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Brrrr. Yep, that's right. Brrrrrrrr. |
..lame. I started writing an email and it didn't save the draft. Hmph.
No use cryin over spilled milk hmm? Ok here we go again...
Liebe Familie und Freunde,
...We just doored the building across from this internet shop. All of the doorbells sounded like something from a horror movie. If my doorbell sounded like that, I wouldn't be in a good mood when I answered the door either....but! We did meet a really sweet family. Unfortunately, the mom didn't speak German. We'll have to bring her by a croation Book of Mormon some time...anywho..
...I am quite certain, that I have NEVER been colder in my entire life as I was this last week. But! Mom, calm down. Today we went shopping, and bought some nice warm stuff. Apparently I've looked really pathetic lately too because some of the ward members brought some stuff for me to borrow on Sunday. I feel like a charity case. Bishop was making fun of me because I was wearing socks at the ward party, and I told him it was because my boots had holes in them and I was drying my feet out. He told me he'd do some begging for me and give me socks for Christmas. Hah. I love my ward. :) Anywho! The ward party! Was wonderful! All the members brought cookies, and we put together cookie plates for Sister Drury and I to bring around to less active members and investigators. They also asked everyone to bring some vegetables, which we all peeled and chopped up to made into soup, which soup we (a little "missionary team" that we put together) served at the soup kitchen here in Wels on Sunday. We sang some Christmas songs for the people there. They cried. It was a neat experience. And I was just so impressed that the ward turned their ward party into a giant missionary service project! Beforehand, we had a mini "one hour ausstellung (street display)" and we had SO many members show up! They even brought their kids! We stuck our table of Book of Mormons right in the middle of the walk way down town, and the kids had a blast giving out pass along cards. They wiped us out! I stamped 150 and was sure that we'd have tons left over, but nope! They handed out everything we had on us! It was the best! There is a little boy in our ward..he is probably about 10..and he was just on fire! It DID break my heart every time somebody rejected him. I mean I can understand them rejecting me..but an adorable little boy?? Hah, he didn't let it slow him down though. I learned a lot from the kids that day actually..amazing...
In other news! Last Friday, I hit my ONE YEAR mark. Has it really been a year already?? I still can't believe it. I've done a LOT of reflecting lately about the last year. And every time I think about it, it amazes me how far I've come...and yet how far I still have to go. At one point I hit a little panic mode when I realized...I only have 6 more months to try and continue to improve and change and become the disciple that Christ needs me to be! I feel like there is so much more I need to do and accomplish and become. But! We have been reading the 4 gospels together as a mission this transfer, and I was really impressed but the parable of the talents this time around. Super interesting parable! Especially with James E. Faust in the game. . :) Faust says "the apostles, who, while of equal authority through ordination in the Holy Priesthood, as specifically illustrated by the parable of the pounds, were of varied ability, of diverse personality, and unequal generally in nature and in such accomplishments as would be called into service throughout their ministry." Perhaps this prable was directed towards the Apostles, but it was perfect application to...missionaries as well! And of course all of you out there reading this email. :) Though we are all of "equal authority through ordination," we are all different. "Of varied ability and diverse personality." Some of us have 5 talents. Some of us have 2. Other of us may have only one. But the Lord doesn't care "how many" talents we have. I mean, He's the one who gave them to us in the first place. What He cares about, is what we do with the talents that we have. Of some missionaries, or people, is more required than of others, but! It is all proportionate! Both of the faithful servants in this parable recieve the same reward, even though one ended with 10 talents and the other with 4. They both did the best they could with what they had. The Lord knows what we need, and He knows what each of us individually is capable of. He doesn't expect all of us to return to Him with "10 talents", but of all of us, He DOES expect an increase. So! That lead me to ask myself 1) What talents has the Lord given me? 2) What are they? and 3) What am I doing to improve upon and increase them? I think the saddest thing in the world is when we spend our time and energy trying to be something we're not. Sometimes I feel like I can get so caught up looking around me and striving to be like all the people, that I forget that God made ME special too! So1 I would just encourage you all to take a few moments and reflect on YOUR talents, thank your Father in Heaven for them, and then try to decide how you can use them to bless yourself and those around you. And I promise to do the same. :)
Mensch, I feel like I had a lot of good stuff to write this week, and now I am out of time already! I guess I will just have to take a rain check..as in..you will probably have to just wait 6 months to hear stories. Hah. At any rate, I just want you all to know, that I KNOW this church is true. It's funny, I am sure I have said that before in my life..and it's because I really believed it. But I am so grateful for the experiences of the last year of my life that have enabled me to say with every fiber of my being, that I know it. The gospel is true. It's simple. It's possible. And it's perfect. I know my Savior lives. I am so grateful for His perfect example. My favorite song is still "I'm trying to be like Jesus." That is, after all, the greatest thing we can strive for. To become like our Savior. Our Heiland. (Heiland is one of my favorite German words. It's a title for "Savior", but heilen means "to heal". He is indeed our Healer. The Healer of our souls..). I know that the priesthood, the power and authority to act in His name, has been restored to the earth. We are led today by a living prophet who holds and honors that priesthood. And we could not. Be. More. Blessed. So please! In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, take the time to think about the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose birth we celebrate this time of year. Take some time for your families. And don't forget the enjoy the moment, because once it's gone, it never comes back.
Ich habe euch alle sehr Lieb!
Love,
Sister Bice
Liebe Familie und Freunde,
...We just doored the building across from this internet shop. All of the doorbells sounded like something from a horror movie. If my doorbell sounded like that, I wouldn't be in a good mood when I answered the door either....but! We did meet a really sweet family. Unfortunately, the mom didn't speak German. We'll have to bring her by a croation Book of Mormon some time...anywho..
...I am quite certain, that I have NEVER been colder in my entire life as I was this last week. But! Mom, calm down. Today we went shopping, and bought some nice warm stuff. Apparently I've looked really pathetic lately too because some of the ward members brought some stuff for me to borrow on Sunday. I feel like a charity case. Bishop was making fun of me because I was wearing socks at the ward party, and I told him it was because my boots had holes in them and I was drying my feet out. He told me he'd do some begging for me and give me socks for Christmas. Hah. I love my ward. :) Anywho! The ward party! Was wonderful! All the members brought cookies, and we put together cookie plates for Sister Drury and I to bring around to less active members and investigators. They also asked everyone to bring some vegetables, which we all peeled and chopped up to made into soup, which soup we (a little "missionary team" that we put together) served at the soup kitchen here in Wels on Sunday. We sang some Christmas songs for the people there. They cried. It was a neat experience. And I was just so impressed that the ward turned their ward party into a giant missionary service project! Beforehand, we had a mini "one hour ausstellung (street display)" and we had SO many members show up! They even brought their kids! We stuck our table of Book of Mormons right in the middle of the walk way down town, and the kids had a blast giving out pass along cards. They wiped us out! I stamped 150 and was sure that we'd have tons left over, but nope! They handed out everything we had on us! It was the best! There is a little boy in our ward..he is probably about 10..and he was just on fire! It DID break my heart every time somebody rejected him. I mean I can understand them rejecting me..but an adorable little boy?? Hah, he didn't let it slow him down though. I learned a lot from the kids that day actually..amazing...
In other news! Last Friday, I hit my ONE YEAR mark. Has it really been a year already?? I still can't believe it. I've done a LOT of reflecting lately about the last year. And every time I think about it, it amazes me how far I've come...and yet how far I still have to go. At one point I hit a little panic mode when I realized...I only have 6 more months to try and continue to improve and change and become the disciple that Christ needs me to be! I feel like there is so much more I need to do and accomplish and become. But! We have been reading the 4 gospels together as a mission this transfer, and I was really impressed but the parable of the talents this time around. Super interesting parable! Especially with James E. Faust in the game. . :) Faust says "the apostles, who, while of equal authority through ordination in the Holy Priesthood, as specifically illustrated by the parable of the pounds, were of varied ability, of diverse personality, and unequal generally in nature and in such accomplishments as would be called into service throughout their ministry." Perhaps this prable was directed towards the Apostles, but it was perfect application to...missionaries as well! And of course all of you out there reading this email. :) Though we are all of "equal authority through ordination," we are all different. "Of varied ability and diverse personality." Some of us have 5 talents. Some of us have 2. Other of us may have only one. But the Lord doesn't care "how many" talents we have. I mean, He's the one who gave them to us in the first place. What He cares about, is what we do with the talents that we have. Of some missionaries, or people, is more required than of others, but! It is all proportionate! Both of the faithful servants in this parable recieve the same reward, even though one ended with 10 talents and the other with 4. They both did the best they could with what they had. The Lord knows what we need, and He knows what each of us individually is capable of. He doesn't expect all of us to return to Him with "10 talents", but of all of us, He DOES expect an increase. So! That lead me to ask myself 1) What talents has the Lord given me? 2) What are they? and 3) What am I doing to improve upon and increase them? I think the saddest thing in the world is when we spend our time and energy trying to be something we're not. Sometimes I feel like I can get so caught up looking around me and striving to be like all the people, that I forget that God made ME special too! So1 I would just encourage you all to take a few moments and reflect on YOUR talents, thank your Father in Heaven for them, and then try to decide how you can use them to bless yourself and those around you. And I promise to do the same. :)
Mensch, I feel like I had a lot of good stuff to write this week, and now I am out of time already! I guess I will just have to take a rain check..as in..you will probably have to just wait 6 months to hear stories. Hah. At any rate, I just want you all to know, that I KNOW this church is true. It's funny, I am sure I have said that before in my life..and it's because I really believed it. But I am so grateful for the experiences of the last year of my life that have enabled me to say with every fiber of my being, that I know it. The gospel is true. It's simple. It's possible. And it's perfect. I know my Savior lives. I am so grateful for His perfect example. My favorite song is still "I'm trying to be like Jesus." That is, after all, the greatest thing we can strive for. To become like our Savior. Our Heiland. (Heiland is one of my favorite German words. It's a title for "Savior", but heilen means "to heal". He is indeed our Healer. The Healer of our souls..). I know that the priesthood, the power and authority to act in His name, has been restored to the earth. We are led today by a living prophet who holds and honors that priesthood. And we could not. Be. More. Blessed. So please! In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, take the time to think about the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose birth we celebrate this time of year. Take some time for your families. And don't forget the enjoy the moment, because once it's gone, it never comes back.
Ich habe euch alle sehr Lieb!
Love,
Sister Bice
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