Elder Spangenberg Berlin Mission Oct 2014 to Oct 2016 : Last Week in Berlin...

There are stones for each of the Olympics. Here is the Salt Lake one and the names on it are the Germans that medaled in that Olympics.

Well the title says it all. I have been transferred. Me and Elder Morton truly served a "Once Hit Wonder", as they call it. The work we did in one transfer was amazing. We led the zone in finding people and lessons taught, and probably the mission as well. We took Spandau from a teaching pool of 2 investigators to 20. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to serve with him. I learned so much from him.

So I have been transferred to Delingsdorf. It is the opposite side of the mission in the north by Hamburg. Delingsdorf itself has only 2000 people, but the area also has a chunk of Hamburg which is the second biggest city in Germany. I am so excited I really wanted to serve in Hamburg and my dream came true. My next companion goes home in 3 transfers, so it will be nice to learn from a missionary who has been out here for a long time. Hamburg has a rich history like Berlin. It dates back all the way to the Medieval Times and now is a port city.

I will be in the Neumunster Zone. We have permission from President Kosak to go to Hamburg on Pdays, so that will be cool. I am already all packed and ready to go; I was surprised. haha! I am

coming right back to Berlin in 20 days for the Mission Conference.

This week the weather was so bad, it was even hard to go finding. I am convinced that Germany is now Utah. It snowed almost every day last week and there was actually a hurricane warning in Berlin. The winds were way strong! It didn't cause too much damage; a couple of the streets were closed off because of stuff from the roofs, but other than that nothing happened.

We were able to find 2 new investigators this week, which is good considering all the meetings we had this week. We had Zone Training Meeting this week, and Elder Morton and I gave a lesson about bearing your testimony. It was a great lesson. Then after, we went on an exchange with the Gleinicke Elders. After Zone Training Meeting, there was a meeting for District Leaders and their companions. I didn't go because I went on an exchange that day, but I heard it went really well. My companion said that the Zone Leaders used our area as an example of a huge turnaround, because we went from 2 new investigators a week to 20. Apparently the Zone Leaders got really emotional during that meeting. I am sad I couldn't go, but I was happy to hear about how it went.

We had a lesson with Herr Merankowich, which wasn't great. He was literally watching this movie on youtube with some guy trying to prove the Book of Mormon and Mormon Church not true, during the lesson. Yes, it was really frustrating for us, and we got mad. That wasn't good, the spirit was definately gone from the room after that happened. It was a good learning experience for both of us

Oh my goodness, Conference this week was great! We went to the stake house to watch it, and ate out of members car trunks between conference break. They had both English and German translation; all of the missionaries choose English, haha, go figure! We only got to watch 3 of the sessions and priesthood, but those were amazing. I love all of the talks and how they really put an emphasis on the family. I thought it was so cool how Elder Perry talked about the conference they had in Italy, and how a Muslim there quoted The Family A Proclamation for the World. Elder Erying's talks always make me emotional too. I don't know what my favorite one was, they were all great. I also love how the Apostles called out teenagers for texting or using their phones during Sacrament Meeting. Well that's my week, I am sad to leave but excited for what's in story for me there. I have an hour and half train ride tomorrow, so that's always fun.

Elder Spangenberg

Photo of the ceremony of the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Cool Photo of the Swimming Stadium and Olympia Stadium filled for the Olympics

Me in front of the Olympia Stadium

Me in front of the Stones

The 1936 Olympic Stone. The winners of each event were carved into this stone. Note Jesse Owens on this 3 times.

Jesse Owens with the Oak wreath seedlings.

(editors note: Grant wrote a report on Jesse Owens in High School and has great respect and admiration for him)

Me in front of the Famous Oak Tree. At the 1936 Olympics, Germany gave each gold metal winner a potted oak sapling. Owens received 4 (one was for the relay he was in). The United States team was presented a total of 24.