just ASK

well to every amazing week...there are tough ones. 

This week would most likely make the TOP 5 

Without complaining imma try to summarize a very... Thank goodness it's over kind of a week 

Monday after logging off our district leader called us and said 

" STAY AWAY FROM CITY CENTER!!!!"

 He seemed super worried and panicked. I couldn't hear him. I kept yelling in the phone

" whaaattt I can't hear you there are fog horns going off"

-" STAY AWAY FROM CITY CENTER there is a huge riot

" what!?!! I can't hear you there are people screaming everywhere around me for some reason. 

I hung up the phone and decoded in my head what it was he was trying to say. And then it hit me

Ohhhhh... were in the middle of a political riot. In front of city center..

We were smack dab in the middle of a giant political protest. 

There were angry people everywhere. A man on a giant megaphone rallying everyone up, lots of screaming. The sound and scene of it all really mirrored old films you'd see of certain German political events..

We noticed that within seconds the group size doubled and became violent.. Soon a swat team showed up. 

Sister Tolman oh my dear.. the poor thing such a nice welcome to Germany present. Bless her heart i love her..

I grabbed her hand and told her not to worry but that we needed to remove our name-tags and find a way to get out of the mess. 

While we were working our way out we noticed a group of young men in their 20's all cornering an old man. 

The young men being members of the anti-Nazi party and the old man the other...

I am not sure whether the old man had perhaps made a comment or done something that might of upset the young drunk men. 

But what i saw next absolutely broke my heart and got out of control..

 They began pushing, then shoving and soon hitting the old man. All ganged up on him and NOONE was doing anything to help him. 

I was literally in shock I couldn't move or look away.. The Polizei swat men with their shields and helmets just..stood there.... watching. 

Regardless of what your political interest is or what happened in Germany years ago NOONE should be treated that way!

These drunk men feel so important and active in a cause..that in my opinion they know nothing about. They will never know just what it was like to grow up during such a time.The way they treated that old man makes them no different..

But here they were beating up a man in his 90's in hopes to " make things right"

yup your right.. beating up a 90 year old surrrreee sets history straight. super great idea.

I felt soooo helpless. Not only am I a small 22 year old girl..but I'm American wearing a missionary tag

It wasn't a good mix.

We eventually got out and tried to forget about what we had seen. But I couldn't..

My heart was crushed and I've had a pit in my stomach all week long. 

. 

I recently talked with a lady whose husband  U boat submarine was bombed and sunk.. She carries his photo in a locket and told me " I know he's still out there..i've waited 70 years for him to come back home..he was always a good swimmer. I know he's o.k"

Sooo optimistic it makes me smile. haha just keep swimming

The things you see and here day to day are not easy and the stories often leave my stomach in knots.

I feel so helpless and overwhelmed in a country where the history is one that I'll never fully understand, but yet that history is such a BIG reason why I am where I am today.. why I'm a member and serving here again. 

This country has so much hope. I've seen the blessings it's brought to my family..it brought us the gospel and that is such a BIG testimony that it is possible to bring many more this message of hope and joy. 

There is nothing other than the gospel that i can give them to help them.... and there is nothing but the gospel that is capable of doing that. 

The worst part is over.. moving forward. 

Sister Tolman and I were sooo excited in preparing for our lesson with Steve the man who wandered into Church and told us he would read the whole BOM by Wednesday. 

Wednesday night rolled around and there we were with our joint teach just waiiiiting...and waiting... and waiting. 

he never came. 

Later that night after finishing nightly prayers then phone buzzed with a text. It was Steve telling us " the book contradicts the bible and he lost all interest to meet with us". 

ugh that is a dagger. 

we had tried explaining to him that we believe in the Bible as long as it's translated correctly..but nothing helped. We didn't want to argue..

We were SOOOO BUMMED out. I couldn't sleep all night that night. It's so hard when you know with all your heart something to be true and to have someone throw it back. just is killer. 

I decided to put my big girl pants on and shoot him a text telling him he owed us one more appointment to explain himself.. and he showed up!!! We were able to calm him down a little, resolve his concerns and the spirit was there and softened his little german heart.. He agreed to meet

with us still and we have an appointment Wednesday.... BLESSINGS

As for our other baptism candidates... they all decided to take a group vacation to NARNIA..

we couldn't find them.. but they'll be back this week... 

WE GO FIND YOU

Let's do real quick what WAS good this week. 

- We had my last zone conference..bittersweet..mainly bitter ha I hate this " going home" thing. 

- I doubled my recipe for cinnamon apple oatmeal cookies and ended up making enough for a large African colony...it's been great to drop by and give away to people. AND our apartment smells like Christmas 

- We found some great prepared people

- We tracked down an old investigator and got her back...were hoping to RE set that baptismal date that fell out a few years ago. 

- Our neighbor quit smoking

- it's fall...boots scarfs rain and hot chocolate..herrlich 

- we had some amazing member lessons and really finally have the ward 100% behind us concerning missionary work

- I got a kiss.... from a 6 year old.

 My favorite little boy came up to me in sacrament and gave me the picture of me and him praying as well as a cat...that he named Marc. What a great name for a cat. 

 I looked up from the photo to find the little 6 year old boy who is IDENTICAL to Stuart Little with his eyes closed and making a big kissy face. 

ehhhhhhhhhhh i panicked and just pointed to my cheek and let him give me a kiss there. I learned two things..

1. This Kid is a heart-breaker and I would've totally kicked it with him when I was 6

2. I became aware of just how amazingly awkward I am. The kid was 6 and I was sooooo nervous and panicked. awesome. just awesome. 

For every good week. There's a bad one. 

Missions are amazing things. I never been so happy, yet felt so sad at times. Been so alone but felt so comforted. 

One thing I know is being a tool in the Lords hands to help other people is a humbling and rewarding experience. Looking back I realize.. I was the one he was fixing all along. 

Your mission is not about you... your to lose yourself in the work and go to work. Yet you come to realize that it's YOU that is ultimately changed for the better. 

Only the gospel of Jesus Christ is capable of changing lives. 

Now I can't make any promises that I won't be that RM who comes home and just calls everyone to repentance. 

I will keep it classy and just do it in text form...

******MOST IMPORTANT PART OF EMAIL...STOP SCANNING AND READ HERE******

I grew up my whole life, despite my parents and leaders effort not knowing what it meant to be a MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH. 

It was just what I did..every Sunday..get dolled up and go through the motions. Concerned that by not attending my meetings it would cause drama, judgment or loss of friends. 

I never stopped until a few years ago to figure out the WHY of the gospel. WHAT it was we believed and HOW it affected me.

Whether you are friend or a stranger... depending on whoever is reading this email but your all my friends # tender

If you don't know what I'm saying and wonder what im preaching is true or not..

I invite you to ask. To find out for yourself the truths of this gospel. 

I invite you to read, ponder and pray about Moroni's promise and find out for yourself of the divinity of these things!

( note: if you don't know who Moroni is or what his promise was.. He's a great guy and has a promise inside a blue book often referred to as "The Book of Mormon".. a copy may be on your shelf at home.. or in the drawer at all Marriott's..

Its Holy scripture comparable to the Bible. If ya don't have a copy be sure to wave down the two young men in penguin suits..they actually give them away for free!!)

 If you'd like to learn about this book, eternal Families and other fun stuff visit www.lds.org 

God WILL answer you and it WILL bless and change your life for the better..

And if you already have done so and know it's true... 

I invite you to ASK AGAIN... 

Moroni's promise was not a "good for one coupon" 

DO IT AGAIN!! ASK again and YE SHALL RECEIVE. 

Asking our father in heaven again and again.. It will strengthen and refresh your testimony I can promise you that.

From a friend to a friend. 

DO IT

Line of the Week:

Elder Cannon: okayyy district..whose on for cooking district lunch?

Elders: Sister Diederich!!!

Me: whoawhoawhoa I didn't ask to be put into this game coach

silence. 

Me: fine.. FINE I'll do it.. what do you guys want me to cook?

Elder Cannon: Enchiladas

Elder Lloyd: Salmon

Elder Peterson: Mac&Cheese with hot dogs cut up inside

Sister Tolman: tomato soup and grilled cheese

Elder Kossin: a milkshake

I will see what I can do...with the American ingredients I don't have

hahaha i love the GFORCE. One of my favorite districts thus far and the hungriest. 

Looks like I will be wearing a hairnet and an apron to the district lunch! I got this!!!