Liebe Familie und Freunde,
I can't believe I'm already cracking into my 4th transfer. I don't
know where the time goes out here. But! I am grateful for every second
of it. Anywho! As of Friday, the polls are in and it looks like this
transfer I will be serving in....*drumroll....* Göppingen! Yep! Another
transfer here in my little home away from home:) "I'll stay where you
want me to stay, dear Lord....." Hah. Sister Schulze will be heading to
Freiburg on Thursday for another whitewash. Which means she will have to
clean another elders apartment..mensch. Sister Schulze is so great. I
have grown to love her so much. She's like my own sister. I've learned
SO much from her in our time serving together, for which I will be
forever grateful. She has been exactly what I've needed these past 3
months. I'm going to miss her, but I know unsere Geschwister in Freiburg
need her. Sister Funk is getting a wonderful companion. :)
As for my new companion! Sister Smart! She was in the MTC with me! I
didn't know her super well, but she was way neat! But that also means
she's only been in the field one transfer longer than me..that could be
interesting with German..uh..But! Anywho..meine Gute what a torrent of
emotions I've had this last week. If I said I wasn't a bit nervous for
the next 6 weeks..I'd be lying. Sister Smart and I are both relatively
young in the field...I have the feeling we could potentially have..a
lot..of challenges in the beginning...but! We will overcome them. And we
will grow from them. Challenge always brings growth if we let it. I
heard a talk by President Uchtdorf once that said we should view
challenges as a "treasure hunt" for the potential and talents that are
with in us. So, let the treasure hunt begin hmm?
ANYwho, enough with the future! The past week was great. Truly
great. Sister Schulze and I have really tried to hold nothing back. We
did a lot of work, and had a lot of fun:) So! On Wednesday? Maybe? I
forget..anywho..the night before, all of our appointments..called and
cancelled. Cool. So, we made a new plan before going to bed and
Wednesday morning set out with fingers crossed. We made our rounds and
visited all the people we'd planned and of course, none of them were
home. Hmph. So we headed back homewards through the city, and saw a man
that we'd talked to on finding day. He said we could bring him an
Italian BOM, so we did, but when we dropped it off it was kind of a
"yeah..thanks..but I go to church already and don't actually have any
interest in meeting with you..tchuss.." Unfortunately, that's how it
often goes. But! We saw him and he said hello as we walked by. Then we
heard an "excuse me.." and turned around to see him walking towards us
again. At first I thought "oh great, he's going to yell at us for
something..." (hah.."oh ye of little faith" anyone?) But! Much to our
surprise, he said he had read a little in the Book of Mormon and had
some questions about it, and wanted to know if he could meet with us
sometime. He also wanted to know if we had another Italian BOM for a
friend of his....woo! We love it when our investigators do missionary
work for us:) Anywho, we haven't heard from him since then, but we are
hoping to meet with him this week..
Frau Hausmann came to church on Sunday! I think she was more
(rather than less) just curious about who from us was leaving and who
was staying..but! She was there! Best day ever. We had a lesson with her
last week, and she is coming to lunch with us at a members house on
Wednesday. Daumen drücken!
Annnd Sarah. Sarah is great. Annnd we still have no way to get her
to church. But! We are getting closer. We got permission to have a joint
lesson with her and the Ellwangen Elders (because we are hoping to get
her to the Ellwangen ward..its half as far away as Göppingen...) So, at
any rate, we are hoping that works out. Her baptisimal date is June
30th, and at this point, church is the only thing holding her back..
Speaking of Sister Schulze! Clear back at the top of this
page..hah. She shared a quote in District meeting last week that I will
now pass on to all of you..because I loved it..ahem.
"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been
cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a
Disciple of Jesus Christ. I will not look back, let up, or slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and
my future secure. I am finished and done with low living, small
planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly
talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer need per-eminence,
positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by faith,
lean on his presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and
labor with power. My face is set, my gait is narrow, my way is rough, my
companions few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be
bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will
not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of
adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of
population, or meander the maze of mediocrity. I will not give up, shut
up, or let up until I have saved up, stored up, and paid up the cause of
Christ. I am a Disciple of Christ. I must go until he comes give 'till I
drop, preach 'till all know, and work 'till he stops me. And when He
returns for his own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner
will be clear."
I think that pretty much sums it up. "Siehe, ich bin ein Jünger
Jesu Christi, des Sohnes Gottes. Ich bin von ihm berufen worden, sein
Wort unter sein Volk zu verkunden, damit sie immerwährendes leben haben
können." 3 Nephi 5:13. May we all have a more determined resolve to
become Disciples of Christ!
Annnnd I am once again out of time. I love you all! So much! Thanks
for the support and prayers:) I wish you all a lovely week!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Bice
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