September 21, 2015 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey everybody,

Well, this past Thursday I was transferred. Surprise, surprise! I was definitely not expecting that, especially since I had only been there for a month and a half. Normally, missionaries stay in an area for three transfers, which is about 4 1/2 months. But I was only there for one. Honestly, I was kind of upset about that because I was just starting to get some good relationships with the members. The families that were there were so awesome and they all loved the missionaries. And me and Elder Mortimer were getting along great! Now I'm going to have to restart and get to know the whole ward and know the area, but that's a part of transfers. I do know that there is some reason I need to be here though, I just don't know what it is yet. So, hopefully I'll be able to figure that out soon enough.

So yet another interesting story. The day of transfers, one of the families wanted to take me and Elder Mortimer out to breakfast. As we are waiting some dude comes up and asks us if we talk about God. So I start talking to him and he seemed promising at first, but then an hour passes by and it is still dragging on. By that time everyone had finished eating and my food was just sitting there and was cold because I was the one talking to the guy. Elder Mortimer just sat behind me eating while I was talking! Anyways, by this time the family had to leave so they got up and left and we went with them, and TRIED to get rid of the guy because he wasn't going anywhere. Well we go outside and are talking to the family since we were interrupted before, and here comes that guy again! The family just bails and gets out of there. Apparently this guy wasn't done with us yet and wanted to keep going. And this guy was nuts! While we were inside, he was talking about how life isn't about the money and pulls out two $5000 stacks of $100 dollar bills. All of our mouths dropped because not only was he carrying $10,000 dollars in cash on him, he pulled it out in front of everybody! Then when we were outside, we were getting into it and starting to argue. Elder Mortimer hopped in the car and I was outside trying to back him up, but this guy wouldn't leave. He started calling us liars and he went and stood behind the car so we couldn't leave and go lie to more people. I was furious at this point! And Elder Mortimer told me afterward that he was sitting in the car just so he watch me tear this guy apart. But then he decided that it WOULDN'T be a good idea for me to kill someone (which I was very close too), so he gets out to help me. Turns out the guy only read the book of revelations and nothing else. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Once he said that, oh man he was done for. He says, "Oh maybe I've been lying to you. Maybe I'm the one who's confused." No kidding dude. Gosh Herndon is full of nut jobs, that's one thing I won't miss.

So now that I'm here in Springfield, my new companions name is Elder Bernay. He's been out for about a year and a half now and he is from San Diego, California. So we have the same state in common. Right now I'm just trying to get to know the guy, so hopefully everything goes well.

Love you guys and talk to you next week!

Elder Biehn

September 17, 2015 - Transfers

Hey surprise, surprise. I've been transferred to a new area. Here is my new address

8523 Burling Wood Dr Apt 14
Springfield, VA 22152-3917

September 14, 2015 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey everybody!

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you feel like you didn't do anything, but you look back and you were actually pretty successful? Well, it was one of those weeks for me. I honestly feel like I didn't get much accomplished over this past week, but when we reported on the lessons that we had this week I saw that we did pretty good. We only got shut out on Saturday, only because all of our plans somehow fell through. I was kinda upset at that because we had Saturday scheduled to be a great day with a lot of lessons and staying busy. Obviously things don't ever go as planned and no one answered their door or phone. On the bright side, we had at least one lesson every day this past week which is good for this area. Over the past month it has been really scattered and we would go days without having a lesson. Thankfully things are turning around. Speaking of which, the end of the transfer is coming up and my district leader is going home. So I'm going to be getting a new district leader pretty soon and there will be a new face in our district. I don't expect anything to change for me and Elder Mortimer, but anything can happen.

I actually have two funny stories for you this week. The first one is just ridiculous. So, me and Elder Mortimer walk into a CVS because it's the afternoon and we didn't have anything planned so we figured we would try and get some errands done. No big deal. Well, we walk in and are looking for the stuff we need when this guy walks up to and asks us how we are doing. Right when he started talking the spirit instantly left, and was left there thinking, 'Oh boy, here we go.' And I was exactly right. Instantly he tries to start bible bashing us, but it wasn't really bible bashing at all. He just pulled out some random scripture from Revelations and used that as his basis for everything! That was the only scripture that he used, the rest of it was all conspiracy theories. He used it as a basis to try and tell us that Obama was the antichrist, The devil mimics God (which is why we were being tricked by the devil), the government is going to kill all the Christians, they will hide all the bodies (he tried telling us that they are going to do a mass grave and puts all the bodies into containers. He pulls up a picture of these big containers and tells us that they will shove 4 bodies into each of them. I instantly shut him down there because I knew exactly what those containers were. I told him, "You're lying. I know exactly what those containers are used for. Those are industrial sized containers and they are used by basically every single warehouse and construction site in America." He changed the subject right after I said that.), then the government will put trackers in everybody, basically the holocaust for Christians. He then pulled up a dollar bill and started going into Illuminati, that where I called it and I was done with him.  The best part of the whole thing was at one point we were talking about the spirit and how we can talk with God. He says, "What does the spirit tell you about me? It probably says that I'm full of crap." Then Elder Mortimer spits back at him, "Well, I don't need the spirit to tell me that!" Funniest. Thing. Ever.

The next story is when me and Elder Mortimer finished dinner with a member and we head back to the car. We were talking for a little bit and for some reason I got in the car and forgot I needed to back him up. (It's a rule for us that while the driver is in reverse, the companion needs to be outside the car backing him up. Makes sense but it's just annoying.) So I get back out and start walking to the back of the car when I hear Elder Mortimer. I look through the the back window and he is screaming and flailing his arms around! I run up to the window and his eyes are huge and he nearly had a heart attack. He tells me, "You were sitting on a Yellow Jacket!" Apparently it somehow got underneath me when I was sitting down. When I got out, it was still there and Elder Mortimer heard some buzzing. He saw it on the seat and was watching it twitch. It suddenly starts flying around and heads straight for his face! Elder Mortimer was already strapped in by his seat belt, couldn't go anywhere, and he couldn't find anything to smack it with. That's why he started screaming and flailing his arms. Luckily he got the window down and swooshed it outside before it stung him, cause this guy was mad! I'm just glad that this thing didn't sting my butt while I was sitting on it!

Well, adding to the list of stories that has happened on my mission. I now have two more funny ones!

From
Elder Biehn

September 7, 2015 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey everyone,

Well, this letter is going to be a bit short. Not because I don't want to write, but because absolutely nothing happened this week. Honestly there was nothing interesting and we were only able to have a few lessons. It was a really slow week for us, unfortunately. It seems like no one is ever home anymore, even at night after work hours. We haven't been able to find any of the new investigators that we found two weeks ago. Oh funny story... So we are searching for a lady that we found last week so we can teach her, and she lives in a town home. Well, we tried her multiple days and every single day someone different answered the door. I honestly think we've given the restoration lesson to every person in that house individually. One of these days we are going to go by and FINALLY be able to get inside and we will have every one of our new investigators there. I'm calling it.

The only other thing that happened was that we were able to re-find one of our investigators that hasn't been to church for 3 weeks and we haven't been able to have any lessons with. It was because summer is ending and everybody is trying to finish up summer projects for work so people are working overtime at this moment. Thankfully, with winter coming, it means there is less work and people have more manageable schedules. Haha, it's kinda sad though that these people will be out of work so we jump on the opportunity to teach them the gospel. But I'm not complaining, yet. Every keeps telling me winter here is terrible and I don't really know what winter is like yet. So it'll be interesting come that time of year.

Have a great day and love you all!

Elder Biehn

August 31, 2015 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey everybody!

This past week marked a big spot for me in my mission. That's right, I've been out for 6 months now! I was even able to do the traditional burning a tie the day of my 6 month mark. These months have gone by pretty fast I must say. I remember back when I was writing in the CCM and I had 6 weeks there. I thought I was the big shot veteran that knew everything there. Haha Nope. I am just barely considered experienced now in the mission field. Honestly, I hope that the months go by quickly just like these past 6 months, but at the same time I don't because I want to enjoy my mission. My companion right now, Elder Mortimer, only has 2 months before he goes home and then my District Leader is going home in 3 weeks. So they are, as we call it, "trunky." Which mean they are ready to go home and it's always on their mind. It sucks because since they are so trunky it's rubbing off on me but I still have a year and a half!

Nothing really too new in our area as of now. We had a finding fest about a week ago where we spent the whole day finding new investigators. Well, we found some, and taught them, but now they dropped off the face of the Earth! For some reason we can't find a single one of them again.

Me and Elder Mortimer did have a neat experience but not gospel related at all. As we were pulling into a shell station to get gas we saw a........ Race Car! A legit one too that races in NASCAR. I don't know why he was stopped in Herndon because there isn't anything in Herndon at all. He had his truck and pulled out the car to show it off and everything. They even had a BBQ going and a DJ playing music. It was really cool to see. Not something you get too often.  Then the same day we had a dinner appointment with a member family. Her husband wasn't home so we had to sit outside and eat which wasn't all that bad because it was a nice day. Well, she brings us our food and we eat and everything is going good. As we finish she starts taking our plates and goes inside. I was readjusting in my chair when a nail was sticking out of it and caught my pants. I hear it tear and I just sat there, and whispered, "oh no." I look and there is a big hole right on the back of my pants. Luckily it was on the pocket so nothing was showing but it was stills big freaking hole running down my pocket. Best part is the Hermana comes back and notices me looking at it. "¿Se rompió sus pantalones?" (Did you rip your pants?). I tried playing it off but she caught me. She felt so bad about it because it was her chair that did it. She even went as far as to say she is going to do a fundraiser in the ward to buy me a new pair of pants. Hahahah. Just hilarious.

Well that was the extent of my week. We are still trying to remind those investigators and I'm short a pair of pants now. Life of a missionary. You encounter some pretty strange things. Love you guys!

Love Elder Biehn

August 24, 2015 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

This past week was surprisingly really good! A definite change from how it has been going for the past weeks. Me and Elder Mortimer were actually able to get lessons in with new investigators and not just the normal people we visit. I was definitely surprised to see that, in fact we only got shut out once this week. Not ideal, but definitely an improvement from the week before.

For example, this past Saturday we had a zone wide finding fest. This was a chance for all the missionaries that work in the Oakton stake to get together in the morning to have a quick testimony meeting and really get people fired up about teaching, then committing the whole day to nothing but finding. At first I wasn't looking forward to it because this entire past week had already been a lot of finding for me and Elder Mortimer, but after testimonies, I changed my mind. It did its job. So, then we decide to go work an area that we were already planning on visiting, but after about an hour we had no luck at all. We hadn't even seen any Hispanics the entire time we were there, which is strange for the area we were in. The first one we saw, he was grilling, so we went and talked to him. We nearly put out his coals but we were able to get a return appointment for next week. We left that area then went to another where we had a lot of potential investigators. The first house we try, a young man opens up and we have a discussion about Jesus. After a little bit of talking, he lets us in. As I go in, I look around and find a restoration pamphlet. Perfect! We capitalized on the opportunity and got talking about the restoration. This guy had some really good questions that he was asking as well. Not the normal investigator questions you get when explaining the restoration but legit questions that takes a bit of thought to come up with. I was pleasantly surprised. To say the least we have a new investigator. Then a couple days later, we decide to go to the same area and meet with another person we had found earlier in the week. As we are walking, the same guy was sitting on the porch talking with a friend. We were thinking, "Well, we have to go talk to him otherwise it's just going to be awkward to pass by." So that's what we did. We met his friend and talked and tried to get to know him. Then, we did the transition from talking to teaching and introduced the Book of Mormon. As I was explaining, another one of his friends is getting home from soccer so he joins in on the lesson too. I think they really enjoyed talking with us because they seemed interested in the Book of Mormon. Either that or they were just surprised to see two gringos speaking in perfect Spanish. It was probably a combination of the two.

Oh, funny story. So we had a dinner appointment set with a member and we go. Well, she decided that she wanted to cook spaghetti for us. When I saw it, I thought to myself, "Oh no." Every time I eat spaghetti, without fail, it always seems to spill on me. This time was no exception. As I was eating the last few bits of my noodles (still clean at this point, no spills), one of the noodles decides to whip around and spread the runny sauce all across my white shirt. Ugh! Every time... And it was toward the end too! I thought I was in the clear! But nope. So now I've got spaghetti sauce across my shirt and I did my best to clean it up but it was still all over, and now we had to make the long walk back to our car. I tell Elder Mortimer we need head back to the apartment and do a shirt change. Apparently he got some spaghetti sauce on himself too. Haha. ¡Comiendo spaghetti esta peligroso! (Eating spaghetti is dangerous).

So thankfully this area is starting to pick up. It just took a little bit of work to get it kick started. I look at those first two weeks as a learning opportunity because my last area was amazing. It was a great place to start my mission in because there are always lessons and members willing to help. Coming here helped me to realize what missionary work is. And it isn't easy. It makes me think of a quote by Jeffery R. Holland, "Missionary work isn't easy because SALVATION IS NOT EASY." Imagine Elder Holland saying that in his big commanding voice. Yeah... It's like getting smacked in the face by the spirit.

Thank you guys so much for your love and support. Talk to you all later!

Elder Biehn


P.S. Here is my address for the apartment I'm in since I've had some people ask me for it.

13022 Weeping Cherry Walk #204
Herndon VA 20171

August 17, 2015 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey everybody,

I'm doing much better in my new area now. This past week was pretty rough because at first I was still getting used to all new missionaries, new members, new places, new investigators. And I have to learn all their names and find a way to teach them exactly what they need without knowing them! Lots of prayers were said to say the least. But it works out because I've been learning and getting to know everyone pretty well.  This area though, it's hard. Out of the past week, me and Elder Mortimer got shut out 4 out of the 7 days. Which means we didn't teach any lessons the entire day. Then, for 2 of the days we didn't get shut out, we only taught 1 lesson at night. So to say the least, we didn't do very much. Which is pretty unfair because me and him have been working like crazy to try and get something going, it's just that no one is either interested or even opens the door. After knocking on someone's door, we've had people come and look at us through the peep hole (and we can tell because we hear them walk to the door and we can see them through it (because the lights in the background go out), then they quickly shut out the lights and act like they aren't home............. Seriously? That's happened to us more than a couple of times, a lot more. We even had someone shout "Don't answer the door, no one's home."  So ya, you could imagine how depressing it is.

However, there was a miracle that happened. After a full day of being shut out, despite our best efforts, me and Elder Mortimer were pretty depressed. I was starting to question myself and my motives. It was pretty hard because we have this wonderful message and it's our job to go and share it with people but no one wants to listen. So pretty depressing to say the least and I was depressed. I said a little prayer in my heart, asking Heavenly Father "Why? If we are working so hard, why is no one answering? I thought the harder we work, the more successful we'll be."  But then, we pull up to this house that we never knock on because the lights are always out, the house is completely dark, but we tried it anyways. While we were walking up to the door, I saw a girl sitting on the sidewalk not doing anything. I had an impression to go talk to her but I told myself after this door. No answer. So we walk back to the car and start getting ready to leave, when I look back at her again, but this time the impression to go talk to her was even stronger than before. Something I couldn't deny. By this time Elder Mortimer was in the drivers seat waiting for me. I told him "I think we should go talk to her." He looks over her way, and says "Do you know what you're going to say? Have you got a script?" Of course I had no clue, "Nope." He says, "Alright this is going to be awkward." I responded, "Yep, let's do it anyways." So we walk over, introduce ourselves, ask what her name is, the usual stuff. Then she gets up all of a sudden and asks, "Do you guys want to go for a walk?"  In my mind, I'm thinking, Of course we do! So we start walking and talking. I was terrified that my mind was going to go blank half way through it because it normally does, but I found myself talking with ease. She was even asking us about what we do and everything then we ask her a few questions. After a bit of talking we find out that she is going through a really roughly time right now because her mom is in the hospital, her parents are going through a divorce, and she is about to be evicted from her house. She told us she isn't a very religious person and hardly goes to church, but she has started to pray much more and is asking for help. I believe fully that God answers prayers through the use of his children, and we were the answer to this girl's prayer. That is the reason I had such a strong impression to go talk to her. One I could not deny. So we are planning on visiting her sometime this week and hopefully introduce her to the gospel and show her how it can help her life.  I'm grateful for this experience because I have learned to trust in the spirit no matter what. I had always learned and read and talked about it, but never really experienced it. Now I know exactly what it means to be prompted by the spirit. I pondered on this a bit after getting back into the car and came to this conclusion, "After a day like this, I'm not going to ignore the spirit now."

Overall, quite the unexpected week. A lot has happened but at the same time very little. It's hard when nothing goes the way you planned, but it's amazing how one little miracle after a day of disappointment can change the mood of the entire day.

Wow, quite the letter I wrote this week. But it was a good experience and much learning took place. I love you guys and I will talk to you next week. 

Nos vemos
Elder Biehn