September 9.

I heart Chemnitz!
Okay so it may not be the prettiest city in Germany but it is COOL!
I can already find my way from the middle of the city to home to the grocery store. Progress.
There is still a lot to learn though, because Chemnitz is more than twice the size of Cottbus...
Also, there are actually mountains here.
Well, hills.
But that's better than nothing for being in Northern Germany! I actually see dimension.
Sister Schmidt is awesome. I don't think I have laughed so hard in a long time. She is from Missouri and was actually in my German class at BYU before we went into the MTC on the same day and happened to be roommates. Small world?
I love her.
The ward in Chemnitz is pretty big. There are about 120-150 ish active members? Which is giant for Germany. There are 6 missionaries in the ward - the sisters, and 4 elders. 
One of the ward members we went and visited this week has a rabbit (shoutout to Butterfield), and as soon as I sat down on the couch, she put this rabbit in my lap. Then proceeded to make me pet it until soon I was questioning my sanity (I was already questioning hers ;) haha) because she getting me to kiss it, but my head on it to feel how soft it was... Gross. Why did I tell you that? 
Yesterday we were eating with Familie Schmal. They have 4 small kids and we decided to show them a segment from the broadcast a few months ago about the family that prays for missionary opportunities and then they go throughout their week, month, however long it is looking for and experiencing missionary moments. We asked them about their friends and who they wanted to share the gospel with, helped create a family mission plan and are now preparing to help them invite friends, give Books of Mormon to those they love, and help them help others come unto Christ. The family is so excited to start. This family has done a lot for the work, the ward, the missionaries, but even though they do a lot already, they have begun to internalize the meaning of missionary work. It's really exciting to see!
Something I learned this week:
Alma 10:5
5 Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.
This goes back to talking about progress. A lot of the time we see where we are right at this moment as a failure because we see the end goal. Amulek started talking about how he knows that he doesn't know a lot, but he underestimated the things he DOES know. Sometimes we do the exact same thing. We think we are a lot worse than we really are. We think we don't know anything because we see other people who know a lot about something we don't. Sometimes we have to take a step back, be stopped short and say "behold, I mistake". Not only for the things we KNOW we do wrong, but sometimes for the anxiety of being perfect right in this moment. We see only where we are now. 
Maybe we don't know everything. So what? 
What DO I know?
I know that I am not perfect, but because of those imperfections I have the potential to grow. 
I know that Christ is the Savior of the world, just as he is my personal Savior.
I know that He lives today.