Meine Liebevoll Familie und Freunde,
My my what a crazy week we had. You know, I think sometimes God wants us to make a plan...just so He can change it and keep us humble. Hah. Our week went very much not as planned. But the weather was beautiful! Annnd apparently out with the sun also comes the alcohol...we had some interesting run ins with drunk people this week....Anywho, in the end, it all worked out for the best. I am sure glad someone wiser than me is in charge of this great work here. This week was great. It was a little like God saying "Sister Bice, you sure aren't perfect. But it's ok. Just keep on trying your best, and I'll keep helping you fill in the gaps.." Miracles are happening here in Göppingen. Not the big flashy ones that the world recognizes are miracles. But the small changes deep within the hearts of the people here. Mostly in our less actives that we've been diligently working with. We had some great lessons with less actives last week. We've been working a lot with Familie Claus. She's a single mom, with two sons. One of them has autism. On Saturday, we all walked over to the church and sat in the chapel. I played some hymns. Her son, who is rarely quiet, sat peacefully and listened. And she sat and soaked it all up. It has been a long time since she was in the church, and it I think it was a really great experience for her. We also have been meeting with another inactive Schwester in our ward. Last week she was late for our lesson because she got off work late. When she finally came, she looked beat. We weren't sure if she would want to have a lesson still, but she let us in. We figured we would just read a quick scripture and then let her be. We read, and then out of nowhere, she just started crying. She laid her heart out on the table, and I cried with her. She talked about how she'd been angry at God for all of the trials she's had, but that she's ready to try and let Him into her life again, and! She came to church on Sunday for the first time in a few years. It was so great. Our purpose is "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith on Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." (I think that's what it is in English..) And! The last point, "enduring to the end" is manifest as we work with the less and inactive members. I love this work.
So! Speaking of church...I said the opening prayer in Sacrament yesterday. Oh, and don't mind that I had to TRANSLATE too! Bah! We had a member from Finland who is in Germany for a few weeks visit our Sacrament meeting. She speaks great english, but not a lick of German. And of course everyone picks on the poor American girl when It comes to anything having to do with English. I mean don't get me wrong, I usually understand a lot of what is said at this point, escpecially in church, but to keep up with it, and then rearrange the sentence back into English, etc etc is another story! But! I sent up a fervent prayer at the beginning of the meeting, and was shocked as I was able to understand nearly everything, AND keep up with translating as I listened. Now THAT was nothing shy of a miracle..
Oh! I also ate some bamboo this week! Oh wait, that's a lie. I think what I ate was FIRE, simply and poorly disguised as bamboo. Sister Claus? Is from Thailand. We eat with her occasionally. She'd warned us that it was "a little spicey." I thought, "oh good! I like spicey!" But one bite and my nose was running and I was convinced my vocal chords were being singed out of their rightful place. Sheesh! No, I did not secretly scoop the rest up into a napkin while she wasn't looking....hah.
Umm! I also had a super great Distrikt Versammlung this week on Tuesday. I think I very well may have the best district in the world. I always learn so much! One thing Elder Croft said that I loved was that: Everything in life starts with hope. But hope doesn't get the job done. It leads to faith and works. Faith and works are great, but there is something better, because if we exercise our works and faith, it will lead to testimony, the assurity that the things we have hoped for are real. I've really noticed that a lot this last week..
Mmk almost out of time here, so just one more thought. This morning as I was cleaning our apartment at 6:30am and listening to one of the EFY cd's we have here, I heard a line that has never really caught my attention before. The song is "One by One" and, talking about the Savior, it says "When He had a world to save, He had a world of time to stop and hold a little child..." I liked it so much I had to rewind it and hear it again. What a beautiful knowledge we have to know that the Savior knows us. He knows our names. He knows our joys and our sorrows. He has worlds to govern, and yet is ALWAYS willing to take time for us. One by one. I think sometimes in life we get too caught up with the "big things" that we forget about all the "small things." I mean, how many times are we so busy worrying about school or work that we forget to serve our own families? I know I am guilty of that charge. So! I would encourage you all this week to take a little time to slow down, take a step back, and try to remember to do the seemingly small things that let the ones around you know they are loved. And I will do the same.
I love you all! Thanks for your never ending support and prayers! Gott sei mit euch!
Love, Sister Bice
My my what a crazy week we had. You know, I think sometimes God wants us to make a plan...just so He can change it and keep us humble. Hah. Our week went very much not as planned. But the weather was beautiful! Annnd apparently out with the sun also comes the alcohol...we had some interesting run ins with drunk people this week....Anywho, in the end, it all worked out for the best. I am sure glad someone wiser than me is in charge of this great work here. This week was great. It was a little like God saying "Sister Bice, you sure aren't perfect. But it's ok. Just keep on trying your best, and I'll keep helping you fill in the gaps.." Miracles are happening here in Göppingen. Not the big flashy ones that the world recognizes are miracles. But the small changes deep within the hearts of the people here. Mostly in our less actives that we've been diligently working with. We had some great lessons with less actives last week. We've been working a lot with Familie Claus. She's a single mom, with two sons. One of them has autism. On Saturday, we all walked over to the church and sat in the chapel. I played some hymns. Her son, who is rarely quiet, sat peacefully and listened. And she sat and soaked it all up. It has been a long time since she was in the church, and it I think it was a really great experience for her. We also have been meeting with another inactive Schwester in our ward. Last week she was late for our lesson because she got off work late. When she finally came, she looked beat. We weren't sure if she would want to have a lesson still, but she let us in. We figured we would just read a quick scripture and then let her be. We read, and then out of nowhere, she just started crying. She laid her heart out on the table, and I cried with her. She talked about how she'd been angry at God for all of the trials she's had, but that she's ready to try and let Him into her life again, and! She came to church on Sunday for the first time in a few years. It was so great. Our purpose is "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith on Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." (I think that's what it is in English..) And! The last point, "enduring to the end" is manifest as we work with the less and inactive members. I love this work.
So! Speaking of church...I said the opening prayer in Sacrament yesterday. Oh, and don't mind that I had to TRANSLATE too! Bah! We had a member from Finland who is in Germany for a few weeks visit our Sacrament meeting. She speaks great english, but not a lick of German. And of course everyone picks on the poor American girl when It comes to anything having to do with English. I mean don't get me wrong, I usually understand a lot of what is said at this point, escpecially in church, but to keep up with it, and then rearrange the sentence back into English, etc etc is another story! But! I sent up a fervent prayer at the beginning of the meeting, and was shocked as I was able to understand nearly everything, AND keep up with translating as I listened. Now THAT was nothing shy of a miracle..
Oh! I also ate some bamboo this week! Oh wait, that's a lie. I think what I ate was FIRE, simply and poorly disguised as bamboo. Sister Claus? Is from Thailand. We eat with her occasionally. She'd warned us that it was "a little spicey." I thought, "oh good! I like spicey!" But one bite and my nose was running and I was convinced my vocal chords were being singed out of their rightful place. Sheesh! No, I did not secretly scoop the rest up into a napkin while she wasn't looking....hah.
Umm! I also had a super great Distrikt Versammlung this week on Tuesday. I think I very well may have the best district in the world. I always learn so much! One thing Elder Croft said that I loved was that: Everything in life starts with hope. But hope doesn't get the job done. It leads to faith and works. Faith and works are great, but there is something better, because if we exercise our works and faith, it will lead to testimony, the assurity that the things we have hoped for are real. I've really noticed that a lot this last week..
Mmk almost out of time here, so just one more thought. This morning as I was cleaning our apartment at 6:30am and listening to one of the EFY cd's we have here, I heard a line that has never really caught my attention before. The song is "One by One" and, talking about the Savior, it says "When He had a world to save, He had a world of time to stop and hold a little child..." I liked it so much I had to rewind it and hear it again. What a beautiful knowledge we have to know that the Savior knows us. He knows our names. He knows our joys and our sorrows. He has worlds to govern, and yet is ALWAYS willing to take time for us. One by one. I think sometimes in life we get too caught up with the "big things" that we forget about all the "small things." I mean, how many times are we so busy worrying about school or work that we forget to serve our own families? I know I am guilty of that charge. So! I would encourage you all this week to take a little time to slow down, take a step back, and try to remember to do the seemingly small things that let the ones around you know they are loved. And I will do the same.
I love you all! Thanks for your never ending support and prayers! Gott sei mit euch!
Love, Sister Bice
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