To: RAY BICE, Ray Bice, Michael Baxter, Justin Christensen, T Weid, T. Bice
Liebe Familie und Liebe Freunde,
We checked our mail last week. Sister Jencks, "Sister Bice, There is a letter for you! It's from the mission home!"
"Dear Sister Bice,
In case enough other
people haven't been bringing this to your attention your every waking
moment the last few weeks, you are going home soon. Here is some stuff
you should probably know before you do...."
...Ok, maybe that wasn't exactly what it said...it went more like,
"Dear Sister Bice,
Thank
you for your faithful service as a representative of the Lord, Jesus
Christ, in the Alpine German Speaking Mission. The time and effort you
have sacrificed on His errand have not gone unnoticed. I congratulate
you as you approach the successful completion of your mission!...."
.....but the two read about the same to me when I opened it.
At any rate, I feel pressure that since this is my second to last email, it needs to be escecially good..but...my brain is soooo no cooperating right now..and I can't really think straight..but..I will do my best!
At any rate, I feel pressure that since this is my second to last email, it needs to be escecially good..but...my brain is soooo no cooperating right now..and I can't really think straight..but..I will do my best!
Soooo Stuttgart! I do love Stuttgart. I tell you what, I never knew I could love so much as I have learned to love on my mission. It really is a crazy thing. You grow to love an area and the people there so much, that you think you'll never love another area or people so much again. But then! You do. With the help of the Lord, you do.
So! Last Monday, we got to play with...Frau Hausmann! It was
so fun. She drove down her for P-day, and I get to see her one more time
before I leave because this weekend we have Stake Conference. :)
We also had an AWESOME lesson with our AWESOME investigator Neyber. (We
actually had SEVERAL really awesome appointments last week. With
investigators. Look at us go!) Anywho, Neyber is so cool. He is 20 and
from Venezuela, AND has the light in his eyes. Annd I think I already
mentioned that he doesn't speak German or English, but his member
friends translate for us and he is super ready for the gospel. We met
with him twice last week and are excited to continue to meet with him
this week! Besides which the member family that we meet together with
are some of my FAVORITE people in the world. They are so great. Mensch. I
love them. I feel like these last couple of weeks have been just so
full of miracles and love. It's like the first transfer here we were
just doing all we could to get in people's doors, and now that it is
almost time to go we have been building these great relationships with
everybody! *sigh* But like someone once said..no idea who..."The
righteous never have to say goodbye.." I love that.
Have I mentioned that Sister Jencks and I have..get..to move
again? Yep. The international ward was supposed to be getting 2 more
elders but, surprise, they will be getting sisters instead. Which means
we need to move into the apartment that will fit 4 people. We are going
to be moving on Saturday, which means I will just pack my stuff
and..leave most of it packed. Naja. As if the last weeks on a mission
aren't crazy enough..but! Don't worry about sending anything to a new
address. Just use the old one and the Elders will get me my mail..oh,
the madness. Bring it on.
Naja. There are always stories I could tell but I suppose at
this point it is almost just worth it to wait until I can tell them in
person. I feel like more important than what we do as missionaries
anyways is what we learn. So! I will share with you a little of what I
learned last week. :) So! Yesterday at church one of the Brethren in the
ward that I hardly know shook my hand and said "..You sure don't look
like you are going home in two weeks.." I thought to myself.."Now what
could he mean by that? I still look like I'm 15? I haven't gained enough
weight..?" Then he continued "..You are still so excited about the
work. You're just like a greeny". Daw. Best. Compliment. Ever. It was
probably partly due to my testimony that I bore in church last sunday. I
realized AFTER I had sat down that I was a little like a 5 year old
girl on Christmas as I talked about missionary work and the gospel and
how great it all is. But! That is exactly how I feel! I have never in my
life been as happy as I have been on my mission, and I have never on my
mission been as happy as I am now. And it has NOTHING to do with my
surroundings, rather, what is inside of me. I thought about it yesterday
during testimony meeting, and the reason I have been so happy here is
1) I have been more obedient to God the last 18 months than ever before
in my life and 2) I have spent the last 18 months laboring to give the
thing I love most to other people. Obedience+sharing the
gospel=happiness! Not only happiness, but joy as well! Mosiah 2:41 "And
moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and
happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. [annnnnd share
the gospel..] For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal
and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are
received into heaven,
that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending
happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord
God hath spoken it." Of THAT I can testify. There truly is no other way
to happiness. We certainly are not perfect but we are all down here
trying. The trick is to make the best of it, and help as many people
along the way as we can. I am every day increasingly more amazed at the
example our Savior set for us. He showed the way and He is the way. I
have been amazed at how ALL of the little bumps and hiccups, and even
the mountains and earthquakes of life can be stilled by trying to do as
Jesus did. His divine attributes help us overcome EVERYTHING that life
throws at us. We can't get 'em just simply by asking and we can't have
'em without his help, but, as we try to become better with every little
decision we make, we truly CAN "be like Jesus". I feel like I repeat
myself all the time in these emails but...eternal truths are eternal
truths! The gospel is just a beautiful thing. I can't believe I am
really "dying". My mission life is swiftly coming to an end. I feel like
I won't hardly know what to do with myself afterwards but..wir kriegen
das schon hin. I am excited to apply all the things I've learned here to
my life at home. Spannend. It's funny, people are scare to even say the
word "home" around me for fear it will make me trunky. Psh, yeah right.
I am here HEART AND SOUL until the very end. :) I love you all and hope
you have a lovey week and pray every day for an unseen opportunity to
bless the life of someone else!
Love,
Sister Bice
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