September 29

Ahh lessons. This week seemed to last an eternity but went by so fast. We had 3 tausches this week and we didn't have a phone because we lost it last week.... So we did everything old school. Which ended up being okay but super stressful. I have never been more thankful for modern technology.

Hildegard and Clarissa are still progressing. We are focusing on them a lot this week so we can get them to commit to a baptismal date. They will make it :)

Temperatures are dropping and I am excited for fall. But this morning when we were going to get groceries I realized that I wasn't dressed warm enough! It was weird. I have been roasting up until now but it's really nice. I am loving it. I love chemnitz and I love being here. 

Aaron adn Carson both emailed me! I am so excited for them. I am so happy that Carson was able to ordain Aaron. It seems like they have gotten super close and are moving forward in the gospel together. I told Aaron that him and Cars should start studying preach my gospel together. Maybe you could do that as a family as well? I feel like I took for granted that I would just be learning it on my mission and that I didn't really have to do it before but seriously, the book is a goldmine! I lean on it every single day. 

So if I do get released in June, it will be on the 17th. 

I am excited for everything that is going on at home! I hope you are having a wonderful week! I love you!

If there is anything I can do for the fam, or anyone individually, let me know :)

September 16. Tidbits of Knowledge

Something I was thinking about this week was understanding. Our entire goal as a missionary is to get others to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was reading in Alma 17 and 18 where Ammon becomes the servant of King Lamoni and then Ammon guards the flocks and ends up chopping off the arms of the thieves... 
Anyway, King Lamoni, after hearing about what Ammon did, connects the dots in his brain and comes up with the conclusion that Ammon is the Great Spirit. He is convinced of it because that is all he understands. He doesn't know God, or missionaries, or anything of the sort. He thinks he KNOWS until Ammon comes and explains everything to him. And then King Lamoni understands so much more and is converted unto the Lord. 
When we really understand our purpose, the plan of Salvation, who Jesus Christ is, anything really... We internalize these things. And we act according to our understanding. 
Thank goodness for the 3 hours of study we have every day so that our understanding can increase, and in turn act on that understanding.

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.

September 2.

After 6 months, I have been transferred! I'm going to Chemnitz! And you know the best thing about the Chemnitz area? It has a CAR. Which means... I get to get my German licence. Wuhoo! I'm also pretty excited because I will be serving with Sister Schmidt! She was in my room at the MTC. Sister Walker is staying in Cottbus and will probably finish out her mission here. 13 of 18 months in the same city ;)
We had a few miracles this week I wanted to share! :)
We had a lesson with Melvin this week and as we talked more about his questions about the Plan of Salvation, I asked him how he felt when he came into the church. He started listing off things about other churches that he didn't like for a while and we were about to interject to try to get him back on track, but then he said that when he comes to our church, he feels peace and calm. He loves the way things are set up and he loves the people he meets. He said, "I really think this could be the true church of Christ!". It's amazing how little things like an investigator bearing you their testimony when you don't know if they have one changes your entire week.
Last week we met a lady named Christa and we have had a few appointments with her. We always went in with something planned but every time it seemed to get distracted and off topic. The discussions weren't really going anywhere, but we invited her to the church so I could say goodbye to her. When she came in she looked really tired but excited. She told me that she had been up until 3 in the morning researching mormon.org, lds.org, etc and she was so interested in the first few questions that she couldn't stop. She asked about "Mormons" and why they are motivated to do the things they do, so we were able to have a wonderful lesson about the Plan of Salvation. 
Our miracles this week have come more in the intimate setting of a lesson than out on the street proselyting, and I am so thankful for the Lord's tender mercies.
This week we tausched with Lankwitz! Sister Lartey and I came back to Cottbus and Sisters Walker and Turner stayed. I was immediately impressed by Sister Lartey because she doesn't seem insecure with her calling. I have noticed it in a few of the other missionaries I have worked with, but Sister Lartey just eminates confidence. She talks with everyone, laughs, asks questions when she doesn't know. All around I feel like I had it easy with her. She is a natural leader, but she is fun and loving too. 
I've been thinking a lot about becoming. Everything we ever see in it's present state was once something different. A tree had to become a tree - it wasn't one before. A shopping mall had to become a shopping mall. Before it was just an empty spot of land. We, as humans, are not always satisfied with raw material - we MAKE it into something. 
I guess I was just in awe of everything. As people, we have to become something too. We don't just sit here and automatically become what we want to become. It takes work.
Our ultimate goal - to be like God - motivates us to become. 
I think of Christ in the Garden of Gethsamanie, and then at Golgatha. Before He undertook the Atonement, he was Jesus, son of David. He was forordained to become the Savior of the World, but he wasn't until AFTER he performed the Atonement. He had a promise of becoming the Savior of the world, but he didn't actually become the Savior until after his work. (Alma 7:11-13)
If Jesus Christ, the promised Savior, had to go through tests, trials, to become our Redeemer, how much more do we have to do to become like God?

August 26

Something I learned this week
:)

Mosiah 24:14-15
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

In these two verses, it captures the essence of humility. Alma and his people had fled from King Noah, decided to follow God, everything was going good and then they were put back in slavery. Amulon did everything he could to make life for Alma and his people miserable. Yet, Alma submitted to the will of the Lord, he prayed that he and his people could make it through this trial they had, and the Lord spoke to them. He made their trial light, even so they could not feel the weight of the burden on their backs. Alma and his people could have complained. They could have complained to the Lord that they have tried to serve Him with everything they have and yet, they are still in bondage. But this was their test. The Lord tests the faithful. And when they come through it, the things they have learned lead them to believe more on Jesus Christ. Believe more in the promises of the Lord - but only if they are humble enough. 
I thought about everything I have been through, everything I will go through. I have and will be tested. I have and will have more difficulties. But what is my attitude? How is my attitude about following the commandments? Am I truly grateful for the blessings that come? 
I want to live so that all the answers to those questions are positive. I love the Lord. I want to be with Him again. And I am so thankful for the understanding that I do have. I may not know all of it, but little by little the Lord lets me know.

August 19

www.thegorlitzdistrict.blogspot.com

Sister Bauman keeps this up. It's fun to look at pictures :)

We did have a good week!

Sister Walker hurt her back on Friday so the last few days we have been doing as much inside as possible. She needs to move it and we have been to physical therapy so she can start working again. It turns out that there was a pinched nerve but because she kept working on it it ended up coming out. So now she has a nerve that has broken through her spine. 

Which is good because it is making us work a little more organized. Smarter, not harder. 

Training is so fun. We had a tausch this week and I was able to go up to Eisenhüttenstadt where there are a total of 10 members! We visited one of them and had 3 other lessons. I feel like I don't do any training on tausch. The other sisters train me and I am so thankful for that. It's cool because I don't do anything really. I just try to help them the best I can and it ends up being absolutely wonderful. 

We still have our area but we weren't able to teach a lot this week. I had a fever on Thursday so I slept till 3 and then we were on tausch on Friday and Sister Walker hurt her back then, so we had to cancel all our appointments these last two days because she couldn't move. 
Alma 34:16 really stuck out to me this week. 
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety
But I replaced Mercy with Christ. So it reads, "And thus Christ can satisfy the demands of justict, and encircles them in the arms of safety"
I just imagined myself at the judgement bar of God, being shown all my weaknesses and mistakes. Feeling the guilt and shame that sins bring. And knowing that I can't do anything about it except beg for forgiveness. Then, Christ is there. "Encircling me in the arms of safety." Safe from the mistakes I've made, safe from all the things I have ever fallen short of and He forgives me. Because He loves me - despite my weaknesses and shortcomings. And I cry. Hard. Because I know that I love Him too. 
I was listening to The Atonement by Cleon Skousen getting ready the other day and he mentioned that we are not allowed or made clean because of us. Christ wants us there and because he wants us there, that is why we are forgiven. That is why we do all we can to come close to Him. Because he loves us. And it's up to us to learn about Him. 
I was thinking about the restoration. And my testimony of it. But really, my testimony goes deeper than the restoration. I know that Joseph Smith was the instrument that the Lord used to help restore His church, but that's what it is about. HIM. Jesus Christ. 
I already knew this, but it was a nice reminder. And when those witnesses come again and again, then is the testimony strengthened. 

Melvin, our investigator that referred himself came to church this week, even though we weren't there. There is a man in our ward that is from America so he translated for Melvin. He loves it. he is so excited to learn but he is not sure on a date yet. so we are working on it :)

Other than that, we have a fun night prepared on Friday where we will be dancing, singing, eating, stuff like that. It should be really fun :)

That sounds so fun that you went camping! I want to go. 

Haha I slept out on a balcony last week and it was the closest to camping I've gotten so far out here. I loved it. 

It sounds so cool with Linus and Joao there. I wish I could meet them!

Who knows? Maybe I will be sent up to where  Linus lives! Haha that would be cool. Tell them hi from me.

Also, thank you for the pictures! I love them :) Aaron's didn't show up but I got a few of them from Mom. What a stud. haha
Love you!

August 12

Pride? Well, pride comes in two ways. From the top looking down and from the bottom looking up. 

I've been thinking a lot about it lately, and honestly, I do have pride to work on, but mainly because in the mornings I kindof want to do my own thing eg. personal study is PERSONAL, I can do with it what I want... But Sister Walker is like miss drill sargent. I love her, I do. But she is stricter than any other person I have ever met. I have never before thought in my mission that I have been wasting the Lord's time because every minute that is spent on another person is not wasting time. I have that opinion and I will not change it. Being on a mission has taught me one very important aspect. Everything is NOT about you. The missionary schedule is suggested. Not set in stone. It's OKAY if we get out of the house 3 minutes late if we were finishing talking and preparing about sisters, investigators, etc. But. My first priortiy after the Lord and Mission President is my companion. We definitely do not agree on some things, and half the time she's annoyed with me when I have no idea what I am doing wrong and it ends up being something stupid like I started personal study 5 minutes late today, or I went to the bathroom during personal study. Nevertheless, she is my companion and I am trying as hard as possible to please her. I am trying to look at things from her point of view, especially because I CAN'T READ HER MIND and she doesn't say anything until later, but I can tell she is annoyed with me half of the time. 

I started a list of 'reasons I love Sister Walker' and it's gotten really long. I guess you could say that's my way of coping. So I use all of my time to take care of Sister Walker. As best as I can anyway. I don't know if I am the perfect person for this job, and it is definitely teaching me more than ever. Like the current bush. 
I have noticed that as I am focusing on the good things and trying to mold myself to her instead of fighting anything, the good things carry over into when we go on exchanges with other sisters. 

So yeah. You read the lines right. There is a new program for sisters called sister training leaders which is the equivalent to a zone leader. So we conduct exchanges with other companionships of sisters, go to jedi council (the missionary leadership council thingie. Like the school board or something...) Our main priority is the welfare of the sisters. So this is my first transfer as one, and Sister Walker has been an STL for 3 transfers now, so she is training me how to be a sister training leader. And it is SUCH a fun job. I get to work one on one with different sisters in the mission and see how they work, how they are doing, etc... 

Michael, the man we found last week called and made an appointment out with us. We want to reactivate him and Sister Walker is the perfect missionary for that. Especially since she taught and baptized him. 

Melvin is awesome. We had another appointment with him this week and he came to church! He is from Ghana and has read and prayed and come to church... We asked him to baptism last week but he said he wants to know more first. He will get there. Something I have noticed about Germany is that we don't teach many Germans. Haha remember the blessing Pres. Mower gave me before I left? He said that I would be teaching lots of people from different cultures? African, German, Polish, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, American, English, Slovakian, Italian... There's more but I can't remember everything. 

SO cool! I am so excited for the exchange students! How is Linus? Or did Linus translate for you?! Haha so cool! So, wenn man spricht mit seiner Familie, dutzt er. Sie sprache ist für bekannter, professionel,  und so weiter. Aber es war gut! Wir können immer mit einander Deutsch sprechen! 

Let me know how it goes with Bryan! 

And send me pictures! But the stream thing that dad sent doesn't work... I don't know if you can just attach pictures to emails for me? That would be great. 

I wish I could stay up and watch the meteor shower! It is beginning to get darker earlier now so maybe I can see it from my window, but it's still pretty light by the time we go to bed. But I will try! I would love to see that. 

Anyway, I hope you had a good week, and I hope you HAVE a good upcoming week! Let me know the fun adventures you have! 

Love you!