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| Family Tree! Me, y trainer, and my golden. Daw! Sister Schulze is my grandma! |
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| Me and Sister Lin. Mom's favorite face. |
*take deep breath........exhale....*...that's what I've been
telling myself all week. But! Apparently it's been working out ok,
because I'm still kickin'..hah.
Well! What a week. I have to admit I was a little confused to read
the emails today about how training was a big deal because I feel like
that's old news already! I can hardly believe Sister Lin and I have only
been one full week here in Göppingen..so! I will apologize in advance. I
feel like my brain got kicked into overdrive last week and hasn't
slowed down since. So! If this email makes little to no sense..we'll
blame that:)
Let's start on a lighter note shall we? Remember the graves that
Sister Schulze and I have been gardening? Well, I took sister Lin by
last week, and...apparently there are flower thieves here in Germany. 3
of our 6 plants had been stolen! It's not like they just picked the
flowers off...they dug up the whole thing and made off with them! What
kind of a person steals flowers off of a grave?? Sister Lin just started
laughing. I definitely didn't see the humor in it at the time..but..I
guess it is kind of funny..in a weird sort of way..hah.
So! This whole training thing is, well, it's an adventure, that's
for sure! I don't think I can actually put into words all that I've felt
the last couple of weeks, but, I can try? Honestly I feel a little like
somebody threw a bucket of cold water at my face just as I was getting
into the swing of things. Haha. But! It has been great. It has been so
interesting being on the flip side of things. I mean, I was
just finished being trained..one transfer ago...But I love the training
program! I am so grateful that I get to go through it again so soon
after having it as a trainee. I think sometimes I'm training myself more
than I'm training Sister Lin. A lot of the time I find myself saying
things I didn't even know I knew until they come out of my mouth and
Sister Lin gets all excited and makes me repeat them so she can write
them down. Hah, she is so cute. At any rate, I am really learning the
truth of the principle "a testimony is gained (or strengthened..) in the
bearing of it". I mean, I know I have SO much to learn and SO far to
go, but, I'm happy. I still am not entirely able to see the "why" or
"how" of things, but I have come to the conclusion that.. I don't need
to. The only "why" I am concerned with is the "because the Lord asked me
to", and that's more than enough for me. I mean, it has been QUITE the
transition from Sister Schulze and Sister Lin, but I am learning so
much. MY missionary self has really had to step it up the last week and
a half. I think I had gotten used to being "sister Shculze's shadow" a
little bit, especially with the members. I honestly wasn't sure I was
capable of taking the lead when President Miles asked me to train, but,
the Lord has been working miracles inside of me the last week. What a
blessing. I pray every day to be able to be a good example and teach
Sister Lin the things that will be important. Sometimes I feel
completely at a loss. But I suppose I don't have to know everything,
because He does. Now I just need to lean on him a little more. :)
I will admit that I have had to study a lot about patience this
week. Haha. It's always interesting getting used to a new companion.
Sister Schulze and I were together for 3 months, and had a pretty good
system going there at the end. Now it's back to square one! But I have
been so impressed and inspired as I have studied about Christ's
patience. It never ceases to amaze me. When I think of all the patience
he's had with ME over the years? Wow. I'm really grateful for His
perfect example. Now I just need to be patient with myself as I work on
being patient with others:)
So on Wednesday we rode out to a tiny village to bring an Italian
Book of Mormon to a woman we met on our last finding day, but have been
unable to get a hold of. When we found the house, she was out front
getting something out of the car. When we walked up she recognized us
(always a good sign...) and gratefully took her Book of Mormon. I asked
if we could come back next week for an appointment. Her eyes welled with
tears as she explained that her daughter became very ill in April and
the doctors have been unable to find out what's wrong with her. She said
she'd be in the hospital all next week and had no time, but that we
could call her the week after for an appointment. We talked for no more
than maybe 3 minutes, but my heart ached for this beautiful daughter of
God. I could see the fear in her eyes as she explained her daughters
condition. And it was like I could just feel Christ reaching out trying
to comfort her. I assured her of the promised and the comfort to be
found in the BOM, and told her we'd pray for her. It's people like Frau
De-Santo that really hit our missionary purpose home. People like Frau
De-Santo that need so badly what we have. I hope we are able to meet
with her. She has a really humble spirit.
Friday! Friday was a great day. Sister Lin and I taught the Young
Women's activity. It was actually a little idea sister Schulze and I had
come up with and we asked the YW leader if we could have the hour and a
half...but then Sis. Schulze got transferred and I was left the fill
the hour and a half alone. Yes, I was a little stressed about it..all
week long. But! In crunch time, Sister Lin and I got some pretty good
ideas put together and it ended up being great. We did the Theme
on...missionary work! Ta-da! We wanted the YW to have a little inside
view on missionary work. So we showed them our white handbooks,
planners, etc, and then took them through our daily schedule. We had
them do "morning sport", and then I brought my wardrobe and we gave them
60 seconds to "get dressed in the morning" It was really funny. And
also a little disorienting to see my clothes running around on six 12
year old girls the rest of the evening. Haha. Anywho, we had them do
some street contacting and study and an activity on following the
spirit. We all had a great time and the girls learned a lot:)
Also on Friday! Well, back up. At the beginning of the week, one of
the girls in our ward called us and asked if we could meet with her and
her fiance on Friday. Of course we said yes. So! We did. His name is
Andreas and her name is Julia. They are 19. We taught the first lesson.
At the end, Sister Lin started into the baptismal commitment...and then
forgot the German. So I had to pick it up from there. And.....we set a
date! For the 15 of July! And he came to church on Sunday. We are hoping
to meet with them again later this week. I'll keep you posted:)
Saturday was great too. We rode out to Ulm to help with their
straßenausstellung. It was so crazy to see some of the members there!
Sister Fröhlich gave me a huge hug. She said "Look at you speaking
German like a native!" Hah, like a native, not even. But they only knew
me in my first 6 weeks, when it took me 5 minutes to process everything
anyone ever said to me. I guess I have learned a lot int he 3 months
since then. Anyways, the ausstellung! Sister Lin ist...der Hammer. She's
on fire with excitement. And it's contagious! I love it:) Bahah, but
she is still a little clueless sometimes. There was a group of men doing
a "bachelor party" of sorts. The one getting married was wearing a
giant pink bunny costume. The others were all wearing shirts that said
"Michael is getting married, and I'm only here to get drunk". Uhh..well
Sister Lin couldn't read it, and of course she wanted to talk to the man
in the bunny costume. I turned around and, there she was. I saw her
give them the "I'll be back in one minute" sign, then she ran up to me
and said "Sister Bice, I need your help! They are speaking German and I
can't understand them!" I said "Sister Lin...they are all drunk.." She
said "*gasp!* Really??" "Yep. Now just smile and wave and walk away..."
and, much to the disappointment of the group of men, we did just that.
Haha, oh sister Lin:) The good news? We did manage to place a couple of
Book of Mormons, even with our imperfect German:)
Anywho! This is already way long. I'll close up. Yesterday at
church one of our members said "Sister Bice, you are simply beaming
today!" And I thought "How could it not be with a companion as happy as
Sister Lin?" Hah. I just feel really happy right now. Which actually
doesn't make a whole lot of sense, because we have a...seemingly
interesting week staring us in the face. We only have like 3
appointments. But. I feel like sister Lin's happy-go-lucky is unburying
the happy-go-lucky that has been hidden behind all the stress in me. And
I love it. I love grinning from ear to ear, walking down the street,
and saying hello to everyone we see. Even though that's not normal here.
I mean, I know we have a LOT of challenges yet to face here in the next
couple of weeks, but I am confident that if we face them with a smile,
it'll all be for our good. Sister Lin is just what Göppingen needs. And
what I need. I love the gospel. I love my Savior. I LOVE being a
disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I love being called of Him to
preach His work among His people, that they might have everlasting life.
So! Packen wir es an:)
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Bice
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