May 25 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey everyone!

This has been quite the week for me. Another good one for the books. Nothing too exciting though which is odd. I've just been going about my normal business of studying every morning, then teaching in the afternoons. This is kind of bitter sweet but since my investigator got baptized, we don't really have any other progressing investigators. Sure we have people to teach but they aren't really making any progress. The point is, we don't have anyone to teach right now. So we spent this entire week knocking. No success from that. We talked to some people at the door just enough to say we are missionaries and then "I'm not interested" and slam the door. That's how every night was. So why did I like this week so much? I guess it really just because I'm starting to enjoy talking to new people and using the Spanish that I have learned. I can really see and improvement, even more than before because now I'm teaching lessons and not just adding a comment here and there. It's really exciting to see! Anyways, my companion and I were able to get in contact with one of investigators that really just forgot about us, and we found an entire family! So now we have people to teach for this upcoming week.

I'm loving my mission right now and especially since today is my three month mark. It's hard to believe that I have already been through 3 months but at the same time that it has only been 3 months. I still have a lot to learn while I'm out here and I have definitely seen a change. For example, I like country now. That one is HUGE! Lol. But I have grown and now I have a great desire to serve.

Be safe and I will talk to you again next week.

Love 
Elder Biehn

May 18 - Video

May 18 - Elder Biehn's Weekly Update

Hey Everybody,

This past week was super crazy for me. I had a lot of people that I met with throughout the week, lots of meeting for all the other missionaries in my area, and I helped plan and pull off a wedding and baptism! It was so stressful planning a wedding because I had no idea what anybody was doing because no one would communicate. It was ridiculous. But overall the wedding went great and the bride and groom were both really happy.

Then the next day was the baptism of the bride. She has been an investigator for a while but she was just waiting on some divorce papers. Long story short, it all worked out and she was able to get married. Then for the baptism, me and my companion went over to her place to fill out the baptismal papers and when we got to the paper of the person who will baptize her, we asked who she wanted. She turns to me and says "could you do it?" I was shocked, and she saw that she had caught me completely off guard. She just laughed and said the look on my face was priceless. But everything worked out and it went perfectly. I was able to say the baptismal prayer, in Spanish, without messing up! It was so cool to have my first baptism.

Overall, the work is going good here in Virginia. I'm enjoying the time I get to go out and talk to people. I'm meeting so many new people; investigators, members, and missionaries alike. One thing that makes it hard to work is that it is becoming summer. And with summer comes extreme humidity is really hot weather. Just a few days ago it was only 80 degrees outside but the humidity made it feel like it was in the 100s. Not looking forward to June-August, that's for sure.


I hope everyone is doing great back at home and I love you all!

Love
Elder Biehn

May 11 - Elder Biehn Weekly Letter

Hey everybody!

I hope you all had a great Mother's Day! I know I did because it is one of the times I get to see my family. Yes, I actually called them yesterday and not just emailing! It was so easy since I have an iPad.  All I had to do was go to the church building and call them with FaceTime.  The only problem is that now I won't be able to call them again for 7 months, on Christmas. But they definitely were a site for sore eyes and being able to talk to them has really boosted my moral and desire to go and serve.

Speaking of which, we have been working on finding a lot more so that means tracting.  And of course, not much success from that. However, on May 8 at exactly 8:00 PM I had the first door slammed in my face. I just had to mark the moment, the first and definitely not the last. After he had slammed the door, I just stood there and laughed. I found it hilarious honestly. The look of "why me" or "oh great, the Mormons" on his face was priceless. I'm actually surprised that it has taken a month to get my first door slammed. The Latino community out here is actually really polite and helpful, especially to a gringo like me trying to learn Spanish.

Summer is coming, and here in Virginia that means humidity. Oh my gosh, it is brutal! It's just barely starting to get hotter and I'm already dying. I'm not looking forward to July and August. But for reason the people out here love to be more active during summer. And can you guess what sport I'm playing since I'm in the Spanish program?? Of course soccer, I volunteer as goalie. We are actually going to go play with the other elders today and probably for the rest of summer and fall.

As for teaching, I'm actually having more success. I am participating more and more in every lesson and I'm having actual conversations with people. Slowly but surely it is coming along. My family asked if I can speak Spanish yet and I just shot off a random sentence. They were just like, wow, because I'm sure they didn't understand me. Lol.

A mission is definitely hard but now I'm starting to like it.

Love
Elder Biehn

May 4 - Weekly Update

Hey Everyone!

Ok so there really isn't that much to report on for this week. The schedule stays the same for every single day. The only thing that changes is the investigators that I meet. So please don't get mad at me if these start getting short. Sorry!

Something that I have realized while I have been out here is that this is not easy. I know a lot of people told me it would be difficult but I didn't realize how hard. It's hard! Especially learning a new language. I have a particularly hard time trying to understand what people say. I can talk good enough to get my point across but I can't do that if I don't know what they said. So dang. In order to help me, my companion has decided to be playing just music in Spanish. Yay.

There are some perks to the mission. For example, the members love to feed you. I don't understand why I didn't get any dinner appointments the first 3 weeks but now I'm getting a lot. It's awesome because it's all authentic and home made. Yum! Also, me and some other elders went to get frozen yogurt today. The owners are LDS and said that all missionaries eat for free. So we all got free frozen yogurt today. 

Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday and that means I get to skype with my family! I'm so excited! It's been almost 2 1/2 months and I've only been able to contact them by email, once a week. It'll be good to talk to them because I think that can really help me be motivated. It is definitely discouraging not being able to talk to anyone and learning a new language. My family really has been what has kept me going for these past 2 1/2 months. So, Mother's Day will be a very, VERY, good day. Then it’s back to email and I won't be able to call them again until Christmas. That seems so far away.

Well, that's it for this week. I hope everyone is doing well and just know that I love you all.  Being in the service of the Lord isn't the easiest thing, but it is very satisfying when it pays off.

Love
Elder Biehn

April 27 - Video

Hi this is how I spend my p-day.  I didn't want to say anything out loud because then they would look at me funny.

But today was fun because we had zone activity and played volleyball. I met a lot of new missionaries that are in my zone. It is so fun. But when we don't have things going on, we hang out with the other elders in our district and play Yugioh and just relax. It's really chill up until 6, then it's back to work.

April 27 - Elder Biehn, Washington DC South

Hi everyone!

Another week has come and gone and I'm still here doing the same thing. The only thing that will begin to change now is who I teach, and the amount of Spanish I know. Which, I can say have both been improving. Normally, my trainer just starts talking and next thing I know we are full swing in the lesson. But now I'm able to understand, and I actually participated in the lessons!  This really is what it is all about, teaching the people and seeing them learn and grow with me. I learn something new in my studies then I'm able to teach it to someone. Getting rejected is also a big part of it.

It's cold enough to wear my sweater.

For example, we have a less active member and we have been trying to see him ever since I got here. I think we have stopped by his house about 4 times and he was never home. It was always his wife that would answer the door. Then on the 5th time, I decided I would knock this time and he opens the door! That is what you call greenie power! We're able to talk to him and kind of develop a friendship then we get down to the real stuff and do the restoration. We wanted to give him what he has been missing out on. Elder Oran was basically doing all the talking and I was just trying to keep up. Then I catch a part, "I wouldn't ever feel the spirit when I go to church." BAM! That my cue. I finally pipe up and I share my testimony on my past experience with church. I felt the same way he did before. But that's because I wasn't actively being a member of the church. I didn't study the scriptures, I wouldn't be praying, and I wasn't trying to better myself. Then once I came out on my mission and I started doing the things I needed to, I enjoy every bit of the gospel. Especially attending church. He justsat there and nodded at me. I don't know if he took it to heart, but it was more for me than anything else. I not only realized what I have learned but I gained the confidence I needed. I thought "who cares if I don't say it perfect. If I can get my point across then I had better do it in my broken Spanish." That is when things really turned around for me. When I bore my testimony in Spanish on the spot and realized that if I just open my mouth and talk then I'm fine. Besides, if I mess up I can just pull the "I'm white and I'm learning card." Normally they want to help because here is this white kid who is thousands of miles from home trying to learn about their language and their culture.

I also found a brand new investigator this week. It is our first one that we found as a companionship and I understand where the love missionaries have for their investigators comes from. She has a catholic background so she had no idea about the restoration or anything. We taught a 3 hour lesson! She has so many questions for us and we were able to teach about the restoration, Book of Mormon, and she still wants to know more. I am so excited for her because we got her address, phone number, and a return visit scheduled. It definitely looks promising. We also taught this other couple and I had a part in that lesson too. While we were teaching, for some reason they didn't want to pray as a family. So I remembered reading something about that and I was able to find 3 Nephi 18:20-21. It was the perfect scripture, and then they committed to it. Score!

I got a haircut this week from one of the members.

Today, I had my first zone activity and it was so fun! Our whole zone got together, English and Spanish, and we had lunch and played volleyball. Something I haven't done for more than two weeks! I missed playing volleyball every day in Mexico and this was a good way to get to know my new zone. I met everyone and we had a good time eating, playing around, and hanging out. It really reminds me of how it would be if we weren't on our missions and we were all friends just hanging out. Then at 6 o'clock it's back to work.

I'm really enjoying my mission now and I don't see very much changing in the future. But now I will be sharing my spiritual experiences from throughout the week instead of how it is so different. Until next Monday, adios! Nos vemos!

P.S. I got a haircut this week from one of the members and it actually got cold enough that I had to wear my sweater. I have never had to wear one with my church clothes before.

Love
Elder Biehn