Adventures in Zwickau! Change allows us to Grow! Week 6

Hey Guys!! This week has been quite eventful, to say the least. On Tuesday we met up with a friend from Venezuela and helped him with his German homework. Then we met up with this guy named Mohamed Ali who sat down and taught us about Islam and it was quite interesting to learn how similar our religions are. He was very nice and gave my companion a Quran to keep. On Wednesday we got to meet up with a friend of my Grandmother. She was so sweet and It was a blast hanging out with her. She bought us lunch and then we went to the Grassi museum where we viewed a gallery on instruments and another on furniture. After saying goodbye to her we met up with a friend for a little. We went with him to the store where he was returning his plastic bottles, and as we were in line for the register, this man behind us started cursing at my companion and me. We decided to ignore him but as we were leaving the shopping center he followed us and continued being hostile. So, that's the story of the first hate/persecution I've received on my mission. I expect something like this will happen again sometime in the future because Satan knows that we are making progress in sharing the Lord's message, and he has to work harder to try and stop us. I won't let this shake me though, because I know that as we have faith in Christ,  he will bless us immensely. Then on Thursday morning, our mission received the news that our mission leaders are being released, so that was a bit of a bummer. Our mission President had an expected surgery, but it didn't go as well as expected and he will need a long time to recover. Even though I have only been in the field for almost three weeks, I am still very thankful for all that they have done to build up this mission. They were able to teach me so much during training and I look forward to being able to use that in furthering the Lord's Work. I am also so thankful that our new mission leaders accepted the call so willingly and I know that God wants them to lead our mission. Then later in the day my companion and I started contacting people on Facebook using my account (If you don't have me friended you should, cause I just reposted a fire video to my timeline). Ever since I set up my Facebook account as a missionary I've been receiving tons (I must have received at least 600 by now) of friend requests from random people from all over the world, so we have been going through, messaging people,  and trying to set up lessons. Then on Friday morning, we left for Zwickau (where President Uchtdorf, a current apostle is from) for an exchange, and since it is a smaller city the Elders ride bikes there. My new companion for the day and I rode 10 miles through dirt roads and up hills to get to our first appointment. On the way there it wasn't bad, even a little enjoyable, but the way back was a bit rough. I've been on long bike rides before but never with an almost full suit on and a heavy backpack. After getting back I'm so thankful that my area uses public transportation haha. On Sunday, we headed south to a smaller town of around 9 thousand people to attend a branch of our church.  A branch is a smaller congregation.  The meeting was wonderful and afterward, one of the members invited us to their home for dinner.  There were 16 of us as the member had some of their grandchildren there.  It was pretty cool!  The food was excellent too! It's getting pretty late here in Germany so I'm gonna have to go to bed now. I just want you guys to know that I love all of you and that I'm keeping you in my prayers.  Don't forget you can write to me at Winston.Rothaermel@missionary.org

Love, Winston