Posts Tagged ‘ Annaberg ’

Elder Austin Fullmer – God is Faithful

Hallo Family & Friends!
So we had transfer call this past Saturday. Turns out that Elder Redd and I will be spending another transfer here in Annaberg together. I am pretty excited about it. Elder Redd is a good companion and the ward really likes us here. & I really like them. We have a lot of really strong families in our congregation. Usually we sort of just invited ourselves over for Family Night on Mondays to different families in the congregation, but this Sunday two families came up to use and asked if we could come over to give a lesson for Family Night. Super Excited.
The other crazy thing about transfer calls is that our whole district stayed. So the Elders in Schwarzenberg are staying too. That means Elder Stovall will have been with his current companion for three transfers. That is pretty crazy long for our mission. Although I have heard that in other missions people can stay in the same city for upwards of 9 transfers and with the same companion for 5. The maxes for our mission seem to be around 5 per city and 3 per companion, but usually you stay 3 transfers in a city and only 1 or 2 transfers with a companion.
This week we also had a exchange. I stayed here in Annaberg and Elder Goliasch came here from Schwarzenberg. He is a pretty cool kid and our district leader. He is from Germany near the Swiss boarder. He told me that he was tired of speaking English, I told him I was too, so we spoke German the entire day. It is sort of surprising how many Elders don’t like to speak German with each other.
My cool Aunt Sarah, sent me an email this week & I would like to quote something from it reall quick. It really struck me. She said: “I’ve learned that basically everyone that is trying to follow Christ is having the greatest trial in their life to date … right now! It makes sense because the trial before the current trial prepared you for the current trial – with success it made you a stronger person; so if we but persevere, we will be made stronger for the next and next and next. So in the end … yup – super hero like strength!”
I thought that was so interesting. I totally see that in my own life. The challenges of High School were harder than those before. The challenges of the Academy were harder than those of High School. & now the the challenges of a Mission are much harder than the Academy. It is sort of a blessing that Heavenly Father gives us. He knows when we can do harder things.
It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures in 1 Corin 10: 13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Your challenges right now are preparing you for the ones to come. Das weiß ich. Go team go.
peace,
tschüß,
love,
Elder Austin Fullmer

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2012
02/06
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Elder Austin Fullmer – Return of the Rubik

Hallo!
This week went by pretty fast. It started last P-day with a trip to Chemnitz. Chemnitz is the biggest city around us. I guess I really have no idea how big it actually is, but coming from Annaberg, which has 22,000, Chemnitz felt like New York City. Apparently back during the communist times of the German Democratic Republic Chemnitz was called Karl-Marx-Stadt. I thought that was pretty funny. There is supposed to be a giant statue of his head in the city somewhere, but we didn’t have time to visit it. I bought a Rubik’s Cube while we were there. My new Miterbeiter is really good at solving them and he has a really cool spiritual thought that we have shared a couple time that uses the Rubik’s Cube, so I am practicing, so I can get them solved in three or so minutes for the member lesson. Pretty Sweet. Elder Redd is a pretty cool guy.
On Tuesday we had an appointment in Jöhstadt planned. It is pretty far away and there are not a lot of bus connections there, so we were planning on spending most of the day there. Unfortunately the appointment fell out, luckily I guess, she called us before we left to get there. So we went back to the apartment to have a mid-day-crises planning session. It was a really pretty day and we were wondering how to find out where our bikes were. My last companion and not gotten the pass down as to where our storage unit was. Elder Redd’s MTC companion served here in Annaberg too, so we called him, got the number of the storage unit and 30 minutes later we were riding our bikes to a city south of us. Out plan was to look up two less active members. I didn’t bring our Harry Potter Book of a Map with us, because it weighs so much. I just assumed that like every little German city, there would be a town map board thing. There wasn’t, so we continued an to the next city to look up a prior investigator. Luckily, that city did have a town map so we found her and set up an appointment for tomorrow. The funny thing about the bikes was that the gears didn’t work for the first half of the day, or rather we couldn’t figure out how to get them to work. The bikes seemed to want to be in the 7th gear up the hills and then in the 1st gear down the hills. Cori, imagine that hill on the way back from Bluff Point in Groton, but in 7th gear. Tuesday was beautiful, but now we tons of snow everywhere. The past two month has had almost zero snow, but now we’ve got tons.
I am grateful for my opportunity to serve here in Germany. This morning I read in the Bible Dictionary that is the LDS edition of the King James Bible. It was crazy to read about all the history that lead to the translation of the KJB during the early 1600s. I am currently reading through the Pauline Epistles. They are way interesting. I really like Paul a lot (although he can say some pretty crazy stuff sometimes). He has a ton of great insights and must have been a huge blessing to the Saints after the death of Christ. Paul said “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Me too.
love,
tschüß,
peace,
Elder Austin Fullmer
2012
01/12
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Elder Austin Fullmer – Merry Christmas

Dear All,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We want to let you know that the Fullmer family email has changed to slmacmt@gmail.com.

26 December 2011

Merry Christmas!

I hope your Christmas was really good. I had an amazing time here in Annaberg. Actually, Christmas is still technically going here in Germany. There are three Christmas holidays in Germany; Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the today, the 26th of December. Christmas Eve is the biggest of the three holidays. For lunch, we went to a younger couple’s home. We ate this soup that is called “Lenz” (I think). Anyway,  it is this delicious soup that is very traditional in Erzgebirge (the mountain region where I am serving). Way good.  For Heiligeabend (Christmas Eve, or Holy Evening), we went to our Bishop’s house for dinner. Their family is really young and way cool; they have three kids. Everything is very traditional in this part of Germany. Sis. Sacher, the Bishop’s wife  put half of a loaf of bread, that we didn’t eat, and some salt, that we didn’t use, on the table. They were supposed to be for good luck. Then she lit a candle and placed some coins underneath, also for good luck, I think. German children get to open all of their presents on Christmas Eve too, so we got to watch all of the Sacher children open up their gifts. It was a really enjoyable evening.

We had transfer calls this week. I am staying in Annaberg. I am pretty excited about that. I like Annaberg a lot. My companion Elder Van Miltenburg got transfered to Delingsdorf which is a part of the city of Hamburg, so he is going up close to my last area. We also got to go to the Temple this week. That seems like forever ago, but I guess it was just about six days ago. It was awesome. The Temple is in my Zone, and so that is why we are allowed to go. It took us about an hour and a half by train to get there. We went as a district, so four Elders. The cool thing was that another district in our Zone ended up going on the same day as us. So I got to see my friend and MTC Companion, Elder Burnett.  We have been able to see each other three times this transfer which has been pretty sweet. We all talk for a while afterwards, took a lot of pictures, and then went and got lunch. While were buying lunch this man came into the tiny little Turkish restaurant dressed like Santa Claus, ordered food, and then gave us some sketchy candy. The crazy thing was that I actually ate the sketchy candy he gave me. I have not died yet, so I suppose that I’ll make it through.

I am really grateful for the Christmas season. It is a really awesome opportunity for us not only to reflect on the Savior’s birth, but also his atonement and death, for that is the reason that he was born in Bethlehem. I know Christ died and suffered for us.

I also got to talk to my family yesterday. It has got to be the coolest thing that has ever happened to me. Honestly, it sort of felt like I was back at the Academy, just calling my parents on a normal Sunday evening. Can’t wait for mother’s day when we get to call again.

We you guys are awesome. Thanks for your support, emails, and prayers. I am thinking and praying for you. Enjoy the rest of Christmas Break.

peace,

tschüß,

love,

Elder Austin Fullmer

2011
12/26
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Elder Austin Fullmer – Easter already?!

12 December 2011,

Hallo,

Well another week has gone by. Weird how fast the time flys. I have been in Annaberg for a month now and we only have two more weeks until the next transfer call. There wasn’t a whole lot of significant stuff that happened this week, but I will fill you in with what did happened. My favorite appointment of the week was with Sister Christa Pfob. She is a member of the church, but is really, really, old and can’t come to church anymore because she has to stay in the Old Folks home that she lives in. When tried to visit her twice this Friday, but both times she was busy with Old Folks home activities. She is young enough to realize who we are and that she wants to meet with us, but too old to know when she would be free. So we tried visiting here a couple of times. Finally, we meet with there at 1500 on Saturday. We read with her one of my favorite scriptures from Deuteronomy. It says ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ That didn’t take too long, because she doesn’t talk very well, so I asked her is she gets to read very often from the scriptures. She said no because she can’t see very well. So I thought, ok let’s read now. I asked her where she wanted to read she said Mosia (which is Mosiah im Buch Mormon). We read chapter 2 together. I just felt so good reading out loud with her and my companion. The entire Old Folks home was listening to us. When we had to leave I shook hands with Sister Pfob and the other old lady at the table with us. The other woman took my hand and put it up to her face like a lot of old Germans will do to you. That or they will take their hand and rub your face with it. We are going back this Saturday too.

We had the Christmas Party at our Ward on Saturday, actually after the appointment with Sister Pfob. It was beyond fun. Germans know who to celebrate Christmas. They had this little play that that the Primary President wrote in which the Elder Quorum President played Santa Claus oder auf Deutch der Weinachtsman. It was way funny. Then families in the ward took turns singing songs or reading from Christmas story books to the congregation and to Santa Claus. Elder Van Miltenburg and I sang Jingle Bells together. Then Santa Claus handed out Christmas Presents to all the little kids. Once he and Mrs Claus (the Primary President) had finished with the kids they said that they had two other special kids. They call the two missionaries up. It was pretty funny. They gave us a bunch of German candy, socks, body wash, and some tissues. The whole thing ended up way funny when Mrs. Claus said there was no one to give Santa a Present. So the Elder Quorum President’ First Counselor came out dressed in an Easter Bunny costume came out and gave him a present. It was very funny because this guy is one of those giant mountain German men and he was dressed up as a bunny with two buck teeth. I died laughing. Then we ate a lot of good food.

I appreciate your prayers and support. I pray for you back in America.

 

peace,

tschüß,

love,

 

Elder Austin Arthur Fullmer

2011
12/12
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Elder Austin Fullmer – Christmastown

14 November 2011

Hallo,

I got transfered…. I have mixed feelings about it all. I absolutely love Bergedorf and Hamburg. I have really enjoyed my time and service here in Northern Germany. My ward is amazing and I know that I certainly have made connections here that will last for a very long time. So transfer call was on Saturday. President read off the transfers starting with Hamburg Zone and then going in Alphabetical order. So I found out very quickly that I was getting transfered. President said that Elder Guthrie would be getting a new companion in Bergedorf. So that took away some of the suspense. I knew that I was getting transfered. Then he went through all the other Zones. City after city based by and my options were limiting. I turned about that he got to the last Zone the Dresden, Germany Zone and my name still had not been called. The suspense was certainly building back up again. He went through each city and still my name was not being called. He got to the last district and then the last city. I was the last name that he said. So, I figure with this long explanation, you are also ready to hear where I am going. Annaberg, Germany.

I don’t really know a whole lot about this city, but here is what I do know. It is way little. Bergedorf is part of the second largest city in Germany, so that will be way different, to got to a really little town. Annaberg is really close to the border with the Czech Republic. I will be in another District with only four Elders. One of the Elders in the other city in my new District is Elder Stovall. Elder Stovall was one of my companions at the MTC. I am way excited to get to see him regularly for a couple of weeks. Also Elder Burnett, my other MTC companion, is in the Dresden Zone. I will get to see him at President Interview and Zone Conference. Lastly Annaberg has the nickname amongst the missionaries as Christmas-Town. Apparently my area is the hub of all things Christmas in Germany. I must admit, I am pretty excited about that.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity. To go on a Tausch (Exchange) with Elder Wride in Lauenburg. It was way cool. We taught a long time investigator named Walter. He has pictures with every single missionary that has ever entered his apartment. So we took a picture and I gave him my address. That evening we did street contacting in the Altstadt (the old town). The church that is old town was build in 1598. That’s right, before James Town. American is so young. We contacted into this man from Bayern which is Bavaria in English. We was way cool and got really excited when I told him that I was born in Bayern too. We talked with him about what were were doing and our message. In the end he did not want to take a copy of the Book of Mormon, but he did take our card. I am always amazed how Heavenly Father, but us where we need to be. I know that that German Truck Driver felt prompted to walk down to Altstadt and look at the beatiful Elbe River. We were supposed to find him there. I was able to place my Book of Mormon a few minutes later with this young guy who was just getting back from playing soccer. Hopefully he reads something and can feel the spirit. Also, as a side note: Lauenburg has a car and your American license is good for the first six months in Germany. So I got to drive the whole day since Elder Wride just hit his 6 month mark in Germany. I got to drive on the Autobahn. Sick.

I love you all. I hope that you have success this week. I have to pack today and then have a 5 hour long train ride to the former GDR, German Democratic Republic. Go Communism Go. That was a joke.

My Address in Annaberg is:

Elder Austin Fullmer

Karls-Eader-Strasse 25

09456 Annaberg-Buchholz

Germany

But as always the safer bet is the address at the mission home especially for things bigger than letters:

Elder Austin Fullmer

Deutschland Berlin Mission
Zerbster Strasse 42
12209 Berlin
Germany

Sweet. Talk to you later.

peace,

tschüß,

love,

Elder Austin Arthur Fullmer

2011
11/14
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