Our week at a glance 

dirty work

prayer

placing calls

tracking down the old

Looking for the new

prayer

calling back 5 min. later cuz they didn't answer

seeing the old and chasing them 

prayer 

wash lather rinse repeat.

food for thought: side note.... has anyone EVER repeated???! 

We are still keeping the faith we will find more prepared people.. 

We've already been so blessed!!

Some are just better at hiding than others. 

Germans for example are e.x.p.e.r.t.s 

I heard a statistic that like 1 in every 100 people you talk to in the USA will be baptized. 1 in every 2000 in Germany. 

Hide ya kids hide ya wife 

WE GO FIND YOU 

haha meeting that man was the best day of my life as well as glozell and flava flav.. you should see the looks some missionaries give me when they find out I was a dancer in their music video. 

Almost as bad as the look I get when I tell missionaries I've never been to EFY.. we never made those deadlines. 

NOW FOR THE TESTIMONY BUILDER OF THE TRANSFER

I've been really focusing on the Spirit these last few weeks. Now only focusing but listening and OBEYing those midnight ideas and promptings. 

One Example: it was 2 am and I had a feeling to get up and check the oven... no idea why. But sure enough I rolled out of bed and it was ON. That saved a way awkward phone call to the district leader. 

"heyy.. so GOOD NEWS FIRST our spirits have been on fire but uh.. BAD NEWS our apartment is too"

naja. 

that was just one example. But the BEST was this week after lunch. We had a few minutes to kill and I decided to call a particular lady I'd noticed in the area disappear a few weeks back. 

While reading through her papers it had notes from Elders from the past saying, she had a baptism date but " no interest... doesn't believe in prayer.. kein intresse.. She doesn't care" etc. etc. 

But I decided to give it a try anyway. I sat down and I gave her a call and she picked up. Super skeptical at first she said:

" Who are you?"

- this is sister Diederich. I am a sister missionary here in Kassel. 

She replied..."how'd you get my number?.."

Note: I had a feeling to ask if we could come over just to...help? It was really weird 

- We got your contact info from the Elders that were here a few years ago. We were wondering if we could come by and if there is anything we could do for you???

( holding breath )

" yes.... YESSSS SISTERS OH MEINE GUTE YES!!!!!! I NEED YOUR HELP. AS YOU CALLED I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF PRAYING FOR MY FIRST TIME ASKING GOD FOR HELP AND THEN YOU CALLED ME. THANK YOU!!!!! This is an answer to my prayer!! ich LIEBE dich!!!!!!!!

o_O

She was hysterical and in tears. 

oh my blessings. 

She was sooo excited to hear from us and was SO excited that her prayer worked. We ended up helping her out and she is now meeting with us. Such a testimony builder for all of us. Especially this investigator. 

LAST,

I got a feeling we should stop our study and go to the Ward House for volleyball a little bit early one night. Sister Tolman had the same feeling so we hurried over.. 

Once we arrived we found 4 senior citizens ( old people sounds mean ) peeking in through the door. I let them in and asked them 

" are you.....here for volleyball?"

They began to explain they'd recently visited Salt Lake City and toured the temple and LOVED IT!!

swat lake city 

The couples were so excited to find out there is a LDS chapel here in Kassel where they are from. We had a killer church tour with them ( esp. the genealogy section... always pulls the seniors heart strings) and we invited them to meet with us again. 

Its truly amazing how the Spirit works. When we are living our lives in harmony with Christ that we will be led where we need to be and what we need to say. 

Is all any missionary needs to do is make sure to have the Spirit leading and guiding your planning, teaching, finding, study and your day. THAT IS ALL YOU NEED. k doch doch you'll need a testimony and a bus pass and good shoes etc... 

But I truly believe we as members of this church are merely tools in the Lords hands. 

It doesn't matter how fancy our words are, how intelligent we claim to be or the experience we feel is needed 

I remember before I left I doubted my talents, knowledge, capabilities and testimony. Looking back all God ever asked me to do was give my BEST. 

My words are enough

He makes up the rest. 

The spirit does the teaching.. I'm merely just a vessel, and I hope to live the rest of my life worthy accordingly... to fulfill the promise that if I remain faithful I will be blessed..

Zum Schlüss

perhaps...... no HANDS DOWN

best " where is the hidden camera" moment of my Mission happened this week. 

The elders in Göttingen had a baptism this week, seeing as how they have no font in their meeting house ( it's an office building ) they used our baptismal font here in Kassel. 

We came a few hours early to turn on the water for them, went and did some weekly planning...came and checked back and....

THE WATER WAS BROWN..  no lie. Disgusting and filled with bugs and scum. 

the poor thing hasn't been used in years. 

gag. 

we had 30 minutes to go before the service began so we pulled the plug to drain it and clean it. 

It was taking forrrrrrrever so Sister Tolman and I had to man up and get IN the font and walk around with sponges on our feet to get it all up. 

Once it came time to refill the font.... WHAT DO YA KNOW. The water stopped wanting to work. 

I put my Young Wpman personal progress thinking cap on and together we built a chain with buckets of water from the bathroom to the font. 

hahahahaha no words. 

were doing BIG things up in here

Line of the Week:

Quote from the little brother and whichever crazy new social media site he found it on. thx mitch

" remember...Hitler had thousands of followers... Jesus Christ had 12 "

So true... the truth never will be popular but persecuted. But it will prevail. I promise you that

aww man I outdid myself with that last one. That is Ensign material right there. 

wir hören uns

liebe grüße

sister d

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!!!

A for effort

(we wanted you to know Isabelle's homecoming will be Sunday October 20th at 11:00am- it is the building at 2500 East Lincoln Lane behind Olympus high school.)

This week was perhaps without a doubt the most amazing, spiritual beautiful week of my entire mission. 

After what's been about a 3 week drought I was SOOO excited when i got a few letters this week in the mail...  

One in particular just happened to be what might be perhaps the BEST LETTER I've received my entire mission. 

Before looking at the outside of the envelope I ripped it open 

( emphasis on "excited to get a letter" ) and began scrolling down the letter.. 

Sister Tolman soon noticed I had tears streaming down my face and thought something really bad happened ( not like my brothers crashing the car or breaking my longboard wasn't enough for one week ). 

I was at a loss for words. I couldn't read it to her or even get myself to stop crying to read the rest myself. 

The letter started off...

" so I'm on a mission...in Canada. oh ya.. i should probably explain.. i turned my life around.."

I flipped the envelope over and read.... ELDER THANGARAJ

OH MY GOSH!!!!! I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!

my best friend who fell off the face of the earth... is ACTIVE and SERVING THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!

I carried this letter with me the rest of the week in my scripture case reading it every second that I had down time.

Late Thursday night we finally had an appointment we've been waiting and planning for for a long time. We met with a woman who was referred to us by her best friend/neighbor who is in our ward. 

The member wanted the appointment to be super casual..not too pushy.. rather a getting to know you kindof a lesson. 

We all sat down together the 4 of us in this members home and small talked for a while...ate some apple pie. ( I know weird odor?? American BLISS found in Germany..)

I was completely stumped at what I should say or how to start this conversation..that's never happened before. 

( note: this particular member has been working on her friend for years and has been waiting on the " right pair" of missionaries to come along to teach her.... NO pressure right??)

I opened my scriptures and the letter fell on my lap. A liiiitle hesitant I went ahead and asked if I could share something I'd received that week. 

I read the letter to everyone and as I finished tears were in this investigators eyes..

It brought the spirit quicker as anything I've seen before. Nicks story truly touched her heart concerning the atonement and how this gospel TRULY changes lives. Something she then expressed she hopes for both her husband and herself. 

The lesson only went UPHILL from there. 

The member was seemingly set back in hopes to really let us do the teaching, Sister Tolman being the trooper she is, was keeping right up along side me until the investigator sped up her German and began asking VERY difficult questions. 

She has a few concerns regarding certain.. less fun topics to talk about.. questions about church organization and a few other VERY good questions she's gathered over the years.. 

Definitely not Questions that should be left unanswered. 

Concerns like.. not wanting to join unless her husband does..about the God head.. church organization etc. etc.

I may not of grown up being a scholar in the church.. my full activity is something relatively new as of the last few years. I may of been present at activities ( when promised food ) but I definitely did not listen in.

Therefore.. my knowledge of key facts are limited. I feel sometimes if not most of the time my words and what I know are not enough for what this message deserves.. 

So there I was... being thrown some curve balls and thinking in the back of my head

 " there is sooo not a page in Preach my Gospel about how to answer this...."

" perhaps If I would've actually participated in pee-wee t-ball, instead of making grass nests in the outfield I could of braced myself better with these curve balls she's throwing"

But what happened next..was amazing. I blocked out EVERYTHING, every doubt, worry or thought... 

I began silently praying in my heart that I'd know what to say. And then I just sat and listened. Not worrying about my answer when the time came....

And then when the time came.. I simply opened my mouth 

When it was my turn I was answering questions concerning things I didn't even know about as well as things I'm not sure I've ever really thought about.. 

But my mouth was filled. 

The spirit was SOOOO strong. After every answer you could literally SEE the spirit working in this investigator. You could FEEL her heart changing.

The member would then bear testimony ( then I knew I was right on the dot seeing as how she is a gospel whiz lifetime member)

Our investigator would then reply with " wow... I never thought of it that way... Your completely right......and.. that's an answer I feel I've searched for for forever". She continually kept telling us about this " feeling she had in the moment" and how she .. " believes everything being said to be True"

At the end of our lesson I asked If we could all kneel down together in prayer. The member asked if her friend would offer the prayer. 

In her prayer she thanked God that every question, doubt and concern of hers was swept away.. She thanked him for her friend as well as for us..and expressed how she felt we were all placed in her life for a reason. 

She then thanked God for answering questions through me..that she never directly asked.. 

Questions she had previously inquired answers of from him prior to our lesson.. and later answered in the lesson by something I said. 

It was truly the most humbling powerful lesson I've witnessed my entire mission. A lesson where we completely surrendered and let the Spirit do the teaching, a lesson where we trusted the Lord 110% to guide us and to fill our mouths.

The spirit is always an amazing joint teach. We are always mindful to let him do the teaching but this last time it was all him. We got his back tho!

What a blessing it is to be the Lords hands and feet and to do HIS work. To say what he wants said as if he were there ministering to the very people to whom he's sent us. 

To be a modern day witness and bear testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Christ's one and only true Church once again restored upon the earth. 

That God is an UNCHANGING God of Miracles. 

PEOPLE!!!!

THE CHURCH IS SO TRUE!!!!!

ON TOP OF THAT AMAZINGNESS

WE HAVE 5 PROGRESSING INVESTIGATORS NOW!!!!!! 5!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND WE COMMITTED ALL TO BAPTISM AND ALL CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 weeks more before I come home.... we got some water to heat up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been praying my heart out that we would see miracles before i had to pack up and go..

and this Sunday the Lord brought 3 people into our building.... just wandered in..One man told me he would have the Book of Mormon finished by Wednesday.

THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN!!!

The weather in Germany changes it's mind more often than a 14 year old girl deciding what to wear on school picture day. 

Wear what I wore... A WWJD tshirt from thrift town and a pooka shell necklace. #killinem

Last week it was blaaazzzing hot. We had to study out on our porch because our apartment was on fire. 

Only to be smoked back inside. Because our neighbors joint was on fire. but really. 

Then this week...it's in the low 30's. And yours truly, had the BRILLIANT idea of throwing away most of my winter clothes in my last city. 

It's so cold here I had to turn our oven on and open the oven door to let extra heat in our apartment seeing as how our " heater" DOESN'T HEAT. 

Then I remembered in a suitcase I'd left back in Leipzig to be picked up later on had a coat inside that I'd never got around to wearing because it was too nice and I didn't want to ruin it hahaha. 

MIRACLE

As I was contemplating just how I was going to get this coat from Leipzig to Kassel.. my phone rang. 

It was another sister zone leader in our mission telling me that there is a sister in our mission who is without a winter coat and no funds to buy a nice one. 

My heart kinda sunk. I knew what I had to do. I coordinated with the Sisters in Leipzig to have them go through my luggage and retrieve my coat and told them to give it to this sister. I don't know her name or even where she is serving. 

I have 4 weeks left...it can't get too cold...right?? I'm sure I'll be able to stay warm and hold out without a coat until I am home.

I got the spirit to keep me warm  

and plus.... with my hand warming method in the stove anything is possible hahaha

This week I got on my knees and offered Heavenly Father a prayer of just GRATITUDE. 

have you ever done that? Not a single bitte (please) just said THANK YOU!!!???

I knelt down at 10:20pm to pray and finished a little before 1 am.  ( I'm sorry Präsident Kosak if your reading this. I SWEAR I'm obedient.. I got carried away and was technically innnnnn bed by 10:30 )

naja. 

When finished with my prayer I felt so light.. so happy and FINALLY at peace with accepting the fact that I'll be coming home in 4 weeks. 

I gained so much new direction and even made some completely unplanned decisions like...my desire to get a different job than the one that's been awaiting me, a different major as well as new goals and hopes for this next chapter of my life.. 

So many things surprised me..and I'm still confused of these new decisions but i trust my Savior. 

I hate new chapters...I don't like change...or reading for that matter. 

But I am READY and excited and trusting my father in heaven more than I EVER have before. 

Sorry for the all preachy email. Man. This week truly was SPIRITUALLY exhausting. 

I love it. I want more. 

I try to make my emails uplifting and optimistic. But there are lots of things i do leave out, lots left unsaid... But i will always be honest, and do so in saying. 

There are HARD days. 

This work is not easy. There are trials and weeks where you feel tested on every level. 

Where your humbling, fasting, evaluating and praying more than you feel you ever have before... And the next week...is even harder. 

But one thing I can honestly say is...there are NO BAD DAYS. 

There are 10 things I recently shared in a response to one of my readers that found my blog that I've loved and lived by everyday out here and I thought i would post. 

1. Your call is inspired, your father in heaven trusts you and accepted your desire to service and called you to the work because he TRUSTS YOU

2. Satan will work his hardest on you before you leave and those first few months. He knows the difference you will make. But you know who also knows? Your Father in Heaven. And you know who doesn't have a body? Satan. 

3. Serve, Love and Pray for and with your companion 

4. You can go home.. perfect your language, go please every missionary or member who you weren't able to get through to.. you can have the best number record left behind you .... but you cannot get back being happy. 

5. Treat yourself. Everyday. Whether it be a scoop of ice cream.. a nice shower or jammin out to Them Hymns before bed ( or jumping on the bed..we've done that too). Everyday. DO IT

6. Remember God never asked you to be perfect. Just for you to try your best 

7. Be. Obedient. 100%. Because you want to. Not because you have to. 

8. Remember God is an UNCHANGING God of miracles. BELIEVE IN MIRACLES.. BE THE MIRACLE

9. work as if everything depended on you..because it does.  But when the day is over be finished with it. NO REGRETS

10. If your not having fun..your doing something wrong. 

Ladies and Gents I LOVE your letters, emails and love! thank you for sharing with me your conversion stories, humor and mission calls. 

(And one reader...thank you for the lock of your dogs hair this week. hahaha i died.. never have I ever thought I'd receive a lock of hair #thoughtful )

 If I haven't responded please let me know! I believe I've been able to get back to all of you.. 

I struggle.  

gotta give a special shoutout to a lovely reader of mine the soon to be Sister Mohler this girl has got talent. If you haven't already be sure to download her album " called to the work" on iTunes that is helping fund her mission.. It's been on REPEAT up here in Germany. Beautiful voice. Beautiful girl. And comes from what I believe still to be a family of perfect vampires. I cant wait to meet you all in person someday.

ooohhhhh PS

If any of my friends have emailed my old email address: belladiederch@gmail.com....I haven't checked that in a year and a half. 

my email is isabelle.diederich@myldsmail.net

ill be sure to check those emails in gmail out when im home. 

hahaha but A for effort. 

bless your hearts. 

Line of the week: 

( walking in a 20 degree rainstorm... ballet flats...no coat...no umbrella...lost...hungry.. << worst of all)

Me: im gonna breakdown...I need to get my mind off this terrible situation right now... blah. Sister Tolman you should tell me a story.. Better yet sing me a song..first song that comes to your head

Sister Tolman: .......... all I got is Lollipop by Lil Wayne

Me.... we should probably hold off on that one..

.but just remember.. today is the day we fell in love. 

we looked in the WHB all over for a rule against it.. but didnt.. so we ordered pizza..

MCdonalds... or MCfit ( huge gym chain here) .... which do you think we went to

my kind of english class

I don't know which is sadder

1. That sadder probably isn't even a word and I just made a complete fool of myself

2. The fact that without fail every week for the last 1 1/2 years in my moms emails she mentions something about how much shock she is still in from Michael Jacksons death..

3. How much schnitzel I was forcibly fed this week 

oh my gosh. 

PICK NUMBER 3 MY LORD- shrek

Satan is playin dirty and trying to fatten me up.. Every. Single. Eating appointment. has had schnitzel. 

5 weeks to sexy...no problem....no really...no...this might be a problem 

anywho... uhm can you say

MIRACLE WEEK

( plus 5 bonus points for all those who read miracle week out loud )

We found some of the most Amazingly prepared people this week. 

I'll start from the top. 

So this week was the reaping ( transfer calls ). 

Sister Tolman and I are staying... blessings. And we lost one of our elders. It was a sad day breaking up the fam. 

We really have been blessed with some amazing elders here in Kassel/Göttingen. Our District Leader Elder Cannon, Personal Trainer/funniest person I've ever met Elder Lloyd. Elder Peterson ( has awesome ties..check our his brothers website qp collections.. and a new Elder Elder Kossin who seems super nice and a hard worker. 

we like to call ourselves the GFORCE ( G for göttingen )

Working along worthy priesthood holders is such a blessing to this work. Any potential elders or Mommas of elders... BE PROUD!!

While the elders were transferring companions we took over their English class for the evening Tuesday night. 

Only 3 women showed up.. We decided to break off seeing as how two were beginners and one was advanced with her English. 

I went into the other room with this one particular lady and felt impressed to begin by just reading a small scripture out of the book of Mormon. 

Donno why. But I chose Moroni's promise to read..

LSS 12 Years ago ( now you see why i said long story short ) 

she met Two missionaries who gave her a book of Mormon here in Kassel. 

They invited her to English class and were later transferred. She has faithfully attended English class on and off ever since with the Elders. 

When i read that scripture she stopped me and began asking me questions about it's meaning/purpose/promise. 

She said " well I believe it's true!! I've read it...I'm a nurse and I used to read this book to patients who were sick so I could practice my English... I believe it's true"

I then flipped to talking in German because it's 10x easier for me and began bearing testimony and answering questions shes had all these years.

She told me that she knew of its divinity... and got her answer of it's truthfulness like she was asked to do...

But she didn't know what the next step was.. No missionaries ever pressed her on the topic/knew she had a book. 

She said with English class..she never got one on one time to ask these questions and thought " praying and knowing its true were all we were asked to do"

Nope sweetheart. 

First we know..

Then we go swimming. 

Hands down I have NEVER felt the spirit SO STRONG as I had during that lesson. My heart was burning and it was the whole hour. 

I began to worry if it was heartburn..but realized I'm only 22. So nope...just the spirit. 

We started from the top to the bottom of the gospel plain and simple..

and well...

SHE WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!

ahhheiznaizneh827.$3!72!$uensikab72&:$38/'zuwnsoalwprnE

( the beginning of that looks German )

She told me she would pray about a date and know the next time we meet!!!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL

REAL LIFE ENCOUNTER ON THE STREET THIS WEEK...

In every town..you have your good old local CRAZIES.. 

one particular man (who I believe escaped from the insane asylum/ is a living re-incarnation of the joker..) 

He came up to us late at night Wednesday... got close to our ears and sings.... 

(rather calmly and like a lullaby)

" ich finde dich...und ich werde dich toten... eines tages.. ich finde dich.. und ich werde dich toten eines tages.."

translation: ( if nana is reading this....) 

 "I like your message and i will read your book!!" yaaaaayy

REAL translation: 

" One day I will find you and then I will kill you"

HOLY FLIPPIN FLIP THIS IS NOT A DRILL

Sister Tolman and I were frozen with more fear then when the waiter tells you they only have Pepsi products. 

He luckily walked away and continued his lullaby down the street. Ugh needless to say i didn't sleep a few nights this week. I shouldn't of made eye contact with him. 

Regardless of how crazy the  encounters, chases or stalkers I've encountered here on my mission. I have never felt more safe. 

Or been in better shape. 

It really is true. I know and feel so protected at all times. The scriptures promise angels will go before us and after us. I believe whole heartily that is true. 

How bout that for a spiritual tidbit after such a nice little story??

let's see..

Finding in the city has been hard. The city strip on one half is kindof like times square. Lots of people lots of shopping. 

But when you walk down around the corner 2 blocks you arrive in what we like to call " little turkey". 

And when I say you ARRIVE I mean allllll eyes on you. No American, German and actually women in general in sight. 

For many reasons/encounters that I will not be listing to ensure mom doesn't lose sleep 

We don't go there anymore. 

:)

so... Why not just do finding on the other main street??

haha goooood question. This week we were walking the streets and realized Germans have a weird idea..the louder they play their music in the stores..the more likely you are to come inside. 

Which turns into a battle of sorts for them. 

And a whole lot of Babylonish for sister d

We were walking towards the main street when I stopped, died inside and about faced and headed the other direction 

I know a notorious B.I.G beat when I hear one. 

So it looks like we will be sticking to finding people in small dorfs or on public transportation for a little season. 

line of the week:

( haha special phone call this week )

Me: haaalllo

Elder: the eagle has landed.. 10-4 the eagle is in the hen house. snowden

Me: ha what in the world are you talking about?

Elder: SNOWDEN..10-4 the gopher is on the move. Snowden 

Me: CUT IT OUT! Keep saying snowden and their gonna tap our call and I'm gonna be picked up by the cops! 

Elder: true... oh well we just wanted to let you we saw your investigator you've been hunting down the last month

Me: ahhh no way!! did you stop and talk to her!

Elder: yes! She is super nice she told you to give her a call..but to wait till next week because she's getting a new number 

Me: to call her...? but she's getting a new number? How will that work?

Elder: ohhhhh... oh shoot!! We were tricked. 

Mom.. you mean to tell me..

First.. last week jensen crashes my longboard and destroys it.

and this week mitchell crashed and got in an accident in the range rover?!... 

awesome. lock them up for the next 5 weeks. im coming home.

#missionaryblessings

Don't want these to end....

Please view this video if you have questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-introduction-videos?cid=HPTH082213083