May 23, 2011

Good afternoon Familia, 

It has been quite a roller coaster week :) My emotions have been all over the place. I have been thinking more than I've ever thought before in my life. I am learning things about myself. It is quite a humbling experience when you ask the Lord to show you your weaknesses because he didn't hold back. He has given me the exact experiences and trials to show me what I need to work on and what I can improve on. Needless to say, the past days have been ended by a honest communication with God asking Him to strengthen me. I hope that I can be soft clay for the Lord to mold. 


I love it out here. I love learning, I feel as though its getting me ready for the world. I get so sick when I see the news and things that remind me of the state of the world. This week during one of my prayers I was reminded to live in the world but not of the world. As a missionary that is actually quite easy, but my attitudes shouldn't reflect the world. Just because something is accepted by the world does not mean it is accepted by the Lord. I think some great evidence of that is in the Book of Ether. Everyone is being dumb and not listening to the prophets, and they try to warn them but to no avail. Now they are all dead. See what happens when we don't listen to God and His Prophets? 


I just finished the Book of Mormon and the end bit really helped me. It helped me realize that everyone has their free agency and we must respect that. Three of our investigators baptism has been pushed back indefinitely because someone else doesn't want them to be baptized. Lei's husband, Max's biological father, and Hoshar's government. They all want to be baptized but have a huge hurdle in their life to overcome. Hoshar has been making the most amazing progress ever, even though he has moved to the Ward Boundaries just east of us.  I knew that this move was for a reason and it truly has been. Hoshar fasted on Monday and then once he finished his fast with a prayer, he received two emails of acceptance from a University in Luffbourough, England. When he told us that it was us and the Elders from the White Chapel ward, and one of the missionaries is from Luffbourough. He told Hoshar all about it and told him that he would have a home there and a second family, and that there is a large Iranian community. It was a miracle. 


The Lord is an active participant in all of our lives. I am grateful for His watchful care. Hoshar has a solid date to be baptized on the 19th of July, even though he will for now never be able to go back to Iran. It is amazing to see him put his trust in the Lord. It is a strength to me, and an example. 


On the tube, we try to talk to as many people as we can. It is a great experience because you are constantly meeting people from all over the world. The other day I heard two people next to me with proper american accents (which by the way make me sick now). I asked "Where in the states are you from?", they replied... "Lexington, Kentucky". I replied me too, like it was an everyday occurrence to meet someone from my hometown of 350,000 on the tube in a international city of six million. It was really cool to talk to them and talk about home. They knew some of my great friends, including KELLY! They were on a study abroad from Transylvania University. I was thinking about it the whole day and how cool is was, and the chances of it happening, especially since no one talks to people on the tubes. It is against all the rules of London. All the posh men scoff at us. 

I love being on a mission to help people come to Jesus Christ. We might not be having loads of success now, but I'm doing what I've been sent to do and will have no regrets. At all times I am an example to my brothers and sisters. I love my family. Hope all is well. You are all in my prayers. 

Love, 
Uncle Bubby

May 16, 2011

Ello, 

How grateful I am for such a wonderful family. You give me much needed support and love, thank you for that. Right now I am sitting underneath the South Kensington Tube Station emailing :) We can hear the tube rolling on by every two minuets. For P-day today we had a great Zone Meeting where we really felt the spirit. I absolutely love feeling the spirit. I can tell quite clearly now when the spirit is there and when it is missing. When it is gone... nothing we say is heard or meaningful. It will change peoples hearts. When people tell me they will never be baptized... I just laugh and say "well just wait till you come to church and feel the spirit". It is the best drug in the world, because it doesn't have any negative side effects. Just pure joy and happiness. I am hoping and praying that President will keep me in Hyde Park for another three months so I can continue to learn Portuguese. I am not speaking it all the time, but I ask my companion questions all the time. We are working in Hyde Park Ward half the time and the South Kensington Branch half the time. 

On Sunday I was able to bear my testimony in Portuguese. I wrote it down and felt really good about it. I just hope people felt the Spirit. I think the ward liked it. Afterwards, most of them thought I understood Portuguese, but then I looked at them with a big smile and said "no falo portuguese, esto aprendendo portuguese". Being able to learn another language on my mission would be a wonderful blessing. I want to learn very very much and now I will have the opportunity. I need to take it by the horns. This past week was an exciting but sad one at the same time. Hoshar made some great improvements, and is really excited about being baptized. Now he has moved into the ward to the East :( but he will really enjoy it there and be a great plus to the White Chapel Ward. The way that the Holy Ghost has impacted him is brilliant. He told us he would do anything to have the Holy Ghost with him always. We said... just be baptized :) Have your sins washed away and we will give it to you for free :) He says he has never tasted something this good. It is like a sweet nectar that he's been searching for. We have him hooked. And we are not going to let go. 

I keep thinking of things to say and the only thing that enters my mind is the power of the Spirit. I can feel it now as I just think about it. It comes so strongly now, and it enters every part of my body. It makes me want to do only good and help other continually. Sou grato pelo es spirito santo. I was striving so hard to have it for myself and now it switched to doing everything and anything to help my investigators feel it. I love having a lesson where it is undeniable that a member of the Godhead is present. Nothing brings a joy greater than knowing your investigator has felt a peace that is everlasting. I feel as though I am now beating a dead horse... but I really want you to understand how this is changing my life. My attitude, actions and desires are being directed and altered. I am letting the Holy Ghost take over and telling the natural man to take a hike. How grateful for being a missionary and having struggles and tribulations that force me to turn to the Lord in continual communication. I ain't a humble man, but the Lord is finding ways to humble me. When I think I gots it right, he shows me I ain't know where close. 

I am just going to work hard and let the Holy Ghost do the finding and the teaching. Feeding it all the time with scriptures and prayers of gratitude. I know that God gives us the things that we ask for, we miss so many blessing because we don't ask. Fall on your knees and tell your Pai Celestial the things you most need, and the deepest desires of your heart. He is listening. And He WILL answer. I know it. I love this church and the Gospel. I am glad you got to see a picture of me at the Simmons house, they are a great family. We love the American families here, they know how to do things right. God be thanked for Jesus Christ and His blessings. I love and miss you all very much. Ta ta till next week. 

Love, 

Elder Krebs

P.s. Baruch, my Jerusalem friend went to the father and son camp out. It was his first time camping and he was awestruck when he realized they were sleeping outside and not in a building :) We love Baruch and the continualhumour he brings us. Plus his testimony is one of pure power and heart. 

May 15, 2011

We had the pleasure of feeding your son last night.  They brought along a new member and we all had so much fun.  Your son is an incredible missionary!  The spirit that radiates through him is so strong.  I asked him if he had a hard time staying strong in the church growing up because he was the only mormon in his high school and his response is something I thought I should share with you.  He said "I had my older brothers and sisters to look up to and follow their example, so it wasn't hard at all."  Elder Krebs is wonderful and we feel so lucky to have him as an example to our boys and to those in London. 

 

I asked if I could take a picture of him and his companion (Elder De Oliveira) to send to y'all and he asked that my kids be in it also.  :)  Thank you for raising a great kid who grew up to be an amazing missionary!

 

Sincerely,

Bryn Simmons

May 10, 2011

Hello hello hello, 

My mission will now be changing quite a bit I imagine. I am staying in Hyde Park... but I will be getting a Portuguese companion. Therefore, we will be working half in the Hyde Park Ward and half in the Portuguese branch. President called me and asked how my Portuguese was, and I told him that it was no bueno. It will be interesting. In essence he wants me to learn the language. I will be having a language study every morning and life will be a tad more difficult. I cannot tell you how EXCITED I am for the opportunity and challenge. I already know that the Lord is going to bless me so much. I will be able to learn the basics of the language and hopefully communicate with others through the blessings of God. I will be heavily relying on God to help me. I am very very excited... 


My companion Elder Zarian is going to Bury St. Edmonds and Elder Samueli leaves tomorrow for Ukraine. I will miss them both and it has been a great chance for me to serve and learn from them. Life will go on, and I can't wait for the adventures that await me. I truly can't express how purely happy I am and how excited I am for the time I have left. I really wanted to learn another language and this is my chance. I better not screw up. Sorry this will be short, but Elder Zarian has to leave today for Bury and we are short of time. I love you all and it was brilliant being able to speak to you this weekend. It felt surprisingly normal. Thank you. 

I love you, 
Elder Krebs

May 2, 2011

Hello Family!!

How good it is to be in England :) I love London and I am enjoying life to the fullest! Since every one is so interested... I did not attend the Royal Wedding. We had District Meeting. I did talk to loads of people about it! Everyone here was going crazy... well all the english people. Streets were closed for block parties and there was SOOO much alcohol. It was quite unbelievable. Alcohol is gross. (We are in a internet cafe place right now and a legit fight just broke out, with yelling, cursing, fighting and punching. I am quite scared) That was so weird. WOW! Can not believe that just happened. I guess that's what we get for emailing in earls court. 

Weellllll... now on to spiritual things! My studies this week have been brilliant. They have been good my whole mission... but I was just studying the Saviour's visit to the Americas and I learned WAY too much. My favourite verse so far was... 3 Nephi 18:24! This is just fantastic. I just love the first sentence... "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine upon the world"! This gave me so much energy and excitement for the work of our Saviour! Hold up your light, let it shine. Let others around you know that there is something different. There is a reason why you are brighter than the rest of the world. Jesus Christ is that light and we are completely filled with it as we take the sacrament and renew our covenants! How blessed we are now to be living at a time when... we have the Book of Mormon, Temples and the Priesthood! For a very short time have these blessing and opportunities been available to God's children. I feel so honoured and it just gives me strength to keep going! 

Dad said he challenged his Sunday School class to give up one thing that is keeping them from coming closer to God. We need to give up ten things! This life is the time to work out our salvation. If we don't know what we need to work on... then we must read conference talks and the Book of Mormon. They are great ways that God can talk to us and ways that we can have our weaknesses pointed out and then through Christ strengthened. 

Lei is making great improvements and will be a great member of the Church! Yesterday we taught her about the word of wisdom and she was surprised about tea and coffee and said she will try to remember :) As my companion prayed... he asked God to bless her to remember. She then let a little outburst and said "yes"... but then she realised she wasn't supposed to talk during a prayer so she gasped and covered her mouth and whispered sorry. I almost died! It was magic. I love Lei. Please keep her in your prayers.

 

I love you all and can't wait to talk next Sunday. Have some good questions ready :)

 

Love,

BUBBY

April 27, 2011

Last P-Day we ran out of time to email (too many people to teach and baptise) and now I am on a work over for 3 days in Lea Valley (northeast London). I wish I had more time to write to you but I don't. I might potentially get some time tomorrow, BUT I can't make any promises :( I am so grateful for a happy and healthy family. God be thanked for this wonderful gift. The Church is TRUE! I know it. I get much comfort from Jesus Christ and I know He can help us all.

 

I'm working on setting up skype. Think for me the best way to do it, to give everyone equal time. Maybe phone and skype mix.

 

I love you all and my prayers go out to you all, and I know God hears them.

 

Love,

Elder Krebs

April 18, 2011

Hello familia,

Before I forget, I got both packages!! Thank you very very very much, they were brilliant. The sour skittles are the hit of our 4/5 American flat. Elder Samueli loves them as well. Mother, I put your package right outside the missionary office... after I had removed the talks and letters. Therefore it was a box of candy... and someone stole it from the Chapel. It was so sad because I wanted those Reece Eggs so bad. Recces and Sour Skittles are my favourite. I guess someone needed them more than me. This week has been very productive. We have three investigators that are excited to progress toward baptism. Hoshar, Yordanos, and Lei. Hoshar is fantastic and from Iran.... he doesn't know if he believes in God but he wants to find happiness. It is great to see him not want to leave the chapel because he feels happy there. 

I love the Spirit! I am beginning to see how powerful it really is and how it can penetrate every aspect of our physical and spiritual bodies. Yordanos is quite golden, except her husband doesn't like her learning about other religions, but she knows that if its what she wants to do... he'll join as well. She is from Eritrea and can already recognize the spirit when she reads and prays about the Book of Mormon. Lei is from CHINA!! I love Lei. She speaks very basic english. I love asking for her to explain how she is feeling during lessons. She says the most pure and innocent things. For example, its like I have a chair back behind me to hold me up and support me, or it feels like my father is holding me berry tightly. Or its like a whoosh feeling that comes over me and calms my body. She took 2 pages of notes on three chapters that we invited her to read! She just wants someone to teach her about how she can get closer to God. She currently has a baptismal date for May 14th! We are praying that she makes it, and that we will be able to teach her all that she needs to know before that day. To teach her thoroughly, we need to have a member named Douglas come with us. 

I should spend more time on my language study. Lei has been teaching me some things as well. I love our lessons with all three of these people, I always feel the spirit and that builds my testimony that I am doing the Lord's work. I am proper excited that I have so much longer left! I am still learning loads from everyone around me. I am so grateful to be her in the center of London. How lucky I am to be doing the greatest work, it a great city. Today we are going to play frisbee and fly kites in Hyde Park :) its a cool 20 degrees and the wind is just right for kites in the sky. We made some lovely ham sandwiches on baguettes with honey dijon mustard and Nando's Peri Peri sauce. Life doesn't get much better than that.

We had some interesting lessons this week with some new people we've been finding. One particular lesson that stuck out was a man named Allen. He is a African from Ghana, and has so so so many questions about everything. He is confused and so confused, that when he hears an answer, he won't listen. I love him to bits though. Such a hoot. In the middle of the lesson, he said... "I don't get it... why would God put a Serpent in the Garden of Eden? Didn't he know that it would be up to no good? It makes no sense, why didn't he put a chiwahwah in the Garden. It wouldn't have caused any problems and we wouldn't have the sin of Adam and Eve on our heads." We were laughing way too much, but the enthusiasm he had and the general concern were hysterical. He was laughing as well... such a proper funny lesson. The sad part is, that he didn't want to listen when we told him about Adam and Eve, or that he could have his questions answered by an appeal to the Bible and Book of Mormon. The root of his problem was that he did not believe in Jesus Christ. He didn't think that we needed to have His help in this world, we would pay for our sins and that's the bottom of it. Nothing would change him and he no longer wants to meet with us anymore. My heart aches when I see someone that can benefit greatly from our message, but they won't listen. It causes my knees to get tired and sore. I want them to listen. This message is free, and gives us everything we need and want. Where do our true desires lie? In the things pertaining to God, or the things pertaining to this world. We don't need the world to be happy, but the world needs God to be happy. Peace and happiness are hard to achieve, but Jesus Christ set the way. The Book of Mormon provides a iron rod to follow, baptism is the gate to begin and prayer gives us the strength to continue and endure. I know this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I feel it burn in my heart each time I say it. I have no way to communicate my gratitude for my lovely parents who sacrificed everything to teach me how to find never ending joy. I will never have joy without my family. Thank you to everyone that helped my grow. And thank you for your continued support.

Love,

Elder John William Krebs