GERMANY PART 2

week 2.

our second week in germany can be summarized by a few words

that begin with the letter D. like D as in deutschland

delicious

driving

detours

downpours

first stop of the week was 

KÖLN

as many of you know my father also served in germany!

So instead of just doing the scenic East Germany tour we threw in

a city that he served in! 

Köln was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l a blast!

 We had an amazing

hotel right on the river and a great view of the whole city!

To make evvverrryyything better we stayed a block away from

the infamous LINDT chocolate factory. 

which resulted in spending all our money on chocolates..

leaving the store and sending my little sister back to go get more.

no really. she ran back for us to get more.

our hotel was right up this beautiful little alley way!

another amazing stop in köln was this LOVE LOCK BRIDGE

soooo cheesy.

but dang cute we couldnt resist.

so of course we tried be a touristy as we could and bought some of our own locks to add.

<33333

seeing as how im the awkward unmarried sister i added a very nice large

HEART onto my lock. 

bless my heart

BERLIN

the city that began it all.

the B to my Bella.

my mission call assignment

awww i seriously love this city. im not bias. if you haven't visited

well quite frankly you haven't lived. 

that was harsh but like. i say it cuzzz i care.

you know what they say... when in germany

eat japanese food?

Well believe it or not much to my dismay heavy german food such as:

potatoes

schinitzel

kasesptazle

wurst

knodel

kloesse

dont settle well with those who are pregnant

CALM DOWN NOT ME..

my older sister eliza. 

but hey. food is food. 

my sister is just the cutest. and she shares her food with me so i love her

our hotel was right in the center of the city! a part of the berlin wall was just minutes from

our hotel! It really is such a somber experience to walk along side of it.

im a very big fan of doing cheesy touristy things. so i found a large bus

with nerdy yellow headsets and piled everyone on board for a tour

but first.. let me take a selfie

this is a very typical sight we saw every few minutes or so.

never a dull minute with this kid

perhaps my favorite part of the visit was seeing my favorite people in the whole world

this man right here is my mission president.

he is a very large reason i believe all calls are inspired.

präsident kosak. and his wife have changed my life in so many ways a blog entry

will never do justice. 

they are my second parents.

they helped change me into the woman i am today.

i would crawl over broken glass on my hands and knees for these two.

next stop.

DRESDEN

like... i never served here either. but i heard it was pretty

so.

first thing we did when we arrived was walk through a typical little german

street fair! these beauties are set up all over germany. little tiny fairs filled with candy.

meat. souveniers. and germans. 

what more could you want?

 last stop on our tour was 

LEIPZIG

one of my most favorite city of all. 

this city was where i spent half of my mission!

i was basically trained here.. and then later trained here.

this city has my heart. 

we arrived to the greatest little surprise welcoming party and got ice cream!

of course.

this is called spaghetti ice.

its what deserves the blame for my weight gain while away.

its vanilla ice cream. shaped as noodles. and then decorated to look

like spaghetti. 

hi. the church is true.

 i took my family to visit the places where i lived.

where we taught. 

where my favorite p-day eating spots were

i seriously talk about food way too often. 

i should just become a food blogger

food for thought..

SEE!?

remember francesco?? my happy thought

well i love him and seeing him made me cry.
he still going strong in the church and trying out a new
hip thing called facial hair.
he promised me he would shave for next time i come visit.

hi meet paul

studs.

we ended the trip in the home of a favorite little family of mine.

this family became my own while in germany. they had the sisters

nearly every week for dinner and were such good a missionary

minded family. they provided a wonderful christmas and perfect birthday for me.

missions are amazing. 

the german people have a spot in my heart that will never be filled by anyone else.

here i set out to change other peoples lives but ultimately it was mine that was changed.

i miss my mission so much it hurts.

growing up i never saw myself as a missionary.

i lived below the bar that the lord set for me and i never saw my true potential.

turning around my life and deciding to serve is the best decision i've made thus far.

my mission was hard. 

i saw the lowest lows and the highest highs.

i was pushed to my limits. 

believe i lost perma feeling in my fingers from frost bite.

saw gods hand in his work.

faced some major turning points in deciding my future.

learned from amazing elders and sisters.

saw absolute miracles.

ate some of the scariest of food.

laughed till i cried.

walked until my blisters had blisters.

and came nearer to my heavenly father than ever before.

i have such a testimony of this work.

i know the lord lives.

i know with all my heart joseph smith did in fact see god

the eternal father. and his son jesus christ.

i know that the atonement of jesus christ is made for each. and every. one of us.

the gospel does in fact change lives.

i know that if we will allow gods hand into our live he will perform wonders through us.

not just for 18 mo. or for two years.

nope.

for we know better. 

mission service does not end when the name tag is removed. 

our serviceis not simply a checkmark on our journey and when finished we close that chapter.

the true measurement of the success of your mission or the life you live is not who you were

for that time away. but the person who you are today. its measured

in your daily prayer. your worthiness. study. your dedication to your temple

covenants. the daily testimony that you share.

if you havent served.

go. 

you may spend a lifetime waiting for an answer. sometimes

you need not be commanded in all things.

if you for some reason have not.

name tag or not. your still called to the work. rise up 

for those who have.

its never too late to recommit yourself. 

my life post mission hasnt been easy.

not a day goes by i don't think about my time in east germany.

i feel awkward. 

panic still when i wake up past 6:30

will 9/10 times answer the phone hi this is siii...

but i am not alone

everyday i continue to try to come closer to the lord

some days are better than others.

but.

the lord truly does reward those who set out to serve him.

i feel closer to him today than i did yesterday. a week ago. year ago. 

big thxx. to the readers who for some reason logged on weekly to read my blog.

the readers whose letters, emails and kind words continue to motivate me

to blog daily and find joy therein. 

to each and every friend stranger and family member who supported me to this point.

i felt the prayers and couldn't of done it without you. 

to the people of germany. ich hab dich lieb. 

danke für alles u. gott sei mit euch bis auf wiedersehen. 

vergessen sie nicht die kirche ist wahr. gott ist immer dabei. vertrauen ihm. 

im far from perfect

and im learning to enjoy that part of life.

i know for a fact that god answers prayers.

i know that he's blessed my life because of my service.

and i owe alot

of that to this guy right here. 

its true. 

you are who you surround yourself with.

i mustve done sommmetthinng right during my time away.

liebe immer

Bella in Berlin