We were in Villingen, just having stopped by on a less active member's old house (doesn't live there any more...) and we were heading back to the car. After a 5 minute diversion where Elder Sorenson bought a couple of old German coins form an antiques store, I happened to feel like I should talk to the guy smoking looking in a storefront. I asked him if he could help us with our survey, and he was glad to. We managed to give him a Book of Mormon, and he said we could come discuss it with him anytime, just come to the store where he worked (The one he was standing in front of). That was awesome! And then, within an hour, we talked to a couple that couldn't speak German. I asked what language, and they said "Hebrew." I was flabergasted! I stuttered "He..HEbrew?" "No, really, you speak Hebrew?" (I said this in English). What you have to understand is that I had just barely that day decided that I was going to learn Hebrew, so that I could better understand the Book of Mormon (It has crazy Hebrew elements) and the
Bible (what I wouldn't give to be able to read the old testament in its original Hebrew!). I had been talking about how cool it would be, and how much I wanted to meet someone who speaks Hebrew, and all of a sudden, there they were! They taught me how to say Hello, Shalom, and goodbye, Lehi trau'ot (kind of a phonetic spelling). That was the coolest thing ever!
I have started to memorize all of the scripture mastery scriptures from the Book of Mormon in German, but there are some very long ones in 2nd Nephi, so I hope I can get through them! One cool thing is the german translation from 1 Ne 3:7 Nephi says: Ich will hingehen und das tun was der Herr geboten hat. English: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded. (I think).
If you remember your German class (if you don't, that's alright) that is almost a direct, word for word translation. Except for one difference that stuck out to me when I first read it. The German word "will" does not mean the same as the English word will, it actually means "want." So the German translation could be loosely re-translated as "I want to go and do what the lord has commanded." This broadened my understanding, because I thought of it as a direct thing, "The lord has commanded we go back to Jerusalem, so I'm going back to Jerusalem." But it's actually "I decide that I will do what the lord has commanded." or "My will and the Lord's will are united." That use of the word "will" in english is much closer to the german idea. Hopefully that makes sense.
Bible (what I wouldn't give to be able to read the old testament in its original Hebrew!). I had been talking about how cool it would be, and how much I wanted to meet someone who speaks Hebrew, and all of a sudden, there they were! They taught me how to say Hello, Shalom, and goodbye, Lehi trau'ot (kind of a phonetic spelling). That was the coolest thing ever!
I have started to memorize all of the scripture mastery scriptures from the Book of Mormon in German, but there are some very long ones in 2nd Nephi, so I hope I can get through them! One cool thing is the german translation from 1 Ne 3:7 Nephi says: Ich will hingehen und das tun was der Herr geboten hat. English: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded. (I think).
If you remember your German class (if you don't, that's alright) that is almost a direct, word for word translation. Except for one difference that stuck out to me when I first read it. The German word "will" does not mean the same as the English word will, it actually means "want." So the German translation could be loosely re-translated as "I want to go and do what the lord has commanded." This broadened my understanding, because I thought of it as a direct thing, "The lord has commanded we go back to Jerusalem, so I'm going back to Jerusalem." But it's actually "I decide that I will do what the lord has commanded." or "My will and the Lord's will are united." That use of the word "will" in english is much closer to the german idea. Hopefully that makes sense.