills and little villages scattered abroad; I love it! It’s so German.

no bikes yet.. mostly public transportation

I love and miss you mama. Oh and I was reading in alma, I think chapter 56 or 57 and the story of the stripling warriors reminded me of you. I doubt not because my mama knows it! love you thanks for everything!!!

1 August 2011...Third letter from Germany

liebe grusse meine familie, 1 August 2011

These past couple of days have been tough because I know that all of you are heading up to Michigan. Yesterday at 8, i was thinking about what you all would be doing in Michigan and figured you would be eating brunch together in Frankfort... or maybe at cherry hut i don't know. It made me a little sad but i realize the German cooking is just as good if not better than the food in Michigan so it all good. Oh and I've been getting hooked on cherries. I eat cherries all the time and it reminds me of Michigan.. even though we never really eat cherries there, it still helps.haha I hope everything goes well and you have a great time in Michigan. Ill be out here serving the lord! There is no place I'd rather be (than in Michigan) to be honest. But I'm loving the work here.
I miss almost everything about Michigan, but i am very excited not to be involved in solving the boat problems hah.
Its good to hear that you got the right tires on Eleanor.. Did you bring her up to Michigan?

The ward is great and we get dinner appointments 2 or 3 times a week and every Sunday!

hah German... its coming very slowly. I thought that i could learn a lot by speaking with the people, but just about the only words i have learned is ich bin catholisch, i am catholic. haha its not that bad but i can say that phrase flawlessly. oh and my German learning time is cut off just about everyday by one thing or another. by district meeting, or appointments, or exchanges, or something so i'm not learning very quickly. I wish i had rosetta stone it helped so much. About the only thing i have been doing to understand German is I pray... I pray a lot. Now i can usually understand what people are trying to say and i can contribute to the lessons and contacting.. My companion still thinks i cant talk so he talks incessantly with the people and i can only get a few words out.

My companion and i have a very large area to cover... many cities and it takes about an hour and a half to get to some places in our area, while other places are impossible to reach because of the lack of public transportation to some of the areas. so we mostly ride trains and buses which is very nice but also very frustrating because it takes so long on the train that we cant spend enough time teaching people.

haha wow you left STL so early.. you made it out before 12.


So these are the investigators: Joe Schwartz, Frau Klein, Frau Braun, Bu, Siheed, and Ralph.

Joe is having trouble with his girlfriend and he is very stressed out. We are hoping he will break up with her and i think he is about to. We have not really been able to get many appointments with him or get a hold of him because he gave his phone to his girlfriend and it is turned off. We set up 4 appointments with Joe this week and he only was home 1 of the four times. I have really seen a lot of opposition come upon him since we started to meet with him, however i know we have been getting through to him and he is loving the lessons. Joe just eats up the scriptures. I don't think he is reading what we assign him but it seems like he is reading everywhere else. His new favorite scripture is Alma 51:14... i think you'll enjoy that one. Its not very spiritually uplifting, but Joe calls it heftig or heavy and then says its tip top. he says everything is tip top. |I think he thinks that's some sort of American expression. In our only lesson with Joe this week, we shared some uplifting scriptures and just tried to lift his spirits. The spirit was not right (not the right time) to commit him to baptism so next time we see him we will set a date for him to come into the fold of god and begin his journey along the straight and narrow path! Its so great to help people come closer to Christ!

So Frau Klein: She runs her own little bed and restaurant type business... with only one employee. So she is always stressed out with work. This last lesson we read Alma 32 and helped her understand faith. I could really see the understanding in her eyes and everything seemed better. She said she would most likely come to church, but she didn't. She simply needs to start coming closer to Christ on her own; we can't drag her any longer! She needs that step of faith to read and pray and come to church!

We are currently teaching a couple of Muslims! one is named Bu, one Abraham, the other Siheed. We made a deal with them that if we go to mosque with them, they will come to church! haha so were going to the mosque today haha. Don't worry, my companion is a martial artist haha. wow i love this work. After that we are going to teach them a lesson so they can see the difference between the spirit and... not the spirit. or a different sort of spirit. hah All will go well though don't worry and don't tell mom about it.. haha but they want book of Mormons and its great!!

I lost my camera and i need the power cord that goes to my ipod player! i dont need peanut butter, we found some last week!

Sincerely,
Elder sonne

25 July 2011...Second letter from Germany

Hello family and friends (I'll write my general letter here and answer your questions as well)

This second week in Deutschland has been great!
On Monday last week, we went to the grocery store (which happened to be inside a mall) to buy our groceries. The food (at least the milk and meat ) is really cheap here and everything is delicious. Ive been getting a little sick of all the pork however. As we were picking out which yogurt to buy, i happened to pick out some yogurt with alcohol. Luckily my companion knew that some yogurt had alcohol but that was a close one haha. The Germans love their beer. At the grocery store i went shopping for toiletries because I had to get rid of just about everything to get my bags below 50 pounds. But apparently Germans don't believe in personal hygiene; only the the essentials.


On Tuesday, we had an appointment with a couple of Jehovah witnesses! It was awesome We taught the first lesson about the restoration and the book of Mormon. We had one of them read Moroni 10 verse 4 and 5. The spirit was very strong and i could tell he felt something. After that, he did not speak the rest of the time.

Saturday was especially memorable this week. We took a 40 minute bus ride into the countryside. In the middle of nowhere. The scenery was beautiful with the rolling hills and little villages scattered throughout. I thought we were going to die on the road, or path that we were driving on. At first the road was pretty narrow as it wound through the hills and was surrounded by trees and reminded me of Yosemite. I'd consider The road a one way street. Apparently it was not. Cars would somehow sneak past every couple of minutes and I was scared for my life. The road then proceeded to grow ever more narrow, and each time a car would pass it seemed like a miracle. After about 20 minutes on this road we decided to go off-roading... in a bus. I'm pretty sure this path was a hiking trail. Hahaha It was fit only for a 4 wheeler. I'll never forget that ride. After we finally reached the outskirts of the middle of nowhere, we had the opportunity to teach sister braun. Sister Braun is everything that would come to mind when you think about a crazy old German lady. Although I could only understand about 5 percent of what this 80 year old woman was saying, I gathered that she had been alive during the war and she would go on monologues for 20 minutes at a time, about the war. She cooked us some delicious cake-pizza dish, I'm not really sure what it was, but it was great. We taught her the doctrine of Christ and committed her to baptism. She said she wasn't quite to that point yet but said she would pray about the book of Mormon!!! its a step in the right direction.

As I think i mentioned in the last letter, We are also teaching a man maned Joe;Joe Schwarz. He's amazing and loves the scriptures. Every time he reads a verse, he says "ahh, da stimmt", meaning oh that's true. He is thirsting after the word of God.
I love it. but as of Friday, he has a girl friend who lives with him. She is a self proclaimed white witch. I think he can work something out with that because she really enjoyed our lesson and even prayed for the first time (to one of her goddesses named Dianna) but she really enjoyed it and everything will be alright. But he is very curious about baptism because we mentioned baptism a couple times. We were about to commit him to baptism last time we met with him but his girlfriend had an appointment at the hospital and he had to go. AHH it was so frustrating! But we will teach about it next time. He is a bit hung up on our belief that his baptism isn't valid because it wasn't done with the Priesthood.. But we will explain everything later.

Father! my second Sunday was much better than the first, but unfortunately we did not have anyone come to church. They were busy or working or sick or a family member came to visit. I could understand much more of what was being said and my head did not hurt quite as much. I still miss my Sunday naps and it was difficult for me to stay awake in church. Most of the people are old and crazy, but they are all very nice and everyone asks me if I'm related to Alma Sonne. They also always mention that the sonne or sun is shining in church. We meet in an old school that the church bought out and there are about 80 members. Contacting was fruitful this week and although we did not set up any appointments, we did contact about 8 potential investigators; most of whom i am scared of. they are Russian or Greek or Somalian or Nigerian.

We always do street contacting on the way to and from most places, it doesn't work too well unless they are working on their lawn or something.
We have been visiting a refugee home recently and most people are open and humble there.
We may go to a mosque next week.
I am getting better at teaching the lessons; its a bit tougher than the memorized discussions i think because they let us say whatever we want haha. I am getting better and have learned that asking questions is important in fact this Sunday we had a very spiritual meeting with a member family and an inactive son who ended up sharing his testimony. Also the father had dreams to confirm the truthfulness of the church and about his wife that she had been hit in the face with a money bag from heaven while they were about to go to sleep at night. This answered their prayer about tithing

I am studying the missionary sons of Mosiah and I like Alma 18 right now;I am currently trying to memorize the scriptures that go with the lessons, questions to ask, and examples of the principle that I then translate into German.

we email in a little shop that provides internet service.

I have had to be humble and have more faith because I know I can't speak German and that I can't coherently teach the gospel in English, and especially in German.

elder sonne


My comp and i were not able to get a hold of a lot of our investigators, but we are still making progress.

First letter home from Germany....18 JULY 2011

I have been assigned to the Waiblingen Germany area!!!! It is close to Stuttgart and is very beautiful. The ward is very supportive of missionary work, and the ward mission leader is outstanding... hopefully we can help out many Germans!

I’m not sure what happened with the visas for the other missionaries, all i know is that everything went through smoothly and we were able to board without a problem. The plane ride from Atlanta was incredibly long, but I was able to get some needed rest with the aid of my sleep mask and ear plugs! Although the plane from Atlanta to Germany was larger than the plane we rode from salt lake, there was a considerable less amount of leg room. I therefore could not get comfortable for a couple hours, but I eventually was just fine. At the end of the flight, I decided to hand a pass along card to the steward who had served me some delicious, non-MTC, food. I was about to lay the card down on the seat when he asked me who we were and why we were in Germany. When I explained my purpose and handed him the card, one of the other stewardesses asked me if i had an extra card.... She asked me for a pass along card!!! that was awesome.... and they spoke English so i could understand them.

HAHAH im sorry about the heat in the stl. The weather here is perfect.. Well at least the temperature. This morning was 17 degrees Celsius I'm not really sure how warm that is in real temperature but its verry nice here and my companion and i decided to wear jackets today because it was a little chilly
... haha Germany just as it so happens, does not have air conditioning haha. Its like Michigan here, but the temperature is nice for the time being so its not a big deal. But Germany also doesn't have a plentiful supply of dryers so we only have a washer in our apartment. Also, Germans don’t believe in window screens, so there are always bugs in the kitchen but we are buying some fly traps today so that problem will be a thing of the past.

This week my companion and i did some great work! I love doing the work of the lord and being a missionary! In the first night, we only had one hour to contact people. In that time we set up one appointment with an 18 year old or so kid and a Muslim. It was very successful. We will meet with Jakob, the 18 yr old tomorrow, I hope it goes well.... My German is getting better and better everyday. But I get so tired trying to understand people I talk to, so i just nod my head and agree with them haha. 'Preach my Gospel' directs us to ask deep questions, which I try to do. However the problem with doing so, is that I can never understand their responses! haha I have been getting headaches from trying to understand and comprehend what anyone is trying to say... But hopefully that will come, I can understand so much more than a couple of days ago!

So, on Thursday... my companion and I met JOE Swartz! He is amazing! it was my first experience of going door to door and Joe was the second door we knocked. He is a very spiritual man and we have already met with him twice. The next time we meet we will commit him to baptism !!!!! He is very obsessed with native Americans and loves nature... so we gave him a book of Mormon and he said to give him two days to read the entire book !!! I'm excited to teach this man. Although he is a bit eccentric and wasn’t wearing a shirt and has a lot of tattoos and has bottles of alcohol laying out. I know he can change!

Another great investigator I have met is Frau Klein. Frau Klein lost her son a couple of years ago and doesn’t believe she can be happy again. She has met with missionaries for a very long time but hasn’t made much progress. But this week she prayed with us, for the first time with missionaries. Although I couldn’t exactly understand her prayer, the spirit was so strong when she opened her heart to the lord and came to church, for the second time ever. She seemed very happy and I know she can be happy with this gospel.

Also i bore my testimony in church... in German haha. well broken German. It was a little nerve racking but wasn’t bad because all of the church members are really old and nice.

I have been able to do some service already. It was in the back country of a little village and I felt like i was in “its a small world” ride from Disney world! haha its so awesome. I love this place. I also love the people here; they wear fedoras and are so German haha.

Dad,your explanation of faith makes perfect sense. Jesus is the one person we can have faith to do exactly what he says he will do... but there’s always the factor of time and when he knows the promised blessings will benefit the most! That always frustrates me!!


Sincerely Elder Sonne

p.s. everywhere I go people talk about Alma Sonne!

Scott opens up his letter in STL on February 11, 2011 with friends on skype and family on cell phones

Scott flew home on February 11, 2011 and opened up his mission call with friends and family on skype and cell phones. He waited for 3 days to open his letter. He said it was very hard not to open it when it was sitting out, so he put it in a drawer. He was busier that week than any other week at school with tests and papers, so that made it a little easier. While he was waiting for us to pick him up at the airport, he could barely wait for us to get there. We arrived home around midnight and he opened his call. He read that he was assigned to the Alpine German Speaking Mission on June 15, 2011. The first few seconds after reading the call, he thought that he had been called to Alpine, Utah. When he realized that he had been called to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria he was overwhelmed with excitement. He actually got out his index cards from his high school German class and started to review that evening. On Monday, he went over to Kirkwood High School and told his German teacher that he was going to Germany and Switzerland and Austria on his mission. She had wanted him to take AP German his senior year and told him that he would need it because he would probably go to Germany on his mission. He did not take the class but he learned a lot in his 3 years of honors German. She congratulated him. He flew back to Provo, Utah that evening; Monday February 14th.